Debra Disman

Artist

  •

Community Arts

LACMA LOVE: The Art of the Book 2: The Folded Fan Book

By

We started off our Family Bookmaking Workshop series at The Los Angeles County Museum of Art  with the Accordion Fold Book, then moved onto “The Folded Fan” book (my own nomenclature)  which also employed the accordion/concertina fold to great effect.

We visited the B. Gerald Cantor Sculpture Garden, and viewed Chris Burden‘s master work, “Urban Light“, observed and drew perspective, “layers” and distance (“things being behind and in front of other things” ) then returned to the Park View Studio to look at our drawings, learn the “folded fan” book structure, create our books, then develop and embellish them!  (This last the reward, some might say, of the effort that went before).


Side by side…


Peer to Peer support, children AND parents!


The support team.


It’s creation time!


Dynamic duo.


Co-creative-conspirators.


Working together.


Mom as assistant!


Show and tell…she was too shy, so Dad did it!


Sharing time on the stage.

Everyone wins..such a beautiful time had by parents and children working together, side-by-side, cheering each other on.

What could be better?

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

By

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?

Family Bookmaking Workshops at LACMA

By

Family Bookmaking Workshops at LACMA

A series of one day Family Bookmaking Workshops at the Los Angeles Country Museum of Art!
Join us 10AM – 1PM Saturdays, July 21, 28, August 4, 11 and 18.

Learn how to create fun book structures including The Flag Book, The Folded Fan Book, The Accordion Fold/Concertina Book, and The Tunnel Book.

Each project will include an exploration of a special artwork at the Museum which relates to our bookmaking project for that workshop.

All materials included.

 

 

 

In Resonant Residence (14)

By

In Resonant Residence (14)

I formally began Studio Residency at the Camera Obscura Art Lab

in Santa Monica Wednesday January 10th, and completed it Saturday, April 21, 2018.  I shared the sunlit space, located within a beautiful Mid-century building overlooking Palisades Park, Santa Monica Beach and the blue Pacific with textile artist and fellow Studio Artist-in-Residence Huong Nguyen.
“About the Art Lab and Camera Obscura

1450 Exterior
Vintage Camera Obscura
 
 
 
 
Step inside the Camera Obscura Art Lab and you’ll find a welcoming space with fantastic views of Santa Monica Bay and the Pier. The Camera is located in a midcentury time capsule in Palisades Park between Broadway and Santa Monica Blvd on what was once the site of the Pacific Electric Railway’s North Beach Station. Designed by noted architect Weldon J. Fulton (who’s work can be found around town including the classic Camera Obscura sign and font, the Montana and Fairview branch libraries, and the former Zucky’s building on Wilshire Blvd), the building’s exterior features walls clad in chunky Palos Verdes stone, glass walls, sloping roofs, and projecting canopies and rafter beams. It was donated to the City of Santa Monica by Marcellus Joslyn in 1955.”

The huge studio windows look out on palms, walkways and a huge assortment of passers by, strollers, park wanderers and beach combers. The Studio is a magical place to work.

My thirteenth workshop, April 7, 2018, Creating Sculptural Books offered participants an opportunity to walk a bit on the wilder side, and create something new while learning some skills in the process.

We began by constructing what I call the “fan book” structure…an accordion folded spine, with front and back covers, and pages added to the same side of each fold.

It is a version of the flag book, invented by renowned book artist Hedi Kyle, but employs full-sized pages that fan out from the spine in the same direction, rather then the zig zig alternating pattern of the endlessly inventive flag book.

Then folks added to that structure, used it as a jumping off point if you will.

Others focused more specifically on embellishment…this was the way “in” for them.

Book artist Rachel Curry made a big “traditional” flag book, and adorned it with patterns using paint pens.

Step-by-step into new territory, in a safe space.

Ingredients for discovery.

In Resonant Residence (13)

By

In Resonant Residence (13)

I formally began Studio Residency at the Camera Obscura Art Lab

in Santa Monica Wednesday January 10th, and completed it Saturday, April 21, 2018.  I shared the sunlit space, located within a beautiful Mid-century building overlooking Palisades Park, Santa Monica Beach and the blue Pacific with textile artist and fellow Studio Artist-in-Residence Huong Nguyen.
“About the Art Lab and Camera Obscura

1450 Exterior
Vintage Camera Obscura
 
 
 
 
Step inside the Camera Obscura Art Lab and you’ll find a welcoming space with fantastic views of Santa Monica Bay and the Pier. The Camera is located in a midcentury time capsule in Palisades Park between Broadway and Santa Monica Blvd on what was once the site of the Pacific Electric Railway’s North Beach Station. Designed by noted architect Weldon J. Fulton (who’s work can be found around town including the classic Camera Obscura sign and font, the Montana and Fairview branch libraries, and the former Zucky’s building on Wilshire Blvd), the building’s exterior features walls clad in chunky Palos Verdes stone, glass walls, sloping roofs, and projecting canopies and rafter beams. It was donated to the City of Santa Monica by Marcellus Joslyn in 1955.”

The huge studio windows look out on palms, walkways and a huge assortment of passers by, strollers, park wanderers and beach combers. The Studio is a magical place to work.

My twelfth workshop, March 24 2018: Double Flower Fold Book had participants folding forms and attaching them into a chain that folded up into a book that could nestle in your hand. But..when it opened…well, you can see what another name for this structure is “Exploding Book”!


The all-important process of choosing materials!


Folding repeating forms,


and slipping one into the next to create a chain.


Then come the covers…


and their content.


A line-up of family, working together, but on their own things.


Opening up to color.


Her own thing; a little “suit coat’ charmer that opens up into something deeper.


Cool colors, taking her cue form the sea and sky outside?


Development and embellishment and


delight…

It is the journey. I am so glad to have taken it with them, and You.

LACMA LOVE: We Make Books

By

LACMA LOVE: We Make Books

At the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), families made books together.

This past March and April, we gathered together and learned how to create the Accordion or Concertina Fold, Folded Fan and  Tunnel Book  structures.

And we had FUN!


Learning to fold the accordion book. There is a step by step process!


Then comes the reward…embellishment!


This young maker know exactly what she wants.


Using decorative papers galore, textures, colors, patterns and shapes are explored and employed.


Pink and blue…must be Spring.


A large group convened to create the “folded fan” book, a version of the flag book, with full-sized pages attached to just one side of the accordion-folded book spine.


Parents had the opportunity to create alongside their children, and also do their own thing.


Makers used stickers, origami papers, washi tapes, magazines and more to dive into the meaning and content of their books.


Bookmaking can engage all kinds of skills, such as writing (and the requisite spelling and grammar),


intricate cutting,


and gluing.


Making books can be the ultimate mixed media experience. Fabric, string, feathers, and just about anything can get into the act, serving at the behest of the maker, and adding layers of meaning.