Making concertina books has become an integral part of my art practice because it can lead to beautiful and unexpected results.
This folded style of art is named after the accordian. Not all concertina books are created using the same method. Many artists cut and bind or tape the paper, but in general, the premise is to provide an expanded view rather than the limited spread available in traditional sketchbooks. Two, four, six, or more pages can be visible at any particular time using this method.The drawings or paintings within the book can be a discrete statements, a journal of sorts, or a series of connected visual observations. The landscape is regarded as a whole, yet, at the same time, it is a journey through motifs—an unfolding.
I discovered my love for making Concertina's in 2020, when I ran across a vlog by artist Debbie Mackinnon, where she demonstrated how to easily create a square concertina book from one sheet of paper. She had me at "easy!" I already had a vague curiosity about concertina books, a term I heard thrown about in the art community. Her video drew me in because I saw a way to make use of some of the discarded, half-hearted attempts of work on paper scattered about my studio.
This folded style of art is named after the accordian. Not all concertina books are created using the same method. Many artists cut and bind or tape the paper, but in general, the premise is to provide an expanded view rather than the limited spread available in traditional sketchbooks. Two, four, six, or more pages can be visible at any particular time using this method.The drawings or paintings within the book can be a discrete statements, a journal of sorts, or a series of connected visual observations. The landscape is regarded as a whole, yet, at the same time, it is a journey through motifs—an unfolding.
I discovered my love for making Concertina's in 2020, when I ran across a vlog by artist Debbie Mackinnon, where she demonstrated how to easily create a square concertina book from one sheet of paper. She had me at "easy!" I already had a vague curiosity about concertina books, a term I heard thrown about in the art community. Her video drew me in because I saw a way to make use of some of the discarded, half-hearted attempts of work on paper scattered about my studio.
I immediately dug out an old piece of paper, used to offload paint from a brayer while Gelli printing, which I was never able to toss. It fell easily into the category of “this will come in handy one day”, the reason so many random scraps of paper, bits and bobs, old books, and ephemera take up residence in any art studio. Following Mackinnon's instructions, I folded, cut, folded again, and was immediately awed by the transformation of scrap paper or abandoned art. Since then, making concertina books has become an integral part of my art practice.
