News

Greetings PSBA members and happy early start to the holiday season!

Workshop: "How Do We Talk and Write About Artists' Books More Effectively?" Two part mini-workshop.

1st Session: Sunday, November 13, noon-2:30 pm.

2nd Session: Sunday, November 20, 2022, noon-2:30 pm.

Location: Becky Frehse’ Studio, Tacoma. Instructor:  Ann Storey.

PSBA member fee: $45 (includes a $5 materials fee)/ Space is limited to 12 participants. All skill levels welcome. Registration is required.

Writing the description for a book you have created can be challenging! It is often a struggle to capture the words to describe what inspired you. Yet, the descriptions for our books are an important component, especially if we are exhibiting and selling our work. If you would like to learn more about writing a description and talking about your work join us for this two part mini-workshop!

New! PSBA Lunchtime Series: Conversations with Book Artists. Thursday, November 17th, noon.

Registration is required. Register and a Zoom link will be sent out prior to the event.

Hosted by Jane Carlin (University of Puget Sound) and Amanda Roth Clark (Whitworth College).

We are pleased to offer a new series of casual lunchtime conversations over the next year.  This new series debuts with printmaker and book artist Steve Miller of Red Hydra Press, the Penland School of Craft, and emeritus professor from The University of Alabama's Book Arts Program. Learn about Cuba, the latest projects, and life lessons for the curious, the collector, and the creatives.  Read more about Steve’s great work here. 

Workshop: Rainbow Box with Pyramid Lid and Feet. Friday, December 2, 2022, 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM. Location: Becky Frehse' Studio, Tacoma. Instructor: Randi Parkhurst. pace is limited to 12 participants

All skill levels are welcome. PSBA Member Fee: $85.00 (includes a $20 materials fee).

PSBA Non-Member Fee: $120.00.

Member Registration Opens on October 3, 2022

Public Registration Opens on November 14, 2022.

Registration is required.

In this workshop you will be making a specific box, but you will learn the skills to create boxes of any size to hold one of your artist books. This box might also make a nice holiday gift for someone special.

Coming in 2023: Scripts, Scribes and Scribbles: Celebrating the Art of Hand Writing & Lettering. An Exhibition Curated by Jane Carlin and Mark Hoppmann at Collins Library, University of Puget Sound.

Opening January 8th, 2023.

We are in the midst of planning a unique exhibit that will include a potpourri of items from medieval manuscripts, hand lettered books, 19th century penmanship textbooks, pens and inkwells, examples of contemporary calligraphy, personal handwritten journals and letters, writing desks, a "doodle wall," and much, much more!  The idea started last year when we introduced students in a book arts class to the tools of the trade including handmade bamboo pens made by PSBA member Mark Hoppmann.  The idea has evolved as we learned more about how cursive writing is no longer taught in many schools.

The exhibit is bringing together items from the Collins Library collection, Mark Hoppmann's personal collections, and private collections from around Puget Sound. If you have a unique item(s) that you think would fit into this exhibition (see below), or have suggestions for Exhibition related events please contact Jane Carlin. jcarlin@pugetsound.edu, and Mark Hoppmann, mark@markhoppmannart.com. Be sure to include an image and a brief description in your email.  We would love to hear from you!

The exhibition runs from January 8th to May 14th and all items accepted for the exhibition must be received by December 1, so submit your ideas early!

More information will be shared on the PSBA website.

Congratulations to the PSBA artists who participated and a special thank you to those who attended and for making the Tacoma Studio Tours a resounding success after a three year hiatus!

Sincerely,

Your PSBA Board

PSBA October Updates

Greetings and Happy Fall, PSBA Members!

October Events:

PSBA 4th Annual Book Exchange: Sunday, October 9, 2-4pm. University of Puget Sound, Collins Library, Room 053.

Registration for non-participants is required and is limited to 18 participants.

Join us for the 4th Annual PSBA Book Exchange at Collins Library. For those who did not participate in this year's creation of books for this year’s exchange but would like to attend the event, registration is required. For those who registered previously to participate, you do not need to do anything, you are already registered. 

Questions? Contact Belinda Hill at benjisnewadventure@gmail.com.

Masks are not required but recommended.

Changing the Conversation, Malini Gupta: Friday ,October 21 from 1:00- 2:30. University of Puget Sound, Collins Memorial Library, Archives Seminar Room. Registration is required and limited to 15 participants.

