BOOKS-BOOKS-BOOKS ...for the love of books....

Found this great site today.....check it out..if you love books, you have found a slice of heaven here....
http://fuckyeahbookarts.tumblr.com/

Books are on the brain...I am excited about teaching "The Altered Book" at the 6th International Encaustic Conference in Provincetown, MA, in June 2012....

Details about this session:  The Altered Book

This session will demonstrate how to create a work of art out of an old book, using including encaustic medium, pigment sticks, and a variety of collage elements, such as Japanese papers, found objects, mixed media and organics. Specifically discussed will be the types of books that can be altered, what to consider when choosing books, the binding, spine applications and the types of papers within the books. Many examples of finished altered books will be shared and examples of books that are problematic from a technical standpoint will also be shared with the audience. Supria will also show you her personal favorite: how to use mica as a window within the book cover.

Supria will offer a two-day Post-Con on the same topic

Here is some more great information on this need to attend event - registration is open now... THE ENCAUSTIC CONFERENCE

Joanne Mattera founder & Director of the International Encaustic Conference & Cherie Mittenthal executive Director of Truro Center for the Arts at Castle Hill are please to announce that Registration is now open.

THE SIXTH INTERNATIONAL ENCAUSTIC CONFERENCE  Number Six! Welcome to the Sixth International Encaustic Conference. This is a conference of firsts: the first annual event devoted to the serious study of encaustic; the first international event, drawing artists from the U.S. and Canada, plus Mexico, Latin America, Scandinavia, Europe, Australia, Norway and New Zealand; and the first event of its kind anywhere to place encaustic within the context of contemporary art. It’s also the largest encaustic conference anywhere. Allow us to kvell for a moment when we say that it draws the best teachers, the most talented artists, and nicest group of folks you’ll ever meet. And it has a Vendor Room that’s as close to heaven as you’ll find on earth. The Conference, in co-production with Truro Center for the Arts at Castle Hill, now makes its home in one of the most beautiful locations on earth—Provincetown, at the tip of the great arm of Massachusetts. Opportunities for learning, sharing, networking, creative collaboration and entrepreneurship have grown each year. This year there are more talks and demos; an earlier start time; another Friday afternoon extravaganza—this year, Print-a-Palooza; an expanded Sunday morning Hotel Fair; and three days of Pre-Conference workshops in addition to the five days of Post-Con. The workshops will take place at Castle Hill in Truro. Provincetown is a gallery town—it’s the oldest continuous art colony in the United States—and we expect to have an expanded range of exhibition opportunities. A number of galleries, excited by our presence last year, are eager to be part of the excitement. We’ll have our juried show at Kobalt Gallery again this year. And at Castle Hill we’ll have two invitational exhibitions: Cherie is curating an show of encaustic work on paper, while artist and teacher Supria Karmaker is organizing a small show of artists’ books. So the short of it is that there’s much to learn, to do, to see, to experience. Pray for sun, but know that whatever the weather, this Conference promises to a bright spot in your art year. -- Joanne Mattera, founder and director -- Cherie Mittenthal, director, Truro Center for the Arts at Castle Hill

"Distressed Elements" - Seth Apter's Book from the Inner Works Collaborative Altered book project

Round three of six....here are some images of Seth Apter's book, that I completed...Seth's book theme is "Distressed Elements", check out his work on his own book.  I have to say I really enjoyed working on this book and thinking about the concept of 'distressed' and 'element'...What makes an element distressed?  Is it time, passing through generations, the natural elements of air, water, fire/heat/sun,  and the earth's natural artistic brush strokes...the beauty of those distressed elements tell a story all by themselves...the energies of past lives that may have picked up those pieces feed the work inevitably in my mind...I received Seth's lovely book from Veronica awhile back, and have since then,  been living with her lovely pages as well as, Seth's,  trying to decide what I might do to add to the book... Here is the outcome..I now send off the book to lovely Roxanne, to work her magic.  This Inner Works Collaborative has been a great project thus far...hope you are enjoy the journey through the blogs too.

Also a special and big thank you to Seth Apter, for the extra vote of confidence in my growth as an artist, he has posted a link on his blog site, The Altered Page, on his sidebar panel, in the inspiration section to my work on the "Wax Libris" post, which is an exhibit happening in June at the Third Annual Encaustic Conference in Beverly, Mass. at the Montserrat College of Art. 

"Wax Libris" Exhibit - June 5-7, 2009

"Guest House - Rumi Inspired",  Altered Encaustic Mixed Media Book, 2009 6 1/4 x 9 x  1  1/2 

"Ah, What Then?" Altered Encaustic Mixed Media Book, 2009, 5  1/4  x  7  1/2  x  1  1/4 

I was so delighted to receive the confirmation that my art submissions for the "Wax Libris" exhibit at the Montserrat College of Art, in Beverly, Mass. was accepted.   "Wax Libris" is a small but tantalizing show curated by Joanne Mattera, also the conference director for the Third Annual Encaustic Conference in June at the college. 

The premise of this show, exhibiting at the Paul Scott Library on the first floor of Hardie, is to celebrate "the tangibility and materiality of books" which remains a deeply satisfying and integral medium within the electronic information age we are living in...This exhibit will feature handmade books, altered books, book object and two-dimensional works visual or textual narrative.  

Participating artists include:  Jeanne Borofsky, Cari Hernandez, Supria Karmakar, Julie Shaw Lutts, Cherie Mittenthal, Catherine Nash and Daniella Woolf.  This exhibit will run for the duration of the three-day conference, June 5 - 7, 2009.  I feel honoured that my work has been included in this wonderful concept for a show.  It is a fantastic way to bring the love of books and art together so beautifully and in celebration of the tangible text, there is nothing like finding a great book and falling deeply in love with the words, the message, the story...essentially it's magic.

  

Six Artists are invited to join a round robin altered book project!

In Canada, the winter months can be long and cold...And sometimes you might just want to curl up with a great cup of java, free trade is always the best and organic at that... or a nice chai of sorts...and your most favourite artists materials...

This winter I thought it would great to participate with six other artists in a 'round robin' altered books project.  You can pick any kind of book to alter, a vintage one, a new one, a handmade one, whatever your heart desires.  You can alter it with any theme you choose...for mine I'm thinking about perhaps focusing on the beauty and joy of the coming Spring...and the blessings of the Winter days that bring birth to the Spring treasures. Or another one I often found inviting to create is the idea of 'home'.

I would like to find six artists from anywhere in the world to participate.

All that is needed is a joy and passion to create and share.  The idea is that you start a book and send it out to the next person on the list....I will coordinate this project once I get the six names of those that want to participate.  The project will begin January 5th week to April 30th... this gives us 17 weeks in total to work on the project and what I was thinking that we can have three weeks to do the altered book pages and then pass it onto the next person on the list until we get our own book back at the end in 17 weeks, ready for a Spring unveiling.

If you are interested in this project, send in your name to me...the first six names to come my way in a blog post comment and/or email will be part of the project.

Looking forward to creating in community and seeing the magical creations created by the hands of other artists in my own book.