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JUSTARIP Press ~
New Jersey |
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| Redland Art Museum: " Maryann's artist books and collages convey a visual narrative through the book structure to remind one of the past and journeys through which we all travel throughout our lives. Her works incorporate digital images, Victorian iconography and other symbols to convey a sense of memory and time as one opens and unfolds the works. " | |
A ‘lotta Licks 2 x 1.25" miniature; 6 pages (4 on one side, two on reverse). Double sided accordion. Binders board. Digital images. Paper covered boards. Housed in a blue organza bag with matching ribbon. Numbered. JUSTARIP: "A miniature accordion artist book highlights the history of the lollipop with miniature prints of watercolors created by the artist." |
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Swept Away Measurements 4.5" h x 1.5" w x 1" d with dollhouse vacuum cleaner. Double sided vertical miniature book attached 1.5 x 1” with 12 pages plus boards. Materials: Binders board, plastic, metal, fabric, paper. Numbered. Ribbon closure. Maryann Riker: "A miniature accordion book attached to a dollhouse vacuum cleaner combines text of the timeline in the development of the vacuum cleaner with vintage ads to create a small tome that will sweep you up in how this handy appliance developed to keep dirt at bay." |
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The Saint of Future Dreams 6.75" h x 4 .25" w x .25" d. Materials: Binders board, Cabinet card, metal, acetate, paper. In organza bag with ribbon closure. Signed by the artist. Maryann Riker: "’The Saint of Future Dreams’ is an embroidered Cabinet card of an infant at the turn of the century whose posture and expression is ready for any future endeavors. Embroidered as a saint, this cabinet book as an artist book details a brief history of childhood and play!" Here in the 21st Century we have playgrounds and kindergartens, daycare and summer camps. This was not always the case for children. It wasn’t until the 17th century that society began to think of children as needing protection and training. |
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Tiny Terrors 2 1/8" h x 1 5/8" w x 1/4"d. Miniature. Accordion structure. Materials: Cardstock, watercolor paper, binders board. Housed in organza bag with ribbon closure. Signed by the artist. JUSTARIP: “’Tiny Terrors’ is a fun miniature accordion book describing carnivorous plants and how they trap their victims and why. It includes three original watercolors by Maryann Riker who enjoyed painting these tiny terrors. Each book has different miniature watercolors. Although these are tiny in reality, bladderworts, pitcher plants and other varieties can grow to several feet. Not such tiny terrors!” |
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The Eye Has It 2.25 x 3.5 x 1.625” two panel accordion attached to shadow box. Collage and found objects. Maryann Riker: "Watching, waiting for the moment. Hiding and observing to see what will transpire is the inspiration for this work. Moments that require action or moments that require holding back ... the watcher does not always act when needed and waits too long to take action ... or the watcher patiently hangs back for the 'perfect moment.' But will that 'perfect moment' ever arrive? Is the watcher afraid to transform to be ready for the 'perfect moment'?" |
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| Documenting history through book arts. | |
| Blinded 2 By Maryann Riker Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Maryann Riker, 2014. Open edition. 4.5 x 6.25" (closed) flag book. Materials: binders board, paper, acetate. Historical data tipped on pastedowns. Titles and images on front board. Colophon on back board. Paper-covered boards. In paper sleeve with title and image. Signed by the artist. Maryann Riker: "In 1939, the British press leaked news of Hitler's plans to build concentration camps throughout Germany with the intent of gathering and holding German Jews. Churchill warned the world of Hitler's plans and no one listened. When the Allies rolled into the camps in 1945, the horrendous atrocities of what the Germans had done rung true and were documented and released to the press. This flag book highlights that moment when the public was warned of Hitler's intents and ignored them. " $85 |
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| The Dust Bowl By Maryann Riker Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Maryann Riker, 2014. Open edition. 4.5 x 6.25" (closed) flag book. Materials: binders board, paper, acetate. In paper sleeve with title and image. Signed by the artist. Maryann Riker: "The Dust Bowl also known as the 'Dirty Thirties' was a period of severe dust storms that affected the Great Plains of the United States during the 1930's. Due to severe drought and a failure to apply dryland farming techniques to prevent soil erosion, the rich topsoil of the area, turned to dust from overfarming and deep plowing and was picked up and carried by the wind that sometimes blackened the sky. Coupled with the effects of the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl became one of the United States's greatest ecological and economic disasters recorded in history. This flag book structure shows the devastation through imagery and cartography of its widespread effect." $85 |
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| The Orphan Train By Maryann Riker Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Maryann Riker, 2014. Open edition. 4.5 x 6.25" (closed) flag book. Materials: binders board, paper, acetate. Paper-covered boards. In paper sleeve with title and image. Signed by the artist. Maryann Riker: "The Orphan Train was an organized welfare program that transported orphan, unwanted, or abandoned children from the crowded Eastern cities largely to foster homes in the rural Midwest. Two charitable institutions, the Children's Aid Society and later the Catholic New York Foundling Hospital, endeavored to help these children. They developed a program that placed homeless, orphaned, and abandoned city children, who numbered an estimated 30,000 in New York City alone in the 1850's. The orphan trains or 'baby trains' ran between 1853 and 1929, relocating about 250,000 orphaned, abandoned, or homeless children. The placement of these orphans was not always a happy one, [but] resulted in nothing more than a form of servitude or indentured slavery. Other orphan placements were successful and became the success stories of the programs. This flag book structure shows poignant imagery and routes of these orphan trains that transported thousands to what was promised '"as a proper Christian home.'" $85 |
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| The Underground Railroad By Maryann Riker Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Maryann Riker, 2014. Open Edition. 4.5 x 6.25" (closed) flag book. Materials: binders board, paper, acetate. Historical data tipped on pastedowns. Titles and images on front board. Colophon on back board. Paper-covered boards. In paper sleeve with title and image. Signed by the artist. Maryann Riker: "The Underground Railroad was a network of secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century slaves of African descent in the United States to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and allies who were sympathetic to their cause. The term is also applied to the abolitionists, both black and white, free and enslaved, who aided the fugitives. Using vintage photography, slave journals and abolitionist letters, this flag book highlights the secret routes and "conductors" of the underground railroad." $85 |
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| The Women's Suffrage Movement By Maryann Riker Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Maryann Riker, 2014. Open edition. 4.5 x 6.25" (closed) flag book. Materials: binders board, paper, acetate. Historical data tipped on pastedowns. Paper-covered boards. In paper sleeve with title and image. Signed by the artist. Maryann Riker: "Women's suffrage in the United States, the legal right of women to vote in that country, was established over the course of several decades, first in various states and localities, sometimes on a limited basis, and then nationally in 1920. Two organizations were formed and organized to press their issue for the right to vote. Leading figures like Susan B. Anthony led the fight to have women treated as equals resulting in the passage of the 19th Amendment. Enjoy this flag book structure detailing the spread of their success and vintage imagery of women on the move!" $85 |
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| Maryann Riker: "For the past several years my work has centered on a personal exploration of my relationships with my mother and my aunt who were early feminists. I have also researched how the media influenced the American family and the American suburbs in the post-war era. I internalized this research and the resulting body of work is the visual narrative." | |
Silken Tales 8.75" x 5.75" x .5". Material: recycled book covers, paper, acetate, tin, metal. Printed text on acetate pages. Bound in recycled book boards with printed title label on front board. S. Maryann Riker: "An artist book that covers the history of the silk mill industry in the Lehigh Valley. Incorporating vintage images of photos, fabric and ephemera, this artist' book is dedicated to my aunt and mother who were employed by the garment industry centered in Easton, PA. The silk industry provided a livelihood for many women and provided a means of socializing and comradery for women whose husbands worked in the mines, canals and other industries of the Lehigh Valley. With a poem by Nancy Scott of Easton, PA." |
