For many, the first herald of spring in southern Ontario is the annual Grimsby Wayzgoose – a beloved gathering of private press printers, bookbinders, paper marblers and other book artisans held each year on the last Saturday of April. Begun in 1979, this popular event attracts thousands of book lovers to the Grimsby Public Art Gallery, which hosts the Wayzgoose.
The Anthologies
The Gallery also coordinates and publishes the annual Wayzgoose Anthology, a limited edition, hand-bound book of signatures created by participating Wayzgoose artists. First issued in 1981, the anthologies are a remarkable collection; they represent the broad range of art work, styles and interests of the contributing artists. The anthologies offer a unique perspective on the people, arts and events that preoccupied the artists from the early 1980s.
The Index
I was working at the (then) National Library of Canada when I first learned about the Grimsby Wayzgoose. Fascinated, I was eager to delve into the anthologies – and the art work – in greater detail. Who were the artists? What kind of signatures did they produce – and how many? What were the materials used? I was shocked to learn that there was virtually no research published on this important component of the modern Canadian book arts.
My goal in developing this database is to better document the Wayzgoose Anthologies. Something like an annotated bibliography, this index provides details into the artists and production of each signature in every anthology. I particularly relish the information appearing the colophons. Not only do they provide explicit detail in the production of a piece, but they also offer a glimpse into the heart of the artist.
Spend some time browsing the index and you’ll see what I mean.
And by the way, any errors encountered are mine — and I will be happy to correct them. Send an email to info(at)thecrankypress(dot)ca.