Upcoming events

Switch to Calendar View

• Nature and the Book Exhibit at Bloedel Reserve

  • Start
    4 Mar 2025
  •  
  • End
    13 Apr 2025
  •  
  • Location
    Bloedel Reserve, 7571 NE Dolphin Drive, Bainbridge Island, Washington, 98110

  
  

  

  Nature and the Book 2025

  Bloedel Reserve
  7571 NE Dolphin Drive, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110

  Tuesday, March 4 through Sunday, April 13 2025

            
  

  Puget Sound Book Artists is pleased to present "Nature and the Book: 2025" a compelling exhibition showcasing PSBA members whose creative practices are deeply inspired by the natural world. This exhibition, previously displayed at the Miller Library at the University of Washington, will be displayed in the beautiful Residence on the Bloedel Reserve. Please note that tickets are required to visit the Reserve and may be purchased online.

  Read more about the exhibit here: https://bloedelreserve.org/nature-book-exhibition/

  This exhibition highlights the dynamic intersection between nature, art, and the printed page, exploring themes of sustainability, climate change, and the inherent beauty found in the environment.

  Location:
  Bloedel Reserve on Bainbridge Island
  Please check the website for directions and times Bloedel Reserve is open.
  

  Timed tickets are required for entry and must be purchased in advance online: https://bloedelreserve.org/                      

  For more information, please contact Lucia Harrison at luciaharrison49@gmail.com

  Show details
• Mini-Workshop: Unfold the Accordion Fold Book Structure

  • When
    5 Apr 2025
  •  
    1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
  • Location
    Becky Frehse’ Studio in Tacoma
  • Spaces left
    0

  Join waitlist

  
  

  
  

  Mini-Workshop: Unfold the Accordion Fold Book Structure with Debbi Commodore

  Saturday, April 5, 2025, 1:00 PM–4:00 PM

  Becky Frehse’ Studio in Tacoma

  Fee: $55.00 (includes materials)

  Registration is Required

  In this workshop participants will learn the fundamentals of making accurate folds, how to expand the accordion structure with hinges, and explore how this versatile structure responds to a variety of artist paper. We will also look at the essential tools used to create the accordion fold structure and paper grain, paper weight. Participants will make 4-6 accordion structures, learn how to fold a simple soft cover, and receive an assortment of fine artist papers (14+) to utilize as reference samples.

  Tool list will be provided in advance. Materials will be provided. The cost of materials is included in the workshop fee.

  This workshop is suitable for all skill levels including beginners. This is the first of 3 workshops on the accordion structure.

  *Becky Frehse’ Studio in Tacoma, address and directions will be sent to participants prior to the workshop. Please note that the studio is on the second floor and there is no elevator.

  Workshop Fee: $55 ($30 workshop fee plus $25 for materials)

  Instructor Bio:
  Debbi Commodore is a non-profit professional, book artist, and printer with a deep curiosity about how a sense of community contributes to living an enriched, fulfilling life. She began creating artist books and exploring printing techniques as an undergraduate at Pacific Lutheran University, where she was introduced to the Publishing and Printing Arts program and the Elliott Press. Her work at Split Fountain is held in collections across the United States and Canada. See more of Debbi's work on her website: www.debbicommodore.com

  
  Questions? Contact Sally Alger: sarah.alger2@gmail.com

  Show details
• Lunchtime ZOOM Conversation with Heidi Gustafson

  • When
    10 Apr 2025
  •  
    12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
  • Location
    ZOOM
  • Spaces left
    25

  Register

         

  

  Lunchtime ZOOM Conversation with  Heidi Gustafson
  Facilitated by
  Jane Carlin and Suzanne Moore

  Thursday, April 10 2025,  12:00PM–1:00PM

  ZOOM

  This Event is Free but Registration is Required

          

  We are delighted to welcome Pacific Northwest artist, author and ochre specialist, Heidi Gustafson, to join us to discuss the process and relationship between two versions of her spellbinding field guide, Book of Earth. The original Book of Earth, is an oracular artists' book made of bioregional pigments and soils, intended to let the land/rocks speak for themselves. The commercial version, Book of Earth: A Guide to Ochre, Pigment, and Raw Color (Abrams, 2023) repeats the intention, but with more experiential guidance and land stories for the reader to further engage place, and working with pigment-bearing minerals through embodied, artistic practice. Learn more about Heidi on her website, earlyfutures.com or on instagram @heidilynnheidilynn. 

  This is the first of a two part series associated with color. Suzanne Moore will bring added insights into the conversation and also be speaking about her own approaches to color in our May Lunchtime conversation.
  

  About Book of Earth: "Part rock guide, part art book, and part earth magic, "ochre whisperer," Heidi Gustafson welcomes us inside her rare working collection of more than six hundred ochre pigments (humankind’s oldest art material) from around the planet.

  Artist Bio: Heidi is an artist, researcher and ochre specialist based in Northern Washington. She is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art, studied forensic science at the University of Baltimore and holds an MA in Philosophy and Religion from the California Institute of Integral Studies. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, American Craft, and in several books. Browse her website--earlyfutures.com--for images and accolades or learn more about Heidi on instagram @heidilynnheidilynn.

