PETER & DONNA THOMAS
260 Fifteenth Avenue Santa Cruz CA 95062 (831)
475-1455
In The Middle. Compiled and edited by Peter and Donna Thomas (2004) 11 1/4 by 8 1/8 inches. 14 pages and 12 scrolls. 24 copies.
Peter and Donna Thomas developed the concept and the structure for this book
which was made at Middle Tennessee State University's Tulip Poplar Press during
the Visiting Artist Seminar, March 1-5, 2004 where twelve students worked
under their direction. Each student was required to write a one page essay
that discussed their relationship to their geographic or cultural regional
environment, to choose a literary quote that related to what they had written
and finally, to choose one or two words that reflected the essence of what
they had written. The essay and quote were then laser printed on recyled paper,
stab sewn together and attached to the inside of the front cover of the book.
A two inch thick slab of aromatic Tennessee Cedar was acquired from a nearby
saw mill. It was cut to size, sanded, and twelve 1" holes were drilled
into it. It was then glued to the back cover of the book. The students each
letterpress printed thier one or two words on 12" x 2" strips of
art paper, using various sizes and fonts of wood type printed in various colors
of ink These strips were then rolled up and placed in the holes in the slab
of cedar. The covers were made using paper over cardboard. The paper was decorated
with acrylic paints. MTSU is in the geographic center of the state. The students
worked diligently to make sure that all elements of the book work together
to express the physical and cultural aspescts of the regional geography of
middle Tennessee. Each student received a copy and several went to the University
so only 8 are available for sale.
