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.
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| "Climate Cooling", Toni Hartill, SOLD |
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
follow me on Instagram @tonihartillart .
WAYMARKERS Collection
This collection was exhibited as part of my solo exhibition
WAYMARKERS ~ Into the Unknown.
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| Waymarkers Collection, detail, Toni Hartill |
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| Waymarkers Collection, detail, Toni Hartill |
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| Chorographia I, detail, Toni Hartill |
Sensing Belonging collection
This collection was exhibited as part of my solo exhibition
WAYMARKERS ~ Into the Unknown.
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| Sensing Belong I, II, Toni Hartill |
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| Sensing Belonging Collection, Toni Hartill |
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| Sensing Belonging collection, Toni Hartill |
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| Sensing Belonging collection, Toni Hartill |
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| Sensing Belonging collection, Toni Hartill |
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| "False Hopes", Sensing Belonging collection, Toni Hartill SOLD |
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| "False Hopes", Sensing Belonging collection, Toni Hartill SOLD |
Natural environment
inspired collection
This collection was exhibited as part of my solo exhibition
WAYMARKERS ~ Into the Unknown.
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| Natural environment inspired collection by Toni Hartill |
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| Box dioramas by Toni Hartill |
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| "Thought Keeper" by Toni Hartill |
Coastal Inspired Collection
This collection was exhibited as part of my solo exhibition
WAYMARKERS ~ Into the Unknown.
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| Coastal inspired collection by Toni Hartill |
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| Coastal inspired collection by Toni Hartill |
Depth in Metres, Toni Hartill. SOLD
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| Salt Spray, Toni Hartill. SOLD |
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| Migration - Maxi NFS, Mini SOLD, Toni Hartill |
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..."
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"There's a place I've dreamed of..." by Toni Hartill SOLD |
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"There's a place I've dreamed of..." by Toni Hartill |
Book II: "Where I can lose my mind..."
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"Where I can lose my mind..." by Toni Hartill SOLD |
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"Where I can lose my mind..." by Toni Hartill |
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"Where I can lose my mind..." by Toni Hartill |
Book III: "I lose all sense of time..."
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"I lose all sense of time..." by Toni Hartill SOLD |
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"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.
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| "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.
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| "Lost & Found" by Toni Hartill SOLD |
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| "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.
It was in the Angela Morton Room,Takapuna Library, Aotearoa New Zealand.
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.
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| "Remanent" by Toni Hartill. NFS |
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| "Remanent" by Toni Hartill |
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| "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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| "Roadtrip Impressions I" by Toni Hartill. SOLD |
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| "Roadtrip Impressions II" by Toni Hartill. SOLD |
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| Hamurana inspired landscape I by Toni Hartill SOLD |
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| Hamurana inspired landscape II by Toni Hartill SOLD |
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| "Landscape from my subconscious" by Toni Hartill |
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| "Wet Weather Driving - views from the passenger seat" by Toni Hartill |
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.
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| "Folly" by Toni Hartill SOLD |
"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.
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| Cute as a button, WIP, by Toni Hartill |
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| 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.
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| "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.
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| Rockpool tunnel book by Toni Hartill. NFS |
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| Rockpool tunnel book by Toni Hartill |
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| Rockpool tunnel book by Toni Hartill NFS |
"Kelp Meditation"
Made from a series of repurposed monoprints.
Made during second NZ covid lockdown 2020.
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| "Kelp Meditation" by Toni Hartill |
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| "Kelp Meditation" by Toni Hartill |
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| "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.
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| "Canned Bunting" by Toni Hartill NFS |
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| "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.
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| "In Residence" structures by Toni Hartill | |
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| "In Residence" structure by Toni Hartill |
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| "In Residence" structure by Toni Hartill |
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| "In Residence" structure by Toni Hartill "Fenced In" Purchased by Auckland War Memorial Museum. |
Gifted to Auckland War Memorial Museum.
Repurposed tuna cans filled with mini-dioramas using old maritime charts.
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| "Forest Notes" by Celia Walker & Toni Hartill |
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| "Forest Notes" by Celia Walker & Toni Hartill |
"Vitamin Sea"
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.
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| "Vitamin Sea" by Toni Hartill. NFS |
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| "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.
Purchased by Auckland Libraries for the Angela Morton Room Special Collection.
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| Depth in Metres by Toni Hartill SOLD |
"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.
Private Collection.
For the love of mangroves.
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| "Search & Rescue" by Toni Hartill SOLD |
"Field Notes - Manawa, NZ Mangrove"
For the love of mangroves.
Edition of 3.
2/3 in private collection
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| "Field Notes - Manawa" Artists Books by Toni Hartill Edition of 3 SOLD |
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| "Field Notes - Manawa" Artists Books by Toni Hartill Edition of 3 |
2018
Cascade structure
Linocut, stitching
Cascade structure
Linocut, stitching
This piece has been purchased by
Auckland Libraries for the
Angela Morton Room special collection.
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| "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.
"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.
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| "The Butter Book" Artists Book by Toni Hartill Unique SOLD |
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| "The Butter Book" Artists Book by Toni Hartill Unique |
A quiet contemplation of the loss of our Kahikatea forests.
Inspired by a quote from an article in a 1937 newspaper.
Modelled 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.
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| "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.
Inspired by the lost landscapes that once were the swamps of the Hauraki Plains.
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| Imagined Journeys through Lost Landscapes by Toni Hartill. SOLD |
"Climate Cooling"
Inspired by a piece of driftwood.
Made use of lots of reject prints!
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| "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.
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| "Rockpool Rambling" Artists Book by Toni Hartill. SOLD |
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| "Rockpool Rambling" Artists Book by Toni Hartill |
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| "Rockpool Rambling" Artists Book by Toni Hartill |
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| "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 tags, and ribbons or pearl buttons to fasten.
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| "Tiny Books" Artists Books by Toni Hartill |
"In Swings The Tide"
A silky smooth piece of driftwood,
collected and hoarded, was the starting point.
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| "In Swings The Tide" Artists Book by Toni Hartill |
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| "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.
Just played to see where it would lead me.
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| "Drift-Line" Artist Book by Toni Hartill |
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| "Drift-Line" Artist Book by Toni Hartill |
Mangrove Logbooks
Inspired by my grandfather's logbooks.
Work in progress.
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| Mangrove Logbooks by Toni Hartill |
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| Mangrove Logbooks by Toni Hartill |
"A-Float"
Inspired by play with colour, pattern and structure.
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| "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"
SOLD
"Diatom II"
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| "Diatom II" Linocut by Toni Hartill |
"Diatom I"
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| "Diatom I"
Linocut by Toni Hartill
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"Up Stream"Flag book. |
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| Upstream 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...
Love this work. The colours, the textures, the assembly and the message.
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