Having been back a week from being in Venice for 4 days, I feel like I'm getting my land legs back.  It may be that wonderful combination of spring fever, change in weather, and coming down to earth from such beauty, history and art.  I don't know. But, if you need an overload of magnificent Renaissance art from such greats as Tintoretto, architectural exquisiteness with Palladian influence, fantasy-like settings and wonderful food and wine, then by all means get thee to Venice, Italy...quickly...very quickly.  From the richness and beauty of St. Mark's cathedral with its murano-glassed ceilings, the magnificent works in its Accademia, the largest oil painting by Tintoretto in the Doges Palace to the modernism of Peggy Guggenheim's home, and add to that the beauty of a city built on water with homes resembling palaces lining the many canals...this is Venice.  Order a bellini at Harry's bar, take the gondola ACROSS the canals for fifty cents and stand in the middle of St. Mark's Square and feed the pigeons...it all can happen in Venice.  February in Venice is vastly different than July.  Fewer crowds makes winter a perfect time to visit this magical city.   Venetians claim back their city and enjoy its beauty and open their arms to the few tourists who come at this time.  For book and paper artists, Venice is a treasure trove.  Marbled papers, handmade books abound in shops and stores throughout Venice...and, each one offers something different.  So ciao for now Venice...and, we'll be back! 

Stateside, there are some exciting events for book artist occurring...coming up at the Sunsan Hensel Gallery is Readers 11--Urban/Urbane opening in March in Minneapolis, MN.  For more info, check out www.susanhenselgallery.com; Also occurring in Minneapolis will be the ARLIS conference in late March where dealers and book artists will bring their works to showcase at the annual book fair.  ARLIS is the Art Libraries Society of America whose members are the curators and directors of Special Collections at MOMA, the Walker Art Center, etc. -- well, you get the idea...go to www.arlis.org.  If you're in Minneapolis, don't forget to check out the Minnesota Center for the Book...they offer book making, letterpress and other classes to interest and intrigue.   Another great event that will be occurring in June is the bi-annual Focus on Book Arts Conference occurring outside of Portland, Oregon.  For more information, google "Focus on Book Arts Conference" to get workshop schedules, instructor bios, etc.  Held over 4 days, this conference brings together book art leaders and students for an exhibit by the instructors, a book fair and great comraderie.  Tack on a few days before or after the conference to check out 23 Sandy Gallery in Portland owned by book artist, Laura Russell.  That's it for now...and enjoy February!  It's a fickle month, so belated Happy Valentine's Day, Happy Abraham Lincoln's Birthday, and Happy George Washington's Birthday.

"Books often aren’t recognized as art in the same way that paintings or sculpture are. But they should be...", says fine-art book printer Peter Koch of Berkeley.  And the 2011 Codex Conference being held at Berkeley this weekend showcases why books should be recognized as art.  With more than 180 book artists, private presses, college and university book art centers and departments exhibiting at their book arts fair, they are certainly demonstrating how book is art and art is book.  Combining that with panel discussions and symposiums, this is the place to be for 2011.  So get those airline tickets and get outa the snow and into the sunny climate of California and hit this book fair.  For more information on vendors, etc., go to www.codex.foundation.org/bookfair.html and click here to read more about why the book as art is becoming an accepted medium in our culture ...  http://newscenter.berkeley.edu/2011/02/04/book-fair/.   Following on the heels of the Codex Conference is the Book Arts Fair of the ABAA Organization.  This also provides outstanding examples of traditional bookmaking techniques and art through the centuries.  Such great presses like Oak Knoll will be there along with other antiquarian book dealers.  Their book fair is in the fair city of San Francisco.  So go out and get your fill of books in the sunny, warm climate of California.  For more information on ABAA, go to www.abaa.org which stands for the Antiquarian Booksellers of America.   And, one more item of interest from The New York Times on "Designing Books in the Digital Age" showcasing how a designer of books, Joost Grooten, takes a different stance of creating his books...he is definitely thinking outside of the box...or, let's say book in this instant...here's the link:   http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/31/arts/31iht-design31.html?_r=2&emc=eta1