Matthew Reinhart's Blog, page 32

Word of the Day: Satori

Satori \suh-TOHR-ee\ noun

1. In Zen Buddhism, the state of sudden indescribable intuitive enlightenment.

Origin: Satori is a term from Zen Buddhism that derives from the Japanese word meaning "to awaken"

Vintage Movable Review: Ha-Ha Farm

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I learned about Carlyle Leech when I came across the 1943 release of the Hide and Seek Riddle Book a while back. Carlyle was a children's book creator that was most prolific in the 1940's. In 1944, he teamed up with his wife, Thirma, to create Ha-Ha Farm, which is advertised as an animated laughing animal book. That is exactly what we get here. I must confess that I purchased this more for the disarming illustrations than the mechanics. @font-face { font-family: "Cambria"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } The format is a tried and true pairing of rhyming verse and movable element. In this case, a popular farm animal is caused to "laugh" at the swing of a single pivot rocker tab. I wish there was a sequel called Ha-Ha Safari, so I could see the hyena in action. My favorite farm animal is the cow that rolls the whites of her eyes when uttering a jolly "Moo" as if she was reminded of the classic joke. Q: "Why do cows wear bells?" A: "Because their horns don't work."

Looks like new generations can get in on the fun because the Laughing Elephant published a reprint of the book in 2009. No joke.

~Kyle

History Lesson: Groundhog Day

On February 2nd in 1887, Groundhog Day is celebrated for the first time at Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.  Groundhog Day has its origins in ancient European weather lore, wherein a badger or sacred bear is the prognosticator as opposed to a groundhog.  German settlers in Pennsylvania continued the tradition but with groundhogs, which are plentiful in the Keystone State.

The holiday is similar to the ancient Christian tradition of Candlemas Day, when clergy would bless and distribute candles needed for winter.  The candles represented how long and cold the winter would be.  In Scotland the tradition may also derive from an English poem:

As the light grows longer
The cold grows stronger
If Candlemas be fair and bright
Winter will have another flight
If Candlemas be cloud and rain
Winter will be gone and not come again
A farmer should on Candlemas day
Have half his corn and half his hay
On Candlemas day if thorns hang a drop
You can be sure of a good pea crop

According to tradition, if a groundhog comes out of its hole on this day and sees its shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter weather; no shadow means an early spring.  And this year, Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow!  Hooray for an early Spring!

DIY Pop Up: Valentine's Pop Up Card

With Groundhog day almost done (hooray early Spring!) and Valentine's Day around the corner, why not stop over to matthewreinhart.com and make your valentine a pop-up card?  Click here to go directly to the Valentine Day card.

*As a reminder, when you click the images to download to print out, choose the "save link as" option and make sure it's a pdf.  Also you can choose to "open link in new window" and print from there.  This way you will print out the correct size card and pieces.

Artist Watch: Brian Dettmer

I don't remember how or when I stumbled upon Brian Dettmer's work, but that is besides the point.  His work consists of books that he cuts away at.  I love the the process to get to the finished piece-- he seals the edges of the book and then cuts away page by page revealing images or words/phrases that are of interest.  Dettmer says on his website "...Nothing inside the books is relocated or implanted, only removed. Images and ideas are revealed to expose alternate histories and memories."  Check out his amazing work here.

Word of the Day: Camarilla

Camarilla \kam-uh-RIL-uh; -REE-uh\ noun

1. A group of secret and often scheming advisers, as of a king; a cabal or clique.

Origin: Camarilla comes from Spanish, literally, "a small room," from Late Latin camera, "chamber" ("vault; arched roof" in Latin), from Greek kamara, "vault".

Word of the Day: Rebarbative

Rebarbative \ree-BAR-buh-tiv\ adjective

1. Serving or tending to irritate or repel.

Origin: Rebarbative comes from French rébarbatif, "stern, surly, grim, forbidding", from Middle French rebarber "to be repellent," from re- (from the Latin) + barbe, "beard" (from Latin barba)

 

What's Popped Up: Pop-up CD packaging

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I missed out on not one but two limited edition pop-up CD packaging recently. David A. Carter created one of his signature sculptural pop-ups for the popular band, Coldplay. Hand assembled in London but David Pelham and signed by the band, the special Coldplay's Christmas Lights CD is a coveted item around the world (like Wonka's Golden Ticket) as only a handful were rumored to exist.

A few weeks later Sally Blakemore and her afro/gypsy/fusion band called ShonaSlovakia hosted a CD release party in Santa Fe, NM where 100 copies of the pop-up CD packaging was sold in short order. Sally assured that more copies of the CD will be available soon but will not have the limited pop-up of the band.

Now the fine music offered by both bands is reason enough to purchase the new CDs, but in this digital age I sure will miss the physical connection with the playful pop-ups.

~Kyle

Word of the Day: Vim

Vim \VIM\ noun
1. Power; force; energy; spirit; activity; vigor

Origin: Vim is from Latin vis which is 'strength'.

Vintage Movable Review: Stairs

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Back in 1981, an architect from Amsterdam created a sparse pop-up book called Stairs. Rein Jansma, trained as an artist and set designer, and studied biology before heading into the world of architecture. His contemplations on stepped structures sit quietly on the page and the designs seemed to draw inspiration from his varied background.

Produced by Joost Elffers Books in New York and assembled in Singapore, Stairs must have been a refreshing change of pace from the other more colorful or explosive pop-up books of that era. While it is more likely to find this title on an architect's shelf (which I did) then a child's room, this it one book that I like to come back to every once in awhile and thumb through in search of transendance.

~Kyle