by Elissa | May 5, 2023 | B.A.G. Meetings, bookbinding, Call to artists, Exhibitions, MailB.A.G., Member News, Vermont, Workshops
Next Meeting: Wednesday, May 10, 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!
Program: Pop-ups Shadowbox Book with Kit Davey
We are excited to have Kit Davey as our guest presenter this month. Kit is an Instagram phenomena, posting exciting book work almost every day! Her work is playful, humorous, and she is gracious enough to share her time with us.
Learn how to make this fun five-page pop-up book. When you turn the pages of the book a “box” forms to create a 3-dimensional effect. You can install images to the front or underneath each frame. Once you learn the basic mechanism you can add pages or scale the book up or down.
Tools needed:
- Scissors
- Ruler
- Pencil and eraser
- X-Acto knife and cutting mat
- Bone folder
- Glue, brushes, rag, water container
- Scoring board, if you have one
Ingredients to make the book:
Note: You must cut out the ingredients in advance of the class! There will not be time to cut things out during class.
For the pages:
- 10 pieces single- or double-sided card stock: 2.5” by 6”
- 5 images that can fit inside a 1.5” by 1.5” opening.
- For the covers: 2 pieces of mat board: 2.5” by 3”
- Paper to cover the covers: 2 pieces paper 3.75” by 4.5”
- For the spine: 1 pc. card stock 2.5” by 2.5”
To learn more about Kit’s work, check out her Instagram.
If you’d like to attend the meeting over Zoom, please contact Elissa so she can send you the details.
April Meeting Reflections
They may say that April showers bring May flowers, but our April meeting brought those flowers early!
We were lucky to have skilled presenter Linda Whelihan to guide us as we created three different types of flower pop-up cards. She presented each pop-up in such a way that seemingly complicated arrangements became easy to construct.
I’m not sure which card is my favorite, but I do know that when my daughter asked if she could have them, I quickly hid them away in my studio – sorry Anna, those are mine! Perhaps I’ll surprise her with one on her birthday…
Many thanks to Linda for sharing her talent and creativity with us.
B.A.G. Library Corner
Book artist Carol Barton says “There’s magic in a book that pops up!” She describes how she engineers the magic in her chapter of The Penland Book of Handmade Books. Discussing her inspiration, her methods, and how she got into pop-ups, Barton tells a compelling story that can help inspire our own paper engineering creations.
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.
You can check out and download the chapter here.
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 3 entries, although not all may be accepted. New this year, entries will be made online, and artists will be notified of acceptance on or before July 26. B.A.G. will cover the entry fee for members.
Here are some important dates:
- Deadline for online submissions: June 18, 2023. No entries will be accepted after this date.
- Exhibit dates: July 7 – August 4, 2023
- Opening reception: First Friday Art Walk, July 7, 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
- Artists’ Talk: July 12, 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. This will take the place of our regular monthly meeting.
- Closing reception: First Friday Art Walk, August 4, 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Click here to access the exhibit entry form.
*** Congratulations to Marcia Vogler for being accepted into the juried exhibition, Paper Made, which will be featured in the summer issue of Fiber Art Now magazine. Selections from the exhibit will be on display at the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center, Brattleboro, VT from October 14, 2023 – February 11, 2024.
*** Elissa Campbell will be teaching The Lidded Pencil Box at CraftStudies on May 21.
If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to make your own decorative boxes, then this class is a great place to start! This decorative lidded box is the perfect size to hold your pens and pencils – or perhaps future boxmaking tools?
During this workshop, you’ll make a box that measures 8” (l) x 3” (w) x 2.25” (h). You’ll learn basic boxmaking techniques, including how to measure and cut materials, wrapping a box with paper, and the best way to apply adhesives. We’ll also talk about how to scale the size of the box to fit differently-sized items.
Not only will this class offer you the foundation and confidence needed to continue making boxes, but it will also provide you with a variety of bookbinding skills. You will receive a detailed handout and resource list for all materials we use.
