Betula Papyrifera

Authors

Abby Martell, Rhode Island School of DesignFollow
Fleet Library, Rhode Island School of DesignFollow
Special Collections, Rhode Island School of DesignFollow

Files

Publication Date

2-1-2015

Keywords

artists'books, Student Artists' Book Contest, first

Disciplines

Book and Paper

Student Status

Undergraduate student

Year of Graduation

2015

Major

Textiles

Faculty / Course

Julia Samuels and Henry Brown, Photographic Intaglio

Materials + Techniques

Intaglio print on Reeves BFK, tissue, book cloth and birch bark

Student Narrative

A study of the texture and language found in paper birch bark and a typology of these surfaces documented throughout winter in Northern Vermont. As an artist, I'm specifically interested in human/nature interaction and where these two forces overlap. The paper birch for me is symbol of that interaction for a couple of reasons. First, when forest is cleared or land is disturbed by humans, the birch is a pioneer species; it's one of the first to begin the transition of he land from the human hand back to nature. The bark itself mimics writing and human mark-making, speaking with a language and rhythm that is familiar to us; like looking at human handwriting, each surface is its own individual personality.

Recommended Citation

Martell, Abby; Library, Fleet; and Collections, Special, "Betula Papyrifera" (2015). 1st Student Artists' Book Contest 2015. 26.
https://digitalcommons.risd.edu/specialcollections_bookcontest1st2015/26