Debra Disman

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Collaboration, Call and Response, Shoebox Arts and the Start Up Art Fair: THE FAIR!

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I was thrilled to participate in Shoebox Arts Call and Response Collaborative Book initiative to be presented at the Start Up LA Art Fair
February 27 – March 1, 2026, presenting my collaborative book created with artist Michelle Robinson, as part of Kristine Schomaker‘s CALL AND RESPONSE initiative, through her organization, Shoebox Arts!
The Kinney Venice Beach | 737 Washington Blvd, Venice, CA 90292 | Room 202

After five years of digital exchanges connecting artists across six continents, Call and Response went physical for the first time.

In October 2025, Shoebox Arts helmed by the extraordinary Kristine Schomocker   paired 190 artists to create collaborative books together. Four months later, approximately 90 unique collaborative works have been created: oracle decks, teabag weavings, painted photographs, sculptural volumes, accordion books, visual puzzles and more.

Each book represents a creative conversation between two artists/humans/makers. Participating artists have navigated time zones, shipping logistics, language barriers, and completely different creative approaches to make something neither could create alone.

This is Call and Response at its core: connection, radical trust, real collaboration.

This is collaboration without permission. Connection without barriers. Artists proving quality work doesn’t require institutional blessing—just willingness to make something with another. — Kristine Shoemaker
A project of @shoeboxarts.la
Exhibition: @callandresponseart

“When we embarked on this project together, it felt like a fortuitous pairing. We first met on social media several years ago and shared studio visits in the past, during which we discussed the formal similarities in our work, as well as our commitment to a deeply material practice and content that helps reframe human experience and perception. After a couple of Zoom discussions, our instinct was to combine Debra’s sculptural book forms with Michelle’s photographic collage images, creating a three-dimensional space that both tells a story and challenges our understanding of what a book can be. The viewer is invited to travel “In the Woods” of their own psyche, paradoxically reaching for enlightenment through traversing darkness.” — Debra Disman and Michelle Robinson, Co-creators of “In the Woods”


IN THE WOODS
15 x 20 x 20″ (Dimensions variable)
Materials: Book board, mulberry paper, acrylic paint, bookbinding cloth, archival adhesive, hemp cord, watercolor paper, book repair tape, book hinging tape, archival pigment prints on Moab Entrada rag paper . 


Michelle’s resonant prints, combined with my box structure created an immersive environment, inviting viewers to spend time “In the WOODS’ with us. The doors open and shut, but this work does not present an open and shut case.


Three prints, the brightest one in the center, adhered with acid-free adhesive, to three walls of the structure, leading the viewer to the dark house.
Facing darkness by moving through it.


Corners created with accordion folded heavy but foldable acid-free watercolor paper, resurfaced with strips of mulberry paper, overlaid with netted book repait cloth. Thank you to the devine Adrienne Devine for the book repair cloth as a material idea!


Creating an immersive environment, as per Michelle into which the viewer can become lost and found again, through their own journey.”Your dark forest of wonder is a great set of true. I experienced the darkness but its didn’t scare me at all.” — Gala Kovshilosky (@galaverse_art) March 1, 2026, Start up Fair, Los Angeles


In community with other works, each piece becomes something a bit different than the artists’ original intent, for the time they are together.


You have to look.
In Gratitude,
debra and michelle

Collaboration, Call and Response, Shoebox Arts and the Start Up Art Fair: Process 3

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CALL AND RESPONSE COMES TO STARTUP ART FAIR!

I am thrilled to participate in Shoebox Arts Call and Response Collaborative Book initiative to be presented at the Start Up LA Art Fair
February 27 – March 1, 2026
The Kinney Venice Beach | 737 Washington Blvd, Venice, CA 90292 | Room 202

After five years of digital exchanges connecting artists across six continents, Call and Response is going physical for the first time.

In October 2025, Shoebox Arts helmed by the extraordinary Kristine Schomocker   paired 190 artists to create collaborative books together. Four months later, we have approximately 90 unique collaborative works—oracle decks, teabag weavings, painted photographs, sculptural volumes, accordion books, visual puzzles.

Each book represents a creative conversation between two artists/humans/makers. Participating artists have navigated time zones, shipping logistics, language barriers, and completely different creative approaches to make something neither could have conceived alone.

This is Call and Response at its core: connection, radical trust, real collaboration.

This is collaboration without permission. Connection without barriers. Artists proving quality work doesn’t require institutional blessing—just willingness to make something with another.
A project of @shoeboxarts.la
Exhibition: @callandresponseart

The intimate hotel suite setting allows visitors to interact closely with each work—books displayed throughout the space on beds, tables, and dressers. This is a selling exhibition with works split equally between the two collaborating artists and Shoebox Arts.
Hours:

  • Friday, February 27: VIP Early Access 5-7pm | All Access 7-10pm

  • Saturday, February 28: 12pm – 9pm

  • Sunday, March 1: 12pm – 7pm

To attend this fun and wild event:
Get Tickets: www.startup-art.com/los-angeles

Collaboration, Call and Response, Shoebox Arts and the Start Up Art Fair: Process 2

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CALL AND RESPONSE COMES TO STARTUP ART FAIR!

I am thrilled to participate in Shoebox Arts Call and Response Collaborative Book initiative to be presented at the Start Up LA Art Fair
February 27 – March 1, 2026
The Kinney Venice Beach | 737 Washington Blvd, Venice, CA 90292 | Room 202

After five years of digital exchanges connecting artists across six continents, Call and Response is going physical for the first time.

In October 2025, Shoebox Arts helmed by the extraordinary Kristine Schomocker   paired 190 artists to create collaborative books together. Four months later, we have approximately 90 unique collaborative works—oracle decks, teabag weavings, painted photographs, sculptural volumes, accordion books, visual puzzles.

Each book represents a creative conversation between two artists/humans/makers. Participating artists have navigated time zones, shipping logistics, language barriers, and completely different creative approaches to make something neither could have conceived alone.

This is Call and Response at its core: connection, radical trust, real collaboration.

This is collaboration without permission. Connection without barriers. Artists proving quality work doesn’t require institutional blessing—just willingness to make something with another.
A project of @shoeboxarts.la
Exhibition: @callandresponseart

The intimate hotel suite setting allows visitors to interact closely with each work—books displayed throughout the space on beds, tables, and dressers. This is a selling exhibition with works split equally between the two collaborating artists and Shoebox Arts.
Hours:

  • Friday, February 27: VIP Early Access 5-7pm | All Access 7-10pm

  • Saturday, February 28: 12pm – 9pm

  • Sunday, March 1: 12pm – 7pm

To attend this fun and wild event:
Get Tickets: www.startup-art.com/los-angeles

Here is part 2 of the process of my collaboration with artist Michelle Robinson:
Transform to Black



The addition of layers of black acrylic paint over the white textured mulberry paper-covered book board transfroms the feel of the work.

The accordion-folded mulberry paper covered corners were covered with a cheesecloth-like material used in book repair to add texture and depth. An abstract tree bark texture was further created with strips of black hemp cord on the inside of the two doors.

The whole surface was then painted again in black to pull the tones together.

Black is the unifying color for the piece, titled, “Into the Wood”, amplifying the colors in Michelle’s prints, reflecting the darkness of the Wood, and setting the tone for the viewers’ journey into it.
The piece goes upright, with accordion folded corners held in place by clips to deepen the folds, the (relatively) 2-d becomes 3-d.


The mulberry-covered accordion-folded book repair cloth-covered black-painted corners are thus “trained” to fold and unfold easily.


The textures work together to support the forest (Woods) theme.


It takes some time. The piece has to fold easily to both stand up and travel.


And here we go…Into the Woods.

In the next post: Collaboration, Call and Response, Shoebox Arts and the Start Up Art Fair: Process 3
see videos of the Process!

Seeking Sanctuary: Installation Process 2

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Debra Disman: “Sanctuary” / Know Safe Space

November 14, 2025 – January 3, 2026
Atrium Gallery
18th Street Arts Center

“Sanctuary: Know Safe Space” expands upon Disman’s 2023 piece, “K no W Safe Place” with the addition of a hanging roof surrounded by an inverted “forest” of knotted colored cords added to and developing over time, hung from the ceiling in various arrangements allowing pathways to the suspended black sanctuary space. The installation grew  and changed over time with the addition of these hanging elements, to be shared in further PROCESS posts.

This installation draws upon Disman’s ongoing study of the groundbreaking practices of artists Charlotte Salomon and Eva Hesse using artmaking to transcend trauma; research into sanctuary movements and spaces and the use of textiles within these; exploration of the“quipu/khipu”, a record-keeping device made of knotted cords of assorted colors used in various cultures in the central Andes of South America; and investigation into the work of artists who have used fiber-based materials to create environments, structures and shelters including Do Ho Suh, Chiharu Shiota and Tracey Emin, as well as drawing inspiration from artists Maria Lai and Liza Lou.

Disman also engaged in dialogue with others inside the Sanctuary space, informally videotaping participants’ response to the installation and their immersion in it, as well as offering “interviewees’ the opportunity to share about their own practices, projects and practices, especially as they relate to 18th Street Arts Center. These short-form videos serve as an informal archive of our present moment, the role of the creative process in it, and the support and sanctuary 18th Street Arts Center is offering to the community by allowing us to Know Safe Space.

Informal documentation of the process of creating “Sanctuary: Know Safe Space” at 18th Street Arts Center, November 2025 – January 2026.


SANCTUARY: Know Safe Space facing into open space


Walls behind and on both sides


Walk inside
and stay awhile

 

Collaboration, Call and Response, Shoebox Arts and the Start Up Art Fair: Process 1

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CALL AND RESPONSE COMES TO STARTUP ART FAIR!

I am thrilled to participate in Shoebox Arts Call and Response Collaborative Book initiative to be presented at the Start Up LA Art Fair
February 27 – March 1, 2026
The Kinney Venice Beach | 737 Washington Blvd, Venice, CA 90292 | Room 202

After five years of digital exchanges connecting artists across six continents, Call and Response is going physical for the first time.

In October 2025, Shoebox Arts helmed by the extraordinary Kristine Schomocker   paired 190 artists to create collaborative books together. Four months later, we have approximately 90 unique collaborative works—oracle decks, teabag weavings, painted photographs, sculptural volumes, accordion books, visual puzzles.

Each book represents a creative conversation between two artists/humans/makers. Participating artists have navigated time zones, shipping logistics, language barriers, and completely different creative approaches to make something neither could have conceived alone.

This is Call and Response at its core: connection, radical trust, real collaboration.

This is collaboration without permission. Connection without barriers. Artists proving quality work doesn’t require institutional blessing—just willingness to make something with another.
A project of @shoeboxarts.la
Exhibition: @callandresponseart

The intimate hotel suite setting allows visitors to interact closely with each work—books displayed throughout the space on beds, tables, and dressers. This is a selling exhibition with works split equally between the two collaborating artists and Shoebox Arts.
Hours:

  • Friday, February 27: VIP Early Access 5-7pm | All Access 7-10pm

  • Saturday, February 28: 12pm – 9pm

  • Sunday, March 1: 12pm – 7pm

To attend this fun and wild event:
Get Tickets: www.startup-art.com/los-angeles

Here is part 1 of the process of my collaboration with artist Michelle Robinson:
Creating the Structure:

The structure was created from five pieces of archival, acid-free book board, with high quality watercolor paper-accordion-folded corners.


“Up on its feet”: the completed basic box structure upright, corners held in place by clips, which were used throughout the making process.


Five sections of archival book board were attached with acid-free watercolor paper folded accordion “corner” strips. Michelle provided three printed images to be mounted on the back and sides of the “box” structure, and two sections will comprise the front “doors”.
The piece was then completely resurfaced with strips of mulberry paper, which conjure up the texture of tree bark, reflecting the trees and dark woods depicted in her images.


The piece was then placed upright again, assuming is rectangular box form, in white!


The folds were again held in place by clips. The doors open and close, and the accordion-folded corners expand.


The texture is beautiful in white, but will transform with layers of black acrylic paint.


The structure adapts to its standing form and the resilient mulberry and watercolor paper, adhered with archival, water-based adhesive, are ready to absorb the paint and transform to black.

In the next post….PROCESS 2…Transform to BLACK

Collaboration, Call and Response, Shoebox Arts and the Start Up Art Fair!!

By

CALL AND RESPONSE COMES TO STARTUP ART FAIR!

I am thrilled to participate in Shoebox Arts Call and Response Collaborative Book initiative to be presented at the Start Up LA Art Fair
February 27 – March 1, 2026
The Kinney Venice Beach | 737 Washington Blvd, Venice, CA 90292 | Room 202

After five years of digital exchanges connecting artists across six continents, Call and Response is going physical for the first time.

In October 2025, Shoebox Arts helmed by the extraordinary Kristine Schomocker  randomly paired 190 artists to create collaborative books together. Four months later, we have approximately 90 unique collaborative works—oracle decks, teabag weavings, painted photographs, sculptural volumes, accordion books, visual puzzles.

Each book represents a creative conversation between two artists/humans/makers. Participating artists have navigated time zones, shipping logistics, language barriers, and completely different creative approaches to make something neither could have conceived alone.

This is Call and Response at its core: connection, radical trust, real collaboration.

This is collaboration without permission. Connection without barriers. Artists proving quality work doesn’t require institutional blessing—just willingness to make something with another.
A project of @shoeboxarts.la
Exhibition: @callandresponseart

The intimate hotel suite setting allows visitors to interact closely with each work—books displayed throughout the space on beds, tables, and dressers. This is a selling exhibition with works split equally between the two collaborating artists and Shoebox Arts.
Hours:

  • Friday, February 27: VIP Early Access 5-7pm | All Access 7-10pm

  • Saturday, February 28: 12pm – 9pm

  • Sunday, March 1: 12pm – 7pm

To attend this fun and wild event:
Get Tickets: www.startup-art.com/los-angeles

In the next post I will share about my collaboration with artist Michelle Robinson!

 

 

Seeking Sanctuary: Installation Process 1

By

Debra Disman: “Sanctuary” / Know Safe Space

November 14, 2025 – January 3, 2026
Atrium Gallery
18th Street Arts Center

“Sanctuary: Know Safe Space” expands upon Disman’s 2023 piece, “K no W Safe Place” with the addition of a hanging roof surrounded by an inverted “forest” of knotted colored cords added to and developing over time, hung from the ceiling in various arrangements allowing pathways to the suspended black sanctuary space. The installation grew  and changed over time with the addition of these hanging elements.

This installation draws upon Disman’s ongoing study of the groundbreaking practices of artists Charlotte Salomon and Eva Hesse using artmaking to transcend trauma; research into sanctuary movements and spaces and the use of textiles within these; exploration of the“quipu/khipu”, a record-keeping device made of knotted cords of assorted colors used in various cultures in the central Andes of South America; and investigation into the work of artists who have used fiber-based materials to create environments, structures and shelters including Do Ho Suh, Chiharu Shiota and Tracey Emin, as well as drawing inspiration from artists Maria Lai and Liza Lou.

Disman also engaged in dialogue with others inside the Sanctuary space, informally videotaping participants’ response to the installation and their immersion in it, as well as offering “interviewees’ the opportunity to share about their own practices, projects and practices, especially as they relate to 18th Street Arts Center. These short-form videos serve as an informal archive of our present moment, the role of the creative process in it, and the support and sanctuary 18th Street Arts Center is offering to the community by allowing us to Know Safe Space.

Informal documentation of the process of creating “Sanctuary: Know Safe Space” at 18th Street Arts Center, November 2025 – January 2026.


18th Street Operations Manager extraordinaire  Tyler Madsen surveys his installation plan thus far.


Setting up the sections.


Raising the roof.


Held up by gossamer thread (fishline).


Enter the SpeakEasy chair.


Roof details.


Ready for action.


Further along in the iteration. We’ll get there.

 

 

EXHIBITIONISTA: Shoebox Arts, Call and Response, and the Start-up Art Fair LA!

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I am thrilled to participate in the Startup Art Fair LA 2026, as part of Shoebox Arts Call and Response Collaborative Artists’ Book initiative!

Call and Response Goes Live at Startup Art Fair 

Something big is happening.

After five years of digital exchanges connecting artists across six continents, Call and Response is going physical for the first time.

Startup Art Fair LA | February 27 – March 1, 2026The Kinney Venice Beach | Room 202

THE PROJECT

In October 2025, we randomly paired 190 artists to create collaborative books together. Four months later, we have approximately 90 unique collaborative works—oracle decks, teabag weavings, painted photographs, sculptural volumes, accordion books, visual puzzles.

Each book represents a creative conversation between two strangers who had never met. From India to Iowa, Germany to the United Arab Emirates—artists navigated time zones, shipping logistics, language barriers, and completely different creative approaches to make something neither could have conceived alone.

This is Call and Response at its core: random pairing, radical trust, real collaboration.

My collaborative work in progress with artist Michelle Robinson!


THE EXHIBITION

Location: The Kinney Venice Beach, 737 Washington Blvd, Venice, CA 90292  Room: 202
Hours:

  • Friday, February 27: VIP Early Access 5-7pm | All Access 7-10pm

  • Saturday, February 28: 12pm – 9pm

  • Sunday, March 1: 12pm – 7pm

The intimate hotel suite setting allows visitors to interact closely with each work—books displayed throughout the space on beds, tables, and dressers. This is a selling exhibition with works split equally between the two collaborating artists and Shoebox Arts.

LIVE: EXQUISITE CORPSE ZINE MAKING

Throughout the weekend, fair visitors can participate in collaborative exquisite corpse zine-making sessions. Create art together with strangers, experience the Call and Response philosophy in real time.

All completed zines will be auctioned off for charity.

WHY THIS MATTERS

Call and Response started in April 2020 when everything shut down. Artists needed each other but all the structures for connection had disappeared.

What began as a pandemic response—pairing artists randomly for two-week digital exchanges—became proof that meaningful collaboration doesn’t require institutional permission. No fees. No applications. No gatekeepers. Just artists supporting artists through creative exchange.

Twenty rounds later, the model has facilitated lasting partnerships, gallery exhibitions, and creative community across cultural and geographic boundaries. Artists like Jody Zellen and Lorraine Bubar met through Call and Response and went on to exhibit at Proxy Gallery.

Others discovered new techniques, explored different media, found creative community during isolation.

This exhibition at Startup Art Fair marks the next evolution: collaboration that exists in three dimensions, works you can hold in your hands, partnerships that produced physical objects through radical trust.

FOLLOW THE PROJECT

Instagram: @callandresponseart
Facebook: Call and Response
Email: callandresponseart@gmail.com
Want to bring Call and Response to your organization? We’re developing curriculum and training for institutions interested in facilitating collaborative programs.

ABOUT SHOEBOX ARTS

Shoebox Arts connects artists to opportunities and builds creative community through programs like Call and Response and Perceive Me. Operating from the Brewery Arts Complex in Los Angeles, we eliminate barriers to meaningful artistic exchange.

Come see what happens when 190 artists trust the process across continents.
Kristine Schomaker Shoebox Arts
 

 

18th Street Arts Center Featured in “Hidden Gems of Santa Monica” TV Show Episode!

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I was thrilled to be a part of the  “Hidden Gems” TV episode   featuring precious, special places places Santa Monica has to offer, including 18th Street Arts Center.

Thank you Jan Williamson, and 18th Street Arts Center, Peter Greenberg and  Hidden Gems, and Lauren Salisbury and Santa Monica Travel and Tourism.

The filming was great fun and the resulting episode a revelation. I learned about magical Santa Monica places and offerings, some of which I had not been aware of despite living there for ten years, and being a part of the 18th Street Arts Center community for several.
https://petergreenberg.com/2025/12/16/hidden-gems-of-santa-monica/.

In the episode, he talks about the lure of Santa Monica’s surf, sea and sun, its signature art scene, and its gems are hiding in plain sight.
“It’s more than just a vibrant Los Angeles community. It’s a destination that is emblematic of the California dream, best known for its beaches, pier, promenade and iconic bathing beauties. It also happens to be the final stop of historic Route 66. But there’s far more to do here than to just soak up the sun. I take you to, through, and high above my hidden gems of Santa Monica.” —Peter Greenberg

Such offerings help us top see place and things, in a whole new way, and I am appreciate, grateful and excited about participating, learning, growing and sharing along with fellow 18th Street Art Center Artists in Residence, Dan Kwong and Lita Albuquerque.

“Thank you so much for your support of this exciting media opportunity! I am so pleased to share that the episode is live. Here’s the link: https://petergreenberg.com/2025/12/16/hidden-gems-of-santa-monica/.” — Jan Williamson, 18th Street Arts Center Executive Director

“The segment will continue to receive broad distribution in the months ahead, including placement in Peter Greenberg’s weekly e-newsletter. This spring, the episode will premiere as the cover story within Season 11 of The Travel Detective, airing on PBS stations nationwide. Approximately one month following the broadcast premiere, the episode will be available globally on Amazon Prime and Apple TV+, followed by YouTube approximately six months later.” —Lauren Salisbury, Santa Monica Travel and Tourism.

WATCH THE EPISODE HERE!

Hidden Gems

Hidden Gems showcases the lesser-known activities not found in most traditional guidebooks or websites.  From regional cooking lessons with local chefs to adventurous sports to cultural experiences, Peter Greenberg uncovers those special yet accessible places that many visitors overlook. Hidden Gems inspires travelers to immerse themselves in the culture and embark on life-changing journeys. Hidden Gems segments appear on PeterGreenberg.com, within the PBS television series, The Travel Detective, and digitally on Amazon Prime and AppleTV+. To watch full episodes, click here.

 

We made a “Storybook Theatre” at Craft Contemporary!

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On January 11, 2026, I had the great pleasure of leading a “Storybook Theater” bookmaking workshop at the Craft Contemporary Museum for their all ages Craft Lab, entitled, “Make a Storybook Theater with Debra Disman“!

Participants were encouraged to:
“Become the author of your own story and create a one-of-a-kind storybook theater book. Combine stories, books and theater with a dramatic flair using a variety of recycled paper materials.”

So. Much. Fun!

A vibrant group gathers.


The dynamic Dr. KATE ZANKOWICZ, Ph.D., Craft Contemporary’s Director of Education, introduces the program, and encourages participants.

Focus and concentration.


Cutting without a template, freehand…to create the year of the horse (hello) and the snake (bye bye).


Book within book, to explore a theme.


Care and communication, sharing ideas.

Even the stairs were used as a work surface, by choice!



Mothers and daughters,

Partners and friends, worked together.

  Hollywood was an inspiration,



As well as Zebras!

Such a beautiful group creating beautiful, thought-provoking and whimsical works.

HERE are the Step-by-step HOW-TO instructions to create the STORYBOOK THEATER:
StorybookTheaterProgram_FINAL_PowerPoint

ENJOY!

“WE Write the Book” Neighborhood Engagement Artist Residency CULMINATION!

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I was thrilled to serve again as a 2025-26 “NEAR” Artist in Residence at the Northridge Branch Library!

On December 20, 2025, after 11 onsite bookmaking workshops with the community at the Library,  we held our Residency CULMINATION Event!

Below are videos and images of the event. Families, seniors, students and staff graced us with their presence!

View the splendid books participants created through the Residency!
Hear the participants words as they share their books!

Participants shared the books they had made, supported and celebrated each other, and reveled in project materials to create small, sewn, travel books to send them into 2026 and Beyond!

Artists and devoted workshop attendees Amy and Cathie share their BookWorks!


This young bookmaker loves cars, and his book/s reveal his knowledge of them!

His sister created books about endangered animals and how to help them; flowers; and a cookbook of favorite recipes!

    Moms and sons create books!

          A a beautiful, learning-filled and fun time was had by all.

Here’s to a healthy and creative 2026!

 

“Unfolding Possibilities” at the Los Angeles Museum of Art

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On December 13, 2025, I was honored to teach a bookmaking class entitled “Unfolding Possibilities” at LACMA (The Los Angeles Museum of Art). It was fun to teach right in front of the extraordinary monumental outdoor sculpture, “Levitated Mass” by Michael Heizer, a 456-foot-long concrete slot constructed on LACMA’s campus, over which sits a 340-ton granite megalith.

Upon entering LACMA’s  Resnick Pavilion, we observed the use of layered and torn paper in  artist Mark Bradford‘s  “150 Portrait Tone“, visited the ongoing exhibition,  “Realms of the Dharma: Buddhist Art Across Asia” to observe accordion fold structures, and the  “Deep Cuts: Block Printing Across Cultures” show  to view a variety of codex book structures with pages and signatures as preparation for our bookmaking process. We found inspiration in the large-scale outdoor sculptures of  Ai Weiwei:  “Circle of Animals/ Zodiac Heads (2011) and  Simone Leigh 16′ tall  Sentinel (2022); finding commonalities between the artworks and our reaction to them.

After our energizing and thought-provoking artwork, sculpture, exhibition and museum gallery visits,  we returned to our outdoor workspace, and let the fun begin: Folding, measuring, gluing, hole-punching, sewing and embellishing to create our own Unfolding Possibilities.
How great for the New Year.

We created accordion-folded book which unfolded to reveal pockets and pages. Students learned to fold and sew “signatures” (gatherings of folded pages)  into the “valley” (downward or exterior-pointing) folds of the structure.


The amazing teaching assistant Alexis was a great support, and a credit to the LACMA education department!

 
Education Department Staff Susi Castillo keeps Everything on track!

For those interested, this Unfolding_Possibilities_step-by-step contains the diagrammatic step-by-step instructions for the folds and the pamphlet stitch.

 

 

“WE Write the Book”: Making Flower Fold Gift Books-in-a-Box at the Northridge Branch Library!

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I am thrilled to serve again as a 2025-26 “NEAR” Artist in Residence at the Northridge Branch Library!

It was a joy to teach the “flower fold” book structure that participants could place in small boxes they embellished, and offer to to others or to themselves for the holidays!

Makers had access to beautiful origami papers direct from Japan!

Participants including family groups, seniors and others learned how to make the flower fold book structure using a myriad of beautiful origami papers, and then how to attach multiple flower folds together to create a longer book that folds up into a square.

Needless to say, magnificent works were created!


Makers’ Hands!

       
Making use of materials in a different way!

This Neighborhood Engagement Artist Residency (NEAR) is supported by the wonderful City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

JOIN US for MORE BOOKMKAING FUN and LEARNING!
All programs free and open to the Public, All materials provided!

Join us for our next workshop on December 10, 2025!

And for our CULMINATION Event on December 20th!

SANCTUARY: Know Safe Space at 18th Street Arts Center 2025

By

Hello World.
Welcome to Sanctuary.
How are you doing today?


“Sanctuary” / Know Safe Space expands upon my 2023 piece, K no W Safe Place with the addition of a hanging roof surrounded by an inverted “forest” of knotted colored cords hung from the ceiling in various arrangements allowing pathways to the suspended black sanctuary space. The installation will grow and change over time with the addition of these hanging elements. Here is its most recent iteration at 18th Street Arts Center.

Sanctuary: Know Safe Space, 2025, 10′ x 48″ x 48″, canvas, netting, burlap, cord, lace, ribbon, paint, wood

This installation draws upon my ongoing study of the groundbreaking practices of artists Charlotte Salomon and Eva Hesse using artmaking to transcend trauma; research into sanctuary movements and spaces and the use of textiles within these; exploration of the“quipu/khipu”, a record-keeping device made of knotted cords of assorted colors used in various cultures in the central Andes of South America; and investigation into the work of artists who have used fiber-based materials to create environments, structures and shelters including Do Ho Suh, Chiharu Shiota and Tracey Emin.

I will also engage in dialogue with others inside the Sanctuary space, informally videotaping these participants’ response to the installation and their immersion in it, as well as offering “interviewees’ the opportunity to share about their own practices, projects and practices, especially as they relate to 18th Street Arts Center. These short-form videos will serve as an informal archive of our present moment, the role of the creative process in it, and the support and sanctuary 18th Street Arts Center is offering to the community by allowing us to Know Safe Space. If You would like to be interviewed/dialogue in the Sanctuary please contact me at  debra@artifactorystudio.com

Video Interview with fellow 18th Street Artist in Residence Luciana Abait
https://www.lucianaabait.com/
@lucianaabait
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnlPJaaeuB8

Video Interview with Los Angeles-based Artist, Curator, Educator, Costume and Set Designer Snezana Saraswati Petrovic https://www.snezanapetrovic.net/
@saraswatioblak
https://youtu.be/ZCfAOdw27xk


And May You Know Safe Space…

“The California Effect: New Books from the California Chapter of the Guild of Book Workers”

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I am thrilled to have three works in:
“The California Effect: New Books from the California Chapter of the Guild of Book Workers”
which opened at the  Long Beach Museum of Art October 4, 2025 and is on view through January 4, 2026!


The Body Politic White and…(I), 2024, 9 x 19 x 6″, book board, paint, canvas, hemp / assorted cord, trim


The Body Politic: Like White on White, 2024, 9 x 16 x 7″, book board, paint, canvas, hemp/assorted cord, trim


The Body Politic White And…(II), 2024, 9 x 16 x 6″, book board, paint, canvas, hemp / assorted cord, trim

“Revealing the national reach and scope of the Guild of Book Workers and its dedication to promoting interest and awareness in the tradition of book and paper arts, The California Effect—New Books from the California Chapter of the Guild of Book Workers is rich in both artists and bookworks. There are 29 artists exhibiting 54 books, boxes, and broadsides. Some are in limited editions and others are one-of-a-kind. All are handmade individually with handmade and fine papers, cloth, thread, glue, inks, and paint. What exactly is the California effect? More precisely, what is the effect on the many of us who live, work, and visit here? The misty mornings and baking hot afternoons? The endless coastline, chill forests or dry desert arroyos? Each of us has an answer, seen in the books we make, in our tastes and inspirations. We turn to making books: printing them, binding them, reinventing them, turning them into art—making books as art.

The California Chapter is one of ten chapters, revealing the national reach and scope of the Guild and its dedication to promoting interest and awareness in the tradition of book and paper arts. The members include hand bookbinders, design binders, conservators, calligraphers, makers of artist books, fine press printers and papermakers. A fully illustrated catalogue with information about each artwork and biographical information about each artist is available to order.

The California Effect exhibition and related programming are graciously supported by The Kenneth T. and Eileen L. Norris Foundation, the Pasadena Art Alliance, and the Bess J. Hodges Foundation.”

 

 

“WE Write the Book”: Making CODEX Books with Spines at the Northridge Branch Library!

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I am thrilled to serve again as a 2025-26 “NEAR” Artist in Residence at the Northridge Branch Library!

On November 22, 2025, participants learned how to create a sewn “codex” book with a spine, and how to add a single  signature. Signatures are two or more sheets of paper stacked and folded as a group, or a gathering of folded pages, using the pamphlet stitch.


Using all sorts of materials, participants transformed paper scraps into intricate scenes and designs,


used material found in nature,

employed drawing tools, using markers, paint pens and pencils,

added maps and more,

and supported each other while having fun and learning new things!

We have three more programs in December, including a grand CULMINATION event on December 20th.
JOIN US!

This Neighborhood Engagement Artist Residency (NEAR) is supported by the wonderful City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

JOIN US for MORE BOOKMKAING FUN and LEARNING!
All programs free and open to the Public, All materials provided!

“WE Write the Book”: Two-Signature Bookmaking at the Northridge Branch Library!

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I am thrilled to serve again as a 2025-26 “NEAR” Artist in Residence at the Northridge Branch Library!
The participants here are finding combination style books, folding accordion structures and pockets, and sewing in signatures, or gatherings of folded pages into the folds. 


These books are perfect for recording and holding treasured family recipes!


Stickers remain a perennial favorite of the younger set…


and a lovely time of learning and making was had by all. 


This Neighborhood Engagement Artist Residency (NEAR) is supported by the wonderful City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

JOIN US for MORE BOOKMKAING FUN and LEARNING!
All programs free and open to the Public, All materials provided!

“WE Write the Book”: “Storybook Theater” Bookmaking at the Northridge Branch Library!

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I am thrilled to serve again as a 2025-26 “NEAR” Artist in Residence at the Northridge Branch Library!

This Neighborhood Engagement Artist Residency (NEAR) is supported by the wonderful City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

On October 18, 2025,  participants of a diverse ages and backgrounds gathered to learn how to create the “Storybook Theater” structure, which integrates books, stories and theater into one delightful form. A bit more advanced, this bookmaking process challenged our participants in a fun and engaging way, opening their minds and imaginations to greater bookmaking possibilities!


 


JOIN US for MORE BOOKMKAING FUN and LEARNING!
All programs free and open to the Public, All materials provided!

Awesome Days at the Silverlake Independent JCC: “Let Joy Be Our Warp And Weft”

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It has been a joy and an honor to be the 2025 / 5786 “Days of Awesome” Artist in Residence for the Silverlake Independent Jewish Community Center in Los Angeles. The experience has been meaningful, in-depth and illuminating. Encompassing Artist Residency; Color; Painting; the Book; Lettering; Text/Writing; Stitching/Sewing; Craft; Fine Art; Conceptual Art; Decorative Painting, Mixed Media, the Built Environment, Architecture, Shelter, Safe Space/Place, Teaching Artistry, Social Practice, Community Collaboration, Installation Art, Environmental Art,  “Public” Art, Jewish Identity; this work integrated many of my collective passions.


Working with the incredible SLJCC team of Rabbi Kerry Chaplin, Producers Jonny Soloman and Curt Neill, Designer Extraordinaire Sharon Eisman,  Marketing Director Babs Gray and Photographer Tiffanie Hsuld, our interactive six part tapestry,  “Let Joy Be Our Warp and Weft” was born, conceived, developed, planned and executed in harmony with the mission and intentions of the SLJCC and its people.


We developed the idea of an interactive tapestry, inscribed with text presented to me by Rabbi Kerry, which would then be stitched in by the community before and after the High Holy Day Services, on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur respectively. Just those two days. The concept had to work.
Former experimental theater designer turned Early Childhood Education Director of Operations Sharon Eisman came up with the brilliant idea of draping the two sided tapestry panels over the front gates. The parking lot-facing side of the panels would hold the text in English, the courtyard-facing side, the Hebrew.

Assessing the Site (watch)
This worked beautifully in terms of structure, logistics, and concept, resonating with the deeper meaning of the “Gates of Repentance” opening and closing through the period of the Days of Awe, a potent metaphor.
One area of the fence holding the gates was obscured on the exterior by a large plant, and this was built into the design of the interactive artwork.

Once the concept and format were determined, it was time to determine the materials and prepare the panels. We knew we wanted canvas as the “substrate”. After trying raw canvas, I found a source of  lighter weight material pre-primed on both sides. Working with six 20 x 3′ panels to be treated on both sides (720 square feet of painting) I knew I had to save on labor where I could, without sacrificing aesthetics or durability. I combined phthalo and ultramarine blue acrylic paint to create a rich, luminous color that could reference both sea and sky, and set to work in the studio, working on one side of two panels at a time. It was incredible fun, what joy to paint all that blue. Labor of love, labor as love, labor is love.
The paint was manipulated to create a flow of dark and light across the surface, something I had done many times in my 15 years as a decorative painter in the Bay Area. The insides of the panels were glazed with an iridescent medium with a bit of the blue paint added to it to create a celestial sky blue.

   

Next came the lettering of the text provided by Rabbi Kerry. Not speaking or writing Hebrew, I had to be hyper vigilante that I wrote the Hebrew correctly, and in the right direction, moving from right to left.


Making sure about the Hebrew text layout (watch)

After trying a few drawing tool, I settled on a white charcoal pencil to sketch out the lettering. I wanted the text to undulate across the six panels to reflect the ideas and imagery in the  visual marketing materials developed by the SLJCC  which depicted water and waves.

 I had enlarged the text texted and emailed to me by the Rabbi, divided both the English and the Hebrew into six sections, enlarged the words and printed those out on 8.5 x 11″ copier paper, then translated the text in larger format on the panels, laying out a faintly drawn undulating line as a guide. The Hebrew was fun to draw out in block letters. I learned a bit about Hebrew vowel forms in the process, and how they are no longer used in written form…mind-blowing.

Finally it was time to paint in the letters using the iridescent silvery white medium used for glaze  inside of the panels. So much fun, and gratifying, magical, to render the lettering alive, and fantastic to work on this scale.


I knew Rabbi Kerry liked sparkle, and I had created this through the iridescent medium used in the glaze and lettering, but wanted to amplify the sparkle through the stitching process. This was achieved by use of sparkly thread in color, as well as gold, silver and copper.

   

I had decided I was going to stitch in the first English word on the parking lot-facing panels, as that was the area of the security fence partially obscured by a bush, so the community would not be able to stitch it, and I did not think aesthetically, or in terms of continuity, I should leave that area blank. Stitching in the “LET” would also give the community a model for the stitching, and allow me to test the process. of both punching the sewing holes with my awl, and trying out the sparkly sewing threads. The process was tremendously fun and worked well.

I then punched the sewing holes in all of the English and Hebrew text.

Finally, time to install the panels! INSTALL DAY! (watch)

 

 

The production team, Curt Neill and Jonny Solomon did a great job, and the process took much less time than we anticipated. Jonny had some strong and solid shower curtain rods he brought from his previous home, and they worked beautifully as extensions of the hanging mechanism into the open space between the gates, creating an entry way that altered the space yet allowed for comfortable ingress and egress. We secured the bottoms of the panels loosely so that they wouldn’t blow around, yet stitchers could reach in-between  two sides of the panels to pull their needles through.

Rosh Hashana morning, all was in place.
SLJCC JLC Grade School Teacher Soren Laskin kindly helped participants choose their sewing threads, already threaded onto plastic needles. And the fun began for the community, who stopped to stitch as they entered the courtyard on their way to services.


We were so fortunate to have Programs Coordinator for Youth and Family, Tiffany Hsuld, documenting the experience.

We did the same set-up on the other side of the fence for the morning of Yom Kippur.

 

 

 

 

 


Who can beat these shoes?

Production Head Jonny Solomon joins in the stitching.
Folks started and ended their stitching where they wanted to. Just about all the text got stitched in.
The stitching represents… IS… a mending, a healing, a repair of the tear, a form of Tikkun Olam, all the more powerful when done in Community, creating something bigger than ourselves.

Photographer Tiffany Hsuld in action,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and a contemplative Executive Director Heather McPherson with Community Member Stuart Jenkins

Thank you for offering this opportunity, acknowledging this work, and providing a Jewish place of Sanctuary to many.
Shanah Tovah, Yom Tov, Let Joy Be Our Warp and Weft. Upon rereading,  I realize I have used the word “fun” multiple times in this post.      Joy, and all.      Shalom.

“We Write the Book”: Making TUNNEL BOOKS at the Northridge Library!

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I am thrilled to serve again as a 2025-26 “NEAR” Artist in Residence at the Northridge Branch Library!
This Neighborhood Engagement Artist Residency (NEAR) is supported by the wonderful City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

On October 6th, 2025,  participants of a diverse ages and backgrounds gathered to learn how to create the TUNNEL BOOK, a three-dimensional story which moves back in space, and joyfully develop them into fanciful, whimsical and fantastical works of art.

All workshops FREE to the Public, All materials and supplies included!
JOIN US!

 

“WE Write the Book”: Making Flag Books at the Northridge Branch Library!

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I am thrilled to serve again as a 2025-26 “NEAR” Artist in Residence at the Northridge Branch Library!
This Neighborhood Engagement Artist Residency (NEAR) is supported by the wonderful City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

On September 27th, 2025,  participants of a diverse ages and backgrounds gathered to learn how to create the accordion fold book, create one and two cut pop-ups, and joyfully develop their books into fanciful, whimsical and fantastical works of art.

  

    

“We Write the Book”: Making “Folded Fan” Books at the Northridge Branch Library!

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I am thrilled to serve again as a 2025-26 “NEAR” Artist in Residence at the Northridge Branch Library!

This Neighborhood Engagement Artist Residency (NEAR) is supported by the wonderful City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

On September 17th, 2025,  participants of a diverse ages and backgrounds gathered to learn how to create the fun and fanciful “FOLDED FAN”  book with pages that open like a codex, and/or fan out to create a sculptural book that can stand on its own! Folks got really creative.

   

“We Write the Book” 2025 at the Northridge Library Kick-off Workshop!

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I am thrilled to serve again as a 2025-26 “NEAR” Artist in Residence at the Northridge Branch Library!

This Neighborhood Engagement Artist Residency (NEAR) is supported by the wonderful City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

On September 13th, 2025, over 30 participants of a diverse ages and backgrounds gathered to learn how to create the accordion fold book, create one and two cut pop-ups, and joyfully develop their books into fanciful, whimsical and fantastical works of art.

Fitting words of appreciation for the Library, and truly encapsulates why we all do what we do!

BRAND 53 Celebrates PAPER in its many forms

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I am thrilled to have my artists’ book, “THIN ICE” made in collaboration with artist Luciana Abait, shown in Brand 53: Annual National Juried Exhibition of Works on Paper

Opening Date: July 19, 2025
Closing Date: September 12, 2025

The Associates of Brand Library & Art Center in Glendale, California hosts its 53rd Annual National Juried Exhibition of Works on Paper this summer. All works in the show are on view in the beautiful Brand Library’s Gallery and in both printed and online exhibition catalogs. 

This year’s juror, Sigrid Burton, considers color and drawing as the foundation of her artistic practice and is noted for her works in oil on canvas or linen and mixed media on paper. She explores the natural world both literally and figuratively, with the intention of making light and depth tangible and visible on a two-dimensional picture plane. Burton captures the phenomenological occurrence of reflection and refraction of light, in particular, water, sky and deep space. Her studies of the art of the Indian subcontinent and its ancient and sophisticated aesthetic theory have influenced her thinking that the importance of a work of art is the response that the work evokes from the viewer. Within this context, color is understood to have great expressive and communicative power.

The Brand Associates is offering a printed exhibition catalog for purchase at Brand Library & Art Center.
A digital version of the catalog is also available to download for free.

View the Online CATALOG HERE!
Please see a video of show HERE with a talk by Juror Sigrid Burton

“We Write the Book” Artist Residency Returns to the Northridge Public Library!

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I am thrilled to serve again as a 2025-26 “NEAR” Artist in Residence at the Northridge Branch Library!

This Neighborhood Engagement Artist Residency is supported by the wonderful City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

I was honored to serve as  artist-in-residence at the Northridge Branch Library, conducting bookmaking workshops and events for the local community and library patronage from February through May 31, 2025 and am looking forward to working further with the Northridge and greater community!

Our workshops are completely free to community with  all materials and refreshments included, supported by the  City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.


Please see our 2024-25Artist Residency at the beautiful Northridge Branch Library  CULMINATION EVENT!

Please see the flier below for dates and times of programs beginning September 13, 2025!

Online Book Making Workshop: Learn the “Folded Fan” Structure with Debra Disman

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JOIN US!

Debra Disman and Shoebox Arts Present:


FREE Online Book Making Workshop: Learn the “Folded Fan” Structure with Debra Disman!

Calling all artists! Join us for an exciting FREE online bookmaking workshop where you’ll learn to create beautiful, versatile books using the innovative “Folded Fan” structure

Workshop Details:

What: Making Books Together: The “Folded Fan” Bookmaking Structure

When: August 27th at 11am PST

Instructor Debra Disman
Host: Shoebox Arts

Format: Live online workshop via Zoom

Cost: Completely FREE for all artists

Registration: Sign up using our Google form (link below)

Zoom Access: Participants will receive the Zoom link one day before the workshop

What You’ll Learn

In this hands-on workshop, you’ll discover the joy of creating the “Folded Fan” bookmaking structure—Debra’s own innovative take on the traditional Flag Book form. This versatile and sculptural book requires no hole punching or sewing, making it perfect for artists of all skill levels.

You’ll learn how to:

  • Create the foundational folded and glued structure

  • Display your book in multiple creative ways

  • Transform the sculptural form into a familiar codex format

  • Explore various presentation methods and artistic possibilities 

Debra will also share examples from her own extensive body of work, showing how she has used this structure to create numerous compelling book pieces.

What You Need

The beauty of this workshop is its accessibility—you can literally create this structure using just 4 pieces of standard 8.5 x 11″ copier paper! However, for the best results, Debra recommends having these materials on hand:

Essential Tools

  • Scissors (or just use folding and tearing techniques!)

  • Glue stick

  • Pencil

  • Bone folder (optional—you can use your glue stick as a folding tool)

Recommended Materials

  • Accordion Spine: One 11 x 17″ tag board or cardstock sheet

  • Covers: Two 8.5 x 5.5″ pieces of railroad board or similar cardboard

  • Pages: Three 8.5 x 5.5″ pieces (or slightly smaller at 5.25″ for easier handling)

Choose your own colors and get creative with your material choices!

Optional Enhancement Materials

  • Scrap paper and easy-to-glue fabric

  • Washi tape, decorative tapes, stickers, ribbon

  • Ephemera: old letters, cards, ticket stubs, journal pages, and other meaningful materials

Why This Workshop?

The “Folded Fan” structure is incredibly versatile and forgiving, making it an ideal entry point for new bookmakers while offering endless creative possibilities for experienced artists. Whether you’re interested in creating artist books, journals, display pieces, or sculptural works, this foundational technique will open up new avenues for your artistic expression.

Ready to Join?

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from Debra Disman and connect with fellow artists in our supportive online community. Spaces are limited, so register today!

Remember: You’ll receive your Zoom link the day before the workshop, so keep an eye on your inbox!

We can’t wait to see what beautiful books you’ll create. Happy making

Questions about the workshop? Feel free to reach out to Shoebox Arts for more information. shoeboxartsla@gmail.com

 

NOMADIC Encounters: “The Center Will Not Hold” 2025

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I participated in the 2025 Torrance Art Museum’s (TAM) innovative contemporary art pop-up NOMAD IV which was held at Del Amo Crossing, 21535 Hawthorne Blvd, Torrance, CA 90503, JULY 11-13, 2025

So Much FUN!

NOMAD IV is a non-commercial exhibition that showcased the diverse and dynamic talents of 175+ Southern California artists featuring sculpture, painting installation and more.

The event itself is a giant artistic get together, aimed at letting artists show what they have been making recently to each other as well as to the wider public. It  presented an opportunity to meet peers, make connections, and arrange for future opportunities. It is a non-commercial exhibition that showcases the diverse and dynamic talents of LA artists.

NOMAD IV was presented alongside the third edition of TRYST, TAM’s international alternative art fair for artist-run spaces and galleries.

I presented a further iteration of my 2023 performance piece,
“The Center Will Not Hold“, this time reimagining the central tarp-based component as a sort of tent, with legs and feet sticking out, a la the classic Judy Garland Wizard of Oz film, which evocation was remarked upon.


Prep at studio. Embroidered Indian shoes long ago gift from sister travels.  Who knew?


All tied up


Packed into zebra beach bag, useful gift from other sister. Who knew?


Expandable/contractable. Basic piece created from a tree landscaping tarp. Flexible material.


Set up near window on second floor of Del Amo Crossing in Torrance. Light streaks across the floor…



Shifting the legs and feet around.


The braids increase the footprint of the work.


Play in texture


Young collaborators rearranged the legs and feet, and then added their own!


The inimicable and always impeccable Louis Jacinto and Kene Rosa, gracing our scene.


Lots of wonderful visitors. Wonder what “Tapestry LA” is?


Virginia Arce, from the Irvine Fine Arts Center, and her partner visited!


What an experience!  Thanks to Max Presneill and the whole team at the Torrence Art Museum and City of Torrance for making the effort to create this magically expansive opportunity for SoCal artists!

Candid Conversation with Kristine Schomaker!

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“A Candid Conversation with artist Debra Disman: Art, Community, and the Beautiful Chaos of Creative Life“

 

I was honored to be:
Conversation with Kristine Shomaker
Founder and Director of Shoebox Arts

Please enjoy our conversation!

“We Write The Book” returns to the Northridge Branch Library!

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I am thrilled to serve again as a 2025-26 “NEAR” Artist in Residence at the Northridge Branch Library!

This Neighborhood Engagment Artist Residency is supported by the wonderful City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

I was honored to serve as  artist-in-residence at the Northridge Branch Library, conducting bookmaking workshops and events for the local community and library patronage from February through May 31, 2025 and am looking forward to working further with the Northridge and greater community!

Our workshops are completely free to community with  all materials and refreshments included, supported by the  City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.
2025-26 Times, dates and details to come!


Please see our 2024-25 Artist Residency at the beautiful Northridge Branch Library  CULMINATION EVENT!

Please join us for our exciting bookmaking workshops throughout September through December, 2025!

RAW FOOTAGE: With The Artist: Debra Disman Part II

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See VIDEO of the “KnoW Safe Place”

“With the Artist: Debra Disman Part II“
In Conversation with Erika Sukstorf
developer of “raw footage” (more to come)
Please click link to view

RAW FOOTAGE: With The Artist: Debra Disman Part I

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Please see VIDEO of the “KnoW Safe Place”

“With The Artist: Debra Disman Part I“
In conversation with Erika Sukstorf
developer of “raw footage” (more to come)
Please click link to view

Candid Conversation with Kristine Schomaker: “Art, Community, and the Beautiful Chaos of Creative Life””

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Shoebox_newLogo_1500x542

“A Candid Conversation with artist Debra Disman: Art, Community, and the Beautiful Chaos of Creative Life“
Conversation with Kristine Shomaker
Founder and Director of Shoebox Arts

It was wonderful to talk with Kristine, and I thank her for this opportunity to share!

“I’m excited to share this heartfelt conversation with the incredible Debra Disman, an artist whose generosity and support of the LA art community never ceases to amaze me. What started as our usual Instagram dialogues evolved into this deeper YouTube discussion about the realities of being working artists in Los Angeles.

In this conversation, we dive into topics that I know so many of us struggle with but rarely discuss openly: the overwhelming guilt that comes with LA’s abundance of art events, the paralysis of wanting to support everyone while managing our own creative needs, and the constant juggling act between community engagement and studio time.

Debra shares her thoughtful daily practice – from morning walks and I Ching readings to the “wonky” reality of studio life at 18th Street Arts Complex. We explore how authenticity means accepting our imperfections (yes, I’m talking about being a messy painter!), the geographic challenges of our sprawling city, and how some of our best ideas come when we least expect them.

This isn’t a polished conversation about artistic success – it’s an honest look at the beautiful messiness of creative life. We talk about anxiety, health challenges, the pressure to attend everything, and the importance of forgiving ourselves for being human. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by opportunities or guilty about not doing “enough,” this conversation is for you.

Whether you’re part of LA’s art scene or creating anywhere else, I hope you’ll find something that resonates. As Debra wisely notes, we all need practices that help us reset and come back to ourselves throughout the day.

Thank you, Debra, for always being such a supportive voice in our community and for being so open about the real challenges we face as artists. Your wisdom and authenticity shine through every word.

Watch the full conversation below, and let me know in the comments what resonated most with you.”

—Kristine Shomaker, Founder and Director of Shoebox Arts

“A Candid Conversation with artist Debra Disman: Art, Community, and the Beautiful Chaos of Creative Life“

Raw Sound: The Podcast with Erika Sukstorf

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In Conversation with the inimitable Erika Sukstorf….
We listen, we talk, we listen again…

Raw Conversation Podcast Part 1:

Raw Conversation Podcast Part 2

Flag Books for Flag Day at the Manhattan Beach Library!

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It was a great pleasure to lead a Flag Bookmaking program  on Flag Day at the Manhattan Beach Library!


Due to a fabulous donation of designer wallpaper samples,


I was able to offer a mix of exotic materials to the participants to work with!
And they employed them…


in all kinds of different ways, making use of their colors, textures, patterns and imagery


to enhance  and enrich their books!

Different makers used the same pattern…

in different ways!


A wide variety of pre-cut “flag pages” were available and used creatively.


Maker Stacy Wong shared her completed Flag Book, which she further developed after the program!


A truly colorfully creative time was had by ALL!

 

Craft Contemporary 2025 GALA

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Some moments of the 2025 Craft Contemporary GALA!
For Your Viewing Pleasure!

Before, in the courtyard

The auction room second floor gallery, our piece, “drift” (myself and Luciana Abait)

      

Carrie’s piece

Ahree’ piece

Rosie

Alma

David

Frida’s husband Mick  (in my Monm’s vest!) (Luis behind)

Andres

Auction

Alba


Liberty and Jay Worth, Victoria May in mask

“We Write The Book” CULMINATION EVENT at the Northridge Library!

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 It was both moving and thrilling to complete my 2024-25 Artist Residency at the beautiful Northridge Branch Library .

This Neighborhood Engagment Artist Residency has been supported by the wonderful City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

I have been honored to serve as  artist-in-residence at the Northridge Branch Library, conducting bookmaking workshops and events for the local community and library patronage from February through May 31, 2025, on selected Wednesday afternoons, 3:30-5:00PM, and Saturdays 11:00am – 12:30PM

Our workshops have been completely free to community with  all materials and refreshments included, supported by the  City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

Attended by participants of all ages including families, I was thrilled to see the explosively colorful and exciting projects our participants created, and their joy in working in community. many of our participants have attended multiple workshops, and some of them have attended all of the bookmaking programs!

During our CULMINATION, participants shared and read from their handmade books, enjoyed refreshments, created a mini-travel journal and learned how do the “Turkish Map Fold” which they could then add to their books!
Turkish Map Fold incorporated into mini-travel journal!


Families enjoy bookmaking together, a blend of generations!


Participants help other participants.


Renata shares one of her amazing books!


A young boy’s dream, and I think we can see what it is!


Such a pleasure to see Ardem Tajerian again, with who I worked on my first Neighborhood Engagment Artist Residency supported by the  City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs back in 2017!


A table of committed bookmakers!


The work and the results.


Maps to add to the travel journal, ready for summer adventures!


It is never too  young to start bookmaking!


A first-time participant who joined our CULMINATION!


Creatively working hands create books.


Library staff get into the creative act.


Extraordinary book works created and shown…shared with the attending community by the participating artists who made them.


Materials galore!


Process yields results.

 
Outside

Inside


Tunnel Bookmaking taken to the max!


Words not to be forgotten…


Honoring women artists in celebration of International Women’s Day and Womens History Month, March 2025

  


An incredible expression of love and committment expressed through bookmaking for a ten-year anniversary, and shared during our “We Write the Book” CULMINATION event!

It was hard to say goodbye. We hope to see everyone in the FALL!

Thank you to  the incredible City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs and the  fantastic Northridge Branch Library for this amazing and deeply fulfilling experience.  Thank you for allowing me to teach, share my knowledge and love of the community and books, and work together to bring together so  many beautiful souls.

Until the next!!!

“We Write The Book” “Box of Fireworks” Bookmaking Workshop at the Northridge Library!

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I was thrilled to lead a “Box of Fireworks” bookmaking workshop at the Northridge Branch Library on May 17th, 2025 in honor of Springtime, Community, and the magic of folded and glued repeated forms!  I learned this bookmaking structure from the British artist Paul Johnson, at the Long Beach Museum of Art, and was excited to pass it on to our participants at the program!

Paul Johnson is a book artist and teacher in the United Kingdom. He is best known as a pop-up and movable book artist and for his work as a teacher of book art and children’s literacy. Johnson, the founder of the Book Art Project, an initiative that teaches writing to children through book making, has made books with over 200,000 children and over 25,000 teachers worldwide.

Attended by participants of all ages including families, I was thrilled to see the explosively colorful and exciting projects our participants created, and their joy in working in community.

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I am an artist-in-residence at the Northridge Branch Library, conducting bookmaking workshops and events for the local community and library patronage from February through May 31, 2025, on selected Wednesday afternoons, 3:30-5:00PM, and Saturdays 11:00am – 12:30PM.

This Neighborhood Engagment Artist Residency is supported by the wonderful City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs!

 

 

Free to community, all materials included!
PLEASE JOIN US for our CULMINATION event 11Am- 1PM Saturday May 31st.

“We Write The Book” “Two-in-One” Bookmaking Workshop at the Northridge Library!

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I was thrilled to lead a “Two-in-One” (also called Dos-à-dos or “back to back” binding) bookmaking workshop at the Northridge Branch Library on May 14th, 2025…in honor of Springtime, Community, and the magic of combining two book forms to create one!  Attended by participants of all ages including families, I was thrilled to see the projects our participants created, and their joy in working in community.

   


I am an artist-in-residence at the Northridge Branch Library, conducting bookmaking workshops and events for the local community and library patronage from February through May, 2025, on selected Wednesday afternoons, 3:30-5:00PM, and Saturdays 11:00am – 12:30PM

Please note date change:
May 21st Wednesday program is now May 14th!   Same time and place!
Free to community, all materials included!
PLEASE JOIN US!

“We Write The Book” TUNNEL Bookmaking Workshop at the Northridge Library!

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I was thrilled to lead an Tunnel bookmaking workshop at the Northridge Branch Library on May 3rd, 2025…in honor of Springtime, Community, and the magical fusion of theater, stories and books! I was stunned and moved to see the projects our participants created, and their joy in working in community.

 
Our program is supported by the marvelous


I am an artist-in-residence at the Northridge Branch Library, conducting bookmaking workshops and events for the local community and library patronage from February through May, 2025, on selected Wednesday afternoons, 3:30-5:00PM, and Saturdays 11:00am – 12:30PM
JOIN US! Free to community, all materials included!
Please note date change:
May 21st Wednesday program is now May 14th!   Same time and place!

“We Write The Book” Single Signature Exposed Spine Bookmaking Workshop at the Northridge Library!

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I was thrilled to lead an “Single Signature with Exposed Spine” bookmaking workshop at the Northridge Branch Library on April 19th, 2025, in honor of National Poetry Month and upcoming EARTH DAY!

    


I am an artist-in-residence at the Northridge Branch Library, conducting bookmaking workshops and events for the local community and library patronage from February through May, 2025, on selected Wednesday afternoons, 3:30-5:00PM, and Saturdays 11:00am – 12:30PM
Please note date change, May 21st Saturday program is now May 14th!
Same time and place!

“We Write The Book” Sidebound Bookmaking Workshop at the Northridge Library!

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I was thrilled to lead an “Sidebound” bookmaking workshop at the Northridge Branch Library on April 16th, 2025, in honor of National Poetry Month and upcoming EARTH DAY!

 


I am an artist-in-residence at the Northridge Branch Library, conducting bookmaking workshops and events for the local community and library patronage from February through May, 2025, on selected Wednesday afternoons, 3:30-5:00PM, and Saturdays 11:00am – 12:30PM
Please note date change, May 21st Saturday program is now May 14th! Same time and place!

“We Write The Book” Flower Fold Bookmaking Workshop at the Northridge Library!

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I was thrilled to lead an “Flower Fold” bookmaking workshop at the Northridge Branch Library in honor of National Poetry Month and upcoming EARTH DAY!

Participants including family groups, seniors and others learned how to make the flower fold book structure using a myriad of beautiful origami papers, and then how to attach multiple flower folds together to create a longer book that folds up into a square.

They added front and back covers and developed their books through addition of images, text, print media, drawing, writing, decorative papers, stickers, paper lace, fabric and wall paper frsagments and scraps, trims, “jewels’, finally learning how to add a ribbon to keep the book closed!  A wonderfully creative time was had by all.


Participant Lenny, father of two, at our program with his wife and children,
shares his experience of the bookmaking program:
“My brain is tingling right now…”


Dina learned about our workshop when she visited the Library that day,
and created a jewelled tie for her book!

 

Proud participant shares her book created at a previous workshop

I am thrilled to work  with the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs Neighborhood Engagement Artist Residency (NEAR).  I am honored to be serving the City of Los Angeles again through the DCA.
Join us for this and other bookmaking workshops! JOIN US!

THE INTERSECTION-Where Art and Community Meet: Flag Bookmaking at 18th Street Arts Center

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Working with the 18th Street Arts Center Community.
Making Flag Books.

On April 1st, 2025 (no joke).

A sublime experience.

Loved every minute.

Share the experience:
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/u-Oe8zYKArc
Animator Stephen Siemens Works his Flag Book
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/fQl1I-KdJT0
Poet Susan Suntree and her Alter

            me

 

             

 

Intersection: where art and community meet with Debra Disman!

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Intersection: where art and community meet with Debra Disman

April 1 @ 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

FREE!

Intersection: where art and community meet with Debra Disman
Tuesday, April 1st | 5PM – 7PM
18th Street Arts Center
1639 18th Street. Santa Monica, CA 90404
Free + Open to the Public

Formally Happy Hours and Potlucks, these gatherings are dedicated to gathering our community around good food, conversation, and art. Please stop by for a bite and chat with our community and spotlight artist: Debra Disman.

Please join us to create & learn, express & enjoy together! Debra Disman will lead us through the making of fun and fantastic “Flag Books”, made of an accordion-folded spine and intimate flag pages onto which you can inscribe your own text, found or otherwise, imagery or any combination of these to tell your own story of the present moment as you are experiencing it. All materials will be provided but if you would like, please bring ephemera and memorabilia to personalize to your book.

 

“We Write The Book” Double Signature Bookmaking Workshop at the Northridge Library!

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I was thrilled to lead an “Accordion Fold Book with Pockets and Pages” workshop at the Northridge Branch Library in honor of Women’s History Month, International Women’s  Day, and Women Artists everywhere!

Participants learned to how to create a book using the accordion fold technique, how to fold pockets as part of the structure, and how to sew in pages, or “signatures“, (gatherings of folded pages) using the pamphlet stitch.

Participants also learned about ground breaking women artists Faith Ringgold, Frida Kahlo, Yayoi Kusama , Louise Nevelson, Betye Saar,  Georgia O’Keeffe.

 

I am thrilled to work  with the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs Neighborhood Engagement Artist Residency (NEAR).  I am honored to be serving the City of Los Angeles again through the DCA.
Join us for this and other bookmaking workshops! JOIN US!

 

“We Write The Book” Closed-Spine Accordion Bookmaking Workshop at the Northridge Library!

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Wednesday March 19 @ 3:30 – 5PM
FREE!
All materials included!

I am thrilled to work  with the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs Neighborhood Engagement Artist Residency (NEAR).  I am honored to be serving the City of Los Angeles again through the DCA.
Join us for this and other bookmaking workshops!

“We Write The Book” Flag Bookmaking Workshop Honors Women Artists at the Northridge Library

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I was thrilled to lead a”Flag Bookmaking” workshop at the Northridge Branch Library in honor of Women’s History Month, International Women’s  Day, and Women Artists everywhere!
Participants learned how to create the fun and fantastic FLAG BOOK structure, and about ground breaking women artists Faith Ringgold, Frida Kahlo, Yayoi Kusama and Georgia O’Keeffe.
SO Much Fun and Learning, and Engagment was had by all.





Leon, age 6,  worked his idea through from conception, to color, to pattern to layering! Note that his shirt features a book, and is the samecolor primary color scheme of red, yellow and blue as his flag book, or, vica versa!


Amazing works created by participant Cathy, who began these books at a previous “WE WRITE The BOOK” workshop, and completed them at home! (Folded Fan Book Structure)

I am honored to work with the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs Neighborhood Engagement Artist Residency (NEAR).  I am honored to be serving the City of Los Angeles again through the DCA.


I am an artist-in-residence at the Northridge Branch Library, conducting bookmaking workshops and events for the local community and library patronage from February through May, 2025, every other Wednesday afternoon, 3:30-5:00PM, and Saturday 11:00am – 12:30PM

“We Write The Book” Closed Spine Accordion Bookmaking Workshop at the Northridge Library!

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IN HONOR OF INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY and WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH!

Join us as we learn to how to create the fun and fantastic Closed-Spine Accordion Book at the Northridge Branch Library in honor of Women’s History Month, International Women’s  Day, and Women Artists everywhere!

Learn about ground breaking women artists Faith Ringgold, Frida Kahlo, Yayoi Kusama and Georgia O’Keeffe.  All materials included!

March 19 @ 3:30 – 5PM
FREE!
All materials included!

I am thrilled to work  with the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs Neighborhood Engagement Artist Residency (NEAR).  I am honored to be serving the City of Los Angeles again through the DCA.


I am an artist-in-residence at the Northridge Branch Library, conducting bookmaking workshops and events for the local community and library patronage from February through May, 2025, every other Wednesday afternoon, 3:30-5:00PM, and Saturday 11:00am – 12:30PM

“We Write the Book” FOLDED FAN Bookmaking Workshop at the Northridge Library!

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 I am thrilled to conduct our “We Write The Book”  Neighborhood Engagement Artist Residency (NEAR)artist residency at the Northridge Public Library supported by the  Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs . This residency is a collaboration between myself, the Library and the DCA.

Our second workshop in the series saw us creating a “FOLDED FAN” book, with people of all ages working together in community. Families, adults, children and community members worked side by side, learning about materials, techniques and how to put it all together to create a unique book art work!


Lead Librarian Emily Aaronson introduces the program.


New friendships may be born!


Repurposing materials in fresh ways!


Use of repurposed calendar pages and more.


Choosing  and using materials.

Focused making.


Development of a theme.


Engrossed in creating.

Exciting bookmaking workshops will be held at the  Northridge Branch Library from February through May, 2025, on selected Wednesday afternoons, 3:30-5:00PM, and Saturday mornings 11:00am – 12:30PM.
JOIN US! All programs are FREE and Open to the Public, with materials provided.

Our kick-off “We Write the Book” workshop at the Northridge Library!

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I was delighted to “kick-off” my “We Write The Book”  Neighborhood Engagement Artist Residency (NEAR)artist residency at the Northridge Public Library supported by the  Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs .

I am honored to be serving the City of Los Angeles again through the DCA.

Our first workshop, or program, in Library parlance, was an accodion-fold book with pockets. Families, Parents, Adults, Children, Community Members all joined us to learn, create and share together.
A wonderful time was had by ALL. 

   

I will be an artist-in-residence at the Northridge Branch Library, conducting bookmaking workshops and events for the local community and library patronage from February through May, 2025, on selected Wednesday afternoons, 3:30-5:00PM, and Saturday mornings 11:00am – 12:30PM.

JOIN US!

PAPER Is In The Air…

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The proverbial scent of paper is in the air!

I am delighted to be showing in two exhibitions focussed on PAPER in the months of February and March.

First up is the exhibition “PAPER” is presented online February 13, 2025 – March 13, 2025 by Site: Brooklyn

SEE THE SHOW HERE!

The 20th century marked the peak, and subsequent decline, of paper’s dominance over everyday life. “Paperwork” is still a near-universal experience, but like everything else, has taken a more-and-more virtual form. Paper, unlike most artistic mediums, is a substrate first and artistic medium second. Created from textile waste, paper is woven very deeply into the fabric of modern life. It can be equally associated with the transformation of work, easy replication, industriousness, disposability, creativity, and experimentation. Since its invention, these qualities have encouraged artists to prepare, design, and experiment on paper. Ironically, it was in the later part of the 20th century when artists like Dorothea Rockburne. Ed Ruscha, and Robert Rauschenberg took the investigations of the Cubists into papier collé and developed paper as both a physical object, and a subject. Site:Brooklyn is looking for works that continue and expand this tradition.

Exhibition Juror, Rachel Gladfelter  is the Director at Pace Paper. Previously, she was the gallery director for the Pace Prints NYC, a fine art print gallery specializing in original, limited-edition prints in collaboration with printmaking affiliates, Pace Editions and Pace Paper. Before that, Gadfelter held the position of Studio Director for Dieu Donne Paper.

I am deighted to show “Excavation of the Interior”, 2021, 12 x 28 x 12.5″, wood, paper, cloth, hemp cord, linen thread

Curatorial Statement: Rachel Gladfelter
Paper is an exhibition that brings together 42 artists working within this versatile medium.  Ranging from intimate collaged ink drawings like Christopher Miller’s Dog Sitting to Svetlana Grigoryeva’s earthy and tactile Breathing of Bark, paper promotes ideas as expansive as its material capability.

Ancient and versatile, paper has historically acted as a carrier, allowing the sharing of ideas, image and word.  With the advent of exploratory papermaking studios and residency spaces in the mid to late 20th century, artists began creating work within the medium itself, bringing new energy and innovation.  Paper’s potential is infinite as both substrate and essential substance.  

As a substrate, it is luring.  To quote Ellsworth Kelly, “When I see a white piece of paper, I feel I’ve got to draw.  And drawing, for me, is the beginning of everything.”  As a medium in and of itself, the ability to create new ideas from the raw materials of fiber and water has a romantic tactility.  Paper can be additive: poured, painted and brushed.  It can be constructed into a new form.  It can be a lightweight shell of an object, or it can be a solidly cast shape.  It can be wrapped around an armature, and it can be cut, torn or shredded.  Paper can be painted on, photographed, crumpled up, eaten, heard, touched, twisted, drawn on, printed on and carried in protest.  It is fragile yet resilient.  It transports history, stories and secrets.  It moves as easily in a systematic mail system as in the unpredictable wind.  Paper is responsive.  It is historical and present, bringing life and purpose to ideas.  Paper is an analogue in a digital age.   The works in Paper share the significance of this medium’s intimacy and clear purpose in its utilization; albeit shown in a digital exhibition. The artists exhibited create works where paper is intrinsic to their ideas around themes of pattern, nature, politics, structure, and memory.  Each wall highlights one of these motifs. – Rachel Gladfelter

Site:Brooklyn Gallery is dedicated to exhibiting the current practice of contemporary artists. We are taking Site:Brooklyn online with a new series of interactive exhibitions. Our goal remains the same, to connect artists with an expert and diverse set of jurors through the open call format. Our new program focuses on online open call exhibitions, selected by a cast of new jurors, solo artist features, and spotlights.

SEE THE “PAPER” SHOW HERE!

In March I will be showing in the exhibition CUT/FOLD/PRESS, presented at Craft Alliance, and juried by the renowned Buzz Spector. More to come on this in another post!

Bookmaking Love at the West Hollywood Library!

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I was thrilled to lead a Valentine’s bookmaking program February 8th, 2025, at 2PM at the  West Hollywood Library, a beautiful and welcoming place for the whole community!

Participants learned to create their own accordion fold book with pockets and pop-ups they could give a a gift for Valentine’s Day or keep for themselves.
They added  special messages into the pockets, and learned how to create fun one and two-cut pop-ups!
Refreshments and all materials were included.

See VIDEO HERE!

A love-filled time was had by ALL!


 


See VIDEO HERE!

 

 

Mazur Museum showcases Contemporary Artists Throughout the US

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I am thrilled to participate in “The 62nd Annual Juried Competition” at The Mazur Museum of Art!

The Masur Museum of Art’s Annual Juried Competition showcases contemporary artists throughout the United States of America working in any medium. First started in 1964, the Annual Juried Competition is the Masur Museum’s longest-running tradition and one of its best-reviewed exhibitions each year. This year, 1400  artworks were submitted by artists all over the nation, in all styles and media.

Exhibition on view Feb 20 – May 3, 2025
Public Reception: January 20, 2025 5:30 – 7:30 PM

I am honored to show: “The Body Politic: Black and Gold”


2024, 8.5 x 23 x 7″, bk board, paint, canvas, metal leaf, lace, cord, netting, trim, beads

About the Juror
Annemarie Sawkins, PhD, is a Milwaukee-based independent curator, who has curated several exhibitions for the Masur Museum of Art including Kogyo: Japanese Woodblock Prints (2022), Treasures of Art Nouveau (2019) and Afghan War Rugs: The Modern Art of Central Asia (2018). Her more recent projects include Profound Prints: Art by Exceptional Women at the Hilliard Art Museum and A Creative Place at the Trout Museum of Art. From 1999 to 2012, she was a curator at the Haggerty Museum of Art at Marquette University. A frequent juror and portfolio reviewer, Annemarie Sawkins has a MA and PhD in Art/Architectural History from McGill University in Montreal, Canada.
Sponsored by The Northeast Louisiana Arts Council

62nd Annual Juried Competition – Public Reception
5:30 – 7:30 PM
Juror’s talk and awards: 6:30 PM
Receptions at the Masur Museum of Art are free and open to the public. Light food and refreshments are served and ID for alcoholic beverages is required. Parking at the museum is limited so carpooling is suggested.

 

Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover

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I am thrilled to participate in “Don’t Judge a Book by its Cover” at the the Cultural Center of Cape Cod

February 3 @ 12:00 pm – March 1 @ 5:00 pm
Please join us for the opening reception  5-7PM February 7, 2025 at the
Cultural Center of Cape Cod, Inc. 307 Old Main Street South Yarmouth, MA 02664

“Don’t Judge a Book by its Cover“, is an evocative visual art exhibition designed to challenge our perceptions and invite us to look beyond the superficial. This engaging showcase, presented at the Cultural Center, features a variety of artists who use unexpected materials, surprising forms, and innovative techniques to question the initial impressions and judgments we often make.

Each piece in the collection serves as a metaphor for the complexity of identity and the hidden depths beneath external appearances. By juxtaposing the seen with the unseen, this exhibition encourages viewers to reconsider how they interpret not only art but each other in everyday life

Join us from February 3 – March 1, 2025, for a transformative journey that redefines what it means to truly ‘see.’