Meet artist Malini Gupta whose book, The Fortune Teller, is included in the exhibit Changing the Conversation. As the artist states, “through this work I seek to investigate the deeply entrenched gender biases that plague the Indian society. It is comprised of two parts: part one is the game of Fortune Teller; part two is my personal childhood story. The Fortune Teller - an unassuming childhood game that predicts your future based on choices you make. As the viewer interacts with this seemingly benign and innocuous game they are confronted by the cold, hard statistics of gender inequality in India. For the second part of the piece, I narrate my first hand experiences of growing up in India. “ Malini will discuss this work and others as well as her work as the Creative Director of OCHRE Art and Design in Portland.

Masks are not required but recommended.

Changing the Conversation, Open Cases Event: Wednesday, October 26, 12:00-1:30. Collins Memorial Library, Room 118.

Registration is limited to 15 participants and required.

Join exhibit curators Jane Carlin, MalPina Chan, and Carletta Carrington Wilson, along with many of the local artists (Bonnie Thompson Norman, Amy Ryken, Paige Pettibon, Deborah Greenwood, and Lucia Harrison) featured in the exhibit, to have an up close and personal look at individual books and learn about the creative process.  Books will be removed from the exhibit space and available for closer viewing in library room 118.

Masks are not required but recommended.

Mini-Workshop, Jacob’s Ladder Construction: Saturday, October 29, 1:00 – 4:00. Pt. Defiance-Ruston Senior Center, 4617 N. Baltimore. Tacoma. Instructor: Jan Dove

Please Note: Covid protocols apply to this workshop! The instructor and all participants must be vaccinated for Covid19 and wear a mask during the workshop. Be prepared to show your up-to-date vaccination card.

Registration is required and limited to 12 participants.

Member Fee: $35.00 that includes a $15 materials fee.

Skill Level: All levels are welcome.

Workshop Description: A Jacob’s Ladder is a folk toy consisting of blocks of wood woven together by ribbons. When the ladder is held at one end, blocks appear to cascade down the ribbons. This effect is a visual illusion which is the result of one block after another flipping over. Our Jacob’s Ladder is built of mat board blocks and has the added effect of appearing to magically switch between two different images.

Participants will investigate the mechanics and construction of the Jacob’s Ladder. Participants will leave with at least one functioning Jacob’s Ladder that displays two contrasting images in correct sequence.

Questions? Contact: Jan Dove, jan@jandove.com

Administrative type questions? Contact Dorothy McCuistion at dorothykmc@gmail.com.

Save the Date, Workshop, Rainbow Box with Pyramid Lid and Feet: Friday, December 2, 9:30 AM-4:30 PM. Location: Becky Frehse’ Studio in Tacoma. Instructor: Randi Parkhurst. Skill Level: All levels are welcome.

Registration is required and limited to 12 participants.

PSBA Member Fee: $85.00 (includes a $20 materials fee)

PSBA Non-Member Fee: $120.00

Registration opens in early October. Watch the PSBA website calendar for details.  

Book Arts Guild event, The Wild Garden of Childhood: A Look at Children’s Books Through the Ages: Tuesday, October 18, 7pm, Zoom. Presenter: Sandra Kroupa, Book Arts and Rare Book Curator, University of Washington Libraries. This presentation will look at the history of the book through the lens of childhood, from early forms of the book up to the work of modern book artists, with texts originally written for children.

Register here to receive the Zoom link and for event information.

Report from the Program Committee:

Many PSBA members—52% of you—filled out the program survey last spring. We thank you again! You provided such an abundance of ideas and direction. Over the summer the program committee took a deep dive into the results, which we are using to plan programs into 2023. Here are a few highlights of what’s ahead:

• Jane Carlin and Amanda Clark are jointly planning quarterly virtual presentations from book arts artists and book arts experts. Amanda is Director of the Library at Whitworth University, Spokane, and is part of a new book arts group in Eastern Washington. These presentations will include audience members from both groups and we look forward to cross-pollination in the coming year.
• A new group of book artists who want to learn how to teach various aspects of book arts is forming under the guidance of Ann Storey and Fran McReynolds. They will be contacting those who identified themselves in the survey.
• Another group interested is reaching out to the community to engage more diverse audiences in book arts. Lucia Harrison, Becky Frehse and Sally Alger are leading this effort. They have contacted those in the survey who indicated they were interested in outreach.

