by Elissa | Apr 5, 2019 | B.A.G. Meetings, bookbinding, Exhibitions, Lecture, MailB.A.G., Member News, Vermont, Workshops
Next Meeting: Wednesday, April 10, 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: Imagery for Books Part 3 – Decorative Stitchery with Sally Blanchard-O’Brien
In our April meeting, we will delve into a novel method for adding imagery and visual appeal to books – stitchery!
Sally Blanchard-O’Brien will lead us in an exciting exploration of the many different ways that stitching can be used as a structural element in bookmaking, as well as a decorative design element. The meeting will introduce us to a wide variety of ideas, with time to try a few different techniques.
Please bring the following:
- Sewing needles (a couple of different sizes to accommodate different types of thread)
- Thread (embroidery floss, if you have it)
- Paper piercing device (needle tool or awl if you have one, or you can just use a needle)
- Cutting mat or pad for piercing
- Ephemera, collage materials or decorative/interesting paper (optional)
We’ll also have some time to share, so please bring any books you’ve made that feature stitchery as a decorative element. The stitching can be ornamental (e.g., on the pages or covers as decoration) or structural (e.g., Keith Smith’s centipede binding or fancy Japanese stab bindings).
March Meeting Reflections
We thought we had dodged the snow, until we opened the door after the meeting – surprise! Hope everyone got home safely.
Our March meeting, Mark-Making, was another episode in Imagery for Books, our multi-month focus. Marilyn Gillis shared her story of how mark-making became a central part of her work. While explaining many different techniques and materials for making your own marks, she shared many beautiful pieces she has created using them.
For the hands-on portion of the meeting, Marilyn set up different stations with her favorite techniques and let us all try them out. Clearly, fun was had by all! There was lots of collaboration and experimenting going on with straws, pipe cleaners, and wax, just to name a few.
A big thanks to Marilyn for an exciting evening, and thanks to everyone for coming and participating!
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
Our annual book arts show will be hosted by the S.P.A.C.E. Gallery in Burlington, VT. We are excited to be in a wonderful space in Burlington from June 7 – 29! The title for the show is Bound to Happen, and it’s open to any interpretation from the artists.
Here are some important dates:
- Entry due date: May 31, 2019 No Entries will be accepted after this date. Artists are encouraged to bring work and appropriate paperwork to the May 8th BAG meeting.
- Exhibit dates: June 7 – 29, 2019
- Opening reception: June 7, 2019, 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. The reception coincides with First Friday, a popular event in the South End.
- Artist’s Talk: Work will be returned to the artist at the July 10th B.A.G. meeting, at which time we will share our work.
Information for entry:
- Entry paperwork can be downloaded here.
- Entry fee will be $10.00 for up to 3 pieces.
- Work must be ready to hang or display. If you have display instructions, please include them with your entry.
- Work must have identification somewhere on the piece.
- The gallery commission is 40%, so please price accordingly.
Have questions? Please ask Marcia.
*** 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:
- April meeting: Introduction to the Postcard Exchange project. Presentation of examples of structures to house postcards, so you can get thinking.
- 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!
*** Show us what you’re working on!
As we continue with meetings that teach us more about image making the idea of sharing what we’ve learned has emerged. At each meeting we learn some skill and then go away and often explore that skill on our own. No one gets to see this private work.
Now we would like to invite participants to share their explorations into collage and mark making and stitching and whatever else strikes your fancy. We encourage everyone to bring in something you’ve been working on/experimenting with to share with others.
This is to be a very informal activity and outside the agenda of the meeting since it is so hard to accomplish everything in the two hours as it is. Works can just be put out in a designated place to provide an opportunity for informal conversation. The room is available to us beginning at 6:00 p.m. so between 6:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., we can use the space for free time or for sharing.
B.A.G. Member News
*** Penne Tompkins has work featured in The Art of Calligraphy, exhibit open through May 29th at the Gallery at the VAULT in Springfield, VT.
The exhibit includes an amazing display of artwork created by five of Vermont’s finest calligraphers. This is an opportunity to be inspired by their wonderfully diverse styles, each reflecting the artist’s love of words enhanced by their own unique art forms.
The gallery is open on Mondays from 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. and Wednesday – Saturday from 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. For more information please email galleryvault@vermontel.net or call (802) 885-7111.
*** The international art magazine, Ceramics Art + Perception, issue #111 has published an interview on B.A.G. member Nina Gaby’s 3-dimensional memoir work in mixed-media: Ways to Tell a Story.
Congrats to Nina for the wonderful feature! Be sure to check out the article online.
*** Calling all poets and writers of all ages and experience and those who love combining words and art!
B.A.G. member and The Poartry Project founder, JC Wayne, is launching a new bi-monthly art-inspired inclusive community poetry reading series. Each reading centers on each new art exhibit at Flynndog Gallery at Burlington’s South End Station. Poets and writers are invited to visit the exhibit and write and submit a 1-page original poem or prose piece inspired by the art on display.
The first reading of work inspired by the paintings of Roger Coleman and the photography of Peter Curtis is Saturday, April 27th, 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. with food and drink available for purchase from Nomad Coffee before and during the reading.
