Friday, December 29, 2017

Just for Fun!

Check out this exhibit at the Bodleian Library

http://artdaily.com/news/100689/Bodleian-Libraries-exhibition-celebrates-first-graphic-designers-of-English-texts#.WkbYMoZrzBJ

Progressive Box-making Series: from basics to improvisation with Pam Leutz, Karen Jones and Richard Pollock-Nelson

Progressive Box-making Series: from basics to improvisation with Pam Leutz, Karen Jones and Richard Pollock-Nelson

Jan. – March 2018. Classes discounted 20% if you take all three.

See https://gbw.formstack.com/forms/progressive_box_making_series_
for registration info. Contact karen.jones@jeffcolibrary.org with questions.


SLIP CASE with Pam Leutz
Jan. 20, 1-4p
10361 E 28th PL, Denver, CO 80238
During this session you will learn how to accurately measure and glue components to produce a lined slipcase to hold a book. The slipcase you will cut and assemble will be made to fit the book you choose. The book you provide should be about 6-9 x 8-10 x 1-2”. Contact Pam at pleutz@me.com if you have questions.
Suitable for students of all levels of bookbinding skills. $55 ($50 GBW members) + $10 materials fee $60 ($55/GBW) if not taking the series, Limited to 6.

DROP SPINE BOX (clam shell) with Karen Jones
Feb. 10, 10a - 4p (with lunch break)
Your Bindery, 991 S. Jason St., Denver, CO 80223
This structure is the base model for the protection of rare books developed by the Library of Congress. The box is cloth covered with an inset for a spine label. All materials supplied; most pieces will be pre-cut. I’ll discuss and demonstrate how to measure and cut the components. Because this structure requires drying time, we’ll look at 4-flap enclosures and more complex variations of the drop-spine box between steps. 5-6 hours - $75 ($70 GBW members) + $10 materials fee $80 ($75/GBW) if not taking the series. Limited to 6 students.

SLIP CASE with magnetic closure and panel with Richard Pollock-Nelson
March 10, 9 a.m. -5:00p
Your Bindery, 991 S. Jason St., Denver, CO 80223
We will be making a slip case with a closure that is held in place with magnets.
There is also a panel that is placed next to the flap to make the top even. I will go through how to measure and cut the pieces; however, in the interest of time, the pieces for the class will be pre-cut. I will supply a “practice book,” glue, board, magnets,
paper for lining case, and some paper and book cloth. Workshop and materials fee: $120 ($110 GBW members) $150 ($140/GBW) if not taking the series. Limited to 5 students.

Thursday, September 7, 2017

Final Stop for Souvenir:
Visual Arts Dept., University of Wyoming
in Laramie

Open weekdays, 8 a.m.-7p.m. 2nd floor, Visual Arts building. Exhibit closes September 29.
A postcard with QR code & link to exhibition catalog online is available onsite.
An exciting aspect of this venue is that the exhibit is being used to engage not only students in the book arts program, but all of the media taught in this new campus building.








Tuesday, July 11, 2017

Concertina Book Structures Workshop


Concertina Book Structures with Priscilla Spitler June 10, 11.

The full class was held in Pam Leutz's home studio.
Priscilla is a great teacher; full of practical advice and happy to share her expertise and creativity. Everyone, including our youngest student (14 years old), finished their projects w/time to spare. We left in a happy buzz, excited to do more with our newly learned skills.

Showing a conservation style concertina.

Demonstrating the possibilities of the concertina structure.

Innovative gold tooling techniques

The finished product: Case binding w/conservation concertina.

Thursday, June 1, 2017


Priscilla Spitler
Hands On Bookbinding


Fri., June 9, 4 pm., Gates Meeting Room, 5th floor.
Denver Public Library Central (14th and Broadway)

A rare opportunity to learn about an esoteric craft. Priscilla will share her experiences and work as a fine binder.
She received a Certificate of Craft Bookbinding from the London College of Printing (1981). She was edition bookbinder at the Palace Press, Museum of New Mexico, Santa Fe NM, and at BookLab, Inc., in Austin TX, before opening her own bindery; Hands On Bookbinding, was established in Austin and moved to Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, in 2007.
She was the 2009 and 2015 prize-winner of the Helen Warren DeGolyer Award for American Bookbinding. And in 2015, Priscilla was given the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Guild of Book Workers. Her work will be on exhibit in England this summer.
All welcome. Free event.


