Quercus

Orinda, California: Donna Day Westerman, n.d.. Limited Edition. Stiff wraps. Fine. Westerman, Donna Day. Number one of seven, tall, thin quarto size, five folded leaves, signed by the artist. Donna Day Westerman is a printmaker, painter and book artist in the Bay Area of California. [She is] "interested in traditional and historical media — particularly, woodcuts, wood-engravings and egg tempera — used in a contemporary manner. Working from close observation, and occasionally referring to [her] own photographs, [she] conceptually reduce[s] realistic nature to calligraphic or glyph-like notations. A kind of erasure takes place as the visual abundance... is distilled into the essence of the place. Other senses, such as sound and touch often inform the visual... A challenge... has been to capture the powerful ephemeral forms of fog and water in the hard-edged medium of wood... the medium itself determines much of the outcome" (n.b., "Artist's Statement" from web site of Artist).

The present volume is themed around the oak tree, with Westerman's visuals enhanced and complemented by a short poem by Langston Hughes. The title of the book comes from Quercus agrifolia, one of the species of oak trees which "dominates by backyard" (artist's statement).

___DESCRIPTION: Original handmade gray paper covered boards, pictorial title strip inlaid to upper board, backstrip opens so the accordion style format can be displayed in a connected elongated format, single-panel wood engraving underlaid with three photogravures 4" x 20", Trajan Pro and Goudy Old Style type, Arches 88 paper, 12" x 4" when closed, five folded leaves including title-page and colophon, limited edition, number one of seven, signed by Donna Day Westerman.

___CONDITION: A fine copy, no flaws to the paper covers, leaves are bright, rich impression, a fine copy signed and numbered by Donna Day Westerman; acquired by us new directly from the Artist.

___POSTAGE: International customers, please note that additional postage may apply as the standard does not always cover costs; please inquire for details.

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