by Elissa | Mar 12, 2013 | B.A.G. Meetings, bookbinding, Call to artists, Exhibitions, Lecture, MailB.A.G., Member News, Vermont, Workshops
Next Meeting: Wednesday, March 13, 2013, 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
DATE CHANGE: PLEASE NOTE THAT WE NOW MEET ON THE SECOND WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH.
There will be no change in location – 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: Mindfulness and Responsibility: Self-Ownership and Public Display of Poem Books with Donna Stepien
Join us in March when Donna Stepien shares the impact of incorporating a mindful presence in the classroom as a catalyst for the self-empowerment and creative ownership of students.
Donna will share poem books created by students in her junior- and senior- level college typography courses. Each book included a poem that had deep personal meaning for the student, on such topics as passion, war, reaction to an abortion, autobiographical description of miscarriage, and struggle with gender identity. As part of the assignment, students were required to read aloud the poem they chose and describe their response to it.
When Donna saw the content of the books included controversial and sensitive topics, she realized her role would be to facilitate self-awareness of students’ vulnerability, personal exposure, and accountability in their artwork, both to themselves and to the audience.
Students presented their – and responded to others’ – work with maturity, empathy, professionalism, respect and interest. Afterwards many expressed their thanks for the book project, saying that it helped them realize capabilities they didn’t know they had.
Reflections on February’s Meeting
At our February meeting, Dorsey Hogg shared a slice of her artistic life, and gave us a view of how moving to another country provided her with both inspiration and practical applications for her book projects.
As she discussed her work, she passed her pieces around, allowing members to handle and appreciate the pleasures of her multiple accordion, flag, and woven paper structures. Her use of recycled materials like movie posters and how she came across them gave us all new ideas on how to work with materials at hand.
At the end of the evening, we made our own multiple accordion structure under Dorsey’s tutelage, and took away both a model and inspiration.
Thank you, Dorsey, for providing us with an evening of insight and wonderment.
You can view images from the meeting on the B.A.G. blog.
B.A.G. News
*** Our 2013 meeting dates are:
- March 13, 2013
- April 10, 2013
- May 8, 2013
- June 12, 2013
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- September 11, 2013
- October 9, 2013
- November 13, 2013
- December 11, 2013
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*** B.A.G. is happy to announce that our 2013 spring exhibit, There’s No Place Like Home, will be hosted by Studio Place Arts in Barre, VT. The show will take place at the same time as an exhibit on children’s literature in the Main Floor Gallery.
The exhibit will be in SPA’s Third Floor Gallery from June 4 – July 6, 2013. The deadline for submissions is April 10, 2013. Registration forms will be available both at the meeting on 3/13/13 and on the website.
Members are encouraged to submit work for this exciting show. This is a great opportunity to get your work out there, whether you are a first time exhibitor or a seasoned artist. The theme is very accessible, and brings up many references that are unique to each person.
Beyond the reference to The Wizard of Oz, the idea of ‘home’ can suggest family, rooms, objects, memories, and dreams, just to mention a few. Start now with some brainstorming and word association techniques presented by Stephanie Wolff at the September meeting, and generate content for your book.
Book Arts News
*** On Saturday, March 16th, the New England Guild of Book Workers member Sam Ellenport will be hosting a viewing some of the most spectacular bindings ever created. Member and collector Philip Maddock has been intrigued by the creation and, ultimately, the destruction of the original Irish Parliamentary Bindings. He will speak about the replicas, which have been created with bookbinder Trevor Lloyd and toolmaker Stewart Field.
The Irish parliamentary records were bound in spectacular fashion in the 18th century, and have been viewed by many as one of the astounding achievements in the history of bookbinding. After they were destroyed when the Records Office was blown up in 1922, the only evidence of them was from rubbings and photographs. Philip has worked for years identifying the tools, having them cut, and working with Trevor Lloyd to create replicas. On display with these bindings are others from the 18th century, as well as many of the tools used for decoration.
Time: 10:00 am
Location: Club of Odd Volumes
Address: 77 Mount Vernon Street, Boston, MA 02108
The visit is free for members of the New England Chapter of the Guild of Book Workers. To register for the visit please email bookandtile@att.net.