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Dream of Futures 1" w x 1.75" h x .25 "d miniature book. Accordion fold. Materials: Gem Tintype, binders board, paper, plastic. Enclosed in gold organza bag. Numbered. Signed by the artist. Maryann Riker: "A small accordion-fold book in edition of 3 with unique gem tintype covers entails Victorian maxims for women with a poem by Nancy Scott typeset underneath. Embellished with flora and fauna, these women lived by society's rules but generated reform and legislation to give women the vote." |
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The Gaze Measured 3.25"w x 4"h x 1"d. Materials: Brownie camera front, paper, cardstock, acetate. Signed by the artist. Maryann Riker: "This artist book celebrates the unnamed and unknown women photographers who ran portrait studios, documented landscapes and took selfies! The only documentation are the photographs they left behind. Entrepreneurs and selfie takers documented their world while giving women the chance to use the newest technology! "The front cover is an actual brownie camera front with a woman gazing out at us measuring up for the perfect snap! Enjoy this book designed as a photo book in its images of the early unnamed female pioneers of photography. "Includes a poem by Nancy Scott, Easton, PA. " |
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| Star Book By Maryann Riker Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Maryann Riker, 2015. Edition of 20. 1.75 x 1.75" closed; 3.75 x 2.25 x 3.75" open. Materials: embossed cardstock, organza, ribbon, neon paper, mylar. Signed and numbered by the artist. Maryann Riker: "A little star book form created with neon papers in pink, yellow, and green with black and white embossed cardstock for covers with fuchsia ribbon tie and organza bag highlights the popular stars of the 1950's: Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, Grace Kelly, and Katherine Hepburn. "A true star book of the stars!" $25 (Last 2 copies) |
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| Weekly Rituals of a Domestic Goddess By Maryann Riker Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Maryann Riker, 2014. Edition of 12. 4 x 4"; 10 pages. Materials: paper, board, ribbon, satin, lace, plastic. Double sided accordion. Bound in house shaped boards. Grosgrain ribbon tie closure. Signed and numbered by the artist. Maryann Riker: "In the weekly schedule of the post-World War II American housewife, a strict regimen of daily activities ruled her life. This ensured a clean and organized home that was the foundation of a happy husband and clean and healthy children. (Or at least, that is what the advertising images promised.) Enjoy this small tome as a celebration of time-honored weekly rituals for domestic goddesses that many women followed to keep a well-organized home!" $50 |
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| Ah, the Pirate's Life for Me! By Maryann Riker Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Maryann Riker, 2012. Series Variants, 2. 8 x 5 x 3" shadowbox construction with magic wallet hinging. Materials: binder's board; wood; paper; metal; plastic. Collage. Maryann Riker: "Women were allowed to trade, own ships, work as retailers, innkeepers and more when men went off to war or work! Many women came into contact with pirates and conducted business with them. Women boarded pirates and hid them from harm and the law. In such close proximity to these scalawags, some women took to the high seas, either willingly or unwillingly depending upon the scalawag. Some went as wives or mistresses; while others dressed as men and served on the pirate ships as shipmates performing the same work as the men. Some of these women fought in wars, traveled the world and followed their husbands as men; and then returned to society as women and bore children. Some became captains of their own ships or mutinied and took over. Either way they made a name for themselves and this artist's book/treasure chest salutes these women who pirated their way into history on the high seas. "With Jacob's ladder hinging on a vertically-oriented shadowbox of wood this construction resembles a treasure chest or wunderkabinet." $215 |
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Pearlessence 2 .25 x 2.25 x .5"; 8 page. Double-sided accordion structure. Color copy of vintage papers with glued on pearls. Housed in a gold metallic gauze pouch tied with gold satin ribbons. Maryann Riker: "Certain iconic symbols remind one of certain times. Poodle skirts, stiletto heels, pearl necklaces all bring one back to a time when women were not 'turned out' until they accessorized their outfit with their pearls. This little miniature accordion-book adorned with a gold frame accented with pearls highlights the history of how pearls became the hallmark of the American woman. Vintage advertising photos of women wearing all lengths of pearls highlights the text. This little 'pearl' is another tribute to the golden age when women would not go out grocery shopping without that little pearl necklace and studs." |
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Miniature History of the Button: Part 2 Three 1" circular button books; 6 pages each. Accordion structure with pastedowns as pages. Each book cover an actual button. Housed in 2.875 x 2.875 x 1.75” cloth and paper covered box with attached lid. Paper title label on exterior of lid with colophon on the opposite side of the lid. Maryann Riker: "When I was young, I spent many a rainy afternoon picking through my mom and aunt’s button jar and button box. I loved the variety--each one its own special work of art. These little gems have always held my fascination. The second part of the Miniature History of the Button is a brief history on the button’s use and types. This is then my ode to their noble purpose in making our lives simpler and easier in keeping our clothes in their proper place." |
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Set of Zines: Women of NASA 5 pamphlets: each 4.375" x 2.75"; 8 pages. Created from a one-sheet book structure. Materials: cardstock, paper, thread, organza, ribbon. Saddle-stitched to a pink cardstock cover. Housed in pink organza bag with pink ribbon tie. Maryann Riker: "Celebrating the women of NASA who put men in space and on the moon, these 5 zines honor those who worked behind the scenes, became astronauts and lost their lives in the pursuit of science. This one-sheet book structure with various pink-shaded-cardstock covers also includes an acrostic poem by Nancy Scott of Easton, Pa. " Zines:
$35 |
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Set of Zines: Starry-Eyed Gals 5 pamphlets: each 4.375" x 2.75"; 8 pages. Created from a one-sided book structure. Saddle-stitched to a pink cardstock cover. Housed in pink organza bag with pink ribbon tie. Maryann Riker: "The fourth collection in a series of zines from JUSTARIP Press dealing with the early history of women in astronomy! "'Starry-Eyed Trail Blazer' tells about Maria Mitchell and the discovery of her comet; 'Starry-Eyed Gals' describes the earliest women to follow their stars and break new ground in the field of astronomy; 'A Woman of Substance' describes Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin who discovered the substance of stars; 'The Computers' tells the story of women hired to map the stars at the Harvard Observatory with precise methodology and new photographic processes; and 'Star Gazer' is the inspiring tale of Annie Jump Cannon, one of the women from the Harvard Observatory who rose from the ranks to break barriers for women in the field of astronomy." |
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Set of Zines: Women with Balls 5 pamphlets: each 4.375" x 2.75"; 8 pages. Created from a one-sided book structure. Saddle-stitched to a pink cardstock cover. Housed in pink organza bad with pink ribbon tie. Maryann Riker: "The third collection in a series of zines from JUSTARIP Press dealing with the early history of women in baseball, aviation, auto racing, and marathons! "'Women with Balls' tells about the early history of women in baseball; 'Women with Balls - The AAGPBL' describes the women's league formed during WW2 and it's duration to the mid-1950s; 'Fly Girls' describes five female aviators who organized and broke ground as flying aces; 'Driven Woman' is the story of Helle Nice, one of the first female race car drivers to win races and tour the world; and 'Woman on the Run' the inspiring tale of K.V. Switzer, the first woman to run the Boston Marathon and her trials and tribulations." |
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Set of Zines on Women's Fashion Issues 4.375" x 2.75"; 8 pages. Created from a one-sheet book structure. Saddle-stitched to a pink card-stock cover. Maryann Riker: "Five little zines comprise the second collection from JUSTARIP Press that entail historical topics from the bob haircut, a second version of deadly makeup, fatal fashion, Chinese foot binding and the history of the high heel and its effect on women's feet. In Set 2 the five little zines are: 'Bobbed', 'Deadly Glow', 'Well Heeled', 'Bound' and 'Fatal Fashion'." |
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Set of Zines on Women's Health Issues 2.9 x 4.25"; 8 pages. Created from a one-sheet book structure. Pamphlet stitched into cardstock cover. A set of five zines about items that have influenced women's health. Each zine contains a short poem by Nancy Scott.
