At MFTA we encourage you to make sure every day is Earth Day, and what can be a better reminder of this than datebooks made from reused materials? Esther Smith of The Segue Foundation sent over some photos of datebooks she made using leather and paper right from the warehouse, and they came out great. She designs and stitches the books by hand, then typographer Dikko Faust hand sets real wood and metal type and hand-feeds paper into a vintage letterpress. The duo has been making these usable artist books so long that they have done every iteration of the calendar. As Esther told me, this year is a leap year and it repeats every 28 years, so this year’s book can also be used in 2040, while 365-day years repeat every 11, 6, 11 years ad infinitum. The intricate detail and knowledge of the process is remarkable, and the repurposed sea charts as paper is definitely a great touch. Check here for more photos, and for more information (and classes), check here.
