Origami and Kirigami: Holiday Decorations and Ornaments in Paper and Annual Ornament Exchange
VT Book Arts Guild “MailB.A.G.” October 2018
Next Meeting: Wednesday, October 10, 2018, 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
The October meeting will be held at UVM’s Special Collections‘ new home in Billings Library at 48 University Place.
Click here for directions to Special Collections’ new location.
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
We had a great time at the September 12th Book Arts Guild meeting. Ann Joppe-Mercure provided us with the materials to construct three hard cover books in the space of less than two hours!
The first book contained a simple accordion signature, the second a single sewn signature book, and the third contained a post-it pad. We covered them with decorative paper or cloth, and made the spines with pre-cut book cloth from Ann. It was so satisfying to leave the meeting with three lovely, 3” x 3” little books.
They felt really good in the hand and everyone could leave feeling confident that they could make more of these books with the skills Ann taught us.
A giant thanks to Ann, and to everyone who participated!
You can view images from the meeting on the B.A.G. blog.
B.A.G. News
*** The Book Arts Guild of Vermont is proud to be participating in this year’s Burlington Book Festival on October 12 – 14, 2018 at the UVM Alumni House Silver Pavilion. This annual event celebrates the written word by offering readings, book signings, panels, workshops, demos, family activities, and special events.
We have been invited to exhibit original works at the festival to introduce the community to the book arts and increase awareness of our organization. We will have an exhibit during the evening opening ceremonies on Friday, October 12 as well as on Saturday, October 13 throughout the day. During the exhibit time, we have also committed to demonstrating various book structures (not hands-on workshops).
Although the deadline for submitting work for sale has passed, the festival is very generously providing us with exhibit space free of charge. We would love to share your beautiful work with literary book lovers who may not have had much exposure to the book arts. Please consider submitting work for display! You can submit new work or something you have previously exhibited.
If you would like to submit work for the exhibit, please download the entry form and bring it, along with your work, to the October meeting at Special Collections. If you cannot attend the meeting but would like to submit work, please email Jill Abilock by Monday, October 8 to make arrangements to get your work to her.
We also need volunteers to “staff” the exhibit table on Saturday, October 13 during the festival. Volunteers at the 2016 festival found the experience fun and rewarding – please join us this year! To sign up to volunteer, simply email Jill!
*** Book Arts Guild of Vermont artists Nina Gaby and Jill Abilock will be presenting Exploring Dimensionality in Narrative at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday October 13th at the Burlington Book Festival with moderator Rachel Moore, director of the Helen Day Art Center.
Artists Josh Turk and Cynthia Close round out the panel. “Words can be presented on the flat page but can the thoughts behind those words find shape in other materials?” This and other questions will be considered in what is sure to be a lively dialogue. B.A.G. will be exhibiting and offering demonstrations in conjunction with this panel.
*** The Book Arts Guild of Vermont has once again reserved table space at the Northampton Book and Book Arts Fair in Northampton, MA. The Fair will take place Friday, November 30th from 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m., and Saturday, December 1st from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Smith College.
This is an opportunity for the Book Arts Guild to spread the word about book arts, show and sell work, and meet other like minded book people. Last year, a group of members stayed at an Airbnb during the show and had a great time together.
If you are interested in participating by manning the table, helping to set up and break down, and/ or having work shown, please contact Marcia.
*** On October 13 & 14, Elissa Campbell will be participating in the statewide Fall Open Studio Weekend. The event is a great way to combine fall foliage viewing and harvest activities with visits to artists across Vermont.
Come for a tour of the studio, demonstrations, and tantalizing talk about the world of handmade books. Feel free to paw through my paper drawers and peruse my extensive library of bookbinding manuals! There will also be selection of bookbinding supplies available for purchase.
Copies of the the 2018 Fall Event & Resource Guide will be available at the October B.A.G. meeting. You can also download a pdf of the guide from the VT Crafts Council website. Please note that this is a really big file.
