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Debra Disman

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"We Write The Book"

“We Write The Book” CULMINATION EVENT at the Northridge Library!

June 5, 2025 By Debra Disman

 It was both moving and thrilling to complete my 2024-25 Artist Residency at the beautiful Northridge Branch Library .

This Neighborhood Engagment Artist Residency has been supported by the wonderful City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

I have been honored to serve as  artist-in-residence at the Northridge Branch Library, conducting bookmaking workshops and events for the local community and library patronage from February through May 31, 2025, on selected Wednesday afternoons, 3:30-5:00PM, and Saturdays 11:00am – 12:30PM

Our workshops have been completely free to community with  all materials and refreshments included, supported by the  City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

Attended by participants of all ages including families, I was thrilled to see the explosively colorful and exciting projects our participants created, and their joy in working in community. many of our participants have attended multiple workshops, and some of them have attended all of the bookmaking programs!

During our CULMINATION, participants shared and read from their handmade books, enjoyed refreshments, created a mini-travel journal and learned how do the “Turkish Map Fold” which they could then add to their books!
Turkish Map Fold incorporated into mini-travel journal!


Families enjoy bookmaking together, a blend of generations!


Participants help other participants.


Renata shares one of her amazing books!


A young boy’s dream, and I think we can see what it is!


Such a pleasure to see Ardem Tajerian again, with who I worked on my first Neighborhood Engagment Artist Residency supported by the  City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs back in 2017!


A table of committed bookmakers!


The work and the results.


Maps to add to the travel journal, ready for summer adventures!


It is never too  young to start bookmaking!


A first-time participant who joined our CULMINATION!


Creatively working hands create books.


Library staff get into the creative act.


Extraordinary book works created and shown…shared with the attending community by the participating artists who made them.


Materials galore!


Process yields results.

 
Outside

Inside


Tunnel Bookmaking taken to the max!


Words not to be forgotten…


Honoring women artists in celebration of International Women’s Day and Womens History Month, March 2025

  


An incredible expression of love and committment expressed through bookmaking for a ten-year anniversary, and shared during our “We Write the Book” CULMINATION event!

It was hard to say goodbye. We hope to see everyone in the FALL!

Thank you to  the incredible City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs and the  fantastic Northridge Branch Library for this amazing and deeply fulfilling experience.  Thank you for allowing me to teach, share my knowledge and love of the community and books, and work together to bring together so  many beautiful souls.

Until the next!!!

Filed Under: Artist in Residence, Artists' Books, LIBRARIES, Student Work, Teaching Artist, TEXTILE/FIBER, Textiles/Fiber/Cloth, Work Tagged With: "We Write The Book", Art and Craft Community Programs, art-making workshops for families, Artist Residency, Artist Residency Culmination, Book, Book as Art, Book Structures, BOOKBINDING, Bookmaking, Bookmaking for the Community, Bookmaking in Community, Books made by Hand, books of repeating forms, Community, Community Artmaking, COMMUNITY BOOKMAKING, Creating travel journals, Culmination, Culmination Event, CULMINATION RENEWAL, DCA Grants, DCA LA, DCA-funded artist residency, Families Making Books, Family Bookmaking, Folded and glued Books, Handmade Books, Intergenerational Arts workshops, LAPL, Librarians, Los Angeles Public Library, Making Books Together, mixed media books, Module books, NEAR, NEAR Residency, Neighborhood Engagement Artist Residency, Northridge, Northridge Branch Library, repeating forms, running stitch, Self-expression, The Department of Cultural Affairs of the City of Los Angeles, THE LOS ANGELES PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM, Travel Journal, Turkish Map Fold

CULMINATING our Journey at the Canoga Park Branch Library

June 14, 2024 By Debra Disman

We culminated my yearlong Artist Residency at the Canoga Park Branch Library, “We Write The Book!“, supported by the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, with a celebration for the whole community! Attendees created their own travel journals, enjoyed refreshments and a slide show of the year’s bookmaking projects, and “take and make” bookmaking packets (complete with materials and instructions)  were available for the taking.

Library staff, the security guard, families, seniors and a group of very special adults all got into the act!
A lovely group of teens helped set-up for the event, then participated by making their own travel journals. They share their thoughts about the event HERE.


Adult and teen librarians Patty and Marcia have a moment to play with materials and be creative!


Branch security guard made a travel journal!


Auntie and niece have a making experience together.


This young makers loves  the color GREEN!


Assorted materials were available, to offer something to everyone.


Participants had the opportunity to socialize while creating, another human need that sometimes gets put on hold in busy lives.


Happy maker Dawn loves to create books and made a beauty with doors that opened!.


Morning making experience together for mother and daughter.


Making creative re-use of available maps and atlas pages!

 
Making beautiful use of materials, Patty is ready to document her travels!


Enjoying the process.


And the pink book develops, with maps!


