by Elissa | Jul 8, 2026 | B.A.G. Meetings, bookbinding, Exhibitions, MailB.A.G., Member News, Vermont
Next Meeting: Wednesday, July 8, 2026, 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
We meet at the Unitarian Universalist Society Church located at 152 Pearl Street in Burlington, VT. We will be in the Sophia Fahs Community Room, a large room located in the basement. Click here for more information on directions/parking.
We look forward to seeing you!
The B.A.G. Board
Announcing Our Theme for 2026!
In 2026, we’re returning to our tradition of choosing an annual theme for our meetings. The B.A.G. Board is happy to announce our theme for this year, Interaction.
Cornell University said it well in Wake the Form: Artists’ Books in Context: “An important characteristic of artists’ books is their interactivity. The artist often creates an experience for the reader that encourages performance, either in constructing or staging the piece, or in rehearsing parts of the text. A book can become a miniature stage set, unfolding to reveal sequences that can be extended, figures added, scenes reorganized.”
With artists’ books, the reader is invited to participate in the work – intimacy between the viewer and the book distinguishes our art form from other types of art.
Throughout the year, we’ll look at the ways one can interact with a book, whether it’s through form (structure, materials used), content (text, imagery), or a combination of both.
Get ready because it will be an exciting year!
Program: Fishbone Binding with Elissa Campbell
At July’s B.A.G. meeting, Elissa Campbell will teach you how to make the Fishbone Binding, a fascinating structure developed by Hedi Kyle.
You’ll also have the opportunity to create a cover for your text block. All materials will be provided to those attending the meeting in person.
If you wish, you can also bring your own papers using the measurements provided below.
For those at home, here are the tools and materials you’ll need to participate in making the project:
- Metal ruler
- Scissors
- X-Acto knife
- Cutting mat
- Awl
- Pencil
- Needle
- Linen thread (or embroidery thread if that’s all you have): 21”
- 1 piece of cover weight paper: 7.75” x 13.5” (grain short)
- 1 piece of cover weight paper: 1” x 1” (optional – this can be used for a button)
- 1 piece of text weight paper: 11.25” x 21.75” (grain short)
- Note: If you don’t have a piece of paper 21.75” long, there’s a workaround!
- Piece together two pieces measuring 11.25” x 10” and 11.25” x 12.25” (both grain short) by overlapping them by 0.5”.
- Attach the pieces with a glue stick and you’ll be all set.
If you’d like to attend the meeting over Zoom, please contact Elissa and she’ll send you the details.
June Meeting Reflections
Slow stitching and happy sewers!
At last month’s B.A.G. meeting, Vera Ryersbach led us into the bliss of the running stitch, complete with a bit of history and an informative zine.
After her lovely intro we were off and “running”. We used 8” x 6” heavyweight paper that Vera will collect and bind into a book. The calming effect of stitching was felt by all. Vera encouraged our creativity with the endless variations of the running stitch and the possible additions of paint or collage.
Thanks Vera! We’re going slow and it feels good.
B.A.G. Library Corner
Elissa here, tapping in for Sally!
When I think of the theme of interaction, I can’t help but think of the Jacob’s Ladder structure. I find the flip-flappiness and click-clackiness of it very satisfying.
Did you know that there’s also a way to create this structure in box form? The lid opens in both directions and offers you the opportunity to both conceal and reveal as you interact with it.
In Roger Green’s book, A Comprehensive Guide to Box Making for Bookbinders, Artists and Amateurs, you can construct your very own four-section Magic Box.
And it really is as magical as it sounds.
You can check out and download the selection here.
If you have ideas for books to feature or if you have a B.A.G. library book in your possession from which you’d like to share something, email Sally at salblanch@gmail.com.
B.A.G. News
*** The Book Arts Guild of Vermont Retrospective is still up! You still have through the end of July to see it for yourself.
There are plans in the works for book arts related events during the month of July that will pique interest in the show. One may be an event in which a limited number of interested community members would be given the opportunity to have a private viewing of books that were not included in the show – an exclusive look behind the curtain!
If you’re unable to make it to the exhibit in person, never fear! Elissa took pictures of all the pieces in the exhibition! You can check out the full exhibition here.
*** Congratulations to Karen Krieger for winning Best in Show at the Morgan Conservatory’s 14th Annual Juried Exhibition, A Hand of One’s Own. The exhibition highlighted paper as a creative medium and active substrate and featured 60 artworks from talented artists across Ohio and representing 30 states nationwide.
Ranging from fashion, sculptural works, book forms, ephemera, and other traditional methods, the show embodied the capabilities of the artistic hand and how paper has no limits.
Book Arts News
*** Helen Hiebert‘’s paper-loving community, The Paper Year, is open for enrollment now through July 12.
Each month, you’ll receive project instructions designed to spark ideas that keep you creating. You’ll explore creative paper techniques, including origami, pop-ups, paper weaving, book arts, paper cutting and more.
When you join, you’ll gain access to all past projects in The Paper Year Library.
For more information, please visit Helen’s website.
*** The American Bookbinders Museum is presenting a virtual lecture, Buried Alive! Books Unearthed in Our Time, with Michael Burke on July 18. This lecture tells the story of three ancient books that were buried underground, lost for centuries and then found again.
