by Elissa | Jul 6, 2018 | B.A.G. Meetings, bookbinding, Exhibitions, MailB.A.G., Vermont, Workshops
Next Meeting: Wednesday, July 11, 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: Gallery Talk meets Show and Tell – Prepare to be Inspired!
Pats on the back and hugs all around – the Book Arts Guild just concluded two amazing exhibitions of members’ work. Both shows (at Studio Place Arts in Barre and at Frog Hollow Craft Gallery in Burlington) feature pieces that intrigued and delighted viewers.
Please join us in July as we explore together the wonderful pieces that appeared in both shows. Contributing artists are invited to talk about the pieces that were displayed, sharing their inspirations, their aspirations and their processes.
Expect to take home new ideas and an invigorated appreciation of the creative process.
Things to bring:
- Curiosity
- A sense of adventure!
June Meeting Reflections
In June, Jill Abilock took us on a two-hour hands-on adventure into the world of Coptic bindings, a stitch dating back to the 2nd century AD.
She guided us through the steps of a method that is her own personal twist on both the binding and cover attachment: her method requires punching fewer holes in the cover, has no thread lines on the inside of the cover that might mar the first or last pages of the book, and delightfully incorporates embellishments as an intrinsic part of the binding.
Jill brought in samples of her own work, which were both elegant and inventive, incorporating unusual materials like wire, fancy paper clips and beads. She provided upcycled materials cut to size from discarded library books for everyone to use to create their own mini artist journal, and templates to take home should they want to make another one.
Thanks to everyone who came to the meeting and even more to Jill for sharing her talents!
You can view images from the meeting on the B.A.G. blog.
B.A.G. News
*** We’re so sad that both B.A.G. exhibits are over now, but we can always dream about next year!
All pieces that were shown in both the Frog Hollow and SPA exhibits will be at the July meeting for pickup…unless you sold them, in which case – good for you!
* If you are unable to pick up your work at the meeting, please contact Marcia to make alternative arrangements.
For those of you who missed our exhibits, don’t worry! You can view images of all of the pieces in both the SPA exhibit and the Frog Hollow exhibit on the B.A.G. blog.
Book Arts News
*** ArtisTree Gallery‘s 8th annual juried exhibit, UNBOUND: VOL VIII, will open on July 27th and run through August 25, 2018. This exhibit is opening in conjunction with the kick off of the 10th annual Bookstock Literary Festival in Woodstock, VT.
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.
An opening reception will be held on Friday July 27th, from 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
For more information, please send an email to gallery@artistreevt.org or visit the ArtisTree Gallery’s website.
*** Now through July 22nd, Susan Kapuscinski Gaylord has fourteen of her Spirit Books on exhibition in the Hunnewell Building Visitors center at the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University.
The Spirit Books connect my experience of the inherent spirituality and mystery of nature with the long-standing tradition of books as testaments of faith and belief. I gather twigs, branches, vines, and roots and use them to cradle stitched wordless books made of handmade papers from around the world.
The Arnold Arboretum is located at 125 Arborway in Boston, MA (Google map). For more information, please visit The Harvard Gazette’s 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.
*** Now through October 31st, artist Crystal Cawley has work on display in the Hat and Fragrance Textile Gallery at the Shelburne Museum in Shelburne, VT.
Cawley merges materials and ideas ranging from collections of old greeting cards and puzzle pieces to discarded library books and worn household textiles, drawing our attention to objects that might otherwise be overlooked. Visitors will encounter more than two dozen works combining the artist’s interests in the form and history of clothing and the possibilities of paper and fabric sculpture with traditional handiwork like embroidery, spinning, and letterpress printing.
For more information, please visit the Shelburne Museum’s website.
Book Arts Classes
*** The second annual Artist Book Intensive will be held at 26 Split Rock Cove in South Thomaston, ME from August 3 – 5, 2018. The event is sponsored by Midcoast Book Arts.
What is an Artist Book? Do artist books require words? Or images? What about structure as a part of the content? Yes, yes, and yes. Because artists’ books are works of art that use the form of the book. They may be published in small editions, though they are often produced as one-of-a-kind objects. And their subject matter is as varied as any other art form.
Three book making structures and two decorative techniques for book covers and/or content in your books will be taught. All materials will be provided, along with a notebook containing the instructional information covered in the workshops and additional resources.
For more information, please visit the Artist Book Intensive website.
*** Maine Media Workshops + College is offering Pop-Ups for Miniature Books with Shawn Sheehy from August 12 to 18, 2018.
By definition, a miniature book cannot be more than three inches in length, width, or depth. Working within this small format, students will learn how to bring drama and excitement to their pop-up book by inserting impossibly large images into a small package. Students will use cardstock and simple hand tools to build and bind, using a pop-up specific technique, a variety of structures that move above, beyond, and behind the page. Students will have time to experiment with their own ideas and recieve engineering advice from the instructor.
No experience is necessary, but previous experience in fiber arts and/or paper craft will speed your progress. This content readily accommodates beginners and advanced makers alike. You will leave the class with a completed popup book and a good understanding of the basics of popup engineering. Once you’ve tackled the skills in small format, you’ll be able to scale up for future projects!
For more information or to register, please visit the Maine Media website.
*** The Women’s Studio Workshop is currently running its Summer Art Institute with workshops focusing on printmaking, papermaking, and book arts. They offer you time to focus on your work, become energized and inspired, learn new skills, and meet a new community of like-minded artists.
