simplemente maria press was founded in
1995 by Mary Heebner with the publication of Old Marks, New Marks. The
press unites inspirations from travel with the groundedness of studio-based
work and the art of papermaking by creating handmade books that couple
visual art with the written word. Heebner’s artwork and writing,
as well as collaborative endeavors with poets such as Pablo Neruda, Alastair
Reid, Michael Hannon and Sienna Craig, are integrated into the design,
concept, and substance of each book produced by the press.
Artist’s books from simplemente maria press are in several private
and public collections. These include: The National Gallery of Art, The
John Paul Getty Research Institute, The University of California, The
Library of Congress, Cornell University, The US Chancery (Moscow), The
British Library, Stanford University, Swarthmore College, Santa Barbara
Museum of Art, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. |
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“ I try to notice what is vivid about an idea and link that with
a sensual and well-crafted process.”
MH
checklist of
publications
View/Download the PDF
Apsara: An Improvisation
This edition literally judges a book by its cover. The lid to each handmade presentation box is an original acrylic on board painting of The Churning Sea. ,A bilingual version in English with French translation by Laure-Anne Bosselaar interpreting the origin myth from the Hindu Puranas of The Churning of the Sea of Milk. Two hand-painted unique chemises hold two accordion books, one of image and one of test, both with a deeply debossed water motif beneath text and drawings.
15" x 7" x 1.5" edition of 20 $2000.00. 7 copies remain.
Silent Faces: Angkor
Silent Faces / Angkor presents three distinct forms of the book, all placed within a hand-crafted red cedar box. A metal tray with bronzed patina holds both a hand-painted chemise containing two accordion books and a bound codex with a goatskin spine. Beneath this tray, four scrolls rest in wooden niches upon red silk. One accordion interprets the story of The Churning of the Sea of Milk—of the struggle between the forces of demon and god, darkness and light. The companion accordion depicts eight Apsara figures derived from on-site sketches I made at Angkor. A deeply debossed water motif runs beneath both text and drawings. Written vignettes, photographs and sketches from my visit to Angkor fill the accompanying bound codex book. Letterpress printing and binding by John Balkwill of The Lumino Press, Santa Barbara, was editioned by hand from polymer plates on a Vandercook UNI cylinder press.
21" x 9" x 3" edition of 20 $8500. 9 copies remain
Unearthed
A poem, paintings and sketchbook—an excavation of images and impressions from Patagonia 2011
A poem printed on translucent abaca paper interleaved with 8 mixed-media images of vessels is hard bound between original painting covers, with leather spine, placed in a wooden box, with a tumbled marble lid. Text printed letterpress in Centaur. In a niche in the bottom of box is a 9 x 6” chapbook, “notes from below” with sketches and writing inspired by indigenous Mapuche vessels and horseback treks through the Sierra of Chilean Patagonia.
12.5 x 12.5 x 2.5” edition of 20
& 5 Hors commerce. $3500.00 8 copies remain
The
Tragedy of Hamlet: An Artist’s Interpretation of the Classic Text
by William Shakespeare
Includes the Hamlet series of twenty pigment prints, handmade paper throughout,
and an “actors” copy of the complete text of the play printed
letterpress, placed in a handmade clamshell box with leather spine stamped
with gold.
16.5” x 13” x 2” Edition of twenty copies. $6500.00
5 copies remain
A Sacred Geography:
Sonnets of the Himalaya and Tibet
A collaboration between Heebner and her daughter, anthropologist Siena
Craig. 12 sonnets by Craig on handmade pulp-painted paper with reader’s
chapbook-format alludes to traditional Tibetan texts. Letterpress with
debossed drawings in handmade paper
9” x 20” x 2” Edition of 25 out of print
**chapbook only, letterpress 12” x 6” (with two original watercolors)
Edition of 100 $395.00 40 copies remain
On the Blue Shore of
Silence: Poems of the Sea by Pablo Neruda
Twelve direct pigment prints of collage paintings inspired by the Pacific
Ocean were created after visits to Pablo Neruda’s Isla Negra home
in Chile. Prints are paired with a selection of twelve poems of the sea
by Pablo Neruda, in Spanish with English translations by Alastair Reid,
printed letterpress on translucent handmade linen paper. These tri-part
folios are gathered in an individually pulp-painted chemise, and placed
in a wood and cloth box, 15.5” x 12” x2”. Letterpress
booklet introduces this edition of 50 copies $3000.00 10 copies remain
Deep Thermal
A portfolio featuring six archival signed and numbered pigment prints
by Mary Heebner that inspired six new poems by Clayton
Eshleman, printed letterpress on 13"” x 17” sheets
of grey Rives paper, in an edition limited to 26 copies, signed by both
the artist and poet.
Edition of 26 $1200.00 6 copies remain
Full Lotus: Sketches
from Ayutthaya
Accordion-folded prints of site-sketches drawn at the ruined capitol of
Ayutthaya, Thailand, embellished with graphite and watercolor; insert
of letterpress text and images by Heebner on handmade Daphne paper, in
paper slipcase.
1” x 5” x 5” Edition of 50 $550.00 25 copies remain
The Bayon Sketches: Journal from Angkor
Two accordion-folded direct pigment prints from site sketches drawn at
Bayon Temple in Angkor Thom, Cambodia, text insert with journal notes,
wrapped in a silk khataj, a ceremonial Buddhist scarf, inside a folded
paper box.
1” x 5” x 5” Edition of 20 $300.00 3 copies remain
Seeking
the Open Heart
Ten pigment printed images from paintings made in response to ten poems
by California poet Michael Hannon. Letterpress, hardbound and slip cased
with handmade paste-painted covers.
9” x 9.5” x 1.5” Edition of 75 $850.00 30 copies remain
Scratching the Surface: A Visit to
Lascaux and Rouffignac
Six original paintings and text after Heebner’s invitation from
the Minister of Culture to visit Lascaux cave and other Paleolithic sites
in France. Journal notes printed letterpress on handmade paper. Paintings
tipped in, within ochre pigmented handmade paper chemise. Etched plexiglas
slip case 12” x 10” x 1.5” Edition of 10 $3000.00 out
of print
Folio No. Two, Broadside from Scratching the Surface.
2003
Edition fifty, 90.00 unframed, 175.00 framed.
Direct pigment print with letterpress text from original artists book,
on Fabriano Uno paper. Signed and numbered.
Western Trilogy: Ocean, Desert, Prairie & Western Trilogy: Mountain,
Canyon, Dune
Each set contains 45 original watercolor paintings tipped onto accordion
folded book, with artist’s essays excerpted from Western Horizon,
a book of photos, sketches and essays on the American West (Everton/Heebner,
2000: Abrams)
6” x 5” x 5.5” Each Trilogy is printed in an edition
of 20 $3000.00 One copy remaining
Both Trilogies out of print
Island: Journal from Iceland
Twelve archival pigment prints of Iceland-inspired monotypes with text
from Heebner’s travel journal printed letterpress on translucent
handmade abaca paper, Kyoseshi chemise wrapper, hand-drawn map, in Plexiglas
case.
14” x 11” x 1.3” Edition of 60 Hand-embellished with watercolor $2000.00 10 copies remain
Old Marks, New Marks
Clamshell box with original handmade paper collage and in a recessed well
an offset chapbook with reproductions of artist sketches and paintings
with essay, “The Earth-Centered Art of Mary Heebner and artist’s
text referencing visits to early cave art sites and her painting process.
11.5” x 10” x 1” Edition of 40 $750.00 3 copies remain
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