Debra Disman

Artist

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Teaching Artist

LACMA LOVE: The Art of the Book 2: The Folded Fan Book

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We started off our Family Bookmaking Workshop series at The Los Angeles County Museum of Art  with the Accordion Fold Book, then moved onto “The Folded Fan” book (my own nomenclature)  which also employed the accordion/concertina fold to great effect.

We visited the B. Gerald Cantor Sculpture Garden, and viewed Chris Burden‘s master work, “Urban Light“, observed and drew perspective, “layers” and distance (“things being behind and in front of other things” ) then returned to the Park View Studio to look at our drawings, learn the “folded fan” book structure, create our books, then develop and embellish them!  (This last the reward, some might say, of the effort that went before).


Side by side…


Peer to Peer support, children AND parents!


The support team.


It’s creation time!


Dynamic duo.


Co-creative-conspirators.


Working together.


Mom as assistant!


Show and tell…she was too shy, so Dad did it!


Sharing time on the stage.

Everyone wins..such a beautiful time had by parents and children working together, side-by-side, cheering each other on.

What could be better?

LACMA LOVE: The Art of the Book 1: The Accordion Book

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We started off our Family Bookmaking Workshop series at The Los Angeles County Museum of Art  with Accordion Fold/Concertina Fold Books, a basic yet complex structure, as regards to the amount of surfaces makers had to work on and develop.

We visited Chris Burden‘s master work, “Metropolis II“, observed and drew movement, then returned to the Park View Studio to look at our drawings, learn the accordion fold book structure, create our books, then develop and embellish them!


Mom and son work together.


He proudly shows off his completed creation.


Two beauties,


creating pink and purple beauty.


What a line-up!


Zeroing in…


Completed “min-book”!


This young maker is attending with his Dad,


who enjoyed the time to create his own book as well.


Much needed Mom makers time.


Mother and daughter makers, with friend looking on,


repeating colors and patterns to create a story.


Here is the friend with her Mom, creating an amazing book!


Using pattern to express fruit, vegetables and animals…and create a beautiful world.


A blue ribbon winner!


Working with pop-ups,


to create a “talking” bird.


The winning smile and dimple!

Everyone wins..such a beautiful time had by parents and children working together, side-by-side, cheering each other on.

What could be better?

“Reading Takes You Anywhere!”(2)

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Here is the inaugural workshop at the Granada Hills Branch Library of the LAPL, kicking off my artist residency there:  “We Write the Book“, supported by the Department of Cultural Affairs of the City of Los Angeles.

For the Summer Reading Theme:  “Reading Takes You Anywhere!”  participants created a Travel Journal…an accordion book with pockets and sewn in pages.

Meet the bookmakers!


Three generations  of women and girls, making books.


What a message…she came up with this title on her own.


Our lovely helpers Emily and Erica, with two of our younger makers.


Sharing their embellishment!


Three generations of females again…with Grandma and Granddaughter participating in the workshop.


I see a theme here…crossed ribbons marks the spot…


Two beautiful families, one, about to take off for Australia.
A Travel Journal will come in handy…

“Reading Takes You Anywhere!”(1)

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Inaugural workshop at the Granada Hills Branch Library of the LAPL, kicking off my artist residency there:  “We Write the Book“, supported by the Department of Cultural Affairs of the City of Los Angeles.

For the Summer Reading Theme:  “Reading Takes You Anywhere!”  participants created a Travel Journal…an accordion book with pockets and sewn in pages.

Here are some of the results.
TBC in the next post…“Reading Takes You Anywhere! (2)”.


Washi love.


Working on the covers.


Stuck on stickers!


“Mom’s Travel Journal”…an elegant use of decorative butterflies, maps, birds and color. This Mom is headed soon to Australia…and hopefully, her Travel Journal will come in handy.
Bon voyage!

Up next….the book makers behind (or in front of) the books.

Stay tuned!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elegance…

 

NEW WORKS Show at 1450 Ocean

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NEW WORKS Show at 1450 Ocean

April 14, 2018.

Textile artist Huong Nguyen and I shared our work with the Public at the Camera Obscura Art Lab at 1450 Ocean in Santa Monica.

It was a wonderful round-up of our Studio Residency activities which took place January through April, 2018.

This post is a “send-off” of sorts to the Residency, which had a profound impact upon me, my work, and Life. Thank you, 1450 Ocean….

A tour around the Studio, as we prepare for our Show.

The spaciousness of space…tables for materials, and visual reminders, inspirations and cues.


The “spinning book” moved around.


Beautiful light off the Ocean flooded the glassed-in Studio.


I finished, if there is such a thing, filling my “sketch” book here.


“Rapunzel“, Book board,  mulberry paper, linen thread, gold thread, untreated canvas; “Window Treatment“, Book board,  file folders, hemp cord, watercolor paper, mulberry paper, acrylic paint, waxes.


“The Fall“, Board, untreated canvas, hemp cord, watercolor paper, mulberry paper.


“Throes of the Body“, Book board, untreated canvas, hemp cord, watercolor paper, mulberry paper.


“In the Profusion“, Book board, untreated canvas, hemp cord, watercolor paper, mulberry paper.


“Burning Bush“, Board, thread, linen thread, dental floss, mulberry paper.


“BedTime Story I”, Book board, wood, fabric, hemp cord, watercolor paper, incorporating tiny ceramic “masks, made by my Mom, the ceramicist Judy Disman.
Mom, it was great to work with you.

Pathways to the next Thing.
We are Travelers.

 

 

 

 

 

enRICHment IV

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enRICHment IV

Kindergartners have a blast making their own books in  Santa Monica’s CREST Enrichment program which provides a variety of after school classes in Santa Monica Public Schools.


Which is more adorable, the book, or the dimple?!


What will happen with “The Three Kittens”?


The smile is the winner, and this little maker is a wonderful writer and visual artist too!


Peruse, cut, paste…


Draw draw draw…one of our most immediate visual art forms…make your Mark!


Industrious and serious writers.


What shall I choose?


Combining the visual and the written…


Kindergartners learning to write, and spell. Impressive.


They create the pages, they fill the pages.


Working with accordion fold / concertina books.


Influencing each others work?!


“Folded Fan Book”: accordion fold spine, with covers and pages attached.


Layering texture, shape and color.


Robert helps us out. Thank you, Robert of the CREST Enrichment program Staff!


An elaborate fairy tale…involving a path, a house, and fairies.


Working side by side, two creative solitudes in community.


This maker has a fascination and love of Mythology…and the Greek gods.


Checking out each others’ work. And each other.


The magic of Washi Tape!


One of our student’s Dads, a fun-loving dentist, joined us for this class…and made his own book


Students thrive in a supportive environment filled with materials, laughter, learning, and patient adults.

We were so fortunate during this class to have both CREST Enrichment program Staff Diana and Michelle be with us, as well as our dentist Dad, and a CREST  staff trainee. The students really felt the support!

To. Be. Continued. It is the Story that never ends…Creative Expression.
Let’s keep starting the process young!