Binding complete

The binding of all eight volumes by hand is complete. All that's left is to insert our gallery of photos into the covers and endpapers. And then....an exhibit! And a book!

Picking out photos

Today we spent the afternoon picking out which photos will be on the covers and endpapers of the final volumes.

We made a little book!

These are the inside pages of a short book documenting Phillip's bookbinding process and progress from our visit together on Saturday, October 5, 2013. 

A Short Movie On Phillip and the Project

Phillip's good friend, filmmaker Justin Lange, made a short movie about Phillip, the handwritten bible project, and our collaboration. "Phillip and me" premiered at The Last Word event on May 11, 2013. 

Memories of The Last Word

It was pouring rain right up until the event began with Pastor Drew Paton welcoming family, friends, and the general public to The Last Word event at St. Peter's Presbyterian Church in Spencertown, NY, on Saturday, May 11, 2013.

Last Saturday night was a blur but looking at the photos sharpens the memories. (It was a packed house, including three camera crews, and family and friends from many states!)

Program for The Last Word event

So many people came that we ran out of printed programs! (Each person received one as they entered St. Peter's Presbyterian Church on Saturday, May 11, 2013 for the writing of the last word of the handwritten bible.) Click on the picture to see it larger.

The Last Word

Phillip wrote the last words of the handwritten bible surrounded by friends, family, and camera crews. When he finished, he smiled as he read the last word out loud, "Amen." Read more about the event here.

A sweet update on our short movie

Reading this Facebook post from our filmmaker, Justin Lange, only deepens how lucky we feel to be working with him.

A few weeks ago, my dear friend Phillip L Patterson asked me to make a film. Yesterday, the AP offered this clip-worthy summary of his story: inspired by his partner Mohammed, he is copying every word of the King James Bible in long-hand.
Yet the essence of his project--of what he has come to know, and of what he has come to know nothing--is so coarsely cooked down in the article. Now that the totality of the project has been covered (suddenly and unexpectedly) by international news, in the small miracle of finishing a short film between now and Saturday, I hope to share some of the small truths of his work and love, as I see it. What else can I do? He found the totality of God nearly untouchable by years of careful study. Perhaps I can let the idea of capturing the totality of anything --the story, included --and find some truth that is worth saying.

As seen on 10,000 news sites...

News of the nearly finished, handwritten bible project spread quickly from India to England to Canada to cities across the United States on Monday, May 6, thanks to this Associated Press article by Michael Hill. It's full of great observations and quotes but the most incredible sentence comes right at the end of the article.

No pages left

As of May 5, 2013, there are no pages left, only two verses which will be written in public on May 11 at The Last Word event at St. Peter's Presbyterian Church in Spencertown.

Cooking

From a phone conversation this morning:
"I'm all finished except for the last two verses. I need to cook to clear my head. Baking brownies now and bread tomorrow."

Writing paused

Starting tomorrow Phillip will pause writing in order to finish at The Last Word event on May 11.

We're making a movie!

Yesterday, we began working with Justin Lange, a documentary filmmaker who grew up in Columbia County and now lives and works in New York. We'll debut his short film about our project at The Last Word event on May 11. In this picture Phillip is explaining why he works from two different copies of the bible. In the far right of the picture you can see some of the bound and unbound pages of the handwritten bible. The quilt on the bed is handmade by Phillip.

Saving the last word for May 11

Family, friends, and the public will join Phillip as he writes the last words of his handwritten bible in a historic Columbia County church. A gallery of photos documenting the process will be on display.

Before the writing there will be a brief program featuring a discussion about the project and our collaboration, music, and a question and answer session. A gallery of photos from the project will be on display as well as the premiere of a short documentary on the project.

A reception will follow with a small pop-up shop selling a selection of photos, hand written bible verses, and other special items.

The public is invited and encouraged to attend. A suggested donation of $15 will benefit the Friends of St. Peter's Presbyterian Church and the completion of the binding of the finished volumes of the handwritten bible.

WHEN: Saturday, May 11, 6pm
WHERE: St. Peter's Presbyterian Church, 5219 County Route 7, Spencertown, NY 12165

What's left

On the left is what's left to do and on the right, all that has been done, as of April 14, 2013.

Pockets of the "blizzard book"

An even closer look at a "blizzard book". No tape, glue, staples or stitches...just folds from discarded pages of the handwritten bible.

Lining the pages

"Tonight I'm going to be drawing lines. I got all of the other work out of the way." PP

Personal scrapbook

A personal scrapbook made out of discarded pages from the handwritten bible. (It's actually called a "blizzard book" and it's completely made out of folded paper without sewing or adhesive, just folding single sheets of paper to create little pockets. Phillip found out about it from The Penland Book of Handmade Books, a book that is very important to this project: it inspired him to teach himself how to do bookbinding so that he could bind the volumes of the handwritten bible himself.)

There are many discarded pages which means there are many of these little books! Phillip uses this one to keep our project related ephemera and correspondence in one special place.

Hat ritual

After church the hat gets returned to its hook on the wall.

Mid-work reminder

From earlier this week, a mid-work reminder that the WNYT film crew would be arriving soon. Read the segment here.