Welcome to my 15th (!) annual roundup of book arts-related Black Friday-ish deals!

I had a very eventful post-Thanksgiving drive home from Massachusetts this morning.

My dog Remy threw up in my van, we went through a 20 minute snow squall in New Hampshire, I had to pull over for a power nap because I was so tired, and I spent the last hour of my drive with my 75 pound dog on my lap (not the smartest or safest idea in the world).

After dropping Remy off at home, I popped on over to the gallery where I’m working for the day (welcome to my lunch). It has been bananas here!

I totally wouldn’t blame you if you prefer to stay at home and avoid the crowds. Lucky for you, there are a number of sales in the online bookbinding universe. Don’t worry if you can’t shop locally for bookbinding supplies (I know it’s hard) – you can still shop small.

I’ll be updating this post through the weekend as I discover any additional deals.

Here we go!

Acadia Leather is so wonderful. Their skins are very affordable and they offer free (and fast) shipping. From now through 12/2/25, use code blackfriday10 to save 10% when spending $100+, or use code blackfriday15 to save 15% when spending $500+. The sale is valid on in stock items only.

Arnold Grummer is currently holding its annual press sale. Their presses are made in the USA with FSC certified maple plywood and vegan adhesives. Purchase a press before November 30 and save $50.00 when using code PRESS50. In addition, domestic shoppers receive flat shipping rate of $11.99 – this is automatic, no code is needed.

Helen Hiebert has a new book coming out on December 16 (yay!), Weaving with Paper. If you pre-order her book from her website before the publication date, you’re eligible for some exclusive awesomeness:

• Your copy will not only be autographed by Helen, but you can also request an inscription.
• If you have 2 or more friends who want a copy of the book, put a group order together and everyone will receive a 15% discount.
• You’ll be invited to a Publication Day Party on December 16!

Hiromi Paper is gearing up for their annual sale during the month of December with discounts up to 50% off. The sale is only for specific items, but they’ll be adding new items throughout the month (check out the list here).

Now through November 30, John Neal, Bookseller is offering 10% off your online order. No code is needed, the discount will be taken off automatically at checkout. You’ll also get free domestic shipping on orders over $50.00.

With code FESTIVE20, you’ll get 20% off orders over $49.00 at LCI Paper. You’ll also get free domestic shipping on orders $89.00+. The code is good now through 12/1/25.

Letterform Archive is offering 20% off all books and stationery (not including used and rare books). No code is needed, the discount will show up in your cart. This is a great time to pick up Amos Paul Kennedy, Jr.: Citizen Printer if you don’t already own a copy. It’s so good.

If you’re a ribbon person, then head on over to May Arts Ribbon. They’re offering 15% off your entire order when using code CYBERCHEER15 at checkout. The code is valid through December 12th at midnight.

If you’re a fan of pop-up books like me, then you’ll want to head over to Poposition Press. Now through 12/2/25 you can save up to 30% on selected in-stock items, no code needed. I want this. And this. And definitely this.

UPPERCASE Magazine is offering $15.00 CAD off new subscriptions and renewals with code take15. You can also purchase a Print & Paper bundle of three books in her Encyclopedia of Inspiration series, Ephemera, Print/Maker, and Rag & Pulp for just $131.00 (20% off purchasing each individually).

And for something completely different, High Bids Win just posted an online Letterpress, Bookbinding, and Antique Auction that’s open through December 18. There some cool stuff up for bid – lead and wood type, type cabinets, presses, tools, and so much more. 

And be sure to remember Giving Tuesday! There are lots of worthy organizations out there that would love your support (and some of them have shops!):

• The American Bookbinders Museum (shop)
• Center for Book Arts (shop)
• Focus on Book Arts
• Frederick Book Arts Center (shop)
• The Guild of Book Workers
• Minnesota Center for Book Arts (shop)
• The Morgan Conservatory (shop)
• San Francisco Center for the Book (shop)

Happy shopping and/or donating!

