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Are you a CBAA member and interested in being considered for our featured artist section? Email a link to your website or 3 images of your work to artistofthemonth@collegebookart.org. We will contact you with more information.
Shawn Sheehy
BIOGRAPHY
"Shawn Sheehy's interest in paper engineering grew from experiences in sculpture, graphic design and book arts. His interest in the natural world—an underlying theme in his books—stems from his years living in rural Indiana and teaching environmental studies. Working from his Chicago studio, Sheehy editions pop-up artist books, creates mass-market pop-up books (Welcome to the Neighborwood, 2015), serves periodically as freelance graphic designer, and regularly teaches paper engineering workshops. His work has been collected by special collections libraries at numerous universities, as well as a number of private collectors. Much of Sheehy’s work explores the relationship between humans and the wild world. Visit him at shawnsheehy.com."
STATEMENT
"The Message: Humans have great influence over the functioning of the wild world, but the wild world exerts influence over human functions; in terms of biology, certainly, but also culture. I’m interested in the ways that organisms in the wild interact with each other, in the evolutionary paths that have allowed them to flourish, and in the lessons for sustainable living they might have for humans. My books explore these wild creatures and ecologies, and the ways in which humans perceive of and are influenced by them.
The Medium: Pop-ups take full advantage of the expressive potential of a book's imagery as they allow for moving, three-dimensional form within the book format. Pop-up books have the power to cultivate unsuspecting audiences. They attract the attention of adults and children alike, and provide a forum for exploring ideas relevant to all."
ARTIST'S WORK
Columbine spread from A Pop-Up Field Guide to North American Wildflowers, 2011
commercial paper stock, letterpress
Design binding for Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere, 2011
trade edition book block, binding created from upcycled materials
Cabbage spread from A Pop-Up Culinary Herbal, 2013
commercial paper stock, letterpress
Single folio mechanism from the Indicators series
commercial paper stock, letterpress
Covers for trade edition of Welcome to the Neighborwood, 2015
industrial production, artwork for reproduction created from handmade paper
Snail spread from trade edition of Welcome to the Neighborwood, 2015
industrial production, artwork for reproduction created from handmade paper
Single folio mechanism for Hand Papermaking magazine
handmade paper, letterpress
Christmas bells spread from A Fresh Cut Xmas, 2017
commercial paper stock, letterpress
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