Fowler, Bret
Artist Statement
I have been a lover of books and paper and the written word since I was a boy, growing up on a farm in southern Idaho. From my earliest memory, I have made things with my hands, and for the past five years, I’ve devoted the habit to creating blank books, in particular journals, sketchbooks and photo albums. I seldom plan my books outside of a special order. I’d much rather seat myself in my studio and thumb through the rack of mulberry or marbled, bark or batiked, embossed or embellished papers. And it’s usually the paper—or the leather—that will determine a book’s direction.Much of my joy originates in anticipation of what a book will hold, what it will become once it leaves my hands and opens to yours. And so my cuts must be precise, creases crisp, stitches practical and adroit because of what the book will contain, moments captured in word or sketch, photo or clipping, collage or map—someone’s story that beckons to be preserved. The story begins in the materials, from paper to leather, bead or found object bound together with thread. But it’s you who completes the story when you set your pen or pencil to that first page.
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About Artist Bret Fowler
Bret Fowler is an Idaho native, living in Nampa, Idaho, with his wife and daughter. An educator for 28 years, he currently serves as a high school teacher-librarian, after having taught English for the majority of those years. In addition, he teaches as an adjunct English professor at the College of Western Idaho.Thirteen years ago, Bret and his wife bought an old school house built in 1917 that they’ve been renovating. It’s upstairs in the nearly completed library surrounded by books that Bret binds his blank books and practices book arts. He first got a taste of book arts about 15 years ago when his poem entitled “Blood Knot”—created as a fold-out map, watermarked with a rainbow trout on his handmade paper, and bound with monofilament fishing line—was selected by the Idaho Center for the Book to travel the state of Idaho in its exhibit An Idaho Booker’s Dozen. His poetry has appeared in a variety of publications including Idaho Arts Journal, English
Journal, Inland Journal and the Trestle Creek Review.When not teaching, book binding, writing, remodeling, or weeding, Bret pursues trout with a fly rod or retreats to his vise to replenish his fly box with another elk hair caddis or copper John.
Artist Code: BLF