The Nag Hammadi Codices were discovered in Egypt in 1945 a clay pot. These books, written in the Coptic language, contain the infamous Gnostic Gospels. Within a short time some had been smuggled and sold, and sent all over the world to various libraries. They have now been reunited and live in the library at Cairo. Michael will tell the story of their discovery, which involves murder, cannibalism and international scholarly squabbling.
St. Cuthbert’s Gospel was made by the monks of Lindisfarne in 692, buried with Cuthbert when he died, and discovered in his coffin in the year 1104 in exceptionally good condition. It is the earliest known decorated European binding, and was acquired for the nation in 2005 for £9 million. It is now on permanent exhibition in the treasures room of the British Library. You’ll learn about St Cuthbert’s extraordinary life, the monks of Lindisfarne, why they had to move on to new houses over the years, and how the book was made and decorated.
The Fadden More Psalter is one of the earliest surviving British manuscripts. It was found in a peat bog in Tipperary in 2005, an appalling mess of squashed and crumpled parchment and leather. You’ll learn the story of how it took over four years of painstaking work to unpick the damaged pages, removing 1,300 years of soil, moss and seed pods, before the book could be studied by the scholars.
For more information or to register, please visit the ABA website.
*** Every graduating class from the full-time Bookbinding Department at North Bennet Street School completes a design binding, in their own unique style, of an assigned text. This is referred to as the set book.
Since graduating from NBBS in 2012, Erin Fletcher of Herringbone Bindery has been conducting annual interviews of each student about their binding, discussing the concept and the process.
The text selected for 2026 was Slaughterhouse-Five, or, The Children’s Crusade: A Duty-Dance with Death by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. Erin’s interviews of this year’s graduating class can be read on her website.
Stay-at-Home Fun
*** The Center for Book Arts is offering Camera-less Eco-Photography: From Plant to Print for Book Artists with Iviva Olenick on July 16 & 23.
Learn how to use household materials and plants to make camera-less eco-photographs in this two-part workshop. Transform food waste (purple cabbage leaves, turmeric spice, water from soaking black rice, spinach leaves) into photographic emulsions to make anthotypes, or plant-based sun-prints, similar to cyanotypes.
Learn how to take plant cuttings and use them to make a safe developer for printing plants on B&W photo paper, known as phytograms. Add embroidery to your phytograms, crafting unique, mixed media artworks, and begin to plan new book arts projects incorporating these techniques.
For more information or to register, please visit the CBA website.
*** The Frederick Book Arts Center is offering Pop-Up Mini Creatures with Shawn Sheehy on July 22.
Pop-ups are all about the “wow” factor. Building pop-ups in miniature maximizes the “wow” factor, as dramatic structures emerge from tiny spaces. In this workshop, you’ll build three miniature pop-up cards featuring charming woodland creatures.
Using just card stock, glue and a handful of simple tools, you will build three miniature pop-up cards that feature a snail, a snake, and a robin (plus a sneaky little worm).
All levels are welcome.
For more information or to register, please visit the FBAC website.
*** Erin Fletcher of Herringbone Bindery is teaching the Box with Telescoping Lid on August 4, 6, & 11.
In contrast to the clamshell box, this style of enclosure has a completely separate lid that slides off the base. In this workshop, students will construct an inner tray set within a frame for the object to rest. A ribbon will be added for easy retrieval of the object.
Students will be able to customize the inner tray to fit an object from their own library. Your object should be no larger than 145 x 100 x 20mm (h x w x d).
For more information or to register, please visit the Erin’s website.
*** The Minnesota Center for Book Arts is offering Make Your Own Binding Tools with Rachel Payne on Tuesdays August 4, 11, & 18.
Many bindery tools are specialized, making them difficult to find or expensive to purchase. In this virtual workshop, you’ll make a few tools and discuss how to make more.
Through live demonstration and guided discussion, you will discuss the construction of tools such as a laying press, press boards (wood and plexi), bone folders, and box corner jigs. You will make a punching cradle, corner trimming jigs, faux brass edged boards, bent needles, and soft weights.
There will be ample time for questions, troubleshooting, and discussion of alternative materials and methods. By the end of the workshop, you’ll understand how to construct your own bindery tools and adapt designs to suit your workspace and needs.
For more information or to register, please visit the MCBA website.
by Elissa | Apr 9, 2023 | B.A.G. Meetings, bookbinding, Call to artists, Exhibitions, MailB.A.G., Member News, Vermont, Workshops
Next Meeting: Wednesday, April 12, 2023, 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
In continuing with our tradition of choosing a theme for our meetings every year, the B.A.G. Board has selected the theme of Movable Books for 2023.
Movable books are structures with 3-dimensional pages that make a book or card come alive in your hands. These include pop-ups, volvelles, tunnel books, pull-outs, crankies, and animated structures.
Put on your hard hat, because we are going to become Paper Engineers!
We will have a series of guest presenters to familiarize you with the varied structures, and to guide you through techniques that will turn your flat two-dimensional work into exciting pop-up fun!
In the movable book world, there is of course the Movable Book Society, which promotes all things movable. A look at their website and references should be all it takes to get you warmed up for the new year. Here are some other resources to get your brain churning:
Websites to drool over:
Books to pore over:
If that’s not enough for you, just google ‘tunnel books’ or ‘pop up books’, and prepare to spend some time in the rabbit hole. Take a look – the possibilities are kind of endless!
