For all lovers of books and book art, some great news for all of us book lovers on the East Coast!  Maddy Rosenberg, founder and director of Central Booking which opened in the DUMBO area of Brooklyn has found new digs!  And, they are in the Lower Eastside here in New York City!  They aren't that far from Dieu Donne Paper either so you can catch a great exhibit on paper and the book arts in the same area!  Her new space will be at 21 Ludlow Street, not that far from Canal Street and Broome Street!  There is also the Lower Eastside Printshop nearby, the DIA Center on West Broadway with Walter DeMaria's "Broken Kilometer" on exhibit as well as the June Kelley Gallery and O.K. Harris Gallery.  There are great boutiques and galleries to check out throughout the area.  This writer is very excited and can't wait until Central Booking has its official opening.  Here is the email announcement about Central Booking from Maddy Rosenberg!

"Thank you for your patience during these many months of waiting for CENTRAL BOOKING to re-open in its own space again. But the wait was worth it, we are moving into our lovely 2700 square foot new home in the Lower Eastside at 19-21 Ludlow Street very soon!

Since it is so late in the season, we will delay opening festivities until September, along with the premiere of Gallery II (Art & Science) with the exhibition "Un/Natural Occurrences." Details will follow. But do come visit us when we re-open with the work of the more than 160 artists represented by CENTRAL BOOKING who work with the book.

Please stay tuned for actual opening information! We just wanted all of you to share in our good news."

For more information about Central Booking "like" them on Facebook and check out the website for up-to-date news and sign-up for their email! 

Also nearby is Mindy Bellof's great studio and press called Intima Press.  Located nearby at Union Square, Mindy provides some wonderful workshops on artists books, letterpress, and more!  Her space is intimate and cozy and provides some alternative workshops in the book arts that may entice you.  Check out her schedule and activities at www.intimapress.com.

The Lower Eastside Printshop also offers workshops and classes.  Check out their schedule at www.printshop.org.  They also offer some fun classes and residency programs in letterpress and the book arts. 

Enjoy the lovely weather, and start taking some classes and congratulations to Central Booking!  We can't wait!

It's April and Spring is here!  Yeah!  What is more fun than some great little events like the International Edible Book Festival and book arts celebrating all "Good Eats!".  April 1st is the birthday of French gastronome Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin (1755-1826), famous for his book Physiologie du goût, a witty meditation on food. April fools' day is also the perfect day to eat your words and play with them as the "books" are consumed on the day of the event. This ephemeral global banquet, celebrated by many book arts centers across the country and abroad, in which anyone can participate, is shared by all on the internet and allows everyone to preserve and discover unique bookish nourishments. This festival is a celebration of the ingestion of culture and a way to concretely share a book; it is also a deeper reflexion on our attachment to food and our cultural differences.

The International Edible Book Festival is a creation of Judith A. Hoffberg and Béatrice Coron. Judith got the idea over a Thanksgiving turkey with book artists in 1999, and Béatrice created Books2Eat website where despite the
distances everybody can enjoy worldwide's creations. They contacted friends and colleagues; their first event happened in 2000. Since then the festival continues as an annual sensation.  Check out images at www.books2eat.com.

The Kalamazoo Book Arts Centers coordinated with their annual exhibition of "Good Eats" that showcases the work of artists whose work centers on the idea of food!  What a great idea!  (Also, the writer of this blog is doing some shameless self-promotion!)  It's a great way to start the fun month of April by having your cake or book and eating it too!  Check out all great fun things at the Kalamazoo Book Arts Center at www.kalbookarts.org.  Their next exhibition is also a fun one with all entries based on the accordion book structure.  It's entitled "The Illustrated Accordion" and presents all wonderful examples of accordion books.  One entry has been an accordion structure book about the accordion.  It's always fun to view the entries online and expands the viewer's awareness of all things folded and pleated. 

So, here's to a fun-filled month with books to eat and words to swallow!