$45 |
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| Justarip Press Out of Print Titles: | |
| 3 Cooks in the Kitchen By Maryann Riker Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Maryann Riker, 2011. Edition of 12. 4.75 x 4"; 8 pages. Accordion structure. Digital printing. Paper covered boards with red-and-white polka dot cloth spine. Back board edged in white eyelet. Ribbon closure. Maryann Riker: "Early 20th century America brought a revolution in the food industry with prepackaged, canned, and frozen foods. And the food industry did their darndest to get American housewives to whip up and use all the newest fangled food products. But they resisted. To the American homemaker, the finest test of her skills was the home-cooked meal from scratch that she lovingly prepared for her family to enjoy. It took 3 women, cooks themselves, to change the way American housewives used these new food inventions and one re-introduced women to cooking from scratch but with a new cuisine. Enjoy this little accordion structure book to see how these women spooned up new delicacies for American women to dish out!" The three women who helped change the way American women approached cooking were Poppy Cannon, Marjorie Child Husted, and Julia Child. A pop-out image of each is accompanied by a brief statement about her accomplishments. (SOLD/Out of Print)) |
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Affirmations of a Domestic Goddess 2.75 x 2" closed, 4 x 4" open; 8 pages. Carousel of four double pages with ribbon ties. Miniature. Color copy of vintage papers. Housed in a pink metallic gauze pouch and tied with pink satin ribbons. Maryann Riker: "A miniature house-shaped carousel book that celebrates the golden age of the American housewife in post World War II America. Based on the statement made by the fine artist, Barbara Kruger, 'I shop, therefore I am ... .' This statement has been recontextualized to affirm the dreams and purpose of American women in the 1940's and 1950's. Utilizing vintage advertising, vintage wrapping paper, and storybooks for little girls, these images convey the idealism of the time when housewives were perfectly coiffed and always wore pearls and pumps while laundering, vacuuming, and cooking." |
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An Apple a Day 2 x 2" closed, extends to 2 x 8". Accordion structure. Original watercolors measuring 1 x 1". Painted on 140# Arches watercolor Cold Press paper with Van Gogh Royal Talens and Dr. PH Martin's Radiant Watercolors. Signed and numbered by the artist. Maryann Riker: "'An Apple a Day' is a miniature accordion book highlighting the history and benefits of the humble apple. With only one variety of apple being indigenous to America, all other apple varieties are immigrants! What delightful immigrants they are... "This little tome contains 3 original watercolors of different types of apples by Maryann Riker who decided to teach herself watercolors during the COVID-19 pandemic." |
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Be 1" w x 1.75" h x .25 "d miniature book. Accordion fold. Materials: Gem Tintype, binders board, paper, plastic. Enclosed in gold organza bag. Signed by the artist. Maryann Riker: "A small accordion-fold book in edition of 3 with unique gem tintype covers entails Victorian maxims for women with a poem by Emily Dickinson typeset underneath. Embellished with flora and fauna, these women lived by society's rules but generated reform and legislation to give women the vote". |
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Bird Woman 9.25" x 6" x .25". Mixed media. Upcycled book covers, pages of vintage patterns, and vintage images. Book covers, paper, metal, acetate, foil. Signed by the artist. Maryann Riker: "This artist book highlights the life of Florence Augusta Merriam Bailey, the American ornithologist and nature writer. Upcycled book covers, pages of vintage patterns, and vintage images gives this artist book a journal look and feel. Contains a poem by Nancy Scott, Easton, PA. " |
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BUTTon Book 1" circular book. Double-sided accordion with 4 circular panels. Button as the front cover. Another in Riker's Button Book series. Instead of belly buttons this features derrières from Renaissance paintings Maryann Riker: "A presentation of Renaissance masterpieces that focus on one area — the gluteus maximus. A small accordion format book with a real button for the cover unfolds to present this humorous display."
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Buttoned up 6.5"w x 4 3/8"l x .25"d; single card. Material: cabinet card, buttons, thread, metal, paper. In organza bag with ribbon tie. Signed by the artist. Maryann Riker: "The advent of the Industrial age led to the situation in which women became subjugated to men and were allowed to have less contact with the public. This was the delineation of gender roles that remains with us now. This outlines a brief history of this idea. One in a series of Victorian ideals and their effect on women.” |
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By the Ladies 1 Maryann Riker: "These women were set up in an assembly-line where each lady painted a specific part of the illustration. Most early magazines were produced in this way; and these ladies signed their work 'by a lady.' They remained nameless and faceless. This is an ode to their wonderful work in bloom!" |
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| By the Ladies 2 By Maryann Riker Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Maryann Riker, 2012. Series variant. 6 x 4 x 4" house-shaped structure. Variation of Jacob-ladder hinging. Four quadrants fold back upon themselves creating a house-like structure. Materials: foamcore; wood; papers; metal; silk; acetate. Wooden dowel and paper loop closure. Maryann Riker: "This botanical art spurred a great exploration and acquisition for exotic plants by Victorians. They built exquisite conservatories for their exotic acquisitions. This sculptural artists' book is reminiscent of these conservatories and illustrates the work of these nameless and faceless women who could only sign their work 'by a lady.'" (SOLD) |
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| Celestial Cinderellas By Maryann Riker Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Maryann Riker, 2012. One-of-a-Kind. 5 x 5 x 5" box structure on rounded knob feet with four foldout panels. Jacob's ladder hinging. Materials: foamcore, wood, paper, metal, acetate. Digital printing. Signed and dated on bottom. Maryann Riker: "Two women who reached for the stars and lit up the history of astronomy are honored in this artist's book. Hypatia of Alexandria, who lived in the 4th century, and Caroline Herschel, who lived in 1750 in Hanover Germany, were the earliest women who studied the stars and enlightened astronomy through their study of the skies and the heavens. Hypatia authored many books on science and astronomy, and Caroline, who assisted her brother, discovered the first comet. To this day, her comet is known as the 'first lady's comet'." (SOLD) |
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Child's Play 2.5" w x 1.25" l x 1.25" d; 14 pages. Miniature. Accordion structure. Materials: blocks, cabinet cards, paper. Enclosed in wrapper. Signed by the artist. Maryann Riker: “Child's Play’ is a miniature accordion book utilizing vintage toy blocks for the covers with cabinet cards of children. This small book highlights the history of play and how it came to be accorded an important aspect of childhood development.”
(SOLD/Out of Print) |
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| Crocked or Will the Real Betty Crocker Please Stand Up? By Maryann Riker Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Maryann Riker, 2011. Edition of 5. 4 x 4.5 x 2.75" closed, 18 x 4.5" extended; 5 panels. Double sided accordion structure. House-shaped book. Materials: book board, paper, plastic, mirror, acetate, and metal. Titles applied to spine. Maryann Riker: "Betty Crocker came to represent to the American housewife the standard of practicality and reliability. And, most women in the 1940's and 1950's knew Betty Crocker as well as their own name. But who was she really? Was she a real woman or a made-up icon [created] by advertising execs for the food industry? When Marjorie Child Husted, a home economist, was hired to promote Gold Medal Flour, later to become General Mills, a new icon would emerge that the American housewife would come to worship – and that icon was Betty Crocker and her place of worship was the kitchen. For the first time in history, American housewives could look to Betty for standardized and scientifically-tested recipes. It was no-failure cooking. This portable domestic altar to the domestic goddess of the American housewife is a tribute to the woman who created her. So, will the real Betty Crocker please stand up?" "I guarantee a perfect cake, every time you bake – cake after cake after cake…" ~ Betty Crocker (SOLD) |
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Dirty Laundry 3" h x 2" w x 2 1/8" d. Miniature with accordion style book attached. Materials: Dollhouse washer, binders board, vintage advertising images, ribbon. Housed in pink organza bag. Signed and numbered by the artist. Maryann Riker: "’Dirty Laundry’ is an accordion-style book attached to the back of a dollhouse washer. It is a miniature history of how automated machines transformed the American housewife's world. With rising standards of cleanliness, advertising touted labor-saving devices that changed the domestic landscape.” |