*** Aimee Lee, a Korean-American artist and Fulbright scholar, will be giving a free lecture at the North Bennet Street School in Boston, MA on April 4th from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Lee will share her search to learn more about traditional papermaking and its related crafts. Hanji, Korean handmade paper, although relatively unknown outside Korea, provides key links among other papermaking styles and traditions. Her recently published book, Hanji Unfurled: One Journey into Korean Papermaking is available through The Legacy Press.
Aimee Lee is an interdisciplinary artist who works in paper, book, performance and installation arts. She holds a BA in Visual Arts from Oberlin College, an MFA in Interdisciplinary Book and Paper Arts from Columbia College Chicago and conducted post-graduate research on hanji in Korea on a Fulbright grant.
Registration to attend the lecture is available online.
*** Open now through May 28th is the exhibit A Place of Reading: Three Centuries of Reading in America in Neilson Library Level 3 at Smith College.
A Place of Reading illuminates the places in which early Americans read books, newspapers, and other publications. It features books, prints, broadsides, watercolors, lithographs, etc., from the collections of the American Antiquarian Society (AAS). The exhibition was curated by Cheryl Harned, a history graduate student at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
A supplementary exhibition, Cultivating the nobler part of her nature: Books for Women and Girls in Early America is also on view outside the Mortimer Rare Book Room, just down the hall from the Book Arts Gallery. The exhibition showcases the sorts of books read by the fairer sex: cookbooks, books on bicycling (proper for women? what to wear?), biographies of women, health and beauty tips, travel accounts, and more. This exhibition was curated by seniors in the Book Studies Concentration at Smith.
For more information about either exhibition, please contact Barbara Blumenthal via Email or phone: (413) 586-2906.
Book Arts Classes
*** The biennial Focus on Book Arts Conference (FOBA) has announced their 2013 workshop lineup. This year, the conference has expanded to include five days of workshops for both the beginning and the experienced bookbinder.
Workshops include:
In addition to the workshops, you can schedule a 20-minute one-on-one session with gallery owners and studio artists Alicia Bailey and Laura Russell. Alicia will offer one-on-one critique sessions of your work and Laura will separately offer consultations on the business and marketing side of being a book artist.
Another new offering this year is the opportunity for you have professional photographs taken of your work during the conference. Local professional photographer Stephen Funk will be on-site Wednesday and Sunday to photograph your work. He has offered to schedule 30-minute sessions, enough time for 2 to 6 shots, depending on your work.
Registration is now open. Elissa Campbell has attended FOBA three times and will be going this year – feel free to contact her with any questions. The conference is held in Forest Grove, OR.
*** Book Arts at the Stone House will be offering workshops from July 29 – August 4, 2012 in Freeport, Maine. Spend seven days beside the sea attending a series of book arts related workshops, filled with a wide range of topics including monotype prints, book binding, inventive fold books, book design, calligraphy, sewing, and narratives.
During this course, each participant will have the opportunity to work with 8 different instructors in half-day and full-day workshops. Every participant will be exposed to a variety of approaches and opinions from a stimulating group of professional artists.
Please visit the website for more details on the location and how to register.
*** The Eliot School in Jamaica Plain, MA is offering Leather-Bound Coptic Books on 2 Sundays, March 10th & 17th from 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. This simple, elegant, exposed–spine, sewn book dates back to the 2nd century AD. Learn the basics of coptic binding to create a beautiful leather–covered blank book.
Registration is available online. For more information, please visit the Eliot School’s website or click here to download the complete catalog.
by Elissa | Nov 30, 2011 | B.A.G. Meetings, bookbinding, Exhibitions, MailB.A.G., Member News, Vermont
Next Meeting
Wednesday, December 2, 2011, 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
We meet at the B.C.A. Center (formerly known as the Firehouse Center for the Visual Arts), located to the right of City Hall on Church Street in Burlington, VT.
Program: Card Tricks with Gwen Morey and Jennifer Alderman
Our December meeting will be a Card Exchange B.A.G. style called Card Tricks. Get prepared now and join the fun in December!
Design a card that has a trick or two; maybe a pop-up, French doors or a window. Bring your completed card along with six undecorated card structures to share. We will have an undecorated card exchange and then engage in some decorating fun.
See the sample below to give you an idea of what we’re going for:
Come to the December meeting with or without cards and we will all go home with a few new cards for the season.
Things to bring:
- A decorated card with a “trick” (optional)
- 6 card structures of your card “trick” to exchange (optional)
- Glue
- Scissors
- X-Acto knife
- Cutting mat
- Ruler
- Decorative punches
- Stamps
- Pens
- Decorative papers
- Pencil
- Fun stuff!
