Bill Bissett.
Lunaria. New York: Granary Books, 2001.

Lunaria was printed letterpress and then hand-painted. Bill Bissett was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1939. After moving to Vancouver in 1958, he started blewointment press. In his poetry, music, and paintings, he plays with language and spelling, aiming toward a spontaneous, almost childlike simplicity.

Chen collaborated with Barbara Tetenbaum, a book artist who teaches at Oregon College of Arts & Crafts, on this work which was inspired by the music of composer Erik Satie (1866-1925). Closely allied to the Dada and Surrealist movements in art, Satie's compositions disregarded traditional forms and tonal structures, and often took the form of parody. Chen and Tetenbaum responded to Satie's music with a whimsical piece full of vibrant color and playful shapes. Windows and layers allow the viewer to see the work in a variety of ways.

Emily McVarish.
Was Here. New York: Granary Books, 2001.

Emily McVarish is a book artist who lives and works in San Francisco. She is an instructor of Design at the California College of Arts and Crafts and, since 1990, has operated her press, Axel & Otto, in both commercial and experimental ventures. According to the publisher, "Was Here takes Photography and the Book as distinct metaphors for history, playing them off one another to provoke and unwind their respective implications."

Ranier Maria Rilke.
Sonnets to Orpheus. North Carolina: Fulcrum Press, 2001.

The ancient Greek legendary hero Orpheus was a gifted musician. When his wife Eurydice died, he traveled to the land of the dead to convince Hades, Lord of the Underworld, to bring her back to life. Rilke's sonnets float in gray ink on the top of each page. Printed below, beneath the wine-colored earth, is the companion narrative.