Jaime Lynn Shafer

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Jaime Lynn Shafer ~ Maryland	Share this page:

Artist Statement: "By creating handmade books that deal with social injustice or history, I place the spectator in the story, thereby forcing the viewer to experience the same injustice. The book form allows the viewer to react privately to each piece just as they would when reading the newspaper, but the experience is intimate and the connection may be visceral. As the viewer becomes a part of the event, their perspective changes. I encourage people to rethink or at the very least question their present belief system."

Code Red by Jaime Lynn Shafer Reno, Nevada: Jaime Lynn Shafer, 2016. Edition of 30. 5 x 6" cloth-covered box with one sheet book laid in. Front pastedown and back pastedown of box contain text. One sheet book 4.25 x 5.375" closed, opens to 21.25 x 10.75". Inkjet and letterpress printed from metal type, wood type, and photopolymer plates on Mohawk paper and book cloth. Typefaces: Bell and News Gothic Bold. Created at the Black Rock Press of the University of Nevada at Reno. Signed and numbered by the artist. Jaime Lynn Shafer: "Code Red is issued when an imminent and major danger threatens school safety. The interior text, printed from wood type, identifies documented locations where children have found loaded guns in the home. The exterior brick is printed as a memorial to the numerous victims of school shootings and includes names and ages. This is not an all-inclusive list, but represents a sampling of children and adults who have been fatally shot in a school environment. The text message is reminiscent of the message I received from my partner when an active shooter was on her school campus. This incident helped me to better understand how one would feel when their loved one is in grave danger." Colophon: "In 2014, my partner was hired as the trauma counselor at Sparks Middle School. Her role was to counsel the students who had been present during the 2013 school shooting that left two people dead and many others physically and mentally injured. Her experiences in the school and my past experience as a public school teacher inspired me to further examine the instances of school shootings in the United States along with the accessibility of guns." $250	Click image for more Click here for the link to Instagram


Old Geiger Grade By Jaime Shafer Reno, Nevada: Black Rock Press, 2016. Edition of 50. 6.75 x 4.375"; 16 pages including covers. Letterpress printed from handset metal type and photopolymer plates on Rives BFK. The typefaces that appear in the book are Craw Clarendon and Clarendon. The book is handbound in a drum leaf structure and presented in a paper wrapper and slipcase. Laser cut on an Epilog Helix 24 Laser Cutter and handcut by the artist. Signed and numbered by the artist on the colophon. Jamie Shafer: "Created as part of my experience as the Black Rock Press Redfield Fellow in Book Arts at the University of Nevada, Reno, Old Geiger Grade is the first book produced by the Black Rock Press for the Parley Project. The Parley Project is a biannual interdisciplinary book art project that engages other entities within the university in conversation with the Black Rock Press. It was influenced by the W.M. Keck Museum at the University of Nevada, Reno—the second oldest museum in the state. Special thanks to the staff and students at UNR who assisted with production: Inge Bruggeman, Amy Thompson, Amaris Martin, Judith Rodby, and Su Tran. "Old Geiger Grade was inspired by Geiger Grade Road and the history of the Comstock. It places readers in the steep, dangerous terrain of the 1860s as they travel to Virginia City where they hope their fortunes might be found." nevadalandtrust.org: "Next time you’re headed up to Virginia City from Reno on Geiger Grade, NV 341, check out the Nevada State Historical Marker just before the road flattens out in the Highlands. The sign tells of the Old Geiger Grade (‘In Canyon Below’) constructed by Davison Geiger and John Tilton in 1862 to link Virginia City’s Comstock Lode to the Truckee Meadows." $265 (Last Copy)	Click image for more


