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President’s Note
Beside the snowdrift,
The gray mountain rock is warm
Under the young leaves.
Alaska in Haiku
by David Hoopes & Diana Tillion
Another month of winter is behind us. Or at least we are wishing it so! We’ve had to focus totally on the warm sunshine and the lengthening days, not the readings on the thermometer. Here we are in April, National Poetry Month! April is bound to be better surrounded by poetry!
At NBG we seem to be about poetry these days. We just held our first in person meeting of interested participants in our broadside project. The letterpresses are inked and ready. And we continue to test papers for use in the broadside project. Over at The Folk School print shop, NBG members are taking classes and expanding their skills. There is a buzz out there! And do read on for another exciting guild opportunity that relates to poetry.
The NBG April Program Meeting on Saturday, April 11th features our own Ashley Thayer who will introduce us to the world of paper weaving. Join us for a great in-person event at the Noel Wien Library from 1 to 3 pm. You’ll be sure to come away with some ideas for your own book arts projects. All are welcome!
I look forward to all our projects, events, and classes as we head into the second quarter of the year.
Rebecca Morse
NBG President
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Northwoods Book Arts Guild
APRIL PROGRAM MEETING
Introduction to Paper Weaving with Ashley Thayer
Saturday, April 11, 1-3pm
In-Person! Everyone welcome!
Active Learning Lab - Noel Wien Library
Reminder will be sent out Friday, April 10
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Join us for a hands-on activity where we will learn multiple ways to add paper weaving to our book arts repertoire. Get inspired by a presentation of modern paper weaving, learn tips and tricks to make the process successful, and make multiple weaving examples models to reference in your own practice at home. We will be referencing and celebrating the release of Helen Heibert’s new book Weaving with Paper, available at local bookstores.
Plain cardstock will be provided for the activity, but please feel free to bring any papers you may want to experiment with, both solid colored paper of various weights and textures, as well as decorative. Old calendar pages, one-off prints, and imperfect watercolor painted papers all work wonderfully.
MATERIALS/SUPPLIES TO BRING:
- cutting mat
- X-acto knife
- Pencil and Eraser
- ruler and metal rules (if you have them)
- optional additional paper, 8x10 or smaller
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Northwoods Book Arts Guild
GUEST ARTIST
PIETRO ACCARDI WORKSHOPS
May 11-12 and May 15 -17, 2026
THERE ARE STILL OPEN SLOTS IN SOME OF THESE WORKSHOPS!
OPEN REGISTRATION BELOW
| | Thank you for all who registered for these workshops. We will be sending you an email with lots of information including payment. There's still room and time for you to register! Below is the link for OPEN REGISTRATION: Friday, April 3-24 | | |
Northwoods Book Arts Guild
NBG Members
are invited to participate in
a special exhibition of artist books
to celebrate publication of
This Far North
Poems by Susan Campbell
NBG Founding Member
Published by Boreal Books,
an imprint of Red Hen Press
Book Release August 2026
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Current NBG members are invited to select a poem and create an artist book which incorporates a visual response to the poem as well as the poem’s complete text. NBG members who sign up for this exhibition opportunity will be given pre-publication access to a selection of poems from the book.
NBG is partnering with Solstice Books and Gather to present this month-long exhibition and a public poetry reading by Susan. The exhibition and the reading are to take place in November 2026 at Gather.
JOIN PARTICIPATION LIST
Detailed information (guidelines, poem selection process, etc.) will be emailed
All NBG members are encouraged to participate in this special exhibition!
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THE BROADSIDE PROJECT
What Matters: Broadsides from Alaska
Poetry | Imagery | Printing
Call for Poetry Submissions now open!
April 3, 2026 - June 30, 2027
Rolling submissions
For guidelines and submission information click link below
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Northwoods Book Arts Guild
OUTREACH ACTIVITY
Every Family Counts
Monday, April 13, 5:30 - 7:30pm
In-person
Active Learning Lab - Noel Wien Library
Free!
NBG is participating partner in this event.
