GIBBIN HOUSE: "Off the Page - an Anatomic Look at the Creation of a Novel" by Carola Perla

Welcome to GIBBIN HOUSE!

When I first started this blog about the misadventures of a nascent author, I had only a small novel under my belt, titled Gibbin House. The building that bears the name is a fictitious postwar era safe-house, as many might have existed, and the London home of my motley crew of exiles. I could not anticipate then the degree to which I would join its ranks of writers and artists, but since publishing my book in 2011, I have had the greatest privilege of opening my own art gallery and of exploring my love of the written word through visual poetry and paper sculptures. Yet much like the girl who first started blogging two years ago, I suspect I don't know what I'm doing half the time. As such, Gibbin House remains a refuge for ramblings...and on occasion a haven for little triumphs.

Monday, November 14, 2011

"Off the Page - an Anatomic Look at the Creation of a Novel" by Carola Perla

Gibbin House Inspires an Orignial Art Installation

Off the Page by Carola Perla

In honor of my first public book reading, I decided to offer my own original art work to ATELIER 1022's LITERA event in Wynwood this past Saturday. My idea for the art installation - "Off the Page - an Anatomic Look at the Creation of a Novel" - began as the lattice-like cutting of the last page of Gibbin House, but evolved to include everything that went into writing the book: the dozens of handwritten notebooks, collected clippings, books, postcards, storyboards, etc. I even included the 3-D stereocard the cover is based on, my earliest floppy disks, boardpass to Europe, encouraging gifts from friends, and the Grigorescu painting my mother did at 19, which inspired my main character. To my great joy (and edification) the piece was really well received, and will remain on display through Art Basel Miami 2011. Mama is so proud!