• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Debra Disman

Artist

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Work
  • About
    • CV
    • Media
  • Events
  • Contact
  • Blog

Sculptural Book Works

FORMATION

September 17, 2018 By Debra Disman

 

I am beyond honored to be a part of  Formation, the Guild of Book Workers triennial members’ exhibition, which has begun a  two year national tour.
The GBW says it best:

Simply defined by Merriam Webster as “an act of giving form or shape to something,” formation can insinuate process, history, creation, change, beginnings, an arrangement, botany and landscape, personal narratives and impersonal storytelling. What makes us into the artists we are? How does our creative process influence the final product? What pushes us to continue to create? People, events, memories all combine to influence the art we make about the world around us, even if our work isn’t explicitly autobiographical.  The Guild of Book Workers’ 2018-2019 exhibition encouraged members to consider how the act of formation spoke to their artistic process.

An accompanying printed exhibition catalog, published this year as a special edition of the Guild of Book Workers’ Journal, will be available for sale at the venues and online at guildofbookworkers.org. The catalog features full color photographs and complete descriptions of each work; biographies of the artists; remarks from jurors Coleen Curry, Graham Patten, and Sarah Smith; and essays by Formation curator Jackie Scott and Guild of Book Workers President Bexx Caswell.

The Formation Exhibition honors the legacy of the book workers’ craft and celebrates some of the finest examples of book arts today. Founded in 1906, the Guild of Book Workers has over 900 members today and is the only national organization dedicated to all of the book arts, including bookbinding, conservation, printing, papermaking, calligraphy, marbling, and artists’ books. At a time when the masses are considering the materiality of the book and its presence or absence as a physical object, it is exciting to showcase the many hand crafts of the book form. The work presented in the Formation Exhibition is a vibrant and dynamic collection of Artists’ Books, Fine Bindings, Fine Press Printing, Calligraphy, and Sculptural Book Works that showcase both the history of the Book Worker’s craft, as well as contemporary interpretations of the book form. The Guild of Book Workers promotes interest in and awareness of the tradition of the book and paper arts by maintaining high standards of workmanship, hosting educational opportunities, and sponsoring exhibits.

Exhibition Schedule:

Minnesota Center for Book Arts
Minneapolis, MN
June 15–October 21, 2018

Robert C. Williams Papermaking Museum
Atlanta, GA
November 1, 2018–March 7, 2019

University of California, Los Angeles
Charles E. Young Research Library Lobby Gallery
Los Angeles, CA
March 15–May 25, 2019

North Bennet Street School
Boston, MA
June 5–July 27, 2019

University of the Arts
Philadelphia, PA
August 1–October 30, 2019

The Formation Exhibition features 51 works from 46 members that will travel across the U.S. from June 2018 through October 2019. The show opens at the Minnesota Center for Book Arts in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It will be held at MCBA until the Guild of Book Workers’ annual Standards of Excellence Seminar in October 2018. Formation will tour the country, stopping at the Robert C. Williams Papermaking Museum in Atlanta, GA, UCLA’s Charles E. Young Research Library, the North Bennet Street School in Boston, MA, and the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA. A complete tour schedule is online at guildofbookworkers.org.

 

It was thrilling to see FORMATION featured in The COLOR Issue of  American Craft magazine.

I am looking forward to seeing FORMATION in LA:

University of California, Los Angeles
Charles E. Young Research Library Lobby Gallery
Los Angeles, CA
March 15–May 25, 2019

Please join us,  in FORMATION!

 

Filed Under: Artists' Books, Exhibitions, New Work, Work Tagged With: American Craft, American Craft The Color Issue, ARTIST'S BOOKS, Charles E. Young Research Library Lobby Gallery, Fine Bindings, Fine Press Printing, FORMATION, FORMATION: Guild of Bookworkers Traveling Exhibition, Guild of Book Workers, Guild of Book Workers Formation Book Arts Exhibition, Guild of Book Workers Formation Book Arts Exhibition Begins Two Year National Tour, Los Angeles, Minnesota Center for Book Arts, North Bennet Street School, Robert C. Williams Papermaking Museum, Sculptural Book Works, Sculptural Books, the Guild’s triennial members’ exhibition, University of California, University of the Arts

2018 California OPENing

August 16, 2018 By Debra Disman

I am thrilled and honored to be part of the 2018 California Open Exhibition  held this year at the beautiful Tag Gallery  in Los Angeles, near LACMA (The Los Angeles County Museum of Art) August 8-24, with an opening reception Saturday August 11th, 5PM – 8PM.

