by Elissa | Feb 9, 2018 | B.A.G. Meetings, bookbinding, Call to artists, Exhibitions, MailB.A.G., Member News, Vermont, Workshops
Next Meeting: Wednesday, February 14, 2018, 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 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: Mining for Gold – Exploring Tunnel Books
Tunnel books are a visually exciting way of presenting content in book form. Join us over the next few months as we dig deep into the treasure-filled world of tunnel books.
In February, we’ll explore and share ways of constructing tunnel books together. Do you have a favorite tunnel book structure? A particular way of incorporating content in your tunnel books? Come and share it with us! Bring the tunnel books you’ve made (photos are okay, too) and share what worked well or discuss some of the challenges.
In addition to sharing and learning from each other, Elissa Campbell will bring a resource list that includes cool books and websites with tutorials, and Ann Joppe-Mercure will bring a slide show with more exciting examples. Please feel free to come and discover new techniques and ideas for constructing tunnel books, even if you don’t have one to share.
In March, we will have a hands-on tunnel book construction extravaganza based on some of the methods shared in February to create tunnel book models you can adapt to your own designs.
Things to bring (optional):
- Tunnel book(s) you’ve constructed (or photos)
- Models of tunnel book structures you’ve learned
- Paper and pen for taking notes on all the cool new methods you’ll discover!
January Meeting Reflections
It was ‘hygge’ all around at the January meeting, featuring Annette Hansen and her Froebel star tutorial. Annette shared stories of her Danish childhood, where holidays centered around traditional paper crafts. The beautiful paper stars we made together gave everyone a sense of satisfaction, and of cozy togetherness. Thanks, Annette!
The holiday ornament exchange turned out to be great fun. After participants had a chance to appreciate their swapped ornament, the maker identified herself and shared the method and materials. Let’s do it again next year!
You can view images from the meeting on the B.A.G. blog.
B.A.G. News
*** It’s time to renew your annual membership!
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 (you can check them out here), 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 Guild of Vermont 2018 Show news!
NEW DETAILS BELOW!
Members and friends are invited to submit work for our show at Studio Place Arts in Barre from May 22 – June 30, where we will be exhibiting in the second floor gallery. Here is our show name and description, which leaves it wide open for interpretation:
Beyond Words: Artworks by the Book Arts Guild of Vermont
Books can take on a language of their own, as shown in the multimedia work of this group of artists that use shape, structure, and materials to get their message across.
Important dates:
- Submissions: Work must be submitted by May 1, 2018. No work can be accepted after that date.
- Opening: May 22, 2018
- Closing: June 30, 2018
- Artist’s talk: Date TBD
The second show will take place in June at Frog Hollow Craft Gallery on Church Street. This will be a great opportunity to get exposure for our group in the heart of Burlington.
The show will be called The Art of the Book, which leaves it wide open to interpretation.
Important dates:
- Submissions: Work must be submitted by May 22, 2018. No work can be accepted after that date.
- Opening: June 1, 2018
- Closing: June 30, 2018
- Artist’s talk: Date TBD
B.A.G. Member News
*** B.A.G. member Jane Ploughman is teaching two classes in March:
Collage and Simple Bookmaking
In this workshop, you will make 3 or more books using simple techniques. You will also have time to fill the pages of your books with words, images, color, and all manner of collage material provided!
This workshop is for ages 18+ and all materials will be provided. Jane will be co-teaching these workshops with Lily Hinrichsen.
The workshop is being taught twice, so you can attend either on March 23rd or March 24th. The workshops are being held at ARTSight in Bristol from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. and cost $70.00 (or $60.00 if you’ve taken our workshops before).
For more information, contact Lily at lilyhinrichsen@gmail.com.
Handmade Books: Simply Sewn
Learn how to sew beautiful single and multiple-signature book bindings. Learn about some of the tools and techniques and how to make informed material choices. The workshop’s focus will be on form and structure. Students will leave with three different sewn softcover bindings. Some bookbinding experience is helpful but not necessary.
The workshop is taking place at the Middlebury Studio School on Saturday, March 31st from 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.The cost is $55.00, which includes all materials and handouts.
For more information or to register, contact Barb Nelson at (802) 247-3702 or ewaldewald@aol.com.
*** B.A.G. co-founder Nancy Stone is selling a book press that was formerly a cider press.
The frame is hardwood taking up a 20” x 20” floor space. It has a 33” height to the top of the metal turning/press mechanism.
As a cider press, it has a wooden cylinder to hold the apples but is missing the 2 wooden parts needed for pressing apples down and for the cider to run out. It’s likely that you could make these if you want it for cider.
Nancy loves the press, but is currently downsizing. She’s selling it for $50.00 and an even deliver it if you need that.
For more information or to buy the press (do it!), contact Nancy at (802) 879-0243 or nstonevt@gmail.com.
Book Arts News
*** The exhibit Illuminating Words: Artists’ Books at UVM is being held at the Francis Colburn Gallery in Williams Hall, UVM, now through February 15th. For over 50 years, the Department of Art and Art History and Special Collections have been making, collecting and sharing artists’ books. Drawing on the rich resources in Special Collections, Illuminating Words celebrates book arts at UVM.
In the 1970s, printmakers in the Art Department – faculty and students – were combining images and text to create books that found their way to the shelves in Special Collections. Over the years, Art faculty and Special Collections librarians have worked together to develop an outstanding artists’ book collection that is eclectic, broad, and deep.
Curated by librarian Prudence Doherty, this exhibition features works made by UVM students and faculty as well as impressive selections from the library’s collection.
A gallery tour will be held on Wednesday, February 14th at 12:00 p.m. The exhibit is free and open to the public. For information, please email uvmsc@uvm.edu or call (802) 656-2138.
