house in the wood

This miniature book is about memories of being young and the emotions connected with leaving childhood behind.  Nestled within the hard cover are two concertinas that extend in opposite directions, each offering a different path into the woods. On the inside of both concertinas photographs of small, colorful mushrooms punctuate the pages, marking each path. They are the hidden, small details noticed only by a curious eye, the dots of color to be closely investigated and magic imagined. On the opposite side of the concertinas the repetitive text makes reference to “Alice in Wonderland,” and “Hansel and Gretel,”  while recalling the memories of wild adventures in the woods. But, the fantasy is pushed aside by the reality that time has passed, and with the reminder that the child has grown, the imagination fades. This place and their memories are both precious and bittersweet, and there is a longing to return. The concertinas come together to form the image of a small house nestled deep in the forest, my childhood home. The photos were taken on a long walk, along two paths that lead from the house deep into the woods.

Inkjet printed on Stratmore 130gsm, wood, bookcloth, hemp closure. Hard cover, concertina.  3”x 2 1/8” x ¼” closed, edition of 20. 2015