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A Doll's House 2.5"h x 2.25"w x 2.25"d house structure. Materials: Binders board, Foam core, Wood, Plastic, Acetate, Paper, small objects. Signed and numbered by the artist. Maryann Riker: "'A Doll's House' is a sculptural miniature artist 's book highlighting the history of the dollhouse -- from a teaching tool to a play thing. Sprinkled with Victorian images of dollhouses and their owners to 1950s advertising dollhouses and their accessories. This fun little tome is a dollhouse in itself with images of dolls waving to the viewer through its tiny windows." |
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Domestic Intimacy 7.5 x 6.5 x 1.25" lightweight stiff-paper letterfold wrapper in red polka dot pattern. Tied with red polka dot grosgrain ribbon. Contains one cloth 29 x 20" apron with ties. Text applied via heat transfer. Apron pocket contains 8-page (4 x 5") pamphlet with red polka dot covers. Maryann Riker: "Frilly, lacy, sweet and sexy, a woman's apron defined her as a happy hostess and housewife. This work highlights a poem entitled "Domestic Intimacy" by poet and essayist Nancy Scott of a memory in her grandmother's kitchen portraying a more intimate view into the world of the American housewife. "Whatever the apron's functions, these home-crafted garments worked diligently in protecting their wearer from spills and splashes. They dried tears, cleaned up scrapes and bruises, helped the busy little lady of the house as a way to hold eggs or potatoes, or a quick dust cloth for the hallway table when unexpected guests came to call. Aprons served all these functions well and still evoke memories of Mom, Grandma, or some other Doris Day-like image of domesticity. "This apron itself is styled and sewn from a vintage apron pattern and cherry pattern fabric and uses transfer paper to add the poem and image on the apron." |
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Domestic Partners 4.75 x 6.5 x 1"; 5 unnumbered pages. Three-layered star carousel structure. Two layers edged with cutouts resembling lace patterns. Bound in color copy of vintage papers with cloth spine. End boards shaped to resemble a peaked roof house. Green grosgrain tie closure. Maryann Riker: "Domestic Partners is a walk down memory lane when the advertising industry began marketing to the housewife in post World War II America. Utilizing vintage advertising from such brands as Bendix, these ads visualize an elegant woman in close proximity to her new domestic partner - the washing machine, the stove, the toaster, etc. These ads portrayed these appliances as the new and improved must-have for the little lady of the house. As standards of cleanliness rose from 1920 to 1960, the little lady of the house was actually spending more time cleaning than less; and, she spent more time with her new appliances than her husband and children. This was not the fairy-tale ending as spun by the advertising moguls who promised less time in the home and more time for leisure for the little lady. "Peruse these delightful scenes and remember back to a time when the ideal American housewife cleaned and laundered in pumps and pearls." |
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Eternity's Disclosure 2.375 x 2.5 x 2.75"; 5 panels. Miniature constructed in a house-shaped form with accordion structure. Materials: foamcore, paper, beads, acetate. Digital printing. Signed and dated on bottom. Maryann Riker: "An accordion style sculptural book that is small in size to represent the small worlds that Emily Dickinson created through her thoughts and writings later in her life. Emily Dickinson's life was focused on her home and family and as she aged, it is believed she developed agoraphobia. She never left her room and rarely went out to tend her garden or talk to neighbors. It was during this period, that many of her writings centered on the spiritual and universal. She created spiritual journeys and dream universes to travel through her poetry and letters. These small works are tributes to these small worlds that she created in this life period." |
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Extinction Resurrection: Carolina Parakeet 8.5 x 5.5 x .5; 20 pages. Materials: recycled book covers, paper, acetate, metal. Printed text on acetate pages. Bound in recycled book boards with printed title label on front board. Maryann Riker: "An artist's book dealing with the extinction and resurrection of the Carolina Parakeet. Many are familiar with the resurrection of the wooly mammoth but other attempts are being made with bird species such as the Carolina Parakeet. This new science called de-extinction or resurrection biology questions humanity's right to intervene and the animals' rights in the failures of experimentation. It harkens back to the very questions raised by Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and was a main influence in creating this work. With a poem by Nancy Scott of Easton, PA." Text excerpt: “De-extinction, or resurrection biology, or species revivalism is the process of creating an organism, which is either a member of, or resembles an extinct species, or breeding population of such organisms. Cloning is the most widely proposed method, although selective breeding has also been proposed.” |
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Finding Your Equilibrium 2.625 x 2.625 x 1.5625” shadow box. Two-panel accordion becomes lid for the shadow box. Collage and found objects. Maryann Riker: "Always trying to find center at any given moment emotionally is difficult in these trying times. This feminine viewer is ever present here watching and trying to find the center...her emotional center when sometimes remaining centered is not what is needed." |
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The First Lady of Botany 9.5" h x 6.25" w x .25" d. Materials: Upcycled book covers, vintage wallpaper patterns, acetate, foil, metal. Signed by the artist. Maryann Riker: "’The First Lady of Botany’ is a restructured book resembling a vintage journal that highlights the first lady of botany, Jane Colden. Although not recognized as such, her letters to John Ellis in which she applied a system of plant identification to American Flora was applauded later by Peter Collins who stated she should be celebrated for her work." |
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| Follow Wise By Maryann Riker Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Maryann Riker, 2013. One-of-a-Kind. 2.675 x 3.25 x 1"; 5 double spreads. Materials: book board, paper plastic, ribbon Digital printing. Signed by the artist on the backboard. Maryann Riker: "A carousel style book that is small in stature opens in a star-like formation to reveal images from the Hubble telescope layered with vintage map images of the celestial heavens with a poem by Emily Dickinson ["Follow wise Orion"]. This little tome is a gem to ponder as each section reveals the modern-day heavens contrasted with the view of the heavens in the 16th and 17th centuries. Modern day meets antiquity to show how each perspective is and was exquisite and beautiful in the creators' minds." (SOLD) |
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The Forgotten 9.5 x 6 x .5". Materials: recycled book covers, paper, acetate, tin, metal. Printed text on acetate pages. Bound in recycled book boards with printed title label on front board. Signed by the artist. Maryann Riker: "'The Forgotten' deals with the immigrant children as an unseen labor force, and how the influx of children changed the structure of the public schools in NYC, which became the model for modern day public schools." |
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Gazing...Gazing...Upward Towards... 5.75 x 3.5 x 3.25" closed, 5.75 x 16.5 x 3.25" extended; house-shaped sculptural book. Collage, found objects. Maryann Riker: "Gazing upwards to the heavens, many ancient voyagers and journeyers derived insight by understanding and interpreting the celestial bodies to read their futures. Spiritual travels and physical travels were mapped by astrologers and cartographers. Their limited knowledge of the world and the heavens seemed boundless to them at that time. Their imaginations coupled with readings and interpretations of the movement of the stars and planets encouraged them to seek all that was new out beyond the edge of the world and the heavens. Ancient celestial maps show the locations of the celestial bodies, which ancient travelers relied on to pinpoint their positions. Ancient astrologers and astronomers named these early star formations and imbued them with zymology derived from ancient myth and stories handed down through the generations. Venus looks on and Minerva peeps out wondering perhaps how future generations will portray their mythic tales. An angel peers sideways waiting to see how the new religion will unfold and influence these ancient myths and tales from an earlier time. And a butterfly alights on the world as we know it today contrasting the real with the imagined. The illusion between truth and reality is clouded. Cherubs and mythological guardians point the way. Angels guard the heavens and moons and the voyager's reflection looks back at him/her through small mirrors attached throughout. "This work is an imaginary portable altar that an ancient voyager might have carried with him/her to inspire and instill the courage and curiosity to go out and seek." |
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Happy Little Clouds: 1 5/8" h x 1 5/8" l x 1/4" d; 10 pages. Miniature. Double sided accordion. Materials: Cardstock, watercolor paper, binders board. Signed and numbered by Riker. Housed in a blue organza bag with blue ribbon tie. Maryann Riker: "'HAPPY LITTLE CLOUDS: Bob Ross's Wit and Witticisms’ is a miniature accordion book with the wit and witticisms of the famous PBS painter, Bob Ross. His optimistic outlook and calm persona on screen led to a revival of his broadcast during the COVID pandemic across the UK and the US. This little tome has original miniature watercolors of clouds based on Bob Ross's cloud painting instructions. Enjoy this little optimistic tome!”
