TURN is an artist chapbook featuring original visual and written work.
The final limited-edition of 100 handbound artist chapbooks will include thirteen letterpressed poems printed by Raychel Steinbach at Starshaped Press, and six linoleum cuts which I will print at Expressions Studios in Oak Park. I also will be releasing the audio of the poems digitally and on cassette tape.
The work included in this collection reference some of the most beautiful and darkest moments of my life, spanning the years when I was pregnant, became a new mom, dealt with substance abuse in the family, a separation, and uprooting and finding a new home. I take solace in making art and writing about these experiences, however, with how isolated we can become, my real lifeline during it all was connecting to other people—knowing that I was not alone, and that others before me have gotten through it. By putting this body of work together, I hope to share these experiences with others who may see themselves not only in my isolation and vulnerability, but also in my strength, my growth, and my joy.
You can see me speak a bit about the project in the video below and visit my 3Arts project page here.
TURN Update March 2024: It’s been a while and I firstly want to thank you for your patience and your trust in me and my work. You’ve all been in my mind for the length of this long book process and it’s helped keep me going. Thanks to all of you who have checked in periodically along the way.
As I said in my original campaign, this has been my first venture into producing an artist chapbook of this kind and let me tell you, I have felt the full range of emotion along the way… but I am very excited to report that I am approaching the final stages of production for TURN! I want to acknowledge the immense gratitude I have for my amazing team - Raychel Steinbach, April Sheridan, and Wendy Spacek - and their guidance, expertise, and kind words of encouragement. I’m truly lucky to have these three in my corner for TURN.
After many months of editing my final poems, deciding on the way I will present my visual work, the paper, the font, the binding, and all the other little considerations, we will begin printing the text for my book this coming week! My goal is to do a release event in the early Summer but I just need to see how the next few months go for this project.
The production of this book has and will continue to be a big undertaking, so my Spring will be spent preparing paper, printing, gluing, folding, and binding, and all that but I am really excited to be in this part of the work. I've included a little in process photo collage for ya. There’s a lot more to be done!
Currently, Raychel has about half the book printed, aiming to fiinish that in April 2024. Now I will go into the studio to print the images, and finalize my cover design. I cannot wait to see my poems letterpressed on the page.