The Angel is my Watermark by Women's Studio Workshop
"Inspired by Henry Miller's story The Angel is My Watermark and a 17th-century poem the "Song of Paper" by Father Imberdis, the artist meditates on the emancipation of the watermark." - WSW
"From January to March 2009 I produced an artist's book titled The Angel is My Watermark at WSW in Rosendale, New York, which is the largest publisher of hand printed artists' books in the United States of America. In my book art residency I wanted to do a book about birth and creation.
"I handmade each paper of the book from raw flax as well as linen rags, added abaca and cotton linter to make pulp for 900 sheets. I experimented with different beating times to get paper which would be crisp and create a rattling sound so when the pages are turned the song of paper is heard. The signatures are sewn on an accordion folded spine and open up widely. Three voices speak out of the book: the "Song of Paper" of Father Imberdis, Barbara Beisinghoff's voice about the emancipation of watermarks, and Henry Miller's The Angel is my Watermark. ...
"The first one is "Song of Paper," written by Pater Imberdis, 1693. I silk screened the song handwritten on the spine and end sheets and in the book in Antiqua font. Jean Imberdis had written the "Song of Paper" in Latin. In this book it is translated in six languages: English, German, Spanish, Italian, French and Czech....
"The second voice describes Henry Miller's story The Angel is My Watermark. I printed the etchings, when the new-made paper was still damp. 'Every birth is miraculous and inspired.' Miller's voice is silk screened in a typewriter font.
"The third voice is my own one, about the watermark angel and the
emancipation of watermarks. It is printed in the Century font. ... The watermarked pages are created on screens, where I sew on everything, buttons and hooks, threads and wires." - Barbara Beisinghoff
Barbara Beisinghoff has been the recipient of various art prizes including the Senefelder Prize, the Mainz City Printer Prize, Art Prize Heitland Foundation, and the Georg-Christoph-Lichtenberg-Prize.
Processes, Dimensions, and Edition Information
By Barbara Beisinghoff
Rosendale, New York: Women's Studio Workshop, 2009.
Edition of 47.9.5 x 12"; 56 pages. Typeface: typewriter, Book Antiqua , Century. Paper handmade from abaca, cotton linen, raw flax, and linen rags. Watermarked sheets heated using flexible screens. Concertina bound with multicolored etchings, silkscreen, and encaustic drawings. Illustrated paper covered boards.