by Elissa | Jun 5, 2021 | B.A.G. Meetings, bookbinding, Exhibitions, Lecture, MailB.A.G., Vermont, Workshops
Next Meeting: Wednesday, June 9, 2021, 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
This month’s meeting will once again be held via Zoom, an online conference program. If you’ve never attended a Zoom meeting before, check out this video – it will go over the basics of how to join a meeting.
Stay safe!
The B.A.G. Board
Program: DIY Publishing & Zines as Art with Emma Percy
Zines have a recent but rich history as an underground mode of disseminating information, art, and new ideas, often from marginalized makers in working-class creative communities.
These works run the gamut from quick, sketchy single-sheet mini-booklets to beautifully detailed handmade artist’s books, and anyone can make them.
Emma Percy has been immersed in zine culture for many years, and will present an overview of small-scale DIY publishing, share a variety of diverse examples from their personal collection, and offer suggestions and strategies for making your own zines and getting them out into the world.
If you plan to attend the meeting, please contact Elissa so she can send you the Zoom meeting details.
May Meeting Reflections
Another well attended Zoom meeting! I don’t know about you, but I was intrigued by the description of the program in the newsletter, sometimes a piece of writing needs a book and sometimes a book needs some content. I struggle with both, trying to find meaning and express it in my artwork.
In her presentation, B.A.G. member Deborah Stuart gave us new ideas and possibilities to help generate our own writing. I didn’t take many notes, because I was so caught up in the exercises, writing lists and figuring out how to put the words together.
And wondering why no one wanted to read their writing. So here goes, this is the story of my life in one minute: I was a happy child, an unhappy teenager, a lost young person, and finally an anxious adult with a wonderful lucky life. I never thought about it that way before, and that is the whole point of stepping outside yourself and finding new approaches.
Thanks to Deborah for leading us through the exercises that will give us some muscle, and thanks to everyone who attended.
You can download a copy of Deborah’s writing prompts here.
B.A.G. Library Corner
In the introductory pages of the great Keith Smith’s Non-Adhesive Binding, Vol. 1, we are given much to ponder about how the form, structure, and concept of a book all inform each other. He takes us on a reflective journey through the world of bookmaking by exploring the possibilities provided by different numbers of folds and pages while simultaneously revisiting basic book terminology.
Through his beautiful use of language, Smith reminds us that “…text can be so written that the words create the pages. The pages, as well as the writing relate back and forth, tying together all the elements into a unified flow. One would ask no less cooperation from all the elements of an orchestra (pg. 15).”
If you have ideas for books to feature or if you have a library book in your possession you’d like to share something from, email Sally at salblanch@gmail.com.
You can check out and download the chapter here.
You can also purchase a copy of the book here.
B.A.G. News
*** We are pleased to announce that the Book Arts Guild of Vermont will be having an exhibit at the Northeast Kingdom Artisans Guild in St. Johnsbury from August 6th – September 18th! The exhibit title is The Art of the Book: Is This a Book?
This is a great time of year for this exhibit as a lot of tourists are in the area at that time and it’s good to spread our book arts further afield to new parts of the state! Work to be displayed on surfaces as well as on walls will be greatly appreciated.
Entries are open to all members and can include up to 2 works. The exhibit entry form will be available in the next newsletter. Although we have been highlighting text in our recent meetings, exhibit entries do not need to include text.
Important dates:
- Entries Due Date: July 17, 2021
- Exhibit Opening Date: August 6, 2021
- Opening Reception: August 14, 2021
- Exhibit End Date: September 18, 2021
- Pickup Work Date: TBD
We can’t wait to see your submissions!
*
** For the July meeting, we’ll wrap up our concentration on making and using text in our work. We’ll review the methods, tools, and techniques we acquired from our last meetings, and then take a look at what our members have done with them.
We invite you to share the work you’ve created with your new skills! Please let us know by email if you would like to participate in the evening so we can arrange a line up. Sharing and positive feedback is always welcome.
Book Arts News
*** The New England Chapter of The Guild of Book Workers currently has an exhibit at the Boston Athenæum through August 7th. 40 Years: Celebrating the New England Chapter of the Guild of Book Workers showcases a broad spectrum of tradition and innovation, spanning expertly crafted fine and design bindings, as well as beautifully sculpted artists’ books and boxes.