Reflections on November’s Meeting
Maryanne Grebenstein was our honored guest at the November B.A.G. meeting. Over thirty members came to listen to the expertise Maryanne shared on her process and techniques with designing her one-of-a-kind books.
Maryanne is inspired by calligraphy and illustration from medieval illustrated manuscripts and creates new manuscripts using time honored techniques. We were all greatly impressed with her technical demonstration of layering gesso and then gold on a letter within her page.Maryanne’s books are beautifully bound and we were got to view the collaboration of Maryanne’s manuscript and Elizabeth Rideout’s binding.
To learn more about Maryanne’s work and Elizabeth’s binding go to the websites at The Abbey Studio and Turn in the Path.
You can view images from the meeting on the B.A.G. blog.
B.A.G. News
*** B.A.G. is happy to announce the theme of our 2012 spring exhibit, Shaping Pages: An Exhibit of Artist Books & Fine Bindings. The exhibit will be hosted by the S.P.A.C.E Gallery in Burlington and will run during the months of April and May, 2012. Our exhibit will be part of the First Friday Art Walk. Stay tuned for more details!
Submission details:
- Entries for the exhibit may be submitted, accompanied by registration forms, from January 4 – February 1, 2012.
- All entries are required by the gallery to be for sale. Sale prices must be indicated on the entry form.
- All submissions must be accompanied by an entry form and a single page artist statement or artist bio.
- Reading copies (typed or photographed) are required for all multi-paged artist books.
Exhibit Dates: April 6 – May 3, 2012
Artist Reception: April 6, 2012, 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
All book arts entries and questions should be directed to Nikki King.
Good Luck and Happy Bookmaking!
*** Chena River Marblers in Amherst, MA is holding an open studio from December 10 – 11. This is a great time to take advantage of their end-of-year overstock and seconds sale. We’d love to take a field trip down there to visit our friends and local paper marblers. If you’re interested in joining a car pool, please contact Elizabeth Rideout.
Book Arts Classes
*** B.A.G. member Linda Lembke is teaching two graduate education courses at Saint Michael’s College in January and February. These courses are designed for elementary and secondary school teachers of science, math, and art, but are also open to those who would like to explore a variety of book forms and their connections to these subjects.
- Math, Art & Bookmaking: In this 1-credit course you will explore connections between math and art through the book form. In the first session, you will construct 6 to 8 book forms inspired by geometry and incorporating mathematical concepts in their design. In the second session, you will connect book forms to math concepts, creating two books that explore mathematical ideas.
- Science, Art & Bookmaking: In this 2-credit course you will discover connections between form and function in science through the art and craft of bookmaking. Students will construct several book models suggested by such concepts as cycles, sequences, and classification as well as handmade laboratory or field notebooks designed for scientific exploration.
For more information or to register, please visit the Saint Michael’s website.
*** The Eliot School in Jamaica Plain, MA is offering book arts classes in February and March.
- Do-Si-Do & French Doors: Learn to construct some playful alternatives to conventional folding structure and covers. Do-Si-Do combines multiple books within one structure. French Doors allow a book to open on both the left and right sides.
- Case Binding: This elegant and sturdy hardcover binding is perfect for blank journals. Start with some simple skills (gluing, folding, etc.) and over the two class sessions make one beautiful book.
For more information, please visit the Eliot School’s website or click here to download the complete catalog.
Book Arts News
*** Susan Kapuscinski Gaylord is giving a workshop at the Center for Creative Wholeness in Newbury, MA on Saturday, December 3 from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. The focus is on simplicity. It’s a perfect introduction to bookmaking for those with no prior experience and a chance to let go and relax for experienced book artists.
With clear instructions and gentle guidance, you’ll make several accordion books and then complete them with collage materials. As a gift to the earth, the books will be made from recycled materials. No art experience or creative confidence is needed; this workshop is truly for everyone.
For more information, please download the workshop flyer.
*** The Boston Athenæum is hosting the exhibit Artists’ Books: Books by Artists, featuring remarkable and unexpected artists’ books from their outstanding collection. Featured artists include book artists Russell Maret, Laura Davidson, Ryoko Adachi, Stephen Dupont, Harriet Bart, Xu Bing, Iliazd, and more than two dozen others.
