LACMA in NoHo: Exploring Bookmaking at the Valley Plaza Library I
We Write The Book
In October 2017 we had a blast making Flag Books at the Valley Plaza Branch Library, in North Hollywood (NoHo).
The stars of the program were mothers, daughters, girls and women.
YEAH! Girl Power!
…and a beautiful couple too…both artists.
Pink Power.
A fitting conclusion!
“We Right The Book” II
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. We moved from their to the fun, kinetic and versatile Flag Book Structure, invented by renowned book artist Hedi Kyle.
“Ascend Descend”
“Do The Impossible”
The “ascent” of “Ascend Descend”
FOCUS
Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) Magnet English teacher Amy Leserman joins in the flag bookmaking.
Stay tuned to learn how students from our bookmaking program took their knowledge to the community, assisting in a well-attended bookmaking class for children and youth held at the nearby Sunland-Tujunga Branch Library.
It was beautiful to see.
“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
Please enjoy reading a wonderful post written by Karen Satzman, Director of Youth & Family Programs at LACMA, The Los Angeles County Museum of Art…
I was honored to serve as teaching artist for a series of onsite LACMA art making workshops on “People Street“, in North Hollywood, in the NoHo Arts District.
Upcoming NoHo LACMA art workshops include:
Make a Flag Book 2 pm
2 pm | Sat, October 14, 2017
Participate in a free artist-led workshop and create your own artwork in response to works in LACMA’s collection.
North Hollywood | Valley Plaza Branch Library
Free and open to the public
Note: This program takes place off-site on 12311 Vanowen St., North Hollywood, CA 91605
This project is supported by a grant from The James Irvine Foundation.
Make a Tunnel Book
2 pm | Sat, November 18, 2017
Participate in a free artist-led workshop and create your own artwork in response to works in LACMA’s collection.
North Hollywood | Valley Plaza Branch Library
Free and open to the public
Note: This program takes place off-site on 12311 Vanowen St., North Hollywood, CA 91605
This project is supported by a grant from The James Irvine Foundation.
Make an Accordion Book
2 pm | Sat, December 9, 2017
Participate in a free artist-led workshop and create your own artwork in response to works in LACMA’s collection.
North Hollywood | Valley Plaza Branch Library
Free and open to the public
Note: This program takes place off-site on 12311 Vanowen St., North Hollywood, CA 91605
This project is supported by a grant from The James Irvine Foundation.
JOIN US!
Le Papier V
“Gossamer”
Side-bound book, repurposed paper, cloth, paint chips, vellum (?) and cord.
“Maggie’s Book”
“Folded fan” flag book, repurposed brochure, vellum (?), photo corners, brochures and postcards.
Le Papier III
“Prioritaire”
A Flag Book
Front
Opened, covers folded
Opened, covers unfolded
Back
Chromatic Interactions III
“CHAPTERS: Book Arts in Southern California” presented at the Craft and Folk Art Museum in LA.
I was commissioned to create an interactive book.
I created “Chromatic Interactions”
Chromatic Interactions is a flag book is comprised of an accordion spine, front and back covers, and flag pages which are pockets with windows cut out of them to reveal both front and back of the cards that visitor participants wrote and drew on, then inserted into the pockets.
The front and back covers had windows cut out of them that correlated with the windows cut out of the flag pocket pages.
People’s responses, offerings, additions and interactions surprised me…they really did pause and participate.
This is one of my favorites.
May we all have…Joy…in the morning, in the night…all the time.
As Much As Possible.
JOY
Chromatic Interactions II
“CHAPTERS: Book Arts in Southern California” presented at the Craft and Folk Art Museum in LA.
I was commissioned to create an interactive book.
I created “Chromatic Interactions”
Chromatic Interactions is a flag book is comprised of an accordion spine, front and back covers, and flag pages which are pockets with windows cut out of them to reveal both front and back of the cards that visitor participants wrote and drew on, then inserted into the pockets.
It was eye-opening to see how people responded, what they wrote and drew, and how the book transformed over time.
I am exploring this phenom through a series of posts, now that the show is over. The CAFAM was kind enough to save and give to me many of the file cards added to the book by the participants who interacted with the piece…keeping it in a continual state of transformation.
The front and back covers had windows cut out of them that correlated with the windows cut out of the flag pocket pages.
Someone had to remove the cards so that new ones could be inserted. I am still not sure if this was the Museum staff, or the patron participants themselves. Here is some of what they wrote….
“STRIKE while the iron is hot”
“Speak Out
Stay Calm
Carry On”
“How can we stop the political train wreck?”
“It was the best of times. It was the worst of times. *activism….”
“people say don’t hate anything except for hatred”
This one “speaks” for itself.
Actually, they all do.
People
Speak
Out
Chromatic Interactions I
“CHAPTERS: Book Arts in Southern California” presented at the Craft and Folk Art Museum in LA.
I was commissioned to create an interactive book.
I created “Chromatic Interactions”
It was eye-opening for me to see what people wrote and drew, and how the piece changed over time.
I will be exploring this through a series of posts, now that the show is over, and CAFAM was kind enough to save and give to me many of the file cards added to the book by patrons/visitors/participants…interacting.
Flag book. Stitched flag pockets with windows cut into them.
Accordion spine.
A focus on file folders.
Flag pocket and cover windows align, allowing messages to show through, and creating a tunnel effect.
Color, line, word, image, added by the viewer, become participatory art making and collaborator.
Book board.
Found file folders crumpled to create surface texture.
Here is some of what Museum visitor participants wrote…
TIME
“…all slow…”
After the US election.
Did they mean “irrelevant” No???
“There once was…”
Packing it in.
Successful life…validation
“Beautiful
I’m blinded by the light.”
“Mosaic” flower
Wilder tale
E X T R A P O L A T E
So glad, Inez!
Full…
And fuller.
More
To
Come
“Let’s Make Books” at LACMA
It has been wonderful to teach a family bookmaking class: “Let’s Make Books” for ages 5 and up at LACMA (The Los Angeles County Museum of Art).
Parents can attend with their children, and spend three hours visiting and drawing in LACMA’s galleries, grounds and gardens, walking through its architecture, and learning about its collection, before returning to one of the LACMA Art Studios to work together on art projects related to what has been visited and viewed. A total experience of art immersion!
In this class thus far we have made accordion books with pop-ups, “folded fan” books with “windows and doors”, flag books, and tunnel books. A grand time has been had by all, including myself. It is wonderful to work with families, see parents and siblings interacting, and the grown-ups getting a creative break which hopefully will refresh and rejuvenate them when they leave LACMA, and return to their daily lives.
Folded fan book with “windows” that open.
“Playing” with washi tape.
HeARTfelt…
The tunnel book can fold up, stand up, and stretch.
Using LACMA exhibition announcements and postcards as part of the artwork.
Doors open…
In process…
A colorful collection of magnificent tunnel books!
The creative endeavor of our kindly assistant…who played imaginatively with the tunnel book structure!
Kindness, creativity, imagination, play…these are the hallmarks of our program, and were in abundance during our class. Hurray for LACMA!
We have a bookmaking class for children aged 10-13 starting in early April…check it out! We would love to have your children in our class…making art together.
Doors closed….
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