*** Now through February 25th, Susan Kapuscinski Gaylord will have her Spirit Books on display at the McCoy Gallery at Merrimack College in North Andover, MA.
In the words of the artist:
The Spirit Books connect my experience of the inherent spirituality and mystery of nature with the long-standing tradition of books as testaments of faith and belief.
The McCoy Gallery is located in the Rogers Art Center on Walsh Way. Gallery hours are Monday – Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m..
*** From February 17 – July 8, the Philadelphia Museum of Art is hosting the exhibition Keith Smith at Home. This is a rare opportunity to view the creative work of the well-known author of such a beloved series of bookbinding manuals.
Friendship, love, desire: Keith Smith’s life is an open book. For five decades, the Rochester-based artist has used surprising combinations of materials to chronicle his experiences. In this exhibition, explore an array of Smith’s mixed-media photographs and prints, and – his specialty – handmade artist’s books, most from his own collection.
In his work, Keith Smith irreverently disregards the supposed dividing lines between “fine art” (photography, etching, watercolor), “craft” (sewing, quilting, bookmaking), and “utilitarian technologies” (transparencies, photocopies). Although his subject matter is rooted in his personal life, he also grapples with universal themes such as self-representation, domesticity, and intimacy.
For more information, please visit the PMA’s website.
Book Arts Classes
*** The Eliot School is offering Altered Books with a Purpose with Wendy Wolfe Fine on four Wednesdays, March 7, 14, 21, & 28.
Turn an old or used book into a work of art with a purpose, using imagination and a variety of mixed media techniques. Take a thematic excursion, tell a tale or dramatize an issue through color and visual imagery, creative materials, and 3-D structures.
Use your book’s existing contents if you like, add new materials or use your book to display a collection of valued objects, images or photographs. Learn to assess the condition of the various components of an old book, decide which parts to keep and which to remove and create layouts that communicate your message or story.
For more information about the class, please visit the Eliot School’s website or click here to download the complete catalog.
*** On Saturday, April 28th, the Kate Cheney Chappell 83 Center for Book Arts is hosting a workshop with Erin Fletcher of Herringbone Bindery, Secret Belgian Binding – Two Ways. The workshop will be held in the Multi-Purpose Room in the Wishcamper Center at the University of Southern Maine in Portland.
This workshop will explore the Secret Belgian binding (also known as Criss Cross binding) and ways to modify it. The binding is simple and easy to construct; it opens flat and is perfect for smaller text blocks. Students will complete two versions of the structure; one bound in the traditional sense and the second will offer a bit more secrecy and refinement to the structure.
Registration is available online or alternatively, you can call (207) 780-5900.
*** Registration for Wells College Book Arts Center‘s Book Arts Summer Institute is now open. The week-long intensive courses include letterpress printing, bookbinding, calligraphy, typecasting, and font design. Week 1 runs from July 15 – 21 and Week 2 runs from July 22 – 28.
This year’s instructors include Jenna Rodriguez, Aimee Lee, and Scott McCarney. Wells College is located in Aurora, NY.
For more information, please visit the Wells College website. Ann will also have postcards from the Summer Institute available at the February meeting.
by Elissa | Jan 4, 2018 | B.A.G. Meetings, bookbinding, Exhibitions, MailB.A.G., Vermont, Workshops
Next Meeting: Wednesday, January 10, 2018, 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 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: Get Your Post-Holiday Book Arts On: Ornament Exchange/Make a Froebel Star
Join us in January for a meeting filled with post-holiday cheer, a handmade ornament exchange and a hands-on workshop to make a traditional European holiday paper star ornament.
In the first part of the meeting, Annette Hansen of Make Life Cozy will teach us to fold beautiful, three-dimensional Froebel Stars, a traditional paper decoration that graces homes in Germany and Scandinavia throughout the holiday season. Annette, who grew up in Denmark, says that paper arts are an integral part of holiday hygge (a Danish word that captures the coziness, conviviality, warmth and contentment of the holiday season).
Annette will bring all supplies, including an array of colored paper for the stars in addition to the traditional white. We’ll also explore way to join and use the stars beyond ornaments.
Tools to bring:
Once we all have stars in hand, we’ll hold the first B.A.G. handmade ornament exchange (you’ll be ahead for next Christmas). Participation is easy: Simply hand make an ornament and bring it to the meeting (wrapped or unwrapped) to swap!
Once we’ve swapped, all makers are invited to share a little bit about their inspiration and/or process. Instructions on how to make your ornament are always appreciated but entirely optional.
B.A.G. News
*** January Handmade Ornament Exchange
For those of you who were unable to get ornaments done in time for our December meeting – you’re in luck! Due to the cancellation of last month’s meeting, you now have until our January meeting to participate in B.A.G.’s ornament exchange.
At our next meeting, members and friends are invited to swap handmade baubles. Bring one, take one!
We know that the timing is funky. Perhaps you can consider the swap as an extra large, single earring exchange?
Here’s how it works:
- Make an ornament to share – instruction or directions on how to make are optional
- Bring to the meeting, wrapped or unwrapped
- Swap for another ornament
That’s it! The only rule is that the ornaments must be handmade.
Need inspiration? Check out these blog posts:
Get making!
*** It’s time to renew your annual membership!
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 (you can check them out here), 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 Guild of Vermont 2018 Show news!
Members and friends are invited to submit work for our show at Studio Place Arts in Barre from May 22 – June 30, where we will be exhibiting in the second floor gallery. Here is our show name and description, which leaves it wide open for interpretation:
Beyond Words: Artworks by the Book Arts Guild of Vermont
Books can take on a language of their own, as shown in the multimedia work of this group of artists that use shape, structure, and materials to get their message across.
Important dates:
- Submissions: Work must be submitted by May 1, 2018. No work can be accepted after that date.