With Spring arriving next week and this weekend celebrating St. Patrick!, we want to offer up some things that will put some spring in your step.  One of the things that always puts a spring in my step is looking forward to the new Summer offerings at the Center for Book Arts and they do have some goodies.  This blog's writer has already signed up for Shawn Sheehy's Popups for Miniatures which Shawn taught at the Asheville Bookworks last year for The Miniature Book Conclave.  They have some other great workshops offered in the bindery as well as their letterpress workshops with Barbara Henry!  Check them out at www.centerforbookarts.org!  Also premiering are some great shows in Chelsea with Faith Ringgold at ACA Galleries and another great exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art showcasing the work of the Impressionists with selections from their Costume Institute that looks to be a promising, fresh and colorful!  Check out their exhibits at www.metmuseum.org!  If you have never caught the views from their rooftop sculpture gardent at the Met, take a half hour and amble on up to catch some great views of Central Park from this spectacular viewing point.  On Friday nights, they are open late and you can watch the sun set over the Manhattan skyline while enjoying a great cocktail and some nibbles.  One of my favorite ways to start the evening before hitting a show or club in the big apple.  Another great Broadway classic is celebrating its 25th anniversary on Broadway.  "The Phantom of the Opera" is starring Sierra Boggess in a limited engagement who played Christine Daee in the 25th anniversary show in London that premiered on PBS.  Get tickets if you can as this soprano can woo any phantom!  That's it for now!  See you in the Springtime!

With the temperatures warming up, going into the city, gives the surburbanite a nice break from the routine of work and more work!  Chelsea offers some wonderful shows!  At Gallery LeLong, catch the work of ground-breaking feminist artist, Nancy Spero.  Her scrolls are wonderful with images of Egyptian goddesses and screaming women as the overlaid text describes the horrors of women's treatment in third-world countries.  Nancy Spero was one of the ground-breaking female artists who came to the forefront in the women's art movement in the late 70's.  It's a show worth seeing.  Along with her, Faith Ringgold, opens at the ACA Galleries this weekend.  Ms. Ringgold is another ground-breaking feminist artist, whose exquisite quilts and prints told the story of her African-American heritage and the treatment of women of race through the format of the quilt!  This should be a wonderful exhibit and can't wait to catch it!  One of my favorite galleries specializing in collage is Pavel Zoubok Gallery has moved to new digs on 26th Street with an exquisite larger space.  Their inaugural show is Swiss artist-duo HENDRIKJE KÜHNE and BEAT KLEIN. Their intricately wrought collages and sculptures of cut postcards create spatial environments that are at once familiar and fantastical. I can't wait to see this show with its color and texture!  Another exciting happening is the installation of "This Rose" by Jay DeFeo which is the seminal work which marked the beginning of the Beat movement at the Whitney.  This work is heavily impastoed and is larger than any published images reveal.  Check the Whitney website for duration of display!  That's it for now and looking forward to Spring!
 

The holidays are behind us and January and February are looming ahead!  What better to spend the dreary months of winter than learning some new things and seeing some great book arts!  Coming up later this month, check out the great Edition/Book Arts Fair in Chelsea starting January 24th and running through to January 27th.  This book arts fair has a whole schedule of talks, symposiums and collaborative book projects.  Check it out at www.eabfair.com for a listing of participants and schedule of events.  Founded  in 1998 by Susan Inglett of I.C. Editions and Brooke Alexander Editions, the Editions|Artists' Book Fair has grown in size and stature to become the premier showcase for contemporary publishers and dealers, presenting the latest and greatest in prints, multiples and artists books. The Editions|Artists' Book Fair  is well known for its vibrant energy and innovation, thanks to over sixty exhibitors, presenting hundreds of artists representing New York, Johannesburg, Amsterdam, London, Paris and points in between.

DATES/TIMES
January 24 - 27 
Thursday to Saturday 11 AM to 7 PM
Sunday Noon to 5:30 PM
General Admission: $15
Four-day METROPass: $30 (Includes special museum, shop, and dining offers

LOCATION
The Altman  Building, Enter 125 West 18th Street, NYC between Sixth and Seventh Avenue

Also the Center for Book Arts will be hosting their annual open house beginning at 12 noon on Saturday, January 26th.  This is always a fun event with book artists doing demonstrations throughout the center.  Their new exhibits are up for January and promise to be stellar!  Check out their new winter/spring class listings as well.  A fun time to be had!  www.cba.org for more information about their exhibits, schedule of events and artist's opportunities.

