Dear NBG Community,
A dear friend recently lent a book to me, Design Language by Tim McCreight. It is a fascinating collection of images paired with the author’s comments about sixty words that “show up frequently when we discuss the objects and artifacts in our world.” One of the words McCreight chose to highlight was ‘progression’. Its meaning stems from Latin: pro + gradi = to walk forward. I have spent some time contemplating this word and the author’s ruminations. Progression speaks to the way our eyes move over the pages of a book, how a book’s structure, materials, and embellishments direct our eyes and kindle a response to what we see. The word progression also conveys movement in other ways, most pointedly to what we are all experiencing as we “walk forward” with new protocols after sixteen months of Covid restrictions. I imagine holding a book with pages made of heavy, handmade paper— I lift the edge of a new page and carefully turn it over, looking with anticipation to see what comes next.
One delightful event that just unfolded was the switch from a Zoom class to a hybrid class that will allow fully vaccinated students to meet in-person for Margo Klass’ Bookmaking: Collage as Content at UAF. Twelve NBG book artists will join Margo in a weekend of exploration, using collage to tell a story. Another wonderful “step” in our Guild’s progression is the Eco-Dying class Laurel Herbeck and Corlis Taylor will be teaching on July 10. As you read the details about their class and how to register below, you will see that the class is being offered, in-person, to fully vaccinated members. A few other classes are in-the-works and will be announced in the July newsletter. Also, remember that the NBG studio is open every Wednesday, 12-4pm, for members to purchase supplies from Paper Birches. A recent order of teflon bone folders, metal edges, PVA glue, and a variety of book cloth and papers (multiple colors of Bugra, St.Armand, and elephant paper) have been added to our inventory. Canson and Shin Inbe papers are on the way and will arrive soon.
As I reread Tim McCreight’s thoughts about progression, I focus on the phrase “steady improvement” and I feel encouraged. I hope you, too, are finding ways to “walk forward” into summer’s burgeoning progression.
Warmest regards,
Susan Campbell
NBG President
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BOOK ARTS BASICS 3: Glued Structures
CASED-IN BINDING
with Ashley Thayer
Sunday, June 13, 2021 10-noon and 1-3pm
Instructional fee: $50 (includes materials)
Make a cased in binding, similar to the familiar books you have on your shelves at home. We will start by learning proper terminology, then basic construction of a book including a sewn text block, endpapers, and faux endbands. This is a great precursor to other traditional binding styles. Some bookmaking experience recommended. Materials and instructional guidelines will be available for pick up at the NBG Studio, Wednesday, June 9, noon-2pm.
Wait list only
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Eco Printing and Dyeing on Paper
with Corlis Taylor and Laurel Herbeck
Saturday, July 10 10am-4pm
Location: Corlis Taylor's Studio
748 Gaffney Road, Suite 104
NBG Members $105, Guests $115
Materials fee of $15 is included in the above fee
This class is limited to six vaccinated participants
Join us in this fun and exciting opportunity to learn Eco-printing with plant materials and natural dyeing with dye extracts to make gorgeous, unique papers. Instructors will provide paper, dyeing equipment, plant material and dye extract; but feel free to collect from your own garden or woods. Leaves, berries, bark, flowers and other plant materials, such as onion skins, can be kept fresh for several days in gallon sized plastic bags. Rusty items such as nails and old metal objects make interesting design elements as they leave imprints on the paper.
Please bring the following: Notebook or journal, pencil or pen, scissors, apron, towel, heavy rubber gloves, personal face covering, plastic grocery bags (to take home wet paper), and plant materials (if available).
Backyard plants: roses, marigold, delphinium leaf, birch, chokecherry leaves, geraniums, nasturtiums, fireweed (flowers and leaves) any other colorful flower, plant, or berry.
