by Elissa | Jan 3, 2020 | B.A.G. Meetings, bookbinding, Call to artists, Exhibitions, MailB.A.G., Member News, Vermont, Workshops
Next Meeting: Wednesday, January 8, 2020, 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
We meet at the Unitarian Universalist Society Church located at 152 Pearl Street in Burlington, VT. We will be in the Sophia Fahs Community Room, a large room located in the basement. Click here for more information on directions/parking.
Welcome to According to Accordions!
Often underestimated, the accordion book has more to it than meets the eye. This structure provides endless possibilities for construction, and multiple options for display and presentation. Starting with our January meeting, we will begin a multi-meeting exploration of the accordion book structure.
Prepare to be inspired by the versatility and potential of accordions!
Program: According to Accordions, Part 1 – Simple Accordions with Dorsey Hogg
In this month’s meeting Dorsey Hogg will lead us in making a simple accordion book. We’ll begin with the basics of the folded structure, and move on to more elaborate variations in the following meetings.
As an introduction, we’d like to invite you to bring books you’ve made with an accordion structure for a show and tell.
All materials will be provided, but please bring the following:
- Cutting mat
- X-acto knife
- Scissors
- Pencils or pens if you wish to work on the pages
- Glue stick
December Meeting Reflections
December’s meeting was full.
Full of fun, giving, selling and time for socializing. Everyone brought a wrapped handmade ornament and we had a gift exchange, followed by a lively sharing. As each ornament was presented “oohs” and “ahs” followed.
Then the meeting was opened up with members putting out goods to sell and a treasure table full of items free for the taking. We all left with new goodies and the warm feeling of fellowship with friends we admire.
You can view images from the meeting on the B.A.G. blog.
B.A.G. News
*** Support the Book Arts Guild of Vermont by becoming a member!
The Book Arts Guild of Vermont is supported by its members and you have kept us going for more than ten years. Our organization is solely run by volunteers and we do what we do because we love the book arts and we love B.A.G.. We continue to be inspired by our community, and the enthusiasm and talents that you bring to our meetings.
Membership dues are our main source of income and we hope that you will show that you value what we have to offer – quality programming, field trips, exhibits, and more – by becoming a member. You get so much value out of your $35.00 and attending just one meeting can give you your full money’s worth.
Just to give you an idea of where membership dues go, here’s a breakdown of B.A.G.’s annual expenses:
- Rent: $50.00 per month
- Presenter honorarium: $35.00 per meeting
- Website and email newsletter: $100.00 per year
- Presenter reimbursement for supplies: Varies
If you’ve done the math, you’ll see that we need a minimum of $910.00 (not including supply reimbursement) to cover our annual expenses.
We hope that you will renew your membership or join us as a new member at the December meeting. If you will not be at the meeting, you can download our membership form and send it in with your payment.
Thank you so much for your continued support of the guild. We wouldn’t be here without you.
*** Announcement: Spring/Summer member exhibit, Page Turners: Artist’s Books by the Book Arts Guild of Vermont
Our spring/summer exhibit will take place later this year and all members are invited and encouraged to contribute new or old work. The theme, Page Turners, is open-ended, allowing for unlimited interpretation.
Our exhibit location has yet to be determined, so stay tuned for more details.
*** Nina Gaby has been chosen to exhibit Unsent, an artist book using porcelain bound with wire, in the national exhibit Mixed Media opening at Nazareth College in Rochester, NY on January 24, 2020.
The exhibit features works across various mediums to showcase what the new generation of mixed media artists are doing while advancing the public’s awareness and appreciation of this interdisciplinary field.
For more information about the exhibit, visit the Nazareth College website.
*** Elissa Campbell is teaching the Secret Belgian Binding at Studio Place Arts in Barre, VT on February 10 & 11.
The not-so-mysterious Secret Belgian binding was developed to have the appearance of a Japanese stab binding, but also to have the ability of opening flat. The structure was invented by Anne Goy in the mid-1980’s and was relatively unknown until Hedi Kyle introduced it to the United States.
The text block is sewn is first, before attaching the covers with an intriguing woven sewing pattern – no glue is needed! This hard cover binding is perfect for use as a journal or sketchbook.
You will receive a detailed handout and resource list for all materials we use. Some previous experience with bookbinding is helpful, but not required.
Register online or contact Studio Place Arts at (802) 479-7069.
Book Arts News
*** Helen Hiebert has reinvented her Twelve Months of Paper Calendar as a planner, The Paper Year: A 2020 Creative Project Planner. Each month features a paper craft project along with a list of materials and tools you’ll need to complete each project, plus step-by-step photos, templates and easy-to-follow instructions.
Helen also has a curated paper pack that includes everything you need to complete all of the projects – no need to source materials on your own!
Elissa is working on getting a group order together so folks can take advantage of available discounts.
Here’s the scoop:
- If 10+ people order the planner, the discount is 50% – $12.50 each.
- If we get 2+ people ordering the paper pack, the discount 10% – $22.50.
- If 10+ people order both the planner and the paper pack, the total discount is 50% – $25.00
You can check out the planner and all of the completed projects at the December meeting (Elissa made ’em all). If you’re interested, please contact Elissa.
