Eco Art Book: "Book of Mysteries" All art and photos by mayah(c)2015 Top: Front cover; bottom: back cover 6" X 4"
I had the little empty cardboard book cover sitting on my art table since last year; suddenly last week I felt inspired to make a book. The book cover was covered with recycled Rhimax paper; the pages were made out of the same, with two sheets glued together to make the pages thick, then sewed together, and finally glued into the book cover. Each 8" X 6" double page was then decorated with a theme and has a "mystery" to it.
Initially, the book pages and binding were flexible enough so the book could close. By the time I was done with the pages, they were so thick and stiff with glue, acrylic glaze, and decorations that the book no longer closes and the pages don't lie flat when opened. The Book of Mysteries does very well as a 3-D art piece, standing up with the pages spread out in an accordion pattern.
Page one "Bear"
Page two "Ancestors"
Page three "Southwest"
Page four "Space"
Page five "Ocean"
Page six "Mother Africa"
Page seven "Spirit"
Many altered books have words written in them; I decided to go with just images. I do have a "secret" message in the book, however. It's on the back of the butterfly-woman on the last page of the book; she is attached to the book by a thread, and can be turned over to read the message: "What is animal, what is human, how does thinking-knowing mingle with Spirit?"
"Eco Art by mayah" utilizes reused/recycled and earth-friendlier materials: Recycled cardboard book cover; Rhimax, a very thick brown 100% recycled paper; reused photos from old National Geographic and OnEarth (National Resources Defense Council NRDC) magazines; non-Voc glue and acrylic glazes; recycled cardboard; found feathers from my backyard; colored tissue paper.
More Recent Eco Art:
Mandala Mobile: http://www.curezone.org/blogs/fm.asp?i=2273090
Art Cards from Photos: http://www.curezone.org/blogs/fm.asp?i=2271451
Original Eco Art Orchid: http://www.curezone.org/blogs/fm.asp?i=2265467
Eco Art Orchids #2 and #3: http://www.curezone.org/blogs/fm.asp?i=2269852
Eco Art Orchid Challenge, Orchids #4 and #5: http://www.curezone.org/blogs/fm.asp?i=2270466