I Could Write A Book©
Birth of A Project
The project began with a journey of healing, a desire for community connection, creative curiosity, and a daily commitment,
1. I began a 12-week online program for Narcissistic Abuse Recovery, with a group of women from around the globe seeking their own healing.
2. Three weeks later, as my creative slump continued. I followed my curiosity and expanded my creative practice by doing something purely for pleasure. I joined a 5-day bookmaking challenge on Facebook, and subsequently joined the online Handmade Book Club.
3. A week later I joined an FB group called 'A Little A Day'. A 20-day creativity project designed to support participants, provide creative encouragement and help ease anxiety through the run up to and the days following the 2020 election. Encouraging everyone to spend a little time each day doing something creative. I decided to focus on writing each day, downloading my morning's anxious thoughts and turning them into little rhyming ruminations. I also began making artist books as part of my daily creative exercise. A week into the project the idea of I Could Write A Book© was born, along with the desire to make a series of artist books on the topic of Domestic Abuse.
1. I began a 12-week online program for Narcissistic Abuse Recovery, with a group of women from around the globe seeking their own healing.
2. Three weeks later, as my creative slump continued. I followed my curiosity and expanded my creative practice by doing something purely for pleasure. I joined a 5-day bookmaking challenge on Facebook, and subsequently joined the online Handmade Book Club.
3. A week later I joined an FB group called 'A Little A Day'. A 20-day creativity project designed to support participants, provide creative encouragement and help ease anxiety through the run up to and the days following the 2020 election. Encouraging everyone to spend a little time each day doing something creative. I decided to focus on writing each day, downloading my morning's anxious thoughts and turning them into little rhyming ruminations. I also began making artist books as part of my daily creative exercise. A week into the project the idea of I Could Write A Book© was born, along with the desire to make a series of artist books on the topic of Domestic Abuse.
The Idea - A communal project - comprised of hand made notebooks that document individual women's stories of abuse - 'In Their Own Words'. A journey of healing by documenting personal stories that validate their experience, and by sharing, shed more light and awareness on the issue of Domestic Abuse.
My hope is to invite women who have experienced abuse to participate, by providing them with their own notebook to write their story.
My experience has been that many women may have already written aspects of their stories without realizing it, in the form of journals, conversations with close friends, therapists, confidants or in my case in our private facebook group. My expectation is not to burden women with feeling like they have to write a memoir. 'Story' is used loosely. Women can choose to approach this broadly. A 'story' might be a snapshot of their experience. A glimpse of incidents from their journey that they want to share. Words or sentences that express how they feel in response to their experience or their recovery, A poem or prose. Images that might express their feelings. They may choose to transcribe texts or emails documenting abusive communications, and or include their recovery story. There is a lot of flexibility for interpretation. There would be no obligation to fill up the book, just to write as much or as little as they desire.
These books will grow into a library documenting Domestic Abuse and would form part of an art exhibition. Celebrating their strength and putting a spotlight on domestic abuse.
The Nuts and Bolts:
1. I would source or make blank notebooks and mail them to each woman, who will return a completed book to me within 4 weeks. There is no obligation to fill the book, just to document as much or as little as they are comfortable with. See previous paragraph.
2. I would then create a cover, selecting colored papers. Each woman's name could be cut into the book cover, or I can select fictional names for privacy sake. The color of the covers hint at its content. Different types of abuse could be color-coded e.g. Narcissistic Abuse - Green; Physical Abuse: Purple; etc. Books can have multiple colored covers.
3. There may be a small fee to cover material costs and postage - this will be determined, But my hope is to cover any costs through sponsorship opportunities or applying for a grant..
4. The books would form part of a growing library of Domestic Abuse. The library brings their secret stories to light and shines a light on the wider topic.. The library would also form part of an exhibition at a gallery to be determined.
N.B. This is a significant undertaking and privacy is important so anonymity is essential. A contract therefore would be drawn up detailing usage parameters, and each book that is returned will also be logged into a catalogue for tracking, and matched with its author, should the books need be returned after the exhibition. However, I would hope to take the exhibition on tour to other venues such as galleries, libraries, non-profit organization or museums, with the hope that the library might become part of one organization's permanent collection.
