Book of Hours series |
|
| Secret Parts of the Soul By Paul Johnson Cheshire, England: Paul Johnson, [n.d.]. One-of-a-Kind. 8.25 x 12.5 x 2"; 12 panels. Pop-up accordion structure opens to 54". Multi-color three-dimensional book opens out with 6 double-page spreads. Accordion structure extends from the front pastedown. Waterford water color paper dyed with industrial fabric dyes and overlaid with penwork. House shaped boards with decorative stain glass-like elements on front cover. Protective card-envelope slip case. Pyramid Atlantic Interview, 2010: "I make movable books that have no folds partly to avoid paper fatigue caused through the constant movement of opening and closing a book but also because when paper is joined with a hinge there is greater structural flexibility than folded paper; the finished piece opens and folds down more easily. Of course the pieces take longer to make but the benefits are considerable. All my new work and indeed new workshops employ this style of construction. "I have two creative passions - architecture and natural forms. In some cases the two integrate in, for example medieval cathedrals - the buildings grow just like plants do although made of stone. I grew up in the medieval city of Norwich in the east of England. There is a medieval church on every small street - over thirty of them. It is a magical place - it holds my soul - although I left there over fifty years ago. Since my parents died some time ago I have not returned and will not return. The past should be deposited in a secret place in the mind and left there to live a life of its own. I adore the architecture of Japan and Thailand too - maybe you can see the influence in my work? If my life could be stretched to infinity I would spend weeks solely drawing the trees and flowers in our garden. My wife knows the names of all of them - I envy this knowledge. I just refer to them as 'the small blue one with five petals.' Like my father, I make sketchbooks and draw in one nearly every day. Not surprisingly it is ancient churches, landscape and plants that I draw most. England is so rich in these things." From Secret Parts of the Soul: "Why is it that secrets never stay that way? … But at least there is always another secret awaiting discovery." $1600 |
|
Haiku for the Heart 2.5 x 3.5 x 2". A rectangular housing of colorfully dyed mouldmade watercolor paper contains a 4-page accordion with poems and a shadow box of architectural (?) elements. All enclosed in a protective paper band. Four haiku poems by Paul Johnson:
$25 |
 |
The Book Chair 2.5 x 6". Laser printed on mould-made Hahnemühle Aquarell and Saunders Waterford. Hand engineered. Presented in fold-around paper slipcase with illustrated title on front. A small chair, constructed by unfolding and fitting a tab into a slot, holds on its seat a tiny book, The Chair Book.
|
 |
Merman 7.75 x 4.75" closed; 11 pages. Accordion. Pop-ups. Laser printed on mould-made Hahnemühle Aquarell. Hand-engineered and assembled. Handbound hard cover housed in a paper sleeve. Signed and numbered. Merman advertises in the personal ads: "Kind and educated merman seeks mermaid for lasting relationship. My friends say that I am handsome." Notes from prospects and dates follow. |
 |
The Grand Canyon 5.5 x 4" closed, 11 x 4 x 2" open; 2 pages. Laser printed on mould-made Hahnemühle Aquarell and Fabriano Artistico paper. Hand engineered. Presented in handmade paper slipcase with illustrated title label. Paul Johnson: "90-degree pop-up of the world’s greatest natural phenomenon drawn on sight by the artist." |
 |
Heaven on Earth 3.25 x 3.25"; 12 pages. Accordion fold with attached endpapers and slip-in paper closure. Four paper constructions attached by hand-dyed, platted cotton thread. Laser printed on mouldmade Hahnemühle Aquarell. Hand engineered. Presented in handmade paper case. Paul Johnson: "90-degree pop-up book inspired by devotional prayer books." Text: "A small piece of heaven accidentally fell to earth...." |
 |
Sailing to the Dance of Day 9.75 x 6.75" closed; 18.25 x 6.75 x 9.75" opened. Handbound hardcover popup. Laser printed on mould-made 90 lb. Hahnemühle Aquarelle paper. Colophon tipped to back board. Signed and numbered by the artist. Original edition published in 2003. This is a second edition, redesigned, containing original hand coloring by the author. Paul Johnson: "180-degree pop-up sailing boat inspired by medieval illumination." Text: "Sailing to where tomorrow is always waiting to begin and where dreams float off the night into the dance of day." |
 |
| Bookworks based on women's issues by Paul Johnson | |
Goldilocks and the Three Little Pigs 3.5 x 2.75"; 8 pages. Pop-up structure laser printed on mouldmade Hahnemühle Aquarell. Hand engineered and assembled. Paul Johnson: " A pop-up satire on the Goldilocks story. A cautionary tale in which Goldilocks turns out to be not the person we thought she was...!"
|
 |
The Quest 4 x 3.5"; 5 pages. Laser printed on mouldmade Hahnemühle Aquarell. Hand engineered. Presented in handmade interlocking paper case. Paul Johnson: "Is the princess happy or not? She’s not quite sure. Castle with hinged door revealing a pull out pop-up accordion book [provides the answer]."
