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Debra Disman

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Craft

“String Theory” plays at the Cultural Center of Cape Cod!

January 30, 2024 By Debra Disman

I am thrilled to be participating in “String Theory“, an exhibition focusing on the versatility and creative potential of fiber, at the Cultural Center of Cape Cod.

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Opening Reception Friday, February 9, 5–7pm

Exploring the possibilities within fiber art to showcase the beauty and versatility of the medium.

FIBER ART can be see as both a new and an old form of art. The use of fibrous materials—woven, knitted, printed, wrapped, tied, sculpted, etc.—has long been a part of human culture. Traditionally, fibrous materials emerged as functional objects but in the aftermath of the World War II and with further investigation into the nature of an art object, fiber art slowly became a force and a movement in its own right. 

DURING THE 1950s, as artists received recognition, the term “fiber art” was coined to help describe and categorise their work. During this period, the contribution of craft artists—not just in fiber but in clay, ceramics, and other media—inspired a number of weavers to begin binding fibers into non-functional and non-objective forms to create works of art. The two decades that followed, the 1960s and the ’70s brought an international revolution in fiber art. With the rise of the women’s movement, and the consequences of feminist art, along with the birth of postmodernism theory, fiber art was reinforced and popularized.

FORMS OF FIBER ART include sewing, quilting, needle point, macrame, weaving, felting, crocheting, knitting, embroidery, rug-making, basket weaving and many more. As the years pass, different forms of fiber art have increased and decreased in popular artist interest. Macrame, for example, became very popular during the Victorian era, faded out of focus, then regained popularity in the 1970s. Today fiber art, in all its increasingly varied forms and styles, is more popular than ever and os one of the fastest-growing art forms of the 21st century.

The exhibition explores the wide range of possibilities within fiber art, including but not limited to weaving, knitting, crocheting, embroidery, and felting. It will showcase the beauty and versatility of fiber as a medium.

I will be showing a work that has not yet been exhibited publicly: 

Blue Tapestry (Here’s To The Red, White + Blue), 2021, 18.75 x 6.5″
a hanging textile work made of hemp cord, linen thread and repurposed plastic placemat material.
This work is part of a three piece series, which also includes “Red Notebook” and “White Album”,  created in response to the re-evaluation of our national identity provoked by recent and historical events and conditions, and resulting turmoil.


VIEW THE SHOW VIDEO!

Filed Under: ARTISTS, Exhibitions, TEXTILE/FIBER, Work Tagged With: Cape Cod, Cape Cod Culture, Contemporary Art, contemporary art using fiber, Contemporary works engaging fiber, Craft, crocheting, Cultural Center of Cape Cod, embroidery, felting, Feminist, Fiber, fiber artworks, fiber as a medium, fibert artist, Group Show, knitting, Molly Demeulenaere, Paper, Red White and Blue, Stitching, String, String Theory, Textiles, The Cultural Center of Cape Cod, Thread, Weaving, Women's Work

More than the Surface: Surface Design Association Southwest Regional Exhibition

September 24, 2022 By Debra Disman

I am thrilled to be participating in this show at the Tubac Center for the Arts,  juried by artist Annie Lopez.

Current SDA members in Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Southern California, Texas, and Utah were invited to submit work for the juried SDA Southwest Regional Exhibition. The exhibition was juried by Arizona artist, Annie Lopez who selected 56 works.

I am showing, “Excavation of the Interior”, 2021, 12 x 28 x 12.5″, mixed media (wood, mulberry paper, canvas, watercolor paper, hemp cord, muslin)

September 30-November 13, 2022 at
Tubac Center of the Arts
9 Plaza Road, Tubac, AZ 85646

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Annie Lopez, Craft, Fiber, Group Show, Paper, Southwest, Southwest Regional Exhibition, Surface Design, Surface Design Association, Textile, Tubac Center for theArts, visual art

CRAFTING HISTORIES online

October 4, 2020 By Debra Disman

It has been an honor to work with Craft Contemporary to lead:

CRAFTING HISTORIES
Bookmaking Online Workshop 

“The Art of the Book: Crafting Our Stories By Hand is an online workshop series specifically designed by Craft Contemporary and artist Debra Disman for adults over the age of 55. This program is made possible by funding from Aroha Philanthropies and is part of a nationwide campaign to bring thoughtful and specialized programs to a valuable population that is often undeserved by arts institutions.

Workshop participants were introduced to ideas of storytelling through materials and the handmade. They were encouraged to tell their own stories using paper and everyday materials, while exploring what the term book means, why books are important, and how they have functioned through time and culture.”

See our extraordinary participants and their work here….and prepare to be amazed.

