January Meeting Speaker: Nicole White

Transformational Creativity: Embracing Creativity as a Lifeline, a Presentation by Nicole White

Saturday, January 13, 2024, at 1 pm Mountain Time via Zoom

Do you have several beautiful handmade books sitting empty? If so, Nicole will share a way for you to confidently and joyfully begin to fill them. Whether youre a seasoned art journaler or just starting, Nicole will help you add another transformative process to your creative toolbox. In this session, attendees will dive into the world of Transformational Creativity—a practice that reduces stress and anxiety while bringing more joy, focus, and purpose into your life.

Transformational Creativity may sound like magic—and in a way, it is. However, it’s actually a very simple and consistent practice, much like weaving threads together over time to create a beautiful tapestry.

During Nicole’s presentation she will guide you through two engaging activities:

  • A simple and short journaling activity
  • A special process she calls Expressive Doodling

Nicole will demonstrate Expressive Doodling on a 9” x 12” sheet of watercolor paper, using a Sharpie for the initial marks (so that you can see what is going on) and then watercolor pencils for the rest.

Please have your supplies ready prior to the online meeting:

  • 90-lb. mixed-media paper (or heavier if you are using a pen, colored pens, colored pencils, or markers); OR
  • 140-lb. watercolor paper (if you are using watercolors, watercolor pencils, or any wet media)
  • A pen or marker with which you can easily draw with on your heavyweight paper (such as pens, colored pens, a marker, a Sharpie, etc.)
  • Your favorite coloring tools—colored pencils, watercolor pencils, markers, watercolors, water media, etc.
  • Several sheets of writing paper and a writing pen for the journaling process

Nicole says that this is a fun, easy, and joyful practice, and that many people in her Art Therapeutics courses have adopted this as their go-to stress reliever.

This exercise is inspired by Nicole’s second book, Finding Your Angel: Your Road Map To Transformational Creativity, but it is not included in the book. Therefore her presentation is an exclusive opportunity to explore a powerful creative process.

Nicole White 
is a book maker/lover, author, artist, certified hypnotherapist, online workshop teacher, and former president of Libros New Mexico Book Arts Guild. Art has always been her lifeline, but it was only when she learned to use it positively that she transformed her life from depression and anxiety to one of joy and fulfillment. Nicole’s mission is to empower her participants in this vibrant chapter of their lives, helping them to quickly unlock their creative abilities and transform their lives for the better. Her research-based approach helps people break free from self-imposed limits, offering simple and fun creative practices to manage stress, release depression and anxiety, find purpose, and embrace a more fulfilling and creative life. In short: helping people do more of what they love and less of what they dread. Visit her at https://www.ravenartcenter.com/

Online BAG Meeting on Saturday, December 9

Saturday, December 9, 2023, 1 pm to approximately 3 pm MT

Via Zoom (online): For security reasons we never put the Zoom link on our website. If you did not receive an email from Santa Fe Book Arts Group with the link, please check your email program’s “spam” or “junk” folder. Still not there? Email santafebag@gmail.com with your name and your email address.

Free; Open to the Public; All are Welcome

Agenda

  • Welcome and Announcements by President Linda Zwick
  • Upcoming Programs and Workshops by Julie Filatoff
  • Artsy Discussions Among Meeting Attendees, facilitated by the Tech Team
  • Community Announcements (calls for entry, upcoming exhibits and workshops, other highlights) by Attendees (2 minutes maximum, please)

Online BAG Meeting on Saturday, November 11

Saturday, November 11, 2023, 1 pm to approximately 3 pm MT

Via Zoom (online): For security reasons we never put the Zoom link on our website. If you did not receive an email from Santa Fe Book Arts Group with the link, please check your email program’s “spam” or “junk” folder. Still not there? Email santafebag@gmail.com with your name and your email address.

Free; Open to the Public; All are Welcome

Agenda

  • Welcome and Announcements by President Linda Zwick
  • Board Election Update by Julie Filatoff
  • “Celebration of the Book 2023/2024” (exhibits) Update by Will Karp
  • Upcoming Programs and Workshops by Julie Filatoff
  • Question of the Month: What do you plan to work on art-wise to start the new year? This will be limited to 5 minutes maximum for each person (approximately 12 people).

Want to speak on this at the meeting? Email lindazwick55@yahoo.com to be added to the list of interested commentators.

