Debra Disman

Artist

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Accordion Fold

Open the Door to Women Artists with the West Valley Regional Branch Library!

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CELEBRATE WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH BY LEARNING ABOUT, HONORING AND BEING INSPIRED BY WOMEN ARTISTS!!!

Date(s):
Wednesday, March 23, 2022

Time:
4:00 pm to 5:30 pm

Location:
Online – West Valley Regional Branch Library

Audience:
Kids, Adults

Category:

Arts, Crafts & Hobbies

Series:

Women’s History Month

Language:

English

RSVP:

Complete the online form to register.

Description:

Celebrate Women’s History Month and the work of Frida Kahlo, Faith Ringgold, and Yayoi Kusama by creating a fantastic handmade book. Exercise your creativity and learn new skills in the process!

This is an online program. Space and supplies are limited to the first 20 patrons who register. There is a limit of 2 supply packs per household.

Registration and supplies will be distributed in order of request.

For ADA accommodations, call (213) 228-7430 at least 72 hours prior to the event.

Para ajustes razonables según la ley de ADA, llama al (213) 228-7430 al menos 72 horas antes del evento.

Celebrate Chinese New Year, The Year of the Tiger and the Chinese Lantern Festival!

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Join us in creating a fun and fantastic handmade book to celebrate
The Chinese Lantern Festival & Year of the Tiger.

You will learn both the accordion and the flower fold techniques while learning about this unique festival.

This is an online program. Space and supplies are limited to the first 20 patrons who register.
There is a limit of 2 supply packs per household. Registration and supplies will be distributed in order of request.

To Register go to:  https://tinyurl.com/bdz2ve9d

For ADA accommodations please call (213) 228-7430 at least 72 hours prior to the event

 

NEW WORK in 2021: “Forest Through The Trees”

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I was happy to finally be able to have Elon Schoenholz Photography in to photograph works completed during 2021… fast away the old year passes…

Here I share “Forest through The Trees“, 15 x 42 x 12”, made of book board, canvas, hemp cord, ribbon, typewriter ribbon, acrylic paint, wood.
It is part of a monochrome series in black, through the colors of “black” are infinite, and change with light, material, juxtaposition, and how the viewer engages with the piece.

Comprised of two accordion-folded “spines”, the “book”, becomes a “box”, with a “door” that opens, expandable “walls”, and  painted canvas “pages” held up precariously with wooden dowels. The piece can be presented and contemplated in numerous ways, and begs a tactile connection, through all of us working in book, and perhaps sculptural forms in general grapple with how to do this.  How to have viewers engage with the work, participate in it, without having it worn away over time in the process…

We are seekers.
The Journey continues.

Happy New Year.

(exterior, closed)

(exterior, ajar)

(interior/exterior, open)

Celebrating Día de Muertos with Papel Picado!

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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!

Accordion Book Variation at the Panama City Branch Library!

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Join us online as we celebrate “Summer With The Library”, the LAPL Summer 2021 Reading Program!

 Los Angles Department of Cultural Affairs Artist in Residence Debra Disman will lead you in creating  a “closed spine” version of the Accordion Fold Book.
Use this book for journaling, doodling, sketching, photographs, dreaming, recipes and more!

Materials packets available.
Please see flier above for details!

Make a Recipe Book at the Granada Hills Branch Library!

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Join us for a fun-filled recipe bookmaking program, and create a place to preserve treasured family recipes and new ones too!

This program is part of my Artist Residency at the Granada Hills Public Library and is made possible in part by a grant from the City of Los Angeles Department Cultural Affairs.

All ages welcome. Bring the family and create together!

All materials provided.