A CBAS Winter Gathering

Yesterday, CBAS had a relaxed and fun get together at Visionary and Voices in Northside, complete with food, art, and a few new faces too including CBAS's newest board member and library liaison, Jeanne Strauss-deGroot. 

I (Diane S) delighted in seeing the art at V&V but in particular was amazed at one of the Visionary and Voices artists; his studio area was plentiful with artwork of dashes and dots filling the surfaces of soda cans, bottles and planks. Inspiring!  Now on to Janice Kagermeier's post of the event:

Examples of artists' books

V&V Director Linda Dietrich talks about V&V's mission

Twenty two enthusiastic book artists and would-be book artists gathered on February 12 for a CBAS Potluck and Welcome.  The meeting was held at Visionaries and Voices in Northside, and the vibrant art-filled V&V studio proved to be a great meeting venue.  We're grateful to CBAS member and V&V Executive Director Linda Dietrich for her hospitality, and for the introduction to the important work her agency does with disabled artists.

After sharing a wonderful lunch that featured everything from salads to soups to homemade bread and some decadent desserts, we introduced ourselves, sharing how we got interested in book arts and what we're working on at the moment.  About half the group were veteran exhibitors in the annual CBAS Bookworks exhibit, and the rest of us were encouraged to submit entries for this year's 12th anniversary show.

One of the highlights of the gathering was the rich display of show-and-tell books, a wonderful testimony to the richness of the book arts community in Cincinnati.  Some members brought the books they had created in response to one of the Study Group's monthly challenges, others brought pieces they had shown in previous Bookworks exhibits.  The variety of works on display was amazing and truly inspiring.

Discussing and looking at artist book samples

All in all, it was a great gathering.   

Special thanks to Peg Rhein who first suggested the idea.  Maybe a new annual tradition?  

CBAS Potluck and Welcome

You are invited to - Potluck and Welcome

Everyone loves to share good food and conversation with other creative people especially in the depths of winter. Take this fun opportunity to meet others interested in the Book Arts and all the related arts – calligraphy, printmaking, papermaking, writing, illustrating, sculpture.  Learn more about Bookworks, the CBAS annual exhibit held at the Main Library – how to enter, what to enter, and how to get inspired!    

  

Saturday, February 12, 2011

 Noon to 3:00 p.m.

 We will be meeting at:

Visionaries and Voices
Northside Gallery
3841 Spring Grove Ave.
Cincinnati, OH 45223
(513) 861-4333

If you’ve been part of Bookworks in the past, bring some examples of your work to show.

The Bookworks deadline is April 25.   
Help make a keepsake for CBAS members.   

Bring a friend and a dish to share.

                             

Claire Illouz "Whiteness" at NKU

Claire Illouz unfolding WHITENESS 

While some CBAS members were encased in an ice igloo last night, me for one, (Diane Stemper) others braved the weather to go to NKU and hear Claire Illouz talk about her book "Whiteness" (CBAS was a sponsor) Below is a beautiful description from Jack Campbell, CBAS President and a picture that Cecie Chewning took.

Robert Wallace during the introductions gave a thank you and recognition to CBAS. With a wish for further collaborations. The evening was a delight and the NKU staff pulled out all the stops. There was a recording of the entire lecture by two camera men with a sound man also in attendance, so there is a record for others to see & hear. The weather was hideous but the house was full, few empty seats.

Her (Claire Illouz’s) book "The Whiteness" of Moby Dick was terrific, a wonderful presentation was made of the book. Coming out of its box (which is a work of art in and of itself) and laid out on a series of long tables, almost wave like. An up close and personal examination of the book along with  the background provided by the lecture is necessary for this book to make any real meaningful sense. Wonderful cultural expression of the French artistic & intellectual background to their book making contrasted against  lack of French interest in this American classic made for a very interesting tale in the lecture.  At some point two years ago someone mentions to Claire that she should look at Chapter 42 in Moby Dick. This has her very intrigued and she is off and running, a book percolates from this chapter. Plus she devours the rest of the book. Then she has a completely different idea of Melville, this is no longer a sailing adventure, which she hates, no longer about being at sea, which she equally despises, but an intellectual tour de force: Being and Non-Being, Form & Void; now we are challenging the French mind.
And this book becomes a huge technical challenge, basically how do you make a "white" book. Your type setter  has to find a very hard type to deeply emboss the BFK; it turns out zinc type is the answer; a box maker who has some leather that captures the feel of whale skin and on it goes.  (Jack Campbell)