I am thrilled to show:
Red Notebook (Here’s To The Red, White and Blue), 8.5 x 12.5 x 6.5″, placemat, linen thread, hemp cord, cloth, wood

EXPO 44 at B.J. Spoke Gallery

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I am thrilled to participate in EXPO 44  presented online by B.J. Spoke Gallery.

Juror: Emily Olek is a Curatorial Assistant in the Department of Drawings and Prints at the Museum of Modern Art, New York. Before joining MoMA, Emily was the Janet and Craig Duchossois Curatorial Research Assistant in Prints and Drawings at the Art Institute of Chicago, where she worked on projects including Joseph E. Yoakum: What I Saw, Hairy Who? 1966-1969, and Lygia Pape: Tecelares. She also worked on exhibitions at the Chicago Cultural Center and the Pritzker Military Museum and Library. Emily recently completed her M.A. at the University of Illinois at Chicago with a concentration in American works on paper and holds a B.A. in Art History from Loyola University Chicago. Her Master’s Thesis entitled “So-Called “Outsiders”: A Case Against the Moniker” won UIC Graduate College’s 2022 Outstanding Thesis Award.

I have two large scale installations in the show. View my WORK  here!

View my WORK in the show here!

Reception will be Thursday, February 6, 2025, at 7:00pm (EST) via ZOOM. The reception will be recorded.
Everybody will be there:
Selected Artists! Juror! Gallery Members! Guests!
Register below and Zoom will send you a link to enter the reception.
JOIN US!
Register HERE for Expo Reception

Swinging the Pendulum

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I am thrilled to be part of:

The 14th Annual International Juried Exhibition – PENDULUM

February 12 – March 8, 2025

READ THE PRESS RELEASE!

The A.D. Gallery at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke  presents an exhibition that shares varied  interpretations of the theme, Pendulum.
Gains/losses, highs/lows, submerge/emerge…our human experience swings on a pendulum. While we all aim for homeostasis, the moments the pendulum swings are often when we feel the most alive, when we are called to act or react. In the past 20 years, we have faced major political, social, environmental, and personal shifts. These shifts have presented us with obstacles, challenges as well as moments for reinvention and emergence. This show presents works that visualize a swing in the pendulum, a life altering moment, a shift in the trajectory. Juror: Emily Beck considered works from a broad range of interpretations of this theme.

I am pleased to show: It’s Not Black and White, 2021, 9 x 22 x 7.5″, book board, canvas, paper, typewriter ribbon, hemp cord

Emily Scott Beck is an interdisciplinary artist and professor in the Department of Art, Art History and Design at the University of Notre Dame. Her work manipulates and re-contextualizes aspects of our identity that are often hidden within the layers of human communication and interaction. Using video, animation, photography, sculpture, fibers, installation, and sound, she captures experiences of emotional vulnerability, unrehearsed performances, gender construction, systems of belief, and women’s labor and leadership. A focus on art as a powerful tool for visual communication and social change is a common thread between her studio practice and her teaching. Her work has been exhibited in galleries and museums across the United States, including the North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh, NC, the South Bend Museum of Art in South Bend, IN, Elisabet Ney Museum in Austin Texas, and Woman Made Gallery in Chicago, IL

The A.D. Gallery is sponsored by the Art Department of the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. Serving the university and local community, the gallery provides a venue for student and faculty work, as well as that of local, regional, national and international artists. The gallery helps fulfill the department’s goal of providing outstanding educational opportunities for its students by bringing quality visual arts to the university and the community at large.

In the 1970s the faculty recognized a need for a permanent exhibition space and converted a faculty lounge into a gallery, which served the department for 30 years. In September 2005, the department announced the opening of its new exhibition space. The new A.D. Gallery features approximately 960 square feet of exhibition space, an upper register with a skylight, and the ability to display large-format work.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE!

 

WHOSMUSEUM presents the “Visual Language of Modernity” at the Sasse Museum

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I am honored to participate in the upcoming exhibition:

“Visual Language of Modernity” is visioned to be a resourceful group exhibition showcasing contemporary artworks by international artists. The artworks have been chosen to provide a unique lens at the complexities and modernity of multi-cultural backgrounds and identities in globalization and diaspora. The exhibition will showcase a wide range of art forms, medias and materials, from traditional techniques to digital work and installation art. The exhibition has been designed to reflect the multi-aspects of modern creation.

In collaboration with Whosmuseum and Sasse Museum of Art, the “Visual Language of Modernity” will take place in the  Sasse Museum of Art located in the diverse-cultural Downtown Pomona Arts Colony at 300 S. Thomas St., Pomona.
The exhibition will run from February 1st to February 22nd, 2025.

“Visual Language of Modernity,” a juried exhibition masterfully curated by Shuai Xu, emerges as a groundbreaking showcase of contemporary artworks that challenges our understanding of identity in an increasingly interconnected world. This international exhibition brings together artists whose works navigate the complex intersection of tradition, displacement, and cultural evolution in our globalized society.” —Sasse Museum of Art

The local art community and world-wide art lovers are encouraged to experience this dynamic exploration of  art, culture, and aesthetic presentations emerging from multi-cultural artists’ communities, their artistic languages integrated with innovation and modernity.

I am pleased to be showing:

“Concurrencies I: Charlotte Salomon Eva Hesse”, 2022, 58 x 19.5″, denim, varnish, hemp cord, gold thread

I am looking forward to seeing all the other works in the show, and how they work together, I am sure, in good company.

 

The Hera Rewrites HER/OUR Story

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“Writer Elizabeth Lesser asks “What story would Eve have told about picking the apple? Why is Pandora blamed for opening the box? And what about the fate of Cassandra who was blessed with knowing the future but cursed so that no one believed her?”

Flipping through the pages of your high school history textbook, how many stories are written about women as monumental protagonists? When was the last time you watched a movie that passed the Bechdel test? When was the last time there were more women than men on the Supreme Court voting on the right to our bodies? 

As brands of “faux” feminism partnered with consumerist culture push out media representing women’s liberation through a patriarchal gaze, how can we reclaim the visual language to share more authentic stories? How can our art share the stories of women, trans women, and non-binary folks written out of the history books? How does your work give voice to the overlooked and underrepresented? 

Hera Gallery presents 52 works that rewrite this cultural consciousness for a more inclusive human history.”

Please see the SHOW here!

I am honored to have two pieces in this salient year-long online exhibition, and participate in a small way, in Rewriting Her/Our/Their Story.

“White Zip”, 2020, 21.25″ x 20.5″ x .25″, canvas, acrylic paint, lace, zipper, hemp cord, linen thread, wood

“Into The Bush“, 2020, 11 x 19 x 7 , book board, canvas, sewing thread, acrylic paint

Please see the SHOW here!

TAG: The 2025 LA OPEN

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The Artists Gallery (TAG) Presents:
The L.A. Open 2025
JOIN US:
Wednesday, January 8 through Friday, January 24
Awards Reception: Saturday, January 11th, 2025, 5 – 8 pm

TAG and the L.A. Open celebrate art and creativity in Los Angeles County!

I am thrilled to show two works in this fun and fantastic annual show!

“The Body Politic: Black and Gold“, 2024, 8.5 x 23 x 7″, book board, paint, canvas, metal leaf, lace, cord, netting, trim, beads


“Hopes and Fears and…”, 2020, 24.5 x 16.25″, textile samples, linen thread

JUROR: Genie Davis
Genie Davis is a writer who loves and writes about art as well as a wide range of other subjects as a journalist, biographer, novelist, and WGA-W screen and television writer. You can see her written work in the arts on her own www.diversionsLA.com as well as in past publications of Artillery, Art & Cake, Art Scene, Fabrik, and Riot Material.
She is the curator of 2023’s Leaving Eden, a two-person thematic exhibition at Keystone Art Space; September 2024’s Thresholds, a small group exhibition at Gallery of Hermosa; and upcoming in March 2025, the international exhibition Windswept at Wonzimer Gallery.

MORE INFO HERE!

 

The HERa Rewrites HER/OUR Story

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I am thrilled to participate in the Hera Gallery’s year long, 52-piece online show, “Rewriting her Story“

“Writer Elizabeth Lesser asks “What story would Eve have told about picking the apple? Why is Pandora blamed for opening the box? And what about the fate of Cassandra who was blessed with knowing the future but cursed so that no one believed her?”

Flipping through the pages of your high school history textbook, how many stories are written about women as monumental protagonists? When was the last time you watched a movie that passed the Bechdel test? When was the last time there were more women than men on the Supreme Court voting on the right to our bodies? 

As brands of “faux” feminism partnered with consumerist culture push out media representing women’s liberation through a patriarchal gaze, how can we reclaim the visual language to share more authentic stories? How can our art share the stories of women, trans women, and non-binary folks written out of the history books? How does your work give voice to the overlooked and underrepresented? 

Hera Gallery presents 52 works that rewrite this cultural consciousness for a more inclusive human history.”

I am honored to have two pieces in this salient exhibition, and to participate in a small way, in Rewriting Her/Our/Their Story.

 

Please see the SHOW in its entirety HERE.

My works in the show:
WHITE ZIP

and
INTO THE BUSH

Please see the SHOW here.

Deep Dive into “DWELLINGS” at Artlink

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I am thrilled to be part of a beautiful and timely show, “DWELLINGS” at Artlink, housed in the Auer Center for Arts and Culture in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Learn about and view the show HERE!

I love participating in shows all over the country, and see the extraordinary talent, diversity of media, level of skill and and passion for expression manifesting itself across the United States at all times.  This helps me to feel connection, hope and the sense of belonging to a creative force working to resist cruelty, negativity, smallness and isolationism. Brava to the brave and resilient gallerists, curators, organizations, funders, institutions and artists working tirelessly to support the growth of the human spirit into its most elevated aspirations.

“For the exhibition DWELLINGS, juried Steve Garst, Artlink invited artists to submit works of any media that involve homes, shelters, forts, nests, burrows, or any other forms of inhabited space used by humans or non-humans. Where a creature lays its head can be a place of refuge, sustenance, and identity.  They are cauldrons of growth, filled with love, hurt, anger, learning, and memory.  Often, homes are constructed and, in turn, end up constructing the lives of those who dwell within them, for better or worse.  Artlink is excited to offer an exhibition exploring the variety of human and non-human places that serve as home, in all its numerous manifestations.”

My artists’ book “Window Treatment” is in the show and I am proud to be in such good company.

Please see a video of the SHOW HERE!

 

 

Upcoming Exhibitions 2025

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I am excited to start off the new year with two exhibitions, and appreciate the opportunity to share and commune with others, near and far.

DWELLINGS: An Exhibition of Inhabited Spaces
January 2 – February 2, 2025 at


I am thrilled to participate in the exhibition: “DWELLINGS: An Exhibition of Inhabited Spaces” at ARTLINK, at the Auer Center for Arts and Culture, Fort Wayne, Indiana. I love to get my work involved in events and shows all across the country and in areas not considered major art centers, and off the edges of the US. I find the commitment and caliber of shows, curators/jurors, artists and work to be audacious and  inspiring on all fronts. “For the exhibition DWELLINGS, juried Steve Garst, Artlink invited artists to submit works of any media that involve homes, shelters, forts, nests, burrows, or any other forms of inhabited space used by humans or non-humans. Where a creature lays its head can be a place of refuge, sustenance, and identity.  They are cauldrons of growth, filled with love, hurt, anger, learning, and memory.  Often, homes are constructed and, in turn, end up constructing the lives of those who dwell within them, for better or worse.  Artlink is excited to offer an exhibition exploring the variety of human and non-human places that serve as home, in all its numerous manifestations.” I am showing “Window Treatment”

Window Treatment, 2018, 13 x 38 x 9.25″, mixed media

VIEW THE SHOW HERE!

and close upon DWELLINGS,

The 2025 LA OPEN, at TAG Gallery in Los Angeles
January 8 – February 24, 2025

I am thrilled to show two works in this fun and fantastic annual show!

The Body Politic: Black and Gold, 2024, 8.5 x 23 x 7″, book board, paint, canvas, metal leaf, lace, cord, netting, trim, beads

Hopes and Fears and…, 2020, 24.5 x 16.25″, textile samples, linen thread

View the SHOW here!

Illustrious JUROR: Genie Davis 
Genie Davis is a writer who loves and writes about art as well as a wide range of other subjects as a journalist, biographer, novelist, and WGA-W screen and television writer. You can see her written work in the arts on her own www.diversionsLA.com as well as in past publications of Artillery, Art & Cake, Art Scene, Fabrik, and Riot Material.
She is the curator of 2023’s Leaving Eden, a two-person thematic exhibition at Keystone Art Space; September 2024’s Thresholds, a small group exhibition at Gallery of Hermosa; and upcoming in March 2025, the international exhibition Windswept at Wonzimer Gallery.

Here’s to meeting and marching into the New Year, with courage, bravery, heart and honesty, as much as we can…

 

Making Art Inspired By Great Artists: “Channeling” Louise Nevelson

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It was great fun to work with my girrrrlll power (my moniker) CREST Santa Monica Malibu School District after school programming students for our last meeting of our “Making Art Inspired By Great Artists” class, inspired by extraordinary artist Louise Nevelson.

The girrrllls (from grades 1-5!) used a variety of scrap and other wood object and pieces to create their own sculptural constructions using wood glue. They became designers, planners, builders, engineer and of course, artists and sculptors. Very inspiring!

 

Surface Design Association Instagram “Take-over”!

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The weekend of November 29-December 1 I had the pleasure, the honor and the fun of “taking over” (collaborating with) the Instagram account of the beloved  Surface Design Association or “SDA”, as it is commonly known.

It was so much fun, rewarding and delightful to get responses from and connections to many artists and makers I was not yet aware of, and peruse their beautiful and innovative work.

Thank you SDA, for this lovely opportunity, and for All you do for All of us.

Here are some of my posts (sans videos):
(You can see the whole collaboration, as well as continually added works on the SDA Instagram as well as my own)

Hello and a happy holiday weekend to All. I have the privilege of collaborating with the @surface_design this weekend, an organization I am thrilled to be a part of. SDA offers community, connection, education and wonderful opportunities. I have had the pleasure of participating in several SDA exhibitions, and I am honored to be in the company of other SDA artist members showing around the country! Thank you SDA, for all you do for all of us.

“LA Foret I, II and III” Adding complexity with each piece, as a stand alone, and components of a whole. They are made from hundreds of pieces of cord, glued to a raw canvas surface, painted on the reverse, and hanging at a slight remove from the wall.


(a different image of this piece is on Instagram)
“KnoW Safe Place”, 2023, 60 x 48 x 48″, canvas, hemp/nylon/cotton cord, lace, netting, lace, ribbon, acrylic paint, wood, archival adhesive.  Is there no safe place?  Do we ever know safe space?

“The Body Politic: Like White on White”, 2024, 9x16x7
book board, hemp, canvas, hemp/assorted cord, trim, acrylic paint, archival pva
Three dimensions reaching into three dimensions.


A treasured part of my practice is sharing the wealth as a teaching artist across LA County. I teach bookmaking and more in libraries, schools, museums and other venues. I value these collaborations with others such as librarians, whose expertise I respect and learn from! Thank you to the @culture_la and others for the opportunities you afford teaching artists in all disciplines.

Studio shot from the back by André Smits 
@artistintheworld713


Girrrrl powerFUL students from my “Making Art Inspired By Great Artists” class…creating their own textile hangings inspired by Faith Ringgold‘s extraordinary Story Quilts. Age range 1-5th grade, quite a range, and so talented.


It has been an honor to collaborate with the @surface_design over the past three days, and thank you, SDA for inviting me to do so. I leave you with “The Body Politic: Black and Gold“, 2024, 8.5 x 23 x 7”, made of book board, canvas, cord, netting, lace, trim, metallic leaf and beads. A book-inspired object that references the body as well as adornment and asks is what is precious; which can be presented in multiple states of open and closed; hints and glints at secrets, yet contains nothing on its pages except that which we project. Wishing all a healthy and peaceful holiday and strength for the New Year.

MAS Attack at the Torrance Art Museum!

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 Show Up, Share Art, Stand Together

MAS Attack Returns to TAM Dec 13th!

MAS Attack Returns to the Torrance Art Museum (TAM) – Friday, December 13th, 6-9pm
Calling all artists in SoCal—join us for a pop-up exhibition of solidarity!

After a challenging and divisive period, many artists are uncertain about the future. But the future starts now—and we are stronger together. Join us for the return of the Mutual Appreciation Society event—MAS Attack! This one-night-only exhibition invites all artists to share work that reflects these turbulent times, whether political, emotional, or personal. Art that speaks to where we are, and where we are headed. This is an opportunity to show that community counts, and that we are not alone.

How to Participate
No registration or application is required! Artists are invited to drop off their work at TAM from Tuesday, December 10th to Friday, December 13th, 10am-4pm. The opening reception will be Friday, December 13th, 6-9pm. At 9pm, artists can take their work home with them.

What’s at stake?
With recent tensions and the aftermath of a divisive election, many artists are wondering what comes next. We need to reinforce our sense of community—so we can replace grief, anger, and anxiety with hope, resilience, and strength. MAS Attack is about showing up, sharing art, and reminding each other that we are in this together. We invite all forms of art, all styles, and all voices. Your voice matters.

This is just the beginning. Small steps, but important ones. Let’s come together, renew our bonds, and support each other. Join us on Friday, December 13th—and be part of the future.

Spread the word!

Evidence of Joy to be found….

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“EVIDENCE OF JOY” was a group exhibition curated by April Parviz, who says:

“…When I look at the current world of art, I feel like I see a lot of evidence of many inspiring things, but not always so much joy.  I know in my own art practice, I am often fueled by loud palpable emotions like pain and confusion. Perhaps if I begin practicing using joy as fuel, I will begin to do it more habitually. Perhaps if we practice seeing joy more we can become habitual joy detectives. 

Evidence of Joy Dovetail Reception | 8.6.24 |

by Mary Oliver, 2017
“If you suddenly and unexpectedly feel joy,

don’t hesitate. Give in to it. There are plenty

of lives and whole towns destroyed or about

to be. We are not wise, and not very often

kind. And much can never be redeemed.

Still, life has some possibility left. Perhaps this

is its way of fighting back, that sometimes

something happens better than all the riches

or power in the world. It could be anything,

but very likely you notice it in the instant

when love begins. Anyway, that’s often the

case. Anyway, whatever it is, don’t be afraid

of its plenty. Joy is not made to be a crumb.”

SEE THE SHOW PAGE!

SEE THE SHOW VIDEO!

VIEW THE CATALOGUE Below….

Hopes and Fears and…

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From 2020 to the present moment.

I HOPE this is not forever, I FEAR it might be…but I HOPE not.
HOPE springs eternal, FEAR springs infernal.




Hopes and Fears and…, 2020, 24.5 x 16.25″, textile samples, linen thread

when FACING DARKNESS

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Face it, if at all possible, look “it” square in the proverbial eye/I, and take your reckoning. Be prepared, be intelligent, be on the ready. 

Facing Darkness, 2020, 19 x 18 x .5″, canvas, acrylic paint, lace, zipper

Yet,

Facing Darkness, (detail), 2020, 19 x 18 x .5″, canvas, acrylic paint, lace, zipper

Leave an opening, don’t zip yourself away. Stay open and fluid. And. Be prepared, be intelligent, be on the ready. Be open to creating silver linings.

 

Open Studio Take 2

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Thrilled to have my nephew Sam visiting and here for our Open Studios at 18th Street.

Thanks to Henry Graham Murray for the images!


Open Studio Open HeART

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18th Street Arts Center  OPEN STUDIOS  October 20, 2024


With sister Susan and nephew Sam inside “KnoW Safe Place“


With sis Susan inside “KnoW Safe Place“


Thank you Victoria 


Sam chats with fellow Artist in Residence Dan S. Wang


A lovely offering brought home. Thank you B. Susan!

“Stitching Together Stories and Emotions: The Journey Through Textures and Threads” Interview

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Stitching Together Stories and Emotions: The Journey Through Textures and Threads
My interview with the Bridge Arts Foundation in conjunction with the exhibition, “Soliloquy”
Jul 28, 2024
Written By Tia Xu

Initiated and organized by The Bridge Arts Foundation, the ‘SOLILOQUY’ Open Call Exhibition is currently being held at The Scholart Selection Gallery in San Gabriel, California, and will run until August 17th, 2024.

Bridge Arts Foundation’s Art Director, Tia Xu, engaged in a conversation about the exhibition and art with several artists participating in this exhibition. In this interview, we have the pleasure of speaking with artist Debra Disman.

 —— Q&A ——

Tia Xu: Could you please share your background and what inspired you to pursue a career in art?

Debra Disman: I have always created both visual and literary art, as it used to be called! Art and writing, image and text; my twin and intersection loves and passions: I have employed the written word in my work over time.

 I majored in painting and minored in literature and creative writing, participating in the renowned Iowa Writers Workshop in Poetry at the University of Iowa. A year of study in Southern France sparked a love of travel and exploring other cultures that continues to expand and inform my work.

 I have worked as a teaching, community, public and social practice artist all of my career, starting with volunteering with various organizations and communities in high school and college, then working over many years with museums, community organizations and educational institutions through grants, fellowships, residencies, visiting artist situations and as an employee and staff member teaching bookmaking and many forms of two and three-dimensional art and elements of art history.

Photo: André Smit.

 I created and conducted the grant-funded book and story writing program “The Art of Storymaking” through the San Francisco Public Library for five years, and have presented and taught the “We Write the Book” project at the Los Angeles Public Library supported by the LA Department of Cultural Affairs since 2017.  For fifteen years I owned and operated ArtiFactory Studio as a sole proprietor, offering decorative painting, surface design, murals and color consultation to a wide assortment of clients, and learned much about business, entrepreneurship, management and networking that has held me in good stead in all further endeavors!

I have continued my education through certificate programs and groups in the Bay Area and Los Angeles, and am a devoted local artist in residence at 18th Street Art Center serving on the Community Council, and a proud member of The Guild of Book Workers (serving as board secretary), Textile Arts LA and the Surface Design Association.

Although my work has focused on the form of the book since about 2016, it has reached into textiles, sculpture, installation and even performance! I continue to integrate words and text into my textiles, fiber works, hanging and handmade books, and look forward to where this work will take me. I hope to offer the viewer and participant moments of solace, rest, contemplation and questioning through my work in all forms as we all move through this very tempestuous time in our world.

Debra Disman, “I Can’t I Won’t I Will I Do”, 2022, Repurposed cotton table runner, acrylic paint, hemp cord, 13 x 71.50 in (33.02 x 181.61 cm). Photo: Elon Schoenholz.

Tia Xu: What does “SOLILOQUY” mean to you, and how does your artwork explore this theme? Can you tell us the story behind your artwork from the exhibition?

Debra Disman: The term “SOLILOQUY” refers to the act of speaking one’s thoughts aloud to oneself, alone, or regardless of any listeners.  Yet, to me, the very act of speaking out loud implies a desire to be listened to, heard, understood, perhaps even to have one’s words, thoughts and ideas embraced. As the writer Siri Hustvedt stated eloquently; “Art is always made for the other, the one who will look, and listen.” (paraphrase). We want to be seen, heard, understood, loved and embraced, and we reach out for this, even if we think we are speaking only to ourselves, or that we want only to speak to ourselves. I feel our work and our words are always, on some level, directed to others in a plea for care, receptivity, acceptance and understanding, otherwise why speak or express at all?

My work, “I Can’t I Won’t I Will I Do” is both a textural, and a textual tapestry, a “tactile textile” as the artist Annie Albers would put it. Through its words, textures/layers, tangled threads and monochromatic white on white coloration, it expresses the effort, energy, commitment, drive and will that is required to bring ideas to life through the creative act, and our initial resistance to this process which must be overcome.

We have to push through this resistance to achieve our vision. It is a journey from resistance and refusal to acceptance and realization, achieved only through maximum effort in working though each step, often in the dark! The stitched text and tangled threads run the length of the piece, depicting the commitment that is necessary to light the creative journey, which is often a long haul.

Photo: Gene Ogami.

Tia Xu: What materials and techniques do you prefer to use in your art, and could you explain your choices?

Debra Disman: Since about 2016 I have focused primarily on cloth, paper, thread, and cord. I also employ acrylic paint, and use pH neutral PVA/glue designed for bookbinding, even when I am working with textiles, cloth and fiber, as I have been doing increasingly over the last few years. I employ the materiality of fiber to engage the senses and invite altered ways of experiencing the world and our place in it, both soothing and confounding the eye with uneven visual repetition. Through this means of stabilizing and destabilizing, I hope to instigate fundamental questions that encourage an examination of what we think we know and are.

Devoted to material labor and the inherent substance, sensibility and tactility of the handmade, I love nothing more than to be immersed in material manipulation, which inevitably yields some kind of distilled meaning. The evocative, visceral and profoundly physical quality of materials drives my work, permeating and charging it with emotional resonance. I am compelled to bundle, braid and bunch, tangle, twine, twist and tie, layer, loop, wrap, wind, stitch, sew, knot and glue, as well as paint, draw and write, intuitively developing, complicating and disrupting the surface to add levels of meaning.

Often, the meaning becomes clear during or after this process rather than as a directive beforehand, as if it had been there all along, and simply surfaced during the act of making.

Tia Xu: Are there any artists or art movements that have had a significant influence on your work? If so, why?

Debra Disman: I have been working with the artists Eva Hesse and Charlotte Salomon (who is becoming more widely known) for many years, finding the concurrencies between them in terms of their lives and experiences that led each to create hitherto unknown groundbreaking art. I was fortunate enough to receive a Santa Monica Artist Project Fellowship 2021, which allowed me to research their lives and work more deeply. In 2022-23 ReflectSpace Gallery worked with me to transform a unique book I had made about Salomon and Hesse into one that could be duplicated and published, which they did in conjunction with my solo show there in 2023, a great honor and gift.

Photo: Gene Ogami.

Other artists I am influenced by and passionate about include the English Painter Celia Paul, The Canadian Artist Agnes Martin, The French-born artist Louise Bourgeois, and the American artist Liza Lou. I also love many others including Lee Krasner, Jasper John, Robert Rauschenberg and Judith Scott.

I am drawn to artists who engage with intense materiality, and fascinated by those who break new ground and seem to invent something new such as Hesse with her use of latex and fiberglass and unusual, emotionally evocative combinations of materials; Salomon with her inventive integration of text, image and music; Lou’s use of beads in aggregation and engagement with labor, and what she terms, the “marathon of making”; Martin’s use of seriality, repetition, layering and almost sacred touch with materials; Krasner’s gesture, color and paint handling; Judith Scott’s incredible “wrappings” and use of thread, cord and string; Rauschenberg’s fantastic and telling material combinations; and John’s gravitas, strange break-ups of the body, investigation of reality, and again, material layering.

Tia Xu: Can you describe a challenging moment or obstacle you’ve encountered during your artistic journey and how you successfully overcame it?

Debra Disman: In 2012 my husband and I moved from the San Francisco Bay Area, where we had been for decades. We started over almost completely from scratch, though he had a contract job. I left my business of 15 years, and began teaching and building a social and studio practice. The way that I did it was step by step, working through each roadblock in an almost methodical manner, whether it be making an appointment to meet with someone, or working through a municipal bureaucracy! As I worked through each thing, I gained confidence in new area, discovered and developed more skill, met challenges and overcame obstacles.  I had great excitement about the move, and was really ready for it, so that helped! I also focused on my teaching as a way to get established, procure gigs, jobs and project and contribute financially to our household, and did not put the pressure on myself to create art to sell. I wanted to be completely free in the studio to discover my own path and what came next, and step by step was able to achieve that and carve out a unique niche for myself in the panoramic LA Art scene, while learning, growing and meeting incredible people along the way!

Photo: Gene Ogami.

Tia Xu: Are there any other series that you are currently working on? Would you mind sharing them with us?

Debra Disman: I am working on a three-panel work which can be presented in full that I am creating solely by gluing primarily hemp and cotton cord in related colors to large strips of hemp cloth which hang against the wall like unfurled vertical flags or scrolls. I like to work in threes, it is a satisfying yet odd number, both balanced and asymmetrical.

I am also trying to complete a large stitched work done on a green plastic landscaping tarp, and have two other bodies of work that I would like to start in series, one a white-on-white series of minimalist wall pieces that engage plaster, cloth and cord, and the other an experimental series wood pieces wrapped in cord, thread and string, inspired by the artist Judith Scott.

Photo: Gene Ogami.

As well, I would like to begin series of larger-scale blue-toned drawings. I have been working on the blue-toned drawings in sketch books on a small scale for several years, and would like to go bigger with them. These are different than much of my other current work, as they are not completely non-figurative as are my current book works, hangings, sculptures and installations; the blue drawings engage abstracted figures and landscapes in a range of blue hues and tones and I would like to see where they go, and if they can even translate to something bigger.

Will there ever be enough time to realize all these ideas? Well, Time and Life, will tell.

Tia Xu: Can you share a particular piece of feedback or a comment from an art critic, art professional, or even the audience that has profoundly impacted you?

Debra Disman: There have been many, but Juri Koll, founder of VICA /Venice Institute of Contemporary Art said: It was exciting that he “got” my love of and connection to “labor”.

“We approach the work not as a book, which has always been an integral part of Disman’s work, but as a sculpture. One takes note of the focus and care these works require, and subsequently the labor appears as a part of the story.” — Juri Koll

The Bridge Arts Foundation’s “SOLILOQUY”  Exhibition Installation View, Photo: ©The Bridge Arts Foundation / Luna Hao

The “SOLILOQUY” Open Call Exhibition thoughtfully selected 18 talented artists from over 500 submissions, employing a selection process that involves art professionals. “SOLILOQUY” ran from from July 13th to August 17th, 2024.

ABOUT ARTIST


Photo: Gene Ogami

Debra Disman

Lives and Works in Los Angeles, California

“I am a Los Angeles-based artist known for my work inspired by the book, both as a solo practitioner and in the public sphere of community engagement. As a maker, teaching artist, researcher and writer I creates work and projects which investigate states of being and connectiveness through intensive engagement with materials, while attempting to fully explore and exploit their haptic properties.

A passionate social practice artist, I was the featured artist for the Big Read in LA in 2016 and the recipient of an inaugural WORD: Artist Grant / Bruce Geller Memorial Prize to create “The Sheltering Book”, a life-sized book structure designed as a catalyst for community creativity. I have been commissioned by LA’s Craft Contemporary Museum to create an interactive book for the 2017 exhibition, “Chapters: Book Arts in Southern California” and by 18th Street Arts Center to create the artists’ book, “Unfolding Possibilities” in 2021 in collaboration with the community at-large.”

Open Studios October 20th at 18th Street Arts Center!

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18th Street Arts Center Logo
We’re just over two weeks away from our Change the Future event including Artist Open Studios on Sunday, October 20th from 3-7 PM.

This all-ages event blends creativity, technology and environmental action. Explore interactive installations, fly a giant augmented reality kite over Santa Monica, participate in hands-on workshops, and tour artist studios, all while discovering ways to protect our planet.

FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. ALL AGES WELCOME!
I’ll Be There!

A Peek Inside: 
Anne Krinsky combines painting, print, photography and video with archival and geographical research. She is fascinated by the passage of time and the ephemeral nature of the physical world. Since 2018, she has been working on an international project about vulnerable wetlands and climate change.
Diana Taylor works across painting, textiles and print media, exploring notions of time, loss and ruin in visual culture. Recurring motifs that reflect her interests are appropriated from museum catalogues, architectural reference books, craft kits, botanical guides, books on geology, ancient ruins, domestic patterns and other print ephemera.
David McDonald works in both sculpture and painting. The visual qualities of his work vary, but they are connected through a belief in process and intuition as a way of developing work. He believes all things in the natural world are interdependent, and creates situations within his work where this is true.
Debra Disman is a Los Angeles-based artist known for her work inspired by the book, which traverses textiles, installation, sculpture and performance to push the familiar into forms that arrest and baffle, while simultaneously offering places of contemplation and solace. 
RSVP TODAY!

On View

An Earth Twin at the Digital Dawn: Tom Van Sant’s GeoSphere Project
September 7, 2024-February 1, 2025

18th Street Arts Center
1639 18th Street
Santa Monica, CA 90404

Gallery Hours:
Wed-Sat: 12 PM-5 PM

LEARN MORE >>
18th Street Arts Center is Southern California’s largest artist residency program. Our mission is to provoke public dialogue through contemporary art-making. We value art-making as an essential component of a vibrant, just, and healthy society where the creative process is just as important as the outcome.
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18th Street Arts Center · Santa Monica, CA 90012, United States
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White & Texture & Paper & Fiber

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I am thrilled to be participating in two show on opposite coasts which aim to share artworks that center on some of my specific interest in artmaking.

“White & Texture” at the Cultural Center of Cape Cod:
“Subtitled Monochrome Unity, we invited artists to explore the profound subtleties and striking complexities of using white as the driving color and how texture within the white and informs the execution and the narrative of an artwork. We wanted them to explore the effect of this limitation – without a “conventional” color palette.”

“White Zip”

“Paper & Fiber: Fourth Annual Show” at 1202 Contemporary in Gilroy, California:
“1202 Contemporary proudly presents its 4th annual Paper + Fiber show, celebrating two mediums that women artists have traditionally used for centuries, but have always been considered “craft,” or less than fine art.  Uplifting and supporting artists who have worked in textile, fiber, and/or paper mediums, this exhibition centers and hones in on the theme of figure.”

“Into The Bush”

“Profusion”

“We Write the Book” Artist Residency 2024-25 KICKOFF!

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Due to unforeseen circumstances, this event has been rescheduled to Saturday October 5th!
Please join us!

“Adapting through Curiosity and Connection with Debra Disman”: My Podcast with Alyson B. Stanfield/Art Biz Success!

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I was thrilled to have this conversation with the one and only Alyson B. Stanfield of Art Biz Success, someone I have admired and followed for a long time!
Some of the points we cover:

“In this episode of The Art Biz, Debra shares her journey, revealing how she has navigated this transition with resilience.

Throughout our conversation, several key themes emerge:

  • Debra’s fierce curiosity that drives her to explore and understand her surroundings.
  • Her drive to pursue new opportunities, no matter the obstacles.
  • The critical role of networking and the connections she’s made along the way.
  • The power of making consistent progress, even through small, daily actions.
  • The importance of staying adaptable in an ever-changing world.”

Please click the link below to hear, see and read about our conversation. I hope it holds some gold for YOU.

Adapting through Curiosity and Connection with Debra Disman (ep. 202)

Flag Book and Variations: Book Structures Workshop with artist Debra Disman

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I am thrilled to partner with Textile Arts LA and the Patricia Sweetow Gallery to teach “Flag Book and Variations: Book Structures Workshop”
on 

September 29 @ 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm

ENJOY BOOKMAKING IN COMMUNITY IN A GALLERY SETTING!

Presented by Textile Arts LA!

In Conjunction with Patricia Sweetow Gallery

In this hands-on workshop, participants will learn how to create the kinetic and versatile “Flag Book” structure, as well as a full-page variant, termed the “Folded Fan”. You’ll learn how to make folded page variations, and how to create one and two-cut apertures and pop-ups. With a focus on textiles and fiber, participants will explore ways to develop, embellish, and adorn their books with texture, color, pattern, and image, as well as how to employ “found writing” to add text.

I will guide you in the methods and extensive applications of the accordion fold in bookmaking, gluing, and collage techniques, ways of adding stitching/sewing, and how to create poetic text effortlessly will also be covered. The last hour of the workshop will be devoted to bringing projects to completion as time permits, how to add techniques from the participants’ chosen art forms and expertise to their books, and sharing completed or in-process books as desired.

Materials Included:

Book board prepared for book covers
Acid-free paper prepared for book spines
Acid free- glue sticks
Neutral pH Adhesive/brushes
Scissors
Folding tools
Awls/punching tools
Hemp and other cord and thread
Drawing and Writing Materials
Print Media (repurposed)
Fabric and paper scrap and samples (repurposed)
Designer wallpaper and textile samples

Materials/Tools to Bring if Desired:

Favorite scissors for cutting paper and fabric
Awl or other “punching” tool
Collage materials (that can be glued with a glue stick or fluid adhesive)
Print Media to cut up and repurpose (magazines/books/brochures/postcards

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2024. 12:00 – 4:00 PM at Patricia Sweetow Gallery 1700 So. Santa Fe Ave. Suite 351, Los Angeles, CA 90021.
parking available

SIGN UP HERE!

Art Centers and the Like: The HeART of Art

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Art and Cultural Centers are amazing places.

They are CENTERS. Centers of art and culture to be sure, but also centers of learning, personal and collective growth, education, care, community, cooperation and love.

Amazing to show in, but especially amazing in the services they provide, the opportunities they offer and the roles they play for their near and far communities.

I am going to explore these worthy and precious resources and entities in the next few posts, but firstly, I need to get my arms around them in a big, collective heARTfelt hug!

I will add to, or write further interactions of this post over time.  I would also like to write about Libraries, College and University Art Galleries and smaller galleries as exhibition spaces and hubs of community and world culture.

These are the art and cultural centers I have shown in over the last few years, essentially since 2018:
(I included some very special organizations such as Blue Roof Studios, Shoebox Arts and ArtShare LA in Los Angeles, CA, “We Are The Arts”/The Arts Council of Fayetteville|Cumberland County in Fayetteville, NC, the Hera Educational Foundation and Gallery in Wakefield RI, and the Springfield Art Association, in Springfield, IL, even though they don’t have the word “CENTER” in their monikers, as I believe they serve many of the same heART-FULL functions as those that do.)

18th Street Arts Center,  Santa Monica, CA

O’Hanlon Center for the Arts, Mill Valley, CA

Webster Arts, Webster Groves, MO

Intersect Arts Center, Saint Louis, MO

The Dairy Barn Arts Center O’Bleness Gallery, Athens, OH

Umpqua Valley Arts, Roseville, OR

 The Cultural Center of Cape Cod, South Yarmouth, MA

Springfield Art Association, Springfield, IL

The Korean Culture Center, Los Angeles, CA

“We Are The Arts”/The Arts Council of Fayetteville|Cumberland County, Fayetteville, NC

Artworks Center for Contemporary  Art, Loveland, CO

ArtShare LA, Los Angeles, CA

Shoebox Arts, Los Angeles, CA

Kelso Art Center, University of Incarnate Word, San Antonio, TX

Tubac Center for the Arts, Tubac, AZ

Sebastopol Center for the Arts, Sebastopol, CA

The Irvine Fine Arts Center, Irvine, CA
  
The Louise Hopkins Underwood Center for the Arts, Lubbock, TX

Hera Educational Foundation and Gallery in Wakefield RI

Blue Roof Studios, Los Angeles, CA

San Francisco Center for the Book, San Francisco, CA

The Center for Contemporary Art, Bedminister, NJ

Yeiser Art Center, Paducah, KY

Brand Library and Art Center, Glendale, CA

The Minnesota Center for Book Arts, Minneapolis, MN;

Foothills Art Center, Golden, CO

“White and Texture (Monochrome Unity)” at the Cultural Center of Cape Cod

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I am thrilled to participate in  “White & Texture [Monochrome Unity]” at the Cultural Center of Cape Cod!
As they state:

“Artists were invited to explore the profound subtleties and striking complexities of using white as the driving color and how texture within the white can inform the execution and the narrative of an artwork, as well as to to explore the effect of this limitation – without a “conventional” color palette.

When the artist is freed from tradition, from expectation, and from the weight of history, there is an opportunity for release, exploration, and the unexpected. For White and Texture [Monochrome Unity], artworks were sought that find the emotion without using color. Uniformity, tranquility universality, simplicity, purity, or abstraction may all come to the surface and create a beautiful tension between what is missing – color, tradition, and form – and what is gained – innovation and the unexpected.

Our desire from the artist is not the search for simplicity but the discovery of a new way of creating and a different way of expression. We hope Monochrome Unity will drive the artist to look for new solutions to an artistic challenge; to use shades of white and embrace texture to provide the ‘color’ that will then provide the energy and emotion.

The work of such artists as Michael Buthe, Piero Manzoni, Joan Nixon, and ceramic sculptor Maria Barttuszova provide us with a broad template of the experience to create in the Cultural Center.

White & Texture [Monochrome Unity] will fill our galleries, creating a visual harmony and coherence and like never before, give a visitor experience like no other.”

I hope so.

I am showing WHITE ZIP, and look forward to seeing what others present for this unique show. I know i, for one, will be highly engaged.

21.25″ x 20.5″ x .25″, canvas, acrylic paint, lace, zipper, hemp cord, linen thread, wood

Joy in Evidence at Intersect Art Center

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“EVIDENCE OF JOY” is a group exhibition at Intersect Arts Center curated by April Parviz, who says:

“Today I went to the doctor. On the sign-in station there sat a small snowman made from an old salt and pepper shaker. His head was a little styrofoam ball. His hat was the lid of the shaker, and inside his little bottle tummy were a bunch of what looked to be miniature cotton-balls. As I waited to be checked in, I observed the fact that someone had made it. She didn’t have to. But she was perhaps feeling the joy of winter, and she wanted to share her joy. The snowman wasn’t sitting in her home, it was sitting here, for me to enjoy. And I did enjoy it. The reflection that she had experienced joy in making it, and the fact that she had done it selflessly, with no expectation of thanks, brought me joy. 

After my reflection on the sweet little snowman, I began to see evidence of someone else’s joy, intentionally being shared with strangers, everywhere I went. The person in the house five doors from mine, has a little jar of complimentary dog treats out on a bird feeder hanger in their yard, right by the sidewalk. People have lovely seasonal wreaths hanging on the outside of their front doors, not on the inside. Painted rocks are mysteriously left in people’s gardens by strangers. I’m sure that now I’m aware of this, I’ll be seeing evidence of joy everywhere. And strangers will discover footprints of my own joy, making their footprints joyful too.

When I look at the current world of art, I feel like I see a lot of evidence of many inspiring things, but not always so much joy.  I know in my own art practice, I am often fueled by loud palpable emotions like pain and confusion. Perhaps if I begin practicing using joy as fuel, I will begin to do it more habitually. Perhaps if we practice seeing joy more we can become habitual joy detectives. 

Show me all the joy! I want to see and share artwork made in joy, artwork made upon discovering evidence of joy, and work that is just pure joy to look at! “

The show puts together visual works and text which come together to create and offer Joy.
such as this poem by the inimitable
 Mary Oliver, 2017
“If you suddenly and unexpectedly feel joy,

don’t hesitate. Give in to it. There are plenty

of lives and whole towns destroyed or about

to be. We are not wise, and not very often

kind. And much can never be redeemed.

Still, life has some possibility left. Perhaps this

is its way of fighting back, that sometimes

something happens better than all the riches

or power in the world. It could be anything,

but very likely you notice it in the instant

when love begins. Anyway, that’s often thecase. Anyway, whatever it is, don’t be afraid

of its plenty. Joy is not made to be a crumb.” — Mary Oliver, 2017

VIEW THE CATALOGUE to see and read more
SEE THE SHOW PAGE!
SEE THE SHOW VIDEO!

I am thrilled to have two pieces in the show:
Narrow Bridge, 5.5 x 16 x 3.5″, board, paper, fabric, linen thread

and
BedTime Story, 12 x 28 x 8.5″, book board, textiles, cloth, clay, beads, hemp cord, watercolor paper

SEE THE SHOW PAGE!
SEE THE SHOW VIDEO!
VIEW THE CATALOGUE!

Northridge Branch Library “Writes the Book”!

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I am thrilled to work again with the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs Neighborhood Engagement Artist Residency (NEAR) program for 2024-25!

I will be an artist-in-residence at the Northridge Branch Library, conducting bookmaking workshops and events for the local community and library patronage from September 2024 through April 2025 on selected Saturdays as well as during the week after school.

I am honored to be serving the City of Los Angeles again through the DCA. Let the bookmaking begin!
See the INFORMATION HERE!

WOMEN : Defining Our Representation and Making Our Mark

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Every Year is the Year of the Woman!

Here are two inspiring Artist Roundtables from two inspiring shows I am proud to be a part of:

Women. Defining Our Representation
Presented by Black House Artist


See and listen to the ARTIST ROUNDTABLE!
My roundtable presentation in good company!

and

Women Artists Making Their Mark
Presented by The O’Hanlon Center for the Arts


See and listen to the ARTIST ROUNDTABLE!

 

INTERPLAY of Texture, Color, Form and Materials

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INTERPLAY, the Surface Design Association exhibition at the The Dairy Barn Arts Center’s O’Bleness Gallery

I am thrilled to participate in INTERPLAY, organized by the SDA!
(The awesome Surface Design Association!)
Presented at the The Dairy Barn Arts Center’s O’Bleness Gallery
8000 Dairy Lane
Athens, OH 45701
June 28 – September 5, 2024
Opening Reception:
June 28, 6 – 8PM
I am showing:
“Rent Wound Tear, Mend Heal Repair”
64 x 68 x .5″, (variable), canvas, paint, hemp cord, string, lace

SEE THE SHOW HERE!

Interplay presents works that explore parallels, synergies, or tensions between two or more ideas. Artworks may examine connections between seemingly unrelated concepts, map relationships between maker and materials, or reflect interactions between maker and tools. Works employ traditional, interdisciplinary, or collaborative methodologies.

Honoring the diverse range of approaches within fiber art and highlighting the rich tapestry of multicultural links, Interplay looks toward a future informed by the past, bringing together ideas for fresh reflection, reinterpretation, and deeper understanding.

Juror:
Due to her inimitable curiosity, Annet Couwenberg has pursued the ongoing conversations between traditional textile production and digital technologies throughout her art and teaching career. Couwenberg’s art, informed by her early work in the fashion industry, is diverse and includes sculptural forms and jacquard weavings as well as work with fish fossils and skeletons inspired by her study with a fish scientist as a Smithsonian Artist Research Fellow at the National Museum of Natural History. Couwenberg’s interdisciplinary work has demonstrated her capacity to create new realms. As a researcher of both traditional textiles and emerging techniques, she embraces a multi-directional knowledge exchange between new and established, creating art that visualizes methodologies to protect and preserve traditional practices while also expanding upon them. Born in The Netherlands, Couwenberg moved to the United States to receive MFA degrees at Syracuse University and Cranbrook Academy of Art. She has worked internationally, including in Korea, Turkey, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Poland, and The Netherlands.

Mark your calendars for Wednesday, July 31, 2PM ET for the Interplay Textile Talk and be on the lookout for our online gallery –  links coming soon!

SEE THE SHOW
LISTEN TO AND VEIW THE Interplay: Limitless Connection TEXTILE TALK

Interplay: Limitless Connections
Surface Design Association

THIS TEXTILE TALK
Join us as we celebrate three exhibitions highlighting the very best contemporary fiber art. We’ll hear from Interplay award winners Lyndsi Schuesler and Ji Young Kim, along with exhibition juror Annet Couwenberg. Interplay honors the diverse range of approaches within fiber art and looks toward a future informed by the past while bringing together ideas for fresh reflection, reinterpretation, and deeper understanding. Held in conjunction with Interplay, Echoes: A Solo Exhibition by Rena Wood pays tribute to textile histories and past makers. Rena will give us an inside look into the ways she imagines repetitive hand work and its connection to time. Moderated by Nora McGinnis, Interplay: Limitless Connections features artists who encourage us to think in new ways while also honoring tradition.

 

WOMEN ARTISTS MAKE THEIR MARK

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WOMEN ARTISTS MAKING THEIR MARK 2024
Co-Juried by Donna Seager of Seager Gray Gallery
and Priscilla Otani of Arc Gallery. 

SEE THE SHOW!

July 23 – Oct 1

Tuesday, July 30 at 4 pm Pacific Time
Zoom Roundtable with Jurors

Download Exhibit Catalog (PDF)

I am delighted to have two works shown in this exhibition:

K no W Safe Place, 2023, 60 x 48 x 48″ canvas, netting, hemp/nylon/cotton cord, lace, ribbon, paint, wood

Torrent and Tangle: Keep Your House In Order, 2019, 10.5 x 25 x 18, book board, hemp cord, paper, paint, lace, ribbon

Please see my works on Page 6 of the Exhibit Catalog

Continuing their annual show devoted to women artists, O’Hanlon Center for the Arts is committed to bringing more gender equity to the world of art. This 16th year we extend our reach around the globe to artists who identify as female.

The works in the exhibition are all created by persons who identify as female.
1103 works were submitted and 79 works were selected for this exhibition.

The curation and presentation of the selected work are exceptional. The  O’Hanlon Center for the Arts  promotes the artists through social media, print media and email outreach.  Please see the printable Exhibit Catalog and the online shows are archived.

Visit their website to see examples of other online shows: https://www.ohanloncenter.org/exhibits/current/

O’Hanlon Center for the Arts emphasizes the creative process and the continued pursuit of meaning and authenticity through observation, exploration, and experimentation.

in a WHISPER…

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Whispers resound and reverberate in the new Verum Ultimum Gallery space in Portland.

Says Owner and Curator Jennifer Gillia Cutshall:
 “…when the murmur from art echoes beyond the walls & settles somewhere secret.  And “Whisper” with an exclamation may signal contradictions or dualities.  The term carries symbolism pertinent to the momentous occasion, but it also carries mystery to be filled in by artists’ interpretations.  Verum is open to all perceptions of this theme.  Delicate expressions are presented, as are bold, and the term WHISPER may be framed in many ways, not necessarily meant to be a literal elucidation. All mediums and modes of expression were welcomed..  Verum Ultimum Gallery tasks artists to define this inaugural exhibition to herald in Verum’s new space in Southeast Portland this summer of 2024!”

She shares  further “There are whispers everywhere, they arrive in our dreams, at a bus stop, museums, and beyond. Original works of art carry whispers. The whispers from the artists mingle with the viewers subconscious, and a connection is made!…The idea of the “whisper” may be inextricably attached to the importance of the unknown or the hidden. A degree of reverence may be ingrained in our collective psyche around all things art. For me, perhaps it began when I first entered museum spaces as a young girl (in NYC), I remember adults turning to children with their pointer fingers glued to pursed lips. They were signaling that hushed tones (and respect) were the order. And anticipation is in order, like the closed curtains and the dimming of lights in the theater, the collective whisper commands our attention toward these 38 provocative works. They whisper far beyond the bounds of literal elucidations.”
There are 38 artists and 38 unique, original works of art in this inaugural exhibition in the new space!

I am thrilled to show “Excavation of the Interior“ (shown closed and open below)
12 x 28 x 12.5″, wood, paper, cloth, hemp cord, linen thread

                   

SEE THE SHOW

SHOP THE SHOW

PURCHASE THE CATALOGUE

SOLILQUY: Not Just Talking To yourSELF

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The Bridge Arts Foundation proudly announces the third edition of its Open Call Exhibition Program.  The ‘Soliloquy‘ Open Call Exhibition features 19 talented artists selected from over 100 submissions through a process involving art professionals.

These artists will showcase their work at The Scholart Selection, The Bridge Arts Foundation’s partnered Art Gallery located in Los Angeles from July 13th to August 17th, 2024.

Join Us for the Reception, Saturday July 13,  2-5PM
at The Scholarts Selection
417 South Mission Drive San Gabriel, CA 91776
Opening Reception RSVP

Featured artists include Ryan Bautista, Michele Benzamin-Miki, Ming Chen, Debra Disman, Deanna Dorangrichia, Somaya Etemad, Lanyi Gao, Steve Gavenas, Shanguo Jia, Antonio Kim, Rosie Kim, Hwichan Ko, Vionna Lam, Kai Mao, Janice Nakashima, Isabella Riboni, Isabella Ronchetti, Christopher Lloyd Tucker, and Xiaoxiao Wu.

The 19 featured artists in the exhibition respond to the theme of “soliloquy” through various forms and mediums, presenting their unique journeys of inner exploration.

“Soliloquy” is a solitary discourse with oneself, an intimate dialogue that transcends the confines of external perception. It captures the journey of introspection and self-discovery, where one navigates the labyrinthine corridors of one’s own mind, seeking clarity among the tumult of thoughts and emotions. During their inner reflections, the individuals grapple with existential questions, honestly confronting their fears, desires, and vulnerabilities in solitude.

The 19 artworks showcased in “Soliloquy” also demonstrate the diversity and depth of soliloquy. It is not only a personal dialogue within oneself but also a significant pathway to understanding oneself and the world. Beyond the individual, these artworks collectively underscore soliloquy’s capacity to connect the individual’s inner world with external realities, offering insights that resonate with broader societal issues and enrich human connections.

I am showing: “I Can’t I Won’t I Will I Do”
13 x 71.5″, repurposed cotton table runner, acrylic paint, hemp cord

Special thanks to our jury members, Charles ChristopherHill and Song Xin, as well as curator Tia Xu, for their dedicated work. We also extend our gratitude to Li Tang and Art Yourself Atelier (AYA) for the media support.

ABOUT THE BRIDGE ARTS FOUNDATION

The Bridge Arts Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to harnessing the transformative power of art to connect diverse communities and uplift emerging artists from various backgrounds.

With an unwavering commitment to fostering global understanding and diversity, we amplify artist voices and spotlight their creations both locally and globally. Join us in leveraging art’s power to unite cultures and strengthen global communities.

For additional information and press requests, please contact info@bridgeartsfoundation.com. For more information about The Bridge Arts Foundation, please go to our website https://bridgeartsfoundation.org/, or followus on Instagram (@bridgeartsfoundation).

 READ MY INTERVIEW!

Showing (love) Around

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We Are Doing It All Wrong, Edward A. Dixon Gallery, Dayton, OH, Juror/Curator: Ed Dixon:   “The exhibition is a challenge to artists and viewers to recognize, react and learn about the many ways humanity continually fails itself.  These issues are not always mainstream and sometimes are hidden.” Jurors: Ed Dixon/Stacy Kranitz/Judith L. Huacuja
See the SHOW!
See the VIDEO!

It is not only a joy to “show around” in group exhibitions at various venues around the country, it is a gratifying, enriching  experience,  and a heartwarming one at that, to discover, interact with and support so many inspiring and dedicated individuals,  organizations, endeavors, missions and visions. I meet new folks, but also “run into” friends and colleagues that “show up” in some of the same places: showing at some of the the same shows, sharing in some of the same artist talks and panels, featured in some of the same catalogues and publications. It is exciting to connect, and see both not only an overlap of interests materially and thematically, but also how we all approach things differently, and can learn from one another.

For example, I am currently showing at:
Word and Weft: Visualizing the Word, Webster Arts, Webster Groves, MO, Juror: Noriko Yuasa 
Women. Defining Our Representation, Black House Artist, Juror/Curator: Ellen Mattesi (online)  
We Are Doing It All Wrong, Edward A. Dixon Gallery, Dayton, OH, Jurors: Ed Dixon/Stacy Kranitz/Judith L. Huacuja 
Evidence of Joy, Intersect Arts Center, Saint Louis, MO, Curator: April Parvitz  
Soliloquy, presented by The Bridge Arts Foundation at The Scholarts Selection, San Gabriel, CA
Jurors: Charles Christopher Hill, Xin Song, Curator: Tia Xu  
Whisper, Verum Ultimum Gallery, Portland, OR, Curator: Jennifer Gullia Cutshall  (catalogue)
Interplay, presented by the Surface Design Association at The Dairy Barn Arts Center O’Bleness Gallery, Athens, OH,  Juror: Annet Couwenberg
Northern National Art Competition, Nicolet College Art Gallery, Rhinelander, WI, Juror: Debra Brehmer 
The Circular Ritual of Spring, BG Gallery, Santa Monica, CA, Curator: Susan Lizotte (online)

And earlier this year:
Midway Marvels,ArtBarLA, Los Angeles, CA, Curator: Randi Matushevitz
Materiality Matters, Umpqua Valley Arts, Roseville, OR, Juror Panel: UVA Staff and Pacific NW professionals
Pulp: Book and Paper Arts, Sebastopol Center for the Arts, Sebastopol, CA, Juror: Donna Seager
Fantastic Fibers 2024, Yeiser Art Center, Paducah, KY, Juror: Sandro Tiberi, (catalogue) 
String Theory, The Cultural Center of Cape Cod, South Yarmouth, MA, Curator: Molly Demeulenaere  
Art of the Word, Sasse Museum of Art, Pomona, CA, Jurors: Fatemeh Burnes, Maurice Quillinan, Niamh Cunningham (catalogue)
By the Book,  Artopia Gallery, Arcadia, CA, Curator: Rosie Getz

Through this experience I am able to be exposed to and interact with :
Individuals: artists, curators, critics, collectors, gallery, museum, art center, library and academic/university directors/staff (on all different levels of responsibility and experience and in varying roles,  offices and positions)
Organizations: galleries, museums, art centers, universities/academic institutions, artist studios and alternative spaces (of different sizes, renown, reputation, influence and “status” in the “art world” and world at-large)

I plan to highlight and share about various of these individuals and entities over the next several posts. I will share particularly about Art Centers, which are an enormous source of vitality, creation, care and joy throughout the country and beyond. xxxooo

I begin with Gallerist Ed Dixon, in whose show We Are Doing It All Wrong I am honored to be in.  Presented at the Edward A. Dixon Galleryin Dayton, OH. Of the show says Owner/Curator: Ed Dixon:  “The exhibition is a challenge to artists and viewers to recognize, react and learn about the many ways humanity continually fails itself.  These issues are not always mainstream and sometimes are hidden.” The illustrious jurors Ed Dixon/Stacy Kranitz/Judith L. Huacuja hold a wealth of knowledge, expertise, care and passion among them in addition to many accomplishments.

In a time of such fraught difference, fear, and loathing, it is heartening and illuminating to see and be a part of all of these individuals and entities, making a difference. I have to feel that that all of our work, no matter what the outcome, does make a difference.

Thank you to You all.

 

 

 

Women. Defining our Representation: SEE THE SHOW!

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Women. Defining Our Representation
See the show HERE!

Women. Defining Our Representation
“Women. Defining our Representation” is an exhibition of 31 pieces from 31 woman artists that celebrates the multiplicity of women’s identities, individuality, complexity, and worth. It inspires reflection, understanding and empathy for the diverse and authentic experiences of women by acknowledging accomplishments, reclaiming narratives, exploring gender expression, and sharing personal realities.” – Ellen Mattesi  Director, Black House Artist

Black House Artist is a network dedicated to empowering women artists through exhibition opportunities, professional development, art history education, and creative equality. 

SEE THE SHOW HERE!

I am showing  “Into The Bush”, 11 x 19 x 7 , book board, canvas, sewing thread, acrylic paint


Juror:  Ellen Mattesi, Director, Black House Artist
Ellen Mattesi is an artist and entrepreneur.  She has been immersed in many facets of the professional art world for over 30 years.  Within her own fine art and creative career, she has built and managed art institutions, curated exhibitions, mentored artists in technical expertise and business skills, and fostered creativity for the ethnically and mentally diverse.  This experience has culminated in a passion for championing the success and advancement of women artists. With Black House Artist, she continues this mission through education and activism with a network of artists, collectors, curators, and scholars.

Black House Artist is a network dedicated to empowering women artists through exhibition opportunities, professional development, art history education, and creative equality. Black House Artist supports the professional and personal autonomy of women.  A portion of the profits from this show will be donated to Abortion Freedom Fund https://abortionfreedomfund.org/ and Planned Parenthood https://www.plannedparenthood.org/ Through the purchase of artwork, or by individual donation, please support the rights of women through your economic  power. Thank you for your consideration.

THE CIRCULAR RITUAL OF SPRING

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THE CIRCULAR RITUAL OF SPRING  CURATED BY SUSAN LIZOTTE

bG Gallery proudly announces an expanded version of The Ritual of Spring featuring round artworks from across the country curated by Susan Lizotte, now available on their online viewing room.

I am showing my work: ” I Smile At You With My Eyes”, made of cut, crushed and shaped magazine pages, repurposed cardboard and acrylic paint, created during the pandemic, relating to mask -wearing and faces being covered except for eyes, which became (and maybe always are) a central means of communication and expression as the rest of the face was covered.

Round art is graphic and can represent infinity, completeness, and wholeness. It symbolizes cycles, inclusivity, and unity, serving as a symbol of revolution and growth.

May 10 – July 11, 2024
Please see this Instagram Live interview about my work in the show and more, with Matt Hoffenberg”

This exhibition, and its in-person sister show, “The Ritual of Spring“, are inspired by Lucretius and his 1st century BC poem De Rerum Natura (“On the Nature of Things”) celebrating Spring and  its changing landscapes, the feeling of happiness given by a new season. Spring brings the urge to travel and show outward personal expression and a desire to celebrate a short lived season that echoes our own lives. 

 

Family Bookmaking at the Julian Dixon Culver City Library!

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It was wonderful to conduct a family bookmaking program at the Julian Dixon Culver City Branch Library, part of the Los Angeles County Library System!

Parents and children worked together to learn how to make and then create their own  accordion fold books with simple one and two cut popups, inspiring each other, as well as myself and the Library Staff as they moved through the process.


Our youngest participant, age 4, with proud Dad.


Moms and daughters


Dad and daughter!


Mom and more daughters!


An exuberant family of Dad and three sibs.


Fearless leader Librarian Melanie!

So. Much. Fun!

CULMINATING our Journey at the Canoga Park Branch Library

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We culminated my yearlong Artist Residency at the Canoga Park Branch Library, “We Write The Book!“, supported by the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, with a celebration for the whole community! Attendees created their own travel journals, enjoyed refreshments and a slide show of the year’s bookmaking projects, and “take and make” bookmaking packets (complete with materials and instructions)  were available for the taking.

Library staff, the security guard, families, seniors and a group of very special adults all got into the act!
A lovely group of teens helped set-up for the event, then participated by making their own travel journals. They share their thoughts about the event HERE.


Adult and teen librarians Patty and Marcia have a moment to play with materials and be creative!


Branch security guard made a travel journal!


Auntie and niece have a making experience together.


This young makers loves  the color GREEN!


Assorted materials were available, to offer something to everyone.


Participants had the opportunity to socialize while creating, another human need that sometimes gets put on hold in busy lives.


Happy maker Dawn loves to create books and made a beauty with doors that opened!.


Morning making experience together for mother and daughter.


Making creative re-use of available maps and atlas pages!

 
Making beautiful use of materials, Patty is ready to document her travels!


Enjoying the process.


And the pink book develops, with maps!


TEEN POWER!
Creativity knows no bounds…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Boxed Set: Pulp, Paper and Profusion

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I am moved and honored to have my work chosen by the Sebastopol Center for the Arts to grace one of the notecards in a boxed set designed to share about, promote and commemorate the show: Pulp: Book and Paper Arts presented in the Spring of 2024.

Thank  you to SebArts for this opportunity!

 

 

Culminating our “We Write The Book” Artist Residency at the Canoga Park Branch Library!

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Please join us at 11AM on Wednesday June 12, 2024 to  celebrate the culmination of the Canoga Park Branch Library’s year long Artist Residency with Debra Disman, “We Write The Book”, supported by our beloved and supportive Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs!

11AM June 12th at the Canoga Park Branch Library!

Come and make your own travel journal, enjoy refreshments and see a slide show of our exciting year of  bookmaking projects. “Take and Make” bookmaking packets will be available while supplies last so you can keep the bookmaking magic going after the event!

We hope to see you there!

Faith Ringgold-Inspired “Story Quilts”

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In what I am calling my “Girl Power” after-school artmaking class (“Making Art Inspired By Great Artists!), my group of seven power artmakers are hard at work creating textile creations based on the “Story Quilt” invention of the late inspirational artist Faith Ringgold, a Force of Nature known for her breakthrough textile textile artistic creations and civil rights activism.

Magnificent creations. So inspiring and moving, and such a great group. So supportive of each other, devoted to their creative and artistic expressions, and imaginative ideas and use of materials.

Brava!!!

Of Polka Dots and Butterflies: Inspired by Yayoi Kusama

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In what I am calling my “Girl Power” after-school artmaking class (“Making Art Inspired By Great Artists!), my group of seven power artmakers are hard at work creating polka-dotted butterfly books inspired by Japanese Artist Yayoi Kusama!

First up was to learn the correct pronouncement of Kusama’s name…not familiar to the girrrls. Next they created accordion-fold book spines, added the front and back covers, and finally, butterfly wings to the center fold of the spine

Then it was off to the races to add colorful polka dots to their books, in honor of Kusama’s interest (obsession with?) circles, polka-dots, and their endlessness and thus the expression of  infinity the circular shape affords, at least in Kusama’s book (!)

Adding also flowers, butterflies (stickers), ribbons to honor May Day and even using a butterfly shaped hole puncher, the girrrls wowed with their use of materials, their creativity, and imagination to create unique, whimsical, beautiful and stunningly singular works. Just like Yayoi Kusama does with her materials, creativity and imagination!

What a marvelous group. Brava!

Spines folded, covers and wings attached, let the adornment begin!


Weaving ribbons through the holes.


 Can there be any more polka dots?!?


Using the butterfly hole puncher.


Deft use of the polka dot (and other) stickers, which she is adding white texture to (overlaying the original orange color polka dot color on the wings) , which she took out or replaced later, to have just the plain orange polka dots. Just amazing!

On Butterfly Wings…

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Our beautiful participants took flight as they learned how to create a “Butterfly Book” to celebrate the beauties and joys of Springtime!

This workshop was part of my Artist Residency a the Canoga Park Branch Library called, “We Write the Book”,  supported  by the wonderful Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.




They were encouraged to add ribbons in honor of May Day, referencing the ribbons flowing from the traditional May Pole, and held onto as folks danced around it to celebrate!





            
An inspiring time was had by All!

Girl Power! Making Surrealistic Landscapes Inspired by Salvador Dali

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In what I am calling my “Girl Power” after-school artmaking class (“Making Art Inspired By Great Artists!), my group of seven power artmakers are hard at work creating surrealist landscapes inspired by artist Salvador Dali.

They learned about the concepts of horizon , vanishing points, perspective and scale ad used them to establish and landscape then develop it into a personal, surrealistic world.  It was fascinating to watch.  For our next class, they will be adding images from magazines to complete their works and add another layer of surrealism to them and learning about the artform of collage in the process!

What a marvelous group. Brava!


Intensity, care, creativity, connection, learning, what else is there?

Girl Power! Making Self-Portraits Inspired By Frida Kahlo

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My “Making Art Inspired By Great Artists” students all girls aged 7-10, were inspired by artist Frida Kahlo to create their own self-portraits, and I was inspired by their magnificent works!

They  learned how to draw a face in proportion working only in pencil, no color, then added color, still using pencil to retain the delicacy of their line work. Finally they added detailed, designed and imagined backgrounds inspired by Kahlo’s use of Magical Realism. They had the fun embellishing black matboard frames which fit around their drawings with an array of paper and gem stickers, attaching them, and seeing how the frames brought together each piece.

Their process, creativity and learning was a joy to behold!

Behold: Girl Portrait Power!

 

 

 

The Merry Month of May: Butterflies!

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Take Flight this Spring!

Join us and learn how to create a “butterfly Book” in honor of the Rituals and Rites of Spring!

Add ribbons to honor May Day, and make your book festive!

Part of my Artist Residency support by the wonderful Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs:
“We Write The Book”.

All materials included!

Making Fantastic Flag Books at the Canoga Park Branch Library

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A special group of adults learned to create the fun and fabulous Flag Book structure at the Canoga Park Branch Library in honor of Earth Day, Poetry Month and Springtime!
After The participants worked through the step by step process to “build” the book, then added flower stickers and other collage materials, in essence “festooning” their books with design, color, texture and springtime beauty, and enjoying the glory and agency of adornment.

Thank you to the wonderful Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs for their support of my artist residency at the Library: “We Write the Book!”.  

Take a Butterfly Book Flight this May!

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Take Flight this Spring!

Join us and learn how to create a “Butterfly Book” in honor of the Rituals and Rites of Spring!

Add ribbons to honor the ancient festival of May Day, and fill your book with color and movement as you open and close it!

This workshop/program is part of my Artist Residency support by the wonderful Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs:
“We Write The Book”.

All materials included!

Springtime Stitch Witchery at the Canoga Park Branch Library

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We celebrated SPRINGTIME at the Canoga Park Branch Library by creating a sewn book, learning the pamphlet stitch and adding images, words, stickers, color, texture and joy to our books! Thank you to the wonderful Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs for their support of my artist residency at the Library: “We Write the Book!”.


    

Welcome Springtime at the Canoga Branch Library!

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Join us to create a sewn book to celebrate springtime and new beginnings!

Learn the pamphlet stitch, and deck your book out with springtime flowers!

All materials provided.
This program is part of my Artist Residency at the Canoga Park Branch Library, and is supported in part by the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs
Please click HERE for details!

Be My Valentine at the Canoga Park Library

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February 14th, 2024, was a sweet day at the Canoga Park Branch Library!
A group of wonderful and creative participants joined us for “Valentine’s Day Bookmaking”.

Using the accordion fold and sized covers, they created colorful books to which they added stickers, collaged images, drawing and writing, and love!


This program was part of my artist  residency “We Write the Book” at the Canoga Park Branch Library, supported by the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs!


Hearts galore!


Librarian extraordinaire Marcia Melkonian helps our participants, along with their exemplary caregivers.


Creativity in action.


Gina, an accomplished artist and supporter of our program sets up her own creative space.


The caregivers get into the act.


Lending a helping hand.


The talented Hilary loves orange.


All of Hillary’s elements work together to create a cohesive whole.


It is fascinating how she used the orange-striped washi tape, and extended the pattern upward to create what looks like a fence. Everything os orange color-coordinated.


Then, she added the calendar image of a pinky orange sunset to the top, to complete the scene.


Completed book, with ribbon!

See the participants enjoying the workshop HERE!

K no wing No Safe Place

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K no W Safe Place, 2023
60 x 48 x 48″ canvas, netting, hemp, nylon cotton cord, lace, ribbon, paint, wood


Photo credit: Gene Ogami


Photo credit: Gene Ogami


Photo Credit: Victoria May

Wake me When it’s Over

“Swept Away: Love Letter To A Surrogate”

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I was thrilled to participate in:
“Swept Away: Love Letter To A Surrogate
organized by:
Warren Neidich, Christina Mossaides Strassfield, Anuradha Vikram and Rene Petropoulos  in 2022 to include performances in October 2022 on Long island, NY, and Santa Monica, CA in April 2023.

Swept Away began in September 2022, when 65 Los Angeles County artists sent “love letters” to 65 artists on the East End of Long Island who responded with live performances on East Hampton’s Main Beach in September and October. In April 2023, the reverse took place with 65 West Coast artists creating performances inspired by and in response to their East Coast counterparts’ letters. On April 22 and 23, 2023,  up to five simultaneous performances took place during the hours of 8 am-12 pm and 4-10 pm on Santa Monica State Beach in front of Annenberg Community Beach House.

Participating artists included 18th Street Art Center local artists-in-residence Melissa Altshuler, Debra Disman, Lionel Popkin, Susan Kleinberg, Yrneh Gabon, Marcus Kuiland-Nazario and Dan Kwong.

My work, “The Center Will Not Hold” was performed with Deborah Lynn Irmas and Frida Cano on Santa Monica Beach at the Annenberg Beach House. 

“Swept Away: Love Letter to a Surrogate/s” is a community oriented artistic project that aims to create a transcontinental heartbeat across America. It is hoped that through its combined gestures and performances, a sense of solidarity, so desperately missing today, will emerge with which to confront the ecological catastrophe at our doorstep.”

65 Los Angeles County artists presented live performances over Earth Day Weekend: April 22 and 23, 2023 at the Santa Monica State Beach near the Annenberg Community Beach House on the Pacific Ocean.
“The Center Will Not Hold” was one of them.

A compilation video of the Santa Monica performances can be seen HERE.
https://youtu.be/hJUOFMVXHE0
Video by Matias Munoz-Rodriguez, Fu the Dog Productions

As Warren said: “I hope we created a transcontinental heartbeat.”

