WHY ALTER A BOOK? Why not? One of the things that I hear from people a lot is, "Why do you ruin your books?" Now, aside from the obvious argument about art and culture being valid forms of expression, et cetera, it's important to mention: Nobody is ruining anything. Most AB artists find their books at tag sales, library closeouts, and remainder tables, where, if they aren't purchased, they will likely end up as landfill material. By taking these books and transforming them into something that's an expression for the artist and a joy for the viewer, there is no "ruining" going on. The problem is that most of us, at one time or another, have come to think of books as sacred objects, unalterable and inviolate. And while this is true, the act of saving a book from a fate worse than death seems to me to be somewhat noble. Getting off the high horse, this is fun. Since there are no rules, you're able to fully express your creativity however you feel like it on that day. Feel like cutting something out? Do it. Feel like pasting things in or making a collage? Fine. Feel like painting over everything and making a book into your personal journal? Great! The point is, you're giving a new life to a book that may have otherwise just sat on a shelf, unused, or may have been tossed into a trash bin.

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