With rich holdings in the contemporary and historic book arts, and with overlaps in our collections, membership, and staff, the Boston Athenæum is pleased to support the NEGBW by serving as the opening venue for the exhibition.
If you are unable to visit Boston, you can view the work online.
For more information, visit the Boston Athenæum website.
*** Registration is now open for the free virtual 2021 Focus On Book Arts conference, Where We Live, taking place July 15 – 17. There are three events and registration is required:
- Artists from around the world have created books that fit the theme of Where We Live. On July 15th from 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. (PDT), there will be a welcome reception and a panel discussion with the 4 winners of the juried exhibit. The exhibit will be available for viewing 7/15 – 8/31. Register for the panel discussion here.
- On July 16th from 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. (PDT), featured speaker Tia Blassingame will present Book Arts Futures: Musings on the Future of the Field. A book artist and printmaker exploring the intersection of race, history, and perception, Blassingame often incorporates archival research and her own poetry in her artist’s book projects for nuanced discussions of racism in the United States. Register for the featured speaker here.
- Artists have created books that fit the theme Where We Live: Where Our Hearts Reside and submitted those works to the Challenge Book exhibit. On July 17th from 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. (PDT), FOBA will host a Challenge Book Roundtable for a review and discussion of many of the books. It is a chance for the creators of these books to talk about their process, inspiration, and answer questions about them. The Challenge Book exhibit will be available for viewing 7/15 – 8/31. Register for the roundtable here.
For more information about the conference, visit the FOBA website.
*** Artists Book House is hosting an online series of conversations with book artists, illustrators, cartoonists, writers, poets, librarians and book collectors. Recent guests include Emily Martin, Helen Hiebert, and Don Widmer. They’ve also got free online video tutorials that include longstitch variations, interactive mail art, and making a mold and deckle.
For more information, visit the Artists Book House website.
*** Love zines? Check out the Sherwood Forest Zine Library! They’ve got hundreds of free downloadable zines and links to online zines.
Their goal is to host and provide access to information, stories, and voices that are often buried in the mainstream media. Their collection ranges from art, poetry, and fiction to political theory, social issues, and historical discussion, and everything in between!
For more information, visit the Sherwood Forest Zine Library website.
Stay-at-Home Fun
*** The Center for Book Arts is offering Artist Books: From Idea to Execution with Elizabeth Castaldo on June 14, 21, 28, and July 5.
In this four-session workshop series, students will be introduced to the artist’s book creation process. Starting from idea and working toward execution, students will develop strategies for brainstorming and working with sequential and image-based content, bridging the gap between concept, material, process, form, and finished work of art.
Students will learn to make three book structures, accordion, pamphlet, and drum leaf binding, and then create their own one-of-a-kind artist’s book. This class is ideal for artists who want an introduction into the world of artist’s books or for those curious about artistic expression with the book form.
For more information or to register, please visit the CBA website.
*** The Jaffe Center for Book Arts is offering the Woven Accordion Window Book with Keri Miki-Lani Schroeder on June 24.
Elevate your accordions through dynamic depth and movement with the Woven Accordion Window book. This deceptively simple structure expands to create a dramatic three-dimensional effect with layered cut-out windows. This workshop includes a materials kit to create a model of the structure and is suitable for all levels (even beginners).
You will learn tips and tricks for folding “the best” accordion, how to cut out windows, basic book sewing, creating a removable cover, plus instruction on how to alter or scale the design for your future projects.
For more information or to register, please email John Cutrone at jcutrone@fau.edu.
*** BookArtsLA is offering The Jacob’s Ladder with Karen Hanmer on June 26th.
This artists’ book structure functions on numerous levels: as a codex held in the hand and read page by page in sequence, as a sculpture, and as a delightful object to play with. It can be made in a home studio with minimal specialized equipment. Instruction will focus on both craft and content. Students will have the opportunity to examine a variety of finished pieces and models. Importance of creating and refining prototypes will be stressed. Your finished book, plus detailed instructions, will be a valuable reference for future work.
Some binding experience helpful.
For more information or to register, visit the BookArtsLA website.
*** The San Francisco Center for the Book is offering the ABCs of Lark’s Head Binding with Dorothy Yuki on July 7th.
A Lark’s Head knot (also known as a Cow Hitch) is often used in jewelry making and many other applications. It can also be used to bind single sheets together! The exposed spine also allows for plenty of opportunity to play with adding decorative elements such as colored threads and beads.
