APE BLEAKNEY
APE MADE
Ape_Bleakney_Librarian+Physicist_Rest (Listen to your body), 18x24, Grandpa Flannel Shirt Paper (Blue), ALL layers SQUARE.jpg

The Librarian and The Physicist

2020 - 2021

In 2019, I processed rag strips cut from my late Grandpa French’s flannel shirts. With that cotton fabric pulp, I created almost 30 18’’x24’’sheets of hand pulled paper while on residency at The Morgan Conservatory. I trapped fabric pieces from my Grandma French’s dresses in some of the sheets as well. Read more on the process here.

Grandpa was a physicist and Grandma was a children’s librarian. My time with them was full of books, movies, ideas and (often heady) conversation. We discussed everything from history, art, politics, and philosophy to the big mysteries of the structure of our universe and our place in it. An homage to my grandparents and their curious nature, this screen printed series explores ideas revolving around physics and the multitudes of inspiration found in the books that will forever remind me of them.

This project is ongoing. Please check back as more pieces are added.

 

Rest (Blue + Lavender), screen print on hand pulled paper made from my late grandfather’s old flannels, 18’’x24’’’, 2021

Inspired by my grandpa’s perennial sage advice.

 

Available in two sizes and multiple colors.

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Curiosity has its own reason for existence. (Series), screen print on hand pulled paper made from my late grandfather’s old flannels, 18’’x24’’’, 2020

Inspired by Albert Einstein (as quoted from LIFE magazine 1955).

 

Available as individual or full series prints, in two sizes and multiple colors.

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Walls became the world all around (Purple + Blue), screen print on hand pulled paper made from my late grandfather’s old flannels with fabric from my late grandmother’s old skirts, 18’’x24’’’, 2020

Inspired by Maurice Sendak (Where The Wild Things Are).

 

Available in two sizes and multiple colors.

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I Want To See Mountains (Multi + Lavender), screen print on hand pulled paper made from my late grandfather’s old flannels, 18’’x24’’’, 2020

Inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien (The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring) and the physics concept of multiverses.

 

Available in two sizes and multiple colors.

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And Into The Night of Their Very Own Room (Purple), screen print on hand pulled paper made from my late grandfather’s old flannels, 18’’x24’’’, 2020

Inspired by Maurice Sendak (Where The Wild Things Are) and the reading tub in my grandma’s library.

 

Available in 2 sizes and multiple colors.

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Family Shares

In order to share this project with my family, I tore down some of these large sheets to make mini prints.

For one, I recreated our family name, written in my grandmother’s handwriting. For the other, a little sign she had doctored that used to hang above the kitchen sink.