For more information or to register, please visit the CraftStudies website.
*** Susan Smereka will be teaching the Upcycled Journal on May 23 & 30 at her studio in Burlington, VT. Whether you are new to bookbinding or not, this workshop is appropriate for all skill levels and interests.
You will rebuild an old book and give it new life as a unique journal to inspire you to write and capture your precious ideas, collages and drawings. And they make great gifts too!
You will take apart an old book, and rebind it with blank pages interleaved with text from the original. Build your knowledge and skills around bookbinding as you learn the parts of a book and how to do a long stitch binding with waxed linen thread.
For more information or to register, click here.
*** On May 27 & 28 (Memorial Day Weekend), the statewide Open Studio Weekend is offering a wonderful selection of book and paper arts studios for you to visit.
If you’re up for a tour, you can find members of your tribe in the following locations:
Elissa created a Google Map with all of the locations to help you with your tour.
Maps and directions to studios are available on the VT Crafts Council website.
Book Arts News
*** ArtisTree Gallery is currently accepting submissions for their 11th annual book arts exhibit, UNBOUND Vol. XI. Works will be on display from June 22 – July 15, 2023 at the gallery in South Pomfret, Vermont.
The theme of the show is simple – art using books as a material or a format. Visitors will have an opportunity to examine curious folios, recent grimoires, tomes turned to sculpture and some works having a relation to “books” in concept only.
This exhibition is for artists working in all traditional and non-traditional 2D (wall mounted) and 3D media. All artwork must be original in concept, design and execution, and must strictly adhere to the theme of the show. Note: reproductions can be used in mixed media work. Submissions are open to Vermont and New Hampshire residents who are 18 years of age or older.
The deadline for submission is June 7, 2023. All submissions must be made through their online entry form.
For more information, please read the online exhibit prospectus. You can also contact the gallery at exhibits@artistreevt.org.
*** 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.
*** Registration for Wells College Book Arts Center‘s Book Arts Summer Institute is now open. The week-long intensive courses include letterpress printing, bookbinding, calligraphy, typecasting, and font design. Week 1 runs from July 9 – 15 and Week 2 runs from July 16 – 22.
This year’s instructors include Tom Balbo, Scott McCarney, Leah Mackin, and Sonja Rossow. Wells College is located in Aurora, NY.
For more information, please visit the Wells College website.
Stay-at-Home Fun
*** The Minnesota Center for Book Arts is offering Zines: Exploring Narrative through Lists! with Hope Amico on May 10, 17, & 24.
Using a list to frame a personal narrative is a playful and accessible writing format. Handwritten and illustrated 8-page zines are a fun and approachable book format. In this virtual workshop, get introduced to these two art forms and begin by brainstorming story ideas – with pen and paper – using prompts as inspiration. Then, draft your story – with pen and paper or on an electronic device. Return the following week to share your work and engage in friendly group feedback.
In the last session, learn the process of laying out your story as a 4.25 x 5.5 inch zine (quarter-size, meaning a quarter of a piece of copy paper) and tips for analog layout, with opportunities to add visual elements.
For more information or to register, please visit the MCBA website.
*** The Center for Book Arts is offering Travel Journals with Susan Joy Share on May 17 & 24.
Create a series of soft-cover travel journals with paper covers for writing, drawing, collage, etc., and several compartments for tucking away collected items. You’ll learn basic folding and sewing techniques as you make pocket-sized books, perfect for walks or hikes, and a larger one for when you are settled in with time to reflect.
Students will learn several variations on pamphlet binding and 3 or 4 ways to score and fold soft-cover books. These journals travel especially well as they are light weight and easy to pack. You’ll have fun making pockets, folders and a collapsible origami box. Paper selections, closures, and decorative cover elements give students an opportunity add their personal touch. Making a travel journal is a great way to prepare for and get excited about a trip.
For more information or to register, please visit the CBA website.