HERE is a video of the East Hampton event.
and links to the 4 videos of the nights of performances:

9/10 – https://youtu.be/Z0pnmpt7P2g (Edited by Joe Brondo)
9/17 – https://youtu.be/Dt3WuqcP7Bg (Footage by Anzhelika Tolstikhina, John Driver, Sutton Lynch, and Joe Brondo. Edited by Joe Brondo.)
9/24 – https://youtu.be/2vxMXWWiJio (Footage by Anzhelika Tolstikhina, John Driver, Bronte Zunis, and Joe Brondo. Edited by Joe Brondo.)The list of East End and West Coast artist pairings was as follows:

EAST END ARTISTS  >>  LOS ANGELES ARTISTS:
Suzanne Anker > > Margarethe Drexel
Elena Bajo > > Jasmine Orpilla
Lillian Ball > > Dana Berman Duff
Monica Banks > > Jamie Ross
Dianne Blell > > Lisa Anne Auerbach
Scott Bluedorn > > Robby Herbst
Megan Chaskey > > Lionel Popkin
Scott Chaskey > > Kathryn Andrews
Philippe Cheng > > David Horvitz
Andrea Cote > > Nina Waisman
Ivana Dama > > Rodrigo Arruda
Peter Dayton > > Anita Pace
Katrina Del Mar + Chris Jones > > Taisha Paggett + Meital Yaniv
Jeremy Dennis + Beau Bree Rhee > > Debra Disman
Sabra Moon Elliot > > Rochelle Fabb
Carol Edwards > > Pamela Hudson
Eva Faye > > Patty Chang + David Kelley
Saskia Friedrich > > Fran Siegel
Margaret Garrett > > Susan Kleinberg
Veronica Gonzalez Peña > > Cassandra Marketo
Kimberly Goff > > Cheri Gaulke + Xochi Maberry-Gaulke
Jeremy Grosvenor > > Vincent Johnson
Jerelyn Hanrahan + Laura Ross White > > Andrew Berardini
Candace Hill Montgomery > > Anna Joy Springer
Virva Hinnemo > > Sam Shoemaker
Alice Hope > > Krysten Cunningham
Erica-Lynn Huberty > > Sandeep Mukherjee
Terri Hyland > > Joseph Mosconi
Ruby Jackson > > Alice Könit
No Partner > > Carolyn Castano
Nishan Kazazian > > Beatriz Cortez
Carlos Lama >> No Partner
No Partner > > Badly Licked Bear
Christine Lidrbauch > > Sterling Wells
Donald Lipski > > Raul Baltazar
Sutton Lynch > > Yrneh Gabon Brown
No Partner > > Jiayun Chen
Tanya Minhas > > Allison Wyper
Richard Mothes > > Kristin Calabrese
Michelle Murphy > > Sarah Beadle
Jill Musnicki > > Victoria Vesna
Lois Nesbitt > > Lucia Santini Ribisi
Eileen O’Kane Kornreich > > Iman Person
Jaanika Peerna > > Marcus Kuiland Nazario
Dalton Portella > > Ryat Yezbick
Toni Ross > > Sharon Barnes
David Rothenberg > > May Sun
Will Ryan > > Jody Zellen
Sara Salaway > > Melinda Altshuler
Matthew Satz > > Katie Grinnan
Bastienne Schmidt > > Jisoo Chung
Barry Schwabsky > > David Schafer
Christine Sciulli > > Karen Lofgren
Arlene Slavin > > Jenny Yurshansky
Janice Stanton > > Kearra Gopee
Christina Sun > > Catherine Scott
Carol Szymanski with David Adewomi  > > Xiouping (Whitworth)
Sara VanDerBeek > > Alicia Serling
Ryan Wallace > > Joshua Aster
Ross Watts > > Justine Harari
Allan Wexler > > Dan Kwong
Nina Yankowitz > > Francesca Gabbiani
Darius Yektai > > Barbara McCarren + Jud Fine
Almond Zigmund > > Marissa Mandler

In Reflection: “Three Sisters And Their Mother” and more

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I was thrilled to have a solo exhibition last winter at ReflectSpace Gallery, part of Glendale Arts and Culture, in the Glendale Central Library which opened Saturday January 28th and was on view through March 19,2023.
The show, a dream come true that I did not even know I  had, was curated by the wonderful Ara and Anahid Oshagan of The City of Glendale and founders of the gallery..

I was fortunate to have master photographer Gene Ogami document the show.

I share here two images featuring a work entitled, “Three Sisters And Their Mother”, which  engages a concept and presentation I am still exploring.

“Three Sisters and Their Mother” (2022),  made of canvas, acrylic paint, hemp cord, sunlight and gravity, is approximately 30” x 72”. Its dimensions are variable depending on how it is installed, the intervals of space between the components or sections, the way its ever-tangling cord/string wanders across each section, how high or low to the ceiling or the floor it is positioned, and how much in relief from the wall it is hung. As Eva Hesse once said about a work or works of hers… Can it be different every time…? (paraphrase). Naomi Spector writes beautifully about these ideas as regards to Hesse’s work.

Also pictured are: (below and clockwise from “Three Sisters And Their Mother”)
“I Can’t I Won’t I Will I Do”, (The titular work in the show), 2022,13 x 71.5”, repurposed table runner, acrylic paint, linen thread
“Finally”, (can hang on wall in slight relief), 2022, 48 x 19.5”, canvas, lace, hemp cord, sewing thread
“Excavation of the Interior”, 2021, 12″ x 28″ x 12.5″, wood, mulberry paper, canvas, muslin, watercolor paper, hemp cord, linen thread
Our human connections, gossamer though they may seem, form a tangled web that is always changing, and in some ways unfathomable, but there and always mysterious.

 

“String Theory” plays at the Cultural Center of Cape Cod!

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I am thrilled to be participating in “String Theory“, an exhibition focusing on the versatility and creative potential of fiber, at the Cultural Center of Cape Cod.

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Opening Reception Friday, February 9, 5–7pm

Exploring the possibilities within fiber art to showcase the beauty and versatility of the medium.

FIBER ART can be see as both a new and an old form of art. The use of fibrous materials—woven, knitted, printed, wrapped, tied, sculpted, etc.—has long been a part of human culture. Traditionally, fibrous materials emerged as functional objects but in the aftermath of the World War II and with further investigation into the nature of an art object, fiber art slowly became a force and a movement in its own right. 

DURING THE 1950s, as artists received recognition, the term “fiber art” was coined to help describe and categorise their work. During this period, the contribution of craft artists—not just in fiber but in clay, ceramics, and other media—inspired a number of weavers to begin binding fibers into non-functional and non-objective forms to create works of art. The two decades that followed, the 1960s and the ’70s brought an international revolution in fiber art. With the rise of the women’s movement, and the consequences of feminist art, along with the birth of postmodernism theory, fiber art was reinforced and popularized.

FORMS OF FIBER ART include sewing, quilting, needle point, macrame, weaving, felting, crocheting, knitting, embroidery, rug-making, basket weaving and many more. As the years pass, different forms of fiber art have increased and decreased in popular artist interest. Macrame, for example, became very popular during the Victorian era, faded out of focus, then regained popularity in the 1970s. Today fiber art, in all its increasingly varied forms and styles, is more popular than ever and os one of the fastest-growing art forms of the 21st century.

The exhibition explores the wide range of possibilities within fiber art, including but not limited to weaving, knitting, crocheting, embroidery, and felting. It will showcase the beauty and versatility of fiber as a medium.

I will be showing a work that has not yet been exhibited publicly: 

Blue Tapestry (Here’s To The Red, White + Blue), 2021, 18.75 x 6.5″
a hanging textile work made of hemp cord, linen thread and repurposed plastic placemat material.
This work is part of a three piece series, which also includes “Red Notebook” and “White Album”,  created in response to the re-evaluation of our national identity provoked by recent and historical events and conditions, and resulting turmoil.


VIEW THE SHOW VIDEO!

(not so) WHITE WEDDING

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Studio spotlight on:
WHITE WEDDING
 2023
15 x 21.5 x 10.75″,
materials: book board, canvas, muslin, watercolor paper, hemp cord, string, linen thread

What does the term  “white wedding” mean to YOU?

Bookmaking for the New Year at the Canoga Park Library!

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Book arts are alive and well at the Canoga Park Branch Library!

I am thrilled to continue my artist residency there, working with the community, teaching bookmaking workshops (or leading “programs” in library parlance!)

The series, entitled “We Write the Book”, supported by the wonderful Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, will offer 11 hands-on bookmaking workshops and a culmination event to the community free of charge, with all materials included!

On January 10, 2024 community participants gathered to create an “organizer” book for the New Year and beyond. Participants folded a pocketed accordion book, added covers, then launched into adorning their books with images, decorative papers, “gems”, markers and more. They added “note” papers to their pockets with inspirational words and images. A beautiful, and hopeful time was had by all!

 

“On Being An Artist”: A Film by Arthur James

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I am honored to have been filmed by Arthur James at 18th Street Arts Center for the series:
On Being An Artist.

 

 

 

ARTISTS TALK at the IRVINE FINE ARTS CENTER!

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In May of 2023 I was privileged to participate in an

IRVINE FINE ARTS CENTER

ARTISTS PANEL DISCUSSION

 about the exhibitions NORTH NODE and ARIES RISING exhibitions

It was fun, it was fascinating, it was fitting!

If you would like to see and hear it, please go to:

ARTISTS PANEL

and use the
PASSWORD: !5V@zPur

I was one of six women artists in

ARIES RISING
Curated by Virginia Arce

March 11–May 20, 2023
Irvine Fine Arts Center Main Gallery + Gallery 2

“Rooted in the generative characteristics of spring, Aries Rising presents a collection of sculptural and two-dimensional artworks made of metal, fiber, and mixed media whose sensibilities reflect an organic source. Featured artists in the exhibition share a curiosity about human perception as it relates to the environment, both natural and manmade, reflected in their manipulation of material and form.”

Artists featured:
Renée Azenaro, Debra Disman, Mirena Kim, Sofia V. Gonzales, Zara Kuredjian, and
Susan Lizotte.

The “Art of the Word” Catalogue: The Sasse Museum of Art

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The Art of the Word catalog is now live and available for viewing on the Sasse Museum of Art website!

To see the amazing and diverse array of works, please view catalogue HERE

https://view.publitas.com/inland-empire-museum-of-art/art_of_the_word/

My work, “Concurrencies I: Charlotte Salomon Eva Hesse” is included.


 

“OBJECTS OF AGENCY” Artists Talks

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ARTISTS SPEAK
WOMEN ARTISTS SPEAK
WOMEN ARTISTS SPEAK OUT ABOUT REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS

Objects of Agency was and is a 52 week long virtual exhibition, through 2023. The exhibition addresses the health care crisis which has recently culminated in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization and stripped thousands of people of the right to bodily autonomy. 

“The United States has the worst maternal mortality rate among other similarly developed countries. According to the University of Colorado, due to the Dobbs decision, maternal mortality rates are projected to go up 14%. For women of color, it is 20%. Simply due to women’s health care becoming more restrictive and less accessible.

At the time this call for art was written, when “abortion” was typed into a Google search, the first page result was a misleading website filled with fear slogans and misinformation to prevent women from seeking necessary and viable health care options. A recent research study by the Center for Countering Digital Hate showed that in many right wing states, 1/10 Google search results for abortion services lead to anti-abortion fake clinics. And when abortion was typed into Instagram, the first hashtag was #abortionisevil. Due to activists, advocates, artists, and scientists this scale is tipping to provide accessible, accurate, and viable healthcare information.

So, what can we do to continue the fight for abortion rights? How can we use our creative voices to counteract misinformation and false advertising and provide viable discourse and inspiration?

At Hera Gallery, we invited you to cry, rage, and make art. We invited you to connect with others through creative expression in hopes that it would bring a sense of insight, or deep feeling, beauty, education, perseverance, protest, connection and/or community. Culminating in the virtual exhibition Objects of Agency, we bring you 52 selections of work from artists across the country. 

Each week, Hera Gallery will chose one featured artist and artwork from the exhibition to represent the tribulations and inspirations of the current state of women’s health care in America. Featured artists will be posted on all social media accounts.

Objects of Agency aims to stimulate, educate, and encourage abortion care. It aims to challenge the anti-abortion campaigns and false information which dominate the internet. It aims to provide access to factual information and ultimately to create a platform and a network to share the voices, choices, and stories of all women and female identifying persons.”

Here are the ARTISTS TALKS 1 and 2:
ARTISTS’ TALK 1
ARTISTS’ TALK 2

 

 

“A Common Thread” Artists’ Talk ArtShare LA

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“A Common Thread” Artists’ Talk at ArtShare LA on May 19, 2023
Art Share L.A. proudly presented “A Common Thread“, an exhibition featuring fiber-based and textile works of art exploring autobiography and social critique, connection and displacement. The artworks in this exhibition were interlinked through themes of history and memory.

 

 

 

 

Join us to Make Books at the Canoga Park Branch Library!

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Join us to create a beautiful and fun holiday book based on the closed spine accordion structure!

Learn the accordion fold, add covers and “close” the spine so that the book can both open in pages, or extend into a sculptural form.

This workshop is part of my Artist residency: “We Write the Book”, held at the Canoga Park Branch Library, supported by the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs!

Join Us!

Flag Bookmaking Workshop at ArtShare LA!

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Join us at 11AM on Saturday December 9th and learn to create the fun and fabulous “flag book” with artist Debra Disman while being inspired by the “Paper Route” exhibition at ArtShare LA. Learn the accordion fold, add book covers and alternating flag pages, and play with “found writing” to create a kinetic book that can be opened and used in multiple ways.

Please sign up with Eventbrite!

Debra Disman is a Los Angeles-based artist known for her work inspired by the book, both as a solo practitioner and in the public sphere of community engagement. As a maker and teaching artist she creates work and projects which push the body and boundaries of the book into new media and materials, inviting altered ways of viewing the world and how we inhabit it.

DETAILS:

Date:  December 9
Time:  11:00 am – 12:30 pm
Website:  https://artsharela.org/#

ORGANIZER: ArtShare LA

Phone: (213) 687-4278

Email: info@artsharela.org

View Organizer Website

VENUE: ArtShare LA
801 E 4th Pl
Los Angeles, CA 90013 United States + Google Map

Phone: (213) 687-4278
View Venue Website

 

Getting Ready for the Holidays at the Canoga Branch Library!

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Book arts are alive and well at the Canoga Park Branch Library!

I am thrilled to continue my artist residency there, working with the community, teaching bookmaking workshops (or leading “programs” in library parlance!)

The series, entitled “We Write the Book”, supported by the wonderful Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, will offer 11 hands-on bookmaking workshops and a culmination event to the community free of charge, with all materials included!

On November 18th community participants gathered to create a recipe book for the holidays and beyond. They learned how to sew a single signature (gathering of folded pages) together using the three hole  pamphlet stitch, then had the option of adding envelopes to hold treasured recipes! Decorative papers, fabric trims, stickers, markers, postcards and more were also available to use as embellishment and development of their book works.

Participants across generations created beautiful and fun books, with encouragement to keep working on them over time, and adding more recipes!

 

 

“I Can’t I Won’t I Will I Do”, Revisited

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Gene Ogami photographs

K no W Safe Place

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“K no W  Safe Place”
2023, 60 x 48 x 48″, canvas, netting, hemp cord, nylon cord, cotton cord, lace, ribbon, acrylic paint,  pH neutral adhesive, wooden dowel
and elbow grease, commitment, stick to it ness, imagination, vision, strength and love


K no W Safe Place

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“K no W  Safe Place”
2023, 60 x 48 x 48″, canvas, netting, hemp cord, nylon cord, cotton cord, lace, ribbon, acrylic paint,  pH neutral adhesive, wooden dowel
and elbow grease, commitment, stick to it ness, imagination, vision, strength and love 

Halloween Tunnel Bookmaking at the Canoga Park Branch Library

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Book arts are alive and well at the Canoga Park Branch Library!

I am thrilled to continue my artist residency there, working with the community, teaching all manner of how-to bookmaking workshops, or “programs” in library parlance!

The series, entitled “We Write the Book”, supported by the wonderful Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, will offer 11 hands-on bookmaking workshops and a culmination event to the community free of charge, with all materials included!

Participants from children to teens to families to seniors learned how to create the three-dimensional Tunnel Book structure, creating their own Halloween scenes and more, combining theater, books, stories and celebration into their movable dramas!

 

Frida Kahlo Inspires Self-Portraits!

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Through my “Making Art Inspired By Great Artists “CREST” after school art class first through third graders learned about Great Artist Frida Kahlo, and her self-portraits, then a step-by-step methodology of how to draw a face.

Finally they added color, and fanciful frames around their creations, using markers and jewel stickers, just as the Frida Kahlo portrait below was framed by flowers painted on the glass which protects it, by Mexican craftspeople.

Sharing “Contemplating Boundaries” at the Korean Cultural Center

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A LAUNCH LA OPEN CALL GROUP EXHIBITION IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE KOREAN CULTURAL CENTER, LOS ANGELES,

“CONTEMPLATING BOUNDARIES” was held

JULY 27th – AUGUST 18th, 2023

“Boundaries exist in all cultures-often as social constructs serving to regulate our actions, norms, taboos, and space. They may be codified laws, common societal traditions, or even self-imposed rules. 

“Contemplating Boundaries” brought together artists from across Southern California whose practices contemplate and reflect barriers, labels and limits- whatever their origin or purpose. These artists and their works- define our times, providing an authentic lens to view contemporary culture.

Please see a video of the exhibition!

JURORS

TeaYoun Kim-Kassor (Professor, Department Chair, Otis College of Art and Design)  TeaYoun Kim-Kassor (Phonetically, TaeYun: “Tea” as in “Taylor” & “Youn” as in “Sun”) is originally from South Korea and has a varied background in education; she received academic degrees in S. Korea, Japan, and the U.S.

As an artist, educator, and cultural ambassador, she has been developing her artistic path, teaching pedagogy, leadership, and management skills to embark on transnational education and emphasize the importance of understanding global perspectives.

She is currently a Professor and Department Chair of the Foundation Program at Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles, CA.

Mika Cho (Professor, ART/Director, Cal State LA Fine Arts Gallery) Dr. Mika Cho was appointed as Special Assistant to the President for Arts and the director of the Cal State LA Fine Arts Gallery in 2017. Prior to her appointment as the director of the Fine Arts Gallery she served as the chair of the Art Department. She is art educator, researcher, educational consultant, curator and visual artist, the last comprising numerous exhibitions at museums and galleries. Her research interests are in art-related and educational issues, which she shares through publications and extensive conference presentations nationally and internationally.

Getting Organized with Bookmaking at the Canoga Park Branch Library!

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We held our second  “We Write the Book” artist residency program at the Canoga Park Branch Library on August 19, 2023.

The series, supported by the wonderful Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, will offer 11 hands-on bookmaking workshops and a culmination event to the community free of charge, with all materials included

In the spirit of getting organized for the new academic year, I taught participants ranging from small children to seniors how to create an accordion-fold book with pockets, add covers, then sew in “signatures” (gatherings of folded pages), to make their books super organizing tools, with places to store notes, make notes, and take notes!

The series, supported by the wonderful Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, will offer 11 hands-on bookmaking workshops and a culmination event to the community free of charge, with all materials included!

Participants from children to teens to families to seniors learned how to create the accordion fold book structure and add pockets, then develop their books with a variety of decorative and print materials to make them their own.  A good time was had by all, as those attending learned new skills, socialized and inspired each other with their book creations!
Even the Librarians got into the act!

Children’s Librarian Luz and teen volunteer Scott supported participants while creating their own books!


Scott cuts lengths of beautiful striped and glittering paper cord for participants to use in sewing their signatures into the folds of their accordion structures.


Library volunteer Carmen and participant Laura move through the process.


Stellar participant Gina helps fellow student.


We were joined by an energetic family of five, helmed by this intrepid Mom!


Playing with color, textures, design and form are the nuts and bolts of the process. Participants made creative decisions and learned about themselves in the process, while gaining skills in folding, cutting, sewing and gluing.

We hope to see everhone back next month, at 12:00 noon on Saturday September 23rd!

Making Flag Books at the Brand!

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I was thrilled to lead a fun and fabulous flag book workshop at the Brand Library and Art Center in Glendale!

Supported by The Associates of Brand, the workshop was held in conjunction with Brand 51: Annual National Juried Exhibition of Works on Paper, now on view in the Brand Library and Art Center galleries.

I am honored to be showing in this exhibition, and it provided an excellent context the workshop, in which participants learned how to make the versatile accordion folded spine and combine image and text in a way that allowed them to become author, artist, designer and writer in one fell swoop!

We dedicated the workshop to the creative efforts of all those facing challenges caused by the fires that raged on Maui.

A meaningful time was had by all.


Assembling the components, Covers, flag pages, and accordion spine (to be folded).


Using a wooden tool designed for ceramics to assist in folding.


Cutting up treasures to create more treasures!


Adding personal writing.


Writing in a personally created language and alphabet!


Adding maps.


Using origami paper, and origami methods!


Here’s to the black, white and brown!


Creatively employing the exhibition postcard as book covers.


A beautiful marriage of image, text, design, art and craft!
The message of this piece says it all….

May it be so.

Bold Journey Magazine: “Meet Debra Disman”

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I was honored to be interviewed by BoldJourney Magazine!

Meet Debra Disman

We were lucky to catch up with Debra Disman recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Debra, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
I think resilience is something that you can observe over time, and its level shifts around on a day to day basis, depending on what is going on both internally and externally in the moment. One of the most important factors in my practice is consistent work, showing up at the studio each day, and doing what I can to move things forward. I apply this to my other work too: administrative tasks, online presence, applications, writing, meetings, planning and an array of teaching activities. Especially when something feels daunting, I try to do even the smallest task to move the needle. After a while, this can become a habit, and helps to break down the enormity of all that needs to be done into something more manageable and even fun! Speaking of fun, claiming that which is enjoyable, taking moments to relax and refresh, and even “putting it all down” for a time as my Mother used to say, helps me to clear my mind, gather my thoughts, renew my energy, and come back to work stronger and with greater clarity. All the basics, including exercise, connecting with nature, meditative activities, playful time with loved ones, and especially focusing on the breath, can help offset the overwhelm and eventual burn-out that can happen with constant input, and even inspiration. Sometimes we just have to turn all of that off , focus inward, and return to our most basic selves. Be silly for a second! Paradoxically, that process can allow space not only for new ideas and insights to emerge, but may provide inner direction on the knotty choices and decisions that have to be made in everyone’s life. Make room for joy!

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
Springing initially from the form of the book, specifically the western codex, my work traverses tapestry, installation and sculpture to push the familiar into forms that arrest, baffle and bewilder while simultaneously offering rest, solace and contemplation. I employ the materiality of fiber to engage the senses, and invite altered ways of experiencing the world and how we inhabit it, both soothing and confounding the eye with uneven visual repetition. Through this means of stabilizing and destabilizing, I hope to instigate fundamental questions that encourage an exploration and examination of what we think we know and are.
Devoted to material labor, I love nothing more than to be submerged in material manipulation, which inevitably will yield some kind of distilled meaning. The evocative, visceral and profoundly physical quality of materials drives the action of my work, giving its emotional resonance, vis a vis how they are used. I am compelled to layer, wrap, stitch, knot, tie and glue, as well as paint, draw and write, intuitively layering, complicating and disrupting the surface to add levels of meaning, and ultimately a unity of plane and form.
Often, the meaning becomes clear during or after this process, rather than as a directive before, as if it had been there all along, and simply surfaced during the act of making.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
What is described as generosity is very important. Whether it is as a teaching artist with students and participants, a small business-owner with clients, or an artist with viewers, curators, collectors, or any others in the art “eco-system”, I have found that it is critical to consider others’ needs, what they may be going through, and to support their efforts. This is always a balancing act, and thus the next on the list would reverb back to resilience as discussed earlier, and balance: balance between giving to others and giving to yourself, between giving and taking, between doing /action, and dream space. As mentioned before when discussing resilience, it is critical not to burn out before you have even defined your journey! Break down tasks, even the most abstract or indefinable, into manageable “chunks”, do one thing at a time, take breaks to relax your mind, and engage in non-work activities to nourish yourself both on your own and with others. Finally, continue to learn and grow both individually and in community. I have engaged in numerous learning activities which have been extremely beneficial, often in ways I could not have imagined, including organized certificate programs, joining groups where I met with and learned from and with others, and even online activities. Learning in community can be challenging, but even those challenges can help you to grow, and learn even more.

Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?
The number one challenge I face at this moment is TIME! How to manage it, what decisions to make about how I spend it and how to claim it for myself as the world gets ever more complex and demanding. There is a saying, “The reward for work is more work”, and I have found this to be true. As I do more, evolve my work, take on more projects, connect with more people, participate in more shows and engage with more opportunities, I have to continue to make more choices about how I spend my time and energy in a shifting landscape.

Contact Info:

     

Image Credits
Photographer: Gene Ogami

 

“Contemplating Boundaries” at the Korean Culture Center with Launch LA

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I am thrilled to be a part of “Contemplating Boundaries”, a group exhibition presented at the Korean Culture Center of Los Angeles in conjunction with Launch LA, a Los Angeles Institution and brainchild of James Panozzo.

JULY 27 – AUGUST 18, 2023

Boundaries exist in all cultures-often as social constructs serving to regulate our actions, norms, taboos, and space. They may be codified laws, common societal traditions, or even self-imposed rules. 

“Contemplating Boundaries” brings together artists from across Southern California whose practices contemplate and reflect barriers, labels and limits- whatever their origin or purpose. These artists and their works- define our times, providing an authentic lens to view contemporary culture.

JURORS

TeaYoun Kim-Kassor (Professor, Department Chair, Otis College of Art and Design)  TeaYoun Kim-Kassor (Phonetically, TaeYun: “Tea” as in “Taylor” & “Youn” as in “Sun”) is originally from South Korea and has a varied background in education; she received academic degrees in S. Korea, Japan, and the U.S.  As an artist, educator, and cultural ambassador, she has been developing her artistic path, teaching pedagogy, leadership, and management skills to embark on transnational education and emphasize the importance of understanding global perspectives. She is currently a Professor and Department Chair of the Foundation Program at Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles, CA.

Mika Cho (Professor, ART/Director, Cal State LA Fine Arts Gallery) Dr. Mika Cho was appointed as Special Assistant to the President for Arts and the director of the Cal State LA Fine Arts Gallery in 2017. Prior to her appointment as the director of the Fine Arts Gallery she served as the chair of the Art Department. She is art educator, researcher, educational consultant, curator and visual artist, the last comprising numerous exhibitions at museums and galleries. Her research interests are in art-related and educational issues, which she shares through publications and extensive conference presentations nationally and internationally.


I am showing:

“Profusion”, 8.75″ x 24.5″ x 7.75″, book board, mulberry paper, paint, canvas, watercolor paper, hemp cord

and


“The Gates”, 7.5″ x 20″ x 10.25″, book board, canvas, cheese cloth, jute cord, string

“We Write The Book” Artist Residency Begins at the Canoga Park Branch Library!

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We “kicked off” our “We Write the Book” artist residency at the Canoga Park Branch Library on July 18, 2023 with an accordion-fold book workshop (“Program” in library parlance)!
The series, supported by the wonderful Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, will offer 11 hands-on bookmaking workshops and a culmination event to the community free of charge, with all materials included!

Participants from children to teens to families to seniors learned how to create the accordion fold book structure and add pockets, then develop their books with a variety of decorative and print materials to make them their own.  A good time was had by all, as those attending learned new skills, socialized and inspired each other with their book creations!
Even the Librarians got into the act!

 

Bookmaking at the Community Corporation of Santa Monica With 18th Street Arts Center!

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I had the wonderful opportunity to lead a bookmaking workshop through 18th Street Arts Center for the Community Corporation of Santa Monica at one of their residential buildings.

Supported by the magical Leigh Ann Hahn and intern Ning Sun, I taught an engaging and creative group how to create the “Folded Fan Book” structure, and encouraged them to make their project their own through conceptual development and adornment, utilizing a marvelous array of decorative papers, stickers and leveraging  their own imaginations!


I am always amazed and humbled at the extent of people’s creativity, ability and efforts.
Bravo…

Sharing Shows: Summer 2023

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I am honored to participate in several shows this summer, and share a bit about them below.


SAFEKEEPING 
SAFEKEEPING Artist Talk


Text/Message

Brand 51


Engulfed
About Engulfed


Contemplating Boundaries


Fiber Art international


Material World: A Contemporary Fiber Exhibition

From Fiber…

“We Write the Book” Artist Residency: Goodbye and Hello

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It is bittersweet to complete my third year as Artist-in-Residence for the West Valley Regional Branch Library supported by the wonderful Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs!
Our “We Write the Book” series offered hands-on bookmaking workshops and culmination event for over 171 intergenerational  participants from a variety of backgrounds from July of 2022 through June of 2023.

View a slideshow video of our projects here!

See what participants have to say here!

I am thrilled to begin a new year-long residency at the Canoga Park Branch Library July 18th, 2023!  Our new “We Write the Book” program will run through June 2023, and offer hands-on bookmaking workshops on a monthly basis to the public.

Our next workshop will be August 19th at noon.

So, goodbye to West Valley, and hello to Canoga Park. We invite You to Join us for fun, learning, community, creativity and self-expression!

 

CanvasRebel Interview: “Meet Debra Disman”

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I was honored to be interviewed by CanvasRebel Magazine!

STORIES & INSIGHTS

Meet Debra Disman

JUNE 22, 2023
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We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Debra Disman. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Debra below.

Debra, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

I have been privileged to do many wonderful and challenging projects over the years, but I would say the two I am most excited about currently are my book, “CONCURRENCIES: Charlotte Salomon and Eva Hesse: Genius, Trauma and the Creative Imagination”, an exploration through images of the commonalities between the lives and work of artists Charlotte Salomon and Eva Hesse, published by ReflectSpace Gallery/Glendale Arts and Culture in conjunction with my solo show “I Can’t I Won’t I Will I Do” which was held there in 2023; and “The Center Will Not Hold”, a performance piece done as part of “Swept Away: Love Letter to a Surrogate”, which was a community-oriented artistic project that aimed to create a transcontinental heartbeat across America. With two collaborators, I was one of 65 Los Angeles County artists who presented live performances over Earth Day Weekend 2023 at the Santa Monica State Beach near the Annenberg Community Beach House. It was a fantastic experience, and we hope to further develop the piece!

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Born and raised in the Chicago area, the Chicago Art Institute became my second home. I took art classes growing up both in and out of school. In high school, I also started working in community arts as a volunteer and continued this when I went to college at the University of Iowa. I was an art major with a focus on painting but also studied drawing, printmaking, literature and creative writing, and was in the Iowa Undergraduate Writers’ Workshop in Poetry. I have always had a passionate interest in both image and text (“art and writing” as we used to call it!) and their interrelationship, and have sought ways to put them together, as evidenced in the work I do now, which traverses book objects, sculpture, installation and hanging tapestry works.

In college I also studied a year in France, learning the language and traveling extensively, imbibing masterworks, architecture, landscape and craft, which sparked a lifelong love of travel and cultural explorations. I have taught since the very beginning of my career. When I moved to San Francisco after college, I began teaching at the De Young Museum and through their urban outreach program, which has informed my work ever since as a teaching artist for many years in the Bay Area and now across Los Angeles County, engaging diverse communities. Working as both a solo practitioner alone in the studio and in the public sphere of community engagement are interrelated aspects of my practice, and offer a rich life filled with creative challenges and rewards, in which to grow, continue to learn and develop, and thrive.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

I think it is very important to teach entrepreneurial and business skills including budgeting, financial planning, networking and the ability to source and follow-up on opportunities. Studio space is at a premium, and artists are masters of using what is available! It is critical to provide affordable studio space through city, county, state and federal initiatives and budget allocations, and for government at all levels to recognize that investment in the arts is fundamental to create and maintain a healthy and thriving society.
We must recognize and fight unnecessary gatekeeping and bureaucracy, unproductive and restrictive elitism and status issues and unhealthy competitiveness, hierarchy and internalized pecking orders by providing opportunities to students, emerging, mid-career and established artists in the form of education, exhibitions, presentations and gatherings and support systems.
We must continue to address inequities as regards to race, gender and class which can severely limit opportunities and challenge basic functioning in the art world and world-at-large through civil rights activities, legislation and providing opportunities geared to those disregarded by the system.
There are institutional and organizational efforts being made to combat, mitigate and better these conditions, but it is slow-going, and it remains to be seen whether such efforts will continue and grow or whether they will be revealed to be a trend, momentarily capturing our ever-decreasing attention spans.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I had a San Francisco-based entrepreneurial enterprise for 15 years called ArtiFactory Studio, which provided decorative painting, color consultation, surface design and murals to individuals, organizations and businesses, and I really loved it! I continued to teach at this time, and went through the certificate programs of both the Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center in San Francisco and the International Association of Colour Consultants/Designers in San Diego to further develop my skills in those areas. Later, in Los Angeles, I attended the UCLArts and Healing Social and Emotional Arts (SEA) Certificate Program, The Annenberg—Inner-City Arts Professional Development Program and “Creativity” series, and the Cal State Los Angeles/City of LA Department of Cultural Affairs Community Teaching Artist Program to provide resources, information, further skills and support for my teaching. I found gathering with others in learning communities invaluable! Not only for information, but for networking and sharing. I was in Business Network International (BNI) for two years in San Francisco and learned so much being around other professionals in an organized way, and surmounting that learning curve! It really prepared me for the groups I am involved with now. I learned that nothing is that different…all people generally want the same things: kindness, listening, understanding and support.

When I relocated to Los Angeles in 2012, I knew I wanted to recommit to an evolving studio practice and teach in the community. I began proposing bookmaking and other workshops to my local Library, and to my delighted surprise, was able to start teaching almost right away. I had made artists’ books and taught bookmaking in San Francisco, but took the object of the book and the teaching of bookmaking to a whole other level in Los Angeles, which has developed into an ever-widening engagement with materials and multiple formats. There is so much opportunity here in LA if one is ready to work consistently and put oneself out there! By dint of persistent and concentrated effort, I have been able to develop a multi-faceted practice which has allowed me to exhibit my work in galleries, museums, universities and libraries across LA and the US and teach in an array of community settings and institutions. I am honored to be an enthusiastic local artist in residence at 18th Street Arts Center, serve as an artist-in-residence for the City of LA Department of Cultural Affairs, and to have received a Santa Monica Artist Fellowship in 2021. As in all things, the reward for work is more work!

Contact Info:

Image Credits
All images: Gene Ogami 2023

Suggest a Story: CanvasRebel is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.

Artist Residency Culminating Event at the West Valley Regional Branch Library!

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Celebrating our year long  “We Write the Book” artist residency at the West Valley Regional Branch Library, supported by The Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs!

Enjoy the ride. We did!

       

West Valley Regional Branch Library Bookmaking Residency CULMINATION Event!!!!!

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Welcome to the culmination of our “We Write The Book” artist residency in bookmaking at the West Valley Regional Branch Library, supported by The Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

We hope you enjoy seeing this overview of our bookmaking program workshops and Culmination Event for our 2022-2023 Residency!

“WE WRITE THE BOOK”

Artist Residency at the
West Valley Regional Branch Library
Debra Disman – Artist in Residence
Supported by
The City of Los Angeles  Department of Cultural Affairs

 

This offering was part of my Artist Residency in Bookmaking, “We Write the Book” at the West Valley Regional Branch Library of the Los Angeles Public Library, through the Los Angeles City Department of Cultural Affairs.
The Residency was comprised of a series of bookmaking workshops presented at the Library, planned in close coordination with Library Staff.

The Big Read in LA 2023 at Craft Contemporary!

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In conjunction with this year’s NEA Big Read: Los Angeles, Craft Contemporary dedicated a very special Family Craft Lab workshop to celebrating the art of bookmaking in  Using gluing and folding techniques participants created their own flag books, a unique and sculptural book with moving parts. Inspired by this years Big Read novel, Interior Chinatown, by Charles Yu, attendees developed each flag “page” with symbols, words, patterns and images to tell a story about their identity and culture. Craft Lab is for all ages, everyone is welcome!


Fearless leader BILLIE RAE VINSON, Director of School and Family Programs, planned and promoted the program, and matched her clothes to our materials, and PRIDE Month!


She and her devoted volunteers prepared the materials for our flag book project.


I brought in my own flag book samples for inspiration.




There was something for everyone on the table,


including samples of “Interior Chinatown” and the graphic novel “American Born Chinese” , a tour-de-force by New York Times bestselling graphic novelist Gene Yang,


in specialized Big Read tote bags!


The wonderful Craft Contemporary volunteers were able to exert their maker energy along with the participants.


Families, individuals, old friends and new joined together to create, and


Love…Life.

Rainbow Butterfly Bookmaking at the West Valley Regional Branch Library Honors Pride Month!

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I was thrilled to lead a bookmaking workshop, (called a “program” in Library parlance!) on June 8, 2023,  celebrating PRIDE Month ( June) with a “RAINBOW BUTTERFLY” Bookmaking program, where participant learned how to fold an accordion spine, attach butterfly wing pages in rainbow colors. A colorful, glorious time was had by all!


This offering was part of my Artist Residency in Bookmaking, “We Write the Book” at the West Valley Regional Branch Library of the Los Angeles Public Library, through the Los Angeles City Department of Cultural Affairs.

The Residency is comprised of a series of bookmaking workshops presented at the Library, planned in close coordination with Library Staff.

Artist Talks: The Conversation Between

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I have been fortunate to participate in numerous artist talks over the past several years, which have been illuminating in multiple ways, connecting with others, getting an insight into their work, sharing my own, furthering my experience in talking about it, reaching a wider “audience”.

Here are two of these talks, group conversations between artists, curator and facilitator, online through Zoom, sharing about specific works in specific exhibitions.

“Oh, Mother” Exhibition at The Hera Gallery
“Oh,  Mother” Artists Talk
“Oh, Mother” article

In the spring of 2022, Hera Gallery and Educational Foundation began to talk about our 50th anniversary as one of the first women-run artist cooperatives to open in the United States in 1974. Shortly after this discussion, the leak started to circulate that Roe v. Wade would be overturned before its own 50th feminist anniversary in 2023. The story came out around Mother’s Day. A group of us at Hera started to talk not only about the potential ramifications of the ruling, but also about motherhood itself. While frequently idealized in public discourse, we wanted to look at motherhood in all its complexity, as well as at the absence of desired motherhood. Throughout 2022 the abortion rights discussion swelled and ultimately burst into the Dobb's Decision. Hera’s conversation transitioned to ask, what happens now? Hera began looking for works which spoke to the overturn of Roe v. Wade in the virtual exhibition Objects of Agency, currently on view at heragallery.org. However, our conversation circled back to the bigger picture on the choice of motherhood. We wanted to hear voices not only from the perspective of mothers, but of all the people surrounding mothers and who could be mothers; including their children, partners, and even their parents. We were interested in the voices of mothers who were not born female cis gender, mothers who raise their children alongside other mothers, and everyone else who does not fit the traditional or stereotypical mother mold…..Nadiah Rivera Fella from the Cleveland Museum of Art (was)  juror for the show. Rivera Fella was part of the curatorial team of the 2021/2022 exhibition Picturing Motherhood Now at the Cleveland Museum of Art and thus made an excellent choice for a juror of Oh, Mother.

Participating Artists: Beizar Aradini, Sybil Archibald, Cassie Arnold, Raissa Bailey, Brandin Barón, Jasmine Best, Shweta Bist, Desirae Brown, Joanne Delmonico, Jessica Dietz, Debra Disman, Rebecca Ford, Raquel Fornasaro, Bonnie Jaffe, Marcella Kelley, Leah Klister, Moriah LeFebvre, Roberta Levitow, Madeleine Lord, Caroline McAuliffe, Haley Neville, Linda Plaisted, Sylvie Redmond, Sawyer Rose, Christina Santner, Ellen Shattuck Pierce, Leslie Sills.

“Text/Message” Exhibition
 “Text/Message” Artists Talk

Text/Message focuses on how we use text in fine art. Whether painting, sculpture, mixed media, video, digital, the use of text plays an integral part in telling stories. It can add a poetic layer, or a humorous anecdote. Text can challenge societal assumptions, activate our inner desires or crusade for long held beliefs. Text also lies.

Curated by Kristine Schomaker

ENJOY THE CONVERSATION!

Swept Away: “The Center Will Not Hold” II

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My work, “The Center Will Not Hold” was  PERFORMED ON SITE AT THE ANNENBERG COMMUNITY BEACH HOUSE as part of:  Swept Way: Love Letters to a Surrogate, organized by
Warren Neidich, Christina Mossaides Strassfield, Anuradha Vikram and Rene Petropoulos  2022-23
“Swept Away: Love Letter to a Surrogate/s” is a community oriented artistic project that aims to create a transcontinental heartbeat across America. It is hoped that through its combined gestures and performances, a sense of solidarity, so desperately missing today, will emerge with which to confront the ecological catastrophe at our doorstep.”

65 Los Angeles County artists presented live performances over Earth Day Weekend: April 22 and 23, 2023 at the Santa Monica State Beach near the Annenberg Community Beach House on the Pacific Ocean. “The Center Will Not Hold” was one of them.

Videos from “The Center Will Not Hold” tell our story:  gathering the water, stitching the sand, healing the earth, even if The Center Does Not Hold.
Collaborators: Deborah Lynn Irmas and Frida Cano.

All Video Credits: Mick Lorusso April 2023

Our Work is Never Done on This Earth and in This Life

Swept Away: “The Center Will Not Hold” I

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My work, “The Center Will Not Hold” was  PERFORMED ON SITE AT THE ANNENBERG COMMUNITY BEACH HOUSE as part of:  Swept Way: Love Letters to a Surrogate, organized by
Warren Neidich, Christina Mossaides Strassfield, Anuradha Vikram and Rene Petropoulos  2022-23
“Swept Away: Love Letter to a Surrogate/s” is a community oriented artistic project that aims to create a transcontinental heartbeat across America. It is hoped that through its combined gestures and performances, a sense of solidarity, so desperately missing today, will emerge with which to confront the ecological catastrophe at our doorstep.”

65 Los Angeles County artists presented live performances over Earth Day Weekend: April 22 and 23, 2023 at the Santa Monica State Beach near the Annenberg Community Beach House on the Pacific Ocean. “The Center Will Not Hold” was one of them.

Stills from “The Center Will Not Hold”: gathering the water, stitching the sand.
Collaborators: Deborah Lynn Irmas and Frida Cano.


Image Credit: Mick Lorusso April 2023    Three Women Gather Water Working Silently Together


Image Credit: Mick Lorusso April 2023   Carrying Water to the Blanket of the Four Directions


Image Credit: Mick Lorusso April 2023   Making Their Way to the Blanket of the Fuur Directions Site


Image Credit: Mick Lorusso April 2023   Water is Used to Dampen The Sand To Create Mounds


Image Credit: Mick Lorusso April 2023   Needles Threaded With Hemp Cord Are Used To Stitch 


Image Credit: Mick Lorusso April 2023      Through the Sand  Mounds Creating Lines of Connection


Image Credit: Mick Lorusso April 2023     Hemp Cords Are Threaded Across the Open Circle


Image Credit: Mick Lorusso April 2023     The Center Is Stitched as is the Sand Around the Blanket


Image Credit: Mick Lorusso April 2023     The Work of Mending is Completed for the Moment

Image Credit: Mick Lorusso April 2023     The Work is Never Done on This Earth and in This Life

More to come.

“A Common Thread” Artist Talk at ArtShare LA

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I was thrilled to participate in the
A COMMON THREAD EXHIBITION ARTIST TALK
May 19 @ 6:00 pm at ArtShare LA!

I share my talk HERE.
Thank you ArtShare LA, for this opportunity.

About the exhibition:

Art Share L.A. proudly presents A Common Thread, an exhibition featuring fiber-based and textile works of art exploring autobiography and social critique, connection and displacement. The artworks in this exhibition are interlinked through themes of history and memory.
Featured artists include: Antoinette Adams, Amabelle Aguiluz, Doris Bittar, A. Laura Brody, Chloe Cusimano, Yasmine Nasser Diaz, Debra Disman, Carmen Mardonez, Carolyn Mason, Michelle Montjoy, Marie-Jose Njoku-Obi, Katie Shanks, Aneesa Shami Zizzo

 

Flower-fold Bookmaking Honors Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month at the West Valley Regional Branch Library!

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I was thrilled to lead a bookmaking workshop, (called a “program” in Library parlance!) on May 11, 2023,  celebrating the Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (of May) with a “Flower-Fold” Bookmaking program using origami paper and folding techniques.

Participants of a range of ages learned to make the flower fold structure, then linked together several “flowers” into chains, added covers and ribbons. Some participants went on to develop their books with assorted materials including decorative papers, stickers and magazines.

The results were beautiful, and filled participants with pride as they navigated the trickier aspects of the process.

 

This offering was part of my Artist Residency in Bookmaking, “We Write the Book” at the West Valley Regional Branch Library of the Los Angeles Public Library, through the Los Angeles City Department of Cultural Affairs.
The Residency is comprised of a series of bookmaking workshops presented at the Library, planned in close coordination with Library Staff.

Sharing Current Shows: An Index of Participation

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I am honored to be participating in a number of shows happening this Spring and Summer, and happy to be in the company of many artists I admire, especially other women-identifying artists!

2023 has been a wonderful year for exhibitions thus far with inclusion in fascinating and, I feel, important, large and small group shows, as well as my solo show in January-March 2023, “I CAN’T I WON’T I WILL I DO” at ReflectSpace Gallery!

Two shows are yearlong, online exhibitions:
 “(Re)imagining Home: On Care for Our Common Home”
18th Street Arts Center Airport Gallery, 3026 Airport Avenue, Santa Monica, CA

and
“Objects of Agency”
Hera Gallery and Educational Foundation, 10 High Street, Wakefield, RI

Two are small to mid-sized exhibitions at local institutions comprised entirely of women-identifying artists:
“Aries Rising”
The Irvine Fine Ars Center, 14321 Yale Ave, Irvine, CA

and
“A Common Thread”
ArtShare LA, 801 E 4th Pl, Los Angeles, CA

One is/was an experimental performance:
“Swept Away: Love Letter to a Surrogate(s)”
Annenberg Beach House 415 Pacific Coast Hwy, Santa Monica, CA

Several are outside of California:
FANTASTIC FIBERS 2023
The Yeiser Art Center,  200 Broadway, Paducah, KT

and
“In Tandem” (collaboration with artist Luciana Abait)
Cape Cod Museum of Art , 60 Hope Lane, Dennis, MA

and
“Oh, Mother”
Hera Gallery and Educational Foundation 10 High Street, Wakefield, RI

and
SAFEKEEPING: SDA’s 2023 Member Exhibition
!08 Contemporary Gallery 108 E Reconciliation Way, Tulsa, OK

One is an annual Los Angeles tradition!
Brand 51 Annual National Exhibition of Works on Paper!
Brand Library and Art Center,  1601 West Mountain Street, Glendale, CA

It is a busy time, and I hope to grow from all of these experiences!

Walking Through “I Can’t I Won’t I Will I Do”

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Photographer Gene Ogami documented my 2023 solo show, “I Can’t I Won’t I Will I Do” at ReflectSpace Gallery in the Glendale Central Library.
The ten images below provide a virtual walk-through of the exhibition, which was, as I shared with the curators, Ara and Anahid Oshagan, a dream come true that I did not even know I had.

Gratitude to them, to Gene, and to so many others who supported this realization.


Walking into the meditative gallery space from the main library.


Catching some of the larger pieces through the vitrine reflections.


Capturing exhibition signage, the “Concurrencies” artists’ book, the two Concurrencies hangings, and “Throes of the Body” in the vitrine.


A favorite corner of the Curators, Installers and myself!


“Three Sisters and Their Mother” on the wall, hanging over the titular work, “I Can’t I Won’t I Will I Do” on shelf.


“Finally, and Just For A Minute” suspended. Black on black on black is challenging to photograph.


A shot that manages to include over half the pieces in the show.


Gene was able to present me surrounded and supported by my works.


We were able to employ the hallway to present other works, and enlargements of the images featured in my artists’ book, “Concurrencies”, comparing the lives and works of artists Charlotte Salomon and Eva Hesse.


The Journey Continues.
In gratitude and appreciation.

Hemp as Material and Muse

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I was thrilled to be contacted by Nadine Avillar,  the art director at Hemptique,  a hemp and natural fiber craft supply company based in San Diego.  Hemptique manufactures a large variety of hemp cords, ropes, twine, paper, fabrics, as well as bamboo and cotton products. They are the  creator of organic apparel, accessories, with a focus on hemp products and supplies.

I use a great deal of hemp cord in my works, often listing it as a primary material.

Nadine contacted me in regards to my piece , “Before the Fall“.  Hemptique was going to be an exhibitor at NAMTA, (Art and Creative Craft Materials, an organization for the creative industry) 2023 and she wanted to use a photo of my work on one of their promotional banners. NAMTA is the publisher of ART MATERIALS magazine and hold a trade show every year.

She said Hemptique has many contributors that work with their products who are more or less “crafters.” She wanted to show how I have used hemp cord in my mixed-media works. Eventually, the owners of Hemptique decided they wanted to use an image of another of my pieces, “Red Notebook” on the banner,

and an image of “Before the Fall” on their promotional postcard.

I was honored to be represented in this way, and also so happy to received boxes of marvelous Hemptique products/supplies/materials, to use not only in my works, but in projects, classes, programs and workshops that I conduct across LA Country. This was truly a win-win situation and I hope to continue the relationship with Hemptique, Nadine and the owners and staff with more collaborations and new ways of presenting, sharing about and promoting their wares.
Long Live HEMP!

 

Earth Poetry Bookmaking at the West Valley Regional Branch Library!

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I was thrilled to lead a bookmaking workshop, (called a “program” in Library parlance!) on April 13, 2023,  celebrating the Poetry Month of April through the lens of Earth Day/Nature/The Environment.

This offering was part of my Artist Residency in Bookmaking, “We Write the Book” at the West Valley Regional Branch Library of the Los Angeles Public Library, through the Los Angeles City Department of Cultural Affairs.
The Residency is comprised of a series of bookmaking workshops presented at the Library, planned in close coordination with Library Staff.

For our EARTH POETRY BOOKAMKING program, participants of all ages learned to create a bound book that can be hung on the wall as well as about the 17 syllable technique of creating HAIKU poetry.

Once each maker had bound their book together, they were free to fill it with poetry, stories, illustrations, stickers, drawings and collage! The results were moving and inspiring, as testified to by Branch Manager, Kevin Hasely in this short video! Watch VIDEO.


Exploring the inner and outer POET!


We were thrilled to welcome a group of 8-12 year-olds from a program of the nearby police cadet academy!


Playing with materials.


Mother and son work together!



20-somethings explored their creativity!


Participants worked together and on their own.

E
Employing stickers and origami papers to great effect.


Storywriting!


Utilizing the Haiku poems from the information packet passed out.


Learning about HAIKU poetry.


Classic…



The import of kindness.



Cooperation.


Discovery.


Material abundance!


Sharing.


Friend fun!

PURE JOY!!!

ArtShare LA Shares A Common Thread

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I am honored be a part of ArtShare LA’s exhibition, “A COMMON THREAD“,  a 13-woman exhibition featuring fiber-based and textile works of art exploring autobiography and social critique, connection and displacement interlinked through themes of history and memory.


The show was curated by ArtShare LA Executive Director Beth Stryker and Visual Arts manager Baha H Danesh.



Each artist’s works are exhibited together, creating specific artistic spaces for visitors to peruse.


I am thrilled to have four works in the show.


ArtShare LA Executive Director Beth Stryker chats with exhibition designer extraordinaire, Stacie B. London.


Exhibiting artist Doris Bittar and friend.


Enjoying the exhibition.


Baha and I celebrating!

Please view a fabulous film of the show by Eric Minh Swenson HERE


The exhibition runs April 1 – May 13…so come on by and enjoy the show!

DISMAN-tling “I Can’t I Won’t I Will I Do” at ReflectSpace Gallery!

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It was with  tenderness mixed with pride and appreciation that I DISMAN-tled my solo show, “I Can’t I Won’t I Will I Do ” which ran from late January to late March 2023, in the ReflectSpace Gallery in the Glendale Central Library, curated by the inimitable duo, Anahid and Ara Oshagan.


Thank you Tony, for your assistance, climbing those ladders, and using those tools!

A bit of fun with Tina Demirdjian of Poetry Consults.
Thank you Tina for the support on all fronts!

It takes a village…the completion of a job well done! With the incomparable Anahid Oshagan, co-curator of ReflectSpace, and Tina Demirdjian of Poetry Consults.


Posing with the Glendale Gals: Tina and Anahid…


and with the marvelous Maryl Fleisher, Marketing Program Supervisor at Glendale Library, Arts & Culture.

A dream I did  not even know I had…fulfilled.

Thank you…appreciation, and gratitude.

“AIRES RISING” Welcomes Springtime at the Irvine Fine Arts Center!

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Aires Rising is a six-woman show at the Irvine Fine Arts Center.


I am thrilled to have six works in the show.


“WOMB” (2020)


“HANG OUT” (2017)


“WINDOW TREATMENT” (2018)


“BLACK HANG OUT” (2017)


“WHITE WEDDING” (2023)


“TORRENT AND TANGLE: KEEP YOUR HOUSE IN ORDER” (2019)


Curator and Virginia Arce on the exhibition Opening Day!

“Women Artists Unfolding”: Celebrating Women Artists at the West Valley Regional Branch Library

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In honor of Women’s History Month (March) the West Valley Regional Branch Library celebrated women artists with a bookmaking workshop led by artist in residence Debra Disman!

Patrons joined us to create their own  handmade books which unfolded to hold informative and inspiring images and information about renowned artists Faith Ringgold, Frida Kahlo and Yayoi Kusama.  All materials were provided. The program is made possible in part by a grant from the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

Yayoi Kusama and her ubiquitous polka dots was a hit!

BOYS MAKING BOOKS!

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I was thrilled to teach “Make Your Own Books” through the City of Santa Monica’s CREST Enrichment program during January and February 2023!
I had a fantastic class of all boys who worked together beautifully, learned enthusiastically, and displayed great creativity and passion for their book projects!

Here is what one Mom said of her son’s experience with bookmaking:

“Owen is so sad he will be missing the last class this week as we are out of town.   I wanted to share how much this class has changed Owen.  He is obsessed with making books now and holds his own comic book club…daily…with his Dad and I. He carries them everywhere.  He shows everyone.”

This was thrilling for me to hear…it is what a teaching artist lives for!

Below are they boys in action during our after-school program:

     

Be The Change Book Festival: Bookmaking Workshops II

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I was thrilled to lead three bookmaking workshops at the Glendale Central Library as part of Glendale Library Arts and Culture
on Saturday, February 25: 10:00am – 11:00am, 1:00pm – 2:00pm, 3:00pm – 4:00pm

“Make Your Own Books with Debra Disman – Bookmaker and ReflectSpace Gallery exhibiting artist”
Glendale Central Library – ReflectSpace Annex
I worked with families, individuals and groups who learned how to create fun and fabulous handmade books using folding, cutting and gluing techniques.

Presented as part of:

Be the Change Book Festival – Be the Change Series at Glendale Central Library
Held Saturday, February 25: 10:00am – 4:00pm
 A marvelous day-long event which celebrated diverse voices in reading at the Book Festival with author talks, local book vendors, food trucks, DJ, and activities for all ages.

        

Enjoy my solo show and other exhibitions in the Library!
I Can’t I Won’t I Will I Do Exhibition by Debra Disman – ReflectSpace Gallery
Through March 26th!
Glendale Central Library
A solo exhibition featuring Los Angeles-based artist Debra Disman.

Be The Change Book Festival: Bookmaking Workshops I

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I was thrilled to offer three FREE bookmaking workshops for Be the Change Book Festival – Be the Change Series on Saturday February 25th,2023!!!

Make Your Own Books with Debra Disman – Bookmaker and ReflectSpace Gallery exhibiting artist
Participants learned how to create fun and fabulous handmade books using folding, cutting and gluing techniques.

as part of:

Be the Change Book Festival – Be the Change Series

Saturday, February 25: 10:00am – 4:00pm
Glendale Central Library

Please enjoy more of this event!
A devoted Dad!
Tween Time 1
Tween Time 2
Dynamic Duo Mom and Daughter
Be The Change Compilation

ALSO!
I have a solo show in ReflectSpace Gallery:

I Can’t I Won’t I Will I Do Exhibition by Debra Disman – ReflectSpace Gallery

 Glendale Central Library
Glendale Library Arts and Culture

Flag Bookmaking at the Silverlake Independent JCC

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It was a pleasure to teach a hands-on FLAG BOOKmaking workshop for fifth-graders at the Silverlake Independent JCC, my fifth year doing so! (Or is it my 6th?!)
The fifth-graders were receptive, energetic and creative!

     

“I Can’t I Won’t I Will I Do” Solo Show INSTALLATION at ReflectSpace Gallery!

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I am thrilled to have a solo exhibition at ReflectSpace Gallery, part of Glendale Arts and Culture, which opened Saturday January 28th and is on view through March 26,2023.
The show, a dream come true that I did not even know I  had, was curated by the wonderful Ara and Anahid Oshagan of The City of Glendale. Here I share a bit of our installation process, helmed by the wonderful Stacie B. London, Jennifer Remenchick and Chloe Corse.


“Concurrencies II” lays in wait to be hung.


Working with Chloe to hang “Concurrencies I” and “Concurrencies II”.


Exhibition design in process.


Chloe in action.


Works in waiting…to be placed!


The indefatigable ARA OSHAGAN, artist, curator, publisher, force of nature, and perhaps little-known fact, physicist!


A beautiful corner, complete, and further views:


Team consultation, Stacie, Jennifer, Ara.


“Rent Wound Tear, Mend Heal Repair”


Negotiating the pedestals and shelves for the 3-d works.


Ara surveys the scene.


Another beautiful corner complete.


Tick Tick Tick…the installation gets done…on time for the upcoming opening.

Gratitudes to ALL!

“I Can’t I Won’t I Will I Do Solo Show Opening At ReflectSpace Gallery!

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I am thrilled to have a solo exhibition at ReflectSpace Gallery, part of Glendale Arts and Culture, which opened Saturday January 28th and is on view through March 19,2023.
The show, a dream come true that I did not even know I  had, was curated by the wonderful Ara and Anahid Oshagan of The City of Glendale.

Beautiful show video by Jennifer Remenchick, artist, writer, videographer and exhibition installer.


The opening was warm, wonderful and wild!


Our ReflectSpace-published artist book: “Concurrencies Charlotte Salomon, and Eva Hesse Genius, Trauma and the Creative Imagination”.
I was moved and surprised by flowers sent by my family, and a certificate presented by Senator Anthony L. Portantino!


Stacie B. London, exhibition designer and installer extraordinaire…and esteemed colleague.


Artist colleagues Laurey Bennett Levy and Rebecca Youseff


The very colorful artist and animator Michelle Robinson


Beloved artist and curator friend,  Frida Cano


Frida and Mick


Dear friend and actor extraordinaire, Suzanne Voss


Long-time no-see friend Rayne with Mark


Mark and I hanging with the beautiful Anahid Oshagan, curator and lawyer,  and Glendale Mayor Ardy Kassakhian


I was honored to receive a City of Glendale Certificate of Recognition,  presented by Senator Anthony L. Portantino!


Glendale Mayor Ardy Kassakhian and  Senator Anthony L. Portantino!

Director of Glendale Library Arts and Culture Gary Shaffer,  Mon Cher Mark, Curator  Anahid Oshagan, and  Glendale Mayor Ardy Kassakhian


What a line-up!
Exhibition Designer Stacie B. London, Curators Ara Oshagan and  Anahid Oshagan, Director of Glendale Library Arts and Culture Gary Shaffer, Glendale Mayor Ardy Kassakhian, Mark, myself, and  Senator Anthony L. Portantino and esteemed City of Glendale colleague!

“Yarn/Rope/String” at the New Bedford Art Museum

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I am thrilled to be included in the current
Yarn/Rope/String exhibition at the New Bedford Art Museum
DECEMBER 8, 2022 – MARCH 12, 2023
showing: “Profusion“, 2018, 8.5 x 24.5 x 7.75, Book board, mulberry paper, watercolor paper, canvas, hemp cord


Fiber Art Now and New Bedford Art Museum/Art Works! present Yarn/Rope/String

DECEMBER 8, 2022 – MARCH 12, 2023

The Fiber Art Now Yarn/Rope/String exhibitions were designed to encourage innovative use of fibers that artists incorporate into new and exciting works of art. The jurors for the 2021 and 2022 exhibitions in print had this to say about the expanse of this expressive niche of fiber art:

Yarn/Rope/String 2022 juror Michael F. Rohde has been weaving since 1973. His work is in the permanent collections of the George Washington University Museum, The Textile Museum in Washington, DC; the Mingei Museum in San Diego, California; the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles in San Jose, California; the Ventura County Museum of Art in Ventura, California; the Racine Art Museum in Racine, Wisconsin; and The Art Institute of Chicago in Chicago, Illinois. “It is always a special privilege to be given the chance to see a large body of work, but a challenge to select only a few,” said Rohde. “Some of the things I looked for and found include excellence in craftsmanship, new ways of expressing ideas with fiber, and occasionally work that addressed what happens outside of the studios yet impacts us all. Not all works embodied all criteria. This led to a selection that was diverse and hopefully with some things that are new to each of us.” michaelrohde.com

YARN/ROPE/STRING: FIBER ART NOW JURIED EXHIBITION
DECEMBER 8, 2022 – MARCH 12, 2023

Storybook Theater at the West Valley Regional Library!

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In July I started a new Artist Residency in Bookmaking, “We Write the Book” at the West Valley Regional Branch Library of the Los Angeles Public Library, through the Los Angeles City Department of Cultural Affairs.
The Residency is comprised of a series of bookmaking workshops presented at the Library, planned in close coordination with Library Staff.

On Thursday January 12th, we gathered in the Library’s community room, with participants of all ages including  children, grandparents, families and even a 5 month old baby, and learned as a group how to make the fantastical and fun Storybook Theater!

Cutting, folding, pasting, developing…


participants created three-dimensional stories that stood up, opened out, 


and expressed their imaginations, creativity, and hopes for the new year…new vistas indeed!

Bravo!

“I Can’t I Won’t I Will I Do” Solo Exhbition at ReflectSpace Gallery!

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I am thrilled to have a solo exhibition at ReflectSpace Gallery, part of Glendale Arts and Culture, opening Saturday January 28th and on view through March 19,2023.
Curated by the wonderful Ara and Anahid Oshagan of Glendale.

The title of the show is based on a work of the same name:
“I Can’t I Won’t I Will I Do”, 2022, 13 x 71.5″,  repurposed table runner, paint, hemp cord and linen thread

MORE TO COME…

“Tenuous Threads” at Atlantic Gallery

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I am thrilled to be a part of:

TENUOUS THREADS

Contemporary Work Incorporating Textiles, Fibers, Threads and Mixed Media

January 24th – February 11, 2023

Opening reception of Tenuous Threads: January 26th, 5:30pm-8pm: 

Atlantic Gallery, located in the historic Landmark Arts Building in Chelsea NYC,  presents the exhibition: Tenuous Threads, juried by Patricia Miranda

All of life is connected through networks, systems, fibers and webs. Communication (visual, verbal, electrical, chemical, and kinetic) enables an exchange of information amongst all life forms. Tenuous Threads alludes to the delicate lines that bring us together and sets us apart; that joins us yet repels us. This show features innovative artworks that utilize textiles, fibers, threads (natural and synthetic) in sculpture, collage, 3D and 2D mixed media that communicates the strength and fragility of what binds all life.

I am showing:
Facing Darkness, 2020, 19 x 18 x .5″, mixed media: canvas, acrylic paint, lace, zipper, wood, hemp cord
Detail

“Objects of Agency” Presented by the Hera Gallery

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The Hera Gallery is  excited to announce the opening of the virtual exhibition Objects of Agency. Objects of Agency is a 52 week long virtual exhibition, through 2023. The exhibition addresses the health care crisis which has recently culminated in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization and stripped thousands of people of the right to bodily autonomy.

Visit Heragallery.org and their social media pages to view the exhibition and stay tuned for upcoming events and programming.

I am proud to have my work, “Excavation of the Interior” included in this important and timely exhibition.

Inspired by the form of the book, my work traverses tapestry, installation and sculpture to push familiar forms into works that arrest and baffle, while simultaneously offering places of contemplation and solace. Working both as a solo practitioner and in the public sphere of community engagement, I aim to invite altered ways of viewing the world and how we inhabit it, to instigate exploration and examination of what we think we know and are.

The evocative, visceral and physical quality of materials drives my work and gives it its emotional resonance and relevance vis a vis how they are used. I am compelled to layer, wrap, stitch, knot and glue as well as paint, draw and write, layering, disrupting and complicating the surface to add levels of meaning. Often, the meaning or intent becomes clear only during or after this process, as if it had been there all along and simply surfaced during the act of making.

Excavation of the Interior, 2021, 12 x 28 x 12.5″.
“Excavation of the Interior” is a sculpture drawing parallels between the structures of the book, built environment and body made of wood, mulberry paper, canvas, muslin, watercolor paper, hemp cord and linen thread. It stands upright in any degree of opened/closed. Open, it can span up to 28″ wide.

“Fifty Years of Fiber” Show Catalogue!

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It was an honor to participate in:

See the online exhibition  catalogue HERE!

The annual Fiber Artists of San Antonio 2022 Art Exhibition was held November 6 through December 9 2022, at the Kelso Art Center, University of Incarnate Word, San Antonio, TX. The theme of the exhibit, “50 Years of Fiber Art,” celebrated the organization’s half century history. The show presented fiber artists from across the U.S. considering each decade since the 1970s as inspiration for their fiber art work.

*DEFINITION OF FIBER, as extracted from Merriam-Webster Dictionary: 1. A thread or structure or object resembling a thread; 2. A slender and greatly elongated natural or synthetic filament) such as wool, cotton, gold, asbestos, glass or rayon) which typically can be spun into yarn; 3. Material made of fibers (includes paper), fabric, plastic or metal fibers, tapestry, art cloth.

The exhibition was juried by Paula Owen.
Owen, president emerita of Southwest School of Art, began her tenure in1996, following 11 years as the Director of the Visual Arts Center in Richmond, Virginia. Under her leadership the school’s size, scope, and reputation grew significantly, and in 2014 a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree program was added. In 2022 Southwest School of Art and University of Texas at San Antonio announced a merger to create a new and expanded school of art.

Owen has served as curator of numerous exhibits and on national and regional boards and panels, including the Pew Artist Fellowships, the Bush Foundation Fellowships, and the National Endowment for the Arts. She is a published arts writer and co-authored the book, Objects and Meaning: New Perspec5ves on Art and Craft:, published by Scarecrow Press. Most recently, her essay “Fabrication and Encounter: When Content is a Verb,” was published in Maria Elena Buzcek’s book, Extra/Ordinary: Craft and Contemporary Art.

Owen earned an MFA in painting and printmaking from Virginia Commonwealth University and continues to show her work in group and solo shows throughout the nation.

I was thrilled to win the second place award for my work:
“Rent Wound Tear, Mend Heal Repair”, 2022, 64 x 68″ (dimensions variable), Triptych Installation
This exhibition was the first time this triptych was shown outside of Los Angeles.

See the online exhibition  catalogue HERE and see the wondrous works of all the accomplished artists in whose company I was honored to show.
Thank you to all involved.

Surface Design Association Award of Excellence

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I am very honored to share the recent Surface Design Association Award of Excellence with artist Anne McMillan. 


Debra Disman (portrait on left),  “Hopes and Fears and…,” 2020. Stitched, sewn, repurposed textile squares, linen thread, 24.5 x 16.5in (image on right)

Please go  HERE to see the post!

Surface Design Association says:

“We’re excited to support innovative work in fiber and textile media! The Award of Excellence is awarded to artists who have work in current exhibitions. This year we’re so pleased to congratulation both Debra Disman @artifactorystudio and Anne McMillan @annemcmillanart for their extraordinary accomplishments.”

Interested in their awards and grants? Check out the link in their bio / profile!

Thank you SDA!!!

I am honored also to share this honor with artist Anne McMillan
annemcmillanart.com | @annemcmillanart
From the SDA July Newsletter:

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR AWARD WINNERS!

1) Award of Excellence

Debra Disman
debradisman.com | @artifactorystudio

Debra Disman’s (she/her) Hopes and Fears and… won SDA’s Award of Excellence at the Alternative Fiber exhibition at the Louise Hopkins Underwood Center for the Arts in Lubbock, Texas, US.
Debra Disman (portrait on left), Hopes and Fears and…, 2020. Stitched, sewn, repurposed textile squares, linen thread, 24.5 x 16.5 inches.

Anne McMillan
annemcmillanart.com | @annemcmillanart

Three of Anne McMillan’s (she/her) mixed media and artist books won SDA’s Award of Excellence. The exhibition, Tension: Process in the Making, was a juried group exhibition celebrating SDA’s New Hampshire Regional Group.
Anne McMillan, Flaxed. Khadi. mulberry paper, flax, linen thread, bone button, book board, pva glue; eco-dyed paper, flax roving, hand-spun ties, bound with buttonhole stitch.

VoyageLA Interview: Conversations with Debra Disman

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I am honored to have been interviewed by VoyageLA, for their LOCAL STORIES  section, which was posted

Thanks to colleague artist Luciana Abait for referring me!

Interview Copy:

“Today we’d like to introduce you to Debra Disman.

Debra, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I was born and raised in the Chicago area where the Chicago Art Institute became a second home, and took art classes growing up, both in and out of school. In high school, I also started working in community arts as a volunteer and continued this when I went to college at the University of Iowa. I was an art major with a focus on painting but also studied drawing, printmaking, literature and creative writing, and was in the Iowa Undergraduate Writers’ Workshop in Poetry, which was one of the reasons I went there. I have always had a passionate interest in both image and text (“art and writing” as we used to call it!) and their interrelationship, and have sought ways to put them together, as evidenced in my current book, object, installation and “textual tapestry” works. I also studied a year in France, learning the language and traveling extensively, imbibing masterworks, architecture, landscape and craft, which sparked a lifelong love of travel and cultural explorations. From the very beginning, teaching has been part of my career, and when I moved to San Francisco after graduation, I began teaching onsite at the De Young Museum and through their urban outreach program, an experience which has informed my work ever since as a teaching artist in the Bay Area and now across Los Angeles County, as I engage with its diverse communities. Working as both a solo practitioner alone in the studio and in the public sphere of community engagement offers a rich practice and life, which compels and challenges commitment and creativity from all angles.

I worked this way in San Francisco for many years, showing in the Bay Area and across the country and then became involved with painting art furniture while trying to learn business skills. I had a San Francisco-based entrepreneurial enterprise for 15 years called ArtiFactory Studio, providing decorative painting, color consultation, surface design and murals to clients from all backgrounds and walks of life, as well as organizations and businesses, and continued teaching as well during much of this time. I went through the certificate programs of both the Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center in San Francisco and the International Association of Colour Consultants/Designers in San Diego, and later the UCLArts and Healing Social and Emotional Arts (SEA) Certificate Program, The Annenberg—Inner-City Arts Professional Development Program and “Creativity” series, and the Cal State Los Angeles/City of LA Deprtment of Cultural Affairs Community Teaching Artist Program, to enhance my skills, broaden my education and connect with others, which has been invaluable to my work and career on all fronts.

When I relocated to Los Angeles in 2012, I knew I wanted to recommit to an evolving studio practice and teach in the community. I began proposing bookmaking and other workshops to my local Santa Monica Library, and to my delighted surprise, was able to start teaching almost right away. I had made artists’ books and taught bookmaking and  story-writing in San Francisco, but took the object of the book and the teaching of bookmaking structures to a whole other level in Los Angeles. By dint of persistent and concentrated effort, I have been able to develop a multi-faceted practice around these which has allowed me to exhibit my work in galleries, museums, universities and libraries across LA and the US and teach in an array of community settings and situations. I am honored to be an enthusiastic local artist in residence at 18th Street Arts Center, serve as an artist-in-residence for the City of LA Department of Cultural Affairs, and to have received a Santa Monica Artist Fellowship in 2021, all of which have allowed me to continue, develop and grow my work, practice and life!

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I don’t think any path in life is smooth! There are always challenges, obstacles, contradictions and paradoxes encountered along the way. I have been privileged to create and be offered a number of opportunities here in the LA area, including being referred to Voyage LA by my colleague and twice collaborator Luciana Abait! I made huge changes in my work and the way I worked when we moved to Los Angeles from San Francisco in 2012. The very essence of the environment, art scene and offerings is so different in flavor, scale, intensity and mindset. In San Francisco, I had been focused on working as an entrepreneur doing custom and commissioned work for individual clients, so it was very client-driven and collaborative which I loved. When I moved to LA, I knew I was going to return to an individual studio practice and transform my way of working though I did not know exactly which form it would take. I concentrated on building up my work as a teaching artist to connect with and support the community and allow me the freedom to pursue my own inclinations, vision and voice in the studio. These two aspects of my practice have worked very well together but it has not been for lack of concerted work and effort. I knew very few folks when we moved here, so the whole process has been a glorious exploration and voyage of discovery of my own evolving creative path as well as of this remarkable and continually transforming city and region, which offers so much and seems to have a place for everyone who is willing to make the effort.

One of my biggest challenges at this point is time and how to allocate it! Between teaching artist gigs and studio work, pursuing and participating in exhibitions, studio visits, residencies and project grants, the time to view gallery and museum shows requires a lot of decision-making, and I am not able to see all I would love to see. I am continually working on the time and energy management of my work and career in all its permutations, also because it is important to show up and support others.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a visual artist with a strong background in writing who works both as a solo practitioner and in the public sphere of community engagement. I am known for my work inspired by the book, which traverses tapestry, installation and sculpture, often pushing familiar forms into works that arrest and baffle while simultaneously (I hope) offering places of contemplation and solace. As a maker and teaching artist, I aim to offer and invite altered ways of viewing the world and how we inhabit it and instigate exploration and examination of what we think we know and are. I do this in very conceptual ways in the studio and in more direct, concrete ways with students and the community-at-large.

