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 V
Le Papier IV
Le Papier IV
When a discarded placemat just screams “book”
Single signature binding
Side bound book made from packing material, twisty ties and jute.
The Sheltering Book Chapter 5
The Sheltering Book Chapter 5
I am honored to have been one of 17 artists who received an inaugural ‘The WORD Grant 2016: The Bruce Geller Memorial Prize” from the Institute for Jewish Creativity, a project of American Jewish University, to create, “The Sheltering Book“.
Open to the world.
“The Sheltering Book will be a life-sized book structure which will become the backdrop for community bookmaking workshops drawing parallels between the meaning and architecture of the book, and that of the Sukkah. The project also explores the relationship between the public sphere and private space, whether that space be our personal creativity, where we create, or what we create.” —Debra Disman
A “Sheltering Book” program was held at the , of the Santa Monica Public Library. The program was attended by participants from preschool to post school who created books, and shared them in the shelter of The Sheltering Book.
This kind patron helped Montana Branch Library Manager Stephanie Archer and I carry The Sheltering Book into the Community Room.
Covers and pages were prepped, and participants bound them together into a single signature book which they then added to with writing, drawing and collage materials.
A whole wonderful family of three generations…grandma, mom, and four fantastic, talented and creative daughters!
Reveling in materials.
Creative use of papert strips too create waving grasses, behind which cat’s eyes glimmer…
Sharing with little sis looking on…
Use of magazine images.
She has a beautiful sense of design.
Grandma gets into the act!
Creating with Grandma…pretty in Pink!
Sharing…
A children’s book illustrator…
shares her creation…lovely color choices!
This wonderful teaching artist claimed the time to create a piece about her own identity…
employing buttons, collage, mixed media,
to great effect… 
and sharing.
Beautiful use of leaves…
outside,
and inside, her book!
She strolled into the Community Room during a break, and jumped right in!
A natural presenter!
This lovely couple go right into the expressive spirit…
creating about music,
and other visions.
Photogenic too!
This maker truly committed…
using inspiration from the natural
and the man-made worlds…
and fully developing ideas
within her book.
Sharing…
This spirited artist used to be a casting agent…
and she has truly found a new medium within which to epxress herself…and vision.
The Sheltering Book becomes a synergistic process and experience for the community at-large, offering shelter, safe space, and creative inspiration for all who engage with it.
Let us hold the vision!
The Sheltering Book Chapter 4
The Sheltering Book Chapter 4
I am honored to have been one of 17 artists who received an inaugural ‘The WORD Grant 2016: The Bruce Geller Memorial Prize” from the Institute for Jewish Creativity, a project of American Jewish University, to create, “The Sheltering Book“.
“The Sheltering Book will be a life-sized book structure which will become the backdrop for community bookmaking workshops drawing parallels between the meaning and architecture of the book, and that of the Sukkah. The project also explores the relationship between the public sphere and private space, whether that space be our personal creativity, where we create, or what we create.” —Debra Disman
A “Sheltering Book” workshop was held at 430 Pico in Santa Monica, a building owned by the Community Corporation of Santa Monica (CCSM), who rents out apartments to families and others, and provides a range of programming to them. Our workshop was part of that programming, and was attended by families with children from preschool to high school. A group of volunteers provided a lovely buffet and supported the participants, who created books, and shared them in the shelter of The Sheltering Book.
Covers and pages were prepped, and participants bound them together into a single signature book which they then added to with writing, drawing and collage materials!
I taught the pamphlet stitch, but this young maker jumped right in, and wrote his book before it was bound!
Working with images cut from magazines…
Adding letters to create words…
Developing the interior…
Creating meaning…
Using the drawing materials…
A future “Women in the Arts”…
Sharing our books in the shelter of The Sheltering Book.
Room for creative work here!
He worked long and hard with a devoted volunteer to spell out his name in letters culled from magazines.
Celebration! Showing our books within the pages and open “walls” of The Sheltering Book”…supported within its loving “arms”.
The participants become the content and the characters of The Sheltering Book. Through their presence and their creations they people its pages, add meaning to its presence, and add life to its structure.Their story becomes its story, and vice versa.
The Sheltering Book becomes a synergistic process and experience for the community at-large, offering shelter, safe space, and creative inspiration for all who engage with it.
Let us hold the vision!
And A Ribbon Ran Through It 4
And A Ribbon Ran Through It 4
The French Link stitch can uniquely engage the ribbon in fun and functional ways.
The French link is a beautiful binding that links signatures (gathering of folded pages or sections) and creates an open spine book through which a ribbon can weave.
Covers transformed with decorative paper, chain link stitch above and below the French Link stitch which is sewn over the ribbons.