*** From February 20 – April 30, the North Bennet Street School will be hosting the exhibit Drop Dead Gorgeous: Fine Bindings of La Prose du Transsibérien Re-creation.
The remarkable book by poet Blaise Cendrars and artist Sonia Delaunay, La Prose du Transsibérien et de la petite Jehanne de France, was produced by letterpress and pochoir in 1913. It was a landmark achievement for its time with its unprecedented format, avant-garde typography and abstract imagery, and remains vibrant and modern today.
Kitty Maryatt of Two Hands Press has been researching the production of La Prose du Transsibérien since 2012. In 2018, she debuted a new edition of 150 copies, which faithfully incorporates techniques and methods used in the original.
At the same time, Maryatt and her underwriters commissioned fine bindings by notable design binders from around the world. These bindings, along with Maryatt’s La Prose du Transsibérien Re-Creation, have resulted in a traveling exhibition titled Drop Dead Gorgeous: Fine Bindings of La Prose du Transsibérien Re-creation.
The NBBS is located in Boston, MA.
*** The New England Chapter of the Guild of Book Workers will be celebrating 40 years in 2020 and to commemorate this milestone, they are inviting members to submit work to their upcoming 40th Anniversary Exhibition. They encourage submissions of all types of book work (this includes bindings, artist books, calligraphy, printmaking, paper making, etc.) to showcase the diversity of their membership.
In order to submit work, please fill out an Intent to Enter form. The deadline to submit the form is February 14, 2020. Submissions will be accepted from July 1 to July 31, 2020.
Entrants must be members of the New England Chapter of the Guild of Book Workers and carry a membership throughout the entire run of the exhibition.
For more information about the rules and regulations and deadlines, please visit the NEGBW website. You can also contact Erin Fletcher at newenglandgbw@gmail.com with any questions.
Book Arts Classes
*** From February 29 – March 1, the North Bennet Street School will be hosting a workshop with Kitty Maryatt on the technique of traditional French pochoir. Since this is an introduction, the focus will be on problem-solving and experiencing the joy of vibrant and true color.
This workshop will introduce the basics of printing multiples through aluminum stencils. The steps involve the following: trace the imagery that you want to reproduce, develop a registration system, identify and separate the colors, cut aluminum plates by hand, mix gouache colors, prime the French pochoir brush and apply the liquid in a swirling fashion.
The instructor will bring a pre-designed image with plates already cut so that participants can immediately learn the brush techniques. Afterwards, participants will select or create an image to be reproduced and go through the steps to make an edition of that image.
The NBBS is located in Boston, MA. For more information or to register, please visit the NBSS website.
*** On Sunday, February 9, 2020, The Eliot School of Fine and Applied Arts in Jamaica Plain, MA is offering Star Books with Cristina Hajosy.
A handmade star book can be presented as an artist’s book or as a hanging ornament. Excite viewers with the visual movement and performative qualities of this unusual book structure. Learn basic bookmaking techniques and experiment with hand-marbled papers, mixed media and collage scraps to customize your books.
For more information about the class, please visit the Eliot School’s website.
*** Maine Media Workshops + College is offering 2-Day Letterpress Single-Sheet Books with Valerie Carrigan from February 15 – 16, 2020.
This weekend workshop celebrates books made from single sheets of paper. You will learn to fold a variety of book structures, ranging from simple to complex in nature.
These versatile and fun structures are ideal for photographers and printmakers interested in presenting their work a in new and fresh way. Creative enclosures, also folded from single sheets of paper, will be made to house all book models.
All skill levels welcome in this workshop.
Click here to register. Maine Media Workshops + College is located in Rockport, ME.
by Elissa | Dec 5, 2019 | B.A.G. Meetings, bookbinding, Exhibitions, MailB.A.G., Member News, Vermont, Workshops
Next Meeting: Wednesday, December 11, 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: Ornament Exchange and Holiday Market
At our December meeting, we will host an ornament exchange where members and friends are invited to swap handmade baubles. Bring one, take one!
Here’s how it works:
- Make an ornament to share – instruction or directions on how to make are optional.
- Bring to the meeting, wrapped in some manner.
- Swap for another ornament.
That’s it! The only rule is that the ornaments must be handmade.
Need inspiration? Check out these blog posts:
Get making!
AND
Get ready for the Holiday Market!
While you’re making your ornament and preparing for the holidays, clean out your stash and share stuff that you want to get rid of at our Free Table, or set up your own little shop with items to trade or sell. If you are selling/ trading, please label your products with a price or value for trading.
We’ll all have time to browse and pick up cool stuff from each other!
November Meeting Reflections
Each year, our group comes up with lovely, super-fun cards and books for the popular Book Blitz and Card Tricks meeting, and this year was no exception. We all shared in each other’s secret inspirational places (Fold of the Week seems to be on everyone’s list) while making some holiday cheer. The open format allowed for everyone to participate, explore, and mingle as well as pick up some new tricks.