The Exhibition:
The library would form the main part of the exhibition - I Could Write A Book©, in collaboration with a gallery or non profit project space.
The exhibition may consist of a wide program with multiple elements: Each element could speak to one specific aspect of domestic abuse or be broader and more flexible in scope.
Possible elements of a program might include:
1. A library of Domestic Abuse Books - In Their Own Words - Women’s Stories of Healing - written in their own words.
2. Artist Books - A series of artists books made by me, tackling an aspect of abuse in a creative and visual way.
3. Gallery Visitor Participation - Visitors would also have the opportunity to contribute by taking home blank notebooks to be write their story and returned to me.. These would be added to a growing library documenting abuse. An opportunity could also be made available online to request a book. Online participation also reaches a wider audience.
4. A Bound Book - Restraining orders filed by the women.
5. Portraits of Women - Printmaking, photography or art
6. A Multimedia Room - Video display of scrolling text messages from abusers (anonymous) or audio.
7. Audio Recording - A narration stating the facts and statistics of domestic abuse nationally and globally. or a rolling stream of text listing statistics.
8. Speaking Opportunity - Women could also be given the opportunity to speak at an event or be recorded narrating their story.
9. A Call for Art - A juried element of the exhibition, inviting artists to create art or books on the topic of Domestic Abuse.
10. Digital Resource - Domestic Abuse help groups and organizations. These would also have an opportunity to sponsor the project and garner greater awareness.
11. Workshop - Women could have the opportunity of being more involved in the whole process by making their own artist books from a simple template, supplies lists and an accompanying video on making the book. This could be a therapeutic part of the process. of healing. The workshop could include a module by a guest writer to provide some guidance on ways to approach writing/ crafting a story, Or facilitated by a counsellor.
My hope is to invite women who have experienced abuse to participate, by providing them with their own notebook to write their story.
My experience has been that many women may have already written aspects of their stories without realizing it, in the form of journals, conversations with close friends, therapists, confidants or in my case in our private facebook group. My expectation is not to burden women with feeling like they have to write a memoir. 'Story' is used loosely. Women can choose to approach this broadly. A 'story' might be a snapshot of their experience. A glimpse of incidents from their journey that they want to share. Words or sentences that express how they feel in response to their experience or their recovery, A poem or prose. Images that might express their feelings. They may choose to transcribe texts or emails documenting abusive communications, and or include their recovery story. There is a lot of flexibility for interpretation. There would be no obligation to fill up the book, just to write as much or as little as they desire.
These books will grow into a library documenting Domestic Abuse and would form part of an art exhibition. Celebrating their strength and putting a spotlight on domestic abuse.
The Nuts and Bolts:
1. I would source or make blank notebooks and mail them to each woman, who will return a completed book to me within 4 weeks. There is no obligation to fill the book, just to document as much or as little as they are comfortable with. See previous paragraph.
2. I would then create a cover, selecting colored papers. Each woman's name could be cut into the book cover, or I can select fictional names for privacy sake. The color of the covers hint at its content. Different types of abuse could be color-coded e.g. Narcissistic Abuse - Green; Physical Abuse: Purple; etc. Books can have multiple colored covers.
3. There may be a small fee to cover material costs and postage - this will be determined, But my hope is to cover any costs through sponsorship opportunities or applying for a grant..
4. The books would form part of a growing library of Domestic Abuse. The library brings their secret stories to light and shines a light on the wider topic.. The library would also form part of an exhibition at a gallery to be determined.
N.B. This is a significant undertaking and privacy is important so anonymity is essential. A contract therefore would be drawn up detailing usage parameters, and each book that is returned will also be logged into a catalogue for tracking, and matched with its author, should the books need be returned after the exhibition. However, I would hope to take the exhibition on tour to other venues such as galleries, libraries, non-profit organization or museums, with the hope that the library might become part of one organization's permanent collection.
The Exhibition:
The library would form the main part of the exhibition - I Could Write A Book©, in collaboration with a gallery or non profit project space.
The exhibition may consist of a wide program with multiple elements: Each element could speak to one specific aspect of domestic abuse or be broader and more flexible in scope.
