Workshop Coming up Next Month

Developing a Narrative in Visual Artists Books

This workshop will focus on the development and use of narrative as it is used in contemporary book form. Class discussion will include narrative expression from a variety of sources such as current and historical fiction and painting, folk art, and ancient mythologies. There will also be references to popular contemporary art and culture, with an emphasis on visual artist’s books. The course will include class participatory exercises hands on studio assignments and class reviews. Attendees should bring a sketchbook, glue sticks, scissors and drawing/sketching supplies

Taught by Claire Owen

The workshop will be held July 11th from 10 am – 4pm with lunch break

Held at Claire's studio. (Germantown)

$80 members, $100 non-members

TOPICS OF DISCUSSION

Make Sense! or how far a narrative thread can be pulled.

Discussion will include the importance of linear flow to a narrative. Examples of work in which this is done successfully and when it has failed will be discussed. There will be discussion of pacing of information from a beginning point through “time” to a conclusion.

Terms of Engagement:

By what means does an artist engage the viewer in their story using the primary elements of IMAGE and/or TEXT. Do they use a reference to a specific public or private event; (911, Kennedy assassination, graduation, wedding?) Or do they give you a character to care about (or not) Are you (the viewer) being asked to consider a new context and meaning for a commonly understood truth?

Details Matter

Here the workshop will examine how to consider the effectiveness of the physical elements of a work in “delivering” the narrative to the viewer. If text is important, how is readability enhanced or compromised? If a specific time or place is important to the narrative, are the artist references accurate? With specific consideration to the book form, the individual elements of paper, cloth, page size, text style, and image, will be considered as part of the whole “voice” of the story.

If you want to attend this workshop, please email Jennifer Rosner: bindery@librarycompany.org

Fun Workshop

We had a really fun workshop this past weekend taught by Andrew Huot. We learned to make the Sliding Card Folder and the Magic Window. Click here if you would like to see a slide show. This was one of our Fast, Friendly, FREE workshops. They are usually held on a Saturday morning for about three hours. We would like to do more of them and are looking for willing teachers. Do you have anything you would like to share?

Fast, Friendy, FREE Workshop coming up!

Andrew Huot will teach us two paper toy structures. The Sliding Card Folder and the Magic Window will give you creative options for announcements, games, or artist books. Based on sliding mechanisms, these reveal or change the image when the viewer activates the mechanism.

Saturday, June 13, 2009
9 am - noon
The Library Company of Philadelphia
1314 Locust Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107

Bring the usual set of tools: scissors, ruler, cutting mat & knife. Bring colored pencils, markers or rubber stamps to decorate your creations. All other materials will be provided.

This workshop is FREE! But I need for you to RSVP if you are coming. The building is not open to the public and I want to know how many people I will be letting in. Please email me if you are coming: bindery@librarycompany.org

Hedi Kyle is Honored

Our own Hedi Kyle (DVC Program Chair) was honored yesterday with the presentation of a Festschrift. The hefty book, which was sponsored by the Delaware Valley Chapter, The Philadelphia Center for the Book, and The University of the Arts Book Arts/Printmaking Program, is filled with contributions from 35 book artists and contains both scholarly articles and personal tributes. Hedi's long career as an artist seems unabated and her new work is on display now at the UArts in the Rosenwald-Wolf Gallery as part of the Hybrid Book Conference.

Above: Two examples of Hedi's books in display at the Rosenwald-Wolf Gallery.

Hybrid Book Conference Events

Come one, come all to the Hybrid Book Fair
Friday and Saturday, June 5 and 6
1-6 in the Greshman Y. (401 S. Broad St.)
The Fair is free. Please come visit us at our chapter table!

There is also an exhibition:
The Hybrid Book: Irma Boom, Gunnar Kaldewey, and Hedi Kyle
The show will be up from June 2 to June 30
Rosenwald-Wolf Gallery (333 S. Broad Street).
Hours: Monday-Friday 10-5, Wednesday 10-8, Saturday and Sunday 12-4.

Hedi Kyle and Gunnar Kaldewey will be interviewed in the opening event of the conference:
6 PM, June 4 in Solmssen Court, Hamilton Hall (320 S. Broad)

For more information click here.

Please come to these interesting events!

(book pictured above is by Hedi Kyle)

Progressive Book Party Fun

The Progressive Book Party was such fun! We all brought an accordion book along with a dish for the potluck. After a delicious meal we cleared the table and this is what we did: Each person had two minutes to draw a picture on the first panel or spread of their book. Then they passed it to the person sitting next to them who had 20 seconds to look at the picture before covering it up. Then they had 1 minute to draw what they saw. Or in many cases, what they thought they saw! The drawings began to evolve into something else. For example, a drawing that started as an umbrella turned into a flying bat. Very entertaining!

Progressive Book and Potluck Dinner

A potluck dinner and evening of drawing fun at Alice's house
May 1, 2009
5:30 - 8:30
RSVP! (click here and we will send you Alice's address)

Bring something to eat, something to drink and a book to draw in. Your accordion will need at least eight pages. Below you will find instructions for an easy accordion which is put together with a glue stick. This is just a suggestion. Make what you like. The book you bring will be passed around and each person will make a drawing in it.
Hope to see you there!

Accordion with Glue Stick

Paper is 5 1/2” high x 25” wide - 2 pieces

Fold tab of 3/8” at one end.

Fold paper in half, keep folding. (Each section is 3 1/16” wide)

Cut tab off one accordion

Open out accordion with tab, glue tab (with glue stick), fold up accordion with tab under.

Line up the two accordions, one on top of other, press down hard. Open and use bone folder to press tab again.

Covers

Cover is a 2-ply board 3 1/4” x 5 5/8”

Decorated paper is one inch larger.

Lay board on back of paper - centered. Glue corners and fold over.

Glue edges of paper, fold over and rub down with bone folder.

Attach Cover to Accordion

Interleave last page of accordion with waste paper. Glue four edges of accordion. (Throw out waste paper)

Pick up accordion and center over inside of cover. Press down. Flip over.

Glue other side. Open and using bone folder press paper firmly