Although I am seen to fall into the “categories” of book artist as well as fiber and textile artist because of my use of string, cord, thread and cloth/fabric/textiles, I identify as a contemporary artist working in two and three dimensions with the materials that most move and matter to me at any given time. The evocative, visceral, physical quality of materials drives my work and gives it its emotional resonance and relevance vis a vis how it is used. I am compelled to layer, wrap, stitch, knot and glue as well as paint, draw and write. The “tactile textile” becomes “text-ual” as well as textural when text is added to it, which is another way of layering, disrupting and complicating the surface to add levels of meaning. I love repetitive labor in making, and finding more and more ways to engage with a specific material, such as sewing and stitching with cord, then knotting and wrapping with it, then gluing it to a surface. One process inspires another, illuminating the expressive potential of the medium.

When I work with the community, I offer a roadmap of instruction that allows people to participate in creating a piece or structure which they can then take to another level and transform to their needs and inclination while learning artistic and technical skills along the way. The main focus of my teaching artistry is on bookmaking, but I also teach sculpture, drawing, painting, collage, color theory and art history. If I present a strong enough foundation of how-to, students will gain the confidence to explore the what-next and even the why at times. This is exciting and extremely gratifying, as it allows me to see the healing effect of art and artmaking close-up and personal. Studio work and teaching artistry are part of the same continuum of my creative practice, and some of my favorite projects employ both, such as “Unfolding Possibilities”, a unique artists’ book I created and stitched with words submitted by participants in my “Bookmaking With Self-Compassion” workshop presented online through 18th Street Arts Center and We Rise LA during mental health awareness month in response to COVID-19. By integrating the participants’ voices, the book, which can unfold to 78” long, became a collaborative artistic record of the greater community’s experience of the pandemic..

In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
I think the art world, like all other sectors of society, is always shifting and changing, but certain issues remain the same such as surviving and thriving as an artist, which for most in today’s world requires entrepreneurial skills and the ability to create your own opportunities; the comparative scarcity and expense of studio space and other necessary resources for artmaking, even including the availability of materials held up by supply chain issues; gatekeeping and bureaucracy; elitism and status issues, competitiveness, hierarchy and the proverbial internalized pecking order; and ongoing inequities as regards to race, gender and class which can severely limit opportunities and challenge basic functioning in the art world and world-at-large. There are institutional and organizational efforts being made to combat, mitigate and better these conditions, but it is slow-going, and it remains to be seen whether such efforts will continue and grow or whether they will be revealed to be a trend, momentarily capturing our ever-decreasing attention spans.

As we get more and more entwined with digital interactions and social media in particular, I think it gets harder to connect to what is real and tangible, even visceral, which is what I feel we as humans crave. The digital world offers many opportunities for those who are able to effectively use and not be consumed by it, so the balance is tricky. The art world reflects this tension, and artists, craftspeople and other makers are working to resolve it in a myriad of creative ways.

I think we will see more and more efforts on the part of individuals to balance and integrate seeming opposed factors and conditions such as online versus in-person; material/physical verses digital; ideas and theories verses feelings and behaviors; and the effects of these seeming sets of opposites. The business, institutional, political and academic worlds may follow suite in their offerings if they see that this balance and integration is what the folks on the ground want and are willing to stand behind, as ultimately their survival and relevance depend on people’s engagement with what they present. These changes take time and energy, two things that are always at a premium.”

Contact Info:

About VoyageLA in their own words:

“We started Voyage Group of Magazines in Los Angeles, with our flagship publication VoyageLA.  After generating our first million page views in LA we knew our content was resonating with the community.

We’ve since grown to a handful of other amazing cities with the help of an amazing network of friends, associates, local insiders and influencers, PR firms, local bloggers, artists, creatives, entrepreneurs and other professionals.

OUR MISSION & EDITORIAL ETHOS

Our small team has been working hard to create a new type of media for our community. As you browse through our stories you’ll notice that many of our interviews aren’t as polished as you’ll find elsewhere in the media. That’s intentional – we believe that far too many in the media filter, edit, and polish away the personality of interviewees and as a result so much of what we see in the media feels like it’s coming from the same person, the same voice, etc.  We think it’s important for media to more authentically represent the communities they serve and so we try to ensure that voices of those we feature jump off the page.

We also think artists rock.  We love small businesses, mom-n-pops, and food trucks. We’re not snobs, but we aren’t fond of most chains.  We think independent entrepreneurs, freelancers and other risk takers make our cities exciting to live in.  We cherish the rebel spirit, we don’t think just a handful of large corporations should control all of our commerce and we think smores with vegan marshmallows are better than normal marshmallows. We respect people and organizations that take the path less traveled.  We root for the underdogs and we almost never say no to pizza.

Accordingly our mission is to build a platform that fosters collaboration and support for small businesses, independent artists and entrepreneurs, local institutions and those that make our city interesting.  We want to change the way people spend their money – rather than spending it with the big, cookie-cutter corporations we want them to spend their money with the independent, creative, local entrepreneurs, small businesses and artists.

And finally, we want the stories we share to help give our big city a little bit of that small town community charm, where people know each other and their stories at a deeper, more personal level.“

Arte Realizzata Artist Spotlight!!

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Many thanks to Uzomah Ugwu for this artist spotlight in her wondrous magazine Arte Realizzata and also for our FRUITFUL CONVERSATION.

Artist Spotlight on Debra Disman

Debra Disman is a Los Angeles-based artist known for her work inspired by the book, which traverses tapestry, installation, and sculpture to push familiar forms into works that arrest and baffle while simultaneously offering places of contemplation and solace. As a maker and teaching artist, she invites altered ways of viewing the world and how we inhabit it.

Disman was the featured artist for the Big Read in LA in 2016; is the recipient of a 2016-17 WORD Artist Grant / Bruce Geller Memorial Prize to create “The Sheltering Book,” a life-sized book structure designed as a catalyst for community creativity; and was commissioned by LA’s Craft Contemporary Museum to create an interactive book for their 2017 exhibition, “Chapters: Book Arts in Southern California.”

She was a 2018 Studio Resident at the Camera Obscura Art Lab in Santa Monica and has served as an Artist-in-Residence for the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs since 2017. A Santa Monica Artist Fellow in 2021-22, she continues projects, research, and teaching efforts across Los Angeles County and the world, contributing to 18th Street Arts Center as a local artist-in-residence.

Disman’s recent Santa Monica Artist Fellowship project, “Charlotte Salomon and Eva Hesse: Genius, Trauma and the Invention of New Forms of Visual Art in Response to the Holocaust,” shown at 18th Street Arts Center in June 2022, in the form of an open studio explored the concurrencies between the two artists and her response to them. Involving three essential components: Research, Artistic Production, and Public Engagement/Exhibition, the year-long project investigated, compared, and linked the lives and the groundbreaking work of Jewish women artists Charlotte Salomon and Eva Hesse based on their shared experience of trauma and loss; and their invention of new artistic forms through which Disman feels they respond to and attempt to cope with these traumas. Themes of the project include the relationship between internal and external turbulence and the creative act; the transformative power of the creative process: the triumph of the imagination as opposed to the triumph of the will; and how trauma can elicit the creation of new forms, voices, and materials that outlast their makers and continue to reverberate throughout the time, inspiring posterity.

“I Can’t I Won’t I Will I Do” encapsulates the resistance we may have to our destiny and our calling and the indomitable spirit that keeps all artists exploring, investigating, experimenting, and achieving.

“I Can’t I Won’t I Will I Do”, 2022, 13 x 71.5″, cotton table runner, linen thread

“Excavation of the Interior”, (detail), 2021, 12 x 28 x 12.5″, wood, mulberry and watercolor papers, canvas, muslin, linen thread, hemp cord

“Concurrencies I: Charlotte Salomon Eva Hesse”, 2022, 58 x 19.5″, denim, hemp cord, linen thread, metallic thread

“Finally And Just For A Minute”, 2022, 46 x 58.5”, canvas, burlap, hemp cord, acrylic paint, ribbon

“It’s Not Black and White” (interior/open), 2021, 9 x 22 x 7.5″, book board, mulberry paper, used typewriter ribbon, canvas, hemp cord.

For more information about Debra’s artwork, please visit her site. Also, follow and like her on Instagram and Facebook.

 

Picasso-Inspired Shape Shifting

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In our “Making Art Inspired by Great Artists” CREST Enrichment class,
Students in grades TK- 5th are inspired by Pablo Picasso…learning about Cubism, creating and exploring shapes through line, color and collage, and creating their own Picasso-inspired portraits!

For a different take and to enhance their experience of color relationships and expression, we used black paper as a background!
Students drew their portraits, used colored pencils and crayons to identify and add shapes, and finally cut and added more shapes out of colored paper, taking care not to obscure what they had already done!


Adding a crown


Using a loose line to add color


Abstract and Representational takes on the project


“Hear Me Roar…”


Framing…adding a border



Self-portrait?


Strong, clear shapes

Creativity abounds with these kindergarteners through fifth-graders.
Each created their own vision through the project, as they will continue to do through their lives.

“Yarn/Rope/String” at the New Bedford Art Museum

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I am thrilled to participate in:

YARN/ROPE/STRING:
An exhibition at the New Bedford Museum of Art showing selected work from the Fiber Art Now magazine’s juried exhibitions in 2021 and 2022.

The exhibition opening reception is:
December 8th, 2022 6pm – 8pm

I am showing “PROFUSION”, 2018, 8.5 x 24.5 x 7.75, Book board, mulberry paper, watercolor paper, canvas, hemp cord

Up the Down Road of Surrealism with Dali!

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In our “Making Art Inspired by Great Artists” CREST Enrichment class,
students are inspired by the Surealist Artist Salvador Dalí!

Students in grades TK- 5th learned about Surrealism, and how to use perspective, scale,
horizon lines and vanishing points to show space and distance, then developed their compositions into surrealistic scenes adding images from magazines to create focal points and a sense of layering.

Creativity abounds with these kindergarteners through fifth-graders!
Each travelled their own road through the project, as they will continue to do in Life.

         

Southwest Surfaces at Tubac Center of the Arts

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I was thrilled to be part of:
Surface Design Association’s  Southwest Regional Exhibition at Tubac Center of the Arts!

Annie Lopez, Juror

 

Exhibiting Artists

Elizabeth Abaravich, Amie Adelman, Lisa Jean Allswede, Jim Barry, Keri Bas, Julie Bates, Daiva Bergman Harris, Blair Cahill, Jan Caldwell, Cael Chappell, Claudia Cocco, Vicki Conley, Sue Conner, Beth Cunningham, Debra Disman, Diana Fox, Dellis Frank, Amelia Greco-Welden, Michele Hardy, Jackie Heupel, Stephanie Hilvitz, Dong Kyu Kim, Molly Koehn, Julie Kornblum, Mary-Ellen Latino, Karon Leigh, Nancy Lemke, Christine LoFaso, Viviana Lombrozo, Jeannie Mehl, Christine Miller, Jaya Miller, Kathy Nida, Marty Ornish, Nancy Peterson, Michael Rohde, Connie Rohman, Tamara Scott-Anderson, Danielle Shelley, Asher Sinclaire, Bonnie Smith, Karen Smith, Nancy Jo Smith, Karin Soderholm, Meredith Strauss, Sheila Tymon, Shelly White,Peggy Wiedemann, Emily Yarborough

I showed:
Excavation of the Interior”, 2021, 12 x 28 x 12.5″, wood, mulberry paper, watercolor paper, hemp cord, canvas, muslin

Annie Lopez, Juror
Annie Lopez creates narrative work presenting a dialogue about racism, stereotypes, the local art world, personal relationships and family. Most known for cyanotype work, she’s based in Phoenix, AZ.

Juror’s Statement

I was privileged to see some incredible art and had many “why didn’t I think of that?” moments.

Selecting work was challenging. My approach was for the exhibition to have a personality, not a theme. The final selections resonated with me; made a statement or displayed unusual approaches with words, design, or techniques. These works showcase the artist’s imagination through a variety of technical skills, and each provide insight into the maker

Dancing with Dali: Perspective, Scale and Surrealism!

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In our “Making Art Inspired by Great Artists” CREST Enrichment class,
students are inspired by the Surealist Artist Salvador Dalí!

Students in grades TK- 5th learned about Surrealism, and how to use perspective, scale,
horizon lines and vanishing points to show space and distance, the developed their compositions into surrealistic scenes!

The Dia De Los Muertos OFRENDA provided an inspirational backdrop to their creative endeavors!

BOO: Halloween Tunnel Books at the West Valley Regional Branch Library

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In July I started a new Artist Residency in Bookmaking, “We Write the Book” at the West Valley Regional Branch Library of the Los Angeles Public Library, through the Los Angeles City Department of Cultural Affairs.

The Residency is comprised of a series of bookmaking workshops presented at the Library, planned in close coordination with Library Staff.

October 20th, 2022, we had a blast learning to create “TUNNEL BOOKS” in celebration of upcoming Halloween!
See a VIDEO of an engaged mom and her creative son and  their experience of the workshop.
BOO!

  

Crafty Craft Lab Tunnel Books at Craft Contemporary!!!

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I was thrilled to lead a Tunnel Bookmaking  Craft Lab Family Workshop for one of my favorite venues in Los Angeles: Craft Contemporary.
The participants turned out fabulous, innovative and outstandingly creative projects!
Perla enjoyed the project!!!

 
Enjoy the participants’ enjoyment HERE!

Sharing Shows: Arizona, California, Texas

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Excavation of the Interior, 2021, 12 x 28 x 12.5″ (wood, mulberry paper, hemp cord, canvas, muslin)

 


Chromatic Interactions: The Golden Thread, 2020, 76 x 90 x 1.5″, mixed media installation utilizing file cards written and drawn upon by Craft Contemporary Museum patrons participating in my commissioned interactive artists’ book project: Chromatic Interactions, (File cards, gold thread, pencil and crayon)

 


Rent Wound Tear, Mend Heal Repair, 2022, 64 x 68″ (dimensions variable), Triptych Installation, (canvas, acrylic paint, hemp cord, lace, string)

Keeping the Faith…at the De Young Museum

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Fantastic to see retrospective exhibition of the stunning artist Faith Ringgold, at the De Young Museum.

 

More than the Surface: Surface Design Association Southwest Regional Exhibition

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I am thrilled to be participating in this show at the Tubac Center for the Arts,  juried by artist Annie Lopez.

Current SDA members in Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Southern California, Texas, and Utah were invited to submit work for the juried SDA Southwest Regional Exhibition. The exhibition was juried by Arizona artist, Annie Lopez who selected 56 works.

I am showing, “Excavation of the Interior”, 2021, 12 x 28 x 12.5″, mixed media (wood, mulberry paper, canvas, watercolor paper, hemp cord, muslin)

September 30-November 13, 2022 at
Tubac Center of the Arts
9 Plaza Road, Tubac, AZ 85646

Teens Raise their Flags at the West Valley Regional Branch Library

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In July I started a new Artist Residency in Bookmaking, “We Write the Book” at the West Valley Regional Branch Library of the Los Angeles Public Library, through the Los Angeles City Department of Cultural Affairs.
The Residency is comprised of a series of bookmaking workshops presented at the Library, planned in close coordination with Library Staff.
I was thrilled to work with the newly forming Teen Council, organized by teen Librarian Roya Rahimi.

Teens and tweens and even a parent or two joined us, and learned to make the fun and fabulous Flag Book!
They folded accordion spines, added covers, and glued in their flag pages to create a pattern as they opened their books. Once they created the structure, they had the pleasure, and  “reward” of adding their own colorful content to their books, using magazines, images, text, origami paper, and more.
A self-expressive, creative time was had by all.
A great kick-off session for the Teen Council, and a pleasure for myself and Roya!

Stand, Sit, Hang, Lay….Works Exhibited This and That Way (More)

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I am fascinated by the many ways in which works can be shown. Here are a few…



“Finally and Just for a Minute“, 2022, hanging from the ceiling in my studio at 18th Street Art Center (Olympic Campus) in Santa Monica, CA. (Canvas, burlap, hemp cord, acrylic paint, ribbon) (Pictured, the Los Angeles-based artist Randi Matushevitz)


“Rent Wound Tear, Mend Heal Repair”, 2022,  hanging on wall in slight relief, in the exhibition “Collective Acts of Peace” at the 18th Street Art Center Airport Campus  Slipstream Gallery in Santa Monica, CA. (Canvas, string, hemp cord, lace, acrylic paint)



“Womb”, 2020, hanging from the ceiling in 18th Street Art Center’s Slipstream Gallery, in my studio at 18th Street Art Center’s Olympic Campus, Santa Monica, CA, and in the Arts at Blue Roof Summer Festival,  in the “Please Touch” exhibition at Blue Roof Studios in South Los Angeles. (Plastic hula hoop, raw canvass, jute cord)


“Unfolding Possibilities“, 2021,  on pedestal in the exhibition “Recovery Justice: Being Well“,  at the 18th Street Art Center Airport Campus  Slipstream Gallery
in Santa Monica, CA. (Mulberry paper, sewing thread, gold thread)


“Chromatic Interactions: The Golden Thread“, 2020, hanging on the wall in my studio at 18th Street Art Center (Olympic Campus) in Santa Monica, CA.
(file cards, sewing thread, gold thread,  markers, crayons, pencils)

Stand, Sit, Hang, Lay….Works Exhibited This and That Way

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I have had the opportunity to participate in a number of exhibitions this year, and am fascinated by the many ways in which works can be shown…here are a few!

Table Top: my collaboration with artist Luciana Abait: “drift“, an accordion-fold artists’ book shown in the “ALL MEDIA 2022″ exhibition
at the Irvine Fine Arts Center.

“Excavation of the Interior“, shown in the “Fantastic Fibers 2022” exhibition at the Yeiser Art Center on a pedestal.

Two works shown in different ways in the “PULP: Paper and Book Arts” exhibition at the Sebastopol Center for the Arts:
“Prairie” shown on the postcard and website, and on a pedestal in the show,

and, “Before the Fall“, suspended from the ceiling in front of a wall!

Finally, “Burning Bush” displayed on a pedestal, on a stand, and under glass in the
“34th Annual McNeese National Works On Paper Exhibition” at McNeese State University.

More to come…the sky…is the limit?!?!?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PAPERWORKS 2022

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I am thrilled to participate in
PAPERWORKS 2022
an international, juried exhibition featuring  artists creating work on, with, or about paper,
presented by the  B.J. Spokes Gallery

August 1 – August 31 2022 online

I am showing:  

“Throes of the Body”

 

Juror: Kiko Aebi is a Curatorial Assistant in the Department of Drawings and Prints at The Museum of Modern Art, a position which she has held since 2019. In this role, she has provided exhibition and acquisition support on various projects. Most recently, she worked with Senior Curator Jodi Hauptman and Associate Curator Samantha Friedman on Cézanne Drawing (2021) and contributed texts to the associated exhibition catalogue. She is the recipient of a Fulbright Research Grant and holds an M.A. in Contemporary Art History from Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam and a B.A. in Art History and Environmental Studies from Amherst College.

Works by the winners of the international Paperworks 2022 competition will be on display on the Gallery website from August 1 – 31, 2022. There will be a Zoom reception on Saturday, August 13th. Meet and chat with the artists online and meet juror Kiko Aebi, Museum of Modern Art, NY.

Join us for the ZOOM RECEPTION for Paperworks!
Saturday, August 13th, 7 pm EST / 4PM PST!
Meet the artists! Meet the juror! Ask Questions!
Register with this link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIoc-iuqzsoGNdKqDWGnJeAKSIa8RuCl204

ALL MEDIA 2022

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All Media 2022

Exhibition: July 9–October 8

The Irvine Fine Arts Center is proud to announce the opening of All Media 2022, an exhibition featuring 56 local and regional artists whose artworks engage historic and contemporaneous themes. The exhibition will be on view July 9–October 8, with a free opening reception scheduled for Saturday, July 9, 2–4 p.m.

Works selected for this year’s All Media exhibition span painting, sculpture, printmaking, photography, fiber, video, and mixed media. Awards were announced at the opening reception for three outstanding artworks and three honorable mentions, all of which were chosen by guest juror Joseph Daniel Valencia.

Exhibiting artists: Luciana Abait and Debra Disman, Eslam Abdelrahman, Debbie Abrames, Estefania Ajcip, Mary Allan, Stephen Anderson, Sheryl Ball, Ryan Bautista, Scout Bender, Danielle Bewer, Barbara Boissevain, Rachel Bunteman, Ruben Cantoran, Dennis Carrie, Michael Chesler, Ashoke Chhabra, Kat De Guzman, Jorg Dubin, Roland Escalona, Dede Lucia Falcone, Silvia Faris, Richard Ferncase, Karen Fiorito, John Flores, Gabriel Gonzalez, Audrey Hernandez Peterson, Gina Herrera, Lua Kobayashi, Joe Lee, Michael Lopez, Kiara Aileen Machado, Kai Mao, Tamara Martin, Jared Millar, Dorsadaf Moinzad, Skip Mueller, Melody Nunez, Francisco Palomares, Sho Peng, Gianni Pham, Alkaid Ramirez, May Roded, Isabella Salvatierra, Deanna Sanches da Silva, Chanchala Singh, Meriel Stern, Todd Swart, Hedy Torres, Noriho Uriu, Michael Usher, Kurt Theodore Weston, John White, Michael Wicks, and Rob Williams.

Guest juror Joseph Daniel Valencia is the associate curator of the Vincent Price Art Museum. In addition to his work as a historian, writer, and curator, Valencia has previously worked for the City of Irvine, as well as the J. Paul Getty Museum, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, ONE Archives at the USC Libraries, and UCR ARTSblock.

“drift”, a collaborative work created by myself and artist Luciana Abait is included in the exhibition!

CONCURRENCIES: Charlotte Salomon and Eva Hesse: The Visitors

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On June 25th, 2022 I held an open studio to share works created for my 2021-22 Santa Monica Artist Project Fellowship:

Charlotte Salomon and Eva Hesse: Genius, Trauma and the Invention of New Forms of Visual Art in Response to the Holocaust

Employing research, artistic production, public engagement, the project investigates, compares and links the lives and the groundbreaking work of Jewish women artists Charlotte Salomon and Eva Hesse on the basis of their shared experience of trauma and loss through the Jewish Holocaust, the remarkably similar intimate traumas of their families (both lost their mothers to suicide), their invention of new forms of visual art through which I posit they respond to and attempt to cope with these traumas,  their early deaths, and the emotional involvement of each with a charismatic and powerful male artist who proved to be influential, even pivotal in the development of their work and artistic/creative breakthroughs.

Themes of the project include being a woman artist, being a Jewish women artist, being an artist during or affected by a profoundly turbulent time in history, the relationship between internal and external turbulence and the creative act and the transformative power of the creative process:  the triumph of the imagination as opposed to the triumph of the will.

On a broader scale, the project examines, through these two geniuses, ways in which the creative process can transform traumatic pasts, and how trauma can elicit the creation of new forms, voices and materials that outlast their makers and continue to reverberate throughout the ages, inspiring posterity.

As part of my Fellowship project commitment, I created a series of works responding to these artists: their oeuvre, their lives, their concurrencies. I was thrilled to welcome friends, colleagues and students to share the works and say hello!  (All images by Steve Hankins Photography)

 




Thank you all, and thank you Steve Hankins, for your beautiful photography and capturing of the event.

CONCURRENCIES: Charlotte Salomon and Eva Hesse: The Works

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On June 25th, 2022 I held an open studio to share works created for my 2021-22 Santa Monica Artist Project Fellowship:

Charlotte Salomon and Eva Hesse: Genius, Trauma and the Invention of New Forms of Visual Art in Response to the Holocaust

Employing research, artistic production, public engagement, the project investigates, compares and links the lives and the groundbreaking work of Jewish women artists Charlotte Salomon and Eva Hesse on the basis of their shared experience of trauma and loss through the Jewish Holocaust, the remarkably similar intimate traumas of their families (both lost their mothers to suicide), their invention of new forms of visual art through which I posit they respond to and attempt to cope with these traumas,  their early deaths, and the emotional involvement of each with a charismatic and powerful male artist who proved to be influential, even pivotal in the development of their work and artistic/creative breakthroughs.

Themes of the project include being a woman artist, being a Jewish women artist, being an artist during or affected by a profoundly turbulent time in history, the relationship between internal and external turbulence and the creative act and the transformative power of the creative process:  the triumph of the imagination as opposed to the triumph of the will.

On a broader scale, the project examines, through these two geniuses, ways in which the creative process can transform traumatic pasts, and how trauma can elicit the creation of new forms, voices and materials that outlast their makers and continue to reverberate throughout the ages, inspiring posterity.

As part of my Fellowship project commitment, I created a series of works responding to these artists: their oeuvre, their lives, their concurrencies, some of which I share here: (All images by Steve Hankins Photography)

Working title: “Concurrencies I“, 2022, repurposed denim, linen thread, gold thread, hemp cord, varnish


Working title: “Concurrencies II“, begun, 2022 (unfinished), repurposed denim, linen thread, gold thread, varnish , to be developed


Working title, “Finally“, 2022, canvas, burlap, acrylic paint, hemp cord


Working title, “Finally“, 2022, canvas, burlap, acrylic paint, hemp cord, (details)


“I Can’t I Won’t I will I Do“, 2022, repurposed cotton table runner, hemp cord, acrylic paint


“It’s Not Black and White“, 2021, Bookboard, mulberry paper, repurposed typewriter tape, canvas, hemp cord, (exterior)


“It’s Not Black and White“, 2021, Bookboard, mulberry paper, repurposed typewriter tape, canvas, hemp cord, (exterior/interior)


“Forest Through The Trees“, 2021, bookboard, hemp cord, watercolor paper, acrylic paint, wood, canvas, repurposed typewriter tape, lace, (exterior)


“Forest Through The Trees“, 2021, bookboard, hemp cord, watercolor paper, acrylic paint, wood, canvas, repurposed typewriter tape, lace, (detail)


Working title: “Charlotte Salomon-Eva Hesse: Concurrencies“, 2022, repurposed family album, burlap, linen thread, collage/paper,  (exterior)

“PULP- Book and Paper Arts” at the Sebastopol Center for the Arts

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I am thrilled to participate in “PULP- Book and Paper Arts” at the Sebastopol Center for the Arts!
I have two works in the show, “Prairie”, pictured below on the exhibition announcement, and “Before the Fall”.

“PULP- Book and Paper Arts” runs July 30 to Sept 4, 2022.

“This show will feature innovative and traditional explorations of book arts, paper arts, and paper sculptures, including paper objects, book-art-related objects, altered books, and sculptural and wall-mounted pieces, as well as more traditional artists’ books, letterpress printing and bookbinding.”

Show coordinators are Renee Owen and Jennylynn Hall.

Jurors are Alicia Bailey and Helen Hiebert.

Alicia Bailey, curator and artist, is currently the director of Abecedarian Books. She has been working with book forms since the mid-nineties, has owned and run a successful gallery dedicated to book arts, and is the visionary and curator behind the annual Artists’ Book Cornucopia.

Helen Hiebert is a Colorado artist who constructs installations, sculptures, films, and artists’ books and works in paper using handmade paper as her primary medium. She teaches, lectures and exhibits her work internationally and online, and is the author of several how-to books about papermaking and paper crafts.

Please see the list of Pulp artists on SCA’s current and upcoming exhibitions page.

My work, “Before the Fall” pictured above next to a beautiful modular piece.

And…Enjoy the Show!!!

Wood Work: Inspired by Louise Nevelson

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Planning process.


Working drawing!


Painting is part of our process.


Creating side by side.


Building together.


Building up from a flat surface and working with shapes.


Creating a maze.


Building upwards.


Three working in very different ways.


The purple “Clutter House on Clutter Street”…

Express Yourself, Do YOU at the West Valley Regional Branch Library!

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I just started a new Artist Residency in Bookmaking, “We Write the Book” at the West Valley Regional Branch Library of the Los Angeles Public Library, through the Los Angeles City Department of Cultural Affairs.

Working with families, I led a  bookmaking workshop (called a “program” in Library parlance) for a group of 20 in which they created handmade accordion fold books with pockets, which fit perfectly into the LAPL Summer Reading theme of “Express Yourself”.

Makers focused on themes of  identity, relationships and of course, self-expression!
The results were heart-warming and impressive, and a good time was had by all, as well as the learning of new skills, and a whole lot of self-expression!


Materials galore!


Creating together.


Families attended as a group.


Moms get into the act!


Dad gets into the act!



Library Children’s Librarian Sky, and teen volunteer.


An opportunity to express emotions.


Creativity abounds.


Pockets hold handmade treasures.



The beautiful results!
Proud bookmakers!

PLEASE TOUCH: The Community Participates

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Preparing to write a special message to add to Monica’s “tree”!


Lauren with young potholder makers!


The hands that weave. Potholders.


Adding to what might be the longest potholder in existence!


Lauren guides the young makers.


Mother and daughter…


Dancers and movers relax with with Liz’s works.


Taking a moment…

PLEASE TOUCH Invites You to Do Just That!

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See a video of perhaps the world’s largest potholder HERE!


Julie O’Sullivan


Cathy Engel-Marder


Monica Marks


Liz Nurenberg


Laurel Paley and Liz Nurenberg


Robyn Sanford with Lisa Diane Wedgeworth and Sheli Silverio


Beautiful participants Mom and Daughter

“Please Touch” Invites YOU to Enter the Womb…

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Book/Art/Artifact on VIEW!

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GBW CALIFORNIA CHAPTERS 3RD MEMBER EXHIBITION: The Info!



Book / Art / Artifact will be open to the public starting Saturday, June 11 and runs thru Sunday, August 28th, 2022.  Please check their website for operating days and times.

The opening reception will take place at San Francisco Center for the Book on Friday, June 17th from 6-8 pm. This event is free to attend. Light refreshments will be served on the back patio; remarks will be at 7 pm. Masks are required while viewing the exhibition indoors; we are encouraging people to register for the opening reception at the following link: SFCB.org

WORKSHOP – Exhibition related

SFCB and CA Chapter of GBW are offering a one day workshop Leather Surface Decoration in-person workshop with Coleen Curry to accompany the exhibition on July 2, 2022

https://sfcb.org/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=4332

This link is live now and is offered to CA chapter members first until June 15 and then will be open to public.

EXHIBITION CATALOGS 

The catalog is available to order online through Lulu:

https://www.lulu.com/shop/rebecca-chamlee/gbw-ca-chapter-catalog-2022/paperback/product-m97542.html?q=GBW&page=1&pageSize=4

$9.68 plus shipping. (At cost)

Those exhibiting will receive a complementary copy in the mail.

All exhibition information can be found on https://sfcb.org/bookartartifact and on our chapter website  https://gbwcaliforniachapter.wordpress.com

“Please Touch” Invites YOU to Do Just That: INSTALL DAY!

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June 4, 12-5pm PST
On view through June 18th by appt.
Arts at Blue Roof
7329 S. Broadway Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90003
https://www.artsatblueroof.org/

Curated by Kristine Schomaker and Sheli Silverio

Featuring: Debra Disman, Cathy Engel-Marder, Monica Marks, Liz Nurenberg, Julie O’Sullivan, Laurel Paley, Robyn Sanford

Arts at Blue Roof Summer Festival, “A Celebration of Creativity and Joy celebrates the summer solstice while highlighting the richness and diversity of the arts in South Los Angeles and beyond. It reflects Blue Roof Studios’ commitment to fostering and amplifying creativity, connection, and inclusion within the community.

The festival is produced by Arts at Blue Roof Studios, Lisa Diane Wedgeworth, Director


YES WE DO.


CURATORS SHELI AND KRISTINE SURVEY THE SCENE.


SHELI CONTEMPLATES.


SHELI AND THE WORK OF LIZ NURENBERG

CATHY ENGEL-MARDER…WORKS. AND PLAYS.


LAUREN PALEY INSTALS HER COMMUNITY-COLLABORATIVE “THE WORLD’S LONGEST POTHOLDER”


KRISTINE…SHELI…CATHY TAKE A MOMENT.


“WOMB”  INSTALLED.


CATHY WITH STARS AND MIRRORS.


PLEASE TOUCH THE WORK OF LIZ NURENBERG.


THE TREASURE CHEST OF LAUREL PALEY.


FURRY FUN WITH JULIE O’SULLIVAN!


I THINK SHELI APPROVES.


LOOK UP…


LOOK IN. AND OUT. CHANGE YOUR PERCEPTION…CHANGE YOUR…LIFE.

Space and Surrealism through Salvador Dali

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In our “Making Art Inspired by Great Artists” CREST Enrichment class,
students are inspired by the Surealist Artist Salvador Dalí!

Students in grades TK- 5th learned about Surrealism, and how to use perspective, scale,
horizon lines and vanishing points to show space and distance!


They drew out their horizon lines, set their vanishing points, added their roads or other content…

then developed their compositions through drawing and collage techniques using images cut from repurposed magazines,

creating fantastical landscapes or cityscapes employing  perspective, while exploring their own interests in the process.

Students blended techniques of representation and fantasy through use of scale, image, space and color,

to create imaginative and whimsical Surrealistic works which we hope will stand the test of time, and reinforce their learning.

There’s nothing like learning through FUN!

“Mining Peace in a Troubled World”

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“Mining Peace in a Troubled World and How Artists Survive” Panel Discussion
was held as part of the programming for the 18th Street Arts Center exhibition:


curated by Frida Cano.


Debra Disman, Rent Wound Tear, Mend Heal Repair, 2022. Mixed media: canvas/acrylic paint/hemp cord/string. Exhibition view of “Collective Acts of Peace”
at 18th Street Arts Center’s Airport Campus Slipstream Galleries. March 15 – June 4, 2022. Photo by Marc Walker.

Mining Peace in a Troubled World and How Artists Survive 
Institute of United Minds, Salon #1
Part of Collective Acts of Peace
Sunday, May 22 |  3 pm-5 pm
18th Street Arts Center | Slipstream Galleries
3026 Airport Ave, Santa Monica
ONLINE on ZOOM

 Debra Disman , David McDonald,and Labkhand Olfatmanesh local artists in residence at 18th Street Arts Center who have work in the exhibition were the panelists for this conversation with contributions from Joan Wulf, Susie McKay Krieser and Melinda Smith Altshuler, moderated by writer, digital creator and Founder/Artistic Director/Editor-in-Chief of Installation magazine,  A. Moret!

Please see and hear the discussion HERE!

Inspired by the Story Quilts of Faith Ringgold

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Keeping the FAITH through “Story Quilting”!

I am thrilled to be teaching MAKING ART INSPIRED BY GREAT ARTISTS  at Grant and McKinley Elementary Schools in the Santa Monica Public School System through the CREST Enrichment program.

After a span of two years, teaching live and in-person is exciting and energizing. The students are enthusiastic, helpful and creative and IMAGINATIVE and the parents and staff supportive and engaged.

Everyone is working together to make in-person teaching a safe and rewarding experience. Despite the challenges and great energy required, what fun to see these young artists exercise their imaginations, play, learn and create!

Students responded positively to our “Story Quilt” project, inspired by the Great Artist, Faith Ringgold.
Put cloth in their hands, and away they go!

Joyous play and exploration of fabric, cloth scrap, felt (actually made of acrylic- durable!) and tacky glue!

West Valley Regional Branch Library Artist Residency CULMINATION 2022!!

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I just recently completed my  Artist Residency in Bookmaking, “We Write the Book” at the West Valley Regional Branch Library of the Los Angeles Public Library, through the Los Angeles City Department of Cultural Affairs.
 
I and the Staff at West Valley would like to share the Residency activities with you, and so I have created a Power Point Presentation  highlighting the workshop projects, themes and events as part of our CULMINATION EVENT!

Please click here:
CULMINATION_WVRBL_2021-22
You may also view the video version of this presentation on You Tube by clicking here.  ENJOY.

Artist Residency CULMINATION 2022!!

By

I just recently completed my  Artist Residency in Bookmaking, “We Write the Book” at the West Valley Regional Branch Library of the Los Angeles Public Library, through the Los Angeles City Department of Cultural Affairs.
 
I and the Staff at West Valley would like to share the Residency activities with you, and so I have created a short PowerPoint video highlighting the workshop projects, themes and events as part of our CULMINATION EVENT!
Please click on the arrow key below and enjoy seeing the bookmaking projects our marvelously creative participants have learned and created!  You may also view the video on You Tube by clicking here.  ENJOY.

 

Six of the Best Interview Questions: Interviewed on Philip Hartigan’s PRAETERIA blog

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Today I share my interview with artist and writer Philip Hartigan, a  regular contributor to Hyperallergic for 7 years. on his blog,

PRAETERITA

where he talks about art, interviews other artists, and more.

“Part 42 of an interview series in which artists reply to the same six questions. Debra Disman makes sculptural objects from a combination of materials that can be read as fiber art, yet also imply book forms. Her work is  a mesmerizing combination of materials, textures, and forms that are combined with exceptional skill. You can see more of her work here.”

https://philiphartiganpraeterita.blogspot.com/2022/04/six-of-best-debra-disman.html

This was fun!

Check out Philip’s work on his insta and site!

Thank you Philip!

 

Studio Notes: Texture Tactility Tactile Textile

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Today I am sharing some explorations into “tactile textiles,”, a term coined, as  understand it, by Anni Albers, tactile textile artist/weaver!

Such works and materials become spaces, places, rooms, lands, terrain, forests…tactile explorations into the unknown, guided by, among other things, the sense of touch, a tactile sensibility.

 

Detail of “Forest Through The Trees”, book board, hemp cord, wood, canvas, acrylic paint, used typewriter ribbon, ribbon

Test piece/sample, paper, jute cord

Detail of “It’s Not Black or White”,  book board, mulberry paper, used typewriter ribbon

Detail of “FruitFull” (in process), textile samples, hemp cord

Stacked pieces of “to the trade” folded textile samples


Stacked pieces of repurposed and folded denim cut from jeans

“Collective Acts of Peace / Actos colectivos de paz” at 18th Street Art Center

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I am thrilled to participate in: Collective Acts of Peace / Actos colectivos de paz, an exhibition of 18th Street Arts Center in the Slipstream Gallery, at the Airport Campus. curated by Frida Cano.

“Artists in residence at 18th Street Arts Center are pleased to present Collective Acts of Peace, a selection of 18th Street projects with the aim of exploring different embraces of the creative mind in the midst of an endless global pandemic. Featuring the work of Alexandra Dillon, Ameeta Nanji, Crystal Michaelson, Daniela Schweitzer, David McDonald,  Debra Disman, Doni Silver Simons, Joan Abrahamson, Joan Wulf,  Julia Michelle Dawson, Labkhand Olfatmanesh, Lola del Fresno, M Susan Broussard, Melinda Smith Altshuler, Rebecca Youssef, and Susie McKay Krieser,  this artist-led project is on view in the Slipstream Galleries 18th Street Arts Center’s Airport Campus (3026 Airport Ave, Santa Monica) from March 14 – June 4, 2022. The exhibition highlights the connections among creatives who strive to make this a better world for all living beings, humans and non-humans alike.”

I am showing my triptych: “RENT WOUND TEAR, MEND HEAL REPAIR” in dialogue with artist Joan Wulf‘s works on view from her “Ruminations” series.


Debra Disman, “Rent Wound Tear, Mend Heal Repair”, 2022. Mixed media: canvas/acrylic paint/hemp cord/string. Exhibition view of “Collective Acts of Peace” at 18th Street Arts Center’s Airport Campus Slipstream Galleries. March 15 – June 4, 2022. Photo by Marc Walker.

Explore the show and accompanying events here!

I will be participating on this panel, with artist David McDonald on May 22nd!

JOIN US!!!!

Celebrate Poetry Month and Honor Earth Day through Bookmaking!

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Please join us online for our final Artist Residency  event of the season!

I will help you create a special handmade “closed spine” accordion book with simple pop-ups  honoring Earth Day and celebrating National Poetry Month!

 

When you sign up you will not only receive the supplies necessary to participate in the program, but a special artmaking materials good bag and Los Angeles Public Library SWAG!
This is an online program.

PLEASE  sign up using the link that we’ve set up: tinyurl.com/34a8nam9  so that we can provide you with the info we’re gathering using the form and also to minimize any questions about supply packets.so that we can provide you with the info we’re gathering using the form and also to minimize any questions about supply packets.

 For ADA accommodations, call (213) 228-7430 at least 72 hours prior to the event.

Para ajustes razonables según la ley de ADA, llama al (213) 228-7430 al menos 72 horas antes del evento.

I Hope To See You There!

Collective Acts of Peace / Actos colectivos de paz

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I am happy to be part of a unique exhibition:

March 14, 2022 – June 4, 2022
at:
18th Street Arts Center (Airport Campus)

“Artists in residence at 18th Street Arts Center are pleased to present Collective Acts of Peace, a selection of 18th Street projects with the aim of exploring different embraces of the creative mind in the midst of an endless global pandemic. Featuring the work of Alexandra Dillon, Ameeta Nanji, Crystal Michaelson, Daniela Schweitzer, David McDonald,  Debra Disman, Doni Silver Simons, Joan Abrahamson, Joan Wulf,  Julia Michelle Dawson, Labkhand Olfatmanesh, Lola del Fresno, M Susan Broussard, Melinda Smith Altshuler, Rebecca Youssef, and Susie McKay Krieser,  this artist-led project is on view in the Slipstream Galleries 18th Street Arts Center’s Airport Campus (3026 Airport Ave, Santa Monica) from March 14 – June 4, 2022. The exhibition highlights the connections among creatives who strive to make this a better world for all living beings, humans and non-humans alike.”

Gallery hours are Monday-Friday 11am-5pm, Saturday 12-5pm

Participating artists:
Institute of United Minds, a manifesto-driven project: Ameeta Nanji, David McDonald, Doni Silver Simons, Joan Abrahamson,  Melinda Smith Altshuler, and Susie McKay Krieser.: Alexandra Dillon: Crystal Michaelson + Rebecca Youssef, Daniela Schweitzer; Debra Disman + Joan Wulf, Julia Michelle Dawson, Labkhand Olfatmanesh, Lola del Fresno, M Susan Broussard

I am showing “RENT WOUND TEAR, MEND HEAL REPAIR“, 2022, a triptych made of canvas, acrylic paint, hemp cord and string.

My work is in dialogue with artist Joan Wulf’s three pieces made of cut-up and repurposed journals: Ruminations 2, 4 and 5

“Our submitted works engage processes of dissembling and weaving together repurposed materials, text and experience in an effort to reconfigure and make meaning of the past and present, find a way through trauma, and achieve clarity in the confusing banality of everyday life.
Through exploring new forms of artmaking we seek transcendence and deeper understanding for ourselves and the viewer. In this way, the proposed dialogue between our works becomes a collaboration of the spirit as well as the material, as we work to imagine and achieve what seems impossible within and without, and invite others to do the same.” — Debra Disman and Joan Wulf

Fantastical….2022!

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I am honored to be participating in FANTASTIC FIBERS, (2022), an international juried exhibition that seeks to showcase a wide range of outstanding works related to the fiber medium. It was a wonderful experience to be a part of FANTASTIC FIBERS 2021, and i very much look forward to seeing (albeit online) all the works in this year’s show!

One of Yeiser Art Center’s most engaging, innovative & colorful international exhibits, Fantastic Fibers is an inspirational must-see for fine artists, quilters and textile art enthusiasts across the globe. The exhibition is comprised of contemporary and innovative works created with fiber as the primary medium or concept

The show began in 1987 as a wearable art show but has evolved over the years to include a compelling mix of traditional and non-traditional works created from natural or synthetic fibers, and work that addresses the subject or medium of fiber.

View a video of the show here!

JUROR: Matt Collinsworth
Matt Collinsworth became the new CEO of the National Quilt Museum during the summer of 2021.  Matt attended Georgetown College in central Kentucky and received his MFA from Ohio State.  He has been directing nonprofit organizations since 1998 and museum’s and other cultural organizations since 2003.  Matt has served as Director of the Kentucky Folk Art Center, Senior Director of Cultural Outreach at Morehead State University, Interim Director of the Lexington Art League, and Director of the National Music Museum.  Matt has curated and co-curated dozens of exhibitions that have appeared at museums and galleries across the country, including national and international traveling shows. He also produced numerous major exhibition catalogs, overseen large cultural events, and led several facility renovation projects. Matt lives in Paducah’s Lowertown Arts District with his wife, Kelly, his son, Eli, and (when she’s home from college) his daughter, Brynn.

I am especially thrilled to be showing “Excavation of the Interior”, a work completed in 2021, made of wood, mulberry paper, watercolor paper, muslin, canvas, hemp cord and linen thread.



Artist Amy Usdin photographs the show!


Exterior/Closed


Interior/Open


Interior/Detail


Exterior/Closed


Exterior/Spine-Back

35th Annual McNeese National Works on Paper

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I am thrilled to be part of this exciting SHOW!

I am honored to have two pieces in the 35th Annual McNeese National Works on Paper exhibition, opening Thursday March 24, 2022 juried by Jennifer Dasal, creator and host of ArtCurious Podcast, a podcast about art history, and previously Associate Curator of Contemporary Art, North Carolina Museum of Art.

Stop by if you are in the area!

I am showing:

Prairie, 10.25″ x 47″ x 15.25″, Mixed Media: Book Board, Paper Board, Watercolor Paper, Tissue Paper, Jute Cord

(Exterior/Front Cover)
(Interior/Open)
(Exterior/Open)

Burning Bush,  7.5 x 11 x 5.5″, Mixed Media: Repurposed Journal (board), Mulberry Paper, Linen Thread, Sewing Thread

(Interior/Open)

(Exterior/Open)

(Interior Detail)

Listen to juror Jennifer Dasal’s talk HERE!
“Walk” through the show HERE!
View all the wonderful works in the show HERE!

EXPO 41 at B.J. Spokes Gallery

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I am thrilled to be included in:


a virtual exhibition of the b.j. spoke gallery

The show was juried by Sewon Kang, Archivist at The Easton/Bourgeois Archive, formerly Curatorial Assistant at the Museum of Modern Art, in New York City, who selected the work of 15 artists. I am honored to be included in this roster of stunning creative makers.

Artists and their selected works can be viewed below. Enjoy

David Acquistapace, Saint Louis, MO
Kat Alyst, Austin, TX
Neville Barbour, Silver Spring, MD
Matthew Barton, New Orleans, LA
Kimberlyn Bloise, Edinboro, PA
Stephen Delaney, Middleton, MA
Debra Disman, Los Angeles, CA		 Eriko Kobayashi, Carbondale, IL
Anthony Adonis Lewis, Ashland, OR
Kambel Smith, Philadelphia, PA
Karen Theisen, Santa Fe, NM
Amy Usdin, Mendota Heights, MN
Jae Yun Yi, Seoul Korea
Dier Zhang, Brooklyn, NY
Foad Seyed Mohammadi, Gainesville FL

I am showing:
Excavation of the Interior, 2021, 12 x 28 x 12.5″, mixed media (wood, canvas, muslin, mulberry paper, hemp cord, linen thread, watercolor paper)

and
Forest Through The Trees, 2021, 15 x 42 x 12″, mixed media (book board, acrylic paint, hemp cord, wood, canvas, typewriter tape, lace, watercolor paper)

ARTIST STATEMENT                                              
 I work in the form of the book, in forms evoked by the book, and in multidimensional media of my own devising. Both as a solo practitioner and in the public sphere of community engagement I push the body and boundaries of the book into new media, materials and meanings to invite altered ways of viewing the world and how we inhabit it. Although much of the work continues to relate to loose definitions of the book as structure, it is moving into other sculptural and conceptual realms where devotion to material labor and a passion for the haptic become powerful motivators and themes. I am fascinated by the parallels between books and buildings in terms of architecture, meaning and utility. Each constructs public and private spaces where stories are “read” on many levels, often revealing more than their makers ever intended. My work seeks to offer places of contemplation, solace and bafflement, while instigating exploration, investigation and examination of what we think we know, and are.

.

Material III at the D’Art Center

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I am thrilled to be showing in MATERIAL III at the D’Art Center, “an exhibition of original fiber artworks from across the country highlighting the quality and variety of artworks utilizing fiber as a major component, including non-functional, 2D, 3D, fine art, and fine craft in fiber including mixed media works, in a variety of styles, co-curated by gallery manager Amanda Bradley and exhibition juror, Ryan Lytle.”
Kudos to Amanda for hanging my piece, “Before the Fall”  in such a great way!

I am honored to be honorably mentioned!

Congratulations to our award winners:
Honorable Mentions
Debra Disman from Los Angeles, CA for her fiber art sculptural book, Before the Fall.
Statement: Inspired by the book, my work has evolved into a focused material exploration driven by a visceral relationship with cloth, thread, cord and string. I engage the actions of folding, stitching, tearing, cutting and gluing in a continual effort to build and create, tear and break down, heal and repair, as a way of navigating the tension of opposites. While referencing the book as structure, the work has moved progressively into other conceptual realms where devotion to material labor and a passion for the haptic become powerful motivators and themes.

See the Live, In-Person AWARDS EVENT HERE!

Inspired by SALVADOR DALI!

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In our “Making Art Inspired by Great Artists” CREST Enrichment class,
students are inspired by the Surealist Artist Salvador Dalí!

Students in grades TK- 5th learned about Surrealism, and how to use perspective, scale, horizon lines and vanishing points to show space and distance!

They drew out their horizon lines, set their vanishing points, added their roads,

and developed their compositions through drawing and collage techniques using images cut from repurposed magazines.

They created fantastical landscapes in which perspective can be clearly seen.

Despite having to wear face masks throughout, students inspired themselves and each other.

Students blended techniques of representation and fantasy through use of scale, image, space and color

to create fantastical, imaginative and whimsical Surrealistic works which hopefully, will stand the test of time, and reinforce their learning.

Bravo!

Inspired by Louise Nevelson

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In our “Making Art Inspired by Great Artists” class,
Students are inspired by the wood assemblage sculptures of Louise Nevelson….

Putting together all manner of wood shapes…

Playing, arranging, stacking, balancing, building,  gluing…


Creating.

ALL SHE MAKES…from the Magazine

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I am thrilled to be featured in ALL SHE MAKES  Magazineand the ALL SHE MAKES Artist Directory!

The Magazine is a must-see/read for anyone interested in the work of female artists and the art world in general.

 Sviltana Martynjuk, founder of All SHE Makes champions Women Artists through this publication and organization/venture she has spearheaded.

The incredible Christina Massey of  WoArt and creator of the amazing and beloved WoArt Blog, also promoting and celebrating women artists, and an artist in her own right, curated the selection of artists featured in this WINTER Issue IV of ALL SHE MAKES.

I am aprreciative of  this opportunity to be featured alongside so many outstanding women artists!

ALL SHE MAKES : first look

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I am thrilled to be featured in all SHE makes Magazineand the all She makes Artist Directory!

 Sviltana Martynjuk, founder of All SHE Makes champions Women Artists through this publication and organization/venture she has spearheaded.

The incredible Christina Massey of  WoArt and creator of the amazing and beloved WoArt Blog, also promoting and celebrating women artists, and an artist in her own right, curated the selection of artists featured in this WINTER Issue IV of ALL SHE MAKES.

Thank you for this opportunity to be featured alongside so many outstanding women artists!

(Another post with more images from the magazine to follow).

MATERIAL III: An Investigation of Materiality through Fiber

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I am thrilled to be showing in MATERIAL III, a national exhibition at d’Art Center of original fiber artworks from across the country highlighting the quality and variety of artworks utilizing fiber as a major component, including non-functional, 2D, 3D, fine art, and fine craft in fiber including mixed media works, in a variety of styles.

The show is co-curated by gallery manager Amanda Bradley, and exhibition juror, Ryan Lytle.

I am showing “Before the Fall” 11 x (up to) 23 x 7.5″, mixed media (book board, mulberry paper, hemp cord, canvas),  a work inspired by the form of the book, and hung from the ceiling, in essence a hanging sculpture, and installation.

I am looking forward to the opening, and seeing what other works are included, always a treat!

Sharing the words of Juri Koll

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I am honored to share the words of the artist, curator, filmmaker and fonder/director of Venice Institute of Contemporary Art, Juri Koll:

Thank you Juri, for your time, your care, and your comprehension of my work.

It means a great deal.

Keeping the Faith…Making Art Inspired by Great Artist Faith Ringgold

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I am thrilled to be teaching MAKING ART INSPIRED BY GREAT ARTISTS  at Franklin and Roosevelt Schools in the Santa Monica Public School System through the CREST Enrichment program.

After a span of two years, teaching live and in-person is exciting and energizing. The students are enthusiastic, helpful and creative and IMAGINATIVE and the parents and staff supportive and engaged.

Everyone is working together to make in-person teaching a safe and rewarding experience. Despite the challenges and great energy required, what fun to see these young artists exercise their imaginations, play, learn and create!

Students responded positively to our “Story Quilt” project, inspired by the Great Artist, Faith Ringgold.
Put cloth in their hands, and away they go!
Students draw an idea for their fabric “story, then begin working on felt with cloth pieces that are glued into place.


Imaginative use of the materials is the intuitive order of the day.


The stories begin to emerge.


Joyous play and exploration of fabrics, cloth scrap and tactile textiles!

 

The Center for Contemporary Art 2022 International Juried Show

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I am thrilled to participate in the Center for Contemporary Art’s 

International Juried Exhibition

showing “Maximum Security”
made of Book Board, Wood, Mulberry Paper, Paint, Canvas, Watercolor Paper, Hemp Cord

EXHIBITION DATES: January 14, 2022 – February 26, 2022
Opening: Friday, January 14, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. via Zoom

JUROR: Erin Jenoa Gilbert
Erin Jenoa Gilbert is a New York based curator and art advisor, specializing in Modern and Contemporary Art of the African Diaspora. Exploring the relationship between art, power and politics, her curatorial practice examines the physical and psychological connection to land, the trauma of displacement and the Black female body as contested terrain. Gilbert’s intersectional critical analysis exposes the fault lines in the aesthetic regimes that dominate visual culture, specifically by presenting artists whose contributions to the canon have been overlooked, particularly women artists from the “Deep South” and the “Global South”. Most recently the Curator of African American Manuscripts at the Smithsonian Archives of American Art, she has also held positions at The Art Institute of Chicago and The Studio Museum in Harlem.

Over the course of her career she has addressed audiences at The Studio Museum in Harlem, National Gallery of Art, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Howard University, Fashion Institute of Technology and Swann Auction House. Figure and Force, a conversation she moderated between Barbara Chase Riboud and Ilyasah Shabbaz for Solange’s Saint Heron, exemplifies her commitment to expanding the audience for modern and contemporary art.

In July 2021, Gilbert curated A Force For Change, an exhibition presenting 26 contemporary women artists of African descent in New York benefiting UN Women. She is the co-curator of Mary Lovelace O’Neal: Whales Fucking which will open at MoAD in San Francisco, California in November 2022. Since 2015 she has curated several museum and gallery exhibitions in the US and UK including Zohra Opoku: Draped Histories/Beyond Visage, Sienna Shields: Invisible Woman and In The Eye of the Beholder.

Gilbert holds a BA in Political Science and a BA in African and African American Studies from the University of Michigan, and a MA in Contemporary Art from the University of Manchester.  She has published catalog essays on several prominent artists, including Deborah Roberts (Spelman University, 2018); Alma Thomas (Mnuchin Gallery, 2019); Chakaia Booker (ICA Miami, 2021) and Mary Lovelace O’Neal (MoAD, 2022).

Click Here to Read Erin Jenoa Gilbert’s Juror Statement

I am honored to be in the company of wonderful EXHIBITING ARTISTS: Joan Appel, Claude Beller, Bill Brookover, Monica J. Brown, Lionel Carre, Arden Cone, Steven Daiber, Tracy DiTolla, Marvin Eans, Steven Epstein, Tracy Finn, Sandy Furst, Anita Gladstone, Gregory Hennen, Valerie Huhn, Pat Kelly, Karen L. Kirshner, Jack Knight, Shawn Marshall, Monica Mendes, Edward Mills, Myra Joyce Nowlin, David Z. Orban, Clare Parry, Sandi Pfeifer, Robert Reid, Lilly Saywitz, Alireza Vaziri Rahimi, Mark Vogel, Chrissy Wallace

Click Here for Exhibition Price List

ENJOY THE SHOW HERE!

 

 

Teaching Artistry Live and In-Person!

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Even in these times, it is wonderful to get back to live, in-person teaching!

Teaching classes outside at Santa Monica Public Schools, through the CREST Enrichment program, after a span of two years, is exciting and energizing. The students are enthusiastic, helpful and creative, the parents and staff supportive and engaged.

Everyone is working together to make in-person teaching a safe and rewarding experience.

I am teaching MAKING ART INSPIRED BY GREAT Artists at Franklin and Roosevelt Schools in the afternoon, and MAKE YOUR OWN BOOKS! at ROOSEVELT SCHOOL first thing in the morning. Despite the challenges and great energy required, what fun to see these young artists exercise their imaginations, play, learn and create!


Students work outdoors to create personal frames for their  Frida Kahlo-inspired self-portrait projects.


How they design the frames may communicate as much about them as their self-portraits inside them will.


Even the backpacks are works of art!

In our MAKE YOUR OWN BOOKS! class students learn the accordion fold book structure,

and begin developing their books with visual art and writing right away!

It is fantastic, watching the masterpieces unfold!

Visioning the New Year with the Panorama Branch Library

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In December, 2021, we completed our  2021-22 Artist Residency in bookmaking  at the the Panorama City Branch Library, supported by the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

I say “we” rather than “I”, as this was a team effort with the Library Staff, and of course, the DCA, always supportive!

During our residency “CULMINATION EVENT” participants created “Vision Journals” to welcome the New Year, and help them set intentions and goals for 2022.

Our online event was well-attended, fun and inspiring.
A wonderful way to complete the Residency, the year, and gather our strength, resiliency, hope, imagination and creativity to move into 2022!

MOON BOOK: Bookmaking for the Winter Solstice!

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Moon, Luna, Lunar
It was an honor to lead a special bookmaking workshop through my Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs artist residency at the West Valley Regional Branch Library to welcome and celebrate the Winter Solstice on December 21st, 2021!
We focused on the MOON.

Our participants of assorted ages, cultural backgrounds and experience levels created “Moon Books”, exploring the meaning, metaphor and movement (or phases) of the Moon, inspired by this rich theme, their materials, and the fun and  comfort of creating in community!

The results were inspiring too, investigating, celebrating and exploring the moon in (her) many facets through science/astronomy, story and the elements and materials of visual art: line, shape, color; collaged together into (folded and glued) book form.

 

An inspiring time had by all, including the participating Library staff and myself, teaching and supporting this program! We are always inspired by our participating makers, learners and sharers!

NEW WORK in 2021: “Forest Through The Trees”

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I was happy to finally be able to have Elon Schoenholz Photography in to photograph works completed during 2021… fast away the old year passes…

Here I share “Forest through The Trees“, 15 x 42 x 12”, made of book board, canvas, hemp cord, ribbon, typewriter ribbon, acrylic paint, wood.
It is part of a monochrome series in black, through the colors of “black” are infinite, and change with light, material, juxtaposition, and how the viewer engages with the piece.

Comprised of two accordion-folded “spines”, the “book”, becomes a “box”, with a “door” that opens, expandable “walls”, and  painted canvas “pages” held up precariously with wooden dowels. The piece can be presented and contemplated in numerous ways, and begs a tactile connection, through all of us working in book, and perhaps sculptural forms in general grapple with how to do this.  How to have viewers engage with the work, participate in it, without having it worn away over time in the process…

We are seekers.
The Journey continues.

Happy New Year.

(exterior, closed)

(exterior, ajar)

(interior/exterior, open)

Unfolding Possibilities: Something to Ponder for the New Year

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What do we seek, yearn for, want, crave, need, are motivated to strive for, for this New Year coming up?

What is Possible?
And

How do we Achieve it?

What are the Possibilities, and how do we Realize them, in this day and age, in this present moment, under our current circumstances, confronted by challenges seemingly too numerous to count, much less take in?


Unfolding Possibilities, (front cover) 2021, 6+ x 78″ x 6+”, mixed media artists’ book

We have to somehow move forward in a positive way, keep on truckin’, keep on trying, keep at it, continue, keep on keeping on.
We have to try, each in our own way. Hopefully, something will line up.


Unfolding Possibilities, (closed) 2021, 6+ x 78″ x 6+”, mixed media artists’ book

An initiative of the Los Angeles Count Department of Mental Health, Why We Rise LA took place in May 2021, supporting hundreds of Community Arts & Culture Projects which took place across all Los Angeles County neighborhoods, in partnership with more than 100 community groups, artists, grassroots leaders, healers and other LA County Departments. These projects and collaborations included mural making, ancestral healing workshops, a Countywide public literary art project, a Countywide chalk art program and more to celebrate the remarkable resources and communities in LA County and used arts-based strategies for healing and wellbeing.

I was honored to teach a workshop as part of Why We Rise LA 2021 in coordination with 18th Street Art Center’sArts Learning Lab @ Home: called: Bookmaking with Self-Compassion.
See the workshop HERE!
Nearly 70 online participants learned to create the “Flower Fold” book structure, then added embellishment, images, and words expressing their experience of the pandemic, where they are at now, what they learned, what they wanted to share, their hopes, wishes, dreams, cares , fears, realizations, trauma, expressing the full gamut of human emotions.

The range of words submitted was wide-ranging, thought-provoking and evocative….including opposite emotions and experiences and bits of truth-telling, realizations and wisdom participants seemed eager to pass on to others in other words, humanness in its multiplicity.

I took the words generated by this workshop, and requested from the community at large, and stitched them into an Artists’ Book I made as a community collaboration, entitled, “Unfolding Possibilities“.  (“Unfolding Possibilities – Possibilities Unfolding”).  Videographer Jeny Amaya created a video of the project which was screened during the 18th Street Art Center event, “Left/Right/Here“

Unfolding Possibilities, Possibilities Unfolding: the making of above.

Unfolding Possibilities, (interior) 2021, 6+ x 78″ x 6+”, mixed media artists’ book
Unfolding Possibilities, (interior detail) 2021, 6+ x 78″ x 6+”, mixed media artists’ book

When confronted with what seems like overwhelming odds, and not in your/our, favor, try making something, try creating. Here is a workshop to show you how to do it, just one of countless, infinite ways you can make something (out of almost nothing-), create something, experience working with your hands and heart and imagination, craft something, fashion something, and perhaps share this with others. Relax your heart and soul and play. Just see, if you do not emerge, like the butterfly, stronger for the effort. Enjoy. See what happens.

Wishing You the absolute best, healthiest, most creative, most supportive, safest, and imaginative, New Year, now and ever.

Here. We . Go.

December Brings FREE ONLINE Bookmaking Workshops!!!

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Celebrate the holidays and welcome the New Year by making your own handmade books!

Please see the fliers below, each holds sign-up information, or all the phone number listed!

You  can also email me, Los Angeles City Department of Cultural Affairs Artist in Residence Debra Disman, at debra@artifactorystudio.com,  for further information!

We hope to “see” you there!

 

Treasured Memories and The Art of the Book

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Through my Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs artist residencies at the Panorama City and West Valley Regional Branch Libraries, participants have created handmade books to hold treasured memories, including recipes, photos and more.

Especially during these time, to create a repository such as this, can become a vision for the future, as well as a shrine to the past, and preservation of cultural, family and community memories, rituals, experiences and guides.

I am honored to do this work!

 

 

 

Seasons Greetings, Peace on Earth and in Our Hearts, and May You Enjoy Treasured Memories and Currents Events Now and Ever.

“MOSTLY MONOCHROME” from WoArt!

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I have been thrilled to be included in the exhibition, Mostly Monochrome, presented online by the loved and respected  WoArt Blog, and curated by WoArtBlog founder,  Christina Massey, offering a strong platform for Women Artists.

November 1 – 30th, 2021

www.woartblog.com.

“Mostly Monochrome” is an online exhibition featuring artists using a mostly monochromatic approach to the creation of their work. Artworks with the reduced variant of color grab their viewers attention instead through their process, materials, composition and tonality.

As one scrolls through the exhibition, you’ll be visually transitioning through subtle shifts in the monochromatic palette and visually stimulated through the juxtaposition of works from minimal color field paintings to extremely detailed and laborious drawings and sculptures.

Viewers are invited to scroll through the wide range of artistic styles and explore the work in the virtual gallery slideshow. Click on the images to get further details and make any purchases of Artworks.

Support the work of Women Artists, shop the online store!

Featuring Artists:

Laura Ahola-Young, Lois Bender, Laurey Bennett-Levy, Angelica Bergamini, Carol Bouyoucos, Clare Burson, Ai Campbell, Jaynie Crimmins, Marianne DeAngelis, Debra Disman, Pauline Galiana, Veronika Golova, Carolynn Haydu, Erin Juliana, Rachel Kohn, Parvathi Kumar, Barbara Laube, Bonny Leibowitz, Seren Morey, Jane Nodine, Judith Ornstein, Dara Oshin, Barbara Owen, Lily Prince, Eve Provost Chartrand, Robin Roi, Andra Samelson, Amy Sands, Mary Shah, Barbara Sherman, Christina Smith, Lauren Smith, Judi Tavill, Jessica Tawczynski, Shira Toren, Ellen Weider, Odeta Xheka, Emna Zghal, Tamar Zinn

I am honored to have two works presented in the show, “Before the Fall”, and “Profusion”, pictured below.

Hear our discussion on Clubhouse!
Artists Who AND…, ”Artists…giving back to the creative community”:  Debra Disman/Lois Bender/Laurey Bender-Levy, Clubhouse, November 17, 2021

2021 INTERNATIONAL ART OF THE BOOK: In Living Color

By

THE 2021 ART OF THE BOOK & PAPER SCULPTURE!


“In 2011, we held the first Art of the Book exhibit in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Rochester Public Library. At the time, we wanted to celebrate what has been at the core of libraries for centuries–the book. We marveled over the intricate interpretations of this humble format, and we were thrilled with the response to the exhibit from the community.”

“In subsequent years, the exhibit has grown to include entries from all over the world, featuring well-known artists for their exquisite work. We have built a reputation worldwide among book artists, and we are so pleased to see that reputation upheld.

Books continue to ensnare the imagination, both for their form and content. Artists manipulate those two components to create breathtaking, mind-bending works of art that tease and cajole people to consider the intricacies of paper, ink, words, and meaning.

In commemoration of the 10th Anniversary, we are adding Paper Sculpture as a new category. This new category will celebrate the extraordinary use of paper, in an art form that combines or shapes papers.”

View the CATALOGUE!

View the show!!

NEW WORK in 2021: Red Notebook (“Here’s To The Red, White and Blue”)

By

I was happy to finally be able to have Elon Schoenholz Photography in to photographs works completed/created during 2021, which continues to race by.

Part of an ensemble, suite, or installation of works entitled, “Here’s To The Red, White and Blue”, Red Notebook is structured as a “traditional” codex, with covers that open and pages that turn.  Moderately, “red” (hence the “red” element of the “Red, White and Blue” theme-meme-trope?) it contains a great deal of black as well.
In the immortal words of  Mark Rothko, “There is only one thing I fear in life, my friend;  One day, the black will swallow the red.”

Made from a repurposed placemat, hemp cord, linen thread, canvas, and lace, it is 8.5″ high, 12.5″ when opened in full, and 6.5″ at greatest depth and opens left to right, from cover through pages to cover, bound together through a single signature.


The red and back play off each other in all their associations


Sewing, stitching, gluing, knotting, coiling, massing


Amassing, accumulation, the RED in


Up next.

LIMINAL: The Book

By

I was thrilled to be included in  the exhibition LIMINAL, at Verum Ultimum Gallery in which artists were invited to explore the theme of liminality in any interpretation, media and form of visual art.

“Liminal is the space between. What significance does transition (or the “space between“) have in your work or your artistic voice? Does your work reflect the liminal aspects of our pandemic-impacted world and the adaptation to a post pandemic existence? Does your work represent and or challenge the threshold to a more equitable society? Or, perhaps it reflects a vehicle for expression through pure abstraction.” Curator Jennifer Gillia Cutshall

As with all Verum Ultimum’s calls for art, the curator never seeks to drive the work, the only hope is to unveil unique visions. All mediums and modes of expression have been welcomed from low brow, pop surrealism, realism, abstraction, and more. The term Liminal may be interpreted in many ways, and is not necessarily meant to be a literal elucidation.

Liminal is defined as
1. relating to a transitional or initial stage of a process.
2. occupying a position at, or on both sides of, a boundary or threshold.

​One could argue that artists are conditioned to occupy the liminal state. And a successful studio is a space in flux, poised for adaptation (to projects, challenges, and materials). The focus of the artist is the creative process or the place between the 2 boundaries of “the beginning” and “the outcome or result.”

A gallery benefits from maintaining that liminal state, too (adaptation is a constant).

Verum Ultimum is celebrating it’s eighth year and this exhibition served to herald the artists unique vision…especially during these challenging times!

View the LIMINAL Exhibition

Read LIMINAL Artist Insights

Please see the LIMINAL Exhibition Book


Above: Curator and Verum Ultimum Gallery Founder, Jennifer Gillia Cutshall‘s LIMINAL exhibition statement.


Pictured above is my work in the show:   The Gates, (interior), 2019, 7.5 x 20 x 10.25”, mixed media/sculptural artists’ book.

View the Show!!!

Mostly Monochrome: Limiting the Palette

By

I am thrilled to participate in the show  Mostly Monochrome,
November 1 – 30th, 2021, presented by www.woartblog.com and curated by Christina Massey, founder and force of nature behind and in front of WoArt!

“Mostly Monochrome” is an online exhibition featuring artists using a mostly monochromatic approach to the creation of their work. Artworks with the reduced variant of color grab their viewers attention instead through their process, materials, composition and tonality.

Christina says,
“As one scrolls through the exhibition, you’ll be visually transitioning through subtle shifts in the monochromatic palette and visually stimulated through the juxtaposition of works from minimal color field paintings to extremely detailed and laborious drawings and sculptures.”

Viewers are invited to scroll through the wide range of artistic styles and explore the work in the virtual gallery slideshow. Click on the images to get further details and make any purchases of Artworks.

I am honored to be showing “Before the Fall”

and
“Profusion”

Support the work of Women Artists, shop the online store!

Featuring Artists:

Laura Ahola-Young, Lois Bender, Laurey Bennett-Levy, Angelica Bergamini, Carol Bouyoucos, Clare Burson, Ai Campbell, Jaynie Crimmins, Marianne DeAngelis, Debra Disman, Pauline Galiana, Veronika Golova, Carolynn Haydu, Erin Juliana, Rachel Kohn, Parvathi Kumar, Barbara Laube, Bonny Leibowitz, Seren Morey, Jane Nodine, Judith Ornstein, Dara Oshin, Barbara Owen, Lily Prince, Eve Provost Chartrand, Robin Roi, Andra Samelson, Amy Sands, Mary Shah, Barbara Sherman, Christina Smith, Lauren Smith, Judi Tavill, Jessica Tawczynski, Shira Toren, Ellen Weider, Odeta Xheka, Emna Zghal, Tamar Zinn

 

 

Celebrating Día de Muertos with Papel Picado!

By

In celebration of  Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), I led a bookmaking workshop that featured Papel Picado (The art and craft of decorative cut paper) as part of my artist residency in bookmaking  at the the Panorama City Branch Library, supported by the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

Participants learned the Accordion Fold  technique, and used it to create 11″ high  Accordion Fold Books.

They then created simple Papel Picado  designs, exploring paper cutting techniques using tissue paper sheets, and added these  colorful (or black-) works to our books in various ways.

All of the techniques and materials demonstrated online, through Zoom.

The participants were adventurous, good-humored, and supportive of each other as they moved through the process, and created the  beautiful works pictured below.

BRAVO!

This is truly teaching artistry, and learning,  for the 21st Century!

 


Using the simplest techniques, participants used color and cutting to create wondrous designs, which they layered onto to and into their Accordion Fold Books.


Paper cutting using the thin sheets of tissue paper can be demanding under the best of circumstances,. I marveled at what our participants were able to accomplish guided by an online workshop!


Here, black tissue paper is employed to magical and mysterious effect.


Participants also used origami paper to create their Papel Picado designs.


Participants joined the workshop from Arizona, Montreal, and across Los Angeles County, some with grandchildren, demonstrating the potential of the internet and its global reach.


Photographing through a computer screen can be challenging, but the brilliance of these colors and repeated cut-out designs cannot be denied!

The Art of Ethics: Bookmaking at the Silverlake Independent JCC

By

 

I had the opportunity to teach the  FLAG BOOK structure to fifth-graders at the  Silverlake Independent Jewish Community Center  in their
The Art of Ethics class focusing on Shalom Bayit – Peace in the Home.

This was my first IN PERSON teaching artist experience in over a year and a half!

It was wonderful….

Here are some of the results, as well as the process…


Developing content


“The Future” is a theme


No Rules (!)


Designing the book


Looking to the future, celebrating the now


Highly engaged


A positive approach


Innovation


Cover Design


Completing the structure


The wonderful teacher, Marnina.