If you are interested in joining either the teaching to teach group or the outreach group and did not state your interest on the survey, please contact Dorothy McCuistion dorothykmc@gmail.com .

There were lots of ideas about what workshops to offer: over 30 structure types and over 15 book arts techniques were suggested. While we can’t do it all, we did find some common threads and we hope one or more workshop is of interest to you in the coming months. While complete registration details will eventually be up on the website, here’s a sneak preview:

• How Do We Talk and Write About Artists Books More Effectively?, Ann Storey, November 13 & 12, two afternoons in-person in Tacoma.
• Rainbow Box with Pyramid Lid, taught by Randi Parkhurst, December 2, 2022, full day workshop in-person in Tacoma.
• Wild Windows Slinky Book, taught by Randi Parkhurst, January 7, 2023, full day workshop in-person in Tacoma.
• Montage Sur-Onglets or Hinge Binding, taught by Gabby Cooksey for intermediate/advanced book artists, February 11 and 19, 2023, in-person in Tacoma.
• Word as Image with Suzanne Moore, a virtual workshop series, March 4, 11, 18 and April 1, plus four virtual discussion sessions.

One last programming news item—we have an additional location at the Pt. Defiance-Ruston Senior Center in Tacoma, for some of our workshops and activities. Look for workshops and sharing events at this location in 2023.

Thank you again for your great ideas and support. We need all of you to keep things going.

Sincerely,

Your PSBA Board

September PSBA Updates

Greetings PSBA members! Wishing you a happy Labor Day holiday weekend!

Changing the Conversation presentation recording: Did you miss Alisa Banks’s presentation Changing the Conversation last week? The recording is available on the PSBA YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8_tJtUuQZA.

Changing the Conversation with Yoshi Nakagawa and Jessica Spring: This in-person event will be held in the Book Arts Studio and Exhibit Space in Collins Memorial Library at the University of Puget Sound on Monday, September 12 from 3:00 to 4:30.

Join Yoshi and Jessica as they share the collaborative process for the design of the Changing the Conversation poster as well as their own efforts to support local artists and organizations.  This unique poster is printed in an edition of 100 and available for purchase.  All proceeds will go to benefit programs in support of diversity and inclusion in the book arts at the University of Puget Sound. 

This event is free but registration is required. Register here. Masks are recommended but optional.

PSBA Supports DEI! Donate $30 for a beautiful broadside: This unique broadside is printed in an edition of 100 and available for purchase. All proceeds will go to benefit programs in support of diversity and inclusion in the book arts at the University of Puget Sound and our community. Printed by Jessica Spring and Yoshi Nakagawa in honor of the Changing the Conversation exhibition at Collins Library.

If you are interested in purchasing a broadside they are available for $30 and can be purchased by credit card (in person) or by check made out to Collins Memorial Library. We are happy to mail you a broadside and you can contact Jamie Spaine: jspaine@pugetsound.edu.  As aforementioned, all proceeds will be used to encourage opportunities to engage a new generation of book artists!

Workshop: A Study of Home: This hybrid workshop will be taught by Shu-Ju Wang and will have a maximum of 12 attendees. The workshop limit has been reached, but you may still join the waitlist if someone cancels.

This workshop is designed to help you learn how to develop an idea, conduct research and create a workable model for an artist book in time for the 2023 PSBA Exhibition.

“A Study of Home” comes from the literal definition of the word “ecology” – from Greek oikos "dwelling place, habitation"  + -logia "study of.” In this hybrid zoom/in-person workshop, you will select, research, and create artist books on topics near and dear to your heart and home, however you define it. We will emphasize collaboration, problem solving, verification, and embrace complexity. There will be 3 zoom sessions and 1 in-person session spread over several weeks to allow the participants time to work on their projects. Participants will develop avenues of research (archives, online (jstor, wiki), social media, and neighbors --- by location, by material, by time period, by industry, by species, by folklore). At the end of the workshop, we hope each participant will have a draft of their text, an image library, a list of resources, and an artist book structure mockup.

Workshop sessions are

• Zoom: Saturday September 17, 1-4pm
• Zoom: Saturday October 1, 1-4pm
• Becky Frehse's Studio: Sunday October 23, 9am-4pm
• Zoom: Saturday November 5, 1-4pm

Register here to join the waitlist. Workshop fee is $260 for PSBA members, $295 for non-members.

