For those of you who do not yet know, Noteables are journals that are made with roof from the RCA Dome.  I happened upon People for Urban Progress (PUP) a couple of years ago and began learning about this material.  The RCA Dome was an Indianapolis landmark between 1984-2008. Upon demolition ofthis structure, PUP arranged for the salvage of approximately thirteen acres (about 90%) of the roof material.  PUP was already creating other products out of the Dome roof, and I asked if I could try making books.  Since that time, I've created over 500 books in partnership with PUP.  Those pictured below are plain covers with elastic closures.  They are all handbound and have 96 recycled pages in them.  They cost $24, and I will hand-stitch intials for an additional $7.  You can also pick from a variety of thread colors.   These would make great Christmas gifts!  Get your orders in ASAP to make sure it is completed in time.

People for Urban Progress (PUP) invited me to their studio to participate in July's First Friday.  It was a fabulous evening.  Thanks to all who came out! 

In April, I submitted two journals to an Ecobook Challenge organized by Mary Rezny, a local artist, and judged by Emily Martin, a book artist from Iowa who is interested in combining traditional book craft and art.  The Ecobook Challenge "encourages all residents of Fayette County to create a book from recycled and reused materials. The goal is to create a cherished treasure from items that are habitually thrown away."  I am pleased to announce that I received a letter saying that both of my books have been chosen for the Ecobook Challenge exhibit!  The opening reception is June 17 from 5-8pm at Mary Rezny's studio (903 Manchester St, Suite 170) and is in conjunction with LexArts city wide Gallery Hop.  Awards will be presented at 7pm.  I am thrilled to be participating!

Ecobook Statement:

I am an eco-friendly artist who has been salvaging and repurposing materials for years.  I appreciate sparing the environment, not adding to the landfills, and challenging my creativity to repurpose what might otherwise be a discarded textile.  I particularly enjoy re-imagining these materials into books that can be aesthetically and functionally appealing. I began bookbinding over 5 years ago and deeply appreciate the meditative quality it offers.  Initially, I started crafting books because I found journaling to be transformative in my own life.   I am mostly self-taught, experimenting with different techniques and combinations.  My inspiration comes from nature, ancient spiritual traditions, and anything whimsical, which I intertwine with ideas of function.  These two particular ecobooks are from almost completely salvaged and recycled materials.  All of the inside paper is 100% recycled, acid free paper.  The Spring Beckons Upcycled Leather Book is created from reclaimed leathers that are leftover from a car manufacturer that was closed down.  The Centering Flower Noteable Select was once part of the roof of the RDC Dome, an Indianapolis landmark between 1984-2008.  People for Urban Progress, an Indianapolis non-profit, salvaged approximately 13 acres of the roof material.  They continue to develop projects transforming the roof into various projects.   One of the projects is Noteables, which are books that I design from parts of the roof.  Because I create with repurposed materials, each piece is unique and cannot be recreated.