Remember

  Judge's Choice Award

  2026 Focus on Book Arts Conference

  Western Oregon University, Monmouth, Oregon

   Remember is an interactive spherical artist's book built from individually cut circular pages suspended on a central wooden    

   stem. Rather than following a traditional sequence, the pages unfold through rotation, inviting viewers to explore the work from 

   multiple perspectives and at their own pace.

   Within the layered structure are photographs, handwritten passages, stitched surfaces, maps, vintage papers, and found objects

    that gradually reveal themselves as the sphere is opened. No single viewpoint contains the entire story; each turn uncovers new

    relationships between images, textures, and text, encouraging repeated exploration.

   The removable pegs become part of that experience. By marking a place between layers, they allow viewers to pause their 

   journey and return later, much like setting aside a favorite passage in a cherished book. This interactive feature transforms the 

   act of viewing into one of discovery rather than observation.

   The foundation of the sculpture incorporates vintage watches, clock faces, gears, and mechanical components that emphasize

    the physical presence of time. Copper wire, hand stitching, beads, and layered papers create a richly textured surface in which 

   every material contributes to the rhythm and architecture of the piece.

   Designed to be experienced slowly, Remember rewards curiosity. Each rotation reveals hidden details, changing compositions, 

   and new visual connections, ensuring that no two encounters with the book are exactly alike.

   Artist Statement 

   Memory is selective. It softens sharp edges, blurs painful moments, and allows love to endure long after details have faded. 

   As I grow older, I find that the memories I return to most often are not the extraordinary events of my life, but the ordinary 

   moments shared with extraordinary people. Remember is my attempt to preserve those moments before they quietly disappear.

   This spherical artist's book is a memorial to family. Throughout its pages are photographs, fragments of stories, textures, and 

   symbols that honor the people whose lives continue to shape my own. Rather than presenting a chronological family history, I 

   chose to create an experience that reflects the way memory actually works—layered, circular, and constantly rediscovered. Like 

   our memories, the book has no true beginning or ending. Each rotation reveals another glimpse of the past.

   The memories contained within this book are deeply personal. My father served as a United States Marine. One of my earliest 

   memories is sitting beside him as a two-year-old on my first helicopter flight, an experience that filled me with wonder and trust.

    My paternal grandfather loved the beach, and thoughts of him still carry the rhythm of waves and salt air. My maternal 

   grandfather was a farmer whose greatest harvest, at least in my memory, was his blueberry patch. I can still remember filling my

    bucket while secretly eating as many warm, sweet berries as I collected.

    My paternal grandmother adored dogs, especially her dachshund, Copper. Looking back, I realize that my own lifelong affection

    for dogs likely began with her. My maternal grandmother was an extraordinary Appalachian artisan. She quilted, wove baskets, 

   sewed clothing, worked in clay, and lived a life of making with her hands. Without realizing it at the time, she showed me that 

   creativity was not simply something you did—it was a way of living.

   My mother carried that same generosity into my own life. She rarely sought the spotlight, yet she was always there behind the 

   scenes, helping sew costumes for theatre productions, supporting school activities, and encouraging every creative path I 

   wanted to explore. Her quiet belief in me became part of the foundation upon which my own artistic life was built.

   Although every family experiences hardship, I discovered while creating this book that painful memories often recede while love

    remains. The memories that surfaced most naturally were filled with kindness, laughter, generosity, and shared experiences. I 

   wanted Remember to reflect that truth. I wanted it to be beautiful because my memories are beautiful to me. Beauty, in this work,

    is not an attempt to erase sorrow but to acknowledge that love has a remarkable ability to outlast it.

   The vintage watches, clocks, and mechanical elements that form the base of the sculpture remind us that time is constantly 

   moving forward. We cannot stop it, but we can choose what we carry with us. The stitched pages, copper wire, beads, and 

   layered papers become physical representations of the invisible threads that connect one generation to the next. Each layer 

   holds another story, another relationship, another reminder that our lives are built from countless moments that deserve to be 

   remembered.

   Remember is ultimately an invitation—not only to explore my family's history but to reflect on your own. As viewers move 

   through its pages, I hope they think about the people who shaped them, the memories they cherish, and the quiet inheritance 

   of love, tradition, and resilience that continues long after those we love are gone.

  Year: 2024

  Medium: Mixed media artist's book

  Structure: spherical

  Materials:  paper, wood, copper wire, beads, vintage   

  watch parts, thread, found objects

  Interactive:  Rotating layered pages with removable   

  bookmark pegs

  Dimensions:    19” x 5.5” x 5.5”

  Edition: Unique

  Status: Available