Please visit the Poartry website for important writing process details/submission guidelines. The submission deadline is April 11, 2019. If you have questions, please contact JC. For those interested in participating but may need more time, deadline extensions are available. Please encourage kids in your life of all ages to participate!
*** Elissa Campbell is teaching the Phabulous Photo Album at the Bayside Activity Center in Colchester, VT on April 18th from 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
In this workshop, you will learn how to create an elegant hard-cover photo album using bookcloth and handmade paper – this is a wonderful keepsake that can hold 4” x 6” photos from your recent vacation or family holiday gathering.
Each participant will leave class with a completed photo album and a basic knowledge of bookbinding technique. You will receive a detailed handout and resource list for all materials we use.
No previous experience required – this is a great class for a beginner. You can even bring in your own cover materials to customize your book. All tools and materials will be provided.
Registration is available online. You can also download a pdf of the registration form and mail it in with your payment.
Book Arts News
*** The University of Southern Maine‘s 7th annual Book Arts Bazaar will be held on Sunday, April 7th from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. at the Wishcamper Center on the school’s Portland campus.
This festival with book artists, papermakers, bookbinders, printmakers, educators, and writers is dedicated to all things related to the book. The free event is sponsored by USM’s Kate Cheney Chappell ’83 Center for Book Arts.
Carolyn Shattuck will have an exhibitor table with her artists books, so be sure to stop by and say hi!
The event is free and open to the public. For more information, please contact Rebecca Goodale.
*** On April 12th, the Book Arts Workshop at Dartmouth College is hosting the Stephen Harvard Memorial Lecture and Symposium, Touch Your Words: Teaching Indigenous Languages Through Making.
The recent purchase of metal type in the Cherokee Syllabary has prompted new interest in the Book Arts Workshop at Dartmouth College Library. With the Cherokee type and other printing and binding activity, faculty in Native American Studies, Anthropology, Linguistics, and Environmental Studies have integrated book-making projects into their courses, giving students hands-on exposure and practice in the study of indigenous languages. Over the past year, a number of students and faculty have engaged in applied learning in language revitalization with the Book Arts Workshop.
The lecture and symposium seek to bring together makers of all kinds (students, scholars, librarians, writers, artists, and printers) to exchange their experiences and knowledge in tactile learning and explore new possibilities.
Schedule of events:
- 9:30 a.m. 11:30 a.m.: Open house style workshop in the Book Arts Workshop
- 1:00 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.: Speakers in Haldeman 41
- 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.: Reception in Haldeman
Dartmouth is located in Hanover, NH. For more information, please visit the Dartmouth Library website.
*** The Museum of Printing is having a letterpress sale on April 13th from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. The Museum is dedicated to preserving the rich history of the graphic arts, printing and typesetting technology, and printing craftsmanship.
Tabletop and floor presses, type, type cabinets, borders and ornaments, furniture and reglet cabinets, and all sorts of good letterpress stuff will be available.
The Museum of Printing is located at 15 Thornton Avenue in Haverill, MA.
*** Amos Paul Kennedy, Jr. will be in residence on the Wells College campus conducting a week-long series of events co-sponsored by The Wells Book Arts Center, Office of Diversity and Inclusion, the String Room Gallery and the Wells College Scholar-In-Residence program.
Visual Noise features poster prints by acclaimed letterpress printer and book artist Amos Paul Kennedy, Jr. Renowned for his bold use of typography and renegade letterpress technique, Kennedy has built a forceful, witty, and subversive creative practice centered on calling attention to past and present experiences of race, labor, art, and printing. While his work is widely exhibited and held in collections, he ensures access to his posters by selling them at affordable prices. Visual Noise will culminate with a Cash & Carry event, with all posters available for purchase.
All are welcome to join Kennedy at the following public events during his residency:
- Open Printing Drop-In Session: April 15, 3:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. at Morgan Hall
- Open Printing Drop-In Session: April 16, 3:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. at Morgan Hall
- Tea Time with Amos: April 17, 3:00 p.m. at Zabriskie Hall, Room 306
- Documentary Film Screening, Proceed and Be Bold: April 17, 7:00 p.m. at Stratton Hall, Room 209
- Artist Talk, Talkin’ Loud and Sayin’ Nothin‘: April 18, 6:00 p.m. at Stratton Hall, Room 209
- Closing Reception and Cash & Carry, Visual Noise: April 19, 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at the String Room Gallery
Wells College is in Aurora, NY.
*** The New England Guild of Book Workers is presenting a lecture with Bay Area based bookbinder John DeMerritt at the North Bennet Street School on April 18 from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. – Building a Living Craft.
John will give a talk based on the editions of books, boxes and housings he creates for artists, galleries, fine art publishers and institutions. He will discuss how he has developed his studio practice and his origins as an Edition Binder.
Much of John’s recent commissioned work has been to create housings for digital media Art Projects. This has propelled him into new areas of edition binding that require him to embrace new technologies and expand the traditional role of the binder in terms of ‘book’ work. Using these new projects as a platform, John will discuss how working with new media and formats has simultaneously transformed his studio practice and reinforced its traditional origins.