County-specific maps and directions to studios are also available on the VT Crafts Council website.
Book Arts News
*** Dartmouth College is presenting two days of programming featuring book artist Daniel E. Kelm – Daniel Kelm and Poetic Science: A Life in Science and Art.
On Thursday, October 4th from 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., there will be reception for Kelm in the East Reading Room of Baker-Berry Library. This will be followed by a lecture from 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
On Friday, October 5th from 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m., there will be a follow up to Thursday’s lecture. Kelm will have books and objects to show in a more intimate setting allowing for more conversation. This event will be held in the Kresge Library Conference Room.
Daniel E. Kelm is a book artist who enjoys expanding the concept of the book. He is known for his innovative structures as well as his traditional work. His expression as an artist emerges from the integration of work in science and the arts. Alchemy is a common theme in his book work. Before Daniel began his career in the book arts he received formal training in chemistry and taught at the University of Minnesota.
For more information, please contact Sarah Smith at book.arts@dartmouth.edu.
*** On Thursday, October 18 at 5:30 p.m., the Silver Special Collections Library at the University of Vermont is presenting The Stewardship of History: Reconfiguring the Markings of Time, a lecture with Michele Burgess.
Burgess will talk about The Stratigraphic Archives, a series of eleven linked artists’ books, all concerned with the archives of both quiet and cataclysmic events – natural and human made. Working in collaboration with poets, Burgess has interwoven remnants of human and natural history, questioning the honesty and inclusivity of our institutionalized “record keeping.”
Michele Burgess works in book arts, printmaking, painting, and sculpture. She is the director of Brighton Press and collaborates with other artists and poets on projects that involve the book as an art medium. Burgess’s books are housed in over seventy-five public collections across the country, including the University of Vermont.
The lecture is free and open to the public and will be held in the Marsh Room at Billings Library.
For more information, contact Silver Special Collections at uvmsc@uvm.edu or (802) 656-2138.
*** On Friday October 12th at 4:00 p.m., the Kate Cheney Chappell 83 Center for Book Arts will host Building A Sustainable Visual Art Practice, a lecture with Andrea Dezsö.
Andrea Dezsö is a visual artist who works across a broad range of media including drawing, painting, artist’s books, embroidery, cut paper, animation, sculpture, site-specific installation and public art. Dezsö’s permanent public art has been installed in two New York City subway stations, at the United States Embassy in Bucharest, Romania and at CUNY BMCC Fiterman Hall in Lower Manhattan. Community Garden, Dezsö’s mosaic in the New York City subway was recognized as Best American Public Art in 2007 by Americans for the Arts.
Dezsö exhibits in museums and galleries around the world. She is Associate Professor of Art at Hampshire College in Amherst, MA and maintains studios in NYC and in Western Massachusetts.
The Kate Cheney Chappell 83 Center for Book Arts is located in Portland, Maine. The lecture will be held 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 Saturday, October 13, 2018, the Kate Cheney Chappell 83 Center for Book Arts is hosting a Tunnel Book workshop with Andrea Dezsö. The workshop will be held in room 424 in Luther Bonney Hall at the University of Southern Maine in Portland.
When popped open tunnel books reveal miniature, multi-layered worlds viewers can peek into as into dioramas. Structurally, tunnel books belong in the same family as carousel books and toy theaters and were extremely popular during the Victorian era. In this class students will create a fully developed one-of-a-kind artists book of their own design, based on a four-layer, hand-cut and assembled single scene tunnel book developed by Dezsö using either a subtractive (paper cutting), an additive (collage) method or a mix of the two;
Students will learn to rapid prototype by first creating a tunnel book model to understand the form, followed by creating their fully developed books. Students will be encouraged to consider composition, layering, materials and to treat form and content as an interdependent whole as they create their one-of-a-kind tunnel books. All levels welcome.