The B.A.G. library was open, and our resident librarian Sally, picked out some important titles for members to borrow. I picked up one that I had been wanting to look at for a while. If you have any books that you want to donate to the library, just let Sally know, and if you’ve borrowed one or two, please return them at another meeting.
Thanks to everyone who participated this month. Attendance is at a very high level these days! I can’t wait to see what all you talented people do for the ornament exchange this year.
You can view images from the meeting on the B.A.G. blog.
B.A.G. News
*** Support the Book Arts Guild of Vermont by becoming a member!
The Book Arts Guild of Vermont is supported by its members and you have kept us going for more than ten years. Our organization is solely run by volunteers and we do what we do because we love the book arts and we love B.A.G.. We continue to be inspired by our community, and the enthusiasm and talents that you bring to our meetings.
Membership dues are our main source of income and we hope that you will show that you value what we have to offer – quality programming, field trips, exhibits, and more – by becoming a member. You get so much value out of your $35.00 and attending just one meeting can give you your full money’s worth.
Just to give you an idea of where membership dues go, here’s a breakdown of B.A.G.’s annual expenses:
- Rent: $50.00 per month
- Presenter honorarium: $35.00 per meeting
- Website and email newsletter: $100.00 per year
- Presenter reimbursement for supplies: Varies
If you’ve done the math, you’ll see that we need a minimum of $910.00 (not including supply reimbursement) to cover our annual expenses.
We hope that you will renew your membership or join us as a new member at the December meeting. If you will not be at the meeting, you can download our membership form and send it in with your payment.
Thank you so much for your continued support of the guild. We wouldn’t be here without you.
*** Since B.A.G. members have expressed interest in purchasing Nancy Stone’s recently published book, 251 Vermont Vistas, she will bring copies to the November and December meetings.
Originally begun as a book arts project, Nancy painted watercolor ‘postcards’ for every Vermont town that she and her husband visited as members of the VT251 Club. A preview of some pages, with written reflections of towns, can be seen at www.nancystone.weebly.com. With sales tax, the book costs $37.44; cash or checks accepted.
These make unique holiday gifts, capturing the beauty of Vermont’s scenery in all weather and seasons.
Book Arts News
*** Now through December 6th, John Neal Bookseller is running an extended Black Friday sale with savings of up to 50%. The selection of items includes bookbinding texts, calligraphy texts and supplies, and subscriptions to both Bound & Lettered and Letter Arts Review.
Click here to check out what’s discounted.
*** Helen Hiebert has reinvented her Twelve Months of Paper Calendar as a planner, The Paper Year: A 2020 Creative Project Planner. Each month features a paper craft project along with a list of materials and tools you’ll need to complete each project, plus step-by-step photos, templates and easy-to-follow instructions.
Helen also has a curated paper pack that includes everything you need to complete all of the projects – no need to source materials on your own!
Elissa is working on getting a group order together so folks can take advantage of available discounts.
Here’s the scoop:
- If 10+ people order the planner, the discount is 50% – $12.50 each.
- If we get 2+ people ordering the paper pack, the discount 10% – $22.50.
- If 10+ people order both the planner and the paper pack, the total discount is 50% – $25.00
You can check out the planner and all of the completed projects at the December meeting (Elissa made ’em all). If you’re interested, please contact Elissa.
*** Chena River Marblers is holding their Annual Studio Sale on December 14 & 15 from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. The studio is located at 70 Justice Drive in Amherst, MA.
Marblers Regina and Dan St. John will be selling marbled papers (firsts and seconds), marbled paper treasure bags, notepads, journals, sketchbooks, boxes, post-it holders and many other great gift items all beautified by hand marbled papers.
There will be paper marbling demonstrations at 10:00 a.m., 11:00 ap.m., and 3:00 p.m. There will also be make-and-take activities:
- Marbled notepad; Marbled paper (free)
- Marbled Silk Scarf ($25.00)
For more information, please call (413) 253-2835 or email regstjohn@comcast.net.
*** If you’re looking for a board shear, there’s a compact wooden top Jacques shear for sale in Somerville, MA. A 30.5″ blade gives a 30″ cut. Removable back gauge, spring gauge can also be removed. Wooden surface is 32″ wide x 35″ long, 45″ – 56″ with the tray. 63″ from end of handle to counterweight.
This is a good shear for a small space, in great condition. The blade is sharp. Purchaser responsible for removal. Photos available upon request. Asking $3,000.00.
For more information or to purchase the shear, please contact Kate Rich at blackletterkate@hotmail.com.
Book Arts Classes
*** On January 11 & 12, 2020, the North Bennet Street School is offering Bookbinding 101 with Erin Fletcher.
In this two day class, students 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.
For more information or to register, please visit the NBSS website.
*** On Sunday, February 9, 2020, The Eliot School of Fine and Applied Arts in Jamaica Plain, MA is offering Star Books with Cristina Hajosy.
A handmade star book can be presented as an artist’s book or as a hanging ornament. Excite viewers with the visual movement and performative qualities of this unusual book structure. Learn basic bookmaking techniques and experiment with hand-marbled papers, mixed media and collage scraps to customize your books.
For more information about the class, please visit the Eliot School’s website.