Welcome to my 14th annual roundup of book arts-related Black Friday-ish deals!

Here in Vermont we had our first significant snow of the season yesterday. It is absolutely beautiful outside. I almost don’t mind the fact that I’ll have to clean off my car before going to work today. Almost.

I am very aware of the craziness of today in the holiday shopping calendar – I work in a craft gallery and as I just mentioned, I’m working today. If you prefer to shop in your pajamas, then you do you. There are quite a few sales of note in the online bookbinding universe, so I think you’ll be happy to shop from home.

Don’t worry if you can’t shop locally for bookbinding supplies (I know it’s hard) – you can still shop small. I’ll update this post through the weekend if I discover any additional deals.

Here we go!

Acadia Leather has been one of my favorite leather suppliers for a while now. Their skins are very affordable and they offer free (and fast) shipping. From now through 12/8/24, get 25% off your online order when you use code blackfriday. Please note that the discount is not valid on Blow Out section items.

Arnold Grummer is currently holding its annual press sale. Their presses are made in the USA with FSC certified maple plywood. The discount varies depending on the press you choose, so please visit their website for more information. You can get 25% off everything else on their website with code BlackFriday24. This code is not valid on presses or gift cards. In addition, they’re giving domestic shoppers flat shipping rate of $11.99 – this is automatic, no code is needed.

Hiromi Paper is gearing up for their annual sale during the month of December with discounts up to 50% off. The sale is only for specific items, but they’ll be adding new items throughout the month (check out the list here).

John Neal Books is offering 10% off your online order (including sale items). The discount will be taken off automatically at checkout. You’ll also get free domestic shipping on orders over $50.00. The sale end date wasn’t specified, so if there’s something you want, get it now.

With code FRIDAY20, you’ll get 20% off orders over $49.00 at LCI Paper. You’ll also get free shipping on orders $89.00+. The code is good now through 12/2/24.

Letterform Archive is offering 20% off everything in their online shop (not including used and rare books). No code is needed, the discount will show up in your cart. This is a great time to pick up the new book Amos Paul Kennedy, Jr.: Citizen Printer. I have it and can vouch for the fact that it’s incredible.

If you’re a ribbon person, then head on over to May Arts Ribbon. They’re offering 20% off your entire order when using code DECKTHEHALLS20 at checkout. The code can be used multiple times.

For a limited time, the Movable Book Society is offering A to Z: Marvels in Paper Engineering for half off ($37.50 instead of $75.00). I bought this last year and it simply spectacular. This collection of 26 individual pop-up cards comes in a custom clamshell box and was created in an edition 2,000 copies. Each letter in the set was designed by a different paper engineer – you can check out the full list of artists here.

If you’re a fan of pop-up books like me, then you’ll want to head over to Poposition Press. Now through 12/4/24 you can save up to 50% on in-stock items, no code needed. This right here is my heart’s desire.

UPPERCASE Magazine is offering $15.00 CAD off new subscriptions, gift subscriptions, and renewals with code butterfly. You can also purchase a Print & Paper bundle of three books in her Encyclopedia of Inspiration series, Ephemera, Print/Maker, and Rag & Pulp for just $125.00 (25% off purchasing each individually).

And if you’re feeling generous, don’t forget Giving Tuesday! There are lots of worthy organizations out there that would love your support (and some of them have shops!):

• The American Bookbinders Museum (shop)
• Center for Book Arts (shop)
• Focus on Book Arts
• Frederick Book Arts Center (shop)
• The Guild of Book Workers
• Minnesota Center for Book Arts (shop)
• The Morgan Conservatory (shop)
• San Francisco Center for the Book (shop)

Happy shopping and/or donating!

Happy Turkey Day!

Welcome to my 13th annual roundup of book arts-related Black Friday-ish deals! Even in this economy, there are many deals to be had and quite a few of them are lasting into the weekend and beyond.

Don’t worry if you can’t shop locally for bookbinding supplies (I know it’s hard) – you can still shop small. I’ll update this post through the weekend if I discover any additional deals.