Annual Puget Sound Book Artists Book Exchange: Save the Date! The Book Exchange will take place at Collins Memorial Library at the University of Puget Sound on Sunday, October 9th from 2:00-4:00 pm. 

We know there is still uncertainty about meeting in person, and we want to be prepared for an online only or restricted event. We will have a slideshow prepared to show if we need to change to an online event. The information you provide for the works you create for this event will be used in the slideshow. Please include three images for it. Complete this form by September 15th.

Questions? Contact Belinda Hill benjisnewadventure@gmail.com or Abbie Birmingham abbiemi5274@gmail.com.

Volunteers needed: We are looking for 3-4 PSBA volunteers to review some wonderful books arts materials and supplies that may be of use in workshops and events.  The materials are currently located in the Book Arts Studio at Collins Library. The review process would begin in mid-October and it will be up to the group to determine when they might like to start. The sorting and review might take place over a few afternoons or a Saturday! Contact Jane Carlin if you would like to be part of this effort: jcarlin@pugetsound.edu.

Sincerely,

Your PSBA Board

August PSBA Updates

Greetings PSBA members! Hope your summer is going well!

PSBA Members' Exhibition Closes August 5: Plan a day to come and absorb the work in this exhibition!

To learn more about the exhibition, visit the Collins Library website.

PSBA Members' Exhibition Panel Discussion: Thursday, July 28 5:30-7:00, Zoom. This last exhibition event is a special screening of a pre-recorded panel discussion between several artists in the exhibition and moderator Peter Newland. The four selected panelists are Nancy Brones, Kimberly Izenman, Lynn Skordal, and Ray Zill. Additional information and registration is here.

PSBA Members' Exhibition, Pick Up Work: August 6, Time TBD. Collins Library. Masks are not required, but recommended. Visit the PSBA website here for updates.

2023 PSBA Members' Exhibition Updates: As a PSBA member, you’re invited to participate in the 2023 Annual Exhibition. This year’s suggested theme is “Collaboration.” As always you are encouraged to think broadly in your interpretation. Building community within PSBA and connecting with the larger community is so important today and we hope that this theme will meet that objective.

Here are some ideas to get you started: You can take this prompt literally, as in two or more artists working together. Or you may interpret it more generally, as in being inspired by or in alliance with a creative work from an historic or contemporary author/visual artist.  Or you can think outside your routine as well, expand into the community by working with an elderly neighbor, talking to someone that works in a field you find interesting, or chatting with someone at a local community center. Collaboration can imply a positive partnership and it can also have a more negative connotation such as conspiring with a dangerous or subversive group.

As always you also have the option of going outside of the theme. Dates and other details will be announced later.

Let the creativity begin!

Book Club of Washington, On Collecting and Legacy: August 14, 2pm Zoom. For more information and to register, click here.

Puget Sound Book Artists 4th Annual Book Exchange: Registration opened May 1st and will close August 27. The date will be sometime in September. Location TBD. Registration is required to participate. To register and see the latest updates on this event, click here.

Alisa Banks, Changing the Conversation Presentation: August 25th, 4pm, Zoom. Register for this free event here.

Changing the Conversation is an exhibition co-curated by MalPina Chan, Carletta Carrington Wilson, Jane Carlin and Angela Weaver and features over 60 books collected over the last decade that address social justice themes. Alisa’s book Wrongful Termination in this exhibit addresses race-based discriminatory practices. Starting in the 1980's, multiple suits have been filed against employers, schools, and other agencies by people of color (primarily women) who were fired, passed over for promotion or hiring, or sent home for wearing their natural hair

Alisa Banks investigates connections to contemporary culture, her Creole heritage, and the African diaspora through the lenses of home, terrain, and the body, using Southern Louisiana as a point of entry. Her sculptural artist books, writings, and textile collages, which incorporate fibers and found materials, reference traditional craft forms through twisting, knotting, crocheting, and sewing. Her interests include exploring alternative modes of reading and the performative potential of the book. Alisa’s work has been exhibited in Canada, Europe, Asia, Africa, and throughout the US, and is housed in several private and public collections, including the Smithsonian Institution, the US Library of Congress, and the New York Public Library.

Alisa holds a B.S. degree in Medical Laboratory Science from Oklahoma State University and an M.F.A. degree from Texas Woman’s University. She lives in Dallas, TX. For more information, visit her website

Workshop: A Study of Home, A Hybrid Workshop: Zoom: Sat. Sept. 17, 1-4pm. Zoom: Sat. Oct. 1, 1-4pm. Becky Frehse's Studio: Oct. 23, 9-4. Zoom: Sat. Nov. 5, 1-4pm.