Here’s a sampling of what’s coming up:
Unfolding Practice with Arzu Mistry will take place from August 6 – August 10. This workshop is based on the artist book Unfolding Practice: Reflections on Learning and Teaching, created by Arzu Mistry and Todd Elkin.
This workshop is for artists from a variety of disciplines, who are interested in sharing and developing processes of reflective practice, and to take a deep dive together into methods of using accordion books as sites for multi-disciplinary reflection, inquiry and art practice. Using a range of book forms and screen-printing techniques, you will document, reflect, plan, and think expansively about your practice as artists.
We’ve Got the Blues: Indigo Dyeing for Paper & Cloth with Mary Hark will take place from August 20 – August 24.
Participants will be immersed in studio production, making use of this powerful and historic color on handmade paper and a variety of textiles. Experienced dyers are encouraged to bring works-in-progress and ideas for new projects. Beginners will be introduced to the process of papermaking with fibers that are appropriate for this immersion dye process – such as Asian fibers, flax, abaca, and linen cloth – as well as shibori resist dye techniques.
Each participant will be supported and encouraged as they use these processes and materials to expand their creative practice with the breadth of possibility offered by the indigo vat. Studio work will be complemented by discussion of the historic and contemporary use of indigo; informal critiques of works-in-progress; and technical information for papermaking and dyeing in home studios and classrooms.
Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of what this color can mean, a portfolio of beautiful samples of indigo blue on cloth and handmade paper, completed work, and the information necessary to continue on this path.
For more information about the workshops or to register, please visit the Women’s Studio Workshop website.
by Elissa | Jun 10, 2018 | B.A.G. Meetings, bookbinding, Call to artists, Exhibitions, MailB.A.G., Member News, Vermont, Workshops
Next Meeting: Wednesday, June 13, 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: The Coptic-Bound Upcycled Artist Journal with Jill Abilock
Join us in June as Jill Abilock leads us in creating Coptic-bound artists journals from upcycled library books. Making journals from upcycled books is an excellent way of overcoming “blank page” syndrome, since the pages already have writing on them! (To use the book, you simply gesso, color wash or collage over the pages). Coptic-bound books also make excellent artist journals because they lay flat when open.
Jill has invented a method for attaching covers and sewing pages that is so simple and elegant, you might find yourself looking for more old books to cut up turn into artist journals!
Jill will bring book covers and pages from hard-cover books discarded by libraries that she has cut into the perfect size for making portable, Coptic-bound art journals. She will also provide punching templates, thread and beads for sewing the art 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
- 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!
May Meeting Reflections
Did we learn a lot about how to price your work? I think so, and much more! Let’s review:
- Keep track of your time ( most important) and materials.
- Decide on a rate per hour to pay yourself
- Consider your learning time and skill level
- Consider size and number ( if editioned)
- Use the commission calculator: (YOUR PRICE) ÷ (100%- commission %) = Z ( Gallery Price)
Voila! And don’t forget to package your work safely and nicely, and take some good photos for posterity.
We all need a pep talk now and then to reinforce our own self-worth, and in extension, the value of our work. Congratulations, everyone, because I felt a definite surge in self esteem and power building throughout the meeting. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experience, knowledge, and energy.
You can view images from the meeting on the B.A.G. blog.
B.A.G. News
*** Both Book Arts Guild of Vermont exhibits are now open…
…and they look fabulous! We are so very proud of and impressed by the work that our members create. Our membership has so much talent!
Beyond Words: Artworks by the Book Arts Guild of Vermont is in the second floor gallery at Studio Place Arts in Barre and will be open until June 30. SPA has given us a digital image that you can use to help promote the show. Click here to download an image of the flyer that you can share on social networks.
You can view images of all of the pieces in the SPA exhibit on the B.A.G. blog.
The Art of the Book is at Frog Hollow Craft Gallery on Church Street in Burlington and is also open until June 30.
You can view images of all of the pieces in the Frog Hollow exhibit on the B.A.G. blog.
Book Arts News
*** Now through July 22nd, Susan Kapuscinski Gaylord has fourteen of her Spirit Books on exhibition in the Hunnewell Building Visitors center at the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University.
The Spirit Books connect my experience of the inherent spirituality and mystery of nature with the long-standing tradition of books as testaments of faith and belief. I gather twigs, branches, vines, and roots and use them to cradle stitched wordless books made of handmade papers from around the world.
The Arnold Arboretum is located at 125 Arborway in Boston, MA (Google map). For more information, please visit The Harvard Gazette’s 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.
*** ArtisTree Gallery is accepting submissions for their 8th annual juried exhibit, UNBOUND: VOL VIII. The theme of the show is simple – an exploration of what a book can be…art using books as a material or a format. The exhibit will be presented in conjunction with the Bookstock Literary Festival in Woodstock, VT.
This call for submissions is open to all 2D, 3D, installation, assemblage, film and video artists who are working in New England or New York who are 18 years of age or older. All artwork must be original in concept, design and execution. Note: Reproductions, if used as mixed media, will be considered.
This year the exhibit will be juried by book artist Valerie Carrigan. The deadline for submission is June 29, 2018. All submissions must be made through their online entry form.
For more information, please read the online exhibit prospectus.
You can also contact Gallery Director Adrian Tans at gallery@artistreevt.org.
*** For those of you interested in building your collection of bookbinding equipment, this one’s for you.
There are two used bookbinding presses available for purchase in the Burlington area. As you can see in the picture, both are finishing presses. Compared to the prices for the presses if they were new (check out Talas), you’ll find that these prices are very reasonable.
For more information, please contact Zoe Papas at zoe@zoeink.net.