The exhibit runs October 12, 2011 – March 3, 2012.
by Elissa | Oct 27, 2011 | B.A.G. Meetings, bookbinding, Exhibitions, MailB.A.G., Member News, Vermont
Next Meeting
Wednesday, November 2, 2011, 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
We meet at the B.C.A. Center (formerly known as the Firehouse Center for the Visual Arts), located to the right of City Hall on Church Street in Burlington, VT.
Program: Calligraphy and Manuscript Gilding with Maryanne Grebenstein
At our next meeting, calligrapher and book artist Maryanne Grebenstein will walk us through the design process and creation of her one-of-a-kind books. Her books, or manuscripts as they are also known, are lettered, gilded and decorated completely by hand using the same materials and techniques that have been used by scribes for centuries.
During the lecture, Grebenstein will demonstrate some of the techniques she uses. She will also exhibit and discuss several of her recent books that have been bound by B.A.G.’s Chair, Elizabeth Rideout.
Grebenstein is the owner of The Abbey Studio and Turn in the Path, both located in Hingham, MA. Her unique books are in the holdings of private collectors and medievalists, and one was recently purchased for the permanent collection of Cushing Memorial Library at Texas A&M University.
Reflections on October’s Meeting
Addressing a nice mix of newcomers and current guild members at our October meeting, Book Arts Guild Chair Elizabeth Rideout introduced the B.A.G. Board of Directors and gave her first State of the B.A.G. speech. For members who may not have been able to attend, her speech is included below.
Good evening, everyone, and thank you for coming. I’d like to introduce the members of the board, and share some goals we’ve set for our organization.
Our board of directors as it stands currently; myself and 6 lovely and very hard working ladies:
- Janet Ballantyne: Co-Founder
- Ann Joppe-Mercure: Treasurer
- Elissa Campbell: Membership, Newsletter and Web Master
- Jill Abilock: Programs and Events
- Jen Alderman: B.A.G. Historian
- Nikki King: Exhibits
As our membership grows in numbers and also enthusiasm, it’s important to me for the Guild to continue to offer learning opportunities in and around the field of Book Arts, and to create a supportive and welcoming environment for new and established artists, crafts people and teachers. From this perspective, our varied monthly programs — which include artist presentations, demonstrations, and hands on activities — as well as opportunities for exhibiting, field trips, and workshop intensives, are ALL paramount.
Our board of directors has been working diligently on the planning of a new membership structure that will enable the Guild to expand the pool from which we draw our guest artists, presenters, and workshop instructors. Through this effort we aim to increase opportunities for our members to exhibit their work and to inspire and encourage creativity and the sharing of book arts in our community.
She concluded by noting that the board looks forward to sharing more of details in the days ahead.
Elizabeth then took off her Chair hat, put on her work apron, and brought us with her into the world of professional bookbinding. She started with a tour of her toolbox, explaining the essential function each of her tools serves in the work she does. She then provided materials and instruction so that we could all practice cutting, folding and gluing like professionals. Everyone in attendance left with sharper skills and a better understanding of the bookbinding process.
You can view images from the meeting on the B.A.G. blog.
B.A.G. News
*** B.A.G. is happy to announce the theme of our 2012 spring exhibit, Shaping Pages. The exhibit will be hosted by the S.P.A.C.E Gallery in Burlington and will run during the months of April and May, 2012. Our exhibit will be part of the First Friday Art Walk. Stay tuned for more details!
*** Chena River Marblers in Amherst, MA is holding an open studio from December 10 – 11. This is a great time to take advantage of their end-of-year overstock and seconds sale. We’d love to take a field trip down there to visit our friends and local paper marblers. If you’re interested in joining a car pool, please contact Elizabeth Rideout.
*** B.A.G. member Deborah Howe won third place in design for her designed binding in deFINEd BINDINGS, an exhibition of 26 bindings of the Pictorial Webster’s Dictionary by members of the New England Chapter of the Guild of Book Workers. The juried exhibition features an array of interpretations of the set book, Pictorial Webster’s: A Visual Dictionary of Curiosities.
Book Arts News
*** The 2012 Sketchbook Project is looking for artists to create work for inclusion in a worldwide tour of art spaces. The cost is $25.00 to receive a sketchbook and participate in the project. You can select from any of a number of themes or you can let them choose one for you.