This is a combination of 4 Zoom and In-person sessions taught by Shu-Ju Wang designed to help you learn how to develop an idea, conduct research, and create a workable model for an artist book in time for the 2023 PSBA Exhibition. Registration is required.  Registration opened July 7^th for members and will open August 1 for non-members. Cost is $260 and registration is limited to 12. Register here.

Sincerely,

Your PSBA Board

July PSBA Updates

Greetings and Happy Summer, PSBA Members!

PSBA Members' Exhibition

The opening reception of the 2022 Annual Members’ Exhibition celebrated the work of 52 artists, with nearly 55 guests and artists on hand to celebrate the first in-person artists’ reception at Collins Library since 2019.

Juror Dan Shafer selected Kimberly Izenman’s maze-fold accordion book “Grief” for the Award of Excellence. “Grief” invites the reader into a dense meditation on loss and devotion. The meticulously stitched fabric scraps, layered with family artifacts and memories, are both beautiful and fragile, and they seem to be quiet islands in a sea of chaotic, abstract painted gestures. The book reveals a journey through immense challenge and loss which, though intensely personal, is also invitational. In Izenman’s work, we are all given a space to consider our own grief, and to see a way through it.

The Exhibition Committee awarded the Curators’ Choice Award to Ray Zill for her work, “Peaks & Valleys.” This flag book structure incorporates photography and poetry by the artist and chronicles the peaks and valleys she experienced during the pandemic. Through photos using different exposure techniques, Zill depicts herself in a number of powerful poses, sitting back to back with herself drinking and smoking, “Speak the truth, if you let me; cloud your judgment by choice, What is real becomes an effigy when all is shaken but your voice.” The work embodies the exhibition theme, from its visual depictions of the personal ups and downs in the artist’s life to the physical manifestation of peaks and valleys in the book’s curving flag segments. All in all, it was a compelling piece that strongly resonated with the exhibition team.

The exhibition reception was followed by open case presentations over four days in June and July.  These were a series of delightful informal, salon style events given by exhibiting artists in which they discussed their work, followed by a Q&A from artists and guests in attendance.  The last presentation will be Wednesday, July 6^th, 12:00-1:30pm. Registration is required to attend as a guest. 

Panel Discussion, Thursday, July 28 5:30-7:00 Collins Library: This last event is a special screening of a panel discussion between several artists in the exhibition and moderator Peter Newland.  Light refreshments will be provided.  Registration to open soon. E

The Exhibition closes August 5^th. The month of July will be our last opportunity to visit the exhibition before it closes forever. Plan a day to come and absorb the work in this exhibition!

To learn more about the exhibition, visit the Collins Library website.

Mini-Workshop: Dragon Book Structure: Instructor: Debbi Commodore, Thursday, July 7, 2022, 1:00 – 4:00 PM. Register here.

Book Club of Washington: Howard Iron Works Printing Museum Virtual Tour July 24, 2022 at 1:00 PM PDT Online Event. Register here.

Puget Sound Book Artists 4^th Annual Book Exchange: Participant Registration opened May 1^st with 16 artists registering for the event.  There is still room for a few more registrants, but time is running out!  Registration is required to participate.

Workshop: A Study of Home: Begins September 17. This is a combination of 4 Zoom and In-person sessions taught by Shu-Ju Wang designed to help you learn how to develop an idea, conduct research, and create a workable model for an artist book in time for the 2023 PSBA Exhibition. Registration is required.  Registration opens July 7^th. For more workshop details visit the PSBA website.

Alisa Banks Presentation: Save the Date! August 25, 4pm, Collins Library Alisa Banks, noted book artist will be speaking about her work on exhibit in Changing the Conversation at Puget Sound. Below is some information from her website.

 Alisa Banks investigates connections to contemporary culture, her Creole heritage, and the African diaspora through the lenses of home, terrain, and the body, using Southern Louisiana as a point of entry. Her sculptural artist books, writings, and textile collages, which incorporate fibers and found materials, reference traditional craft forms through twisting, knotting, crocheting, and sewing. Her interests include exploring alternative modes of reading and the performative potential of the book. Alisa’s work has been exhibited in Canada, Europe, Asia, Africa, and throughout the US, and is housed in several private and public collections, including the Smithsonian Institution, the US Library of Congress, and the New York Public Library.

