Collaborative Method
The artists Kim and Philippe Villard compile dozens of images from ongoing observations, as this community randomly adds finds to their digital database. The images are later resourced and sketched into 10 drawings per category co-authored by the artists. Philippe carves the woodblocks and Kim composes the color palette. Once the color palette is established, it can be taught and duplicated. Both participate directly in the print production of the editions.
The Woodblock Prints
The 'story' is expressed visually through ten original color woodcuts per book that are titled, numbered, and initialed on the credit page.
In Maine, the Villards have trained several artists to help them print from the volume masters. Each person is credited for each print generated from the masters. Philippe and Kim both print as part of the collective production.
All printing is done using Daniel Smith watercolors, including some of their luminescent and natural earth pigments applied by brush to the woodblock and transferred by hand pressing.Edition size
A limited edition of 40 prints is produced from each block. The trial proofs, produced by the Villards during the color research & development, are included in the edition of 40 numbered individual impressions.
Of the 400 handmade book-plates/prints needed to accomplish each year’s topic, 260 are hand-bound into books initialed A-Z, (10 prints per book).
The 140 remaining are available individually. Each is titled, numbered, signed, embossed and registered.
Outside of the numbered edition, there exists up to 4 printers’ proofs signed ‘Pisgah proofs’ (N.F.S.), as well as one or two artist proofs, signed: a/p K et Ph Villard.The Wood
Locally milled North American white pine is air-dried. Philippe chooses the section for each image and carves it with fine chisels.
The blocks are cancelled after each edition is complete, and then are available for sale.
The Text
The volumes are manually typeset and printed by Dan Carr and Julia Ferrari
at Golgonooza Letter Foundry & Press in Ashuelot, NH.
The five typeset pages per book are: title, subtitle, preface, index and credits.
Each form-style index page is hand-entered in graphite, assigned a letter, and signed Kim et Philippe Villard.
A free-floating narrative description page accompanies the otherwise word-barren color images.
This narrative page is digitally printed on rag paper and available in several languages.
The preface author is poet and artist Alana VanDerwerker.
The Paper
The Stonehenge domestic rag paper, used for text and woodblock print pages, is cut with no waste into 1/6 of page (245g/m, white, deckled edges, 10”x 11”)
The marbled end papers vary each year and are credited to the artists; some are interfaced with
Kozo Lightweight.The Binding
Medieval in its origin, the binding shows five straps and corner nibs in goatskin leather, with laced-in cloth covered boards. This “Reliure à Plats Rapportés” is a recipe from Dutch artist Karli Frigge.
Gerritt VanDerwerker, the bookbinder, adapted it to house the Villards’ prints.
The volumes are bound at Mr.VanDerwerker s’ studio in Waldoboro Maine.The Slipcases
The handmade slipcases are covered and lined in paper, then stamped with our vermilion ink-mark logo.Scheduling
Our delivery date for pre-publication purchases is July of each year.
Current price lists and production schedules are published each July.
Pre-production pricing is available under certain conditions.Note: The above specifications may vary from volume to volume.
STAND ALONE VOLUMES
These volumes explore various subject maters, for the fun of it, in mixed media and/or woodcuts. They do not necessarily follow the production specifications noted for the North Atlantic Peninsula volume set.They cycle on a parallel publication schedule and are bound in various methods.
Outer Cape was published in 2005 as a tribute to the place of origin of the White Line Woodblock Print. (AKA ‘Provincetown Print’)
Outer Cape hosts 11 color woodcuts on Stonehenge rag paper (100% cotton, 245g/m)
The preface is by Kathy Shorr and Robert Finch.
All other specifications are the same as North Atlantic Peninsula.Notre Provence was first published in 2006 as 6 épreuves d’artiste.
Notre Provence has 14 color woodblock prints on Velin d’Arches or Stonehenge rag paper.
The 3 copper plate etchings were produced by l’Atelier de l’Estampe in Toulon, France,
on Hahnemuhle 300gr/m2 (75% cotton/25% high alpha, 26cm x 29.5 cm, with deckle edges)
The text of Notre Provence is generated digitally, originally realized by hand in scratchboard
by Douglas Gimbel for Villard Studios. The European text and graphic layout are by Philippe Villard. Jeanine Villard
is the editor.
The European editions were bound in France using a similar method, and are housed in custom slipcases covered with cork-bark paper.
Notre Provence second edition of 20 issues will be released July 2007, following North Atlantic Peninsula specifications.