Fun book for preschooler with foam sheet pages, Eco-fi felt covered covers, and thick ribbons for durability. Extra cuts in the felt allow the ribbons to weave through the front and back covers, adding visual interest and texture.
The “Honey Bear Brown Book”! Ribbons used for closure ties and detailing, as well as under the French Link stitch.
Using ribbons here for closure ties, under the French Link stitches, and to create the first letter of the young recipient’s first name.
The imagery on the ribbon supports the “outer space” theme of this book, while the double closure ribbons flow and waft.
Three French Link stitches over ribbon creates greater stability. Matching closure ribbons add a touch of whimsy.
“Humble Materials” sample, practicing the French Link stitch. I often love these models or samples…perhaps because they are done in the spirit of exploration, learning and discovery and feel free and inventive.
Here’s to learning, invention, freedom, with a bit of whimsy thrown in for good measure!
In my book, the French often know how to do this best. Go for it…The French Link Stitch! Use those ribbons!
And A Ribbon Ran Through It 3
And A Ribbon Ran Through It 3
“The Orange”
Pages created of single folded sheets called “bifolia“.
Meditative pose..
Folded arms.
Ribbon slipped under stitches.
Each bifolium stitched to spine, and covers and spine stitched to felt, which hinged covers to spine and allows book to open.
Covers are textured with crumpled repurposed tissue that once separated metallic leaves, and Mod Podge.
Layered textures, patterns and colors. Ribbon used as a visual accent inside as well.
Ribbon “gesture” changes the look and feel of the piece. Above, serious, sober, quiet.
Here, flirty…coquettish…ready for anything!
Ribbons folded into interior, slipped under inside stitch.
Gold leaf…shock top…juxtaposed verbiage creates text tension.
“Unfolding”
“Old World Art” metallic leaf packing repurposed into folded pages stitched together like multiple signatures.
The orange of the repurposed tissue and strips of ribbon sang together.
Pages unfold and create sculptural spaces.
Flattened…
Bound back…open spine.
The ribbon eventually was adhered…the color was fun to play with.
“Open Book 1”
“Arms outstretched”…
Polka dots…
And more polka dots…
“Open Book 2”
Inside
Outside
Dots in a row…
And a Robbin Ran Through It.
And A Ribbon Ran Through It 2
And A Ribbon Ran Through It 2
The ribbon is a line, a shape, an adornment, utilitarian, a communicator of color, a texture…and strangely, emotional. Ribbons can even become anthropomorphic…(more on that in a subsequent post).
The following are all “signature” bindings.
Ribbon becomes closure and design element.
Ribbon integrated into book structure: held between cover boards and that which covers them.
Tied and untied. Tried and untried?
Closed, open and seen from the back..
Openness, step by step.
The colors and patterns of the ribbon become integral to the design of the whole.
use of ribbon can engage the viewer, user, handler, of the piece…tying and untying, opening and closing, and where does the ribbon go when reading, writing or drawing in the book, or even “just” perusing it?
Something so deceptively simple becomes a source of mystery that continually changes.
Like Life.
Hand-i-Work: Making Books
Hand-i-Work: Making Books
Picturing Bookmaking…the work of our hands.
Saying goodbye to summer 2016 “Wonderland: The Book Makers’ Studio. Cherish the memories!
Until next year…walk in peace, and make books…read them too!
Bookmaking: A Handy Form of Expression
Bookmaking: A Handy Form of Expression
A Picture Poem giving new meaning to hand work…handiwork…the work (play?) of our hands!
These students HANDle the form well!
Bravo!
A Visit to Wonderland: The Book Makers’ Studio
A Visit to Wonderland: The Book Makers’ Studio
Five weeks of bookmaking with students aged 5-10. An incredible opportunity to witness and nurture creativity in action!
Taking an existing book and altering it.
Some students had no problem cutting right into the book…(a paperback)…and others were more hesitant.
Some students think of books primarily as a space for their many writing ideas….
and others are focused on the visual, enchanted my the material possibilities.
Giving new meaning to the term “Getting Your Ducks in a Row”…
And the story idea…: “A Bunny With Fairy Wings”
Re-purposing tags as flags in the flag book.
The purple tee-shirted bookmaking sistahs!
Concentration. Beginning to write after creating a glittering border.
Book End (table end) inspiration.
Handmade Portfolios using hanging file folders and shoelaces.
Portfolio, and the joy of glittery stickers.
Creating dimension with “pom-poms”.
Bead embellishment
Treasure hunting.
Our piece of heaven: the supplies table.
Sketch book…
Working in a single signature book. Why use one pencil when you can use three?!
Creating scrolls…an ancient book form. We added wooden dowels later.
Thank you for visiting our summer wonderland: The Book Makers’ Studio. You can always create your won…with whatever you have on hand to create with!
Artissima - Blog of ArtiFactory Studio 