Register online or call (207) 780-5900.
*** The Eliot School in Jamaica Plain, MA has two book arts classes coming up this fall. Here’s the scoop:
Altered Books Workshop with Cristina Hajosy will take place on Sunday, November 11th from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Transform books, old or new, into art objects. The book becomes a canvas, a sculpture or a reliquary of personally meaningful content. Draw inspiration from the book’s author or contents, or purely use the book as a structure. Incorporate paper cutting, collage, bookmaking and other processes. The instructor will have books on hand, or bring your own, along with small objects and images to include.
Paste Paper with Cristina Hajosy will take place on Sunday November 25th 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.
For more information about the classes, please visit the Eliot School’s website or click here to download the complete catalog.
VT Book Arts Guild “MailB.A.G.” July 2016
Next Meeting: Wednesday, July 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: Practical Calligraphy 101 with Penne Tompkins
Have you ever wanted to use handwriting in your books but felt like your writing needed more style, or needed to look neater? This month, B.A.G. member Penne Tompkins will help us meet this goal with a hands-on introduction to basic calligraphy, focusing on an alphabet style known as “foundational” or “bookhand”.
We will begin by reviewing a few basic principles and exploring a variety of tools, and then get writing. According to Penne, calligraphy is a skill best begun with some instruction, and then followed up with much practice!
Penne will supply will one broad edged marker and some graph paper for making practice sheets.
Please bring the following supplies, if you have them:
- Straight edge ruler
- Pencil or tool for drawing lines
- Any calligraphy pens or markers you already have
- A padded surface for writing on (makes it easier)
June Meeting Reflections
Our June meeting focused on Studio Support and Workshop Time. Attendees shared personal projects, and sought ideas, critiques, and accolades. There was a lot of awesomeness.
We also had a lot of discussion about upcoming events, and venues for future shows. Some of the venues up for consideration are Frog Hollow (Church Street), New City Galerie (Church Street), Burlington City Arts (Church Street), Emile A. Gruppe Gallery (Jericho), and Walkover Gallery (Bristol).
Thanks to all who attended, thanks for your participation and spirit, and thanks for making the studio time a success.
You can view images from the meeting on the B.A.G. blog.
B.A.G. News
*** This summer, B.A.G. member Jill Abilock is teaching a series of bookbinding workshops at the Bixby Memorial Free Library in Vergennes, VT. All workshops run from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
You’ll learn how to make several book structures, each offering a variety of uses and exciting artistic possibilities. Each workshop focuses on a different technique and book structure. You can sign up for individual workshops or the whole series – all workshops cover basic skills.
Hardcover Coptic Books
Saturday, July 9, 2016
Coptic-stitch bindings have endured through the centuries because, in addition to their strength and beauty, they are flexible enough to lie flat when open. You will make a traditional Coptic bound book with covers made from heavy book board and decorative paper.
Case-Bound (Hardcover) Books – Part I
Saturday, July 16, 2016
Although historically not the first structure to be called a book, the sturdiness, durability and attractive appearance of hardcover books have made them both ubiquitous and highly prized. In the first session of this two-part workshop, you will learn the basics of case binding by making and attaching a hardcover case to a single-signature textblock to create a thin, elegant hardcover book.
Case-Bound (Hardcover) Books – Part II
Saturday, July 23, 2016
Prerequisite: Case-Bound (Hardcover) Books Part I
The second session of this two-part workshop will be held at Six Loons Studio in Shelburne, VT. You will begin by making traditional multi-signature textblocks that are sewn onto tapes. After discussing methods of end-sheet and case construction, you will create a case for your textblock and assemble it into a beautiful, handmade hardcover book.
For more information and a registration form, please email Jill Abilock at jabilock@japanlink-trans.com.
*** B.A.G. member Elissa Campbell is teaching Join the Fold – Part 2 (origami books) at Studio Place Arts in Barre, VT on July 20, 2016 from 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. The first Join the Fold workshop is not a prerequisite for taking this one – everyone is welcome!
