• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Debra Disman

Artist

  • Work
  • About
    • CV
    • Media
  • News
  • Contact
  • Blog

Faith Ringgold

“We Write The Book” FLAG BOOK Workshop at the Northridge Library!

February 25, 2025 By Debra Disman

Join us as we learn to create the fun and fantastic FLAG BOOK at the Northridge Branch Library in honor of Women’s History Month, International Women’s  Day, and Women Artists everywhere!
Learn about ground breaking women artists Faith Ringgold, Frida Kahlo, Yayoi Kusama and Georgia O’Keeffe.  All materials included!

I am thrilled to work  with the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs Neighborhood Engagement Artist Residency (NEAR).  I am honored to be serving the City of Los Angeles again through the DCA.


I am an artist-in-residence at the Northridge Branch Library, conducting bookmaking workshops and events for the local community and library patronage from February through May, 2025, every other Wednesday afternoon, 3:30-5:00PM, and Saturday 11:00am – 12:30PM

JOIN US!

Tagged With: Accordion Fold, art-making workshops for families, Artist Residency, Book, Book as Art, Book Structures, BOOKBINDING, Bookmaking, Books made by Hand, Books with Pockets, Community, Community Artmaking, COMMUNITY BOOKMAKING, DCA LA, DCA-funded artist residency, Faith Ringgold, Families Making Books, Family Bookmaking, February, Flag Book, Frida Kahlo, Georgia O'Keeffe, Handmade Books, Intergenerational Arts workshops, International Women's Day, LAPL, Librarians, Los Angeles Public Library, Making Books Together, mixed media books, NEAR Residency, Neighborhood Engagement Artist Residency, Northridge, Northridge Branch Library, Self-expression, Sewn book, The Department of Cultural Affairs of the City of Los Angeles, THE LOS ANGELES PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM, Women, Women Artists, Women's history month, Yayoi Kusama

Surface Design Association Instagram “Take-over”!

December 7, 2024 By Debra Disman

The weekend of November 29-December 1 I had the pleasure, the honor and the fun of “taking over” (collaborating with) the Instagram account of the beloved  Surface Design Association or “SDA”, as it is commonly known.

It was so much fun, rewarding and delightful to get responses from and connections to many artists and makers I was not yet aware of, and peruse their beautiful and innovative work.

Thank you SDA, for this lovely opportunity, and for All you do for All of us.

Here are some of my posts (sans videos):
(You can see the whole collaboration, as well as continually added works on the SDA Instagram as well as my own)

Hello and a happy holiday weekend to All. I have the privilege of collaborating with the @surface_design this weekend, an organization I am thrilled to be a part of. SDA offers community, connection, education and wonderful opportunities. I have had the pleasure of participating in several SDA exhibitions, and I am honored to be in the company of other SDA artist members showing around the country! Thank you SDA, for all you do for all of us.

“LA Foret I, II and III” Adding complexity with each piece, as a stand alone, and components of a whole. They are made from hundreds of pieces of cord, glued to a raw canvas surface, painted on the reverse, and hanging at a slight remove from the wall.


(a different image of this piece is on Instagram)
“KnoW Safe Place”, 2023, 60 x 48 x 48″, canvas, hemp/nylon/cotton cord, lace, netting, lace, ribbon, acrylic paint, wood, archival adhesive.  Is there no safe place?  Do we ever know safe space?

“The Body Politic: Like White on White”, 2024, 9x16x7
book board, hemp, canvas, hemp/assorted cord, trim, acrylic paint, archival pva
Three dimensions reaching into three dimensions.


A treasured part of my practice is sharing the wealth as a teaching artist across LA County. I teach bookmaking and more in libraries, schools, museums and other venues. I value these collaborations with others such as librarians, whose expertise I respect and learn from! Thank you to the @culture_la and others for the opportunities you afford teaching artists in all disciplines.

Studio shot from the back by André Smits 
@artistintheworld713


Girrrrl powerFUL students from my “Making Art Inspired By Great Artists” class…creating their own textile hangings inspired by Faith Ringgold‘s extraordinary Story Quilts. Age range 1-5th grade, quite a range, and so talented.


It has been an honor to collaborate with the @surface_design over the past three days, and thank you, SDA for inviting me to do so. I leave you with “The Body Politic: Black and Gold“, 2024, 8.5 x 23 x 7”, made of book board, canvas, cord, netting, lace, trim, metallic leaf and beads. A book-inspired object that references the body as well as adornment and asks is what is precious; which can be presented in multiple states of open and closed; hints and glints at secrets, yet contains nothing on its pages except that which we project. Wishing all a healthy and peaceful holiday and strength for the New Year.