Five days until Christmas and there's still time to shop until you drop!  So grab that coffee mug and check out some more great selections from Vamp and Tramp Booksellers!  They ship and will be glad to recommend great artists' books for the bibliophile in your life! 
Of course, writing my own blog allows me to do some shameless self-promotion.  On that note, if you know someone who is a bibliophile and a chef at the same time, check out my little accordion-structure book entitled:  "Three Cooks in the Kitchen" about the pioneers of women in the food industry!  http://www.vampandtramp.com/finepress/j/justarip-press.html
And, then if you have a bibliophile who is also into origami, check out the miniature book I created based on the ancient form of Japanese fabric folding called kanzashi!
http://www.vampandtramp.com/miniature/j/justarip-press.html
Another great venue for little delights from Vamp and Tramp is offered from the San Francisco Center for the Book!  Check out the titles under their Small Plate Series for some luscious and delectable little books!
http://www.vampandtramp.com/finepress/s/sf-center-for-the-book.html
Also, for some of those who love games and books and other fun things, check out the artists' books of R. D. Burton.  His "No Gas" and "Dexterity Crustacea" are just plain fun!
http://www.vampandtramp.com/finepress/r/RD-Burton-Books.html
Then again, Vamp and Tramp also offers broadsides for some wonderful pieces of letterpress art as well as some great books on bookmaking by Keith Smith and many other resource books for that book artist or book lover in your life.  They also carry a complete line of catalogs and other sundry things to whet that appetite of the book lover!
http://www.vampandtramp.com/resources/index.html
So, here's to great shopping and have a great holiday! 

Well, Christmas is less than 2 weeks away and I always struggle with those hard to shop for people on my list.  They are avid readers but by the time I figure out what books to get them, they have already purchased and read them!  So, my solution this year is to give them some handmade little goodies from some of my favorite book artists!  Take a look at these:
From Vamp and Tramp, one of my favorite book artists is Paul Johnson whose lovely books are influenced by medieval book of hours:
http://www.vampandtramp.com/finepress/j/paul-johnson.html
Take a look at "The Chair Book", "Goldilocks and the Three Little Pigs" and other little delights (many of which I own and will not give away) which are colorful, sculptural and worthy of any hard-core bibliophile!  And, if you love these little gems, Paul Johnson has written many books for the teaching of book arts which will show you how to make them!

Here's another one of my favorites:
http://www.vampandtramp.com/finepress/a/austin-red-L.jpg
"Red, Yellow, Blue" by Alice Austin is a lovely little sculptural book using a traditional lotus blossom fold to create a great little volume that will satisfy any printmaker, colorist and bibliophile on your list!

Check out another published book by artist, Nava Atlas whose original artist book led to this divine read!
http://www.vampandtramp.com/finepress/a/amberwood-Dear-guide-L.jpg
This book is for those female writers on your list who enjoy reading about those inspirational predecessors and mentors!

And, as always, if you don't know what to get, peruse Vamp and Tramp's website for some more great gift ideas or give them a call and they'll be happy to recommend something for that hard-to-shop-for person in your price range!  Here is the contact info:
 (205) 824-2300 or at info@vampandtramp.com


Happy Holiday Shopping!

Well the aftermath of Sandy is still being dealth with and the East Coast here may be in for another whammer!  But, there's a whole lot of booking going on at Lafayette College in Easton, PA!  This little haven of artists' books and great art has pulled together a phenomenal afternoon of great book artists and curators from Brooklyn, New York City and Alabama to present an afternoon just for us bookies!  If you're nearby, the trip is well worth it as the Special Collections at Lafayette College is a gem.  Under the curatorship of Diane Shaw, she has gathered together many great examples of artist's books and continues to do so both from national and international book artists.  So here's the schedule, and you'll all know where I'll be come Monday, November 12th!  Bookin' and groovin'!  Enjoy!

Lafayette College 's Special Collections and Art Galleries have teamed up to
present two artists’ book exhibitions and a Progressive Book Arts Feast on
Monday, November 12.

November 12
3:30-4:15, Skillman Library
PLACE IT . A seminar for artist on placing work in collections.
Panelists include:
Alex Campos, Executive Director, Center for Book Arts
Maddy Rosenberg, Artist and Curator, CENTRAL BOOKING
Bill Stewart and Vicky Stewart, Vamp & Tramp Booksellers, LLC

4:30-5:45, Skillman Library
PONDER IT . Artists and curators discuss the book arts.
Moderator : Karina Skvirsky , Artist and Assistant Professor of Art at
Lafayette.  Panelists include artists Anne Gilman and Russell Maret, and
curators Alex Campos and Maddy Rosenberg.

5:45-7:45  PLATE IT .
Exhibit Receptions Multiple, Limited, Unique Skillman Library, (hors d’oeuvres)

Booked
Williams Center Gallery, (desserts and coffee) 

Exhibitions:
Booked , Curator Maddy Rosenberg, CENTRAL BOOKING. The book
as an art form is going through a contemporary renaissance. Booked will have one
reexamining the book as more than a mere container of information but as an
inspiration for the artistic imagination. Williams Center Gallery. 

