March 2–30, 2012: Exhibition / Lecture / Poetry Reading / Collaborative Project
Jen Bervin’s work brings together text and textile in a practice that encompasses artist books, poetry, large-scale art works, and archival research. Her visual work has been exhibited at the Walker Art Center and elsewhere. Bervin currently teaches at Vermont College of Fine Arts and lives and works in Brooklyn, New York. View the Jen Bervin website.
October 6-28, 2011: Exhibition / Lecture / Workshop
Honeybee from "Beyond the 6th Extinction"
September 23-25, 2010: Lecture / Workshops
Peter & Donna Thomas' Gypsy Wagon
Book artists Peter and Donna Thomas, the authors and illustrators of More Making Books By Hand, visited us with their custom-made gypsy van “bookmobile” to present workshops and a lecture. Renowned as creators of miniature and artists’ books since 1977, they have produced over 125 limited editions and 300 one-of-a-kind books, found in collections around the globe. They are active in the Miniature Books Society and the Friends of Dard Hunter and reside in Santa Cruz, California.
Workshop
Exploring Miniature Books: Alternative Structures
KBAC workshop: "Exploring Miniature Books" with Peter and Donna Thomas
Sept. 24 & 25, 2011, Kalamazoo Book Arts Center — In this workshop we made two small format books. The first was an accordion book with a unique “nested pop up accordion fold” structure. The second was a scrolling case bound book, featuring a wooden framework holding a scroll housed in a paper-covered binding. The Saturday section filled up fast so a second section was added on Friday. Several participants came from as far away as the west side of Chicago to attend.
Lecture
Dodge Trucks or Gypsy Wagons: The Literary Book as a Work of Art
Donna Thomas with display of miniature books
Sept. 23, 2010, Kalamazoo Public Library, Van Duesen Room, 315 S. Rose Street — “A literary book is to our Dodge truck as an Artists’ Book is to our Gypsy Wagon. One gets you somewhere practical the other takes you somewhere magical.” —Peter Thomas
Peter Thomas talked about artists’ books, sharing examples of many books he has produced over the years in collaboration with his wife, Donna. He also sang a song or two on his ukulele book. (Yes. You read that correctly!)
