Debra Disman

Artist

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Library Programs

Celebrating Día de Muertos with Papel Picado!

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In celebration of  Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), I led a bookmaking workshop that featured Papel Picado (The art and craft of decorative cut paper) as part of my artist residency in bookmaking  at the the Panorama City Branch Library, supported by the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

Participants learned the Accordion Fold  technique, and used it to create 11″ high  Accordion Fold Books.

They then created simple Papel Picado  designs, exploring paper cutting techniques using tissue paper sheets, and added these  colorful (or black-) works to our books in various ways.

All of the techniques and materials demonstrated online, through Zoom.

The participants were adventurous, good-humored, and supportive of each other as they moved through the process, and created the  beautiful works pictured below.

BRAVO!

This is truly teaching artistry, and learning,  for the 21st Century!

 


Using the simplest techniques, participants used color and cutting to create wondrous designs, which they layered onto to and into their Accordion Fold Books.


Paper cutting using the thin sheets of tissue paper can be demanding under the best of circumstances,. I marveled at what our participants were able to accomplish guided by an online workshop!


Here, black tissue paper is employed to magical and mysterious effect.


Participants also used origami paper to create their Papel Picado designs.


Participants joined the workshop from Arizona, Montreal, and across Los Angeles County, some with grandchildren, demonstrating the potential of the internet and its global reach.


Photographing through a computer screen can be challenging, but the brilliance of these colors and repeated cut-out designs cannot be denied!

Tunneling Through: Tunnel Bookmaking with the Panorama City Branch Library!

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Through my Artist Residency with the Los Angles Department of Cultural Affairs Artist in Residence   I had the opportunity to offer an online program/workshop via the Panorama Branch Library of the Los Angeles Public Library in which participants learned how to make “Tunnel Books“, and thus how to create their own three-dimensional stories!

Participants learned the accordion fold technique, and how to attach a background/backdrop sheet, and connective strips to create their books, reminiscent of a diorama, or stage. They then went to down developing their stories or scenes, learning a bit of pop-up magic in the process.

 

One motivated participant motivated by opera remade her book after the program, and emailed these images to share with us!

We look forward to more inspiring, educational, creative and FUN online bookmaking programs presented through the Panorama City Branch Library!

All workshops, programs, classes and events will be listed HERE!

Stay tuned, and join us!

We Invited the Community to “Make Your Own Journal” at the Panorama City Branch Library, And They Did!

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Through my Artist Residency with the Los Angles Department of Cultural Affairs Artist in Residence   I had the opportunity to offer a program/workshop via the Panorama Branch Library of the Los Angeles Public Library in which participants created  “single signature” bound books they could use for writing, drawing, note-keeping, poetry, homework, lists, photographs, recipes and more!


People of all ages were welcomed into the program, creating books that reflected their interests, their needs, and their feelings.

Some books were focused on theme and utility, others on design, color, texture and shapes.
All expressed the makers and served as a form of sharing with the group as well.

We look forward to more!

All workshops, programs, classes and events will be listed HERE!

Stay tuned, and join us!

“Make Your Own Journal” at the Panorama City Branch Library!

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Join us and start the school year of by learning how to make your very own handbound journal!

Los Angles Department of Cultural Affairs Artist in Residence Debra Disman will lead you in creating  a “single signature” bound book that you can use for writing, drawing, note-keeping, poetry, homework, lists, photographs, recipes and more!

Materials packets available.
Please contact the Panorama City Branch Library for details, and how to pick up your materials!

Felt, Fabric, Feathers, FUN: Celebrating Women Artists at the Will and Ariel Durant Branch Library

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I was thrilled to lead an artmaking program at the Will and Ariel Durant Branch Library of the Los Angeles Public Library System to celebrate Women’s History Month, specifically Women Artists!

Inspired by the artist Faith Ringgold’s “Story Quilts”, participants including children, adults and families, used a glorious melange of soft materials (well, there were some buttons…) to create their own textile hangings, tapestries of sorts, learning about five very special women artists in the process.

Faith Ringgold of New York City,  Yayoi Kusama of Japan,  Liza Lou of Los Angeles,  Frida Kahlo of Mexico, and  Georgia O’Keeffe of New Mexico were presented and discussed, and participants incorporated images of the artists and their work into their projects. The creative juxtaposition of materials and images was thrilling…and inspiring.


Children’s Librarian Aida got into the act with Georgia O’Keeffe, one of her favorite artists.


Feathers are fun!


This maker ensconced herself at one end of the room and focussed intensively on the materials.


Devotion to detail…

  
A glorious melange of felt, feathers, canvas and cloth…


Adding buttons.


Laying out the components in an orderly fashion…


Creating borders framing the work.


This Mom brings her two daughters to the program every week and enjoys creating with them. Talented…


She created a butterfly!


He created the five elements!


Serious little makers having fun. Did this little princess create her castle in her piece?


Wearable art!


Joy.

Latinx Heritage Celebrated

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In our recent program at the Granada Hills Branch Library of the LAPL,   participants created accordion fold (also known as “concertina”…continuing with the musical instrument metaphor-) books.

In honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month, they added images of Latinx art and architecture, including murals, street art, works shown in museums, and storefronts.

Participants spanned young children to seniors, with everyone becoming immediately absorbed in creating their books, and developing them with varied fascinating and colorful images of works created by an integral population of Los Angeles past, present and future.

The Virgin of Guadalupe was an inspiration.

Mother and son work together.

Participants transformed images by adding to and subtracting from them, and putting them together in new ways.

The focus of all ages…

Makers often choose to work with colors that reflect the colors they are wearing!

Pink, never gets old.

This workshop was part of my Artist in Residency project: “We Write the Book“, supported by the Department of Cultural Affairs of the City of Los Angeles.  Gratitudes!