 

Filed Under: Artists' Books, BOOKS, Student Work, Teaching Artist Tagged With: Aroha Foundation, Bookmaking, Craft, Craft Contemporary, Craft Contemporary Museum, Crafting, CRAFTING STORIES, Elders, Older Adults, Online Art Classes, Online Artmaking, Online Artmaking in the Pandemic, Online Crafting in the pandemic, Online CrATING, Seniors, Seniors Stories, Story

Friday Bookmakers Inspiration! We Stand (Sit?!) Together, Making Books! (9)

May 18, 2020 By Debra Disman

I  have been honored to work with a wonderful group of “older adults” at the Craft Contemporary Museum in Los Angeles, offering a series of workshops teaching bookmaking techniques, and providing a forum for creativity, imagination, sharing and story.

The remainder of our series, “Crafting Our Stories By Hand”, supported by the Aroha Philanthropies, has had to be postponed due Covid-19.

Therefore, I have started an email newsletter to keep our community going, offering tips, images and sharing the work these makers are doing at home while “sheltering in place”.

Sharing these newsletters as a blog post makes their contents available for any and all. It inspiring to see what these makers have done and are doing during these crazy times.

Special thanks to the incomparable Andres Payan, for his support of the older adults makers program and facilitation of our ZOOM gatherings, as well as his devotion to the community in his role of Curator of Public Engagement at Craft Contemporary.  Thank you for this opportunity! 

And now, on to more Good Stuff!

Two books made by Sandra this week! 

Sandra shared again during our ZOOM gathering about using THE ART OF THE FOLD book
by Hedi Kyle and her daughter Ulla Warchol!

 Sandra says: “First one is a blizzard book (for business cards).”

She adds, “Second one is a panorama book.”

Here are Vicki’s new books, gorgeous!
And, Vicki is on INSTAGRAM, sharing her collage works: check it out, 
https://www.instagram.com/piratevicki6/
and consider starting an Instagram account of your own, as Sandra is!

Here is a book by Vicki  for her granddaughter, sharing about vocabulary describing groups of different birds!
 
The next has pockets for treasures! Business cards?

Finally, these little gems:


For all those who are photographing their works,  I want to suggest that you use a more neutral background, in contrast to the colors in your work.
You can see above, it is harder to see the red books against a red background.
Try using white, or even gray. Possibly black if you have a lot of color in a work, and not a lot of black.
Try using just one color for the background.


Dear Bookmakers, Makers,  Readers, All,

If you are able, and so inclined, use the comments section to share something book-related, or anything of interest you wish. Check out all the other “Friday Bookmakers Inspiration! We Stand (Sit?!) Together, Making Books!” blog posts, right here.
Stay Safe, Stay Strong, Stay Well, Stay Sane,
STAY CREATIVE!
And as Sandra says,
“Craft on!”

In hope and gratitude,
debra

Filed Under: Artists' Books, BOOKS, Student Work, Teaching Artist Tagged With: Aroha Foundation, ARTIST'S BOOKS, Blizzard Book, Bookmaking, Bookmaking At Home, Bookmaking Workshops, BOOKS and THEIR ARTIST, Craft, Craft Contemporary, Craft Contemporary Museum, Crafting at Home, Crafting Our Stories By Hand, Handmade Books, Hedi Kyle, Los Angeles County Public Library System, Making Books at Home, Making Books By Hand, Mark Bradford, Older Adults, Older Adults Making Books, Panorama Book, Seniors, The Art of the Fold, Ulla Warchol

Friday Bookmakers Inspiration! We Stand (Sit?!) Together, Making Books! (8)

May 8, 2020 By Debra Disman

I have been honored to work with a wonderful group of “older adults” at the Craft Contemporary Museum in Los Angeles, offering a series of workshops teaching bookmaking techniques, and providing a forum for creativity, imagination, sharing and story.

The remainder of our series, “Crafting Our Stories By Hand”, supported by the Aroha Philanthropies, has had to be postponed due Covid-19.

Therefore, I have started an email newsletter to keep our community going, offering tips, images and sharing the work these makers are doing at home while “sheltering in place”.

Sharing these newsletters as a blog post makes their contents available for any and all. It inspiring to see what these makers have done and are doing during these crazy times.

And now, on to one of our very productive student/artist/bookmakers SANDRA!
She says….“I purchased this book online — it presents projects that mostly use folding vs. sewing.”

This is a book by book artist Hedi Kyle, who invented the fun flag book structure we did in our class, and her daughter Ulla Warchol.
I happen to know this book can be found through the Los Angeles County Library System!

Sandra created two fabulous books this week, apparently inspired by her exploration of “The Art of the Fold“!
She says, “So for my eye chart book I tried their interlocking loop book. A relative of the flag book but using one piece of paper to create the loops (not separate flags).”
  
