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Newsletter
December 2024
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Hello Book Artists,
I had the opportunity to attend the UAF Museum reception for the NBG Set Book Project: A Creative Collaboration. The Set Books are being featured in the Rose Berry Gallery. Please take time to visit the show. I cannot describe to you how beautiful the show is. The museum staff did an excellent job of displaying our work. The opening reception was lovely and included comments by Christopher Lee Miles, one of the poets whose book of poetry, "Armor & Ornament" is featured in several of the set books.
With Christopher’s permission, I've included some of his remarks from the reception:
“When we say, “we make art” we are mistaken. Art makes us. We are created in the act of submitting ourselves to its process; and the more we submit, the more we resign ourselves to seeing what needs to be made, to that degree, what is made goes on making. The more transparent the act of vision the more the signal comes through. The sense–the only sense–that detects the signal is imagination.”
“And language is bound in books, so books also bind us together. I know from experience that the act of binding a book can very much be the binding of one’s self. And when the verbal textures of poems, in this setbook project, become physical textures in the hand, that is, when the expressions of the tongue is felt by the finger. Magic. From the heart to the tongue. Magic. From the tongue to the eye. Magic. From the eye to the book that enacts what the poet describes. Magic.”
I want to remind you our next 2nd Sunday Open Studio is December 8, 1 - 3pm. And of course we continue to have Open Studio every Wednesday from noon - 2pm. The studio will be closed for the holidays, December 18 - January 8, 2025.
And here we are, it's the final month of such a wonderful and productive 2024. Thanks to all of you for making it memorable. Here comes 2025, full of book arts opportunities. The January newsletter will be chock-o-block full of information.
Corlis Taylor
NBG President
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NBG Workshop
Kumihimo Cord for Book Artists
with Sherrill Peterson
Saturday, December 28, 2024
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
NBG Studio
Members $60, Guests $80
Materials Fee $8
Workshop limited to 8 participants
Discover the many ways this ancient cord can be used as a structural and decorative element in bookbinding. Using diagram-type instructions, we will learn the steps for making the cord and weave a few inches of cord, as time allows. We will discuss and practice color placement which influences cord pattern. Optional wire and other core materials will be provided for use inside the cord. Materials will be provided for practicing a finishing attachment on a tiny book board cover. We will learn a “clean start” and its uses.
Prior experience with kumihimo is not required. Because of the limited time, it is expected that only a small amount of cord will be made, leaving time to discuss finishing techniques for use in books. The main focus of this workshop is to inspire use of kumihimo cord in books to be shown in the Books As Art 4 exhibition in June 2025.
Early Registration is appreciated.
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Northwoods Book Arts Guild
ABC Challenge
Inspired by Robert Bolick’s ABC book collection, NBG members are invited to make their own alphabet-themed books. Any structure/format/medium related to book arts is welcome! This will be a slow paced, stress-free project that will culminate as a display in the
BOOKS AS ART 4 exhibition at the Bear Gallery taking place in June 2025.
To check out Robert’s blog, visit http://books-on-books.com
** SPECIAL ZOOM MEETING **
Saturday, December 8, 4-5pm
For those who've signed up, a Zoom Invite will be emailed to you.
All members of NBG are invited to sign up for this challenge! There is no fee to
participate, and we will hold optional meet-ups (virtual or in-person) to discuss
ideas and share our progress. To join this fun and exciting new challenge email Ashley.
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NBG *newest* Special Interest Group
NBG BOOK CLUB: Ella Minnow Pea (2001) by Mark Dunn
- IN-PERSON: Sun, DEC 22, 2024, 10am - noon at Fleckland
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Fleckland is Vanessa's Studio in Well Street Art Co (1304 Well St)
- Alphabet cookies & coffee/tee (with some healthy options too)
- ZOOM: Mon, DEC 23, 2024, 7-8pm
- Zoom Link will be sent when you RSVP
Vanessa DeWolf selected the novel Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn for our first NBG Book Club, inspired by The ABC Challenge. Vanessa will facilitate discussion and focus the reading process on book arts that might be inspired by this book.
Vanessa will host two venue options to discuss the book. This discussion is meant to be a one-time event, you are welcome to attend both sessions if you like. Vanessa will welcome you to her studio, Fleckland, for the In-Person meeting. There will also be a virtual meeting via Zoom. Please RSVP with the link below
There are four copies of the book available at the NBG studio for you to check out. It's lightweight reading and should take about a weekend to read. Vanessa also has an audiobook version, if you'd rather listen to it.
