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Debra Disman

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Bookmaking in Community

Flag Books for Flag Day at the Manhattan Beach Library!

June 16, 2025 By Debra Disman

It was a great pleasure to lead a Flag Bookmaking program  on Flag Day at the Manhattan Beach Library!


Due to a fabulous donation of designer wallpaper samples,


I was able to offer a mix of exotic materials to the participants to work with!
And they employed them…


in all kinds of different ways, making use of their colors, textures, patterns and imagery


to enhance  and enrich their books!

Different makers used the same pattern…

in different ways!


A wide variety of pre-cut “flag pages” were available and used creatively.


Maker Stacy Wong shared her completed Flag Book, which she further developed after the program!


A truly colorfully creative time was had by ALL!

 

Filed Under: ARTISTS, Artists' Books, BOOKS, LIBRARIES, Student Work, Teaching Artist, TEXTILE/FIBER, Textiles/Fiber/Cloth, Venues, Work Tagged With: Accodion Fold, ACCORDION SPINE, Art programs at the Public Library, Bookmaking, Bookmaking in Community, bookmaking in the library, Bookmaking together, COLOR, community art workshop, decorative papers, donation, Flag Book, Flag pages, Folded and glued Books, Handmade Book, Hands on bookmaking, imagery, Intergenerational Artmaking, LA COUNTY, LA County Libraries, LA County Library, LACO, LACO Library, Manhattan Beach, Manhattan Beach Library, Materials, materials donation, pattern, Public Library, Repurposed materials, Stacy Wong, Texture, wallpaper samples

“We Write The Book” CULMINATION EVENT at the Northridge Library!

June 5, 2025 By Debra Disman

 It was both moving and thrilling to complete my 2024-25 Artist Residency at the beautiful Northridge Branch Library .

This Neighborhood Engagment Artist Residency has been supported by the wonderful City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

I have been honored to serve as  artist-in-residence at the Northridge Branch Library, conducting bookmaking workshops and events for the local community and library patronage from February through May 31, 2025, on selected Wednesday afternoons, 3:30-5:00PM, and Saturdays 11:00am – 12:30PM

Our workshops have been completely free to community with  all materials and refreshments included, supported by the  City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

Attended by participants of all ages including families, I was thrilled to see the explosively colorful and exciting projects our participants created, and their joy in working in community. many of our participants have attended multiple workshops, and some of them have attended all of the bookmaking programs!

During our CULMINATION, participants shared and read from their handmade books, enjoyed refreshments, created a mini-travel journal and learned how do the “Turkish Map Fold” which they could then add to their books!
Turkish Map Fold incorporated into mini-travel journal!


Families enjoy bookmaking together, a blend of generations!


Participants help other participants.


Renata shares one of her amazing books!


A young boy’s dream, and I think we can see what it is!


Such a pleasure to see Ardem Tajerian again, with who I worked on my first Neighborhood Engagment Artist Residency supported by the  City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs back in 2017!


A table of committed bookmakers!


The work and the results.


Maps to add to the travel journal, ready for summer adventures!


It is never too  young to start bookmaking!


A first-time participant who joined our CULMINATION!


Creatively working hands create books.


Library staff get into the creative act.


Extraordinary book works created and shown…shared with the attending community by the participating artists who made them.


Materials galore!


Process yields results.

 
Outside

Inside


Tunnel Bookmaking taken to the max!


Words not to be forgotten…


Honoring women artists in celebration of International Women’s Day and Womens History Month, March 2025

  


An incredible expression of love and committment expressed through bookmaking for a ten-year anniversary, and shared during our “We Write the Book” CULMINATION event!

It was hard to say goodbye. We hope to see everyone in the FALL!

Thank you to  the incredible City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs and the  fantastic Northridge Branch Library for this amazing and deeply fulfilling experience.  Thank you for allowing me to teach, share my knowledge and love of the community and books, and work together to bring together so  many beautiful souls.

Until the next!!!

Filed Under: Artist in Residence, Artists' Books, LIBRARIES, Student Work, Teaching Artist, TEXTILE/FIBER, Textiles/Fiber/Cloth, Work Tagged With: "We Write The Book", Art and Craft Community Programs, art-making workshops for families, Artist Residency, Artist Residency Culmination, Book, Book as Art, Book Structures, BOOKBINDING, Bookmaking, Bookmaking for the Community, Bookmaking in Community, Books made by Hand, books of repeating forms, Community, Community Artmaking, COMMUNITY BOOKMAKING, Creating travel journals, Culmination, Culmination Event, CULMINATION RENEWAL, DCA Grants, DCA LA, DCA-funded artist residency, Families Making Books, Family Bookmaking, Folded and glued Books, Handmade Books, Intergenerational Arts workshops, LAPL, Librarians, Los Angeles Public Library, Making Books Together, mixed media books, Module books, NEAR, NEAR Residency, Neighborhood Engagement Artist Residency, Northridge, Northridge Branch Library, repeating forms, running stitch, Self-expression, The Department of Cultural Affairs of the City of Los Angeles, THE LOS ANGELES PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM, Travel Journal, Turkish Map Fold

THE INTERSECTION-Where Art and Community Meet: Flag Bookmaking at 18th Street Arts Center

April 7, 2025 By Debra Disman


Working with the 18th Street Arts Center Community.
Making Flag Books.

On April 1st, 2025 (no joke).

A sublime experience.

Loved every minute.

Share the experience:
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/u-Oe8zYKArc
Animator Stephen Siemens Works his Flag Book
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/fQl1I-KdJT0
Poet Susan Suntree and her Alter

            me

 

             

 

Filed Under: Artist in Residence, ARTISTS, Artists' Books, BOOKS, Presentations, Teaching Artist, TEXTILE/FIBER, Textiles/Fiber/Cloth Tagged With: "Make Your Own Books!", 18th Street Arts Center, Adults making Books, AIR, Art Center, Art Community, Artists In Residence, ARTISTS RESIDENCY PROGRAM, Bookmaking, Bookmaking in Community, Community, Flag Book, Flag Book Workshop, FLAG BOOKMAKING, Intersection, Intersection: where art and community meet with Debra Disman, Los Angeles, Making Books Together, SANTA MONICA, Workshop

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