Debra Disman

Artist

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Family Bookmaking

“Make A Photo Album”

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Join the fun and create a unique photo album in which to honor family and friends in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month!!

Learn single signature binding, the pamphlet stitch, and how to create pockets for treasured items as well as how to use all kinds of beautiful and festive materials!

Free, all materials included, open to the public, all are welcome!

This workshop is part of my Department of Cultural Affairs Artist Residency at the Sunland-Tujunga Public Library, 2019-2020 and is made possible in part by a grant form the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

 

“Make Your Own Book””

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Join us for a workshop for children and families to create their own “folded fan” books using accordion, pop-up and Papel Picado techniques!
All ages are welcome. Come join the fun!

This workshop is part of my Department of Cultural Affairs Artist Residency at the Sunland-Tujunga Public Library, 2019-2020 and is made possible in part by a grant form the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

 

 

Hanging in Hawthorne

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I was honored to conduct a bookmaking program for children and families at the
 Hawthorne Library

We made flag books.
Numerous families joined us, and a grand time was had by all…


What will this maker say, with their work, letters, design?


Mothers, grandmothers, friends, and daughters.


Lovely lady line-up!


Sons and Brothers


Families and friends worked together.


Proud maker.


Mother and Daughter.

The devotion and commitment of these families of makers, in their family, friendships and making was just stunning.

Making Books, Making Community at the Brentwood Art Center!

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Teaching community workshop in June on Flag Books and Found Text at the Brentwood Art Center was pure joy!


“Fun with Flag (pages)” was had by all.


Adults and children alike created marvelous flag book creations and had a blast in the process!


Participants learned to fold an accordion spine, add covers, and attach the flag pages on alternating sides of the spine to create a pattern that changed as the book was opened.


After the flag book was “built” (books and buildings have a lot in common…but that is a subject for another post…)


the real (well, that depends on your definition) fun began…filling, embellishing and developing the book!


Participants used images and text from magazines,


expressing their interests, thoughts, and ideas…


choosing what they wanted to express


with the materials at hand.


Some chose to draw by hand.


Some laid forth their content using repeated elements, like a graphic designer.


Others asked questions.


And some put it all together thematically.

All in all, a most remarkable experience.
Bravo!

 

Marbling Unfurled: Making Marbled Scrolls at the Granada Hills Library

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It has been exciting to lead programs at the Granada Hills Branch Library of the LAPL, as part of my Artist Residency there:  “We Write the Book“, supported by the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

In honor of Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month, I led a workshop for all on how to marble paper, create scrolls and put these two forms together into one of the oldest book structures extant.


Scrollwork made by an adult artist at a UCLA-Fowler Museum program and generously gifted to me, and which I often use as a sample/model to inspire students.


We begin by floating specially formulated inks on the surface of a tub of water. The ink colors can be gently moved around to create designs. Papers are then carefully lowered onto the surface of the “inked” water, and pick up the designs, like a monoprint!


The marbled papers are lifted out of the tub, placed on and under and blotted with paper towels, which absorb excess water and help with the drying process.


The results can be delicate pastel,


or stronger colors and patterns, depending on the colors and handling of the inks.


While their marbled papers were drying, participants chose bright tagboard papers for their scrolls and added wooden dowels at the vertical top and bottom of the pieces. They then added their marbled papers and a myriad of other materials!


We used both glue sticks and tacky glue, depending on the weight of the materials added.


The results were resplendent, with the softer strength marbled papers contrasting with gold ribbon and more.


Intergenerational attendance enriched the experience, as participants of all ages engaged their creativity and learned new skills in the process.


Whole families joined us, even with very young attendees! Hopefully, these young parents of two got a break.


Attendees young and old loved adding two and three-dimensional stickers,


washi tape, ribbon and string,


putting them all together in imaginative and innovative ways to create singular scrollworks.


This says it all. The Library belongs to Everyone!

Community Bookmaking Workshop at the Brentwood Art Center!

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Join us to create the fun, innovative and versatile flag book structure and learn “found writing” techniques to take the anxiety out of the writing process.

Learn to fold an accordion spine, attach covers, and add multiple flag book pages which create a pattern and move and groove when the book is opened and shut. Discover the artist, writer, designer and collagist within and learn essential bookmaking skills at the same time.

Open to all ages. Children under six should be accompanied by an adult. Register now!