The sign-up deadline is October 31st and you have until January 31, 2012 to complete your sketchbook. For more information, please visit their website.
*** The North Bennet Street School is hosting its 19th Annual Open House from November 4 – 5. This is a rare, behind-the-scenes look at one of the America’s oldest schools of craftsmanship in Boston’s North End. You’ll be able to visit the school, talk with students and faculty, see the tools and studio spaces and watch demonstrations.
For more information, please visit the North Bennet Street School website.
*** From October 5 – 29, 2011, the Bromfield Gallery in Boston, MA will host deFINEd BINDINGS, an exhibition of 26 bindings of the Pictorial Webster’s Dictionary by members of the New England Chapter of the Guild of Book Workers. The juried exhibition features an array of interpretations of the set book, Pictorial Webster’s: A Visual Dictionary of Curiosities.
Exhibitors include: Eric Alstrom, Patty Bruce, Lesa Dowd, Mark Esser, Madelyn Garret, Deborah Howe, Abigail Jones, Rachel Kadel-Garcia, Nancy Leavitt and Joelle Webber, Celine Lombardi, Athena Moore, Sabina Nies, Nancy Nitzberg, John Nove, Patricia Owen, Todd Pattison, Patricia Rosen, George Sargent, Patricia Sargent, Judy Sgantas, Sonya Sheats, Julie Stackpole, Andrew Thompson, Gerrit VanDerwerker, Katherine Westermann, and Stephanie Wolff.
*** The Boston Athenæum is hosting the exhibit Artists’ Books: Books by Artists, featuring remarkable and unexpected artists’ books from their outstanding collection. Featured artists include book artists Russell Maret, Laura Davidson, Ryoko Adachi, Stephen Dupont, Harriet Bart, Xu Bing, Iliazd, and more than two dozen others.
The exhibit runs October 12, 2011 – March 3, 2012.
by Elissa | Sep 30, 2011 | B.A.G. Meetings, bookbinding, Exhibitions, MailB.A.G., Member News, Vermont, Workshops
Next Meeting
Wednesday, October 5, 2011, 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
We meet at the B.C.A. Center (formerly known as the Firehouse Center for the Visual Arts), located to the right of City Hall on Church Street in Burlington, VT.
Program: State of the B.A.G. and Tips and Tricks for Bookbinding Basics
Join us for a two part presentation and interactive demonstration. Book Arts Guild president, Elizabeth Rideout, will introduce the Board and share a few words about Guild’s continuing mission, goals, news, and member benefits in the light of our growing organization. Board members will also present updates on topics including the calendar of events and the Book Arts Guild Spring Exhibit.
The pace of the evening will quicken with part two; time to get out your hand tools, or at least take a good look inside the toolbox of a professional bookbinder. Our very own North Bennet Street graduate Elizabeth Rideout will teach some tips and tricks for bookbinding basics. Come prepared to sharpen your cutting, folding, and gluing skills – materials will be provided. Please bring the following tools if you have them:
- Metal ruler
- Cutting mat
- Blade or X-Acto knife
- Bone folder
- Glue brush in a ziploc bag
Reflections on September’s Meeting
September’s BAG meeting on constructing piano hinge bindings was attended by a large crowd of over twenty-five enthusiastic participants. Jill Abilock came organized to inspire and teach. First she wowed us all with her own book arts creations using the piano hinge binding. From tiny story dolls to larger books that opened to circular visions, Jill’s books were inventive and imaginative.
The structure looked complex but with Jill’s step by step directions, prepared materials and encouragement everyone mastered the binding. Participants left with a new piano hinge bound book in hand and looking forward to this year’s Book Arts Guild’s meetings.
You can view images from the meeting on the B.A.G. blog.
B.A.G. News
*** B.A.G. members Marianna Holzer and Elissa Campbell are opening their studios as part of the state-wide Open Studio Weekend sponsored by the Vermont Crafts Council.
Marianna’s studio is in Hinesburg and is #79 on the map. She’ll be talking about her family’s history as bookbinders in the late 1800’s. She will talk about book restoration and will demonstrate gold stamping & tooling. If you have a book that needs some care, bring it along to get an estimate. Her husband, musician Rik Palieri will be playing some of his music on banjo, guitar, and the many other instruments that he plays. Ask to see his Polish Bagpipes and taste some of his Gypsy soup.
