“Spring Wildflower ABC”, Peter and Donna Thomas, 2006 | SC 702.81 | 2009.37

Now that the weather is warm and the flowers are blooming, I want to share a spring-themed artists’ book with you.

“Spring Wildflower ABC”, detail

Spring Wildflower ABC (2006) is a miniature book by Peter and Donna Thomas, a husband and wife team from Santa Cruz, CA. Technically, miniature books should not measure more than 3” high or wide. This book stretches that a bit since it folds out much longer than that, but we’ll count it as a miniature anyway. Donna did the original watercolor paintings (reproduced digitally in the book) and Peter made the paper.

All of the artists’ books in the Sabatini Art Gallery’s collection are listed in the online catalog and are available to view by appointment. Just let me know what you’d like to see and we’ll set up a time.
Brea Black | bblack@tscpl.org

Want to learn more about miniature books? Try these titles:

Best in Show:

“The Dream Machine” by the Herreman Family

1st Runner-Up:

“The Great Penguin Rescue” by Nancy Overmyer

Best Play on Words:

“Go, Dog. Go!” by Madeline and Samuel Lempe

Most Likely to be Devoured:

“The Restoration of Christian Culture” by Mary Ann Tardiff

Congratulations to the winners! You can see all the 2013 edible book entries on our Flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/photos/topekalibrary/sets/72157633175951586/

Thank you to all of our edible book artists, visitors, and voters. It’s audience participation that makes this event so much fun.

Also, a special thank you to Chef Mike Davis for his Thai Fruit Carving demonstration.

Want to participate next year? Mark your calendars for the 2014 Edible Book Festival on Friday, April 4, 2014.

Open another chapter in your culinary accomplishments by participating in our 7th Annual Edible Book Festival. All ages are encouraged to create a culinary masterpiece based on the content or shape of a book — from puns to literal interpretations.

• The Festival is free and open to the public
• All ages are welcome
• 1 entry per individual or team
• Reserve your space by April 4, simply by calling 785-580-4515
• Bring your completed edible book entry to the library on Friday, April 5 between 3 – 5:30pm

Call the Alice C. Sabatini Gallery at 785-580-4515 to register or inquire further.

Need an idea? You can see entries from previous Edible Book Festivals on the library’s Flickr page.

Jackson Pollock, “Number 1, 1950″ (Lavender Mist),1950, National Gallery of Art

Abstract Expressionist painter Jackson Pollock was born on January 28,1912 in Cody, Wyoming. Although he is best known for his large-scale “drip” paintings, one of Pollock’s first art teachers was Missouri-born artist Thomas Hart Benton.

Thomas Hart Benton, The Ballad of the Jealous Lover of Lone Green Valley, det., 1943
Spencer Museum of Art, University of Kansas

Thomas Hart Benton was part of a group of artists referred to as the Regionalists. His interest was in depicting scenes of normal life in the Midwest. Pollock’s early work was strongly influenced by Benton’s.

Jackson Pollock, Going West, det., 1934-1938
National Museum of American Art

In the 1940s Jackson Pollock began placing his blank canvases on the floor. He dripped, splattered and poured paint directly from the can to create completely abstracted “action paintings”. This technique allowed Pollock the freedom to move around all 4 sides of the painting.

Jackson Pollock’s home and studio in New York that he shared with his wife, fellow artist Lee Krasner, have been preserved and made into a study center. You can visit and see the paint splattered studio that Pollock worked in. You can also see the artist at work in this video from the San Francisco Museum of Art.

Jackson Pollock struggled with alcoholism throughout his life. On August 11, 1956 he had a car accident while driving drunk that killed both him and a passenger in his car.

Detail of page from “Corticelli Yarn Book”, 1922

The Antique Pattern Library is a free online resource for crafts publications from the 1800s (and before) to the mid-1900s. The catalog can be searched by date or by technique, and includes crafts like crochet, knitting, cross-stitch and sewing. The books and pamphlets can be downloaded as PDF files so you can print them for easy reference.

When I found the pattern library I thought of our Big Read book for 2013, The Great Gatsby. The book is set in the 1920s, so I did a quick search through the pattern catalog. The search turned up a variety of books from that decade, but I found 2 that I thought were especially interesting.

“The Egyptian” bag from “Emma Post Barbour’s New Bead Book”, 1924

Emma Post Barbour’s New Bead Book from 1924 has full-color illustrations of beaded bags and purses, along with instructions on how to make them. My favorite is “The Egyptian”. All things Egypt were in vogue after King Tut’s tomb was discovered in 1922. You could show how up-to-date you were by carrying this stylish beaded bag.

I also liked the Corticelli Yarn Book from 1922. Since you’ll need something to wear with your beaded bag, you can knit or crochet a dress or sweater to complete your look.

Cover of “Corticelli Yarn Book No. 18″, 15 cents, 1922

Want a new hat to go with your new outfit? Check out these instructions for making a 1920s-style cloche in knit or crochet.