|
 |
| Bookworks with a theme of flora or fauna by Paul Johnson | |
Silently the Earth's Heart Watches 2.5 x 4.25"; 6 pages. Laser printed on mould made Hahnemuhle Aquarell. Hand engineered. 90-degree pop-up book engineered from single sheet. Presented in handmade paper case. Hand dyed cotton. Pop-ups laced with Johnson's illustrations showing earthlings at play and work. "Gently trees breathe air into the earth's heart / our lives dance in and out of time / ringing in the hours of day and night / hidden inside the soul of the / universe a star keeps watch " |
 |
Ursula's Garden 5.5 x 4.5"; 2 pages. Laser printed on mouldmade Hahnemühle Aquarell. Hand cut and assembled. 90-degree pop-up book. Housed in an slip-in envelope with title and image on front. Paul Johnson: "I planned the engineering of Ursula's Garden from the upstairs bedroom window of my mother-in-law's house in north London. The deafening noise of bulldozers and heavy vehicles redeveloping that area emphasized the tranquility of her tiny garden. It was like being in a Japanese garden where the mind steps out of the body for a while and lives in an alternative reality more real than the 'real' one." |
 |
The Tree House of Time 9.75 x 7.5" closed; 19.25 x 7.5 x 9" opened. Hand-bound hardcover popup. Laser printed on mould-made 90 lb. Hahnemühle Aquarelle paper. Colophon tipped to back board. Signed and numbered by the artist. Original edition published in 2003. This is a second edition, redesigned, containing original hand coloring by the author. Paul Johnson: "180-degree pop-up tree house inspired by medieval illumination and 19th century pop-up books." Text: "Those who climb the branches dance in the moving clouds of time. Angels keep watch over the tree house high in a tapestry of leaves." |
 |
Book Art Project: "Using brilliant industrial fabric dyes on mould-made water color paper, Paul Johnson has evolved a style that is uniquely his own. He uses the dyed sheets to construct a wide range of one-of-a-kind movable books....As a child he grew up in the ancient city of Norwich - a medieval church on every street - so it is not surprising that his inspiration comes from ecclesiastical art, especially illumination. But he is also motivated by Japanese art, notably the color woodblock prints of Hiroshige and Hokusai. His work comes in a variety of forms and sizes." Bookworks from the artist's "Book of Hours" series, inspired by medieval hand-painted books. |
|
By Far the Most Important Experiences
$40 |
 Click image for more |
Once Upon a Moment of Tranquility
$30 |
|
| Take Good Care of Your Dreams By Paul Johnson Cheshire, England: Paul Johnson, 2010. One-of-a-Kind. 4.5" x 5; 8 pages. Text in gold pen on front pastedown. Pages have a diamond window cut in the center and laced strips of colored paper around each diamond. Industrial fabric dyes on mould-made watercolor paper. Bound in matching dyed paper over boards with multi-colored decorative cords across top and bottom edges and along the spine edges vertically. Tower structure extends above the spine. Housed in protective maroon envelope case with hand-dyed cotton fabric thread closure. Signed by the artist. Book Art Project: "Using brilliant industrial fabric dyes on mould-made water color paper, Paul Johnson has evolved a style that is uniquely his own. He uses the dyed sheets to construct a wide range of one-of-a-kind movable books. ...As a child he grew up in the ancient city of Norwich — a medieval church on every street - so it is not surprising that his inspiration comes from ecclesiastical art, especially illumination." Take good care of your dreams and let them into the daylight ... $35 |
 Click image for more |
| Listen to the Subtext of this Day and Let it Show You Where to Go.... | |
By Paul Johnson 4.75 x 6 x 1.5"; 6 pages. Pop-up. Text in silver ink on front pastedown. Industrial fabric dyes on mould-made watercolor paper. Housed in paper open ended slipcase with hand-dyed cotton fabric thread closure. Origami accents on spine. Paper slip closure for book. Signed by the artist.
|
 Click image for more |
| Paul Johnson loves to make tree houses. He has been making pop-up tree houses for over a decade | |
| House and Garden By Paul Johnson Cheshire, England: Paul Johnson, 2010. One-of-a-Kind. 8.75 x 4.5"; opens to 5.5 x 5.5 x 4.5". Pop-up sculpture. Industrial fabric dyes and gold leaf on mould-made watercolor paper. Signed by the artist. Paul Johnson, web site: "Paul Johnson specializes in making three-dimensional books inspired by architecture in which there are no folds and therefore no paper fatigue. All sections are fastened together using a range of paper hinges, locks, and dovetail joints. One advantage of this method is that sections can be modified and redesigned as the model develops – you simply take out one section and replace it with another." This interlocking paper structure features a house surrounded by rocks, trees, and shrubs. Simple, enchanting. $115 |
 Click image for more |
Tree House
|
 Click image for more |
| Paul Johnson Out of Print Titles: | |
| So Let Us Keep This Moment Secret To Ourselves Only | |
By Paul Johnson 2.75 x 3.875 x 1"; 10 pages. Text - the title - in silver ink on front
|
 Click image for more |
The Tatton Topiary 2.75 x 3.25". 90-degree miniature pop-up. Laser printed on mouldmade Hahnemühle Aquarell. Hand engineered. In green paper slipcase. Signed and numbered by the artist. Paul Johnson, colophon: "Tatton Park, a house and estate in Cheshire in the north of England a short distance from where I live, has three walled gardens dating back to the 19th century. I have tried to capture the intimacy of these delightful gardens in this miniature pop-up book." |
 |
Page last update: 08.10.11
Home | About Us | Contact Us | New Arrivals | Fine Press & Artists' Books | Broadsides | Miniature Books | Resource Books | Order/Inquiry
Copyright © 2008 Vamp & Tramp, Booksellers, LLC. All rights reserved.