Program: Flower Power Pop-ups! with Linda Whelihan
We’ll be celebrating spring during our April meeting! B.A.G. member Linda Whelihan will be teaching you three fun, floral pop-up forms.
Here’s what you’ll need to participate in the project:
- White and colored cardstock (cut in half: 5.5” x 8.5”)
- Scissors
- X-acto knife
- Cutting mat
- PVA or glue stick
- Decorative papers, flower catalogues for inspiration, etc.
You’ll also need to print out this template (it’s a pdf file).
If you’d like to attend the meeting over Zoom, please contact Elissa so she can send you the details.
March Meeting Reflections
It’s always a pleasure when Dorsey Hogg presents to the group. I love how calmly and easily she works. While some of us have made tunnel books, there is always something new to learn, and a trick to pick up. My takeaways from the meeting? It does not have to be complicated, you can just trim a bit where you need to.
Dorsey showed us some of her own work using altered books and book pages to create layered tunnel structures that bring the scenes to life. It has inspired me to think in a new way about ‘layers’ and how to create movement through the perspective that the tunnel provides.
Thanks, Dorsey! You’re the best!
Thanks to everyone who showed up and participated along with us. I’m just loving this year’s theme, aren’t you?
B.A.G. Library Corner
Hi everyone, Elissa here. Sally’s taking a well-deserved month off. But don’t worry, I’ve got your monthly book fix!
I thought that you might be interested in expanding your library to include more reference books on movables. Here are a few cool books that I own, but haven’t been mentioned before:
If you have ideas for books to feature or if you have a B.A.G. library book in your possession from which you’d like to share something, email Sally at salblanch@gmail.com.
B.A.G. News
*** The Book Arts Guild of Vermont is pleased to announce our annual exhibition, Bookworks: the Art of the Book! The show this year will be held at the S.P.A.C.E. Gallery on Pine Street in Burlington. Members and friends are encouraged to submit up to 2 entries. B.A.G. will cover the entry fee for members.
Here are some important dates:
- Deadline for submissions: June 26, 2023. No entries will be accepted after this date.
- Exhibit dates: July 1 – 30, 2023
- Opening reception: First Friday Art Walk, July 7, 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
- Artists’ Talk: TBD. This will take the place of our regular monthly meeting.
More details to come. A link to the entry form will be included in next month’s newsletter.
*** Susan Smereka will be teaching Creative Bookmaking with Jane Ploughman on 5 Wednesdays, April 19 – May 17, 2023.
This workshop is ideal for the newbie and for those with some experience. Learn the process of paste paper, Gelli plate printing, and Japanese marbling; Suminagashi. These decorative papers will be incorporated into book structures such as single sheet, a single flag, and an accordion with a hardcover. In your final book projects, you will also work on the content (words, drawings, collages, etc).
Jane Ploughman is a bookmaker and printmaker from New Haven, Vermont with 20 years of experience. Susan Smereka is a printmaker and visual artist with 13 years of experience with bookmaking. With two instructors you are guaranteed plenty of one-on-one instruction.
For more information or to register, click here.
*** Elissa Campbell will be teaching Pop-Up Basics at CraftStudies on April 16.
If you want to add more magic to your cards and artist books, then give pop-ups a try! Also known as paper engineering, pop-ups use cuts and folds to create motion and energy in paper structures.
Through the creation of a series of pop-up cards, students will learn the basics of three-dimensional construction, including box supports, props, and straddles, then bind these cards into a book, which will become a handy reference for future work. In addition, students will receive a detailed handout and resource list for all materials we use. No previous experience is required.
For more information or to register, please visit the CraftStudies website.
Book Arts News
*** 23 Sandy Gallery is currently accepting submissions for its upcoming exhibition, Dreams. This exhibition is open to handmade book and paper arts and related works created as either an edition or one-of-a-kind. Artist books, sculptural books, book objects, altered books, zines, and broadsides are all encouraged.
Dreams allow us to experience worlds beyond borders, barriers, and binaries. They are narratives that grow out of our waking experiences into the fantastical, unexpected, and strange. Sometimes vivid, other times elusive, dreams can immerse us in hope and beauty. Their meaning and mechanics are a mystery. In dreams, we can encounter the impossible. This call for entries invites artists to submit book and paper art about the cognitive, sensory, and emotional nature of dreams, your personal dreams, or dreams you hold for others.
The deadline for entries is June 9, 2023. For more information or to view the prospectus, please visit the 23 Sandy Gallery website.
*** Abecedarian Gallery is currently accepting submissions for its upcoming exhibition, Westward Bound II. Eligible are artists’ book works either created by artists living/working in The American West or artists’ book works with content relevant to The American West.
Virtually every part of the United States except the Eastern Seaboard has been “the West” at some point in American history, linked in popular imagination with the last frontier of American settlement. For purposes of this exhibition, The American West refers to that vast stretch of plains, mountains, and deserts west of the Mississippi and so includes states now considered the mid-west (such as the Dakotas, Kansas, Nebraska, and so forth).
