Dear NBG Community,
Exactly one year ago, in the March 2020 NBG Newsletter, I sadly announced that because of the spread of Covid-19 all of our classes and meetings would be cancelled until “it’s safe for us to gather again.” Looking back, it is startling to think that we are still waiting for that time. Our next Program Meeting will be on March 20, spring equinox. (See the link below.) Living this far north, I am amazed by the dramatic contrast between winter solstice, the darkest day of the year, and spring equinox, the day when sunlight and darkness are equally balanced. This spring’s equinox holds a new hope. Hope for positive changes in our community as a result of widespread vaccinations and all the other precautions we are each taking to keep ourselves and each other safe. I can imagine that you are filled with as much anticipation as I am, wondering when we can return to in-person gatherings. For now, we will continue virtual meetings.
During the past year, our Guild has been traversing a steep learning curve, switching our meetings and classes to Zoom. Last month we launched Book Arts Basics Series 1: Getting Started. Those classes are currently underway with thirteen enthusiastic students learning fundamental skills as they explore tools, papers, and folded books. This month, we are launching Book Arts Basics Series 2 - Sewn Bindings. This series offers an introduction to three structures of sewn bindings that add distinctive visual elements to the character of handmade books (see details below). Series 2 classes are appropriate for both beginning book artists and experienced bookmakers who want to enhance their ‘toolbox’ of skills. All the pertinent information and sign-up links are included in this newsletter. Your NBG Board is in the process of planning Series 3: Glued Bindings. April’s newsletter will detail those offerings.
Along with our work on the Book Arts Basics Series, board members are organizing and preparing for NBG’s upcoming show in the Bear Gallery: Books As Art 3. Every Guild member is invited to contribute up to four artist books. I am excited to report that we just received some exciting news from the Fairbanks Arts Association. NBG now has the Gift Shop “Artist of the Month” spotlight for the month of our show, November 2021. This is a great opportunity for members to show work both in the gallery and in the gift shop.
I hope you can make it to the March 20th Program Meeting. I am looking forward to sharing the first day of spring with kindred book artists. As always, I welcome your questions, suggestions, and ideas.
Warmest regards,
Susan Campbell
NBG President
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PROGRAM MEETING
SATURDAY, MARCH 20, 1-3PM
FABULOUS FOLDABLES #2
Origami Screen Structure
with Susan Campbell
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Join us for the second in our series of program meetings focused on creative foldable structures. At each meeting you are invited to make a model of an intriguing foldable, selected for its potential to inspire you to create a book for the upcoming exhibition Books As Art 3! Scroll down the newsletter to see two examples of finished books created from the Origami Album Structure presented at our January meeting.
Susan Campbell continues the series with an Origami Screen Structure. Follow along as we learn how to measure, score, cut, and fold to make a model of a basic frame unit. Use the model to inspire your own book by joining 4 or more panels together using materials, images, and embellishments of your choice.
Prepare for this mini-workshop
Please have the following tools and materials ready:
mat, ruler, cutting knife, edges (optional), scoring bone, bone folder)
1 piece card stock paper, 5.5 x 8.5" (grain short)
Download the diagrams
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#areyoubookenough Themes:
March: Fenced
April: Body language
May: Fruit
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Northwoods Book Arts Guild is excited to offer BOOK ARTS BASICS SERIES 2- SEWN BINDINGS. In this series, we offer an introduction to three structures of sewn bindings that add distinctive visual elements to the character of each book.
This series of Zoom classes is offered by NBG in partnership with the Folk School Fairbanks,
and with generous support of the Alaska State Council on the Arts,
and the National Endowment for the Arts.
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BOOK ARTS BASICS 2: Sewn Bindings
JAPANESE STAB BINDING: TORTOISE SHELL PATTERN
with Susan Campbell
Sunday, April 11, 2021 - 10-noon and 1-3pm
Instructional fee: $50 (includes materials)
The rich tradition of Japanese Stab Bindings began over 2000 years ago. Participants will make a model to learn the tortoise shell stitching technique and then create a soft-covered blank journal, bound with this distinctive pattern. All materials and instructional guidelines will be available for pick up at the NBG Studio, Wednesday, April 7, noon-2pm.
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BOOK ARTS BASICS 2: Sewn Bindings
THE WRAP-AROUND BINDING
with Laurel Herbeck
Sunday, April 25, 2021 - 10-noon and 1-3pm
Instructional fee: $50 (includes materials)
This versatile book structure combines a concertina support with a 2-section text block and a cover that wraps around and neatly tucks in for a truly elegant finish. The book is sewn with a 5-hole pamphlet stitch, and is suitable for use as a travel or art journal, photo album, field journal or sketchbook. The possibilities for design and use of this portable book are endless. We will begin with making a model for future reference, and then create a final book featuring decorative papers for the cover. All materials and instructional guidelines will be available for pick up at the NBG Studio, Wednesday, April 21, noon-2pm.
