Artists Books



Welcome to my gallery of artist's books.

Hover over the titles as you scroll down the page 

Click on the links to go to earlier posts about the books.




Although I have always loved books as an art object, and the more tactile the better, I had never really  considered expressing my own ideas and concepts through artists books until I participated in a PCANZ Summer School in 2016. You can read about the workshop HERE and how I was inspired to delve into the format of the artists book as an interactive, expressive, and playful genre. Apart from my very first book, all of the others were created since Jan 2016.

My ideas often come to me in a circuitous manner - I might be working on another project and the theme or concept will lend itself to being further explored or expressed through the structure of a book. Or a small found treasure - a piece of driftwood, a scrap of paper or ephemera - may trigger an idea. Or sometimes I may just hoard interesting bits and bobs because of some loose idea that they could be put to good use when, after much percolating, lo and behold, inspiration strikes and stuff happens!

Ultimately, I think my books always require the act of "play."



 
All of my artists' books and art objects are UNIQUE.
 
Some (very few) are made as tiny, variable editions of usually no more than 3.

Drop by from time to time, or Follow, to see what I am working on next.


For more regular updates 
 
 





My collection of pieces for 
The Beach - Paper, Books & Baskets







Driftwood Books: I, II, III 


Each of these little books began with the inspiration of a piece of found driftwood. Books I & II evolved from an urge to reveal the imagined locations of these pieces of driftwood, taking me to far-flung places in my memories. Discovering the worm holes inside the driftwood of Book III, when cutting it open, inspired me to focus only on the soft and gentle nature of the piece of wood itself. The titles are lines borrowed from the song Coastline by Hollow Coves, which, for me, perfectly evoke the sense of nostalgia and reimagining of other places and times.

Found driftwood, linocut, watercolour. 2022.



Book I: "There's a place I've dreamed of..."


"There's a place I've dreamed of..." by Toni Hartill SOLD


"There's a place I've dreamed of..." by Toni Hartill


Book II: "Where I can lose my mind..."


"Where I can lose my mind..." by Toni Hartill SOLD


"Where I can lose my mind..." by Toni Hartill


"Where I can lose my mind..." by Toni Hartill



Book III: "I lose all sense of time..."


"I lose all sense of time..." by Toni Hartill SOLD


"I lose all sense of time..." by Toni Hartill






"Treasured"

Reminiscent of a chocolate box of very special treats, this tiny piece speaks of the simple pleasure of collecting treasures and memories from the special places we visit.

Concertina book within a handmade collector’s box.
Linocut, collage, shells, book board. 2022.


"Treasured" by Toni Hartill SOLD






"Lost & Found"

Beginning with a randomly selected, handmade concertina book, created by Wendy Watson, I proceeded to collage, cut and layer multiple off-cuts and cast-offs of my own handmade prints into Wendy’s book.  Many of my pieces had lost their original intended purpose but found new purpose in this summertime celebration, much like a scrapbook or journal of ephemera, collected and collated for safe-keeping. Even the tiniest scraps and cast-offs can have new purpose and meaning. 


Collaborative concertina book.

Repurposed hand-made prints, painting, stitching, collage. 2022.


"Lost & Found" by Toni Hartill SOLD

"Lost & Found" by Toni Hartill SOLD





 "Artful Narratives"

My solo exhibition of artist's books and sculptural artworks presented many of my pieces as a large body of work, revealing how my processes have evolved over time and how each of the pieces were created in context to other works.

Please note: I have uploaded some short videos from the exhibition 



 





 
 
 "Remanent"
 
 This book evolved out of a desire to repurpose some small, unframed artworks of varying shapes and sizes. The title of the book, emerged serendipitously, as a scrap torn from an old dictionary presented itself, aptly describing the creation that had emerged. 
 
Repurposed prints, offcuts and scraps, found ephemera, old charts, fabric, ribbon. 2021.
 
 
 
"Remanent" by Toni Hartill. NFS
 
 
 
"Remanent" by Toni Hartill


 
"Remanent" by Toni Hartill
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Artists' Tool Kits
 
 

These little tool kits are a spin-off from my Field Notes: Manawa books (see below). I have always had a fascination for recreating objects to imitate the real thing, yet it is all just make-believe. I love the sense of play, nostalgia and escapism that comes from engaging the imagination and the challenge of recreating everyday objects and surfaces in paper and pigment.

6x fold-up toolkits for traveling artists, all unique.
Drypoint etching, watercolour, collagraph, ribbon. 2021.

 

 
 
Artists' Tool kits by Toni Hartill

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Mangrove Logbooks, Artists Books, Revisited
 
 Back in 2016 I began a body of work inspired by the Ngunguru River and Sandspit, and by my grandfather's surveying logbooks. Distracted by other projects, I never completed these small experimental works, until 2021. 
 