In this workshop, students will learn to bind different kinds and different weights of papers using the Lark’s Head knot. Students will receive an instructional handout for later reference.
The workshop fee includes a kit containing prepared pages, tyvek strips, threads, grid paper, clips and assorted findings.
For more information or to register, visit the SFCB website.
by Elissa | May 5, 2021 | B.A.G. Meetings, bookbinding, Exhibitions, Lecture, MailB.A.G., Vermont, Workshops
Next Meeting: Wednesday, May 12, 2021, 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
This month’s meeting will once again be held via Zoom, an online conference program. If you’ve never attended a Zoom meeting before, check out this video – it will go over the basics of how to join a meeting.
Stay safe!
The B.A.G. Board
Text Me!
Text is an important consideration when creating a piece, just as imagery, structure, and materials are. Our members often tell us that they struggle with incorporating text in their work.
We’ve heard you!
Our 2021 series of themed meetings – Text Me! – will focus on how to approach text in the book arts.
We’ll look at how to choose text, methods for adding text to the page, and determining where to put it. This month, B.A.G. member Deborah Stuart will lead exercises prompting us to both generate text and create simple book structures
We hope you’ll join us as we journey into the world of text!
Program: Text Me, Part 4 – Putting Our Writing into Our Books with Deborah Stuart
Sometimes a piece of writing needs a book and sometimes a book needs some content. Putting those two thing together can present challenges!
For some of us writing is the easy part – finding the right books to put them in is harder. For some of us bookmaking is the natural skill – finding or creating the words and ideas which will fill the pages is the challenge. Even for those who comfortably do both, having new approaches and ideas can open up different possibilities.
We’ll do some quick writing exercises to give us short written material to use, and then we’ll do several simple folded book structures in which to capture what we’ve written. There will be examples of steps to take to make the text-to-page process easier and less daunting. We’ll take a bit of time to share ideas back and forth about what works well for us so we can learn from one another.
Materials list:
- Paper on which to write (lined or unlined)
- Favorite writing pen or pencil
- Colored marker or crayon
- Ruler
- Scissors
- Glue stick or tape
- 6-8 pages text paper (white or solid color)
- Favorite line of poetry and/or a favorite quote (preferably printed out, but handwritten would also work)
If you plan to attend the meeting, please contact Elissa so she can send you the Zoom meeting details.
April Meeting Reflections
As I went back through the notes I took from the meeting with Erin Sweeney, I was surprised to see how much we learned, not only in technique but also in materials and tools! It was enlightening!
I am pochoiring all the time now, and can’t wait to make some gelli prints using Yupo as my stencils. It was an evening that set off some sparks for me in terms of ideas and fun stuff. I hope it was the same for you.
Thanks, Erin Sweeney, for your enthusiasm and your gift for sharing that with us. Thanks to the B.A.G. board for sending out the ‘text kits’ so we could all follow along, and thanks to everyone who attended.
You can download a copy of Erin’s resource list here.
B.A.G. Library Corner
Calligraphy artists Jane Ewing, Marijo Carney, Kimberly Dixon, Tina Lee-Cronkhite, Christine Orsolini, and Karen Vosburg showed the “power of words” in their two-year art collaboration for ArtPrize, the world’s largest juried art exhibition.
Their painstaking process is detailed in Bound and Lettered (vol. 10, no. 3) from the preparation of the vellum, through the selection and application of text, to the final exhibition of the piece.
If you have ideas for books to feature or if you have a library book in your possession you’d like to share something from, email Sally at salblanch@gmail.com.
You can check out and download the article here.
You can also purchase a copy of the issue here.
B.A.G. News
*** We are pleased to announce that B.A.G. will be having an exhibit at the Northeast Kingdom Artisans Guild in St. Johnsbury from August 6th to September 18th! This is a great time of year for this exhibit as a lot of tourists are in the area at that time and it’s good to spread our book arts further afield to new parts of the state!
More information will be forthcoming, so please begin thinking of work you would like to exhibit. Work to be displayed on surfaces as well as on walls will be greatly appreciated.