After the presentation, enjoy viewing “Souvenir”, a selection of book art by members of the Rocky Mtn. chapter of the Guild of Book Workers. This exhibit, in the Gates Reading Room, is on display through June 25.

Tuesday, May 16, 2017

Red Badge of Courage, design binding by Ethan Ensign

Contemporary Book Art

Sat., May 20, 1-2:30pm - FREE
Denver Public Library Central, 
10 W. Fourteenth Ave. Pkwy. 80204
5th floor (10th Mtn. Division Room)
Get an in depth look at Denver Public Library’s contemporary book arts holdings – usually not on view to the public; hosted by Brian Trembath (special collections curator). Then tour the RMC/GBW member show, Souvenir, on view in the Gates Reading Room, 5th floor.

RSVP: karen.jones@jeffcolibrary.org

Saturday, April 22, 2017

Concertina Book Structures
with Priscilla Spitler

June 10-11, 2017
9:00a-5:00p
10361 E 28th PL
Denver, CO 80238


Sewing a book text with a finely folded Japanese-tissue concertina was originally developed by conservators to protect rare book spines during their rebinding from direct contact with modern adhesives like PVA. Artist bookmakers soon incorporated this method when sewing their painted and decorated text pages or when using soft print papers to also avoid any direct contact with adhesives. Other attributes of this technique include better text opening and added spine swell, desirable for rounded spines.
Two books will be completed during this two-day class. On one book, the concertina is visible as part of the structural design with an exposed spine and sewn on decorative tapes or straps. The second book will use a thinner Japanese tissue concertina that, while serving its function, becomes less obvious during the binding process.


About our instructor
Priscilla Spitler received a BFA in Printmaking from the California College of Arts & Crafts, Oakland, and a Certificate of Craft Bookbinding from the London College of Printing (1981). She was edition bookbinder at the Palace Press, Museum of New Mexico, Santa Fe NM, from 1982-86 and at BookLab, Inc., in Austin TX, 1987-95. Her own bindery, Hands On Bookbinding, was established in Austin and moved to Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, in 2007.

A renowned instructor, she was the 2009 and 2015 prize-winner of the Helen Warren DeGolyer Award for American Bookbinding. In 2015, Priscilla was given the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Guild of Book Workers.

Registration fee
$150/GBW members
$175/general
$20 materials fee (payable to instructor)
Questions: contact Martha  martha.g.rome.cambridge@gmail.com
Register online:  https://gbw.formstack.com/forms/concertinabookstructures
Limited to 10 registrants.

Monday, March 27, 2017

SOUVENIR

The chapter show is just ending its run at the Marriott Library on the BYU campus. Christina Thomas shared these images of the handsome installation. 
The show will open in Denver in a couple of weeks ...









 

Sunday, March 26, 2017

From J. Willard Marriott Library, www.bookartsprogram.org
The link to register for the co-sponsored RMGBW/BAP girdle workshop is now live on the national GBW site.

Folks can sign up online here: https://gbw.formstack.com/forms/examining_the_girdle_book

Historical Constraints: Examining the Girdle Book
Pamela Spitzmueller

June 1–3
Thursday-Saturday, 10:00–5:00
Register through guildofbookworkers.org
Co-sponsored by the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Guild of Book Workers

On their journeys, medieval religious travelers often carried a personal text which could be attached to a belt or girdle. The defining features of a girdle book include wooden boards covered with soft deerskin, a sewn binding on double cords, an extended skirt terminating in a decorative knot or hook for attachment, and a clasp closure. In this workshop, the instructor discusses historical models and participants construct a small girdle book. Space is limited to 10 participants.
- - - - -
Pamela Spitzmueller has worked full-time as a rare book conservator for more than 30 years, having recently retired from her position as the Needham Chief Conservator in the Harvard Library. Pam describes herself as a student of book binding history, of books as old as the first books and as recent as yesterday: engaged in the many, many branches that form the lineage of bookbinding and its structural travels. She worked at the Library of Congress and was Head Conservator at the University of Iowa Libraries before taking her position at Harvard.


Also, there are still have a few spots left in the upcoming gold tooling workshop- see below.

