Pat Hodson

How did you become involved in artist’s books?

I stumbled into making books in 1990, while working with a laborious process, involving liquid dye and silk. I deconstructed the process into a 12 image sequence, which reveals how the colour, repeatedly and randomly overlaid, retains an extraordinary purity and luminosity of hue and tint, which is unique to this process.

I joined a bookbinding course hoping to make it into a book, but instead became hooked on making books. It took 5 years of exploring possibilities and solving problems before I could show it at the first bookfair I took part in – the 1995 Artists bookfair at the South bank Centre.

Making books became integral to my work from that time.  

What is the focus of your practice?

I make unique  book objects, and multiples in small numbers – often combining hand with digital process. Some record my response to place and time, through colour and drawing, while others explore the physicality of surface, whether of paper, or with more experimental materials and print technologies such as heat fused polyester and plastic lamination. I also like the dynamics between the actual tactile surface, and the illusion of texture – a game, of what is real, and what is illusory.

What are you working on at the moment?

The focus has become increasingly sculptural. My latest collection uses tissue paper layered with polyester film, and sometimes Transclear tracing paper and Perspex to make pieces in which I explore pattern and page repetition. The speed of cutting on the laser-cutter, is contrasted with slow stitch techniques to form the book.

WEBSITE : www.pathodson.co.uk

FACEBOOK : https://www.facebook.com/pathodsonart/

ARTISTS BOOKS ARCHIVE https://pathodsonsnotebook.wordpress.com/