Title To Bee or Not To Bee
Subtitle The Life and Death of the Honey Bee
Artist / Creator Elise Guidoux and Karen Koshgarian
Press Name Twokandoux
Place of Publication Mountain View, CA
Publication Date 2013
Number of Images 35
Image Process Hand drawn
Structure / Binding 12 concertina books enclosed in various cells of a hand constructed honeycomb, designed to either hang on a wall or lay flat on a surface.
Paper Stock Arches Text Wove
Number of Pages 78 text pages in 12 different books
Edition Size Unique
Signed & Numbered Yes

To Bee or Not To Bee by Elise Guidoux and Karen Koshgarian

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To Bee or Not To Bee tells about the life and death of the honeybee in 12 miniature books, which are housed in a handmade honeycomb. Each book shows facts and illustrations about what bees contribute to life; what may be causing Colony Collapse Disorder; and what we will lose in our diet, without their job as pollinators. Mounted within four of the cells are actual dead bees, bringing the urgent issue of Colony Collapse Disorder up close and personal. We each feel the urgency to save the bees, and therefore we made this book as collaboration on their behalf. (No bees were hurt in making this artists’ book; these bees were already part of Elise’s collection of natural objects.)

Artist Bio

When Karen Koshgarian and Elise Guidoux collaborate on an art idea, they are known as Twokandoux. They both graduated from San Jose State University with degrees in Art, and are currently working individually as well as collaboratively in the book arts field. Karen is also a retired art educator of 32 years and is a published photographer. Elise enjoys the sculptural aspects of bookmaking, particularly when there are structural problems to solve. Karen likes researching content, writing and illustrating, and loves the book arts especially because for her, it involves sequential thinking and planning. As Twokandoux, a synergy happens in the process of thinking, gathering and constructing, which honors the particular gifts each brings to the collaboration. The whole creation is so much greater than the individuals who make up Twokandoux.