Greetings from the PSBA President!
Dear Friends,
We were so happy to see so many members join us for our 2025 Annual meeting. If you missed it, the video of our very inspiring speaker Rebecca Chamlee is up on YouTube. I was particularly pleased to get feedback from many of you and we have summarized your comments and suggestions and we're looking at ways that we can put some of them into action.
February was a busy month for the board and our committees as we work to provide events that you are interested in. You can view and register for events in our website calendar. I won't go over all of them since they are featured in this newsletter.
Remember that we want to hear from you, you can let us know about shows and events that we can share in the newsletter or on Facebook, you can let us know what you would like to see us plan, and you can let us know how you would like to be involved in our work. Email me at psba.executive@pugetsoundbookartists.org
Belinda Hill
Call for Book Artists to Feature in PSBA Members’ Spotlight
PSBA is beginning a new series of spotlight interviews featuring its members. If you have someone in mind, contact Jane Carlin (carlinjane@gmail.com), chair of the Communications Committee.
Upcoming Events
March 4-April 13: Nature and the Book Exhibit at Bloedel Reserve, Bainbridge Island. This exhibition, previously displayed at the Miller Library of the University of Washington, is now on display in the beautiful Residence on the Bloedel Reserve. Please note that tickets are required to visit the Reserve and may be purchased online. For those of you that are not members, you may want to take advantage of the Welcome Wednesday option. On the first Wednesday of the month visit the Bloedel for a pay-what-you-wish community day at Bloedel. You still need to book a ticket but will pay what you want. Read more about the exhibit here: https://bloedelreserve.org/nature-book-exhibition/.
For more information, please contact Lucia Harrison at luciaharrison49@gmail.com.
March 23: Salon: Exploring the Shereen LaPlantz Archive. 2 PM-4 PM, Archives & Special Collections Seminar Room, Collins Memorial Library, University of Puget Sound.
This Salon will feature the Ken and Rochelle Monner collection of Shereen LaPlantz book structures. Ken and Rochelle (a founding member of PSBA) gifted this collection to the University in 1996. LaPlantz was an internationally recognized artist, author and teacher. Showcasing a myriad of book structures, from innovative bindings to her own creations, this collection highlights the many structures found in LaPlantz's well known books on the book arts including The Art & Craft of Handmade Books and Cover to Cover: Creative Techniques for Making Beautiful Books, Journals, and Albums. The collection contains several examples of concertina/accordion books. If you are new to the book arts, this is a great opportunity to browse and learn more about structures. Also on display will be some artifacts and items from Shereen's personal collection gifted to the University by her husband.
Questions? Contact Jane Carlin: carlinjane@gmail.com.
Event is free but registration is required. Register here.
March 27: Lunchtime ZOOM Conversation with Laurel Moorhead.Noon-1PM.
We are delighted to welcome Laurel Moorhead to our Lunchtime Conversation. Many of you will recognize her as our outstanding ZOOM manger, but her creative talents as a book artist are equally outstanding. Laurel (Laurie) describes herself as a book artist, sketcher and wanderer. After retiring from a career in nonprofit management, Laurel studied painting, book arts, paper cutting, stamp carving, and more. Within these mediums she discovered her love of memoir and creating community by bringing artists together. Over the last 8 years, she has combined these passions to lead seven collaborative projects that have included up to seven different book arts organizations across the country. Her journey as an artist is inspiring! Event will be facilitated by Jane Carlin.
Questions? Contact Jane Carlin at carlinjane@gmail.com
The Zoom link will be sent to registrants two days before the event. Register here.
April 5: Mini-Workshop Unfold the Accordion Fold Book Structure with Debbi Commodore. 1 PM–4 PM, Becky Frehse’ Studio in Tacoma.
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 three workshops on the accordion structure. The other two classes in the series will be May 17 and May 31. Sign up of one or all three!
Questions? Contact Sally Alger: sarah.alger2@gmail.com.
Workshop Fee: $55 ($30 workshop fee plus $25 for materials).
Registration if required. Register here.
April 10: Lunchtime ZOOM Conversation with Heidi Gustafson. Noon–1 PM, Zoom.
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.
Questions? Contact Jane Carlin at carlinjane@gmail.com.
The Zoom link will be sent to registrants 2 days before and day of the event. Register here.
2025 Annual Members Exhibition Update!
June 5-August 3, 2025
Collins Memorial Library
University of Puget Sound
Tacoma, Washington
September 29-December 12, 2025
Daniel J. Evans Library
The Evergreen State College
Olympia, Washington
This year’s theme is Field Work which could mean the conventional sense of work performed not in the office or studio—but it could also mean the artist ’s area of interest or expertise, and how that interest is expressed in the work. Your field of vision is wide open.
