Teaching Book Arts

I have been teaching at the Houston Book Arts Guild since 2008 when I taught Zine-making at a meeting. Fun to share!

Thanks! to Marjorie Silverstein for taking these photos of my cover gluing demonstration

HBAG was founded December 2005 by then Museum Curator, Todd Samuelson, at The Printing Museum in Houston. We had learning experiences at each monthly meeting. We now meet from September through June on the first Thursday of the month at 6:00 pm.

I enjoy putting together all the materials, receiving the RSVPs, and volunteering to teach and share my knowledge. Sometimes there is no fee for supplies and other times the fee is $5 to $10 for a kit. 

Storybook Theatre books I learned & taught from Alisa Golden's book: Making Handmade Books

I taught Halloween Star Books in 2009, Accordion Variations in 2010, twice in 2013: Storybook Theater in February & Calligraphy - Decorated Capitals in September, team-taught with Cori Austin & JF Gold: Altered Books in 2014. My favorite: I taught Carving Rubber Stamps in 2011 & 2016.

At the June 1st meeting participants learned the Guest / Photo Album for a $7 fee. The album kits, by Arnold Grummer, sell for $9 each or a dozen at $7 each.

I put together packets, providing the glue and asked the 12 students to bring scissors, bone folders and a glue brush. I tried to find metal spacer bars - now sold in sets by Volcano Arts. I wanted each student to have their own, so I cut 20 pieces of Davey board: 12 inches by a quarter inch.

Herb Craft with his completed Photo Album

Everyone had a good time making their albums! I had fun too - spending time with my book arts tribe.

Also at the HBAG meeting there was a changing of the guard with Lee Steiner - who has been a fabulous leader - passing her Presidential tiara to Janet Reynolds! I'm looking forward to more enriching learning experiences. Field trip anyone!?!

©Anne Rita Taylor 2017

The Workshop Experience

Not too far from my home I have book-binding and calligraphy workshops. Houston is the 4th largest city in the US, with many workshops each year or semester-long classes too. 

My thoughts on how to enjoy excellent art or craft workshops:

---Teacher attributes:

• Handout with good instructions for what we are doing.
• Thoroughly qualified - can respond intelligently to questions.
• Shares about their background, perhaps with photos.
• Provides samples of past work & samples of what we are doing.
• Gives individual attention besides the group discussion.

---Group conditions:

• Minimal amount of supplies needed; I’d rather have a supply fee than lug supplies.
• Ease of participants talking quietly, but not too noisy either.

---Space:

• Enough private area in front of each student.
• A comfortable seat (I also bring a pillow).
• Not too cold and not too hot inside (I dress in layers).

Wonderful book-binding workshops are taught at The Printing Museum, either paid classes or at meetings of the Houston Book Arts Guild which meets there too.

About 3 or 4 calligraphy workshops each year are sponsored by The Houston Calligraphy Guild; we have teachers from Belgium to California coming in to teach.

Please let me know your thoughts about workshops; what works for you?

©Anne Rita Taylor 2016

Edible Book Day

©Anne Rita Taylor 2016

April 1st is Edible Book Day, celebrated since 2000, with the Books 2 Eat Festival in Houston and globally too. Tonight festivities held at 7:00 pm at The Printing Museum. For this event I created my "A is for Apples" book using a French Link Binding.

Here are some of the steps I took sewing the French Link Stitch. I begin by making sewing stations (holes) inside my sewing cradle using a needle awl. 

Glossy white paper cut 7 3/4 by 4 3/4 inches to fold six pages together to form a signature. Six signatures for a total of 144 pages in the text block. A page in front and back are glued with apple end papers to each cover.

I wanted to have a ribbon to tie to an apple, but also tie a bow after the apple is eaten. So besides having the ribbon I also have the two hinges to prevent the book from going wobbly.

I sewed two kettle stitch areas at the head and the tail. Even though I started sewing from the outside, at the last sewing station (hole) I thread a needle, make a kettle stitch, then bring the thread inside to knot and tie off. 

I placed the book in my Arnold Grummer Paper Press for a few hours before I glued the apple end papers to the front of the text block & front cover, and repeat for the back cover. 

The French Link stitch is a pretty binding with an open spine where you can see the stitches.

I'm happy with how it came out! Thanks go to Lee Steiner, current President of the Houston Book Arts Guild who suggested using a basket and the title, A is for Apples, too!