The lecture is free and open to the public. No RSVP is required. The North Bennet Street School is in Boston, MA.
Book Arts Classes
*** On June 8 & 9, the North Bennet Street School is offering Bookbinding 101 with Amy Lapidow.
In this class, students will get a quick introduction to various bookbinding techniques by exploring three different book structures. The class begins with a simple pamphlet and continues with constructing two multi-signature books known as a flatback case binding and link stitch binding. Finally, students construct a box to house all of their creations.
This class is a great way to familiarize yourself with bookbinding and is perfect for those who are curious about the craft. All tools and supplies are provided for this class.
For more information or to register, please visit the NBSS website.
*** On Sunday, June 9th, The Eliot School in Jamaica Plain, MA is offering Celebration Accordion Books with Susan Porter.
Using an accordion book form, make a festive book full of surprises, packing it full of words, letters, tiny booklets, pockets, windows, beads and a range of other materials to give meaning to your celebratory wishes. Develop a concept, decide on your palette, chose a theme or occasion, then dive into a wealth of ingredients to build your book. Leave with a dramatic one-of-a-kind gift, or meaningful object to keep yourself.
For more information about the class, please visit the Eliot School’s website or click here to download the complete catalog.
by Elissa | Aug 4, 2018 | B.A.G. Meetings, bookbinding, Exhibitions, MailB.A.G., Vermont, Workshops
Next Meeting: Wednesday, August 8, 2018, 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.
Program: Studio Support and Workshop Time…Upcycled Coptic-Bound Artist Journal Continued
Studio Support and Workshop Time is two hours that you give yourself, in the company of fellow book- and paper-arts lovers, to learn, share and create in a supportive and encouraging environment. The meeting is devoted to creative work. Bring along a project or model from a previous meeting that you’d like to continue working on or develop further, or bring a piece of your own to simply continue working on in the company of others.
In June, Jill Abilock led us in creating Coptic-bound artists journals from upcycled library books and shared an alternative method for attaching covers to Coptic-bound books. During this studio support session, Jill will be on hand to guide us through the the steps needed to finish the Coptic-bound journals we started during the June meeting. Please be sure to bring the materials (text pages, covers, template and thread) that Jill provided in June. If you were unable to attend the June meeting, Jill has a few extra kits available, and can share the basics of her unique cover attachment method as time permits.
To work on the Coptic journals, please bring the following tools:
- Scissors (to trim your thread)
- Awl, pin vise or needle tool
- Old phone book, cutting mat or punching pad
- Bone folder
- Curved bookbinders or upholstery needles (four) (if you have them – if not, there will be needles available to borrow)
Request to more experienced members: Not everyone has specialized tools, like an awl, curved needles, or a bone folder. If you happen to have extra, it would be wonderful if you could bring them in to share with a neighbor who doesn’t. Thanks!
But wait, there’s more!
In addition to the planned Coptic fun, Elissa Campbell will also be bringing in her advance copy of Hedi Kyle‘s much-anticipated book The Art of the Fold: How to Make Innovative Books and Paper Structures.
This book is not due to hit stores until October, so this is your chance to check it out before getting it for yourself.
July Meeting Reflections
OH wow. I am reflecting all of the awesomeness that our group has produced! It’s so bright, like a huge full moon in the summer sky.
The meeting was filled with positive energy, fueled by the talented artists who shared their work from our two shows. It’s so inspiring to find out the story behind each piece, the skill required, and the thought process each artist takes to create their art and to express their ideas.
Thank you, all you talented people, for sharing your intent, work habits, quirkiness, etc. We look forward to next year’s show! And in the meantime, it is always welcome at our meetings to show something you’re working on, to ask questions, get feedback, or simply bask in the admiration of others. That’s what we’re here for.
You can view images from the meeting on the B.A.G. blog.
B.A.G. News
*** The Book Arts Guild of Vermont is proud to be participating in this year’s Burlington Book Festival on October 12 – 14, 2018 at the UVM Alumni House Silver Pavilion. This annual event celebrates the written word by offering readings, book signings, panels, workshops, demos, family activities, and special events.
The Book Arts Guild has been enthusiastically invited to exhibit original works at the festival to introduce the community to book arts and increase awareness of our organization. We will have an exhibit during the evening opening ceremonies on Friday, October 12 as well as on Saturday, October 13 throughout the day. During the exhibit time, we have also committed to demonstrating various book structures (not hands-on workshops).
In addition to very generously providing the Book Arts Guild exhibit space free of charge, the Burlington Book Festival is also offering Book Arts Guild members the opportunity to sell original artists’ books and book-related work with no commission or fee.
Here are the opportunities for participation:
- Exhibit/Sell Artists’ Books:
You can submit new work or something you have previously exhibited. If you would like to submit work for the exhibit, please download the entry form and bring it, along with your work, to the September 12th Book Arts Guild meeting. If you cannot attend the meeting but would like to submit work, please email Jill Abilock by Monday, September 10th to make arrangements to get your work to her.
