Debra Disman

Artist

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Studio Residency at Camera Obscura Art Lab at 1450 Ocean

In Resonant Residence (9)

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In Resonant Residence (9)

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.

Eighth  and Ninth Workshops, March 3/10 2018: Working on “The Big Beach Book“, participants collaged, stenciled, stamped, drew and painted on its multitude of people-sized ever evolving surfaces surfaces….

Altering book pages…creating “black-out  poetry” and “found writing”…creating books, large and small…

847.866.8173

 

Envelope Book with Debra Disman

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Envelope Book with Debra Disman

Use folding and sewing methods to create a book that can be sent in the mail! Write a note to a stranger and add it to the Big Beach Book onsite, or take home to write your next letter. You can create accordion folded pages that pop out to surprise the recipient, or sew in signature pages that can be turned.

Creating Sculptural Books with Debra Disman

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Creating Sculptural Books with Debra Disman

Create a book that stands on its own as a piece of sculpture, and pushes the very idea of ‘the book’ into new territory. Using new, found, natural and recycled materials you will put together a book that can be cut, built onto, stitched, textured, painted, covered and otherwise transformed into your private universe!

Double Flower Fold Book with Debra Disman

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Double Flower Fold Book with Debra Disman

Learn how to create a long or short book that utilizes repeated folded forms based that flattens into a single square. Add covers and a tie/ribbon, and embellish with all manner of materials. Also called an Exploding Book, this structure is perfect for treasured words: poems, love notes, fortunes and more.

Accordion Fold Book + Pockets with Debra Disman

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Accordion Fold Book + Pockets with Debra Disman

Learn how to make an accordion fold or concertina book with pockets to create a literally unfolding story. Add beach photos, stories, dreams, memories, lists, recipes or letters – your epistolary novel awaits! You will also learn how to create a spine and tie for your book, so that any secrets it holds will be safe.

In Resonant Residence (8)

By

In Resonant Residence (8)

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.

Sixth and Seventh Workshops, February 17/24, 2018: Working on “The Big Beach Book“, participants stenciled, stamped, drew and painted on its multitude of people-sized ever evolving surfaces surfaces….

A young woman who came to the Beach with her family took brushes and acrylic paints, and created this “goddess of the sea” (?!?) covering the top half of one of The Big Beach Book pages….finishing it off with proud signature.  others then stepped in and added the sailboat, and fishes swimming below. Who knows how this page will develop over the coming weeks…

A trio of friends worked together on the Book’s front cover, using stencils to outline the shapes of the fish, which they then painted in brilliantly.  They were invited to return this coming Saturday to further develop their artwork, and they said they would. Fingers crossed…

A recent arrival to LA visited the the Art Lab with her companion, and elegantly painted a panel of the Book’s accordion spine with stencils and hand-painted arrows…a lovely addition and gift.

Feel the love….