VT Book Arts Guild “MailB.A.G.” December 2014
Next Meeting: Wednesday, December 10, 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: Altered Books: Folded-Page Book Sculptures with Marilyn Gillis
Learn how to make easy sculptures from old books by using different page folding patterns. Fiber and book artist Marilyn Gillis will begin the meeting by showing book sculptures she has made using these techniques plus various ways to enhance the sculpture forms. Then she will get you started on your own sculpture(s).
The process is fun and easy; something to do in front of the TV or while listening to music. It can also challenge your artistic side if you want to decorate or enhance your sculptures.
Supplies to bring:
- 1 or 2 old books about 1″ thick, can be paperback or hard coverB
- Bone folder – not necessary, but helpful
Marilyn Gillis is a mixed media/fiber artist. Eight years ago she became interested in book arts and has enjoyed learning a new medium. Her particular interest is in making folded page book sculptures, and she had made and sold them as another expression of her creative energy.
November Meeting Reflections
November brought us together to share card tricks and booklets in mini workshops led by members of the group. The spirit of comradery, willingness to teach, and openness to learn made it a joyous evening. We all came away with new ideas and skills, and a warm fuzzy feeling with which to begin the holiday season.
Thanks to all who participated!
You can view images from the meeting on the B.A.G. blog.
B.A.G. News
*** Announcing a new meeting format for 2015!
The BAG Board of Directors met in November to plan the upcoming year, and we are excited to announce a new approach we hope will spur and support our members’ creative work. In addition to an exciting roster of presenters for meetings, starting in January we will introduce an every other month meeting format titled Studio Support and Workshop Time.
These will be open sessions (with no presenter) during which we hope four things will happen:
- Members will have an opportunity to briefly “show and tell” their recent work at the start of the meeting.
- Members can receive support and creative problem solving from other members for any challenges or problems they are having in their work.
- Members can continue work and follow up on the project or technique presented in the previous meeting(s).
- Members can bring a current piece they are working on to simply continue their own work in the company of other artists.
The Board will also be introducing a challenge project for members and those who want can use the Studio Support and Workshop Time to participate in the challenge project. Artists spend much time working in isolation, so it is our hope that Studio Support sessions will be fun and will enhance and encourage our individual work.
*** Announcing our Spring 2015 exhibit: Book Works, book-related works by the Book Arts Guild of Vermont!
The exhibit will take place at the SEABA Center Gallery at 404 Pine Street in Burlington during the month of April. The opening will be on First Friday Art Walk, April 3rd, and we will have a gallery talk on April 8th that will serve as our April meeting.
Entries will be due on March 20, but may be brought to the March 11th meeting. Entries are free for BAG members, and $10.00 each ($25.00 for 3) for non-members. The gallery takes a 30% commission on sales. Click here to download the entry form.
*** The Book Arts Guild of Vermont’s annual membership begins January 2015!
The primary mission of the Book Arts Guild of Vermont is to act as both an educational and creative resource in the field of book arts. Our monthly meetings are $5.00 an evening or free with a $35.00 annual membership. Your membership supports the mission of the Book Arts Guild, pays for our rented space, provides opportunities to exhibit and supports honorariums to presenters.
In addition to the benefits you receive (outlined on this page of our website), your paid membership also enables us to cover expenses such our website and email newsletter – key tools for keeping our book arts community in touch and informed. A special membership benefit this year is that you don’t have to pay to submit work to our annual, non-juried book arts exhibition. You’ll also receive a personal thank you from Ann Joppe-Mercure (priceless).
If you have a skill, a passion, a favorite technique or a body of work that others would love to learn about, and then take the leap and volunteer to share it with us as a presenter. If you present at a B.A.G. meeting, you receive free membership for the year. Think about it – we know you have something to share!
If you would like to become a supporting B.A.G. member, click here to download our membership form.
Book Arts News
*** The Paper Room (formerly known as Langdell Paper) at AVA Art Center is holding its annual open studio on December 5th & 6th. Not only are there going to be 1,000’s of sheets of handmade paper available for purchase, but there will also be refreshments and fun paper-related conversation.
There are two specials of note:
- Buy 20 large sheets for ½ price
- Buy 50 sheets (at ½ price) and Richard will donate an additional 50 large sheets to the starving artist or teacher of your choice
Hours on Friday are from 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. and on Saturday from 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. The AVA Art Center is located at 11 Bank Street in Lebanon, NH. The Paper Room is on the second floor in studio #209. For more information, please call (802) 222-0503 or Email rlangdell@gmail.com.
*** Chena River Marblers is holding an open studio on December 13 & 14 from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. There will be marbling and bookbinding demonstrations, along with an end-of-year overstock and seconds sale.
The studio is located at 70 Justice Drive in Amherst, MA. For more information, please call (413) 253-2835.
*** 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.
*** 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.
*** How do your surroundings inform your work? The Chandler Gallery, in Randolph, VT invites artists to submit work that evokes a sense of place and space. They are considering both two and three dimensional interpretations of this theme which need not rely on literal depiction of location, but use the idea of place as a starting point for inspiration or source of material.
Submissions should be sent digitally to artofplace.chandler@gmail.com by midnight, December 15 with notification to artists by January 1, 2015. Submissions are limited to two per artist. The show opens on January 17, 2015 and runs through March 8th.
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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