The simple fold has lots of potential – it doesn’t take much to transform a piece of paper into a book. We’ll be playing in the intersection between origami and bookmaking, creating folded books that require little or no adhesive. Among the structures you’ll learn are three invented by master book artist Hedi Kyle – the Fishbone Binding, the All-in-One Book, and the Pocket Folder Booklet.
Experience in origami is helpful, but not required.
To register, contact SPA via phone (802) 479-7069 or Email.
Book Arts News
*** The Walker Contemporary Gallery in Waitsfield, VT is currently showing Time Honored, an exhibit of stunning cut paper art by Maude White. The exhibit is open now through July 30, 2016.
White’s hand carved paper scenes honor the gravity and importance of marking time and bearing witness to a past world. The work embraces a secret and hushed worship of the seasons and seasonal change. One is invited to live wholly and gracefully in the present while glimpsing scenes and visions of the past. One can imagine that this past is with us now, comforting us with the continuity and solidity of time.
For more information or to view pieces in the exhibit, please visit the Walker Contemporary Gallery’s website.
*** The New England Chapter of the Guild of Book Workers will be holding their second New England Chapter Mini-Conference in northern Maine from August 26-28, 2016. Spend a weekend with a community of local artists working in the field of bookbinding, book arts, paper making and calligraphy.
The event includes two 1-day workshops with Andrea Peterson and Velma Bolyard, evening lectures, a mix and mingle event and material swap. Registration is open to both members and non-members of the Guild of Book Workers and covers both workshops and all meals.
For more information or to register, please visit the GBW website. You can also feel free to contact Erin Fletcher at negbwprograms@gmail.com.
*** The North Bennet Street School is hosting the final stop of the Guild of Book Workers‘ juried traveling exhibition, Vessel, from July 15 – August 31, 2016.
The book as vessel inspires beautiful metaphor – a craft for traveling, a container, a holder, a receiver, a transporter. Across time and culture, the vessel is at the center of many ceremonies and rites of passage. Native American cultures regarded the vessel as a portal to a sacred realm. The book as craft is our vessel to sail the high seas, to hold our dearest memories, and to indicate the pulse of life. Guild of Book Workers members contributed works to interpret “vessel” as broadly or as narrowly as they wished.
The exhibition features approximately 50 works by GBW members. Selected works include fine and edition bindings, artist’s books, broadsides, and historical binding models.
NBSS and the New England Chapter of The Guild of Book Workers will co-host the opening reception on July 21st at 6:00 p.m. Three local exhibitors, Erik Demaine, Graham Patten and Colin Urbina, will be present to speak about their work. Talks will take place around 7:00 p.m.
The North Bennet Street School is located in Boston, MA. For more information about the exhibit, please visit the GBW 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.
*** In collaboration with The Ticknor Society, The Movable Book Society is holding its biennial conference in Boston on September 15 – 17, 2016. The Movable Book Society was organized in 1993 to provide a forum for collectors, artists, curators, book sellers, book producers, and others to share enthusiasm and exchange information about pop-up and movable books.
This year’s speakers include Matthew Reinhart, Shawn Sheehy, Laura Davidson, and Emily Martin. The conference also features hands-on activities, presentations, a silent auction, and a book sale.
For more information, please download the conference program or contact The Movable Book Society at info@movablebooksociety.org.
Book Arts Classes
*** From August 1-7, 2016, the Wishcamper Center at the University of Southern Maine in Portland, ME is hosting seven days of book arts workshops, including printmaking, paste paper, intaglio printing, coptic bookbinding, letterforms, and more.
During this program, 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.
For more information or to register, please visit the USM website.
*** The Women’s Studio Workshop is offering Bookbinding: Case Binding with Rounded Spine with Abigail Bainbridge from July 25 – 29, 2016. The workshop will take place in Kingston, NY.