*** Maine Media Workshops + College is offering 2-Day Letterpress Single-Sheet Books with Valerie Carrigan from February 15 – 16, 2020.
This weekend workshop celebrates books made from single sheets of paper. You will learn to fold a variety of book structures, ranging from simple to complex in nature.
These versatile and fun structures are ideal for photographers and printmakers interested in presenting their work a in new and fresh way. Creative enclosures, also folded from single sheets of paper, will be made to house all book models.
All skill levels welcome in this workshop.
Click here to register. Maine Media Workshops + College is located in Rockport, ME.
by Elissa | Jul 7, 2017 | B.A.G. Meetings, bookbinding, Exhibitions, MailB.A.G., Member News, Vermont, Workshops
Next Meeting: Wednesday, July 11, 2017, 6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
The July meeting will be held at the SEABA Center Gallery at 404 Pine Street in Burlington, VT. Click here to get directions using Google Maps.
* Please note that this meeting is different than our usual meeting in three ways:
- Location: We are meeting at SEABA, not at the Unitarian Church in Burlington.
- Date: We are meeting on a Tuesday, and not on the second Wednesday of the month.
- Time: The meeting starts at 6:00 p.m., not at 6:30 p.m.
Program: Artists’s Talk and Reception
Correspondence: Bookworks from the Book Arts Guild of Vermont
Correspondence: Bookworks, our 2017 exhibit, will be held at SEABA on Pine Street in Burlington from July 11 to August 25, 2017.
The opening reception and artists’ talk will be on Tuesday, July 11 from 6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. This will be in place of our usual July meeting at the Unitarian Church.
We encourage each artist to talk about his or her work, highlighting any special processes, challenges, or inspiration. Since there are a lot of entries in the show, please be prepared to make brief remarks so that everyone can get a chance to talk, socialize, and enjoy the mutual admiration club.
We hope to see you there!
June Meeting Reflections
Amy Burns delighted the group with her unique and handy packaging ideas and tips. Although not everyone sells their work in such a professional manner, there was a lot of interest in how Amy has developed her own identity and successfully markets her brand. The take-away is that details count! Thanks to Amy for sharing her process and tricks.
Amy also provided a fantastic comic illustration of the double needle coptic bindng process, and led the group through the step by step instructions. Her instructions helped to make clear the complicated binding technique.
Again, many thanks to Amy for preparing the materials and giving everyone a chance to bind their own beer coasters!
You can view images from the meeting on the B.A.G. blog.
B.A.G. News
*** B.A.G. Co-Founder Nancy Stone has lots of news to share with our members. First off, one of Nancy’s paintings has been selected for inclusion in a juried show at the Birds of Vermont Museum in Huntington, open now through October 31st.
And now through July 22nd, yet another of her paintings can be seen in the Vermont Watercolor Society‘s annual juried members’ show AQUA at the Valley Arts Festival Gallery in the Village Square Shopping Center, Route 100 in Waitsfield.
Lastly, she’s got a solo show at Saint Michael’s College‘s McCarthy Art Gallery in Colchester from August 2 – 12, 2017. The exhibit coincides with the Playhouse‘s production of You Can’t Take it with You. Her Handmade-Books-on-the-Wall exhibit includes two large installations – her Vermont 251 Club postcards with original watercolors displayed as accordion books and her 13 books of Ecclesiastes III with white-on-white pop-ups.
Congratulations Nancy on all of your accomplishments!
*** Looking for college credit? Ann Joppe-Mercure will be teaching The Art of the Book (GED 673A) at Saint Michael’s College from July 10 – 28, 2017.
Educators and students are invited to explore and create in this studio course addressing the art of the book. Participants will experiment with forms, structures, materials, and concepts as we investigate the limitless possibilities of the book. By surveying the historical need to record and contain knowledge and by examining the work of contemporary book artist students will gain a foundation for their own creative expression of ideas and meaning. Students will make a working portfolio of paper treatments, book models and altered structures then create their own individual art books.
The class will be a working model of a 21st century collaborative community supporting the creative process through practice, constructive criticism, reflecting, and refining technique. The Common Core anchor standards of Craft and Structure and Integration of Knowledge and Ideas will be addressed.
No previous bookmaking or art experience required. Students who have previously taken The Art of Bookmaking (GED 671) and/or Science, Art and Bookmaking: Making Connections (GED 673), are welcome in this class. A $50.00 materials fee is required and due at registration.
For more information, please visit St. Mike’s website.
Book Arts News
*** Now through July 19, 2017, the North Bennet Street School is hosting Open • Set, a traveling, triennial bookbinding exhibition organized by the American Academy of Bookbinding. The exhibit showcases the art of fine design bookbinding and hopes to inspire both new binders and professionals.
The exhibition is intended to be a recognition of the beauty of the craft and a commitment to the public toward a better understanding of this art form. The international exhibition features fifty books and recognizes excellence in craftsmanship and design concept interpretation.
The exhibit is free and open to the public. For more information, please visit the North Bennet Street School’s website.