*** The Jaffe Center for Book Arts is offering Microfiction Mini Books with Stephanie Wolff on May 24.
A very short story will be the content of a mini artists’ book. Participants will write a story in six words and create illustrations. Then bind it into a very simple but versatile book structure. The writing is meant to be a fun exercise, but participants are welcome to use existing stories should they choose.
This structure could be used for any kind of content: text or image or both, and can be scaled up in size. To learn more about this writing form, search the internet for “six-word stories” or “six-word memoirs”. A famous example, allegedly by Ernest Hemingway: “For sale: baby shoes. Never worn.”
For more information or to register, please visit the JCBA 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 3, 2023 | B.A.G. Book Swap, B.A.G. Meetings, bookbinding, Exhibitions, Lecture, MailB.A.G., Member News, Vermont, Workshops
Next Meeting: Wednesday, March 8, 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: Tunnel Books with Dorsey Hogg
Among the movables we’re exploring this year are tunnel books, which are made from a set of panels attached to an accordion on each side and viewed through a hole in the front. This type of book dates from the mid-18th century and was inspired by theatrical stage sets.
According to Wikipedia, “the term ‘tunnel book’ derives from the fact that many of these books were made to commemorate the building of the tunnel under the Thames River in London in the mid-19th century.” (Who knew?)
In our March meeting, you’ll learn the basics of creating a tunnel book with our own Dorsey Hogg.
Here’s what you’ll need to participate in the project:
- 5: 4″ x 6″ pieces of cardstock or similar weight paper for the pages
- 2: 4′ x 8″ strips of paper, I used 80lb drawing paper for the side bindings
- 1: 4.25″ x 18.25″ strip of paper, I used the same 80lb drawing paper for the wrap around cover.
- Glue stick
- Measuring tool
- X-Acto knife
- Bone folder
If you’d like to attend the meeting over Zoom, please contact Elissa so she can send you the details.
February Meeting Reflections
Some people just bring joy to everything they touch, and Ed Hutchins is one such person. What started as a show and tell, with charming videos of Ed leading us through some highlights of his artist book collection, ended with a hands-on reflection on Valentine pop-ups just in time for Valentine’s Day. Ed makes pop-ups look easy and accessible to everyone!
His presentation was a whirlwind introduction to the world of movable books, ranging from different cultures such as the Zhen Xian Bao, or Chinese thread box, to different structures such as tunnel books and flexagons. One of my personal favorites was the work of Paul Johnson, an English book artist who uses slotted structures without glue, and incorporates foldouts and pop-ups with sweet, brightly colored illustrations.
Oh, and then there were hearts, many hearts. There were accordion hearts, wiggle hearts, spiral hearts, interlocking hearts, and floating hearts. The eight different valentines Ed showed us in roughly 8 minutes was pure magic. I hope everyone took advantage of his challenge to send him a valentine and get one from him in return. There’s such joy in receiving an envelope covered with cute stickers from our friend.
Thanks so much, Ed! And thanks also to everyone who showed up and participated in this magical evening.
B.A.G. Library Corner
As we continue this year’s exploration of movable books and interactive structures, I began to think about what if a book was something else entirely – like a doll?
Mimi Kirchner’s plush doll sketchbook, featured in Jeannine Stein’s Adventures in Bookbinding: Handcrafting Mixed-Media Books, is a whimsical slipcover for a handmade sketchbook. But what if the pages were actually sewn into the slipcover? Could you turn a doll, or another unexpected object, into a book?
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.
You can check out and download the selection here.
B.A.G. News
*** Due to the success of our last Zine Swap, B.A.G. is hosting another one!
What’s a zine? A zine (short for fanzine or magazine) is a self-published booklet, usually made on paper and reproduced with a photocopier or printer. Our previous Zine Swap was fun and participants enjoyed receiving 10 zines from fellow members. Sally Knight and Marilyn Gillis have agreed to organize the swap.