Book Arts Classes
*** The second annual Artist Book Intensive will be held at 26 Split Rock Cove in South Thomaston, ME from August 3 – 5, 2018. The event is sponsored by Midcoast Book Arts.
What is an Artist Book? Do artist books require words? Or images? What about structure as a part of the content? Yes, yes, and yes. Because artists’ books are works of art that use the form of the book. They may be published in small editions, though they are often produced as one-of-a-kind objects. And their subject matter is as varied as any other art form.
Three book making structures and two decorative techniques for book covers and/or content in your books will be taught. All materials will be provided, along with a notebook containing the instructional information covered in the workshops and additional resources.
For more information, please visit the Artist Book Intensive website.
*** Maine Media Workshops + College is offering Pop-Ups for Miniature Books with Shawn Sheehy from August 12 to 18, 2018.
By definition, a miniature book cannot be more than three inches in length, width, or depth. Working within this small format, students will learn how to bring drama and excitement to their pop-up book by inserting impossibly large images into a small package. Students will use cardstock and simple hand tools to build and bind, using a pop-up specific technique, a variety of structures that move above, beyond, and behind the page. Students will have time to experiment with their own ideas and recieve engineering advice from the instructor.
No experience is necessary, but previous experience in fiber arts and/or paper craft will speed your progress. This content readily accommodates beginners and advanced makers alike. You will leave the class with a completed popup book and a good understanding of the basics of popup engineering. Once you’ve tackled the skills in small format, you’ll be able to scale up for future projects!
For more information or to register, please visit the Maine Media website.
*** The Women’s Studio Workshop is currently running its Summer Art Institute with workshops focusing on printmaking, papermaking, and book arts. They offer you time to focus on your work, become energized and inspired, learn new skills, and meet a new community of like-minded artists.
Here’s a sampling of what’s coming up:
The Moving Book: Drawing & Basic Pop-Up Design with Claire Joyce will take place from July 30 – August 3.
You will delve into the many possibilities of building up your drawings into the pop-up form, from exploding abstract forms to small animated narratives. The condensing and expanding motion of pop-up mechanisms can enhance the drawn image and create a magical handheld experience for the viewer.
Beginning with sketching, basic folds, and structures, participants will create several small single fold projects with a focus on hand-drawn elements. You will build toward combining these techniques into a bound three-page (or more!) pop-up book. Claire will bring some of the pop-up books from her own collection for inspiration and discussion.
Unfolding Practice with Arzu Mistry will take place from August 6 – August 10. This workshop is based on the artist book Unfolding Practice: Reflections on Learning and Teaching, created by Arzu Mistry and Todd Elkin.
This workshop is for artists from a variety of disciplines, who are interested in sharing and developing processes of reflective practice, and to take a deep dive together into methods of using accordion books as sites for multi-disciplinary reflection, inquiry and art practice. Using a range of book forms and screen-printing techniques, you will document, reflect, plan, and think expansively about your practice as artists.
Parallel Universes: Handmade Paper and Photography with Tatana Kellner will take place from July 9 – July 13.
Person holding cameraArtists will rediscover the excitement of working in the photographic darkroom and the pleasures of making paper by hand. You’ll combine these two tactile processes to create painterly photographic prints on handmade paper.
The first two days will be spent making paper from various fibers, suitable for photographic purposes. You’ll explore making standard and shaped paper, embedding, and pulp painting all in preparation for the darkroom.
Working with traditional photographic negatives (up to 4” x 5”) or making new digital negatives, you’ll spend the rest of the week learning to size and coat the paper before proceeding to print in the darkroom. No previous experience is necessary.
For more information about the workshops or to register, please visit the Women’s Studio Workshop website.
by Elissa | Jul 7, 2016 | B.A.G. Meetings, bookbinding, Exhibitions, MailB.A.G., Member News, Vermont, Workshops
Next Meeting: Wednesday, July 13, 2016, 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
We meet at the Unitarian Universalist Society Church located at 152 Pearl Street in Burlington, VT. We will be in the Sophia Fahs Community Room, a large room located in the basement. Click here for more information on directions/parking.
Program: Practical Calligraphy 101 with Penne Tompkins
Have you ever wanted to use handwriting in your books but felt like your writing needed more style, or needed to look neater? This month, B.A.G. member Penne Tompkins will help us meet this goal with a hands-on introduction to basic calligraphy, focusing on an alphabet style known as “foundational” or “bookhand”.
We will begin by reviewing a few basic principles and exploring a variety of tools, and then get writing. According to Penne, calligraphy is a skill best begun with some instruction, and then followed up with much practice!
Penne will supply will one broad edged marker and some graph paper for making practice sheets.
Please bring the following supplies, if you have them:
- Straight edge ruler
- Pencil or tool for drawing lines
- Any calligraphy pens or markers you already have
- A padded surface for writing on (makes it easier)
June Meeting Reflections
Our June meeting focused on Studio Support and Workshop Time. Attendees shared personal projects, and sought ideas, critiques, and accolades. There was a lot of awesomeness.
We also had a lot of discussion about upcoming events, and venues for future shows. Some of the venues up for consideration are Frog Hollow (Church Street), New City Galerie (Church Street), Burlington City Arts (Church Street), Emile A. Gruppe Gallery (Jericho), and Walkover Gallery (Bristol).
Thanks to all who attended, thanks for your participation and spirit, and thanks for making the studio time a success.
You can view images from the meeting on the B.A.G. blog.
