Dear PSBA Friends,
Wishing you all a happy and creative 2026!
Belinda Hill, President
Here’s to a wonderful 2026!
2026 marks the start of our 15th anniversary year and on behalf of the Board of Puget Sound Book Artists, we extend a heartfelt thank you to all members for making this such a vibrant organization. We appreciate all of you that have renewed your membership and also acknowledge the many generous donors who have supported PSBA.
We are starting out the New Year with a great line-up of programs including a special ZOOM session on January 20 organized by this year’s Exhibition Committee, in collaboration with the Book Arts Guild and the NW Chapter of the Guild of Book Workers, featuring three well-known voices in the book arts: Erina Zona, Johanna Drucker, and Alicia Bailey.
February is also packed full with our Third Annual Valentine Making event with BARN on Bainbridge, our Annual Membership Meeting, and a Thank You Coffee for Volunteers! Be sure to visit our calendar to register for these events and don’t forget to renew your membership HERE.
Jane Carlin, Vice President/Communications Committee Chair
PSBA Members’ Spotlight
The PSBA Spotlight Artist for January is Jane Carlin.
If we asked our readers to identify the most recognized PSBA voice, I’m sure Jane Carlin’s voice would come to mind. She has hosted PSBAs Salons both in person and via Zoom. She’s the voice welcoming artists to the PSBA community. Her involvement goes back to the time PSBA was just an idea. Jane, along with a small group of women, conceived the plan to build a regional organization dedicated to furthering the knowledge, practice and understanding of the art of the book. You’ll hear about all of them over the next few months.
Jane has been an active PSBA board member through all these years. How fitting we begin this 15th anniversary year by spotlighting Jane. I met Jane on a rainy afternoon at Bloedel Reserve. After walking through the gardens, we entered the main house and climbed the narrow attic stairs to view her new project, rescuing and organizing the archives of the estate. —Diane Miller
You'll find her Spotlight interview here.
Previous spotlight profiles are here.
If you have a suggestion for a PSBA spotlight, contact Jane Carlin (carlinjane@gmail.com) or Diane Miller (dianemiller1914@gmail.com).
Thank You Sally Alger and MalPina Chan!
This December two of our long-term board members have ended their terms. Sally Alger and MalPina Chan have contributed so much to the organization from serving on exhibition committees, managing and organizing programs, and sharing their expertise. Their hard work and dedication to PSBA is recognized and we thank them for their outstanding service!
Upcoming Events
January 20: The 2026 Annual Members' Exhibition Committee is pleased to share that, in collaboration with the Book Arts Guild and the Guild of Book Workers Northwest Chapter, we are hosting a very special ZOOM event on January 20 from Noon-1pm. We have assembled a panel of experts to explore the topic, “Best Practices in the Book Arts: Writing Artists' Statements and More!”
Additional information and reigstration is here.
January 22: PSBA Board Meeting. Members welcome. No registration. Contact Belinda Hill directly for more information at benjisnewadventure@gmail.com.
January 24: Revolving Ring. 9am-Noon. Online workshop with Belinda Hill
The Revolving Ring structure can be folded compactly and unfolded into a wreath that can be rotated showing 6 sections with four sides plus inner decorations. The sides can be decorated, cut with windows, or with pop-outs. Starting with 24 panels, they are decorated, folded assembled into modules that are connected. With magnetic closures the connected modules can be joined into a wreath shape that can revolve. Requires few tools, mostly medium weight paper and glue.
Registration is required. Mini-workshop fee: $30. Register here.
February 4: Will you be our Valentine at BARN on Bainbridge.10-2PM.
Additional information and registration available here.
February 15: PSBA Annual Meeting. 1pm-3pm with special guest speaker Yuka Petz.
Register here.
February 21: Transforming the Familiar. 1pm-4pm. Online workshop with Gina Pisello.
Registration required. Mini-workshop fee: $30. Register here.
February 22: All About Books Redux: The Influence of Graphic Design on Artists' Books with Babette Mayor. Noon-4pm. BARN on Bainbridge.
Register here.
February 26: PSBA Board Meeting. Members welcome. No registration. Contact Belinda Hill directly for more information at benjisnewadventure@gmail.com.