And as in years past, you are invited to submit work inspired by the theme or by your own muse.
Pre-Submission Preparation:
Formstack submission applications will be open from February 14, 2025—April 1, 2025. Submissions close at midnight April 1. See link to the exhibition page on the PSBA website. https://pugetsoundbookartists.wildapricot.org/2025
A virtual mini-workshop, with Suzanne Moore, on how to properly pack your artist’s book for submission is being planned. Dates to be announced soon.
See Brenda Gallagher’s video “Taking Photos of Your Work.” It’s a helpful tutorial for photographing your artwork.
Questions? Send your inquiries to: psba.exhibition@pugetsoundbookartists.org
Volunteers Needed for Tacoma Wayzgoose and Seattle Art Book Fair
PSBA is excited to be part of these two signature events and to showcase the events, programs, and artists of our organization. Please consider a volunteer shift at either one of these great events:
- Tacoma Wayzgoose: This event will be held at the newly refurbished Tacoma Public Library on May 2-3. The event will run from 10 am to 5 pm. Please contact Becky Frehse if you are interested in a volunteer shift; bfrehsestudio@gmail.com
- Seattle Art Book Fair: This event is held on May 10-11 at Washington Hall in Seattle's Central District and will have over 80 exhibitors featuring art publishers, book designers and artists' books. The event will run from 10 am to 5 pm. If you are interested in a volunteer shift please contact Jane Carlin: carlinjane@gmail.
Member News
Jan Dove (Dove Studio):
Hi, family and friends and artists of whose work I am in awe,
It's been a long haul, for those of you who heard the rumors, but after two surgeries on the ol' knee and after a round with Covid I am finally feeling much better and starting to get back up on my own two feet again.
I wanted to let you know about a recent work of mine, an eleven foot embroidered work which has been in process for almost two years, called Ghost Tree. You can see some pics and a one-minute video of it here:
https://jandove.com/ghost-tree/.
Also, you may have heard that I received a grant from SOLA at Artist Trust last spring. Well, the grant included the production of a short video about my art, which I meant to tell you about, but things started getting a little heavy around here and this one sank to the bottom. It's still a good video (about 7 minutes) showing lots of my work from many years. The YouTube address is: https://youtu.be/zKxGycl_-tA?t=21.
Tha-tha-tha-that's all folks. Hoping I bring you some joy,
Jan Dove
Marilyn Stablein:
Marilyn’s artist book, “Wind-Powered Good Luck Charms: Tibetan Prayer Flags” was juried into an exhibition "RITUALS" which opened February 28 at Baylor University in Waco, Texas,. The show runs for three months and closes May 24.
A 4-page article on her “Hanuman Carousel Book” appears in the most recent issue (Volume 19: Number 4) of Bound & Lettered: Artists’ Books, Bookbinding, Paper Crafts, Calligraphy magazine. On pages 28-31 she describes how to construct the star carousel accordion pop-up binding and gives some background on her extended Asian travels where she learned Tibetan book arts, mandala paintings and calligraphy.
A collage "Good Deals" appears in the latest issue of the international magazine Poeming Pigeon, published in Portland, Oregon.
Catherine Alice Michaelis:
Hi Artist Book Friends,
It’s time again to apply for the BRAVA Award from the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art.
Every two years a U.S. book artist is awarded $15,000. The awards will honor an exceptional contemporary book artist whose work demonstrates artistic excellence, technical mastery, and meaningful contributions to the arts community.
Online submissions will be accepted from April 1, 2025, through May 11, 2025.
Please check it out and share within the community. (All the other categories are for regional artists.)
Learn more at https://www.biartmuseum.org/the-brava-awards/.
Olympia-area PSBA Meeting
If you'd like notification of the April Olympia meet-up time and place email Ann Storey aelizabeth.storey@gmail.com.
Pierce County PSBA Meetup
University Place Public Library --Small Meeting Room
Wednesday March 12, 2025 6-8PM. All are welcome!
Contact Lucia Harrison (luciaharrison49@gmail.com) with questions
Call for Member News
Are you planning a special event or workshop? Have you recently presented your work at a Conference or event? Is your work included in an exhibition?
If you would like to share information, please send your submission to Julia.stringfellow@cwu.edu by Wednesday, March 26. Subject line should read: PSBA Member News. The April newsletter will be sent out to the membership early that month.
Call to Share Upcoming Events
Do you have an upcoming event that you are holding or participating in? Let us know! Email psba.public.relations@pugetsoundbookartists.org to add it to the calendar.
Sincerely,
Your PSBA Board
Meet the Board members on the Contact Us webpage.