Here are the steps for participating in this next Zine Swap:
- Join the swap by emailing Marilyn Gillis at marilyngillis@gmail.com by March 31, 2023 to state your desire to participate.
- Create an 8-page folded zine. This is a structure using one 8.5″ x 11″ sheet of paper which is folded and cut to create a 4.25″ x 2.75″ booklet. Copy paper is fine for making a zine. The structure is simple, fast and easy to make. There are many YouTube instructional videos, just search for how to make a one-page zine. If you need help you can email Marilyn.
- Create your zine content. Make a master copy.
- Copy your zine 11 times. One copy is for you to keep.
- Fold each of your copies.
- Send 10 copies to Marilyn Gillis, 9 Arthur Court, Burlington, VT 05401 by May 31.
- Receive a packet of 10 participant zines in June!
*** Susan Smereka will be teaching Generative Book with Jane Ploughman on March 22 & 29, and April 5, 2023.
Create a unique artist’s book while learning new bookmaking and printmaking techniques. This workshop will guide you through a three part creative process to generate text and images using Gelli plate printmaking and collage.
Your completed project will combine your edited and refined creations in a hardcover book (approximately 3.5″ x 5”) with 8 spreads (30 sides) handbound with a long stitch variation.
The workshop will take place at Susan Smereka’s studio space in Burlington, VT (Howard Street off of Pine).
For more information, please contact Susan at susansmereka@gmail.com.
*** Elissa Campbell will be teaching Blizzard of Blizzards at Studio Place Arts on March 11.
If this winter is giving you the blues, here’s a reason to like it a bit more – book artist Hedi Kyle‘s famous Blizzard Book was invented during a snowstorm! This gem of a book has a spine made of folded pockets that lock pages into place without using adhesive. The folded components can be modified to create other structures that Hedi affectionately refers to as the Blizzard Clan.
In this workshop, you’ll start by making the book that started it all, the Blizzard Book. As time allows, you’ll complete up to five variations including the Blizzard Box, the Blizzard Pocket, and the amazing Wheel of Fortune. All of these structures are intended to house your choice of content – for example, business cards, ticket stubs, or fortune cookie fortunes.
For more information or to register, please visit the SPA website.
Book Arts News
*** Chandler Center for the Arts in Randolph, Vermont is hosting Femmezine, now through March 4. Zine makers from all over (with a focus on local artists) will have their work and message on display and available for reading.
The show celebrates the Femme (An identity or presentation that leans towards femininity) DIY spirit as well as the necessity to shout out the message of “We are here, we exist, acknowledge us!”
The Do It Yourself (DIY) movement started with music, but would branch out into the rest of the arts. Fanzines (fan•zeenz) were a way for kids to distribute their message to others, helping to grow the culture, the community, and their chosen family.
For more information, please visit the Chandler website.
*** On March 24, The Grolier Club is hosting an online, full-day symposium in celebration of the Pattern and Flow, A Golden Age of American Decorated Paper, 1960s to 2000s exhibition, sponsored by the Thomas J. Watson Library, The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The free event will start with introductions and the keynote address, then offer panel presentations on 1. Techniques and materials in decorated paper; 2 the expansion of decorated paper in the U.S. (programs, outreach, education, publications); 3. earning a living in decorated paper (building a business, products); and 4. distributing and collecting decorated paper (trends and sales).
For more information or to register, please visit the event website.
*** 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 Jaffe Center for Book Arts is offering One Sheet Books with Stephanie Wolff on March 9.
A few folds, a cut or two and presto, a book! Participants will create a selection of simple folded “books” made from one piece of paper in this workshop. They are great for zines, comics, cards, and other self-publishing ventures, as well as artists’ books.
Paper choices, layout, and duplication methods will all be covered. Simple, inexpensive means of duplication or more complex artmaking methods can be combined with these forms. Our focus will be on making a set of models as reference for future work after the workshop.
For more information or to register, please email John Cutrone at jcutrone@fau.edu.