Possible elements of a program might include:
1. A library of Domestic Abuse Books - In Their Own Words - Women’s Stories of Healing - written in their own words.
2. Artist Books - A series of artists books made by me, tackling an aspect of abuse in a creative and visual way.
3. Gallery Visitor Participation - Visitors would also have the opportunity to contribute by taking home blank notebooks to be write their story and returned to me.. These would be added to a growing library documenting abuse. An opportunity could also be made available online to request a book. Online participation also reaches a wider audience.
4. A Bound Book - Restraining orders filed by the women.
5. Portraits of Women - Printmaking, photography or art
6. A Multimedia Room - Video display of scrolling text messages from abusers (anonymous) or audio.
7. Audio Recording - A narration stating the facts and statistics of domestic abuse nationally and globally. or a rolling stream of text listing statistics.
8. Speaking Opportunity - Women could also be given the opportunity to speak at an event or be recorded narrating their story.
9. A Call for Art - A juried element of the exhibition, inviting artists to create art or books on the topic of Domestic Abuse.
10. Digital Resource - Domestic Abuse help groups and organizations. These would also have an opportunity to sponsor the project and garner greater awareness.
11. Workshop - Women could have the opportunity of being more involved in the whole process by making their own artist books from a simple template, supplies lists and an accompanying video on making the book. This could be a therapeutic part of the process. of healing. The workshop could include a module by a guest writer to provide some guidance on ways to approach writing/ crafting a story, Or facilitated by a counsellor.
Images below show an Installation mock up of the library in a gallery along with examples of possible notebook designs
Domestic Abuse Stastic: Most female victims of intimate partner violence were previously victimized by the same offender at rates of 77% for women ages 18 to 24, 76% for ages 25 to 34, and 81% for ages 35 to 49.
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I Could Write A Book Project© COPYRIGHT 2020. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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Artist Books - by Annie Wildey
Exploring aspects of domestic abuse and relationship dynamics
Little Black Book
The Secrets We Keep
I’ve been drawn to writing and bookmaking recently and I'm making connections. Perhaps metaphors for healing from a failed marriage. A quietly meditative process of repetitive stitching. Finding ways to use old materials by deconstructing and reimagining them. This project used an old pleather handbag. Creating a protective cover, a home for a pencil, an attractive wraparound closure to tie the knot and leftover printmaking paper to write our secrets.
This zigzag book is based on a binding style template. The cover is made from an old deconstructed pleather bag, and the tie is the old handle strap. I patiently unpicked the stitching and replaced it with a running stitch in the original holes, using the teal waxed hemp thread I used for the spine binding. The strap is attached to the back flap with a zigzag but sturdy stitch. I slit a loop in the cover flap to hold a writing utensil. I used leftover Hahnemühle handmade printmaking paper for the signatures. This new book is 6x8 inches.
Seems like it's no coincidence I'm making these out of bags. e.g. baggage we carry around. Stitch by stitch, we refashion what we have left, tell our story, and rebuild a new life.
Domestic Abuse Statistic: Women ages 18 to 24 and 25 to 34 generally experience the highest rates of intimate partner violence.
I’ve been drawn to writing and bookmaking recently and I'm making connections. Perhaps metaphors for healing from a failed marriage. A quietly meditative process of repetitive stitching. Finding ways to use old materials by deconstructing and reimagining them. This project used an old pleather handbag. Creating a protective cover, a home for a pencil, an attractive wraparound closure to tie the knot and leftover printmaking paper to write our secrets.
This zigzag book is based on a binding style template. The cover is made from an old deconstructed pleather bag, and the tie is the old handle strap. I patiently unpicked the stitching and replaced it with a running stitch in the original holes, using the teal waxed hemp thread I used for the spine binding. The strap is attached to the back flap with a zigzag but sturdy stitch. I slit a loop in the cover flap to hold a writing utensil. I used leftover Hahnemühle handmade printmaking paper for the signatures. This new book is 6x8 inches.
Seems like it's no coincidence I'm making these out of bags. e.g. baggage we carry around. Stitch by stitch, we refashion what we have left, tell our story, and rebuild a new life.
