RORER, Abigail. LONE OAK PRESS. ~ The Matriarch of the Forest.
Written and engraved by Abigail Rorer. No. 46 of 66 copies. 5 wood engravings by Abigail Rorer printed in green/brown, one with red. Printed on Zerkall paper, typography and text printing by Michael Russem in Perpetua types cast by Michael and Winifred Bixler, title page printed in sanguine and brown. Sq. 8vo., bound in linen backed blue paper covered boards with a small engraving by Rorer printed on the upper cover, with wood veneer second endpapers, printed paper label on spine, housed in the original silk cloth covered slipcase with printed paper label together with the ‘Afterword’ being two leaves with text signed by the artist and a wood engraving sewn in the original blue wrappers. As new.
A meditative poetic work inspired by a beloved tree and the day when the artist and a friend found a string of scarlet beads hanging on it and how it somehow defiled the dignity of the tree. The ‘Afterword’ explains the story behind the book and Rorer’s poem and images.
Abigail Rorer is a much respected American wood engraver and publisher of limited edition and fine press books using her own artwork. She was drawn to wood engraving through the work of the German Expressionists and Leonard Baskin and after initial encouragement from Barry Moser, she taught herself how to engrave. She established her Lone Oak Press in 1989.