When your ensemble is complete, come to the Gallery for the new Art Deco exhibit held in conjunction with the Big Read. The exhibit runs from January 22 – March 10, 2013 and will feature art from the library’s permanent art collection.

Laughing at the Ducks, Roxanne Swentzell, hand-built clay, 19.75″ h x 7″ w, 1995

I wanted to do something to recognize November as American Indian Heritage Month so I took a look through the art objects in the permanent collection. One piece really caught my eye and I wanted to share it with you. The sculpture is called “Laughing at the Ducks” and was created by Santa Clara Pueblo, New Mexico artist Roxanne Swentzell.

Swentzell began working with clay as a very young girl.

“My Mom potted so the clay was right there where I saw it all the time. I had a speech impediment so I had to communicate in other ways, and I started making figures that would depict what I meant.”

As Roxanne developed as an artist, she began working on a larger scale.

Laughing at the Ducks, detail

She moved from making small, solid clay figures to making hollow-built sculptures. Although the scale changed, the message remained the same.

“I would say I am still communicating with figures. I want to symbolize women, and my culture, and humanity. I am trying to say things to the world…”

“Laughing at the Ducks” is one of my favorite pieces in our collection. The woman depicted looks happy and free, like she doesn’t have a care in the world.

Kosha Appreciating Anything, Roxanne Swentzell, 2007, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

The Sabatini Gallery is not the only place you can see Roxanne Swentzell’s work up close. Another sculpture of hers is just a short drive east at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, MO.

The Nelson’s piece, titled “Kosha Appreciating Anything” is displayed in the American Indian Galleries that opened in 2009. If you haven’t been to see the Galleries yet, I highly recommend it.

Roxanne Swentzell creating Mud Woman Rolls On, Denver Art Museum, 2011

Finally, we head west to the Denver Art Museum to see a larger than large scale sculpture, “Mud Woman Rolls On”. Mud Woman is made of unfired clay and plant fiber and sits/stands 10 feet tall. Roxanne Swentzell, her sister, and museum volunteers spent 6 months making the sculpture. I was lucky enough to be in Denver during the creation of the work and I went back recently to see the finished piece. It’s hard to believe that’s just clay and straw, but the in-process photos and a 3 1/2 minute video tell the story.

Whether large scale or small, Roxanne Swentzell’s sculptures have a broad appeal for me. I admire her not only for her ability to turn clay into figures, but also for her ability to imbue these figures with character, personality and their own individual stories.

Pottery by American Indian Women: The Legacy of Generations, by Susan Peterson
Topeka Room – Moses Collection – 738.3 PET

Presidential Courage and the Web of Power, altered book by Charity Rouse

Altering a book is a great way to explore your creativity and give new life to an unwanted book. You can adapt just about any technique or material to create a unique work of art from a book.

‘But I’m not creative’, you say. Of course you are!

If drawing is not for you, use image transfer, collage, or painting techniques to create a variety of images. Or, try something even simpler than that: fold, cut, tear, or sew to create a 3-dimensional structure or a pop-up book.

There are so many options and the best part is that if you don’t like what you’ve created, you can tear out those pages and try something new.

Need a few ideas to help you get started? Check out the Library’s Flickr page to see altered books from previous displays: http://www.flickr.com/photos/topekalibrary/collections/72157625701917912/.

To have your altered book displayed in the library, please bring it to the Sabatini Gallery before 9pm on Monday, Oct. 29, 2012. The books will be on display from Nov. 6, 2012 – Jan. 2, 2013.

Questions? Stop by or call the Sabatini Gallery at 785-580-4515.

The Repurposed Library by Lisa Occhipinti, 702.81 OCC

Image Transfer Workshop by Darlene Olivia McElroy, 745.5 MCE

Altered Book Collage by Barbara Matthiessen, 702.81 MAT

Slow Literature, detail | photo by Brea Black

In our Joy of Making blogs, we talk about some of the reasons that people like to make things by hand. That made me think of a weaving exhibit I saw this summer called Slow Literature. Tapestry artist Sarah Swett not only likes to make things by hand, she likes to make things that take a really long time to finish. On her website she says, “The ideal project takes over my life and requires a season or two to complete. Or three. It demands time but not money.”

In her Slow Literature series, Swett found a new use for her unfinished novel. She was inspired to tell her story through tapestries and based her designs on the idea that life’s moments aren’t always captured in a neat diary.  

tapestry in progress | www.sarah-swett.com

The tapestries that Swett wove look like scraps of paper with handwritten or typed text on them. Some of them have coffee or ink stains, some look like they are torn, and one even looks burnt. Swett was able to create all these effects using only wool. My favorite one looks like a library check out card for a book about needlework.

What amazed me is how she wove these pieces. First, she enlarged words that had been typed with an old manual typewriter. Then, she used a slit-tapestry technique to weave them. This technique requires the weaver to build up each section, each letter by hand. When I did a little more research and saw photos of how Swett wove the tapestries, I was in awe.