- Volunteer at the Book Arts Guild exhibit and/or help with set up and/or break down:
Book Arts Guild Exhibit volunteers at the at the 2016 Burlington Book Festival found the experience fun and rewarding. Opportunities at the upcoming festival include:
–> Friday evening set-up
–> Saturday morning set-up
–> Exhibit Volunteer (2 – 3 hour shift)
–> Saturday evening break down
Please email Jill if you would like to volunteer!
*** Other Alphabets: Dimensional Memoir is BAG member Nina Gaby’s solo show opening on September 7th in the Rebecca Lawrence Gallery at the AVA Gallery and Art Center. Gaby currently works in mixed-media, focusing on single edition artist books which explore the intersection of narrative and object.
The show runs through October 3rd and offers a two-day workshop in conjucntion with the show where participants will concieve and construct their own dimensional memoir in words and clay.
The AVA Gallery and Art Center is located at 11 Bank Street in Lebanon, NH.
For more information visit AVA’s website.
*** B.A.G. member Elissa Campbell was recently accepted to teach at the 2019 Focus on Book Arts conference in Forest Grove, OR. The conference is held very other year and offers workshops taught by the very best in the fields of bookbinding, printing, decorating papers, paper making, books design and publishing.
In addition, she was also accepted to teach in the summer of 2019 at the Morgan Conservatory in Cleveland, OH. The Morgan Conservatory is the largest arts center in the United States dedicated to every facet of papermaking, book arts and letterpress printing and to cultivating the talents of established and emerging artists.
*** Chelsea Linder over at the Artists’ Mediums Art Shop wanted us to pass along that as a framer, she (obviously) cuts archival matboard. If you’ve got small projects or things that don’t require heavy bookboard, you can get archival 4 ply mat pieces for super cheap. Chelsea mentioned that she’s got many small pieces (5×7’s @ 5¢ and 8×10’s @ 10¢ each).
The Artists’ Mediums Art Shop is located at 286a Old Route 15 in Cambridge, VT.
Book Arts News
*** The New England Chapter of The Guild of Book Workers is hosting a gilding demonstration on Thursday, August 9th from 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Dust off your tools and break out your gold. Recent North Bennet Street School graduate Jon Simeon presents an informal summer weeknight gilding demo at the Washington Street Art Center. Come see what he’s working on and get an up close tutorial on French gilding techniques. An onlay tutorial may follow if there’s time.
Admission is $10.00 per person at the door. Please note that this is a demonstration only event.
The Washington Street Art Center is located at 321 Washington Street in Somerville, MA. For more information please call (617) 623-5315.
*** ArtisTree Gallery‘s 8th annual juried exhibit, UNBOUND: VOL VIII is open now through August 25, 2018.
The broad theme of UNBOUND: VOL VIII encompasses all of the possibilities of what we may think or may not think a “book” is. Is it story? An entry to another world? An exploration? What does it indicate? This juried show looks to explore this idea of “the book” and all the ways artists use that format as a stepping-off point or as material to explore new ideas.
Big congratulations to B.A.G. members Marcia Vogler, Dorsey Hogg, Nina Gaby, and Debra Kraemer for having their work juried into the exhibit!
For more information, please send an email to gallery@artistreevt.org or visit the ArtisTree Gallery’s website.
*** The New England Chapter of The Guild of Book Workers will hold its annual meeting at Dartmouth College on August 10 – 11. On Friday evening, there will be a tour of the Rauner Special Collections Library followed by a reception with light refreshments. On Saturday, participants are invited to attend two half-day workshops with Bill Hanscom and Sarah Smith. The annual meeting will take place during lunch.
Here’s the scoop on the workshops:
Freestyle Composition with Sarah Smith
In this visit to the Book Arts Workshop at Dartmouth College we’ll make letterpress printed posters/decorative paper. One of our Vandercook presses will be set up with a large wood type word cloud and another Vandercook will be set up with a smattering of relief images from our eclectic collection. We’ll get creative with the layering of prints between the presses and you’ll go home with a bunch of fun papers to work with on your books (or to hang on the wall)!
Blizzard Books with Bill Hanscom
Learn to make three variations of Hedi Kyle’s Blizzard Book: The Blizzard Book, Blizzard Pocket, and Blizzard Boxes. Participants will use a variety of utilitarian and decorative papers to fold up wonderful structures that are part book, part container with lots of potential for artistic experimentation and decorative embellishment. You will also have the opportunity to use rubber stamps and stencils to add some color and excitement to your origami creations.
The workshops are limited to 20 participants, but all members are welcome to attend the annual meeting on August 11th. Please register for lunch if you plan to only attend the meeting. To register, please click here.
For more information, please visit the NEGBW website.
*** From June 11 – October 1, 2018, the John J. Burns Library at Boston College is hosting the exhibit Dreams of Art & Glory: Book Arts by the Roycrofters.
Roycroft, a reformist community of craftspeople and artists, was created by Elbert Hubbard in 1895, in the village of East Aurora, NY. The artisans who worked there were known as Roycrofters. When Hubbard was unable to find a publisher for his book Little Journeys, he set up a private press to print the book himself, founding Roycroft Press.
