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Speak your Piece: Artist’s Books with Meaning

Create an artist's book centered around a theme of personal relevance.

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Speak your Piece: Artist’s Books with Meaning

Speak your Piece: Artist’s Books with Meaning

Create an artist's book centered around a theme of personal relevance.

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Registrations Closed

About

This five-day Handwork workshop is ideal for those who are interested in creating an artist’s book centered around a theme of personal relevance. Emphasis will be placed on building book structures that complement the chosen theme.

You'll be guided through writing, brainstorming, and project planning exercises in order to develop content for your book and receive personal feedback daily. A variety of options for generating image and text will be discussed, and low-tech methods such as monotype and collagraphy will be demonstrated. Book structures covered include accordion and pamphlet bindings.

At the end of the workshop, you'll have developed original content and completed a unique artist’s book or a prototype for an edition of books centered around your chosen theme. Strategies for completing your edition or expanding upon concepts developed during the class also will be discussed.

Techniques and activities:

  • Bookbinding (accordion, pamphlet).
  • Frottage/collagraphy.
  • Monotype.
  • Book cloth making.
  • Creative writing.
  • Project planning.

Details

  • A basic familiarity with bookbinding is recommended.
  • Bring a theme or concept you're excited about, along with any materials or ephemera you feel drawn to use. 
  • All necessary materials are included in the price of this workshop. Tools are provided by BARN.

Class Policies

Ages 14 and up are welcome.

Instructor
Alisa Banks

Alisa (she/her) is a visual artist living in Dallas, Tex., who investigates connections between contemporary culture, her Louisiana Creole heritage, and the African diaspora. Her interests include exploring the performative potential of the book and investigating links to the material culture of her ancestors. Alisa’s artists’ books, writings, and textile collages, which often reference traditional craft, have been exhibited internationally and are housed in several private and public collections, including the Smithsonian Institution, the US Library of Congress, The Schomburg Center, and The British Library. Alisa holds a bachelor of science degree in medical laboratory science from Oklahoma State University and a master of fine arts degree in visual art from Texas Woman’s University. www.alisabanks.com

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