Three Logbooks: Ngunguru River, Varied edition: 
I (SOLD private collection), II, III (AM Room Special Collection)

Two Ngunguru Tidal artist books, each unique: I, II. NFS
Drypoint, monoprint, watercolour, collagraph, stitching.
 
 
Mangrove / Ngunguru artists books by Toni Hartill

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
These concertina sketchbooks were inspired by a road trip to Rotorua, 
in between Lockdowns in 2020. 
 
Watercolour on Hahnemuhle Britannia paper, 300gsm.
Covers are handprinted collagraph textures, made to resemble cloth covers.

 
 
 

 
 
 
 
"Roadtrip Impressions I" by Toni Hartill. SOLD
 
 
 
 
 
"Roadtrip Impressions II" by Toni Hartill. SOLD



 
 
Hamurana inspired landscape I by Toni Hartill

 
 
 
 
Hamurana inspired landscape II by Toni Hartill

 
 
 
 
"Landscape from my subconscious" by Toni Hartill

 
 
 
"Wet Weather Driving - views from the passenger seat" by Toni Hartill

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 "Folly"
 
This playful structure was created as a result of a paper-making workshop run by Beth Serjeant. Beth had a tiny book that she had made using this structure and I could not resist experimenting with the concept. Sections can be removed by lifting the copper ring and removing the individual sections.
 
The paper circles are made from handmade paper, dyed with onion skins. 
The base and flag are collagraph scraps. Other materials include a wooden base, a piece of dowel, kebab skewers, copper wire and found copper fittings. 2020.
 
 
"Folly" by Toni Hartill

 
 
 "Folly" by Toni Hartill
 
 
 
 
 
Paper-making Experiments
 
As a result of the paper-making workshop with Beth Serjeant, mentioned above, 
I spent an entire weekend making paper and experimenting with ideas and possibilities.

Visit my Instagram page to see multiple posts of paper play.  2020.

Update: Each of these pieces has gone on to be developed into finished works, yet to be blogged about.
 
 
Cute as a button, WIP, by Toni Hartill
 

Paper-making experiments, WIP, by Toni Hartill

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Blotter Book
 
Made from newsprint blotting sheets created as a by-product 
of my printmaking over the years.  The binding allows 
for more pages to be added over time. 2020.
 
 
"The Blotter Book" by Toni Hartill NFS

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Rockpool Tunnel Book
 
Made from repurposed prints this book folds out 
to reveal a 3D rockpool theatre.
Made during second NZ covid lockdown 2020.
 
 
Rockpool tunnel book by Toni Hartill. NFS
 
 
 
Rockpool tunnel book by Toni Hartill


 
Rockpool tunnel book by Toni Hartill
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
"Kelp Meditation"
 
Made from a series of repurposed monoprints.
Made during second NZ covid lockdown 2020.

 
"Kelp Meditation" by Toni Hartill


"Kelp Meditation" by Toni Hartill



"Kelp Meditation" by Toni Hartill

 
 
 
 "Canned Bunting"
 
 Made from rejected seaweed-themed lino prints and a recycled fish can.
The lid has a "tear tab" to secure the ribbon. 
The bunting is double-sided, has fish-shaped perforations
and the whole thing concertinas into/ out of the tin, making a lovely swish-swish noise.
Made during second NZ covid lockdown 2020.
 
"Canned Bunting" by Toni Hartill

"Canned Bunting" by Toni Hartill

 
 
 
 
 




This body of work was created in response to my experience 
of the nationwide NZ Covid Lockdown, 2020.
Digital photographs, printed on card, handcut, folded structures.
Visit my blog post to see more of the body of work created, and the works in progress.
Two pieces from this collection have been purchased by the Auckland Memorial Museum.



"In Residence" structures by Toni Hartill  


"In Residence" structure by Toni Hartill


"In Residence" structure by Toni Hartill


"In Residence" structure by Toni Hartill
"Fenced In"
Purchased by Auckland War Memorial Museum.












"Forest Notes"

A pop-up botanical compendium made collaboratively 
with Celia Walker. 2019.

Enquiries welcome.
 

"Forest Notes" by Celia Walker & Toni Hartill

"Forest Notes" by Celia Walker & Toni Hartill






Inspired by my love of the sea,
this is my logbook of a week cruising the Northland coast.
Created for the selected artists books exhibition PCANZ Thinking_Unfolding.
Linocut, monoprint, etching, solarplate, tincans, old charts, cardboard tube, 2019.


