Now that The Sheltering Book and The Big Beach Book are no more, except for fragments, in photos, and in memory, I wanted to look at the one structure/two projects piece in greater depth, and see the different ways the large book co-created in community was used. [Read more…] about Beach, Books and Shelter
AMERICAN JEWISH UNIVERSITY
The Sheltering Book Chapter 3
The Sheltering Book Chapter 3
I am honored to have been one of 17 artists who received an inaugural ‘The WORD Grant 2016: The Bruce Geller Memorial Prize” from the Institute for Jewish Creativity, a project of American Jewish University, to create, “The Sheltering Book“.
“The Sheltering Book will be a life-sized book structure which will become the backdrop for community bookmaking workshops drawing parallels between the meaning and architecture of the book, and that of the Sukkah. The project also explores the relationship between the public sphere and private space, whether that space be our personal creativity, where we create, or what we create.” —Debra Disman
“The WORD Grant, a project of American Jewish University’s Institute for Jewish Creativity, supports artists creating projects that explore Jewish ideas, themes, tradition, history, and identity. We believe in supporting a contemporary, vibrant, Jewish cultural landscape in Los Angeles.” —The Institute for Jewish Creativity
Made of corrugated cardboard, primed, base-painted, and treated with layers of transparent color, the Sheltering Book becomes a Sukkah With the addition of dyed netting stenciled with ferns, the “s’chach“, roof of the Sukkah.
The Sheltering Book at The Braid Theatre Gallery, Home of the Jewish Women’s Theatre
Our first community bookmaking workshop was held at the lovely Braid Theatre Gallery.
The Sheltering Book onstage, becomes a theatrical backdrop, a set, and a theater in and of itself, as participants create their books nearby,
using brilliant and beautiful materials.
Mother and daughter work side by side.
Participants focus on”building”, then developing their flag books.
Documenting while doing.
Putting together word and image,
color,
text and texture,
themes.
Then we shared….in the safety of The Sheltering Book.
Was it a fluke that black was the predominant clothing color that day? Creating a striking contrast between Book and Bookmaker.
Glorious…and sublime.
…to be continued…
The Sheltering Book Chapter 5
The Sheltering Book Chapter 5
I am honored to have been one of 17 artists who received an inaugural ‘The WORD Grant 2016: The Bruce Geller Memorial Prize” from the Institute for Jewish Creativity, a project of American Jewish University, to create, “The Sheltering Book“.
Open to the world.
“The Sheltering Book will be a life-sized book structure which will become the backdrop for community bookmaking workshops drawing parallels between the meaning and architecture of the book, and that of the Sukkah. The project also explores the relationship between the public sphere and private space, whether that space be our personal creativity, where we create, or what we create.” —Debra Disman
A “Sheltering Book” program was held at the , of the Santa Monica Public Library. The program was attended by participants from preschool to post school who created books, and shared them in the shelter of The Sheltering Book.
This kind patron helped Montana Branch Library Manager Stephanie Archer and I carry The Sheltering Book into the Community Room.
Covers and pages were prepped, and participants bound them together into a single signature book which they then added to with writing, drawing and collage materials.
A whole wonderful family of three generations…grandma, mom, and four fantastic, talented and creative daughters!
Reveling in materials.
Creative use of papert strips too create waving grasses, behind which cat’s eyes glimmer…
Sharing with little sis looking on…
Use of magazine images.
She has a beautiful sense of design.
Grandma gets into the act!
Creating with Grandma…pretty in Pink!
Sharing…
A children’s book illustrator…
shares her creation…lovely color choices!
This wonderful teaching artist claimed the time to create a piece about her own identity…
employing buttons, collage, mixed media,
to great effect… 
and sharing.
Beautiful use of leaves…
outside,
and inside, her book!
She strolled into the Community Room during a break, and jumped right in!
A natural presenter!
This lovely couple go right into the expressive spirit…
creating about music,
and other visions.
Photogenic too!
This maker truly committed…
using inspiration from the natural
and the man-made worlds…
and fully developing ideas
within her book.
Sharing…
This spirited artist used to be a casting agent…
and she has truly found a new medium within which to epxress herself…and vision.
The Sheltering Book becomes a synergistic process and experience for the community at-large, offering shelter, safe space, and creative inspiration for all who engage with it.
Let us hold the vision!