In this class you’ll learn how to make a traditional case binding from start to finish (although without cutting all the corners that modern machine binding does!). This is the style of your average hardcover book, with cloth covering and a rounded spine. You’ll learn the basics of paper selection, sewing, rounding & backing, edge trimming, and casing-in.
Those who are a little faster will have time to learn more advanced techniques – such as hand-sewing endbands – or start a second book and really consolidate their skills. Use your book for a sketchbook or journal or just to learn the process so you can go home and make them on your own. We’ll talk about ways to get around any lack of equipment.
For more information or to register, please visit the Women’s Studio Workshop website.
*** The Women’s Studio Workshop is also offering The Missing Link: Papermaking in the Islamic World with Radha Pandey from July 18 – 22, 2016.
Students will learn about the history and technique of a papermaking style that has remained largely unchanged since the 8th century CE. Islamic World Papermaking is essentially the link between the Eastern and Western papermaking traditions. We will learn how traditional fibers – hemp and flax – were prepared for papermaking, and how equipment was made using readily available materials.
Students will focus on sheet formation using a variety of fibers. Finished papers will be sized and dyed using natural materials and then burnished by hand to a high shine. On the last day we will bind our papers into a sample book displaying this ancient technique’s wide range of possibilities. No prior papermaking experience is necessary.
For more information or to register, please visit the Women’s Studio Workshop website.
- Book Arts Guild of VT website: http://www.bookartsguildvt.com/
- Book Arts Guild of VT Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/bookartsguildvt
- Book Arts Guild of VT on Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/bagvermont/
VT Book Arts Guild “MailB.A.G.” June 2016
Next Meeting: Wednesday, June 8, 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 Jacob’s Ladder books presented by Ann Joppe-Mercure in May. If you missed the last meeting and would like to try making one, or you’d like to make a companion to the one you made in May, you’ll need to bring:
- A tool such as an X-Acto or scalpel capable of cutting mat board
- Cutting mat
- Metal ruler
- See-Thru ruler for measuring
- Scissors
- Double-sided tape (or quick-dry white glue – glue sticks don’t work)
- Pencil
- Fun materials to design your pages
Bonus: Ann will be on hand with instruction sheets, guidance and moral support!
May Meeting Reflections
Our program for May focused on the Jacob’s Ladder book structure. Ann Joppe-Mercure first gave us an overview of the unique, fun structure that flips back and forth, and then gave us inspiration through her own magical books.
Ann led us through the step-by-step to make our own model, and then encouraged us to fill in the blank pages. It was amazing to see the variety of directions that participants took with the same simple materials.
Thanks to all who participated, and special thanks to Ann for sharing with us. Let’s do it again!
You can view images from the meeting on the B.A.G. blog.
B.A.G. News
*** This summer, B.A.G. member Jill Abilock is teaching a series of five bookbinding workshops at the Bixby Memorial Free Library in Vergennes, VT. All workshops run from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
You’ll learn how to make five elegant book structures, each offering a variety of uses and exciting artistic possibilities. Each workshop focuses on a different technique and book structure. You can sign up for individual workshops or the whole series – all workshops cover basic skills.
Soft-Covered Books – The Pamphlet Stitch and Long Stitch
Saturday, June 11, 2016
This workshop will cover the basics of hand-sewn books. You will a make two books to take home: a beautiful, pamphlet-stitched journal with a wraparound tie, and a long-stitch journal or sketchbook that incorporates an optional beaded embellishment in the binding.
The Amazing Accordion
Saturday, June 25, 2016
Deceptively simple, the accordion fold can be used alone or in combination with other techniques to make a broad range of beautiful and innovative books. In addition to learning the secret to folding a perfect accordion, you will make a hard-covered accordion album – great for displaying art, poetry or photographs – as well as several models of compound books, such as dos-a-dos and flag books, that feature accordion spines with sewn or glued pages.
