Handmade Books
Of Polka Dots and Butterflies: Inspired by Yayoi Kusama
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 polka-dotted butterfly books inspired by Japanese Artist Yayoi Kusama!
First up was to learn the correct pronouncement of Kusama’s name…not familiar to the girrrls. Next they created accordion-fold book spines, added the front and back covers, and finally, butterfly wings to the center fold of the spine
Then it was off to the races to add colorful polka dots to their books, in honor of Kusama’s interest (obsession with?) circles, polka-dots, and their endlessness and thus the expression of infinity the circular shape affords, at least in Kusama’s book (!)
Adding also flowers, butterflies (stickers), ribbons to honor May Day and even using a butterfly shaped hole puncher, the girrrls wowed with their use of materials, their creativity, and imagination to create unique, whimsical, beautiful and stunningly singular works. Just like Yayoi Kusama does with her materials, creativity and imagination!
What a marvelous group. Brava!
Spines folded, covers and wings attached, let the adornment begin!
Weaving ribbons through the holes.
Can there be any more polka dots?!?
Using the butterfly hole puncher.
Deft use of the polka dot (and other) stickers, which she is adding white texture to (overlaying the original orange color polka dot color on the wings) , which she took out or replaced later, to have just the plain orange polka dots. Just amazing!
The Merry Month of May: Butterflies!
Take Flight this Spring!
Join us and learn how to create a “butterfly Book” in honor of the Rituals and Rites of Spring!
Add ribbons to honor May Day, and make your book festive!
Part of my Artist Residency support by the wonderful Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs:
“We Write The Book”.
All materials included!
“We Write The Book” Artist Residency CULMINATION!
Please join us to celebrate the culmination of the Canoga Park Branch Library’s year long Artist Residency with Debra Disman, “We Write The Book”, supported by the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs!
Come and make your own travel journal, enjoy refreshments and see a slide show of our exciting year of bookmaking projects. “Take and Make” bookmaking packets will be available while supplies last so you can keep the bookmaking magic going after the event!
We hope to see you there!
Making Fantastic Flag Books at the Canoga Park Branch Library
A special group of adults learned to create the fun and fabulous Flag Book structure at the Canoga Park Branch Library in honor of Earth Day, Poetry Month and Springtime! 
After The participants worked through the step by step process to “build” the book, then added flower stickers and other collage materials, in essence “festooning” their books with design, color, texture and springtime beauty, and enjoying the glory and agency of adornment.
Thank you to the wonderful Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs for their support of my artist residency at the Library: “We Write the Book!”.
Springtime Stitch Witchery at the Canoga Park Branch Library
We celebrated SPRINGTIME at the Canoga Park Branch Library by creating a sewn book, learning the pamphlet stitch and adding images, words, stickers, color, texture and joy to our books! Thank you to the wonderful Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs for their support of my artist residency at the Library: “We Write the Book!”.