Domestic Abuse Statistic: Women ages 18 to 24 and 25 to 34 generally experience the highest rates of intimate partner violence.
Click image to view slideshow
Black and Blue Books
Physical Abuse
A Pair of leather-bound books made from repurposed pleather handbags. The Black book contains dark purple, vivid pink and orange inner section pages separating each group (signature) of blank writing pages. The Blue (grey) book’s section pages are more muted colors: pink, blue/green, and dirty yellow. These colors represent the colors of bruising at its peak and as it heals. On the back covers, I re-stitched the magnet closures from the original bag, allowing each book to be attached to the other. Representing permanent welts/lumps in the book. Both books have been bound with corresponding rainbow blended thread that could speak to burst blood vessels. I have also restitched some areas of the leather where original stitching had been.
Domestic Abuse Statistic: An average of 24 people per minute are victims of rape, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner in the United States — more than 12 million women and men over the course of a single year
A Pair of leather-bound books made from repurposed pleather handbags. The Black book contains dark purple, vivid pink and orange inner section pages separating each group (signature) of blank writing pages. The Blue (grey) book’s section pages are more muted colors: pink, blue/green, and dirty yellow. These colors represent the colors of bruising at its peak and as it heals. On the back covers, I re-stitched the magnet closures from the original bag, allowing each book to be attached to the other. Representing permanent welts/lumps in the book. Both books have been bound with corresponding rainbow blended thread that could speak to burst blood vessels. I have also restitched some areas of the leather where original stitching had been.
Domestic Abuse Statistic: An average of 24 people per minute are victims of rape, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner in the United States — more than 12 million women and men over the course of a single year
Click image to view slideshow
Wound Book
Abuse with a firearm
A gunshot wound was the inspiration for this book. The cover (skin of the book) is made from handmade Hahnemuhle printmaking paper. The edges and surface of the paper have been distressed representing damaged and torn flesh. The circle represents the entry wound of the bullet. The spine is bound using waxed black linen thread / stitches. Extra thread is wrapped around the book and the stitching needle is included. as a closure. There are 8 signatures, which include half signature covers made from a decorative red paper with flecks of gold leaf symbolizing blood and gun shrapnel. The next layer is a semitransparent thin parchment symbolic of fascia or layers of cell tissue. The first parchment page contains a splatter design from remnants of the red cover paper. The writing pages are Strathmore 8Olb drawing paper.
Domestic Abuse statistic: Every month, an average of 53 women are shot and killed by an intimate partner.
A gunshot wound was the inspiration for this book. The cover (skin of the book) is made from handmade Hahnemuhle printmaking paper. The edges and surface of the paper have been distressed representing damaged and torn flesh. The circle represents the entry wound of the bullet. The spine is bound using waxed black linen thread / stitches. Extra thread is wrapped around the book and the stitching needle is included. as a closure. There are 8 signatures, which include half signature covers made from a decorative red paper with flecks of gold leaf symbolizing blood and gun shrapnel. The next layer is a semitransparent thin parchment symbolic of fascia or layers of cell tissue. The first parchment page contains a splatter design from remnants of the red cover paper. The writing pages are Strathmore 8Olb drawing paper.
Domestic Abuse statistic: Every month, an average of 53 women are shot and killed by an intimate partner.
Click image to view slideshow
Video showing internal pages
Bruised Terrain Book
Physical Abuse
Experimenting with layers of colored paper to convey bruising. It feels topographical and explores the terrain of bruised skin. Made as a simple pamphlet stitched book, it experiments with the idea of a tunnel book without it being a typical tunnel book construction. it is 6x6in and has 11 layers of colored card stock with torn holes, and a stationery paper signature of 24 pages. Front and back are interchangeable.
Domestic Abuse Statistic: 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men have been victims of severe physical violence (e.g. beating, burning, strangling) by an intimate partner in their lifetime.
Experimenting with layers of colored paper to convey bruising. It feels topographical and explores the terrain of bruised skin. Made as a simple pamphlet stitched book, it experiments with the idea of a tunnel book without it being a typical tunnel book construction. it is 6x6in and has 11 layers of colored card stock with torn holes, and a stationery paper signature of 24 pages. Front and back are interchangeable.