Here we go!

Acadia Leather has been one of my favorite leather suppliers for a while now. Their skins are very affordable and they offer free (and fast) shipping. From 11/24/23 – 11/27/23, get 25% off your online order of $200.00+ when you use code blackfriday. Please note that the discount is not valid on Blow Out section items or gift cards, multiple discounts can not be combined, and no rainchecks will be issued.

Arnold Grummer is currently holding its annual press sale. Their presses are made in the USA with FSC certified maple plywood. The discount varies depending on the press you choose, so please visit their website for more information. In addition, they’re giving domestic shoppers flat shipping rate of $11.99 – this is automatic, no code is needed.

The French Paper Company, another one of my favorite suppliers, is also offering a deal this weekend. On Monday, November 27th (Cyber Monday), they will have free shipping on orders over $150.00 to those located in the United States and Canada. And you know how heavy paper is, so free shipping is a big deal.

The Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum has discounted a number of items in their shop, including wood type, posters, and clothing (I’m especially fond of this ampersand print). No code is needed, prices already show the discount.

Hiromi Paper is gearing up for their annual sale during the month of December with discounts up to 50% off. The sale is only for specific items, but the selection is pretty cool (check out the list here).

John Neal Books has three offers going on now through Monday, November 27th:

• Get 10% off your order (including sale items). The discount will be taken off automatically at checkout.
• Get free domestic shipping on orders over $50.00.
• Place an order on Cyber Monday and receive a selection of approximately 20 vintage nibs as a free gift, while supplies last.

If you’re a ribbon person, then head on over to May Arts Ribbon. They’re offering 20% off your entire order when using code 20HOLIDAYS23 at checkout. The code is valid now through November 30th at midnight and can be used multiple times.

This next one I jumped on as soon as it landed in my inbox. For a limited time, the Movable Book Society is offering A to Z: Marvels in Paper Engineering for half off ($37.50 instead of $75.00). This collection of 26 individual pop-up cards comes in a custom clamshell box and was created in an edition 2,000 copies. Each letter in the set was designed by a different paper engineer – you can check out the full list of artists here. You can also see the pop-ups in action on the Poposition Press website.

Now through the end of November, Paper–Papers is offering 50% off the already discounted price of products in their Clearance department. Use code dailydeal at checkout to get the discount.

At Rock Paper Store, you can get the following discounts now through the 27th on their website:

• All paper packs and half pound Pieces & Fragments are $5.95
• 1 pound Pieces & Fragments are $9.95

In their Etsy shop, you can get the even more discounts, also now through November 27th:

• 20% off $30.00+ orders
• 25% off $55.00+ orders
• 35% off $90.00+ orders

Discounts are automatic and no code is needed. FYI – Their paper is made of rocks. Really.

UPPERCASE Magazine is offering $15.00 CAD off new subscriptions, gift subscriptions, or renewals with code beautiful60. If you’ve never seen this publication before, each issue is truly stunning. As one-woman show publisher Janine Vangool puts it – she creates “beautiful and inspiring books for the creative and curious.” And you can feel good about your purchase knowing that UPPERCASE is committed to several sustainability practices.

Now through Saturday, November 25th, Volcano Arts is offering 20% off everything. Not only do they have a nice selection of bookbinding tools and supplies, but they also sell unbound books in sheets (A Christmas Carol, anyone?). Use code blackfriday at checkout to get the discount.

And if you’re feeling generous, don’t forget Giving Tuesday! There are lots of worthy organizations out there that would love your support (and some of them have shops!):

• The American Bookbinders Museum (shop)
• Center for Book Arts (shop)
• Focus on Book Arts
• Frederick Book Arts Center (shop)
• The Guild of Book Workers
• Minnesota Center for Book Arts (shop)
• The Morgan Conservatory (shop)
• San Francisco Center for the Book (shop)

Happy shopping and/or donating!