Elissa’s studio is in Montpelier and is #139 on the map. She’ll have a selection of bookbinding supplies for sale, including PVA, paper, and ginormous sheets of bookboard (30″ x 41″). In addition, she’ll be demonstrating and selling her work. As a self-professed bookbinding book addict, she’s purchased a number of new books in the past several months. If you come by the studio, feel free to stay a while and go through the library.
The event takes place on October 1 & 2. You can find maps and directions to studios on the VT Crafts Council website. You can also download a pdf of the Vermont Foliage Open Studio Tour Guide. Please note that this is a really big file – 13.5 MB.
*** B.A.G. member Lorraine Reynolds has work in The Art of Horror, a juried group show at the S.P.A.C.E. Gallery and The Backspace Gallery in Burlington, VT. The show features the beautiful side of decay, the finer points of blood letting, and that special something inside a depraved mind.The opening reception will be held on Friday, October 7, 2011, from 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. You’ll be able to meet the artists, hear ghost stories from the Queen of Halloween, Thea Lewis, and have your future told by a local fortune teller.
Book Arts Classes
*** Lydia Batten is teaching a calligraphy class at the Emile Gruppe Gallery in Jericho, VT on Wednesdays from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. on October 12, 19, 26, and November 2, 9, 16.
Come learn the fundamentals of beautiful writing! The focus will be on the Italic hand and on how to use and work with various writing tools, media, papers. One or two small projects, along with lots of guidance and support will tie in tools with basic layout and design.
Class fee: $125.00
Materials fee: $20 (includes various writing tools, nibs and holder ink, handouts, and paper samples)
To register, please call the Emile Gruppe Gallery at (802) 899-3211.
*** Elissa Campbell is teaching a Book Arts Open Studio at Studio Place Arts in Barre, VT on October 12, 19, and 26 from 5:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
This experimental workshop is like a mini retreat, where students who have taken some book arts classes in the past can explore taking their artist books to a new level. A wide range of tools and materials will be available for you to try, including collage, carved block stamps, image transfer, Dremel, and paper cutting. Different binding techniques will also be explored.
This workshop is best-suited to someone with previous book arts experience. To register, contact SPA via phone (802) 479-7069 or Email.
Book Arts News
*** From October 5 – 29, 2011, the Bromfield Gallery in Boston, MA will host deFINEd BINDINGS, an exhibition of 26 bindings of the Pictorial Webster’s Dictionary by members of the New England Chapter of the Guild of Book Workers. The juried exhibition features an array of interpretations of the set book, Pictorial Webster’s: A Visual Dictionary of Curiosities.
Exhibitors include: Eric Alstrom, Patty Bruce, Lesa Dowd, Mark Esser, Madelyn Garret, Deborah Howe, Abigail Jones, Rachel Kadel-Garcia, Nancy Leavitt and Joelle Webber, Celine Lombardi, Athena Moore, Sabina Nies, Nancy Nitzberg, John Nove, Patricia Owen, Todd Pattison, Patricia Rosen, George Sargent, Patricia Sargent, Judy Sgantas, Sonya Sheats, Julie Stackpole, Andrew Thompson, Gerrit VanDerwerker, Katherine Westermann, and Stephanie Wolff.
An opening reception will be held on Friday, October 7, 2011, 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. The reception takes place immediately following the annual meeting at the GBW Standards of Excellence Conference and there will be transportation to the gallery from the Park Plaza Hotel.
*** The Boston Athenæum is hosting the exhibit Artists’ Books: Books by Artists, featuring remarkable and unexpected artists’ books from their outstanding collection. Featured artists include book artists Russell Maret, Laura Davidson, Ryoko Adachi, Stephen Dupont, Harriet Bart, Xu Bing, Iliazd, and more than two dozen others.
The exhibit runs October 12, 2011 – March 3, 2012. The opening reception will be held on Tuesday, October 11, 2011 from 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
*** The Friends of Dard Hunter is trying something new this year – they’ve created a number of smaller, more intimate conferences which draw both existing members and recruit new, potential members from the local area who otherwise might find it too expensive or inconvenient to travel to a distant conference.
The Northeast Regional Conference will be held in Pittsfield, MA in October. The preconference will take place from October 18 – 19, 2011 and will feature papermaking at the Crane Museum of Papermaking using some historic moulds, carving linoleum blocks for steam-roller prints and creating books for a local book bomb. All the activities at Crane are free.
