This presentation offers a brief introduction to altered books, and then a discussion of two altered books by artist Shelley M. House, with examples of her mixed media artwork that has been influenced by altered books.

1. A New Look at Images and Text
A presentation by Shelley M. House

2. This presentation offers a brief introduction to altered books, and then a
discussion of two altered books by artist Shelley M. House, with examples of
her mixed media artwork that has been influenced by altered books.
Background
Shelley M. House is an artist and an architect. She received her bachelor’s and
master’s degrees in Architecture from the University of Illinois at Urbana-
Champaign. Born in Chicago, she came to Atlanta after practicing several years
as an architect in Illinois.
Shelley’s artwork is mixed media; blending hand drawings, painting, digital art
and poetry. Her online gallery is at www.shelleymhouse.com, and her most
recent work is posted in her blog at http://shelleymhouse.wordpress.com.
All artwork presented here © 2009 by Shelley M. House.

3.  An altered book is a form of mixed media artwork that changes a book
from its original form into a different form, altering its meaning. It’s a
book that's been recycled, rescued and then has been changed or altered
by means of gluing, painting, collaging, rubber stamping, cutting,
tearing, or embellishing.
 Altered art gives a new artistic life to old and/or used mundane,
utilitarian items through the application of techniques and combinations,
some recognized as standard artistic methods, some not.
 Collage is a work of visual arts made from an assemblage of different
forms, thus creating a new whole.
 Mixed Media, in visual art, refers to an artwork in the making of which
more than one medium has been employed, and may include any or all of
the above techniques and genres. Most altered art is considered mixed
media, but not all mixed media is altered art, as it may not include reused
or recycled objects.
 Sources: Wikipedia and FragileIndustries.com
 Examples of altered books: Art-e-zine.co.uk

4. TEXTBOOK, AMAZING BIRDS TEEN LITERATURE, DELTORA QUEST
 Colored pencil and translucent paint  Sharpie blocks out text efficiently
allow all text to show through. for a bold graphic statement.

5.  Pure “found
poems” –
definition.
 Alliteration ties
together words to
create phrases.
 Consistent color
scheme
throughout book.
 Alternate
meaning: A
textbook on birds
becomes “A
Primer on
Dating.”

6.  Found poems
become prose
poems, intended as
text for my own
altered book.
 New art created for
each chapter.
 In collaboration with
British musician Kev
Moore, my altered
book project
becomes a music
video for a rock opera
project.

7.  A digital collage is
created from an
altered book
page.
 “Bird Tongue”
theme emerges
as four pieces are
created for a
friend’s online
poetry anthology.
 Found poems
become less
cluttered.

8.  Anyone Will Do  Customs and Coax

9.  Self-Portrait  Swing Low

10.  Lessons  Dreamtime

11.  He Loves Me, study 1  He Loves Me, study 2

12.  Friendly Reminder series

13.  Leopard in a Pink Cage  Flower Series: Obsession,
Temptation, Lust

14.  My Japanese Dream Into my cave I lure you,
Feed you dried herbs to
cure you
Of your fever.
We save our days,
Very few.
I weave yew.
You drew waves
Every day
On the cave walls,
Longing for your ocean
fever, weave, weaver, home.
wave, every, save, saw, With the caw of the crow
was, few, drew, lure, You left me;
yew, cure, caw, wasa, Left me longing, and
cave, very, dry, crew, we Alone.

15. What is a Found Poem? A found poem is created by taking words found elsewhere and
rearranging them into a new poem. It is the literary equivalent of a collage. A “pure” found poem
consists exclusively of outside texts: the words of the poem remain as they were found, with few
additions or omissions. Decisions of form, such as where to break a line, are left to the poet. Example
Exercise
1. Choose a page from your book to alter.
2. Carefully re-read the prose text you have chosen, and look for 10 words that stand out in the prose
passage. Circle details, words and phrases that you find particularly powerful, moving, or
interesting. What is the subject of your poem? Note what theme emerges.
3. Review your words and cut out any that don’t fit with your subject. Feel free to add others that you
notice as you go through the prose piece again.
4. Choose an image that enhances your subject.
5. Using examples from this presentation as a guide, determine how you want to integrate the
image with your poem. You may cut and paste, or redraw the image by hand. Sharpies are a useful
tool for helping your poem stand out from surrounding text.
Purpose
Your altered book can become not only creative writing and art for its own sake, but also an
inspirational catalyst for your other writing projects. For instance: a bird textbook may start out as a
manual on dating, but then birds can become a powerful metaphor for a larger message.

16. http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/7131/91378
The History of Altered Books, Examples, and How to Make One
http://www.alteredbookartists.com/index.html
International Society of Altered Book Artists -- a non-profit Organization
dedicated to promoting altered books as an art form and to provide a Forum
for the exchange of skills, experiences, and ideas through education, exhibits,
and events.
http://www.art-e-zine.co.uk/alteredbook.html
Beautiful examples of altered books.
http://thealteredpage.blogspot.com/
Altered books and altered art by Seth Apter.
http://www.princetonol.com/groups/iad/lessons/middle/Linda-books.htm
An altered book lesson plan with lots of ideas and a great list of resources.
http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/5780
Explains the poetic form “Found Poem.”
www.shelleymhouse.com and http://shelleymhouse.wordpress.com
Mixed media art by Shelley M. House.