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BOOK ARTS BASICS 2: Sewn Bindings
1- 2- and 3-SECTION BINDINGS
with Margo Klass
Sunday, May 2, 2021 - 10-noon and 1-3pm
Instructional fee: $50 (includes materials)
This workshop introduces you to sewing sections into books using patterns of stitching along the spine. After sewing a single-section binding, we’ll progress to bindings of two and three sections. We’ll discuss paper selection, measuring, fitting, and sewing technique as we create three artful books. Diagrams and templates are provided to guide future bookmaking. All materials and instructional guidelines will be available for pick up at the NBG Studio, Wednesday, April 28, noon-2pm.
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BOOKS AS ART 3
November 5-27, 2021
Fairbanks Arts Association
Bear Gallery
NBG members are invited to be a part of BOOKS AS ART 3 exhibition in the Bear Gallery! We welcome a wide range of hand crafted book forms: unique or editioned, sculptural or traditionally bound, interactive or passive.
Artists are invited to submit up to 4 entries
Artists may submit additional entries in the following special project areas:
Set Books
Chap Books
Foldables
#areyoubookenough
Letterpress
Become a member anytime to participate in this and other Guild activities.
Download the Guidelines for much more information!
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Upside Down, by Linda Adamson |
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TRACKS, by Mary Bee Kaufman |
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Foldables Spotlight
Our NBG Program meetings now focus on foldable structures especially adaptable to a variety of papers, palettes, images, and content themes. Featured here are two examples using the origami album structure introduced at the NBG January meeting. Linda Adamson's piece plays with the dual positioning of the book: right side up or upside down. Mary Bee Kaufman's book cleverly combines her watercolor sketches of bark beetles with framing papers made from her photographs of beetle-infested bark. Well done!
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University of Alaska Fairbanks
Summer Sessions 2021
Bookmaking: Collage as Content
Friday, June 4 6-8pm
Saturday and Sunday, June 5-6 10-noon and 1-3pm
Margo Klass, Instructor
This workshop focuses on using collage to tell a story. A combination of form, color, and space become a visual language to impart content. Just as we read from left to right, we will create our collaged images progressively from one panel to the next, intentionally including both movement and rest throughout the 6-paneled concertina structure. Discrete areas of hand-stitched texture will be added to punctuate space and embellish forms. A colophon, on the reverse of the last panel, can include written information about its imagery, if desired. The completed concertina will be cased in board covers, with an inset cover plate, to create the finished book.
The workshop format will include the following:
· Pre-workshop appointment (in person, with masks and social distancing) to pick up materials, select palette, and determine scale for your project.
· Workshop sessions on Zoom as outlined above.
· Post-workshop appointments (virtual or in person) to bring project to completion.
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#AREYOUBOOKENOUGH
February Theme: Red
by Ashley Thayer
Inspired by a 15th Century French heart shaped book, this little red leather book
reminds me of a love token, maybe with a secret note written inside,
meant to be kept close and carried around in a pocket.
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FOCUS ON BOOK ARTS 2021
VIRTUAL CONFERENCE:
Where We Live
July 12-17, 2021
This three-day series of online events centered around the these “Where We Live” will include featured speakers, a juried exhibition, artist reception, a challenge book, and vendor marketplace.
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NORTHWOODS BOOK ARTS GUILD
CALENDAR
NBG Program Meeting
Saturday, March 20, 1-3pm
#areyoubookenough theme: Fenced
BOOK ARTS BASICS
Series 1: Folded Books
Sunday, March 21, 2-4pm
Letterpress Chapbook Project
ongoing
Set Book Project
Deadline for completed books: April 1
BOOK ARTS BASICS
Series 2: Japanese Stab Binding
Sunday, April 11, 10-noon and 1-3pm
BOOK ARTS BASICS
Series 2: Wrap-Around Bindings
Sunday, April 25, 10-noon and 1-3pm
BOOK ARTS BASICS
Series 2: 1-2-3-Section Bindings
Sunday, May 2, 10-noon and 1-3pm
NBG Program Meeting
Saturday, May 15, 1-3pm
#areyoubookenough theme: Fruit
NBG Exhibition
BOOKS AS ART 3
Bear Gallery
November 5-27, 2021
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Learn about and support Northwoods Book Arts Guild!
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