B.A.G. News
*** This summer, B.A.G. member Jill Abilock is teaching a series of bookbinding workshops at the Bixby Memorial Free Library in Vergennes, VT. All workshops run from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
You’ll learn how to make several book structures, each offering a variety of uses and exciting artistic possibilities. Each workshop focuses on a different technique and book structure. You can sign up for individual workshops or the whole series – all workshops cover basic skills.
Hardcover Coptic Books
Saturday, July 9, 2016
Coptic-stitch bindings have endured through the centuries because, in addition to their strength and beauty, they are flexible enough to lie flat when open. You will make a traditional Coptic bound book with covers made from heavy book board and decorative paper.
Case-Bound (Hardcover) Books – Part I
Saturday, July 16, 2016
Although historically not the first structure to be called a book, the sturdiness, durability and attractive appearance of hardcover books have made them both ubiquitous and highly prized. In the first session of this two-part workshop, you will learn the basics of case binding by making and attaching a hardcover case to a single-signature textblock to create a thin, elegant hardcover book.
Case-Bound (Hardcover) Books – Part II
Saturday, July 23, 2016
Prerequisite: Case-Bound (Hardcover) Books Part I
The second session of this two-part workshop will be held at Six Loons Studio in Shelburne, VT. You will begin by making traditional multi-signature textblocks that are sewn onto tapes. After discussing methods of end-sheet and case construction, you will create a case for your textblock and assemble it into a beautiful, handmade hardcover book.
For more information and a registration form, please email Jill Abilock at jabilock@japanlink-trans.com.
*** B.A.G. member Elissa Campbell is teaching Join the Fold – Part 2 (origami books) at Studio Place Arts in Barre, VT on July 20, 2016 from 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. The first Join the Fold workshop is not a prerequisite for taking this one – everyone is welcome!
The simple fold has lots of potential – it doesn’t take much to transform a piece of paper into a book. We’ll be playing in the intersection between origami and bookmaking, creating folded books that require little or no adhesive. Among the structures you’ll learn are three invented by master book artist Hedi Kyle – the Fishbone Binding, the All-in-One Book, and the Pocket Folder Booklet.
Experience in origami is helpful, but not required.
To register, contact SPA via phone (802) 479-7069 or Email.
Book Arts News
*** The Walker Contemporary Gallery in Waitsfield, VT is currently showing Time Honored, an exhibit of stunning cut paper art by Maude White. The exhibit is open now through July 30, 2016.
White’s hand carved paper scenes honor the gravity and importance of marking time and bearing witness to a past world. The work embraces a secret and hushed worship of the seasons and seasonal change. One is invited to live wholly and gracefully in the present while glimpsing scenes and visions of the past. One can imagine that this past is with us now, comforting us with the continuity and solidity of time.
For more information or to view pieces in the exhibit, please visit the Walker Contemporary Gallery’s website.
*** The New England Chapter of the Guild of Book Workers will be holding their second New England Chapter Mini-Conference in northern Maine from August 26-28, 2016. Spend a weekend with a community of local artists working in the field of bookbinding, book arts, paper making and calligraphy.
The event includes two 1-day workshops with Andrea Peterson and Velma Bolyard, evening lectures, a mix and mingle event and material swap. Registration is open to both members and non-members of the Guild of Book Workers and covers both workshops and all meals.
For more information or to register, please visit the GBW website. You can also feel free to contact Erin Fletcher at negbwprograms@gmail.com.
*** The North Bennet Street School is hosting the final stop of the Guild of Book Workers‘ juried traveling exhibition, Vessel, from July 15 – August 31, 2016.
The book as vessel inspires beautiful metaphor – a craft for traveling, a container, a holder, a receiver, a transporter. Across time and culture, the vessel is at the center of many ceremonies and rites of passage. Native American cultures regarded the vessel as a portal to a sacred realm. The book as craft is our vessel to sail the high seas, to hold our dearest memories, and to indicate the pulse of life. Guild of Book Workers members contributed works to interpret “vessel” as broadly or as narrowly as they wished.
The exhibition features approximately 50 works by GBW members. Selected works include fine and edition bindings, artist’s books, broadsides, and historical binding models.
NBSS and the New England Chapter of The Guild of Book Workers will co-host the opening reception on July 21st at 6:00 p.m. Three local exhibitors, Erik Demaine, Graham Patten and Colin Urbina, will be present to speak about their work. Talks will take place around 7:00 p.m.
The North Bennet Street School is located in Boston, MA. For more information about the exhibit, please visit the GBW website.
*** The Fuller Craft Museum in Brockton, MA is hosting the exhibit Paper and Blade: Modern Paper Cutting, now through July 31, 2016. The exhibit celebrates the pioneering spirit of artists working in cut paper.
Exhibiting artists were selected for their passion for this humble material, their masterful techniques, and their innovative approaches to working in this media, and together they will present a collective vision of the future of paper craft. Participants includes Beatrice Coron, Maude White, Randal Thurston, Nikki McClure, Elizabeth Alexander, Bovey Lee, and Charles Clary.
For more information, please visit the Fuller Craft Museum’s website.
*** In collaboration with The Ticknor Society, The Movable Book Society is holding its biennial conference in Boston on September 15 – 17, 2016. The Movable Book Society was organized in 1993 to provide a forum for collectors, artists, curators, book sellers, book producers, and others to share enthusiasm and exchange information about pop-up and movable books.
This year’s speakers include Matthew Reinhart, Shawn Sheehy, Laura Davidson, and Emily Martin. The conference also features hands-on activities, presentations, a silent auction, and a book sale.
For more information, please download the conference program or contact The Movable Book Society at info@movablebooksociety.org.
