We Are All: Virginia Book Center 25th Anniversary Print

Hand-drawn and hand-lettered, polymer plate, letterpress printed on McCoy Matte Cover with metallic inks. Size: 15x21

In celebration of the twenty-fifth anniversary of Book Arts at the Virginia Center for the Book, I was commissioned to create a commemorative print honoring our quarter-century in the practice of the art and craft of bookmaking.

Holding in my mind and heart where we were at this time: 9 months into a pandemic, where everything seemed so isolated, yet we were also so clearly connected, I created this print.

Drawing on a number of themes: interconnection, community, Indra’s net, neuron and cellular structure and connections, telesomatic/one body concept, becoming one instead of two, I developed this interconnected piece of rippling bands.

I was inspired by a number of artists, Joan Miró, Aboriginal artists such as Kim Butler Napurria, and other Martu artists from Western Australia, the microscopic scientific artwork of the Cellular Landscape by Evan Ingersoll and Gael McGill, and a gelatine print I made many years ago of rubber bands.

The resulting print, for me, exemplifies the experience of this pandemic. We seem apart and isolated, however we are more connected than we realize. In fact, there is no separation: the bands seem to appear as individual, yet between each there is actually no boundary and no separation.

Since we had to cancel our annual Raucous Auction this year in response to COVID-19, this print is our primary fundraiser for Book Arts this year. Each limited-edition print is $100. Proceeds support our ongoing work, which we continue virtually for now and look forward to resuming in person someday.

To order the print, email gsqueen@virginia.edu to arrange for shipping or pickup.

In the video below, We kicked off a year-long celebration of the twenty-fifth anniversary of Book Arts at the Virginia Center for the Book with a special virtual event. I was interviewed about the print, my process, and other work I’ve made, and had a virtual toast—with shared recipe for a signature cocktail to celebrate the folks who have contributed to the endeavor over the years. You can view replay below!