“We Right The Book” I
I am honored to serve as Artist in Residence at Verdugo Hill High School in Tujunga, CA (Los Angeles) for a group of 42 Senior English class Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) students.
Our project is entitled, “We Right the Book“, and is supported by an Artist in residence grant from the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs. I am working with the students on a series of bookmaking projects during weekly workshops held right in the classroom from September – December, 2017. The students are also assisting with bookmaking workshops held for the community at-large in the Sunland-Tujunga Branch of the Los Angeles Public Library.
The project is designed to offer participating students an outlet for feelings, thoughts, hopes and dreams related to their upcoming transition out of high school, and into the next epoch of their lives.
We started with the basics: Accordion Fold Books, created from folding equidistant sections of material. We used “bright tagboard” for the folded pages, and assorted posterboard and railroad board for the covers.
An industrious maker adds tiny butterflies to the cover of her book.
A writer!
Tiny pieces of text work together to form the title…the piece is held closed with hemp cord.
Choosing a length of cord to enhance book.
Angelica layers materials into her folded page.
We have a wonderful group of boys in the class…talented and detailed makers!
Two girls work together (upper left of image) making the most of materials, space and each other!
Working with letters, and seeing/absorbing their visual quality.
He is able to let others into his world through the book.
Paper world…
Our wonderful VAPA English classroom teacher, Amy Leserman.
Now that we have learned the basics of accordion folding, it is time to move into the fun and versatile Flag Book structure!
Stay tuned for “We Right The Book” II
Music and butterflies remind this maker of her recently departed mother.
Folding…
and cutting.
Using file cards and stamps.
These friends displayed a great sense of design which
lcan really be seen in these close-ups.
Using washi tape and origami paper.
Beautiful color sense and
use of string.
Layering materials.
Creating together…reveling in paper!
Elegant striking design.
She made it for her daughter.
Intensive work…
High up on the chapel dome of 
Fountain in 
Note the small carved figure below the laughing face resting in stoney foliage in 
I imagine these creatures, seen above doors in 
Ferocious door handle holders…Devourers? Paris
Upside down and all around. Faces and figures whether human, animal or fantastical, often come in pairs. 
“Here’s lookin’ at you, kid”. Carved wooden pew…decoration/embellishment…
Gazing upon each other…with angels in the background. 
Back on the Paris streets…carved faces gaze down upon windows, architectural supports, and doors.
In context…and glorious repetition of detail…filling space in a beautiful and visually arresting way.
King and Queen? Master and Mistress? Preside. Paris.
there is a strange alignment of carved heads sitting on benches…
as if they had just escaped their sentinel posts on buildings, above doorways.
Simply sitting there.
With all of that liberté, égalité, fraternité, 
les homages to illustrious 
and the appropriation, engagement with, and use of ancient public spaces…there is more then enough to gasp at, delight in, and contemplate at any given moment.
With a large turn-out, we had a wonderful time creating together in the Fowler’s beautiful central courtyard!
The lovely and talented Allison, currently interning at The Fowler, supported our workshop!
Our beautiful materials, laid out enticingly, under the tress in the courtyard.
Examples of marbled papers.
Participants digging into the goodies!
This young man resides in London, and was in Los Angeles for business. He said our workshop was the perfect activity for relaxing during his trip!
This young couple, all smiles, did not realize they were working in 
This (obviously!) artist made a unique and very imaginative scroll, including marbled papers that folded out from the structure.
She insisted on gifting the piece to me. I am honored, and will use it as a sample for subsequent workshops. Her painted coveralls were also an inspiration!
A three-generational family group joined us and all the children created
beautiful scrolls, supported by parents and grandparents!
Creating creates joy…
and it is wonderful to have family support.
Hearts and hands…
in the making.
Our friends are back….friends with a long history of making.
Lorenzo, MFA student at 
This family is back again for another project!
Flowers, friends, focus.
Beautiful family of talented ladies…daughters made hats as well as
utterly charming flower books.
Cece, a fashion design student, works intently on her book.
The wonderful 
This young maker worked on her book until we folded up the tables! She committed completely to the project, and can complete it at home.
Creating in community. Participants cut up magazine text and imagery to use on their scrolls.
Mom helps daughter, while son works away nearby.
These frineds have attended every workshop. They have a long history of making.
Pink rules…
“In the Pink”!
A fun date night…
The scroll proivides ample surface to explore text and image,
and lots of texture, color, shapes and forms.
Elle is a consumate maker, and loves to join in community artmaking activities.
Working vertically.
Pink, and pink!
Pink, close-up.
Incredible work with texture, torn edges, and a goth sensibility.
Welcoming the New Year…
with her scroll…a cornucopia of bounty!
Working in community…
adults and children alike,
creating the work of our/their hands…
in “material heaven!
Friends,
and family
and sole practitioners, came together to celebrate their creative spirits.
is Fall in the air? orange was a big color theme…
adorning this box-work from beginning
to completion,
inside,
and out.
There was lots of laughter,
and contemplation,
smiles,
and complete immersion.
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