From the Archives

Flora

Walter Hamady. Flora; poems by Ann McGarrell; drawings by Jack Beal. Mt. Horeb, WI: Perishable Press, 1990.

The Kohler Art Library has the complete archives of this publication. These records show the evolution of the book’s design and physical realization including correspondence with collaborators, notes on materials and supplies research, and layout and binding dummies. Hamady’s scrupulous notes on the book’s development and production are a fascinating look at how a book comes to be, and what goes into orchestrating such a multi-labored publication.

The Kohler Art Library’s collection of artists’ books includes all manner of archival materials. They consist of correspondence with artists, exhibition catalogues, publication announcements, book dealer catalogs, postcards, reviews and profiles. Many are ephemeral items such as holiday greetings printed by the artists. These materials serve as both development and reference tools for the collection; they are available to users for browsing.