Beloved and acclaimed LA-based artist  Kim Abeles juried this show, and her statement about it in the Press Release is telling.

Gallery Director, Rakeem Cunningham, sent out these installation images as well as a great inventory of Works in the Show.  Thanks to Rakeem and Kim for their devoted work and ongoing efforts to make this show a great one, as well as to the wonderful Tag Gallery artists who opened their gallery “home” and their hearts to all of us who exhibited, made the Opening Reception a gala, and supported the cause with such heart and generosity.

This is an engaging and eclectic show.  I was thrilled to see the work of  three other (WOMEN!!!) artists that I know and have worked with in the show: photographer Marta Feinstein, printmaker and fellow LACMA teaching artist Brooke Sauer, and sculptor Karena Massengill. I share their work below as well as my own, and some images of the Opening. Really fun.


Throngs of beautiful souls crowd the gallery.


Stunned to find flowers here from my family! Mark and I get documented…


Sunflowers illuminated the evening, and graced the Gallery’s Reception desk. Pictured here photographer Marta Feinstein, a fellow exhibiting artist.


My piece, “Throes of the Body“, completed during my Studio Residency at 1450 Ocean in Santa Monica.

The work of colleagues..

It has been a great experience.

The exhibition runs through Friday, August 24th, 5pm.
If you have not yet seen it, check it out!

There is something for everyone there!

GrAtItUdEs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Artists' Books, Exhibitions, New Work, Work Tagged With: "Throes of the Body", 1450 Ocean, 2018 California Open Exhibition, Artist Book, ARTIST BOOKS, Brooke Sauer, Exhbition Opening, Exhbitions, Exhibition Openings, Kerena Massengill, Kim Abeles, Los Angeles Exhibitions, Mark Henry Samuel, Marta Feinstein, Rakeem Cunningham, SANTA MONICA, Sculptural Artists' Books, Sculptural Book Works, Sculpture, Studio Residency, Tag Gallery, Tag Gallery Artists

California Open

August 1, 2018 By Debra Disman

I am thrilled and honored to be part of the 2018 California Open Exhibition  held this year at the beautiful Tag Gallery  in Los Angeles, near LACMA (The Los Angeles County Museum of Art) August 8-24, with an opening reception Saturday August 11th, 5PM – 8PM.

Beloved and acclaimed LA-based artist  Kim Abeles juried this show, and her statement about it below is telling.

This promises to be  an engaging and eclectic show.  I can’t wait to see it myself.  I am thrilled to know at least three other artist being shown, photographer Marta Feinstein, printmaker and fellow LACMA teaching artist Brooke Sauer, and sculptor Karena Massengill. (Gooo good Women).

Here are the installation images.

Please join us for the opening and enjoy the show.

 

Full list of acceptees
*We highly recommend that guests Uber/Lyft to the reception on Saturday, August 11th, 5-8pm*

My work, “Throes of the Body” will be shown..Mixed Media/Artists’ Book/Sculpture.

 

Filed Under: Artists' Books, Exhibitions, New Work, Work Tagged With: 2018 California Open Exhibition, Artist Book, ARTIST BOOKS, Exhbition Opening, Exhbitions, Exhibition Openings, Kim Abeles, Los Angeles Exhibitions, Sculptural Artists' Books, Sculptural Book Works, Sculpture, Tag Gallery

2018 California Open Exhibition

July 22, 2018 By Debra Disman

I am honored to be included in the 2018 California Open Exhibition, juried by beloved and renowned Los Angeles-based artist, Kim Abeles and held at TAG GALLERY in Los Angeles from August 8 – 24, 2018.

I will be showing my piece:  “Throes of the Body”.

Here are the installation images and Press Release! CalOpen2018

Please join us for the Opening Reception and Awards Ceremony on Saturday August 11, 5 – 8 PM at TAG GALLERY.

Exhibit: August 8 – 24, 2018
Reception and Awards Ceremony:
Saturday, August 11, 2018   5 – 8 p.m.