February 27: PSBA Volunteer Recognition Coffee.10:30am-Noon. 2926 S. Steele Street, Tacoma (Becky Frehse's Studio).
Registration required. Click here for additional information and to register.
2026 Annual Members’ Exhibition Updates: Celebrating 15 Years of Creativity and Community!
Thank you to everyone who filled out the Intent to Submit form for this year's exhibition. Don't worry if you did not respond, you are still able to submit your book. The Intent forms provided the Committee with a general idea of the number of participants. The prospectus is available on the website and the entry form will be available February 1! Some important dates to remember:
- Exhibition is June 4-July 31
- Entry form opens February 1
- Entry form closes March 15 (midnight)
- Notification by Week of March 31
- Exhibit Catalog orders due April 21
- Art drop-off June 1, 10am-Noon
- Exhibition Installation June 2-3
- Opening reception June 4
2026 PSBA Annual Book Exchange Call for Theme Ideas
The PSBA Annual Book Exchange takes place in October each year, providing an exciting opportunity for members to exchange their own handmade artist’s book for another artist’s book. We are writing to solicit themes for this year’s exchange! Please submit your ideas by end of day Thursday, January 15, 2026, using this form.
Looking for inspiration? Last year’s theme was “Bridges.” Theme ideas considered also included Architecture, Gratitude, Melody, and Recipes. Books from previous Exchanges have been amazing! To help you brainstorm, visit the PSBA website to view images of the books and themes from the past few years.
You are welcome to submit an idea from previous years or something completely new.
The Book Exchange Planning Committee will narrow down your ideas to five possible themes. Look for an email by January 18 that will include a link to a form for you to vote for one of the five finalists by end of day Thursday, February 12. The winning theme will be announced at the PSBA Annual Membership Meeting on Sunday, February 15.
Please join us in brainstorming themes for the PSBA 8th Annual Book Exchange!
Olympia Meetup
Our next Olympia PSBA Meetup will be Friday, January 30 at 1 pm in the Olympia Public Library meeting room.
Plan on bringing some book arts or creative writing to share. In the meantime, Happy Holidays (and stay warm and dry)!
Pierce County Meetup
The Pierce County MeetUp will be January 14 at the University Place Public Library from 6pm to 8pm. Questions? Email Lucia Harrison at luciaharrison49@gmail.com.
Member News
Two PSBA Members were selected as Bloedel Creatives!
We are delighted to announce that two of our members, Abbie Birmingham and Donna Letterese, were recently selected as Bloedel Reserve Community Creatives.
The Program was established in 2023 to offer local members of the community the opportunity to utilize the Bloedel Reserve as a place of inspiration for their work over a period of several months. Each Community Creative is expected to offer at least one community engagement opportunity for the public.
Abbie Birmingham:Abbie’s project will be a series of artist books highlighting the birds of the Reserve and the plants that feed and shelter them throughout the four seasons. In cooperation with Bloedel Reserve staff she will design her community engagement opportunities to share her love of birds and nature through creation of small artist books and other works.
Donna Letterese: While working under the guidance of the Community Creative Program and Bloedel Reserve overall, Donna aims for her community engagement projects to be art workshops. She plans to create a cross-disciplinary combination of Botanical and Narrative Illustration/Comics, Artists' Books (with a focus on Accordion Books and Tunnel Books), and Illustrated Journals/Urban and Nature Journaling Sketches. Donna is very happy to be able to have the chance to be in the Community Creative program at Bloedel Reserve and is excited for all of the endless reference and inspiration the Gardens will provide for her to work across these varied art forms for her Creative Project.
Judith Christensen: “I'm delighted to announce the opening in January of my one-person exhibit at the Rose Gallery in San Diego. This exhibit will focus on the metaphor of the house and the everyday details it encompasses--a theme I return to again and again.”
Exhibit Information: "Home is Where the Story Begins"
January 12 - February 20
James Alan Rose Art Gallery, 6501 Linda Vista Road, San Diego, CA 92111
https://www.judithchristensen.com/
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, January 26. Subject line should read: PSBA Member News. The February 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.