The conference will take place from October 20 – 22, 2011 and is designed to be less formal and less structured than regular annual meetings. One main focus of the meeting is to broaden the awareness of the paper and book arts among area educators, as well as to broaden exposure of the Friends of Dard Hunter.
To view the conference schedule, please visit the Friends of Dard Hunter website.
*** The CIAO Gallery, a non-profit artist cooperative gallery in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, is calling for artwork for the Rocky Mountain Art Book Collection Exhibition. Participants will receive a blank sketch pad to do whatever they please artistically during several months. All mediums are welcome. Notebooks must arrive at the gallery for submission by 5:00 p.m., December 1, 2011.
The participation fee is $25.00. The exhibition will run from December 15, 2011 – January 15, 2012. Download the prospectus for more information. If you have any questions, please contact Michele E. Walters at (307) 733-7833 or via Email at ciaogallery@yahoo.com.
by Elissa | Sep 5, 2011 | B.A.G. Meetings, bookbinding, Exhibitions, MailB.A.G., Member News, Vermont, Workshops
Next Meeting
Wednesday, September 7, 2011, 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
We meet at the B.C.A. Center (formerly known as the Firehouse Center for the Visual Arts), located to the right of City Hall on Church Street in Burlington, VT.
| In the past week, we have watched with horror at the destruction that Tropical Storm Irene has inflicted on our treasured state. Our thoughts and hearts are with those affected by the storm and we hope that our members and their families are safe.
Please check in on our Facebook page and let us and others know that you’re okay.
Note: The events listed in this newsletter may be located in affected areas and could therefore be inaccessible. Before traveling, please call ahead to the venue to ensure that it is open.
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Program: Piano Hinge Binding with Jill Abilock
Assembled without adhesives or sewing, piano hinge bindings offer a tremendous range of creative possibilities. Signatures wind around dowels to produce a beautiful woven spine with an amazing array of design possibilities. Piano hinge books also open into circular forms, inspiring flights of structural fantasy.
During the September meeting, Jill Abilock will lead a hands-on workshop in piano hinge binding basics. Participants will make a small piano hinge journal that is sure to wet your appetite to explore this wonderful book structure. Jill will also share her unique and unusual piano-hinge-bound creations.
Jill will provide the paper and dowels, just bring your enthusiasm and the following tools:
- Bonefolder
- X-Acto knife
- Cutting mat
- Small, sharp scissors
- Ruler
- Pencil
- Awl or needle tool
Optional:
- Embossing tool (for scoring paper)
- Sandpaper (for smoothing the dowels)
Reflections on August’s Meeting
Our August meeting at the University of Vermont’s Special Collections Department provided a relaxed atmosphere to explore artists books hand selected by Prudence Doherty, Public Services Librarian and B.A.G. member. Prudence searched the shelves and brought out a sampling of books loosely fitting into the categories of food, home and place.
Our group was a mixture of members, new members, future members, spouses and out-of-state guests. All of us were inspired by the different structures, contents and materials used to create artists books. The evening ended with a beautiful sunset that left us all with a sense of appreciation for nature and the creative spirit.
You can view images from the meeting on the B.A.G. blog.
B.A.G. News
*** The Book Arts Guild of Vermont continues to change and grow. As part of that growth, the board is exploring new locations for our monthly meetings. We have several leads, but if you know of a space that would be low cost or free and would be appropriate to our meetings, please contact Jill via Email.
*** We received the following response from Kids to Kids International for the books and art supplies we sent earlier this year:
Dear Book Arts Guild of Vermont,
We received the box of beautifully made books, art supplies and the $25 donation sent to Kids to Kids International, and want you to know how grateful we are for all you sent. We are excited by the books your guild created. They are just wonderful and unique and will be used to inspire others to create special books as well.
Thank you so much for your continued involvement in Kids to Kids International. We will be sure to send the art supplies where they are needed.
Corinne Wynne, KTKI
*** B.A.G. member Lorraine Reynolds had two pieces chosen for inclusion in UNBOUND, a juried show that explores the idea of “the book” and all the ways artists use that format as a stepping off point. The show runs now through September 6, 2011 at the Artistree Gallery in Woodstock, VT.