His championing of the Arts and Crafts philosophy of work attracted many craftspeople to East Aurora, and he formed a community of printers, furniture makers, metalsmiths, leathersmiths, and bookbinders.
The exhibition focuses on the printing and bookbindings executed by the Roycrofters, and includes an array spanning the modest *Little Journeys* pamphlet series, to beautifully printed and hand-decorated text-blocks, as well as books bound in stunning modelled leather bindings.
The John J. Burns Library is located at 140 Commonwealth Avenue in Chestnut Hill, MA.
Book Arts Classes
*** Sunset Lodge Workshops is hosting Hand Bookbinding with Juliayn Coleman from September 2 – 8. Sunset Lodge is located on Lake Damariscotta, ME.
In this hands-on bookbinding workshop, you will make one simple nonadhesive book each day. The structures will range from the earliest binding styles to contemporary, and they are geared towards beginner through intermediate skill level.
In addition to the binding, you will explore at least 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 bookbinding.
Workshop space is limited to 12 Hand Bookbinding students. A list of bookbinding tools and what to bring will be sent upon registration.
For more information and to register, please contact Noah Kahn by email or call (510) 427-0297.
*** The Eliot School in Jamaica Plain, MA has two book arts classes coming up this fall. Here’s the scoop:
Paper Marbling with Cristina Hajosy will take place on Sunday, September 16th from 9:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Create beautiful swirls and mottling colors on paper with several forms of marbling. Learn Turkish- style marbling on water thickened with carrageenan (Irish moss). Experiment with a range of materials, colors and papers to create lovely, unique designs.
Marbled paper is striking when used as book end papers, portfolio covers, and more. Beginner to advanced students welcome.
Wild Journals with Susan Porter will take place from October 4 – November 8. Sessions will be held on Thursdays from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Create colorful, textured art journal pages, using paint, printmaking techniques, stamping, stenciling and collage. Transform your pages into intricate, multilayered surfaces. Add dimensions by cutting and folding. Add extensions, pop-outs, windows and pockets. Make each page a one-of-a-kind canvas for words, drawings, images and photographs. Bring a blank journal; all other materials will be provided.
For more information about the classes, please visit the Eliot School’s website or click here to download the complete catalog.
by Elissa | Oct 6, 2016 | B.A.G. Meetings, bookbinding, Exhibitions, Lecture, MailB.A.G., Member News, Vermont, Workshops
Next Meeting: Wednesday, October 12, 2016, 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
We meet at the Unitarian Universalist Society Church located at 152 Pearl Street in Burlington, VT. We will be in the Sophia Fahs Community Room, a large room located in the basement. Click here for more information on directions/parking.
Program: Mini Leather Journals with Elissa Campbell
In this hands-on presentation, Elissa will teach you Keith Smith‘s Broken Herringbone binding, using soft 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.
Leather, paper and thread will be provided. Please bring the following with you to the workshop:
- Bone folder
- Awl
- Scissors
- Pencil
- Ruler
- Bookbinding or tapestry needle
Optional (for punching small holes in leather):
September Meeting Reflections
Our annual visit to the Special Collections Department of the Bailey/Howe Library proved to be particularly fascinating this September. Prudence Doherty, Public Services Librarian, chose handmade paper and papermaking as her theme for the evening.
She presented books about paper and books made with handmade paper, and created a lively discussion about both. For a roomful of paper lovers, it was magic.
Thanks to everyone who participated in oohing and ahing, and special thanks to Prudence for a wonderful experience.
You can view images from the meeting on the B.A.G. blog.
B.A.G. News
*** The Book Arts Guild of Vermont is proud to introduce our first ever book swap!
In a nutshell, participants will be randomly assigned a person for whom they will anonymously create a book – it’s a bit like Secret Santa, but more like Confidential Codex.
The focus of each swap will vary. We want to encourage our members to step outside their comfort zones, have fun, and experiment with new materials, structures, etc. For the first swap, you’ll have to create a blank book that incorporates recycled materials.
If the swap generates enough interest and folks enjoy it, then we’d love to continue the project on an ongoing basis.
Here are the details:
- Sign up deadline: 10/15/16
- Assignment of names: 10/20/16
- Book swap (and deadline for book completion): 12/14/16 (December B.A.G. meeting)
If you’d like to participate or have questions, please contact Elissa by October 15th. Don’t worry if you can’t make it to the December meeting – you can always mail your book.
We can’t wait to see the final books!
*** B.A.G. member Nancy Stone wrote the following about her recent experience working with the Visiting Nurse Association’s Respite House:
The Joy of Donating Artwork
Last autumn I took a workshop on Your Art Legacy, a thought-provoking discussion about planning for dispersal of our artwork upon our death. That was a good wake-up call for someone in her 70’s! I realized that as my husband and I worked at ‘down-sizing’, I would have to figure out what to do with my remaining art sooner than later.
After letting our kids select paintings, I thought about the Visiting Nurse Association’s Respite House that was moving from my town of Williston to a larger place being built in Colchester. It was delightful to find that they wanted more than a couple of donated pieces; they accepted 11 works and asked if I could do a large one for the entrance!