“CRAFTING MEMORIES”

By

“Crafting Memories: An Online Bookmaking Workshop Series is specifically designed by Craft Contemporary and artist Debra Disman for adults over the age of 55. This program is made possible by funding from Aroha Philanthropies and is part of a nationwide campaign to bring thoughtful and specialized programs to a valuable population that is often undeserved by arts institutions. 

For this special program, participants learned a variety of basic and experimental bookmaking techniques used to tell their own stories through materials and the handmade. The goal of this workshop series was to create a space to explore our stories through book forms and to express our creativity by bringing together an extensive number of materials, mementos, and memories collected through our lives.”

It has been my great joy to teach the AROHA Bookmaking classes for Seniors through Craft Contemporary. I have been so moved to hear and see our participants’ stories expressed through their book projects, and to witness their extraordinary creativity with materials, expression, and craft. The opportunity for these students to come together, share about their lives, and weave their personal histories into their projects has been so meaningful, not only for the students, but for myself and the Craft Contemporary Staff. I have been continually amazed at the richness and depth of our participants’ life experiences and their hunger to share them with others.

See the fabulous website page on the Craft Contemporary website featuring the amazing works of our talented participants HERE!

See their handmade books and read about what gathering online to learn new skills and create together meant to each of them!

You won’t forget your visit!

Tunneling Through: Tunnel Bookmaking with the Panorama City Branch Library!

By

Through my Artist Residency with the Los Angles Department of Cultural Affairs Artist in Residence   I had the opportunity to offer an online program/workshop via the Panorama Branch Library of the Los Angeles Public Library in which participants learned how to make “Tunnel Books“, and thus how to create their own three-dimensional stories!

Participants learned the accordion fold technique, and how to attach a background/backdrop sheet, and connective strips to create their books, reminiscent of a diorama, or stage. They then went to down developing their stories or scenes, learning a bit of pop-up magic in the process.

 

One motivated participant motivated by opera remade her book after the program, and emailed these images to share with us!

We look forward to more inspiring, educational, creative and FUN online bookmaking programs presented through the Panorama City Branch Library!

All workshops, programs, classes and events will be listed HERE!

Stay tuned, and join us!

We Invited the Community to “Make Your Own Journal” at the Panorama City Branch Library, And They Did!

By

Through my Artist Residency with the Los Angles Department of Cultural Affairs Artist in Residence   I had the opportunity to offer a program/workshop via the Panorama Branch Library of the Los Angeles Public Library in which participants created  “single signature” bound books they could use for writing, drawing, note-keeping, poetry, homework, lists, photographs, recipes and more!


People of all ages were welcomed into the program, creating books that reflected their interests, their needs, and their feelings.

Some books were focused on theme and utility, others on design, color, texture and shapes.
All expressed the makers and served as a form of sharing with the group as well.

We look forward to more!

All workshops, programs, classes and events will be listed HERE!

Stay tuned, and join us!

Tricksters and Transformation…What could be better?

By

There’s a cool new show in town, transforming not through trickery, but with an Open Heart, and wondrous “soft” materials.

“Textiles have the universally demonstrated capacity for holding meaning, establishing connections, and creating healing. As we emerge, on many levels, from the darkness into the light of awareness of isolation and injustice we have an opportunity and obligation to examine the status quo. This exhibition will allow the artist to step into the now and make work that opens doors within themselves, thereby acting as a portal to a collective resurgence into a renewed relationship with the world. This awakening inspires transformation.

There is a deep potential for the artist to act as trickster, agent of change, or boundary crosser. After the pandemic and the social upheaval of the past eighteen months, the artist has gained renewed agency for creating more enlightened definitions of meaning and new ways of seeing.

The pandemic can be a portal, serving as a provocation to transformation.”

I am honored to be showing “Torrent and Tangle: Keep Your House In Order”, in a new, open configuration!





This work begs the question: with all the torrent and inevitable tangle, how DO we “keep our house in order” or keep our house at all?
Also a play on “keeping house” a sort of 1950’s housewifery term to my mind, , which eerily reverbs with the growing rate of homelessness across LA Counbty, the US and the globe.

In the words of revered and beloved LA-based artist Kim Abeles:
“I followed the thread like a stream to find balance.
Textile Arts Los Angeles has presented a rich exhibit juried by Carol Shaw-Sutton at the Helms Bakery space in Culver City. “Tricksters & Transformation” is the show, an artist-in-residency with Carmen Mardonez, and a zoom presentation with Beverly Naidus who provided an inspiring history of some of her many audience-engaged artworks.
It was tempting to photograph every piece because the exhibition is divine with art that offers detail and a tactile emotion. Speaking with hands and care. The title comes in part because of the multiple ways that the artists transform the materials, including post-production remnants and those that would have gone overlooked except for the poetics of art.

And here is a link to the show details: https://textileartsla.org/tricksters-exhibit-1” 

Join us for the
ARTISTS’ RECEPTION: TRICKSTERS & TRANSFORMATION

  •  

Helms Design Center
8745 Washington Blvd. Studio E
Culver City, CA 90232 United States + Google Map
Website:https://textileartsla.org/tricksters-exhibit-1

Musings…THE BOOK AS ART v. 9: MUSE

By

Artist books take many forms – from handmade and lusciously tactile to linear and informative, abstract and questioning to sculptural and monumental.

The Decatur Arts Alliance presents the ninth edition of the juried exhibition of artists’ books, The Book as Art v.9: Muse, August 13–October 3, 2021.
This show celebrates the book with a wildly varied collection of inventive and spectacular work that challenges expectations. The exhibition will be installed once again at the Decatur Branch of the DeKalb County Public Library.

This year, the exhibition is dedicated to the memory of Dorothy “Dot” Davis Moye (1941-2021).

Brought to you by Decatur Arts Alliance, Georgia Center for the Book, the DeKalb Co. Public Library, DeKalb Library Foundation and Keep it Indie-catur.

I am thrilled to be showing, “WINDOW TREATMENT”;


13 x 38 x 9.25″, mixed media

To see a video of this work, please see VIDEO below!


Watch Video HERE

To see and hear three artists including myself discuss their works in the show, please go  HERE or click the link below.

 

Experience the talk HERE

Please see the online version of the Show, Opening Night Tour, and all other information HERE!

If you can experience the show in person:

Gallery Hours
Aug. 13-Oct.3
The Periodicals Gallery of the Decatur Library, 215 Sycamore St., Decatur, Ga. 

The gallery will be open for limited, in-person viewing hours. Registration required.

Book An Appointment

Decatur Library
215 Sycamore Street
Decatur, GA 30030 United States + Google Map
Phone:404.370.3070Website:https://dekalblibrary.org/branches/deca

The Art of the Book, and then some….

By

I am thrilled to be showing “Burning Bush”


7.5 x 11 x 5.5″, mixed media

IN
THE 2021 ART OF THE BOOK & PAPER SCULPTURE

Exhibition at the Rochester Public Library through October 30, 2021.

“In 2011, we held the first Art of the Book exhibit in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Rochester Public Library. At the time, we wanted to celebrate what has been at the core of libraries for centuries–the book. We marveled over the intricate interpretations of this humble format, and we were thrilled with the response to the exhibit from the community.”

“In subsequent years, the exhibit has grown to include entries from all over the world, featuring well-known artists for their exquisite work. We have built a reputation worldwide among book artists, and we are so pleased to see that reputation upheld.

Books continue to ensnare the imagination, both for their form and content. Artists manipulate those two components to create breathtaking, mind-bending works of art that tease and cajole people to consider the intricacies of paper, ink, words, and meaning.

In commemoration of the 10th Anniversary, Paper Sculpture has been added as a new category, to  celebrate the extraordinary use of paper, in any art form that combines or shapes papers.”

Artist Books are…

works of art realized in the form of a book. They are often published in small editions, though sometimes they are produced as one-of-a-kind objects referred to as ‘unique.’ Artist Books have employed a wide range of forms including scrolls, fold-outs, concertinas, or loose items contained in a box, as well as bound printed sheets. Artists have been active in printing and book production for centuries, but the artist book is primarily a late 20th century art form.

Altered Books are…
any book, old or new, that has been recycled by creative means into a work of art. They can be rebound, painted, cut, burned, folded, added to, collaged in, gold-leafed, rubber stamped, drilled or otherwise adorned…and yes, it is legal. They can also be composed entirely of unique materials.

Paper Sculptures are…
artworks created as sculptures using paper in some form as the predominant medium. These sculptures are three-dimensional and can be either free-standing or bas relief and would be considered art forms in themselves.  Paper sculpture can be functional or non-functional with attention to pushing the limits of how paper can be used and explores paper in inventive and unique ways.

July 9, 2021: Show opens
October 30, 2021: Exhibition closes

Join us for the virtual and in-person reception:
 Wednesday, September 29, 2021 from 5:30 Pm – 7 PM, and invite you to join us either in person or virtually via Zoom.

If you would like to join us virtually, we will start at 5:45 PM with a tour of the exhibit and presentation of awards, Zoom invite below.
Topic: Art of the Book Reception
Time: Sep 29, 2021 05:45 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81326994757?pwd=aTVlY2NPZ3dab1hXU0lvSUJEaGQ2Zz09

Meeting ID: 813 2699 4757
Passcode: 133584
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For further information contact: Alicia Gunther at (585) 428-8053

View the show online:  AOB_2021_Program (1)

View the show IN PERSON:

Rochester Public Library
115 South Avenue
Rochester, NY 14604 United States + Google Map
Phone: 585- 428-8053
Website: https://roccitylibrary.org/artofthebook/

“The Fine Art of Denim”

By

I has thrilled to be included in

at Monmouth University Center for the Arts Pollak Gallery
June 17 – October 14 , 2021

I am showing two Artists’ Books of which denim is a primary material:


Reading Color I   (outside) 8.75 x 13.25 x 6.25″, mixed media/artists’ book 


Reading Color VI   (outside)7.5 x 17 x 8″, mixed media/artists’ book

These works utilize denim, which is altered through painting, cutting and gluing to form coverings and pages for the books.   

Denim, with all its symbols and dualities, is a common item of clothing that unites many around the globe. Dad Jeans, skinny jeans, low riders, bell bottoms, boot leg, wide leg, no leg, 501s, 504s, button fly, stretch jeans, the American dress code writ large across centuries. With so many styles available and ways to accessorize/manipulate the fabric, denim has historically allowed for a freedom of expression representing both individuality and shifts in cultural movements. Denim comes in a wide range of blues and other colors, washes, fades and textures making it a perfect, but not obvious, medium to create fine artwork. Join us now, for a re-imagining of the meaning of denim. Denim that was discarded can open up a new way of looking, a startling way of seeing past the everyday. What we have abandoned, will be presented again, re-purposed from the lives we lived, to moments we experience together “forever in blue jeans.”

Monmouth University’s Center for the Art is exhibiting the work of artists  who use recycled denim in new and creative ways in paintings, sculpture, collages, small constructions and wall hangings, etc. from June 17 – October 14 , 2021 in the Pollak Gallery. Works shown use denim as the principal medium of the piece and the fabric are reconstructed from its original form in some way. 

See The Show Here!

Extended to October 14th!

Pollak Gallery, Monmouth University Center for the Arts400 Cedar Ave, 
West Long Branch, NJ 07764 United States + Google Map
Phone:732.263.5715Website:https://www.monmouth.edu/mca/pollak-gallery/

“drift” over to the Brand

By

I am thrilled to participate in the exhibition
Brand 49 Annual National Juried Exhibition of Works on Paper,

September 11 – October 30, 2021, showing a  collaborative artist book work created with contemporary  artist Luciana Abait, entitled, “drift“. The piece highlights the effect humans are having on our precious and fragile environment, specifically, the melting of the polar icecaps in Antarctica. 

Juror of Brand 49 is  Marvella Muro, Director of Artistic Programs and Education at Self Help Graphics and Art (SHG) in Los Angeles. From it’s inception in 1973, Self Help Graphics has been nationally known for functioning at the intersection of the arts and social justice. Providing a home that fosters the creativity and development of local artists, it is the pre-eminent center for Latinx printmaking and a resource for young and emerging artists.

Brand 49 is organized by the Associates of Brand Library & Art Center, an all volunteer non-profit that raises funds to support the extensive free and public events at Brand including gallery exhibitions, classical and popular music performances, film screenings, dance performances, and activities for people of all ages.

See a video of

Watch a video of “drift” and see it in detail, then visit it, and see all the wonderful works employing paper at:

The Brand Library and Art Center
1601 West Mountain Street
Glendale, CA 91201 United States + Google Map
Phone: (818) 548-2051
Website: https://www.brandlibrary.org/


Thank you for stopping by, we hope seeing “drift” inspired thought, consideration and contemplation. Enjoy the show!

Facing REFLECTION at the Korean Cultural Center

By

I am thrilled to be participating in:

REFLECTION at the The Korean Cultural Center, Los Angeles in partnership with Launch LA  co-juried by Sunook Park and Terrell Tilford

 A reflection may be an image mirrored back to the observer or serious thought and consideration. In the case of this exhibition, it’s both. Launch LA, in partnership with the Korean Cultural Center presents “Reflection”, an open call exhibition. 

Sunook Park is a professor in the CSULB School of Art and Brand Coach at SUNOOKPARK Branding. He is the independent curator and founder of ANDLAB: a motivational retreat center, alternative exhibition space, and education lab of art and design thinking.

Terrell Tilford is an accomplished actor as well as long time collector and curator of contemporary and modern art. He founded Band of Vices in the West Adams area of LA in 2015. The gallery serves as a platform for emerging, mid-career & established Contemporary artists.

LAUNCH LA believes exposure to the arts enhances quality of life and strengthens community through the shared appreciation of creative expression in all its forms and hybrids. LAUNCH LA is passionate about providing artists with quality opportunities to present themselves and their creations that reflect our times to a curious and enthusiastic audience at important happenings throughout Los Angeles.

The Korean Cultural Center, Los Angeles (KCCLA) is the axis of Korean heritage in Los Angeles. KCCLA welcomes the general public to experience Korea’s rich traditions and history through specialized programs, sponsored events, and multiple learning resources. KCCLA will always aspire to promote cultural exchanges in southern California and continue to take initiative in globalizing the excellence of Korean culture.

For more information, contact:
James Panozzo, Executive Director LAUNCH LA
james@launchla.org
www.launchla.org

I am showing, “Maximum Security“, 15 x 18 x 10.25”, mixed media (book board, canvas, wood, hemp cord, watercolor paper, acrylic paint and ink)

Tour the Show!

Eye Opening: The 2021 California Open at TAG Gallery

By

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am thrilled to participate in the The 2021 California Open  at TAG Gallery!

ABOUT THE SHOW

The 16th Annual 2021 California Open is a national juried competition celebrating contemporary and modern art by US Residents over the age of 18. All medias of fine art were considered by our juror, Gronk Nicandro. Accepted work displays at TAG Gallery from August 4–21, 2021. An opening reception celebrating the selected artists will occur on August 7, from 7-10pm. All awards will be announced at the public opening. (Masks may be required).

Juror Gronk Nicandro

Gronk is the moniker of artist Glugio Nicandro. Along with vast and never-ending self- education, he studied visual art at the East Los Angeles College and California State University, Los Angeles in the 1970s. Gronk is an enduring and influential figure in the Los Angeles and international art scenes — maintaining an active studio in downtown Los Angeles that functions as his live-work space and an epicenter for other artists and community members. Along with a core group of artists, Gronk helped establish Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions (LACE) in 1978. In 1993, a traveling retrospective of his work, Gronkl: A Living Survey, 1972 – 1993, was organized by the Mexican Museum in San Francisco and traveled to several institutions including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). Gronk exhibited at LACMA again in 2011 for the exhibition ASCO: Elite of the Obscure. Gronk’s work is represented in numerous private and museum collections across the country, including the Corcoran Gallery of Art and the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C.; the San Francisco Museum of modern Art (SFMoMa); the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA); and the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), Los Angeles. Gronk’s Theater of Paint marks the artist’s first solo museum exhibition in Los Angeles in more than two decades.

I am pleased to be showing “Prairie”,10.25″ x 47″ x 15.25″, mixed media (book board, watercolor paper,  jute cord, paper board, and tissue paper)

 

“Unfolding Possibilities” for RECOVERY JUSTICE: BEING WELL

By

An initiative of the Los Angeles Count Department of Mental Health, Why We Rise LA took place in May 2021, supporting hundreds of Community Arts & Culture Projects which took place across all Los Angeles County neighborhoods, in partnership with more than 100 community groups, artists, grassroots leaders, healers and other LA County Departments. These projects and collaborations included mural making, ancestral healing workshops, a Countywide public literary art project, a Countywide chalk art program and more to celebrate the remarkable resources and communities in LA County and used arts-based strategies for healing and wellbeing.

I was honored to teach a workshop as part of Why We Rise LA 2021 in coordination with 18th Street Art Center’s Arts Learning Lab @ Home: called: Bookmaking with Self-Compassion.
See the workshop HERE!
Nearly 70 online participants learned to create the “Flower Fold” book structure, then added embellishment, images, and words expressing their experience of the pandemic, where they are at now, what they learned, what they wanted to share, their hopes, wishes, dreams, cares , fears, realizations, trauma, expressing the full gamut of human emotions.

The range of words submitted was wide-ranging, thought-provoking and evocative….including opposite emotions and experiences and bits of truth-telling, realizations and wisdom participants seemed eager to pass on to others in other words, humanness in its multiplicity.

I took the words generated by this workshop, and requested from the community at large, and stitched them into an Artists’ Book I made as a community collaboration, entitled, “Unfolding Possibilities“.  (“Unfolding Possibilities – Possibilities Unfolding”).  Videographer Jeny Amaya created a video of the project which was screened during the 18th Street Art Center event, “Left/Right/Here“

“Unfolding Possibilities” is on view  in the Recovery Justice: Being Well exhibition, at 18th Street Art Center‘s Airport Campus Gallery, through September 10, 2021.

“Unfolding Possibilities”: The Video

By

Sharing the video,
“Debra Disman: Unfolding Possibilities”

Jeny Amaya – filmmaker

18th Street Arts Center– host

Why We Rise: supporter

An initiative of the Los Angeles Count Department of Mental Health, Why We Rise LA took place in May 2021, supporting hundreds of Community Arts & Culture Projects which took place across all Los Angeles County neighborhoods, in partnership with more than 100 community groups, artists, grassroots leaders, healers and other LA County Departments. These projects and collaborations included mural making, ancestral healing workshops, a Countywide public literary art project, a Countywide chalk art program and more to celebrate the remarkable resources and communities in LA County and used arts-based strategies for healing and wellbeing.

I was honored to teach a workshop as part of Why We Rise LA 2021 in coordination with 18th Street Art Center’s Arts Learning Lab @ Home: called: Bookmaking with Self-Compassion.

 

See the “Bookmaking with Self-Compassion workshop HERE!

Nearly 70 online participants learned to create the “Flower Fold” book structure, then added embellishment, images, and words expressing their experience of the pandemic, where they are at now, what they learned, what they wanted to share, their hopes, wishes, dreams, cares , fears, realizations, trauma, expressing the full gamut of human emotions.

The range of words submitted was wide-ranging, thought-provoking and evocative….including opposite emotions and experiences and bits of truth-telling, realizations and wisdom participants seemed eager to pass on to others in other words, humanness in its multiplicity.  How to put it all together?

I took the words generated by this workshop, and requested from the community at large, and stitched them into an Artists’ Book I made as a community collaboration, entitled, “Unfolding Possibilities“.  (“Unfolding Possibilities – Possibilities Unfolding”). 

Jeny Amaya of 18th Street Arts Center created a video sharing about the workshop and the making of “Unfolding Possibilities” and it was screened at
LEFT/RIGHT/HERE: An Outdoor Art Experience
a one-night only interactive outdoor and indoor art experience as part of the exhibition Recovery Justice: Being Well. 
on
July 10, 2021 @ 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm.

View the film!
“Debra Disman: Unfolding Possibilities”

Thank you, Jeny Amaya, 18th Street Arts Center, and Why We Rise LA for the opportunity to participate in all of these activities, and in collaboration with you and the community at-large, make a collective contribution.

“Unfolding Possibilities”: The Screening

By

An initiative of the Los Angeles Count Department of Mental Health, Why We Rise LA took place in May 2021, supporting hundreds of Community Arts & Culture Projects which took place across all Los Angeles County neighborhoods, in partnership with more than 100 community groups, artists, grassroots leaders, healers and other LA County Departments. These projects and collaborations included mural making, ancestral healing workshops, a Countywide public literary art project, a Countywide chalk art program and more to celebrate the remarkable resources and communities in LA County and used arts-based strategies for healing and wellbeing.

I was honored to teach a workshop as part of Why We Rise LA 2021 in coordination with 18th Street Art Center’s Arts Learning Lab @ Home: called: Bookmaking with Self-Compassion. See the workshop HERE!  Nearly 70 online participants learned to create the “Flower Fold” book structure, then added embellishment, images, and words expressing their experience of the pandemic, where they are at now, what they learned, what they wanted to share, their hopes, wishes, dreams, cares , fears, realizations, trauma, expressing the full gamut of human emotions.

The range of words submitted was wide-ranging, thought-provoking and evocative….including opposite emotions and experiences and bits of truth-telling, realizations and wisdom participants seemed eager to pass on to others in other words, humanness in its multiplicity.  How to put it all together?

I took the words generated by this workshop, and requested from the community at large, and stitched them into an Artists’ Book I made as a community collaboration, entitled, “Unfolding Possibilities“.  (“Unfolding Possibilities – Possibilities Unfolding”). 

Jeny Amaya of 18th Street Arts Center created a video sharing about the workshop and the making of “Unfolding Possibilities” and it was screened at
LEFT/RIGHT/HERE: An Outdoor Art Experience
a one-night only interactive outdoor and indoor art experience as part of the exhibition Recovery Justice: Being Well. 
on
July 10, 2021 @ 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm.

Here are some stills from that screening. Such a wonderful experience!


Screened on the side of the Santa Monica Airport Hanger housing the 18th Street Art Center’s Airport Campus, the video came to life as the skies darkened. “Unfolding Possibilities” the artists’ book, was also on view.


A multitude of threads were used to stitch the words into the book.


Jeny did a beautiful job of documenting the process of creating the book,


highlighting the idea of possibility,


and capturing how the flower fold book structure was created.


She showed my 18th Street Arts Center studio,


and the book as a whole, possibilities unfolding.

Always, Possibilities.

Watch the video in full!

“Unfolding Possibilities – Possibilities Unfolding”: The Artists’ Book

By


An initiative of the Los Angeles Count Department of Mental Health, Why We Rise LA took place in May 2021, supporting hundreds of Community Arts & Culture Projects which took place across all Los Angeles County neighborhoods, in partnership with more than 100 community groups, artists, grassroots leaders, healers and other LA County Departments. These projects and collaborations included mural making, ancestral healing workshops, a Countywide public literary art project, a Countywide chalk art program and more to celebrate the remarkable resources and communities in LA County and used arts-based strategies for healing and wellbeing.

I was honored to teach a workshop as part of Why We Rise LA 2021 in coordination with 18th Street Art Center’s Arts Learning Lab @ Home: called: Bookmaking with Self-Compassion. See the workshop HERE!  Nearly 70 online participants learned to create the “Flower Fold” book structure, then added embellishment, images, and words expressing their experience of the pandemic, where they are at now, what they learned, what they wanted to share, their hopes, wishes, dreams, cares , fears, realizations, trauma, expressing the full gamut of human emotions.

I took the words generated by this workshop, and requested from the community at large, and stitched them into an Artists’ Book I made as a community collaboration, entitled, “Unfolding Possibilities“.  (“Unfolding Possibilities – Possibilities Unfolding”). 

The range of words submitted was wide-ranging, thought-provoking and evocative….including opposite emotions and experiences and bits of truth-telling, realizations and wisdom participants seemed eager to pass on to others in other words, humanness in its multiplicity.  How to put it all together?

I had already constructed the flower fold book, comprised of 12 x 12 x 12″ sheets of thick ivory colored  mulberry paper, folded and glued together to create a sequence of repeating unfolding forms.

I began with sketching and jotting down ideas, and my own emotions, as part of my morning writing practice, then developed a petal-like schemata for the words, reflecting the flower fold book structure.

I played around with fonts, settled on one, determined the sizing for the words, and printed them all out, then cut them into strips, so each could be easily seen. Laid out on my work tables, they seemed to call out for attention and consideration. I placed my Mom’s amazing half-century old (at least) sewing box on the table as an inspirational centrifuge, and set to work.

I put together words in a four point petal formation on each section, both front and back, of the structure, using the folds as a guide, and paired some words that related to each other, and others that were opposed, to express the wide range of human emotions and experiences brought forth by the pandemic.
I chose sewing thread from my Mom’s box to reflect the everyday-ness of the activity of sewing  and the healing function of stitching, and mending through sewing.
Using a soft, low-tack tape, I gently adhered each word to the structure, then gave it my awl, to punch the sewing holes for each word.
Soon realizing I would be using up all my Mom’s remaining sewing thread, I invested in a set of brilliantly colored cotton threads, and combined tones and hues of each chosen color to give each word brilliance, depth and complexity, using my study, experience and practice of color associations. It was amazing to see a virtual garden of words, generated by the community, come to life and bloom on the pages of the flower fold book.
Some would find the sewing process tedious, but it is my joy…to see the words unfold and blossom, a colorful array of possibilities.
The front and back covers were stitched in gold to express the golden thread of empathy and humanity that connects us all, in spite of and perhaps amplified by the shared experience of pandemic. A golden thread expressing the silver lining of a crisis. The covers are made of several sheets of mulberry paper glued together to create a pasted paper protector, with a yellow sheet sandwiched within to subtly reflect the gold thread.
Unfolding Possibilities, Possibilities Unfolding, blooming like a flower, and framed in gold.

 

Unfolding the Possibilities: Bookmaking With Self-Compassion 3

By

I was honored to teach a workshop as part of Why We Rise LA 2021 in coordination with 18th Street Art Center’s Arts Learning Lab @ Home: called: Bookmaking with Self-Compassion.
An initiative of the Los Angeles Count Department of Mental Health, Why We Rise LA took place in May 2021, supporting hundreds of Community Arts & Culture Projects which took place across all Los Angeles County neighborhoods, in partnership with more than 100 community groups, artists, grassroots leaders, healers and other LA County Departments. These projects and collaborations included mural making, ancestral healing workshops, a Countywide public literary art project, a Countywide chalk art program and more to celebrate the remarkable resources and communities in LA County and used arts-based strategies for healing and wellbeing.

Nearly 70 online participants learned to create the “Flower Fold” book structure, then added embellishment, images, and words expressing their experience of the pandemic, where they are at now, what they learned, what they wanted to share, hopes, wishes, dreams, cares , fears, realizations, trauma, and the full gamut of human emotions.

Individually folded sections could be glued together to create a chain that could be folded back into a square.

Covers were added to present and protect the pieces.

The works created are inspiring!

Watch the workshop HERE!

 

 

Traversing the LIMINAL

By

I am honored to participate in:
Liminal
An online exhibition curated by Jennifer Gillia Cutshall  for
Verum Ultimum Art Gallery, Portland, OR
which tasked  artists to define “Liminal” for this first edition of this exhibition.

Liminal is defined as

  1. relating to a transitional or initial stage of a process.

  2. occupying a position at, or on both sides of, a boundary or threshold.

​One could argue that artists are conditioned to occupy the liminal state. And a successful studio is a space in flux, poised for adaptation (to projects, challenges, and materials). The focus of the artist is the creative process or the place between the 2 boundaries of “the beginning” and “the outcome or result.”

A gallery benefits from maintaining that liminal state, too (adaptation is a constant).

Verum Ultimum is celebrating it’s eighth year and this exhibition serves to herald the artists unique vision…especially during these challenging times!

“LIMINAL is the word that came to mind when I considered the past year into now. A time of uncertainty, anxiety, the in-between, and also, of possibility. Transition.” Debra Disman

Read all the Artist Statements on “LIMINAL“

View the Show!!!

 

The Fine Art of Denim

By

 

I am excited to be included in the wild and wonderful show, The Fine Art of Denim, Pollak Gallery, Monmouth University Center for the Arts, W. Long Branch, NJ, Juror: Vincent DiMattio  2021

at Monmouth University Center for the Arts Pollak Gallery
running from June 17 to August 14 , 2021.

It is a fascinating show, showing the emotive, expressive and visceral qualities of denim as a material, and its rich potential and capacity to communicate a range of human experiences, ideas, passions and concepts.

I am honored to be showing two works from my “Reading Color” series which are artists’ books featuring denim as the primary material:

Reading Color Reading Color I, 8.75 x 13.25 x 6.25″, mixed media/artists’ book (denim, acrylic paint, board, hemp cord)

Reading Color VI, 7.5 x 17 x 8″, mixed media/artists’ book  (denim, acrylic paint, metal, hemp cord, board, paper)

“Denim, with all its symbols and dualities, is a common item of clothing that unites many around the globe. Dad Jeans, skinny jeans, low riders, bell bottoms, boot leg, wide leg, no leg, 501s, 504s, button fly, stretch jeans, the American dress code writ large across centuries. With so many styles available and ways to accessorize/manipulate the fabric, denim has historically allowed for a freedom of expression representing both individuality and shifts in cultural movements. Denim comes in a wide range of blues and other colors, washes, fades and textures making it a perfect, but not obvious, medium to create fine artwork. Join us now, for a re-imagining of the meaning of denim. Denim that was discarded can open up a new way of looking, a startling way of seeing past the everyday. What we have abandoned, will be presented again, re-purposed from the lives we lived, to moments we experience together “forever in blue jeans.”

Monmouth University’s Center for the Art is exhibiting the work of artists  who use recycled denim in new and creative ways in paintings, sculpture, collages, small constructions and wall hangings, etc. from June 17 – August 14 , 2021 in the Pollak Gallery. Works shown use denim as the principal medium of the piece and the fabric are reconstructed from its original form in some way. “

See The Show Here!

Art Less Traveled

By

“NARROW BRIDGE”, 5.5 x 16 x 3.5″, mixed media Artists’ Book / Flag Book Structure (board, paper, linen thread, tissue, collage, window treatment material)

I am thrilled to be participating in the exhibition:

Backroads: Art, Less-Traveled

(through July 30th, 2021)
at:
Vestige Concept Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA,
Curator: Alexander Sands  2021

This exhibit showcases works of art that venture off the beaten path, especially with regard to travel.   Artwork includes places or experiences involving hidden gems, special or unusual places, wanderings, odd travel, strange encounters, and/or “lost” and fading places.

Featuring work from: Paul Roden, Heather Wendelboe, Julia Scheckel, Bengu Cetinkale, Kent Klaudt, Hannah Ayers, Edward Rossel, Walt Padgett, Majorie and Bob Moskowitz, Mark Dierker, Debra Disman, Kate Snow, Jeffrey Neumann, Paige Kleinfelder, and more!

5417 Butler Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15201
contact@vestigegallery.com
Tel: ‪(412) 532-8969‬

View the show!

“Torrent and Tangle” in “Turmoil and Transformation”

By

I was excited to participate in the “Turmoil and Transformation” show at the Hera Gallery and Educational Foundation, a non-profit, artist-run organization that  has continued to stimulate discussion and challenge perceptions for over 40 years. This creative space has allowed countless artists a place for transformation, exploration, and community with one another,  BRINGING CREATIVITY TO THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1974

“2020 was a year that was filled with worldwide turmoil. The Pandemic. Another reckoning with racism and police brutality. Climate Change, wildfires, hurricanes, and droughts.  The undermining and politicization of science. The widening political divide. An election with voting rights, healthcare, immigration, paid sick leave, income inequality, living wages, reproductive rights, LGBTQIA rights, our environment and the future of democracy at stake.

This begs the question:
Is this turmoil leading to transformation? And what kind of transformation is it going to be?“


Read about the show here !

Hera Gallery/ Hera Educational Foundation presents work that addresses the current turmoil and visions of our future. What are the emotional, physical and spiritual effects of the turmoil and how might they manifest into the transformation? What does our world look like and what might it look like post-2020. Will transformation reflect the multiplicity of voices of America? How will our future be transformed by the current chaos?

The exhibition juror,  Francine Weiss is the Senior Curator at the Newport Art Museum in Rhode Island where she curates exhibitions of contemporary art, photography, and American art. Her recent exhibitions include “Andy Warhol: Big Shot,”  “The Shapes of Birds: Contemporary Art of the Middle East and North Africa,” and “Domestic Affairs” among others. Her past positions include Curator at the Photographic Resource Center (Boston, MA), Acting Assistant Curator in the Department of Photographs at the National Gallery of Art (Washington DC), Curatorial Fellow at the deCordova Sculpture Park & Museum, and Curatorial Fellow of American art at Harvard University Art Museums (both in MA) among others. She has taught art history at Wellesley College, Simmons College, and Boston University (all in MA) and has taught and advised students in the MFA program at the Institute of Art and Design at New England College. Dr. Weiss has a Ph.D. in American studies, specializing in art and photography, from Boston University and a B.A. from Wellesley College in English. She has received fellowships from the Smithsonian Institution (Washington DC), Georgia O’Keeffe Museum and Research Center (NM), Center for Creative Photography (AZ), The Huntington (CA), and Harry Ransom Center (TX). She has published widely on photography and American art.

See the virtual exhibition, and hear the artist talks here!

I was honored to show:
Torrent and Tangle: Keep Your House in Order, (aerial view) 2019, 10.5 x 25 x 18”, mixed media (book board, lace, ribbon, mulberry paper, hemp cord, watercolor paper)

2021 Los Angeles Open at TAG

By

TAG Gallery Proudly Presented
The 2021 Los Angeles Open, 
May 11 — June 5

This year, TAG celebrated local area artists with a dedicated showcase from May 11-June 5 in our Sky Gallery in the upstairs loft at TAG.
I was honored to be included.

Participating artists included:
Mariko Bird, Milan DelVecchio, L. Aviva Diamond, Debra Disman, David Emmett, Taz Essa, Pat Shafer Falkner, Tony Gangitano, Daniela Garcia, Kyoung Han, Andy Hann, Gina Herrera, Tom Lasley, Nancy Goodman Lawrence, Monica Marks, J.D. Mathes, Nelson Munares, Vojislav Radovanovic, Brian Reynolds, Emily Sunez, & Michael Usher.

Each artist had 48 inches of linear wall space to highlight their work. In a novel concept, artists collaborate with TAG’s in-house team of artist curators and staff to build each display.


Textile, fiber, zipper string


“Steppin'”, “Facing Darkness”, “White Zip” on wall, and “BedTime Story” (on pedestal).


“Ellipse” with the work of L. Aviva Diamond.

 

 

 

 

The Fantasticalness of Fiber

By

I was honored to participate in FANTASTIC FIBERS 2021 at the Yeiser Art Center.
What a fantastic experience!

“One of  Yeiser Art Center’s most engaging and innovative international exhibitions, FANTASTIC FIBERS is showcasing a wide range of outstanding contemporary works related to the fiber medium.”

HISTORY:
The show began in 1987 as a wearable art show but has evolved over the years to include a compelling mix of traditional and non-traditional works created from natural or synthetic fibers, and work that addresses the subject or medium of fiber.  Paducah becomes a Mecca for quilters and quilt enthusiasts each April as more than 30,000 visitors from across the globe attend AQS QuiltWeek. 

I showed “PROFUSION”  a sculptural Artists’ Book made of book board, mulberry paper, paint, canvas, watercolor paper and hemp cord. It stands upright on a pedestal, shelf, table or another surface parallel to the floor. When opened, it can span up to 24.5″ wide:

JUROR:  Sandra Johnson
“My quilt journey started over 30 years ago and I continue to be inspired by the myriad of fabrics and techniques learned over time. I am a passionate teacher who encourages students to create unique fabric creations, whether the end product is a quilt or garment. Creating what is important to the maker is a joyful experience that I try to pass on in my workshops. Wherever you are in your design process my goal is to inspire your creative “genius” and improve your techniques. 
Hand sewing with my grandmother started it all. From the beginning, the process of transforming fabric into art struck me as magical. Sewing was the foundation that led me into quilting. What started as a hobby turned my passion into an artistic reality.
I love to hand stitch using the traditional Japanese Sashiko and Boro embroidery styles and incorporating them as a decorative feature into my designs. The concrete, repetitive nature of this work frees my imagination provides many opportunities for happy accidents and grace to influence the finished product.
My core materials for quilting are thread and fabric, however, I often employ recycled denim, yarns, dyed fabrics and stamps to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary. I hold a B.S. in Clothing, Textiles and Design from Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
Recently, I discovered modern quilting: simple, crayoned patchworks that resonate deeply with my fiber work. Inspired and invigorated by a renewed sense of continuity, and awed by the mystery of how creation occurs, my process allows me to explore visions to enable my creative work to evolve and grow.” 

TOUR THE SHOW!!!!

Worth “A Thousand Words”

By

It was a pleasure to participate in Core New Art Space‘s exhibition: 

Juror, Richard Chamberlain, pursues several lines of work in visual and performing arts and is a published poet as well. He was looking for: “….works that tell a story. Realistically, abstractly or expressionistically inspired by literature and legends, poetry and parables, novels and narratives, myths and metaphors, artworks have their own fictions, fables, folklore or fairytales. Artworks can be worth a thousand words. The exhibited works were judged on overall impact, content, composition and mastery of techniques, as well as attention to creativity and craftsmanship.”

Below are images of the show, including my work, “Window Treatment“, a sculptural artists’ book,
perhaps evoking the film, “Rear Window”.
What stories go on behind these windows?!

 

Unfolding the Possibilities: Bookmaking with Self-Compassion 2

By

I was honored to have led “Bookmaking with Self-Compassion” on
Saturday, May 15, 2021, a workshop which invited participants to:

“Make an artist book celebrating their own creative growth”.

This program was presented through 18th Street Art Center’s Arts Learning Lab, with support from the County of Los Angeles Department of Mental Health‘s campaign We Rise LA. WE RISE encourages wellbeing and healing through art, connection, community engagement and creative expression and takes/took place during May: Mental Health Awareness Month.  It is part of artist Sara Daleiden’s artist project  RECOVERY JUSTICE: BEING WELL. 

Participants discovered how to create the beautiful, fun and versatile Flower Fold book into which they could add wishes, hopes, prayers and dreams. This post celebrates our MATERIALS!

Participants received “art kits” containing origami papers, ribbon, railroad board, stickers, markers, and glue sticks.

The beautiful origami papers were folded into smaller shapes containing “hidden” folds…

then glued together to create a longer book that could be folded up into a square, unfolded into a sculptural shape,

or hung as a chain!

“Found” words and images were added to the “pages”, as well as stickers drawing, collage and more…

and a whole now expressive artwork was created!

Unfolding the Possibilities: Bookmaking with Self-Compassion 1

By

I was honored to have led “Bookmaking with Self-Compassion” on
Saturday, May 15, 2021, a workshop which invited participants to:

“Make an artist book celebrating their own creative growth”.

This program was presented through 18th Street Art Center’s Arts Learning Lab, with support from the County of Los Angeles Department of Mental Health‘s campaign We Rise LA. WE RISE encourages wellbeing and healing through art, connection, community engagement and creative expression and takes/took place during May: Mental Health Awareness Month.  It is part of artist Sara Daleiden’s artist project  RECOVERY JUSTICE: BEING WELL. 

Participants discovered how to create the beautiful, fun and versatile Flower Fold book into which they could add wishes, hopes, prayers and dreams.

These works could become a chain to hang in their homes,

give as a gift,

or remain  an individual document of self-expression

exploring what the pandemic has meant to  them,

while learning new skills and creating a unique expression of renewal and rebirth during the spring season.

Makers used origami Papers,  glue sticks, railroad board, cardstock, ribbon,  stickers and items
they found in their immediate environment to create their books.

The results were stunning…beautiful, expressive, evocative, and telling of the past year.

It is a joy to share these self-compassionate bookworks….

These works shall remain powerful and poignant

of a never to be forgotten experience, that lingers and informs our present moment.

Kudos to filmmaker and videographer Jeny Amaya for her stellar documentation.

Turmoil, and…Transformation?

By

“Turmoil and Transformation” is  an exhibition showing at the Hera Gallery and Educational Foundation, a non-profit, artist-run organization that  has continued to stimulate discussion and challenge perceptions for over 40 years. This creative space has allowed countless artists a place for transformation, exploration, and community with one another which has been BRINGING CREATIVITY TO THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1974

“2020 was a year that was filled with worldwide turmoil. The Pandemic. Another reckoning with racism and police brutality. Climate Change, wildfires, hurricanes, and droughts.  The undermining and politicization of science. The widening political divide. An election with voting rights, healthcare, immigration, paid sick leave, income inequality, living wages, reproductive rights, LGBTQIA rights, our environment and the future of democracy at stake.

Is this turmoil leading to transformation? And what kind of transformation is it going to be?”

Hera Gallery/ Hera Educational Foundation presents work that addresses the current turmoil and visions of our future. What are the emotional, physical and spiritual effects of the turmoil and how might they manifest into the transformation? What does our world look like and what might it look like post-2020. Will transformation reflect the multiplicity of voices of America? How will our future be transformed by the current chaos?

The juror,  Francine Weiss is the Senior Curator at the Newport Art Museum in Rhode Island where she curates exhibitions of contemporary art, photography, and American art. Her recent exhibitions include “Andy Warhol: Big Shot,”  “The Shapes of Birds: Contemporary Art of the Middle East and North Africa,” and “Domestic Affairs” among others. Her past positions include Curator at the Photographic Resource Center (Boston, MA), Acting Assistant Curator in the Department of Photographs at the National Gallery of Art (Washington DC), Curatorial Fellow at the deCordova Sculpture Park & Museum, and Curatorial Fellow of American art at Harvard University Art Museums (both in MA) among others. She has taught art history at Wellesley College, Simmons College, and Boston University (all in MA) and has taught and advised students in the MFA program at the Institute of Art and Design at New England College. Dr. Weiss has a Ph.D. in American studies, specializing in art and photography, from Boston University and a B.A. from Wellesley College in English. She has received fellowships from the Smithsonian Institution (Washington DC), Georgia O’Keeffe Museum and Research Center (NM), Center for Creative Photography (AZ), The Huntington (CA), and Harry Ransom Center (TX). She has published widely on photography and American art.

Sharing my own version of well, turmoil at least: Torrent and Tangle: Keep Your House in Order, (Haven’t we all been there-here)
2019, 10.5 x 25 x 18”, mixed media (book board, lace, ribbon, mulberry paper, hemp cord, watercolor paper

Here hoping that Your Turmoil, Torrent and Tangle work as positive forces to help You reach Your desired transformation, in 2021

CULMINATING OUR ARTIST RESIDENCY: Panorama City Branch Library

By

My 2020-21 artist residency supported by the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs at the Panorama City Branch Library has drawn to a close!

We had wonderful CULMINATION event of  bookmaking, sharing, art and poetry to celebrate our Residency program, and honor National Poetry Month (April)!

Please see video slide show of the Residency projects,  during the CULMINATION event and online on the Panorama City Branch Library’s  Facebook and Instagram pages!


The wonderful Beth, Children’s Librarian and tech manager extraordinaire for our program!

FLAG BOOK FUN!

Placing the flag pages and setting up the structure… Far Out Tatiana’s Flip Book

Tatiana and her Flip Book!

Best Friends Forever!

Stickers galore! Sticker heaven PARACHUTE…hmmm…
Sneak peak of work surface while conducting the program!

Such a wonderful experience, and now, ever onwards to our Artist Residency of 2021-22!

Thank you to the LA DCA!!

CULMINATING OUR ARTIST RESIDENCY: West Valley Regional Branch Library

By

My 2020-21 artist residency supported by the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs at the West Valley Regional Branch Library has drawn to a close!

We had wonderful CULMINATION event of  bookmaking, sharing, art and poetry to celebrate our Residency program, and honor National Poetry Month (April)!
Please see video slide show of the Residency projects,  during the CULMINATION event and online on the West Valley Regional Branch Library‘s Facebook and Instagram pages!


Librarian Daryl shares a poem by Theodora Goss.

FLAG BOOK FUN!

Mothers and Daughters

Such a wonderful experience, and now, ever onwards to our Artist Residency of 2021-22!

Thank you to the LA DCA!!

Insight into Insight

By

The Cape Cod Museum of Art presents:  INSIGHT.

“When spoken, this word can be broadly understood as – Insight, In Sight and Incite. What is Your interpretation?”
I am thrilled to be part of this evocative exhibition, taking place in CCMA’s expansive Hope / McClennen exhibition hall. The show is available virtually on the Museum website .

I thank Mark Chester of  Mark Chester Photography and fellow exhibitor in the show (please see his marvelous, iconic portrait image introducing the exhibition) for gifting me with photos of my work MAXIMUM SECURITY (15 x 18 x 10.25″, mixed media (book board, canvas, watercolor paper, acrylic paint, hemp cord, wood) in the show.

 All of the following photographs are by Mark Chester of  Mark Chester Photography.
Thank you Mark for sharing my work.  I am honored to share yours!

 

The juror is Grace Hopkins, gallery director at the Berta Walker Galleries in Provincetown, and Wellfleet, MA,  and an international guidance counselor for the arts. In a 2014 review of her own artwork in The Banner, Susan Rand Brown called Hopkins: “A photographer with the eye and soul of a painter,” and said “The images she shoots suggest the sharply angled details of a Franz Kline, geometric shapes and flat colors of her father (Budd Hopkins) or a sudden burst of translucent layers, which could have been – but definitely are not – details from a collage by Robert Motherwell. Suddenly a viewer feels surrounded by the freshness of expressionist imagery and motion, each piece different, each piece allusive yet quite original.”

523 artworks were submitted by 272 artists from 30 states across the country for INSIGHT. Only 65 artworks have been selected from 60 artists in 16 states.

Says Grace Hopkins of selecting the work for this show: 
“Narrowing down the artwork for this exhibition was challenging. I first had to digest all 500+ submissions as a whole before any threads of meaning could be drawn between the works, and a final cohesive subset could be chosen. As a gallery director I am regularly confronted with an aesthetic puzzle. But, when you throw in the added thematic complexity of INSIGHT and the sheer number of works submitted, making a final selection was both a demanding and rewarding exercise in distillation. I want to thank everyone who came forward and placed their artwork into this pool. Another juror, with different values and sensibilities would have solved this very differently. Your collective vision, ability and insight moved me.”

INSIGHT runs through June 20, 2021

Turmoil, Transition and conVERGEnce: What’s in a Name?

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What is in a name?

“A rose is a rose is a rose“, poetically stated the writer Gertrude Stein.
The line is from Stein’s poem Sacred Emily, written in 1913 and published in 1922, in Geography and Plays. The verbatim line is actually, ‘Rose is a rose is a rose is a rose’.

But, is it?

What do names, titles, words, actually mean? What do they tell us about the current moment, about the times we are living in? Living through?

Fascinating are the titles of exhibitions I have taken part in, since the beginning of 2021, nearly a year after the Corona Virus/COVID 19/Pandemic transformed  the world into an altered…world.

Titles including:
Home Sick
Recovery Justice: Being Well
Insight
Content
A Thousand Words
Turmoil and Transformation
conVERGEnce

and during 2020:
Transition
Building Networks of Empathy
Chasing Ghosts V: Art that Pierces the Veil through Remembrance, Legacy, & Beyond
Facing Darkness
Illuminate
Identity

To get a sign of the times, read the signs.
Literally.

To Your Health!

 

 

 

Imagination, Experimentation and Play!

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Free your imagination, experiment, and….PLAY!

Join us for this art and bookmaking online workshop, source your own materials, and create your own exploratory masterpiece! Details in the flier below. 

Presented by The California Chapter of the Guild of Book Workers, part of the national  Guild of Book Workers, this workshop is a point of departure for anyone at any skill level who has a desire to explore the world of book arts in a safe, supportive and fun online environment.

Please contact me through the site contact form with any questions.
Hope to see you there!!!!

 

Artist in Residence 2020-21 CULMINATIONS!

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My 2020-21 artist residencies supported by the wonderful City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs at both the West Valley Regional Branch Library, and the Panorama City Branch Library, are drawing to a close!

Join us online for two wonderful CULMINATION events (linked to the Library Branch names above), which involve bookmaking, sharing, art and poetry, to celebrate our Residency program, and honor National Poetry Month (April)!

Please see video slide shows below of the Residency projects, which will be shared during the CULMINATION events; and online on the Social Media pages of each Library.  Please enjoy these presentations and contact the Library/Libraries to sign up for the CULMINATION Events and pick up YOUR FREE SUPPLIES PACKET and GOODY BAG at the Library closest to you. We Look forward to seeing you there!

 

Celebrate Art and Poetry at these April Events!

By

I am culminating my 2020-21 artist residency programs with the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs with two bookmaking workshops and events at the West Valley Regional Branch Library, and the Panorama City Branch Library respectively.

Please join us for either or both of these FREE online community events! Materials and goody bag provided for those who sign up, and go to the Branch sites to pick them up.

Help us celebrate National Poetry Month and the culmination of two wonderful residency programs that were conducted entirely online!  You will have the opportunity to create your own “Flag Book” and adding your own or other favorite poetry to it! Learn how to do “found writing” and express yourself through art and poetry without leaving the comfort of your own home. Details on the fliers below!!

 

Worth “A Thousand Words”

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It was a pleasure to participate in Core New Art Space‘s exhibition: 

Juror, Richard Chamberlain, pursues several lines of work in visual and performing arts and is a published poet as well. He was looking for: “….works that tell a story. Realistically, abstractly or expressionistically inspired by literature and legends, poetry and parables, novels and narratives, myths and metaphors, artworks have their own fictions, fables, folklore or fairytales. Artworks can be worth a thousand words. The exhibited works were judged on overall impact, content, composition and mastery of techniques, as well as attention to creativity and craftsmanship.”

Below are images of the show, including my work, “Window Treatment“, a sculptural artists’ book,
perhaps evoking the film, “Rear Window”.
What stories go on behind these windows?!

 

ZOOM In On Distance Learning 7

By

As everyone keeps saying, 2020 was a year like no other. Well, no-one had seen 2021 yet.

2021 it seems, may also prove to be a year like no other, finding us teaching online, in my case through Zoom, engaging in what is called, “distance learning”. Well, you can’t beat the commute and clean-up time, and I found there are indeed ways to connect significantly with students and colleagues, and even teach some things!

In March 2021, I led an scroll making program in honor of Women’s History Month focused on Celebrating Women Artists, at the Panorama City Branch Library,  part of my artist residency in bookmaking there, through the wonderful Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.


We looked at images and information about three great women artists, Faith Ringgold, Frida Kahlo and Georgia O’Keeffe, and Branch Manager Roman shared some of Faith Ringgold‘s books from the Library!


Participants were invited to cut out the provided  images of the artists, their work, and the information about them, and add them to sheets of brightly colored tag board paper, which they had attached to wooden sticks, or dowels at either end, to create unique scrolls.

Each maker created a different composition with the materials provided in our fun and informative supplies packets.


One young maker added painting to the surface, then his father added images honoring women artists to complete the scroll!


Scrolls could be horizontal or vertical, and rolled up at either end and then unfurled.


Ribbon was provided for participants to keep their rolled scrolls in place if they wished to.
Here Panorama City Branch Library Branch Manager Roman gets into the act!

An honoring of Women’s History Month, Women Artists, specific women artists, the Library, and especially, of human creativity, imagination and ingenuity!
SO needed, especially during this past year and into the current one.

Gratitudes!

It’s all in the C O N T E N T

By

Upon request, I am sharing my artists’ book, “Narrow Bridge”, shown in the CONTENT exhibition

           
at The Artery Gallery in Davis, CA, which runs April 1 – May 1, 2021. 

I am honored to be included in CONTENT, a show of Artists’ Books at The Artery, in Davis, CA.

“Artist Books typically defy classification, definition, and expectations. They are vessels for an artist’s vision. To understand what an artist book is you have to forget your definition of a book.”

According to the Smithsonian Institute Library blog, “An artist’s book is a medium of artistic expression that uses the form or function of ‘book’ as inspiration. It is the artistic initiative seen in the illustration, choice of materials, creation process, layout and design that makes it an art object. …”

“What truly makes an artist’s book is the artist’s intent, and artists have used the book as inspiration in a myriad of ways and techniques, from traditional to the experimental. The book could be made through fine press printing or hand-crafted, the pages illustrated with computer-generated images or cheap photocopies; books became sculptures, tiny and gargantuan; books were sliced up and reconfigured, made from all kinds of materials with unconventional objects incorporated, in unique or limited editions, or produced in multiple copies. With all sorts of ideas behind them, artists continue to challenge the idea, content and structure of the traditional book.”

There is a special guest juror for this exhibition: Nikki Thompson of Deconstructed Artichoke Press.
Nikki Thompson is a book artist (aka Deconstructed Artichoke Press) and poet. With an MFA from the California College of the Arts, her art explores architecture, feminism, and the politics of work through the mixed media of bookmaking, printmaking, and photography. Her work has been awarded First Prize at Gallerie Renee Marie and a Purchase Prize at 23 Sandy Gallery. She has also been nominated for a Pushcart Prize and received the College Book Arts Association Project Assistance Grant. Her work can be seen at www.deconstructedartichokepress.com.

Co-juror: Adele Louise Shaw of Circle A Studio.
Adele is a book artist and a painter. Her career as an artist has been punctuated with wildly diverse artistic explorations but she grew up surrounded by hand-bound books made by her great-grand parents. Her bookbinding studies started with classes in Japan and Thailand. Adele’s book work is squarely focused on a different, newish book form referred to as “Artist Books”. Many of her hand-bound books are derived from her work as a painter. She never ceases to try new methods and materials to actualize her vision. She teaches book classes out of her studio in Davis, California. You can view her work at www.adeleshaw.com.

I am showing:
“Narrow Bridge”, 5.5 x 16 x 3.5″, mixed media
“Narrow Bridge” is an “Artists’ Book”, which can be opened to about 16+” wide, but can be displayed opened to 8-10″, standing upright. It is a flag book structure and is made of board, paper, linen thread, and fabric. It says, “All the world is a narrow bridge, the important thing is not to fear.” (In

20×20 INSIGHT

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The Cape Cod Museum of Art presents:  INSIGHT.

When spoken, this word can be broadly understood as – Insight, In Sight and Incite. What is Your interpretation?
I am thrilled to be part of this evocative exhibition, taking place in CCMA’s expansive Hope / McClennen exhibition hall. The show is available virtually on the Museum website.

The juror is Grace Hopkins, gallery director at the Berta Walker Galleries in Provincetown, and Wellfleet, MA,  and an international guidance counselor for the arts. In a 2014 review of her own artwork in The Banner, Susan Rand Brown called Hopkins: “A photographer with the eye and soul of a painter,” and said “The images she shoots suggest the sharply angled details of a Franz Kline, geometric shapes and flat colors of her father (Budd Hopkins) or a sudden burst of translucent layers, which could have been – but definitely are not – details from a collage by Robert Motherwell. Suddenly a viewer feels surrounded by the freshness of expressionist imagery and motion, each piece different, each piece allusive yet quite original.”

523 artworks were submitted by 272 artists from 30 states across the country for INSIGHT. Only 65 artworks have been selected from 60 artists in 16 states.

Says Grace Hopkins of selecting the work for this show: 
“Narrowing down the artwork for this exhibition was challenging. I first had to digest all 500+ submissions as a whole before any threads of meaning could be drawn between the works, and a final cohesive subset could be chosen. As a gallery director I am regularly confronted with an aesthetic puzzle. But, when you throw in the added thematic complexity of INSIGHT and the sheer number of works submitted, making a final selection was both a demanding and rewarding exercise in distillation. I want to thank everyone who came forward and placed their artwork into this pool. Another juror, with different values and sensibilities would have solved this very differently. Your collective vision, ability and insight moved me.”

I am showing MAXIMUM SECURITY:  15 x 18 x 10.25″, mixed media (book board, canvas, watercolor paper, acrylic paint, hemp cord, wood)

This show is sure to be InSIGHTful….Looking Forward!

Monochrome = BLACK

By


“Black Zip, or “Facing Darkness“, 2020, 19 x 18 x .5”, mixed media (canvas, lace, sipper, wood, hemp cord)


“Torrent and Tangle: Keep Your House In Order“, 2019, 10.5 x 25 x 18”, mixed media (book board, mulberry paper, lace, ribbon,
 hemp cord, watercolor paper, acrylic paint)


“In the Thicket of It“, 2018, 18 x 30 x 23”, mixed media (book board, canvas, hemp cord, wood, mulberry paper, watercolor paper)


“Maximum Security“, 2018, 15 x 18 x 10.25”, mixed media (book board, canvas, watercolor paper, hemp cord, acrylic paint, wood)


“Black Hang Out“,  2017, 10.25 x 25 x 8”, mixed media (book board, mulberry paper, watercolor paper, canvas, acrylic paint, hemp cord)

 

ZOOM In On Distance Learning 6

By

As everyone keeps saying, 2020 was a year like no other. Well, no-one had seen 2021 yet.

2021 it seems, may also prove to be a year like no other, finding us teaching online, in my case through Zoom, engaging in what is called, “distance learning”. Well, you can’t beat the commute and clean-up time, and I found there are indeed ways to connect significantly with students and colleagues, and even teach some things!

In February 2021, I led an accordion book with pockets program at the Panorama City Branch Library,  part of my artist residency in bookmaking there, through the wonderful Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

Using bright tag board and richly patterned origami papers,


participants learned the accordion/consertina fold,


how to create pockets in their books,


how to cover and embellish their covers,


and how to add hopes and wishes to their pockets!


Whole families, as well as Library staff, got into the act.


Pure Joy.

Gratitudes!

 

ZOOM In On Distance Learning 5

By

As everyone keeps saying, 2020 was a year like no other. Well, no-one had seen 2021 yet.

2021 it seems, may also prove to be a year like no other, finding us teaching online, in my case through Zoom, engaging in what is called, “distance learning”. Well, you can’t beat the commute and clean-up time, and I found there are indeed ways to connect significantly with students and colleagues, and even teach some things!


As part of my artist residency in bookmaking at the West Valley Regional Branch Library through the  Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, participants learned the “double flower fold” technique, and created unique valentines with richly colored and patterned origami papers, which they then placed in paper boxes they unfolded, then folded, to house their creations.


After learning the fold, interestingly challenging over Zoom, the makers learned how to glue them together into an expanding and contracting chain,


which folded up into a 2.5 x 2.5″ square,


and was easily placed in their boxes, to create a one-of-a-kind gift. Participants could then embellish their boxes,


and add words and imagery to their folded “flowers”.


A diverse intergenerational group of enthusiasts worked together happily and supportively.


Branch Manager got into the act, carefully planning the colors of his flower-fold chain.


Children’s Librarian Kristin Peers also created stunning color combinations, and, what a background!

It looks like there may have been some very happy Valentine gift recipients, but maybe not as happy as their makers.
Because making, is the BEST!

MEDIA page

By

I have been empowered by learning how to update my Site’s MEDIA page!

This is the page in my Site where I share, through word, image and link, everything that pertains to MEDIA that I have been involved in:

Print media
Digital/online media
Film/video
including
Press/listings across platforms
Exhibition catalogues, publicity and tours
Artist talks
and more.

Thank you beloved web and graphic designer Dianna Jacobsen, for the design, the tutalage, the support and the patience …

O, and, the sense of humor!

It has been fun, and enlightening.

Check it out….

M E D I A

“Home Sick”, or, Sick of Home?

By

Home sick or sick of home? This international exhibition will present artwork that captures how the tumultuous events of 2020 have shaped personal experiences and artistic practice. Works will be shown that suggest how the phrase “Home Sick” can take on multiple meanings in today’s revolutionary climate. Home Sick will exhibit traditional and contemporary artwork across a wide array of media – painting, photography, drawing, pastels, printmaking, ceramics, textiles, wearable art, sculpture, film, artists’ books, and other new media. 

The Art Effect announces the launch of its new international juried exhibition series and pilot youth museum studies program in 2021. Home Sick will be The Art Effect’s inaugural national juried exhibition in its new 3,000-sq-ft gallery at the Poughkeepsie Trolley Barn in the heart of the City of Poughkeepsie. This exciting exhibition will be on display February 25 – April 1, 2021.

“Home Sick will serve as a core component of a pilot program to put youth in the “driver’s seat” leading exhibitions and programming at the Trolley Barn,” says Executive Director Nicole Fenichel-Hewitt. Youth at The Art Effect developed the exhibition theme to invite artists to capture how the concept of being “home sick” can take on multiple meanings in light of a tumultuous year such as 2020.

Curator Mary-Kay Lombino, Deputy Director and Emily Hargroves Fisher ’57 and Richard B. Fisher Curator at The Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center, Vassar College, will work closely with The Art Effect youth to juror the show made up of submissions from around the world. ”We’re very excited to have youth work alongside established curators like Mary-Kay to co-create high-quality exhibitions and develop the skills needed to pursue careers in the art museum field” noted Fenichel-Hewitt.

I am thrilled to show “BedTime Story” in this innovative show, and support the young jurrors and experienced curator in their combined efforts.
“BedTime Story” 2018, 12 x 28 x 8.5″, mixed media/artists’ book: book board, repurposed textiles, cloth and fabric, hemp cord, ceramics with beads created by Judy Disman.

RECOVERY JUSTICE: Being Well

By

I am thrilled to participate in:

RECOVERY JUSTICE: Being Well

March 8, 2021 – July 16, 2021
at
18th Street Arts Center (Airport Campus)

“Being Well” is what we seek together as neighbors, and recalls one of the central guiding principles of the City of Santa Monica, the notion of “wellbeing” as key to civic health. Recovery Justice: Being Well, aims to highlight the recent circumstances that have evolved during the pandemic (racial justice demonstrations and destruction, as well as social discontent and general disconnection) into a series of self-organized artist projects that merges the exterior and interior public spaces of City of Santa Monica property. 18th Street Airport Campus at Santa Monica Municipal Airport will be the site where artists reimagine the city and beyond in the midst of complex social unrest globally. Recovery Justice will recuperate through various means the digital and physical footprints left in a city that struggles to reclaim the seemingly peaceful environment it once had. Artists will develop a palette for making and sharing artworks responding to the street experience in safe, healing and expressive modes. This porous series is a point of departure to reconcile and redefine the concept of justice.

This collage of self-organized artist projects was organized around the common theme of Recovery Justice, facilitated as part of Sara Daleiden’s artist project and ongoing conversations nurtured through a series of online conversations with 18th Street’s artist community called “Creative Roundtables” over the past 8 months. These projects will manifest in outdoor presentations on the side of the building; sculptural, photographic, painting and video work in the galleries; and a series of online and drive-in events in Spring of 2021. The artists’ presentations will also be represented online and via a 360 tour for virtual viewing.”

Participating artists include: Sara Daleiden, Nicola Goode, Susie McKay Krieser, Marcus Kuiland-Nazario, M Susan Broussard, Lionel Popkin, Yrneh Gabon Brown, Lola del Fresno, Debra Disman, Melinda Smith Altshuler, Gregg Chadwick, Luciana Abait, Deborah Lynn Irmas, Rebecca Youssef, and Dan S. Wang.

Sara Daleiden’s residency and facilitation work on these projects is generously supported by the Mike Kelley Foundation for the Arts. Bailiwik is also a supporting partner on this exhibition.

ABOUT THE FACILITATOR
(such a joy working with Sara)
Sara Daleiden is a Los Angeles-based artist who facilitates civic engagement within developing landscapes, exercising arts and cultural exchange strategies. She encourages local cultures to value neighborhoods, public space, civic art, land and racial and gender equity. Sara has an expertise in working with artists and other cultural entrepreneurs for civic engagement, creative placemaking, network development and small business development.

Her project at 18th Street Arts Center grows out of the placekeeping work that 18th Street has been engaged in over the past six years through our cultural asset mapping project (culturemapping90404.org) and the Commons Lab, which involves community voices to define, center, and connect cultural practices within their own neighborhoods. Her practice investigates the influence of location, scale, market, values and other regional factors on the production of the arts and cultural identity. Through methodologies involving partnership mapping, network building, and the facilitation of self-organizing and advocacy, Sara aims to enhance the advocacy power of artists in influencing neighborhood development in the city. Her durational engagement with 18th Street will spin off land-based activations with opportunities for neighbors, artists, city staff, and the broader public to participate. Sara has been collaborating with arts workers Nicola Goode, Susannah Laramee Kidd, Dorit Cypis and Kimberli Meyer for this artist project.

Pictured is “drift”, a collaboration between myself, and esteemed 18th Street colleague and artist, Luciana Abait.

More To Come!!!

Watch AROHA Philanthropies: CREATIVE AGING in Action!

By

I have been so honored to participate in AROHA Philanthropies Creative Aging initiative, and to work  with  with LA’s beloved Craft Contemporary museum, Curator of Public Engagment Andres Payan Estrada, and Museum Director, Suzanne Isken.

It has been my great joy to teach the AROHA Bookmaking classes for Seniors through Craft Contemporary. I have been so moved to hear and see our participants’ stories expressed through their book projects, and to witness their extraordinary creativity with materials, expression and craft. The opportunity for these students to come together, share about their lives, and weave their personal histories into their projects has been so meaningful, not only for the students, but for myself and the Craft Contemporary Staff. I have been continually amazed at the richness and depth of our participants’ life experiences and their hunger to share them with others.

Our spring workshop series in bookmaking was held in-person, at the Craft Contemporary. When the pandemic hit, we had to pivot to online learning and delivery, and despite the inevidable challenges, our online class community proved to be just as creative, supportive, connective and energetic as our in-person group. An incredible and indelible experience that I will carry with me moving forward.

Russ Haan, owner of After Hours Creative, directed the creation of the following videos sharing about and documenting the process of AROHA’s programming. They are inspiring, moving and energizing to watch. ENJOY!
Creative Aging: The Essentials
Creative Aging: Why Teaching Artists?
Creative Aging: Untapped Opportunity
Creative Aging: Isolation to Connection
Creative Aging: In-Person to Online 

Zoom In On Distance Learning 4

By

As everyone keeps saying, 2020 was a year like no other.
Well, no-one had seen 2021 yet.

2021 it seems, may also prove to be a year like no other, finding us teaching online, in my case through Zoom, engaging in what is called, “distance learning”. Well, you can’t beat the commute and clean-up time, and I found there are indeed ways to connect significantly with students and colleagues, and even teach some things!


Here are some highlights fronm our 2021 Calendar-making program at the Panorama City Branch Library,  part of my artist residency in bookmaking there, through the wonderful Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.


Creating the calendar structure, using a side-stab/side-bound stitch, at the top, to produce a vertical format.


Honoring KOBE.


Sketchbook ideas for calendar.


Forging on with the project, even without a materials packet!

Here’s to a better 2021.  Thumbs up as we Zoom on.

Zoom In On Distance Learning 3

By

As everyone keeps saying, 2020 was a year like no other. Well, no-one had seen 2021 yet.

2021 it seems, may also prove to be a year like no other, finding us teaching online, in my case through Zoom, engaging in what is called, “distance learning”. Well, you can’t beat the commute and clean-up time, and I found there are indeed ways to connect significantly with students and colleagues, and even teach some things!

Here are some highlights from our 2021 Calendar-making program at the West Valley Regional Branch Library,  part of my artist residency in bookmaking there, through the wonderful Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.


Participans learned a “side-stab” or side-bound stitch, and used it to create vertically-hanging, fully-functional 2021 calendars.


They used their own stickers, markers and other embellishment materials to develop their calendar covers and pages,


highlighting special dates for their year.


Calendar cover,


and “March” 2021 page.

Here’s to a better 2021. Zoom on.

ZOOM in on Distance Learning 2

By

As everyone keeps saying, 2020 was a year like no other.

One of the ways it has been a year like no other, is teaching online, in my case through Zoom, engaging in what is called, “distance learning”.

Well, you can’t beat the commute and clean-up time, and I found there are indeed ways to connect significantly with students and colleagues and even teach some things!

Here are some highlights, with further posts illuminating specific projects, classes and workshops.

Enjoy. From the expression on these faces and the works they created, these makers did!


Envelope bookmaking for the holidays, and LAPL love!


“Folded Fan” bookmaking.


LAPL Librarians get into the act.

Here’s to a better 2021.
To Your Health.

ZOOM in on Distance Learning

By

As everyone keeps saying, 2020 was a year like no other.

One of the ways it has been a year like no other, is teaching online, in my case through Zoom, engaging in what is called, “distance learning”.

Well, you can’t beat the commute and clean-up time, and I found there are indeed ways to connect significantly with students and colleagues and even teach some things!

Here are some highlights, with further posts illuminating specific projects, classes and workshops.

Enjoy. From the expression on these faces, these makers did!

Here’s to a better 2021.
To Your Health.

Darkness and Empathy

By

A two part exhibition at 18th Street Arts Center  explores artists’ reactions to the pandemic and document their experience of it, while offering coping mechanisims and beacons of hope. I have been honored to participate.

FACING DARKNESS
July 27, 2020 – June 30, 2021
Online

The role of the artist is exactly the same as the role of the lover. If I love you, I have to make you conscious of the things you don’t see.
– James Baldwin

“Art’s role in healing trauma, restoring a sense of self, and bringing together a community has led us to realize how artists are our second responders. Artmaking is a necessary part of life, and core to processing, expressing, reckoning, and healing. In a time of worldwide heartbreak, we are recognizing our interconnectedness to one another, and creation of art is one way we deepen our empathic networks. The selected works by these artists engage with worldwide feelings of darkness and loss, using art as a path to communal processing and healing.”

Collective – “The only way out is through”


“Hopes and Fears and…”, 2020. Textile samples and linen thread. 24.5” x 16.5”. Courtesy of the artist.

“Hopes and Fears and…” describes a state where the mind obsessively repeats what it fears, cloaked in the mantle of hope. Such a process is a way of dealing with darkness. Are not hope and fear intrinsically linked as two sides of the same coin? We fear, then we hope that the realization of our fears does not manifest. All the hopes and fears stitched into this work are born of the state of our world, planet, society, and culture, and are voiced by many across the globe. This piece gives voice to those voices as well as my own.

BUILDING NETWORKS OF EMAPTHY
October 26, 2020 – December 15, 2020

The exhibition Building Networks of Empathy is the second of a two-part show that asks us to consider the ways in which art empowers not only the artist, but its viewers to transform their most difficult experiences into enlightened outcomes. The first part of the show is an ongoing online-only exhibition entitled Facing Darkness, which encouraged artists in our community to reflect internally on our current moment of pandemic, isolation, and structural inequity laid bare.

For this second part, which will be physically installed in 18th Street Arts Center’s spacious Airport campus hangar galleries, artists were asked to respond to how they have changed as a result of their inner reflections on darkness, and to imagine new futures and societal structures as we see our way out of crisis. Each artist grapples as well with the role that art can play in social reflection, expression, and cultural paradigm shifts as a result of a deeper understanding of each other, and the empathy that follows. The exhibition sees empathy not only as a way to share and understand what others are going through, but also as a natural and endless resource that we can all rely on when crisis and emergency hit, with hopes that we can turn this moment of collective fear into a sublime experience.

Visit the 360 tour of the exhibition, created by Dollhouse here

“Chromatic Interactions: The Golden Thread”, 2020. File cards, pencils, crayons, thread. Installation. 76 x 90 inches. Photo by Debra Disman. Courtesy of the artist.

I was commissioned to create an interactive book for Craft Contemporary’s 2017 exhibition, Chapters: Book Arts in Southern California, which opened shortly after the 2016 presidential election. Visitors could choose file cards in an array of colors, draw and write on them, and insert them into the pocketed pages of the book. A range of feelings, responses, and concerns were expressed through the cards, which the Museum Staff saved and gave to me at the end of the show. I stitched them together grouped loosely by theme, to express the network of empathy they depicted, held together by golden thread.

ILLUMINATE at Springboard Arts Chicago

By

I am thrilled to be part of Springboard Arts Chicago‘s inaugural show, ILLUMINATE.

“Illuminate: Art Brings Light to the World

It would be easy to believe the world is cloaked in darkness during trying times. But in our inaugural exhibit, “Illuminate,” we invite you to join us as we illuminate the darkness through art. We believe the arts have the power to brighten our lives. Music, theatre, performance art, dance, and fine art light up our world. In our inaugural show, we are featuring 15 inspiring artists. We hope you’ll allow them to illuminate your indoor spaces this seas0n.”

Thank you Springboard Arts Chicago, for this opportunity!

Chasing Ghosts V: The Show. The Book.

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Verum Ultimum Gallery in Portland, Oregon, helmed by the unstoppable Jennifer Gillia Cutshall presented Chasing Ghosts V: Piercing the Veil through Remembrance, Legacy, & Beyond.in the Fall of 2020.

See the show!

The Exhibition Book….

Gratitudes!

PieceWork: Threads of 2020

By

2020 has been a tremendous challenge for everyone.

I am honored to have been able to participate in a number of events, lists and and initiatives, designed to help us all, keep going.

Thank you for the opportunities.