Book Arts News
*** On May 22, the American Bookbinders Museum is presenting a lecture with Samuel Feinstein, Going for the Gold.
Feinstein is a bookbinder and finisher working in Chicago. While the basic tenets of gold finishing have not changed much over the years, approach in terms of design, precision of placement of individual tools, and utilization of different gilding sizes has. In his work Sam aspires to work seamlessly in all styles, historical and modern, to bring to the surface some of the essence of what is inside the covers.
In his presentation, Feinstein will talk about how his traumatic brain injury left him unable to do other work, but introduced him to the world of hand bookbinding, the aspects of bookbinding history that truly inspired him to want to follow this path, and the one binding that set him on his course to want to do fine leather bookbinding and specialize in gold finishing.
In his slides he will demonstrate one of the many approaches to gold finishing that he employs in his work and teaching, as well as the philosophy behind his tooling method.
He will then take a tour through a few of his favorite and most engaging bindings that he has had the opportunity to work on and talk about what went into each one, not all of which have gold as the center of attention.
For more information, visit the American Bookbinders Museum website.
*** The virtual 2021 Focus on Book Arts conference has announced their featured speaker. Tia Blassingame will present Book Arts Futures: Musings on the Future of the Field on Friday, July 16.
A book artist and printmaker exploring the intersection of race, history, and perception, Blassingame often incorporates archival research and her own poetry in her artist’s book projects for nuanced discussions of racism in the United States.
In 2019, Blassingame founded the Book/Print Artist/Scholar of Color collective to bring Book History and Print Culture scholars into conversation and collaboration with Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) book artists, papermakers, curators, letterpress printers, printmakers for building community and support systems.
Blassingame is an Assistant Professor of Book Arts at Scripps College and serves as the Director of Scripps College Press.
Virtual conference registration is free, but space is limited. For more information, visit the FOBA website.
*** The upcoming 2021 Ladies of Letterpress Conference will be held online September 24 – 26 and everyone is welcome.
They’re currently developing new workshops, talks, and demos covering a wide range of letterpress topics. They’ll continue a few themes that have percolated from last year’s conference but they’d really love to hear from you. What are you curious about? Send them an email or message on Instagram.
Workshops, talks, and demos from around the letterpress world will be announced in the coming weeks. For the latest information, visit the Ladies of Letterpress website.
*** Each year the Kalamazoo Book Arts Center (KBAC) sponsors a non-juried exhibition The Illustrated Accordion, showing in the KBAC Gallery in late spring. Open to all emerging and established artists, this exhibition focuses on books created in the accordion form.
The books in their 13th anniversary exhibit can be viewed online, now through June 18.
For more information, visit the KBAC website.
Stay-at-Home Fun
*** The Jaffe Center for Book Arts is offering Small Paper, Long Accordions with Stephanie Wolff on May 13.
Accordion books are great structures for exhibitions, as content can be revealed all at once without having a viewer handle the work. But large paper can be a challenge to find or to print on. This workshop covers the basic accordion form, methods of using small paper to create long accordions (and the benefits of doing so), along with a handful of ways to join strips of any length together.
We’ll discuss some of the challenges when working with the accordion form, and some work-arounds and opportunities these limitations present. Participants will complete a set of models to serve as inspiration and reference for future projects.
For more information or to register, please email John Cutrone at jcutrone@fau.edu.
*** The Center for Book Arts is offering The Drum Leaf Binding and Its Precedents with Scott McCarney on May 17, 24 & 31.
In this three-session workshop, we will be making three books that are related in their ease and ingenuity of assembly: a Japanese Album, a Japanese Butterfly book, and a Drum-Leaf binding.
All three books join single folded folios in distinct ways, the Drum-Leaf being a hybrid combination of the Album and Butterfly. All three use a minimum of glue, limiting the amount of moisture introduced to the book block which speeds the binding process considerably. The Drum-Leaf book is cased into an easily assembled quarter-cloth cover with a throw-back spine. Since each page spread is a single folded folio, it allows images to be printed across the gutter with no interruption, making it very popular with printmakers and photographers. Once completed, the book lies flat when opened, making it very popular with viewers.
In session one, we will make a Japanese album and a Japanese butterfly book. We’ll also make covers for these books using the “drumming” technique. In session two, we will “drum” a stack of folded folios to create the book block for the Drum-Leaf binding. in session three, we will make the cover and case-in the Drum-Leaf book block.