That completed work, titled Sanctuary, is a 2′ X 6′ diptych of a woodland path with the destination brighter and more detailed than the soft dappled sunlight in the foreground. I felt very honored that an older piece titled Serenity is hanging in the Meditation Room and will hopefully soothe staff, patients and families. Since many of my paintings have a spiritual quality, they fit well into a place where people come to live until they die.
I came to realize that the holiday song Little Drummer Boy holds a good message…though artists may not be able to make significant donations of gold, myrrh or frankincense to a good cause, we can offer our gift of creativity.
*** Jill Abilock reports that Shelburne Pond Studios has an artist’s studio for rent. The size is 27′ x 13′ and it has good lighting. Rent is $275.00 per month with all utilities included. Shelburne Pond Studios is a community of 12 supportive artists located in a converted dairy barn in a quiet rural setting across from Shelburne Pond, in Shelburne, VT.
Please contact Kathy Stockman for more information.
Book Arts News
*** On October 11th at 5:30 p.m., UVM’s Special Collections Department of the Bailey/Howe Library presents Breaking the Deckle: Using the Paper Arts for Social Justice, a lecture with Drew Matott, Director of the Peace Paper Project.
Matott is a master papermaker with an expertise using traditional papermaking as a form of trauma therapy, social engagement, and community activism. In this presentation, he will discuss how he became involved with the paper arts and describe the genesis of the community papermaking programs he has co-founded, including Green Door Studio, Combat Paper Project, Peace Paper Project, Papermaking as Art Therapy, and Panty Pulping.
The presentation is free and open to the public. For more information, please contact the Special Collections Department at uvmsc@uvm.edu or (802) 656-2138.
*** On October 12 & 13 from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., Peace Paper Project’s Artists-in-Residence at Champlain College will offer hands-on Panty Pulping workshops in the Rozendaal courtyard. Students, faculty, staff and community members are encouraged to contribute a piece of clothing and make paper out of clothing.
An opening reception will be held on October 13th at 5:00 p.m. in the Champlain College Gallery Lounge. The workshops are pesented in collaboration with the Champlain College Women’s and Gender Center.
For more information, please contact Chris Thompson.
*** The North Bennet Street School is hosting a free public lecture on October 25th with Luigi Castiglioni entitled Binding a Livre de Peintre. The lecture will take place from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Castiglioni will share the process of binding an important “livre de peintre” in the French tradition. Using images from his recent project creating a binding for a copy of Jaime Sabartès’s Dans l’Atelier de Picasso, with 6 original lithographies of Pablo Picasso and 30 reproductions, the presentation will cover the full process from the design stage through the final finishing techniques. It is only by knowing every aspect of the work that one can fully take pleasure in a binding from the great French tradition.
For more information or to register, please visit the NBSS website. The NBSS is located in Boston, MA.
*** From October 29 – December 4, 2016 the Pucker Gallery in Boston will present Of Light and Shadow: New Work by Andrea Dezsö.
Andrea Dezsö is a visual artist who works across a broad range of media including drawing, painting, artist’s books, embroidery, cut paper, animation, sculpture, site-specific installation and public art. She has been creating one-of-a-kind tunnel books since 2004.
The opening reception will be on October 29th from 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. The Pucker Gallery is located at 240 Newbury Street on the 3rd floor.
For more information, please contact the Pucker Gallery.
*** Claire Van Vliet and Elizabeth Steiner announce that their book Woven and Interlocking Book Structures is now available free at the Internet Archive. Published in 2002 and no longer in print, this book is a self-teaching manual with directions for making basic models of 16 book structures designed for Janus, Steiner, and Gefn Press publications.
Claire suggests printing the pages of the digital version 2-sided and binding them in a 3-ring binder to function as a bench top manual. Here are the directions:
- Click here to access the files.
- Under Download Options (lower right), choose PDF and download the file.
- Save this file to your computer.
- Open the file in Acrobat.
- Open the Print menu and print all 152 pages 2-sided on 8.5″ x 11” paper.
*** Beyond Words, a collaborative exhibition taking place at three different venues, highlights Medieval and Renaissance illumination manuscripts in Boston collections. The exhibits may be seen at the Boston College’s McMullen Museum, Harvard University’s Houghton Library, and Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.
Outstanding manuscripts and printed books dating from the ninth to seventeenth centuries have been selected from eighteen Boston-area repositories. The three exhibits combined are offering the largest display of Medieval and Renaissance manuscripts ever shown in the United States.
Please visit the individual venue websites for details on the days and hours they’re open.
Book Arts Classes
*** B.A.G. member Elissa Campbell is teaching Leather Pocket Journals at Studio Place Arts in Barre, VT on October 13 & 20, 2016 from 4:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
You’ll learn how to create 5 bindings that use only leather, paper, and thread – no glue needed! For each binding, you will sew 3 sections of folded papers into covers cut from one piece of leather. These bindings are very flexible and allow the books to open completely flat, making them perfect for use as sketchbooks or journals.