To Volunteer contact: Chris Greenfield-Pastro
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Northwoods Book Arts Guild
OUTREACH REPORT
Boreal Sun Student
Learns Book Binding Skills
| | An eighth grade student at Boreal Sun Charter School has taken on a bookmaking project as a part of the school’s Eighth Grade Independent Project. Teacher Susan Kerndt contacted Northwoods Book Arts Guild to see if we might mentor a student in making and binding books. As a result, Jordan Davis made an accordion book containing original poetry. In addition, Jordan chose to give a well-worn paperback book new life using book board and book cloth. Jordan also used marbled paper the class made earlier this year for the end papers. With the help of NBG mentor Chris Greenfield-Pastro, Jordan has learned many skills in constructing and binding books. Congratulations, Jordan! | |
The ink drawing by Chris Greenfield-Pastro.
Printed by Bruce Campbell and others in the NBG Letterpress Studio.
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Making Ink Drawings into
Letterpress Relief Plates
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Attention Broadside artists! Boxcar Press, of Syracuse, NY, will scan and convert your original black and white ink drawing into a photopolymer relief plate for printing on one of our presses. There are a few tips to consider:
- Line width: Photopolymer plates need a line width sufficient that the polymer can withstand the pressure of the printing press. Boxcar recommends lines larger than 0.25 points, or 0.1mm in diameter.
- Boxcar recommends dots be larger than 1 point, or 0.4mm. The issue is the width of the actual line or dot drawn, not the pen. If you feather or lightly draw, the line or dot may simply disappear.
- Line spacing: Tight or closely spaced lines can blur together. If you want to retain a clear distance between lines as distinct from an entirely blacked out portion of a drawing, this is an issue you need to be aware of.
- Size: Draw and submit your original in the exact final size you want
- Complexity is welcome. Want to imitate an old fashioned engraving? Yes, you can. Want to use your own hand lettering? Yes, works great. Calligraphy? Absolutely!
- Multi-color printing? Yes. You can create a separate line drawing for each color. Many of our inks can be mixed to create the color and tint you desire. Just keep registration in mind. Getting paper and plates registered is entirely possible–but not easy–and rarely needed. Precise registration is time and paper consuming.
- Can you create a multi-color reduction print? No. That is a different process, not a photopolymer plate. Use wood block, linoleum, or Japanese vinyl.
- Cost: Boxcar plates cost $0.77/ square inch, with a 50 square inch minimum. Pearl can print 7”x11” (77 Sq in) at a cost of $59.29 plus $15 UPS 2nd day shipping. The Common Press (12”x18”) and Folk School cylinder presses can print larger plates. The Broadside Project can gather several images to fit into one 16.5”x20” plate, saving multiple shipping fees.
A photopolymer plate is harder than lead type and better to deboss, or press into paper than softer metal type, by using a soft backing/blanket and perhaps wet paper.
Photopolymer does not last forever. In our dry climate the plates eventually curl, harden, and crack when uncurled. Plan on making the most use of your plates in a year, possibly two if stored away from sunlight, or perhaps store them in a refrigerator where the moisture is beneficial.
Boxcar scans your original drawing at a high resolution. Most home scanning multi-function printers do not. I suspect Dateline could, if you ask. It is better is to send the original, which Boxcar will return.
Create your drawing on high quality smooth paper. Fibrous paper, be it watercolor or Arches, may yield a rough fragmented line. If you want the final to have the appearance of being printed on linen, then print it on linen paper. Make the plate as crisp and clean as possible.
Plates are not limited to being created from original ink drawings. The most common are digital drawings in Adobe Illustrator which they receive via email. Boxcar offers specific details on how to submit digital files. No, Bruce does not think pencil drawings will work.
In conclusion, to create an ink drawing for a photopolymer plate, use a pen of 0.1mm or larger tip size. Dots should be 0.4mm or larger. Closely spaced lines may run together. Boxcar Press offers helpful tips on their website: boxcarpress.com.
Stop by Open Studio on one of the next few Wednesdays as we print more of Chris’s cards and stationery and see her drawings become letterpress prints!
Bruce Campbell
NBG Letterpress
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WANTED: Old Vegetable Oil
The kind you no longer want to use. Sunflower, soy, corn, safflower or highly processed cheap outdated cooking oil. Why? Letterpress is no longer using solvents to clean ink off type, presses and rollers. We use simple vegetable oil. Not a lot, but we could use more.
No, we don't want olive oil or coconut oils, they are too expensive. Save the coconut oil for popcorn or other high value cooking! Ha! Cheap, stale vegetable oil is fine.
Bring your oil into the studio in a pint or small container with a flip top that doesn't leak.
