For Now

[New York, 2008. Artist's book, one of 15 copies, all on Fabriano Tiepolo paper, each copy signed and numbered by the poet / artist / printer, Sarah Plimpton. Page size: 8-3/4 x 11-3/4 inches; 20pp. Bound: loose as issued, in cinnamon-colored wrappers, black label title printed in gold on spine housed in brick-colored cloth custom-made clamshell box, black leather label with title and author in gold gilt on spine, made by Claudia Cohen. Ms. Plimpton's poem reads, "one eye / drawing circles / with fingers tightened / round like an hour / left / on the paper / for now". The text is set in Dante and printed with the help of Brad Ewing at The Grenfell Press in New York. Each page is an original aquatint on an ochre colored ground with the exception of the middle double page spread with is on a pale moss green ground with deeper green forms. Extremely organic, each page of images surround the word / words, almost devouring them (think Pac-man). The textures achieved in the aquatints belie their two-dimensionality. The plates were made and proofed by the artist at the Manhattan Graphics Center and editioned by Peter Pettengill. Ms. Plimpton's personal journey with forms and words is captivating.