2009 Artists-in-Residence

New York City - The Center for Book Arts is pleased to announce the five grantees of its 2009 Artists-in-Residence Workspace Program: Terry Boddie Gautam Kansara Shani Peters Ginger Brooks Takahashi James Walsh The residency program is a central aspect of the Center's mission to build connections between the field of Book Arts and the larger contemporary art world. The purpose of this program is to promote experimentation in making Book Art, thus artists from all disciplinary backgrounds are encouraged to apply. This year's residents encompass a variety of fields, including photography, video art, sculpture, printmaking, and quilting. Residents are provided with free studio space, free enrollment in the Center's classes (more than 150 offerings per year), a public exhibition and artist talk, as well as a materials budget and financial stipends.  Past residents include: Carlos Motta (2005), Tattfoo Tan (2007), Yoko Inoue (2007), and Zoe Sheehan-Saldana (2008), among others. Now entering its eighth year, the Center's Workspace Program received a record 180 applications for five residencies. The quality of applications this year was very impressive and resulted a dynamic dialogue during the selection process. For the 2009 Artist-in-Residence application process, the Selection Committee, which selected eleven finalists, was made up of Martin Dust, Visual Arts Program Director, Abrons Art Center, Henry Street Settlement; Samantha Friedman, Assistant Curator, Department of Drawings, Museum of Modern Art; Elvis Fuentes, Curator, El Museo del Barrio; Kathleen Gilrain, Executive Director, Smack Mellon; and Yoko Inoue, one of the Center's 2007 Artists-in-Resident. The Interview Committee, which met the finalists, included Manuel Acevedo, one of the Center's 2007 Artists-in-Residence; Nancy Loeber, one of the Center's Faculty Members; and Sarah Nicholls, the Center's Programs Manager.  The Interview Committee chose the five residents and one alternate, Linda Ganjian. For more information and for photo credits, please contact James Copeland at jcopeland@centerforbookarts.org.

Codex and AWP

Last week was busy with bookfairs for the Center for Book Arts. We had a booth at the Codex Book Fair in Berkeley, and at the AWP Annual Conference in Chicago.

Also at Codex was Susan Mills, a long-time instructor here at the Center. Susan teaches bookbinding and related classes, such as Coptic Binding and DIY Binding. When at Codex, Susan saw Dennis of the CaiLun blog, and Dennis has written this entry about his experience of learning binding from Susan at the Center.

Book Arts Lounge a Success: Stay Tuned for the Next Installment!

The kick-off party for the Center's new series, The Book Arts Lounge, was a big hit. Artist collective Dexter Sinister worked with instructor Lauren Rowland to do large-format paper marbling for a film poster project. The results were incredible: brilliant colors, intricate and unexpected patterns, and huge! It was a challenge to string up enough clothes-lines to hang the paper as it drip-dried. The assembled crowd oohed and ahhed, and everyone tried a hand at marbling with enthusiastic results, taking home amazing papers reminiscent of lunar landscapes and undulating waves. Click here to check out some pictures from the event.

We're looking forward to next month's session, where we'll be testing our creative spontaneity, making small books with big content. The theme, in honor (or protest) of Valentine's Day, is Loving the Page and we plan to shower our small blank books with the attention they deserve. Dirty limericks, one-of-a-kind comic books, potato prints: these are some of the ideas we're kicking around in the book arts boiler room. We hope to see you there! Friday, February 13, 6-9pm, here at the Center for Book Arts.

- Corinna Zeltsman
Feel free to write me with ideas for future Lounge evenings: czeltsman [ at ] centerforbookarts [ dot ] org

The Vandercook Turns 100!

The Center for Book Arts is pleased to present three panel discussions on the Vandercook Proof Press. This classic American printing machine has been used by generations of artists, and is central to the current resurgence of interest in the book arts and fine printing.

Printmaking and the Vandercook
This discussion will focus on arts-based criticism of the Vandercook as an image-making tool. With Peter Kruty, Mare Blocker, and MarthaChiplis. Moderated by Roni Gross. Following the discussion there will be a publication party celebrating the release of The Vandercook Book, a collaborative artist book on the history and practice of the Vandercook, published by Barbara Henry and Roni Gross. Event co-sponsored by The Vandercook Book, LLC.
Wednesday, February 25, 6:30 pm

The Vandercook in the 20th Century
A discussion of the gradual evolution of the Vandercook from its origins in commercial industry to its adoption by the artistic and small press communities. With Ron Gordon, John Kristensen, and Andy Birsh.
Wednesday, March 18, 6:30 pm

The Vandercook Renaissance
Current American cultural production - literary, artistic, and graphic- of the Vandercook will be examined by educators who are passing on letterpress knowledge to a new generation of printers. With Paul Moxon, Emily Larned and Daniel Morris.
Wednesday, April 22, 6:30 pm

Support for this series has been provided in part by the American Printing History Association, New York chapter.