Last Artist Walk and Talk a Great Success

Last Sunday several artists gathered to talk about their books in the Bookworks 12 exhibit. It is always so interesting to hear what everyone has to say about their work. The show is down now and so a special thanks to everyone who contributed work, volunteered in some way or another and made our Artists Walk Throughs a success. We hope to do it all again next year!

Artists talk - Bookworks 12

Bookworks 12 Artist Walk Throughs

CBAS's annual exhibit Bookworks 12 at the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County (main branch, downtown Cincinnati) will close August 29th. 

Not all is lost though! You can still see the exhibit 

one last time and hear artists talk about their 

work this Sunday August 28th from 2 to 3pm.

 Artist Walk-Throughs of Bookworks 12-

August 28th, 2-3pm (Sunday)

The walk through will feature artists: Diane Stemper, Veronica Sorcher, Janice Kagermeier, Maxine Seelenbinder-Apke, Patty Bertsch and Stephan Washburn. Each artist will talk for 5 to 10 minutes about their piece(s) in the show. The public, friends and other exhibiting artists are all invited. We thought this would give us an opportunity to meet new artists, get to know one another and give the public an opportunity to hear what goes through the minds and hands of those who make books!



Hope to see you there!


Tell your friends about the exhibit and invite them to the walk through too!

Books by the dozens

While this blog entry is a bit behind the moment of the event (CBAS field trip to Columbus), it is absolutely worth writing about almost two weeks later! On August 13^th a group of CBAS members took a Book Arts field trip to Columbus. It was a full and interesting day that began in the Ohio State University Manuscripts library with Geoffery Smith. We continued to an exhibit “The Prehistory and Abiding Impact of the King James Bible: An exhibition celebrating the 400^th anniversary of the King James Bible”, hosted by The Rare Books & Manuscripts Library in the Thompson Library Gallery (Exhibit ends August 28, 2011). In the gallery we saw a full range of bibles from medieval manuscripts beautifully painted with illuminated letters, early printed books, contemporary illustrated bibles, comics illustrating the bible and an amazing set of etchings by William Blake “Illustrations of the Book of Job” 1826. The delicate lines, precise lettering, and dramatic images Blake envisioned were a highlight for me. 

The Holy Bible illustrated by Barry Moser 1999, OSU Libraries

Eric Johnson, curator of the King James Bible exhibit gave a great lecture and tour of all the works and I wish I had taken more thorough notes! He took us through the early history of the bible as a crafted book. The early hand lettered, illustrated and bound bibles had to be housed in several volumes and there was one portion of the exhibit that showed the progression of medieval bibles (housed in several volumes) to later manifestations that reduced the overall size (columns, lettering) and resulted in the Proto Paris Bible and the Pocket Bible that succeed in containing all of the written content of the bible in one volume or book.  He went on to talk about the printing of the King James Bible. It was a fantastic inspiring and edifying exhibit and talk by Eric Johnson. (Patty Bertsch contributed the photos of the exhibit to this blog, thank you Patty! )

First printing King James Bible 1611, OSU Libraries

First printing King James Bible 1611, OSU Libraries

Bob Tauber of Logan Elm Press was also along for the day and he inked up some letterpress type he had set on an old Albion Press. We were each given a small broadside with information about the exhibit on it. A wonderful keepsake! 

We went on to see Ann Hamilton’s installation at the University libraries/OSU. It is a mesmerizing assortment of cork alphabet/words/text installed and inset on an OSU library floor. I enjoyed walking the words and saying them to myself in a random fashion - the floor read as a piece of poetry. From there we headed over to see a private collection that was inspiring to see and hear about. First, before seeing the books we were treated with a lunch, an unexpected delight. We viewed and could touch (after cleaning our hands!) many small press books that contained beautiful calligraphy, watercolors, wood engravings, and of course letterpress! There were many miniatures, some movables, and dozens of small press books finely printed and bound and a super collection of books that featured Pochoir, a technique using stencils to create an illustration. Stunning and lush!
 

We had a great day and special thanks to Cody Calhoun and to all those in Columbus for arranging this field trip, it was a reminder of the tremendous resources we have in our region.

"Bookworks 12" - Artists tell all!

Final days of Bookworks 12 !!

CBAS' annual exhibit of fine bindings and artists' books is still on view but not for long. The exhibit comes down on August 29th. SO! It is a good time to visit the library for one last look at the wonderful display of books made by hand and by regional artists whose creative output is varied and delightful. 

Exhibition view of Bookworks 12

JOIN us for an 

Artist Walk Through 

August 28th, 2pm to 3pm 

 Main Atrium 

Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County 

main branch

800 Vine Street, Cincinnati

Artists will talk about their work and it will be a great opportunity to meet and talk with more artists who love and make books. 

We hope you can make it! Bring a friend!  

Artists scheduled to talk are: Nancy Driesbach, Veronica Sorcher, Janice Kagermeier and Diane Stemper and more TBA.

If you have a book in the show and would to talk 

 about your artwork on the 28th, please contact 

Diane at  CBASinformation@gmail.com  

and let me know ~~  we would love to 

have you particpate.

The Gentle Worm ~ tunnel book by Diane Stemper

Bookworks 12 library slideshow

I know that by now people have see plenty of our Bookworks 12 exhibit BUT...it is always fun to see more! The library has posted a slide show of many of the books from the show. So check it out!  Visit the exhibit on line or share it with family or a far away friend - this is your chance. Follow the link below.

Bookworks 12 slide show

Bookworks 12 gets some press

Bookworks 12, the CBAS exhibit at the Main Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County was reviewed in the on line arts magazine Aeqai - the review, written by Fran Watson, is quite nice and speaks to all of us who love the tactile nature of handling a book and who relish the visual in an artist's book.


Check it out below by clicking on "Aeqai". The exhibit runs through August 28th. A final artist walk through is scheduled for Sunday August 28th from 2 to 3pm.



Aeqai

Farewell

This past CBAS board meeting (July 2011) was bittersweet as Cody Calhoun officially announced that she will be leaving the CBAS board and moving to Texas! Oh Yeah! Texas (although we know, no State is too big for Cody...)

Her spouse, Kim, got a job in Texas, (congratulations) and off they go! We will miss Cody immensely. Cody was instrumental in organizing and planning projects for community book arts projects that CBAS did for the Fine Arts Fund and for Books by the Banks. She gave fantastic book arts workshops for the study group and her spirit and subversive giggle will be very much missed during board meetings!

Cody with a book!

Tunnel book workshop

Cody demonstrates book making techniques

 CBAS president Jack Campbell had this 
to say during the board meeting:

"Cody, Calhoun, our brilliant book artist and long term board member, is off to the Lone Star State. We are sending      

up a Bravo and many Kudos for all the wonderful workshops, time given to the organization and tremendous

assistance she has lent to CBAS over the years.  

THANKS CODY!"