Joe D'Ambrosio ~ Arizona

Oaxaca and the Saguaro Cactus
by Joseph D'Ambrosio
1996. Edition of 125.

22 x 13.5 cm, 51 pages. Letterpress printed on two colors of Confetti paper. Printed using a Vandercook No. 4 printing press, Antique No. 14 type, handmade "paper" printing plates, and a multitude of printing inks. Handbound by Joe D'Ambrosio in brown cloth and Mexican bark paper onlaid in a Zapotec pyramid design on the front cover. Illustrated with block prints by Joe D'Ambrosio. With two pop-up illustrations, hand-colored and accented with real feathers. Laid in a green handmade paper container, tied with yucca.

This wonderfully realized book explains why the saguaro cactus can be found only in the desert of the American Southwest. With typical virtuosity, D'Ambrosio uses every element at his disposal -typography, paper, structure – to add to the experience of the book. An inexpensive example of a book artist in control and at his best.
$225