Children learned how to make multi page books out of one sheet of paper in the Children’s Tent on Sunday, November 4. After they made their books, the kids could illustrate the pages. It was amazing to see the imagination and creativity the kids had as they worked on their books. Their parents learned that book making isn’t just for kids; that there is a variety of classes for adults at the Book Arts Center that are just as fun and creative as the books their children made.
Austin Book Arts Center celebrated its second year of existence on October 2, 2017, with the theme “It Takes Two to Two Step.” The event raised almost $3300! The White Horse Saloon in East Austin played host for the event, and the bar was transformed complete with decorations, cupcakes, a silent auction, and a slide show with ABAC photos from the last year. Children’s books were collected to donate to those affected by Hurricane Harvey. Guests could letterpress print their own drink coasters and construct keepsake dance cards. One of the highlights of the evening was live music performed by Carson McHone. Master of Ceremonies Greg Ciotti led everyone in celebrating the milestone.
ABAC extends our heartfelt gratitude to our event sponsors: The White Horse, Recspec, Koch Printing, and Clampitt Paper Austin.
ABAC also wishes to thank the generous donors to our Silent Auction: Beatrice Baldwin, Mary Baughman, Sarah Bird, BookWoman, Clare Bresnan, Betty Sue Flowers, Half Price Books, Harry Ransom Center, Deborah Hartigan, Christopher Hynes, Jerry’s Artarama, Little Free Library, Malvern Books, Chet Phillips, Olivia Primanis, South Congress Books, Texas Performing Arts, Beck Whitehead
Photography by Sarah Thorne sarahthornephoto.com
Hi-res images available upon request.
ABAC_image1.jpg Carson McHone
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ABAC_image15.jpg Cupcakes
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ABAC_image17.jpgMaster of Ceremonies–Greg Ciotti
Carson McHone will perform.
Eat some cake. Bind a book. Print a keepsake. Bid on items in the Silent Auction.
To support our Texas neighbors affected by Hurricane Harvey, ABAC will collect donations of new or gently used children’s books at the event.
Click here for more information and to buy tickets!
Dear Folks,
After working for the past 2 years, to bring the Open Set Exhibition to Austin bibliophiles, This message is disappointing; Open Set Bookbinding Exhibition will not be shown in Austin this year. The Austin show would have opened July 26, 2017.
Sharon Herfurth of Austin Public Library, and ABAC staff look forward to working together to present the Austin showing of the next Open Set binding Competition and Exhibition in 2020, when the show will be on view at the new downtown Austin Public Library. In 2020 the Open Set Exhibition will travel to only 4 venues and will be on view for longer than one month at each venue.
Thank you to everyone who agreed to speak or entertain in the gallery, volunteer as a docent, help with the opening and closing receptions, assist with publicity, brainstorm, etc. We hope that this team we be able to work on the 2020 Open Set Exhibition.
On a brighter note, this frees up some time in the schedule to plan the Austin Book Arts Center’s Second Birthday Party. Stay tuned!
Bibliophiles can enjoy the Open Set 2017 Exhibition in
· Seattle – Seattle Public Library – September 8 – October 28
· Salt Lake City – University of Utah – November 10 – January 19
The name “Open Set” was chosen because 20 book bindings are unique artistic interpretations for one SET letterpress printed limited edition text: Inside the book, by David Eselmont. 30 book bindings are unique – one of a kind – artistic interpretations of a variety of fine press books.
View the 50 bindings in this traveling exhibition, and purchase the catalog here.
Here is a website for the Open-Set competition and exhibition. Photos of the 79 bindings submitted to the competition, the dates and venues across the USA where the exhibition will be shown, and information about the inspiration for the competition.
The last major exhibition of fine book bindings in Austin was in 2005 at the Ransom Center. The exhibit was produced by the Guild of Book Workers and the title was “In Flight”.
Austin Book Arts Center has received a generous donation from an anonymous donor who would like to fund the tuition for one student to attend Bookbinding I. This class runs six Wednesday evenings, 6-9pm, beginning February 1, 2017.
Please click here for a full CLASS DESCRIPTION.
This workshop is also a pre-requisite for Book Repair II and Book Repair III.
