NBG SEPTEMBER 2021 Newsletter

Newsletter

SEPTEMBER 2021

Dear NBG Community,

It is with a grieving heart that I share the tragic news of the death of Frank Soos, the beloved husband of NBG founder Margo Klass. Frank died last month in a solo bicycle accident in Maine where he and Margo spend a couple months each year. Frank, a UAF professor emeritus, was a friend, teacher, mentor, and fellow NBG member. In 2019, one of Frank’s prose pieces was included in IMPRINTS, a thirty-five book edition of original poems and prints by NBG writers and artists. Here is a broadside of Frank’s poem, hand-printed in our guild’s letterpress studio with a woodcut illustration by Karen Stomberg.

I know you join me in expressing our profound condolences to Margo and her family.

To hear Frank's distinctive voice, listen to two interviews/tributes by KUAC radio journalist Robert Hannon:

Transitions: Frank Soos - Writer, Teacher, Athlete. Robert Hannon's brief profile

Frank Soos: Alaskan Ruminator, Robert Hannon's longer "Memory Lane" interview with Frank from 2019.

Intake for our Books As Art 3 Show in the Bear Gallery will happen at the end of October. The Planning Committee is working hard on preparations for the installation of our show. Knowing how many books each member is intending to submit will help our planning. Please take a moment to read the note under Books AS ART 3 section. Mary Maisch, co-curator of BAA3, is requesting a response from you with your entry intentions. No worries if you don't know your exact plans yet. This is a preliminary outreach for planning purposes. Thank you! Also, don’t hesitate to let her know if you have any questions.

I look forward to seeing you at our September Program Meeting on Zoom (see details below).

Warmest regards,

Susan Campbell

NBG President

Join NBG

September Program Meeting

Saturday, September 18, 2021, 1-3pm

On ZOOM

(the Zoom Link will be sent in a separate email on Friday, Sept. 17)

Fabulous Foldables #4

The Gallery Book

with Laurel Herbeck

Our activity will be the last foldable in our 2021 Fabulous Foldable Series. Laurel Herbeck will demonstrate how to create a model of a Gallery Book. This versatile structure is basically an accordion book with a twist. It is a foldable book with display windows that can be used in a variety of ways to display papers, stamps, photos and many other “collections”.

SUPPLIES NEEDED:

2 strips of paper (cardstock weight) , 9” x 25 ½, grain short (25 ¼ will also work)

*(see note below)

Rulers or metal edges,
Xacto knife and mat
1/2” double stick tape or Mac Tac
pencil
awl
bone folder
Instruction handout (download and print attached pdf)
Optional: Matt board at least 9 1/4” x 8” for covers.

* Precut sheets of Colorplan paper will be available (free) in the NBG studio along with the printed instructions. You may stop by on Wed., Sept 8 or Wed., Sept.15 from 12-4pm. Please wear a mask. If you’d like, you may cut your own paper. Some suggested papers are Canson, Strathmore 400, painted papers, or anything that is about 160 grams. Cut the paper ‘grain short’ so it will fold without cracking. Heavy paper will be too difficult to work with for this structure, and paper that is lightweight will not have enough strength. If you cut your own paper, please have it ready before the program. You will need 2 strips, 9” x 25 ½, grain short (25 ¼ will also work).

Gallery Book Instruction Handout

WORKSHOP

Caterpillar Binding

with Robin Feinman

a 2-part workshop in the NBG Studio

Part 1: Saturday, September 11 - 10am-2pm

Part 2: Sunday, September 12 - Noon-4pm

Members $120 Guests $140

Materials fee: $15

Participants must be vaccinated and wear a mask during class

WAIT LIST ONLY

We will make a small (3.5x5”) book with caterpillar stitch binding. While this stitch is uniquely decorative, it also binds the text block and covers together to create the book. There will be two options: a straight caterpillar stitch or a curved caterpillar stitch. Both designs are pictured above.

This workshop is for all interested bookmakers; no experience is necessary. We will meet for 8 hours over two days: Saturday, Sept 11 from 10am to 2pm and Sunday, Sept 12 from noon to 4 pm. If you choose the curved stitch option, it’s possible you won’t complete the book in a weekend, as it requires twice the amount of stitching. But once you get the pattern down, you will be able to finish on your own.

Information & Registration

BOOKS AS ART 3

November 5-27, 2021

Fairbanks Arts Association

Bear Gallery

In order to begin designing our BAA3 gallery layout, the Planning Committee would like to ask members to please give some idea of how many books you plan to enter in the exhibition, as well as offer for sale in the gift shop.

As a reminder, the entry categories are listed below.

Please send your categories and expected numbers of books in each category to Mary Maisch at mbmaisch@gmail.com at your earliest convenience. No worries if you don't know your exact plans yet. This is a preliminary outreach for planning purposes.

Thank you!

Your input will help us design a smashing exhibition!

General Entries

Artist books created over the last 4 years are eligible:

they may be one-of-a-kind or editioned;

they may or may not have text and/or images;

they may have been made in a class or on your own.

Consult the Guidelines for more information.

NBG members may submit up to 4 entries in this category.

Foldable Entries

If you used a foldable structure to create an artist book, enter it in this category.

Recent program meetings have focused on foldable structures,

but Foldables are not limited to those presented at our meetings.

Our goal is to include the widest variety of foldable structures as possible.

There’s no limit to the number you may submit in this category.

Set Book Entries

If you participated in the Set Book Project, all of your books completed

for the project are part of of the Set Book category.

Letterpress/Chap Book Entries

If you created a letterpress chapbook or used letterpress in any of your books,

enter them in this category.

There’s no limit to the number that you may submit in this category.

#areyoubookenough Entries

If you created books in response to any of the #areyoubookenough challenges,

enter them in this category.

It's not too late! Current and upcoming challenge themes:

September - Open

October - Rings

November - Winged

There’s no limit to the number that you may submit in this category.

Gift Shop Category

Because NBG is the designated Gift Shop Artist of the Month (GSAM), you are encouraged to create book works to be offered for sale in the Bear Gallery Gift Shop. A 40% commission on all sales supports the Fairbanks Arts Association. There is no limit to the number you may submit in this category.

Download the Guidelines for more information!