*** ArtisTree Gallery‘s 7th annual juried exhibit, UNBOUND: VOL VII, will open on July 28th and run through August 26, 2017. This exhibit is opening in conjunction with the kick off of the 9th annual Bookstock Literary Festival in Woodstock, VT.
The broad theme of UNBOUND VOL. VII 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.
An opening reception will be held on Friday July 28th, from 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
For more information, please send an email to gallery@artistreevt.org or visit the ArtisTree Gallery’s website.
Book Arts Classes
*** 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 9 – 15 and Week 2 runs from July 16 – 22.
This year’s instructors include Samuel Feinstein, Barb Tetenbaum, and April Sheridan. Wells College is located in Aurora, NY.
Please send inquiries to bookartscenter@wells.edu. You can also download the course catalog (pdf) from the Wells College website.
*** The Guild of Book Workers is offering Covered and Visible: Protected Multi-Section Pamphlet Stitch Structure with Gabrielle Fox from July 14 – 15, 2017. The workshop will be held at Dartmouth College Preservation Services in Hanover, NH.
In this two-day class, you will complete at least one full leather binding using the simplest version of this structure. This variation provides the strength and flexibility of a tight backed book with the action of a hollow tube. You may also have time to explore several onlay techniques using pre-thinned leather and decorative papers.
The delight of this structure is the ease with which it opens, closes and the possible variations that can be used for both design and conservation binding. The entire case or cover of the binding is completed before sewing in the text, which is the final procedure or step in the binding. This structure can be kept very simple or adapted to something as complex as a full leather traditional binding with a difference.
Questions regarding registration should be directed to Martha Kearsley at negbwprograms@gmail.com.
Please note that you will need to prepare some of the required materials in advance. For more information, visit the Guild of Book Workers website.
*** From July 16 – 22, 2017, Art New England is offering Artists Books: Structure and Story with Julie Leonard. ANE workshops take place in Vermont at Bennington College.
The hand-held, tactile, and serial qualities inherent to the book make it a compelling media for artistic expression. Artist books can be visual, textual, sculptural, traditional or experimental in form. A book’s structure in concert with text and/or image can serve as an essential contextual element.
This course will consider the connections between structure and other content with a goal of creating books in which the physical form plays an integral role in both function and meaning. Participants will learn several book structures for presenting material in alternative formats. Through exercises, ideas will be translated into ‘sketches’ made in book form. Contextual possibilities particular to book work will be examined, including visual and/or textual narrative, serialization, and unifying multiple pages into a cohesive whole.
The class will also address the importance of understanding book structure and basic binding skills in order to produce work with both depth and material integrity.
For more information or to register, please visit the Art New England website.
*** Art New England is also offering Pop-Up Books with Colette Fu from July 30 – August 5, 2017.
Pop-up books aren’t just for children! Pop-up structures can be used to make engaging works of art for any age, from greeting cards to animations to kinetic sculptures. Complex and engaging pop-up works are created from a combination of basic mechanisms enhanced by your art, playfulness and imagination.
In this workshop, participants learn the basic elements of pop-up paper engineering, including multi-level platforms and pulltabs, as well as how to combine them to create more complex structures. Participants learn how to incorporate their own art into their structures effectively to create unique pop-up books, cards, and works of art. All levels of experience are welcome.
For more information or to register, please visit the Art New England website.
*** Maine Media Workshops + College is offering Alternative Book Structures with Valerie Carrigan from July 23 – 29, 2017.
This workshop focuses on book structures that lend themselves to the presentation of two-dimensional imagery such as photographs, prints, and paintings. You will make a series of book models including the pivoting panel book and flag book, originated by Hedi Kyle, and variations on the accordion book. All book structures introduced may be opened in the traditional way – page-by-page, or extended for a more sculptural view.
After completing your models, you will spend the remainder of the week creating and sequencing imagery and/or text for the content of your books. Simple letterpress techniques will be discussed and utilized. Participants will be encouraged to pursue the medium of their choice in these book forms.
This workshop is ideal for photographers, painters, printmakers, collage artists – anyone who wants to present imagery in the form of an artist book. No experience is necessary and those with prior experience will have the chance to add to their repertoire of creative book forms.
For more information or to register, please visit the Maine Media Workshops + College website.
by Elissa | Jun 7, 2017 | B.A.G. Meetings, bookbinding, Call to artists, Exhibitions, MailB.A.G., Member News, Vermont, Workshops
Next Meeting: Wednesday, June 14, 2017, 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: How to Package Your Work and Double Needle Coptic Binding with Amy Burns
Amy Burns, who has been creating and selling handmade books to people around the world for 10 years, will begin our June meeting with a presentation on how she packages and presents her work using simple materials and tools that create a professional yet handmade look.
If you’ve ever considered packaging your own work to sell, you will learn how to create a cohesive look and feel easily and economically.
In the second part of the meeting, Amy will lead a hands-on workshop, demystifying the double-needle Coptic binding. Book covers, page paper, binding thread, and instructions will be provided.
Please bring:
- Scissors (to trim your thread)
- Awl
- Old phone book, cutting mat or punching pad
- Bone folder
- 2 or 4 curved bookbinders or upholstery needles, 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!