What We're Made Of by Judith Rodby and Jaime Lynn Shafer Reno, Nevada: Jaime Lynn Shafer, 2015. Edition of 25. 11 x 7.5"; 7 loose sheets. Printed from metal type, photopolymer plates, and linoleum blocks on Magnani Pescia paper and Mohawk paper. Created at the Black Rock Press at the University of Nevada Reno. Laid in a four-flap portfolio with slip and slot closure. Paper title label on cover. Signed and numbered. What We're Made Of is a collaborative work. The poems were written by Judith Rodby. The art and portfolio were created by Jaime Lynn Shafer. The broadside design and printing were accomplished by Judith Rodby and Jaime Lynn Shafer. Jaime Lynn Shafer, blog 7/21/2015: "Judith is a retired linguistics professor and volunteers at the Black Rock Press. She is a beautiful poet and friend, and I am thrilled to be collaborating with her. She has written a series of poems inspired by Stardate (an NPR broadcast). Judith is working on setting the type for the poetry, and I am working on the images. There are five poems that will be printed and housed in a portfolio case. We will work from metal type and polymer plate and linoleum images." The portfolio consists of five poems. Careening Toward the Sun's Caress: Inspired by National Public Radio, Stardate, 1/22/2013. The sun produces outbursts known as solar flares; the Kepler spacecraft detects solar flares. Mira: Inspired by National Public Radio, Stardate, 1/23/2013. David Fabricius (March 9, 1564-May 7, 1617) was a German pastor who discovered the first known periodic variable star, Mira, in August 1596. Histories of Natural Disasters: Inspired by National Public Radio, "Dying Stars Write Their Own Swan Songs." 1/10/2014. Wanda Diaz-Merced, an astrophysicist blind for many years, orchestrates the deaths of stars. Geminid Showers in Mid-December: Inspired by National Public Radio, "Geminid Meteor Showers Light Up Both Hemispheres." 12/14/2014. Geminid showers are created by pieces of gravel and dust from a "rock comet" or asteroid flying close to the sun. $125	Click image for more Click here for the link to Instagram


In Your Hands by Jaime Lynn Shafer Washington DC: Jaime Lynn Shafer, 2014. Edition of 7. 8 x 12"; 44 pages plus free end pages. Screen printed, letter press printed, and blind embossed on Somerset paper and Hahnemühle Bugra. Handbound with a long stitch and leather spine. In cloth-covered slipcase. Signed and numbered by the artist. Jaime Lynn Shafer: "Relationships are about the people in them. Choosing a partner that provides the right balance can alter the value of any relationship. My work is in response to academic research exploring the history of marriage in the United States. In Your Hands is a collection of letters I have written to individuals who have had an impact on my life—for good or bad. Every relationship and interaction we have with others changes how we see the world and how we behave. From a young age, we are shaped by the individuals who surround us and by those who we choose to surround ourselves with as we age. We take a part of these interactions and relationships with us into the next phase of our lives." NEXT2014: "Jamie’s written thesis work is about long-term, same sex couples. She researched different couples from different time periods. Originally Jamie set out to prove that same sex relationships are different from opposite sex relationships, but after researching, she realized that 'it isn’t about gender—rather it is about finding the right person regardless of gender. This change forced her to re-examine her life, and now Jamie hopes that her art will encourage people to rethink or at least question their present belief systems as well." $450 (Last Copy)	Click image for more Click here for the link to Instagram


Circle the Drain By Jaime Shafer and Casey Ritenour Jaime Shafer, 2012. Edition of 100. 8 x 10"; 84 pages. Digitally produced in InDesign CS6 by Jaime Shafer. Photography by Jaime Shafer. Essays by Casey Ritenour. Signed by both artists. Casebound in gray laminate boards. College Book Art Association (CBAA) website accessed 10/26/15, Circle the Drain: "Circle the Drain is the result of a collaboration between writer Casey Ritenour and book artist Jaime Shafer. It’s a collection of essays written as a response to a traumatic sexual assault. The book chronicles the act itself and the raw emotion the victim experiences in the aftermath. Through vivid imagery, it challenges the reader to relive the pain a young woman can suffer at the hand of alleged romance." Jaime Shafer: "Although Casey granted me full artistic liberty, creating this book was a challenge. I was constantly worried about whether or not I would be able to do the content justice with my design and imagery. The content is extremely raw and emotional, and I wanted to generate feelings of loneliness and desolation." $150	Click image for more


Jaime Lynn Shafer Out of Print Title:

