DCH Bookbinding 2/25

Another great bookbinding session with the DCH students! They all finished their first coptic books today.

Postcard!

Here is the image I'm using for my postcard. This is Allison reading the Braille from a page in our book, with my drawing underneath.

Marbling! Workshops! Wahoo!

This weekend Billy and I marbled paper for our book. It was really fun and such an exciting process! I definitely want to do more marbling in the future.

Today I did the first bookbinding workshop of the semester at Detroit Community High School. I worked with 3 students (which was a perfect amount) - they made the covers and signatures for coptic books. We're going to sew them next week! Twas very fun.

Hello again.

Well, here I am, back to blogging again.

I am happy to say that I have made quite a great deal of progress since the last time you heard from me. To return way way back to December, the two shows I was involved in were a huge success.  "Paper Legends" at North Branch Projects in Chicago was wonderful - it was great to meet all the other artists involved, learn more about North Branch from its owner, Regin, and reconnect with some Chicago family who were nice enough to come out and support me!  I was so thrilled to participate in the show and make some great connections - I have plans to continue my involvement with North Branch, and I'm currently working with Regin on starting up a sketchbook exchange with high schoolers from Detroit and Chicago!

Here's a goofy picture of me with my books (thank you Ethan for the photo):

After the opening was over, my friend Lyz and I grabbed some delicious Mexican food in Albany Park before making the 5-hour drive back to Ann Arbor so I could sleep for a few hours before setting up my booth at Tiny Expo in the morning!  Despite my lack of sleep, the excitement of everything kept me energized.  Tiny Expo was also a huge success - a lot of people were interested in my books and I sold quite a few!  It was a really fun day and I was very lucky to be a part of it.

Now to my IP project! I finally settled on an idea that I'm happy with. I'm still making collaborative books. However, I broadened my criteria for the type of people I'm working with - basically the only criteria is people that I want to get to know better.  I am currently in the process of making books with a girl that I worked with in a ceramics class a few years ago who is visually impaired; a friend who is also the daughter of a clergyman, though of a different religion; and another friend with whom I unintentionally collaborated through a word game while killing time before a concert.  I am also hoping to work with the woman who started the arts nonprofit in Ghana where I volunteered last summer, and possibly a good childhood friend that I haven't been in touch with in years.

I feel good about how the books are coming along, PLUS I finally secured a space to have my show in April!  I'm working with a couple who are opening a new independent bookstore in downtown Ann Arbor called Literati.  I am SO EXCITED to have my show there and be a part of their "grand opening" events this spring.  http://literatibookstore.wordpress.com/

Things are finally coming together and I'm very pleased!

Turns out I really don't like to blog.

However, I HAVE been getting things done - don't you fret!


If the stars align perhaps I will post something in the next week or so.  For now let it be a *MYSTERY*

nothin' but time

Abby here, reporting from the craziest week of my life.

I've been doing last-minute things for Tiny Expo: I got stuff to help display my books and make everything look presentable; I took pictures of all of the books so I can keep track of which ones sell and also to have available if people want to make a custom order; I'm in the middle of pricing everything; I still need to make some sort of sign and then I think I'll be all ready!

Also been working on finding people to collaborate with for IP.  I've been giving out the info sheets to friends who are going to pass them on to people they've met who might be interested/interesting.  I also went to the kerrytown farmer's market this morning and talked to three people there, two of whom were extremely interested in working with me.  One is a surgeon's-assistant-turned-salsa-maker named Mario; the other is a girl who is part of a family-owned pastry business.  They both said they would contact me soon; I'll keep you updated on the developments!

I'm working on contacting a few local organizations with whom I have connections to see if I can find collaborators that way...

I've been making some changes to my review presentation for next week, including adding some research on the history and implications of collaborative creative endeavors.  I got these books:
- Artistic Bedfellows: Histories, Theories and Conversations in Collaborative Art Practice 
- Painter Among Poets: The Collaborative Art Of George Schneeman
- Group Genius by Keith R. Sawyer
and found some cool stuff online about collaborative and community arts and artists:
http://ascc.artsci.wustl.edu/~ksawyer/groupgenius/index.html
http://collabarts.org/
http://www.richardkamler.org/

Things are starting to fall into place, I think.

Plus, it's a perfect winter day here: chilly but bright, sunny, and beautiful!

bzzzzz

Wowza!  I'm sorry it has been so long.  I've been busy as a bookbinding bee.  I'm currently exhausted so I'll just give you some little sneak peaks into what I've been doing:

Making books for Tiny Expo.  A whole lot of books.  

Preparing for my IP review next week.  Finally came up with a plan that I am happy with and excited about.  Collaborative books!!!  I'll elaborate on that in another post, but for now here's an info sheet that I made for people that are interested in collaborating: (click to see it bigger!)

Andddd, I found friends that agreed to join me on a whirlwind road trip to Chicago on Friday for the opening of the Paper Legends show (and get back in time for Tiny Expo the next morning!)  I am so very grateful and excited.

That's all for now!  Till next time....