Domestic Abuse Statistic: 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men have been victims of severe physical violence (e.g. beating, burning, strangling) by an intimate partner in their lifetime.
Many Ways to Say I love You Book
Verbal abuse
I'm using an expression of affection, that can easily turn into verbal abusive and be shocking. I plan to incorporate reflective rose gold paper on the inside cover so the reader sees their reflection. I want the book to have the feel of wedding invitations with a feminine and delicate vibe , by using foil, pastels, gold, a variety of paper and my homemade decorative papers. Each section cover has two sleeves - 1st sleeve contains part one of the loving phrase, with the abusive word or words on the 2nd sleeve. The juxtaposition of both phrase and words sends mixed messages and disarms the reader.
Domestic Abuse Statistic: Almost half of all women and men in the US have experienced psychological aggression by an intimate partner in their lifetime (48.4% and 48.8%, respectively).
Domestic Abuse Statistic: Almost half of all women and men in the US have experienced psychological aggression by an intimate partner in their lifetime (48.4% and 48.8%, respectively).
Click image to view slideshow
Sign of the Times Wedding Ring
Poem ring as a document
An alternate wedding ring as a symbol of the duration. A poem written on one continuous piece of velumn or flexible acrylic. Bound with copper wire 8 times to signify the length of the marriage. To be presented in a handmade ring box.
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Always a sign of the times.
The first time hurt the most. How long had it been absent. I wondered, was it killing you that I hadn’t noticed. |
On again, off again.
Occasionally I’d ask you directly why you weren’t wearing it, Knowing full well why. Your statement of choice. |
After a while it didn’t phase me.
I’m guessing, you hadn’t worn it in over a year the day I left. But there it was, at the counseling session. When it no longer mattered, Because I had finally taken mine off. |
Click image to view slideshow
You Can't Have Your Cake and Eat it
inequity in divorce settlements
Represented as a wedding cake. Many women are disadvantaged in divorce settlements. While may states recognize a man and woman as equal partners in a marriage, It is often a struggle for women (who typically earn less on the dollar to men) to receive an equal split of assets. The pink section of the cake represents a sliding portion of 50% of the cake.
Represented as a wedding cake. Many women are disadvantaged in divorce settlements. While may states recognize a man and woman as equal partners in a marriage, It is often a struggle for women (who typically earn less on the dollar to men) to receive an equal split of assets. The pink section of the cake represents a sliding portion of 50% of the cake.
Barbed Valentine
Gaslighting/narcissistic abuse
The lotus flower book construction felt appropriate to convey the complexity and disorientation of gaslighting and narcissistic abuse. On the surface the book looks precious and loving crafted with the rose gold cover and cut out heart. But the barbed wire and decorative heart insert hints at something sinister. When opened the book, creates some confusion and disorientation, as it unfolds in a complex way. From certain angles the open books looks like sharp teeth. Each plane of paper will be printed with words that alternate between loving and abusive slurs. The Barbed wire also alludes to the idea of being wrapped or trapped in kisses.
The lotus flower book construction felt appropriate to convey the complexity and disorientation of gaslighting and narcissistic abuse. On the surface the book looks precious and loving crafted with the rose gold cover and cut out heart. But the barbed wire and decorative heart insert hints at something sinister. When opened the book, creates some confusion and disorientation, as it unfolds in a complex way. From certain angles the open books looks like sharp teeth. Each plane of paper will be printed with words that alternate between loving and abusive slurs. The Barbed wire also alludes to the idea of being wrapped or trapped in kisses.
Click image to view slideshow
No Tresspassing
Originally created as a response to the Supreme Court ruling reversing Roe V Wade. Channeling my disgust. A book of sorts: paper, words and a binding. But it also speaks in wider terms to the sovereignty of a woman's body. Experimenting with folded paper, synthetic and dried flowers. words and barbed wire.
Domestic Abuse Statistics on Rape;
1 in 5 women in the United States has been raped in their lifetime. Almost half of female (46.7%) victims of rape in the United States were raped by an acquaintance. Of these, 45.4% of female rape victims were raped by an intimate partner.
