Artist in Residence

Wide Open Bookmaking

February 17, 2020 By Debra Disman

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

February 10, 2020 By Debra Disman

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

February 2, 2020 By Debra Disman

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!

Books and Cookies

December 20, 2019 By Debra Disman

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!

Raising our Flags at the Sunland-Tujunga Library!

November 2, 2019 By Debra Disman

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!