Week 17: Whisper

   Whisper is the book-of-the-week for Week 17. It is a painted fabric-covered book with a long-stitch binding in a cross-hatch design. The leather-like feel of the cover cloth is achieved by mixing equal parts of Golden Heavy Gel® matte medium with acrylic paints, then painting the cover fabric similar to pastepaper using a paint brush and assorted stamps, combs and texturing tools. A fore-edge flap with vintage pearl button and a macrame cord create a snug closure.

Whisper, cover

opening...

Inside, the text pages are a variety of plain drawing papers and folios dipped in Japanese marbling inks (suminagashi.) Aitoh Boku Undo® suminagashi inks (source: Nasco Arts & Crafts) were used. The text was handwritten.

open the book to see... change

scale of a word... Ocean, Ocean, Ocean, Ocean

marbling, calligraphic "stitching", and writing

marbling, calligraphic stitching, and writing... page 2

This is the poem...

In Paris

there stands a

watchtower

with tiles

of turquoise

and green

Looking down

from 

ABOVE

it seems so

quiet

Landscape

changing

blame it on time

Bands of light

and streams of 

golden flecked water

That 

is

our

tomorrow

Layers of 

earth

barely

shifting

but

oh 

so 

slightly

a 

vibration

some

light

through

the 

darkness

Through the

green jungles

and the

gray jungles

and the

open doorways

and the 

whiteness

of not knowing

but our

cells

remembering.

Ocean

Ocean

Ocean

Ocean

They say

we 

came

from 

you

Some of us 

love 

the water

And some of

us fear

its

suffocation

cold

and white

bleary watered

and 

choking

Still,

life giving

in entirety...

God

lives

in 

the

water

A droplet

a puddle

a waterfall

stream,

river, 

ocean...

water

carries

us

inside

and 

out

like a leaf

floating

down a creek...

an amoeba

in the 

sea

and 

the whiteness

that is

time

Who knew?

Who knows?

You 

just 

have to

believe.

Because

the 

map,

even though

it's there

doesn't

always

make

sense.

The horizon

is

always

ahead

Find your way

across this vast

ocean.

Float along

or swim like hell

Dip under the surface

and 

Rise up, porpoise-like

Open your arms

take in 

everything you can

What else

can

you do?

While the

heavens

shine blue

and clouds

gather and

disperse

Paint your

life,

write your

story,

sew your 

book

Waves

come

lavender in 

their aura

and 

what 

can

you

do?

sit

silent

or move 

to your

island

green

Hold strong while

you

come

into

this

dream...

Whisper,

whisper,

whisper,

Then

dance,

shout!

stretch out your

arms

and

celebrate.

What else

can you 

do?

As the

waves

wash over

us

and

the tide

rises

and falls,

pulled by the

moon

the watchman

keeps

track

of us,

we think

Sometimes

we

doubt,

we cry,

'Oh good

watcman

are

you

there?'

and somehow

in some flower,

some birdsong,

some warm hug,

we know

the 

landscape

of

truth

We

just

know.

In Paris

there stands a

clock tower

It stands

as tall as a

house -

or so it seems

in memory.

When we stand

beside time

who doesn't

feel

small?

-kcs, 2015

the Paris clocktower

   This book was written and created during a 3-day book-making and yoga workshop, Turning the Page, at Gray Bear Retreat and Lodge (click on: Gray Bear) near Hohenwald, Tennessee. Six students and two teachers gathered on the beautiful 400 acres in southwest Tennessee to eat, sleep, walk, swim, sauna, write, paint, breath, think, dream, and stretch ourselves. On the third day, students were given the assignment to write down a word that came to mind while they were painting that day.. Additionally, they were told to write down any and all words that came to mind.. immediately. The title for this book, Whisper, was the first of those words. The remainder of the poem is all the words that came after.

the books created by students in The Book of Change class, April 23-26, 2015

Gray Bear main lodge

the book making workspace at Issac's cabin

the waterfall at Gray Bear

the Path of Light at Gray Bear.. between Issac's cabin and the main Lodge...