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Debra Disman

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Accordion Book

Celebrating Día de Muertos with Papel Picado!

October 29, 2021 By Debra Disman

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.

BRAVO!

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!

Filed Under: Artists' Books, BOOKS, Presentations, Student Work, Teaching Artist Tagged With: "We Write The Book", Accordion Binding, Accordion Book, Accordion Fold, Accordion Fold Book, AIR Program, All purpose book!, ARTIST IN RESIDENCE, ARTIST'S BOOKS, Bookmaking online, Books made by Hand, Branch Libraries, CITY OF LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS, Día de Muertos, Fall Holidays, Handmade Books, LA Department of Cultural Affairs, LAPL, latin American Folk Arts, Library Programs, Los Angeles Public Library System, Make Your Own Journal, Making Art through Zoom, Mexican Folk Arts, Online Art programs, Online Art Workshops, Online Bookmaking Programs, Online bookmaking workshops, Online Library Programs, Panorama City Branch Library, Papel Picado, paper Cits, Paper Cutting, Paper Engineering, The Art of paper Cutting, Zoom

“Making Books Together” at LACMA!

March 21, 2019 By Debra Disman

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

  • Sat, Apr 6, 2019: Make An Accordion Fold Book!
  • 10 am–1 pm
  • L.A. Times Central Court  |  LACMA
  • For children ages 5+ and members of their family
  • $160 LACMA NexGen members (plus one adult), $50 per additional family member; $175 general public (plus one adult), $55 per additional family member
  • Pre-registration is required for all classes. Art materials and parking fees included in tuition. For additional art class information, please call 323 857-6139. For ticketing support, contact boxoffice@lacma.org. Please visit LACMA’s FAQ page for our refund policy.

Tagged With: Accordion Book, ARTIST'S BOOKS, Bookmaking, Family Art Classes, Flag Book, Folded Books, Folded Fan Book, Handmade Books, Intergenerational Artmaking, LACMA, LACMA Family Class, Los Angeles, los Angeles County Museum of Art, Museum Art Classes, One-of-a-kind Books, Paper Marbling, Scroill, TUNNEL BOOK, Unique Books

Accordion Fold Book Workshop For Seniors

August 20, 2018 By Debra Disman

 

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!

 

Tagged With: Accordion Book, Accordion Book with Pockets, ARTIST IN RESIDENCE, ARTIST'S BOOKS, Bookmaking Workshop for Seniors, Books made by Hand, Community Artmaking, Concertina Book, Department of Cultural Affairs of the City of Los Angeles, Granada Hills Library, Handmade Books, Jeffrey Jensen, Librarian, Library program, Library Workshop, Los Angeles Public Library, Seniors

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

August 3, 2018 By Debra Disman

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?

Filed Under: Artists' Books, Student Work, Teaching Artist Tagged With: Accordion Book, ARTIST'S BOOKS, Bookmaking, Chris Burden, Community Arts, Concertina fold, Concertina Fold Book, Family Art Classes, Family Artmaking Workshops, Family Bookmaking, Folded Fan Book, Handmade Books, LACMA, LACMA Education Department, LACMA Family Class, Metroplis II, Muesuem art classes, Museum Arts Program, THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY MUSEUM OF ART

“Reading Takes You Anywhere!”(2)

July 23, 2018 By Debra Disman

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…

Filed Under: Artist in Residence, Artists' Books, Student Work, Teaching Artist Tagged With: Accordion Book, Accordion Book with Pockets, Accordion Fold Book, ARTIST IN RESIDENCE, Artist Residency The Granada Hills Library, ARTIST'S BOOKS, Community Artmaking, Concertina Fold Book, DCA, Department of Cultural Affairs of the City of LA, Family Bookmaking, Handmade Books, Sewn pages, Signatures, THE LOS ANGELES PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM, Travel Journal, Washi Tape

“Reading Takes You Anywhere!”(1)

July 15, 2018 By Debra Disman

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…

 

Filed Under: Artist in Residence, Artists' Books, Student Work, Teaching Artist Tagged With: Accordion Book, Accordion Book with Pockets, Accordion Fold Book, ARTIST IN RESIDENCE, Artist Residency The Granada Hills Library, ARTIST'S BOOKS, Concertina Fold Book, DCA, Department of Cultural Affairs of the City of LA, Handmade Books, Sewn pages, Signatures, THE LOS ANGELES PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM, Travel Journal, Washi Tape

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