Category: News

ABAC Finds a New Home!

The Board of Directors is pleased to announce the Austin Book Arts Center has found a new home at 5501 N. Lamar, Suite 125. Moving will commence the last two weeks in February and workshops will resume on March 1st at the Lamar location. The new location is larger by over 500 square feet and neighbors with Half Price Books, Book Woman, Titaya’s Thai restaurant, Nervous Charlie’s Bagel Shop, and Texas Sake Co. The Board of Directors chose this address with confidence that the visibility of a Lamar storefront and the central location will enable ABAC to continue to grow at the rapid pace experienced since its founding three years ago.

ABAC has thrived in its original location within the Flatbed Press building, an 18,000 square foot facility known as one of East Austin’s premier art centers. This move is precipitated by Flatbed Press losing its lease and the property being redeveloped. In addition to ABAC and Flatbed Press, eleven other tenants must find a new home, representing the dissolution of a thriving community of galleries, artists studios, and arts related businesses.

In order to bid a fond farewell to our first home at Flatbed Press, ABAC is holding a Winter Open House on Saturday, February 9th, 10am-5pm at the East MLK location.

Visitors can drop in to enjoy refreshments and to learn more about the new Lamar location. Previous students are invited to showcase work that has been produced at the Flatbed location over the last three years. Attendees will also learn about the Spring 2019 schedule of workshops. Volunteers are onsite to lead demonstrations in bookbinding and letterpress printing. Attendees may print Valentines or make their own book. Admission is free.

January 13 at 1 pm, THE AUSTIN PREMIER : a special screening of the documentary PRESSING ON: THE LETTERPRESS FILM

This film explores the American tradition of graphic design and book arts. All ticket proceeds from the screening go to the Austin Book Arts Center. Tickets for the film available here: https://drafthouse.com/austin/show/pressing-on-the-letterpress-film — 

  • ….. and afterwards, downstairs from the theater, 3 PM – 5 PM Austin Book Arts Center and the Barrel O’ Fun present an afternoon of all things book arts crafting. Stop by to try your hand at letter press printing and book making while learning about Austin Book Arts Center’s programs and services. This event is free and open to all ages. No ticket is required.
  • pinBarrel O’ Fun1911 Aldrich St., Suite 120, Austin, Texas 78723

ABAC at the Texas Book Festival

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.

 

Second Birthday Party

Join us Monday, October 2nd, 6:30-9:30 P.M. to celebrate the accomplishments of the Austin Book Arts Center over the last year!

Master 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!

 

Open Set Exhibition Update

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”.

Bookbinding I Scholarship

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.

Austin Book Arts People finally have a home

ABW tompoynerPeople have been meeting to create books under the auspices of Austin Book Workers since 1986. The ABW group met in schools, libraries, businesses and homes. From 1990 – 2013 a free book arts fair was held annually; for the first two years at Murchison Middle School, thereafter at Laguna Gloria Art School. Rollin Polk and Tom Poyner demonstrated letterpress printing at ABW book Arts Fair at Laguna Gloria Art School.

april 2009 zines

ABW bibliophiles of all ages made Zines with Anne Rita Taylor at Domy Books.

After years of searching for a meeting place, Austin Book Workers group has merged with the Austin Book Arts Center. Book Arts people will be able to create more than they could in a limited time, in a borrowed space. Heavy equipment that could not be carried to borrowed spaces is now available at the Austin Book Arts Center. NOW is an excellent time to sign up to be a member of Austin Book Arts Center.