Mary Kritz
Canada
Bookmarks, hand drawn, hand dyed, stencilled on mixed papers. I am an artist who works with paper products in the construction of artists’ books, hand bound journals, boxes and story rooms.
By applying inspiration found in nature, architecture, and art, I create intense personal moments masterfully created by means of rules and omissions, exploration and play; inviting the viewer to curiously look inside my books to discover their contents.
My book arts are notable for their unique finishes and tactile nature. By focusing on learned techniques and a wide range of materials, I consider designing and creating books an artistic craft. When well executed through the use of traditional techniques and self-directed exploration, I amalgamate the past and present day practices of book arts into my work.
My books are based on formal training and experimentation which results in a synthesis of tradition and contemporary design. By choosing a variety of materials, from classical papers to found objects, I develop artist books that do not follow the conventional notion of what a book is; leaving viewers to make new personal associations and multi-faceted interpretations of what they are experiencing.