Please prepay for the class by
mailing check to
Northwoods Book Arts Guild,
Suite 205, 3550 Airport Way, Fairbanks, AK 99709
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THE NORTHWOODS SET BOOK PROJECT
The Set Book Project is complete and will be introduced to the viewing public at the Books As Art 3 exhibition in November 2021! The project is the result of a creative partnership between Northwoods Book Arts Guild, University of Alaska Press and its director Nate Bauer, Peggy Shumaker, editor of the Alaska Literary Series, and four poets who generously shared their books as inspiration for the project. Sixteen members of the Guild participated in the project.
The collaboration began in 2019 when Margo Klass met with Nate Bauer, Director of UA Press, to propose a partnership between the Guild and the Press, creating an opportunity for book artists to rebind already-published books. The tradition of using a pre-selected text, a “set book,” as a springboard for creating artist books was not well known by our membership, but with discussion and inspiration from the OPEN/SET exhibition sponsored by the American Academy of Bookbinding, they designed a hybrid version of the concept for UA Press and Northwoods Book Arts Guild.
Four books were selected as the “set” texts for the project. Each is authored by an Alaskan poet and published by UA Press as part of the Alaska Literary Series, edited by Peggy Shumaker:
Armor & Ornament, by Christopher Lee Miles, 2019
Li Bai Rides the Celestial Dolphin Home, Tom Sexton, 2018
Roughly for the North, by Carrie Ayagaduk Ojanen, 2018
Of Darkness & Light, by Kim Cornwall, edited by Wendy Erd, 2019
Artists were given a choice of rebinding a copy of the published book, or binding a copy of the book’s text block digitally printed in signatures. Beyond those parameters, artists had full creative freedom to design the book’s structure and method of binding.
Look for more information about this exciting project in each of the NBG newsletters leading up to exhibition of the project in Books As Art 3 next November.
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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 the BOOKS AS ART 3 exhibition in the Bear Gallery!
Artists are invited to submit up to 4 general entries representing a wide range of hand crafted book forms: unique or editioned, sculptural or traditionally bound, interactive or passive.
Artists may submit up to 4 additional entries in the following special focus areas:
Set Books
Letterpress/Chap Books
Foldables
#areyoubookenough
Also....
NBG has been designated the
Bear Gallery Gift Shop featured artist of the month
so artists may offer additional handcrafted books for sale in the Gift Shop.
EXTENDED NBG STUDIO HOURS!!!
We have extended our regular studio hours:
Wednesdays, noon - 4pm
Bring your Books As Art 3 works in progress for consultation, inspiration,
and community work time.
(Masks required, please!)
Download the Guidelines for much more information!
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FOCUS ON BOOK ARTS 2021
VIRTUAL CONFERENCE:
Where We Live
July 15-17, 2021
It's time to register for FOBA!
The three-day series of online events are free but you must pre-register.
Here's the line-up:
Thursday, July 15, 5:00-6:00 PDT
FOBA 2021 Welcome Reception & Where We Live Juried Exhibit Panel Discussion
Friday, July 16, 5:00-6:00 PDT
Featured Speaker Tia Blassingame: Book Arts Futures
Saturday, July 17, 5:00-6:00 PDT
Challenge Book Roundtable
Deadline for entering the Challenge Book Project: June 23
All events are centered around the theme “Where We Live."
Each event requires a separate registration.
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Newport Paper Book Arts Festival 2021
VIRTUAL CONFERENCE
September 17-18-19, 2021
Save the dates for this virtual conference,
to include on-line classes, lectures, exhibition, and more.
More information to come in early July.
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NORTHWOODS BOOK ARTS GUILD
CALENDAR
Letterpress Chapbook Project
ongoing
BOOK ARTS BASICS
Series 3: Cased-in Bindings
Sunday, June 13, 10-noon and 1-3pm
WORKSHOP
Eco Printing and Dyeing on Paper
Saturday, June 10, 10am -4pm
Save the date!
NBG PROGRAM MEETING
Saturday, July 17, 1-3pm
#areyoubookenough theme: Velvet
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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