VT Book Arts Guild “MailB.A.G.” November 2014
Next Meeting: Wednesday, November 12, 2014, 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
We meet at the Unitarian Universalist Society Church located at 152 Pearl Street in Burlington, VT. We will be in the Sophia Fahs Community Room, a large room located in the basement. Click here for more information on directions/parking.
Program: Mini Hands-On Workshops: Book Blitz and Card Tricks
Join us for our always-popular annual November tradition: Member-led mini hands-on workshops in the form of a card or mini-book exchange that we call Book Blitz and Card Tricks. Get prepared now and join in the fun!
Design a card or small/simple book structure that has a trick or two; maybe a pop-up, French doors or a window. Bring your completed card or mini-book, along with materials for six undecorated cards or mini-book structures to share. We will have an exchange and then engage in some decorating fun.
Please feel free to join in the fun even if you don’t have time to prepare cards or mini-books to bring. We do a similar program every November and there is more than enough to go around. As in years past, expect to go home with some great new ideas, several new tricks up your sleeve, and a few new cards for the season.
Things to bring:
- A decorated card/mini-book with a “trick” (optional)
- 6 card structures of your card/mini-book “trick” to exchange (optional)
- Glue
- Scissors
- X-Acto knife
- Cutting mat
- Ruler
- Decorative punches
- Stamps and ink
- Pens, pencils, markers
- Decorative papers
- Fun stuff!
October Meeting Reflections
October brought us together at the wonderful Special Collections at the Bailey/Howe Library, where we were treated to a double whammy of a meeting.
First, the tag team of Deborah Howe and Stephanie Wolff wowed us with their insights into the stunning exhibit of book work from the New England Chapter of the Guild of Book Workers. Deborah and Stephanie discussed their love of the craft, and shared details of their own work as well as the other exhibitors in the show, Geographies: New England Book Work. Stephanie gave us an in depth look at the creation of her work Sweet New England, showing us her painstaking process resulting in a sweet tribute to familiar candies made in New England.
The second whammy was a table full of fantastic artists’ books chosen to reflect the theme of ‘place’, by Prudence Doherty, Special Collections Librarian. After Prudence gave us an overview of the works, we were let loose to handle and enjoy the books. We are very lucky to have the artists’ book collection available to us, and to have such a knowledgeable keeper of the craft to help us understand and appreciate it.
Thanks to Deborah, Stephanie, and Prudence for a remarkable meeting!
You can view images from the meeting on the B.A.G. blog.
Book Arts News
*** Announcing our Spring 2015 exhibit: Book Works sponsored by the Book Arts Guild of Vermont!
The exhibit will take place at SEABA on Pine Street in Burlington during the month of April. We encourage all members to participate in this broadly themed show, especially those who have not exhibited previously. Work can include new or time honored techniques, book-related pieces and sculpture, and generally any work that can be ‘read’. So start thinking before you get into the holiday frenzy!
More info will be available soon.
*** The Book Arts Guild of Vermont participated in the Champlain Mini Maker Faire at Shelburne Farms in September, where members demonstrated and taught simple (and not so simple) folded book structures including the one page book, accordions, and pop-ups.
Thanks to all who participated and attended. We hope we inspired a new generation of book workers and paper lovers.
*** Geographies: New England Book Work, the New England Chapter of The Guild of Book Workers exhibition, is now on view at The University of Vermont’s Bailey/Howe Library in Burlington, Vermont through December 12, 2014.
Geographies: New England Book Work includes bookbindings and artist’s books that relate to the theme of New England created by 26 of our members. Included are classic regional texts, books that make personal connections to the region, and New England history from a variety of perspectives, among other topics.
For more information on the exhibition and the complete schedule please go to the post on the chapter blog.
*** Merrick Grutchfield has a large flat file in excellent condition that she is selling for $100.00 or best offer. It was made to hold standard sheets of paper. For more information or to snatch it up, please contact Merrick at merrickgrutchfield@gmail.com.
*** Tisch Library on the Medford campus of Tufts University has several flat files to give away. You would have to transport them on their own during the week of December 1st. Case dimensions: 54″ w x 17″ h x 42″. Each case has 5 drawers.
For more information, please contact Laura Walters at laura.walters@tufts.edu.
*** There will be a bookbinding yard sale at The Bindery in Somerville, MA on Sunday November 9, 2014, from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Available goodies include a Kwikprint with chase, sewing frames, task lights, finishing press with plow, books, leather, paper, small tools & other things you can’t live without!
The Bindery is located at 11 Miller Street in room 204. No early birds, please. Cash strongly preferred.
*** Now through December 13, 2014, InsideOUT Contemporary Bindings of Private Press Books is on display in the Edison and Newman Room, Houghton Library at Harvard University.
Fifty-nine binders and nine private presses from North America, Canada and Britain have collaborated to form an exhibition which demonstrates the relationship of the binding design to the printed book. Because many of the binders have chosen the same title to work on, it also highlights the differing approaches to the same text.
Harvard University is located in Cambridge, MA.
*** The New England Chapter of the Guild of Book Workers will have a booth at the upcoming Boston International Antiquarian Book Fair. Volunteers are needed to sit at the booth during the following hours:
- Friday, November 14: 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
- Saturday, November 15: 12:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
- Sunday, November 16: 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
They want to have two volunteers in the booth at all times. To volunteer please email Todd Pattison at bookandtile@att.net. All volunteers will get free entry into the Fair!
Book Arts Classes
*** On Saturdays from January 10 – February 7, 2015, the North Bennet Street School is offering Fundamentals of Bookbinding I with Amy Lapidow.
Students learn the foundations of bookbinding with hands-on experience and discussion. The course covers non-adhesive structures and case bindings, students learn about structural elements, sewing variations, covering and cutting techniques using various materials, and tools and equipment. Discussions throughout the course cover terminology, paper grain and folding, selecting proper materials and tools, and adhesives and their properties.
For more information or to register, please visit the NBSS website.
*** The Eliot School in Jamaica Plain, MA is offering Altered Books with Daniel Embree on February 1 & 8, 2015 from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Transform used books into art objects. Learn bookmaking, paper cutting, drawing, collage and decollage techniques to reinvent used books into something new. Bring some books and some small objects and images to include. We will distribute a list of good Boston book-buying places in advance.
For more information about the class, please visit the Eliot School’s website or click here to download the complete catalog.
- Book Arts Guild of VT website: http://www.bookartsguildvt.com/
- Book Arts Guild of VT Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/bookartsguildvt
- Book Arts Guild of VT on Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/bagvermont/
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