Alisa holds a B.S. degree in Medical Laboratory Science from Oklahoma State University and an M.F.A. degree from Texas Woman’s University. She lives in Dallas, TX.

Sincerely,

Your PSBA Board

Greetings and Happy Start of Summer, PSBA Members!

Survey Update and Raffle Winners: Thank you to everyone who took the time to fill out the survey earlier this month. Participation was high--73 of 141 members filled out the survey. This tells the board that our members are engaged in PSBA and you have given us lots of food for thought. We will be reporting the results of the survey in the coming weeks.

Three lucky members were selected in a drawing to receive a packet of book arts materials. Congratulations go to Becky Johnston, Susan Kimmel and Ray Zill!

2022 Members’ Exhibition, Upcoming Dates

June 3: Delivery of Work to Collins Library. Front Entrance of Collins Memorial Library at the University of Puget Sound from 10-3. Directions and additional information is here. Masks are now optional but recommended!

June 11: Opening reception at Collins Library, 2-4pm. Masks are now optional but recommended!

June 15: Artists' Registration: 2022 PSBA Members' Exhibition: Open Case Presentations.  

Do you want to share the story behind your book? Register to participate in an open case presentation during the 2022 PSBA Members' Exhibition.

Masks are now optional but recommended!

Open case presentations by the artists are scheduled for:

June 15

June22

June 29

July 6

Each open case presentation will be on Wednesday from 12:00-1:30.

Visit the Exhibition page for additional information.  

Look for Registration for Guests and Other Artists Who Wish to Listen to the Presentations to open soon!

June 4: Workshop:  Exploring Ways to Get Text on the Page. 

Location: Dorothy McCuistion’s Tacoma studio

Instructor: Dorothy McCuistion

9:30 AM – 3:30 PM

 Register here. 

Workshop Description: If you’re like me and don’t have access to letterpress, it’s always a dilemma to figure out how to put text in my art books. In this class, we will explore many low-tech ways to get words on the page. We will work on our own and at hands-on stations with a variety of methods ranging from pencil to image transfer to printing. While the instructor has many techniques to teach, participants are invited to bring samples of their own methods to share with the class. By the end of the day, each person will have a set of 10 or more sample cards to use as reference for future projects. A few techniques of binding the cards will be demonstrated.

 

July 7: Mini-Workshop: Dragon Book Structure

Location: Becky Frehse Studio in Tacoma

Instructor: Debbi Commodore

1:00 – 4:00 PM

Registration for PSBA Members Opens May 31, 2022

Workshop Description: The dragon book structure, also known as the snake fold is a simplified version of the petal fold used in origami. The seeming simplicity of folded book structures easily lend to creating more complex structures.  In this workshop you will learn the fundamentals of folding, scoring and folding tools and explore the versatility of this structure.

Sincerely,

Your PSBA Board

Greetings and Happy May, PSBA Members!

Members’ Survey: The PSBA board would like to know what you, our members, want in terms of events and programs. We ask that you take 5-8 minutes (depending on how wordy you get in the comments sections) to fill out this survey.

Please complete the survey by Friday, May 13.

As an incentive to complete the survey, those who elect to do so will be entered into a drawing and three lucky winners will receive a packet of book arts supplies.

 Take the survey by clicking here.

May 1:  Registration opens for members who want to participate in the Annual Book Exchange. Register here. 

2022 Members’ Exhibition, Updates

This year’s guest curator will be Dan Shafer.  Dan D Shafer is a Seattle-based graphic designer, artist, and educator. He owns Dandy Co., a graphic design studio specializing in book design, environmental design, and event branding and promotion. Dan is also the Creative Director for Chin Music Press and teaches book arts and design classes at Cornish College of the Arts

SAVE THE DATE:  We are planning for in-person events this year, beginning with the opening reception at Collins Library on June 11, 2-4pm.

Other events will include open case presentations by the artists, scheduled for:

• June 15
• June22
• June 29
• July 6

Each open case presentation will be on Wednesday, beginning at 12:00

And as a grand finale, a screening and panel discussion on July 28^th 5:30-7pm.  Details on how to register and attend each of the above events will be posted on the PSBA calendar as they become available

·         53 Artists submitting work for this year's exhibition

·         Total # of artists submitting one work:  32

·         Total # of artists submitting two works: 12

·         Total # of artists submitting three works: 9

·         Total # of works submitted for this year's exhibition: 83

May 4:  Notification of Acceptance

June 3: Delivery of Work to Collins Library

May 14: Mini-Workshop: Nested Accordion with Watercolor Printing. Register here. Location: Anne Storey's studio. In this workshop we will learn how to make abstract prints to decorate and embellish your artist's books using watercolor and plants.