Book Arts Classes
*** From August 1-7, 2016, the Wishcamper Center at the University of Southern Maine in Portland, ME is hosting seven days of book arts workshops, including printmaking, paste paper, intaglio printing, coptic bookbinding, letterforms, and more.
During this program, each participant will have the opportunity to work with 8 different instructors in half-day and full-day workshops. Every participant will be exposed to a variety of approaches and opinions from a stimulating group of professional artists.
For more information or to register, please visit the USM website.
*** The Women’s Studio Workshop is offering Bookbinding: Case Binding with Rounded Spine with Abigail Bainbridge from July 25 – 29, 2016. The workshop will take place in Kingston, NY.
In this class you’ll learn how to make a traditional case binding from start to finish (although without cutting all the corners that modern machine binding does!). This is the style of your average hardcover book, with cloth covering and a rounded spine. You’ll learn the basics of paper selection, sewing, rounding & backing, edge trimming, and casing-in.
Those who are a little faster will have time to learn more advanced techniques – such as hand-sewing endbands – or start a second book and really consolidate their skills. Use your book for a sketchbook or journal or just to learn the process so you can go home and make them on your own. We’ll talk about ways to get around any lack of equipment.
For more information or to register, please visit the Women’s Studio Workshop website.
*** The Women’s Studio Workshop is also offering The Missing Link: Papermaking in the Islamic World with Radha Pandey from July 18 – 22, 2016.
Students will learn about the history and technique of a papermaking style that has remained largely unchanged since the 8th century CE. Islamic World Papermaking is essentially the link between the Eastern and Western papermaking traditions. We will learn how traditional fibers – hemp and flax – were prepared for papermaking, and how equipment was made using readily available materials.
Students will focus on sheet formation using a variety of fibers. Finished papers will be sized and dyed using natural materials and then burnished by hand to a high shine. On the last day we will bind our papers into a sample book displaying this ancient technique’s wide range of possibilities. No prior papermaking experience is necessary.
For more information or to register, please visit the Women’s Studio Workshop website.
by Elissa | Jun 2, 2016 | B.A.G. Meetings, bookbinding, Call to artists, Exhibitions, MailB.A.G., Member News, Vermont, Workshops
Next Meeting: Wednesday, June 8, 2016, 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
We meet at the Unitarian Universalist Society Church located at 152 Pearl Street in Burlington, VT. We will be in the Sophia Fahs Community Room, a large room located in the basement. Click here for more information on directions/parking.
Program: Studio Support and Workshop Time
Studio Support and Workshop Time is two hours that you give yourself, in the company of fellow book- and paper-arts lovers, to learn, share and create in a supportive and encouraging environment.
The meeting will begin with some group time, both for sharing – something you’ve made, a great resource or tool you’ve found, a source of inspiration – and for asking questions or puzzling out challenges you may be having with a project or particular technique.
The remainder of the time will be devoted to creative work. Bring along a project or model from a previous meeting that you’d like to continue working on or develop further, or bring a piece of your own to simply continue working on in the company of others.
Not sure of what to bring? No worries! Every Studio Support and Workshop Time session will have suggestions, resources or materials for a project.
This session will offer the opportunity to continue exploring (or discover the pleasure of making) the Jacob’s Ladder books presented by Ann Joppe-Mercure in May. If you missed the last meeting and would like to try making one, or you’d like to make a companion to the one you made in May, you’ll need to bring:
- A tool such as an X-Acto or scalpel capable of cutting mat board
- Cutting mat
- Metal ruler
- See-Thru ruler for measuring
- Scissors
- Double-sided tape (or quick-dry white glue – glue sticks don’t work)
- Pencil
- Fun materials to design your pages
Bonus: Ann will be on hand with instruction sheets, guidance and moral support!
May Meeting Reflections
Our program for May focused on the Jacob’s Ladder book structure. Ann Joppe-Mercure first gave us an overview of the unique, fun structure that flips back and forth, and then gave us inspiration through her own magical books.
Ann led us through the step-by-step to make our own model, and then encouraged us to fill in the blank pages. It was amazing to see the variety of directions that participants took with the same simple materials.
Thanks to all who participated, and special thanks to Ann for sharing with us. Let’s do it again!
You can view images from the meeting on the B.A.G. blog.
B.A.G. News
*** This summer, B.A.G. member Jill Abilock is teaching a series of five bookbinding workshops at the Bixby Memorial Free Library in Vergennes, VT. All workshops run from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
You’ll learn how to make five elegant book structures, each offering a variety of uses and exciting artistic possibilities. Each workshop focuses on a different technique and book structure. You can sign up for individual workshops or the whole series – all workshops cover basic skills.
Soft-Covered Books – The Pamphlet Stitch and Long Stitch
Saturday, June 11, 2016
This workshop will cover the basics of hand-sewn books. You will a make two books to take home: a beautiful, pamphlet-stitched journal with a wraparound tie, and a long-stitch journal or sketchbook that incorporates an optional beaded embellishment in the binding.
The Amazing Accordion
Saturday, June 25, 2016
Deceptively simple, the accordion fold can be used alone or in combination with other techniques to make a broad range of beautiful and innovative books. In addition to learning the secret to folding a perfect accordion, you will make a hard-covered accordion album – great for displaying art, poetry or photographs – as well as several models of compound books, such as dos-a-dos and flag books, that feature accordion spines with sewn or glued pages.
Hardcover Coptic Books
Saturday, July 9, 2016
Coptic-stitch bindings have endured through the centuries because, in addition to their strength and beauty, they are flexible enough to lie flat when open. You will make a traditional Coptic bound book with covers made from heavy book board and decorative paper.
