…how meaningful it was for me to share a few moments with June Wayne, ‘Artiste Extraordinaire’ and one of our ‘National Treasures’!
Judith Linde, President of UCLA Friends of English had invited me to the Royce Hall event celebrating the 50th anniversary of Miss Wayne’s livre d’artiste on the love sonnets of John Donne a ground breaking collaboration with Marcel Durassier the master French printer.
Miss Wayne told how upon hearing the recorded sonnets “It was as if I was listening to Beethoven and the sounds and poetry took over my hands…they reached beneath my skin”. One line from a poem would be selected for the tittle of each of the drawings.
As there was no suitable lithographer in the United States at the time, her journey took her to France and then a dangerous sojourn to the Berlin Red Zone for the typography. All this was enchantingly told to the enraptured gathering.
From this seminal work sprang the Tamarind Lithography Workshop to revitalize the art of lithography and which fostered great artistic collaborations. Sponsored by the Ford Foundation, Tamarind later moved to the University of New Mexico.
I left knowing yet again that one must follow one’s dream, live with passion and only then will we fulfill our purpose.
How I do thank you Judith Linde
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