For more information or to register, please visit the CBA website.
*** BookArtsLA is offering the Paper Case with Locking Spine with Karen Hanmer on May 19.
The Paper Case with Locking Spine is a good solution when a temporary binding is needed now for a book that will be rebound using a more robust method when time permits. Double folio endsheets are reinforced at the fold, sewn on, and later slit at the head and tail about an inch down through the reinforced fold. The head and tail turn-ins of the case are folded into the slits, locking the text block into the case without adhesive.
The text block can be removed from the case quickly and easily by snipping the threads in the center of each signature. This case is also notable for its interesting fold pattern resulting in envelope-like flaps on the inside at front and rear.
For more information or to register, visit the BookArtsLA website.
*** The San Francisco Center for the Book is offering The Magic of Sewing Cards with Rosae Reeder on May 20 & 27.
The sewing card is a wonderful aid in learning how to master a simple to difficult sewing. Practicing the mechanics of any sewing on a piece of two-dimensional card is tantamount to working on an actual book.
Learn how to prepare and make sewing cards for a few different types of book structures in the first session. Take what you have learned and apply it to making the actual book in the second session. Students will choose which book to make once we have completed several types of sewing cards.
For more information or to register, visit the SFCB website.
*** The Minnesota Center for Book Arts is offering Box Building for Beginners with Erin Maurelli on June 1, 8, 15, & 22.
This workshop is perfect for anyone new to book arts who would like to learn something a little different. Building boxes, with high-density board often called “book board,” is a time-honored tradition within book arts. Hand-built boxes serve many functions, from holding tools to preserving fragile books. Participants will learn the basics of box building while creating two unique boxes with lids.
For more information or to register, visit the MCBA website.
by Elissa | Apr 7, 2016 | B.A.G. Meetings, bookbinding, Exhibitions, Lecture, MailB.A.G., Member News, Vermont, Workshops
Next Meeting: Wednesday, April 13, 2016, 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: Studio Support and Workshop Time
Studio Support and Workshop Time is two hours that you give yourself, in the company of fellow book- and paper-arts lovers, to learn, share and create in a supportive and encouraging environment.
The meeting will begin with some group time, both for sharing – something you’ve made, a great resource or tool you’ve found, a source of inspiration – and for asking questions or puzzling out challenges you may be having with a project or particular technique.
The remainder of the time will be devoted to creative work. Bring along a project or model from a previous meeting that you’d like to continue working on or develop further, or bring a piece of your own to simply continue working on in the company of others.
Not sure of what to bring? No worries! Every Studio Support and Workshop Time session will have suggestions, resources or materials for a project. This session will offer the opportunity to continue exploring (or discover the pleasure of making) the small lidded boxes presented by Elizabeth Rideout in March. There will be bookboard and templates available for crafting the boxes.
If you’d like to try your hand at one (or make a companion to the one you made in March), you’ll need to bring:
- A tool such as an X-Acto or scalpel capable of cutting bookboard
- Cutting mat
- Metal ruler
- Small, sharp scissors
- Glue
- Pencil and eraser
- Bone folder
- Decorative paper or book cloth for covering the box (one sheet approximately 12 x 24-inches, or two sheets of 12 x 12-inch scrap book paper)
You can also continue exploring the fun and fascinating possibilities of: Folded Page Book Sculptures (as presented by Marilyn Gillis in January), of Exquisite Corpse Books (as presented by Rebecca Boardman in May), Miniature Books (as presented by Jill Abilock in July) or rev up your creative juices and delight your friends by making collaged postcards (presented by Marcia Vogler in March).
Suggested tools and materials for these projects include:
- Drawing paper
- Pens
- Pencils
- Colored pencils
- Markers, Sharpies, Gel pens, etc.
- Glue sticks
- X-Acto knife
- Scissors
- Cutting mat
- Bone folder
- Ruler
- Magazine, calendar, catalog and other collage materials you like to work with
- Paints, inks, and rubber stamps and anything else you enjoy using for decoration or embellishment
March Meeting Reflections
The Box Making program with Elizabeth Rideout brought out a crowd eager to learn some tips from a professional. Elizabeth gave us an overview of the many sides of boxes (oh really I just couldn’t resist), their construction, uses, and opportunities for interpretation. Along with all that information, she provided us with materials and instructions to make our own mini box with lid.