The deadline for entries is June 18, 2023. For more information, please visit the Abecedarian Gallery website.
*** Now through April 21, the North Bennet Street School is hosting Beyond Bookbinding, an exhibition including the work of students, alumni, current and former faculty, and program advisors.
The work answers a question they often get, “What do you do after you study bookbinding?” That answer includes the classic Fine Bindings often seen in bookbinding exhibitions (these works, sometimes known as “Design Bindings” or “Artistic Bindings” are exhibition oriented staples). But Beyond Bookbinding also includes book repair and conservation, historical binding structure models, period-style re-bindings, artists’ books, decorated paper, letterpress printing… and even some stone carved lettering.
The North Bennet Street School is located in Boston, MA. The exhibit is being held in the Windgate Gallery.
*** Now through April 29, the Kate Cheney Chappell 83 Center for Book Arts is hosting Building Books: New England Book Artists Members Exhibition. The exhibition is located in the Great Reading Room, 7th floor, Glickman Family Library at the University of Southern Maine in Portland.
NEBA is a professional organization of book artists and bibliophiles. It celebrates, promotes, and supports the book arts and its makers, fosters public education, and nurtures an understanding and enjoyment of the discipline through exhibitions, workshops, lectures, and related activities.
For more information, please visit the KCCCBA website.
*** The Rochester Public Library is currently accepting submissions for its 12th juried international exhibit, Art of the Book: Artist Books, Altered Books, & Paper Sculpture. The deadline for entries is May 15.
In 2011, the first Art of the Book exhibit was held in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Rochester Public Library. At the time, they wanted to celebrate what has been at the core of libraries for centuries – the book. They marveled over the intricate interpretations of this humble format and were thrilled with the response to the exhibit from the community.
In subsequent years, the exhibit has grown to include entries from all over the world, featuring well-known artists for their exquisite work. Books continue to ensnare the imagination, both for their form and content. Artists manipulate those two components to create breathtaking, mind-bending works of art that tease and cajole people to consider the intricacies of paper, ink, words, and meaning.
For more information or to view the prospectus, please visit the Rochester Public Library’s website.
Stay-at-Home Fun
*** The Center for Book Arts is offering Drum Leaf Binding and its Precedents with Scott McCarney on Thursdays, April 27 – May 11.
In this workshop, participants will learn to make three types of lay-flat books ideal for displaying photographs and prints. The three techniques – a Japanese Album, a Japanese Butterfly book, and a Drum-Leaf binding – have similarly easy and ingenious modes of assembly. All three books join single folded folios in distinct ways using a minimum of glue, limiting the amount of moisture to speed the binding process considerably.
Participants will case their Drum-Leaf books into easily assembled quarter-cloth covers with throw-back spines. Since each page spread is a single folded folio, participants can print their images across the gutter with no interruption, making these techniques very popular with printmakers and photographers. Once completed, these books lie flat when opened, making them easy and comfortable to view.
For more information or to register, please visit the CBA website.
*** The Minnesota Center for Book Arts is offering the Dos-à-Dos Binding with Rosae Reeder on April 29.
In this workshop, you’ll learn how to create books that are bound together – sharing a back cover – and open in opposite directions. First, create a simple single-page dos-à-dos to get familiar with the concept of the structure. Next, make a softcover book with two sections sewn in. Finally, create a hardcover dos-à-dos structure with a sewn open spine.
The stories or imagery in these versatile books can be viewed as one continuous story, or as two parallel stories. Basic binding skills are helpful, but not required.
For more information or to register, please visit the MCBA website.
*** Erin Fletcher of Herringbone Bindery is offering the Tue-Mouche binding on May 23 & 25.
Translated to “flypaper”, the Tue-Mouche was developed by Ben Elbel as a variation to the Dos Rapporté structure (another one of his innovations). The Tue-Mouche is an easy and economical form of bookbinding. The covers are constructed entirely from heavyweight paper, layered to create rigidity and strength, while the flexible spine allows the binding to open without constraints. In this workshop students will learn how to create the Tue-Mouche structure from start to finish.
For more information or to register, please visit Erin’s website.
by Elissa | Mar 4, 2020 | B.A.G. Meetings, bookbinding, Call to artists, Exhibitions, Lecture, MailB.A.G., Member News, Vermont, Workshops
Next Meeting: Wednesday, March 11, 2020, 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.
Welcome to According to Accordions!
Often underestimated, the accordion book has more to it than meets the eye. This structure provides endless possibilities for construction, and multiple options for display and presentation. In our March meeting, we will continue with our multi-meeting exploration of the accordion book structure.
Prepare to be inspired by the versatility and potential of accordions!
Program: According to Accordions, Part 3 – Flag Books with Marcia Vogler
At the next B.A.G. meeting, Marcia Vogler will be teaching us how to make Flag Books. This structure literally builds on the accordion fold.
Originally developed by Hedi Kyle for her work April Diary, the foundation of the deceptively simple Flag Book structure is an accordion folded spine. Rows of flags attached to opposing sides of each of the spine’s “mountain” folds allow the artist to fragment and layer a number of complementary or contrasting images and narratives.
When read page by page, the viewer sees disjointed fragments of image and text. When the spine is pulled fully open, these fragments assemble a panoramic spread. This transformation is accompanied by a delightful flapping sound. The spine and covers provide opportunities for additional imagery.
