Celebrate Chinese New Year by making a Double Flower Book with Artist-in-Residence Debra Disman!
This program is for ages 10 and older, and is made possible in part by a grant from the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.
Family Bookmaking
Freedom of Expression and More…
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 Martin Luther King Jr. Day and freedom in all its forms, participants created “single signature” sewn and glued books, and then used their Freedom of Expression to develop and embellish the covers. A “signature” is a gathering of folded sheets that create pages for a book. Single signature bookbinding refers to a group of sheets (usually paper) folded in the middle and bound together through sewing through their folds.
Although our program was originally planned for teens and “tweens”, several families attended including a number of dads with children. We had a wonderful time!
Sister and brother enjoy the delight of adding to their books after working step by step sewing and gluing to create them.
The glory of patterns. This young participant is age 3!
She attended with her mother.
In the background, mom and dad look on, taking a well-deserved break and enjoying the fun from the sidelines as their children worked and played.
Father offers support and presence to his son.
Our fearless leader, Branch Manager Pam, enjoys some creative “play” time, adding washi (decorative paper) tape to her book.
There is something very satisfying about hand-sewing a book together. It feels real…permanent. The work of our hands on a whole other level.
Hopefully, these books will continue to be developed at home, and most importantly, used!
“Tunneling through” at the Granada Hills Branch Library!
It has been exciting to lead programs at the Granada Hills Branch Library of the LAPL, as part of my Artist in Residency there: “We Write the Book“, supported by the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs
In honor of Native American Heritage Month, participants created multi-dimensional “Tunnel Books“, theatre-like structures comprised of a backdrop attached to an accordion-folded “spine” on either side.
Makers then added their own “cross-pieces” , cutting out strips in the shapes of mountains and more, and attaching them to the spines so that they traversed the width of the book, creating a place to add figures and other images to create their unfolding story, tableau or diorama.
As usual, attendees wowed with their use of color, shape and materials, imagination and creativity!
It is a materials world.
Families work together.
Attention to detail.
Making is an active sport.
Careful cutting.
Focus.
Sketching out the concept.
Use of feathers animate the image.
Majestic purple…
Showing off the completed book!
Creating a beautiful place to be.
Was this maker hungary? He created an ice-cream shop…
Fun use of materials.
Brilliant colors, black framing and carefully chosen use of select materials make this piece a stunner.
If you are in the area, join us for a Winter Community Celebration at the Granada Hills Branch Library on December 19th from 1:30 – 5PM.
There will be “Envelope Bookmaking”, refreshments, sharing of works, and lots of fun!
Bell Library
A simple post sharing about a simply lovely program I was privileged to lead at the Bell Library one of the many fine Los Angeles County Libraries serving their patrons with devotion, commitment and love!
Parents, children and Library Staff participated. The wonderful Library provides programs every week, so if you are in their vicinity, please check them out and take advantage!
We had a beautiful creative group. Many participants knew each other, and had fun chatting during the program.
Mother and daughter duo, doing.
The younger brother in a family of four sibs, this young artist reveled in all of the materials, and the opportunity to create.
A beautiful soul creates a beautiful book, heartfelt.
National Hispanic Heritage Month: A Bookish Celebration
In our recent program at the Granada Hills Branch Library of the LAPL, 23 participants created “folded fan” books, comprised of an accordion spine, front and back covers, and fan pages. In honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month, they added their own “Picado Papel“, decoratively cut and punched papers, which added a special touch to their creations.
Families turned out, and parents worked closely with children to achieve their artistic visions! Especially heartwarming was the number of Dads who devoted themselves to supporting their sons and daughters through the process, while creating beautiful works themselves. And let’s not forget the Moms! It is wonderful to see adults give themselves over to the creative process. Parents, and all people, so need this time.
This workshop was part of my artist residency project: “We Write the Book“, supported by the Department of Cultural Affairs of the City of Los Angeles. Gratitudes!
Children’s Librarian extraordinaire, Alice Schock, engages with a young patron, artist and participant.
Like Mother, like Daughter…
The work of our hands…and creative ways of using shaped hole punchers to create Picado Papel!
Sisters and friends work together.
This young teen, age 13, took off with a Halloween theme.
Through careful work, discerning choices, and elegant handicraft, she designed a book that we hope she will keep forever!
This young maker transformed images of a noted Los Angeles mural of the Virgin of Guadalupe, and used the beautiful colors as a surface to create a repeated design with a butterfly-shaped hole puncher.
Piper and her Dad attended an earlier workshop, and were back again creating happily together.
Father and daughter work closely on her book. her Mom said that though she herself loves scrapbooking, she could never get Dad to do it. Now, maybe he might, after seeing how much fun cutting, pasting and arranging are!
Here is Mom at work on her own masterpiece, along with older daughter.
Sebastian and his Dad work side by side. spending precious time together.
Yellow blossoms drift across a luminous pink ground, floating in a world of warm colors. Washi tape is used to good effect as a framing device on the covers.
Benny and Mom have fun. Who says one has to sit on chairs?
These two friends had a blast, and worked with very different color schemes in their projects.
This is Greer’s second workshop. She loves to work with her hands, and even contributed some extra Washi tape to the cause!
Our scrapbooking Mom works on a mini-masterpiece. What patience it takes to punch out all those butterflies, then arrange and glue them to the cover!
But how worth is it was…here is her magnum opus…a treat for the eyes, heart and soul.
Thank You All.
Creating in Compton
It was wonderful to work with families to create books at the Compton Library.
Participants worked together to create the fun and versatile “flag book” structure.
Community members got to know each other in the library, through the work of their hands.
Siblings and Moms created in community.
Even the Staff got into the creative act.
Creating together brought smiles…
perhaps the greatest gift of all.