The Lost Houses Book

I’ve been quiet for a few months. I’ve not been lazy; I’ve been working on something…

In January, after two years of work, I opened my ‘Lost Houses of the South Pennines’ Exhibition at Bankfield Museum in Halifax. We all dressed up (and I mean some of us really dressed up!),

dressing up1

drank champagne, danced and lived it up for an evening, escaping a grim January, and forgetting a flood ruined Christmas. I exhibited 14 new paintings of 10 beautiful lost houses.

paintings square

I am in the process of putting together a book; hard backed, nicely bound. I’ve been designing trace inlays in the style of old book cover designs to separate the chapters.

title pages 9

trace titles

My Dad and I researched each house; the story of the glory days; the story of each demise. Visitors to the exhibition bought their own accounts to add to the book.

I’ve found beautiful photographs and drawings in archives and in peoples own personal collections.

Grecian Bath, Cragg Hall

drawings

As well as the little film, my friend Sarah Mason has photographed the ruins that remain.

SarahMasonPhotographs rowsmall

I don’t want to cut corners and have to compromise on the size, colour reproduction, or the quality of the paper. I’m not going through a publisher. This is just me working with a local bookbinding company to produce the book I want to make.

 Print

I’m planning an initial run of 500 copies. Within this run a limited number will include a signed, gilded giclee print, inside the book.

A very few, I think no more than 20 copies, will be extra special. The bookbinder will be able to let me work on the leaves before they’re bound so I’ll be able to stitch and gild some of the pages.

I am looking to raise £4500 towards the cost of producing the book. Have a look here to see my Kickstarter Crowd-funding page.

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2 Responses to “The Lost Houses Book

  • Oooh, can’t wait, sounds like the book will be a thing of beauty to cherish. :o)

  • Book sounds wonderful. If it does get published I would love a copy. The Holden family are my distant ancestors.

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