GALLERY BOOKS

The May workshop taught by Sandy Vrem was a great success despite the problems she had with her Internet connections. Many thanks to Sandy for staying with it while maintaining her cool. The original gallery book structure is perfect for displaying small pieces of artwork, but we learned that with simple changes we could create even more ways to display photos or papers. 

Pictured below are a few examples of gallery books made by our members.

Margaret Beech

Allegra Burke

Mary Conley

Bonnie Julien

GALLERY BOOK WORKSHOP

I'm betting that we all have little bits of pretty papers that we've saved yet don't really know what to do with them. Sandy Vrem has a solution for us. Join Sandy at our May workshop and she will guide us through the steps to make a Gallery Book plus a variation that can display small artwork. In the Gallery Book there will be 15 small display windows to showcase papers that have been decorated, photos, calligraphy, collections of stamps, animal pictures or other artworks.

Gallery Book to display artwork

Here are more of Sandy's examples

Another example

This is the variation we will make.

Sandy will provide directions for this variation.

Materials:

• One (1) piece of art paper like Mi-Teintes 22½" x 8". If possible have the grain short (running along the 8" height). This is for the accordion.
• Two (2) pieces 8" x 8" for the covers. Sandy used the same paper as the accordion.
• 15 small artwork pieces for your display windows, about 1½" wide by 1¼" high. You might want to wait until you have the book made to decide if you want to frame your art works before mounting them. If you decide to frame the artwork you will need more paper to do this.
• For the variation book you will need one (1) piece of art paper like Mi-Teintes 22½" x 4½". Extra art papers will be needed for decoration. 

Tools:

• Scissors
• Pencil
• Metal ruler
• Glue stick
• Cutting mat
• Craft knife
• Bone folder
• Double sided tape

When:   Saturday May 14 at 10 a.m. PDT
Where:  On your computer, tablet or smartphone via Zoom
RSVP:    To Dolores Guffey by May 9 to receive the password
Workshop Questions:   Sandy Vrem
Zoom Questions:  Bobbie Hayes
Contact information for everyone is in the newsletter.

HUMBOLDT COUNTY LIBRARY KIOSK DISPLAY

If you happen to be in Eureka be sure to check out the current display in the kiosk behind the circulation counter. Artist books by our NORBAG member from Pennsylvania, Mary Elizabeth Nelson, are featured. Mary Elizabeth is a very talented artist who incorporates calligraphy, cyanotypes, eco-dyed papers and hand stitching into many of her books.

FOLDED CURIOSITIES

Are you looking for ideas on what to use as inserts in books, on cards, or just for general art work? If so, then the April workshop of Folded Curiosities, taught by Sandy Vrem, is for you. These Curiosities will include: Impossible Objects, Flexagons, Quadragons, Wow Folds and a Woven Accordion Flexagon Book. We will make prototypes so you will have models that you can use to explore other possible structures and unique decorating ideas. Sandy says "be ready to measure accurately and be prepared to do some trimming!" Patterns will be sent to you with the link for Zooming when you RSVP (contact information in the newsletter). You will need to print the patterns on appropriate paper and cut them out so we can have time to put them together. 

Here is an assortment of the various structures.

These are the Impossible Objects

Materials for the impossible Objects: 

Print out the Three (3) patterns on cardstock with the same color on both sides.

Flexagon

Materials for Flexagons:

Print out the three (3) patterns on text weight paper (computer/printer paper)

Quadragon

Materials for Quadragons:

Cut out four (4) pieces of cardstock 2" x 4" and cut out two (2) cardstock circles that are 4" in diameter.

Wow Folds

Materials for Wow Folds:

Cut out three (3) text weight paper squares 6" x 6" and cut out four (4) text weight paper squares 4" x 4".

Woven Accordion Flexagon Book

Above book opened

Materials for Woven Accordion Flexagon Book:

Cut one (1) piece of cardstock to 10" x 8" for the accordion, and two (2) pieces of text weight paper 2 1/2" x 8" for the woven strips.

Tools and other materials:

Pencil, eraser, scissors, craft knife with sharp blade, ruler, cutting mat, scoring tool, bone folder, clear tape or masking tape, glue stick, double sided tape, colored pencils or crayons in four different contrasting colors. Have a few extra sheets of text weight paper handy in case we have time to make more.

WHEN:   Saturday April 10 at 10 a.m. PST

WHERE: On your computer, tablet, or smartphone via Zoom

RSVP:    YES! to Dolores Guffey by April 2 to receive password and instructions

Workshop questions: Sandy Vrem

Zoom questions: Bobbie Hayes

Contact information for everyone is in the newsletter.

*Exciting News*

Check back here on April 1 (No Fooling!) for information about an upcoming collaborative project opportunity.

SURFACE DESIGN WORKSHOP

Local NORBAG members meet the second Saturday every month for a workshop/play day. We usually bring rulers, cutting implements, and papers cut to various sizes and shapes. We receive an instruction sheet and focus intently on making a structure that we hope to duplicate on our own. We ask lots of questions, discuss grain, adhesives, and cutting and scoring methods. We learn a lot and still have time to chat and laugh.

At the June workshop Michele Kamprath and Sandy Vrem gave us samples of various surface designs to experiment with. The tools we brought were crayons, acrylic paint, texture plates and paper. Sandy and Michele led us through a really fun day.