*** The Minnesota Center for Book Arts is offering Mini Modeled Books with Amanda D’Amico on March 14 & 28.
What happens when you combine historical Coptic bindings with contemporary craft materials? You get small, playful book objects! For the bookbinder who loves sculpture, this virtual workshop will cover how to make a three-dimensional book cover using Crayola Model Magic, a non-toxic, lightweight modeling material.
Part one of the workshop will cover tips and tricks for working with the modeling material, as well as how to design your book object for success. Part two of the workshop will cover instruction on the two-needle Coptic stitch binding, a traditional and wonderfully adaptable sewing technique that can be used for many sculptural structures.
Note that this workshop has two weeks between the two sessions to allow the Crayola Model Magic to fully dry and shrink to its permanent size.
For more information or to register, please visit the MCBA website.
*** Maine Media Workshops + College is offering Japanese Boro Stitch for Bookbinding with Marsha Shaw on April 1 & 8.
In this workshop, students will learn to make an accordion book that uses a Japanese Boro mending stitch. What is so exciting about this structure is that you can work on the pages separately and then bind them together to make a book of any length. For example, a continuing photographic series can be added over time.
Students will learn the skills necessary to keep making these books and written instructions will be provided (The instructions are for a 3.5″ x 2.5″ playing card but the instructor will show you how to adjust the holes to your size pages). Students will be provided a small kit with two master sheets of collage paper to play with, or you can use your own papers or photographs.
For more information or to register, please visit the Maine Media website.
by Elissa | Feb 2, 2023 | B.A.G. Meetings, bookbinding, Exhibitions, Lecture, MailB.A.G., Member News, Vermont, Workshops
Next Meeting: Wednesday, February 8, 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: Pop-ups and Movable Books with Ed Hutchins
Continuing with our movable book theme, we are excited to have Ed Hutchins as our guest presenter. Ed is a creative and innovative book artist and designer, as well as a collector of artist’s books. His work is colorful, playful, and imaginative, and always tells a good story.
During his presentation, we will look at books he has made, and examples from his Architecture of the Book Collection. He will also give us some ideas on how to use photos in movable greetings, and lastly, ideas for Valentines for you to make.
We are trying to figure out how to Zoom the meeting for those unable to attend in person. If you’d like to attend the meeting over Zoom, please contact Elissa and she’ll keep you in the loop.
January Meeting Reflections
I feel a lot of excitement building for our new theme of movable books! Elissa Campbell and Becky Boardman gave us some great ideas for pop-up structures, and different ways to incorporate them into books and cards.
Well, get ready for a zine swap, because we now have the skills to make shaped and sized structures. Keep your eyes open for the announcement for the next challenge.
B.A.G. Library Corner
If you’re anything like me, I start to dream of far-away places as winter really sets in. But why dream when you can create your own places using books, paper, and a little structural ingenuity?
Using the tutorials from Clare Youngs’ Creative Book Art, we can create a whimsical village or a fantastical ocean getaway to make those long winter days a little shorter.
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.
You can check out and download the selection here.
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 seventeen (!) 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, future 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:
- Zoom subscription: $149.90 per year
- Vimeo subscription: $84.00 per year
- Rent: $50.00 per month when we can return to in-person attendance
- Presenter honorarium: $35.00 per meeting
- Website and email newsletter: $100.00 per year
- Presenter reimbursement for supplies: Varies
We hope that you will renew your membership to help us with our annual expenses. You can download our membership form and send it in with your payment by check of $35.00 made out to the Book Arts Guild of Vermont:
Book Arts Guild of Vermont
c/o Ann Joppe-Mercure
10 Brookwood Dr
South Burlington, VT 05403
Thank you so much for your continued support of the guild. We wouldn’t be here without you.
*** Announcing the annual member show for 2023, The Art of the Book!
Our annual show will be held at S.P.A.C.E. Gallery in Burlington in July 2023. The details still need to be worked out, so stay tuned for more information about the submission deadline, exhibition dates, and the opening reception date.