  The ZOOM link will be sent to registrants 2 days before and day of the event. You must register to receive the ZOOM link!

  Questions? Contact Jane Carlin at carlinjane@gmail.com

  Show details
• Mini-Workshop: Collage Book with Accordion/Tunnel Surprise

  • When
    26 Apr 2025
  •  
    9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
  • Location
    zoom
  • Spaces left
    0

  
  

  

  Collage Book with Accordion/Tunnel Surprise

  Saturday,  April 26, 2025, 9:00AM–12:00PM (PST)

  via ZOOM

  Registration is Required

  Workshop Fee: $25.00

  Using random ephemera, images and scrap paper we will build an unique structure that houses a folded accordion which when fully opened, reveals a dimensional tunnel attached to the inside back cover. We will collage and paint the covers, the accordion and tunnel. Create a story that carries the viewer from the front cover, to the inside panels and then to the dimensional collage in the back. Work can be based on a theme or a random exploration. Experience making books and working with collage is helpful, but not necessary. All skill levels are welcome.

  Instructor Bio: Rosemary Rae is a creative director/designer, artist, and design educator living in San Diego, CA. A graduate of Moore College of Art & Design and Vermont College of Fine Arts, she currently works as a graphic designer. In addition to designing her unique line of letterpressed greeting cards, she also creates collages and artist books, which have been featured in many juried exhibitions.

  Skill Levels: all levels

  Questions? Contact Belinda Hill @ benjisnewadventure@gmail.com
  

  Show details
• How to Pack Your Book with Suzanne Moore

  • When
    30 Apr 2025
  •  
    12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
  • Location
    Zoom
  • Spaces left
    100

  Register

  
  

  How to Pack Your Book
  with Suzanne Moore

  Wednesday, April 30, 2025, 12:00pm - 1:00pm
  Zoom
  
  This Event is Free but Registration is Required

  
  

  
  

  PSBA is thrilled to offer artists in our Annual Members' Exhibition the opportunity to have their work travel to multiple locations. As your artwork travels, it's essential to pack it properly to ensure it arrives safely.

  
  

  In this session we'll dive into the best practices for packing your work. We'll share tips and insights from artists who have navigated the challenges of transporting their creations. We'll provide essential guidance on how to pack books (traditional and non-traditional.) Learn how to protect delicate corners and papers, and discover whether a handmade box is necessary of if there are alternative ways to wrap and pack your book without needing to create a box. This is an opportunity to learn how to safeguard your work and ensure it arrives in pristine condition. Suzanne Moore will be the lead presenter in this informative session.

  
  

  You do not need to have work in the Exhibition to attend. The event will be recorded and available on the PSBA website afterward.

  
  

  For more information about Suzanne, visit her website.

  Show details
• Lunchtime Conversation with Suzanne Moore: Continuing our Conversation on Color

  • When
    15 May 2025
  •  
    12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
  • Location
    Zoom
  • Spaces left
    90

  Registration is closed

  
  
  

  Lunchtime Conversation with Suzanne Moore:
  Continuing our Conversation on Color
  
  May 15th, 12:00pm - 1:00pm
  Zoom

  This is event is free but Registration is Required

  Last month we had the opportunity to learn from Heidi Gustafson and delve into the topic of color. This month we continue the conversation with noted artist Suzanne Moore. How do choices of various color media offer distinct effects, which reflect  and convey the content of each book's message? How does each color technique create a unique look on paper, and how can color tell a story?

  Suzanne will explore these issues as she shares examples of past and current work and discusses how her own work with a variety of color applications has played out in her book work. Suzanne weaves words and imagery with form, content,  and rich color to engage and inspire the viewer. In an interview with Write on the Edge blog, Suzanne talks about her work:  "Since books allow - require - an intimacy with the "reader", I want to present timeless ideas and concepts with unexpected contemporary imagery using lettering to transmit the verbal content and create imagery."  

  Three artists that have had a profound influence on her work include Wassily Kandinsky, Mark Rothko and Joan Mitchell - all artists whose innovative use of color is noted in their own work. We are looking forward to a very "colorful" conversation!

  For more information about Suzanne, visit her website.

  Show details
• Mini-Workshop: Expand the Accordion Fold Structure

  • When
    17 May 2025
  •  
    1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
  • Location
    Becky Frehse’ Studio in Tacoma
  • Spaces left
    6

  Register

  
  

  
  

  Mini-Workshop: Expand the Accordion Fold Structure with Debbi Commodore

  Saturday, May 17, 2025, 1:00 PM–4:00 PM

  Becky Frehse’ Studio in Tacoma

  Fee: $55.00 (includes materials)

  Registration is Required

  The accordion structure has endless possibilities! In this workshop participants will learn variations of the structure including the pocket accordion, the flag book, and how to multiply the accordion structure when combining it with a sewn in signature. We will also look at sewing needles, thread, sewing templates, simple sewing techniques, and make 3-5 accordion structures.

  Tool list will be provided in advance. Materials will be provided. The cost of materials is included in the workshop fee.

