Student Work
Family Bookmaking at the Julian Dixon Culver City Library!
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
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…
Culminating our “We Write The Book” Artist Residency at the Canoga Park Branch Library!
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”
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
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!