Members are invited to submit 2 pieces, so get started!
*** Susan Smereka will be teaching Upcycle Journal on February 12. You will rebuild an old book and give it new life as a unique journal to inspire you to write and capture your precious ideas, collages and drawings.
You will take apart an old book, and rebind it with blank pages interleaved with text from the original. Build your knowledge and skills around bookbinding as you learn the parts of a book and how to do a long stitch binding with waxed linen thread. Whether you are new to bookbinding or not, this workshop is appropriate for all skill levels and interests.
The workshop will take place at Susan Smereka’s studio space in Burlington, VT (Howard Street off of Pine).
For more information, please contact Susan at susansmereka@gmail.com.
*** Elissa Campbell will be leading a Book Arts Open Studio at Studio Place Arts on February 17 & 18. This experimental workshop is 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. Enjoy the creative environment of working with other artists – it’s like a book arts play date!
The use of both standard and unconventional materials will be demonstrated, along with creative ways to apply them to the book arts. 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.
For more information or to register, please visit the SPA website.
Book Arts News
*** The Boston Athenæum is hosting the exhibition Materialia Lumina | Luminous Books: Concept & Craft in Contemporary Artists’ Books from now until March 11, 2023.
The exhibit showcases a selection of outstanding contemporary artists’ books created by some of the world’s most accomplished makers over the past twenty-five years. The books embody a distinctive marriage of “high craft” with “high concept.” They demonstrate a mastery of the traditional arts of the book – printing, printmaking, typography, calligraphy, bookbinding, papermaking, and graphic design – intersecting vigorously with the conceptual daring and exploratory nature of the best contemporary art.
The exhibition explores the extraordinary level of skill and persistence involved in creating these beautiful works, as well as their unique power to speak to a range of contemporary issues and concerns.
For more information, please visit the Athenæum website. The Athenæum is located at 10½ Beacon Street in Boston, MA.
*** On Thursday February 23, the Boston Athenæum is presenting The What, the How, and the Why: Craft as an Extension of Thought, an online exhibition lecture with Russell Maret.
Throughout the brief history of the artists’ book, craft and concept have often seemed at odds with one another. It has only been in the last forty years or so that a “third stream” of bookmaking has developed, one in which High Craft and High Concept play equal roles in the making of a book. In this talk Russell Maret will explore these various ideas through an examination of his own work, as well as the books of other artists whose work is exhibited in Materialia Lumina | Luminous Books.
For more information or to register, please visit the Athenæum website.
*** 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.
*** Arts and Exhibits Committee, University Libraries, at the University of South Dakota, is now taking entries for Bound and Unbound VII: Altered Book Exhibition through March 6, 2023. The biennial exhibition is scheduled for display Aug. 21, 2023 – Jan. 3, 2024.
Brian Dettmer, an American contemporary artist currently residing in Chicago, IL will serve as juror for this year’s exhibition. There are no restrictions on when works are created. Traditionally, they have featured only new works from the past three years, but this year they hope to garner a nice historical survey of the altered book as well as new works.
Full information, including a prospectus, can be found here.
For more information, please contact Hanson-Pareek at Sarah.HansonPareek@usd.edu, Danielle De Jager-Loftus at Danielle.Loftus@usd.edu, or Michael Boring at Michael.Boring@usd.edu.
*** 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 Jaffe Center for Book Arts is offering The Flutter Book with Stephanie Wolff on February 7.
The flutter book is a simple structure from the Eastern binding tradition. It’s a codex that can act a bit like an accordion, since the text block can be gently pulled out from the spine to show multiple pages at one time. Single folios are joined to create the text block, with a variety of possible cover options.
A simple soft cover will be made in class, with discussion of other options. This binding is great for single-sided photographs or prints. It can accommodate papers of different weights – from heavier to very light. We’ll create two models (one with heavier paper, the other with lighter paper) to serve as reference for future work and discuss possibilities for the structure’s creative use.
