Catherine Kanner

CETUS, The Whale

Hand-bound with an accordion binding, CETUS, The Whale extends over 22 feet when fully open, allowing the reader to view the interior portraits as a group. A star image representing Cetus, the Whale constellation, is embossed on the cover and appears throughout the text. Silk covers, silver foil stamping and handmade endpapers complete the piece, which is housed in a clear acrylic slipcase.

Edited by John Shelter, CETUS, The Whale received a 1997 Rounce & Coffin Award, one of the highest awards presented to California fine presses. Artist Catherine Kanner created 12 engraved portraits of the Pequod’s crew from Moby Dick to accompany the texts by Herman Melville, William Shakespeare and John Milton.

Artist: Illustrations by Catherine Kanner
Press: Melville Press
Date: 1997
Number and Edition: 136 of 200
Size: 7.5” x 10.25”

Prayers Written at Valima

This collection of short prayers written by Robert Louis Stevenson was letterpress printed by Bonnie Thompson Norman at The Windowpane Press in Seattle, Washington. The piece was printed on Hiromi-Sansui rice paper with Thai Mango red endpapers. Edited by John Sheller, the edition contains 21 original black linoleum-cut illustrations by Catherine Kanner. Since 1981, Kanner has taught at the Otis Institute of Art and Design in Los Angeles.

Stevenson (1850-1894) was born in Edinburgh, and he attended university there. He first studied engineering, then switched to law. Stevenson spent most of his time traveling, reading and writing. In 1888, Stevenson settled in Samoa, where he spent the last five years of his life. In Samoa, Stevenson bought some acres of land and had a house built at Vailima.

Artist: Illustrations by Catherine Kanner
Press: Melville Press
Date: 1999
Number and Edition: 100 of 200
Size: 8.75” x 5.75”