- Opening: May 22, 2018
- Closing: June 30, 2018
- Artist’s talk: Date TBD
The second show will take place in June at Frog Hollow Craft Gallery on Church Street. This will be a great opportunity to get exposure for our group in the heart of Burlington. Dates for the show have yet to be determined. Stay tuned for updates.
Book Arts News
*** Now through April 1st, The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art is hosting the exhibition Treasures from the Collection: A 15 Year Celebration.
In honor of its 15th anniversary, the Museum has assembled an all-star lineup of work from its permanent collection. The exhibition showcases significant acquisitions of the past 15 years with a special focus on the Museum’s most recent gifts and purchases.
Also featured are rarely seen three-dimensional objects in the collection such as dummy books, artist sketchbooks, and hand-carved printing blocks. A special selection of artist doodles and sketches – drawn over 15 years of artist visits, workshops, and book signings – is displayed in the auditorium hallway.
The Carle is located at 125 West Bay Road in Amherst, MA.
*** Registration for the 2018 Paper and Book Intensive (PBI), an annual working sabbatical in the book arts, papermaking, and conservation is now open. Registration is available online. Acceptance letters will be mailed beginning in mid-February.
Here’s the lineup of instructors:
PBI will take place from May 13 – 24, 2018 at Ox-Bow in Saugatuk, MI.
For more information, please visit the PBI website.
Book Arts Classes
*** The Helen Day Art Center is offering Introduction to Bookbinding with Chiyomi McKibbin on January 27 – 28, 2018 (Sunday is optional).
On the first day of this workshop, students will learn to make an accordion book, a pamphlet stitch book, and how to fold a single sheet of paper into 7 different folded books. On the second day, students will make a portable hole-punching cradle that can be used for future stitch-bound books along with learning how to make Postal Notebooks. Supplies will be provided. Teens welcome!
The Helen Day Art Center is located in Stowe, VT. For more information about the class or to register, please visit the Helen Day Art Center’s website.
*** The Eliot School is offering Altered Books with a Purpose with Susan Porter on four Wednesdays, March 7, 14, 21, & 28.
Turn an old or used book into a work of art with a purpose, using imagination and a variety of mixed media techniques. Take a thematic excursion, tell a tale or dramatize an issue through color and visual imagery, creative materials, and 3-D structures.
Use your book’s existing contents if you like, add new materials or use your book to display a collection of valued objects, images or photographs. Learn to assess the condition of the various components of an old book, decide which parts to keep and which to remove and create layouts that communicate your message or story.
For more information about the class, please visit the Eliot School’s website or click here to download the complete catalog.
*** On Saturday, April 28th, the Kate Cheney Chappell 83 Center for Book Arts is hosting a workshop with Erin Fletcher of Herringbone Bindery, Secret Belgian Binding – Two Ways. The workshop will be held in the Multi-Purpose Room in the Wishcamper Center at the University of Southern Maine in Portland.
This workshop will explore the Secret Belgian binding (also known as Criss Cross binding) and ways to modify it. The binding is simple and easy to construct; it opens flat and is perfect for smaller text blocks. Students will complete two versions of the structure; one bound in the traditional sense and the second will offer a bit more secrecy and refinement to the structure.
Registration is available online or alternatively, you can call (207) 780-5900.
*** The Wells College Book Arts Center has announced its classes for the Book Arts Summer Institute in July 2018. The week-long intensive courses include letterpress printing, bookbinding, calligraphy, typecasting, and font design. Week 1 runs from July 15 – 21 and Week 2 runs from July 22 – 28.
This year’s instructors include Amos Kennedy, Aimee Lee, and Scott McCarney. Wells College is located in Aurora, NY.
Registration is open now. For more information, please visit the Wells College website.
by Elissa | Nov 29, 2017 | B.A.G. Meetings, bookbinding, Exhibitions, MailB.A.G., Vermont, Workshops
Next Meeting: Wednesday, December 13, 2017, 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 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: Get Your Holiday Book Arts On: Ornament Exchange/Make a Froebel Star
Deck the halls with handmade creations! Join us in December for a meeting filled with holiday cheer, a handmade ornament exchange and a hands-on workshop to make a traditional European holiday paper star ornament.
In the first part of the meeting, Annette Hansen of Make Life Cozy will teach us to fold beautiful, three-dimensional Froebel Stars, a traditional paper decoration that graces homes in Germany and Scandinavia throughout the holiday season. Annette, who grew up in Denmark, says that paper arts are an integral part of holiday hygge (a Danish word that captures the coziness, conviviality, warmth and contentment of the holiday season).
Annette will bring all supplies, including an array of colored paper for the stars in addition to the traditional white. We’ll also explore way to join and use the stars beyond ornaments.
Tools to bring:
Once we all have stars in hand, we’ll hold the first B.A.G. handmade ornament exchange. Participation is easy: Simply hand make an ornament and bring it to the meeting (wrapped or unwrapped) to swap!
Once we’ve swapped, all makers are invited to share a little bit about their inspiration and/or process. Instructions on how to make your ornament are always appreciated but entirely optional.
November Meeting Reflections
Our November meeting was true to its title of Card Tricks and Book Blitz – Member-led Mini Workshops. We had multiple stations of creative paper play including folded stars, pop-up cards, lanterns, and folded boxlike containers.
Fun was had by all as we roamed the room collecting ideas and having hands-on fun as we made out own samples at each mini workshop.
The November meeting format has become a tradition in the Book Arts Guild. Those in attendance are already looking forward to next year.
You can view images from the meeting on the B.A.G. blog.
B.A.G. News
*** December Handmade Ornament Exchange
At our December meeting, we will host an ornament exchange where members and friends are invited to swap handmade baubles. Bring one, take one!