– Karen Hanmer
Please bring more samples of accordion books to share!
All materials will be provided but if you are able, please bring the following:
- Cutting mat
- Straight edge or ruler
- X-Acto knife or the like
- Bone folder
- PVA, Fast Tack or other white glue and/or a glue stick
- Scissors
- Double-sided tape
- Small stamps or images to attach to your flags (1″ high)
If you don’t have any of these things, don’t worry extras will be available.
February Meeting Reflections
It was a full house for our second installment of According to Accordions, which featured the Star/Carousel structure. Becky Boardman showed us models and examples, then led us through the steps to make this multi-layered structure.
May I say how much I loved this? And it was the perfect little Valentine’s gift for my Valentine! I will come back to this structure again and again.
Thanks, Becky, and thanks to everyone who showed up. You are all ‘stars’.
You can view images from the meeting on the B.A.G. blog.
B.A.G. News
*** Announcement: Spring/Summer member exhibit, Page Turners: Artist’s Books by the Book Arts Guild of Vermont
Our spring/summer exhibit will take place in June at ArtHound Gallery in Essex, Vermont. The theme, Page Turners, is open-ended, allowing for unlimited interpretation. All members are invited and encouraged to contribute new or old work.
This new gallery offers a beautiful space for the exhibit, surrounded by work from artisans all over Vermont. All work must be FOR SALE.
Here are some important dates:
- Entry due date: May 27, 2020. No entries will be accepted after this date. Artists are encouraged to bring work and appropriate paperwork to the May 13th B.A.G. meeting.
- Exhibit dates: June 6 – 30, 2020
- Opening reception: June 6, 2020. Times to be determined.
*** Elissa Campbell is teaching The Moving Book – Pop-Up Basics at the Bayside Activity Center in Colchester, VT on March 21st.
If you want to add more magic to your cards and artist books, then give pop-ups a try! Also known as paper engineering, pop-ups use cuts and folds to create motion and energy in paper structures.
Through the creation of a series of pop-up cards, you’ll learn the basics of three-dimensional construction, including box supports, props, and straddles. You’ll then bind these cards into a book, which will become a handy reference for future work.
Register online or print out the registration form and mail it in.
Book Arts News
*** On April 3rd, Dartmouth College‘s Baker-Berry Library presents Skins to Draw on: A Parchment Making Demonstration with Jesse Meyer from Pergamena Leathers.
Parchment is a material made from animal skin; often calfskin, sheepskin, or goatskin. Its most common use is as a material for writing on, drawing on, for documents, notes, or the pages of a book, codex or manuscript. Jesse will demonstrate the techniques involved in the production of parchment, with participants trying their hands in the process. He’ll have lots of samples of his work for you to peruse along the way.
No registration necessary. Feel free to stop by Book Arts Room 21 from 3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. to check it out.
To learn more about Pergamena visit their website.
*** Dartmouth College is also hosting An Evening with Graham Patten and his Convolutingly Engineered Books on May 18th from 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Come spend a bit of time with bookbinder and conservator Graham Patten as he shows us his work, including his invention, the Continuously Convoluting Carousel. This multiplex carousel structure is the first of its kind. It can be inverted on itself indefinitely, revealing a sequence of four different hidden openings or displays. A variation on the Jacob’s Ladder toy, the Continuously Convoluting Carousel employs the same double-action hinges that gave the original toy its characteristically illusive motion.
We will look at a number of Patten’s incredible design bindings, while he takes us through his design process and show us how to make a simplified version of the structure.
No registration necessary. The presentation is being held in Book Arts Room 21 of Baker-Berry Library.
Book Arts Classes
*** Juliayn Coleman is offering Hand Bookbinding from August 30 – September 5 at Sunset Lodge on Lake Damariscotta, ME.
In this hands-on workshop, you will create three non-adhesive books. The structures will range from the earliest binding styles to contemporary, and they are geared towards beginner through intermediate skill levels.
In addition to the binding, you will explore three different ways to decorate paper for the covers of your books: paste paper, suminagashi, and plant printing. The goal is to create a harmonious set of beautiful books, learn simple structures that you can take home and repeat on your own, and let your creative mind explore the medium of book binding.
For more information, please visit the Sunset Lodge Workshops website.
*** The North Bennet Street School in Boston is offering Sewn Board & Drumleaf Binding with Amy Lapidow on Sunday, March 22nd.
The sewn board binding, is a great structure that uses minimal tools and is infinitely adaptable. Dress it up or down, and it opens flat! Its sibling, the drum leaf binding is akin to a board book and is perfect for images. You will make both in this course.
For more information, please visit the NBSS website.
by Elissa | Feb 7, 2020 | B.A.G. Meetings, bookbinding, Exhibitions, Lecture, MailB.A.G., Member News, Vermont, Workshops
Next Meeting: Wednesday, February 12, 2020, 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.
Welcome to According to Accordions!
Often underestimated, the accordion book has more to it than meets the eye. This structure provides endless possibilities for construction, and multiple options for display and presentation. In our February meeting, we will continue with our multi-meeting exploration of the accordion book structure.
Prepare to be inspired by the versatility and potential of accordions!