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Happy Little Trees 2" x 2" x .5" closed extends to 2" x 13.25". Materials: Book board, cardstock, acetate, Arches watercolor paper, Van Gogh Royal Talens watercolor and Dr. PH Martin's Radiant Watercolors. Original watercolors unique to each of the three variants in the edition. Maryann Riker: "'Happy Little Trees' is a miniature bio of Bob Ross who inspired so many individuals to take up the brush. His program, 'The Joy of Painting', aired on PBS for more than 20 years and has continued to be broadcast throughout the U.S. and the world. His program inspired the catch phrase of 'let's paint some happy little trees' and inspired me to revisit some of his programs. Included in this mini accordion are three of my 'happy little trees' which made me very happy painting them. They are actually trees local to where I jog and walk." |
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Hear Our Voice 6.5"w x 5"l x .25"d; one card. Materials: cabinet card, buttons, thread, metal, paper. In organza bag with ribbon tie. Signed by the artist. Maryann Riker: "The Suffragette movement gained strength at the turn of the century but had its roots in the Civil War when women were left to manage businesses, farms and homes while their men went off to war. A brief history of the beginnings of the Suffrage movement. One in a series of Victorian ideals and their effect on women." |
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| Houses of Stars and Dreams By Maryann Riker Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Maryann Riker, 2013. Edition of 5. 5 x 10 x .5" closed, 9 x 10.25 x 4.5" open. Digital images. Materials: paper, plastic jewels, star stickers. Bound in blue paper wraps. In matching blue band wrapper. Poem and explanatory text digitally printed on slips of paper, which are glued to internal pages. Title and colophon paper labels on band. Signed and numbered by the artist. Maryann Riker: "This popup book based on a structure by Paul Johnson incorporates images of vintage celestial maps that create small houses balanced on top of each other. Their roofs remind one of flying buttresses that cupids and angels flit about checking out the stars and heavens. Out of the flat surfaces of the skies arise these teetering shelters. This popup incorporates the poetry of Emily Dickinson who created her small worlds of heavens and journeys through her words and letters. Ms. Dickinson cut herself off from her real world and enclosed herself in the made-up worlds of her poetry. She created spiritual havens and landscapes to roam and journey through. Enjoy this 3-dimensional view of a piece inspired by her words." (SOLD) |
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| I Lost a World By Maryann Riker Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Maryann Riker, 2012. One-of-a-Kind. 2.75 x 2.5 x 2"; 4 panels. Miniature constructed in a house-shaped structure with Jacob Ladder's style binding. Loop and rod closure. Materials: foamcore, paper, beads, acetate. Digital printing. Signed and dated on bottom. Maryann Riker: "A Jacob Ladder's style hinged book that is small in size to represent the small worlds that Emily Dickinson created through her thoughts and writings later in her life. This work can open and fold back onto itself to create a small room or world that incorporates a poem from Emily Dickinson. Later in her life, Ms. Dickinson is believed to have been an agoraphobic who would not leave her room or house. But through her writing in poetry and letters to friends, she created small universes that she mentally and emotionally traveled through. This small world is an ode to her!" The book contains the words of the first stanza of Dickinson's "I lost a World – the other day!" (SOLD) |
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Immigration/Invasive Species 9.5 x 6 x .5". Material: recycled book covers, paper, acetate, tin, metal. Printed text on acetate pages. Bound in recycled book boards with printed title label on front board. Signed by the artist. . Maryann Riker: "Immigration/Invasive Species contrasts the immigration of German/Irish/Italian immigrants into the lower East side of NYC along with the introduction of the non-native birds into New York City. Both were considered invasive; both became indigenous. Through adaptability and assimilation, both changed their environments in different ways. Enjoy this journal-like book that upcycles old book covers with vintage photos, prints, and ephemera with a poem by Nancy Scott of Easton, Pennsylvania." |
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Imagination Navigation 5.75 x 3.5 x 3" house-shaped folding structure. Collage. Found objects. Maryann Riker: "Ancients read maps of the universe to design their days. Their travels were mapped by astrologers and cartographers whose limited knowlege of the world and the heavens enticed these ancient voyagers to learn more. Their imaginations served them well in encouraging to seek all that was new out beyond the edge of the world and the heavens. Their spiritual journeys were closely aligned wth their physical journeys as church and monarchs ruled. This work is an imaginary portable altar that an ancient voyager may have carried with him to inspire and instill the courage and curiosity to go out seek. Map fragments create illusional vortexes. A butterfly alights near the true vision of the world but remains unknown to the voyager who is viewing it. The illustion between truth and reality is clouded. Cherubs and mythological guardians point the way. Angels guard the heavens and moons and the voyager's reflection looks back at him. This is … one of a series that was inspired by an exhibit at the Abecedarian Gallery [Denver] entitled Imagination Navigation. " |
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Imagination Navigation #2 5.75 x 4 x 3" house-shaped folding structure. Collage. Found objects. Maryann Riker: "This is [one] in the series inspired by an exhibit entitled Imagination Navigation at the Abecedarian Gallery [Denver]. This 3-dimensional guide to the heavens and stars may have been carried by an ancient voyager to inspire [her] to look beyond the reality of [her] everyday environment, to go out into the heavens and seek new worlds. The ancient voyagers sought new wealth and lands at a time when knowledge of the world was confined to the doctrines of church and monarch. Ancient cartographers relied on myth and legend to draw the maps of the world particularly of regions unknown and unexplored. Traveling to the beyond demanded great courage and curiosity. My ancient voyager carried his guide with [her]. Angels looked over him/her. Cherubs smiled and welcomed anyone who ventured their way and mythological guardians pointed to new regions an stars. Maps are uncompleted, globes are left blank until all can be explored and redrawn. And, who knows what jewels and creatures the voyager may meet. Perhaps our own voyages can be so mysterious and new." |
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Immigration/Invasive Species: The Italian Wave 9.5 x 6 x .5". Material: recycled book covers, paper, acetate, tin, metal. Printed text on acetate pages. Bound in recycled book boards with printed title label on front board. Signed by the artist. Maryann Riker: "Immigration/Invasive Species: The Italian Wave contrasts the immigration of Italians into the lower East side of NYC along with the introduction of the house sparrow into Brooklyn. Both were considered invasive; both became indigenous. Through adaptability and assimilation, both changed their environments in different ways. Enjoy this journal-like book that upcycles old book covers with vintage photos, prints, and ephemera with a poem by Nancy Scott of Easton, Pennsylvania." |
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It's in the Bag 4.5 x 6.75” purse frame with binder’s board. Housed in gold organza bag with ribbon closure. Pocket on one side with pamphlet slipped in. Pamphlet: 3.75 x 4”; 12 pages; digital printing; hand sewn binding. Signed by the artist. Maryann Riker: “’It's in the Bag’ is a fun little artist book that tells the history of the purse. Created on an actual Victorian purse frame, it houses a pamphlet stitched book on the back. Purses are associated with women but have also been carried by men. Enjoy the history of the bag from the oldest found artifact to the current models of the purse.” |
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| Kanzashi A Miniature History of the Art By Maryann Riker Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Maryann Riker, 2011. Edition of 12. 2.75 x 2.75 x 1.1875"; 10 pages. Double sided accordion structure. Digital printing. Materials: cotton fabric, paper cutouts, rhinestone, wood, paper, foil, and digital images. Bound with unique kanzashi arrangement as front cover. In a gold metallic gauze pouch tied with gold satin ribbons. Maryann Riker: "Kanzashi is the general term for hair ornament in Japan. The history of kanzashi begins during the Edo period when Japanese women who traditionally wore their hair long, loose and down the back began inventing elaborate updos. These updos required sticks, pins and combs to keep the hair in place. Silk and beads began to be attached to the hair picks and combs. "Geisha began to form their own floral ornaments with silk and rice glue. This art form came to be known as kanzashi and came to denote class and apprentice levels within the geisha: the younger the geisha, the more elaborate the kanzashi; the older geisha wore simpler hair arrangements and kanzashi. "Kanzashi follows a formal cycle of hair ornamentation throughout the year. Each season brings a different color, flower, and arrangement. The art form today is utilized in Shinto weddings, and contemporary Japanese women enjoy the art form as ornamentation for a suit or dress. Enjoy this miniature accordion book with depictions of traditional kanzashi and a more contemporary take on the front cover." (SOLD) |
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| Ladies of the Bloom By Maryann Riker Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Maryann Riker, 2012. One-of-a-Kind. 5 x 5 x 5" box structure on rounded knob feet with four foldout panels. Jacob's ladder hinging. Materials: foamcore, wood, paper, metal, acetate. Digital printing. Signed and dated on bottom. Maryann Riker: "Two women who traveled the world and documented its blooms, Marianne North and Margaret Mee, were early journey women who traveled to faraway lands, risking live and limb to paint exotic blooms in their native environs. Though no photos of the women themselves have been found, their work has been collected and cataloged in the Royal Botanic Gardens and other major collections. Margaret Mee herself became one of the earliest crusaders who actively campaigned to save the Amazon rain forest . "The Jacob-ladder type hinging allows four quadrants to fold back upon themselves creating a compass-like structure designating the four cardinal points." (SOLD) |