Here’s how it works:
- Make an ornament to share – instruction or directions on how to make are optional
- Bring to the meeting, wrapped or unwrapped
- Swap for another ornament
That’s it! The only rule is that the ornaments must be handmade.
Need inspiration? Check out these blog posts:
Get making!
*** Book Arts Guild of Vermont 2018 Show news!
Members and friends are invited to submit work for our show at Studio Place Arts in Barre from May 22 – June 30, where we will be exhibiting in the second floor gallery. Here is our show name and description, which leaves it wide open for interpretation:
Beyond Words: Artworks by the Book Arts Guild of Vermont
Books can take on a language of their own, as shown in the multimedia work of this group of artists that use shape, structure, and materials to get their message across.
Important dates:
- Submissions: Work must be submitted by May 1, 2018. No work can be accepted after that date.
- Opening: May 22, 2018
- Closing: June 30, 2018
- Artist’s talk: Date TBD
The second show will take place in June at Frog Hollow Craft Gallery on Church Street. This will be a great opportunity to get exposure for our group in the heart of Burlington. Dates for the show have yet to be determined. Stay tuned for updates.
Book Arts News
*** From November 3 – December 22, the North Bennet Street School will host Heroic Works, the third International Bookbinding Exhibition from Designer Bookbinders in the United Kingdom. The exhibit includes 28 prizewinning bindings and 9 works by binders from the United States.
184 binders from 31 countries participated in the competition by binding a book of their own choosing on the theme of myths, heroes, and legends. These works reflect a remarkable range of styles, materials, and approaches to great classics of world literature, as well as modern texts.
The exhibit is free and open to the public on weekdays from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. The North Bennet Street School is located in Boston, MA.
*** Chena River Marblers is holding their Annual Studio Sale on December 9 & 10 from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. The studio is located at 70 Justice Drive in Amherst, MA.
Marblers Regina and Dan St. John will be selling overstock works and seconds, including marbled silk scarves, ties, bow ties, sketchbooks, notepads, holiday ornaments, and marbled papers in both full sheets and small scrap bag size.
For more information, please call (413) 253-2835.
*** The Sketchbook Project 2018 is looking for people to participate in their annual collaborative art endeavor. The concept is simple – you request a blank book and then fill it with your artwork.
You can select from a number of themes, including the following:
- Underwater
- Lines and Graphics
- Long Stories with Short Endings
- No Worries
- Connections
- People I Wish I Knew
Once your book is filled, you send it back and it becomes part of the permanent collection at the Brooklyn Art Library in New York. Visitors to the library can view sketchbooks contributed by artists from around the world.
The cost is $30.00 to receive a sketchbook and participate in the project. The deadline to sign up is January 5, 2018. For more information, please visit their website.
*** The Paper and Book Intensive (PBI), an annual working sabbatical in the book arts, papermaking, and conservation, has announced its lineup of instructors for 2018:
PBI will take place from May 13 – 24, 2018 at Ox-Bow in Saugatuk, MI. The general application period begins on January 1, 2018. Applications for scholarships are being accepted now through December 31, 2017.
For more information, please visit the PBI website.
Book Arts Classes
*** On December 16 – 17, Susan Bonthron will be teaching the Coptic-sewn Hardbound Journal with paste paper covers and spine sleeves.
This is the Soul’s Kitchen journal that Paulus Berensohn taught so many of his students to make. It is 12¼” x by 9¼” and uses gorgeous Arches Text Wove paper that is suitable for writing, drawing and watercolor sketching. A journal to hold your dreams, ideas, plans, and noticings of “who else is here with us.”
For more information or to register, please contact Susan at (802) 257-0003 or susan.bonthron@gmail.com.
*** The Helen Day Art Center is offering Introduction to Bookbinding with Chiyomi McKibbin on January 27 – 28, 2018 (Sunday is optional).
On the first day of this workshop, students will learn to make an accordion book, a pamphlet stitch book, and how to fold a single sheet of paper into 7 different folded books. On the second day, students will make a portable hole-punching cradle that can be used for future stitch-bound books along with learning how to make Postal Notebooks. Supplies will be provided. Teens welcome!
The Helen Day Art Center is located in Stowe, VT. For more information about the class or to register, please visit the Helen Day Art Center’s website.
*** On February 10 – 11, the North Bennet Street School is offering Bookbinding 101 with Erin Fletcher.
In this class, students will get a quick introduction to various bookbinding techniques by exploring three different book structures. The class begins with a simple pamphlet and continues with constructing two multi-signature books known as a flatback case binding and link stitch binding. Finally, students construct a box to house all of their creations. This class is a great way to familiarize yourself with bookbinding and is perfect for those who are curious about the craft.
For more information or to register, please visit the NBSS website.
by Elissa | Nov 2, 2017 | B.A.G. Meetings, bookbinding, Exhibitions, Lecture, MailB.A.G., Vermont, Workshops
Next Meeting: Wednesday, November 8, 2017, 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 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: Book Blitz and Card Tricks – Member-led Mini Workshops
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 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 always 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
- Bone folder
- Awl or needle tool
- Decorative punches
- Stamps and ink pads
- Pens, pencils, markers
- Decorative papers
- Fun stuff!
October Meeting Reflections
Our yearly visit to UVM Special Collections is a highly anticipated meeting, and this year did not disappoint! Prudence Doherty, Special Collections Librarian, chose books related to the theme of race and freedom, issues that are so important in the current political climate. I was struck by the power of the works as well as their visual presence. The books engaged the viewer to interact with the message as well as the structure.
Prudence also talked about how the library staff chooses books to purchase for the collection, what they look for, and whether the work fits in the collection or fills a void. And last, she gave us a look at a variety of tunnel books to satisfy our book artists’ need to examine structure and construction.
Thanks to Prudence for giving us a powerful experience once again, and thanks to all who participated.