Program: According to Accordions, Part 2 – Star Books with Becky Boardman
At the next B.A.G. meeting, Becky Boardman will be teaching us how to make Star/Carousel books. This structure uses accordion folds that are “nested”, making it a kind of tunnel book.
Please bring more samples of accordion books to share! If you have played with the woven accordion structure Dorsey taught us please show us what you did! The more books we look at the greater our repertoire becomes.
All materials will be provided but if you are able, please bring the following:
- Cutting mat
- X-Acto knife or the like
- Bone folder
- PVA, Fast Tack or other white glue and/or a glue stick
- Scissors
- Scraps of colored or decorative paper, can be as small as 3” x 3” or less
- Double-sided tape
If you don’t have any of these things, don’t worry extras will be available.
January Meeting Reflections
We were lucky enough to have the Queen of Complex Accordions kick off our special multi-meeting series. Dorsey Hogg gave us the basics and then introduced us to a twist, using interlocking layers to form multiple accordions into one structure. She wowed us with examples of her intricate altered book structures, and shared some insight into her start as a book artist.
Many other participants shared accordion books they had made as well, making it a lively and fun evening. For me, there is maybe nothing so satisfying as a nicely folded accordion made with smooth, crisp paper, so I am looking forward to the next meetings so we may all fold together again.
Thanks, Dorsey, and thanks to everyone who showed up and folded stuff.
You can view images from the meeting on the B.A.G. blog.
B.A.G. News
*** Support the Book Arts Guild of Vermont by becoming a member!
The Book Arts Guild of Vermont is supported by its members and you have kept us going for more than ten years. Our organization is solely run by volunteers and we do what we do because we love the book arts and we love B.A.G.. We continue to be inspired by our community, and the enthusiasm and talents that you bring to our meetings.
Membership dues are our main source of income and we hope that you will show that you value what we have to offer – quality programming, field trips, exhibits, and more – by becoming a member. You get so much value out of your $35.00 and attending just one meeting can give you your full money’s worth.
Just to give you an idea of where membership dues go, here’s a breakdown of B.A.G.’s annual expenses:
- Rent: $50.00 per month
- Presenter honorarium: $35.00 per meeting
- Website and email newsletter: $100.00 per year
- Presenter reimbursement for supplies: Varies
If you’ve done the math, you’ll see that we need a minimum of $910.00 (not including supply reimbursement) to cover our annual expenses.
We hope that you will renew your membership or join us as a new member at the December meeting. If you will not be at the meeting, you can download our membership form and send it in with your payment.
Thank you so much for your continued support of the guild. We wouldn’t be here without you.
*** Announcement: Spring/Summer member exhibit, Page Turners: Artist’s Books by the Book Arts Guild of Vermont
Our spring/summer exhibit will take place later this year and all members are invited and encouraged to contribute new or old work. The theme, Page Turners, is open-ended, allowing for unlimited interpretation.
Our exhibit location has yet to be determined, so stay tuned for more details.
*** Elissa Campbell is teaching the Secret Belgian Binding at Studio Place Arts in Barre, VT on February 10 & 11.
The not-so-mysterious Secret Belgian binding was developed to have the appearance of a Japanese stab binding, but also to have the ability of opening flat. The structure was invented by Anne Goy in the mid-1980’s and was relatively unknown until Hedi Kyle introduced it to the United States.
The text block is sewn is first, before attaching the covers with an intriguing woven sewing pattern – no glue is needed! This hard cover binding is perfect for use as a journal or sketchbook.
You will receive a detailed handout and resource list for all materials we use. Some previous experience with bookbinding is helpful, but not required.
Register online or contact Studio Place Arts at (802) 479-7069.
Book Arts News
*** On Wednesday February 12th from 5:00 p.m. – 6:15 p.m., join the Dartmouth Library Book Arts Workshop in the East Reading Room in Baker Library for What Is Small Press and Where Is it Going? A Talk with Matvei Yankelevich of Ugly Duckling Presse.
Ugly Duckling Presse began its life as a xeroxed zine and slowly transformed into a Brooklyn-based nonprofit small press led by a volunteer collective that has brought out more than 250 titles to date. Throughout its history, UDP has favored emerging, international, and “forgotten” writers, and its books, chapbooks, artist’s books, broadsides, and periodicals often contain handmade and letterpress elements, calling attention to the labor and history of bookmaking.
Matvei Yankelevich is one of the founding members of the Ugly Duckling Presse editorial collective. At UDP, he curates the Eastern European Poets Series since 2002, and has co-edited 36 issues of the poetry magazine 6×6 and 40 issues of the Emergency Gazette, and has edited and designed countless books, chapbooks, and poetry broadsides. He teaches translation and book-making workshops, as well as literary seminars at Columbia University’s School of the Arts, among other institutions, and is a member of the Writing faculty of the Milton Avery Graduate School of the Arts at Bard College.
No registration is necessary for the event.
*** Now through March 20th, the Baker-Berry Library at Dartmouth College is hosting Specimens: Artists Books and their Kin from the Dartmouth Collection. The exhibit was curated by Sarah Smith, Book Arts Workshop Program Manager.
