Sketchbook Project
The Brooklyn Art Library housed over 41,000 sketchbooks from more than 130 different countries. Project participants ordered blank sketchbooks, chose a theme, filled them up, and connected their books online with search terms, an artist bio, and other unique content. Every sketchbook sent back to the library was cataloged and placed on the shelves for visitors to view. As a visitor of the Brooklyn Art Library, you could search for just about anything you can think of, from the thousands of search terms logged by participants. The librarians would then pull the book down for you and allow you to hold and flip through it.
Was. Could. Past tense. Tragedy struck. The moving truck transporting the entire collection from Brooklyn to St. Pete caught fire while in transit.
My sketchbook was not among the 70% rescued from the fire. Sadly, the destruction seemed fitting for a project created in the height of the pandemic.
I created a color story of collages within my sketchbook. To maintain the size limits (thickness) determined in the rules of entry, I removed three spreads from the notebook. Adding layers of paper and glue to each spread created some serious bulk. Titled Running with Scissors, each spread was true to my aesthetic with a quirky mix of silly and humorous graphics full of suggestion and innuendo. While I typically include classic cars in my collages, a handful of these do not feature a car. I’ll let you explore that detail.
SS Pointy Carlo
© 2020
Paper on paper
Gray and silver tones
Themes:
Sharp objects, SS Monte Carlo, chest armor, nail clippers, Xacto knife, hand weights, hammer, forks, and spoons
Crap Shoot
© 2020
Paper on paper
Black and white tones
Themes:
Relationships as a gamble, love, wedding rings, money, ‘58 Edsel, poker chips, dominos, Oreos, electric guitars, money
Blowing Smoke
© 2020
Paper on paper
Gold and brown tones
Themes:
Honey, honey drippers, lipsticks, cigars, braids, electric guitars, C3-PO, beer, Cadillac brightwork, corn dogs
Prepare for Launch
© 2020
Paper on paper
Red tones
Themes:
Launch button, king snakes, Santa Claus, nutcracker, postage stamps, red parrots, maracas, amaryllis, horn, wax pencils, vials, 1930s Cadillac Roadster
Nothing Rhymes with Orange
© 2020
Paper on paper
Orange tones
Themes:
Roy Lichtenstein-inspired female face, oranges, goldfish, cheese, starfish, cowboy boots, caviar, 1950s Oldsmobile Rocket 88
Ford on the Cob
© 2020
Paper on paper
Yellow tones
Themes:
Pineapple, corn on the cob, plastic hula dancers, popsicles, the leg lamp, cockatiels, 1980s Ford Mustang, poker chips, lemons
Slug Bug Green
© 2020
Paper on paper
Green tones
Themes:
Gumby, money, poker chips, marijuana, cacti, green parrots, Volkswagen Beetle, gas pump nozzles
Big Rock Candy Mountain
© 2020
Paper on paper
Blue tones
Themes:
Crosley record player, diamonds, rock candy, ornaments, parakeets, gift wrapped box, macrons, bust of Napoleon, 1930 Duesenberg Model J
Aero Addenda
© 2020
Paper on paper
Indigo tones
Themes:
Denim, diamond bracelets, blue diamonds, passports, blueberries, parakeets, Barbie, fishing lures, R2-D2, sardine, 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28, blue parakeets
Purple Raining with Scissors
© 2020
Paper on paper
Purple tones
Themes:
Eggplant, red cabbage, violets, purple roses, lilacs, Prince, scissors, orchids, nail polish, Bullet-nosed Studebaker
Kaleidoscope
© 2020
Paper on paper
Pink tones
Themes:
Pink roses, piggy banks, plastic bottles, pills, presents, perfume bottles
Most Definitely
© 2020
Paper on paper
Rainbow tones
Themes:
sparkly high heels, rainbow sprinkles, chocolate-covered bananas on sticks, rainbow tennis bracelets, cake, cupcakes, hot air balloon