 

 

Tagged With: "Throes of the Body", 2018 California Open Exhibition, Artist Book, ARTIST'S BOOKS, Books as Art, California Open Press Release, Conceptual Books, Group Exhibition, Kim Ableles, Los Angeles, Mixed media, Sculptural Book Works, Sculptural Books, Sculpture, Tag Gallery

In “FORMATION”

June 26, 2018 By Debra Disman

In “FORMATION”

I am honored to be a part of  Formation, the Guild of Book Workers triennial members’ exhibition, which has just begun a  two year national tour! The GBW says it best:

Simply defined by Merriam Webster as “an act of giving form or shape to something,” formation can insinuate process, history, creation, change, beginnings, an arrangement, botany and landscape, personal narratives and impersonal storytelling. What makes us into the artists we are? How does our creative process influence the final product? What pushes us to continue to create? People, events, memories all combine to influence the art we make about the world around us, even if our work isn’t explicitly autobiographical.  The Guild of Book Workers’ 2018-2019 exhibition encouraged members to consider how the act of formation spoke to their artistic process.

The Formation Exhibition features 51 works from 46 members that will travel across the U.S. from June 2018 through October 2019. The show opens at the Minnesota Center for Book Arts in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It will be held at MCBA until the Guild of Book Workers’ annual Standards of Excellence Seminar in October 2018. Formation will tour the country, stopping at the Robert C. Williams Papermaking Museum in Atlanta, GA, UCLA’s Charles E. Young Research Library, the North Bennet Street School in Boston, MA, and the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA. A complete tour schedule is online at guildofbookworkers.org.

An accompanying printed exhibition catalog, published this year as a special edition of the Guild of Book Workers’ Journal, will be available for sale at the venues and online at guildofbookworkers.org. The catalog features full color photographs and complete descriptions of each work; biographies of the artists; remarks from jurors Coleen Curry, Graham Patten, and Sarah Smith; and essays by Formation curator Jackie Scott and Guild of Book Workers President Bexx Caswell.

The Formation Exhibition honors the legacy of the book workers’ craft and celebrates some of the finest examples of book arts today. Founded in 1906, the Guild of Book Workers has over 900 members today and is the only national organization dedicated to all of the book arts, including bookbinding, conservation, printing, papermaking, calligraphy, marbling, and artists’ books. At a time when the masses are considering the materiality of the book and its presence or absence as a physical object, it is exciting to showcase the many hand crafts of the book form. The work presented in the Formation Exhibition is a vibrant and dynamic collection of Artists’ Books, Fine Bindings, Fine Press Printing, Calligraphy, and Sculptural Book Works that showcase both the history of the Book Worker’s craft, as well as contemporary interpretations of the book form. The Guild of Book Workers promotes interest in and awareness of the tradition of the book and paper arts by maintaining high standards of workmanship, hosting educational opportunities, and sponsoring exhibits.

Exhibition Schedule:

Minnesota Center for Book Arts
Minneapolis, MN
June 15–October 21, 2018

Robert C. Williams Papermaking Museum
Atlanta, GA
November 1, 2018–March 7, 2019

University of California, Los Angeles
Charles E. Young Research Library Lobby Gallery
Los Angeles, CA
March 15–May 25, 2019

North Bennet Street School
Boston, MA
June 5–July 27, 2019

University of the Arts
Philadelphia, PA
August 1–October 30, 2019

My contributions to the exhibition:

“Hang Out” , 2017. 10.25 x 25 x 8″, mixed media (Book board, canvas, watercolor paper, mulberry paper, hemp cord)

“Black Hang Out“, 2017, mixed media (Book board, canvas, watercolor paper, mulberry paper, hemp cord, acrylic paint)

I am gratified and privileged to participate and look forward to seeing the show when it is at the 
Charles E. Young Research Library Lobby Gallery, University of California, Los Angeles  March 15–May 25, 2019.

Join Us!

Filed Under: Artists' Books, Exhibitions, New Work, Work Tagged With: ARTIST'S BOOKS, Calligraphy, Charles E. Young Research Library Lobby Gallery, Fine Bindings, Fine Press Printing, FORMATION, Guild of Book Workers, Guild of Book Workers Formation Book Arts Exhibition, Guild of Book Workers Formation Book Arts Exhibition Begins Two Year National Tour, Los Angeles, Minnesota Center for Book Arts, North Bennet Street School, Robert C. Williams Papermaking Museum, Sculptural Book Works, the Guild’s triennial members’ exhibition, University of California, University of the Arts

Primary Sidebar

Recent Blog Posts