Over the years, artists, designers and craftsmen working in the realm of “book arts” have influenced each other in many ways – sometimes without knowing. The works in this exhibit, whether called artist books, fine press books, zines, or examples of design bindings, involve an artistic approach to the book as a form and method of conveying beautiful design and/or provocative content and in so doing reveal the book as an art form itself.
These books can be found in Rauner Special Collections, Sherman Art Library‘s Special Collections as well as in the open stacks. They’ve included the call numbers and other information to help you find these books and others like them. Hopefully, you too will be inspired by these books to learn more and maybe even make one!
*** The New England Chapter of the Guild of Book Workers is looking for volunteers to teach simple bookbinding techniques and creative content at two upcoming Girl Scout events. Through these events, NEGBW volunteers will be helping Cadettes earn their Book Artist badge and potentially inspiring future bookbinders.
The event will be held on Saturday, March 7th at Camp Cedar Hill in Waltham, MA. There will be 2 sessions: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Carpooling can be arranged.
If you are interested in volunteering or have any questions, please contact Lauren Telepak at negbwprograms@gmail.com.
Book Arts Classes
*** On Sunday, February 9, 2020, The Eliot School of Fine and Applied Arts in Jamaica Plain, MA is offering Star Books with Cristina Hajosy.
A handmade star book can be presented as an artist’s book or as a hanging ornament. Excite viewers with the visual movement and performative qualities of this unusual book structure. Learn basic bookmaking techniques and experiment with hand-marbled papers, mixed media and collage scraps to customize your books.
For more information about the class, please visit the Eliot School’s website.
*** The North Bennet Street School in Boston is offering Sewn Board & Drumleaf Binding with Amy Lapidow on Sunday, March 22nd.
The sewn board binding, is a great structure that uses minimal tools and is infinitely adaptable. Dress it up or down, and it opens flat! Its sibling, the drum leaf binding is akin to a board book and is perfect for images. You will make both in this course.
For more information, please visit the NBSS website.
by Elissa | Jan 3, 2020 | B.A.G. Meetings, bookbinding, Call to artists, Exhibitions, MailB.A.G., Member News, Vermont, Workshops
Next Meeting: Wednesday, January 8, 2020, 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.
Welcome to According to Accordions!
Often underestimated, the accordion book has more to it than meets the eye. This structure provides endless possibilities for construction, and multiple options for display and presentation. Starting with our January meeting, we will begin a multi-meeting exploration of the accordion book structure.
Prepare to be inspired by the versatility and potential of accordions!
Program: According to Accordions, Part 1 – Simple Accordions with Dorsey Hogg
In this month’s meeting Dorsey Hogg will lead us in making a simple accordion book. We’ll begin with the basics of the folded structure, and move on to more elaborate variations in the following meetings.
As an introduction, we’d like to invite you to bring books you’ve made with an accordion structure for a show and tell.
All materials will be provided, but please bring the following:
- Cutting mat
- X-acto knife
- Scissors
- Pencils or pens if you wish to work on the pages
- Glue stick
December Meeting Reflections
December’s meeting was full.
Full of fun, giving, selling and time for socializing. Everyone brought a wrapped handmade ornament and we had a gift exchange, followed by a lively sharing. As each ornament was presented “oohs” and “ahs” followed.
Then the meeting was opened up with members putting out goods to sell and a treasure table full of items free for the taking. We all left with new goodies and the warm feeling of fellowship with friends we admire.
You can view images from the meeting on the B.A.G. blog.
B.A.G. News
*** Support the Book Arts Guild of Vermont by becoming a member!
The Book Arts Guild of Vermont is supported by its members and you have kept us going for more than ten years. Our organization is solely run by volunteers and we do what we do because we love the book arts and we love B.A.G.. We continue to be inspired by our community, and the enthusiasm and talents that you bring to our meetings.
Membership dues are our main source of income and we hope that you will show that you value what we have to offer – quality programming, field trips, exhibits, and more – by becoming a member. You get so much value out of your $35.00 and attending just one meeting can give you your full money’s worth.
Just to give you an idea of where membership dues go, here’s a breakdown of B.A.G.’s annual expenses:
- Rent: $50.00 per month
- Presenter honorarium: $35.00 per meeting
- Website and email newsletter: $100.00 per year
- Presenter reimbursement for supplies: Varies
If you’ve done the math, you’ll see that we need a minimum of $910.00 (not including supply reimbursement) to cover our annual expenses.
We hope that you will renew your membership or join us as a new member at the December meeting. If you will not be at the meeting, you can download our membership form and send it in with your payment.
Thank you so much for your continued support of the guild. We wouldn’t be here without you.
*** Announcement: Spring/Summer member exhibit, Page Turners: Artist’s Books by the Book Arts Guild of Vermont
Our spring/summer exhibit will take place later this year and all members are invited and encouraged to contribute new or old work. The theme, Page Turners, is open-ended, allowing for unlimited interpretation.
Our exhibit location has yet to be determined, so stay tuned for more details.
*** Nina Gaby has been chosen to exhibit Unsent, an artist book using porcelain bound with wire, in the national exhibit Mixed Media opening at Nazareth College in Rochester, NY on January 24, 2020.
The exhibit features works across various mediums to showcase what the new generation of mixed media artists are doing while advancing the public’s awareness and appreciation of this interdisciplinary field.
