Gerri & I met again this morning to finish our first collaborative “installation piece” for the Alley Art exhibit next month. I love working with paper: there is something so soothing about using the bonefolder to score & then to bend a piece of cardstock or, in this case, watercolor paper.

Gerri had prepared our work surface ahead of time, creating an atmospheric “mood” for the outside of the book box, which (again) is meant to resemble the ruins of a garage on Scull Alley in SP. We assembled our materials and set to work (after fortifying our creative spirits with coffee & scones). I had printed out the text in advance: a poem, the prose, & the colophon.

Gerri prepared the surface using watercolor pencils. We cut out a general outline for the box, leaving little wings & tabs for the half-walls, using our model from last week as a template.

We took turns using the bonefolder to score/fold the sides & tabs of the box.

Text & photos were attached; first to the inside of the box, then the outside. Gerri prefers special double-sided bookmaking tape to glue. The tape is gentler on the paper & a bit more durable.

We did use glue to attach some bits of “trash” to the inside: miniature beer cans, a coin, bit of crumpled up newspaper––whatever we had. We both admired the way the miniature tires seem to emerge from the “reflection” of tires in the photo.

My favorite part was cutting out the little window in the photograph & then using transparent paper & a pencil to add a bit of detailing to it.

Inside the box, a window has been added to let in some light.

All-in-all, we’re pleased with the final product. This is the first time I’ve worked on anything like this.

Now I have to get back to working on these zines! I’ll be copying, cutting & folding in my free moments the rest of this week.