Online Art programs
Welcome the Holidays: Make a Recipe Book With the West Valley Regional Branch Library!
Join us online and learn how to create an Accordion Fold Book with pockets to hold treasured recipes!
Welcome the holidays by being creative, artmaking, and learning new skills!
This workshop is supported by the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs and led by artist-in-residence Debra Disman through the West Valley Regional Branch Library!
Materials packets available.
Please see flier for details.
Celebrating Día de Muertos with Papel Picado!
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!
“CRAFTING MEMORIES”
“Crafting Memories: An Online Bookmaking Workshop Series is specifically designed by Craft Contemporary and artist Debra Disman for adults over the age of 55. This program is made possible by funding from Aroha Philanthropies and is part of a nationwide campaign to bring thoughtful and specialized programs to a valuable population that is often undeserved by arts institutions.
For this special program, participants learned a variety of basic and experimental bookmaking techniques used to tell their own stories through materials and the handmade. The goal of this workshop series was to create a space to explore our stories through book forms and to express our creativity by bringing together an extensive number of materials, mementos, and memories collected through our lives.”
It has been my great joy to teach the AROHA Bookmaking classes for Seniors through Craft Contemporary. I have been so moved to hear and see our participants’ stories expressed through their book projects, and to witness their extraordinary creativity with materials, expression, and craft. The opportunity for these students to come together, share about their lives, and weave their personal histories into their projects has been so meaningful, not only for the students, but for myself and the Craft Contemporary Staff. I have been continually amazed at the richness and depth of our participants’ life experiences and their hunger to share them with others.
See the fabulous website page on the Craft Contemporary website featuring the amazing works of our talented participants HERE!
See their handmade books and read about what gathering online to learn new skills and create together meant to each of them!
You won’t forget your visit!
Tunneling Through: Tunnel Bookmaking with the Panorama City Branch Library!
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!
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.