Each sewing technique creates a different decorative sewing pattern on the spine and we will try out different closure methods. No previous experience required – this is a great class for a beginner.
To register, contact SPA via phone (802) 479-7069 or email.
*** The Eliot School is offering the series Wild Journals with Susan Porter in October and November. Sessions will be held on Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Transform plain, store-bought, hardbound sketchbooks into gorgeously rich, densely colored, printed, cut and folded journals. These dramatic works of art can incorporate text, collage, found objects, windows, flaps and surface design.
The skills you learn can also be used in any form of handmade book. Expect to get messy. Bring an apron or work shirt to protect your clothing.
You can sign up for individual sessions or the whole series.
- Getting Started – Color & Paint: October 6, 2016
- Cut-outs, Pop-ups & Extensions: Thursday October 13, 2016
- Stamps, Stencils & Simple Printmaking: October 20, 2016
- Layers, Pockets, Windows & Tags: October 27, 2016
- Collaged Covers & Pages: November 3, 2016
- Story, Text & Narrative: November 10, 2016
For more information about the class, please visit the Eliot School’s website or click here to download the complete catalog.
by Elissa | Sep 9, 2016 | B.A.G. Meetings, bookbinding, Exhibitions, Lecture, MailB.A.G., Member News, Vermont, Workshops
Next Meeting: Wednesday, September 14, 2016, 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
The September meeting will be held at UVM’s Special Collections in the basement of Bailey Howe Library. Click here to download a pdf of the directions to Special Collections.
Please note that in September we will not be meeting as usual on the second Wednesday at the Unitarian Church in Burlington.
Program: Visit to Special Collections at UVM
At this month’s meeting, University of Vermont Librarian Prudence Doherty will guide us through some of the amazing artists’ books held in the Special Collections Department. Not everyone knows that we have one of the finest collections of artists’ books in the nation, right here in Burlington.
Join us in a hands-on exploration that will stimulate your imagination and spark your creativity!
* Please bring a pencil, not a pen, if you plan to take notes.
August Meeting Reflections
We did a lot of sharing at the Studio Support and Workshop Time meeting. In fact, we hardly had enough time to get it all out there! We learned many new tips, tools, and techniques to invigorate our papers and surface designs.
We generated many new ideas for programs, and we agreed on a theme for next year’s exhibit – Correspondence. Don’t be scared, you don’t have to stick to the script on this one, but while you’re thinking of ideas for a new project, keep it in mind (and then send someone a postcard or letter.)
The time went by super fast, as we learned more about each other’s work, interests, and great deeds. Thank you to all those who brought their energy and ideas.
You can view images from the meeting on the B.A.G. blog.
B.A.G. News
*** The Book Arts Guild of Vermont is proud to be participating in this year’s Burlington Book Festival on September 16 – 17, 2016 at UVM’s Davis Center. This annual event celebrates the written word by offering readings, book signings, panels, workshops, demos, family activities, and special events.
We are planning to exhibit works from members to introduce the community to book arts, and increase awareness of book arts and our group. We will have an exhibit during the opening ceremonies on Friday September 16 as well as on Saturday during the day. During the exhibit time, we have also committed to demonstrating various book structures (not hands-on workshops).
Here are the opportunities for participation:
- Exhibit Artists’ Books: You can submit new work or something you have previously exhibited. Limited to 20 works. If you would like to submit work for the exhibit, please download the entry form and bring it, along with your work, to the September 14th Book Arts Guild meeting (at Special Collections). If you cannot attend the meeting but would like to submit work, please email Marcia by Monday, September 12th to make arrangements to get your work to her.
- Volunteers at the Book Arts Guild table for set up and/or break down: If you would like to help set up the exhibit on Friday night event, please email Jill. If you would like to participate by volunteering for a 2 – 3 hour slot at the Book Arts Guild table on Saturday (9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.), please email Marcia with your interest. If you would like to demonstrate a particular structure, please let us know. You won’t have to teach others to make the structure, just bring a book project you are working on and share your process with visitors.
*** B.A.G. member Nina Gaby has lots to share! Her work has been included in the book Memoir Your Way: Telling Your Story Through Writing, Recipes, Quilts, Graphic Novels, and More by the Memoir Roundtable, Sky Horse Publishing, 2016.
An essay made from her three dimensional book art work is a finalist in the DIAGRAM ESSAY CONTEST 2016 and may be published soon. And lastly, she’ll be exhibiting her work in the Vermont Technical College library this fall. She hopes to offer a lecture for the students.
She adds that she doesn’t mind bragging – “We work hard as artists with often little to show for it.”
*** B.A.G. member Elissa Campbell is teaching Leather Pocket Journals at Studio Place Arts in Barre, VT on October 13 & 20, 2016 from 4:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
You’ll learn how to create 5 bindings that use only leather, paper, and thread – no glue needed! For each binding, you will sew 3 sections of folded papers into covers cut from one piece of leather. These bindings are very flexible and allow the books to open completely flat, making them perfect for use as sketchbooks or journals.
Each sewing technique creates a different decorative sewing pattern on the spine and we will try out different closure methods. No previous experience required – this is a great class for a beginner.
