Christine Manwiller
Iowa City, Iowa

Where the Light Meets the Trees

This piece is part of my final MFA thesis work, Where the Light Meets the Trees; Thirteen Variations. The project explores the process of botanical contact printing on paper, culminating in a series of thirteen handmade artist's books. Each of the thirteen books contains a poem from a collection of thirteen poems written by Alice Yousef. Every element of each book - materials, structure, calligraphed text, type of botanical contact print, sometimes the enclosure - responds to the poem, providing a visual interpretation of the written word. The completely different approaches to binding structure in this series are intended not only to visually support the text, but also to explore the possibilities of botanical contact print imagery in the book form.

Domestic etching paper, Arches watercolor paper with botanical contact prints, gouache, Hahnemuhle Ingres. 12.5 x 4.15 x 1 inches. 32 x 10.5 x 2.5 centimeters. Created 2018.

CHRISTINE MANWILLER is a third-year MFA candidate at the University of Iowa Center for the Book, studying bookbinding and letter arts. In 2014 she graduated from the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire with a BA in art history and minors in chemistry and studio art.

Website: christinemanwillerdesigns.wordpress.com