Sandy prepared the table loaded with fun materials.

This is Michele taking a look at the exchange books.

Crayons and paper and balloons, Oh My!

Samples of balloon prints

More samples... toward the back, is a kind of paste paper.

 

Faux batik

Rubbings

This is how we started, with all of our materials lined up and ready to go.

Simple rubbings were really quite fun. We used a texture plate underneath the paper. Some members used deli paper and others used sketching paper or medium to lightweight papers they brought from home.

We had plastic texture plates, stencils and even a rubber stamp or two.

We put the stencil or texture plate under the paper
 and rubbed a crayon over it to show the design.

We used stencils and a lot of color.

These are two different types of plates we used. 

We also used a batik like process that was fun. We started by covering a piece of paper (painter's masking paper which is thin and folds crisply) with crayons. We then crumpled the paper. Next, we painted acrylic paint (slightly diluted) over the entire surface, let it sit for a minute and then wiped the paint off. All of the creases absorbed the paint and it was similar to the look of batik.

One of our members used her own design to make the batik pattern.

Another person colored over the entire background and then
 used a very dark contrast color to really bring out the lines.

It was getting messy and we were thankful for the plastic on the tables. And for the towels and baby-wipes. 

The next thing we tried was balloon painting. We used a palette and undiluted craft acrylics. Some used a single color and others multiple colors. After much laughter, we inflated our little balloons and dipped them lightly into the liquid paints. We had a choice to either blot gently on a paper towel or go directly to the paper. We experimented with different pressures to see how the patterns would occur.

We started with a palette of color, then daubed the paint onto the balloon.

Then you pounce the balloon onto the paper.

And get an explosion of color. 

This was a palette for balloon painting.

Not a balloon painting, just a serendipitous explosion of color
 on a palette that I loved.

And last was the faux paste paper. Michele and Sandy instructed us to use a heavier paper (watercolor, mixed media) and cover it heavily with crayons. Then we painted it with thick acrylic paint and used a comb to make a design just as you do with paste paper. 

Crayons, paint, and a few blobs (technical term) of a contrasting color. 
We needed to work quickly with this one so that the paints didn't dry.

We pulled a comb through it to make our design.

Here is a closeup. As long as the paint was still wet,
 you could continue adding more combing.

Do you notice how clean her hands are? Mine weren't. Took me half an hour to get the dried paint off at home. Well worth it because we had such fun.

We also had the "Show and Tell" table here. One of our members brought in the results of her class from the Newport Paper and Book Art Festival held this past April. Another member brought in a sample of napkin decoupage that we will be learning in one of our next workshops. And there is a certificate that you should look at.

On the left is a certificate for honorable mention received by Edge Gerring for her book submission to the "Focus on Fiber Exhibition" in Humboldt County. To the right are pictures of Peter and Donna Thomas who will be giving us a special presentation and workshop on October 26, (not a regular meeting). The caravan is their "home away from home" as they travel the country giving workshops. You can take a look at who they are by going to wanderingbookartists.blogspot.com. More information about their visit will come in future articles.

SURFACE DESIGNS

The June 8 NORBAG workshop will be taught by Michele Kamprath and Sandy Vrem. Surface design techniques will be used to decorate a variety of papers that can then be used as decorative elements in books, cards, collage and more. We will learn four different ways to decorate papers using crayon batik, crayon rubbings with texture plates and stencils, balloon printing, and combing through acrylic paint. Check out these beautiful examples and come prepared to have fun creating different designs.

Tools to Bring:

• water container, wide enough for your brush
• foam brush (1" to 3")
• plastic fork or paste paper comb
• cutting mat
• apron

Materials to bring (only if you already have them):

• favorite acrylic paints
• card stock, mixed media, drawing, and watercolor papers (8.5" x 11")
• paper towels or baby wipes
• crayons
• stencils, texture plates, paint marking tools
• newspaper to cover your workspace and for drying

Materials provided:

• balloons
• paint pallet
• deli paper
• painter's paper
• telephone and dictionary pages
• assorted acrylic paints

When?    Saturday, June 8 at noon
Where?   Eureka Methodist Church, Del Norte and F Streets
Bring?     See above list
Cost?      50 cents
RSVP?     YES, by Wednesday June 5 to Michele
               (contact information in the newsletter)

Mendocino Art Exhibit

Last month we received an invitation from Janet Self, a member of FLOCKworks, to share some of our books at one of their shows--Art of Letter, Word & Book, taking place in Mendocino, CA. Our guild sent 34 books, both exchange books and books that had been in our own exhibits over the years. This exhibit is part of Art @ Odd Fellows, which began in 2007 with the loan of a building to allow special short term exhibits by groups of artists. FLOCKworks facilitates this on-going series. Art of Letter, Word & Book runs from May 1-May 25 so there is still a short amount of time to explore this hands-on exhibit about art, language, and books by local and regional artists. This includes handmade artists' books, calligraphy, letterpress, text into other art, altered books, art made up from up-cycled books, plus related work in wood, ceramics and more. The location is: Art @ Odd Fellows at the corner of Kasten and Ukiah Streets in Mendocino Village. Recently NORBAG members Edge Gerring and Sandy Vrem visited the exhibit and provided us with the following photographs. The first three and last photos include the books from NORBAG members.

Thank you Edge and Sandy for sharing your photographs.