For more information or to register, please email John Cutrone at jcutrone@fau.edu.
*** Maine Media Workshops + College is offering Unfolding Narratives: Expanded Edition of Writing for Artist’s Books with Ellen Sheffield on Tuesdays, Feb 7 – March 14.
In this 6-session course, participants will learn techniques for generating text for artists’ books through conceptual approaches to language such as words as image, narrative, or lyrical expression. Participants will experiment with text itineraries and Dada and Surrealistic techniques.
Weeks 1 – 3: Writing exercises will be assigned to be completed before, during, and in between the first three workshop sessions. Various methods for getting text onto book pages will be demonstrated through mark-making, transfers, stencils, stamps, and rub-on type.
Weeks 3 – 6: In the last three sessions of the expanded edition of this workshop participants will choose from writings generated and use these to create text for a finished artist’s book project using a simple accordion-style structure folded from a single sheet of paper. Exercises and instructor demonstrations will support participants in developing their concepts and learning the skills step by step to make an artist’s book. The final workshop session will be an opportunity to share the artists’ books completed in the workshop.
For more information or to register, please visit the Maine Media website.
*** The Minnesota Center for Book Arts is offering Headbands: History, Use & Techniques with María Carolina Ceballos on February 15 & 22.
In this virtual workshop, learn how to make headbands for a variety of styles of bindings such as case binding, Coptic, slotted tapes, etc. Learn the basic logic and principles of headbands so you can, in the future, sew more complex types or use them in different applications without having to re-learn for each structure.
This workshop is designed for those with previous bookbinding experience so they can apply the techniques learned in their own practice. Knowledge of how to make a case binding and a Coptic binding is preferred since those are the structures on which most headband styles can be applied.
For more information or to register, please visit the MCBA website.
by Elissa | Jun 5, 2019 | B.A.G. Meetings, bookbinding, Call to artists, Exhibitions, MailB.A.G., Member News, Vermont, Workshops
Next Meeting: Wednesday, June 12, 2019, 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: Mini Leather Journals with Elissa Campbell
Start your summer by adding a Keith Smith 3-signature binding to your collection!
In this hands-on presentation, Elissa Campbell will teach you Keith Smith’s Triple Parquet binding, using leather for the cover. This three signature binding creates a lovely decorative pattern on the spine. The book also has an integrated closure that coordinates with the sewing.
All materials will be provided, but please bring the following tools:
- Bone folder
- Awl
- Scissors
- Pencil
- Ruler
- Bookbinding or tapestry needle
Optional (for punching small holes in leather):
- Japanese screw punch with a 1.5mm bit
- Eyelet hole punch with a 1/16″ bit
May Meeting Reflections
Multi talented artist Elizabeth Bunsen blew us away at the May meeting, showing us hundreds (well maybe not 100, but 50 at least) of her assemblage books. In explaining her unique practice, Elizabeth gave us a sense of how experimentation and playfulness play a great part in the making and the outcome.
She shared information on her techniques for manipulating materials by dying, staining, and rusting, and generally thrilled us all with her presentation.
Thanks to all who attended, and a special thanks to Elizabeth!
You can view images from the meeting on the B.A.G. blog.
B.A.G. News
*** Bound to Happen – B.A.G.’s annual exhibition
The Book Arts Guild of Vermont’s annual member show, Bound to Happen, opens this Friday, June 7th at the S.P.A.C.E. Gallery in Burlington, VT. The exhibit will be open from June 7 – 29.
Using the book as a format or as material, artists use the interaction of concept, structure, materials, and content to create a kind of happening or experience for the reader.
The exhibit, the first at the gallery since April 2012, includes a wide range of techniques and subject matter ranging from repurposed books turned into sculptural shapes to miniature woven paper structures.