We left with a sweet little reminder of the program, ready to be filled with a small treat. Thanks to all who attended, and special thanks to Elizabeth for visiting and sharing.
You can view images from the meeting on the B.A.G. blog.
B.A.G. News
*** The GENESIS TREE NY16 installation opened at the Nohra Haime Gallery in New York City on March 22nd. The 10′ x 14′ tree is made up of 4,000 hand-folded origami cranes, cubes and boxes.
The project, organized by Valerie Hird, was a crowd-sourced international outreach project representing diverse age groups and individuals from middle school students to retired seniors (and B.A.G. members!).
The exhibit is open now through May 9th. You can watch a video of the installation assembly on YouTube.
*** Lyna Lou Nordstrom is having a solo show at Brickworks Art Studios entitled Transitions and Variations. Pieces in the show include recent work in monotype, solarplate etching, and Jell-O print. An artist reception will be held on April 8th from 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Several demonstrations will be held in conjunction with the exhibit:
- April 9: Jell-O Printing
- April 16: Monotype on the Etching Press
- April 23: Solarplate Printing on the Press
The show is open throughout the month of April. Brickworks Art Studios is located at 266 South Champlain Street in Burlington, VT (enter from the parking lot behind New England Floor Coverings/Vermont Art Supply at 277 Pine Street).
Book Arts News
*** The annual Book Arts Bazaar will be held on Sunday, April 10th from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. at the Wishcamper Center on the University of Southern Maine‘s Portland Campus. This festival with book artists, papermakers, bookbinders, printmakers, educators, and writers is dedicated to all things related to the book.
The free event is sponsored by USM’s Kate Cheney Chappell ’83 Center for Book Arts.
*** The Portland Public Library is hosting the exhibit Bound Together III: USM Book Arts from April 7 – 30, 2016. The show features the work of students from the University of Southern Maine‘s course, The Visual Book 2: Historical Influences in Contemporary Artist’s Books and members of the Kate Cheney Chappell ’83 Center for Book Arts Critique Group.
The pieces in the exhibit emphasize the relationship between content and form. Book formats and binding techniques include accordions, flag books, fans, pop-ups, altered books, tunnel books, and scrolls. Works include linoleum and gelatin prints, monotypes, digital prints, watercolor and acrylic painting, collage, and calligraphy.
For more information, please visit the Portland Public Library’s website.
*** The Fuller Craft Museum in Brockton, MA is hosting the exhibit Paper and Blade: Modern Paper Cutting, now through July 31, 2016. The exhibit celebrates the pioneering spirit of artists working in cut paper.
Exhibiting artists were selected for their passion for this humble material, their masterful techniques, and their innovative approaches to working in this media, and together they will present a collective vision of the future of paper craft. Participants includes Beatrice Coron, Maude White, Randal Thurston, Nikki McClure, Elizabeth Alexander, Bovey Lee, and Charles Clary.
For more information, please visit the Fuller Craft Museum’s website.
*** Dartmouth College‘s Third Annual Edible Book Festival will take place on Monday, April 11, 2016 at Berry Library in Hanover, NH. The event was inspired by the International Edible Book Festival, which is held annually around April 1st, throughout the world.
Display and judging/voting starts at 2:00 p.m. and the winners will be announced at 5:00 p.m., followed by the eating of the entries. A panel of judges will determine the winning entries in each of three categories:
- Most Likely to Be Eaten
- Funniest/Punniest
- Most Creative
Visitors will vote for the winner in the People’s Choice category. For more information, please visit Dartmouth’s website.
*** Now through April 17th, Lesley University is presenting Reading with the Senses, an exhibition of 54 international contemporary artists’ books. The show is guest-curated by Ruth R. Rogers, Curator of Special Collections at Wellesley College.
In this exhibition, Rogers interrogates the books shown, to understand their effect upon the reader. Themes of time, space, movement, material presence, memory, language, and music are explored, and their persistence long after the viewing is over. Whether consciously or not, we are asked to read and comprehend not by text alone, but with our senses.
In conjunction with the exhibit, there will be a panel discussion on April 14th entitled What Do Books Awaken In Us? Participants in the panel include guest curator Ruth Rogers, book artist Robin Price, and SMFA librarian and artist book curator Darin Murphy. The focus will be inspired by the exhibit’s focus on how artists evoke a sensory response in their books, and how that is communicated to the reader.
