Interior Art

When I was formatting the interior of The Physician and the Forester - Marjorie and Bill Strawn, I knew I wanted somehow to add a  distinctive touch to the text that Marjorie and Bill would have been thrilled about, but I just didn't know what. And then...it happened.

In the process of selecting "Linn Cove" for the cover art, I browsed through picture after picture done by Matthew W. Strawn, the artist (and son of the Strawns). The book itself is filled with family pictures to accompany the text, but wouldn't it be a joy to also include his artwork as well. With Matt's help, we selected nine pieces, one for the beginning of each chapter. Aha moment, I used the title of the picture as the title of the chapter. 

"Beacon Heights I"

Chapter 3

 

"A View of Table Rock"

Chapter 4

Since Bill Strawn spent so much time in the forest, I of course chose a few pictures showing the land he was assigned to protect. And not to neglect Marjorie, I included a couple particular to her, such as this flower that she proudly grew. 

"Night Blooming Cereus"
Chapter 7

Matt trained at the Ringling College of Art and Design in Florida and has graced the world with beauty ever since. He is the master of detail. His studio is upstairs in the HUB, the building where the book launch will be, so I visited and asked about the chapter pictures we chose. He gave me a lesson on his his technique. It's called etching and the process is fascinating. I asked him to put it in writing so I could share and here's what he wrote:

Etching is a print making process where a drawing can be reporduced by using a zinc or copper plate, coating it with an acid resist ground. By drawing into this specially formulated ground with a metal scribe, exposing the metal and then etching that drawing into the plate using a mild acid, that drawing can be printed on paper using a roller press. 

Okay, it's a little over my understanding, but suffice it to say, the end product is beautiful. He teaches classes, in case you are interested. And joy, he will have prints of his work to sell at the book launch! And originals of the paintings. I did remind him not to sell the cover painting, "Linn Cove" yet. That is destined to be on display October 7. 

Catch of the day,

Gretchen