I’m not going to lie to you – my studio is not looking that great at the moment. I know I’ll pull it together because I always do, but looking at the space today has me a concerned. I think there’s a lot of staying up late in my future.

This event is put on by the amazing Vermont Crafts Council.

Most Vermont craftspeople work in studios located in or close to their residences. These are places of production and inspiration located in downtowns as well as at the ends of dirt roads. They are exciting places to visit because they reflect the dynamic yet organized process that is used to produce the finished work of art.

The studio itself is enormously informative because you can see at a glance how the artist works. Buying or ordering work during an Open Studio sale is a unique experience because you have the opportunity to speak to the artist directly.

Since I’ve already mentioned that I’m participating, you know that you should put my studio on your tour. What you might not know is that there are several other locations within a 20 minute drive of here. The Waterbury-Montpelier loop has a nice cluster of artists for your studio hopping pleasure.

I’ve listed these studios below, where I’m referring to them by both name and number – the number refers to a listing in the 2023 Spring Tour Guide. If you’d like to learn more about the participants, visit the Vermont Crafts Council website.

There are several ways to get your hands on a map:

• Pick one up at a Regional Information Center, such as the Artisans Hand Craft Gallery in Montpelier. By the way, I work at the gallery and it’s awesome!
• Get a copy at one of Vermont’s welcome/information centers.
• Print out a full copy (warning – this is a big, fat pdf).

Here’s the rundown of who’s who (click on the links to learn more about specific artists):

• #119– The Mud Studio/Michael Sullivan: Community pottery studio showing the work of 20 potters
• #120 – Jeremy Ayers Pottery: Functional, patterned, modern stoneware pottery. Also showing the work of Jane LeGard Ernstof and Mikaela Engert
• #121 – Marianne Mullen Art: Paintings, abstract, mixed media
• #122 – Center for Arts and Learning: Exhibits, galleries, and artist studios
• #123 – The Lyna Lou Line/Lyna Lou Nordstrom: Monotypes, collographs, silkscreen, fabric art.
• #124 – Sarah Smith Art & Design: Cards, watercolors, drawings, prints, oils
• #125 – May Day Studio/Kelly McMahon: Quirky paper goods, letterpress, bookbinding
• #126 – Blue Roof Designs/Elissa Campbell: Handmade books, journals, artist’s books (that’s me!)
• #127 – Susan Bull Riley: Classical paintings, oils and watercolors of botanicals, birds, and landscapes

Below you’ll find a map to help you plan your travels – click on it to be taken to Google Maps where you can get directions to the studios.

Note: If you’re wondering why the studio numbers above are different colors, that’s because they correspond with the marker colors on the Google map.

Another note: Stops #122 and #123 are at the same address.

Click on map to enlarge

If you plan on coming to the Montpelier area, let me know and I’d be happy to recommend some local restaurants for your munching pleasure (ex. you can’t go wrong with either of our two Indian spots).

I hope to see you at my studio in a few days!

Vermont Open Studio Weekend is coming up this Memorial Day weekend, May 27 & 28. As a book artist, I like to support people in my tribe, so I dedicate a blog post to them every OSW. There are five book artsy studios participating (in addition to mine) this spring.

I created the Google map at the bottom of this post which includes all of the studios to help you plan your travels. I’d like to say that the studios are near each other, but sadly they’re not. Look at it this way – the foliage is starting to turn and hopefully it will put on a gorgeous show for you!

I’ll be referring to studios by both name and number – the number refers to a listing in the Spring Tour Guide. The colors of the studio numbers in this post match the colored markers in the Google map. 

There are several ways to get your hands on a map:

• Pick one up at a Regional Information Center, such as the Artisans Hand Craft Gallery in Montpelier.
• Get a copy at one of Vermont’s welcome/information centers.
• Print out a full copy (warning – this is a big, fat pdf).

This route starts at the northernmost studio and travels south. And away we go!

First is #1, Meta Strick – she does it all. Oh my goodness, her calligraphy! She does wonderful mixed media work, including dolls that have a book component. She has a great philosophy that you can make anything into a book – it should come as no surprise to you that she’s a teacher.