Living through a Pandemic: Artists Experiment, Inspire and Persevere


My studio at 18th Street Arts Center in Santa Monica, CA. 2020

Textile Artists Today

“This article isn’t about making any new revelations in the world of art involving textiles. It is about sharing the work of contemporary artists who may not be known.” —Kristine Schomaker/Art and Cake


https://textileartsla.org/textile-month-2020-calendar/2020/7/10/material-identity

We have made it this far.

What does 2021 have in store?

TEXTILE ARTS LA SLAM!

By

The last Textile Slam! of 2020 was  Tuesday evening October 27, 2020

Textile Slam! is an opportunity for friendly conversation and networking, featuring a rotating slate of presenters, each of whom  deliver an informal six-minute (or less!) slide show / improv / show-and-tell presentation. I was honored to present at this Slam!

Members, artists, designers, architects, educators, and all-around neat thinkers are invited to talk about their work, ideas that interest them, or projects they are exploring or have completed or would like help with.

The Slam! as a casual, community, conversation-oriented event.

This Slam! featured Lea Feinstein, Kathy Nida, and Debra Disman talking about current work, creating in a pandemic, thriving.

See the SLAM! and ENJOY!

 

A Material Identity

By

“Material Identity” was an exciting show presented by the Loveland Center for Contemporary Art, Loveland, CO

I was honored to exhibit two works in the show.

The show asks the question:

“How does materiality represent who we are? Does the material you use dictate who you are as a maker? How does medium speak to who you are as an individual?”

In the exhibition Material Identity, 27 artists and makers from 3 countries and 16 states explore the substance of material, paying special attention to their place in the world, either from a focus inward, or how they identify in society at large. This international exhibition was juried by Jiseon Lee Isbara, Otis College of Art and Design, and Jessica Kooiman Parker, Boulder Dairy Art Center.

Tour the Exhibition!
Listen to participating artists talk with Executive Director Sarah LaBarre and Curator Jessica Kooiman Parker

The Book As Art v. 8: INFINITY…A Closer Look

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The BOOK AS ART v.8: INFINITY was a fantastic exhibition and experience to be involved in.

Kudos to all who put these events together, and brought us together as artists working in the form of the Book.

Bravo, and enjoy….

August 28 through October 17 | virtual tour only
The Periodicals Gallery of the Decatur Library
215 Sycamore St., Decatur, Ga. 30030

The Book As Art v.8: Infinity, installed at the Decatur Branch of the DeKalb County Public Library, provided virtual tours, artist talks, and more throughout its run. Check out the catalog.

This exhibition is brought to you by Decatur Arts Alliance, Georgia Center for the Book, the DeKalb Co. Public Library, DeKalb Library Foundation and Keep it Indie-catur.

VIEW THE CATALOG

TOUR THE SHOW!

 Artist’s Talk

ARTISTS’ SHOWCASE AND DISCUSSION

Chasing Ghosts V: Piercing the Veil through Remembrance, Legacy & Beyond…

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Chasing Ghosts V: Piercing the Veil through Remembrance, Legacy & Beyond…

At Verum Ultimum Gallery in Portland.

Juried and curated by Jennifer Gullia Cutshall

“This show emphasizes the idea of revealing the unseen or the soul in a work of art. The term ghost may be interpreted in many ways, not necessarily meant to be a literal elucidation. This year’s interpretation might be loaded with the added turmoil of current social, health, environmental, and political climate.  The exhibition asks artists: “Does your process manifest an identity within your work that somehow speaks to the past? Do you express your deepest fears or concerns through your work? Do current political, health, and environmental concerns follow you into the studio and shadow or define your work? What ghosts or parts of the past leave their mark on your work? Is a legacy revealed through your work or your process? Is memory a vital vehicle of expression for you? Do you inadvertently honor something from your past or concern for the future through your work? ” — Jennifer Gillia Cutshall

Verum Ultimum never seeks to drive the work, the only hope to unveil unique visions.

Verum Ultimum Gallery has engaged audiences of artists and collectors since its founding in Northeast Portland in 2013.

The brainchild of artist Jennifer Gillia Cutshall, Verum Ultimum (meaning the ultimate truth) showcases work that demonstrates the deepest connection to the creative process.

See the Show!

Shop the Show!

I am showing “Throes of the Body“

Teaching Artistry Highlights

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Honored to do this work….here are Teaching Artistry Highlights.

“Against the ruin of the world, there is only one defense….”

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“Against the ruin of the world, there is only one defense: the creative act“. —Kenneth Rexroth

 

Remain defended.

 

Textile Arts Los Angeles SLAM!

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I was thrilled to participate in the most recent Textile Arts LA “TEXTILE SLAM!”

Textile Slam!  is a casual, community, conversation-oriented event, and an opportunity for friendly conversation and networking, featuring a rotating slate of presenters, each of whom deliver an informal six-minute (or less!) slide show / improv / show-and-tell presentation.

Attendees are members, artists, designers, architects, educators, and all-around neat thinkers to talk about their work, ideas that interest them, or projects they are exploring or have completed or would like help with

I was honored to join artists Lea Feinstein and  Kathy Nida via ZOOM in presenting for the most recent SLAM,  the last  in 2020, to share current work and how we are creating and moving our work forward during the pandemic.

Click here to enjoy this presentation!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Book As Art v 8: Infinity Artist Showcase

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What an honor to participate in this artist showcase for the exhibition: The Book as Art v.8: Infinity.

It was thrilling to be in conversation with Joe Davich, Executive Director of the Georgia Center for the Book, supported by Ally Wright, Ph.D., Program Assistant,  in concert with fellow artists Julie Fordham, Nicole Polonsky (all the way from London), Chris Revelle and Christian Feneck. 

Watch and listen here:

“Building Networks of Empathy”

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I am honored to participate in:

“Building Networks of Empathy”

at the Airport Gallery of 18th Street Arts Center in Santa Monica, CA

October 26  – December 15, 2020 

The exhibition Building Networks of Empathy is the second of a two-part show that asks us to consider the ways in which art empowers not only the artist, but its viewers to transform their most difficult experiences into enlightened outcomes. The first part of the show is an ongoing online-only exhibition entitled Facing Darkness, which encouraged artists in our community to reflect internally on our current moment of pandemic, isolation, and structural inequity laid bare.

For this second part, which will be physically installed in 18th Street Arts Center’s spacious Airport campus hangar galleries, artists were asked to respond to how they have changed as a result of their inner reflections on darkness, and to imagine new futures and societal structures as we see our way out of crisis. Each artist grapples as well with the role that art can play in social reflection, expression, and cultural paradigm shifts as a result of a deeper understanding of each other, and the empathy that follows. The exhibition sees empathy not only as a way to share and understand what others are going through, but also as a natural and endless resource that we can all rely on when crisis and emergency hit, with hopes that we can turn this moment of collective fear into a sublime experience.

Debra Disman, Chromatic Interactions: The Golden Thread, 2020. File cards, pencils, crayons, thread. Installation. 76 x 90 inches. Photo by Debra Disman. Courtesy of the artist.
Debra Disman, Chromatic Interactions: The Golden Thread, 2020. File cards, pencils, crayons, thread. Installation. 76 x 90 inches.
Photo by Debra Disman. Courtesy of the artist.

“I was commissioned to create an interactive book for Craft Contemporary’s 2017 exhibition, Chapters: Book Arts in Southern California, which opened shortly after the 2016 presidential election. Visitors could choose file cards in an array of colors, draw and write on them, and insert them into the pocketed pages of the book. A range of feelings, responses, and concerns were expressed through the cards, which the Museum Staff saved and gave to me at the end of the show. I stitched them together grouped loosely by theme, to express the network of empathy they depicted, held together by golden thread.”

This exhibition may be viewed by appointment only. Please visit here to sign up to visit the exhibition!

Participating artists include: Alexandra Dillon, Deborah Lynn Irmas, Luigia Gio Martelloni, Rebecca Setareh, M Susan Broussard, Julia Michelle Dawson, Lionel Popkin, Ameeta Nanji, Siru Wen, Elham Sagharchi, Debra Disman, Luciana Abait, Sheila Karbassian, Daniela Schweitzer, Joan Wulf, Loren Harris-Heller, Nung-Hsin Hu, and Susie McKay Krieser.

The exhibition will be accompanied by a live Zoom panel featuring Alma Ruiz and Karen Sherman, moderated by Paul Bonin-Rodriguez, on November 12, 2020 at 12pm. For this panel discussion, curators, artists, activists, advocates, and scholars are invited to meet virtually  to reflect on the public opening of Facing Darkness, and consider how the show renders a public crisis and artists’ circumstances evident and knowable. Moderated by artist-scholar Paul Bonin-Rodriguez, with talks by curator Alma Ruiz and dancemaker Karen Sherman, (Inter)facing Darkness will frame a dialogue on how artists are operating as second responders, as thought leaders, and resource gatherers at this time. Participants will be invited to speak on their experience of the show at this moment. Register here.

An Open Book

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When one book closes…another one opens…
or, something like that.

I was thrilled to be a part of the 2020 California Open Exhibition at TAG Gallery in LA.

“I like the ‘openness’ of the California Open concept,” said juror Kate Mothes, “so in my selections I tried to maintain a diversity of ideas and themes, and to the best of ability with the information at hand, include artists of diverse backgrounds. With this in mind, I also considered the craftsmanship of each work, and included a range of media types. It was a pleasure to review all of the submissions to this year’s open call, and I thank TAG Gallery for inviting me to participate as juror this year!”


“Falling“,  2019, 7″ x 24.5″ x 10.5”, mixed media (book board, mulberry paper, hemp cord, paperboard)


It sold.

California OPEN 2020

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I was thrilled to be a part of the 2020 California Open Exhibition at TAG Gallery in LA.

“I like the ‘openness’ of the California Open concept,” said juror Kate Mothes, “so in my selections I tried to maintain a diversity of ideas and themes, and to the best of ability with the information at hand, include artists of diverse backgrounds. With this in mind, I also considered the craftsmanship of each work, and included a range of media types. It was a pleasure to review all of the submissions to this year’s open call, and I thank TAG Gallery for inviting me to participate as juror this year!”

I was in good company, and documented a few of my favorite pieces…it takes all kinds…of art.
Enjoy.

Photograph

Sculpture

Mixed Media Relief

Documentary Photography

Altered Book

Collage

Like I said…it takes all kinds.
It takes, All Of Us.
Cheers.

CRAFTING HISTORIES online

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It has been an honor to work with Craft Contemporary to lead:

CRAFTING HISTORIES
Bookmaking Online Workshop 

“The Art of the Book: Crafting Our Stories By Hand is an online workshop series specifically designed by Craft Contemporary and artist Debra Disman for adults over the age of 55. This program is made possible by funding from Aroha Philanthropies and is part of a nationwide campaign to bring thoughtful and specialized programs to a valuable population that is often undeserved by arts institutions.

Workshop participants were introduced to ideas of storytelling through materials and the handmade. They were encouraged to tell their own stories using paper and everyday materials, while exploring what the term book means, why books are important, and how they have functioned through time and culture.”

See our extraordinary participants and their work here….and prepare to be amazed.

 

In TRANSITION

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I was thrilled to be part of the exhibition “TRANSITION“, presented by Tarfest 2020, produced by Launch LA, and juried by the wonderful Holly Jerger, curator for Craft Contemporary.

Tour the show with Founder/Executive Director of Launch LA James Panozzo here.


I showed “Torrent and Tangle: Keep your House in Order“,  2019, 10.5 x 25 x 18”, made of book board, hemp cord, ribbon, lace, mulberry paper, acrylic paint, and neutral PH adhesive.


The piece was created in a bottomless box format,


with two accordion folded joins, or back corners,


and two “front doors” hinged with cloth and surfaced with strips of ribbon, that can be opened,


or kept closed,


with any amount of the hanging internal strings kept in, or emerging, flowing or falling out of the structure,


depending on how the those designing the show wish it to appear.


Hemp cords knotted on one end were threaded through awl-punched holes on three sides,


after the inside surfaces were lined with lace,


tumbling down in a torrent into a tangled heap onto the surface where the piece is placed.


How will we get this all sorted out?

Nobody really knows, but this much is clear, we are in this together. Endemic of contemporary life, torrent and tangle is taken to the extreme by the current pandemic. We will get through this. We have to.

Staying OPEN

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It is an honor to be participating in the 2020 CALIFORNIA OPEN Exhibition at TAG Gallery.
You can visit the show live and in-person by appointment:
TAG Gallery 5458 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036
310.829.9556 | gallery@taggallery.net | 11am -5pm, Tue-Sat

TAG Gallery is thrilled to share the 15th Annual 2020 CALIFORNIA OPEN  Exhibition, featuring unique art pieces from 99 artists from around the United States.

Juror Kate Mothes , accomplished founder of Young Space @yngspc and Dovetail Magazine @dovetail.mag thoughtfully selected nearly 1000 works submitted from our national call for art to assemble what is a uniquely incredible show.

She says,

“Much has already been written about the unprecedented time we find ourselves in,” explains juror Kate Mothes. “As I reviewed the submissions for the California Open, I had a raised awareness of the circumstances and time period during which much of the work had been made.”

“I like the ‘openness’ of the California Open concept,” continues Mothes, “so in my selections I tried to maintain a diversity of ideas and themes, and to the best of ability with the information at hand, include artists of diverse backgrounds. With this in mind, I also considered the craftsmanship of each work, and included a range of media types. It was a pleasure to review all of the submissions to this year’s open call, and I thank TAG Gallery for inviting me to participate as juror this year!”

View the 2020 California Open Exhibition  here!
ENJOY the Artist Chat:
Wednesday, September 23, 3pm – California Open 2020 Artist Chat via Zoom (sign up on Facebook required)

2020 CALIFORNIA OPEN PARTICIPATING ARTISTS

Troy Aiken, Norman Aragones, Sarah Arnold, Louis Balicki, Jenny Balisle, Michele Benzamin-Miki, Reiko Berg, Allegra Bick-Maurischat, Raydel Blanco, Alessia Bothorel, Nancy Byrnes, Julie Carcione Cavaz, Chung-Ping Cheng, Michael Chesler, Jonathan Crow, Laurie Curran, Jaren Dahlstrom, Debra Disman, Lee Dollison, Laurence Elias, Mims Ellis, Robert Esau, Mumtaz Essa, Astrid Francis, Rinaldo Frattolillo, Gail Glikmann, Aspen Golann, Leslie Goldenberg, Bart Goldman, Emily Gomez, Keri Haarhoff, Andy Hann, Debra Hintz, Gary Hong, Cathy Immordino, Federico Imperiale, Marta Jaremko, Joan Karp, Sassoon Kosian, Faina Kumpan, Esther Kwan, JJ L’Heureux, Julie La Rue, Bonnie Lambert, John Langdon, Michelene Laski, Tom Lasley, Nancy Goodman Lawrence, Nakyung Lee, Andrew Leventis, Roberta Levitow, Whitman Lindstrom, Janet Manalo, Don Manderson, Carmen Mardonez, Andrew Martin, Melissa McClellan, Janet Milhomme, Zachary Miller, Eliza Ann Mitchell, Joseph Moreno, Nelson Munares, Perola Navarro, Bryan Northup, Joe A. Oakes, Cara Park, James Parlin, Nora Pineda, Sherry Pollack Walker, Justin Prough, Manaz Raiszadeh, Michael Roy, Gigi Salij, David Shannon, Ashley Shellhause, Sam Shokati, Jen Solomon, Tianyi Sun, Emily Sunez, Pam Sutherland, Viviana Svidler, Ariel Swartley, Robin Tripaldi, Michael Usher, Paul Valadez, Crystal Vicars, Amy Vidra, Catherine Walker, Sheldon Walker, Emily Wallerstein, Eric Welch, Mira White, Debbie Wolf, Wendy Widell Wolff, Travis Worden, Miss Art World, Amy Wright, Shingo Yamazaki, Jim Zver

CALIFORNIA OPEN INFORMATION

Artists in TRANSITION

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The Tarfest 2020 Launch LA  TRANSITION exhibition was such a great experience to participate in, and one of the joys was to meet, view and celebrate many wonderful artists.

This post is my tribute to some of my favorites.

EXHIBITIONISTA: The Book as Art v. 8.0: Infinity

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I am honored to show two pieces in The Book As Art v.8: Infinity
exhibition happening:

August 28 through October 17 | virtual tour only
The Periodicals Gallery of the Decatur Library
215 Sycamore St., Decatur, Ga. 30030

The Book As Art v.8: Infinity is installed at the Decatur Branch of the DeKalb County Public Library, and virtual tours, artist talks, and more will be provided throughout its run. Check out the catalog, and remember, these works are available for purchase!

I am showing: “PRAIRIE“and “MAXIMUM SECURITY” below.

“Held in the hand, a book can be a source of stability in unsettled times. Tactile and olfactory, the black and white pages conjure emotions and images that endure longer than flickering light on small screens. From tablet to folio, papyrus to scroll, song to psalm—all are created as a concept that becomes thought, becomes word, becomes book, becomes sculpture. These objects, in an increasingly digital world, stubbornly survive. The objects in this exhibition will interpret the concept of the book and invite the viewer to look beyond the printed page to where ideas, words, and symbols are transformed and are transfigurative.

They are expressive, expansive and iconic. They have become form, and are infinite.

The Book as Art v.8: Infinity is the eighth edition of this critically acclaimed artists book exhibition established by the Decatur Arts Alliance in 2013. Entries hail from across the United States and around the world, and from emerging artists as well as recognized masters in the genre. The Book as Art is pleased to present these examples from the finest in the field.”

Watch the
The Book as Art v.8: Infinity Virtual Opening!

Live Zoom Events (FREE tickets via Eventbrite, links available soon)

Oct. 7: Artist Talk with Valerie Aranda and Clemente Orozco Farías
Oct. 14: Artist Talk with Stephanie Russ and Isabelle Fleurelien
Oct. 21: Artist Interview: Peggy Johnston
Oct. 28: Artist Showcase and Discussion: Nicole Polonsky, Christian Feneck, Chris Revelle, Debra Disman

 

Exhibitionista: 2020 CALIFORNIA OPEN

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I am thrilled to be part of the
2020 CALIFORNIA OPEN
at TAG Gallery.

For the 2020 California Open Exhibition  juror Kate Mothes selected 101 unique objects of fine art from 99 artists.
Nearly 1,000 entries were submitted to the artist call.

The 2020 California Open displays at TAG in all of the downstairs galleries from September 9 — October 1. Fine art viewings are available by appointment only until Stay Home orders are lifted for Los Angeles. Please call or email the gallery for more information.

Kate Mothes, juror, “is founder and curator of Young Space and Co-founder/Editor of Dovetail Magazine. Young Space (yngspc) is an independent, itinerant, online-offline contemporary art platform emphasizing early career and emerging artists. Dovetail Magazine is an independent online + print contemporary arts publication that positions contemporary visual art in dialogue with design, architecture, photography, travel, and global visual culture. Mothes earned a Bachelors in Art History from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, and a Masters in the History of Art, Theory and Display from Edinburgh College of Art at the University of Edinburgh. She is currently based in the Upper Midwest.”

I am showing “FALLING“, 2019, 7 x 24.5 x 10.5”, mixed media (Book board, hemp cord, watercolor paper, mulberry paper)

 

Exhibitionista: TRANSITION

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I am thrilled to be part of the exhibition “TRANSITION“, presented by Tarfest 2020, produced by Launch LA, and juried by the wonderful Holly Jerger, curator for Craft Contemporary.

I am showing:
“Torrent and Tangle: Keep Your House In Order”

See the show!

Exhibition Start:
August 10, 2020 @ 8:00 am
Exhbition End:
September 5, 2020 @ 5:00 pm
Website:
www.tarfest.com

Location:
Merry Karnowsky Gallery


170 S. La Brea Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90036 United States + Google Map

View the Facebook Live tour of the exhibition with LAUNCH LA Director and TARFEST progenitor, James Panozzo

https://www.facebook.com/LaunchLA/videos/2350520525255774/?comment_id=2351347821839711&notif_id=1598253654604511&notif_t=feedback_reaction_generic&ref=notif

Linkage: See the Shows, Hear the Artists!

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It has been a joy to participate in a number of exhibitions and artist talks over the past several months.

Partially due to the current pandemic, shows, panels, artist talks and more are being put online, and made accessible to the public  at no cost to the viewer/listener.

We hope that these offerings support energy, spirit, imagination and creativity, as well as health and resilience, during this unprecedented era.

Click, and enjoy.

To Your Health.

“The Artful Book“:  The Long Beach Museum of Art
Tour the exhibition!

“Drawing Connections“: 18th Street Art Center Airport Campus Gallery , Santa Monica, CA
Tour the Exhibition with Curator Frida Cano!

“Material Identity” : Loveland Center for Contemporary Art, Loveland, CO
Tour the Exhibition! 
Listen to participating artists talk with Executive Director Sarah LaBarre and Curator Jessica Kooiman Parker

“Facing Darkness” 18th Street Art Center online
Tour the Exhibition!
Explore the Show By Theme/Explore the concept of the COLLECTIVE

“Drawing Connections” draws to a close

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The exhibition, “Drawing Connections” February 10, 2020 – August 7, 2020 at the 18th Street Arts Center (Airport Campus has drawn (pun intended) to a close. But it lives on in documentation, the video of the show below, the  works of the artists who participated, and the words of those who organized and responded to it.

It has been a joy to participate!

Thank you curator Frida Cano, and the incomparable 18th Street Arts Center!

See the show!

“Drawing Connections aims to trace the invisible networks between a selection of current artists in residence at 18th Street Arts Center, both from our 18th Street campus and our Airport hangar. The show highlights how artists from different backgrounds and whose practices range from traditional to experimental art can dialogue through one of the earliest and most fundamental tools for human expression, drawing. This process of mark-making reveals the initial creative impulse that may later take the form of a video, a performance, a piece of music, an art installation, a painting, or a drawing itself. This curatorial exercise intends to delve into the essence of the multivalent creative practices of the artistic community of 18th Street Arts Center.”

Art historian Susan Power writes:

“Defined in art historical terms by its materials— works on paper in pencil, charcoal, chalk, ink, watercolor, and so on—drawing encompasses a broad spectrum of human activity across time and culture. Ubiquitous and perennial, drawing crosses the boundaries delimiting disciplines and geographies. Drawing connects us over the ages to our earliest human ancestors and our childhood selves. Even the etymology of the word, related to the verb “to draw” and deriving from Old English “to pull,” can have a plethora of meanings—drawing arms and drawing blood are two, which tragically jump to mind during these incredibly challenging times. Within the context of our current crises, the very premise of the 18th Street Art Center exhibition “Drawing Connections” takes on unanticipated significance, as do so many other activities often take for granted in our daily lives. 

The first open-call cross-campus exhibition since 18th Street Art Center expanded its residency program to the Santa Monica Airport locale in 2019, “Drawing Connections” sought (seeks?) not only to showcase the fertile dialogues between work by all their artists in residence, whose practices cover a myriad of approaches, but also to encourage encounters and conversations among the artists and outside communities. Occupying the two wide corridors running the length of the former airplane hangar, the exhibition space invites circulation and exchange, luring artists out of their adjacent studios to mingle with fellow artists, art world professionals and enthusiasts, friends, neighbors and visitors from afar. But the ways we now connect have also undergone a radical shift with the existential threat of the pandemic. The participatory, experiential dimension of “Drawing Connections” was thus short-lived due to the sheltering-at-home orders in effect since mid-March.

The practice of drawing involves making connections—between the physical and the mental, hand or body and mind, concept and form, observation and imagination, perception and thought, interior and exterior. Reflecting on the conceptual underpinnings of the show, the exhibiting artists contributed work that engages with the medium in all its diversity, representing an astounding array of concerns. Together, the multi-generational group of twenty-five artists offers a remarkable cross-section of approaches running the gamut from traditional to experimental, from intimate and personal to interactive and collective. Together, the artworks converse across materials and techniques, complicating any notion of media-specificity, exploding any sense of unity inherent to drawing, and opening it up to endless possibility.”

Featured artists: Deborah Lynn Irmas, Dan S. Wang, Luciana Abait, Debra Disman, Judith Gandel-Golden, Gwen Samuels, Luigia Gio Martelloni, Julia Michelle Dawson, Lola del Fresno, Loren H. Harris-Heller, Joan Wulf, Doni Silver Simons, Pamela Simon-Jensen, Crystal Michaelson, Daniela Schweitzer, M Susan Broussard, Yvette Gellis, Encounter, Rebecca Youssef, Alexandra Dillon, Melinda Smith Altshuler, Nellie King Solomon,  Rebecca Setareh, Ameeta Nanji, and Claudia Concha.

Preparing for: Crafting our Stories By Hand Online

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I am thrilled to be preparing to teach:
The Art of the Book: Crafting Our Stories By Hand  ONLINE!


Visual Feast…Eye Candy…Material World

Crafting Histories: Bookmaking with Debra Disman –  an Online Workshop Series


Colorful packets of bookmaking materials

The Art of the Book: Crafting Our Stories By Hand is an online workshop series specifically designed by Craft Contemporary and artist Debra Disman for adults over the age of 55. This program is made possible by funding from Aroha Philanthropies and is part of a nationwide campaign to bring thoughtful and specialized programs to a valuable population that is often undeserved by arts institutions.We invite you to register for this cycle’s participant cohort. This 8-session bookmaking series taught by artist Debra Disman will meet through the online platform Zoom, every Friday at 11am – 1pm. Starting August 7 through September 18, 2020. The program will conclude with a final presentation and discussion of works and experiences, participants will also be provided a group document and online presence to share their work with friends and family.


Hemp cord and prepped book pages and covers for sewn book structures, bright tagboard for folded and glued book forms.

Objective: Learn how to create folded, glued and sewn book structures. Learn how to use bookmaking as an expressive vehicle for communication. Learn to share stories through the medium of bookmaking

Participants will be introduced to ideas of storytelling through materials and the handmade. We will explore what the term book means, why books are important, and how they have functioned through time and culture.


Andres‘s helping hands and design eye

Orientation: Friday, August 7
Session 1: Friday, August 14
Session 2: Friday, August 21
Session 3: Friday, August 28
Session 4: Friday, September 4
Session 5: Friday, September 11
Critique & Wrap-up: Friday, September 18
Culminating Event: Friday, September 25

Andres Payan Estrada, Curator of Public Engagement at Craft Contemporary in action, prepping materials packets for participants.

FACING DARKNESS in the time of pandemic

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I am honored to participate in the exhibition: FACING DARKNESS in the company of fellow 18th Street Art Center makers: Deborah Lynn Irmas, Beth Davila Waldman, Elham Sagharchi, Gwen Samuels, Rachel Chu, Debra Disman, M Susan Broussard, Lionel Popkin, Leo Garcia, Alexandra Dillon, Gregg A Chadwick, Ameeta Nanji, Yrneh Gabon, Claudia Concha, Luciana Abait, Rebecca Youssef, Crystal Michaelson, Susie McKay Krieser, Melinda Smith Altshuler, David McDonald, Julia Michelle Dawson, Daniela Schweitzer, Luigia Gio Martelloni, Sheila Karbassian, and Joan Wulf.

ONLINE from July 27, 2020 to June 30, 2021

”In our darkest hours, it is natural and human to seek connection with others, to face the darkness together so that we can imagine a brighter path forward. In our current pandemic-time of crisis and isolation, this instinct can feel thwarted, and lead us to even darker places. Art is one of the ways that communities can find resilience in isolation, a method of aesthetic communication that empowers both the artist and the viewer to transform the most difficult and paradigm-breaking experiences into new visions for the future. Even as the arts and cultural infrastructure in the US is in deep crisis, the work of artists reflecting on this time and its socio-cultural reverberations is even more necessary for binding us together and rebuilding our world. As Californians for the Arts director Julie Baker quipped “A first responder comes in and saves a life. A second responder comes in and helps rebuild a life.”

Artists are second responders, and this exhibition of 25 varied artists from 18th Street’s artist community present multivalent ways that artworks that address the human capacity to overcome hardships on both global and personal scales. From meditations on memory, investigations into the warped passage of time, working through fraught familial relationships, and grappling with fear and longing in a time of public health crises and inequities laid bare, the artists in this show address our current moment both obliquely and directly, with humor, melancholy, and uncomfortable propositions. Creation during this time feels nothing like luxury; rather it is deeply necessary in navigating the darkness ahead.” 

Collective – “The only way out is through”

“Hopes and Fears and…”, 2020, 24.5 x 16.25, mixed media

18th Street will host related online events over the course of the exhibition.

Join Us HERE and now….

“The Artful Book” Virtual Show

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I am sharing the video tour of the exhibition, The Artful Book, held at the Long Beach Museum of Art in 2019-2020.
The Artful Book   show featured  the wildly diverse book-works of members of the California Chapter of the Guild of Book Workers.

The video is almost 35 minutes long, and a very thorough exploration of the show!

ENJOY.

Learning Online: Making a Rainbow

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I have been honored to serve as Artist in Residence at the Granada Hills Branch Library, supported by the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

In concert with the Library Staff I created several online bookmaking workshop presentations, including, below:

Learn a colorful technique and create a Rainbow Book Ball, Rainbow Arm Band and Rainbow Collage

In Honor of LGBTQ Pride Month: June

Explore, learn, play, enjoy  All Things Rainbow!

Learning Online: “We Write The Book”

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I have been honored to serve as Artist in Residence at the Granada Hills Branch Library, supported by the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

To celebrate our Residency Project, “We Write the Book“, I created a tour through our process and projects which you can view in the videos below.

Maybe you will be inspired to make your own book too!

Explore, learn, play, enjoy!

Take a tour through the book projects taught in our “We Write the Book” Residency!

Learning Online: Storybook Theater

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I have been honored to serve as Artist in Residence at the Granada Hills Branch Library, supported by the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

In concert with the Library Staff I created several online bookmaking workshop presentations, including, below:

Learn How To Make A “Storybook Theater”!

Combine books, stories and theater into one really fun project, and learn folding, cutting, gluing and collaging skills along the way!

Celebrate Asian Pacific Heritage Month, the month of May,  by creating stories and plays drawn from richness of these cultures!

Explore, learn, play, enjoy!

 

Learning Online: Poetry Flag Book

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I have been honored to serve as Artist in Residence at the Granada Hills Branch Library, supported by the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

In concert with the Library Staff I created several online bookmaking workshop presentations, including, below:

How to Make a Poetry Flag Book

In Honor of NATIONAL POETRY MONTH – The Month of April!

Explore, learn, play, enjoy!

How to create the Flag Book Step by Step:

Learning Online: Journal-Making and Haiku Poetry!

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I have been honored to serve as Artist in Residence at the Granada Hills Branch Library, supported by the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

In concert with the Library Staff I created several online bookmaking workshop presentations, including, below:

Journal-making and Haiku Poetry.

Explore, learn, play, enjoy!

Step by step: how to create your own blank journal:

Exhibitionista: The Book as Art v. 8.0: Infinity

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I am  honored to participate in:

The Book as Art v. 8.0: Infinity

Jurors: Bexx Caswell-Olson, Ann Kresge, Joe Sanders

Opening Reception
Friday, Aug. 28 | 7–9 pm

I will be showing two pieces:


Prairie

and


Maximum Security

A book begins as a small mass of material, formed and pressed into life by ideas, words, and machines. A concept becomes thought, becomes word, becomes book, becomes sculpture. From the tactile complexity of handmade paper, to the alteration of existing volumes, to a variety of other materials and concepts, these objects, in an increasingly digital world, stubbornly survive. The objects in this exhibition will interpret the concept of the book and invite the viewer to look beyond the printed page to where word has become form.

The Book as Art v. 8.0: Infinity  will be presented online until further notice.

However, the exhibition will be installed at the Decatur Branch of the DeKalb County Public Library, in anticipation that the Periodicals Gallery at the Decatur Library may be open for limited viewing before the advertised end of the exhibition (October 17).

Virtual programming is in development to supplement and enhance viewer experience. 

Exhibitionista: “Material Identity”

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“How does materiality represent who we are? Does the material you use dictate who you are as a maker? How does medium speak to who you are as an individual?”

I am honored to participate in the show “Material Identity”

See the Show!

In the exhibition Material Identity, 27 artists and makers from 3 countries and 16 states explore the substance of material, paying special attention to their place in the world, either from a focus inward, or how they identify in society at large. This international exhibition was juried by Jiseon Lee Isbara, Otis College of Art and Design, and Jessica Kooiman Parker, Boulder Dairy Art Center.

I am showing:


Throes of the Body 

and


Profusion

MATERIAL IDENTITY runs from July 10 – August 29, 2020
AT:
Artworks Loveland
Center for Contemporary Art

info@artworksloveland.org
970-663-5555
310 N. Railroad Avenue
Loveland, CO 80537

 

 

Exhibitionista: DRIVE-BY-ART Los Angeles

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Drive-By-Art Los Angeles was an amazing outside public art exhibition organized by Warren Neidich, Renee Petropoulos, Michael Slenske and Anuradha Vikram.

DRIVE-BY-ART (Public Art in This Moment of Social Distancing), was  designed as an outdoor public art exhibition that could be experienced from the safety and intimacy of one’s own automobile. (Perfect for LA).

WEBSITE: www.drive-by-art.org
CONTACT: info@drive-by-art.org

Two locations were divided East and West of Western Avenue over two weekends.

EAST LA: was MAY 23rd-25th East of Western Avenue including Altadena, Pasadena, South Pasadena, Frogtown, Glassell Park, Mount Washington, Highland Park, Chinatown (Cypress Park and Elysian Park), Glendale, Sunland, Tujunga, Eagle Rock, Atwater, Silver Lake, Echo Park, Koreatown, MacArthur Park, Rampart Village, Historic Filipinotown, Little Armenia, Los Feliz, East Hollywood, Downtown LA and University Park.
Times: 12-6pm + night viewings at select locations Saturday, May 23rd, 8pm-midnight

WEST LA: was MAY 30th-31st West of Western Avenue including Crenshaw, Leimert Park, Baldwin Hills, West Adams, Culver City, Inglewood, Mid City, Mid-Wilshire, Venice, Mar Vista, Marina Del Rey, Palms, Santa Monica, Brentwood, Pacific Palisades, Westwood, Beverly Glen, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Beverly Wood and Century City.
Times: 12-6pm + night viewings at select locations Saturday, May 30th, 8pm-midnight- these had to be cancelled due to rioting, looting and unrest across Los Angeles.

I showed, “Eat Your Young“, and installation that was installed over one of the windows on the exterior of my studio at 18th Street Arts Center.

Participating artists included: Luciana Abait, Lita Albuquerque, Marcel Alcala, Shagha Ariannia, Charles Arnoldi, Joshua Aster, Elena Bajo, Sharon Barnes, Sarah Beadle, Jeff Beall, Scott Benzel, Andrew Berardini, Lauren Bon, Olivia Booth, Theodore Boyer, Leonardo Bravo, Kimberly Brooks, Rebecca Bruno, Anita Bunn, Jedediah Caesar, Nancy Baker Cahill, Kristin Calabrese, Angel Chen, Joe Day, Yasmine Diaz, Debra Disman, Dani Dodge, Paul Donald, Dana Berman Duff, Bradney Evans, Rochelle Fabb, Katja Farin, Renée A. Fox, Cayetano Ferrer, Shahla K. Friberg, Francesca Gabbiani, Yrneh Gabon, Kiva Garber-Maikovska, Sonja Gerdes, Chet Glaze, Todd Gray, Phyllis Green, Robert Gunderman, Julia Haft-Candell, Robert Herbst, Gilah Yelin Hirsch, Evan Holloway, Andrew Holmquist, Bettina Hubby, Salomon Huerta, Steve Hurd, Max Jansons, Vincent Johnson, Kyle Jorgensen, JPW3, Annetta Kapon, Michael Kelly, Mak Kern, Mirena Kim, John Knuth, Marcus Kuiland-Nazario, Dan Kwong, Thomas Lawson, Kang Seung Lee, Rebecca Levinson, Thomas Linder/Timo Fahler, Sydney Littenberg, Karen Lofgren, Shana Lutker, Marisa Mandler, Chandler McWilliams, Jason Meadows, Adam Moskowitz, Brian C. Moss, Dave Muller, Nicole Nadeau, Stephen Neidich, Kori Newkirk, Ben Wolf Noam, Jordie Oetken, Stas Orlovski, Erika Ostrander, Mamiko Otsubo, Anita Pace, Xiou Ping, Mary Anna Pomonis, Vanessa Prager, Nicole Rademacher, Lucas Reiner, Jackie Rines, Shelby Roberts, Nina R. Salerno, Aram Saroyan, David Schafer, Kenny Scharf, Marty Schnapf, Kim Schoenstadt, Kristine Schomaker, Julia Schwartz, Kyungmi Shin, Susan Silton, Francesco Siqueiros, Emilija Škarnulytė, Natalie Smith, Cammie Staros, Janet Sternburg, Christian Tedeschi, Lincoln Tobier, Dani Tull, Victoria Vesna, Henry Vincent, Alice Wang, Dan S. Wang, Sterling Wells, Jennifer West, Takako Yamaguchi, Kulapat Yantrasast, Jason Yates, Jenny Yurshansky, Jody Zellen, and Peter Zellner.

Drive-By-Art was created by Warren Neidich, a conceptual artist, theorist and organizer. He is the founding director of Saas-Fee Summer Institute of Art and the American editor of Archive Books, Berlin and Milan.

View an amazing film by Eric Minh Swenson
https://www.instagram.com/tv/CA8ebK_F57O/?igshid=agy20pkkaaiu
of Drive By Art Los Angeles…featuring among others, local 18th Street Art Center  Artists in Residence Dan Kwong, Jeff Beall, and yours truly.

Exhibitionista: “EXPRESSIONS 2020”

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Diving into the world of virtual exhibitions, online presentations, and digital shows….

I am honored to be included in:

“EXPRESSIONS 2020”

Presented by The Marin Society of Artists
Juror: Andrea Schwartz of Andrea Schwartz Gallery

I am showing “Torrent and Tangle: Keep Your House in Order” 2019, mixed media (book board, hemp cord, canvas, watercolor paper, lace, ribbon, acrylic paint)


Photography: Elon Schoenholz

“These are extraordinary and unprecedented times with the COVID-19 virus affecting our daily lives. The well being of our visitors, artists and community as well as continuing to showcase artists’ work is of utmost importance. To that end, Marin Society of Artists has decided to present our Expressions 2020 exhibition in a virtual gallery venue. The virtual gallery will be on view for six weeks, commencing May 14, 2020.” The show runs through June 27, 2020. Tour the show!

Friday Bookmakers Inspiration! We Stand (Sit?!) Together, Making Books! (9)

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I  have been honored to work with a wonderful group of “older adults” at the Craft Contemporary Museum in Los Angeles, offering a series of workshops teaching bookmaking techniques, and providing a forum for creativity, imagination, sharing and story.

The remainder of our series, “Crafting Our Stories By Hand”, supported by the Aroha Philanthropies, has had to be postponed due Covid-19.

Therefore, I have started an email newsletter to keep our community going, offering tips, images and sharing the work these makers are doing at home while “sheltering in place”.

Sharing these newsletters as a blog post makes their contents available for any and all. It inspiring to see what these makers have done and are doing during these crazy times.

Special thanks to the incomparable Andres Payan, for his support of the older adults makers program and facilitation of our ZOOM gatherings, as well as his devotion to the community in his role of Curator of Public Engagement at Craft Contemporary.  Thank you for this opportunity! 

And now, on to more Good Stuff!

Two books made by Sandra this week! 

Sandra shared again during our ZOOM gathering about using THE ART OF THE FOLD book
by Hedi Kyle and her daughter Ulla Warchol!

 Sandra says: “First one is a blizzard book (for business cards).”

She adds, “Second one is a panorama book.”

Here are Vicki’s new books, gorgeous!
And, Vicki is on INSTAGRAM, sharing her collage works: check it out, 
and consider starting an Instagram account of your own, as Sandra is!

Here is a book by Vicki  for her granddaughter, sharing about vocabulary describing groups of different birds!
 
The next has pockets for treasures! Business cards?

Finally, these little gems:


For all those who are photographing their works,  I want to suggest that you use a more neutral background, in contrast to the colors in your work.
You can see above, it is harder to see the red books against a red background.
Try using white, or even gray. Possibly black if you have a lot of color in a work, and not a lot of black.
Try using just one color for the background.


Dear Bookmakers, Makers,  Readers, All,

If you are able, and so inclined, use the comments section to share something book-related, or anything of interest you wish. Check out all the other “Friday Bookmakers Inspiration! We Stand (Sit?!) Together, Making Books!” blog posts, right here.
Stay Safe, Stay Strong, Stay Well, Stay Sane,
STAY CREATIVE!
And as Sandra says,
“Craft on!”

In hope and gratitude,
debra

Friday Bookmakers Inspiration! We Stand (Sit?!) Together, Making Books! (8)

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I have been honored to work with a wonderful group of “older adults” at the Craft Contemporary Museum in Los Angeles, offering a series of workshops teaching bookmaking techniques, and providing a forum for creativity, imagination, sharing and story.

The remainder of our series, “Crafting Our Stories By Hand”, supported by the Aroha Philanthropies, has had to be postponed due Covid-19.

Therefore, I have started an email newsletter to keep our community going, offering tips, images and sharing the work these makers are doing at home while “sheltering in place”.

Sharing these newsletters as a blog post makes their contents available for any and all. It inspiring to see what these makers have done and are doing during these crazy times.

And now, on to one of our very productive student/artist/bookmakers SANDRA!
She says….“I purchased this book online — it presents projects that mostly use folding vs. sewing.”

This is a book by book artist Hedi Kyle, who invented the fun flag book structure we did in our class, and her daughter Ulla Warchol.
I happen to know this book can be found through the Los Angeles County Library System!

Sandra created two fabulous books this week, apparently inspired by her exploration of “The Art of the Fold“!
She says, “So for my eye chart book I tried their interlocking loop book. A relative of the flag book but using one piece of paper to create the loops (not separate flags).”
  
So creative…the use of the eye charts and images of the eyes themselves!
Sandra continues, “For my second book I returned to your flag book project using cut-up postcards as the flags. Still love this structure!” 

Such a great use for new postcards, giving them new life, and purpose!Well that is it for this week dear Bookmakers, Makers,  Readers, All.
If you are able, and so inclined, use the comments section to share something book-related, or anything of interest you wish. Check out all the other “Friday Bookmakers Inspiration! We Stand (Sit?!) Together, Making Books!” blog posts, right here.

Stay Safe, Stay Strong, Stay Well, Stay Sane,
STAY CREATIVE!
And as Sandra says,
“Craft on!”

In hope and gratitude, 
debra

Exhibitionista: Small Works at Vanessa Lacy Gallery

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I am thrilled to be part of the 3rd Annual Spring Small Works show at the Vanessa Lacey Gallery.

The 3rd Annual Spring Small Works Show Virtual Edition at Vanessa Lacy Gallery is now live!  Browse affordable art under 14 inches from the comfort of your own home.

Vanessa Lacey chose works she felt would be uplifting to the viewers.

I am showing Narrow Bridge, a flag book made of board, tissue paper, window shade material, linen thread, and collage.


Outside, Front Cover

Inside, it says in stitching:
“The Whole World is A Narrow Bridge
The Important Thing Is Not To Fear”


Exterior
The book is comprised of an accordion-folded spine, with two covers, and flag pages attached to opposite sides of the folds, so that they create an alternating pattern when the book is opened.

A message of hope, assurance and our connectivity as human beings.

May you walk your own Narrow Bridge with hope and confidence and move through your own fears during this challenging time.

Stay Safe
Stay Well
Stay Sane

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday Bookmakers Inspiration! We Stand (Sit?!) Together, Making Books! (7)

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I have been honored to work with a wonderful group of “older adults” at the Craft Contemporary Museum in Los Angeles, offering a series of workshops teaching bookmaking techniques, and providing a forum for creativity, imagination, sharing and story.

The remainder of our series, “Crafting Our Stories By Hand” has had to be postponed due covid19.

Therefore, I have started an email newsletter to keep our community going, offering tips, images and sharing the work these makers are doing at home while “sheltering in place”.

Sharing these newsletters as a blog post makes their contents available for any and all. It inspiring to see what these makers have done and are doing during these crazy times.

Dear Readers, Bookmakers, All,

I am happy to bring you images, tips, inspiration and learning for your bookmaking journey.

I hope you are all well, staying safe, and creating!
You might want to check out the “Crafting Our Stories By Hand” blog post below…it holds wonderful photos of you all taken during our workshops at the Museum. So photogenic you all are (as Yoda would say!)
 
Also, you can check out all of our weekly newsletters in blog version here:

https://debradisman.com/blog/

This week, we have Vicki sharing a circle book! Fun, whimsical, and what a great challenge to put to oneself!
She says, 

“Took a on-line class from book maker Kit Davey.  This circle book was made with double sided paper.  If you enjoy origami I think you would enjoy making this book.” (I added in the link if anyone wants to further explore artist Kit Davey.)

WOW!
 
Sandra created two glorious books, and she says,

“The first book is a simple blank book on cardboard. I watched an online tutorial from The Broad aimed at children — to create their own artwork in the manner of Mark Bradford. So that’s what I did for the covers. Just layered paper scraps, sanded them, then layered some more, and repeat. Just joined pages with copper wire rings.”(I added in the link if anyone wants to further explore artist Mark Bradford.)

My second book was supposed to be based on a winged book from the Alisa Golden book. I deconstructed an Ed Kienholz catalog and reconstructed it. The only difference between mine and the winged book is that I didn’t glue the connecting pages together — because I liked the triangular aspect. I made a little belly band out of an interior translucent page.(I added in the links if anyone wants to further explore artists Alisa Golden and  Ed Kienholz.)

Well that is it for this week dear Readers, Bookmakers, All,
If you are able, and so inclined, email us back to share something book-related, or anything of interest you wish.

Stay Safe, Stay Strong, Stay Well, Stay Sane
STAY CREATIVE!
And as Sandra says,
“Craft on!

Exhbitionista: “Drawing Connections” at 18th Street Arts Center

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DRAWING CONNECTIONS:

Tour the Show!

It has been an honor to participate in “Drawing Connections” held at the Airport Campus of 18th Street Art Center
in the North and South Galleries | 3026 Airport Avenue
February 10 – May 1, 2020


 

“Drawing Connections aims to trace the invisible networks between a selection of current artists in residence at 18th Street Arts Center, both from our 18th Street campus and our Airport hangar. The show highlights how artists from different backgrounds and whose practices range from traditional to experimental art can dialogue through one of the earliest and most fundamental tools for human expression, drawing. This process of mark-making reveals the initial creative impulse that may later take the form of a video, a performance, a piece of music, an art installation, a painting, or a drawing itself. This curatorial exercise intends to delve into the essence of the multivalent creative practices of the artistic community of 18th Street Arts Center.”

See the show!

Two of my works are included. Due to size and camera (cell) restrictions, it was challenging to get images, but here are a few…

There will be an virtual tour coming up in the near future, so please, stay tuned!

Exhibitionista: “HeART of the Book”

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I have been honored to participate in The HeART of the Book, A national  book arts show presented by the Loveland Artists Collective, which crossed paths with the Covid 19 Pandemic, and was held in South Gallery at Artworks in downtown Loveland, CO, from February 14th – March 28th, 2020.

“The book has long been treasured as a literary work of art, but it is often forgotten in the realm of visual art.   Book arts have been around as long as humanity has been writing and reading, but within the last couple of decades, the book arts have become increasingly diverse and innovative.     The Loveland Artists Collective has been invited to show this group exhibition at Artworks, which is the largest Studio Artist Community in Northern Colorado dedicated to advancing the contemporary arts and visual artists.

The exhibited works spanned a wide range of forms, structures and materials.


My work, “Burning Bush” is in the photo above on pedestal, and  below:

A show to remember.

Wish I could have seen it, but we can, here.

Gratitudes!

Friday Bookmakers Inspiration! We Stand (Sit?!) Together, Making Books! (6)

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I have been honored to work with a wonderful group of “older adults” at the Craft Contemporary Museum in Los Angeles, offering a series of workshops teaching bookmaking techniques, and providing a forum for creativity, imagination, sharing and story.

The remainder of our series, “Crafting Our Stories By Hand” has had to be postponed due covid19.

Therefore, I have started an email newsletter to keep our community going, offering tips, images and sharing the work these makers are doing at home while “sheltering in place”.

Sharing these newsletters as a blog post makes their contents available for any and all. It inspiring to see what these makers have done and are doing during these crazy times.

Dear Bookmakers,

I am happy to bring you images, tips, inspiration and learning for your bookmaking journey.

I hope you are all well, staying safe, and creating!
You might want to check out the “Crafting Our Stories By Hand” blog post below…it holds wonderful photos of you all taken during our workshops at the Museum. So photogenic you all are (as Yoda would say!)
Also, you can check out all of our weekly newsletters in blog version right here.
This week Vicki completed an elaborate Tunnel Book, so in addition to sharing it here, I am including images that show a step-by-step process of making a simple version of a Tunnel Book, as well as some samples from a workshop I attended a few years ago at the Hammer Museum, where I learned how-to!
Vicki’s Tunnel Book, in her own words,
“This is about the sixth try.  I tried it wrong in every way possible, wrong size, wrong paper, wrong idea etc. etc.  Given that, I am happy with this effort.
I have been spending the remainder of my time collaging, altering paper and marbling.  By the way, it is World Collage Day on May 9th!” (I added that link!)
WOW! gorgeous piece! A real monkey habitat!
In pictures, here is a “how-to” to create a simple Tunnel Book:
 
And some very fanciful examples of tunnel book, from a class where I learned to make them:
An here are two magnificent book projects completed by Sandra…terrific photography also. Sandra says, 
“I made my first book from my stash of vintage prints of women’s fashions — I think 1940s?  Backgrounds are printed patterns found online. Used an old cardboard box as the base. And an entire stick of glue!”
Wow. This is like a tableaux or theater…interesting that both Vicki and Sandra did books that created visual scenes BRAVO!
More from Sandra:
“My second book is a fan book. I started with a Langston Hughes poem ‘Harlem Night Song’ — and then created my version of Harlem at night with song.” You certainly did, Sandra. Wow. I am blown away….
Also, if you can, please join us by ZOOM next Thursday April 30th at 5pm…see details right below.
BYOC (Bring-Your-Own-Craft)
Thursdays | 5 PM
Being cooped up doesn’t mean that creativity has to be confined, too. We want to see the projects you’ve been making—whether it’s a zine, a sweater, or a mask—and craft in (virtual) community rather than from a social distance. Join us for a BYOC (Bring-Your-Own-Craft) Zoom, every Thursday at 5 PM, hosted by a Craft Contemporary staff member. Show us what you’re making and we all craft side-by-side!
BYOC with Holly Jerger – April 30
BYOC with Marisela Norte – May 7
BYOC with Suzanne Isken – May 14
BYOC with Eunice Lee – May 21
Zoom

Well that is it for this week dear Readers and Bookmakers and Both!
If you are able, and so inclined, email us back to share something book-related, or anything of interest you wish.

Stay Safe, Stay Strong, Stay Well, Stay Sane
STAY CREATIVE!
And as Sandra says, “Craft on!

Until next time…

“Crafting Our Stories By Hand”

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I have been honored to work with a wonderful group of “older adults” at the Craft Contemporary Museum in Los Angeles, offering a series of workshops teaching bookmaking techniques, and providing a forum for creativity, imagination, sharing and story.

Here is a treasure trove of moments from our workshops….

 

It has truly been an honor.
Thank you for the incredible artistry, work created, sharing, fun, histories and her-stories, and support of each other.

Looking forward to the next!

Friday Bookmakers Inspiration! We Stand (Sit?!) Together, Making Books! (5)

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Collie working in his “studio” at Craft Contemporary in March, 2020

I have been honored to work with a wonderful group of “older adults” at the Craft Contemporary Museum in Los Angeles, offering a series of workshops teaching bookmaking techniques, and providing a forum for creativity, imagination, sharing and story.

The remainder of our series, “Crafting Our Stories By Hand” has had to be postponed due covid19.

Therefore, I have started an email newsletter to keep our community going, offering tips, images and sharing the work these makers are doing at home while “sheltering in place”.

Sharing these newsletters as a blog post makes their contents available for any and all. It inspiring to see what these makers have done and are doing during these crazy times.

Dear Bookmakers,

I am happy to bring you images, tips, inspiration and learning for your bookmaking journey.

I hope you are all well, staying safe, and creating!
We have some wonderful new works for you to enjoy, and ponder.
I already posted the first two pages of Vicki’s Coronavirus HAIKU book, but she sent some more Haiku poems, and I wanted to share them with you. 
These works may be expressing what many are feeling now, and what a wonderful way to cope with these feelings…making them into poetry, and putting them into your own book creation. 
Vicki’s Coronavirus HAIKU book


Notice the use of color and materials in this piece, somber colors, plain black ink, graph paper. Gets across the serious feeling and intent. Anxiety, questioning, concerns. Very moving, Vicki. Glad your husband is fine, as I understand it.

Here are Sandra’s gorgeous contributions this week. Sandra also participated in the Craft Contemporary’s Zoom Craft-In gathering yesterday, and shared these works, to many oohs and ahhhs…
Sandra says, “First book is another catalogue taken apart and reconfigured using the exposed spine construction. A few pages…..”


Beautiful use of stitching in this piece….bravo! Fun, whimsical, adds an extra dimension, makes the viewer stop a moment.

“Second book was made of paint chip scraps with a stick (brush) binding. I had listened to Jerry Saltz’s new book “How to be an Artist”. Some of his ‘rules’ inspired me to create a book around them. He’s the New York magazine art critic. I love him! A few pages……”


Sandra has an incredible facility with shapes and colors, graphics and design. Notice how the black and white text stands out against the colorful shapes. Very imaginative use of paint chips too! We can all use what we find around us to create books!

Well that is it for this week dear Readers!

If you are able, and so inclined, use the comments section to share something book-related, or anything of interest you wish.

Stay safe, stay strong, stay well

STAY CREATIVE!
In peace and hope and truth and beauty,

And as Sandra says, 

“Craft on!

Friday Bookmakers Inspiration! We Stand (Sit?!) Together, Making Books! (4)

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I have been honored to work with a wonderful group of “older adults” at the Craft Contemporary Museum in Los Angeles, offering a series of workshops teaching bookmaking techniques, and providing a forum for creativity, imagination, sharing and story.

The series, “Crafting Our Stories By Hand” has had to be postponed due covid19.

Therefore, I have started an email newsletter to keep our community going, offering tips, images and sharing the work these makers are doing at home while “sheltering in place”.

Sharing these newsletters as a blog post makes their contents available for any and all. It inspiring to see what these makers have done and are doing during these crazy times.

Dear Bookmakers,

I am happy to bring you images, tips, inspiration and learning for your bookmaking journey.

I hope you are all well, staying safe, and creating!
Collie and Sunshine, have not heard from you yet…please send up a flare and let us know how you are doing….
Today I will share with you:
  • Wondrous new works by VICKI!
  • Wondrous new works by SANDRA!
  • A link to my blog post about an incredible exhibition of Flag Books created by teens!
Please note that images are included here, and also as attachments at the bottom of this email.
 
First, THIS:
The inside of Vicki’s “Book in a Box”, made for her granddaughter, that did not make it into last week’s newsletter! (Please see attached also-)
Inline image
Our newsletter from last week had an incorrect link! The link to last weeks’s newsletter mistakenly went to the Wikipedia page of the poet W.H. Auden…pardon me!
Here is that same newsletter, with corrected link, in the form of a blog post.
Now, onto this week’s content! (Using radical red for our verbiage…to give you a boost of energy during these challenging days).
 
PLEASE NOTE: Both Vicki and Sandra used maps in their BookWorks!
Interesting….
From VICKI!
“First book was made like paperbacks are made.” 


WOW
“The second is an envelope flip book with various pockets inside for storing travel ephemera.   The haiku book was created by assembling a number of different papers together putting them together in the press and gluing all edges on one side until it was like a note pad.  Then I just glued it together with the cover.  
OUTSIDE THE BOOK:
 
The inside pages with arrows indicate openings. Based on how many books I am sharing, you wisely said the sharing is important to the maker.”
 
INSIDE THE BOOK:
 
From SANDRA:
“I’m so glad you’ve created a weekly email for us. Keeps me going.
Also I spoke with Marisela at the museum today. All is well there.
Anyway, here is my work for the week. I tried a new structure for the first book and used old Paris postcards, a Paris map, and metro subway routes.”
“I found a little group of Polaroid snippets that my daughter found in one of her art classes in middle school eons ago. Gathered them up in a photo book of sorts, using the tied binding technique.
That’s it for now. I pore over the bookmaking books all of the time to get ideas. What great resources!“

Finally, enjoy and let us know what you think about these amazing Flag Books VAPA (Visual and Performing Arts) students created at Verdugo Hills High School this past Winter. Just click either link to read the post.
What do YOU think about how the form of the book can connect what we present on the Outside, to what we actually feel on the Inside?
One of those systems of opposites we talked about, and I suggested you use a =s a creative prompt for your bookmaking, content, visuals and writing!
In case you missed it, here is our second newsletter in the form of a blog post, if it is easier for you to read, share and enjoy in this format.

Well that is it for this week dear Craft Contemporary Bookmakers!

If you are able, and so inclined, email us all back and share something book-related, or anything of interest you wish.

Stay safe, stay strong, stay well

STAY CREATIVE!
In peace and hope and truth and beauty,

debra

Friday Bookmakers Inspiration! We Stand (Sit?!) Together, Making Books! (3)

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I have been honored to work with a wonderful group of “older adults” at the Craft Contemporary Museum in Los Angeles, offering a series of workshops teaching bookmaking techniques, and providing a forum for creativity, imagination, sharing and story.

The series, “Crafting Our Stories By Hand” has had to be postponed due covid19.

Therefore, I have started an email newsletter to keep our community going, offering tips, images and sharing the work these makers are doing at home while “sheltering in place”.

Sharing these newsletters as a blog post makes their contents available for any and all. It inspiring to see what these makers have done and are doing during these crazy times.

Dear Bookmakers,

I am happy to bring you images, tips, inspiration and learning for your bookmaking journey.

I hope you are all well, staying safe, and creating!

Today I will share with you:
  • More wondrous works by Sandra and Vicki
  • Samples of a “Poetry Flag Book” project in honor of April, National Poetry Month
  • A link to a  special book  “Books and Their Artists”, on sale right now through the Getty shared by CORNELIA…thank you Cornelia! I actually own this book and it  is amazing, detailed, informative and informational. See right below!
“Book in a Box” created by Vicki for her Granddaughter

Vicki says about the vertical accordion book below:
 “My dearest friend was moved deeply by this W.H. Auden poem after the death of her husband.”

Vicki says, “Hope everyone is having as much fun as I am!”

Sandra says of the next two amazing books she made:
“I am now mining materials around the house for my book making.  
So inspired by Jeannine’s (Jeannine Stein…whose books I shared in last week’s newsletter) entry using a game board, I made my first book – an acknowledgment to our collective situation.”
“For the second book I (Sandra) dismantled a photography exhibition catalog and using the packing tape transfer technique Marsha taught us in class and a little collage work, I reassembled my version of the catalog.” (Brilliant!)
Please see below some images of a “Poetry Flag Book” that a student of mine from 2012 made after our workshop at the West Hollywood Library, and gifted me with! It contains another W.H. Auden poem! which the maker used both in full, and also cut up and rearranged on the Flag pages!

Something you can try at home, to celebrate April, National Poetry Month.

Remember, you can use the online resources of the Los Angeles Public Library any time during this time.

The Public Library is THERE FOR US ALL!

Check out their LIBRARY AT HOME resources.

Well that is it for this week dear Craft Contemporary Bookmakers!

If you are able, and so inclined, email us all back and share something book-related, or plaything you wish, of interest,

Stay safe, stay strong, stay well

STAY CREATIVE!

In peace and hope and truth and beauty,
debra

Friday Bookmakers Inspiration! We Stand (Sit?!) Together, Making Books! (2)

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I have been honored to work with a wonderful group of “older adults” at the Craft Contemporary Museum in Los Angeles, offering a series of workshops teaching bookmaking techniques, and providing a forum for creativity, imagination, sharing and story.

The series, “Crafting Our Stories By Hand” has had to be postponed due covid19.

Therefore, I have started an email newsletter to keep our community going, offering tips, images and sharing the work these makers are doing at home while “sheltering in place”.

Sharing these newsletters as a blog post makes their contents available for any and all. It inspiring to see what these makers have done and are doing during these crazy times.

Dear Bookmakers,

I am happy to bring you images, tips, inspiration and learning for your bookmaking journey.

I hope you are all well, staying safe, and creating!

Today I will share with you:

  • Exciting new works and beautiful works begun in our class by Joan Fujita, by Sandra Ow-Wing, and Martha Watson. Very cool. 
  • Introduction to one of my mentors, Jeannine Stein, writer, bookmaker and teacher! Two wonderful books that could enhance your creativity and sheltering in place during this trying time:

    Re-Bound: Creating Handmade Books from Recycled and Repurposed Materials

    Adventures in Bookbinding: Handcrafting Mixed-Media Books

     
     
  • I have put our first bookmakers newsletter into the form of a blog post. If you missed it, please click here.
I have attached images of Joan’s, Sandra’s, and Martha’s beautiful and unique books below, but you can also see them here:
Joan’s layered and textural Single Signature books, working beautifully with textiles:
Sandra’s unique accordion fold book with pockets:
 
 
Sandra’s amazing side bound book inspired by the artist John Baldasarri’s “dots on faces” work:

 

Emotional and evocative Flag Book by Martha:

Well that is it for this week dear Craft Contemporary Bookmakers!

If you are able, and so inclined, email us all back and share something book-related, or plaything you wish, of interest,

Stay safe, stay strong, stay well

STAY CREATIVE!

In peace and hope and truth and beauty,
debra

 

Friday Bookmakers Inspiration! We Stand (Sit?!) Together, Making Books! (1)

By

I have been honored to work with a wonderful group of “older adults” at the Craft Contemporary Museum in Los Angeles, offering a series of workshops teaching bookmaking techniques, and providing a forum for creativity, imagination, sharing and story.

The series, “Crafting Our Stories By Hand” has had to be postponed due covid19.

Therefore, I have started an email newsletter to keep our community going, offering tips, images and sharing the work these makers are doing at home while “sheltering in place”.

Sharing these newsletters as a blog post makes their contents available for any and all. It inspiring to see what these makers have done and are doing during these crazy times.

Enjoy!

Dear Bookmakers,

I am happy to bring you images, tips, inspiration and learning for your bookmaking journey.

I hope you are all well, staying safe, and creating!

Today I will share with you:

  • A simple “pocketed” accordion book structure, into which you can keep recipes, poems, notes to yourself, keepsakes, photos,
  • Inspiration for creating “altered books”, for yourself or fun with the whole family, 
  • Images shared by some of our students of amazing books they have created at home!

Joan also sent some beautiful images of exquisite books she has completed at home, and I hope she gives me permission to share them!

To create a simple accordion fold book with pockets, simply add another fold!


Fold the accordion as you did in class in creating your accordion fold books, then unfold, and fold the pocket up from the bottom.

You will have to really sharpen those folds to make the accordion open and close easily. Then just add your covers, and you are ready to fill your pockets!

Take a look at these “altered books” I photographed while visiting the Long Beach Museum of Art!

 

School children added paint, drawing, writing and collage to existing books, to create their own stories! Great project to do on your own, or suggest to the families and children in your lives! Use an old, discarded or out of date textbook, or replaceable paperback you have already read. Fun!

Finally, please enjoy these wonderful books created by three of our illustrious bookmakers:

Well that is it for this week dear Craft Contemporary Bookmakers!

If you are able, and so inclined, email us all back and share something book-related, or plaything you wish, of interest,

Stay safe, stay strong, stay well

STAY CREATIVE!

In peace and hope and truth and beauty,
debra

Making Journals at the Granada Hills Branch Library

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It was a pleasure to lead a “journal-making” workshop/program at the Granada Hills Branch Library as part of my Artist Residency there, supported by the wonderful Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

Who knew creating a journal, traditionally a place to record daily thoughts, ideas, activities, fears, concerns, dreams and wishes would be so salient?


Families joined together to learn how to fold a “signature” (gathering of folded pages),


glue cover and spine boards to white-prepped canvas to create the book structure and “house” the pages,


then sew the signature  into the book through the spine using durable, earthy  hemp cord.


Having exerted this labor to create their book structure,  participants had the glorious pleasure of developing and embellishing their journals with decorative papers, washi tape, markers, beads, and other collage materials. The canvas book covering, functioning as a book cloth is a wonderful surface for painting, stamping, printmaking, stenciling and any other wet or dry media.

May journaling help all and any through this very difficult time we are in.
Journal on!

Feeding our Souls: Making Recipe Books at the Granada Hills Branch Library

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As part of my Artist Residency at the Granada Hills Branch Library supported by the wonderful Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, I led a “Recipe Book” workshop for the community, showing participants how to create an accordion-fold book with pockets to hold treasured recipes old and new.
Families and participants of various ages joined us, and make beautiful, whimsical and striking books
   
So much fun to see the makers show and share their creations!
 
 
Absolutely beautiful! 

From the Outside In: Artist Residency Culmination at the Sunland-Tujunga Library

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I have been honored to be an Artist-in-Residence at the Sunland-Tujunga Library, supported by the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, conducting a series of bookmaking workshops for the community. As part of this Residency, I conducted two workshops at Verdugo Hills High School, for Freshman VAPA (Visual and Performing Arts Magnet) students.

I taught the fun and fascinating flag book structure, and the stellar English VAPA teacher Mrs. Leserman worked with the students in class between the workshops to develop their books.

To connect the project with her VAPA English Curriculum which included the study of J.D. Salinger‘s Catcher in the Rye,  she had the students develop the outsides of their books to reflect the ways they felt they were being seen, and how they wanted to be seen by the outside world, and then directed them to develop the inside flag pages to express how they actually felt on the inside.

On February 15th, we held a Residency Culmination event at the Library, featuring the  VAPA students OUTSIDE-INSIDE flag books. Viewers were intrigued and moved to see these revelatory books, which shared so much about their makers. Expressive, brave, unique,m beautiful, these works offer a glimpse into what it is to be a freshman in High School today.

Bravo.

 

Indeed.

Sunland-Tujunga: Artist Residency Culmination Event!

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I have been honored to be an Artist-in-Residence at the Sunland-Tujunga Library, supported by the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, conducting a series of bookmaking workshops for the community. As part of this Residency, I conducted two workshops at Verdugo Hills High School, for Freshman VAPA (Visual and Performing Arts Magnet) English students.

On February 15th, we held a Residency Culmination event at the Library, complete with bookmaking activities, refreshments, and an exhibition of hand-made books created by adults participating in the Library’s “Wide Open Reading” group, and VAPA students.

We had a blast!


Three bookmaking projects were running in the Community Room.


Mother and Daughter work side by side.


A member of the Library’s “Wide Open Reading” group stands by her handmade book.


Patiently creating detail with tiny butterfly shapes.


Another Mom and Daughter team…artists working together.


Young adult artist proudly shares her creations.

Young artist from the VAPA (Visual and Performing Arts) magnet at neighboring Verdugo Hills High School and her flag book created in a two workshop series held in her freshman VAPA English class. The books contrasted how students wanted to present themselves and how they felt they were perceived on the outside (exterior book covers) with how they feel on the inside- the flag pages).

It has been very moving to see makers create and share works which reveal them on various levels.

Gratitudes!

From the Inside Out

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I have been honored to be an Artist-in-Residence at the Sunland-Tujunga Library, supported by the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, conducting a series of bookmaking workshops for the community. As part of this Residency, I conducted two workshops at Verdugo Hills High School, for Freshman VAPA (Visual and Performing Arts Magnet) students.

I taught the flag book structure, and the stellar English VAPA teacher Mrs. Leserman worked with the students in class between the workshops to develop their books.

To connect the project with her VAPA English Curriculum which included the study of J.D. Salinger‘s Catcher in the Rye,  she had the students develop the outsides of their books to reflect the ways they felt they were being seen, and how they wanted to be seen by the outside world, and then directed them to develop the inside flag pages to express how they actually felt on the inside.

The results were both moving and stunning.

Wide Open Bookmaking

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I have been honored to be an Artist-in-Residence at the Sunland-Tujunga Library, supported by the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, conducting a series of bookmaking workshops for the community.

It was great fun to lead a bookmaking workshop in early February for a group that meets at the Library called, “Wide Open Reading”. What a wonderful-sounding activity!

Participants came together to create single signature sewn books, with pockets created by an “inner cover” or casing, and glued on covers. A

A creative time was had by all!

Participants learned about signatures (a gathering of folded pages that comprise the text block of a traditional western style codex book structure),

and sewed signatures that had been prepared for them into an inner cover, with folded pockets.

They then had a blast using all kinds of materials to develop, embellish and adorn their inside and outside covers, and even a few pages!

Camaraderie and interaction among the group is a big part of the fun.

And, of course, pride in the final (or not so final) “product”.

Wide Open Reading deserves wide open bookmaking, and the makers certainly achieved this.

Bravo!

Accordions, Books and Stories at the Sunland-Tujunga Branch Library

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I am honored to be an Artist-in-Residence at the Sunland-Tujunga Library, supported by the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, conducting a series of bookmaking workshops for the community.

To kick off the new year and decade, I taught an accordion fold book with pockets workshop, and engaged families and individuals in creating their own books to hold memories, hopes, dreams, wishes and other treasures.


Participants folded prepared pastel paper into accordion pages and pockets.


and added covers, then developed content, embellished and decorated!


One young maker created a highly developed work telling the story of Little Red Riding Hood, in her own way.


Complete with text and illustrations.


Don’t forget the jewels!

Treasures to hold treasures to last a lifetime….

Happy 2020!

Seeing 2020: Making a Calendar at the Granada Hills Library Part II

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As part of my Artist Residency at the Granada Hills Branch Library supported by the wonderful Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs,  we welcomed a new year and new decade with a calendar-making program!
Using an Asian-style side stab binding stitch, participants sewed their calendar pages between a front cover made of watercolor paper to allow it to bend, and thus open, and  a back cover made of board, to keep the calendar pages from bending.
Once they had completed the labor of putting the pieces together, the proud makers proceeded to embellish their creations with zeal!

Teen Council members served as assistants, and participants! We were so lucky to have them.

In a digitized world, working with our hands becomes even more precious.
Mom looks on….
.
Mom participates!
Grandma gets into the act!
A family of sisters.
A family of makers.
 
Caring and devoted Children’s Librarian Stephanie encourages a happy family to proudly share their calendars with the camera.
2020 is off to a good start.
Happy New Decade!

Seeing 2020: Making a Calendar at the Granada Hills Library Part I

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As part of my Artist Residency at the Granada Hills Branch Library supported by the wonderful Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs,  we welcomed a new year and new decade with a calendar-making program!

Participants sewed together their calendar pages between front and back cover, and proceeded to embellish their creations with zeal!


Some ambitious participants covered their covers in decorative papers before binding!


inside and


outside cover designs.


We were blessed with a great group of teens that both assisted and participated in the making process.


Mother and Daughter work together creating their calendars step by step.


When the calendars were bound, participants were encouraged to add  content to the reverse of each page and add highlight each month’s special dates.


Nothing could surpass the glorious adornment of the front covers (made of watercolor paper), a celebration of materials in a riot of color, pattern and texture.


Some of our wonderful and industrious teen helpers from the Library Teen Council took it upon themselves to sort through all the binding cords and arrange them by color. WOW. Not even I have ever had the patience to do that! Thank you!


The caring and devoted Children’s librarian Stephanie encourages a happy family to share their calendars with the camera and be proud!
So were we all.
Happy 2020!

Making Books Together at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art!

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Join us and learn to make a “folded fan” book at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art,
inspired by the amazing work and colorful and evocative sketchbooks of artist Betye Saar, in her exhibition

 Betye Saar: Call and Response currently on display at the Museum.

For the Whole Family!

Details:
One Day Workshop: BOOKMAKING

Inspired by the Sketchbooks of Betye Saar!
Family Class: Ages 8+ | Saturday, February 1, 2020 | 9 am–12 pm
Family members create side-by-side or collaborate together in this inter-generational class

With teaching artist Debra Disman

Exhibitionista: 2020 LA Open

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I am honored to be part of the 2020 LA OPEN Exhibition at Tag Gallery in Los Angeles,  juried by Juri Koll.

2020 LA OPEN

December 17 – December 21, 2019
January 2 – January 17, 2020

TAG Gallery is proud to announce the 3rd annual LA Open Exhibition for 2020! This juried exhibition aims to serve as a gateway for a diverse range of artists in the greater Los Angeles area to display their artworks on Museum Row, home to four major Los Angeles museums.

TAG’s calendar year commences with this vibrant exhibition of works by local artists. The focus of this exhibition is to illustrate that artists are strong and impactful when they come together to facilitate dialogue amongst varied styles of works. To this end, the viewer and artist alike are encouraged to make unapparent connections between works in an effort to facilitate an intimate and unique experience for each viewer.

