ARTIST

Catherine Nash

Dark to LightCoptic bound abaca, hemp, flax & black denim HMPapers, encaustic monotype, black stone, tornado splintered oak, marble, old knot found on the beach. 15.5 X 4.5 X 2 in.

Above the EyeBound in an antique sewing attachment oak box (patented 2/19/1889).Closed 6.5 X 3.25 X 3.25 in.

Above the EyeAbaca, torch ginger grass and black cotton rag HMPapers (vat gradated), cast paper eye w/ mixed media. Open 6.5 X 1.75 X 12.5 in.

nothing niente nadaAbaca HMPaper, clay, wax, ceramic circle, grass, antique boxes. 13 X 14 X 3 in.

Desert Paint BoxOld found box tied with vintage leather. 1.5 X 9.75 X 3.25 in.

Desert Paint BoxCedar bark and abaca HMPapers, prickly pear papyrus, chunks of hematite and limonite found in a canyon wash, amber wax, crushed mesquite branch brushes & homemade desert willow branch charcoal. 1.5 X 9.75 X 3.25 in.

This Too Shall PassEncaustic monotype with handwritten text on piña HMPaper, tornado splintered oak, waxed “leaves” of gampi HMPaper, twig and roots. Wooden box. Quote by Henry David Thoreau: “You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment.” 7h X 13w X 4d, opens to 18 inches.

WithinBound in an antique sewing attachment oak box (patented 2/19/1889).Closed 6.5 X 3.25 X 3.25 in.

WithinAbaca, torch ginger grass and black cotton rag HMPapers (vat gradated), cast paper face w/ mixed media. open 6.5 X 1.75 X 12.5 in.

WaterfallSumi ink wash on handmade gampi paper, beeswax, antique spools, redwood shingles. 36 X 26 X 5 in.

AftermathSilver and gold leafed covered accordion binding.

AftermathSumi ink wash, accordian folded hand made abaca paper with gold and silver leafedcover, linen cording. Open 9.5 in. X 7 ft.

Wind Through the PagesHigh shrinkage flax HMPaper, branches. 8 X 6 X 2 in.

Boat BookBound gradating cotton rag & seaweed HMPaper, lashed willow branches create a boat skeleton as a centerfold. 20 X 15 X 6 in.

Hands of the SaintsAccordion black pigmented abaca paper, white conté, gold leaf, dyed wooden box. 16 hands drawn from Italian Renaissance paintings and frescoes in museums and churches in Florence, Italy.

Eyes of the MadonnaAccordion folded abaca HMPaper, gesso, graphite, sumi stained wooden box. One eye drawn from each of 19 Italian Renaissance paintings in the Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy. open 53 X 3 X 5 in.

Gestation, Embodiment, TransfigurationTriptych of hinged wooden panels with leather binding, encaustic, mixed media open: 15in. X 4 ft. X 9in.

Gestation, Embodiment, TransfigurationDetail

Dark to Light

Coptic bound abaca, hemp, flax & black denim HMPapers, encaustic monotype, black stone, tornado splintered oak, marble, old knot found on the beach. 15.5 X 4.5 X 2 in.

Dark to Light

detail

Dark to Light

detail

Above the Eye

Bound in an antique sewing attachment oak box (patented 2/19/1889).
Closed 6.5 X 3.25 X 3.25 in.

Above the Eye

Abaca, torch ginger grass and black cotton rag HMPapers (vat gradated), cast paper eye w/ mixed media. Open 6.5 X 1.75 X 12.5 in.

Above the Eye

detail

nothing niente nada

Abaca HMPaper, clay, wax, ceramic circle, grass, antique boxes. 13 X 14 X 3 in.

nothing niente nada

Open view

nothing niente nada

Detail

Desert Paint Box

Old found box tied with vintage leather. 1.5 X 9.75 X 3.25 in.

Desert Paint Box

Cedar bark and abaca HMPapers, prickly pear papyrus, chunks of hematite and limonite found in a canyon wash, amber wax, crushed mesquite branch brushes & homemade desert willow branch charcoal. 1.5 X 9.75 X 3.25 in.

This Too Shall Pass

Encaustic monotype with handwritten text on piña HMPaper, tornado splintered oak, waxed “leaves” of gampi HMPaper, twig and roots. Wooden box. Quote by Henry David Thoreau: “You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment.” 7h X 13w X 4d, opens to 18 inches.

This Too Shall Pass

Detail

This Too Shall Pass

Detail

Within

Bound in an antique sewing attachment oak box (patented 2/19/1889).
Closed 6.5 X 3.25 X 3.25 in.

Within

Abaca, torch ginger grass and black cotton rag HMPapers (vat gradated), cast paper face w/ mixed media. open 6.5 X 1.75 X 12.5 in.

Waterfall

Sumi ink wash on handmade gampi paper, beeswax, antique spools, redwood shingles. 36 X 26 X 5 in.

Waterfall

Detail. Open 36 X 26 X 5 in.

Aftermath

Silver and gold leafed covered accordion binding.

Aftermath

Sumi ink wash, accordian folded hand made abaca paper with gold and silver leafed
cover, linen cording. Open 9.5 in. X 7 ft.

Aftermath

detail

Aftermath

detail

Aftermath

detail

Wind Through the Pages

High shrinkage flax HMPaper, branches. 8 X 6 X 2 in.

Wind Through the Pages

detail

Boat Book

Bound gradating cotton rag & seaweed HMPaper, lashed willow branches create a boat skeleton as a centerfold. 20 X 15 X 6 in.

Hands of the Saints

Accordion black pigmented abaca paper, white conté, gold leaf, dyed wooden box. 16 hands drawn from Italian Renaissance paintings and frescoes in museums and churches in Florence, Italy.

Hands of the Saints

Accordion black pigmented abaca paper, white conté, gold leaf, dyed wooden box. 16 hands drawn from Italian Renaissance paintings and frescoes in museums and churches in Florence, Italy.

Hands of the Saints

Accordion black pigmented abaca paper, white conté, gold leaf, dyed wooden box. 16 hands drawn from Italian Renaissance paintings and frescoes in museums and churches in Florence, Italy.

Hands of the Saints

detail

Hands of the Saints

detail

Eyes of the Madonna

Accordion folded abaca HMPaper, gesso, graphite, sumi stained wooden box. One eye drawn from each of 19 Italian Renaissance paintings in the Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy. open 53 X 3 X 5 in.

Eyes of the Madonna

detail

Eyes of the Madonna

detail

Eyes of the Madonna

detail

Gestation, Embodiment, Transfiguration

Triptych of hinged wooden panels with leather binding, encaustic, mixed media open: 15in. X 4 ft. X 9in.

Gestation, Embodiment, Transfiguration

Detail

Contained Within

Book are containers of concepts, of knowledge and experience, of human imagination: in the hands of an artist, the book can explore an integrated connection between idea, structure, and visual movement. I regard my sculptural artist books to be intimate containers of an idea meant to be experienced in a progression of time. In my artwork, figurative elements, including eyes and hands and landscape elements such as branches, roots and new growth are timeless metaphors that can be “read” allegorically in many ways, a “language” of personal symbols distilled from years of sketchbooks and used to evoke emotive ideas as visual poetry.