TEEN POWER!
Creativity knows no bounds…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Artist in Residence, Artists' Books, BOOKS, Student Work, Teaching Artist, TEXTILE/FIBER, Work Tagged With: "We Write The Book", Book, Book as Art, Book Structures, BOOKBINDING, Bookmaking, Books made by Hand, BOund books, Canoga Park Branch Library, Canoga Park Library, Caregivers, Celebration, challenged adults, Community Artmaking, COMMUNITY BOOKMAKING, Creating travel journals, Culmination, DCA, DCA LA, DCA-funded artist residency, Handmade Books, Intergenerational Arts workshops, LAPL, Librarian, Librarians, Los Angeles Public Library, Making Books Together, mixed media books, new beginnings, Organization, PAMPHLET STITCH, Self-expression, Sewing books, Sewn book, Signatures, Take and make bookmaking projects, Teaching Event Tags: Artist Residency, The Department of Cultural Affairs of the City of Los Angeles, three hole Pamphlet Stitch, Three-Dimensional, Travel Journal

On Butterfly Wings…

May 7, 2024 By Debra Disman

Our beautiful participants took flight as they learned how to create a “Butterfly Book” to celebrate the beauties and joys of Springtime!

This workshop was part of my Artist Residency a the Canoga Park Branch Library called, “We Write the Book”,  supported  by the wonderful Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.




They were encouraged to add ribbons in honor of May Day, referencing the ribbons flowing from the traditional May Pole, and held onto as folks danced around it to celebrate!





            
An inspiring time was had by All!

Filed Under: Artists' Books, BOOKS, Student Work, Teaching Artist, TEXTILE/FIBER Tagged With: "We Write The Book", Accordion Fold, ARTIST IN RESIDENCE, Artist Residency, Bookmaking, Books made by Hand, butterflies, Butterfly book, Canoga Park, Canoga Park Library, Community Artmaking, COMMUNITY BOOKMAKING, DCA, Ecology, Families, Family, Flag Book, Folded and glued Books, Folded Books, Found Poetry, Found Writing, Hands on bookmaking, Intergenerational Artmaking, LA DCA, LA Department of Cultural Affairs, LAPL, Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, Los Angeles Public Library, Luz Sandoval, Making Books Together, Marcia Melkonian, May Day, Nature Poetry, Patricia Miranda, Poetry Month, Springtime

Create a BUTTERFLY Book at the Canoga Park Branch Library!

April 5, 2024 By Debra Disman

Take Flight this Spring!

Join us and learn how to create a “butterfly Book” in honor of the Rituals and Rites of Spring!

Add ribbons to honor May Day, and make your book festive!

Part of my Artist Residency support by the wonderful Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs:
“We Write The Book”.

All materials included!

Tagged With: "We Write The Book", Accordion Fold, ARTIST IN RESIDENCE, Artist Residency, Bookmaking, Books made by Hand, butterflies, Butterfly book, Canoga Park, Canoga Park Library, Community Artmaking, COMMUNITY BOOKMAKING, DCA, Ecology, Families, Family, Flag Book, Folded and glued Books, Folded Books, Found Poetry, Found Writing, Hands on bookmaking, Intergenerational Artmaking, LA DCA, LA Department of Cultural Affairs, LAPL, Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, Los Angeles Public Library, Luz Sandoval, Making Books Together, Marcia Melkonian, May Day, Nature Poetry, Patricia Miranda, Poetry Month, Springtime, The Environment

Celebrating Nature and Poetry at the Canoga Branch Library!

March 15, 2024 By Debra Disman

Join Us and learn how to create the fun and fantastic flag book!

Celebrate Poetry Month and Earth Day by adding your own nature poetry and images through the technique of “found poetry” which takes the stress out of writing!

Part of my Artist Residency support by the wonderful Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs:
“We Write The Book”.

All materials included.

Tagged With: "We Write The Book", Accordion Fold, ARTIST IN RESIDENCE, Artist Residency, Bookmaking, Books made by Hand, Canoga Park, Canoga Park Library, Community Artmaking, COMMUNITY BOOKMAKING, DCA, Earth Day, Ecology, Families, Family, Flag Book, Folded and glued Books, Found Poetry, Found Writing, Hands on bookmaking, Intergenerational Artmaking, LA DCA, LA Department of Cultural Affairs, LAPL, Latinx, Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, Los Angeles Public Library, Luz Sandoval, Making Books Together, Marcia Melkonian, Nature Poetry, Patricia Miranda, Poetry Month, Springtime, The Environment

Bookmaking for the New Year at the Canoga Park Library!

January 12, 2024 By Debra Disman

Book arts are alive and well at the Canoga Park Branch Library!

I am thrilled to continue my artist residency there, working with the community, teaching bookmaking workshops (or leading “programs” in library parlance!)

The series, entitled “We Write the Book”, supported by the wonderful Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, will offer 11 hands-on bookmaking workshops and a culmination event to the community free of charge, with all materials included!

On January 10, 2024 community participants gathered to create an “organizer” book for the New Year and beyond. Participants folded a pocketed accordion book, added covers, then launched into adorning their books with images, decorative papers, “gems”, markers and more. They added “note” papers to their pockets with inspirational words and images. A beautiful, and hopeful time was had by all!

 

Filed Under: Artist in Residence, Artists' Books, BOOKS, Student Work, Teaching Artist Tagged With: "We Write The Book", Accordion Fold, Accordion Fold Book, Accordion Fold Book with pockets, ARTIST IN RESIDENCE, Artist Residency, Bookmaking, Books as Organizers, Books made by Hand, Books with Pockets, Canoga Park Library, Closed spine accordion, Community Artmaking, COMMUNITY BOOKMAKING, DCA, Hands on bookmaking, Intergenerational Artmaking, LA DCA, LAPL, Latinx, Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, Los Angeles Public Library, Luz Sandoval, Making Books Together, Marcia Melkonian, Organizing for the New Year

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