May 1:  Registration opens for members who wish to participate in the Annual Book Exchange.

May 31: Registration opens for Mini-Workshop: Dragon Book Structure. Location: Becky Frehse Studio. The dragon book structure, also known as the snake fold is a simplified version of the petal fold used in origami. The seeming simplicity of folded book structures easily lend to creating more complex structures.  In this workshop you will learn the fundamentals of folding, scoring and folding tools and explore the versatility of this structure.

 

June 4: Workshop:  Exploring Ways to Get Text on the Page.  Registration opens April 30! Location: Dorothy McCuistion’s Tacoma studio. f you’re like me and don’t have access to letterpress, it’s always a dilemma to figure out how to put text in my art books. In this class, we will explore many low-tech ways to get words on the page. We will work on our own and at hands-on stations with a variety of methods ranging from pencil to image transfer to printing. While the instructor has many techniques to teach, participants are invited to bring samples of their own methods to share with the class. By the end of the day, each person will have a set of 10 or more sample cards to use as reference for future projects. A few techniques of binding the cards will be demonstrated.

 

And if you haven’t already done so, check out the PSBA’s YouTube channel. Recently added videos include "Annual Members’ Meeting with Amanda Clark and Timothy Eli" and "How to Have a Good Mail Day: Discover the Joys of Mail Art."

Sincerely,

Your PSBA Board

Greetings and Happy Spring, PSBA Members!

Covid Protocol:  Many organizations are lifting restrictions that were put in place during the height of the Covid pandemic.   In an abundance of caution, we are leaving mask requirements to the discretion of workshop hosts and facilitators, as well as to the individuals themselves.  In addition, proof of vaccination will be at the discretion of a workshop host. 

SAVE THE DATE!  The 2022 PSBA Members' Exhibition Opening Reception will be Saturday June 11th, 2-4 pm. It’s that time of year and all members will be receiving a flurry of emails about our upcoming exhibition.  It is so exciting to announce that we are planning an in person reception this year.  We can’t wait to enjoy the camaraderie of gathering together to celebrate the Book Arts!   Keep your eyes posted for details and we look forward to many submissions.   Remember, the deadline for submissions is April 22nd!  Be sure to visit the Exhibition Prospectus as well as the PSBA website calendar to keep up with events as they unfold.

Etiquette for Marketing Artist Books: A Conversation with Catherine Alice Michaelis is Wednesday, April 6th from 4-5pm via Zoom.  The event is free but registration is required. 

Botanizing Hope: An Altered Book Botanical Journal.  There are still spaces available for this workshop Saturday, April 30th , 10am-4pm at Becky Frehse' Studio.  Click here to find out more about the workshop and to register!

Around the “Sound”:   Science Stories is now open at the Port Angeles Fine Arts Center.  This beautiful setting, nestled in a wooded area, is a perfect venue to showcase this work. Wild/Life is on display at Collins Library and the Library is now open Sundays from 1:00 to 5:00 pm for the general public. Monday - Thursdays:  8:00 am to 8:00 pm.  Bainbridge Museum has a major book arts show that is on view all spring.   Many of our members will be attending CODEX Book Fair in California and we are excited to receive reports from the exhibition hall during their visits.

Cunning Curiosities, The Minature Book: For those who attended and for those who could not attend, but wish they had, Pat Chupa has created a pdf file of the works created during her February workshop,   You may view the work by the artists who attended by clicking on this link.

Retreat:  The PSBA Board is planning a retreat on May 23^rd.  If you have ideas or concerns you would like us to address, just let us know!

Membership:  A gentle reminder to renew your membership to take advantage of all our programs and events and support the book arts!

Sincerely,

Your PSBA Board

 

Hi Everyone,

The Ides of March are almost upon us and it's time to take advantage of everything the PSBA has to offer!  For all of these events, visit the PSBA Calendar to find out more or to register!

March 12:  How to Have A Good Mail Day: Discover the Joys of Mail Art

We are pleased to welcome special guest Jennie Hinchcliff, co-author of the book Good Mail Day: A Primer for Eye Popping Post.  Jennie will introduce us to the history of mail art and share her long involvement in this art form. For the price of a postage stamp, Mail Art is available to every artist at every level.  This event is free but Registration is required.  

