The Path        by Sigrid Christiansen   - illustrated by Chad Pastotnik             





Killing the Bear
Sigrid signing the edition
Sigrid signing books





  The Path was a dream Sigrid had of having beautiful children and when shared with friends it quickly evolved into the children being songs and signified to her that it was about making and nurturing songs and the life of songwriting. Aside from the chorus the tale is told as an exact retelling although she relates "in the dream I was told that the bed comes from Guatemala and I just couldn't fit that in gracefully. I love my dreams but that one was amazingly linear, complete and detailed. I put the last part, about "each of us have light" in because I worried about my audience feeling down about themselves. I wanted them to feel included in the dream and in the experience."

When I heard this first it was around the proverbial north woods fire ring where several talented friends were taking their turns with guitars until the early morning hours. I was moved by the tune - it describes my own family here on the stream all so well. It didn't take much effort to persuade Sigrid to allow me to turn it into a book. Keeping true to the original form, Sigrid has gone back into the studio and recorded this new track and it comes with the book. In the back cover there is a pocket with a download card from cdbaby so you too can enjoy this lovely magical lullaby as well.

The book is illustrated by Chad Pastotnik with 4 linoleum cuts; one in six colors, another in four colors, one and two color cuts which are shown below.

6 color linoleum cut multi color linoleum blocks

The text is hand set in ATF Freehand type with Lydian Bold for display sizes and is printed on Hahnemuhle Schiller paper in 7 colors. The regular edition is set at 100 copies and they are bound in a limp binding of "Dark Roast" made by Paperworks Studio, a special commissioned paper I had made just for this project made of reclaimed cotton rag and spiced with fair trade coffee grounds (nicely buffered for your great great grand children's future enjoyment.) There are also a set of three books that were printed on some quite vintage Fabriano Umbria stock I'd been saving which will be turned into presentation bindings in due time.




Throughout high school and college Sigrid played in coffee houses, bars and restaurants with a singing partner, weaving songs with close and intricate harmonies.  She is also a professional modern dancer and eventually her early dance career eclipsed her musical career until taking a break to work in a family business and raise her children.

After a long hiatus Sigrid is once again performing both as a dancer and a musician, this time writing and choreographing much of her material.

Since releasing her first CD, In the Cradle of the Moon, Sigrid has begun performing in various venues around the Detroit area.  She also produces a listening room concert series called Stone House Concerts, bringing in nationally known and local singer/songwriters to perform in the intimate setting of her home.



center lino cuts for "The Path" by Sigrid Christiansen




Deluxe editions available soon










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