So creative…the use of the eye charts and images of the eyes themselves!
Sandra continues, “For my second book I returned to your flag book project using cut-up postcards as the flags. Still love this structure!” 

Such a great use for new postcards, giving them new life, and purpose!Well that is it for this week dear Bookmakers, Makers,  Readers, All.
If you are able, and so inclined, use the comments section to share something book-related, or anything of interest you wish. Check out all the other “Friday Bookmakers Inspiration! We Stand (Sit?!) Together, Making Books!” blog posts, right here.

Stay Safe, Stay Strong, Stay Well, Stay Sane,
STAY CREATIVE!
And as Sandra says,
“Craft on!”

In hope and gratitude, 
debra

Filed Under: Artists' Books, BOOKS, Student Work, Teaching Artist Tagged With: Aroha Foundation, ARTIST'S BOOKS, Bookmaking, Bookmaking At Home, Bookmaking Workshops, BOOKS and THEIR ARTIST, Broad museum tutorials, Craft, Craft Contemporary, Craft Contemporary Museum, Crafting at Home, Crafting Our Stories By Hand, Handmade Books, Los Angeles County Public Library System, Making Books at Home, Making Books By Hand, Mark Bradford, Older Adults, Older Adults Making Books, Seniors, The Art of the Fold, Ulla Warchol

Friday Bookmakers Inspiration! We Stand (Sit?!) Together, Making Books! (7)

May 1, 2020 By Debra Disman

I have been honored to work with a wonderful group of “older adults” at the Craft Contemporary Museum in Los Angeles, offering a series of workshops teaching bookmaking techniques, and providing a forum for creativity, imagination, sharing and story.

The remainder of our series, “Crafting Our Stories By Hand” has had to be postponed due covid19.

Therefore, I have started an email newsletter to keep our community going, offering tips, images and sharing the work these makers are doing at home while “sheltering in place”.

Sharing these newsletters as a blog post makes their contents available for any and all. It inspiring to see what these makers have done and are doing during these crazy times.

Dear Readers, Bookmakers, All,

I am happy to bring you images, tips, inspiration and learning for your bookmaking journey.

I hope you are all well, staying safe, and creating!
You might want to check out the “Crafting Our Stories By Hand” blog post below…it holds wonderful photos of you all taken during our workshops at the Museum. So photogenic you all are (as Yoda would say!)
 
Also, you can check out all of our weekly newsletters in blog version here:

https://debradisman.com/blog/

This week, we have Vicki sharing a circle book! Fun, whimsical, and what a great challenge to put to oneself!
She says, 

“Took a on-line class from book maker Kit Davey.  This circle book was made with double sided paper.  If you enjoy origami I think you would enjoy making this book.” (I added in the link if anyone wants to further explore artist Kit Davey.)

WOW!
 
Sandra created two glorious books, and she says,

“The first book is a simple blank book on cardboard. I watched an online tutorial from The Broad aimed at children — to create their own artwork in the manner of Mark Bradford. So that’s what I did for the covers. Just layered paper scraps, sanded them, then layered some more, and repeat. Just joined pages with copper wire rings.”(I added in the link if anyone wants to further explore artist Mark Bradford.)

My second book was supposed to be based on a winged book from the Alisa Golden book. I deconstructed an Ed Kienholz catalog and reconstructed it. The only difference between mine and the winged book is that I didn’t glue the connecting pages together — because I liked the triangular aspect. I made a little belly band out of an interior translucent page.(I added in the links if anyone wants to further explore artists Alisa Golden and  Ed Kienholz.)

Well that is it for this week dear Readers, Bookmakers, All,
If you are able, and so inclined, email us back to share something book-related, or anything of interest you wish.

Stay Safe, Stay Strong, Stay Well, Stay Sane
STAY CREATIVE!
And as Sandra says,
“Craft on!

Filed Under: ARTISTS, Artists' Books, BOOKS, Student Work Tagged With: Alisa Golden, Aroha Foundation, ARTIST'S BOOKS, Bookmaking, Bookmaking At Home, Bookmaking Workshops, BOOKS and THEIR ARTIST, Broad museum tutorials, Circle Book, Craft, Craft Contemporary, Craft Contemporary Museum, Crafting at Home, Crafting Our Stories By Hand, Ed Keinholz, Hammer Museum, Handmade Books, Kit Davey, LAPL, Making Books at Home, Making Books By Hand, Mark Bradford, Older Adults, Older Adults Making Books, Seniors, The Los Angeles Public Library, TUNNEL BOOK, Winged Book, World Collage Day

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