Book Title: Dwellings
Size: 7.5 x 5.5 x 5.5 closed 
Book Measures: 4” x 6.5” x .5”
Open Box Measures: 7.5 x 39”
Date Produced: 2019
Sections/Pages: 1 accordion book, one hardcover, one unique cocoon paper sculpture 
Print methods: Letterpress, ink, papercutting 
Papermaking and Boxmaking by: Rhiannon Alpers 
Poem by Susan Brind Morrow
Edition of 6 
Price: $850.00

Dwellings investigates the imagined, built, and mended spaces we inhabit for our emotional safety. We as humans can’t dwell where we haven’t been. Conceptually speaking, our own dwellings (both spatially and mentally) change as we navigate our surroundings in the life cycle.

This book attempts to materialize the personal process of creating a “dwelling” to capture moments in time (both spatially and mentally). Deriving inspiration from natural seed pods, animal metamorphosis casings, and hummingbird nests the sculptural handmade paper pods were formed with wet sheets and either stitched with synthetic sinew if needed or left as they formed. The pods are purposefully small imperfect spaces with crevices fissures and multiple openings.

Each book/box within varied edition book contains unique handmade paper abaca pod in the box structure. The multi-panel unfurling two tray compartment box is made of handmade dupioni silk bookcloth in midnight purple and rust, created by the artist. Both the compartments hinged trays open, one to reveal a nested cocoon sculpture made of over-beaten abaca nested and the other side to reveal a book cover containing letterpress panel poem, a colophon, and a loose over-beaten abaca accordion sculptural book in the other.

The handmade paper, letterpress printed poem, and multi-panel box were created by Rhiannon Alpers. Quote inclusion by Susan Brind Morrrow.

This varied and limited edition of six was create in 2019, with two Artist Proofs.