Greetings PSBA members! Hope your Spring is going well!
Image courtesy of Suzanne Moore.
Greetings from the PSBA President!
Dear Friends,
The PSBA board and committees have been hard at work this spring. You'll read about some of them in the newsletter and there will be more throughout May. We hope that you are all having a wonderful spring, creating. What more can I say when you can read more below.
Belinda Hill
New PSBA webpage is now live!
We anticipate a month of review and testing and we would love your feedback. Please send feedback to the following email address: psba.public.relations@pugetsoundbookartists.org.
PSBA Members’ Spotlight
A new spotlight will soon be available on the PSBA website featuring our President Belinda Hill. Follow her circuitous path through academia to book arts—and what she learned along the way.
And next month we'll talk to LeeAnne Campos and what she learned in researching the background for her book.
If you have a suggestion of a PSBA member to spotlight, contact Jane Carlin at(carlinjane@gmail.com).
Upcoming Events
May 10-11: Join PSBA at the Seattle Art Book Fair. https://www.seattleartbookfair.org/About.
For those of you attending on May 11, PSBA is sponsoring a panel discussion from Noon-1PM.
Redefining the Book: A Conversation with Book Artists.
Facilitated by Jane Carlin with Carletta Carrington Wilson, Esther Ervin, Jodee Fenton and Bonnie Thompson Norman. In this interactive panel discussion, you will have the opportunity to hear from prominent Seattle book artists who are pushing the boundaries of contemporary book design through their artistry and creativity. Whether working with letterpress, fine binding, textiles as well as historical and contemporary text, these 4 artists each approach the art of the book in unique and inspiring ways to engage the viewer/reader to reflect and learn and be inspired. They will be sharing examples of recent work.
May 15: Lunchtime Conversation with Suzanne Moore. Zoom, Noon-1pm.
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.
For additional information and to register, visit https://pugetsoundbookartists.wildapricot.org/event-6130771?CalendarViewType=1&SelectedDate=5/29/2025.
2025 Annual Members Exhibition Update!
The 2025 Exhibition planning is in the home stretch. The draft catalog is in the final stages of review. 57 books were selected and they are amazing—each explores the theme in a way that matches the vision of the artist. Can’t wait to see them in person.
Save these Dates:
• How to Pack Your Work: April 30 on Zoom. Tips from Suzanne Moore and other experienced PSBA artists. There’s still time to register for this “how to” class, but if you miss it, the video will be available in the PSBA website video library.
• Drop off for Installation: June 3, 1PM-3PM at the Collins Library.
• Opening Reception: Thursday, June 5, 4:30-6:30 at the Collins Memorial Library, University of Puget Sound. Awards will be announced at the event.
• Open Case: in-person Saturday, June 21, 2- 4 at the Collins Memorial Library. This is an opportunity to meet the artists and hear them describe their work.
• Open Case: zoom, Tuesday, July 8, noon. Participants should register for the event at the Puget Sound Book Artists website. There will be a moderated discussion with select artists about their books.
• Community Engagement Project: guests and participants will have the opportunity to write their thoughts about books and book arts in particular. A card station will be set up in the exhibit room. The cards will be collected throughout the show and turn into an artist book at the end of the exhibition. There will be a book for the Collins Library and one for Daniel J. Evans Library.
Questions? Send your inquiries to psba.exhibition@pugetsoundbookartists.org
Olympia-area PSBA Meetings
The next Olympia PSBA monthly meet-up will be on Monday, May 12, starting at 1 pm in the Olympia Public Library meeting room. Everyone is welcome! Please bring some book arts or creative writing to share. For more information contact Ann Storey aelizabeth.storey@gmail.com.
Pierce County Meetup
The next Pierce County Meet- up will be held on Wednesday May 14 from 6:15 to 8:00 pm in the atrium entrance to the University Place Pierce County Library. All are welcome. 3609 Market Place W. University Place, WA 98466. For More info contact Lucia Harrison at luciaharrison49@gmail.com
2025 Arts at the Armory
PSBA is planning to apply for a booth at the December Arts at the Armory event in Tacoma. It will be a great opportunity to sell your art work if you don’t have enough work for your own booth. Would you like to participate? Please contact Lucia Harrison at luciaharrison49@gmail.com.
PSBA Seventh Annual Book Exchange - Bridges
The rules for the book exchange are simple. Create a book using the theme as a guide and join us for the Exchange at the in-person event. Drawing one name for each book will result in random exchanges.
If you cannot be physically present at the Exchange but would like to participate, you are very welcome to do so. Books being mailed need to arrive a week before the Exchange There will be a charge for mailing the book.
Send your book and check to:
LeeAnne Campos
4001 S Pine St
Unit 111163
Tacoma WA 98411
This year’s theme is “Bridges.” There are many possibilities with the theme — physical bridges, such as viaducts or overpasses; paths from one place to another; relationships between people; or joining two objects or ideas together.
The in-person Exchanges takes place October 5 from 2pm–4pm at Collins Library in the McCormick Room, University of Puget Sound.
Complete the online submission form by September 21 on the event page here.
We hope you’ll feel inspired to join in. It’s inspirational to see the books created with the theme, and you will get to add a fabulous new book to your collection!
Questions? Email LeeAnneCampos@icloud.com.
For additional information and to view works from previous years, click here.
PSBA thanks Vamp & Tramp!
Vamp & Tramp Booksellers will be closing June 30 after 30 years in business.
The store will continue to take orders through May 31 and make sure they are fulfilled even if it means delivery after June 30.
Vamp and Tramp will soon begin reaching out to artists to return any inventory we have in our Birmingham office.
For further information, visit their website at http://www.vampandtramp.com/html/home.html.
Other Book Arts Upcoming Events
Community Print has several events in May! See full details and register at https://www.community-print.org/events
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 Monday, May 26. Subject line should read: PSBA Member News. The June 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.