Special Request to Print Challenge Participants: Please bring your Print Challenge Books!
Handmade book of printsLast month we had an inspiring Show and Tell of the wonderful books created for the two-part Printmaking/Bookmaking Challenge.
Unfortunately, several people who participated in the challenge were unable to make it to the meeting but would love to see everyone’s books. So, if possible, please bring your book to the June meeting to share with those who missed seeing it.
We have an exciting program planned for the meeting so we won’t be discussing the books, they will just be set up on the side of the room.
May Meeting Reflections
Our get together in May turned out to be a wonderful evening of sharing and mutual admiration. Members who had completed their book from the print challenge spoke about their work, the challenges of working with the varied prints, and their exploration of book forms. The results of the challenge are amazing!
I hope that everyone will exhibit their work in the upcoming show at SEABA, because, really, the world needs to know what a talented and exciting group of artists we are!
Several members also brought more ‘junk box books’ they had made based on our last awesome meeting with Meta Strick. Again, some incredible ideas and execution.
Thanks to all who made the meeting a special event.
You can view images from the meeting on the B.A.G. blog.
B.A.G. News
*** Show your work at the Book Arts Guild of Vermont’s Annual Exhibit!
Correspondence: Book Works, our show for this year, will be held at SEABA on Pine Street in Burlington, during the months of July and August.
This venue gives us a great exhibit space and a lot of exposure to the community. We encourage all members and friends to participate in this show, and to respond to the theme in any way. Work can include new or time honored techniques, book-related pieces and sculpture, and generally any work that can be ‘read’.
Important dates:
- Submission deadline: June 14, 2017. Please bring your work along with the entry form to the June meeting. Work can also be mailed to Marcia. For special arrangements, please contact Marcia. Address and contact info are on the entry form.
- Opening Reception/Artists’ Talk: Tuesday, July 11, 2017 (not on Wednesday, July 12, as previously announced). This will take the place of our regular July meeting, so there will be no meeting at the UU Church on Wednesday, July 12th.
- Show dates: July 6 – August 25, 2017
Submissions are limited to 3 pieces per artist. The exhibit entry form and additional information can be downloaded as a pdf or a fillable Word document.
*** Looking for college credit? Ann Joppe-Mercure will be teaching The Art of the Book (GED 673A) at Saint Michael’s College from July 10 – 28, 2017.
Educators and students are invited to explore and create in this studio course addressing the art of the book. Participants will experiment with forms, structures, materials, and concepts as we investigate the limitless possibilities of the book. By surveying the historical need to record and contain knowledge and by examining the work of contemporary book artist students will gain a foundation for their own creative expression of ideas and meaning. Students will make a working portfolio of paper treatments, book models and altered structures then create their own individual art books.
The class will be a working model of a 21st century collaborative community supporting the creative process through practice, constructive criticism, reflecting, and refining technique. The Common Core anchor standards of Craft and Structure and Integration of Knowledge and Ideas will be addressed.
No previous bookmaking or art experience required. Students who have previously taken The Art of Bookmaking (GED 671) and/or Science, Art and Bookmaking: Making Connections (GED 673), are welcome in this class. A $50.00 materials fee is required and due at registration.
For more information, please visit St. Mike’s website.
Book Arts News
*** ArtisTree Gallery is looking for submissions for their 7th annual juried exhibit, UNBOUND: VOL VII. The theme of the show is simple – an exploration of what a book can be…art using books as a material or a format.
Bill Hanscom is this year’s juror. The exhibit will be presented in conjunction with the Bookstock Literary Festival in Woodstock, VT.
This call for submissions is open to all New England and New York residents of the U.S. who are 18 years of age or older. All artwork must be original in concept, design and execution. Note: Reproductions, if used as mixed media, will be considered.
The deadline for submission is June 29, 2017. For more information, please visit the ArtisTree Gallery’s website. or contact Adrian Tans at gallery@artistreevt.org.
*** Now through July 19, 2017, the North Bennet Street School is hosting Open • Set, a traveling, triennial bookbinding exhibition organized by the American Academy of Bookbinding. The exhibit showcases the art of fine design bookbinding and hopes to inspire both new binders and professionals.
The exhibition is intended to be a recognition of the beauty of the craft and a commitment to the public toward a better understanding of this art form. The international exhibition features fifty books and recognizes excellence in craftsmanship and design concept interpretation.
The exhibit is free and open to the public. For more information, please visit the North Bennet Street School’s website.
Book Arts Classes
*** 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 9 – 15 and Week 2 runs from July 16 – 22.
This year’s instructors include Samuel Feinstein, Barb Tetenbaum, and April Sheridan. Wells College is located in Aurora, NY.
Please send inquiries to bookartscenter@wells.edu. You can also download the course catalog (pdf) from the Wells College website.
*** The Guild of Book Workers is offering Covered and Visible: Protected Multi-Section Pamphlet Stitch Structure with Gabrielle Fox from July 14 – 15, 2017. The workshop will be held at Dartmouth College Preservation Services in Hanover, NH.
