Please see VIDEO of the “KnoW Safe Place”
Artist in Residence
Candid Conversation with Kristine Schomaker: “Art, Community, and the Beautiful Chaos of Creative Life””
“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“
“We Write The Book” CULMINATION EVENT at the Northridge Library!
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!
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!
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” Single Signature Exposed Spine Bookmaking Workshop at the Northridge Library!
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!
