Student Work

LACMA LOVE: We Make Books

May 3, 2018 By Debra Disman

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)

May 2, 2018 By Debra Disman

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

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)

May 1, 2018 By Debra Disman

March 22, 2018

In Resonant Residence (11)

I formally began Studio Residency at the Camera Obscura Art Lab

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

April 28, 2018 By Debra Disman

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

April 18, 2018 By Debra Disman

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

April 11, 2018 By Debra Disman

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!