In this two-day class, you will complete at least one full leather binding using the simplest version of this structure. This variation provides the strength and flexibility of a tight backed book with the action of a hollow tube. You may also have time to explore several onlay techniques using pre-thinned leather and decorative papers.
The delight of this structure is the ease with which it opens, closes and the possible variations that can be used for both design and conservation binding. The entire case or cover of the binding is completed before sewing in the text, which is the final procedure or step in the binding. This structure can be kept very simple or adapted to something as complex as a full leather traditional binding with a difference.
Questions regarding registration should be directed to Martha Kearsley at negbwprograms@gmail.com.
Please note that you will need to prepare some of the required materials in advance. For more information, visit the Guild of Book Workers website.
*** From July 16 – 22, 2017, Art New England is offering Artists Books: Structure and Story with Julie Leonard. ANE workshops take place in Vermont at Bennington College.
The hand-held, tactile, and serial qualities inherent to the book make it a compelling media for artistic expression. Artist books can be visual, textual, sculptural, traditional or experimental in form. A book’s structure in concert with text and/or image can serve as an essential contextual element.
This course will consider the connections between structure and other content with a goal of creating books in which the physical form plays an integral role in both function and meaning. Participants will learn several book structures for presenting material in alternative formats. Through exercises, ideas will be translated into ‘sketches’ made in book form. Contextual possibilities particular to book work will be examined, including visual and/or textual narrative, serialization, and unifying multiple pages into a cohesive whole.
The class will also address the importance of understanding book structure and basic binding skills in order to produce work with both depth and material integrity.
For more information or to register, please visit the Art New England website.
*** Maine Media Workshops + College is offering Alternative Book Structures with Valerie Carrigan from July 23 – 29, 2017.
This workshop focuses on book structures that lend themselves to the presentation of two-dimensional imagery such as photographs, prints, and paintings. You will make a series of book models including the pivoting panel book and flag book, originated by Hedi Kyle, and variations on the accordion book. All book structures introduced may be opened in the traditional way – page-by-page, or extended for a more sculptural view.
After completing your models, you will spend the remainder of the week creating and sequencing imagery and/or text for the content of your books. Simple letterpress techniques will be discussed and utilized. Participants will be encouraged to pursue the medium of their choice in these book forms.
This workshop is ideal for photographers, painters, printmakers, collage artists – anyone who wants to present imagery in the form of an artist book. No experience is necessary and those with prior experience will have the chance to add to their repertoire of creative book forms.
For more information or to register, please visit the Maine Media Workshops + College website.
by Elissa | Nov 4, 2015 | B.A.G. Meetings, bookbinding, Call to artists, Exhibitions, Lecture, MailB.A.G., Vermont, Workshops
Next Meeting: Wednesday, November 11, 2015, 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: Card Tricks and Book Blitz: Mini Workshops in Cool Techniques
Join us for our always-popular annual November tradition: Member-led mini hands-on workshops in the form of a card or mini-book exchange that we call Book Blitz and Card Tricks. Get prepared now and join the fun!
Design a card or small/simple book structure that has a trick or two; maybe a pop-up, French doors or a window. Bring your completed card or mini-book, along with materials for six undecorated cards or mini-book structures to share. We will have an exchange and then engage in some decorating fun.
Please feel free to join in the fun even if you don’t have time to prepare cards or mini-books to bring. We do a similar program every November and there is always more than enough to go around. As in years past, expect to go home with some great new ideas, several new tricks up your sleeve, and a few new cards for the season.
Things to bring:
- A decorated card/mini-book with a “trick” (optional)
- 6 card structures of your card/mini-book “trick” to exchange (optional)
- Glue
- Scissors
- X-Acto knife
- Cutting mat
- Ruler
- Bone folder
- Awl or needle tool
- Decorative punches
- Stamps and ink
- Pens, pencils, markers
- Decorative papers
- Fun stuff!
| BONUS: At the November meeting, we will also kick-off our first official BAG Collaborative Book Project: an Exquisite Corpse Book. Collaborative Project Coordinator Rebecca Boardman will explain the concept and distribute templates that you can take home and use to create an exquisite corpse to contribute to the book.
We’re planning to display the book at our upcoming Spring 2016 exhibit, Book Works (Living Learning Center Gallery, UVM campus, February 15 – March 18, 2016), and hope that everyone will be inspired to participate! |
October Meeting Reflections
Jill Dawson literally lit up our evening, both with her innovative bookworks and her circuit- making instructions. We all came away with paper works that actually did light up, and a small bit of knowledge of the tech world.
Jill inspired us to reach a little further into that world, and to explore the endless possibilities that new technology can afford the book and paper artist in all of us.
Thanks, Jill, for a dazzling evening.
You can view images from the meeting on the B.A.G. blog.
B.A.G. News
Spring Exhibit at UVM Living/ Learning Gallery
Announcing our Spring 2016 exhibit: Book Works, book-related works by the Book Arts Guild of Vermont! The exhibit will take place at the Living Learning Center gallery on the UVM campus from February 15 – March 18, 2016.
