Artist
Some moments of the 2025 Craft Contemporary GALA!
For Your Viewing Pleasure!
Before, in the courtyard
The auction room second floor gallery, our piece, “drift” (myself and Luciana Abait)
Carrie’s piece
Ahree’ piece
Rosie
Alma
David
Frida’s husband Mick (in my Monm’s vest!) (Luis behind)
Andres
Auction
Alba
Liberty and Jay Worth, Victoria May in mask
In celebration of Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), I led a bookmaking workshop that featured Papel Picado (The art and craft of decorative cut paper) as part of my artist residency in bookmaking at the the Panorama City Branch Library, supported by the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.
Participants learned the Accordion Fold technique, and used it to create 11″ high Accordion Fold Books.
They then created simple Papel Picado designs, exploring paper cutting techniques using tissue paper sheets, and added these colorful (or black-) works to our books in various ways.
All of the techniques and materials demonstrated online, through Zoom.
The participants were adventurous, good-humored, and supportive of each other as they moved through the process, and created the beautiful works pictured below.
This is truly teaching artistry, and learning, for the 21st Century!
Using the simplest techniques, participants used color and cutting to create wondrous designs, which they layered onto to and into their Accordion Fold Books.
Paper cutting using the thin sheets of tissue paper can be demanding under the best of circumstances,. I marveled at what our participants were able to accomplish guided by an online workshop!
Here, black tissue paper is employed to magical and mysterious effect.
Participants also used origami paper to create their Papel Picado designs.
Participants joined the workshop from Arizona, Montreal, and across Los Angeles County, some with grandchildren, demonstrating the potential of the internet and its global reach.
Photographing through a computer screen can be challenging, but the brilliance of these colors and repeated cut-out designs cannot be denied!
Join us to create fun, personal, handmade books! Learn glued, folded, and rolled book-making techniques, as well as how to use color, texture, pattern, design, and composition to make your books unique. Families can create books together, work on individual projects, or both! Led by artist Debra Disman.
Five Saturdays: April 6, 13, 27, May 4, and 11
Part of my Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs Artist Residency at the Granada Hills Branch – Los Angeles Public Library.
Thanks to librarian Jeffrey Jensen, Senior Librarian Pamela Rhodes, and the LA DCA.
Make an accordion fold book from images of the Latino community’s contribution to the art and architecture of Los Angeles with artist Debra Disman. This program is made possible in part by a grant from the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, and celebrates Latino Heritage Month.
Geared to Seniors, all are welcome!
Please see flier!
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?
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…