To register, contact SPA via phone (802) 479-7069 or email.
*** The statewide Vermont Fall Open Studio Weekend is coming up next month with two weekends of artist studios – October 1 & 2 and October 8 & 9, 2016.
Two B.A.G. members will be participating in the event, each on different dates. Here’s the scoop:
- Amy Burns will be demonstrating at the Artists’ Mediums Art Shop in Cambridge VT on October 2 from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. She’ll be demonstrating the Coptic stitch, among other things. The shop is #2 in the tour guide.
- During the weekend of October 1 & 2, Elissa Campbell will offer demonstrations and studio tours in Montpelier. She also has a selection of bookbinding supplies available for purchase. Her studio is #65 is in the tour guide.
You can find maps and directions to studios on the VT Crafts Council website.
Book Arts News
*** The Fuller Craft Museum in Brockton, MA is hosting the exhibit Metamorphosis: The Art of Altered Books, now until November 6, 2016. The exhibit features mixed media artists who carve, gouge, fold, collage, and manipulate books to transform the printed pages into a sculptural object.
Exhibited works explore the materiality of the object, layers of meaning within, communication and cultural connections, design potential, and possible extinction of books in today’s tech-driven world. Exhibiting artists include Long-Bin Chen, Andy Hayes, Wendy Wahl, and Jacqueline Rush Lee.
For more information, please visit the Fuller Craft Museum’s website.
*** The North Bennet Street School is hosting a public lecture with Martin Frost on Tuesday, September 13 from 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. – The Curious Art of the Secret Fore-edge Painting. Using books from his own collection, he will discuss the history of and techniques used in fore-edge painting. Frost has painted the edges of over 3,500 books, including examples of the scarce all-edge, split and two-way doubles. He also binds many of his books.
The event is free and open to the public. Registration is available online.
The North Bennet Street School is located in Boston, MA. For more information, please visit the NBSS website.
*** In celebration of her 65th birthday, Susan Kapuscinski Gaylord is holding an Open Studio event on September 17, 2016 from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Susan is the author of Handmade Books For A Healthy Planet and Multicultural Books to Make and Share.
Work from the past 38 years will on view in both her studio and her home at 311 High Street in Newburyport, MA.
For more information, please visit Susan’s website.
*** In collaboration with The Ticknor Society, The Movable Book Society is holding its biennial conference in Boston on September 15 – 17, 2016. The Movable Book Society was organized in 1993 to provide a forum for collectors, artists, curators, book sellers, book producers, and others to share enthusiasm and exchange information about pop-up and movable books.
This year’s speakers include Matthew Reinhart, Shawn Sheehy, Laura Davidson, and Emily Martin. The conference also features hands-on activities, presentations, a silent auction, and a book sale.
For more information, please download the conference program or contact The Movable Book Society at info@movablebooksociety.org.
*** Vermont artist Janet Wormser has a stash of Japanese paper she doesn’t need and she’s offering it for sale.
Here’s what she has:
- Hosho Natural 16.5″ x 22″
- Hosho Professional 24″ x 36″
- Tosa Kasagami 15.5″ x 19″
She also has a 14″ x 18″ portfolio (0.75″ spine thickness) for sale for $5.00.
Please contact Janet if you’d like more information or you’re interested in buying something from her.
Book Arts Classes
*** The Eliot School is offering the series Wild Journals with Susan Porter in October and November. Sessions will be held on Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Transform plain, store-bought, hardbound sketchbooks into gorgeously rich, densely colored, printed, cut and folded journals. These dramatic works of art can incorporate text, collage, found objects, windows, flaps and surface design.
The skills you learn can also be used in any form of handmade book. Expect to get messy. Bring an apron or work shirt to protect your clothing.
You can sign up for individual sessions or the whole series.
- Getting Started – Color & Paint: October 6, 2016
- Cut-outs, Pop-ups & Extensions: Thursday October 13, 2016
- Stamps, Stencils & Simple Printmaking: October 20, 2016
- Layers, Pockets, Windows & Tags: October 27, 2016
- Collaged Covers & Pages: November 3, 2016
- Story, Text & Narrative: November 10, 2016
For more information about the class, please visit the Eliot School’s website or click here to download the complete catalog.
*** The North Bennet Street School is hosting two workshops in collaboration with this year’s joint conference of the Movable Book Society and The Ticknor Society. Both workshops are open to the public. Registration is required.
Making Pop-ups Using Origami Techniques with Joel Stern
Sunday, September 18, 2016
9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Using origami and pop-up techniques, this short workshop focuses on making paper-folded faces that can be incorporated into hand-made books. Models taught are of increasing complexity, with opportunity for students to create their own.
Paper Craft Meets Circuitry with Jie Qi
Sunday, September 18, 2016
1:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Add electronics to your paper crafts to make them dynamic and interactive. Design and craft circuits on paper with Chibitronics Circuit Stickers, tiny peel-and-stick electronic parts that you can use to make interactive glowing paper craft projects. No circuit building or crafting experience necessary.
The North Bennet Street School is located in Boston, MA. For more information or to register, please visit the NBSS website.
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