The Reach for Enlightenment, 2025 (Original)

Original pen drawing framed in altered book with magnifying glass bookmark

The Reach for Enlightment, 2025

This piece transforms Voltaire’s Candide into a sculptural narrative. Carved into the book’s spine, a small niche cradles a hanging bookmark adorned with a pen and ink drawing. The drawing depicts a boy on a step ladder, stretching toward a red book—the only splash of color, mirroring the crimson tone of the Candide volume itself. Above, a black cat perches on the bookshelf, gazing down with silent curiosity. The artwork reflects the novel’s sharp satire on optimism and humanity’s relentless pursuit of truth. The red book symbolizes knowledge—tempting yet almost out of reach—while the watchful cat hints at the mysteries and doubts that shadow such quests.

Bookbound Miniature Series

Each piece in the Bookbound Miniature Series is a meticulously crafted fusion of literature and fine art, transforming the pages of books into immersive worlds of miniature storytelling. Embedded within these sculpted niches are hand-drawn scenes—tiny yet profound glimpses into the boundless imagination that books inspire.

Every artwork comes ready to hang and includes a certificate of authenticity, ensuring its status as an original, one-of-a-kind investment. No two pieces are alike—each book, each carving, and each drawing hold their own secrets, waiting to be discovered.

Whether displayed as a centerpiece or tucked into a personal library, this series invites viewers to step closer, look deeper, and lose themselves in the timeless interplay between art and literature.

Copyright © Blake Gore. All rights reserved.