March 15:  SUBMISSIONS BEGIN FOR THE 2022 PSBA MEMBERS' EXHIBITION!

As a member of PSBA you are invited to participate in the 2022 PSBA Annual Exhibition.  This year's suggested theme is Peaks and Valleys. Peaks and Valleys invoke many connotations.  We encourage members to explore their own highs and lows, literal and metaphorical.   Click Here to view the entire Prospectus online, including photography dates and other important information, or to obtain a printable pdf of the prospectus. 

March 25:  An Open Case Presentation by Vamp & Tramp Booksellers, 12:00-1:00 via Zoom.

Join us in viewing a selection of art books from our friends at Vamp and Tramp Booksellers. We remember the days when Vamp and Tramp made their annual west coast tour and stopped at Collins Memorial Library. We were so fortunate to be able to view and the handle books in person. For now, we’re experiencing the next best option via Zoom. Grab your lunch and settle in to savor the richness of creativity and ingenuity that comes each time we see how artists interpret topics or themes in brand-new ways.  This event is free but Registration is required. 

March 27: Photography Sessions open for those members needing to get their work photographed for the 2022 PSBA Members' Exhibition.  Choose between two days in March and April, courtesy of Collins Library and Curatorial Team Member, Rachel Watson.  These sessions are free, but Registration is required.

April 30: Botanizing Hope: An Altered Botanical Journal,

Botanizing Hope is a workshop in which an altered book can become a personal archive of life in a changing climate.  In this workshop, participants will learn basic techniques for altering a book to use as a journal in which to record observations of the natural world.  Join Puget Sound book artist, Lou Cabeen as she leads this intriguing workshop. Space is limited and Registration is required for this workshop.

February 21-April 21:  Guild of Book Workers Triannual Exhibition: Wildllife

And last but not least, be sure to visit Collins Library, the University of Puget Sound, to see this remarkable exhibition featuring approximately 50 works by Guild members.  For more information on the exhibition, visit the Collins Library website.

Enjoy!

Your PSBA Board.

 

Dear PSBA Members,

February brings renewed energy to our organization as we welcome PSBA members, Belinda Hill, Peter Newland, Julia Stringfellow, and Rachel Watson to the PSBA board!  

With our 4 new members joining our Board and a new series of workshops and events planned for the spring, the PSBA board and it's members have been busy!   Some of you are already participating in Pat Chupa's workshop, Cunning Curiosities: The Miniature Book.  If you missed out on this workshop opportunity, we have many more presentations and workshops coming up.   To find out more or to register for all or any of these exciting events, visit the Calendar on the PSBA website.

• We begin with a Zoom presentation of the Guild of Book Workers Triannual Exhibition: Wild/Life this Sunday, February 20, 1-3pm.  Demand for this presentation has been overwhelming at 91 current registrants.  Come join the fun!  

• How to Have a Good Mail Day: Discover the Joys of Mail Art, a Zoom Presentation followed by  a member meet-up in breakout rooms, Saturday, March 12, 2022, 1-2;30pm.  The event is free, but registration is required.

• March 15, Submission for the 11th Annual Puget Sound Book Artists Members' Exhibition begins.  The prospectus is currently being updated with more detailed information on a continuing bases, but you can visit the current prospectus here.

• Once more we have the pleasure of a Zoom presentation by Vamp & Tramp booksellers on March 25th. Join Vicky Stewart and Lindsey Ellinas in an open case presentation beginning at 12pm. 

• Registration opens on March 1st for the April 30th workshop, Botanizing Hope: An Altered Book Botanical Journal, with instructor Lou Cabeen

• Join PSBA members Belinda Hill and  Abbie Birmingham as they coordinate the 4th Annual Book Exchange, themed, Pathways.  Registration to participate in this annual fun event opens June 1.

Remember to find out more or to register for each or all of these engaging events visit the  Calendar on the PSBA website.

We are hopeful renewed energy of spring will lift some of the health restrictions and allow for more in person events.  In the short term, remember Collins Library is hosting the Guild of Bookworkers Wild/Life exhibition and is open Monday through Friday 8:00 – 5:00 and from Sundays starting March 29 – April 17 1:00 – 5:00.

See you all soon,

The PSBA Board