If you cannot participate in this session of NBG Book Club, or if you have an idea for future Book Clubs, email Vanessa
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NBG Report
Art-O-Mat Project Update
Worksessions + Local Artist Opportunity
Thank you to all the folks who have gathered and helped make significant progress on the second NBG Alaskan Haiku Project, NBG's third Art-O-Mat project, led by Sherrill Peterson. We have 150 printed pages for each of the next two haiku, #2 in the series and #3 in the series. We hope to have approximately 15 of each of these to sell during the Books As Art 4 exhibition in June 2025. We will also prepare one batch of 50 to send to Art-O-Mat Central in the next few months.
For more info on NBG Alaskan Haiku Project Work-sessions contact Sherrill Peterson
Also the upcoming Open Studios, on Wednesdays and Sunday, are a great time to learn techniques and contribute to this project as well.
UPCOMING ART-O-MAT OPPORTUNITY: We plan to stock NBG and locally produced art in NBG Art-o-Mat machine, Artie, in June during the BAA4 exhibit at the Bear Galley. Local artists of any age are strongly encouraged to submit a prototype to Art-o-Mat! Details covering how to become a participating artist are available on the Art-o-Mat website
Help us achieve the goal of filling all of Artie's 7 columns with locally produced art!
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NBG Report
Paper Birches Update
We are so fortunate to be surrounded by so many creative people who love to make books. Paper Birches is here to support your ventures in bookmaking; educational in nature, providing resources (materials and tools), supporting the visions of guild members, encouraging new learnings, and introducing materials that may be just what you’re looking for.
Georjean Seeliger, Linda Adamson, with the assistance of Rebecca Morse, are caring for this little corner of NBG. We have inventoried all items in PB, reviewed pricing of every item, organized all paper goods and provided information about each paper offered, reworked the checkout system so that you know what you are purchasing and we know what is selling, and opened the door for discussion with all entities of NBG so that PB can prep for your next great project (might be because of a recently attended class or an exhibition coming up) and assist you to put those ideas in motion.
Paper Birches is available for your perusal at Open Studio. Enjoy!
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Save the Date: Upcoming Spring classes:
Books Arts Basics 1 & 2 (In person)--- with Corlis Taylor and Laurel Herbeck
These classes are an updated version of the original classes taught during the pandemic, as introductory classes for book arts. They will cover basic skills for beginning book makers.
Dates and Classes:
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Saturday, FEB 8---Book Arts Basic 1: Tools, Paper, Folds
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Saturday, FEB 22---Book Arts Basic 2: 1, 2, & 3 Section Bindings
More detailed information and sign up links will be available in the January newsletter.
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The Northwoods Set Book Project:
A Creative Collaboration
in the Rose Berry Alaska Art Gallery at
University of Alaska Museum of the North
Ongoing exhibition
The University of Alaska Museum of the North is hosting a special showing of NBG's Northwoods Set Book Project in the Rose Berry Alaska Art Gallery. Included in the display are almost all of the 26 books from the original Set Book Collection.
The Northwoods Set Book Project involved 16 NBG book artists who responded to one or more of the four books of poetry published by UA Press in the Alaska Literary Series. Artists created newly bound books of the poetry applying their own unique interpretation of the books' subject matter, their aesthetic choices, and their bookmaking skills to the bindings' structures and designs.
This special project was first exhibited in the Books As Art 3 exhibition in the Bear Gallery in 2021. NBG is honored and excited to again share the Northwoods Set Book Project with the Fairbanks community.
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NORTHWOODS BOOK ARTS GUILD
CALENDAR
NBG Open Studio &
Boreal Book Arts Showcase Hours
Wednesdays, 12-2pm
(Hosts: Dec 4---Linda Adamson, Dec 11---Yumi Kawaguchi, Dec 18---Mary Liston)
Second Sundays, 1 - 3pm
December 8
(Hosts: Corlis Taylor & Vanessa DeWolf)
January 12
(Host: TBA)
STUDIO CLOSED FOR HOLIDAYS: Wednesday DEC 25 - Wednesday JAN 8
NBG Activity
Coptic Binders Meet Up
Thursday, December 12, 2 - 4pm
(Host: Rebecca Morse)
NBG Special Interest Group
Reading Club: Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn
IN-PERSON: Sunday, December 22, 10-noon
at Fleckland, Vanessa's Studio in Well Street Art Co.
ZOOM: Monday, December 23, 7 - 8pm
University of Alaska Museum of the North
The Northwoods Set Book Project
The exhibit is up in the Rose Berry Alaska Gallery
NBG Workshop Activity
Kumihimo Cord for Book Artists Coptic Binders Meet Up
Saturday, December 28, 10am - 2pm
** NBG Annual Meeting & Membership Drive**
ZOOM: Sunday January 19, 1 - 3pm
NBG Workshop
Coptic Binders Meet Up
Thursday, January 9, 2- 4pm
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Learn about and support Northwoods Book Arts Guild!
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