Case-Bound (Hardcover) Books – Part I
Saturday, July 16, 2016
Although historically not the first structure to be called a book, the sturdiness, durability and attractive appearance of hardcover books have made them both ubiquitous and highly prized. In the first session of this two-part workshop, you will learn the basics of case binding by making and attaching a hardcover case to a single-signature textblock to create a thin, elegant hardcover book.
Case-Bound (Hardcover) Books – Part II
Saturday, July 23, 2016
Prerequisite: Case-Bound (Hardcover) Books Part I
The second session of this two-part workshop will be held at Six Loons Studio in Shelburne, VT. You will begin by making traditional multi-signature textblocks that are sewn onto tapes. After discussing methods of end-sheet and case construction, you will create a case for your textblock and assemble it into a beautiful, handmade hardcover book.
For more information and a registration form, please email Jill Abilock at jabilock@japanlink-trans.com.
*** B.A.G.’s very own Ann Joppe-Mercure will be teaching The Art of the Book at Saint Michael’s College from July 5 – 15 (no class on 7/4).
Educators and students are invited to explore and create in this studio course addressing the art of the book. Participants will experiment with forms, structures, materials, and concepts as we investigate the limitless possibilities of the Book. By surveying the historical need to record and contain knowledge and by examining the work of contemporary book artist students will gain a foundation for their own creative expression of ideas and meaning. Students will make a working portfolio of paper treatments, book models and altered structures then create their own individual art books.
The class will be a working model of a 21st century collaborative community supporting the creative process through practice, constructive criticism, reflecting, and refining technique. The Common Core anchor standards of Craft and Structure and Integration of Knowledge and Ideas will be addressed.
No previous bookmaking or art experience required. Students who have previously taken GED 671 The Art of Bookmaking and/or GED 673 Science, Art and Bookmaking: Making Connections, are welcome in this class. A $50.00 materials fee is required and due at registration.
For more information, please visit St. Mike’s website.
Book Arts News
*** ArtisTree Gallery, in partnership with Pentangle Arts, is looking for submissions for their 6th annual juried exhibit, UNBOUND: VOL VI. The theme of the show is simple – an exploration of what a book can be…art using books as a material or a format.
The exhibit will open in tandem with the Bookstock Literary Festival in Woodstock, VT.
This call for submissions is open to all New England and New York residents of the U.S. who are 18 years of age or older. All artwork must be original in concept, design and execution. Note: Reproductions, if used as mixed media, will be considered.
The deadline for submission is July 2, 2016. For more information, please visit the ArtisTree Gallery’s website.
*** The New England Chapter of the Guild of Book Workers will be holding their second New England Chapter Mini-Conference in northern Maine from August 26-28, 2016. Spend a weekend with a community of local artists working in the field of bookbinding, book arts, paper making and calligraphy.
The event includes two 1-day workshops, evening lectures, a mix and mingle event and material swap. Registration is open to both members and non-members of the Guild of Book Workers and covers both workshops and all meals.
For more information or to register, please visit the GBW website. You can also feel free to contact Erin Fletcher at negbwprograms@gmail.com.
*** The Rochester Institute of Technology’s Cary Graphic Arts Collection is hosting the Guild of Book Workers‘ juried traveling exhibition, Vessel, now through June 17, 2016.
The book as vessel inspires beautiful metaphor – a craft for traveling, a container, a holder, a receiver, a transporter. Across time and culture, the vessel is at the center of many ceremonies and rites of passage. Native American cultures regarded the vessel as a portal to a sacred realm. The book as craft is our vessel to sail the high seas, to hold our dearest memories, and to indicate the pulse of life. Guild of Book Workers members contributed works to interpret “vessel” as broadly or as narrowly as they wished.
The exhibition features approximately 50 works by GBW members. Selected works include fine and edition bindings, artist’s books, broadsides, and historical binding models.
For more information about the exhibit, please visit the GBW website.
*** The Fuller Craft Museum in Brockton, MA is hosting the exhibit Paper and Blade: Modern Paper Cutting, now through July 31, 2016. The exhibit celebrates the pioneering spirit of artists working in cut paper.
Exhibiting artists were selected for their passion for this humble material, their masterful techniques, and their innovative approaches to working in this media, and together they will present a collective vision of the future of paper craft. Participants includes Beatrice Coron, Maude White, Randal Thurston, Nikki McClure, Elizabeth Alexander, Bovey Lee, and Charles Clary.
For more information, please visit the Fuller Craft Museum’s website.
*** In collaboration with The Ticknor Society, The Movable Book Society is holding its biennial conference in Boston on September 15 – 17, 2016. The Movable Book Society was organized in 1993 to provide a forum for collectors, artists, curators, book sellers, book producers, and others to share enthusiasm and exchange information about pop-up and movable books.
This year’s speakers include Matthew Reinhart, Shawn Sheehy, Laura Davidson, and Emily Martin. The conference also features hands-on activities, presentations, a silent auction, and a book sale.
For more information, please download the conference program or contact The Movable Book Society at info@movablebooksociety.org.
Book Arts Classes
*** The New England Chapter of the Guild of Book Workers, in collaboration with the Dartmouth College Library Preservation Services, is presenting Bookbinding According to Diderot with Abigail Bainbridge. The workshop will take place on July 15-16, 2016 at the Dartmouth College Library in Hanover, NH.