I really admire her dedication to the painstaking process of weaving by hand, the problem-solving that goes along with it, and the determination to finish a project that was started. If you ever have an opportunity to see handwoven tapestries in person, I encourage you to go and take a closer look. These works of art are best experienced in person.
Sources: www.sarah-swett.com
Handwoven, Nov/Dec 2010, pgs. 32, 50-52.

Interested in trying tapestry weaving for yourself? Check out these books to learn how:
Tapestry weaving : a comprehensive study guide
The tapestry handbook : an illustrated manual of traditional techniques
World textiles: a concise history
Textiles, 5000 years: an international history and illustrated survey

I interviewed 2 of my co-workers in the Alice C. Sabatini Art Gallery to get their views on the joy of making things by hand. Zan Popp is Collections Manager and Curator and has been with the library since 2003. Heather Kearns is an Associate Curator and has been with the library since 2001. I asked each of them 3 questions: What do you make? How/when did you start making? Why do you like to make things?

What do you make?

Christmas stockings, Zan Popp

ZP:I like to sew. I like to make things for my son and my family, likebackpacks, baby blankets, and Christmas stockings. After my son was born, I kept thinking of all these things that would make our lives easier and started sewing them. I started with a backpack so that my son wouldn’t come home with rocks in his socks.

HK: I like to make whatever I’m interested in at the moment, but drawing is my favorite thing to do. I started drawing on my phone when a drawing app came out. This still helps me keep my drawing skills fresh. I also like to work on a small scale with inexpensive materials. Those restrictions led me to wood burning. I can get some of the same effects with the wood burning tool as I get when I draw.

Phone drawing, Heather Kearns

When/how did you start making?
ZP: When I was little, my Dad sewed and my Mom was a seamstress. I started making Victorian doll dresses with their help. I loved going to the fabric store and seeing a palette of never-ending textures and colors, like a candy store without the calories.
HK: I’ve been drawing since I can remember and I’ve never stopped. I used to sit and draw with my Dad when I was 3 or 4. I still have those drawings. I also used to sit at the kitchen table and draw cartoons with my grandfather.

Why do you like to make things?
ZP: I make to see the joy on my family’s faces when I give them handmade gifts. I enjoy seeing my hand in the process and I like to think about who it’s for when I’m making it. It’s also “me time”. I give myself the gift of time to think of nothing but a project and what I’m doing in the moment. It makes me think differently because I have to focus on what I’m doing and can’t worry about anything else. It’s about me as a maker, that’s the joy.

Spray bottle cat on wood, Heather Kearns

HK: I love making something from nothing. I love observing my environment and capturing it. I like the fact that when I pick up a pencil it’s the same motions and the same techniques and tools that were used 700, 800 years ago. It makes me feel connected to history. It’s also my time to explore. Once you figure out what your voice is and how to use it, it becomes empowering.  I have something to say, my life experience is unique to me and I want to be able to leave something behind that tells that story.

What about you? Do you find joy in making things by hand? I’d love to hear what you think.

Women working at a bookbinding machine, Encyclopedia Britannica, 1911

Pretty Madcap Dorothy or How  She Won A Lover: A Romance of the Jolliest Girl in the Book-Bindery, and a Magnificent Love Story of the life of a Beautiful, Willful New York Working Girl. The title pretty much says it all, but there’s more to this 1891 novel than you might think.

Chapter 1 sets the scene:
“It’s so hard for working-girls to get acquainted. They never meet a rich young man, and they don’t want a poor one. It seems to me that a girl who has to commence early to work for her living might just as well give up forever all hopes of a lover and of marrying,” declared Nadine Holt, one of the prettiest girls in the immense book-bindery…”

Having read several pages of the book, I can assure you that it gets even more dramatic from there. But how did Dorothy and her pals end up working as bookbinders in the first place? Was this really a profession a respectable girl took on? Yes it was, and it started much earlier than 1891.

I found an article in the New York Times from 1853 that discussed young women being employed in all aspects of bookbinding. The job allowed women an opportunity to make money to support their families and it gave them an alternative to the long hours and the low pay of working as a seamstress.

Herakles and the Eurystheusian 12-Step Program, Foolscap Press, 2007

By 1900, bookbinding had become an art that was practiced by ladies of wealth and leisure. Newspaper articles discussed the refinement of a fine binding and the care that went into creating it. They noted that women were perfectly suited to bookbinding because of their delicate hands and their love of beautiful things.

Bookbinding as an art form is still alive and well in 2012. Organizations like the Guild of Book Workers in the US and Designer Bookbinders in the UK offer their members opportunities to learn from masters in the field and to exhibit their work around the world.

TSCPL has a collection of handbound books. If you would like to see some of these books for yourself, contact Special Collections Librarian Brea Black at 785-580-4512 or bblack@tscpl.org to set up an appointment.

P.S. I found Pretty Madcap Dorothy on the Project Gutenberg website. If you’ve never visited, I highly recommend it. With over 39,000 free ebooks, there’s sure to be something that captures your attention.