CALL AND RESPONSE COMES TO STARTUP ART FAIR!
I am thrilled to participate in Shoebox Arts Call and Response Collaborative Book initiative to be presented at the Start Up LA Art Fair
February 27 – March 1, 2026
The Kinney Venice Beach | 737 Washington Blvd, Venice, CA 90292 | Room 202
After five years of digital exchanges connecting artists across six continents, Call and Response is going physical for the first time.
In October 2025, Shoebox Arts helmed by the extraordinary Kristine Schomocker paired 190 artists to create collaborative books together. Four months later, we have approximately 90 unique collaborative works—oracle decks, teabag weavings, painted photographs, sculptural volumes, accordion books, visual puzzles.
Each book represents a creative conversation between two artists/humans/makers. Participating artists have navigated time zones, shipping logistics, language barriers, and completely different creative approaches to make something neither could have conceived alone.
This is Call and Response at its core: connection, radical trust, real collaboration.
This is collaboration without permission. Connection without barriers. Artists proving quality work doesn’t require institutional blessing—just willingness to make something with another.
A project of @shoeboxarts.la
Exhibition: @callandresponseart
The intimate hotel suite setting allows visitors to interact closely with each work—books displayed throughout the space on beds, tables, and dressers. This is a selling exhibition with works split equally between the two collaborating artists and Shoebox Arts.
Hours:
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Friday, February 27: VIP Early Access 5-7pm | All Access 7-10pm
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Saturday, February 28: 12pm – 9pm
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Sunday, March 1: 12pm – 7pm
To attend this fun and wild event:
Get Tickets: www.startup-art.com/los-angeles
Here is part 1 of the process of my collaboration with artist Michelle Robinson:
Creating the Structure:
Five sections of archival book board are attached with acid-free watercolor paper folded accordion “corner” strips. Michelle will provide three printed images to be mounted on the back and sides of the “box” structure, and two sections will comprise the front “doors”.
The piece is completely resurfaced with strips of mulberry paper, which conjure up the texture of tree bark, reflecting the trees and dark woods depicted in her images.
The piece is then placed upright assuming is rectangular box form.
The folds are held in place by clips. The doors open and close, and the accordion-folded corners expand.
The texture is beautiful in white, but will transform with layers of black acrylic paint.
The structure will adapt to its standing form and the resilient mulberry and watercolor paper become ready to absorb the paint and transform to black.
In the next post….PROCESS 2…Transform to BLACK