Mid- to late-18th century France is marked by the appearance of descriptions of the art of bookbinding, giving for the first-time a thorough (if not always specific or accurate) description of the previously guarded trade secret. The style of the time was so prescriptive that the average binding is recognizable immediately: full brown calf, often sprinkled or with tree marbling, raised bands, panels tooled in gilt with centerpieces, corners, and stars, solid red or perhaps marbled blue edges, single core front bead endbands, French curl endpapers. Features less visible are the particular lacing patterns, parchment spine linings, and edges cut in boards.
In this busy two day workshop we will bind a text of a manual describing this 18th century style using the techniques set forth, thus replicating this distinguished style. Participants will get an in depth look at the contemporary sources and the bindings themselves, and come away with a thorough understanding of this notable binding style in the context of its time.
* Prior bookbinding experience required.
For more information or to register, please visit the GBW website. You can also contact NEGBWprograms@gmail.com with any questions.
*** The Women’s Studio Workshop is offering The Medium as Message: An Adventure in Low Tech with Caroline Walp from July 11 – 15, 2016. The workshop will take place in Kingston, NY.
You will begin this workshop by learning letterpress basics, including setting type, mixing ink, and various ways of generating images by different means. You’ll also learn basic bookbinding techniques to make accordion or single signature artists’ books and/or zines.
In this immersive, multi-media class, students will learn the simplest and most direct ways of generating text and image as a multiples, using a table top letterpress, hand printing, lino cuts, hand stamping, rubber stamping, and other alternative printing processes. The emphasis will be on effectively transmitting your message into a publishable format.
For more information or to register, please visit the Women’s Studio Workshop website.
*** On June 25- 26, 2016, the New England Chapter of the Guild of Book Workers is excited to present Making Simple Finishing Tools with Jeffrey Altepeter.
For traditional design nothing really beats a collection of decorative finishing tools. But making your own tools can offer more immediate control in the design process, the ability to modify as you work, and the ability to do more unique work. Making tools is also gratifying and fun.
This workshop will offer an introduction to the materials, tools and techniques of making your own brass finishing tools for bookbinding. A combination of demonstration, discussion and hands-on practice will prepare students for continued experimentation and more advanced future projects.
The workshop will be held at Third Year Studio in Boston, MA. For more information or to register, please visit the GBW website.
*** Maine Media Workshops + College is offering The Art of Bookmaking with Eliot Dudik on June 26 – July 2. The college is located in Rockport, Maine.
The photobook, as a means of presenting an artist’s vision, has never been as popular as it is today. In this workshop, you will discuss and practice techniques in bookbinding and hardcover casing, as well as editing, sequencing, and layout design for personal handmade art books. Learn how to showcase and present your photographs in an artistic and professional manner, and have fun while you’re doing it!
Students will work with Adobe software for layout design, digital printmaking, and hand tools to create unique handmade art books. Depending on the needs of the individual student, you will be working with Coptic stitch or Saddle stitch bindings and hard cover casings.
For more information or to register, please visit the Maine Media Workshops + College’s website.
by Elissa | May 4, 2016 | B.A.G. Meetings, bookbinding, Exhibitions, Lecture, MailB.A.G., Member News, Vermont, Workshops
Next Meeting: Wednesday, May 11, 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: Jacob’s Ladder Books with Ann Joppe-Mercure
Join us in May as we explore the enchanting structure of Jacob’s Ladder to make a very unique book.
Under the expert guidance of Ann Joppe-Mercure, we will each will make a five-section Jacob’s Ladder book. Just like the old fashioned toy, the pages will flip back and forth, revealing different information in a mesmerizing fashion. Ann will provide the basic materials (mat board, ribbon, and paper squares).
Please bring the following tools and materials:
- See-Thru ruler for measuring
- Pencil
- Glue (or double-sided tape) to adhere the mat board squares together
- Scissors
- X-Acto knife or scalpel
- Cutting mat
- Fun materials to design your pages
April Meeting Reflections
Remember when we made the origami cubes back in December as a contribution to a group project? The project’s originator and designer, Valerie Hird, presented a video of her finished project, The Genesis Tree, at our meeting in April, and talked about her idea behind the project and how it came to be. Really good stuff here, an example of how important collaboration can be in a world so broken up by false perceptions. Watch the video here, and be proud of our group’s contribution.
During the workshop time, we had a lot of different projects going on, giving way to lively discussion as well as focused work. Without a planned program, there was the opportunity to find out more about each other, and to get work done that may otherwise sit on the worktable at home until we ‘get to it’. It was hard to get everyone out of the room at the clearing out time.
Thanks to all who participated, and a special thanks to Valerie.
You can view images from the meeting on the B.A.G. blog.
B.A.G. News
*** On May 28 & 29 (Memorial Day Weekend), the statewide Open Studio Weekend is offering a wonderful selection of book artsy studios for you to visit.
If you’re up for a tour, you can find your comrades in the following locations:
Elissa created a Google Map with all of the locations to help you with your tour. You can find maps and directions to studios on the VT Crafts Council website. You can also download a pdf of the 2016 Spring Event & Resource Guide. Please note that this is a really big file.
*** B.A.G.’s very own Ann Joppe-Mercure will be teaching The Art of the Book at Saint Michael’s College from July 5 – 15 (no class on 7/4).
Educators and students are invited to explore and create in this studio course addressing the art of the book. Participants will experiment with forms, structures, materials, and concepts as we investigate the limitless possibilities of the Book. By surveying the historical need to record and contain knowledge and by examining the work of contemporary book artist students will gain a foundation for their own creative expression of ideas and meaning. Students will make a working portfolio of paper treatments, book models and altered structures then create their own individual art books.
