| Title | KEEP |
| Subtitle | Date Due |
| Artist / Creator | Jody Alexander |
| Place of Publication | Santa Cruz, CA |
| Publication Date | 2014-2105 |
| Structure / Binding | Japanese side-sewn structure |
| Medium / Materials | Stamped date due pockets from withdrawn library books, mull, thread |
| Number of Pages | 7 pages |
| Dimensions (WxHxD) | 9 x 6 x 0.25 inches. |
| Edition Size | 8 in series, all of same size and format, each unique |
| Signed & Numbered | Signed by the artist |
KEEP by Jody Alexander -SOLD OUT!
Sold
I collect the date due pockets from withdrawn library books because they are the record of the book's life. Each stamp represents a person finding the book, choosing it, checking it out, taking it home, reading it and bringing the book back to the library for the next person. It is the book's history and although the books are no longer deemed useful, as originally intended, these date due pockets continue to honor the book's life and worth. The original stamped top has been removed from the actual pocket and machine stitched together to form a patchwork of library history. On the cover of each book is one pocket with a handwritten note regarding damage to the book - these notes are made so that the next person to check out the book is not charged. These notes serve as the subtitles to each book. In a library the KEEP stamp is the antithesis of the WITHDRAWN stamp. This particular library got rid of their KEEP stamp. I am using it as the title of a current series I am working on.
Artist Bio
Jody Alexander is an artist, bookbinder, librarian and teacher who lives and works in Santa Cruz, California. She binds books with found and discarded papers and fabric in a number of historical and modern binding styles. She combines these books with found objects to create sculptural works. Her pieces celebrate collecting, storytelling, and odd characters. She also likes to rescue discarded books and give them new life as scrolls, wall pieces and sculptural objects. Her characters, books, sculptural pieces and found items are often combined to create installations. Jody is the 2015 recipient of the Rydell Visual Fellowship. Her work has appeared in a number of publications, including: Masters: Book Arts: Major Works by Leading Artists, and she is the proprietress of Wishi Washi Studio at the Tannery Arts Center, in Santa Cruz, CA, where she and guest instructors offer workshops in book and paper arts. She also offers classes online at Creativebug.