Educational Outreach: 'Imaginary Landscape' picture book made of monotype prints ...

Recently, eleven 7-8 year old children from Park Century School had fun making monotypes with Los Angeles artist Christina Carroll and her small press. The kids expresses themselves with water soluble ink to make landscapes, tying in their curriculum at school. Their original prints were made into an accordion book and given to the school, and each child received a color reproduction of their collaborative book. Happy Summer kids! We loved having their energy and look forward to the Fall.

We want YOU kids! Cool exhibits and creative artists await to work with you, your teachers and your school curriculum. Come play with us here at the Craft in America Study Center!

Book Arts Pioneers: Hedi Kyle

During our Book Arts exhibition we had an especially wonderful visitor, who talked with me about the work of Hedi Kyle. Ms. Kyle is both a highly regarded book conservator and book artist. I find this combination of roles, one dedicated to the preservation of an existing structure, and one to exploring the seemingly never ending possibilities of structure, to be truly fascinating. Ms. Kyle has reflected about her different roles:

In my daily work as a book conservator I utilize constructions and binding techniques that have proven sound by the test of time and use. Here I do not venture beyond the acceptable methods of my profession.

In my personal work, however, another process takes place. Although inspired by a wide range of traditional and historical book forms, my books are not the kind usually found on library shelves. What I have seen and observed is somehow transformed into book objects of quite a different nature.

I like to think of them as liberated books that have escaped their function but still reflect the intrinsic characteristics found throughout the history of the book.

Quote taken from http://www.centerforbookarts.org/exhibits/usa/kyle.html 

Ms. Kyle is also credited with formulating many book forms including the blizzard spine-folding technique and the “Flag Book" 

Hedi Kyle, 1979 

Photo Taken From: 

 http://www.guildofbookworkers.org/gallery/100anniversary/retro/Kyle.shtml  

Recently, a book honoring Ms. Kyle, Hedi Kyle Festschrift 2009, has been released. It seems like a great mix of how-to and academic essays, and is high on my must-read list. You can learn more about the book here 

Book Arts from the Past: Sonia Delaunay

Last Saturday, Craft in America hosted an amazing panel discussion with Julie Chen, Carolee Campbell, and Harry Reese, with Kathleen Walkup acting as moderator. The discussion was greatly enlightening, touching on topics of digital printing, e-readers, collaboration, and the role of craft in their practices. In Kathleen Walkup’s opening remarks she touched on the history of artists’ books including the work of Sonia Delaunay, who, among other things created an artist’s book while collaborating with the modernist poet Blaise Cendrars.

 A small section from the artist's book Trans-Siberian Prose

 and of Little Jehanne of France, by Blaise Cendrars and 

Sonia Delaunay-Terk, published in 1913

Image Taken from Wikipedia

Cover of  Trans-Siberian Prose

 and of Little Jehanne of France

Image Taken from Wikipedia

I first learned about Sonia Delaunay when I was exploring art history and happened upon the "The Guerrilla Girls' Bedtime Companion to the History of Western Art”. The Guerrilla Girls are a group of art world activists who aim for greater equality in the art world in a playful yet wholly serious manner. They write "The time has come, once and for all, for the canon to be fired". I think the case of Sonia Delaunay is especially striking, due to the parallels between the lack of attention historically given to many female artists and artists working in less acknowledged mediums such as book arts, or even craft in general. What do you think?

Just an extra picture of some of Sonia Delaunay's beautiful designs

Photo taken from this blog

Learn More About the Guerrilla Girls Here

Learn More About Sonia Delaunay Here

Craft Connections

When I first found out we were showing Book Arts here at the Study Center, the first thing that went through my mind was Marcel Duchamp’s Unhappy readymade (1919). This piece was created when Duchamp instructed his sister, Suzanne Duchamp-Crotti, to hang a geometry textbook from the balcony of her Paris apartment so that the problems and theorems, exposed to the test of the wind, sun and rain, could "get the facts of life”. This event is documented as a photograph in Duchamp’s The Box in a Valise and in a painting by Duchamp-Crotti.

A photo of Unhappy readymade

Of course Duchamp’s readymade is a far cry from the painstaking care given to the majority of artists’ books. The knowledge of technique and materials needed to create all of the books in our show are truly daunting, even though the results often feel miraculously effortless. For myself, I love to see my knowledge of craft grow and discover what connections can be made. What connections (perhaps unexpected or even unfitting) do you have to the art of book making?

From the Library: Umbrella

Our Book Arts exhibition is officially up and ready for visitors! In honor of our exhibition I wanted to share the newsletter Umbrella, an amazing resource to learn more (or start learning) about book arts. Umbrella ran from 1978 to 2008 and was started by Judith Hoffberg. Phenomenally, every issue of Umbrella is online and it is completely free and accessible. Here are a couple of covers I particularly liked:

Clicking through the different issues it quickly becomes clear that the book arts were a passion of Judith’s and what better way to learn about something than from someone who loves it?

"When you saw that light blue issue in the mail, you knew what it was. The whole field of artist books became my life and I wanted to share it with all of you. Although marginal at the beginning, it has grown into a movement, a new chapter in art history, one which is recognized by art historians, artists, and all of you. It has become almost too much now, with so many conferences, book fairs, and symposia to attend. And as usual, it has spread globally."

Judith Hoffberg- From the last issue Vol. 31 Issue 3 




View Every Issue of Umbrella Here