Both events are being held at Lesley University’s Lunder Arts Center at 1801 Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge, MA.
Book Arts Classes
*** On June 25- 26, 2016, the New England Chapter of the Guild of Book Workers is excited to present Making Simple Finishing Tools with Jeffrey Altepeter.
For traditional design nothing really beats a collection of decorative finishing tools. But making your own tools can offer more immediate control in the design process, the ability to modify as you work, and the ability to do more unique work. Making tools is also gratifying and fun.
This workshop will offer an introduction to the materials, tools and techniques of making your own brass finishing tools for bookbinding. A combination of demonstration, discussion and hands-on practice will prepare students for continued experimentation and more advanced future projects.
The workshop will be held at Third Year Studio in Boston, MA. For more information or to register, please visit the GBW website.
*** The Eliot School in Jamaica Plain, MA is offering Pop-Up Travel Journal with Susan Porter on April 17 from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Incorporate photos, tickets, labels and other ephemera from your travels to create a pop-up book. The book begins as a simple square but opens into a dramatic, multifaceted container that includes pockets, windows, pop-outs and other paper forms. A variety of media and techniques will be used including printmaking, collage, painting and drawing.
For more information about the class, please visit the Eliot School’s website or click here to download the complete catalog.
by Elissa | Mar 25, 2016 | B.A.G. Meetings, bookbinding
by Elissa | Mar 3, 2016 | B.A.G. Meetings, bookbinding, Exhibitions, MailB.A.G., Vermont, Workshops
Next Meeting: Wednesday, March 9, 2016, 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: Box Making with Elizabeth Rideout
Join the Book Arts Guild for an evening of box-making with Boston based bookbinder and former B.A.G. chair Elizabeth Rideout. Elizabeth will show samples and discuss a variety of common structures for custom enclosures and book boxes.
Elizabeth’s presentation wouldn’t be complete without a hands-on component; everyone will build a small box model to take home.
Please bring along your favorite hand tools, including:
- Ruler
- Glue brush
- X-Acto knife or scalpel and blades
- Cutting mat
- Pencil and eraser
- Small, sharp scissors
- Bone folder
February Meeting Reflections
The opening reception of the B.A.G. spring show, BookWorks, was well attended by family, friends, artists, and students. After a short introduction about the Book Arts Guild of Vermont and the show, we all had time to chat with old and new friends, and take a close look at the wonderful work displayed.
The artists’ talks were enlightening and inspiring, and brought whole new meaning to the works – the time and effort applied, the methods and materials used, and the interplay between the concept, the ‘story’, and the structure.
Thank you all for participating in the show, and thanks to the Living/Learning Center Gallery for hosting! On to next year’s show!
You can view images from the meeting on the B.A.G. blog.
B.A.G. News
*** Our Spring 2016 exhibit Book Works: Artists’ Books by the Book Arts Guild of Vermont is currently on display at the Living/Learning Center gallery at the University of Vermont until March 18, 2016.
The exhibit includes a wonderful variety of work, ranging from altered books to calligraphy, letterpressed editions to historical models.
B.A.G.’s Exhibits Chair Marcia Vogler did an amazing job of curating the show. Get yourself to the exhibit and check out the work of your fellow B.A.G. members – you won’t be disappointed!
The Living/Learning Center gallery is located on the UVM campus in Burlington, VT. Click here for directions.
If you can’t make it to the show, click here to view pieces included in the exhibit.
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On March 26th, the Book Arts Guild of Vermont proudly presents the Chinese Sewing Box Book, a one-day workshop with the awesome Erin Sweeney. Erin is a dynamic teacher and artist, and fills a room with excitement and inspiration. Sign up now, as space is limited!
The Chinese Sewing Box Book is a book structure created by the amazing Hedi Kyle – made entirely of folded boxes and enclosures based on paper wallets, and used to store sewing supplies – an origami lovers’ dream! Many things can be housed in this finished structure: surprises, stories, drawings, and prints. Students will leave with one finished book, a pattern to make another, and hopefully the start of a second book!
Erin Sweeney lives and works in southern New Hampshire, where she runs Lovely In The Home Press, and teaches Book Arts and Letterpress printing at the New Hampshire Institute of Art.