Tooling Around: Intro to Gold Finishing
Samuel Feinstein

April 7 & 8
Friday & Saturday, 10:00–5:00
$240

Focusing on straight lines and using B.S. glaire to affix the gold, students learn the fundamentals of blind and gold tooling on leather. Line-work, prevalent in both traditional and contemporary designs, is a basic yet versatile skillset, allowing the practitioner to build custom designs from foundational elements. Both beginners and those with existing skills are welcome. With a goal of familiarization and preparation for further practice, this workshop provides the opportunity to gain additional knowledge and skills. Students work on practice and final plaquettes using the covered techniques. Additional decorative tools can be explored within a limited scope. Space is limited to 15 participants.
- - - - -
Samuel Feinstein trained formally at the North Bennet Street School program under Jeff Altepeter and Martha Kearsley. Since graduating in 2012 he has been in private practice specializing in fine bindings, luxury clamshell boxes, new bindings in period style, and gold finishing for other binders.

Allison Leialoha Milham
Community Outreach Coordinator
Book Arts Program

J. Willard Marriott Library
University of Utah
801.585.6019
www.bookartsprogram.org

Saturday, February 25, 2017

Workshop at the Book Arts Program, University of Utah - Tooling Around: Intro to Gold Finishing


Workshop Opportunity at the Book Arts Program, University of Utah!


Tooling Around: Intro to Gold Finishing
Samuel Feinstein

April 7 & 8

Friday & Saturday, 10:00–5:00
$240, register online: https://umarket.utah.edu/um2/marriottlibbookarts/product.php?product=15
Book Arts Studio, Level 4 of the J. Willard Marriott Library

Focusing on straight lines and using B.S. glaire to affix the gold, students learn the fundamentals of blind and gold tooling on leather. Line-work, prevalent in both traditional and contemporary designs, is a basic yet versatile skillset, allowing the practitioner to build custom designs from foundational elements. Both beginners and those with existing skills are welcome. With a goal of familiarization and preparation for further practice, this workshop provides the opportunity to gain additional knowledge and skills. Students work on practice and final plaquettes using the covered techniques. Additional decorative tools can be explored within a limited scope. Space is limited to 15 participants.
- - - - -
Samuel Feinstein trained formally at the North Bennet Street School program under Jeff Altepeter and Martha Kearsley. Since graduating in 2012 he has been in private practice specializing in fine bindings, luxury clamshell boxes, new bindings in period style, and gold finishing for other binders.

Friday, January 13, 2017



Denver Gathering

Twelve of our group met at Alicia Bailey's studio in Denver on Jan. 8. We enjoyed checking out her new space and her selection of works by a variety of artists on display. She shared plans to start a new series of Book Art Clubs. If you are interested in learning more about them, contact her directly. The first one is scheduled for Jan. 29.
Chapter members brought their own work to share. We also discussed suggestions for instructors and classes for the coming year. There was a lot of support for including local teachers in the mix, emphasizing basic skills and structures. A box-making intensive: 1 full day of learning various box structures with several local teachers may be in the offing soon if there is interest. 

 
Deb Stevens and Lang Ingalls organized Open.Set

Open . Set

Don't miss this great display of contemporary fine binding, now at the Denver Public Library Central branch, 5th floor. Sponsored by the American Academy of Bookbinding, it features binders from all over the world. It's on exhibit through Jan. 28 only; don't delay!

Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Upcoming events:

RMC/GBW Chapter gathering
Abecedarian Artists Books open studio
Jan. 8 (Sunday), 2017, 2 - 4pm
Bring some work to show and tell and learn about two new Book a Month Club programs (one for learning structures, another for ideation and critique). In addition to learning about Alicia's new venture, come and see what your co-enthusiasts are doing and help us plan for the coming year.
910 Santa Fe Drive, #15 (above the coffee shop), Denver CO 80204

OPEN * SET, a new triennial competition formed in response to the burgeoning interest in finely crafted design book bindings in the United States is sponsored in part by the American Academy of Bookbinding.
Jan. 5-29, 2017
Denver Public Library, Gates Reading Room (5th floor)
13th and Broadway, Denver, CO 80204
Opening reception: Jan. 10, 6-8 pm
To see the winners: http://bookbindingacademy.org/open-set/

Souvenir RMC/GBW chapter show at the Lee Library, in Provo, UT Jan. 9 - March 25, 2017
The Harold B. Lee Library would like to welcome all members of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Guild of Book Workers to an Opening Reception on Thursday, January 12, 2017 from 7-9 PM. Exhibition and reception will be in the Auditorium Gallery on Level 1 of the Harold B. Lee Library on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. We look forward to seeing you all and enjoying this fantastic show together. Souvenir will remain on exhibit in the Lee Library until March 25, 2017, then travels to the Denver Public Library April-June.
We are planning an event and workshop with Priscilla Spitler, concurrent with the end of the show in Denver.