The class will be a working model of a 21st century collaborative community supporting the creative process through practice, constructive criticism, reflecting, and refining technique. The Common Core anchor standards of Craft and Structure and Integration of Knowledge and Ideas will be addressed.
No previous bookmaking or art experience required. Students who have previously taken GED 671 The Art of Bookmaking and/or GED 673 Science, Art and Bookmaking: Making Connections, are welcome in this class. A $50.00 materials fee is required and due at registration.
For more information, please visit St. Mike’s website.
Book Arts News
*** On Thursday, May 26th, Burlington City Arts is hosting a party in honor of those who participated in the The Genesis Tree project.
There will be a video tour of the tree and its assembly, as well as some of the outstanding examples of the origami cubes, boxes and birds. Parents, teachers and friends are welcome.
Please RSVP to Valerie Hird at valerieb.hird@gmail.com if you plan to attend the event.
*** The Rochester Institute of Technology’s Cary Graphic Arts Collection is hosting the Guild of Book Workers‘ juried traveling exhibition, Vessel, now through June 17, 2016.
The book as vessel inspires beautiful metaphor – a craft for traveling, a container, a holder, a receiver, a transporter. Across time and culture, the vessel is at the center of many ceremonies and rites of passage. Native American cultures regarded the vessel as a portal to a sacred realm. The book as craft is our vessel to sail the high seas, to hold our dearest memories, and to indicate the pulse of life. Guild of Book Workers members contributed works to interpret “vessel” as broadly or as narrowly as they wished.
The exhibition features approximately 50 works by GBW members. Selected works include fine and edition bindings, artist’s books, broadsides, and historical binding models.
For more information about the exhibit, please visit the GBW website.
*** On Thursday, May 12th at 5:30 p.m., the Rochester Institute of Technology’s Cary Graphic Arts Collection is presenting a lecture with Todd Pattison, Art, Craft and Conservation: De-mystifying A Book Conservator. Pattison is the Senior Book Conservator at the Northeast Document Conservation Center. A reception will follow the lecture.
Todd will discuss his work as a book conservator and how it relates to research and teaching in the field of bibliophily. He will also highlight his artistic contribution to the Vessel exhibition, as well as those of some of his peers, who are also professional book conservators around the country.
For more information, please visit the Cary Graphic Arts Collection’s website.
*** The Fuller Craft Museum in Brockton, MA is hosting the exhibit Paper and Blade: Modern Paper Cutting, now through July 31, 2016. The exhibit celebrates the pioneering spirit of artists working in cut paper.
Exhibiting artists were selected for their passion for this humble material, their masterful techniques, and their innovative approaches to working in this media, and together they will present a collective vision of the future of paper craft. Participants includes Beatrice Coron, Maude White, Randal Thurston, Nikki McClure, Elizabeth Alexander, Bovey Lee, and Charles Clary.
For more information, please visit the Fuller Craft Museum’s website.
*** In collaboration with The Ticknor Society, The Movable Book Society is holding its biennial conference in Boston on September 15 – 17, 2016. The Movable Book Society was organized in 1993 to provide a forum for collectors, artists, curators, book sellers, book producers, and others to share enthusiasm and exchange information about pop-up and movable books.
This year’s speakers include Matthew Reinhart, Shawn Sheehy, Laura Davidson, and Emily Martin. The conference also features hands-on activities, presentations, a silent auction, and a book sale.
For more information, please download the conference program or contact The Movable Book Society at info@movablebooksociety.org.
Book Arts Classes
*** The Women’s Studio Workshop is offering The Medium as Message: An Adventure in Low Tech with Caroline Walp from July 11 – 15, 2016. The workshop will take place in Kingston, NY.
You will begin this workshop by learning letterpress basics, including setting type, mixing ink, and various ways of generating images by different means. You’ll also learn basic bookbinding techniques to make accordion or single signature artists’ books and/or zines.
In this immersive, multi-media class, students will learn the simplest and most direct ways of generating text and image as a multiples, using a table top letterpress, hand printing, lino cuts, hand stamping, rubber stamping, and other alternative printing processes. The emphasis will be on effectively transmitting your message into a publishable format.
For more information or to register, please visit the Women’s Studio Workshop website.
*** On June 25- 26, 2016, the New England Chapter of the Guild of Book Workers is excited to present Making Simple Finishing Tools with Jeffrey Altepeter.
For traditional design nothing really beats a collection of decorative finishing tools. But making your own tools can offer more immediate control in the design process, the ability to modify as you work, and the ability to do more unique work. Making tools is also gratifying and fun.
This workshop will offer an introduction to the materials, tools and techniques of making your own brass finishing tools for bookbinding. A combination of demonstration, discussion and hands-on practice will prepare students for continued experimentation and more advanced future projects.
The workshop will be held at Third Year Studio in Boston, MA. For more information or to register, please visit the GBW website.
*** Maine Media Workshops + College is offering Merging Content & Craft with Frank Hamrick on June 19 – 25. The college is located in Rockport, Maine.
The first part of this weeklong workshop will focus on learning four bookbinding methods: hardbound pamphlet, accordion, Japanese and Coptic. Each structure introduces various techniques materials, closure methods and sewing methods. In the second half of the workshop each student will take what they have learned to make a small artists’ book of content, be it image, text or some combination of the two.
You will work together one on one and in group critiques to edit, sequence and shape each person’s images and/or writing to create a book structure fitting for each body of work.
For more information or to register, please visit the Maine Media Workshops + College’s website.