Filed Under: ARTISTS, Artists' Books, Presentations, Student Work, Teaching Artist, TEXTILE/FIBER, Textiles/Fiber/Cloth, Women Artists, Work Tagged With: Andre Smits, Collaboration, Faith Ringgold, Fiber, Gene Ogami, Instagram, Instagram Take Over, Safe place, Safe Space, SDA, Story Quilts, Surface Design, Surface Design Association, Teaching Artist, Textiles

Faith Ringgold-Inspired “Story Quilts”

May 20, 2024 By Debra Disman

In what I am calling my “Girl Power” after-school artmaking class (“Making Art Inspired By Great Artists!), my group of seven power artmakers are hard at work creating textile creations based on the “Story Quilt” invention of the late inspirational artist Faith Ringgold, a Force of Nature known for her breakthrough textile textile artistic creations and civil rights activism.

Magnificent creations. So inspiring and moving, and such a great group. So supportive of each other, devoted to their creative and artistic expressions, and imaginative ideas and use of materials.

Brava!!!

Filed Under: ARTISTS, Presentations, Student Work, Teaching Artist, TEXTILE/FIBER, Work Tagged With: Afer School Arts Enrichment, After school art class, After School Art Classes, After School Arts programs, Arts Enrichment, butterflies, City of Santa Monica Youth Office, Cloth, COLOR, Color and design, CREST, Fabric, Faith Ringgold, Felt, Fiber, Girl Power, Girls Making, Girrrl Power, MAKING ART INSPIRED BY GREAT ARTISTS, Quilt, Ribbon, Santa Monica Public School After School Enrichment, Springtime, Story Quilt, Teaching Artist

“Women Artists Unfolding”: Celebrating Women Artists at the West Valley Regional Branch Library

March 19, 2023 By Debra Disman

In honor of Women’s History Month (March) the West Valley Regional Branch Library celebrated women artists with a bookmaking workshop led by artist in residence Debra Disman!

Patrons joined us to create their own  handmade books which unfolded to hold informative and inspiring images and information about renowned artists Faith Ringgold, Frida Kahlo and Yayoi Kusama.  All materials were provided. The program is made possible in part by a grant from the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

Yayoi Kusama and her ubiquitous polka dots was a hit!

Filed Under: Artist in Residence, ARTISTS, Artists' Books, BOOKS, Student Work, Teaching Artist, Women Artists Tagged With: "We Write The Book", Artist Residency, Book, Book as Art, Book Structures, BOOKBINDING, Bookmaking, Books made by Hand, Books with Pockets, Community Artmaking, DCA LA, DCA-funded artist residency, Faith Ringgold, folded, Frida Kahlo, Handmade Books, LAPL, Librarians, Los Angeles Public Library, Making Books Together, mixed media books, Self-expression, The Department of Cultural Affairs of the City of Los Angeles, West Valley Regional Branch Library, Women Artists, Women's history month, Yayoi Kusama

“Women Artists Unfolding” at the West Valley Regional Library!

February 9, 2023 By Debra Disman

In honor of Women’s History Month the West Valley Regional Branch Library celebrates women artists with a bookmaking workshop led by our artist in residence Debra Disman!

Please join us to create your own handmade book, learn about artists Faith Ringgold, Frida Kahlo and Yayoi Kusama and add what you learn about them to your books!  All materials will be provided.

This program is made possible in part by a grant from the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

This event is part of my Artist Residency in Bookmaking, “We Write the Book” at the West Valley Regional Branch Library of the Los Angeles Public Library, supported by the Los Angeles City Department of Cultural Affairs.
The Residency is comprised of a series of bookmaking workshops presented at the Library, planned in close coordination with Library Staff.

Women Artists Unfolding
EventBright
KTLA Community Caendar

Tagged With: "We Write The Book", Artist Residency, Book, Book as Art, Book Structures, BOOKBINDING, Bookmaking, Books made by Hand, Books with Pockets, Community Artmaking, DCA LA, DCA-funded artist residency, Faith Ringgold, folded, Frida Kahlo, Handmade Books, LAPL, Librarians, Los Angeles Public Library, Making Books Together, mixed media books, Self-expression, The Department of Cultural Affairs of the City of Los Angeles, West Valley Regional Branch Library, Women Artists, Women's history month, Yayoi Kusama

Keeping the Faith…at the De Young Museum

October 1, 2022 By Debra Disman

Fantastic to see retrospective exhibition of the stunning artist Faith Ringgold, at the De Young Museum.

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Activist Art, Activist Artist, African American artist, African American Woman Artist, Aftrican American Art, Black Women, Cloth, De Young Museum, Fabric, Faith Ringgold, Faith Ringgold Artist, Female Artist, Feminist Art, Fiber, Fiber Art, Mixed media Artist, Story Quilts, Textiles, Women

  • « Go to Previous Page
  • Go to page 1
  • Go to page 2
  • Go to page 3
  • Go to page 4
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Recent Blog Posts