VT Book Arts Guild “MailB.A.G.” August 2014

Next Meeting: Wednesday, August 13, 2014, 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: Making Your Own Stamps with Found Materials with Jennifer Alderman & Gwen Morey

Join us in August when Jen and Gwen teach us how to make our own stamps using items found around the house. In addition to demonstrating techniques for making the stamps, our dynamic duo has prepared four different hands-on projects we will all make and take home.

Expect to learn some new techniques for decorating books and spicing up your art work!

Please bring the following tools and materials:

A stylus or dead ball point pen
A flat cap top from a bottle of water, gatorade or powerade
Stamp ink pads
Rubber gloves
A pencil and/or pen

July Meeting Reflections

Elissa Campbell Elissa wowed us with her magical hands-on workshop, providing not only clear directions and madcap humor, but also LEATHER! Green, textured leather to be exact.

Using a sewing method from Keith Smith’s book, 1-, 2- and 3-Section Sewings: Non-Adhesive Binding Volume II, participants came away with new sewing skills, an appreciation for giant-sized visual aids, and a sweet leather mini-journal ready for big thoughts.

Thanks to all who attended, and extra special thanks to Elissa for her patience, preparation, and presentation skills.

You can view images from the meeting on the B.A.G. blog.

Book Arts News

*** Carolyn Shattuck is exhibiting her artists’ books in the exhibit Speaking Volumes now through August 16, 2014 at the Castleton Downtown Gallery. The exhibit features her sculptural works including pop-ups, flexagons and unique structures.

The gallery is located on Center Street Alley in Rutland, VT and is open Wednesday through Saturday from 1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m..

*** Al Mutanabbi Street Starts Here is on exhibit at the Eliot D. Pratt Library Art Gallery at Goddard College now through October 10, 2014. The exhibit commemorates the 2007 bombing that resulted in the loss of a vibrant cultural and literary community in Baghdad.

The exhibit has been traveling the world since 2012 and includes artists’ books and broadsides by artists from 26 countries. Goddard College is in Plainfield, VT.

*** The Miniature Book Society is hosting the annual gathering of its members this year in Boston, MA from August 15 – 17, 2014. Programming includes guest speakers, tours, workshops, book auctions, and a book swap. A book fair will be open to the public on Sunday, August 17th from 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m..

For more details, please visit the MBS website.

*** The New England Chapter of the Guild of Book Workers has organized a mini-conference in northern Maine during September 12 – 14, 2014. Spend a weekend in Northern Maine with a community of local artists working in the field of bookbinding, paper making and calligraphy.

The conference will be held at the Cobscook Community Learning Center near Whiting, ME. Programming includes a visit to the Book Arts Studio at UMaine Machias Friday afternoon, evening lectures by Alan Furth, Walter Tisdale and Gray Parrot Friday night, half-day workshops by Katie MacGregor and Nancy Leavitt on Saturday followed by a special presentation by David Yarborough.

For more information or to register, please visit the Guild of Book Workers website.

*** The exhibit UNBOUND VOL. IV: Art Using books as a material/format will be open from July 25 – August 23, 2014 at the Artistree Gallery in Woodstock, VT. 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.

Book Arts Classes

*** On August 23 – 24, 2014, the North Bennet Street School is offering Italic Calligraphy & Accordion Book with Maryanne Grebenstein in Boston. In this course, students learn to letter in the Italic style using a broad-edged pen and create a 5” x 5” accordion book.

For more information or to register, please visit the NBSS website.

*** The Eliot School in Jamaica Plain, MA is offering Fold & Stitch Books with Annie Silverman on Sunday, October 19 & 26, 2014 from 1:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Using simple techniques that build upon each other, learn a variety of essential book forms: sewn pamphlets, multiple-signature books, accordion and flag books, along with simple wrappers and envelopes.

For more information about the class, please visit the Eliot School’s website or click here to download the complete catalog.