Debra Disman

Artist

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Handmade Books

“FORMATION”: The Guild of Book Workers 2018-2019 Traveling Juried Exhibition

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“FORMATION”: The Guild of Book Workers 2018-2019 Traveling Juried Exhibition

I am extremely honored to have two pieces in FORMATION, The Guild of Book Workers 2018-2019 traveling juried exhibition, with a theme evoking a wide array of interpretations.

Simply defined by Merriam Webster as “an act of giving form or shape to something,” ‘formation‘ can insinuate process, history, creation, change, beginnings, an arrangement, botany and landscape, personal narratives and impersonal storytelling. As artists, designers and craftspeople with our own histories that form us, we also play a vital role in the formation of objects and experiences; pulp molded into paper, paper folded into books, books shelved into a library.

What is the final product, if not for the methods used to create it? What makes us into the artists we are? What pushes us to continue to create?

Exhibition Schedule:

Minnesota Center for Book Arts
Minneapolis, MN
June 15–October 21, 2018

Robert C. Williams Papermaking Museum
Atlanta, GA
November 1, 2018–March 7, 2019

University of California, Los Angeles
Charles E. Young Research Library Lobby Gallery
Los Angeles, CA
March 15–May 25, 2019

North Bennet Street School
Boston, MA
June 5–July 27, 2019

University of the Arts
Philadelphia, PA
August 1–October 30, 2019

Library Love II

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Library Love II

Leading a “folded fan” bookmaking program at the Granada Hills Library, one of the Branches of the Los Angeles City Library System was pure joy

The Flag Book was invented by noted book artist Hedi Kyle, and is a great deal of fun to make, develop and embellish!

Covers and flag pages are added to an accordion spine to create a kinetic book,

and  the fun ensues!

Our theme, established by Children’s Librarian Alice,

was Women’s History month….the focus, Women Artists.

  

Pure Joy….

Library Love I

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Library Love I

Leading a “folded fan” bookmaking program at the Wiseburn Library (one of the Branches of the Los Angeles County Public Library System) was pure joy

The fan book is a version of the Flag Book (invented by noted book artist Hedi Kyle), which uses full pages rather then “fragments“.

It is a great deal of fun to make, develop and embellish!

This young lady is studying Library Science, and getting invaluable on the job training.

Although shy under her hood, this young maker used brilliant pink in her book!

Two creative sisters work industriously on their books.

This young maker has a wonderful sense of design and color,

as is evidenced by his creative choices. He flanked the yellow with purple (complementary colors) with crisp black and white Zebra patterning in-between.

Mad about plaid…this young artist worked hard to create pages and covers in the same plaid pattern,

and proudly showed off his work (when asked…).

Girl Maker Power…

Boys rule too….

Layering patterns and materials.

Mom supports son and daughter in their creative efforts…

with “happy” results.

Devoted Children’s Librarian Samantha gets into the bookmaking act, creating alongside her young patrons,

and two makers compare notes.

  A Community of Makers…at the Library!

Tunneling Through (2) Too

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Tunneling Through (2) Too

It was fantastic to teach a workshop on Tunnel Books for families, at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The Tunnel Book is comprised of two accordion spines, or “sides”, connected by a “backdrop” and “cross pieces” or frames attached to the accordion folds moving “forward” in space.

The images below may explain the process more clearly, because, as we know, a picture is worth…how many words?

Two friends work intently, side by side, cutting shapes and image to add to their theater-like books.

Mother and Daughter attach pink and yellow backdrops to black accordion folded spines…

and add to their stories through color, shapes and texture.

The one half of this Mom and Daughter team sports a Princess Leia hairstyle from the original Star Wars movie! She and her Mom are working in related colors.

A talented and happy Mother and Daughter build out their books.

An imaginative young biy cuts concentric circles to give his book and even greater feeling of depth.

Backed by his supportive Mom, he took it upon himself to take the Tunnel Book project one step further.

Happy mom, and our beautiful art class assistant, Lady, a young Mom herself!

Little hands create big projects..

adding layers of color and shape, creating scenes and stories.

This young artist blew me away with her dedication, commitment and persistence…cutting out all the little yellow windows for her building…a real “mise en scène“…

Speaking of mise en scène…BEHOLD!

The work of this maker looks like she was influenced by the Alexander Calder “stabile” sculptures we looked at outside in the Directors Roundtable Garden as inspiration for our project….

A love of green…

Love Live Life

and…SMILE!

Just the right decorative paper for the waterfall down the mountains…

This young artist took the Degas image of The Little Dancer, and made her into a magical winged creature (fairy?) in what looks to be an enchanted place…the theme of flying is echoed in the large yellow butterfly attached to the upper left of the piece.

Adding layers to the piece…

and completing it…

Concentric circles surrounded by a delightful dash of “Ziegfield Follies‘ esque gold fringe!

 A pièce de résistance indeed!  This is a Masterwork if I ever saw one…blooming out in every direction!

Our fabled family makers….together

In Action!

Debra Disman and Huong Nguyen: New Works

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Debra Disman and Huong Nguyen: New Works

 

Join us for the culminating exhibition of studio residents Debra Disman and Huong Nguyen, showing new works in fabric and paper. Debra Disman and Huong Nguyen are sharing the Camera Obscura Art Lab Studio space during their simultaneous residency, which spans January 10 to April 18, 2018.

Make a Book to Celebrate Women Artists with Debra Disman

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Make a Book to Celebrate Women Artists with Debra Disman

Artist Debra Disman will teach you how to make a flip book celebrating women artists. This program is part of Women’s Heritage Month.