Debra Disman

Artist

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POP-UPS

Celebrate Poetry Month and Honor Earth Day through Bookmaking!

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Please join us online for our final Artist Residency  event of the season!

I will help you create a special handmade “closed spine” accordion book with simple pop-ups  honoring Earth Day and celebrating National Poetry Month!

 

When you sign up you will not only receive the supplies necessary to participate in the program, but a special artmaking materials good bag and Los Angeles Public Library SWAG!
This is an online program.

PLEASE  sign up using the link that we’ve set up: tinyurl.com/34a8nam9  so that we can provide you with the info we’re gathering using the form and also to minimize any questions about supply packets.so that we can provide you with the info we’re gathering using the form and also to minimize any questions about supply packets.

 For ADA accommodations, call (213) 228-7430 at least 72 hours prior to the event.

Para ajustes razonables según la ley de ADA, llama al (213) 228-7430 al menos 72 horas antes del evento.

I Hope To See You There!

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!

In Resonant Residence (6)

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In Resonant Residence (6)

I formally began Studio Residency at the Camera Obscura Art Lab

in Santa Monica Wednesday January 10th.  I share the sunlit space, located within the beautiful Mid-century building overlooking Palisades Park, Santa Monica Beach and the blue Pacific with textile artist and fellow Studio Artist-in-Residence Huong Nguyen.
“About the Art Lab and Camera Obscura

1450 Exterior
Vintage Camera Obscura
 
 
 
 
Step inside the Camera Obscura Art Lab and you’ll find a welcoming space with fantastic views of Santa Monica Bay and the Pier. The Camera is located in a midcentury time capsule in Palisades Park between Broadway and Santa Monica Blvd on what was once the site of the Pacific Electric Railway’s North Beach Station. Designed by noted architect Weldon J. Fulton (who’s work can be found around town including the classic Camera Obscura sign and font, the Montana and Fairview branch libraries, and the former Zucky’s building on Wilshire Blvd), the building’s exterior features walls clad in chunky Palos Verdes stone, glass walls, sloping roofs, and projecting canopies and rafter beams. It was donated to the City of Santa Monica by Marcellus Joslyn in 1955.”

The huge studio windows look out on palms, walkways and a huge assortment of passers by, strollers, park wanderers and beach combers. The Studio is a magical place to work.

Fourth Workshop, February 3, 2018:
Making the Fireworks Book, A whimsical pop-up book project, designed by UK Book Artist, Paul Johnson, who derived it from an Eastern European paper engineer, who was inspired by…you get the picture. We are links in the chain. A long chain, potentially, that folds up and then “explodes’ open…like fireworks…

Fireworks Book Workshop!

Folding

Adding pop-ups to the pop-up folds…

Cutting…

and pasting…

Adding the “wings” (pop-ups folding out, and in…

Color and pattern…

“s-t-o-p???”…No- keep going!

Putting it all together.

 

“We Right The Book” I

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“We Right The Book” I

I am honored to serve as Artist in Residence at Verdugo Hill High School in Tujunga,  CA (Los Angeles) for a group of 42 Senior English class Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) students.

Our project is entitled, “We Right the Book“, and is supported by an Artist in residence grant from the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.  I am working with the students on a series of bookmaking projects during weekly workshops held right in the classroom from September – December, 2017. The students are also assisting with bookmaking workshops held for the community at-large in the Sunland-Tujunga Branch of the Los Angeles Public Library.

The project is designed to offer participating students an outlet for feelings, thoughts, hopes and dreams related to their upcoming transition out of high school, and into the next epoch of their lives.

We started with the basics: Accordion Fold Books, created from folding equidistant sections of material. We used “bright tagboard” for the folded pages, and assorted posterboard and railroad board for the covers.

An industrious maker adds tiny butterflies to the cover of her book.

A writer!

Tiny pieces of text work together to form the title…the piece is held closed with hemp cord.

Choosing a length of cord to enhance book.

Angelica layers materials into her folded page.

We have a wonderful group of boys in the class…talented and detailed makers!

Two girls work together (upper left of image)  making the most of materials, space and each other!

Working with letters, and seeing/absorbing their visual quality.

He is able to let others into his world through the book.

Paper world…

Our wonderful VAPA English classroom teacher, Amy Leserman.

Now that we have learned the basics of accordion folding, it is time to move into the fun and versatile Flag Book structure!
Stay tuned for “We Right The Book” II