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| Leo's Flying Dreams By Maryann Riker Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Maryann Riker, 2009. One-of-a-Kind. 3 x 3 x 3" rotating cube of images. Laid in 3.625 x 3.625 x 3.625" drop-sided box with lid. Box covered in paper and book cloth. Paper title label on lid. Images referenced listed on colophon. Maryann Riker: "A rotating cube structure that unfolds and reconfigures to show the sketches of Leonardo da Vinci's flying machines. Much like his mental process in devising his new inventions, Leonardo mentally put together ideas much like building blocks to create his inventive designs for machines that could simulate flight based on his studies of birds, bats, and other winged creatures. "This cube does not give the full picture of Leo's design until the viewer moves the cubes in various directions to reveal 5 or 6 of his exquisite sketches of his wondrous flying machines of his dreams. The box encloses the cube and when opened drops flat to reveal the cube. The inner box is lined with a Renaissance wallpaper pattern. "This little device is an ode to the master of drawing and invention." (SOLD) |
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Leo's Working Dreams 3.625 x 3.625 x 3.625" in drop sided box. 3 x 3 x 3" rotating cube. Maryann Riker: "A rotating cube structure that unfolds and reconfigures to show the sketches of Leonardo da Vinci's working machines. Much like his mental process in devising his new inventions, Leonardo mentally put together ideas much like building blocks to create his inventive designs for machines that could dredge canals, grind concave mirrors, etc. "This cube does not give the full picture of Leo's design until the viewer moves the cubes in various directions to reveal 5 or 6 of his exquisite sketches. (The sketches include a Canal Excavating Crane, a Grinding Concave Mirror Device, a File Cutter, a Reciprocating Motion Machine, a Dredger, and a Paddleboat.) The box encloses the cube and when opened drops flat to reveal the cube. The inner box is lined with a Renaissance wallpaper pattern. "This little device is an ode to the master of drawing and invention." |
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| Looking to the Stars By Maryann Riker Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Maryann Riker, 2010. One-of-a-Kind. 5.75 x 3.5 x 3.25" closed, 5.75 x 16.5 x 3.25" extended; house-shaped sculptural book. Opens 360 degrees. Collage, found objects. Maryann Riker: "Ancients looked to the stars to determine their destinies. Spiritual travels and physical travels were mapped by astrologers and cartographers whose limited knowledge of the world and the heavens enticed these ancient voyagers to learn more to gain greater insight into their world and themselves. Their imaginations with their physical journeys served them well in encouraging them to seek all that was new out beyond the edge of the world and the heavens. ... Ancient celestial maps show the locations of the celestial bodies, which ancient travelers relied on to pinpoint their positions. A butterfly alights on the world as we know it. The illusion between truth and reality is clouded. Cherubs and mythological guardians point the way. Angels guard the heavens and moons and the voyager's reflection looks back at him/her through small mirrors attached throughout. "This work is an imaginary portable altar that an ancient voyager might have carried with her to inspire and instill the courage and curiosity to go out and seek." (SOLD) |
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| Navigation Imagination #4 By Maryann Riker Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Maryann Riker, 2010. Series variant. 5 x 5 x 3.75" folding box structure. Illustrated paper covered. Found objects. Collage. Materials: book board, paper, plastic, mirror, acetate, metal. Maryann Riker: "Another work that utilizes vintage maps and images are reminiscent of charts earlier travelers referenced to find their bearing in their world. As this work opens and lies flat it resembles the four cardinal points: North, South, East, West. As the four pieces fold back they create another space that may be a classical space complete with columns and windows. A secret space for contemplation for the viewer reveals four quotes about the journey. Two quarters can move back up and become a two-level structure creating another space for retreat. Enjoy this work as it changes and reveals some secrets for its seeker." (SOLD) |
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Of Diadems and More Maryann Riker: "Of Diadems and More is an accordion-structure foldout artists' book that speaks to the ever changing cycle of creation and destruction. Once again the viewer is caught in an unfolding of a secret garden where flights of butterflies flitting here and there may touch upon a resting bird. Silk flowers, paper wings, and other glittery things reflect the world of the garden within each of us that needs tender nurturing and pruning." |
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On the Verge Size: Approximately 5.5" x 9" x .75" . Materials: Upcycled hard bound book covers, acetate, paper, metal. Signed by the artist. Maryann Riker: "'On the Verge" is a series of artist's books that follows the original series of 'Winged Ghosts' that encompassed extinct bird species. This series explores bird species that are 'on the verge' of extinction as defined by the National Audubon Society. Bird numbers can be lower than 10,000 or as low as a mating pair. "Each book highlights a different species in different geographic regions of the United States. Whether due to environmental encroachment, climate change, etc. each species exists precariously on the edge of survival. Legislation assists in the protection of bird species but needs to be safeguarded as environmentalists battle with lobbyists and politicians for legislation rollbacks. "With a poem by Nancy Scott, Easton, PA, entitled 'Count Up, Count Down'." Available in this series:
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Once ... 2 x 2" closed, 4 x 4" open; 8 pages. Miniature with pop-ups. Four double-page carousel with ribbon ties. Maryann Riker: "A miniature pop-up book that unfolds 360 degrees to reveal four page spreads with a beautiful princess, a frog, and other things that render a visual replay of the classic fairy tale of 'living happily ever after.' But look more closely and the tale has been slightly revised to reflect a contemporary princess's view of 'living happily ever after.' First in a series of miniature pop-ups based on revised fairy tales from a feminist perspective." |
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The Pale ... 2.25 x 2.5 x 2.25" closed, 2.25 x 11.5" extended; five panels. Miniature house shaped book. Double-sided accordion structure. Materials: book board, foamcore, wood, paper, plastic. Collage. Found objects. A miniature accordion structure sculptural book unfolds to reveal lines from Shelley's "Ode to a Skylark." Maryann Riker: "This little work was an ode to the idea of a secret garden with birds, ferns, trees, and flowers. Dewdrops and gold reflect back on the viewer as the piece unfolds….Words and images flit along this miniature work." |
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Secretly Watching 2.625 x 2.625 x 1.56” shadow box with hinged lid. Two-panel accordion with shadow box. Decoupage, collage, and found objects. Maryann Riker: "Another work involving that search for the 'perfect moment' the 'when I get there' or 'when I achieve this' moment is what this work narrates. There is great difficulty in attempting to surmise the 'perfect moment' ... and training oneself to recognize it. But is not every moment a 'perfect moment' if experienced in the present?" |
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Something from the Oven 2 3 .25" x 3" x 2.25". Pink dollhouse stove with miniature accordion book inside. Housed in pink organza bag. Signed by the artist. Maryann Riker: "The postwar food industry was gearing up to change the way middle class ate; but the American housewife wasn't buying it. This fun piece highlights the struggle between the food industry and the American housewife's reluctance to accept their new products and inventions." Text Excerpt: “Post-WW2 housewives fussed over cake mixes and marshmallow salads … or at least we think! Traditional felinity roles were enforced in the media! But women were increasingly working outside the home. Magazines and newspapers published ‘quick and easy’ recipes with pre-mixed, canned, or frozen ingredients.” |
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The Journey is in Discovery 3.75 x 5 x 5" folding box structure. Illustrated paper covered. Found objects. Collage. Maryann Riker: "Maps, constellations, globes, and wings transport the mind and imagination to another world and time, casting an almost dream-like spell that compels us to journey onward. Mere fragments create mysterious new worlds and yet at the same time evoke a sense of familiarity and nostalgia. "This work is a modern curiosity cabinet for lost souls or soul seekers that opens and unfolds to reveal nuggets of wisdom collected from some imaginary journey where 'The Journey is in the discovery....'" |
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Theater of Memory 2 3.75" x 5" x 5" unfolding box structure. Paper covered. Collage, found objects. The box structure unfolds into an open courtyard with four triangular rooms face out on the exterior, resembling classical architecture. Quotes on memory are revealed as each triangular room is lifted. All four can be opened but variation can occur if the viewer allows two or three of the triangular rooms to support the 'roof' which was originally the 'floor.' Maryann Riker: "This book creates a small environment in which one's memory of past moments move in and out throughout important moments in one's journey through life. "The quote 'Time moves in one direction, memory in another' [William Gibson] allows the viewer to contemplate the transient nature of memory. Memory as sharp and clear in youth and tinted with rose-colored glasses to maturity where memory shifts to more dream-like states, unfocused and softened. "This work opens fully to reveal four quotes that deal with the topic of memory and can flip around to create a pedestal like work with rooms where butterflies move in and out as elusive as memory itself." |
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Toward the Light 2.625 x 2.625". Mixed Media. Maryann Riker: "A shadowbox cover attaches to an accordion style book that unfolds and gives us clues to what can happen when we move toward the light ... as moths are attracted to the light so do humans move toward hope and joy. What can happen along the way is another matter. This inevitably becomes the path of one's life." |
