Greetings,

Do you look at the postings and newsletters and think that you don't have the background, skills or confidence to take a class or volunteer? If you want to take a class, we're happy to answer questions about skills needed. If you want to volunteer we will connect you with a mentor. You'll find that our instructors are not only knowledgeable but also encouraging and happy to answer your questions.

Here are a couple of easy places to start. The Tacoma Library would like us to do a few 1-hour sessions this summer, wouldn't you like to help with one of these? If you'd like a chance to meet other members, we also need someone to sit at a table and sell art books at the Annual Members' Exhibition receptionon June 4.

Belinda Hill, President

he April Spotlight shines on Debbi Commodore. I interviewed her at home. We sat at the same dining room table where many PSBA conversations and projects have come together over the past 15 years. It's the place where long standing friendships were formed and where Debbi has marked her growth as an artist. This year's theme gave her a chance to reflect on her past, present, and future as an artist. She said, "The present is entitled 'Attention,' and it reminds me that I did not arrive here alone, but through the support, encouragement and generosity of others."

—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).

 

Upcoming Events

April 11 and 12: Matchbox and Hardcover Book Workshop with Rhiannon Alpers. 10am-4pm each day. Studio of Becky Frehse, Tacoma.

Small boxes can hold big wonders. This two-day workshop combines bookbinding and boxmaking, guiding participants through the creation of a hand-sewn hardcover book and a drawer-style matchbox enclosure designed to house it.

Participants will learn traditional link-stitch sewing with multiple signatures and create a hardcover wrapped in bookcloth and decorative paper. The structure is intentionally flexible and ideal for writing, collage, mark-making, and image transfers—either during the workshop or afterward at home.

The workshop is open to all skill levels, though an intermediate skill level is recommended. Students will also explore principles of multi-component box construction that can be applied to other box forms created independently.

Register here.

April 23: Lunchtime Conversation with Velma Bolyard.  Noon-1pm. Zoom.

Wild Abundance: Botanical Contact Printing on Paper. Velma Bolyard invites us into her multi-faceted world of botanical contact printing.

She will share her process in getting rich dimensional results through trust and delight in the unexpected. Her partnership with foraged plants shows up in the richness of her papers. Join us for this colorful presentation, as Velma shares her process from her northern New York State surroundings.

Velma Bolyard is a mother, artist and teacher, living in the St Lawrence River watershed north of the Adirondack Forest Preserve, where she forages for and cultivates fiber, dye and papermaking plants. Velma makes dyes, inks, papers, threads, spins kami-ito (paper thread), weaves shifu (paper textiles), fish skin parchment for her artists’ books. She is a papermaker who also naturally dyes papers and fibers with plants and earths.

Visit Velma’s website to learn more about her work.

Register here.

May 17: Book Wraps and Belly Bands Mini-Workshop: 10am-1pm. Studio of Becky Frehse, Tacoma.

Now that your artist book is completed, what are some ways to protect it while storing or transporting it?

 In this hands-on workshop, participants will learn how to create beautiful and functional book wraps and belly bands designed specifically to protect and personalize their artist books. We’ll explore four different book wrap styles, ranging from simple folded designs to more structured, durable constructions. You’ll also learn how to make two unique belly bands that securely hold your books closed while adding a tailored, finished touch.

Join us to learn practical techniques to help preserve your work while elevating its presentation. Debbie Commodore is an experienced and innovative teacher whose work can be seen on her website and in many collections. You can learn more and register for this class here.

Mini-workshop fee: $50. Register here.

May 24: Recycled Collage Book. 9am-Noon. Zoom.

Using recycled materials, transform glassine envelopes and a cardboard box to create a truly original book showcasing your painting, collage and book-making techniques. Security envelopes with glassine windows become wonderful mini-canvases to paint and collage. We will then create a book with five pages to hold and display all five envelopes.

Rosemary Ray's workshops are always colorful, creative and fun. View her work on her website Rosemary Rae Design. 

Workshop fee $30. Register here.

2026 Annual Members’ Exhibition: Celebrating 15 Years of Creativity and Community!

We thank everyone for their submissions! 68 book artists will be represented in this year's Annual Members' Exhibition. The books interpret the theme of "15" in innovative and engaging fashion from exploring the symbolism of the number itself, posting and responding to 15 questions, reflecting on 15 years of friendship and artistic practice and much more! It will be a great exhibition.

We also have two Open Cases events planned. A Zoom event on July 11 from noon-1pm and an in-person event at Collins Library on July 16 from 4pm- 5:30. Save these dates in your summer calendar!

Some important dates to remember:

• Exhibit Catalog orders due April 21
• Art drop-off June 1, 10am-Noon
• Exhibition Installation June 2-3
• Opening reception June 4

2026 Annual Members’ Exhibition Silent Auction Update

We have received some awesome donations for our upcoming Silent Auctions. The online silent auction will be presented in late May, followed by the in-person silent auction at the Annual Members’ Exhibition opening reception June 4.

Olympia Meetup

We'll meet at the Olympia Public Library's meeting room on Friday, April 24, starting at 1 pm. Bring artwork or creative writing to share.

Pierce County Meetup

The Pierce County Meetup will be April 8 from 6-8pm at United Church in University Place (3912 Grandview Drive W, University Place, WA.). All are welcome. Questions? Email Lucia Harrison at luciaharrison49@gmail.com.

