Valentine Exchange

I joined a Valentine Exchange with The Guild of Book Workers - Lone Star Chapter - to send 10 Valentines and receive 10 in return. Rules included having an edition using any method of printmaking or paper or book arts.

I used my carvings for a photopolymer plate from Boxcar Press. As a member of The Houston Printers Guild I used The Printing Museum’s tabletop printing equipment & sold some of these cards in their gift shop.

For this exchange I added another dimension having an accordion book inside the card.

I found a quote I liked and practiced calligraphy so it would fit when folded in eighths on one third of an 8 1/2 by 11 inch scrapbook paper.

I attached the accordion with a heart shaped brad. Here is the inside and back of the card where I also attached my "Made by" labels.

I thought it actually needed something more…so I used my Sizzix Embossing Texture Boutique on all the card fronts. You can see the details:

Now let’s see what kind of Valentine cards I receive by February 14th. There will be an online exhibit on the Lone Star Chapter’s website: https://gbwlonestarchapter.wordpress.com

To finish I used a wonky heart I carved on each envelope. This month is all about LOVE!!!

If you feel the spirit move you, please leave me a comment. Happy Valentine's Day!

©Anne Rita Taylor 2017

Help Others - Help Yourself

I met people in the arts when I volunteered at the Art League Houston. Through networking, my sculpture was displayed in The Toni Jones Gallery! See Sculpting in Clay, click link:

https://anneritataylor.blogspot.com/2016/12/sculpting-in-clay.html

I wrote an article about volunteering - published in The Star (yes, that supermarket tabloid & they paid me $300!) In 1987 there were 39% of Americans who volunteered which was 89 million. 

In 2016 25.3% of Americans volunteer, which is 62.8 million volunteers, according to the Corporation for National Community Service. What is up with that!?!

Part of my published article from "The Star" -

Working for nothing can pay off in the long run. Being a volunteer not only makes you feel good about yourself, but it is a great way to get job training - for free!

    

Volunteering can be glamorous & exciting too! 
All these places use volunteers: 

• Television and radio stations 
• Fashion designers 
• Art galleries 
• Community Theaters
• The Ballet & Opera
• Museums 
• Politicians

You can volunteer as follows:

Arts: assist in an art gallery; become a museum tour guide, also known as a docent.

Entertainment: front or back stage, or wardrobe with sewing skills at a community theater.

Politics: organizer at a campaign headquarters in your area.

Retail: hospital gift shop or charity thrift shop.
Medical: patient visitor; instructor for the Red Cross.
Miscellaneous: office clerk for public supported radio or TV station.

In the greater Houston area there are many volunteer opportunities. 

Volunteer Houston connects people with their passions. 

Click these links for more information:

http://volunteerhouston.org

http://www.volunteer-houston.com

http://www.volunteerhou.org

And if you would like to contact me, 
please leave me a comment.

©Anne Rita Taylor 2017

Designing Zines

As I mentioned last week, a Zine is a self-published magazine with a small circulation. Zines are printed booklets held in your hands. I have Zines about crows, hands, colors, work spaces, risk, fabric, collage, compilations, and poetry.

A small part of my Zine collection with Zines from Alaska, Hawaii, and all around the United States.

Design suggestions include:

• Make a Zine that opens newspaper-style.
• Do a faux version of a popular magazine, such as Time or People.
• Use brown paper bags, binding on one side to pen with pockets.
• Use cut out words for headlines like a ransom note.
• Use a photo album, write on index cards and insert.

• House your Zine inside of colorful file folders.
• Put your Zine in a bottle; make sure it can be removed for viewing.
• Write on fabric pieces and make a quilt.
• Your Zine can be a puzzle with the viewer putting it back together.
• How about using toilet paper, call it potty mouth and fill it full of expletives.

Here are 20 uses for a scarf, a brain teaser from the book: How to Think like Leonardo da Vinci by Michael J. Gelb:

• Leash for a dog
• In hair for ponytail
• Tie children together
• As a tablecloth
• Tie on Purse for decoration
• Gag
• Blindfold
• Temporary fix for broken sofa
• Tourniquet
• To carry books
• To cover face
• Curtain on a window
• As a skirt
• As a halter top
• As a bedspread
• Sling for a broken arm
• White surrender flag
• Seat on the ground
• Tie on car antenna
• Christmas tree decoration

A couple of fun books to explore directories and reviews:

Please let me know what Zines you enjoy. And remember the Zine Fest in Houston will be held at The Lawndale Art Center on November 19, 2016.

My Bookbinding Workshop

©Anne Rita Taylor 2016

I went to a Golden Paint demo at Art Supply on Main in Houston earlier this year. When Vikki, the co-owner, found out about my blog, she asked me to teach a book workshop; during May we set a date for the workshop: Saturday, July 16th.

My favorite binding is the French Link Stitch. I made a sample book, composed my own instructions, took a few photos and sent the draft flyer to a couple of friends for their advice. 

E.J. said cost stand alone from supply fee; the total was listed. Debbie gave me paper from India; no charge to my students. I added paper choices to my flyer.

I handed out 30 flyers at the Houston Calligraphy Guild Summer Study meeting. Also sent my flyer to The Lone Star Art Guild added to their weekly emailed newsletter.

Four people registered by the Wednesday before the workshop! I started tearing a few sheets of my Arches Text Wove for my demonstration book, as I wanted to use three sheets divided into eight pieces. Vikki let me know she was out of Arches but had Rives.

Five were registered by Thursday! I used up my own supply of Arches Text Wove, and Vikki supplied Rives BFK Lightweight. Multi-Media art paper suitable for wet media from Hobby Lobby rounded out the text paper. It took ink and watercolor beautifully.

Before the class I cut: paper for the covers, end sheets, inside paper folios showing at the spine; plus I tore the Arches and cut the Multi-Media paper.

The students used eight pieces of each of the three types of paper. And divided them into three folios in eight signatures to have a total of 96 pages (both sides). The students tore two half sheets of the Rives Lightweight into quarters to get into the bookbinding groove.

In the class: we covered the boards and hole-punched the signatures in the morning; sewed the text block in the afternoon. Lastly, we glued the end sheets to add the covers and glued the tapes to the cover.

The five hour class on Saturday went very well especially since four out of five students were first-time bookbinders. Everyone loved their books! It was a lot of fun!