Frances Watson ~ California

How we lost the MERMAID’S SONG
By Frances Watson
2006. Edition of 10.

10.875 x 9.375"; 10 pages. Original text and images by Fran Watson. Hand printed on Rives heavy weight paper. Paper-covered boards with black cloth spine. Cover and binding by Jace Graf of Cloverleaf Studio. Signed by artist. Enclosed in black paper wrapper.

A fable of the environment and of how we lose touch. The mermaid’s song was passed along, passed along, passed along. Ultimately, it passed out of memory: "It's lost it's lost, oh woe of woes. I can't remember how it goes."

Frances Watson: "I have a folk art collection that has a number of mermaids in it. I often make drawings from figures. At some point I made the linocut and put her in an ocean setting. I guess about the same time our resident mockingbird began his early morning concerts—the poem began—and the book was made."
$300

The Origami Bird
By Frances Watson
2004. Edition of 65.

4.75 x 5" Accordion fold. Book bound into back cover of wrapper. Wrapper letterfold with Japanese paper band for "flap" to slip into. Illustrations ink jet printed on archival paper from original drawings and collage. Covers are 100% cotton paper decorated with Japanese origami papers. Signed by artist.

A lovely picture story of the Origami Bird created on the occasion of the artist's granddaughter's first Christmas. The illustrations are black line drawings with the emergence of a new life in brightly colored Japanese patterned origami papers.
$60

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Adventures of the Origami Bird
By Frances Watson
2004. Edition of 65.

Each of the four books are: 4.75 x 5" accordion fold bound into back cover of wrapper. Wrapper letterfold with Japanese paper band for "flap" to slip into. Illustrations ink jet printed on archival paper from original drawings and collage. Covers are 100% cotton paper decorated with Japanese origami papers. The four are housed in a cloth bound book cover with tie closure, paper title label on front board. Signed by artist.

The first of these four books on the adventures of the Origami Bird was created for the first Christmas of the artist's granddaughter. The four adventures included Origami Bird Goes Home; Origami Bird and the Night Sky; Origami Bird Meets Ms. Whistle; and, the original The Story of Origami Bird. The illustrations are black line drawings accented with brightly colored Japanese patterned origami papers.
$165

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