I am showing “Torrent and Tangle: Keep Your House in Order”, 2019, 10.5 x 25 x 18”, mixed media

Check out this fun and varied show soon if you can. It closes January 17, so hurry over to TAG!

Exhibitionista: The Artful Book…revisited

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 The Artful Book show at the Long Beach Museum of Art, Long Beach, CA just closed.

What a great experience to be part of it.

Tour the exhibition!

It happened October 4, 2019 – January 5, 2020

I was honored to show three pieces, and be in the company of stellar book artists.

“Today, artists who work in the Book Arts create fine and design bindings, fine press and letterpress editions, calligraphy, broadsides, handmade paper, and artist books. Visitors to The Artful Book will see outstanding contemporary examples of the Book Arts created by members of the California Chapter of the Guild of Book Workers. From finely crafted and superbly designed limited edition books to one-of-a-kind sculptural art objects, these artists let their imaginations soar and put their skills in the service of one of man’s best creations, the book….” —The Artful Book

The Artful Book will be remembered.

Drawing Spirit Drawing

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Looking back on still relevant drawings….

Although these drawings/mixed media works were done over 20 years ago, I am still looking at them, and they relate to my current work as regards to texture, palette, and the themes of energy, transformation, new media/materials and mixed media,. They feel very related to the work I am doing now. I currently work in the form of the book, in forms inspired by the book, and in new sculptural media of my own devising. Although the work remains tethered to loose definitions of the book as structure, it is moving progressively into other sculptural and conceptual realms where labor, repetition and a passion for the haptic become powerful motivators and themes.

“Fertile World“, 1994, ink/colored pencil, 15 x 11”

“Insert With Care“, 1994, acrylic/collage/mixed media, 5 x 7”

“Pound With Energy“, 1994, ball point pen/collage/mixed media, 11.25 x 4.25 x 1.5”

 

Making Books Together: Creating Folded Fan Books at the Platt Library

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A glorious time was had as families gathered at the Platt Branch Library to create folded fan books together!

The program was designed for children, and families turned out en mass!

Grandparents got into the act!

Working on unique projects, together.

One of the things I love in conducting these programs is the opportunity for parents to have the opportunity to work with their hands alongside their children.

It is amazing how often makers choose colors that they are wearing to put into their work. Was this little fellow influenced by his Superman tee?!

Contemplative siblings focus in on their projects.

All that glitters,

is good!

Working together, but always working. A parent’s job is never done.

This beautiful family with twin daughters hunkered down and created with great joy and gusto.

Encouragement….

Layers of color, texture, pattern and materials created ravishing results.

The “pièce de résistance“….a masterwork of creativity by this proud young maker. Using foam beads he built onto his cover, creating another level of dimensionality, fun, and…intrigue?

Of course!

Books and Cookies

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I am honored to be an Artist-in-Residence at the Sunland-Tujunga Library, supported by the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, conducting a series of bookmaking workshops for the community.

In celebration of the holiday spirit, I taught participants to create the fun and useful “envelope book”, which can indeed be sent through the mail! The envelope book can be used as a book and/or a card, and is an engaging project for the whole family.

The wonderful Children’s librarian Kirsten Xavier laid out cookies, making the whole experience that much sweeter, and adding to the festive atmosphere.


Mother and son work side by side, creating their envelope covers, and adding their folded accordion pages.


Cookies, a butterfly hole puncher and golden swirls, what could be better?! A green marker?!


Families worked together and devoted parents got a chance to create in tandem with their children.

Now that’s the holiday spirit!

All that Glitters….

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As part of my Artist Residency at the Granada Hills Branch Library supported by the wonderful Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs,  I led a “gift bookmaking” program for the community.

As we found out, all that glitters may not be gold, but shiny stuff can be really fun to work with and inspire us to add a jewel-like quality to our handmade books.

Adults and children and teens/tweens alike enjoyed cutting out shapes from shiny, glittery adhesive-backed sheets!

The primary colors of red, yellow and blue never get old, especially when there is a glittery twist!

A very talented young maker created a “jewel”-studded book!

And he is a radiant Jewel himself…look at that 1000 watt smile!

A young reader tried  his hand a t bookmaking, cheered on my his Mom.

 

Here are his younger brother’s very seasonal works.

The fruits of their labor.

 

Participants made their way through the inevitable tangle of colorful ribbon to choose and use pieces to enhance their works.

Ribbon of wonders, just like the participants and their bookish creations!

 

Exhibitionista: Fresh Art

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Fresh Art

November 7  – November 30 , 2019

I was excited to participate in the exhibition “FRESH ART” juried by Donna Seager of
Seager/Gray Gallery, Mill Valley, CA. Donna is known to show Artists’ Books, and is a supporter of the form.
A native of New Orleans, Donna Seager’s education was at the University of Texas where she received her degree in Art History and English. She began in the art business in 1978, working in galleries in New Orleans and was the director of the Marlborough Gallery in Boston before moving to California in 1989. In 2001, she partnered with Suzanne Gray to form Seager/Gray Gallery in Mill Valley, now a cornerstone of the Marin arts community. Donna Seager has distinguished herself for her discerning eye and commitment to the arts. She has served on the board of the San Francisco Art Dealers’ Association and the San Francisco Center for the Book and is currently a member of the Marin County Cultural Commission.  Seagergray.com.

Tour the Show!

“How do you define “Fresh Art”? Something new and different, new to one’s experience, not encountered before, or a new approach to your art. Artwork that is forward or bold, expressive, engaging, stimulating, creative, infused with imagination….”

I showed “Maximum Security”, a mixed media, sculptural Artists’ Book, pictured below.

And though I could not make it to the Opening, I appreciate dear Marin/Sonoma Bay Area friends who did…Laurelyn and Dianna, Thank you!

 

 

 

Making Books Together with CREST Enrichment 2

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Working with children ages 5-10 in the CREST Enrichment Program, teaching them how to create books!

After school, in the Santa Monica Public Schools, children are enriched with sports, homework help, science, technology, language study, and the arts of course!

Here Kindergarten through fifth grade students at John Muir / SMASH Elementary Schools in Santa Monica share and celebrate the accordion and folded fan books they have created with their peers.

      

So. Much. Fun.

And A lot of Learning Too!

Making Books Together with CREST Enrichment 1

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Working with children ages 5-10 in the CREST Enrichment Program, teaching them how to create books!

After school, in the Santa Monica Public Schools, children are enriched with sports, homework help, science, technology, language study, and the arts of course!

Here students at Edison Language Academy in Santa Monica share and celebrate the folded fan books they have created with their peers.

 

So. Much. Fun!

And A Lot of Learning too!

Exhibitionista: “Book and Paper Arts”

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I wish I could see this show!
I am honored to be included.


Downtown Gallery
102 N Main St. , IN
Kokomo, IN 46901 United States + Google Map
Phone: 765-455-9426

The juror is Anita Garza (b.1959, Chicago, USA) is a multidisciplinary artist and writer, who works with handmade paper, photography, collage, found objects, assemblage and handmade books. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in art and creative non-fiction writing, and an MFA in Interdisciplinary Book and Paper Arts. She has exhibited work internationally and is published in limited edition journals. She served as Assistant Director and Director of Community Programs at the Center for Book and Paper Arts, at Columbia College Chicago.  Her latest work with organic material binds nature and the material world into disparate, yet symbiotic relationships. Her work is playful, quirky, whimsical and curious or abruptly turns into a vexing, literal statement—provoking introspection and contemplation. She serves as art editor for the international literary and arts journal, Burningword.

I am showing “BedTime Story“, visible below under the “dc” logo, to the right!

Image may contain: indoor
The piece features tiny clay faces made by my Mom, Judy Disman.

The work in the show looks stunning.

Gratitudes!

Tierra Del Sol at the Sunland-Tujunga Library

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A group of makers from Tierra Del Sol visited the Sunland-Tujunga Library, and participated in a flag bookmaking workshop as part of my artist residency there, supported by the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

It was an honor to work with these participants!

 

 

Raising our Flags at the Sunland-Tujunga Library!

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Continuing my 2019-20 Artist Residency at the Sunland-Tujunga Library, supported by the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, I led a  Bookmaking program, for teens, the winning, fun, wild and versatile Flag Book!

In addition to teens, families attended as well, and learned to fold an accordion spine, attach covers to it, and add the flag pages to create a pattern that created all kinds of options for text and visuals.


Color choices are one of the first ways the young makers express themselves.


Students from the nearby Verdugo Hills High School shared that the artmaking was a welcome break from academic pressures.

Great use of magazine text and letters.

Celebrating “STEAM VHHS” (STEAM is an educational approach to learning that uses Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics as access points for guiding student inquiry, dialogue, and critical thinking, VHHS is Verdugo Hills High School).

So glad the Arts are in there! All of these disciplines must work together if we are to move ahead in this World!

MANGA Love at the Granada Hills Branch Library

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A workshop designed for teens turned into a family and community affair, at the Granada Hills Branch Library.

As part of my Artist Residency at the Library, supported by the wonderful Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs,  we held a Flag Bookmaking program with a Manga comics theme. In addition to teens, families and makers of all ages attended, creating wild and wonderful “Manga” Flag Books!


Father and son work closely together, collaborating on a radiant red book.


This brilliant young maker was amused to realize that he was using the same colors in his very cool book as he was wearing!


Sister and brother work side by side. Getting along…in the moment of making.


This wonderful woman has a attended numerous workshops, and is becoming quite the bookmaker!


Three unrelated generations of makers, working together in an atmosphere of collective creativity.


A mother with her two daughters takes advantage of Library offerings.


Makers’ hands.


A measured smile from a teen assistant and maker…using color to tell as story in her book.

Using the popularity of Manga and the arresting structure of the flag book as a means of engagement, participants worked together as a community on their individual projects, learning, enjoying and sharing all at the same time.

Does it get any better than that?

Take Another Look: Making Photo Albums at the Granada Hills Library

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To kick off my 2019-20 Artist Residency at the Granada Hills Public  Library, supported by the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, I led a bookmaking program in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, where participants learned to make their own photo album.

 

Participants bound together a single signature (gathering of folded pages) into a binding composed of a tag board sheet folded both horizontally (to create a pocket on either side) and vertically (to create the body of the cover structure and hold the signature), then added stiffer more durable boards on either side to strengthen the covers. They sewed the components together using the pamphlet stitch and ribbon, using enough ribbon so that the ends would be long enough to tie the book closed if they wished.


Mothers and daughter created side by side and shared their work.


As did Mothers and sons,


and the whole family!


Our teen helpers got into the act too…..


and had a blast…

Pride of Book!

Fanning the Creative Flame: Making Folded Fan Books

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To kick off my 2019-20 Artist Residency at the Sunland-Tujunga Library, supported by the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, I led a Children’s Bookmaking program, where participants and their families learned the art of “Folded Fan Books”.

The folded fan book is comprised of an accordion spine, two covers and pages glued onto one side of each fold of the spine, to create a fanning out effect when the book is opened.

Over twenty participants joined us: children with parents, siblings and friends, supported by a library volunteer and the stupendous Sunland Tujunga Children’s Librarian, Kirsten, or “Ms. K”, as she is affectionately called.


Children enjoyed writing in and illustrating their books, whether in known or created language.


We were thrilled to see that hardworking parents got into into the act too, and enjoyed some creative time. It is common for makers to use the same or similar colors to what they are wearing.

 
Mothers and daughters worked side by side.

Creativity is a dish beautifully served up in community…

Exhibitionista: “The Artful Book” xxxooo

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The Artful Book Exhibition just opened at The Long Beach Museum of Art.

It is an exciting exhibition that among other things aims also to educate the public about the nature and role and diversity of book arts in the present day.

Tour the exhibition!

The video provides a fascinating glimpse into the displayed works.  One of the challenges of showing work that is in book form is how to share all its surfaces, spaces, elements and facets. Most of the works in the show are under cases. One is accompanied by a pair of white gloves for viewers to don and turn its pages. One hangs from the ceiling, and others are on the wall.

My beloved Mark Henry Samuel,  enjoying a well-deserved moment, after an intense drive through Friday night rush our traffic from Santa Monica to Long Beach. What a gorgeous night!

Wonderful to see mentor, colleague, teach and friend,  Sue Ann Robinson, Curator Emerita of the LBMA, and devoted member of the California Chapter of the Guild of BookWorkers


Love this broadside by Jean Gillingwators.


Sue Ann’s great work Chisholm Hours.


Great to see Andres Payan Estrada, Curator of Public Engagement at the LA jewel, Craft Contemporary.

Proud to show and share my work in this beautiful venue alongside wondrous artists and makers and lovers of the Book,
in all its forms.

Gratitudes.

Exhibitionista: on “Brand”

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So thrilled to be part of the Brand Library and Art Center‘s Brand 47 Works On Paper show, current iteration of this concept.

Juried by Alma Ruiz, former curator at MOCA.

I showed Burning Bush, 2018, 7.5 x 11 x 5.5″, board, sewing thread, mulberry paper, linen thread

 

Gratitudes.

Exhibitionista: “All Stitched up” with everywhere to go…

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Thank you to my sister Susan, for attending the opening of the “All Stitched Up” show in the Collins Library at the University of Puget Sound, on September 14th. Too far for me to travel in this moment, especially as were driving back from the Bay Area at that time!

“To stitch is to join together, to mend, or fasten as with stitches – to sew. To stitch is to bring together fabric, paper, wounds of the body, or cultural divides. Stitching can be an act of healing, hope, practicality, creativity, and revolution. All Stitched Up recognizes and celebrates the work of book artists’ where stitching has become an integral part of the visual design.” — Curators Catherine Alice Michaelis, Jane A. Carlin, and Diana Weymar  

Susan took some great pictures, which is critical, as artist books, indeed, any kind of book, is challenging to display, being composed of so many different parts, all of which cannot be seen at the same time. Such is the magic and mystery of this old technology, the book.

Judging from this shelf, the show was themed in different ways, including color and materials.

Hey Susan…thank you! (Great haircut too…)

Susan even took a shot of my page in the catalog. Cool!  I ordered the catalog, a great effort put together by Curator Catherine Alice Michaelis.  Great way to support the show and celebrate the works it brought together.

Gratitudes!

Sharing Shows: ARTISTS WHO TEACH

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I am excited and honored to be included in a number of current and upcoming shows across the US, and will be sharing about them in blog form, as well as in the EVENTS section of my website, as a way of further describing and chronicling my practice, honoring colleagues, and sharing gratitude for these opportunities and the people, organizations and institutions that make them happen.

I am thrilled to be a part of:

ARTISTS WHO TEACH

A National Juried Exhibition Celebrating Visual Art Educators.  This exhibition presented at several sites and includes lectures, workshops and events celebrating art educators.

Presented at:

Ellington-White Contemporary 113 Gillespie Street, Fayetteville, NC 28301
and
Fayetteville State University Rosenthal Art Gallery

September 14 – November 2, 2019

National Art Education Week is September 8 – 14th

As part of an ongoing commitment to promote the visual arts. Ellington-White Contemporary Gallery (EWCG)   showcases the arts as an essential part of a complete education, whether in home, school, or community. Students of all ages—from kindergarten to college to creative aging programs—benefit from artistic learning, innovative thinking, and creativity.

Celebrating National Arts in Education Week with this national exhibition is a way to recognize the impact of visual arts and share the message “that the Arts matter” with friends, family, and communities. During this week, the field of arts education joins together in communities across the country to tell the story of the impact of the transformative power of the arts in education. Celebrating National Arts in Education Week with this national exhibition is a way to recognize the impact of the visual arts and share the message “that the Arts matter” .

Through this exhibition, Ellington-White Contemporary Gallery celebrates,  advocates, and  brings attention to the cause of art education.

Here here!

I am showing “WINDOW TREATMENT“
2018
Sculptural Artists Book / mixed media: book board, file folders, hemp cord, assorted papers and cardstock, paint, wax

The piece is comprised of an accordion spine, front and back covers, and “flag” pocket pages through which cords are sewn, stitched, and threaded. The surfaces have been textured with torn and crushed papers, painted, and waxed.


Front Cover Exterior, closed


Interior, open


Exterior, open

“Offal” is not so Awful

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I am thrilled to be included in the current exhibition at the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, OFFAL

https://www.lamag.org/portfolio_page/offal/

Thank you Steven Wong, Curator, for putting this together.

Thank you Brianna Bakke, Assistant Curator, for your writing.

And, thank you to the whole curatorial and installation staff and any volunteers, for creating such a beautiful, immersive display of all the works.  “Throes of the Body” has never been lit like this before, and it made all the difference.

The detail of the piece could really be seen,

and made accessible to the viewers.

Gratitudes!

Fairy Tales…Make Your Own Books

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It was a gift to be able to work with students every day for five weeks this past summer, and introduce them to the book arts as well as other media. As a teaching artist, we often only see students once a week, so to be able to watch them learn and grow on a daily basis was a thrill!


Surrounded by scads of art supplies, tools and materials, 5-6 year old students in our “Fairy Tales” and “Make Your own Books” classes had an ideal situation for creating!


This outstandingly creative young student in “Make Your Own Books” certainly did just that, using her flag book to try out all kinds of drawing and painting media while exploring color, shape, line and texture.


Each flag page held a different combination of media, including acrylic and watercolor paints, pastels, crayons and markers.


Students created books large and small, including tiny ones that would fit in a (albeit rather large) matchbox!


Mixed media reigned supreme, such as combining letter stickers with markers and paint pens.


Oops! Markers on the project, not on your fingers!


Making and embellishing file folder portfolios was our first project. Some students created so many books they made a second portfolio to hold them!

A brilliantly bookish and imaginatively magical time was had by all!
Goodbye summer program, until next year!

Children Create Unique Handmade Books

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It was a gift to be able to work with students every day for five weeks this past summer, and introduce them to the book arts as well as other media. As a teaching artist, we often only see students once a week, so to be able to watch them learn and grow on a daily basis was a thrill!

In our “Creating Unique Handmade Books” class, students aged 6-8 learned and created a variety of book structures while exploring all sorts of materials. They learned about folding, gluing, sewing, and book structures including accordion, single signature, flag book, and side binding.

At the end of our time together, parents were invited to celebrate their bookish achievements, and a good time was had by all!


We used a wide variety of materials to create our books, including all sorts of papers, ribbon, stickers, washi tapes, feathers, glues, drawing and writing tools and more!


The accordion or concertina fold is primary in many bookmaking structures. Students learned this process then applied it to several projects.


Our wonderful TA wrote personal notes to all the students!


Single signature (a gathering of pages sewn together through the fold) structures were fun for the students to create, because they looked to them like “real” books.


We invited families to join us the second to last day of class to see all the students had created.


This student adores pattern and collage and had an impressive array of books featuring these by the end of our class session.


Mother and daughter peruse her handmade books together.


A young student shines as she shares her accordion-folded and flag books with her parents.


Sharing books with Dad…this student created so many books he made a second portfolio to hold them all!

It was hard to say goodbye after such storied adventures this summer, but it is my hope that these students will continue to exercise their imaginations as they make books and develop their skills and creativity.
They are well on their way!

Inspired By Great Artists: Keeping the Faith

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One of the Great Artists my students were inspired by this past summer was the amazing Faith Ringgold, inventor of the “Story Quilt“.

Inspired by Faith, students created a “quilt” through the combination of felt, textiles, fabric and painting on canvass, embellished with buttons, “pom poms”, ribbon and more, then painted borders to add to their quilts.

As a side project, some students created painted compositions using their names. It was fascinating to see that they used the same color combinations in both.

Our End of Class Show…a line-up of Faith Ringgold-inspired textile collages

Students had their own “color stories” as well, which repeated throughout their works.

The students employed a variety of materials in create an impressive amount of detail.

 

The students, all girls aged 9-11, seemed to pour their hearts into this project, working on it for twice the time planned.

Inspiring!

“Building A World” together

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Working in cardboard, wood, re-purposed materials and both found and decorative objects, my 2nd and grade “Building a World” students this summer created places and spaces of fantasy, invention and wonder. Worlds indeed! Here the “high” and “low” of materiality and culture collide, mix, match, dialogue, integrate and buttress up against each other in energized ways that only the imaginations of children could conjure up. A visual feast!

Collaboration, consideration, connection and creativity…we had it all this summer and more.

An inCREDIBLE experience.

The Art of The Book: Ages 11-14

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It was a rich and fascinating experience to work with 11-14 year olds in creating books this summer…in our class, “The Art of the Book“.

I had the opportunity to work with students every day for an hour, for 5 weeks straight, and it was joy!


Our 14 year old maker…loves PINK!


Flag book extraordinaire!


Pink accents painted on illustrations taken from book being altered.


Beautiful marbling work done on watercolor paper cover of this 11 year old maker’s side-bound book.

This same 11 year old (going into 6th grade) is an amazing painter, self-taught to some extent.


She spontaneously decided she would create this astounding painting on her multi-colored accordion fold book with terrific results.
Students created their own “book cloths” through painting with acrylic on canvas, and using it as a binding for their single signature books, done with real book board.

To teach this class was a real treat. I will be perusing these images, and pondering over what the students created for a long time to come…

Gratitudes!

Sharing Shows 5: “THE ARTFUL BOOK”

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I am excited and honored to be included in a number of current and upcoming shows across the US, and will be sharing about them in blog form, as well as in the EVENTS section of my website, as a way of further describing and chronicling my practice, honoring colleagues, and sharing gratitude for these opportunities and the people, organizations and institutions that make them happen. Shout out to ElonSchoenholz, Photographer extraordinaire who took the photographs below of “Profusion“, which will be shown in:

“The Artful Book”
California Chapter of the Guild of Book Workers Member Exhibit
Long Beach Museum of Art, Long Beach, CA

The Artful Book
October 4, 2019 – January 5, 2020
“Today, artists who work in the Book Arts create fine and design bindings, fine press and letterpress editions, calligraphy, broadsides, handmade paper, and artist books. Visitors to The Artful Book will see outstanding contemporary examples of the Book Arts created by members of the California Chapter of the Guild of Book Workers. From finely crafted and superbly designed limited edition books to one-of-a-kind sculptural art objects, these artists let their imaginations soar and put their skills in the service of one of man’s best creations, the book. The Artful Book exhibition and related programming are made possible by lead support from The Kenneth T. and Eileen L. Norris Foundation with additional generous support from the Bess J. Hodges Foundation.”

I will be showing three pieces:

Profusion
2018
8.75″ x 24.5″ x 7.75″
Bookboard, canvas, hemp cord, mulberry paper

In The Thicket of It 
2018
18″ x 30″ x 23″
Book board, canvas, acrylic paint, hemp cord, mulberry paper, wood

Falling
2019
11″ x 23″ x 7.5″
Bookboard, canvas,  hemp cord, mulberry paper

The Long Beach Museum of Art is a wondrous place by the sea..with a beautiful garden featuring a water sculpture by Claire Falkenstein Structure and Flow.

See you there!

Sharing Shows 4: “THE BOOK AS ART: WONDERS”

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I am excited and honored to be included in a number of current and upcoming shows across the US, and will be sharing about them in blog form, as well as in the EVENTS  section of my website, as a way of further describing and chronicling my practice, honoring colleagues, and sharing gratitude for these opportunities and the people, organizations and institutions that make them happen. Shout out to Elon Schoenholz, Photographer extraordinaire who took the photographs below of “The Fall“, which will be shown in:

The Book as Art v. 7.0: Wonders
Presented by the Decatur Arts Alliance
Decatur, Georgia

August 9–September 27, 2019

The Decatur Arts Alliance (DAA) presents the seventh edition of the juried exhibition of artists’ books, The Book as Art, August 9–September 27, 2019. This edition will be installed once again at the Decatur Branch of the DeKalb County Public Library.  The show’s dates encompass the AJC-Decatur Book Festival, which takes place each Labor Day weekend throughout the City of Decatur. The DAA will sponsor a festive opening on Friday, August 23, 2019.

“A book begins as a small mass of material, formed and pressed into life by ideas, words, and machines. A concept becomes thought, becomes word, becomes book, becomes sculpture. From the tactile complexity of handmade paper, to the alteration of existing volumes, to a variety of other materials and concepts, these objects, in an increasingly digital world, stubbornly survive. The objects in this exhibition will interpret the concept of the book and invite the viewer to look beyond the printed page to where word has become form.”

The Book as Art v. 7.0: Wonders’ location at the Decatur Branch of the DeKalb County Public Library is just off the Decatur Square, ideally accessible to the more than 85,000 attendees at the Festival as well as to visitors throughout the run of the show.

The Jurors:

Denise Bookwalter works in a range of print media including traditional and digital processes, artist’s books, installations and dimensional prints. Her artist’s books utilize old and new print technologies to create collaborative works. Her work has been exhibited and collected in a variety of venues across the country and abroad. She received her BA from Northwestern University and her MFA from Indiana University in Printmaking. Bookwalter currently lives in Tallahassee, Florida with her husband and twin girls. She is an Associate Professor of Art at Florida State University where she teaches printmaking and is Area Head of the Printmaking Department. She is the director and founder of Florida State University’s artists’ book press, Small Craft Advisory Press.

Mari Eckstein Gower is an artist and writer with a studio practice in Redmond, Washington, where she currently focuses on creating one of a kind and editioned artist books. She grew up in Southern California and studied art and humanities at Scripps College and Claremont Graduate University. Later she continued her studies of printmaking techniques at ateliers in Montreal and then writing with Al Young, Bruce Coville, Jane Yolen, and Ursula K. Leguin. Gower’s artist books are included in collections across the United States and Canada. Her work has been exhibited in gallery and museum shows in the United States and Europe.

Andrew Huot is a book artist and bookbinder in Atlanta, Georgia. He operates Big River Bindery, a studio for bookmaking and letterpress printing, book repair, and design. He has a Masters in Book Arts from the University of the Arts, teaches bookbinding and preservation for the University of Illinois, and workshops in his bindery and across the country. He exhibits his work widely and it is held in more than 50 university library collections. His artwork takes his everyday life and uses the patterns, lines, and shapes to create work that is playful and strikes a familiar cord with viewers.

The Book as Art v. 7.0: Wonders’  location at the Decatur Branch of the DeKalb County Public Library is just off the Decatur Square, ideally accessible to the more than 85,000 attendees at the Festival as well as to visitors throughout the run of the show.

“The Fall“, 2019
7″ x 24.5″ x 10.5″
Book board, hemp cord, mulberry paper, paperboard, canvas

The Book As Art…The Book Is Art.

Hanging in Hawthorne

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I was honored to conduct a bookmaking program for children and families at the
 Hawthorne Library

We made flag books.
Numerous families joined us, and a grand time was had by all…


What will this maker say, with their work, letters, design?


Mothers, grandmothers, friends, and daughters.


Lovely lady line-up!


Sons and Brothers


Families and friends worked together.


Proud maker.


Mother and Daughter.

The devotion and commitment of these families of makers, in their family, friendships and making was just stunning.

Sharing Shows 3: “BRAND 47”

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I am excited and honored to be included in a number of current and upcoming shows across the US, and will be sharing about them in blog form, as well as in the EVENTS  section of my website, as a way of further describing and chronicling my practice, honoring colleagues, and sharing gratitude for these opportunities and the people, organizations and institutions that make them happen. Shout out to Bernard Wolf, Photographer extraordinaire who took the last two photographs below of “Burning Bush“,


which will be shown in:

The 47th Annual National Juried Exhibition of Works on Paper

Exhibition: September 7th – October 25th
Brand Library & Art Center
1601 West Mountain Street
Glendale, CA 91201

Brand Library & Art Center announces its 47th Annual National Juried Exhibition of Works on Paper.

This year  Alma Ruiz, an independent curator, Senior Fellow at Sotheby’s Institute of Art/Claremont Graduate University and a member of the Advisory Committee for the Cisneros Fontanals Art Foundation in Miami as our juror.

Ruiz brings a wealth of experience to Brand 47 as a former senior curator at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles who has also curated internationally in Mexico, Argentina, Israel and Guatemala. Ruiz has acted as a juror for numerous exhibitions and biennials in the United States and Latin America and is the author of numerous essays and articles.  Alma Ruiz reviewed more than 1000 submissions, of which 93 were selected for the exhibition.

Brand 47 is organized by the Associates of Brand Library & Art Center, an all-volunteer 501(c)3 non-profit that raises funds to support the extensive free and public events offered at Brand, including exhibits in the gallery, classical and popular music performances, film screenings, and dance performances. This year marks the 50th Anniversary of the Associates, a milestone which will be celebrated throughout 2019. Entry fees and sales from Brand 47 and every Annual Works on Paper Exhibition are utilized by the Associates to continue the important cultural programming that Brand Library & Art Center brings to the community.


“Burning Bush”, Interior/Open


“Burning Bush”, Exterior/Open

I am thrilled and humbled to be participating in this Brand (new for 2019) show and continuing tradition at this venerable institution of Southern California. 

 

Sharing Shows 2: “ALL STITCHED UP”

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I am excited and honored to be included in a number of current and upcoming shows across the US, and will be sharing about them in blog form, as well as in the EVENTS  section of my website, as a way of further describing and chronicling my practice, honoring colleagues, and sharing gratitude for these opportunities and the people, organizations and institutions that make them happen. Shout out to Elon Schoenholz, Photographer extraordinaire who took the photographs below of “Prairie“, which will be shown in:

All Stitched Up
An international juried book arts exhibition
September 3rd – December 11th, 2019
Collins Memorial Library University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA


Prairie, (Front Cover, Outside) 2018, 10.25″ x 45″ x 15.25″, bookboard, jute cord, watercolor paper, tissue paper


Prairie, (inside) 2018, 10.25″ x 45″ x 15.25″, bookboard, jute cord, watercolor paper, tissue paper


Prairie, (Outside) 2018, 10.25″ x 45″ x 15.25″, bookboard, jute cord, watercolor paper, tissue paper

“To stitch is to join together, to mend, or fasten as with stitches – to sew. To stitch is to bring together fabric, paper, wounds of the body, or cultural divides. Stitching can be an act of healing, hope, practicality, creativity, and revolution. All Stitched Up recognizes and celebrates the work of book artists’ where stitching has become an integral part of the visual design. Curators Catherine Alice Michaelis, Jane A. Carlin, and Diana Weymar will jury the show and a print catalogue will be created.

We are particularly (but not solely) interested in works that showcase collaboration and focus on building a sense of shared community. That may include collaboration between two or more artists, two or more communities, or crowd-sourced projects. Sewing that joins people and ideas link us to historical social and political sewing circles from the abolitionist movement of the 1800s, to the corporate resistant DIY movement kindled by the Riots Grrrls in the 1990s, to the knitting collectives of today that focus on the anti-war, pro-science, and pro-choice movements. In addition, you may draw inspiration from the embroidered books of the Victorian period, the rise of needlecrafts during the Arts & Crafts period, and family traditions of sewing by machine or hand stitching.” —All Stitched Up

Schedule:

September 3rd – show opens
September 14th – opening celebration
December 11th – show closes

Curators

Catherine Alice Michaelis is an artist, writer, publisher, curator, teacher, and most recently – videopoet and animator. As proprietor of May Day Press, she is best known for her artist’s books that incorporate letterpress and pressure printing techniques. In 1998, Catherine began to feature sewing in her print work in relation to family, intimate secrets, and emotional healing. She collaborates often, with both artists and writers, and her 1999 collaborative project, Stack the Deck: 22 Artists Mark the Cards for Women’s Health & Healing, is frequently on show somewhere. Her artist’s books have been featured in solo and group exhibitions throughout the U.S. and are collected in over 80 institutions. Catherine was profiled in the ‘Nature’ episode of Craft in America on PBS in 2017. She lives near Olympia, Washington.

Jane A. Carlin is currently the Library Director at the Collins Memorial Library at the University of Puget Sound. Prior to joining Puget Sound, Jane was the Director of the Design, Architecture, Art and Planning Library at the University of Cincinnati and has also held positions at Oxford Brooks University in Oxford, England, University of Texas, Arlington and Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis. Jane has long been an advocate for the artists’ book. Her graduate these, A History of Art Book Publishing in Great Britain, serves as the foundation for many programs and classes she has taught on the art and history of books, including classes on William Morris, the history of the book, as well as artists’ books and social justice movements. In 2008, Jane brought the book arts to the Collins Library and has worked with community members to form Puget Sound Book Artists, an organization dedicated to supporting and promoting book arts. Jane is the curator of numerous exhibits at the Collins Library and currently serves as the Vice-President of the PSBA organization.

Diana Weymar lives in Victoria, BC. She has a studio practice and is the creator of Interwoven Stories, an international textile project. She grew up in the wilderness of Northern British Columbia, studied creative writing at Princeton, and worked in film in New York City. Interwoven Stories has been exhibited and implemented in Colombia, Switzerland, Syria, Canada, and the States. She has worked with, is working with or had a residency with The Zen Hospice Project, The Nantucket Atheneum, The University of Puget Sound, UMass Amherst, The Peddie School, The Arts Council of Princeton, Build Peace, Trans Tipping Point Project, and The Textile Arts Center (Manhattan). Her work has been exhibited and collected in the States and Canada. She also curated art for the NRG Energy Headquarters in Princeton, NJ.

I am thrilled and honored to be n this show, and cannot wait to see the catalog of all the Stitched Up works included.
It should be fascinating.

Gratitudes.

Sharing Shows 1: “OFFAL”

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I am excited and honored to be included in a number of current and upcoming shows across the US, and will be sharing about them in blog form, as well as in the EVENTS  section of my website, as a way of further describing and chronicling my practice, honoring colleagues, and sharing gratitude for these opportunities and the people, organizations and institutions that make them happen. Shout out to Steven Wong, astrobuddha and Curator at the LAMAG/the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery and Elon Schoenholz, Photographer extraordinaire.

First up is not too awful, just a little bit

“OFFAL”

August 15 – September 29
Opening reception: Sunday, August 11, 2 – 5 PM

The Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery presents Offal, a group exhibition conceived from the subject of offal (ˈôfəl,ˈäfəl) or the culture of consuming innards.

WOW.

“Of all cultural taboos, those related to food are the most difficult to dispel. Food represents deeply rooted sets of ideas and beliefs — particularly with respect to self-identity and community. Offal is no different. In some cultures, offal is stigmatized for its socioeconomic and racial implications, while others treat and eat offal as an everyday means of survival or a delicacy. In keeping with this anatomy of offal, the exhibition seeks to expand the traditional parameters of cultural identity: raw, refigured and, in some cases, delightfully grotesque.” —OFFAL

I will be showing “Throes of the Body“,  sculptural Artists’ Book, 13 x 27 x 10.25”, mixed media, 2018

Side view, open/outside-inside

Front view, open/inside

Back view, open/outside
Photos: Elon Schoenholz  (Beautiful work…)

“The exhibition features a variety of work from forty-three Los Angeles-based contemporary artists who use traditional and unconventional techniques and media in their approach to the five overlapping themes that feed into the exhibition: labor, discard and waste, transcultural idioms, cultural retention and shame, and the abject. Notable works include Jim Shaw’s Dream Object (Digestive tract sculpture), a mixed media sculpture exploring their “inner” unconscious psyche; Victoria Reynolds’s oil paintings and charcoal drawings that give life to disemboweled organs while simultaneously serving as a memento mori of unfamiliar culinary cuts/organs only found in specialty “ethnic” markets; Danial Nord’s Sleeper, a video-driven sculptural fountain in the form of a translucent sculpture molded from his own body that examines the individual and societal consumption and digestion of today’s political rhetoric – on exhibit for the first time in Los Angeles; and a video collaboration between Gazelle Samizay and Labkhand Olfatmanesh that explores émigrés food traditions that can often outlive language through sanctifying ceremonies and family bonds.

At its heart, the exhibition seeks to unpack and celebrate the city of Los Angeles’ relationship to diversity and food in all of its forms — ultimately speaking to the offal in all of us.

Artists participating in Offal were selected from an open call for entries by a jury comprised of Ron Finley, proponent of urban gardening and South LA community leader; Julio César Morales, artist, educator, and curator; and Genevieve Erin O’Brien, artist, culinary adventurer and community organizer.

The selected artists include Panteha Abareshi, Edmund Arevalo, Phoebe Barnum, Andrea Bogdan, Johanna Breiding, SoYun Cho, Heisue Chung-Matheu, Ciriza, Debra Disman, Alexandre Dorriz, gloria galvez, Natalia Garcia Clark, Matt Hollis, Sara Hunsucker, Grace Hwang, Sarah Julig, Shannon Keller, Sydney Mills, Leo Mondor, Flavia Monteiro, Albert Natian, Alex Nazari, Jim Newberry, Dakota Noot, Avital Oehler, Labkhand Olfatmanesh, Abel Olivieri, Elisa Ortega Montilla, Carolie Parker, Antonia Price, Colin Roberts, Larisa Safaryan, Gazelle Samizay, Stephanie Sherwood, Emilia Ukkonen and Reed van Brunschot.

In addition, a selection of artists were invited to participate in the exhibition, including Bonnie Huang, Robert Karimi, Mark Mulroney, Danial Nord, Victoria Reynolds, Jim Shaw, Jeannine Shinoda and Jeffrey Vallance.” — OFFAL

It will be just “offally” fascinating, to see what everyone has done…can’t wait for this one!

Is not our work really, truly finished until it has been seen?

Making Books, Making Community at the Brentwood Art Center!

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Teaching community workshop in June on Flag Books and Found Text at the Brentwood Art Center was pure joy!


“Fun with Flag (pages)” was had by all.


Adults and children alike created marvelous flag book creations and had a blast in the process!


Participants learned to fold an accordion spine, add covers, and attach the flag pages on alternating sides of the spine to create a pattern that changed as the book was opened.


After the flag book was “built” (books and buildings have a lot in common…but that is a subject for another post…)


the real (well, that depends on your definition) fun began…filling, embellishing and developing the book!


Participants used images and text from magazines,


expressing their interests, thoughts, and ideas…


choosing what they wanted to express


with the materials at hand.


Some chose to draw by hand.


Some laid forth their content using repeated elements, like a graphic designer.


Others asked questions.


And some put it all together thematically.

All in all, a most remarkable experience.
Bravo!

 

FORMATION at UCLA: The Exhibition (5)

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“FORMATION”: The Guild of Book Workers 2018-2019 Traveling Juried Exhibition closed May at UCLA!

University of California, Los Angeles
Charles E. Young Research Library Lobby Gallery
Los Angeles, CA
March 15–May 30, 2019

I am extremely honored to have two pieces in FORMATION, The Guild of Book Workers 2018-2019 traveling juried exhibition, with a theme evoking a wide array of interpretations. This post shares the design of the exhibition, as well as selections of the incredible work.

Shown is the display in the Charles E. Young Research Library Lobby Gallery/University of California, Los Angeles.
The exhibition continued in the wonderful UCLA Library Special Collections room downstairs.

“Simply defined by Merriam Webster as “an act of giving form or shape to something,” ‘formation‘ can insinuate process, history, creation, change, beginnings, an arrangement, botany and landscape, personal narratives and impersonal storytelling. As artists, designers and craftspeople with our own histories that form us, we also play a vital role in the formation of objects and experiences; pulp molded into paper, paper folded into books, books shelved into a library.

What is the final product, if not for the methods used to create it? What makes us into the artists we are? What pushes us to continue to create?” –FORMATION

      

It was wonderful to have FORMATION here in LA.

Now the show is off to:

The North Bennet Street School
Boston, MA
June 5 — July 27, 2019

The University of the Arts
Philadelphia, PA
August 1 — October 30, 2019

If you are in those areas and interested in the art of the book…please check it out!
I don’t think you will be disappointed!

FORMATION at UCLA: Hang Out (4)

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“FORMATION”: The Guild of Book Workers 2018-2019 Traveling Juried Exhibition just closed at UCLA.

University of California, Los Angeles
Charles E. Young Research Library Lobby Gallery
Los Angeles, CA
March 15–May 30, 2019

“Simply defined by Merriam Webster as “an act of giving form or shape to something,” ‘formation‘ can insinuate process, history, creation, change, beginnings, an arrangement, botany and landscape, personal narratives and impersonal storytelling. As artists, designers and craftspeople with our own histories that form us, we also play a vital role in the formation of objects and experiences; pulp molded into paper, paper folded into books, books shelved into a library.

What is the final product, if not for the methods used to create it? What makes us into the artists we are? What pushes us to continue to create?” –FORMATION

I am extremely honored to have two pieces in FORMATION, The Guild of Book Workers 2018-2019 traveling juried exhibition, with a theme evoking a wide array of interpretations. In this post, I share my work included in the show; “Hang Out”, and “Black Hang Out”.


“Hang Out” was initially displayed laying down. I asked for it to be standing, and the wonderful staff followed suit.


Interior detail


Both books standing

I did my best to capture the feel of these pieces when they showed in the Library Lobby Gallery alongside a myriad of varied, extraordinary, exemplary, breathtaking works created by other artists and makers in whose company I am moved and proud to be.

Marbling Unfurled: Making Marbled Scrolls at the Granada Hills Library

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It has been exciting to lead programs at the Granada Hills Branch Library of the LAPL, as part of my Artist Residency there:  “We Write the Book“, supported by the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

In honor of Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month, I led a workshop for all on how to marble paper, create scrolls and put these two forms together into one of the oldest book structures extant.


Scrollwork made by an adult artist at a UCLA-Fowler Museum program and generously gifted to me, and which I often use as a sample/model to inspire students.


We begin by floating specially formulated inks on the surface of a tub of water. The ink colors can be gently moved around to create designs. Papers are then carefully lowered onto the surface of the “inked” water, and pick up the designs, like a monoprint!


The marbled papers are lifted out of the tub, placed on and under and blotted with paper towels, which absorb excess water and help with the drying process.


The results can be delicate pastel,


or stronger colors and patterns, depending on the colors and handling of the inks.


While their marbled papers were drying, participants chose bright tagboard papers for their scrolls and added wooden dowels at the vertical top and bottom of the pieces. They then added their marbled papers and a myriad of other materials!


We used both glue sticks and tacky glue, depending on the weight of the materials added.


The results were resplendent, with the softer strength marbled papers contrasting with gold ribbon and more.


Intergenerational attendance enriched the experience, as participants of all ages engaged their creativity and learned new skills in the process.


Whole families joined us, even with very young attendees! Hopefully, these young parents of two got a break.


Attendees young and old loved adding two and three-dimensional stickers,


washi tape, ribbon and string,


putting them all together in imaginative and innovative ways to create singular scrollworks.


This says it all. The Library belongs to Everyone!

Tunnel Vision

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It was fantastic to teach a workshop on Tunnel Books for families, at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

The Tunnel Book is comprised of two accordion spines, or “sides”, connected by a “backdrop” and “cross pieces” or frames attached to the accordion folds working from the back fold and moving forward in space.
The mise-en-scène is then created through the addition of images/shapes/materials attached to the crosspieces and creating actual depth of space between them.

Students of all ages employed tremendous imagination and creativity as they “tunneled through” the process of making, adding pop-ups, folds, “doors” and even a “floor” to their works.


The work of our hands…


Tunnel Book “doors” employ illusionistic effects as the image transforms when they are opened.


Heart “balloons” floating up into the “sky”…


A work depicting the perfect day…with drawings of the Calder works in the Directors Roundtable Garden in front…


The artist wants the viewer to finish the sentence!


Happiness, happiness…


One really feels like one is entering a theatrical space here…


This young maker worked very hard to design this piece so that the images moving back in space made sense on all fronts…BRAVO!


And what is inside this book? The structure in front of it is a home for the five-year-old maker’s new pet ladybug!


ROAR!

Art, Theatre, Life and Literature… come together, at our beloved LACMA!

FORMATION at UCLA: The Artists (4)

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“FORMATION”: The Guild of Book Workers 2018-2019 Traveling Juried Exhibition is currently showing at UCLA!

University of California, Los Angeles
Charles E. Young Research Library Lobby Gallery
Los Angeles, CA
March 15–May 25, 2019

“Simply defined by Merriam Webster as “an act of giving form or shape to something,” ‘formation‘ can insinuate process, history, creation, change, beginnings, an arrangement, botany and landscape, personal narratives and impersonal storytelling. As artists, designers and craftspeople with our own histories that form us, we also play a vital role in the formation of objects and experiences; pulp molded into paper, paper folded into books, books shelved into a library.

What is the final product, if not for the methods used to create it? What makes us into the artists we are? What pushes us to continue to create?” –FORMATION

I am extremely honored to have two pieces in FORMATION, The Guild of Book Workers 2018-2019 traveling juried exhibition, with a theme evoking a wide array of interpretations.

In this post, I share my contribution, “Hang Out”, and “Black Hang Out” to the show.

I leave it to you to interpret the titles. One knowledgable artist upon seeing my work asked  if it was “Hedi Kyle meets Eva Hesse?” She may be right. Hedi and Eva, born 1937 and 1936 respectively, in Germany, with vastly different life trajectories., both unforgettable and profoundly impactful during their time, and for future generations. It is a fascinating supposition, and bravo, Karen Schiff for the insight and intuition.

Thank you for taking a look, and please check back soon as I share the work of many other talented artists who grace this Show!

 

 

FORMATION at UCLA: The Artists (3)

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“FORMATION”: The Guild of Book Workers 2018-2019 Traveling Juried Exhibition is currently showing at UCLA!

University of California, Los Angeles
Charles E. Young Research Library Lobby Gallery
Los Angeles, CA
March 15–May 25, 2019

I am extremely honored to have two pieces in FORMATION, The Guild of Book Workers 2018-2019 traveling juried exhibition, with a theme evoking a wide array of interpretations. However, in this series of posts, I will highlight an array of the talented artists participating in the show. What wonderful company to be in!

“Simply defined by Merriam Webster as “an act of giving form or shape to something,” ‘formation‘ can insinuate process, history, creation, change, beginnings, an arrangement, botany and landscape, personal narratives and impersonal storytelling. As artists, designers and craftspeople with our own histories that form us, we also play a vital role in the formation of objects and experiences; pulp molded into paper, paper folded into books, books shelved into a library.

What is the final product, if not for the methods used to create it? What makes us into the artists we are? What pushes us to continue to create?” –FORMATION

 

More to come!

FORMATION at UCLA: The Artists (2)

By

“FORMATION”: The Guild of Book Workers 2018-2019 Traveling Juried Exhibition is currently showing at UCLA!

University of California, Los Angeles
Charles E. Young Research Library Lobby Gallery
Los Angeles, CA
March 15–May 25, 2019

I am extremely honored to have two pieces in FORMATION, The Guild of Book Workers 2018-2019 traveling juried exhibition, with a theme evoking a wide array of interpretations. However, in this series of posts, I will highlight an array of the talented artists participating in the show. What wonderful company to be in!

“Simply defined by Merriam Webster as “an act of giving form or shape to something,” ‘formation‘ can insinuate process, history, creation, change, beginnings, an arrangement, botany and landscape, personal narratives and impersonal storytelling. As artists, designers and craftspeople with our own histories that form us, we also play a vital role in the formation of objects and experiences; pulp molded into paper, paper folded into books, books shelved into a library.

What is the final product, if not for the methods used to create it? What makes us into the artists we are? What pushes us to continue to create?” –FORMATION

More To Come!

FORMATION at UCLA: The Artists (1)

By

“FORMATION”: The Guild of Book Workers 2018-2019 Traveling Juried Exhibition is currently showing at UCLA!

University of California, Los Angeles
Charles E. Young Research Library Lobby Gallery
Los Angeles, CA
March 15–May 25, 2019

I am extremely honored to have two pieces in FORMATION, The Guild of Book Workers 2018-2019 traveling juried exhibition, with a theme evoking a wide array of interpretations. However, in this series of posts, I will highlight an array of the talented artists participating in the show. What wonderful company to be in!

“Simply defined by Merriam Webster as “an act of giving form or shape to something,” ‘formation‘ can insinuate process, history, creation, change, beginnings, an arrangement, botany and landscape, personal narratives and impersonal storytelling. As artists, designers and craftspeople with our own histories that form us, we also play a vital role in the formation of objects and experiences; pulp molded into paper, paper folded into books, books shelved into a library.

What is the final product, if not for the methods used to create it? What makes us into the artists we are? What pushes us to continue to create?” –FORMATION

 

Judy Sgantas

Peggy Johnson

Sue Huggins Leopard

More to come!

Working It: Processing the Untitled

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Documenting a bit of process, and hopefully progress.
Much harder than posting about teaching artistry, and the work of my wondrous students..

I will try my hand at it, and hopefully find my way, a way.

Time, as usual, is an issue.
Focused meditative time, is needed, and after home and studio, there just isn’t much to spare.

But, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Pushing into new materials….layering on gossamer cheesecloth onto a structure, because of its weave of threads, needed to coat the whole surface with acid-free PVA/glue,  and place the cheesecloth on it, cut around it and trim the excess when surface dried…surprisingly quickly, with the sun and a light breeze coming in through the window.

The light-filled space at 18th Street is perfect for this work, this effort, these discoveries, this journey.


Multiple surfaces, the nature of many book structures comprised of covers, spine and pages compels working one surface at a time, letting it dry and then moving to the next one.


Cheesecloth layered over raw canvas, layered over book board. The cheesecloth is unruly stuff…more like threads kept in place loosely, by the cross weave.


The two pieces of board, AKA, covers, are hinged together with long strands of jute cord, raw jute, so raw it has a fragrance. Strand are threaded through corresponding holes made with the awl in both covers, which move by sliding left and right over the cords. Simple, yet amazingly effective.

The juxtaposition of the materials in layering, adjacency and flow, as regard to interlocking color, differentiated textures and various states of unravel, fascinates me….how does the light get in and travel through, or not, how does the dimensionality affect how we see and respond to the work, sensorily, emotionally, viscerally, how do the materials work together in some kind of harmony, yet buttress up against each other with force at the same time?

Need to push on, need to keep exploring, finding more questions with just the tiniest intimation of any answer in them.

Think I will keep on going.

 

Felt, Fabric, Feathers, FUN: Celebrating Women Artists at the Will and Ariel Durant Branch Library

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I was thrilled to lead an artmaking program at the Will and Ariel Durant Branch Library of the Los Angeles Public Library System to celebrate Women’s History Month, specifically Women Artists!

Inspired by the artist Faith Ringgold’s “Story Quilts”, participants including children, adults and families, used a glorious melange of soft materials (well, there were some buttons…) to create their own textile hangings, tapestries of sorts, learning about five very special women artists in the process.

Faith Ringgold of New York City,  Yayoi Kusama of Japan,  Liza Lou of Los Angeles,  Frida Kahlo of Mexico, and  Georgia O’Keeffe of New Mexico were presented and discussed, and participants incorporated images of the artists and their work into their projects. The creative juxtaposition of materials and images was thrilling…and inspiring.


Children’s Librarian Aida got into the act with Georgia O’Keeffe, one of her favorite artists.


Feathers are fun!


This maker ensconced herself at one end of the room and focussed intensively on the materials.


Devotion to detail…

  
A glorious melange of felt, feathers, canvas and cloth…


Adding buttons.


Laying out the components in an orderly fashion…


Creating borders framing the work.


This Mom brings her two daughters to the program every week and enjoys creating with them. Talented…


She created a butterfly!


He created the five elements!


Serious little makers having fun. Did this little princess create her castle in her piece?


Wearable art!


Joy.

Getting Lit: Making Matchbox Books at the Granada Hills Public Library

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It has been exciting to lead programs at the Granada Hills Branch Library of the LAPL, as part of  my Artist Residency there:  “We Write the Book“, supported by the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

In honor of Women’s History Month, I led a workshop on how to create mini “matchbox books”.  Open to the whole community, participants included families, seniors, children, adults and youth.  Participants used actual matchboxes as the container or “cover of their books, and folded accordion pages to place inside them. I had appropriately-sized images of the work of five amazing women artists, who the makers learned about, and used in and on their pieces.

Faith Ringgold of New York City,  Yayoi Kusama of Japan,  Liza Lou    of Los Angeles,  Frida Kahlo   of Mexico, and  Georgia O’Keeffe of New Mexico were featured, nd participants incorporated images of their work and the artists themselves into their projects, hopefully learning about them and being inspired in the process


Families work together.


Honored members of the Friends of the Library joined us.


Mother and daughter work side by side.


I couldn’t agree more!


Purple and pink…perennial favorites.

 
Kusama’s polka dots rule….


Kahlo graces the cover…


Our fearless, peerless teen librarian, Kristin Peers, joins the fun!

It is such an honor to serve this community as Artist in Residence, and get to know the families and individuals who frequent the Branch, as well as its awesome Staff.

Gratitudes!

The Work of Our Hands: Hand Building with Clay 4

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Hand Building with Clay class at Will Rogers School with the CREST Enrichment program has been a joy to teach.

Students learned pinch, coil and slab techniques, creating functional and fanciful items, and enjoying plenty of time to create their own personal visions after completing each class project.

After learning slab (flattening) technique, students created masks from slabs shaped over newspaper armatures/supports.

Both the Kindergarten and grades 1-5 classes let their inventiveness loose!


Employing the heart shape in different ways when class fell on February 14th!


Combining use of coils with use of slab technique.


Cutting out and incising (etching lines and texture into the clay) yields expressive results.


This young maker used a pencil to twist these star shapes into his mask. Big smile!


Cut out eyes, added teeth incising texture and puncturing the clay’s surface to create small round shapes enhance this piece.


This very talented young artist wanted to create Harry Potter in clay…


She succeeded. Her use of acrylic paint pulled the whole piece together into a stunner.

BRAVO to All Our Students!

The Work of Our Hands: Hand Building with Clay 3

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Hand Building with Clay class at Will Rogers Elementary School with the CREST Enrichment program has been a joy to teach.

Here behold first – fifth grade students get their hands in the “earth”…

 

The Work of Our Hands: Hand Building with Clay 2

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Hand Building with Clay class at Will Rogers Elementary School with the CREST Enrichment program has been a joy to teach.

Below behold students aged 5-6 get their hands in the “earth”.


We had class on Valentine’s Day, which proved to be an inspiration.

From the heart.

The Work of Our Hands: Hand Building with Clay 1

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Creating masks in our Hand Building with Clay class at McKinley Elementary after school with the CREST Enrichment program has been a joy. With majority boys in the class, the tempo had to be high energy.

Students learned how to “pound out” slabs (flat) pieces of clay the week before, then created “armatures” (support structures) of newspaper, over which they stretched their slabs, so that their masks would be three dimensional.

It was exciting to watch the students develop their mask characters, inevitably thinking in terms of story…inspired by characters from film, television, and books, but always their own. Students used coil, scoring, incising and even pinch pot techniques to create their mask characters.


Creating detail.

 


Two faces, in one?


Creating texture!


Inspired by the zombie craze.


Our one young girl in class that day created…a self-portrait?


Creative use of coils…


Figuring it out…


A very coherent expression.


Tattoo?


What is going on here? Perhaps this young maker is working out his feelings through creating.

It would not be the first time…

All hail, the healing powers of Art.

Seeing Double Vision: Double Flower Bookmaking

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It has been exciting to lead programs at the Granada Hills Branch Library of the LAPL, as part of  my Artist Residency there:  “We Write the Book“, supported by the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs

In honor of  Chinese New Year, community members participated in creating “Double Flower” books (also known as “Exploding Books”).

Both adults and children learned to fold and “pop-out” the basic structure. They then made several and glued them together to create a  long or short book of repeated folded forms  that flatten into a single square. Finally, they had a blast adding covers and a tie if they wished, and embellishing their creations with all manner of materials.


Sisters with their folded up books: books closed..


Books open!


Taking the materials in another direction…


Mom gets into the act making her own Double Flower creation.

 


I also taught the “Turkish Map Fold”, (but that is another story…), and this intrepid maker was able to create one on her own!


Dad gets a gift from daughter…


The work of our hands…

Celebrating the beauty of the holiday, in community, creating together.

Beach, Books and Shelter

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Now that The Sheltering Book and The Big Beach Book are no more, except for fragments, in photos, and in memory, I wanted to look at the one structure/two projects piece in greater depth, and see the different ways the large book co-created in community was used. [Read more…] about Beach, Books and Shelter

Freedom of Expression and More…

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It has been exciting to lead programs at the Granada Hills Branch Library of the LAPL, as part of  my Artist Residency there:  “We Write the Book“, supported by the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day and freedom in all its forms, participants created “single signature” sewn  and glued books, and then used their Freedom of Expression to develop and embellish the covers. A “signature” is a gathering of folded sheets that create pages for a book. Single signature bookbinding refers to a group of sheets (usually paper)  folded in the middle and bound together through sewing through their folds.

Although our program was originally planned for teens and “tweens”, several families attended including a number of dads with children. We had a wonderful time!


Sister and brother enjoy the delight of adding to their books after working step by step sewing and gluing to create them.


The glory of patterns. This young participant is age 3!


She attended with her mother.


In the background, mom and dad look on, taking a well-deserved break and enjoying the fun from the sidelines as their children worked and played.


Father offers support and presence to his son.


Our fearless leader, Branch Manager Pam, enjoys some creative “play” time, adding washi (decorative paper) tape to her book.

There is something very satisfying about hand-sewing a book together. It feels real…permanent. The work of our hands on a whole other level.
Hopefully, these books will continue to be developed at home, and most importantly, used!

 

2019 LA Open Exhibition (2)

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I  was honored to participate in the 2019 LA OPEN at  TAG GALLERY  December 2018- January 2019

The show ran Tuesday, December 18 – Saturday, January 18

Press Release | Installation Images | Inventory | Map

Thank you to curator James Panozzo  for including my piece, “Burning Bush”, and with Gallery Director Rakeem Cunningham, putting together a fascination show I was proud to be a part of.


“Burning Bush”


A sense of scale…


Texture

TAG is a wonderful Gallery in the Miracle Mile District of Los Angeles.  Cooperatively and artist run, the Gallery presents multifaceted shows in all mediums throughout its upstairs and street level spaces.

Gallery Location: 5458 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036
Gallery Hours: Tuesday – Saturday, 11 am – 5 pm
Telephone: 310.829.9556
Email: info@taggallery.net

Check it out!

 

“Be Part of the Story”: VAPA Students Make Books

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At a recent series of bookmaking workshops at Verdugo Hills High School, Visual and Performing Arts  (VAPA) students in VAPA Art and English classes learned to make their own books which they then shared with others in the school library, in  a singular exhibition and reading.

Thus we engaged visual, literary and performing/presentational art forms in a single four part series,.


“Be You”, an important message of the series.


Student artists set up their own books in the school library.


Then presented their works to an audience of other students, who had also participated in the program.


Some went up in pairs…(safety in numbers?),


While some braved it alone…


All expressed pride,


and absolute individuality.

I only wishg we had longer. It was incredibly fun, and gratifying to see these Visual Art and English students take off with the forms learned, and skills attained through the program.

Many thanks go out to Amanda  Swann, VAPA Coordinator and theater educator, Amy Lesserman VAPA English class teacher, Tina Staley, Art teacher, and Lisa Cheby, school librarian, who worked closely with me to make this experience happen.

Kudos and gratitudes!

“It’s About the Story”: VAPA Students Make Books

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At a recent series of bookmaking workshops at Verdugo Hills High School, Visual and Performing Arts  (VAPA) students in VAPA Art and English classes learned to make their own books which they then shared with others in the school library.

Below is a sampling of their stunning works…

 

The works speak for themselves, and were astonishing to see. With technical guidance, creative support and a bit of , students learned to create the versatile flag book structure, and then took off with it.

2019 LA OPEN EXHIBITION (1)

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TAG GALLERY  Currently Exhibiting:
2019 LA OPEN

My piece “Burning Bush” is in the show.

Tuesday, December 18 – Saturday, January 18

Opening Reception: 
Saturday, December 5, 5 – 8 pm

Gallery Hours:
Tuesday – Saturday, 11 am – 5 pm
Telephone: 310.829.9556
5458 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036

Open Studio at 18th Street Arts Center

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“We the Artists”

18th Street Arts Center

30th Anniversary Celebration

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photograph by Debra Disman

Cynthia Underwood

Asia Sztencel

Mark Henry Samuel

Photography except for top image of !8th Street Arts Center by Salvador Ochoa

18(2) Studio Notes/Working at 18th Street Arts Center

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Studio at 18th Street Arts Center…in process.

Older work…still under scrutiny.

making of the walls leading to the closet a Gallery.

This makes it easy to continue to peruse this work.

Earlier work: handmade books, artists’ books, sculptures.

Supplies, materials, material, samples, readymades, and student clay works, next to, and below.

Air dry clay dries fast in the Studio.

Material world…

and worlds.

From whence we go, denim.

OnWards.

The (Clay)Work of Our Hands

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Transitional Kindergarten and Kindergarten students attend their last (for this session) clay class through the City of Santa Monica’s CREST Enrichment program…after school classes held at a variety of Public Elementary Schools in Santa Monica.

Next week, we paint!

I have taught the students the basics: Pinch, coil and slab techniques. They have created vessels, masks, animals, and more. During this class I demonstrated how to create a small plate, platter or candle holder that could be given as a gift for the holidays, and beyond.

And then, these talented tykes took off with their own ideas!


Small hands are developing the strength and dexterity to form rough balls of clay and roll out coils from them. Sometimes i help this age group along by breaking up clay (air dry in this case) into sections for them to work with.


This little artist with a big personality has really progressed in her coil making. She created a piece by putting together numerous tiny coils.


This young maker recently turned five, and is mastering the coil technique!


Almost there!


This piece is growing….


Mark making in the clay using various tools. These kids amaze me. She saw a brief demo and then just took off creating these textures and designs herself.

Our tools are sourced from simple household items…popsicle sticks, pencils, plastic cutlery, and wood clothespins and toothpicks do the job, and teach the students how the simplest object can be transformed into a tool that becomes and performs magic!

It has been magical to watch these students learn and grow,

Much talent abounds in them.

It is a joy to see, encourage and develop their skills and artistic voices, even, and especially, at this age!

18(1): Working at 18th Street Arts Center

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I became a local artist in residence at 18th Street Arts Center in Santa Monica the third week in September, 2018. My posts, while a chronicle of sorts of the experience, won’t necessarily , nor summarily, begin at the beginning.


Works in various states of completion.

Love lots of Light. Let There Be Light in the studio.


A work begun during my studio residency at the Art Lab at 1450 Ocean (in Santa Monica)

Like a book, or any work, this is a process.  The beginning, can be seen from many viewpoints.


Canvas, hemp cord, found cord, book board, watercolor paper.

Like life, work ifs filled with loose ends.


Spine

Sometimes these can be beautiful.


Page turner

We turn the page.


Moving through, loose ends, unraveling, stitching, keeping it together.

Something new emerges. just that slightly different then the before.

Moving on.

“Tunneling through” at the Granada Hills Branch Library!

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It has been exciting to lead programs at the Granada Hills Branch Library of the LAPL, as part of  my Artist in Residency there:  “We Write the Book“, supported by the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs

In honor of Native American Heritage Month, participants created multi-dimensional “Tunnel Books“, theatre-like structures comprised of a backdrop attached to an accordion-folded “spine” on either side.

Makers then added their own “cross-pieces” , cutting out strips in the shapes of mountains and more, and attaching them to the spines so that they traversed the width of the book, creating a place to add figures and other images to create their unfolding story, tableau or diorama.

As usual, attendees wowed with their use of color, shape and materials, imagination and creativity!


It is a materials world.


Families work together.
Attention to detail.


Making is an active sport.


Careful cutting.


Focus.


Sketching out the concept.


Use of feathers animate the image.


Majestic purple…


Showing off the completed book!


Creating a beautiful place to be.


Was this maker hungary? He created an ice-cream shop…


Fun use of materials.


Brilliant colors, black framing and carefully chosen use of select materials make this piece a stunner.

If you are in the area, join us for a  Winter Community Celebration at the Granada Hills Branch Library on December 19th from 1:30 – 5PM.

There will be “Envelope Bookmaking”, refreshments, sharing of works, and lots of fun!

 

Like White on White 2

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Using the term “white” very broadly.

It is really the layering of similar hued discrete textures and materials and the richness, emotions and feelings this creates…thread on paper, paper on cloth, cord on cloth, paper on board. Cord, string and thread falling to the tabletop,  gathering, bunching, tangling, hanging or stitched, taut, linear.

“Texō“…”I weave.” Texture, textile, text, context.

Endless combinations, permutations, variations.

 

“We the Artists” at 18th Street Arts Center!

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If you are in the Los Angeles Area, please join 18th Street Arts Center from 7-10PM November 10th for a special event:

“We the Artists” celebrates the 30th birthday of the largest artist residency program in Southern California!

I am thrilled to have recently become a local artist in residence, and will be opening my studio to the along with others from 7-8AM during the event.

18th Street Arts Center: “Where Art Happens
Celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2018-2019, 18th Street Arts Center is one of the top 20 artist residency programs in the US, and the largest in Southern California. Conceived as a radical think tank in the shape of an artist community, 18th Street supports artists from around the globe to imagine, research, and develop significant, meaningful new artworks and share them with the public to foster radical imagination, empathy, and positive social change.”

“WE THE ARTISTS: 18th Street’s 30th Anniversary Celebration!
November 10, 2018 | 7-10 PM

Santa Monica, CA – 18th Street Arts Center celebrates 30 years as Southern California’s leading artist residency program with a live performance art event and free public birthday party on November 10, 2018 from 7-10pm. The event is co-hosted by 18th Street’s founding ‘compadres’ La Pocha Nostra and Highways Performance Space. The evening spectacular features new live art works by 18th Street artists Kenyatta AC Hinkle, Asher Hartman, Marcus Kuiland-Nazario, Amitis Motevalli, and site-specific installations by Kate Johnson, Daniel Canogar, Po-Yen Wang, and more! Enjoy live performances, video installations, exhibitions, music, artist’s studios, LA’s gourmet food trucks, and craft beer. ” 

RSVP here for a free ticket.
18th Street Arts Center
1639 18th Street
Santa Monica, CA 90404 United States

Hope to See YOU there!

 

Bell Library

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A simple post sharing about a simply lovely program I was privileged to lead at the Bell Library  one of the many fine Los Angeles County Libraries serving their patrons with devotion, commitment and love!

Parents, children and Library Staff participated. The wonderful Library provides programs every week, so if you are in their vicinity, please check them out and take advantage!

 


We had a beautiful creative group. Many participants knew each other, and had fun chatting during the program.


Mother and daughter duo, doing.


The younger brother in a family of four sibs, this young artist reveled in all of the materials, and the opportunity to create.


A beautiful soul creates a beautiful book, heartfelt.

don’t faint, Blackout

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I am thrilled and honored to be included in:  Blackout, Ashton Gallery / Art on 30th‘ s National Show, which promises to feature, “ the best pieces from all over the country that include the color black: seductive, powerful, elegant, formal, prestigious, and mysterious.”

PictureImage identifying the show

The show was juried by Daniel Foster, who “has an extensive 30-year career in arts and museum leadership in San Diego and Southern California. He is the past Executive Director of the Oceanside Museum of Art (2012-15) and the Riverside Art Museum (2003-08), in addition to past positions with the San Diego Art Institute, UC San Diego Visual Arts Dept., San Francisco Art Institute, and the Headlands Center for the Arts.  Additionally, Foster founded and launched the North County Arts Network in 2014 and the Arts Council for San Bernardino County in 2012 (when he was the President/CEO of The Community Foundation).  Foster is a conceptual and multi-disciplinary visual artist and poet.”

I will be showing my work,  “Maximum Security“, (2018) a black on black on black “sculptural book”, made from book board, wood, mulberry paper, paint, canvas, watercolor paper and hemp cord. It stands upright on a pedestal, shelf, table or other surface parallel to the floor. When opened, it can span up to 18″ wide. 5″ x 18″ x 10.25″

I look forward to seeing images of other pieces in the show…and hope it is such a intriguing exhibition that viewers all but faint.

Kidding… (almost…)

If you are in or around San Diego, check it out!

Latinx Heritage Celebrated

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In our recent program at the Granada Hills Branch Library of the LAPL,   participants created accordion fold (also known as “concertina”…continuing with the musical instrument metaphor-) books.

In honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month, they added images of Latinx art and architecture, including murals, street art, works shown in museums, and storefronts.

Participants spanned young children to seniors, with everyone becoming immediately absorbed in creating their books, and developing them with varied fascinating and colorful images of works created by an integral population of Los Angeles past, present and future.

The Virgin of Guadalupe was an inspiration.

Mother and son work together.

Participants transformed images by adding to and subtracting from them, and putting them together in new ways.

The focus of all ages…

Makers often choose to work with colors that reflect the colors they are wearing!

Pink, never gets old.

This workshop was part of my Artist in Residency project: “We Write the Book“, supported by the Department of Cultural Affairs of the City of Los Angeles.  Gratitudes!

 

National Hispanic Heritage Month: A Bookish Celebration

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In our recent program at the Granada Hills Branch Library of the LAPL,  23 participants created “folded fan” books, comprised of an accordion spine, front and back covers, and fan pages.  In honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month, they added their own “Picado Papel“, decoratively cut and punched papers, which added a special touch to their creations.

Families turned out, and parents worked closely with children to achieve their artistic visions! Especially heartwarming was the number of Dads who devoted themselves to supporting their sons and daughters through the process, while creating beautiful works themselves. And let’s not forget the Moms! It is wonderful to see adults give themselves over to the creative process. Parents, and all people, so need this time.

This workshop was part of my artist residency project: “We Write the Book“, supported by the Department of Cultural Affairs of the City of Los Angeles.  Gratitudes!

 


Children’s Librarian extraordinaire, Alice Schock, engages with a young patron, artist and participant.


Like Mother, like Daughter…


The work of our hands…and creative ways of using shaped hole punchers to create Picado Papel!


Sisters and friends work together.


This young teen, age 13, took off with a Halloween theme.


Through careful work, discerning choices, and elegant handicraft, she designed a book that we hope she will keep forever!


This young maker transformed images of a noted Los Angeles mural of the Virgin of Guadalupe, and used the beautiful colors as a surface to create a repeated design with a butterfly-shaped hole puncher.


Piper and her Dad attended an earlier workshop, and were back again creating happily together.


Father and daughter work closely on her book. her Mom said that though she herself loves scrapbooking, she could never get Dad to do it. Now, maybe he might, after seeing how much fun cutting, pasting and arranging are!


Here is Mom at work on her own masterpiece, along with older daughter.


Sebastian and his Dad work side by side. spending precious time together.


Yellow blossoms drift across a luminous pink ground,  floating in a world of warm colors. Washi tape is used to good effect as a framing device on the covers.

 


Benny and Mom have fun. Who says one has to sit on chairs?


These two friends had a blast, and worked with very different color schemes in their projects.


This is Greer’s second workshop. She loves to work with her hands, and even contributed some extra  Washi tape  to the cause!


Our scrapbooking  Mom works on a mini-masterpiece. What patience it takes to punch out all those butterflies, then arrange and glue them to the cover!

But how worth is it was…here is her magnum opus…a treat for the eyes, heart and soul.

Thank You All.

 

FORMATION

By

 

I am beyond honored to be a part of  Formation, the Guild of Book Workers triennial members’ exhibition, which has begun a  two year national tour.
The GBW says it best:

Simply defined by Merriam Webster as “an act of giving form or shape to something,” formation can insinuate process, history, creation, change, beginnings, an arrangement, botany and landscape, personal narratives and impersonal storytelling. What makes us into the artists we are? How does our creative process influence the final product? What pushes us to continue to create? People, events, memories all combine to influence the art we make about the world around us, even if our work isn’t explicitly autobiographical.  The Guild of Book Workers’ 2018-2019 exhibition encouraged members to consider how the act of formation spoke to their artistic process.

An accompanying printed exhibition catalog, published this year as a special edition of the Guild of Book Workers’ Journal, will be available for sale at the venues and online at guildofbookworkers.org. The catalog features full color photographs and complete descriptions of each work; biographies of the artists; remarks from jurors Coleen Curry, Graham Patten, and Sarah Smith; and essays by Formation curator Jackie Scott and Guild of Book Workers President Bexx Caswell.

The Formation Exhibition honors the legacy of the book workers’ craft and celebrates some of the finest examples of book arts today. Founded in 1906, the Guild of Book Workers has over 900 members today and is the only national organization dedicated to all of the book arts, including bookbinding, conservation, printing, papermaking, calligraphy, marbling, and artists’ books. At a time when the masses are considering the materiality of the book and its presence or absence as a physical object, it is exciting to showcase the many hand crafts of the book form. The work presented in the Formation Exhibition is a vibrant and dynamic collection of Artists’ Books, Fine Bindings, Fine Press Printing, Calligraphy, and Sculptural Book Works that showcase both the history of the Book Worker’s craft, as well as contemporary interpretations of the book form. The Guild of Book Workers promotes interest in and awareness of the tradition of the book and paper arts by maintaining high standards of workmanship, hosting educational opportunities, and sponsoring exhibits.