"Vitamin Sea" by Toni Hartill. NFS

"Vitamin Sea" by Toni Hartill






Depth in Metres

Repurposed tuna cans filled with mini-dioramas using old maritime charts. 
This was the model made to test ideas for my larger "Vitamin Sea" work.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
"Depth in Metres" artist book by Toni Hartill. NFS







"Search & Rescue"

Merit Award, Estuary Art & Ecology Awards, 2019.
270mm wide x 1900 mm long
This book is meant to be handled. 
Visit my blogs (click link above) to see details inside the book 
and the lengthy process of creating it.


"Search & Rescue" by Toni Hartill SOLD






"Field Notes - Manawa, NZ Mangrove"

For the love of mangroves.
Edition of 3.
2/3 in private collection
3/3 gifted to the Auckland Libraries, Angela Morton Room Special Collection.

"Field Notes - Manawa"
Artists Books by Toni Hartill
Edition of 3 SOLD

"Field Notes - Manawa"
Artists Books by Toni Hartill
Edition of 3





2018
Cascade structure
Linocut, stitching

This piece has been purchased by 
Auckland Libraries to be added to the 
Angela Morton Room special collection


"Lost Forests of the Plains II"
Cascade book by Toni Hartill
SOLD









"The Butter Book"

A "need" to share the history of the tragic demise
of our once mighty Kahikatea forests was the
inspiration behind this book. 

Auckland War Memorial Museum.

"The Butter Book" 
Artists Book by Toni Hartill 
Unique SOLD

"The Butter Book" 
Artists Book by Toni Hartill 
Unique




"Once a Grand and Noble Forest"

A quiet contemplation of the loss of our Kahikatea forests.
Inspired by a quote from an article in a 1937 newspaper.
Modeled on an old photo album, complete with vintage silk ribbon.
Part of a large body of work focusing attention on the demise of 
the kahikatea forests of New Zealand.


"Once a Grand and Noble Forest" Artists book by Toni Hartill. SOLD










Imagined Journeys through Lost Landscapes I, II, III


Watercolour meander books within origami boxes. 
Inspired by the lost landscapes that once were the swamps of the Hauraki Plains.
 

Imagined Journeys through Lost Landscapes by Toni Hartill. SOLD









"Climate Cooling"

Inspired by a piece of driftwood. 
Made use of lots of reject prints!

"Climate Cooling" Artists Book by Toni Hartill. SOLD








"Rockpool Rambling"

Inspired by the colours of prints I had made. 
Playing with colour, texture and structure.

"Rockpool Rambling" Artists Book by Toni Hartill. SOLD

"Rockpool Rambling" Artists Book by Toni Hartill


"Rockpool Rambling" Artists Book by Toni Hartill

"Rockpool Rambling" Artists Book by Toni Hartill









"Tiny Books"
 Each made from a single piece of folded paper.
Tiny tags, and ribbons or pearl buttons to fasten.
 
"Tiny Books" Artists Books by Toni Hartill










"In Swings The Tide"

A silky smooth piece of driftwood,
collected and hoarded, was the starting point.

"In Swings The Tide" Artists Book by Toni Hartill

"In Swings The Tide" Artists Book by Toni Hartill













"Drift-line"

Started with a loose idea of a leaf on a journey.
Just played to see where it would lead me.

"Drift-Line" Artist Book by Toni Hartill

"Drift-Line" Artist Book by Toni Hartill










Mangrove Logbooks

Inspired by my grandfather's logbooks.
Work in progress.


Mangrove Logbooks by Toni Hartill

Mangrove Logbooks by Toni Hartill






"A-Float"

Inspired by play with colour, pattern and structure.

"A-Float" Artists Book by Toni Hartill








The following four books were created as a direct result of
my participation in Dianne Fogwell's workshop 
at PCANZ Summer School, 2016.




 "Cellular Migration"




"Diatom II"

"Diatom II" Linocut by Toni Hartill




"Diatom I"

"Diatom I"
Linocut by Toni Hartill





"Up Stream"
"Up Stream" Artists Book by Toni Hartill





"Well, where do you go from here?"

This is possibly my first actual artists book.

It has a very personal story behind it and was instrumental in setting
me on a new pathway as an artist.

After entirely losing my mojo due to a somewhat monumental life-event the activity of allowing myself to play, gently and quietly, with no planned outcome, enabled these wee pages to form and, as if by magic, the messages on each page "just happened."

This became a guiding mantra that continues to lead me on my journey to be an artist.

I will never underestimate
the power and importance of "play".






Well, where do you go from here?
by Toni Hartill

Be on time in the mornings.
Commit

build links
Connect
listen to advice and instruction

but having listened,
think and form your own opinion

be considered

Be individualistic

believe
Trust
Try
consider for a moment
DO

acquire knowledge
learn for yourself

nurture

exist naturally
BE

By all means be ready...






1 comment:

  1. Love this work. The colours, the textures, the assembly and the message.

    ReplyDelete

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