The Brooklyn Art Library was home to over 41,000 sketchbooks from over 130 different countries. Participants of the project 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 single sketchbook that was sent back to the library was cataloged and placed on the shelves for visitors to view. That meant, 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 participants have logged. 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 that was transporting the entire Sketchbook Project collection from Brooklyn to St. Pete caught fire while in transport.

Sadly, my sketchbook was not one of the 70% that were rescued from the fire.

I created a color story of collages within my sketchbook. In order to keep within 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. I called my book Running with Scissors. In keeping with my collage style, the imagery was a quirky mix of silly and humorous graphics full of suggestion and innuendo. While I typically inject classic cars into my collages, a handful of these do not feature a car. I’ll let you explore that detail.

SS Pointy Carlo

Themes: Gray and silver tones, sharp objects, SS Monte Carlo, chest armor, nail clippers, hand weights, hammer

Crap Shoot

Themes: Black and white imagery, relationships as a gamble, love, wedding rings, money, ‘58 Edsel, poker chips, dominos, Oreos, electric guitars, money

Blowing Smoke

Themes: Golds and brown tones, honey, honey drippers, lipsticks, cigars, braids, electric guitars, C3-PO, beer, corn dogs, Cadillac brightwork

Prepare for Launch

Themes: Red tones, launch button, king snakes, Santa Claus, nutcracker, postage stamps, red parrots, maracas, amaryllis, horn, wax pencils, vials, 1930s Cadillac Roadster

Nothing Rhymes with Orange

Themes: Orange tones, Roy Lichtenstein inspired female face, oranges, goldfish, cheese, starfish, cowboy boots, caviar, 1950s Oldsmobile Rocket 88

Ford on the Cob

Themes: Yellow tones, pineapple, corn on the cob, plastic hula dancers, popsicles, the leg lamp, cockatiels, 1980s Ford Mustang, poker chips, lemons

Slug Bug Green

Themes: Green tones, Gumby, money, poker chips, marijuanna, cacti, green parrots, Volkswagen Beetle

Big Rock Candy Mountain

Themes: Blue tones, Crosley record player, diamonds, rock candy, ornaments, parakeets, gift wrapped box, macrons, bust of Napoleon, 1930 Duesenberg Model J

Aero Addenda

Themes: Indigo tones, denim, diamond bracelets, blue diamonds, passports, blueberries, parakeets, Barbie, fishing lures, R2-D2, sardine, 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28

Purple Raining with Scissors

Themes: Purple tones, egg plant, red cabbage, violets, purple roses, lilacs, Prince, scissors, orchids, nail polish, Bullet-nosed Studebaker

Kaleidoscope

Themes: Pink tones, pink roses, piggy banks, plastic bottles, pills, presents, perfume bottles

Most Definitely

Themes: Rainbow colors, sparkly high heels, rainbow sprinkles, chocolate covered bananas on sticks, rainbow tennis bracelets, cake, cupcakes, hot air balloon