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| The Inundation of the Spring By Maryann Riker Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Maryann Riker, 2010. One-of-a-Kind. 7 x 4.75 x 4.75" sculptural book. Jacob's ladder hinge binding. Opens 360 degrees. Decoupage; found objects. Maryann Riker: "The Inundation of the Spring speaks to the changing of seasons along a river. Time moves sometimes slowly as the laziness of the river's flow during hazy summer days, or rushes and fills its bank in early spring from winter's melting snows. Emily Dickinson's poem speaks to this ebb and flow of the river and contrasts it to the ebb and flow of the soul with the seasonal changes. This artist's book opens 360 degrees. Its opening creates a small room-like structure showing the various views surrounding the water and opens fully to create another set of more isolated views much like the demarcation between each season. The Inundation of the Spring shows the cycles and rhythms of time and water." (SOLD) |
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| Measure 4 Measure Poem by Nancy Scott Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Maryann Riker, 2012. Edition of 12. A set of four nested plastic measuring cups (roughly 7.25 x 3.75 x 2.25"). Housed in 11.5 x 13.25" red drawstring bag with title label on front. Signed and numbered by the book artist. Images of women in the Betty Crocker kitchen line the bottom of the measuring cups. On the bottom of each cup is a brief item about the Betty Crocker image. The colophon page includes a poem by Nancy Scott. Maryann Riker: "In the effort for Betty Crocker to promise 'a perfect cake every time,' the real figure behind Ms. Crocker, Marjorie Child Husted, initiated a robust effort to learn how American women cooked in a scientific and analytical way. Her methods included sending young high school girls out to collect the data of how American women cooked and prepared food in their kitchens and then bringing it back into the test kitchens of General Mills to measure and test every recipe that would be included in the Betty Crocker cookbooks. Her research and methods paid off and made Betty Crocker the patron saint of the American kitchen by ensuring perfect results every time!" (SOLD/Out of Print) |
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A Miniature History of the Button Three Button Books, each 1" circular with a double-sided accordion (4 pages on one side with two on back). Bound with button as the front cover. Housed in a clear glass mason jar (2.875 x 1.75" x 1.75") with wire closure and rubber seal. Paper title label on one side of jar and artist text on opposite. Maryann Riker: "What does one do with an overabundance of buttons purchased in an exuberant moment of a closeout at a local craft store? Create an edition of the history of the button! Beginning my research, I envisioned 3 pages on the history of the button. Much to my [chagrin], I found 5 sentences on the history of the button. So, as a tongue in cheek approach I editioned a miniature history of the button...shortened and edited down to fit into these delightful little closures. Nostalgically, I remember spending rainy afternoons discovering lovely little treasures as I rooted through my mom and aunt's button jar and button box. This is my tribute to the humble little closure. Volumes 4, 5 and 6 to be released in 2009." |
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Navigation Imagination #3 5 x 5 x 3.75" house-shaped folding structure. Collage. Illustrated paper covered. Materials: book board, paper, plastic, mirror, acetate, metal. Variant in the series inspired by the exhibition Imagination Navigation. Found objects. Maryann Riker: "Spiritual and physical journeys began with beliefs. Early voyagers sequestered funding from wealthy patrons and asked for blessings from their religious leaders. As one looks back at the energy and vision of these early explorers, one must ask what compelled them to venture out from safe harbors to the edge of the world. Their spiritual journeys were closely aligned with their physical journeys as church and monarchs ruled. This work is an imaginary portable altar that an ancient voyager may have carried with him to inspire and instill the courage and curiosity to go out seek. Map fragments create illusional vortexes. A butterfly alights on a glass orb and the illusion between truth and reality is clouded. Cherubs and mythological guardians point the way. It was a time when astrologers charted paths and futures." |
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| Pancake Makeup By Maryann Riker Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Maryann Riker, 2011. Edition of 4. 5.75 x 7 x 1.25"; 5 double pages. Three-layered star carousel structure. Digital printing. Paper covered boards with red book cloth spine. Front board edged in white eyelet. Ribbon closure. Maryann Riker: "It is 1889 and the inventor of self-rising pancake batter attends a mistral show where two comedians in blackface perform. One of the portrayed characters named Aunt Jemima complete with apron and bandana strikes a cord in this inventor's mind and a food icon is born. Christopher Rutt chose Aunt Jemima as he felt that she was the quintessential symbol of southern hospitality. He was right and her popularity has never waivered. Pancake Makeup is a concise history of the makeup of Aunt Jemima from her first appearance in print in 1895 to contemporary times and how her appearance changed to meet consumer demands." (SOLD/Out of print) |
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Path Ways 9.5" x 6" x .5". Material: recycled book covers, paper, acetate, tin, metal. Printed text on acetate pages. Bound in recycled book boards with printed title label on front board. Signed by the artist. Maryann Riker: "An artist book that covers the history of the canal industry in the Lehigh Valley. Incorporating vintage images of photos, ledgers and ephemera, this artist' book is dedicated to my father who was employed by the canal industry centered in Easton, PA. The canal industry provided a livelihood for many children and men during its heyday. My father worked in his youth during his summers off walking the mules. Other children worked on the canals and would be fed and housed during the summer. The canals were a main means of getting goods up and down the East Coast. The Erie Canal, Delaware and Lehigh Canals and Morris Canals created a network much like interstates do today. With a poem by Nancy Scott of Easton, PA." |
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Pumps and Pearls 4.5 x 4 x .25"; 6 pages. Double-sided accordion structure. Collage elements. Bound in color copy of vintage images with small pearls added. White ribbon tie closure. White satin ruffles frame the back board. Maryann Riker: "Pumps and Pearls is another visual ode to women of the 1950's who established an ideal through the media for all American women to follow. With a poem written by Nancy Scott entitled "Power to Burn" it speaks to women of a generation who balanced their sanity on stilettos and choked their ambitions with pearls. Vintage fashion photography depicts women of the time who perfectly coiffed and corseted themselves and made it look effortless. The dream and the reality were difficult to achieve and it was not until the 1960's when women broke these ideals that bound them. Finished with a satin ruffle and adorned with pearls, this accordion-style book is a small pictorial history of that era and its images." |
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Rococo Button Book 1.375 round, .5" thick. Mixed Media. With button for the front cover. A miniature accordion of umbilical scars drawn from Rococo masterpieces. |
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The Saint of Diminished Hopes and Wishes 6.75 x 4.625" hanging book. Materials: binders board, cabinet card, metal, thread, plastic pearls, paper, acetate. Double-sided with portrait image on front with text on back. Signed by the artist. Maryann Riker: "The Saint of Diminished Hopes and Wishes iconizes an unknown portrait of a Victorian woman who is pensive, yet thoughtful as she gazes at us. Is she wishing for more? Victorian women accepted societal rules and roles that followed very strict rules. She is embroidered and haloed as she passes through life bearing future generations and nurturing them." |
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Something from the Fridge 5.25" x 2.25" x 2.25" Dollhouse refrigerator with 4 miniature books slotted inside. Housed in box. Signed by the artist. Maryann Riker: "The postwar food industry was switching from wartime food production for the troops to peacetime food production for the American family. Technology was in place and they were ready but the American housewife was not. The food industry faced a new war: how to convince the American housewife that frozen and pre-prepared was better than home cooking!" |
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Something from the Oven 3 .25" x 3" x 2.25". Pink dollhouse stove with miniature accordion book inside. Housed in pink organza bag. Signed by the artist. Maryann Riker: "The postwar food industry was gearing up to change the way middle class ate; but the American housewife wasn't buying it. This fun piece highlights the struggle between the food industry and the American housewife's reluctance to accept their new products and inventions." Text Excerpt: “Americans began to think differently about eating. Packaged foods were either very sweet, very salty or bland. It changed the American palate forever.” |
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Sweatshop Girls Size: Approximately 5.5" x 9" x .75". Materials: Book covers, paper, acetate, fabric. Signed by the artist. Maryann Riker: "As immigrants streamed into the Lower East Side of New York City, families crowded into tenements and began their survival in their new homes. Women began to set up shops in their tenement apartments to design and stitch clothes for other women and uptown clients. As their businesses grew, women would gather together to form sewing groups that could handle their increasing business. From these humble beginnings, the sweatshop was born and thus the foundation of the New York city garment industry as we know it today. 'Sweatshop Girls' highlights the history of this through vintage photos and ephemera. With a poem by Nancy Scott, Easton, PA, entitled 'Seams', the book utilizes upcycled hard bound book covers, and contains vintage papers and fabric." |
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Tie One On 4.5 x 4.5"; 8 pages. Double-sided accordion book. Four pop-ups. Page edges sculpted to resemble lace. Bound in color copy of vintage papers. Pink ribbon ties. White cotton lace frames the back board. Maryann Riker: "The history of the apron is an interesting little narrative that starts with Adam and Eve when they first sewed together fig leaves for cover. This little miniature accordion pop-up book highlights the apron's purpose and its evolution as a fashionable clothing accessory. With pop-ups from vintage apron patterns showing women's aprons from the 1930's through to the 1960's the apron has protected many a dainty lap in its lofty purpose of protecting all that it covers." |
