White Sands, 1999

Original intaglio monotypes on handmade papers, and pulp painted covers form an artist’s book of panels describing the changes in color and light during a day in the New Mexico desert, closed 10.5 x 14 x 1.5 inches, opens to 84 inches, edition of 2. 

White Sands is a detailed narrative of the trajectory of one day spent on a site within a gypsum desert in New Mexico. Here, one is enveloped by vast, hovering dunes and persistently rhythmic ridges of sand. Pure white, the sands reflect the course of the sun in evolutionary color, beginning at first light and changing until the end of day moves beyond the mountains.

White Sands is hand-bound by the artist; the prints were etched and printed by the artist from her drawings. Comprising the interior panels are six original color prints. Zinc intaglio plates are printed over the artist’s hand-painted monotypes. Panels are hinged with cloth.

All papers are handmade by the artist. Unique pulp paintings create the images of the covers, which are cast paper made from cotton, painted while being formed using pigmented flax pulp. The images within the book are printed on a variety of cotton, flax, hemp and abaca papers made to reflect the changing light. Bagasse papers cover the exterior of the panels.

The box housing this artist’s book is designed and handmade by master craftsperson Linda Blaser.