If you haven’t associated the word “book” with fine art, it’s not surprising. Since childhood, my definition of book has been mainly traditional: pages of text and illustrations bound between covers. As a writer, I’ve had several books published in this way. But, as a fiber artist, I never imagined I’d produce any more of them. And, I haven’t. Yet, one day, I found myself stitching together a “book” with used herbal tea bags and strings. The “pages” reflect the spectrum of feelings that people express toward immigrants —from xenophobia to acceptance—and suggest that we offer a cup of tea rather than rejection.

*A Cup of Tea*, by Mirka Knaster. 7.5”x4.25”x1.25 (closed);
used tea bags/strings, thread, Pellon interface.

*A Cup of Tea*, by Mirka Knaster. **16”x18”x4.25” (open).**

Then I made an even smaller accordion book of miniature Japanese landscapes, alluding to the culture’s sensitivity to nature, especially seasonal changes, which leads to a special interest in and protection of flowers and trees. Every month, a flower—from cherry blossom to wisteria—is celebrated.

**Kado: *The Way of Flowers*, by Mirka Knaster. 4”x26” (open); Japanese cotton, handmade paper, threads, Pellon interface.**

Another “book,” a foldable triptych, features resist-dyed trapunto images of supposed Chinese characters and is a play on words.

*What’s Your True Character?*, by Mirka Knaster. 8”x11” each panel; hand-dyed cotton, commercial cotton, felt, painted stretched canvas, metal hinges.
Photo by Larry Wagner.

A library devotée from an early age and a world textiles enthusiast, I also created my own “literary” collection. Design samples, used by interior decorators who annually toss them, were rescued before entering a landfill and now serve as colorful slim “books” shelved in repurposed shadow boxes that open and close like a portable chest filled with treasures to read.

*What’s the Title?*, by Mirka Knaster. 20”x8”x3.5” (open); design samples (wool, silk, linen, et al.), frange torse, painted wood shadow boxes lined with handmade paper (India and Japan), metal hinges and closure. Photo by Larry Wagner.

All four works completely challenge my previous definition of “book.” However, as I’ve learned from many artists and exhibits, the meaning of the word has expanded beyond anything I could have envisioned. That’s why I was delighted when a recent piece was juried into “PULP: Book & Paper Arts,” an exhibit at the Sebastopol Center for the Arts.

Though the leaves on the accordion “pages” of Connectivity belong to different plant species, they are all part of an invisible system. Trees are not solitary individuals but live connected to each other through an underground mycorrhizal network. Like humans and animals, they are varied, complex, and beautiful.

*Connectivity*, by Mirka Knaster. Japanese, batik, hand-dyed, and other cottons, thread, interface, black bamboo, metal chaining. 22x19x8.5 (variable). Photo by Paula Haymond.

The PULP exhibit is definitely an eye-opener when it comes to the unlimited innovative as well as traditional objects artists make with paper and other materials: books whose pages are separate and hanging in the air; books that have been altered into diverse shapes; pages of books that have been cut apart and reconfigured, and so much more. It is an impressive show skillfully coordinated by Renée Owen and Jenny Lynn Hall. Jurors Alicia Bailey, the current director of Abecedarian Books and curator of the annual Artists’ Book Cornucopia, and Helen Hiebert, a Colorado artist and author of several how-to books about papermaking and paper crafts, selected 75 objects out of some 300 submissions. Clearly, I cannot include all of them here. The following images represent a variety of artworks. If you’re in the area, I hope they’ll entice you to visit the exhibit, open until September 4. There is also a 360-degree virtual tour.

PULP: Book & Paper Arts

Dizzying Op Art

Fiber, Fiber Everywhere: Thread Paper Cloth