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Uncovering the History of Masking Up 6.5" x 4.25" x .25". Materials: vintage cabinet card, mask fabric, binders board, paper. Housed in a gold organza bag. Signed by the artist. Fine. Maryann Riker: "’Uncovering the History of Masking Up’ is an artist book exploring the history of the medical mask and its evolution, use and controversy. It has vintage cabinet cards that are altered to include actual medical mask fabric to mask these turn-of-the-century women for covers with illustrations and photos of early masks on the back.” |
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A Unique Pear … 2 x 2" closed, extends to 2 x 8". Accordion structure. Miniature. 140# Arches watercolor Cold Press paper with Van Gogh Royal Talens and Dr. PH Martin's Radiant Watercolors. Signed and numbered by the artist. Maryann Riker: "'A Unique Pear' is a miniature accordion book highlighting the history and benefits of the underrated pear. Pears were introduced to America in 1812 and by 1849 had reached the west coast due to their popularity. All pear varieties were introduced! And like the apple, they are also a powerhouse of nutrients... so are apples better than pears or pears better than apples? "This little tome contains 3 original watercolors of different types of apples by Maryann Riker who decided to teach herself watercolors during the COVID-19 pandemic." |
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| Views of Venezia By Maryann Riker Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Maryann Riker, 2011. Edition of 3. 4.625 x 5.625 x 1.25"; 5 double-page pop outs. Carousel book construction. Materials: book board, book cloth, paper, plastic, metallic ribbon. Paper title tipped on front board. Ribbon closure. Maryann Riker: "Venice or Venezia is a city that arises from the mist. Like a mirage, early mornings shroud this beautiful city with an opalescent light that shimmers and dissipates. The canals and sea are an aqua-blue that reflect its classical and baroque architecture. An archipelago of 118 islands connected by bridges, this beautiful city remains unchanged. These vintage postcard images of early Venice are exactly the same vistas one views today. Gondolas still cross the canals and there are no autos. It is a city whose schedule and populace must abide by the tides as they flood and recede. Enjoy this carousel book as one would enjoy images before they departed on their Grand Tour." (SOLD/Out of Print) |
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We Are Human 6.5"w x 5"l x .25"d; single card. Materials: cabinet card, buttons, thread, metal, paper. In organza bag with ribbon tie. Signed by the artist. Maryann Riker: "In the eyes of the law, once married, a Victorian woman ceased to exist. She became property. How did these laws affect roles and give rise to a revolution? This outlines a brief history of this idea. One in a series of Victorian ideals and their effect on women." |
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| What Once Was Heaven By Maryann Riker Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Maryann Riker, 2012. One-of-a-Kind. 3.5 x 2.25 x 1.625" box structure with magic wallet binding. Miniature book laid in cavity. Materials: foamcore, paper, beads, acetate. Digital printing. Signed and dated on bottom. Miniature book: .75 x .75" closed; 8 pages. Single-sided accordion. Digitally printed Dickinson quotation. Bound in paper-covered boards. Maryann Riker: "Here is a fun little magical box whose lid flips either way to reveal small recesses containing small worlds, a small book, a small sunrise, and more! It reveals the words that Emily Dickinson created as a mature poet exploring the themes of heaven, hell, and other worlds and universes. Through her writing she traveled emotionally and spiritually to beyond her own confines and boundaries. Included is a miniature book that reveals a philosophical gem spoken by Ms. Dickinson. Enjoy this little box that contains her words and thoughts and the richness that this poetess gave the world!" (SOLD) |
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When Worlds Collide 5.5 x 3.5 x 3" house shaped sculptural book. Jacob's ladder hinge binding. Maryann Riker: "'When Worlds Collide' shows the disparity between the reality of maps and minds. The world was on the brink of many discoveries but still held captive by religious view of heavens and earth that held explorers and scientists hostage to their pre-meditated views. As explorers went out to discover new worlds, cartographers revised and remapped what the world view resembled. Inventions of telescopes and sky-gazing instruments magnified other new astral worlds and yet adhered to the prophesies of astrologers and heavenly soothsayers. Beliefs were revised and science and religion became warriors in sustaining the old and revealing the new. This portable altar may have been used by ancient voyagers and sky gazers to remind them that the world was continually expanding revising current world views. Enjoy!" |
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Winged Ghosts 9.5 x 6 x .5". Material: recycled book covers, paper, acetate, tin, metal. Printed text on acetate pages. Bound in recycled book boards with printed title label on front board. Signed by the artist. Maryann Riker: "Winged Ghosts: Bachman's Warbler is one of seven artists books dealing with species extinction particularly of North American bird species. From decimation of their natural breeding environment to the encroachment of civilization or to the demand for bird feathers for the millinery industry, species whose numbers were in the millions such as the passenger pigeon or small specialized populations such as the Bachman's Warbler, can only be viewed as stuffed specimens in museums and ornithological collections. Many of these species went extinct in the early 20th century and raised concerns that brought about protective legislation and the formation of the Audubon society. "This journal-like book upcycles old book covers with vintage photos, prints, and ephemera with a poem by Nancy Scott of Easton, Pennsylvania." |
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Without Visiting the Universe 3.75 x 5 x 5" folding box structure. Paper-covered. Found objects. Collage. Maryann Riker: "Without visiting the universe one travels inward towards knowing thyself. Interior maps tell one where to travel. But this inward journey compels us to journey outward as well. Without the life experience one may not realize the inner travels and journeys and its meaning. Mere fragments of maps with parts missing create illusional vortexes. Butterflies meander through the heavens with moons and stars. Mysterious new worlds lie on the horizon. Cherubs and mythological guardians point the way. "This is another … modern curiosity cabinet for lost souls or soul seekers that opens and unfolds to reveal nuggets of wisdom collected from some imaginary journey." |
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Women on a Roll: Volume 1 5.25” x 6” x 3”. Materials: vintage caster, paper, binders board. Signed by the artist. Maryann Riker: "’Women on a Role: Volume 1’ is an artist book using a vintage caster that turns, highlighting six women not always acknowledged in the annals of Suffrage history: Elizabeth Piper Ensley, Ida B. Wells and more. So here they are on a ‘roll’ to be remembered for their part in getting the vote for women!” |
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Women Work 5 x 6.25 x 3” house shaped sculptural book. Jacob's ladder hinge binding. Opens 360 degrees. Decoupage; found objects. Maryann Riker: "A person articulates as female in part through the material objects and images that frame her daily activities. 'Gender' is the set of behavioral norms and expectations that members of a given society attribute to the physical differences between women and men. In other words, the making of a woman is a social process. Sociologist have studied the influence of domestic technology on women’s time use. A 1965-66 national survey of suburban households found that employed wives devoted an average of 26 hours per week to their domestic duties as compared to 55 hours by non-employed women. In 1920, unemployed housewives spent 52 hours a week on domestic chores compared to 55 hours in the mid-1960’s. So, did these new domestic servants such as the iron and washing machine help the modern housewife to have more leisure time as advertising had promised? Or had the standards of domestic cleanliness risen to encompass more time in achieving these goals? Ah, aren’t ideals wonderful?" |
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| Women's Work 5 By Maryann Riker Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Maryann Riker, 2009. One-of-a-Kind. 6 x 3.75 x 3.75" sculptural bookwork. Rotating cube of images in house-shaped container. Roof and house lift from foundation (pedestal) to reveal cube. Four sides fall away with text and images on interior of flaps. Pedestal designed as a four-flap container with lid being the house. Maryann Riker: "Another artists' book about the heyday of the housewife when cleaning products required much more energy to make them work and as a result the little lady of the house burned three times the amount of calories. As the century progressed, new cleaning products and appliances were improved and invented to cut the amount of time utilized in cleaning to about half. As a result the American housewife of the 1950's had more time to shop, entertain, and relax. Electricity and automation became the American housewife's best friends. This work depicts the images of the American woman at a time when the housewife was glorified into an American icon of the American home." (SOLD) |
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| Worlds For Her By Maryann Riker Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Maryann Riker, 2013. One-of-a-Kind. 4 x 3.75 x 3.25" structure with miniature accordion book (1 x 1.5"; 13 pages). Materials: book board, paper, plastic, ribbon. Digital printing. Signed by the artist on the base. Maryann Riker: "This small mausoleum-like structure is an ode to Emily Dickinson and her words and poetry that she created in her later years. The niche holds a birdcage-covered book with an image of Emily Dickinson that unfolds to reveal a miniature story of her life. Text from one of her poems covers the outside and the viewer can peruse her small house that became her haven as she withdrew from friends to the safety of her room and house. As many women of her time, she was also restricted by the social conditioning for women. She created worlds within her mind to live in and wrote extensively about the heavens and stars. Enjoy this little work in her honor." (SOLD) |
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Page last update: 03.26.2024
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