You can view images from the meeting on the B.A.G. blog.
B.A.G. News
*** December Handmade Ornament Exchange
At our December meeting, we will host an ornament exchange where members and friends are invited to swap handmade baubles. Bring one, take one!
Here’s how it works:
- Make an ornament to share – instruction or directions on how to make are optional
- Bring to the meeting, wrapped or unwrapped
- Swap for another ornament
That’s it! The only rule is that the ornaments must be handmade.
Need inspiration? Check out these blog posts:
Get making!
*** Join us at the Northampton Book and Book Arts Fair!
The Book Arts Guild of Vermont will be participating in the 3rd annual Northampton Book and Book Arts Fair this December. We’ll have an exhibitor booth where we’ll be displaying and selling members’ work alongside other book artists, papermakers, paper marblers, and fine letterpress publishers. The fair is being held at the Smith College Campus Center (100 Elm Street/Route 9) in Northampton, MA.
We’re looking for B.A.G. member work for our display – it doesn’t have to be for sale. If you’re interested, please bring your work to the November meeting so that we’ll have more time to plan the layout of our booth. Please note that depending on how much work we have, we can’t guarantee that all pieces will be displayed – we’ll do our best to include as much as we can.
We’re also looking for volunteers to represent B.A.G. and sell work during the fair. The fair hours are Saturday December 2nd from 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. and Sunday December 3rd from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. With enough people, we can break the time down into shifts.
If you would like to participate, please complete this survey. You can also sign up at our November meeting. There will be an opportunity to carpool and to stay at an Airbnb for Friday and/or Saturday night.
If you have any questions, please contact either Marcia Vogler at marciavogler@gmavt.net or Dorsey Hogg at dorseyhogg@gmail.com.
*** If you missed the visit to the Book Arts Workshop at Dartmouth College a few months ago, here’s your second chance. Debra Kraemer has kindly set up another visit for the BAG members for November 18, 2017. More details to come, so save the date!
We will be visiting Rauner Special Collections Library to see a selection of handmade books from their and the Sherman Art Library collections.
Book Arts News
*** On November 14th, the North Bennet Street School is hosting a lecture with James Reid-Cunningham, Artistic Vision in Contemporary Bookbinding. A reception will be held at 6:00 p.m., followed by the lecture at 7:00 p.m.
Traditional bookbinding decoration was transformed during the 20th century by the incorporation of modern art styles. The resulting “design bindings” are an evocative and complex balance of craft and imagination. This presentation surveys the history of binding decoration and innovation in 21st century bookbinding.
The lecture is free and open to the public, but they would appreciate it if you RSVP to attend.
The North Bennet Street School is located in Boston, MA.
*** At 4:00 p.m. on November 17th, the New England Chapter of the Guild of Book Workers is presenting Tackets, Overbands, Lacings and Buckles: a lecture by Katherine Beaty on early Italian stationery bindings of Harvard’s Baker Library. This lecture is free and open to the public.
The Harvard Business School Baker Library houses the largest collection of early Italian business records outside of Italy. It includes 150 account books and day books of the Medici Family, 81 volumes from the Barberini Family, and many more. Presenter Katherine Beaty will talk about the use and structure of early Italian stationery bindings that were observed during recent conservation projects of the Medici and Barberini collections. These unique limp vellum bindings include unusual structural features, such as overbands, decorative alum-tawed lacings, spine and endband tackets, and different fastenings types, including ties, loop and toggle, and buckles.
The lecture will be held at the Harvard Weissman Preservation Center Library at 90 Mt. Auburn Street in Cambridge, MA.
*** From November 3 – December 22, the North Bennet Street School will host Heroic Works, the third International Bookbinding Exhibition from Designer Bookbinders in the United Kingdom. The exhibit includes 28 prizewinning bindings and 9 works by binders from the United States.
184 binders from 31 countries participated in the competition by binding a book of their own choosing on the theme of myths, heroes, and legends. These works reflect a remarkable range of styles, materials, and approaches to great classics of world literature, as well as modern texts.
The exhibit is free and open to the public on weekdays from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. The North Bennet Street School is located in Boston, MA.
*** To celebrate the Heroic Works exhibit, the North Bennet Street School will host presentations by two Designer Bookbinders Fellows on November 3rd.
- At 9:30 a.m., Sue Doggett will offer an informal, illustrated presentation about her approach to design binding, including a look at a recent commission binding of Lac de Pleurs. This presentation will include samples, a discussion of design, and plenty of Q&As.
- At 12:00 p.m., Lester Capon will present an illustrated lecture entitled Extreme Bookbinding. This talk about the ongoing work preserving the Garima Gospels, a 6th century manuscript and the earliest known book in Ethiopia, will also include a description of work done on two 15th century vellum fans, all undertaken in the rock hewn churches of Northern Ethiopia. Lester will discuss the environment and unusual working conditions encountered.
The event is free and open to the public. Seating for the lecture is limited, so please RSVP here.
*** November is offering two book-related events in the Boston area.
For more information, please visit the event websites.
Book Arts Classes
*** The Eliot School is offering Paste Paper with Cristina Hajosy on Sunday, November 12th from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Paste paper is traditionally used for endpapers and book covers, offering a textural and colorful alternative to marbling. See some historical and contemporary approaches, then create your own. Start with a traditional method, then learn ways to make more creative and painterly versions. You may go on to use the papers you create in other of our book arts workshops.
For more information about the class, please visit the Eliot School’s website or click here to download the complete catalog.
*** On December 2nd, the North Bennet Street School is offering Travel Journals with Amy Lapidow.
Books that fit in your pocket! Add a pen loop, picture or pocket for memorabilia. Make it waterproof with Tyvek. Tie it up with beads and buttons, or close it with a magnet. This one day workshop explores the possibilities of a versatile book that goes wherever you go.