Exhibition Schedule:

Minnesota Center for Book Arts
Minneapolis, MN
June 15–October 21, 2018

Robert C. Williams Papermaking Museum
Atlanta, GA
November 1, 2018–March 7, 2019

University of California, Los Angeles
Charles E. Young Research Library Lobby Gallery
Los Angeles, CA
March 15–May 25, 2019

North Bennet Street School
Boston, MA
June 5–July 27, 2019

University of the Arts
Philadelphia, PA
August 1–October 30, 2019

The Formation Exhibition features 51 works from 46 members that will travel across the U.S. from June 2018 through October 2019. The show opens at the Minnesota Center for Book Arts in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It will be held at MCBA until the Guild of Book Workers’ annual Standards of Excellence Seminar in October 2018. Formation will tour the country, stopping at the Robert C. Williams Papermaking Museum in Atlanta, GA, UCLA’s Charles E. Young Research Library, the North Bennet Street School in Boston, MA, and the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA. A complete tour schedule is online at guildofbookworkers.org.

 

It was thrilling to see FORMATION featured in The COLOR Issue of  American Craft magazine.

I am looking forward to seeing FORMATION in LA:

University of California, Los Angeles
Charles E. Young Research Library Lobby Gallery
Los Angeles, CA
March 15–May 25, 2019

Please join us,  in FORMATION!

 

PRAIRIE

By

 

“Prairie”, 2018

Inspired, I guess, by the Midwest landscape I was raised in…once all prairie lands, now leafy and not so leafy suburbs reaching to Chicago.

I began the piece, then realized what it was about, as pure a way of working as I can think of at this moment.

The color.

Illinois.
The Chicago suburbs.
Iowa.
Iowa City.

The fields.

The rolling hills.

The endless vistas with no water to speak of.

The place.

Texture.

The texture of a place.


Book board covers. Covers covered in torn strips of tissue paper.


Accordion-fold watercolor paper spine, covered with the same.


Jute cord sewn, stitched and falling.


Board pages become landscape.


Cover stitching.


Spine and page stitching.


Falling cord…


Other side.

“Prairie”, 2018
Book board, board, watercolor paper, tissue paper, jute cord

“The Book as Art 2018: PULP”

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The Book as Art 2018 is an exhibition organized by the Decatur Arts Alliance, the Georgia Center for the Book and the DeKalb Library Foundation.

This sixth year of “The Book as Art” is called:
Book as Art v6: Pulp
Juried by Lisa Beth Robinson, Stephanie Smith and Cynthia Nourse Thompson,
the show runs August 10–September 28  and is open during library hours.
It is held in The Periodicals Gallery of the Decatur Library,
215 Sycamore St., Decatur, Ga.

“A book begins as a small mass of material, formed and pressed into life by ideas, words, and machines. Pulp becomes paper, becomes thought, becomes word, becomes book, becomes sculpture.

Pulp is the impetus and endgame of these physical book objects. From the tactile complexity of handmade paper, to the sensational tabloid tales of pulp fiction, these objects, in an increasingly digital world, stubbornly survive.

These objects interpret the concept of the book and invite the viewer to look beyond the printed page to where word has become form.

Book As Art: Pulp is the sixth edition of this critically acclaimed artist book exhibition established by the Decatur Arts Alliance in 2013. Entries hail from across the United States and around the world, and from emerging artists as well as recognized masters in the genre. The Book As Art is pleased to present these examples from the finest in the field.” — The Book As Art 2018

I am honored to have two pieces in the show:

Profusion
Artists’ Book/Sculpture
2018, 8.75″ x 24.5″ x 7.75″, book board, paper, hemp cord, canvas


Inside


Detail


Outside

and

Burning Bush
Artists’ Book/Sculpture
2018, 7.5″ x 11″ x 5.5″, book board, paper, hemp cord, canvas


Inside


Detail


Outside

I wish I could see the show.
Los Angeles is just too far away from Georgia!

If You can, please do!
And don’t miss the
Closing Reception | white glove night
Friday, Sept. 27 | 6-8 pm
Join us for one last look at these works of book art. And we’re putting away the “do not touch” signs. Volunteers will provide participants with white gloves to allow firsthand exploration of the books in the exhibition. ––The Book as Art 2018

Sounds like black tie optional, white gloves required.

I hope many view and enjoy before that time.

Kudos to the jurors and organizers on what looks to be a sublime effort.

GrAtItUdEs

 

Creating in Compton

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It was wonderful to work with families to create books at the Compton Library.


Participants worked together to create the fun and versatile “flag book” structure.


Community members got to know each other in the library, through the work of their hands.


Siblings and Moms created in community.


Even the Staff got into the creative act.


Creating together brought smiles…


perhaps the greatest gift of all.

LACMA LOVE: The Art of the Book 3: The Flag Book

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We started off our Family Bookmaking Workshop series at The Los Angeles County Museum of Art with the Accordion Fold Book, then moved onto “The Folded Fan” book (my own nomenclature)  which also employed the accordion/concertina fold to great effect.

We completed our series with The Flag Book, a fun, versatile and quite kinetic structure “invented” by German-born and noted book artist Hedi Kyle.

We visited the Broad Contemporary Art Museum (“BCAM“), and looked at artist Barbara Kruger‘s monumental elevator piece, “Shafted“.

Students chose what view they wished to draw (or, sketch). then returned to the Park View Studio to look at our drawings, learn the Flag Book structure, create our books, then develop and embellish them!  (This last the reward, some might say, of the effort that went before).

Participants were encouraged to use text to develop their books, and see how this “found writing” technique could be read in different ways up and down and across their books. They had been able to observe the power of graphical text first hand viewing the Kruger piece.


Mother and daughter working together.


She came to our workshop with her grandmother…not pictured!


Summer teacher (all the way from Chicago!) and student, taking advantage of LACMA‘s educational offerings!


This wonderful duo attended all three workshops!


The grown-ups need an art-making break too!

Such a lovely group to work with.

We love you, LACMA!

2018 California OPENing

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I am thrilled and honored to be part of the 2018 California Open Exhibition  held this year at the beautiful Tag Gallery  in Los Angeles, near LACMA (The Los Angeles County Museum of Art) August 8-24, with an opening reception Saturday August 11th, 5PM – 8PM.

Beloved and acclaimed LA-based artist  Kim Abeles juried this show, and her statement about it in the Press Release is telling.

Gallery Director, Rakeem Cunningham, sent out these installation images as well as a great inventory of Works in the Show.  Thanks to Rakeem and Kim for their devoted work and ongoing efforts to make this show a great one, as well as to the wonderful Tag Gallery artists who opened their gallery “home” and their hearts to all of us who exhibited, made the Opening Reception a gala, and supported the cause with such heart and generosity.

This is an engaging and eclectic show.  I was thrilled to see the work of  three other (WOMEN!!!) artists that I know and have worked with in the show: photographer Marta Feinstein, printmaker and fellow LACMA teaching artist Brooke Sauer, and sculptor Karena Massengill. I share their work below as well as my own, and some images of the Opening. Really fun.


Throngs of beautiful souls crowd the gallery.


Stunned to find flowers here from my family! Mark and I get documented…


Sunflowers illuminated the evening, and graced the Gallery’s Reception desk. Pictured here photographer Marta Feinstein, a fellow exhibiting artist.


My piece, “Throes of the Body“, completed during my Studio Residency at 1450 Ocean in Santa Monica.

The work of colleagues..

It has been a great experience.

The exhibition runs through Friday, August 24th, 5pm.
If you have not yet seen it, check it out!

There is something for everyone there!

GrAtItUdEs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LACMA LOVE: The Art of the Book 2: The Folded Fan Book

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We started off our Family Bookmaking Workshop series at The Los Angeles County Museum of Art  with the Accordion Fold Book, then moved onto “The Folded Fan” book (my own nomenclature)  which also employed the accordion/concertina fold to great effect.

We visited the B. Gerald Cantor Sculpture Garden, and viewed Chris Burden‘s master work, “Urban Light“, observed and drew perspective, “layers” and distance (“things being behind and in front of other things” ) then returned to the Park View Studio to look at our drawings, learn the “folded fan” book structure, create our books, then develop and embellish them!  (This last the reward, some might say, of the effort that went before).


Side by side…


Peer to Peer support, children AND parents!


The support team.


It’s creation time!


Dynamic duo.


Co-creative-conspirators.


Working together.


Mom as assistant!


Show and tell…she was too shy, so Dad did it!


Sharing time on the stage.

Everyone wins..such a beautiful time had by parents and children working together, side-by-side, cheering each other on.

What could be better?

LACMA LOVE: The Art of the Book 1: The Accordion Book

By

We started off our Family Bookmaking Workshop series at The Los Angeles County Museum of Art  with Accordion Fold/Concertina Fold Books, a basic yet complex structure, as regards to the amount of surfaces makers had to work on and develop.

We visited Chris Burden‘s master work, “Metropolis II“, observed and drew movement, then returned to the Park View Studio to look at our drawings, learn the accordion fold book structure, create our books, then develop and embellish them!


Mom and son work together.


He proudly shows off his completed creation.


Two beauties,


creating pink and purple beauty.


What a line-up!


Zeroing in…


Completed “min-book”!


This young maker is attending with his Dad,


who enjoyed the time to create his own book as well.


Much needed Mom makers time.


Mother and daughter makers, with friend looking on,


repeating colors and patterns to create a story.


Here is the friend with her Mom, creating an amazing book!


Using pattern to express fruit, vegetables and animals…and create a beautiful world.


A blue ribbon winner!


Working with pop-ups,


to create a “talking” bird.


The winning smile and dimple!

Everyone wins..such a beautiful time had by parents and children working together, side-by-side, cheering each other on.

What could be better?

California Open

By

I am thrilled and honored to be part of the 2018 California Open Exhibition  held this year at the beautiful Tag Gallery  in Los Angeles, near LACMA (The Los Angeles County Museum of Art) August 8-24, with an opening reception Saturday August 11th, 5PM – 8PM.

Beloved and acclaimed LA-based artist  Kim Abeles juried this show, and her statement about it below is telling.

This promises to be  an engaging and eclectic show.  I can’t wait to see it myself.  I am thrilled to know at least three other artist being shown, photographer Marta Feinstein, printmaker and fellow LACMA teaching artist Brooke Sauer, and sculptor Karena Massengill. (Gooo good Women).

Here are the installation images.

Please join us for the opening and enjoy the show.

 

Full list of acceptees
*We highly recommend that guests Uber/Lyft to the reception on Saturday, August 11th, 5-8pm*

My work, “Throes of the Body” will be shown..Mixed Media/Artists’ Book/Sculpture.

 

“Reading Takes You Anywhere!”(2)

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Here is the inaugural workshop at the Granada Hills Branch Library of the LAPL, kicking off my artist residency there:  “We Write the Book“, supported by the Department of Cultural Affairs of the City of Los Angeles.

For the Summer Reading Theme:  “Reading Takes You Anywhere!”  participants created a Travel Journal…an accordion book with pockets and sewn in pages.

Meet the bookmakers!


Three generations  of women and girls, making books.


What a message…she came up with this title on her own.


Our lovely helpers Emily and Erica, with two of our younger makers.


Sharing their embellishment!


Three generations of females again…with Grandma and Granddaughter participating in the workshop.


I see a theme here…crossed ribbons marks the spot…


Two beautiful families, one, about to take off for Australia.
A Travel Journal will come in handy…

“Reading Takes You Anywhere!”(1)

By

Inaugural workshop at the Granada Hills Branch Library of the LAPL, kicking off my artist residency there:  “We Write the Book“, supported by the Department of Cultural Affairs of the City of Los Angeles.

For the Summer Reading Theme:  “Reading Takes You Anywhere!”  participants created a Travel Journal…an accordion book with pockets and sewn in pages.

Here are some of the results.
TBC in the next post…“Reading Takes You Anywhere! (2)”.


Washi love.


Working on the covers.


Stuck on stickers!


“Mom’s Travel Journal”…an elegant use of decorative butterflies, maps, birds and color. This Mom is headed soon to Australia…and hopefully, her Travel Journal will come in handy.
Bon voyage!

Up next….the book makers behind (or in front of) the books.

Stay tuned!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elegance…

 

Like White on White 

By

Black and White? (II)

White on white…it never actually is. More like grades, permutations, layers…and levels.

What interest me.


“Hang Out“, (inside), 2017, 10.25″ x 25″ x 8”, Book board, mulberry paper, hemp cord, watercolor paper, canvas


“Profusion” / “In the Profusion“, (inside), 2018, 8.75″ x 24.5″ x 7.75” Book board, mulberry paper, hemp cord, watercolor paper, canvas


“Throes of the Body“, 2018, 13″ x 27″ x 10.25”, (outside),Book board, mulberry paper, hemp cord, watercolor paper, canvas

Moving towards the deeper exploration.

in the BLACK

By

Black and White? (I)

Working in whites and tones of white and white on white…I wanted to see what all BLACK would render.

Here we go…

Black Hang Out, 2017
Book board, canvas, hemp cord, watercolor paper, acrylic paint

Maximum Security, 2018
Book board, canvas, hemp cord, watercolor paper, ink, acrylic paint, wood

In the Thicket of It, 2018
Book board, canvas, hemp cord, watercolor paper, acrylic paint, wood

Night time. Mystery. Enticing. Forbidding. Absolute. Lost. Found. Again.

Continuing.

In “FORMATION”

By

In “FORMATION”

I am honored to be a part of  Formation, the Guild of Book Workers triennial members’ exhibition, which has just begun a  two year national tour! The GBW says it best:

Simply defined by Merriam Webster as “an act of giving form or shape to something,” formation can insinuate process, history, creation, change, beginnings, an arrangement, botany and landscape, personal narratives and impersonal storytelling. What makes us into the artists we are? How does our creative process influence the final product? What pushes us to continue to create? People, events, memories all combine to influence the art we make about the world around us, even if our work isn’t explicitly autobiographical.  The Guild of Book Workers’ 2018-2019 exhibition encouraged members to consider how the act of formation spoke to their artistic process.

The Formation Exhibition features 51 works from 46 members that will travel across the U.S. from June 2018 through October 2019. The show opens at the Minnesota Center for Book Arts in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It will be held at MCBA until the Guild of Book Workers’ annual Standards of Excellence Seminar in October 2018. Formation will tour the country, stopping at the Robert C. Williams Papermaking Museum in Atlanta, GA, UCLA’s Charles E. Young Research Library, the North Bennet Street School in Boston, MA, and the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA. A complete tour schedule is online at guildofbookworkers.org.

An accompanying printed exhibition catalog, published this year as a special edition of the Guild of Book Workers’ Journal, will be available for sale at the venues and online at guildofbookworkers.org. The catalog features full color photographs and complete descriptions of each work; biographies of the artists; remarks from jurors Coleen Curry, Graham Patten, and Sarah Smith; and essays by Formation curator Jackie Scott and Guild of Book Workers President Bexx Caswell.

The Formation Exhibition honors the legacy of the book workers’ craft and celebrates some of the finest examples of book arts today. Founded in 1906, the Guild of Book Workers has over 900 members today and is the only national organization dedicated to all of the book arts, including bookbinding, conservation, printing, papermaking, calligraphy, marbling, and artists’ books. At a time when the masses are considering the materiality of the book and its presence or absence as a physical object, it is exciting to showcase the many hand crafts of the book form. The work presented in the Formation Exhibition is a vibrant and dynamic collection of Artists’ Books, Fine Bindings, Fine Press Printing, Calligraphy, and Sculptural Book Works that showcase both the history of the Book Worker’s craft, as well as contemporary interpretations of the book form. The Guild of Book Workers promotes interest in and awareness of the tradition of the book and paper arts by maintaining high standards of workmanship, hosting educational opportunities, and sponsoring exhibits.

Exhibition Schedule:

Minnesota Center for Book Arts
Minneapolis, MN
June 15–October 21, 2018

Robert C. Williams Papermaking Museum
Atlanta, GA
November 1, 2018–March 7, 2019

University of California, Los Angeles
Charles E. Young Research Library Lobby Gallery
Los Angeles, CA
March 15–May 25, 2019

North Bennet Street School
Boston, MA
June 5–July 27, 2019

University of the Arts
Philadelphia, PA
August 1–October 30, 2019

My contributions to the exhibition:

“Hang Out” , 2017. 10.25 x 25 x 8″, mixed media (Book board, canvas, watercolor paper, mulberry paper, hemp cord)

“Black Hang Out“, 2017, mixed media (Book board, canvas, watercolor paper, mulberry paper, hemp cord, acrylic paint)

I am gratified and privileged to participate and look forward to seeing the show when it is at the 
Charles E. Young Research Library Lobby Gallery, University of California, Los Angeles  March 15–May 25, 2019.

Join Us!

TRANSITION II

By

TRANSITION II

Transition, convergence, a sea change, a shift…whenever there is change, seismic or not, the axis of our lives seems to move, and maybe it does.

If we think about an axis….we can see how monumental it is when it changes, when changes causes it to move literally or figuratively. Causing us to change, or at least, compelling us to adapt.

ax·is

noun

  1. 1.
    an imaginary line about which a body rotates.
    “the earth revolves on its axis once every 24 hours”

  2. 2.

    MATHEMATICS

    a fixed reference line for the measurement of coordinates.

“the earth revolves on its axis once every 24 hours” gives us a sense of this.  When we think of change this way, even desirable change, even the change we seek, we can see how disorientating it can be. How disorientating it IS.

Thinking back to my last post, I see how I am trying to grapple with my own transition, moving away from forms that have been a mainstay for many years…past work,  site, blog, digital and professional identity, into something something that contains it all.

After nearly seven years in Los Angeles developing new work,

I currently work in the form of the book, in forms inspired by the book, and in new sculptural media of my own devising. Although the work remains tethered to loose definitions of the book as structure, it is moving progressively into other sculptural and conceptual realms where labor, repetition and a passion for the haptic become powerful motivators and themes….

I finally sat down, and updated all my social media platforms.  To change a “page” on Facebook is very complicated, so the moniker “ArtiFactory Studio” remains there… but the information, the essence, is finally updated, as well as on Linked In, Pinterest, and more. It was a relief, and kind of exhilarating to get it done. It was time.

It is interesting to think how we are not only constantly being “profiled”, we profile ourselves. We are willing participants in the continual construction of our identities.  I realized that though how we show up online is critical on one level, on another it isn’t at all…no-one…of the many many folks i interact with around work, ever questioned the disconnect between my social media profiles, and the streams which flowed from them..streams of information, of images, of posts designed to share what I encounter, what I think can be helpful, what I want others to see. It is a construct which should have truth at its center.

With any change, we bring everything with us, every experience, every moment, every breath.

Having worked in the realm of the built environment for many years I am fascinated by the parallels between books and buildings in terms of structure, meaning, utility, architecture and effect. Each creates public and private spaces where stories are “read” on many levels, often revealing more than their authors and makers ever intended. I try to create such places and spaces of inspiration, contemplation, realization and bafflement in my work and to instigate investigation, exploration and discovery in myself and others.

 

TRANSITION I

By

TRANSITION I

What a tangled web we weave…

Even when we don’t practice to deceive…

A ways back, I finally transitioned from my long-time blog, “Artissima – The Blog of ArtiFactory Studio, to my new blog at DebraDisman.com.

My last Artissima post announced this move, (for it is indeed a move…just as potent as a physical one), and I let go/discontinued/ceased to pay for my Custom Design on Artissima, knowing that I was moving on, forging ahead, going forward.

And I am…along with my work, my blog, my life. as we all (hopefully) are.  As we all (hopefully) do.
Putting in the requisite work, effort, perseverance and commitment.

Yet, a bit later, I suddenly wanted the Custom Design back, back on my “old” Artissima blog, enhancing, beautifying, communicating and transforming…it.

WordPress had changed their blog design structures and it wasn’t so easy. Somewhat bewildered…at my own emotions and attachments, as well as web protocols, I sought advice from my dear friend and designer, Dianna Jacobsen  of Jacobsen Design.

Dianna had designed both my sites, my Artissima blog, and all my support materials (“marketing collateral”).  She told me, of course, to let it go. Not necessarily to let the old site and blog go, they still live (and radiantly I must say…even after all this time) on the web… but to let go of holding onto the old Custom Design, and my attachment to making and keeping the site and blog (in my mind) absolutely perfect.

“The older sites don’t adapt that well to the current and constantly changing digital environment.” she said (I paraphrase). “Stop ruminating about it, and move on.” (I paraphrase, but you get the idea.)

I needed to hear that.

So much seemed to be changing, much of it changes I had initiated, instigated,  pixel by pixel, but some changes that I hadn’t, – that I definitely would NOT have chosen. All forming what feels like a massive transition, where everything in  the world seems to have gone off its axis, requiring fresh eyes, energy and attitude.

I know this is growth, but sometimes it is confusing, sometimes it is overwhelming, and sometimes it hurts.

But we keep moving along…moment by moment, one foot in from of the other.

“The Whole World is a Narrow Bridge. The Important Thing is Not To Fear.”

Thank you for helping the through the “narrows” this time Dianna!

 

Story Time

By

 

Story Time: BedTime Story I

I am repeating a bit in this post, lingering in my Studio Residency and show of work at Camera Obscura Art Lab at 1450 Ocean in Santa Monica.

I showed a work titled “BedTime Story I“, featuring, or shall I say employing tiny masks; faces of clay, made by my Mother, the ceramicist  Judy Disman.

My Mom had made these tiny faces of clay expressly for me to use in and on my artists’ books, even making tiny holes in them so they could be sewed  into and onto the book structures and become integral to them.

The faces were a natural for a piece about “bed”,  and made the book into a more literal narrative then I had originally intended. I work fairly abstractly, though still in a loose book format, and the addition of representational elements changed the feeling of the piece. It could then be “read” more literally.

The faces even became interactive, with two of them contemplating each other.

Others became sentinels, gazing benevolently out from their “beds”.

Far from creating an image of sleep, the faces express the experience of being wide awake, perhaps listening to, creating, or becoming a story. A bed time story.

The faces become the actors in the story, played out through the pages of the book. Each viewer will read the story in their own way, and reach their own conclusions about it.

We may wonder what the beings or characters expressed or indicated by the faces are thinking, and if they are having sleepless nights. Perhaps they are worried under their smiling visages. Perhaps they are presenting to us a mask, and there are dreams and roiling emotions, even nightmares, underneath.

Perhaps formal, textural,  decorative, haptic or totemic qualities of the work will prevail for some. In any event, BedTime Story I was a pleasure to make.

Again, Mom, thank you for the collaboration, and for creating these tiny pieces for me.
It was great to work with you. Sweet dreams.

 

NEW WORKS Show at 1450 Ocean

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NEW WORKS Show at 1450 Ocean

April 14, 2018.

Textile artist Huong Nguyen and I shared our work with the Public at the Camera Obscura Art Lab at 1450 Ocean in Santa Monica.

It was a wonderful round-up of our Studio Residency activities which took place January through April, 2018.

This post is a “send-off” of sorts to the Residency, which had a profound impact upon me, my work, and Life. Thank you, 1450 Ocean….

A tour around the Studio, as we prepare for our Show.

The spaciousness of space…tables for materials, and visual reminders, inspirations and cues.


The “spinning book” moved around.


Beautiful light off the Ocean flooded the glassed-in Studio.


I finished, if there is such a thing, filling my “sketch” book here.


“Rapunzel“, Book board,  mulberry paper, linen thread, gold thread, untreated canvas; “Window Treatment“, Book board,  file folders, hemp cord, watercolor paper, mulberry paper, acrylic paint, waxes.


“The Fall“, Board, untreated canvas, hemp cord, watercolor paper, mulberry paper.


“Throes of the Body“, Book board, untreated canvas, hemp cord, watercolor paper, mulberry paper.


“In the Profusion“, Book board, untreated canvas, hemp cord, watercolor paper, mulberry paper.


“Burning Bush“, Board, thread, linen thread, dental floss, mulberry paper.


“BedTime Story I”, Book board, wood, fabric, hemp cord, watercolor paper, incorporating tiny ceramic “masks, made by my Mom, the ceramicist Judy Disman.
Mom, it was great to work with you.

Pathways to the next Thing.
We are Travelers.

 

 

 

 

 

enRICHment IV

By

enRICHment IV

Kindergartners have a blast making their own books in  Santa Monica’s CREST Enrichment program which provides a variety of after school classes in Santa Monica Public Schools.


Which is more adorable, the book, or the dimple?!


What will happen with “The Three Kittens”?


The smile is the winner, and this little maker is a wonderful writer and visual artist too!


Peruse, cut, paste…


Draw draw draw…one of our most immediate visual art forms…make your Mark!


Industrious and serious writers.


What shall I choose?


Combining the visual and the written…


Kindergartners learning to write, and spell. Impressive.


They create the pages, they fill the pages.


Working with accordion fold / concertina books.


Influencing each others work?!


“Folded Fan Book”: accordion fold spine, with covers and pages attached.


Layering texture, shape and color.


Robert helps us out. Thank you, Robert of the CREST Enrichment program Staff!


An elaborate fairy tale…involving a path, a house, and fairies.


Working side by side, two creative solitudes in community.


This maker has a fascination and love of Mythology…and the Greek gods.


Checking out each others’ work. And each other.


The magic of Washi Tape!


One of our student’s Dads, a fun-loving dentist, joined us for this class…and made his own book


Students thrive in a supportive environment filled with materials, laughter, learning, and patient adults.

We were so fortunate during this class to have both CREST Enrichment program Staff Diana and Michelle be with us, as well as our dentist Dad, and a CREST  staff trainee. The students really felt the support!

To. Be. Continued. It is the Story that never ends…Creative Expression.
Let’s keep starting the process young!

 

enRICHment III

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enRICHment III

First through fifth graders have a blast pinching, coiling, flattening, carving and incising clay in  Santa Monica’s CREST Enrichment program which provides a variety of after school classes in Santa Monica Public Schools.

In this class, we invited parents and siblings to join as, as students painted their clay projects from the past month. A wonderful time was held by all!


“Here’s Lookin’ at You, Kid…”….


Laying out the work…pinch pot, coil and slab techniques.


Getting messy and loving it!


Careful work done by all three.


Painting mask faces.


Primary colors red, blue and yellow are laid out on one plate/palette, while new and inventive colors are mixed on another.


Little brother gets into the act too!


Sad? Mad? Bad? All three?


Sharing a palette.

A rich and colorFULL way to wind down our class, and wind up for summer.
The creative juices are flowing, and ready to take on more challenges.

enRICHment II

By

enRICHment II

Working in clay with Kindergartners…through Santa Monica’s CREST Enrichment program, at Santa Monica Public Schools…after school.

Students “gently pounded” out slabs (flat but not too thin pieces, in this case disks) of clay, and used them as surfaces upon which to create.

They drew into, wrote upon,  incised, built onto and punctured the clay to create faces and designs.
Pencils, paper rolls, wooden sticks and of course hands, became their tools of engagement.

The clay is magical earth, which rocks and rolls, and finds expression, or gives it, to the young makers.

enRICHment I

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enRICHment I

Working in clay with first to fifth graders…through Santa Monica’s CREST Enrichment program, at Santa Monica Public Schools…after school.


We started with pinch pots.


and then moved on to coil pots, using small balls of clay to roll the coils,


and spiral them into the bottom of the pot.


Some chose to smooth out their coils, so that the beginning or bottom of their vessel looked like a slap, or flattened piece of clay upon which curving coil walls could be built.


As more coils were added and gently pinched together, the pots grew.


Focused work for busy hands.


Here a group at another school creates faces carved, incised or built upon slabs of clay “gently pounded” into flat slabs, a second experience with slab technique, now combining slabs and coils.

The clay, magical earth, which rocks and rolls, and finds expression, or gives it, to the young makers.

 

In Resonant Residence (14)

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In Resonant Residence (14)

I formally began Studio Residency at the Camera Obscura Art Lab

in Santa Monica Wednesday January 10th, and completed it Saturday, April 21, 2018.  I shared the sunlit space, located within a beautiful Mid-century building overlooking Palisades Park, Santa Monica Beach and the blue Pacific with textile artist and fellow Studio Artist-in-Residence Huong Nguyen.
“About the Art Lab and Camera Obscura

1450 Exterior
Vintage Camera Obscura
 
 
 
 
Step inside the Camera Obscura Art Lab and you’ll find a welcoming space with fantastic views of Santa Monica Bay and the Pier. The Camera is located in a midcentury time capsule in Palisades Park between Broadway and Santa Monica Blvd on what was once the site of the Pacific Electric Railway’s North Beach Station. Designed by noted architect Weldon J. Fulton (who’s work can be found around town including the classic Camera Obscura sign and font, the Montana and Fairview branch libraries, and the former Zucky’s building on Wilshire Blvd), the building’s exterior features walls clad in chunky Palos Verdes stone, glass walls, sloping roofs, and projecting canopies and rafter beams. It was donated to the City of Santa Monica by Marcellus Joslyn in 1955.”

The huge studio windows look out on palms, walkways and a huge assortment of passers by, strollers, park wanderers and beach combers. The Studio is a magical place to work.

My thirteenth workshop, April 7, 2018, Creating Sculptural Books offered participants an opportunity to walk a bit on the wilder side, and create something new while learning some skills in the process.

We began by constructing what I call the “fan book” structure…an accordion folded spine, with front and back covers, and pages added to the same side of each fold.

It is a version of the flag book, invented by renowned book artist Hedi Kyle, but employs full-sized pages that fan out from the spine in the same direction, rather then the zig zig alternating pattern of the endlessly inventive flag book.

Then folks added to that structure, used it as a jumping off point if you will.

Others focused more specifically on embellishment…this was the way “in” for them.

Book artist Rachel Curry made a big “traditional” flag book, and adorned it with patterns using paint pens.

Step-by-step into new territory, in a safe space.

Ingredients for discovery.

In Resonant Residence (13)

By

In Resonant Residence (13)

I formally began Studio Residency at the Camera Obscura Art Lab

in Santa Monica Wednesday January 10th, and completed it Saturday, April 21, 2018.  I shared the sunlit space, located within a beautiful Mid-century building overlooking Palisades Park, Santa Monica Beach and the blue Pacific with textile artist and fellow Studio Artist-in-Residence Huong Nguyen.
“About the Art Lab and Camera Obscura

1450 Exterior
Vintage Camera Obscura
 
 
 
 
Step inside the Camera Obscura Art Lab and you’ll find a welcoming space with fantastic views of Santa Monica Bay and the Pier. The Camera is located in a midcentury time capsule in Palisades Park between Broadway and Santa Monica Blvd on what was once the site of the Pacific Electric Railway’s North Beach Station. Designed by noted architect Weldon J. Fulton (who’s work can be found around town including the classic Camera Obscura sign and font, the Montana and Fairview branch libraries, and the former Zucky’s building on Wilshire Blvd), the building’s exterior features walls clad in chunky Palos Verdes stone, glass walls, sloping roofs, and projecting canopies and rafter beams. It was donated to the City of Santa Monica by Marcellus Joslyn in 1955.”

The huge studio windows look out on palms, walkways and a huge assortment of passers by, strollers, park wanderers and beach combers. The Studio is a magical place to work.

My twelfth workshop, March 24 2018: Double Flower Fold Book had participants folding forms and attaching them into a chain that folded up into a book that could nestle in your hand. But..when it opened…well, you can see what another name for this structure is “Exploding Book”!


The all-important process of choosing materials!


Folding repeating forms,


and slipping one into the next to create a chain.


Then come the covers…


and their content.


A line-up of family, working together, but on their own things.


Opening up to color.


Her own thing; a little “suit coat’ charmer that opens up into something deeper.


Cool colors, taking her cue form the sea and sky outside?


Development and embellishment and


delight…

It is the journey. I am so glad to have taken it with them, and You.

LACMA LOVE: We Make Books

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LACMA LOVE: We Make Books

At the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), families made books together.

This past March and April, we gathered together and learned how to create the Accordion or Concertina Fold, Folded Fan and  Tunnel Book  structures.

And we had FUN!


Learning to fold the accordion book. There is a step by step process!


Then comes the reward…embellishment!


This young maker know exactly what she wants.


Using decorative papers galore, textures, colors, patterns and shapes are explored and employed.


Pink and blue…must be Spring.


A large group convened to create the “folded fan” book, a version of the flag book, with full-sized pages attached to just one side of the accordion-folded book spine.


Parents had the opportunity to create alongside their children, and also do their own thing.


Makers used stickers, origami papers, washi tapes, magazines and more to dive into the meaning and content of their books.


Bookmaking can engage all kinds of skills, such as writing (and the requisite spelling and grammar),


intricate cutting,


and gluing.


Making books can be the ultimate mixed media experience. Fabric, string, feathers, and just about anything can get into the act, serving at the behest of the maker, and adding layers of meaning.

 

 

 

In Resonant Residence (12)

By

In Resonant Residence (12)

I formally began Studio Residency at the Camera Obscura Art Lab

in Santa Monica Wednesday January 10th, and completed it Saturday, April 21, 2018.  I shared the sunlit space, located within a beautiful Mid-century building overlooking Palisades Park, Santa Monica Beach and the blue Pacific with textile artist and fellow Studio Artist-in-Residence Huong Nguyen.
“About the Art Lab and Camera Obscura

1450 Exterior
Vintage Camera Obscura
 
 
 
 
Step inside the Camera Obscura Art Lab and you’ll find a welcoming space with fantastic views of Santa Monica Bay and the Pier. The Camera is located in a midcentury time capsule in Palisades Park between Broadway and Santa Monica Blvd on what was once the site of the Pacific Electric Railway’s North Beach Station. Designed by noted architect Weldon J. Fulton (who’s work can be found around town including the classic Camera Obscura sign and font, the Montana and Fairview branch libraries, and the former Zucky’s building on Wilshire Blvd), the building’s exterior features walls clad in chunky Palos Verdes stone, glass walls, sloping roofs, and projecting canopies and rafter beams. It was donated to the City of Santa Monica by Marcellus Joslyn in 1955.”

The huge studio windows look out on palms, walkways and a huge assortment of passers by, strollers, park wanderers and beach combers. The Studio is a magical place to work.

My 14th Workshop  April 21, 2018: “Jam out on the Big Beach Book with Debra Disman”   was a meaningful round-up of Residency activities, both workshops and magical making time in the glass-walled Studio…working on The Big Beach Book…

Before “residing” at 1450…The Beach Book was “The Sheltering Book”…and had nothing on it’s pages save color, texture and borders.

The community turned out, and dove into the project, adding paint, stamping, stenciling, collage, printing, altered book pages, maps, beach glass and more to the Book’s surfaces.

The original diamonds were enhanced by the addition of blue and green beach glass, and a tiny scrap from my studio-mate Huong‘s Shibori on Paper workshop.

During our “New Works” show, visitors used paint pens to create colorful works right on the paper-covered tables.  I cut these out, and added them to the Book.

Paint color samples, salvaged from my life as an architectural color consultant, proved to be a fun addition.

The sun stencil was perfect for our Beach theme…and was used in different ways on the Book.

A bold young maker painted the big flower onto one of The Book’s surfaces, and a stenciled sun was layered over it.

This young maker was headed back to the Bay Area with her family, and they stopped at the Camera Obscura on a whim.  happily, they investigated the Art lab, and joined us in adding to The Big Beach Book.

A fitting message. So glad you stopped by Nikki!

Traversing the back cover of The Book.

Sunhat, shells, funky glasses…the accoutrements of the Beach.

Adding to the back cover…

Participants used the fish stencils to great advantage, and used The Book as a place to share thoughts, wishes, ideas and dreams.

Surprise flowers from family…golden!

Stenciled and collaged fish swim in schools and circles. participants created bubbles using a the top of a jar to print acrylic paint with, and sea flora using translucent beads.

During our “Altered Pages” workshop, participants combined book pages with black-out technique, glitter, paint chip samples and other collage materials to create fresh juxtapositions and poetic musings.

Book pages, maps, maps on maps, stencils and ribbon add layers of texture, design and meaning.

Our fearless leader, City of Santa Monica Cultural Affairs Supervisor, and creator of the Art Lab and the Residency program, Naomi, begins to ready the Studio for the new Artists-in-Residence, “moving in” the following week.

One last turn around the Studio, and the Big Beach Book,

before it goes into its last incarnation (that I will have a hand in, anyway…)

with a few elements saved for posterity…for the moment anyway…

What. A. Sublime. Experience.
Gratitudes.

In Resonant Residence (11)

By

In Resonant Residence (11)

I formally began Studio Residency at the Camera Obscura Art Lab

in Santa Monica Wednesday January 10th, and completed it Saturday, April 21, 2018.  I shared the sunlit space, located within a beautiful Mid-century building overlooking Palisades Park, Santa Monica Beach and the blue Pacific with textile artist and fellow Studio Artist-in-Residence Huong Nguyen.
“About the Art Lab and Camera Obscura

1450 Exterior
Vintage Camera Obscura
 
 
 
 
Step inside the Camera Obscura Art Lab and you’ll find a welcoming space with fantastic views of Santa Monica Bay and the Pier. The Camera is located in a midcentury time capsule in Palisades Park between Broadway and Santa Monica Blvd on what was once the site of the Pacific Electric Railway’s North Beach Station. Designed by noted architect Weldon J. Fulton (who’s work can be found around town including the classic Camera Obscura sign and font, the Montana and Fairview branch libraries, and the former Zucky’s building on Wilshire Blvd), the building’s exterior features walls clad in chunky Palos Verdes stone, glass walls, sloping roofs, and projecting canopies and rafter beams. It was donated to the City of Santa Monica by Marcellus Joslyn in 1955.”

The huge studio windows look out on palms, walkways and a huge assortment of passers by, strollers, park wanderers and beach combers. The Studio is a magical place to work.

My tenth workshop, March 17, 2018: Accordion Fold Book + Pockets, found participants folding, cutting and collaging, using a myriad of materials,

including drawing papers, decorative papers, ribbon, maps, washi tape, hole punchers, and more.

“Thank you” ribbons flow from a maker’s “twin” books, made for her grandchildren.

Hearts, and a muted but warm color scheme complete the feeling.

Pockets allow room for secrets, notes, treasures and surprises.

This maker used  patterned paper to powerful effect.

The structure has a simple elegance when treated in a streamlined way.

Two ways of handling pattern.

In an exciting turn, this maker brought in collages she had made while visiting her sister, and made them the theme and focus of her book,

adding ribbons that punctuated the patterns created by her artistry.

A deeply gratifying experience indeed.

For all involved…

 

Library Love II

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Library Love II

Leading a “folded fan” bookmaking program at the Granada Hills Library, one of the Branches of the Los Angeles City Library System was pure joy

The Flag Book was invented by noted book artist Hedi Kyle, and is a great deal of fun to make, develop and embellish!

Covers and flag pages are added to an accordion spine to create a kinetic book,

and  the fun ensues!

Our theme, established by Children’s Librarian Alice,

was Women’s History month….the focus, Women Artists.

  

Pure Joy….

Library Love I

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Library Love I

Leading a “folded fan” bookmaking program at the Wiseburn Library (one of the Branches of the Los Angeles County Public Library System) was pure joy

The fan book is a version of the Flag Book (invented by noted book artist Hedi Kyle), which uses full pages rather then “fragments“.

It is a great deal of fun to make, develop and embellish!

This young lady is studying Library Science, and getting invaluable on the job training.

Although shy under her hood, this young maker used brilliant pink in her book!

Two creative sisters work industriously on their books.

This young maker has a wonderful sense of design and color,

as is evidenced by his creative choices. He flanked the yellow with purple (complementary colors) with crisp black and white Zebra patterning in-between.

Mad about plaid…this young artist worked hard to create pages and covers in the same plaid pattern,

and proudly showed off his work (when asked…).

Girl Maker Power…

Boys rule too….

Layering patterns and materials.

Mom supports son and daughter in their creative efforts…

with “happy” results.

Devoted Children’s Librarian Samantha gets into the bookmaking act, creating alongside her young patrons,

and two makers compare notes.

  A Community of Makers…at the Library!

Tunneling Through (2) Too

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Tunneling Through (2) Too

It was fantastic to teach a workshop on Tunnel Books for families, at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The Tunnel Book is comprised of two accordion spines, or “sides”, connected by a “backdrop” and “cross pieces” or frames attached to the accordion folds moving “forward” in space.

The images below may explain the process more clearly, because, as we know, a picture is worth…how many words?

Two friends work intently, side by side, cutting shapes and image to add to their theater-like books.

Mother and Daughter attach pink and yellow backdrops to black accordion folded spines…

and add to their stories through color, shapes and texture.

The one half of this Mom and Daughter team sports a Princess Leia hairstyle from the original Star Wars movie! She and her Mom are working in related colors.

A talented and happy Mother and Daughter build out their books.

An imaginative young biy cuts concentric circles to give his book and even greater feeling of depth.

Backed by his supportive Mom, he took it upon himself to take the Tunnel Book project one step further.

Happy mom, and our beautiful art class assistant, Lady, a young Mom herself!

Little hands create big projects..

adding layers of color and shape, creating scenes and stories.

This young artist blew me away with her dedication, commitment and persistence…cutting out all the little yellow windows for her building…a real “mise en scène“…

Speaking of mise en scène…BEHOLD!

The work of this maker looks like she was influenced by the Alexander Calder “stabile” sculptures we looked at outside in the Directors Roundtable Garden as inspiration for our project….

A love of green…

Love Live Life

and…SMILE!

Just the right decorative paper for the waterfall down the mountains…

This young artist took the Degas image of The Little Dancer, and made her into a magical winged creature (fairy?) in what looks to be an enchanted place…the theme of flying is echoed in the large yellow butterfly attached to the upper left of the piece.

Adding layers to the piece…

and completing it…

Concentric circles surrounded by a delightful dash of “Ziegfield Follies‘ esque gold fringe!

 A pièce de résistance indeed!  This is a Masterwork if I ever saw one…blooming out in every direction!

Our fabled family makers….together

In Action!

Clay Play (2)Too

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Clay Play (2) Too

It is joy to work with these amazing (no, I am NOT biased!)  students after school, creating in our CREST Enrichment   “Hand Building with Clay” class.  Above are our pinch pot pieces, drying in my studio.

Below, students  in first through fifth grades learn to roll coils and join them together to create potentially large vessels…adding texture, leaving the texture created by the coils, or flattening out that texture to create a whole other look and feel.

Building up the pots step by step,

by rolling the coils, and pinching the end of one onto the beginning of the next.

Beginning with a spiral to create the bottom or “floor” of the pot.

Building up with coils takes patience, dedication, effort.

Starting with balls of clay, which are then rolled into a simple coil shape between the hands…

students then elongate the “rolls” (coils) on the table, trying not to flatten them out.

One coil is rolled into a spiral to create the bottom of the vessel.

The bottom of the pot can be smoothed out if desired…

and then built upon with the next coils.

How amazing to think that it begins with a deceptively “humble” mound of clay, air-dry clay in our case… and an intention learn, build and create.

I say, Bravo!

 

In Resonant Residence (10)

By

In Resonant Residence (10)

I formally began Studio Residency at the Camera Obscura Art Lab

in Santa Monica Wednesday January 10th.  I share the sunlit space, located within the beautiful Mid-century building overlooking Palisades Park, Santa Monica Beach and the blue Pacific with textile artist and fellow Studio Artist-in-Residence Huong Nguyen.
“About the Art Lab and Camera Obscura

1450 Exterior
Vintage Camera Obscura
 
 
 
 
Step inside the Camera Obscura Art Lab and you’ll find a welcoming space with fantastic views of Santa Monica Bay and the Pier. The Camera is located in a midcentury time capsule in Palisades Park between Broadway and Santa Monica Blvd on what was once the site of the Pacific Electric Railway’s North Beach Station. Designed by noted architect Weldon J. Fulton (who’s work can be found around town including the classic Camera Obscura sign and font, the Montana and Fairview branch libraries, and the former Zucky’s building on Wilshire Blvd), the building’s exterior features walls clad in chunky Palos Verdes stone, glass walls, sloping roofs, and projecting canopies and rafter beams. It was donated to the City of Santa Monica by Marcellus Joslyn in 1955.”

The huge studio windows look out on palms, walkways and a huge assortment of passers by, strollers, park wanderers and beach combers. The Studio is a magical place to work.

Eighth  and Ninth Workshops, March 3/10 2018: Working on “The Big Beach Book“, participants collaged, stenciled, stamped, drew and painted on its multitude of people-sized ever evolving surfaces surfaces….

Re-purposing maps, book pages, and even glass bottles to create new stamps…our imaginative workshop participants are creatives extraordinaire.

Just FYI, the flip flops are glued to the surface, and have stayed there…making their way across the proverbial “book beach”!

 

In Resonant Residence (9)

By

In Resonant Residence (9)

I formally began Studio Residency at the Camera Obscura Art Lab

in Santa Monica Wednesday January 10th.  I share the sunlit space, located within the beautiful Mid-century building overlooking Palisades Park, Santa Monica Beach and the blue Pacific with textile artist and fellow Studio Artist-in-Residence Huong Nguyen.
“About the Art Lab and Camera Obscura

1450 Exterior
Vintage Camera Obscura
 
 
 
 
Step inside the Camera Obscura Art Lab and you’ll find a welcoming space with fantastic views of Santa Monica Bay and the Pier. The Camera is located in a midcentury time capsule in Palisades Park between Broadway and Santa Monica Blvd on what was once the site of the Pacific Electric Railway’s North Beach Station. Designed by noted architect Weldon J. Fulton (who’s work can be found around town including the classic Camera Obscura sign and font, the Montana and Fairview branch libraries, and the former Zucky’s building on Wilshire Blvd), the building’s exterior features walls clad in chunky Palos Verdes stone, glass walls, sloping roofs, and projecting canopies and rafter beams. It was donated to the City of Santa Monica by Marcellus Joslyn in 1955.”

The huge studio windows look out on palms, walkways and a huge assortment of passers by, strollers, park wanderers and beach combers. The Studio is a magical place to work.

Eighth  and Ninth Workshops, March 3/10 2018: Working on “The Big Beach Book“, participants collaged, stenciled, stamped, drew and painted on its multitude of people-sized ever evolving surfaces surfaces….

Altering book pages…creating “black-out  poetry” and “found writing”…creating books, large and small…

847.866.8173

 

Clay Play

By

Clay Play

With CREST Enrichment

I had a blast with a wonderful “Hand Building with Clay” class at Will Rogers Elementary School in Santa Monica. With a span of ages 5-10, kindergarten through fifth grade, the students got along beautifully and created with gusto!

Here is a bit of their journey through painting, pinch pots, coils and slab technique!

In Resonant Residence (8)

By

In Resonant Residence (8)

I formally began Studio Residency at the Camera Obscura Art Lab

in Santa Monica Wednesday January 10th.  I share the sunlit space, located within the beautiful Mid-century building overlooking Palisades Park, Santa Monica Beach and the blue Pacific with textile artist and fellow Studio Artist-in-Residence Huong Nguyen.
“About the Art Lab and Camera Obscura

1450 Exterior
Vintage Camera Obscura
 
 
 
 
Step inside the Camera Obscura Art Lab and you’ll find a welcoming space with fantastic views of Santa Monica Bay and the Pier. The Camera is located in a midcentury time capsule in Palisades Park between Broadway and Santa Monica Blvd on what was once the site of the Pacific Electric Railway’s North Beach Station. Designed by noted architect Weldon J. Fulton (who’s work can be found around town including the classic Camera Obscura sign and font, the Montana and Fairview branch libraries, and the former Zucky’s building on Wilshire Blvd), the building’s exterior features walls clad in chunky Palos Verdes stone, glass walls, sloping roofs, and projecting canopies and rafter beams. It was donated to the City of Santa Monica by Marcellus Joslyn in 1955.”

The huge studio windows look out on palms, walkways and a huge assortment of passers by, strollers, park wanderers and beach combers. The Studio is a magical place to work.

Sixth and Seventh Workshops, February 17/24, 2018: Working on “The Big Beach Book“, participants stenciled, stamped, drew and painted on its multitude of people-sized ever evolving surfaces surfaces….

A young woman who came to the Beach with her family took brushes and acrylic paints, and created this “goddess of the sea” (?!?) covering the top half of one of The Big Beach Book pages….finishing it off with proud signature.  others then stepped in and added the sailboat, and fishes swimming below. Who knows how this page will develop over the coming weeks…

A trio of friends worked together on the Book’s front cover, using stencils to outline the shapes of the fish, which they then painted in brilliantly.  They were invited to return this coming Saturday to further develop their artwork, and they said they would. Fingers crossed…

A recent arrival to LA visited the the Art Lab with her companion, and elegantly painted a panel of the Book’s accordion spine with stencils and hand-painted arrows…a lovely addition and gift.

Feel the love….

In Resonant Residence (7)

By

 In Resonant Residence (7)

I formally began Studio Residency at the Camera Obscura Art Lab

in Santa Monica Wednesday January 10th.  I share the sunlit space, located within the beautiful Mid-century building overlooking Palisades Park, Santa Monica Beach and the blue Pacific with textile artist and fellow Studio Artist-in-Residence Huong Nguyen.
“About the Art Lab and Camera Obscura

1450 Exterior
Vintage Camera Obscura
 
 
 
 
Step inside the Camera Obscura Art Lab and you’ll find a welcoming space with fantastic views of Santa Monica Bay and the Pier. The Camera is located in a midcentury time capsule in Palisades Park between Broadway and Santa Monica Blvd on what was once the site of the Pacific Electric Railway’s North Beach Station. Designed by noted architect Weldon J. Fulton (who’s work can be found around town including the classic Camera Obscura sign and font, the Montana and Fairview branch libraries, and the former Zucky’s building on Wilshire Blvd), the building’s exterior features walls clad in chunky Palos Verdes stone, glass walls, sloping roofs, and projecting canopies and rafter beams. It was donated to the City of Santa Monica by Marcellus Joslyn in 1955.”

The huge studio windows look out on palms, walkways and a huge assortment of passers by, strollers, park wanderers and beach combers. The Studio is a magical place to work.

Fifth Workshop, February 10, 2018: “Simple Sewn Booklets” AKA: Single Signature Books

Signatures are gatherings of folded pages, which when stitched together, can become the text block (area where text is added).  In this process, we sewed together a single signature using the very useful pamphlet stitch.

   

We attached the covers to the signature, so that the stitched spine was exposed.

Participants could design and embellish their covers before gluing them directly to the signatures, or attach the covers, then develop them. Some “covered the covers”,, learning folding and cutting techniques and creating covered corners.

 

They made creative use of cord, lace, decorative papers…beads and more,

 

including repurposed jeans, specifically, the denim pockets!

 

The components of the book were prepared for participants to use, covers and signatures cut into squares, sewing holes punched.  Yest still, the makers used every moment of the 2.5 hour workshop to create and develop their books.

Human ingenuity, devotion and love of the handmade never cease to amaze me…I am blessed to witness this regularly in my practice.

Gratitudes…

 

 

 

 

 

In Resonant Residence (6)

By

In Resonant Residence (6)

I formally began Studio Residency at the Camera Obscura Art Lab

in Santa Monica Wednesday January 10th.  I share the sunlit space, located within the beautiful Mid-century building overlooking Palisades Park, Santa Monica Beach and the blue Pacific with textile artist and fellow Studio Artist-in-Residence Huong Nguyen.
“About the Art Lab and Camera Obscura

1450 Exterior
Vintage Camera Obscura
 
 
 
 
Step inside the Camera Obscura Art Lab and you’ll find a welcoming space with fantastic views of Santa Monica Bay and the Pier. The Camera is located in a midcentury time capsule in Palisades Park between Broadway and Santa Monica Blvd on what was once the site of the Pacific Electric Railway’s North Beach Station. Designed by noted architect Weldon J. Fulton (who’s work can be found around town including the classic Camera Obscura sign and font, the Montana and Fairview branch libraries, and the former Zucky’s building on Wilshire Blvd), the building’s exterior features walls clad in chunky Palos Verdes stone, glass walls, sloping roofs, and projecting canopies and rafter beams. It was donated to the City of Santa Monica by Marcellus Joslyn in 1955.”

The huge studio windows look out on palms, walkways and a huge assortment of passers by, strollers, park wanderers and beach combers. The Studio is a magical place to work.

Fourth Workshop, February 3, 2018:
Making the Fireworks Book, A whimsical pop-up book project, designed by UK Book Artist, Paul Johnson, who derived it from an Eastern European paper engineer, who was inspired by…you get the picture. We are links in the chain. A long chain, potentially, that folds up and then “explodes’ open…like fireworks…

Fireworks Book Workshop!

Folding

Adding pop-ups to the pop-up folds…

Cutting…

and pasting…

Adding the “wings” (pop-ups folding out, and in…

Color and pattern…

“s-t-o-p???”…No- keep going!

Putting it all together.

 

In Resonant Residence (5)

By

I formally began Studio Residency at the Camera Obscura Art Lab


in Santa Monica Wednesday January 10th.  I share the sunlit space, located within the beautiful Mid-century building overlooking Palisades Park, Santa Monica Beach and the blue Pacific with textile artist and fellow Studio Artist-in-Residence Huong Nguyen.

“About the Art Lab and Camera Obscura
1450 Exterior
Vintage Camera Obscura
 
 
 
 
Step inside the Camera Obscura Art Lab and you’ll find a welcoming space with fantastic views of Santa Monica Bay and the Pier. The Camera is located in a midcentury time capsule in Palisades Park between Broadway and Santa Monica Blvd on what was once the site of the Pacific Electric Railway’s North Beach Station. Designed by noted architect Weldon J. Fulton (who’s work can be found around town including the classic Camera Obscura sign and font, the Montana and Fairview branch libraries, and the former Zucky’s building on Wilshire Blvd), the building’s exterior features walls clad in chunky Palos Verdes stone, glass walls, sloping roofs, and projecting canopies and rafter beams. It was donated to the City of Santa Monica by Marcellus Joslyn in 1955.”

The huge studio windows look out on palms, walkways and a huge assortment of passers by, strollers, park wanderers and beach combers. The Studio is a magical place to work.

Third Workshop, January 27, 2018:
Scrolls and Paper Marbling

The Marbling Reveal…Creating luminous color.


Creating the scroll form, and adding marbled and Shibori papers.


The pièce de résistance…elegant in its simplicity!

In Resonant Residence (4)

By

In Resonant Residence (4)

I formally began Studio Residency at the Camera Obscura Art Lab

in Santa Monica Wednesday January 10th.  I share the sunlit space, located within the beautiful Mid-century building overlooking Palisades Park, Santa Monica Beach and the blue Pacific with textile artist and fellow Studio Artist-in-Residence Huong Nguyen.

“About the Art Lab and Camera Obscura
1450 Exterior
Vintage Camera Obscura
 
 
 
 
Step inside the Camera Obscura Art Lab and you’ll find a welcoming space with fantastic views of Santa Monica Bay and the Pier. The Camera is located in a midcentury time capsule in Palisades Park between Broadway and Santa Monica Blvd on what was once the site of the Pacific Electric Railway’s North Beach Station. Designed by noted architect Weldon J. Fulton (who’s work can be found around town including the classic Camera Obscura sign and font, the Montana and Fairview branch libraries, and the former Zucky’s building on Wilshire Blvd), the building’s exterior features walls clad in chunky Palos Verdes stone, glass walls, sloping roofs, and projecting canopies and rafter beams. It was donated to the City of Santa Monica by Marcellus Joslyn in 1955.”

The huge studio windows look out on palms, walkways and a huge assortment of passers by, strollers, park wanderers and beach combers. The Studio is a magical place to work.

Magical, material world…

Gatherings of ideas and materials…in a book.

Beginning “Throes of the Body”…sculptural book …or… sculpture in book form.

Book board, mulberry paper, watercolor paper, canvas, acid-free archival PVA-polyvinyl adhesive.

Resurfacing…

Holding the shape of the accordion folded spine.

Looking forward…

In Resonant Residence (3)

By

In Resonant Residence (3)

I formally began Studio Residency at the Camera Obscura Art Lab


in Santa Monica Wednesday January 10th.  I share the sunlit space, located within the beautiful Mid-century building overlooking Palisades Park, Santa Monica Beach and the blue Pacific with textile artist and fellow Studio Artist-in-Residence Huong Nguyen.

Second Workshop, January 20, 2018:
Making the Tunnel Book

Hey there! Creating together….

Our Tunnel Books were comprised of two accordion  sides/spines, a back “drop” (background sheet attached to both spines), and cross pieces or frames attached to each fold of the spines and moving back in space.  The ‘scene” is developed by attaching imagery, shapes, designs, patterns and textures to the cross pieces. Sound confusing? Just look at what these talented, creative and best of all, open to adventure participants made!

Pacific Northwest?

Terrific trio…bey of beauties. Each created a jewel of a piece.

Above the orange background piece is attached to the pink and red accordion spines, and a patterned blue strip of paper ois being glues to the fold closest to the backdrop in both spines.

This maker brought in a piece of her own embroidery, and used vintage Victorian style cutout to create her scene. i happen to know this piece was gifted to someone after the workshop!

Contemplating an underwater dive (scene). Seriously!

The work of our hands….this maker taught jewelry making for many years at Santa Monica College.

With the “doors” shut, this piece looks like a castle…

This maker imaginatively used dullard cut-outs to create a surf-themed piece for her neice.

This maker has a very distinct sensibility, and often chooses earth tones, punctuated by color, adding a strong design sense to her work.

This maker is one creative soul…she works with textiles and has done theatrical design, and it shows. She also supported and cheered on her fellow makers.


“It’s time”…says it all….is there a trip in store?

It is magical to create by the sand, by the sea, by the blue Pacific, and share this experience with these makers.  Picturing your dreams can be the first step to bringing them to life and making them come true.
Gratitudes.

 

In Resonant Residence (2)

By

In Resonant Residence (2)

I formally began Studio Residency at the Camera Obscura Art Lab


in Santa Monica Wednesday January 10th.  I share the sunlit space, located within the beautiful Mid-century building overlooking Palisades Park, Santa Monica Beach and the blue Pacific with textile artist and fellow Studio Artist-in-Residence Huong Nguyen.

First Workshop, January 13, 2018:
Making the Flag Book


Three generations of makers…


Full body…making while standing.


Full spirit…making while laughing.


Full enjoyment…making while smiling.


Women makers create together.


She instinctually softens the “warning” combination of yellow and black (think large cats, bumblebees and “yield” signs) with earthy cardstock.


Choices. Always fascinating to see the colors people choose to use to share their stories.


The effort of gluing effectively.


Using library cards from Verdugo Hills High School as flag pages.


Putting it all together and ready for content.

It is magical to create by the sand, by the sea, by the blue Pacific, and share this experience with these makers.
Gratitudes.

In Resonant Residence (1)

By

In Resonant Residence (1)

I formally began Studio Residency at the Camera Obscura Art Lab


in Santa Monica Wednesday January 10th.  I share the sunlit space, located within the beautiful Mid-century building overlooking Palisades Park, Santa Monica Beach and the blue Pacific with textile artist and fellow Studio Artist-in-Residence Huong Nguyen.


We will both teach weekly public workshops on Saturdays as a key component of our 14 week residencies.


I will be teaching “Flag Books and Found Writing” Saturday January 13th as my first workshop…looking forward to this.


At 1450 Ocean, I was greeted by glass doors and gleaming floors…


and gorgeous views of rainy park and sea. Getting ready here to set up shop.


Handmade papers may find their way into something.


Resonant materials. The power of cloth. Texture. The tactile. Textiles. The haptic.


Haptic “sketchbook”…planning to complete its pages during the Residency.


I begin two pieces with watercolor paper, canvas, book board and wood, cont series of works that progressively investigate the emotional, sensory and evocative aspects of texture, textiles, cloth, fiber, cord and string in book format. Through these works i aim to  the very nature of the book as object, communicative tool and form of expression.


Accordion spine of watercolor paper, and book board.


Experimenting with Baltic Birch plywood covers.


“The Sheltering Book‘, about to transform into “The Big Beach Book”…this metamorphosis  to be enacted in part by workshop participants!

Grateful, honored and  thrilled to be part of this process…moving forward.

 

 

 

“We Right The Book” VI

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“We Right The Book” VI

I was honored to serve as Artist in Residence at Verdugo Hill High School in Tujunga,  CA (Los Angeles) for a group of 41 Senior English class Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) students.

Our project ,  “We Right the Book” was supported by an Artist in Residence grant from the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.  I worked with the students on a series of bookmaking projects during weekly workshops held right in the classroom from September – December, 2017.

The students’ completed book works were exhibited at the Sunland-Tujunga Branch Library on December 13, 2017.
Accordion fold books, flag books, tunnel books, scrolls, and side bound books…the results were stunning.
Below is a digital tour through the show.

Each student’s works were displayed together, except the scrolls, which were hung on the walls.

Students created extraordinary Tunnel Books with whimsical, innovative and imaginative use of materials.

They made Flag Books…with “Found” (collected from existing print media) Writing.

and Accordion Fold Books…

with elaborate pop-ups.

The students completed their final projects for the class in their side bound books…the theme: IDENTITY…Who they are…Where they want to go…How they see themselves.

A Junior VAPA English student peruses the side bound books. She looked at each and every one.

I would love to work with her next year!

Fingers Crossed for next year’s Residency!
Thank you, LA DCA.

“We Right The Book” I

By

“We Right The Book” I

I am honored to serve as Artist in Residence at Verdugo Hill High School in Tujunga,  CA (Los Angeles) for a group of 42 Senior English class Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) students.

Our project is entitled, “We Right the Book“, and is supported by an Artist in residence grant from the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.  I am working with the students on a series of bookmaking projects during weekly workshops held right in the classroom from September – December, 2017. The students are also assisting with bookmaking workshops held for the community at-large in the Sunland-Tujunga Branch of the Los Angeles Public Library.

The project is designed to offer participating students an outlet for feelings, thoughts, hopes and dreams related to their upcoming transition out of high school, and into the next epoch of their lives.

We started with the basics: Accordion Fold Books, created from folding equidistant sections of material. We used “bright tagboard” for the folded pages, and assorted posterboard and railroad board for the covers.

An industrious maker adds tiny butterflies to the cover of her book.

A writer!

Tiny pieces of text work together to form the title…the piece is held closed with hemp cord.

Choosing a length of cord to enhance book.

Angelica layers materials into her folded page.

We have a wonderful group of boys in the class…talented and detailed makers!

Two girls work together (upper left of image)  making the most of materials, space and each other!

Working with letters, and seeing/absorbing their visual quality.

He is able to let others into his world through the book.

Paper world…

Our wonderful VAPA English classroom teacher, Amy Leserman.

Now that we have learned the basics of accordion folding, it is time to move into the fun and versatile Flag Book structure!
Stay tuned for “We Right The Book” II

On-Site: Neighborhood Partnerships with the Los Angeles County Museum of Art

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On-Site: Neighborhood Partnerships with the Los Angeles County Museum of Art

Please enjoy reading a wonderful post written by Karen Satzman, Director of Youth & Family Programs at LACMA, The Los Angeles County Museum of Art…

I was honored to serve as teaching artist for a series of onsite LACMA art making workshops on “People Street“, in North Hollywood, in the NoHo Arts District.

Join us for these upcoming NoHo LACMA art workshops :

Make a Flag Book
2 pm | Sat, October 14, 2017
Participate in a free artist-led workshop and create your own artwork in response to works in LACMA’s collection.
North Hollywood | Valley Plaza Branch Library
Free and open to the public
Note: This program takes place off-site on 12311 Vanowen St., North Hollywood, CA 91605
This project is supported by a grant from The James Irvine Foundation.

Make a Tunnel Book
2 pm | Sat, November 18, 2017
Participate in a free artist-led workshop and create your own artwork in response to works in LACMA’s collection.
North Hollywood | Valley Plaza Branch Library
Free and open to the public
Note: This program takes place off-site on 12311 Vanowen St., North Hollywood, CA 91605
This project is supported by a grant from The James Irvine Foundation.

Make an Accordion Book
2 pm | Sat, December 9, 2017
Participate in a free artist-led workshop and create your own artwork in response to works in LACMA’s collection.
North Hollywood | Valley Plaza Branch Library
Free and open to the public
Note: This program takes place off-site on 12311 Vanowen St., North Hollywood, CA 91605
This project is supported by a grant from The James Irvine Foundation.

 

Chromatic Interactions III

By

“CHAPTERS: Book Arts in Southern California” presented at the Craft and Folk Art Museum in LA.

I was commissioned to create an interactive book.

I created “Chromatic Interactions”

Chromatic Interactions is a flag book is comprised of an accordion spine, front and back covers, and flag pages which are pockets with windows cut out of them to reveal both front and back of the cards that visitor participants wrote and drew on, then inserted into the pockets.

 The front and back covers had windows cut out of them that correlated with the windows cut out of the flag pocket pages.

People’s responses, offerings, additions and interactions surprised me…they really did pause and participate.

This is one of my favorites:

May we all have…Joy…in the morning, in the night…all the time.

As Much As Possible.

JOY

Chromatic Interactions II

By

 

Chromatic Interactions II

“CHAPTERS: Book Arts in Southern California” presented at the Craft and Folk Art Museum in LA.

I was commissioned to create an interactive book.

I created “Chromatic Interactions”

Chromatic Interactions is a flag book is comprised of an accordion spine, front and back covers, and flag pages which are pockets with windows cut out of them to reveal both front and back of the cards that visitor participants wrote and drew on, then inserted into the pockets.

It was eye-opening to see how people responded, what they wrote and drew, and how the book transformed over time.

I am exploring this phenom through a series of posts, now that the show is over. The CAFAM was kind enough to save and give to me many of the file cards added to the book by the participants who interacted with the piece…keeping it in a continual state of transformation.

The front and back covers had windows cut out of them that correlated with the windows cut out of the flag pocket pages.

Someone had to remove the cards so that new ones could be inserted. I am still not sure if this was the Museum staff, or the patron participants themselves.
Here is some of what they wrote….

“STRIKE while the iron is hot”

“Speak Out

Stay Calm

Carry On”

“How can we stop the political train wreck?”

“It was the best of times. It was the worst of times. *activism….”

“people say don’t hate anything except for hatred”

This one “speaks” for itself.

Actually, they all do.

People

Speak

Out

Chromatic Interactions I

By

Chromatic Interactions I

“CHAPTERS: Book Arts in Southern California” presented at the Craft and Folk Art Museum in LA.

I was commissioned to create an interactive book.

I created “Chromatic Interactions”

It was eye-opening for me to see what people wrote and drew, and how the piece changed over time.

I will be exploring this through a series of posts, now that the show is over, and CAFAM was kind enough to save and give to me many of the file cards added to the book by patrons/visitors/participants…interacting.

Flag book. Stitched flag pockets with windows cut into them.

Accordion spine.

A focus on file folders.

Flag pocket and cover windows align, allowing messages to show through, and creating a tunnel effect.

Color, line, word, image, added by the viewer, become participatory art making and collaborator.

Book board.

Found file folders crumpled to create surface texture.

Haptic.

Here is some of what Museum visitor participants wrote…

TIME

“…all slow…”

After the US election.

Did they mean “irrelevant” No???

“There once was…”

Packing it in.
Successful life…validation

“Beautiful
I’m blinded by the light.”

“Mosaic” flower

Wilder tale

E X T R A P O L A T E

So glad, Inez!

Full…
And fuller.

More

To

Come

CHAPTERS I: “Chromatic  Interactions”

By

CHAPTERS I: “Chromatic  Interactions”

The wonderful Craft and Folk Art Museum of Los Angeles currently has on view “Chapters: Book Arts in Southern California” through May 7, 2017.

I had the opportunity of creating an interactive book for the show, one that potentially 8000 viewers/participants could become co-creators of by adding and subtracting color, pattern, graphics and text as they so chose.

weba

I created the flag book  structure from book board (covers),webe

watercolor paper (accordion spine), rice paper (covering the spine),webi

repurposed file folders (torn into pieces to “cover the covers” and folded to form the flag page pockets), linen thread (to stitch the flag pages/pockets), Lineco Neutral pH Adhesive (for gluing) ,webd
and colored file cards (to write and draw upon, and insert into the pockets in varied arrangements), to create  “Chromatic Interactions”.webc
I aligned the ‘windows” in the covers, with the windows cut out of the flag book pockets, 
webf

so that the file cards would read through the front and back cover apertures.webg
The results of offering the public the opportunity to express themselves through interacting with the book were fascinating.
webm

I was moved that participants were expressing their feelings about current events, and the “state of the nation”. webn
Some just got silly and had fun.
webp

Some asked profound questions…reflecting what is on the collective mind.webq

Some waxed poetic.webu
And one young artist expressed her feelings through creating a bookmark, as all the windows were filled!
webw

 Perhaps the greatest treasure of all…

Thank you Inez!

And thank you to the wonderful Holly Jerger, curator, for this amazing opportunity to give CAFAM viewers a voice..I am looking forward to seeing what else they have to say.

The Sheltering Book Chapter 3

By

The Sheltering Book Chapter 3

I am honored to have been one of 17 artists who received an inaugural ‘The WORD Grant 2016: The Bruce Geller Memorial Prize” from the Institute for Jewish Creativity, a project of American Jewish University, to create, “The Sheltering Book“.

web1

“The Sheltering Book will be a life-sized book structure which will become the backdrop for community bookmaking workshops drawing parallels between the meaning and architecture of the book, and that of the Sukkah. The project also explores the relationship between the public sphere and private space, whether that space be our personal creativity, where we create, or what we create.” —Debra Disman

web7

“The WORD Grant, a project of American Jewish University’s Institute for Jewish Creativity, supports artists creating projects that explore Jewish ideas, themes, tradition, history, and identity. We believe in supporting a contemporary, vibrant, Jewish cultural landscape in Los Angeles.”  —The Institute for Jewish Creativity

web7a

Made of corrugated cardboard, primed, base-painted, and treated with layers of transparent color, the Sheltering Book becomes a Sukkah With the addition of dyed netting stenciled with ferns, the “s’chach“, roof of the Sukkah.

web4

web2The Sheltering Book at The Braid Theatre Gallery, Home of the Jewish Women’s Theatre

web6

Our first community bookmaking workshop was held at the lovely Braid Theatre Gallery.

web3

The Sheltering Book onstage, becomes a theatrical backdrop, a set, and a theater in and of itself, as participants create their books nearby,

web8using brilliant and beautiful materials.

web10aMother and daughter work side by side.

web9aweb9

web12Participants focus on”building”, then developing their flag books.

web13Documenting while doing.

web14web14aPutting together word and image,

web17color,

web19text and texture,

web16web20themes.

web15and adding titles.

web24   Then we shared….in the safety of The Sheltering Book.

web22web25aweb26aweb27web31Was it a fluke that black was the predominant clothing color that day? Creating a striking contrast between Book and Bookmaker.

web21Glorious…and sublime.

…to be continued…

The Sheltering Book Chapter 5

By

The Sheltering Book Chapter 5

web5

I am honored to have been one of 17 artists who received an inaugural ‘The WORD Grant 2016: The Bruce Geller Memorial Prize” from the Institute for Jewish Creativity, a project of American Jewish University, to create, “The Sheltering Book“.

web2hOpen to the world.

“The Sheltering Book will be a life-sized book structure which will become the backdrop for community bookmaking workshops drawing parallels between the meaning and architecture of the book, and that of the Sukkah. The project also explores the relationship between the public sphere and private space, whether that space be our personal creativity, where we create, or what we create.” —Debra Disman

web9d

web4

A “Sheltering Book” program was held at the , of the Santa Monica Public Library. The program was attended by participants from preschool to post school who created books,  and shared them in the shelter of The Sheltering Book.

webaThis kind patron helped Montana Branch Library Manager Stephanie Archer and I carry The Sheltering Book into the Community Room.

web9Covers and pages were prepped, and participants bound them together into a single signature book which they then added to with writing, drawing and collage materials.

webgA whole wonderful family of three generations…grandma, mom, and four fantastic, talented and creative daughters!

webbwebiReveling in materials.

webcCreative use of papert strips too create waving grasses, behind which cat’s eyes glimmer…

webtSharing with little sis looking on…

webewebkUse of magazine images.

webhShe has a beautiful sense of design.

webdGrandma gets into the act!

weblwebpCreating with Grandma…pretty in Pink!

webrSharing…

webmA children’s book illustrator…

webushares her creation…lovely color choices!

webnThis wonderful teaching artist claimed the time to create a piece about her own identity…

webvemploying buttons, collage, mixed media,

webv2to great effect… webv4and sharing.

webxBeautiful use of leaves…

webx1outside,

webx3

webx4and inside, her book!

weby_1She strolled into the Community Room during a break, and jumped right in!

weby_4A natural presenter!

levyweb6-jpgThis lovely couple go right into the expressive spirit…

levyweb2-jpgcreating about music,

levyweb3-jpgand other visions.

levyweb1b-jpgPhotogenic too!

This maker truly committed…

weby1using inspiration from the natural

weby2and the man-made worlds…

weby4and fully developing ideas

weby3within her book.

weby5Sharing…


webzThis spirited artist used to be a casting agent…

webz1and she has truly found a new medium within which to epxress herself…and vision.

The Sheltering Book becomes a synergistic process and experience for the community at-large, offering shelter, safe space, and creative inspiration for all who engage with it. 

Let us hold the vision!web8a