Los Angeles

LACMA Workshops at NoHo Plaza

August 19th @ 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Free

Summer Nights at NoHo Plaza (People St.)

Saturdays, August 5, 12, 19, 26 | 6–9 pm

During the month of August, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) will be in the NoHo Arts District on Saturday nights from 6–9 pm! Stop by NoHo Plaza for art projects connected with LACMA’s collection and exhibitions and enjoy a live DJ set.

Design a book that can be rolled up! Using paper and wooden dowels, assemble a scroll then add decorative and narrative materials. Inspired by LACMA’s collection of Japanese hanging scrolls.

North Hollywood | NoHo Plaza (People St.)
Free, no reservations required
Note: This program takes place off-site at NoHo Plaza (People St.) between 5223–5225 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood, CA 91601 from 6–9 pm.

LACMA Workshops at NoHo Plaza

August 10, 2017 By Debra Disman

LACMA Workshops at NoHo Plaza

Summer Nights at NoHo Plaza (People St.)

Saturdays, August 5, 12, 19, 26 | 6–9 pm

AUGUST 12th: Join us to transform a box into a textured diorama or assemblage work of art! Add found objects, recycled fabrics, papers, and more. Inspired by artists who create box works from LACMA’s collection.

North Hollywood | NoHo Plaza (People St.)
Free, no reservations required
Note: This program takes place off-site at NoHo Plaza (People St.) between 5223–5225 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood, CA 91601 from 6–9 pm.

LACMA Workshops at NoHo Plaza

June 19, 2017 By Debra Disman

LACMA Workshops at NoHo Plaza

Summer Nights at NoHo Plaza (People St.)

Saturdays, August 5, 12, 19, 26 | 6–9 pm

AUGUST 5th: join us to make an accordion book with pop-ups that move and groove! Add a custom cover using cool and interesting collage materials. Inspired by kinetic sculpture from LACMA’s collection.

The Sheltering Book Chapter 3

May 20, 2017 By Debra Disman

The Sheltering Book Chapter 3

I am honored to have been one of 17 artists who received an inaugural ‘The WORD Grant 2016: The Bruce Geller Memorial Prize” from the Institute for Jewish Creativity, a project of American Jewish University, to create, “The Sheltering Book“.

“The Sheltering Book will be a life-sized book structure which will become the backdrop for community bookmaking workshops drawing parallels between the meaning and architecture of the book, and that of the Sukkah. The project also explores the relationship between the public sphere and private space, whether that space be our personal creativity, where we create, or what we create.” —Debra Disman

“The WORD Grant, a project of American Jewish University’s Institute for Jewish Creativity, supports artists creating projects that explore Jewish ideas, themes, tradition, history, and identity. We believe in supporting a contemporary, vibrant, Jewish cultural landscape in Los Angeles.” —The Institute for Jewish Creativity

Made of corrugated cardboard, primed, base-painted, and treated with layers of transparent color, the Sheltering Book becomes a Sukkah With the addition of dyed netting stenciled with ferns, the “s’chach“, roof of the Sukkah.

The Sheltering Book at The Braid Theatre Gallery, Home of the Jewish Women’s Theatre

Our first community bookmaking workshop was held at the lovely Braid Theatre Gallery.

The Sheltering Book onstage, becomes a theatrical backdrop, a set, and a theater in and of itself, as participants create their books nearby,

using brilliant and beautiful materials.

Mother and daughter work side by side.

Participants focus on”building”, then developing their flag books.

Documenting while doing.

Putting together word and image,

color,

text and texture,

themes.

and adding titles.

Then we shared….in the safety of The Sheltering Book.

Was it a fluke that black was the predominant clothing color that day? Creating a striking contrast between Book and Bookmaker.

Glorious…and sublime.

…to be continued…

The Sheltering Book Chapter 5

April 28, 2017 By Debra Disman

The Sheltering Book Chapter 5

Open to the world.

A “Sheltering Book” program was held at the , of the Santa Monica Public Library. The program was attended by participants from preschool to post school who created books, and shared them in the shelter of The Sheltering Book.

This kind patron helped Montana Branch Library Manager Stephanie Archer and I carry The Sheltering Book into the Community Room.

Covers and pages were prepped, and participants bound them together into a single signature book which they then added to with writing, drawing and collage materials.

A whole wonderful family of three generations…grandma, mom, and four fantastic, talented and creative daughters!

Reveling in materials.

Creative use of papert strips too create waving grasses, behind which cat’s eyes glimmer…

Sharing with little sis looking on…

Use of magazine images.

She has a beautiful sense of design.

Grandma gets into the act!

Creating with Grandma…pretty in Pink!

Sharing…

A children’s book illustrator…

shares her creation…lovely color choices!

This wonderful teaching artist claimed the time to create a piece about her own identity…

employing buttons, collage, mixed media,

to great effect… and sharing.

Beautiful use of leaves…

outside,

and inside, her book!

She strolled into the Community Room during a break, and jumped right in!

A natural presenter!

This lovely couple go right into the expressive spirit…

creating about music,

and other visions.

Photogenic too!

This maker truly committed…

using inspiration from the natural

and the man-made worlds…

and fully developing ideas

within her book.

Sharing…

This spirited artist used to be a casting agent…

and she has truly found a new medium within which to epxress herself…and vision.

The Sheltering Book becomes a synergistic process and experience for the community at-large, offering shelter, safe space, and creative inspiration for all who engage with it.

Let us hold the vision!