Beyond Words:

A Celebration of Book Arts

Curated by Barbara Brown

Featuring the work of fourteen book artists:

Randy Asplund
Ruth Bardenstein
Barbara Brown
Julie Fremuth
Alvey Jones
Karen Klein
Julia Miller
Marilyn Prucka
Susan Skarsgard
Bonnie Stahlecker
Lisa Steichmann
Wesley Tanner
Kate Wilson
and Marsha Wright

April 1- May 11, 2008

Opening Reception:

Friday, April 4, 7-10 pm

Also showing are all gallery member-artists and the following visiting artists:

Jane Coates
Nina Hauser
Maria Ruggerio
Fran Wolok

Artists' books are conceived of as works of art, often expressed in recognizable book form, but just as often not.  In contemporary book art we sometimes find alternative bindings which transform the traditional codex so completely that in the end only the artist's conception of the book remains.  In considering these works the viewer might watch for the way art, text, and print contribute to the meaning of the resulting piece.

In presenting Beyond Words: A Celebration of Book Arts this spring, it has been a pleasure to bring together the works of fourteen talented artists: Randy Asplund, Ruth Bardenstein, Barbara Brown, Julie Fremuth, Alvey Jones, Karen Klein, Julia Miller, Marilyn Prucka, Susan Skarsgard, Bonnie Stahlecker, Lisa Steichmann, Wesley Tanner, Kate Wilson, and Marsha Wright.  These works range from exquisite historical bindings to contemporary alternative ones that challenge the "reader" to become involved in the creative interaction between artist and book.

Also showing are all gallery member-artists and the following visiting artists: Jane Coates, Nina Hauser, Maria Ruggerio and Fran Wolok

Cone Book by Julie Fremuth, mixed media , employing the use of wood, paper, paste, and thread.  The "cone" book relates to ancient, pre-paper textblock forms.  8" high.

Psalm 148
Psalm 148 is a unique calligraphic work created by Susan Skarsgard. The text is from the Psalms of David, using the King James translation. The pages feature Skarsgard's, abstract calligraphic paintings that illustrate the text which was written out with a broad-edged pen with Chinese stick ink.

Printed by giclee with archival inks by Passim Editions in an edition of sixty copies, each book is bound with a leather spine, and housed in a handsome, handmade portfolio box.
10 in. x 12.75 in, 20 pages.
60 copies printed on Hahnemuhle, a German mouldmade paper. Signed by the artist.

Ultima Thule features the woodcut art of Wesley B. Tanner. For this edition Tanner spent over a year creating over 125 woodcuts that sweep the reader along with the action of the poem. Ultima Thule was hand-set in the rare Bauer Bodoni type and printed letterpress on Vit Bloma, a handmade Swedish paper made in the late 1950s. Calligrapher Susan Skarsgard has drawn the woodcut lettering for the title page, and the book is hand-bound in illustrated covers over cloth. Each copy is signed by both the author and artist/printer. 
10 in. x 12.75 in., 54 pages.

Alphabet Book is a limited-edition pop-up by Susan Skarsgard. When closed, it folds into itself into a three and one-half inch cube. When fully open, it expands to reveal the entire hexagonal-shaped pop-up alphabet to seven feet tall. It can be displayed on a wall or stored in its acrylic box.
3.25" x 3.25" in a labeled acrylic box.
Edition of 20 copies made in metallic silver or copper paper at Passim Editions. Signed by the artist

Miniature medieval bindings by Randy Asplund
hand gilded, and embellished