Volunteers Needed for Seattle Art Book Fair

PSBA has a table at the Seattle Art Book Fair May 9-10, 11am-5pm each day, in Washington Hall, 153 14th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122.

The Seattle Art Book Fair is a free annual festival that celebrates independent publishing, book design, and artist books. The nonprofit event hosts local, national, and international artists, designers, and organizations and includes exhibitors, talks, workshops, and art installations. The fair is focused on building and expanding the community of booklovers and bookmakers in our region by bringing together seasoned practitioners and newcomers.

We are specifically looking for someone in the Tacoma area who can bring the “Make and Take” materials from Collins Library to the event on Saturday morning .

PSBA will be sharing a table with the Book Arts Guild and we are requesting volunteers to staff the table. You'll be there with the BAG representative to talk about artists' books in general, the PSBA in specific, assist with a make-n-take, and meet book lovers of all kinds. You will have time to tour the other tables and see what's happening in the Seattle book arts scene. There are so many cool sounding participants, you might need to come to the fair both days!

We need to fill six 2 to 2.5 hours slots. This can be six different people or one person can fill more than one time slot. If you've been wanting to experience the Art Book Fair, make this the year and take the opportunity to show your support for the Book Arts Community.

If you can help at this event, please contact Lynn by May 1 at mcclaingrp@gamil.com.

Volunteer Spotlight

This month’s volunteer spotlight features Sally Alger.

When asked for thoughts about volunteering for the Artist Book Community, Sally Alger had this response:

“I wanted to let you know what has excited and rewarded me about volunteering to coordinate workshops for PSBA:

First of all I love interacting with the teachers I have met. Now they know me and I know them. They have been great at getting me enthusiastic about their art and making it accessible to me. There are many little tricks of the trade to discover in the craft of making a book.

Second, if you coordinate a workshop you get to attend for free.

Last, I have enjoyed finding out the details of how to set up a workshop. It is fun to make things happen.”

PSBA’s New Website is a Year Old

It's hard to believe it is almost a year since we launched our new website with improved design and access to PSBA information, including our past newsletters, previous exhibition catalogs, images and content from our book exchange, member profiles and more! If you have feedback, content ideas, or even great images of workshops and events, please consider sharing your thoughts! Email Jane Carlin at carlinjane@gmail.com.

Member News

Abbie Birmingham: Abbie’s work "Passages - River Journeys" will be on exhibit April 2-25 at Studio 103, https://www.studio103gallerytk.com/.

“Rivers are a deep source of human inspiration, solace and metaphor, representing life’s journey, time and change. River bridges are gateways and crossings, passages to a different place, a different reality, a new start. Abbie is a printmaker and book artist and the pieces in this show highlight the Columbia River bridges and Seattle's Duwamish Waterway industrial corridor. These works are part of her ongoing explorations of the aesthetic and emotional impacts of the Columbia River crossings as well as the complicated mix of indigenous displacement, industrial growth, pollution, decay and renewal that the Duwamish Waterway embodies. Abbie’s display will include artist books, monoprints, screen print, collage, historic maps, cyanotype and rusted papers created using metal scraps collected while walking the Duwamish. We hope you can join us!” 

April 2: Art Walk from 4:00-9:00.

April 11: Artist Reception from 11:00-4:00, Artist Talk begins at 1:30.

Studio Hours: Saturdays 11:00-4:00.

Gabby Cooksey:

• Congratulations to Gabby who is a recipient of the 2026 Artist Trust Fellowship Award! Read more about Gabby and view her featured works here.
• Gabby taught an intensive technique-filled weekend workshop in two advanced hinge-binding techniques to eight PSBA members on March 21-22 (image below). Participants included Lynne Olson, Jessie Wing, Lucia Harrison, LeeAnne Campos, Paula Te, Laura Wait, Debbi Commodore, Claudia Hollander-Lucas and Dorothy McCuistion.

Marilyn Stablein:

• Marilyn had three collages juried into Bloom, an exhibition in Joseph, Oregon at the Josephy Center for Arts & Culture, 403 N Main St, Joseph, OR. The collages included: "Eco-Tourism," "Good Flower Seeds," (pictured above) and "Lush Harvest."
• Her altered artist book, "Summer Frenzy,” was juried into the show "A Kaleidoscope of Pages!" which opened at the Springville Center for the Arts, in Springville, New York, in March. The show runs for two months and closes: May 28, 2026.
• Learn more about Marilyn and her work here.

Suze Woolf: Suze’s “State of the Forest” installation will be shown in the Puget Sound area for the first time since it began touring in 2019. Thirty original paintings of burned trees were transferred to fabric layers: transparent silk, solid and a black or text polyester layer. Bainbridge Island Museum of Art owns one these tree prints which it included as an artist book in their book arts exhibit “Boundless.” The entire installation will be shown as part of the Seattle-Nantes Sister City artist exchange and will travel to France in the fall. Together with work from French artists, the exhibit will be at Base Camp 2 in Seattle in May. The Belltown Artwalk will be May 8. Lear more about Suze’s work here.

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 Sunday, April 26. Subject line should read: PSBA Member News. The May 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.