For more information or to register, please visit the NBSS website.
by Elissa | Oct 5, 2017 | B.A.G. Meetings, bookbinding, Exhibitions, Lecture, MailB.A.G., Member News, Vermont, Workshops
Next Meeting: Wednesday, October 11, 2017, 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
The October meeting will be held at UVM’s Special Collections in the basement of Bailey Howe Library. Click here to download a pdf of the directions to Special Collections.
Please note that in October we will not be meeting as usual at the Unitarian Church in Burlington. In addition, the meeting will start 1/2 hour earlier than our normal meeting time, at 6:00 p.m.
Program: Field Trip to UVM Special Collections
At this month’s meeting, University of Vermont Librarian Prudence Doherty will guide us through some of the amazing artists’ books held in the Special Collections department.
Not everyone knows that we have one of the finest collections of artists’ books in the nation, right here in Burlington. Join us in a hands-on exploration that will stimulate your imagination and spark your creativity!
* Please bring a pencil, not a pen, if you plan to take notes.
September Meeting Reflections
Our very special guest, Carolyn Shattuck, presented us with a fascinating evening full of insight and inspiration. She spoke clearly about her need to express her life and experiences through the making of artist books. Why I Make Books gave us a glimpse into not only her process, but her motivation and ability to express deep emotions.
Thank you, Carolyn, for sharing all of it with us. Also, thanks to all who attended.
You can view images from the meeting on the B.A.G. blog.
B.A.G. News
Book Arts Guild of Vermont 2018 Show news!
We will have 2 shows in 2018! The first will be at Studio Place Arts in Barre from May 22 – June 30, where we will be exhibiting in the second floor gallery. The exhibit will be in conjunction with the exhibit in the main gallery, Talk to Me / Tell Me / Word.
Spoken, written, and signed language is distinctively human. There are currently 6909 living languages, though half are in danger of extinction and are expected to disappear in this century.
What do the connected sounds and symbols of words suggest for the visual arts? We’re thinking of diverse languages and letterforms (real or invented), new communication technologies, censorship, graffiti, collage, and urgent written/spoken messages. We will be creating a Tower of Babel in the center of the gallery, and welcome proposals for this structure in whole or part.
The second show will take place in June at Frog Hollow Vermont Craft Gallery on Church Street. This will be a great opportunity to get exposure for our group in the heart of Burlington.
*** B.A.G. member Elissa Campbell is teaching the Peek-a-Boo Journal at Studio Place Arts in Barre, VT on October 28th from 12:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
In this workshop, participants will create a journal with a double-needle coptic binding, an intricate stitch that will be visible on the spine of the book. Not only is the coptic binding beautiful, but it also allows books to remain flat when opened. The book covers will include a cut-out window, which offers many opportunities for personalization – photos, pressed flowers, theater tickets – if it’s flat, you can use it.
To register, contact SPA via phone at (802) 479-7069 or email.
*** If you missed the visit to the Book Arts Workshop at Dartmouth College a few months ago, here’s your second chance. Debra Kraemer has kindly set up another visit for the BAG members for November 18, 2017. More details to come, so save the date!
We will be visiting Rauner Special Collections Library to see a selection of handmade books from their and the Sherman Art Library collections.
Book Arts News
*** On Tuesday, October 10th, Peter and Donna Thomas (a.k.a. the Wandering Book Artists) will stop by the North Bennet Street School to share their one-of-a-kind artist books.
In honor of the 40th anniversary of making their first book, Peter and Donna are traveling across the country visiting exhibits that commemorate their work.
You can read more about their adventures on their blog.
*** Clemente Orozco, director of Impronta Casa Editora, an independent book publisher and cultural venue in Guadalajara, Mexico, specializing in hand-printed books, will be giving a public lecture at Dartmouth College called Arts of the Book and Book Artists in Mexico: A Panoramic View.
Orozco, a Dartmouth graduate of the class of 1985, has had a long career as an artist. In addition to overseeing design and production at Impronta, Clemente illustrates many of the books and has many years of experience as a printer, book designer, and artist in both the United States and Mexico.
The lecture will take place in the Current Periodicals Room at Baker Library on Wednesday, October 18th from 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. with a reception to follow.
On October 20th, from 2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m., Clemente will be printing at the Book Arts Workshop (in Baker Library, right around the corner from the Orozco murals).
Dartmouth College is located in Hanover, NH.
*** On October 20, 2017, the Kate Cheney Chappell 83 Center for Book Arts will host Fresh Cuttings, a lecture with Béatrice Coron. The artist will discuss her exploration of storytelling in artist books, installations, and public art.
Coron’s cut designs are made of paper, glass or metal and range in size from small to monumental. Her work is held in collections such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the National Museum of Women in the Arts, and the Library of Congress.
The Kate Cheney Chappell 83 Center for Book Arts is located in Portland, Maine. The lecture will be held from 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. in the University Events Room on the 7th floor of the Glickman Family Library.
For more information, please contact Rebecca Goodale at (207) 228-8014 or goodale@maine.edu.
*** From November 3 – December 22, the North Bennet Street School will host Heroic Works, the third International Bookbinding Exhibition from Designer Bookbinders in the United Kingdom. The exhibit includes 28 prizewinning bindings and 9 works by binders from the United States.
184 binders from 31 countries participated in the competition by binding a book of their own choosing on the theme of myths, heroes, and legends. These works reflect a remarkable range of styles, materials, and approaches to great classics of world literature, as well as modern texts.
The exhibit is free and open to the public on weekdays from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. The North Bennet Street School is located in Boston, MA.
