Once again I exhibited with SEVEN artists’ book collective at the Leigh Art Trail. This year our theme was childhood, which most of us took as an opportunity to reflect on the past and connect with our inner-child.
The project was playful, nostalgic, and deeply personal — we each transformed reclaimed children’s books into one-of-a-kind altered books to celebrate and explore the many layers of being young.
By repurposing old storybooks, we can breath new life into forgotten pages. These altered books become part memory, part dreamscape—each one a unique visual narrative crafted through a joyful mix of materials and methods.
The creative process was diverse as each of us explored the theme in our own way. Everything from spirographs, bubble printing and fingerprints to bold sticker play and whimsical collage were rediscovered.
The book I chose to alter was a concertina book in the shape of a house – each page had four flaps that, when lifted, revealed an image behind them. I decided to divide each double page spread into themes such as family tree, school days and pets and added photos from my childhood to create a mini photo album.
Our new venue was light and spacious
We were in a new vernue this year, which was spacious and light. Got us thinking about how to make the most of this next year…
The Art Trail was on from 5-13 July.