Interested students should submit a brief application that includes: Complete contact information (Name, Address, Phone, Email), along with an essay in 300 words or less that explains why he/she is interested in taking the class and how it would further personal or professional goals. Please email the application as a PDF attachment to amanda@atxbookarts.org by Wednesday, January 25. The winner will be notified by Friday, January 27.
The recipient should be able to commit to attending all six sessions.
Holiday Open House
Sunday, November 20th, 11am-6pm
Join us for bookbinding and letterpress demonstrations. Learn about workshops and print your own bookmark, coaster, or holiday card.
This event coincides with EAST events at Flatbed Press and elsewhere. We hope to see you on Sunday!
The Austin Book Arts Center Board of Directors is pleased to announce our successful FIRST BIRTHDAY BASH took place at the North Door on Wednesday, September 28th, 2016 from 6-9pm.
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Austin Book Arts Center celebrated its first year of operation with letterpress printing, tiny books, music by Ruby and the Reckless, cupcakes, champagne, and a silent auction. Greg Ciotti of KOOP Radio was the Master of Ceremonies.
The event was to celebrate the accomplishments made by the Austin Book Arts Center in the first year of operation, including the expansion of the ABAC studio into a larger space at the Flatbed Building. Since September 2015, 57 workshops have been offered to engage people in creative, interpretive, and educational experiences related to the arts of the book.
The event raised almost $4000, 100% of which will go directly towards ABAC’s programming.
We would like to acknowledge donors to the Silent Auction:
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema
Amanda Stevenson
Anthony Maddaloni Photography
Beck Whitehead
Breakaway Records
Cari Marshall
Chet Phillips Illustration
Cloverleaf Bindery/Jace Graf
Colophon
Contemporary Austin
Dana Kull
Domestic Papers/Lee Steiner
Half Prince Books
Jessica Crane
Jim Croft
Koch Printing/Max Koch
Kyle Hawley
Little Free Library
Malvern Books
Margi Tenney
Mary Baughman
Michael O’Brien
Missy Bosch Studios
Shanna Leino
South Congress Books
Talas
All images courtesy of Anthony Maddaloni Photography
Saturday, October 1st, 10am-5pm.
Come by and see our new digs! ABAC has recently expanded our existing space. We now have a fully-equipped letterpress printshop, with 3 Vandercook proof presses and a 8×12 Chandler & Price platen jobber. This will significantly increase our capacity to offer classes and to fulfill our mission.
We are also excited to announce Open Studio times are scheduled for the first time this fall. Click here for more info.
We do hope to see you at the Open House for bookbinding and letterpress demonstrations. Learn about the fall schedule of workshops and letterpress print a bookmark!
Drop by anytime 10am-5pm. Admission is free.
Ring in the New Year by learning something new! The Austin Book Arts Center Board of Directors invites the public to a Winter Open House on Saturday, January 16, 12pm-8pm. Attendees will learn about the Spring 2016 schedule of workshops, including letterpress printing, bookbinding, book repair, and paper arts. Attendees may print their own bookmark or make their own book. Admission is free.
The 2016 schedule offers workshops on a variety of techniques and structures. Bookbinding I provides a basic foundation, while Japanese Bookbinding and Coptic Bookbinding will introduce students to centuries-old book structures, still perfectly appropriate today for journals and sketchbooks. Need a custom or personalized portfolio to house prints, photographs, or documents? Take the Portfolio for Artists workshop. Learn to make cyanotype prints and then house them in a hand bound photo album in the Alt Print and Photo Album workshop. Print your own business cards or another small project in one of the Introduction to Letterpress workshops. Learn to set type by hand, like Gutenberg, or learn about contemporary digital letterpress applications most often used today. Curious about book repair? Take Book Repair and Preservation. Do you have your own manuscript or book project you would like to bring to fruition? Learn the skills in DIY Publishing, or Bind Your Manuscript Using Lockstitch.
Click here for complete workshop descriptions.
All workshops are “hands-on” and are appropriate for beginners, artists, and anyone interested in exploring the arts of the book. Workshop sizes are small, and instructors are accomplished artists and experienced professionals. Students can expect to walk away with a new skill set, in addition to beautiful, handmade books and prints that they will be proud to share with their friends and family.
Looking for a gift idea for the holidays? Austin Book Arts Center has gift certificates for classes and studio time.
