Sande Wascher-James – But She’s a Star
About women -and dedicated to them
(Sande Wascher-James) But She’s a Star. Artist’s book designed and made by Sande Wascher-James. [Newcastle, Washington.] 1998. 10 leaves, plus back and front inside boards. 3″ x 5″ x 1″ when closed. Opens to form a 10″ circular carousel when the covers are tied back to back with silver ribbon. Each page has a stamp featuring a famous woman within a star shape; each leaf has an acetate star-shape with images attached to both sides. Covers and box made from hand-dyed Hoffman fabric of a night sky, which was stitched with various threads, embroidered with silver metallic stars, and appliquéd with blue fabric stars embroidered with metallic edging. An edition of 15 signed copies. Fine. Long out of print.
Wascher-James states: “First I embroidered fabric to make the pages so that all would be slightly different in terms of the look of it. The fabric and then the stamps were scanned into the computer. … [I put] the stamps on the stars, feathered the edges, made them semitransparent, and slightly altered the light. Then the text was typed in and placed.” All the typing and computer work was done with the help of Wascher-James’ sister, Peggy Redmond.”
A very personal book, dedicated to the artist’s friend, Colet Seiler, who died of a rare cancer. Her concept behind the making of this book is that there are many women who are real ‘stars’ because of who they are as people, but who remain unknown to the general public. Therefore, the pages of the book have well-known women printed on them with their accomplishments, and the acetate stars have pictures of mostly unknown women.
Related items: Artists' Books, Catalogue 38 Preview - Winter 2009/2010, Sande Wascher-James