Domestic Abuse Statistics on Rape;
1 in 5 women in the United States has been raped in their lifetime. Almost half of female (46.7%) victims of rape in the United States were raped by an acquaintance. Of these, 45.4% of female rape victims were raped by an intimate partner.
A Bullet for You Book
A miniature book, that feels like a jewelry box containing something precious. We are given jewels as expressions of romantic love: engagement rings, wedding rings, tennis bracelets for anniversaries. Symbols of undying love. This book represents the last gift from a lover. The book is also a metaphor for the body: pages are layers of flesh, the crystal, a lodged bullet. This is a rough mockup with the crystal is suspended using copper wire which is also used to bind the book.
Domestic Abuse Statistic : In the United States, a woman is fatally shot by her partner every 16 hours. That is 760 women slain each year . 4.5 million women have had an intimate partner threaten them with a gun, while 1 million women have been shot or shot at by their partner.
Domestic Abuse Statistic : In the United States, a woman is fatally shot by her partner every 16 hours. That is 760 women slain each year . 4.5 million women have had an intimate partner threaten them with a gun, while 1 million women have been shot or shot at by their partner.
Time Flies Book
This book idea is not fully realized but I wanted to play with images of bruises. These are manipulated digital stock images printed on transparent paper and made into a flutter book. The paper and the glue weren’t as compatable as I hoped hence the crinkled edges. I chose not to show the cover as it doesn’t really add anything to it as an experiment. There are 4 signatures and I was thinking of the passage of time over a year. A title for the book might be ‘season’ or ‘time flies’. I really like the way the light shines through these.
Domestic Abuse Statistics during COVID lockdown 2020 : Stay-at-home orders, intended to protect the public and prevent widespread infection, left many IPV victims trapped with their abusers. Domestic-violence hotlines prepared for an increase in demand for services as states enforced these mandates, but many organizations experienced the opposite. In some regions, the number of calls dropped by more than 50%.1 Experts in the field knew that rates of IPV had not decreased, but rather that victims were unable to safely connect with services read more
Domestic Abuse Statistics during COVID lockdown 2020 : Stay-at-home orders, intended to protect the public and prevent widespread infection, left many IPV victims trapped with their abusers. Domestic-violence hotlines prepared for an increase in demand for services as states enforced these mandates, but many organizations experienced the opposite. In some regions, the number of calls dropped by more than 50%.1 Experts in the field knew that rates of IPV had not decreased, but rather that victims were unable to safely connect with services read more
Click image to view slideshow
Stitches have been added to one of the center pages. Providing a a raw and visceral surprise.
Another version of the Time flies book. a simple pamphlet stitch book. This includes the statistics of DA during Lockdown in 2020. Each signature contains the words: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter. Not sure if the context of the statement at the beginning is good, or should it be at the end, or removed from the book all together and presented and a label along side the book.
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Shine a light
This luminary is created by printing manipulated digital stock images of bruises on vellum paper.. The paper is joined using stitches of black waxed thread. The idea is to shine a light on domestic abuse. These would be lit with led candles. As an installation in a gallery it represents a vigil the many victims of domestic abuse.
Click image to view slideshow
Other Books - The beginning
5 day Journal Challenge
First two books done. Made a mistake on the covers of the larger book, punched two extra holes! so added thread to make it look intentional lol ;-). also used a rainbow thread for the small book. I decided to keep them without a closure. So loved playing with paper and thread combos on different sized books! Think my multicolored book is my favorite. I used a variety of thread options with and without waxing by hand. I used a small beeswax candle to wax the thread lol. One last book finished. 12x6 and probably my fav. I added a page saver thread with a button on the end.
Leather Pamphlet Book
Im really enjoying findig creative way of usuing what I have to make these books. For this one I deconstructed an old pleather bag, and used drawing paper signatures. A test book really. I did make a mistake and trimmed off the extra thread instead of wrapping it around the book, I added three new strands to the spine and tied three knots at the other end for a little detail. Not bad for a dry run and quick did it in 1 1/2hrs