We encourage all members and friends to participate in this broadly themed show. Work can include new or time honored techniques, book-related pieces and sculpture, and generally any work that can be ‘read’. We would love to provide studio support at meetings prior to the show, where participants can seek help and advice on their projects, so bring in your work in progress to share with others.
For inspiration, try searching on Pinterest for book arts boards. Here are a few links to get you started:
After such a fantastic show last year at SEABA, we’re excited to see what comes next for everyone!
More details about the show to come!
Book Arts News
*** Now through December 13th, the Middlebury College Museum of Art is presenting The Art of Storytelling: Five Tales from Asia, Then and Now. The exhibit includes a beautiful combination of ancient and modern illustration.
The five Asian tales at the center of this exhibition have inspired artists for centuries and continue to capture the imaginations of comics writers and graphic designers today. This exhibit explores many of the painted and printed interpretations of these compelling narratives from the sixteenth century to the present.
The works are drawn from the collections of the Middlebury College Museum of Art, the Harvard Art Museums, the Hood Museum of Art at Dartmouth College, and Harvard-Yenching Library, and are complemented by contemporary comics, illustrations, and other digital media.
*** The New England Chapter of the Guild of Book Workers will have a booth at the upcoming Boston International Antiquarian Book Fair. The fair will be held at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston, MA.
Volunteers are needed to sit at the booth during the following hours:
- Friday, November 13: 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
- Saturday, November 14: 12:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
- Sunday, November 15: 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
It’s a great opportunity to meet interesting people, promote the GBW, and talk about books to other like-minded individuals.
They want to have two volunteers in the booth at all times. To volunteer please email Todd Pattison at bookandtile@att.net. All volunteers will get free entry into the Fair!
*** Also on November 14th is the Boston Book, Print and Ephemera Show, billed as the “other Boston book show”. The show will be held at the Back Bay Events Center (a.k.a. the Dorothy Quincy Suite at John Hancock Hall).
You can attend for free if you register online before November 13th.
*** The Paper Room (formerly known as Langdell Paper) at AVA Gallery and Art Center is holding its annual open studio on Saturday December 5th, from 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. This event is part of AVA’s annual Open House.
Not only are there going to be 1,000’s of sheets of handmade paper available for purchase, but there will also be refreshments and fun paper-related conversation.
The AVA Art Center is located at 11 Bank Street in Lebanon, NH. The Paper Room is on the second floor in studio #209. For more information, please contact Richard at rlangdell@gmail.com.
*** The New England Chapter of the Guild of Book Workers is looking for volunteers for an upcoming Girl Scout event. They will be partnering with the Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts offering programs for Cadette scouts (age 11-14) to earn a Book Artist badge. In addition, they will run a program for younger scouts.
The event will be held on Saturday November 7th at Camp Cedar Hill in Waltham, MA. They will run a 3-hour program for Cadettes in the morning from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and then have a 2-hour program for younger girls from 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. You can volunteer for just one program or make a day out of it and do both!
There will be an introduction and then five stations that the girls will rotate through which may include printing, accordion folds, a pamphlet, origami book, a scroll, decorating paper or a collaborative book, depending on the interests of the volunteers. Each rotation will last for about 30 minutes. The younger girls will have similar programming in a shorter time frame with possibly only four rotations. If you have a book arts technique or project that you’d like to see done with the Girl Scouts please make some suggestions.
You do not need to be a member of the NEGBW to volunteer. If you would like to volunteer, please contact Todd Pattison at bookandtile@att.net.
Book Arts Classes
*** Valerie Carrigan will be teaching Book Ornaments at the Messenger Press Studio at the Beaver Mill in North Adams, MA. The workshop will be on Saturday November 21, 2015 from 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Learn to make miniature handmade books that also function as hanging ornaments. Through unique paper folding, hard covers, and the addition of a ribbon and bead, you will make beautiful structures that transform in shape from a book to an ornament. You will leave this workshop with a handful of book ornaments in a variety of sizes, colors and patterns! No experience necessary.
The workshop is sponsored by is 183 Art School of the Berkshires. To register, please call them directly at (413) 298-5252.
*** Masscribes is hosting a workshop with Susan Kapuscinski Gaylord on Saturday November 7th, at the Sportsman’s Club in Norwood, MA.
Book Play is an introduction to simple bookmaking and its possibilities for creative exploration. It is bookmaking at its most friendly and accessible – no rulers or precious papers, no designing or planning ahead. The emphasis is on freedom and possibility – how the simplest forms can be adapted, varied, and combined to unlock our creative juices. Using mostly recycled materials, we’ll make intimate books that fold and fan, hang and stand. Most of the time will be spent making books but there will be opportunities to add calligraphy.
For more information, please contact Nita Padamsee at padamseedesigns@verizon.net or Elissa Barr at penpusherink@gmail.com.
*** The Eliot School in Jamaica Plain, MA is offering Coptic Binding with Ken Gilbert on December 13 from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
With Coptic binding, sections of paper are sewn through their folds and attached with stitches across the spine, without any glue. Make a blank book using this ancient, elegant technique, and cover it with either cloth or decorative paper.
For more information about the class, please visit the Eliot School’s website or click here to download the complete catalog.