Multiple, Limited, Unique , highlights over 100 items from the Center for
Book Arts' extensive permanence collection, including altered books, fine
binding and printing, works on paper, and digital works. Skillman
Library. 

"Feminism and the Artist’s Book"
October 19 – December 30
Reception:
Friday, October 19, 6 – 8pm 

at Vespa Properties http://vespa-artsandcommunity.tumblr.com/

Central Booking is back and so is Maddy Rosenberg with a great exhibit based on the writings of Lucy Lippard and her influence on feminism and the arts!  This exhibit has a great roster of artists like Beatrice Coron, Miriam Schaer, Robbin Ami Silverberg, and Maddy Rosenberg, herself.  From installation to performance and just plain old (how can anyone call artists' books "just plain old"?) artists' books, this exhibit reexamines the fabulous writings of Lucy Lippard and how she influenced a whole generation of women and more toward re-defining art history that would include women!  What a concept!  From Miriam Shapiro, Faith Ringgold and Faith Wilding, the feminist art movement still continues to influence young female artists and art students as well as male with its wonderful and varied processes and patterns.  This exhibit showcases how the movement also influenced the makers of artists' books and its many forms!  Temporarily located at Vespa Properties, the exhibit is up until December 30th, 2012 and is a must-see if you are in the city during its duration!  Another exhibit will also travel to Lafayette College, the Williams Center Art Gallery in Easton, PA opening November 2nd and running through to December 15th!  The opening reception is Monday, November 12th and will be another wonderful exhibit to augment the exhibit in Brooklyn.  While Central Booking is trying to locate a permanent space, these two exhibits definitely ensure that Maddy Rosenberg is back and will be providing fabulous exhibits dedicated to the artists' book and paper! 

For more information on the history of the Feminist Art Movement, check out Lucy Lippard's writings at your local art bookstore or on Amazon.com!  Also, I always enjoyed reading Faith Ringgold and Bell Hooks and their perspectives.  If you can locate some information about WomanHouse done on the West Coast and the early work of the art feminists such as Faith Ringgold, Miriam Shapiro, Judy Chicago and Faith Wilding, this is a fascinating foundation for the early years of the movement!  The Brooklyn Art Museum also has a permanent installation of Judy Chicago's work and a whole wing dedicated to the Feminist Art Movement!  Enjoy!

Some things are just too darn fun!  When the Minnesota Center for the Book Arts sent me their latest email with classes announced for children, I thought, "I want to be between 2 and 12 and take these classes!".  They are just too darn fun to miss!  Plus I'd have to be closer to them!  But for ideas for book arts and kids, these classes may give one some great ideas!  But then, these could be fun for adults as well!  Who doesn't like a book mask or origami spiders?  Well, maybe not spiders! 
Halloween Mask Boooooks!
Get ready for Halloween with Littlebat's Halloween Story by Diane Mayr and by creating your own boootiful Halloween mask book – or is it a book mask? Folded papers, a stick and lots of colors and collage. A book for
stories!  A mask for trick or treats! And a Halloween ghost book, too!
Spooky Stories, Creepy  Creations
What do you think makes a story really scary? Is it monsters, strange sounds, or a dark and stormy night? How will you become the hero or heroine of your story? Begin by writing a funny, silly, spooky, scary story for Halloween. Visit  MCBA’s studios to construct a creepy little book to put it in, then share your  creation with family and friends while having some tasty Halloween treats!
Halloween Origami Party
Celebrate Halloween at MCBA's origami party! Make paper pumpkins, bats, spiders, monster heads and more! Choose from a variety of papers and colors. Folding patterns will be provided to help you create your very own creepy creatures!
Create Your Own Magical World
Explore the timeless territory of magic! First, imagine a hair-raising adventure for your hero or heroine, setting out on a magical journey to save a troubled world and encountering menacing villains and mystical beings along the way. Invent your own setting, characters and plot. Then bring your magical world  to life in a handmade pop-up book!
Thanksgiving Paper Dinner
Celebrate the colors and aromas of Thanksgiving dinner by “cooking” up some paper. Start by pulling sheets of white paper, then add onion skin yellow, cabbage purple, cranberry red, orange orange, and more! Use herbs and spices, such as crumpled sage, grated cinnamon and nutmeg. Dress for mess with waterproof shoes.
If you really do want to take these classes, or check out the Minnesota Center for the book, go to www.mcba.org!

So have fun and hope this sparks some ideas for the kids in your life or the kid in you!  Happy Fall and Halloween!