Donald Glaister, Foolsgold Studio, Vashon Island, Washington, 2007. From the preface of  Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman

Dimensions: 13 1/4” x 12” x 1 1/8”

Edition: 15 Variants. 1 deluxe artists’ proof, 1 prototype, 1 variant for fine binding

The text is taken directly from the Preface, intact without breaks or rearrangement.

There are 15 variants and 1 deluxe artist’s proof variant, 1 prototype, and 1 variant saved for fine binding.

Each page of text is followed by a page spread that visually relates to that text, then the next page of text, visual page spread and so on. The book’s pages are primarily made of cherry veneer with cut-outs revealing collages of metals, plastics and painted paper. These pages are interspersed with letterpress-printed pages (printed by Jessica Spring at Springtide Press on paper made by Tom Balbo) on which Whitman’s text appears.

The binding is half leather with cherry veneer applied to the cover boards. The front cover veneer is cut to reveal unique collages of paper and other materials. The pastedowns and flyleaves are painted paper.

Complete Instructions is conceived, edited and produced as a response to social and political American life in the early 21st century, with guidance by Walt Whitman from the middle of the 19th century. The visual concepts, materials and techniques developed and employed in the edition are primarily of our time, while acknowledging the time, vision, genius and humanity of Whitman.