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Contemporary Sewing on Cords
with Margo Klass
Friday, May 1, 6-8:30pm
Saturday and Sunday, May 2 -3, 10am - 4pm
Murie Building, Room 306, UAF Campus
Cost: $225 - 1 open slot
This workshop explores the historic binding technique of sewing on cords, re-imagned for contemporary bookmaking. Traditionally hidden within the spine, the cords in this variation are intentionally exposed, creating a striking spine. Instead of folded sections, the text block will be built from single pages of richly colored Japanese Momigami paper. Each page incorporates a thread embedded along the spine edge, making it possible to sew single pages across, rather than up and down, the spine. Participants will personalize their elegantly chunky books with content of their own design using collage, stamping, drawing, or writing.
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Magic Canoe shares stories from the bioregion we call home, Salmon Nation.
DEADLINE: April 5, 2026. Magic Canoe is accepting applications for four remote contributing writer roles (Salmon, Environment, New Economies, and Indigenous Leadership), offering $1,000 per month for a six-month commitment to produce one feature article monthly on regenerative, place-based solutions across the Salmon Nation bio-region. Must be located in Salmon Nation: Alaska, British Columbia, northern California, Idaho, western Montana, Oregon, Washington, and the Yukon.
More information here:
Magic Canoe Application for Contributing Writers
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The Folk School offers a variety of printmaking classes throughout the year.
Join the Spring printmaking class:
The Folk School’s printmaking classes take place in the basement of Cabin 66 in Pioneer Park, in our Print Shop. The shop is a growing facility, currently equipped for relief printing, monoprints, collagraphs, and printing etchings that have been made elsewhere. We are working toward adding more equipment for additional processes.
Students who have taken a Folk School printmaking class have access to a low cost facilitated Print Shop Open Studio: 23, 5-9pm , where they can build the skills they have learned in workshops. These Print Shop Open Studio nights are designed as a bridge to build confidence with the goal of artists being able to use the Print Shop independently.
The Print Shop is also available to more experienced printmakers (experience can be either through the Folk School or elsewhere) to work on an independent basis. We offer daily, monthly, or yearly memberships, and the space is open for use anytime the building does not have other scheduled activities. This access requires a meeting and a Print Shop orientation.
For a listing of classes: The Folk School Schedule of Classes
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Focus on Book Arts 2026 Conference
June 24 - 28, 2026
Western Oregon University
Monmouth, Oregon
Who’s going to FOBA?! Registration is now open and classes are filling up fast! There’s something for everyone, at every level! Click the link below to register.
The FOBA Conference attracts over 200 book and paper artists from around the world.
We offer five days of workshops taught by renowned, professional instructors in the fields of bookbinding, printing, decorative papers, paper making, and networking opportunities.
REGISTRATION INSTRUCTIONS
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NORTHWOODS BOOK ARTS GUILD
CALENDAR
Open Studio & Boreal Book Arts Showcase
Every Wednesday, 12-2pm
Paper Birches is open for your book arts needs!
NBG Studio
NBG Letterpress Studio
By Appointment with Bruce Campbell
NBG Guest Artist
Pietro Accardi Workshops
May 11-12 and May 15-17, 2026
Open Registration: April 3 -24
NBG Outreach
Every Family Counts
Monday, April 13, 5:30-7:30pm
Active Learning Lab - Noel Wien Library
April Workshops at NBG Studio
Loopy Stitch with Rebecca Morse
Saturday, April 4, 10am - 3pm
April NBG Program Meeting
Paper Weaving with Ashley Thayer
Saturday, April 11, 1-3pm
IN-PERSON!
Active Learning Lab - Noel Wien Library
NBG SIGS - Special Interest Groups
Coptic Binders Meet Up
Fridays 1-3pm
April 3, May 1
NBG Studio
Beginners Cohort
Friday, April 10, 6-8pm
Friday, April 24, 6-8pm
Drum Binding, we'll be gluing this month
All members welcome
No materials or tools needed!
Drop-in! Free!
NBG Studio
To Join: Vanessa DeWolf
Art-o-Mat Location
April & May, 2026
The Folk School Fairbanks
Cabin 66 in Pioneer Park
2300 Airport Way
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Northwoods Book Arts Guild is a member project of the North Star Community Foundation and receives its nonprofit status through them. We are continually grateful for their support.
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