Cigarette paper book

When I was about 9 years old I started collecting bibles. I had a whole shelf of them. I'd get them from the donation bin at the church in my neighborhood. I was shameless, taking them by the armful. I tried reading them. Many times. I just never got the hang of the language. But I'd carry them around (one at a time, depending), and smell them, and handle them, opening the pages and gently stroking the paper. I'd drink the beauty of them in, noticing the gold edging when the book was closed, and especially admiring the carved wooden cover on one of them. I'd marvel at how the edges of the leather cover on another of them curved around on all sides so that the pages within were protected. Sometimes I'd just let the big bible(s) rest on top of my chest as I lay in bed. I liked the feel of the weight of them. I did all of that and then read Pippi Longstocking and Nancy Drew.
I still enjoy the paper and materials that bibles are constructed of. I use the paper often in my work. I'm always careful not to be obvious about my materials in case someone is offended. But for this little project, I used a page from a bible and didn't try to hide it in any way. I wanted to celebrate the beauty of the paper. Here's a view of the finished book. It lays in my 61 year old hand to give you an idea of the size. It is a little book made of cigarette paper pages.


I made the paper rope from a sheet of paper from a bible from Indonesia somewhere. It'll be fastened together with cowrie shells from Hawaii. The cover paper is handmade Japanese. The book has two cigarette paper pages. One has a quote from the bible and the other is an indian ink sketch of a bird that has been watercolored and kissed with gold.


Here is the completed book opened. I liked how the bird can be seen through the quote. The inside front and back cover is a sheet from the bible. I had no thought about what the text says. This is meant to be an art piece and folk can take from it what they will.
Once I completed the book and wrapped it with the paper rope fastened with cowrie shells, I applied a dot of glue to hold it tight. If someone wants to look inside they will have to destroy the piece in a sense. Not everything is easy.


I'll attach the book by hooking through the paper rope wrapping.
Namaste friends, Norma, xo