The next studio is #137, Ken Leslie. Ken often creates books in a circular format – a practice that developed out of his dissatisfaction with rectangular painting shapes. His themes frequently focus on natural cycles, such as day/night and the seasons. The size of his work ranges from miniature to really ginormous – you can walk through some of his books when they’re open.

Stop number three is studio #125 – Kelly McMahon of May Day Studio. Kelly is both a letterpress printer and a bookbinder. She carves many of her designs in linoleum for her beautiful gift wraps (which are totally frame-able). She was lucky enough to intern at the San Francisco Center for the Book, so you know she’s got skills. Kelly’s studio is about 1.6 miles from mine.

The fourth stop is me in studio #126. Hello there!

Next is #99 – Carole McNamee, who has a really interesting background. She spent 30 years working in computer science before becoming a marriage and family therapist. She was especially interested in the therapeutic use of the arts (this totally hits me in my art therapy nerve). Eventually she transitioned into making her own work. I would totally visit her studio if I weren’t participating.

Last stop on the tour is studio #52 is Carolyn Shattuck, a seasoned printmaker and bookmaker. She often cuts up scrap monotypes and uses the pieces in her handmade books. For her, the book arts have been the focus of a body of work combining drawing and print assemblage techniques in three dimensional form. Many of her books include pop-up elements to set the scene for her deeply personal storytelling.

Here’s the aforementioned Google Map for planning your route:

Click on map to enlarge

I’d love to hear about your visits if you make it to any of the studios, so please share your experiences in the comments below. Pictures = extra awesome.

And visiting my studio = most awesome.

I love this event. Not only does it give me the opportunity to share my creative work, but I also get to educate people about the value of handmade work in general. I especially enjoy it when people bring their kids because they always ask the best questions!

If I’ve piqued your interest, read on…

So what can you expect when you come to my studio?

You might be surprised by the size of my space – it’s small, but it has lots crammed into it (I’m good at maximizing space). I’ll have a display of both blank books and artist books set up for you to handle – yep, you can touch them (no gloves necessary).

And if you love paper, you’ll have to check out my massive paper drawers. I have so much paper. Probably more than I’ll ever use in my lifetime. But would I buy more in the future? Is that a serious question?

Oh, and if you’re interested in learning how to make your own books, I’d love to talk to you! I have an extensive library of books about bookbinding and can make recommendations (I have lots of favorites). I also have several book arts classes coming up and can tell you all about them – you can even check out the samples!

Here’s the image on the postcard that went out yesterday (I’m a bit of a tool junkie):

If you’re on my mailing list, you should receive it soon (crossing fingers…). And if you’re not on my mailing list and want a postcard of your very own, just let me know and I’ll pop one into the mail for you.

I’m working on more blog posts that explore some of the participating studios, one of them focused on book artists. Stay tuned for those in the coming days.

And if you’ve got any questions about Open Studio Weekend, feel free to contact me. I hope to see you in the studio!

From the Preservation Week website:

Preservation Week inspires action to preserve your collections. We believe that memories and treasures should last a lifetime and beyond, and that these physical and digital materials support both community and cultural identities. Focusing on preservation for a designated week every year raises awareness of the role libraries and other cultural institutions play in preservation, by sharing information to help make informed decisions that help your collections last for the future.

Preserving heirlooms is an important effort. Photographs, documents, paper ephemera – they’re not just things, they’re a collection of precious, personal stories and they shouldn’t be lost to future generations.

Here are some things you can do this week to join in the celebration:

• Watch a webinar on preserving scrapbooks.
• Then watch another one on caring for family keepsakes.
• Learn how to take care of and store your photographs, courtesy of the Library of Congress.
• Then learn even more about the care and preservation of your photographs from The Henry Ford.
• Annddd…learn some more about caring for your photos from the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works.
• Teach your children about the importance of preservation.
• Print out these cool bookmarks that include preservation tips.
• Make books with your kids and encourage them to tell their stories.
• [insert shameless plug here] Get one of my photo albums and print out those pics you’re keeping on your phone. [end plug]

Let me know if you’re doing something special this week!

