New Open Bindery Opportunities at the Center for Book Arts

The Center invites all binders and book artists to a new opportunity offered this fall: Open Bindery Studio on Thursday evenings. Students may now rent the Center's bindery facilities after hours, each Thursday evening from 6:30 to 9PM. Instructor Shanna Yarbrough will be on-site to supervise renters.

Renting studio time at the Center is a great way to brush up on binding skills, or complete a project that requires the use of our board shears. Practice your calligraphy or finish binding that photo album on our spacious bindery tables. Borrow our sewing frames and nipping presses, or cut down large sheets of paper to bind at home.

Rates: $25/hour ($15 for members!)
Please call (212) 481-0295 to reserve rental time in advance.

Live! Chapbook! Event!

The 2009 Poetry Chapbook Reading took place this past Wednesday, October 7th here at the Center. We were very pleased to welcome this year's honoree, Bonnie Jo Campbell, and celebrate her winning manscript Love Letters to Sons of Bitches.

Series co-founder Sharon Dolin began the evening with a few words, read some of her own work, and then welcomed this year's curator, Kim Addonizio.






















Who read from the limited edition publication created for her by the Center's own Delphi Basilicato, a letterpress printed scroll enclosed in a beeswax infused cover, titled Another Day on Earth. She then read an excerpt from Letters to Ripley by Lucia Perillo, one of our two Honorable Mentions this year, who was sadly unable to join us in person. Her work has been immortailzed in a limited edition broadside produced this summer by Megan Quarton. Next up was Theresa Leo, our second Honorable Mention, who read from her broadside, After Twelve Months, Someone Tells Me It's Time to Join the Living, designed and printed in an edition of 100 by Carrie Tuccio.

Then it was time for Bonnie Jo Campbell, who wowed us with her dynamic reading from her chapbook, printed and designed especially for her by our Master Printer Barbara Henry. Then we all adjourned to the bindery for some wine, cheese, temporary tattoos, and group photo ops.






















A good time was had by all.