Box of Happiness

I'm always looking for reasons to stay away from McDonald's, because whatever's in their faux food really works on me - while I consume it I feel funny; immediately afterwards I feel bad; and a couple weeks later I want more. Knowing I have this weakness makes me avoid the ads whenever possible, as they very effectively work their subliminal magic, too.

Recently I rode by a billboard with just a giant splash of Mickey D's fries, and the words, "Box of Happiness" on it. And that's where they tripped up. While many have used the expression, and no one can claim the copyright, I still wanted to step up and tell them to cease and desist. For that phrase is used best by Alice Austin, book artist.

The authentic B of H is not loaded with fat and sodium, but with sound advice for fuller living - sleep late, throw a party, drink coffee, eat more pie . . . and not one word about fast food binges.  And until the golden arches offer something as real as that, I'm sticking with the Alice plan.

Art- Book - Food

Over 140 exhibitors from a dozen countries and as many US states, and which books were my favorites at the Codex International Bookfair?  The ones that tell a story with food, of course.  Someday perhaps there will be an art niche within the book arts world, just as there are niches within the wide realm of jazz.

My perennial favorites, 'Meatball Math' and 'Milk Butter Eggs' by Alice Austin were on display (hard to believe there are still a few of the limited edition prints available).  And right next to her table was Emily Martin's work, a delightful new discovery for me.  'More Slices of Pie' captivated me; and in retrospect I wish I had taken an edition home.  Each slice contains a story, and a recipe.  If I had had a shot at the original 'Eight Slices of Pie' before that sold out, I'm sure I would have wanted both (As in, "pecan or pumpkin?  apple or blackberry?" When faced with these dilemmas, always choose both.)

It's easy to see why the two artists get along famously.  Their work shows a similar sense of humor, storytelling, and playfulness even when dealing with serious themes.  Both also employ a range of book art forms, well-executed: flexagons of various complexities, the triangular and more standard accordians, carousel, Jacob's ladder, intricate map-folds, and more.  The print-making and binding techniques also vary by book, always enhancing the finished feel.

Perhaps someday if I'm lucky and plan well I'll manage to find them together again in one place (Alice being from Philadelphia, Emily from Iowa).  And to record a few moments of 'kitchen table talk' about their work.  Over pie, of course.

Travels with Alice

Artist Alice Austin visited last weekend for the Codex 2009 Bookshow.

Every jam-packed and fun-filled day included memorable meals, with the obligatory documentation. (Alice's photo albums all include notable food, from donuts to holiday feasts).  

We invested our eating-out budget at places known for their local, seasonal, sustainably raised ingredients (ie, slow food).  From Half Moon Bay to Point Reyes Station to Berkeley, we covered a lot of terrain with sights and events first on the list.  But the great food finds in every direction prove that slow food is not restricted to one small locale, or even to large cities.  The Bay Area has enough dedicated eaters (I refuse to be a 'foodie') to support high-quality, independently owned restaurants even in out-of-the-way corners, out of tourist season, and during a recession.  Each one deserves at least one post of its own (check Alice Austin tags to all from this trip).

If we'd had more time, and not spent it in the kitchen, I would also have loved to take Alice to Jack's Prime for a good burger and any one of JZ Cool's eateries.

Happy Birthday, Alice!

Noted book artist Alice Austin celebrates another year of creativity today.

Most of Alice's art books draw from her experiences of daily life. And much of that experience centers around food. Works reflecting this focus include the classic "Coffee" (1999), "Milk, Butter, Eggs" (2004), "Meatball Math" (2005), and "Dance of Six Dinner Plates" (2006).

My favorite? Of these four, probably Meatball Math. I love the recipe to make all 1408 (a year's worth for her family) at once. And the way it stands three-dimensionally, and then folds flat into the silhouette of a house. Elegant and whimsical, in one.

Her full collection of books deals with birth, death, and many of the events big and small within that cycle. My favorite shifts depending on what's happening in my own life at the time, in the way that art always speaks to us differently as the lens of our experience changes how we view it. I am drawn to "Red, Yellow, Blue" when I feel happy and reflective; and to "Tides" when loss touches me. But who or what I think of when I see them changes each time.

A few works in her book collection can still be purchased; but many have been taken by individual collectors, museums, and universities. A good sampling can be viewed at her website, along with examples of her paintings and sculpture.

Bon apetite, Alice! May your work continue to feed you, as it nourishes us.