Thomas' Domestic Life
Thomas' Domestic Life, 2022
These are two artist books about the 19th century Chinese American Thomas Sylvanus (Ah Yee Way). Thomas was enslaved in Baltimore from age 7. At 16 years old, he ran away to join the Union Army at the start of the American Civil War. After serving all the war years, he married and settled into family life for 26 years before his death in 1891. The book structure is modeled after Victorian Valentines. Edition of 26.
See the full project, which includes lithography prints, an embroidered Civil War jacket, and a large Thomas' Story Cloth which is hand silkscreen printed here.
MEDIUM AND SIZE:
Book Arts Victorian Valentines with paper lithography. 5-1/8” diameter [13cm diameter]