  This workshop is suitable for all skill levels including beginners. This is the second of 3 workshops on the accordion structure. Attending the Unfold the Accordion Fold Book Structure workshop is helpful but not required.

  *Becky Frehse’ Studio in Tacoma, address and directions will be sent to participants prior to the workshop. Please note that the studio is on the second floor and there is no elevator.

  Workshop Fee: $55 ($30 workshop fee plus $25 for materials)

  Instructor Bio:
  Debbi Commodore is a non-profit professional, book artist, and printer with a deep curiosity about how a sense of community contributes to living an enriched, fulfilling life. She began creating artist books and exploring printing techniques as an undergraduate at Pacific Lutheran University, where she was introduced to the Publishing and Printing Arts program and the Elliott Press. Her work at Split Fountain is held in collections across the United States and Canada. See more of Debbi's work on her website: www.debbicommodore.com

  
  Questions? Contact Sally Alger: sarah.alger2@gmail.com

  Show details
• Mini-Workshop: One Sheet Wonder--Explore the Maze Book Structure

  • When
    31 May 2025
  •  
    1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
  • Location
    Becky Frehse’ Studio in Tacoma
  • Spaces left
    6

  Register

  
  

  

  Mini-Workshop: One Sheet Wonder–Explore the Maze Book Structure with Debbi Commodore

  Saturday, May 31, 2025, 1:00 PM–4:00 PM

  Becky Frehse’ Studio in Tacoma

  Fee: $45.00 (includes $30 materials fee)

  Registration is Required

  With a single sheet, a series of folds, and strategic cuts a beautiful book is created that has unusual formations, twists, and turns. Shereen LaPlantz describes maze books as spaces for stories within stories. Participants will learn multiple patterns for maze books and create books on both mock-up paper and fine art paper.

  Tool list will be provided in advance. Materials will be provided. The cost of materials is included in the workshop fee.

  This workshop is suitable for all skill levels including beginners. This is the final workshop on the accordion structure. Attending the workshops Unfold the Accordion Fold Book Structure and/or Expand the Accordion Fold Structure is helpful but not required.

  *Becky Frehse’ Studio in Tacoma, address and directions will be sent to participants prior to the workshop. Please note that the studio is on the second floor and there is no elevator.

  Workshop Fee: $45

  Instructor Bio:
  Debbi Commodore is a non-profit professional, book artist, and printer with a deep curiosity about how a sense of community contributes to living an enriched, fulfilling life. She began creating artist books and exploring printing techniques as an undergraduate at Pacific Lutheran University, where she was introduced to the Publishing and Printing Arts program and the Elliott Press. Her work at Split Fountain is held in collections across the United States and Canada. See more of Debbi's work on her website: www.debbicommodore.com

  
  Questions? Contact Sally Alger: sarah.alger2@gmail.com

  Show details
• 2025 Annual Members' Exhibition Book Drop Off

  • When
    3 Jun 2025
  •  
    12:00 PM - 3:00 PM

  
  

  

  2025 Annual Members' Exhibition Book Drop Off 

  June 3, 2025, 12:00pm - 3:00pm

  
  Collins Memorial Library

  University of Puget Sound

  1500 N. Warner St., Tacoma, WA 98416

  
  

  All artwork must be properly packaged for drop-off. For detailed packing instructions, please refer to the guidelines available on our website, attend the “How to Pack Your Work with Suzanne Moore” session on April 20, or view the recorded session.

  If you are mailing your work, please ensure that return postage is included. For additional information, contact us at psba.exhibition@pugetsoundbookartists.org.

  Review prospectus for submission guidelines on our website.

  
  

  Show details
• PSBA Annual Members' Exhibition 2025

  • Start
    5 Jun 2025
  • End
    3 Aug 2025
  • Location
    Collins Library

  

  June 5-August 3, 2025 Collins Memorial Library University of Puget Sound Tacoma, Wasington

  September 29-December 12, 2025 Daniel J. Evans Library The Evergreen State College Olympia, Washington

  
  

  PSBA Annual Members' Exhibition: The 2025 theme is "Field Work" this can be interpreted in the conventional sense of work performed outside the office or studio—but it can also mean the artist's are of interest or expertise, and how that interest is expressed in the work. And as in years past, artists can also submit work inspired by their own muse.
  
  The book displays will be open during the libraries' hours. Special events, related to the exhibition, will be scheduled at a later date. 
  

  Show details
• 2025 Annual Members' Exhibition Opening Reception

  • When
    5 Jun 2025
  •  
    4:30 PM - 6:30 PM

  
  

   

  2025 Annual Members' Exhibition Opening Reception

  Thursday, June 5, 2025, 4:30pm - 6:30pm

  
  

  Collins Memorial Library

  University of Puget Sound

  1500 N. Warner St., Tacoma, WA 98416

  
  

  Join us for the exciting opening reception for the 2025 Annual Members' Exhibition— "Field Work." Be the first to hear the announcement of our award winners and enjoy light refreshments. It's a fantastic opportunity to explore the exhibition and connect with the talented artists.

  
  

  For more information about the exhibitor, feel free to reach out to psba.exhibition@pugetsoundbookartists.org.

  Show details