1 in 3 by Jaime Lynn Shafer Reno, Nevada: Jaime Lynn Shafer, 2014. Edition of 25. 6" x 9" x .5"; 6 leaves (18 flags). Letterpress printed from metal type and polymer plate on Stonehenge paper in Baskerville and Univers. Inkjet printed on Hahnemühle Duo and Epson Ultra Smooth. Altered and found photographs (used with permission). Flag book structure. Bound in paper over boards. In cloth covered slipcase. Signed and numbered by the artist. Jaime Lynn Shafer: "1 in 3 was inspired by recent media attention focusing on domestic violence. Creating this piece proved more difficult than I expected. It forced me to reflect on my own experiences with domestic abuse. Those who have never been in an abusive relationship usually ask , 'Why did s/he stay?' Unless you have experienced it, it is hard to understand. This is not an all-inclusive representation of domestic abuse. However, I hope that the content of this book helps the viewer to better understand the victim's point of view and the lack of resources that often hinder a victim's ability to escape the situation." Colophon: "The facts printed on the flags came from the following sources: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey: 2010 Summary Report; The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence: Domestic Violence Fact Sheet; The National Domestic Violence Hotline; The National Network to End Domestic Violence 2013 Domestic Violence Counts: A 24-Hour Census of Domestic Violence Shelters and Services. "The narrative on the covers and end sheets were inspired by personal experience, discussion with others who have experienced abuse, and victims' testimonies. "For every book sold, a donation will be made to a local shelter that supports victims of domestic abuse." (SOLD/Out of Print)	Click image for more Click here for the link to Instagram

17927 by Jaime Lynn Shafer Reno, Nevada: Jaime Lynn Shafer, 2015. Edition of 10. 6.25 x 6" closed; tunnel book. Printed from linoleum blocks, wood type, and polymer plate on Magnani Pescia. Trifold paper covered wrap with colophon and maps on pastedowns. Signed and numbered by the artist. Jaime Lynn Shafer: "17927 is the revoked zip code for the town of Centralia, Pennsylvania. Centralia was once a prosperous coal mining town home to close to 1,000 residents. In 1962, Centralia's dump, which was located in an abandoned coal pit, caught fire. The mine has been burning ever since. In the 1980's, the fire came to the attention of the nation, when a young boy fell into a sink hole." (SOLD/Out of Print)	Click image for more

I Speak by Jaime Lynn Shafer Reno, Nevada: Jaime Lynn Shafer, 2012. One-of-a-Kind. 16 pages; 6" x 6" x 12" open. Carousel structure with ribbon closure. Pop-ups. Materials: Canson paper, linen thread, color photographs, acrylic paint, marker. Laid in four-flap cloth-covered box with ribbon and bone closure. Jaime Lynn Shafer: "Focusing on rediscovering one’s voice following an abusive relationship, I Speak addresses the freedoms we take for granted in our everyday life." (SOLD)	Click image for more

No Refills Left by Jaime Lynn Shafer Greensburg, PA: Jaime Lynn Shafer, 2013. One-of-a-Kind. 1" x 1" x 3" recycled prescription bottle with Push & Turn lid. Materials: recycled prescription pamphlets, acrylic paint, marker. Four constructed blue pills. Double sided accordion book between two halves of blue pill. "No Refills Left" is one of two books created as part of Shafer's work on dealing with drug addiction. Jaime Lynn Shafer: "No Refills Left addresses prescription drug abuse from the first person and the omniscient. The text allows the reader to experience the denial and the reality of the addiction. The text has been crossed out on the pamphlets to reveal one word. Each blue pill is made of hundreds of cut recycled prescription pamphlets stacked and glued on top of one another. The glued stack was then sanded to resemble the shape of a pill and painted with acrylic paint." An interesting presentation of prescription drug abuse. (SOLD)	Click image for more

With All My Love by Jaime Lynn Shafer Reno, Nevada: Jaime Lynn Shafer, 2013. Edition of 10. 6 x 9" closed; 32 pages. Inkjet printed on Somerset text weight paper and Somerset Velvet. Garamond and Goudy Handtooled Std typefaces. Bound in paper wraps with slip-and-slot closure. Pamphlet stitching. Signed and numbered on the colophon by the artist. Jaime Lynn Shafer: "Based on a letter to Winifred Hanson, With All My Love reminds us of the challenges that soldiers face while on active duty overseas. Roy Hanson wrote to his wife often. She created scrapbooks of the letters, ephemera, and photographs he sent. Very few letters from Winnie survived due to Roy's ship sinking. He survived, floating in the ocean for approximately 3-4 days before being rescued. Like so many others, he never mentioned the hardships that he faced while at war, but focused on the small things that we take for granted." (SOLD)	Click image for more

Page last update: 04.07.2024