Hardcover Coptic Books
Saturday, July 9, 2016
Coptic-stitch bindings have endured through the centuries because, in addition to their strength and beauty, they are flexible enough to lie flat when open. You will make a traditional Coptic bound book with covers made from heavy book board and decorative paper.
Case-Bound (Hardcover) Books – Part I
Saturday, July 16, 2016
Although historically not the first structure to be called a book, the sturdiness, durability and attractive appearance of hardcover books have made them both ubiquitous and highly prized. In the first session of this two-part workshop, you will learn the basics of case binding by making and attaching a hardcover case to a single-signature textblock to create a thin, elegant hardcover book.
Case-Bound (Hardcover) Books – Part II
Saturday, July 23, 2016
Prerequisite: Case-Bound (Hardcover) Books Part I
The second session of this two-part workshop will be held at Six Loons Studio in Shelburne, VT. You will begin by making traditional multi-signature textblocks that are sewn onto tapes. After discussing methods of end-sheet and case construction, you will create a case for your textblock and assemble it into a beautiful, handmade hardcover book.
For more information and a registration form, please email Jill Abilock at jabilock@japanlink-trans.com.
*** B.A.G.’s very own Ann Joppe-Mercure will be teaching The Art of the Book at Saint Michael’s College from July 5 – 15 (no class on 7/4).
Educators and students are invited to explore and create in this studio course addressing the art of the book. Participants will experiment with forms, structures, materials, and concepts as we investigate the limitless possibilities of the Book. By surveying the historical need to record and contain knowledge and by examining the work of contemporary book artist students will gain a foundation for their own creative expression of ideas and meaning. Students will make a working portfolio of paper treatments, book models and altered structures then create their own individual art books.
The class will be a working model of a 21st century collaborative community supporting the creative process through practice, constructive criticism, reflecting, and refining technique. The Common Core anchor standards of Craft and Structure and Integration of Knowledge and Ideas will be addressed.
No previous bookmaking or art experience required. Students who have previously taken GED 671 The Art of Bookmaking and/or GED 673 Science, Art and Bookmaking: Making Connections, are welcome in this class. A $50.00 materials fee is required and due at registration.
For more information, please visit St. Mike’s website.
Book Arts News
*** ArtisTree Gallery, in partnership with Pentangle Arts, is looking for submissions for their 6th annual juried exhibit, UNBOUND: VOL VI. The theme of the show is simple – an exploration of what a book can be…art using books as a material or a format.
The exhibit will open in tandem with the Bookstock Literary Festival in Woodstock, VT.
This call for submissions is open to all New England and New York residents of the U.S. who are 18 years of age or older. All artwork must be original in concept, design and execution. Note: Reproductions, if used as mixed media, will be considered.
The deadline for submission is July 2, 2016. For more information, please visit the ArtisTree Gallery’s website.
*** The New England Chapter of the Guild of Book Workers will be holding their second New England Chapter Mini-Conference in northern Maine from August 26-28, 2016. Spend a weekend with a community of local artists working in the field of bookbinding, book arts, paper making and calligraphy.
The event includes two 1-day workshops, evening lectures, a mix and mingle event and material swap. Registration is open to both members and non-members of the Guild of Book Workers and covers both workshops and all meals.
For more information or to register, please visit the GBW website. You can also feel free to contact Erin Fletcher at negbwprograms@gmail.com.
*** The Rochester Institute of Technology’s Cary Graphic Arts Collection is hosting the Guild of Book Workers‘ juried traveling exhibition, Vessel, now through June 17, 2016.
The book as vessel inspires beautiful metaphor – a craft for traveling, a container, a holder, a receiver, a transporter. Across time and culture, the vessel is at the center of many ceremonies and rites of passage. Native American cultures regarded the vessel as a portal to a sacred realm. The book as craft is our vessel to sail the high seas, to hold our dearest memories, and to indicate the pulse of life. Guild of Book Workers members contributed works to interpret “vessel” as broadly or as narrowly as they wished.