*** B.A.G. members Marianna Holzer and Elissa Campbell are opening their studios as part of the state-wide Open Studio Weekend sponsored by the Vermont Crafts Council. If you want to visit fellow book artists October 1 & 2, you can find them in the following locations:
- Marianna: Hinesburg, studio #79
- Elissa: Montpelier, studio #139
You can find maps and directions to studios on the VT Crafts Council website. You can also download a pdf of the Vermont Foliage Open Studio Tour Guide. Please note that this is a really big file – 13.5 MB.
Book Arts Classes
*** Susan Bonthron is teaching a 2-day Tunnel Book class from September 17 – 18, 2011. The all-inclusive fee for the class is $160.00 and includes lunch. For more information, please contact Susan via Email for more information or to register.
*** The North Bennet Street School in Boston, MA is offering Non-adhesive bookbinding with Amy Lapidow on Saturdays, September 10 – October 8, 2011 from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
The course covers a historic range of sewn bindings as alternatives to traditional case bindings. Through demonstrations and exercises, students learn to construct simple pamphlets, long stitch, coptic and others as time allows. Topics include basic folding, cutting and sewing skills; matching appropriate structures to materials and intended use; paper selection; and structural opportunities for decoration.
Tuition is $675.00 For more information or to register, please call (617) 227-0155.
*** Elissa Campbell is teaching a Book Arts Open Studio at Studio Place Arts in Barre, VT on October 12, 19, and 26 from 5:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
This experimental workshop is like a mini retreat, where students who have taken some book arts classes in the past can explore taking their artist books to a new level. A wide range of tools and materials will be available for you to try, including collage, carved block stamps, image transfer, Dremel, and paper cutting. Different binding techniques will also be explored.
This workshop is best-suited to someone with previous book arts experience. To register, contact SPA via phone (802) 479-7069 or Email.
Book Arts News
*** There are currently two exhibits in Vermont featuring the work of book artist Claire Van Vliet. Now throught September 26th, the Brattleboro Museum and Art Center is showing Claire Van Vliet: A Celebration of Paper, an exhibit of the artist’s pulp paintings and handmade books. The museum is located at 10 Vernon Street.
If you’re closer to Montpelier, you can visit Paper Works, an exhibit running now through the end of September at the Governor’s Gallery. The Gallery is located in the Pavilion Office Building at 109 State Street. Gallery hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday and photo identification is required for admittance.
*** The Friends of Dard Hunter is trying something new this year – they’ve created a number of smaller, more intimate conferences which draw both existing members and recruit new, potential members from the local area who otherwise might find it too expensive or inconvenient to travel to a distant conference.
The Northeast Regional Conference will be held in Pittsfield, MA in October. The preconference will take place from October 18 – 19, 2011 and will feature papermaking at the Crane Museum of Papermaking using some historic moulds, carving linoleum blocks for steam-roller prints and creating books for a local book bomb. All the activities at Crane are free.
The conference will take place from October 20 – 22, 2011 and is designed to be less formal and less structured than regular annual meetings. One main focus of the meeting is to broaden the awareness of the paper and book arts among area educators, as well as to broaden exposure of the Friends of Dard Hunter.
To view the conference schedule, please visit the Friends of Dard Hunter website.
*** The CIAO Gallery, a non-profit artist cooperative gallery in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, is calling for artwork for the Rocky Mountain Art Book Collection Exhibition. Participants will receive a blank sketch pad to do whatever they please artistically during several months. All mediums are welcome. Notebooks must arrive at the gallery for submission by 5:00 p.m., December 1, 2011.
The participation fee is $25.00. The exhibition will run from December 15, 2011 – January 15, 2012. Download the prospectus for more information. If you have any questions, please contact Michele E. Walters at (307) 733-7833 or via Email at ciaogallery@yahoo.com.
*** The Shelburne Museum will host the exhibit Paperwork in 3D, featuring the work of 25 contemporary artists who transform flat sheets of paper into amazing three-dimensional art. Featured artists include book artists Tom Allen, Brian Dettmer, Sam Ita, and Matthew Reinhart.
Paperwork in 3D explores a variety of themes and techniques including: the Japanese art of origami, cut paper, pop-up books and graphic novels, the mathematics of paper engineering, sculpture, and fashion (cross-referencing the exhibit In Fashion in Webb Gallery). Site specific installations include lighted sculpture in the Round Barn silo by Vermont artist Riki Moss, and rain forest animal and plant sculpture in Kalkin House, created by Emma Hardy from Colorado.