For more information about the exhibit, visit the Nazareth College website.
*** Elissa Campbell is teaching the Secret Belgian Binding at Studio Place Arts in Barre, VT on February 10 & 11.
The not-so-mysterious Secret Belgian binding was developed to have the appearance of a Japanese stab binding, but also to have the ability of opening flat. The structure was invented by Anne Goy in the mid-1980’s and was relatively unknown until Hedi Kyle introduced it to the United States.
The text block is sewn is first, before attaching the covers with an intriguing woven sewing pattern – no glue is needed! This hard cover binding is perfect for use as a journal or sketchbook.
You will receive a detailed handout and resource list for all materials we use. Some previous experience with bookbinding is helpful, but not required.
Register online or contact Studio Place Arts at (802) 479-7069.
Book Arts News
*** Helen Hiebert has reinvented her Twelve Months of Paper Calendar as a planner, The Paper Year: A 2020 Creative Project Planner. Each month features a paper craft project along with a list of materials and tools you’ll need to complete each project, plus step-by-step photos, templates and easy-to-follow instructions.
Helen also has a curated paper pack that includes everything you need to complete all of the projects – no need to source materials on your own!
Elissa is working on getting a group order together so folks can take advantage of available discounts.
Here’s the scoop:
- If 10+ people order the planner, the discount is 50% – $12.50 each.
- If we get 2+ people ordering the paper pack, the discount 10% – $22.50.
- If 10+ people order both the planner and the paper pack, the total discount is 50% – $25.00
You can check out the planner and all of the completed projects at the December meeting (Elissa made ’em all). If you’re interested, please contact Elissa.
*** From February 20 – April 30, the North Bennet Street School will be hosting the exhibit Drop Dead Gorgeous: Fine Bindings of La Prose du Transsibérien Re-creation.
The remarkable book by poet Blaise Cendrars and artist Sonia Delaunay, La Prose du Transsibérien et de la petite Jehanne de France, was produced by letterpress and pochoir in 1913. It was a landmark achievement for its time with its unprecedented format, avant-garde typography and abstract imagery, and remains vibrant and modern today.
Kitty Maryatt of Two Hands Press has been researching the production of La Prose du Transsibérien since 2012. In 2018, she debuted a new edition of 150 copies, which faithfully incorporates techniques and methods used in the original.
At the same time, Maryatt and her underwriters commissioned fine bindings by notable design binders from around the world. These bindings, along with Maryatt’s La Prose du Transsibérien Re-Creation, have resulted in a traveling exhibition titled Drop Dead Gorgeous: Fine Bindings of La Prose du Transsibérien Re-creation.
The NBBS is located in Boston, MA.
*** The New England Chapter of the Guild of Book Workers will be celebrating 40 years in 2020 and to commemorate this milestone, they are inviting members to submit work to their upcoming 40th Anniversary Exhibition. They encourage submissions of all types of book work (this includes bindings, artist books, calligraphy, printmaking, paper making, etc.) to showcase the diversity of their membership.
In order to submit work, please fill out an Intent to Enter form. The deadline to submit the form is February 14, 2020. Submissions will be accepted from July 1 to July 31, 2020.
Entrants must be members of the New England Chapter of the Guild of Book Workers and carry a membership throughout the entire run of the exhibition.
For more information about the rules and regulations and deadlines, please visit the NEGBW website. You can also contact Erin Fletcher at newenglandgbw@gmail.com with any questions.
Book Arts Classes
*** From February 29 – March 1, the North Bennet Street School will be hosting a workshop with Kitty Maryatt on the technique of traditional French pochoir. Since this is an introduction, the focus will be on problem-solving and experiencing the joy of vibrant and true color.
This workshop will introduce the basics of printing multiples through aluminum stencils. The steps involve the following: trace the imagery that you want to reproduce, develop a registration system, identify and separate the colors, cut aluminum plates by hand, mix gouache colors, prime the French pochoir brush and apply the liquid in a swirling fashion.
The instructor will bring a pre-designed image with plates already cut so that participants can immediately learn the brush techniques. Afterwards, participants will select or create an image to be reproduced and go through the steps to make an edition of that image.
The NBBS is located in Boston, MA. For more information or to register, please visit the NBSS website.
*** On Sunday, February 9, 2020, The Eliot School of Fine and Applied Arts in Jamaica Plain, MA is offering Star Books with Cristina Hajosy.
A handmade star book can be presented as an artist’s book or as a hanging ornament. Excite viewers with the visual movement and performative qualities of this unusual book structure. Learn basic bookmaking techniques and experiment with hand-marbled papers, mixed media and collage scraps to customize your books.
For more information about the class, please visit the Eliot School’s website.
*** Maine Media Workshops + College is offering 2-Day Letterpress Single-Sheet Books with Valerie Carrigan from February 15 – 16, 2020.
This weekend workshop celebrates books made from single sheets of paper. You will learn to fold a variety of book structures, ranging from simple to complex in nature.
These versatile and fun structures are ideal for photographers and printmakers interested in presenting their work a in new and fresh way. Creative enclosures, also folded from single sheets of paper, will be made to house all book models.
All skill levels welcome in this workshop.
Click here to register. Maine Media Workshops + College is located in Rockport, ME.
