Come See Us at the Tiger Lily Press Print Sale

CBAS book artists will be showing and selling again as guests at the annual Tiger Lily Press Print Sale on Saturday, November 2, 11-5. Come find us on the second floor at the Clifton Cultural Arts Center, 3711 Clifton Avenue. It will be a great time to shop for holiday gift-giving. This year GIVE ART! Or just treat yourself to something very special.

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And the Autumn Air Art Fair will be hopping on the first floor. Lots to see and a fine time to support your local artists.

Thanks, Tiger Lily, for letting us be a part of your event.

BOOKS BY THE BANKS A BIG SUCCESS

"I'm really glad I was here. It was so rewarding." That was the parting comment of a first time Books by the Banks (BBTB) volunteer at the CBAS table, and it perfectly sums up the experience. Watching the changing expressions on a child's face as she learned to make her own book was indeed a rewarding and fun experience for a dozen CBAS volunteers at this year's event on Saturday, October 12.

Books by the Banks, a free event in its 7th year, is always a busy day for CBAS and our main community event for children. This year we broke all previous participation records, helping more than 200 children and a handful of interested adults learn to make simple side bound books. "Controlled chaos" might describe the day, with thousands of book lovers of all ages and descriptions crowding into the Duke Energy Convention Center. More than a dozen book-related organizations (libraries, literacy groups, reading advocacy agencies) had tables with representatives to explain their missions, while in the central area a hundred plus local, regional and nationally known authors and illustrators signed books and spoke about their work. What could be more inspiring than a huge community turn out in support of books and reading? Recognizing children who'd come to BBTB as toddlers and were now in junior high and still in love with making books!

Helping Mom tie the ribbon to secure the new book's spine.

Especially popular at the CBAS booth was the side of the table devoted to decorating and adding content to the newly made books. Because Halloween is coming up in a few weeks, the holiday stamps and cut-outs were big favorites. While most of the younger children were happy to use as many rubber stamps as possible, many of the school age book lovers got so involved they wrote complete stories and carefully illustrated their books.

This young lady got completely engrossed in writing a book she entitled The Haunted House.

Everything CBAS does is fueled by volunteers, this event more than others. We're grateful for volunteers Beth, Dee, Janice, Jack, Jeanne, Judith, Lou, Mark, Nancy, Paula, Peg and Trish who gave up time on a beautiful Saturday to help, and to Cecie, Dee, Dianne, Janice, Jo, Judith and Judy who assembled the kits. Thanks also to the BBTB planning committee for providing funding for all of our supplies. And we were delighted that members of the Greater Cincinnati Calligraphers' Guild joined us again this year to create elegant personalized bookmarks for visitors to our booth.

A future illustrator in the making?

So what's on your calendar for mid-October next year? CBAS is already planning for BBTB 2014!

Thanks, Janice K., for this great report on a special day.

Note from a CBAS member

After visiting the current CBAS exhibition at Studio San Giuseppe gallery on October 2, CBAS member Jo Diamantes sent in this review:

I'm not going to name any titles or drop any author names, but you really owe it to yourself to see the book/ARTS/book exhibit at Studio San Giuseppe at the College of Mount St. Joseph. It will inspire you! There are accordion folds, scrolls, interactive, leather bound and all sorts of other book formats. The subjects are diverse and the colors intense. There are serious to whimsical subjects. All are done by artists who care about books and the art of an artist's book. The installation is great. The books are well displayed wtih the artists' statements right there to read and enjoy. You can easily spend an hour just browsing to find your favorites. AND, many of the books are interactive so, if you are gentle, you can peek inside them and admire the book in its entirety—not just the covers. The show runs until October 25; make plans now to see it before it closes. I went yesterday and it was a morning well spent.

For more details on the exhibition, see blog post of September 25, 2013.

Learning New Surface Design Techniques at Study Group

Fifteen Study Group members had a great time on Saturday, October 5, at the Corryville Branch Library learning surface design techniques from Lou Kroner, longtime teacher and current CBAS chair.

Lou started the session by talking about the many possibilities for using black walnut ink and showing us some examples of his work, the majority of which were on his own handmade papers. Since this is walnut season, be on the lookout for Study Group members around town picking up fallen walnuts to make their own ink. Seeing Lou's work was perfect inspiration for an entire session on using walnut ink being planned by a group of eager members for March of 2014.

A few of Lou's walnut ink papers

Two work stations were set up. The first surface design technique was one Lou learned studying at Arrowmont with legendary book artist Dolph Smith, master of the architectural book form. Beginning with book board, we glued on a selection of shapes with PVA glue.

The beginnings of a design

After allowing the glue to dry, we then painted the entire surface with a mix of half shellac half graphite. Gloves are definitely in order when using graphite, as several of us discovered! When the surface was dry, we buffed it with very fine (000) steel wool.

Buffing the surface with steel wool

The result is a beautiful piece that looks like pewter, but is as lightweight as book board. Endless possibilities for unique book covers!

Lou's graphite samples using Dolph Smith's technique

Our second adventure was with foam stamping using three different weights and sizes of foam, and a number of techniques to emboss designs in the foam. Participants experimented with using a heat gun to warm foam sheets to better accept an impression from one of the many great objects Lou brought: everything from a vintage aluminum tray to a piece of vinyl siding to a fly swatter!

Foam embossing work station

We also experimented with creating designs using a small wood burning tool to carefully carve patterns into thick foam blocks, a very different look from the impressions made in the thinner foam sheets.

Using the wood burning tool

Using our newly minted stamps, participants created some wonderful designs, again with endless possibilities. Almost as inspiring as the designs was Lou's unique method of filing samples of each of the stamped prints he's made. Who would have known that sheets designed for displaying collectible baseball cards would be a perfect way to organize decorative paper?

A brilliant way to save samples

Many thanks to Lou Kroner for presenting a truly inspiring Study Group session. The next weeks are definitely going to find lucky Study Group members busy experimenting with all they learned.

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And thanks to Janice K. for sending in the news and photos.

TLP Upcoming Opening and Exhibition

CBAS members are looking forward to viewing the exhibition of recent work by the many talented printmakers of Tiger Lily Press (TLP). As you can see below, the opening is at 5th Street Gallery on the evening of Friday, October 11. If you can't make the opening, stop by during the run of the show through November 2.

 And go right ahead and mark your calendars now for the annual Tiger Lily Press Print Sale at the Clifton Cultural Arts Center on Saturday, November 2. TLP has kindly invited CBAS members to participate again. More details as the event gets closer.