Here’s the scoop:
- Date: Saturday, March 26, 2016
- Time: 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
- Location: Ridgewood Clubhouse, South Burlington
- Cost: $75.00, including materials (payment is due in full with your registration to reserve a spot)
You can download the registration form here.
Book Arts News
*** In collaboration with Abecedarian Gallery, Saint Anselm College is presenting CONTEMPORARY BOOK ARTS: 100+ Works, an exhibit of artists’ books co-curated by Kimberly Kersey-Asbury and Alicia Bailey. The exhibit is on view at the Living Learning Commons Galleries at the college and runs now through March 16.
The exhibit includes 85 works on loan to Saint Anselm from Abecedarian Gallery, along with selections from Manchester book artist Erin Sweeney and students at Saint Anselm College. You can view the pieces included in the exhibit on the Abecedarian Gallery website.
For more information about the exhibit, please contact Kimberly Kersey-Asbury at kasbury@anselm.edu. The Living Learning Commons Galleries at Saint Anselm College are located in Manchester, NH.
*** The Movable Book Society and the Ticknor Society are hosting the Movable Book Conference at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel on September 15-17. The conference agenda is available for viewing online.
The conference includes speakers, hands-on activities, presentations, a silent auction, and a book sale. This year’s speakers include Shawn Sheehy, Matthew Reinhart, and Emily Martin. In addition, area institutions and libraries in and around Boston will be mounting pop-up “Pop-Up Book” exhibits of materials in their collections.
For more information or to register for the conference, please visit the Movable Book Society website.
*** ONE Arts Center invites the public to drop off printed single pages or small zines of creative writing to be part of a month-long art show that explores the relationship between verbal and nonverbal communication.
Bring work to the center at 72 North Champlain St. in Burlington, VT from 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. The deadline for submissions is March 31.
For more information, please call (802) 338-0028.
Book Arts Classes
*** B.A.G. member Elissa Campbell is teaching Join the Fold: Origami Books at Studio Place Arts in Barre, VT on March 17 from 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
In this workshop, you’ll be playing in the intersection between origami and bookmaking, creating folded books that require no adhesive. Many of the forms can be created from a single sheet of paper.
One of the pieces you’ll be making can be used as either a book cover or as a signature in a sewn book, and other pieces include hidden pockets. Structures include the Blizzard Book, Crown Binding, and the Turkish Map Fold.
To register, contact SPA via phone (802) 479-7069 or email.
*** Kelly McMahon of May Day Studio is teaching Introduction to Letterpress in Montpelier, VT on Saturday, March 26 from 10:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
The cool touch of decades-old metal type. A firm two-handed impression roll for a copy proof. A deft transfer from composing stick to imposing stone. A gentle tap of the planer. Two quick twists of the locking key and the chase with form is secure. The press is inked, the guides aligned, the chase slips into position, paper is correctly placed and your very first impression is ready to print.
Participants set type, lockup and print on a Chandler and Price Pilot and a Vandercook SP-15 – we’ll be printing limited edition notesets, as well as posters! Each participant will leave with 10 cards and envelopes, and 5 8-1/2″ x 11″ posters as lifetime keepsake of their first letterpress experience.
For more information or to register, please visit the May Day Studio website.
*** The Eliot School in Jamaica Plain, MA is offering Pop-Up Travel Journal with Susan Porter on April 17 from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Incorporate photos, tickets, labels and other ephemera from your travels to create a pop-up book. The book begins as a simple square but opens into a dramatic, multifaceted container that includes pockets, windows, pop-outs and other paper forms. A variety of media and techniques will be used including printmaking, collage, painting and drawing.
For more information about the class, please visit the Eliot School’s website or click here to download the complete catalog.
*** On April 9-10, the North Bennet Street School is offering Paper “Leather” Bindings with Fionnuala Gerrity.
Love the look of leather but hate the expense? Learn how to use paper as an alternative covering material to leather in this two-day class. This material is also great for conservation applications and for those who prefer to avoid animal products. Students make a blank book sewn on raised cords with a paper covering material molded around the spine and toned to simulate the look and feel of leather. No paring required!.
Students are responsible for supplying their own tools. A tool list will be sent at least 2 weeks prior to class start.
For more information or to register, please visit the NBSS website.