Photo by Roman Kraft on Unsplash

Welcome to National Library Week, a celebration of all that is the awesomeness of libraries. This year the event takes place April 23-29, 2023 and the theme is There’s More to the Story.

From the American Library Association‘s website:

Libraries are full of stories in a variety of formats from picture books to large print, audiobooks to ebooks, and more. But there’s so much more to the story. Libraries of Things lend items like museum passes, games, musical instruments, and tools. Library programming brings communities together for entertainment, education, and connection through book clubs, storytimes, movie nights, crafting classes, and lectures. Library infrastructure advances communities, providing internet and technology access, literacy skills, and support for businesses, job seekers, and entrepreneurs. National Library Week 2023 will be a great time to tell your library’s multi-faceted story.

Kelly Yang is the Honorary Chair for this year’s event. Yang is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of many books for young readers, including the Front Desk series: Front Desk, Three Keys, Room to Dream, Key Player, and Top Story, New From Here, and Finally Seen. Front Desk won the 2019 Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature and was chosen as a Best Book of the Year by multiple organizations, including NPR, the Washington Post, and the New York Public Library.

Official celebrations during National Library Week include:

• Monday, April 24: Right to Read Day calls on readers, advocates, and library lovers to fight back against censorship in a national day of action to defend, protect, and celebrate your right to read freely.
• Tuesday, April 25: National Library Workers Day, a day for recognizing the value of all library workers.
• Wednesday, April 26: National Library Outreach Day celebrates library outreach and the dedicated library professionals who are meeting their patrons where they are.
• Thursday, April 27: Take Action for Libraries Day, a day to rally advocates to support libraries.

Here are a few ways that you can celebrate the event:

• Visit your local library, either in-person or online. Technology makes lots of things possible – for example, my library has online lectures, downloads of e-books and audio books, and access to free classes.
• The ALA started a national campaign to Unite Against Book Bans. If you agree that individual parents should not be making reading decisions for other parents’ children, please join the campaign and share why you’re opposed to book bans in school and public libraries.
• Let folks on social media know that you support libraries by using hashtags #NationalLibraryWeek and #MyLibrary. You can also share social media graphics on the ALA website (scroll down).
• Follow your library, the American Library Association and I Love Libraries on social media:
  • American Library Association: Twitter: ALALibrary, Facebook: AmericanLibraryAssociation, Instagram: americanlibraryassociation
  • I Love Libraries: Twitter: IloveLibraries, Facebook: ILoveLibraries

Want more ideas? Check out the suggestions on the I Love Libraries website.

Do you have any plans for the week? I’d love to hear about it!

Why, good day to you!

Welcome to my 12th annual roundup of book arts-related Black Friday-ish deals! Many merchants are extending their sales through the weekend (and some beyond that), so that’s why I’m ish-ing.

Don’t worry if you can’t shop locally for bookbinding supplies – you can still shop small. I’ll update this post through the weekend if additional deals become available.

Check out the following if you’re looking to flesh out your studio:

At Rock Paper Store, now through November 28, 2022 you can save 40% on all orders of pieces and fragments both on their website and at their Etsy shop – no code needed. They offer free shipping on orders over $25.00 on their website and free shipping on all items in their Etsy shop with no minimum order. FYI – Their paper is made of rocks. Really.

If you’re a ribbon person, then head on over to May Arts Ribbon. They’re offering 20% off your entire order when using code BFCM2022 at checkout. The code is valid now through November 30th at midnight and can be used multiple times.

John Neal Books has a few offers going on this holiday weekend:

• On 11/25/22 only, you can get 10% off your entire order (excluding gift certificates). The discount will be taken off automatically at checkout.
• If you’re located in the United States, get free shipping on orders over $25.00 from 11/25/22 – 11/27/22 (excludes large paper and expedited shipping). Select Free Shipping checkout to redeem the offer. 
• If you happen to be in Nashville on 11/26/22, stop by the shop from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 a.m. for special in-store discounts.

The Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum has discounted a number of items in their Dry Goods shop, including books, wood type, posters. No code is needed, prices already show the discount.

This one isn’t a deal, but it sure is the perfect gift for the book artist in your life (or you!). Booklyn has designed awesome one-sheet book shirts that you can order in a variety of styles and colors. The shirts will only be available until December 7, 2022, so get yours soon!

UPPERCASE Magazine is currently accepting pre-orders for the next volume in their Encyclopedia of Inspiration, Volume R: Rag & Pulp. Check out this description:

Through beautiful imagery and inspiring stories and interviews, Rag & Pulp explores the diversity of contemporary papermakers, manufacturers and artists, all of whom use and elevate paper from a blank white sheet into something uniquely marvelous and expressive.

The book will be released in June 2023. Get yours here.

On Cyber Monday (11/28/22), the French Paper Company is offering free shipping on all orders $100+ to those located in the United States and Canada. Use code GIFT4U2022 at checkout to get the discount.

Mulberry Paper and More is offering up to 25% off your entire order on Cyber Monday – 10% off purchases of $50.00+, 15% off purchases of $150.00+, and 25% of purchases of $300.00+. No coupon code required. Offer valid until 11:59 p.m. MST 11/28/22.

And if you’re feeling generous, don’t forget Giving Tuesday! There are lots of worthy organizations out there that would love your support (and they’ve got shops!):

• The American Bookbinders Museum (shop)
• Center for Book Arts (shop)
• Focus on Book Arts
• Frederick Book Arts Center (shop)
• The Guild of Book Workers
• Minnesota Center for Book Arts (shop)
• The Morgan Conservatory (shop)
• San Francisco Center for the Book (shop)

Happy shopping and/or donating!

Vermont Open Studio Weekend is coming up this weekend, October 1 & 2. As a book artist, I like to support people in my tribe, so I dedicate a blog post to them every OSW. There are three book artsy studios participating (in addition to mine) this fall.

I created the Google map at the bottom of this post which includes all of the studios to help you plan your travels. I’d like to say that the studios are near each other, but sadly they’re not. Look at it this way – the foliage is starting to turn and hopefully it will put on a gorgeous show for you!

I’ll be referring to studios by both name and number – the number refers to a listing in the gold Fall Event and Resource Guide. The colors of the studio numbers in this post match the colored markers in the Google map. 

There are several ways to get your hands on a map:

• Pick one up at a Regional Information Center, such as the Artisans Hand Craft Gallery in Montpelier.
• Get a copy at one of Vermont’s welcome/information centers.
• Print out a full copy (warning – this is a big, fat pdf).

This route starts at the northernmost studio and travels south. And away we go!

First is #4, Meta Strick – she does it all. Oh my goodness, her calligraphy! She does wonderful mixed media work, including dolls that have a book component. She has a great philosophy that you can make anything into a book – it should come as no surprise to you that she’s a teacher.

The next studio is #75, Ken Leslie. Ken often creates books in a circular format – a practice that developed out of his dissatisfaction with rectangular painting shapes. His themes frequently focus on natural cycles, such as day/night and the seasons. The size of his work ranges from miniature to really ginormous – you can walk through some of his books when they’re open.

The third stop is me in studio #80.

Lastly is #64 – Carole McNamee, who has a really interesting background. She spent 30 years working in computer science before becoming a marriage and family therapist. She was especially interested in the therapeutic use of the arts (this totally hits me in my art therapy nerve). Eventually she transitioned into making her own work. I would totally visit her studio if I weren’t participating.

Here’s the aforementioned Google Map for planning your route:

Click on map to enlarge

I’d love to hear about your visits if you make it to any of the studios, so please share your experiences in the comments below. Pictures = extra awesome.

And visiting my studio = most awesome.