In conjunction with this year’s NEA Big Read: Los Angeles, Craft Contemporary dedicated a very special Family Craft Lab workshop to celebrating the art of bookmaking in  Using gluing and folding techniques participants created their own flag books, a unique and sculptural book with moving parts. Inspired by this years Big Read novel, Interior Chinatown, by Charles Yu, attendees developed each flag “page” with symbols, words, patterns and images to tell a story about their identity and culture. Craft Lab is for all ages, everyone is welcome!

Fearless leader BILLIE RAE VINSON, Director of School and Family Programs, planned and promoted the program, and matched her clothes to our materials, and PRIDE Month!

She and her devoted volunteers prepared the materials for our flag book project.

I brought in my own flag book samples for inspiration.

There was something for everyone on the table,

including samples of “Interior Chinatown” and the graphic novel “American Born Chinese” , a tour-de-force by New York Times bestselling graphic novelist Gene Yang,

in specialized Big Read tote bags!

The wonderful Craft Contemporary volunteers were able to exert their maker energy along with the participants.

Families, individuals, old friends and new joined together to create, and

Love…Life.