The opening reception is on June 7th, during First Friday Art Walk, from 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. The gallery is located at 266 Pine Street and is open Thursday – Saturday from 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
The gallery has a Facebook event with more details, as well as an announcement on their website.
*** Post-Meeting Postcard Exchange: Use What We’ve Learned
With the end of our multi-month presentations about imagery, let’s close with a collaborative project to celebrate. We invite you to create 6 postcards to swap, and 1 to keep for yourself. They can all be the same or all different, as long as they are 4″ x 6″. Some ideas might be to pick a theme like shoes, birds, or a quote, and play around with ways of adding the imagery. Any medium can be used – take inspiration from the huge amount of techniques we have learned!
At the July meeting, we will exchange postcards with 6 others. With these original artworks, participants will create a book structure to hold the cards, and share their creation at the September meeting. Plenty of time to complete the challenge!
Here’s a recap:
- July meeting: Participants bring 6 original postcards, 4″x6″, in any medium to swap. Participants leave with 6 different postcards to collect in a book structure.
- September meeting: Participants present their book structures, and we are amazed.
Let’s start making!
B.A.G. Member News
*** Nancy Stone‘s grandfather’s 1936 Webster’s Twentieth Century Dictionary is looking for a new home. She’s hoping that an altered book artist might like it. The dimensions are 11” h x 8.5” w with a 5” deep spine.
Nancy will bring the book to the next B.A.G. meeting for the first person who expresses interest. You can contact her at nstonevt@gmail.com.
*** Elissa Campbell is teaching The Moving Book – Pop-Up Basics at Studio Place Arts in Barre, VT on June 15th.
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 contact Studio Place Arts at (802) 479-7069.
Book Arts News
*** ArtisTree Gallery is accepting submissions for their 9th annual juried exhibit, UNBOUND: VOL IX. The theme of the show is simple – art using books as a material or a format. Visitors will have an opportunity to examine curious folios, recent grimoires, tomes turned to sculpture and some works having a relation to “books” in concept only.
This call for submissions is open to all 2D, 3D, installation, assemblage, film and video artists who are working in New England or New York 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 June 28, 2019. All submissions must be made through their online entry form.
For more information, please read the online exhibit prospectus. You can also contact Gallery Director Adrian Tans at gallery@artistreevt.org.
Book Arts Classes
*** Maine Media Workshops + College is offering Single Signature Variations with Erin Fletcher from June 23 – 29, 2019.
Books come in all shapes and sizes. Some may span only a single signature, while others become a thick tome. In this workshop, you’ll explore the former as you create a multitude of models with both soft and hardcovers.
Students will begin this workshop by making a series of simple softcover pamphlets using a variety of sewing patterns before moving on to hardcover structures. Finally, you will create a modified version of the Bradel binding using a stub at the spine. This will give your books an elegant rounded spine, which will be covered in leather and sided up with decorative paper. All of these structures allow the book to lay flat and are perfect for chapbooks, presentation pamphlets or short stories.
For more information or to register, please visit the Maine Media website.
*** In July, the Wells College Book Arts Center is offering its Summer Institute, two week-long intensive courses in letterpress printing, hand bookbinding, artist’s books, lettering arts and font design. Week 1 runs from July 14 – 20 and Week 2 runs from July 21 – 27.
This year’s instructors include Radha Pandey, Stephanie Carpenter, and Nancy Callahan. Wells College is located in Aurora, NY.
Registration is open now. Please send any inquiries to bookartscenter@wells.edu.
*** The third annual Artist Book Intensive will be held at 26 Split Rock Cove in South Thomaston, ME from August 2 – 4, 2019. The event is sponsored by Midcoast Book Arts and will offer five workshops.
As book artists, we work with structure and content, as well as choice of materials. In the 2019 Artist Book Intensive we will focus on three structures that can yield sculptural possibilities that influence both materials and content. We are excited about introducing some new ideas and techniques to all of you. All skill levels welcome!
For more information, please visit the Artist Book Intensive website.