Book Arts Classes
*** On Saturday, October 21st, the Kate Cheney Chappell 83 Center for Book Arts is hosting a workshop with Béatrice Coron, Cutting Edges. The workshop will be held in the Multi-Purpose Room in the Wishcamper Center at the University of Southern Maine in Portland.
During this intensive class of serious fun, participants will discover the incredible variety of applications of this art form from fine arts to public art commissions. Through different exercises students will learn how to adapt reference images into papercuts and produce works as different as black and white scenes, color collage, pop-ups, wearables, and stencils.
Cutting different papers and experimenting with scale, we will keep an open mind to adapt them to other materials and explore new territories. Tips, tricks and resources will be provided. No experience necessary.
For more information, please contact Rebecca Goodale at (207) 228-8014 or goodale@maine.edu.
*** The Eliot School is offering Bookbinding Sketchbooks with Johanna Finnegan-Topitzer on Sunday, October 29th from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Make a custom blank book for sketching, writing or collecting images or photographs. Cut, fold and bind pages using the “sewn on tape” binding method. This yields a board-bound book in which the spine is uncovered, revealing the folded edge of the folios connected by decorative stitching over French tape.
For more information about the class, please visit the Eliot School’s website or click here to download the complete catalog.
*** On November 18 & 19, the North Bennet Street School is offering Italian Tacketed Stationery Bindings with Katherine Beaty.
During this workshop, you will explore the structure of early Italian tacketed stationery bindings based on the Medici family account book collection at Harvard Business School’s Baker Library. From the 14th through the 19th centuries, tacketed stationery books were used for day, letter, and account books. These books were designed for daily use and had to live up to the task.
In this 2-day workshop, you will construct the most common style of tacketed stationery binding: a limp vellum binding with laced overbands and a fore-edge flap. The textblock will be sewn over split thongs, which will lace through the front cover and be secured under the overbands. The cover will be reinforced with stiff leather overbands, secured to the cover with decorative alum tawed lacings. During this workshop, you will discuss terminology, binding variations, and examine images from the Medici collection.
Participants should have previous bookbinding experience, and be comfortable using paper, parchment, and leather.
For more information or to register, please visit the NBSS website.
by Elissa | Sep 9, 2017 | B.A.G. Meetings, bookbinding, Exhibitions, Lecture, MailB.A.G., Member News, Vermont, Workshops
Next Meeting: Wednesday, September 13, 2017, 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: Why I Make Books – Artist Talk with Carolyn Shattuck
Resilience
Please join us for the opportunity to meet celebrated book artist Carolyn Shattuck, who will speak about how she has progressed over 20 years of bookmaking. Carolyn will share her process with us and show many of her amazing books, from origami books and flexagons to pop-ups and a Women’s Project.
Born in Montreal, Canada, Carolyn originally trained as a nurse and worked in psychiatry. She began her art career when she moved to the United States in 1971. After a short stay in the U.S., Carolyn’s husband was drafted into the Vietnam War, and she and her husband moved to Okinawa, Japan, where they lived for three years. During those years, Carolyn became influenced by the history and beauty of Japanese prints. After returning to the United States, Carolyn earned an M.F.A. in painting at Bard College.
In the late 1990s, Carolyn organized an exhibition with three artists called, A Country of Souls: Reflections on Early New England Gravesites. The purpose of the traveling show was to develop an awareness of the mystery of death and dying issues. The intriguing folk art of the Puritans that Carolyn discovered while visiting New England cemeteries has generated a lifelong vocabulary that is threaded throughout her work in book arts. Many University Collections, as well as The Smithsonian Museum, have collected her books.
Carolyn currently lives in Vermont, where she teaches and makes books that relate to social and environmental issues.
August Meeting Reflections
Our Coptic Book Extravaganza brought out a lot of friends and members to share in Amy Burns‘ riff on coptic sewing. Luckily there was no beer served with the beer coasters she provided as covers – it was hard enough keeping us under control without the addition of alcohol! Amy was patient with us all anyway, and calmly and cheerfully led us through the sewing procedure. Success was had by all!
As part of the Extravaganza, Jill Abilock gave us an overview of her work with coptic bindings, and showed us how versatile and creative they can be.
Thanks, Amy and Jill for your preparation and presentation, and thanks to all who participated in the evening.
You can view images from the meeting on the B.A.G. blog.
B.A.G. News
Book Arts Guild of Vermont 2018 Show news!
We will have 2 shows in 2018! The first will be at Studio Place Arts in Barre from May 22 – June 30, where we will be exhibiting in the second floor gallery. The exhibit will be in conjunction with the exhibit in the main gallery, Talk to Me / Tell Me / Word.
Spoken, written, and signed language is distinctively human. There are currently 6909 living languages, though half are in danger of extinction and are expected to disappear in this century.
What do the connected sounds and symbols of words suggest for the visual arts? We’re thinking of diverse languages and letterforms (real or invented), new communication technologies, censorship, graffiti, collage, and urgent written/spoken messages. We will be creating a Tower of Babel in the center of the gallery, and welcome proposals for this structure in whole or part.
The second show will take place in June at Frog Hollow Vermont Craft Gallery on Church Street. This will be a great opportunity to get exposure for our group in the heart of Burlington.
*** Congratulations to Nina Gaby, 1st prize winner, and Marcia Vogler, 2nd prize winner in this year’s juried exhibit UNBOUND: VOL VII at the ArtisTree Gallery in South Pomfret, VT. The winning entries were chosen from over 300 submissions.
You can read about the exhibit in this review in Seven Days.
*** If you missed the visit to the Book Arts Workshop at Dartmouth College a few months ago, here’s your second chance. Debra Kraemer has kindly set up another visit for the BAG members for November 18, 2017. More details to come, but put the date in your calendar.
We will be visiting the Book Arts Workshop, the Preservation Studio, and the Special Collections department in the library.
