Artists Books II

I was able to get into the Artist's Books I and II class at the University of Utah without any difficulty. It seems like there are fewer students enrolled in the class this term. I saw Louise Levergneux, whom I meet last year in the Artist's Books I class. She is a very creative photographer and book artist, and I was looking forward to working with her again. But she decided not to continue with the class this year because there will be too much of a repetition of last year's assignments. Drat! There have been five class meetings now, and I am stressed out again trying to think creatively. I think I am more of a manipulator of other people's ideas than a creative originator of ideas. I like to experiment and adapt existing forms others have developed. Keith Smith said, "... if I didn't say something, who cares how good the technique is?" Maybe that is my creative problem - I don't really have anything to say.

When I arrived at the studio last night, I found Becky Thomas leasurely working on a book.

Becky has been working for the Book Arts department as a teaching assistant for classes and workshops for six years. She is very talented. She is also taking this class as a graduate student.

I really want to explore Keith Smith's different "non-adhesive" binding techniques and patterns, but that is not an "artist" book, just a small part of putting it all together into a unit called a "book."  I bought Keith Smith's five volume set of Non-Adhesive: Binding Books without Paste or Glue last year and his new and expanded Structure of the Visible Book this year.

The class this year will again do a collaborative mail art project. This year we will be in groups and we will each exchange two pieces among the group. Each week we will add our own items or make changes before we pass them on the next week.The last person to have the mailable art will send it to one of the class assistants. Here are my first contributions. they are 8 1/2" by 11" and were stained on both the front and back.