The exhibition features approximately 50 works by GBW members. Selected works include fine and edition bindings, artist’s books, broadsides, and historical binding models.
For more information about the exhibit, please visit the GBW 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.
*** In collaboration with The Ticknor Society, The Movable Book Society is holding its biennial conference in Boston on September 15 – 17, 2016. The Movable Book Society was organized in 1993 to provide a forum for collectors, artists, curators, book sellers, book producers, and others to share enthusiasm and exchange information about pop-up and movable books.
This year’s speakers include Matthew Reinhart, Shawn Sheehy, Laura Davidson, and Emily Martin. The conference also features hands-on activities, presentations, a silent auction, and a book sale.
For more information, please download the conference program or contact The Movable Book Society at info@movablebooksociety.org.
Book Arts Classes
*** The New England Chapter of the Guild of Book Workers, in collaboration with the Dartmouth College Library Preservation Services, is presenting Bookbinding According to Diderot with Abigail Bainbridge. The workshop will take place on July 15-16, 2016 at the Dartmouth College Library in Hanover, NH.
Mid- to late-18th century France is marked by the appearance of descriptions of the art of bookbinding, giving for the first-time a thorough (if not always specific or accurate) description of the previously guarded trade secret. The style of the time was so prescriptive that the average binding is recognizable immediately: full brown calf, often sprinkled or with tree marbling, raised bands, panels tooled in gilt with centerpieces, corners, and stars, solid red or perhaps marbled blue edges, single core front bead endbands, French curl endpapers. Features less visible are the particular lacing patterns, parchment spine linings, and edges cut in boards.
In this busy two day workshop we will bind a text of a manual describing this 18th century style using the techniques set forth, thus replicating this distinguished style. Participants will get an in depth look at the contemporary sources and the bindings themselves, and come away with a thorough understanding of this notable binding style in the context of its time.
* Prior bookbinding experience required.
For more information or to register, please visit the GBW website. You can also contact NEGBWprograms@gmail.com with any questions.
*** The Women’s Studio Workshop is offering The Medium as Message: An Adventure in Low Tech with Caroline Walp from July 11 – 15, 2016. The workshop will take place in Kingston, NY.
You will begin this workshop by learning letterpress basics, including setting type, mixing ink, and various ways of generating images by different means. You’ll also learn basic bookbinding techniques to make accordion or single signature artists’ books and/or zines.
In this immersive, multi-media class, students will learn the simplest and most direct ways of generating text and image as a multiples, using a table top letterpress, hand printing, lino cuts, hand stamping, rubber stamping, and other alternative printing processes. The emphasis will be on effectively transmitting your message into a publishable format.
For more information or to register, please visit the Women’s Studio Workshop website.
*** 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.
*** Maine Media Workshops + College is offering The Art of Bookmaking with Eliot Dudik on June 26 – July 2. The college is located in Rockport, Maine.
The photobook, as a means of presenting an artist’s vision, has never been as popular as it is today. In this workshop, you will discuss and practice techniques in bookbinding and hardcover casing, as well as editing, sequencing, and layout design for personal handmade art books. Learn how to showcase and present your photographs in an artistic and professional manner, and have fun while you’re doing it!
Students will work with Adobe software for layout design, digital printmaking, and hand tools to create unique handmade art books. Depending on the needs of the individual student, you will be working with Coptic stitch or Saddle stitch bindings and hard cover casings.
For more information or to register, please visit the Maine Media Workshops + College’s website.
- Book Arts Guild of VT website: http://www.bookartsguildvt.com/
- Book Arts Guild of VT Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/bookartsguildvt
- Book Arts Guild of VT on Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/bagvermont/
Meet the Dremel – A Book Artist’s Dream Tool with Elissa Campbell and Jill Abilock
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