As regular visitors know, I’ve been posting new collages everyday in this space. I started off using an old book about ghosts in London which I picked from the 27th Street Book Box, as a ground for the collages. I keep a big box with all kinds of collage materials handy (if it’s on paper it’s collage material), including a big black marker, a big red marker and enough glue sticks to sink a ship. The new title for the book is Underground.

All those collages were rough on the book. It got thicker and thicker until the binding simply gave out. Last night I completed the collages and took the book out to the studio to see if I could improve the collapsing binding. This I did with the help of some cardboard, some canvas and lots of hot glue.

It’s one thing to see snapshots of individual collages, but I don’t think that offers much of a feel for the group of them as a book, so this morning I made a little video for those interested, and played along with some clawhammer banjo. The tune is 41st Ave. It was written by Mark Jones and taught to me a few years ago by a fabulous player and fabulous person, the late Cathy Barton.

I don’t know what showing art will look like in a post-COVID world. I can’t even tell you the last time I ventured into an art gallery, and in any case, I’m not so sure a gallery is the best place for something like this. For now, I intend to find another choice book and start all over again. I hope you enjoy the video.