*** B.A.G. member Elissa Campbell has two classes coming up at Studio Place Arts in Barre, VT:
The Paste Paper Photo Album
Saturdays 9/23/17 & 9/30/17
12:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
In this workshop, you will learn how to create an elegant hard-cover photo album using bookcloth and paste paper that you’ll make yourself! This is a wonderful keepsake that can hold 4″ x 6″ photos from your recent vacation or family holiday gathering. Different methods will be demonstrated to guide you as you create your own paste papers with vibrant colors. We’ll use methyl cellulose in a paste recipe that’s easy to recreate on your own.
Peek-a-Boo Journal
Saturday 10/28/17
12:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
In this workshop, participants will create a journal with a double-needle coptic binding, an intricate stitch that will be visible on the spine of the book. Not only is the coptic binding beautiful, but it also allows books to remain flat when opened. The book covers will include a cut-out window, which offers many opportunities for personalization – photos, pressed flowers, theater tickets – if it’s flat, you can use it.
To register, contact SPA via phone at (802) 479-7069 or email.
Book Arts News
*** On Sunday, September 10th, the Shelburne Museum will be screening Pressing On: A Letterpress Film.
The modern world was born on a printing press. Once essential to communication, the 500-year-old process is now in danger of being lost as its caretakers age. From self-proclaimed basement hoarders to the famed Hatch Show Print, Pressing On: The Letterpress Film explores the question: why has letterpress survived in a digital age?
The screening will take place from 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. in the Pizzagalli Center for Art and Education Auditorium and will be followed by a printing demonstration.
The Shelburne Museum is located in Shelburne, VT.
*** Susan Kapuscinski Gaylord is holding an Open Studio event on September 16th from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Susan is the author of Handmade Books For A Healthy Planet and Multicultural Books to Make and Share.
Featured work will include Susan’s Spirit Books and her series Words for Our Time. Her studio is located at 311 High Street in Newburyport, MA.
For more information, please visit Susan’s website.
*** Clemente Orozco, director of Impronta Casa Editora, an independent book publisher and cultural venue in Guadalajara, Mexico, specializing in hand-printed books, will be giving a public lecture at Dartmouth College called Arts of the Book and Book Artists in Mexico: A Panoramic View.
Orozco, a Dartmouth graduate of the class of 1985, has had a long career as an artist. In addition to overseeing design and production at Impronta, Clemente illustrates many of the books and has many years of experience as a printer, book designer, and artist in both the United States and Mexico.
The lecture will take place in the Current Periodicals Room at Baker Library on Wednesday, October 18th from 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. with a reception to follow.
On October 20th, from 2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m., Clemente will be printing at the Book Arts Workshop (in Baker Library, right around the corner from the Orozco murals).
Dartmouth College is located in Hanover, NH.
*** On October 20, 2017, the Kate Cheney Chappell 83 Center for Book Arts will host Fresh Cuttings, a lecture with Béatrice Coron. The artist will discuss her exploration of storytelling in artist books, installations, and public art.
Coron’s cut designs are made of paper, glass or metal and range in size from small to monumental. Her work is held in collections such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the National Museum of Women in the Arts, and the Library of Congress.
The Kate Cheney Chappell 83 Center for Book Arts is located in Portland, Maine. The lecture will be held from 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. in the University Events Room on the 7th floor of the Glickman Family Library.
For more information, please contact Rebecca Goodale at (207) 228-8014 or goodale@maine.edu.
Book Arts Classes
*** On September 16 & 17, the North Bennet Street School is offering Italian Paper Bindings with Bill Hanscom.
Explore the history and use of inexpensive paper-covered book structures beginning at the advent of the printed book in Europe and continuing through the industrial revolution of the nineteenth century. Participants will create four models of bindings commonly used in the Italian region including a plain wrapper, laminated case wrapper, basic long-stitch, and paper case.
Models will incorporate decorated and handmade papers, as well as historically-employed sewing techniques and end-sheet constructions. Structural variations and decoration will be examined through images and historical examples from the instructor’s collection.
For more information or to register, please visit the NBSS website.
*** The North Bennet Street School is also offering Edge Decoration with Erin Fletcher from September 30 – October 1, 2017.
Explore a variety of ways to decorate the edges of a text block. Decorating an edge is more than just applying pigment, students learn how to properly trim and sand edges in addition to preparing pigments such as acrylic, gouache and powdered graphite. We will also explore striped edges, simple gilding and gauffering (tooled impressions).
For more information or to register, please visit the NBSS website.
*** From October 1 -7, 2017, Snow Farm in Williamsburg, MA is offering Fiber Techniques for Book Artists with Natalie Stopka.
Add fiber arts techniques to bookmaking and bring a world of color, pattern, and texture to your work! Learn to prepare and fix natural dyes to fabric and paper for accessible, sustainable color. Use these fibers to create a bound book exploring the synergy of fiber arts, book arts, embroidery, and needle weaving. Bring materials to test in the dye pot or incorporate into your binding. All levels welcome.
For more information or to register, please visit Snow Farm’s website.
*** On Saturday, October 21st, the Kate Cheney Chappell 83 Center for Book Arts is hosting a workshop with Béatrice Coron, Cutting Edges. The workshop will be held in the Multi-Purpose Room in the Wishcamper Center at the University of Southern Maine in Portland.
During this intensive class of serious fun, participants will discover the incredible variety of applications of this art form from fine arts to public art commissions. Through different exercises students will learn how to adapt reference images into papercuts and produce works as different as black and white scenes, color collage, pop-ups, wearables, and stencils.
Cutting different papers and experimenting with scale, we will keep an open mind to adapt them to other materials and explore new territories. Tips, tricks and resources will be provided. No experience necessary.
For more information, please contact Rebecca Goodale at (207) 228-8014 or goodale@maine.edu.
