Debra Disman

Artist

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Teaching Artist

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!

 

“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!