  • Upcoming Salons by Gail Murray
  • Artist Trading Card Swap Update by Ruthanna Abigail
  • December and January Mail Art Description by Linda Zwick
  • December and January Anything Goes Description by Linda Zwick
  • Community Announcements (calls for entry, upcoming exhibits and workshops, other highlights) by Attendees (2 minutes maximum, please)

Celebration of the Book Workshop

On Saturday, October 28, Marcia Moore and Brooke Remmert presented the “Make a Book, Read a Book” workshop at the Main Library. Here are some photos by Brooke of the event.

Remember, the Celebration continues through March 2024! Check the BAG website and newsletter for more details soon.

 

Book Arts Workshop on Saturday, November 4, 2023

Three Contemporary Artists Books, a Workshop with Julie R. Filatoff

Saturday, November 4, 2023
10 am to 3 pm (with one hour for lunch)
$55 per person
Vladem Contemporary Museum of Art, 404 Montezuma St., Santa Fe, NM
Register here: https://my.nmculture.org/25624/27615

Using one sheet of printmaking paper, students will decorate both sides using various painting and printing techniques. The instructor will discuss color choices using the color wheel, and color theory. In the afternoon, students will cut and fold the painted paper to create three accordion-fold books, then use cutting and punching tools to create interest and depth. Finally, students will sew in a 12-page booklet using a simple pamphlet stitch.

Students will take home their three books, plus a selection of mark-making tools for future use.

Please wear clothes that you don’t mind getting paint on, or bring an apron or large “painting shirt.”

There will be an hour break for lunch; lunch is not provided.

Julie R. Filatoff is the Book Arts instructor at Santa Fe Community College. She is also a mixed-media and fiber artist as JiRaF Studio, LLC. Julie received her bachelor’s degree in art from California State University, Long Beach. Her work has been exhibited throughout the United States, including at the New Mexico State Capitol; in the book 1000 Quilt Inspirations; and in several fiber art and paper crafting magazines. She is the vice president of Santa Fe Book Arts Group and a member of Libros New Mexico Book Arts Guild.

Online Workshop in November: Variations of the Sewn Board Binding

Please register NOW for this great workshop; you’ll need to prepare (or order) materials. The workshop is limited to 15 participants and costs $75 each plus $35 kit payable to Roberta (or you can assemble your own materials; see November 1 below).

Variations of the Sewn Board Binding, a Workshop with Roberta Lavadour

See dates below; actual time to be told to participants
Online via Zoom
Register here: https://santafebag.org/register-for-roberta-lavadours-workshop/
$75 for BAG members; you must be a member to participate

 

This structure provides a novice with a great introduction to sound constructions and allows the seasoned binder to refine their technique and discover new avenues for expressive design. The opportunities for incorporating personalized elements are endless, and we’ll take inspiration from examples that display weaving, embossing, the incorporation of found objects, and more

Monday, October 30: Deadline for students to order materials kit online from instructor. $35 shipped to mainland US addresses. (We’ll send info after you register.)

Wednesday, November 1: All students receive link to online illustrated instructions for the project, including instructions for those who would like to prep their own materials.

Saturday, November 4: Expected delivery date of materials kits.

Friday, November 10: One-hour introduction with time for Q&A. Some students will have already sewn their book blocks and some may just be getting started.

Sunday, November 12: Students will log into Zoom for a two-hour session with their sewn, lined book block ready to finish together as a group.

Sunday, November 19, optional: Students to gather for an hour to share their finished projects and any subsequent books they’ve made, and show off the adaptations that each incorporated.

Supply List

  • Linen sewing thread (25/3 or so)
  • #18 Bookbinding needle or something close
  • Beeswax for waxing thread
  • Scissors
  • Bonefolder
  • Teflon folder with squared end (optional but encouraged)
  • Metal ruler
  • Cutting mat
  • Utility knife
  • Awl or pin vise
  • Waste paper sheets (old catalogs, etc.)
  • PVA adhesive
  • Medium and small glue brushes
  • Large UHU Glue Stick (not purple)

Roberta Lavadour lives and works in rural eastern Oregon, near the foothills of the Blue Mountains. Her work is fueled by a rampant curiosity and explores a range of themes, sparked by everything from estate sale finds to her tangled family history. She’s been exhibiting artist’s books and design bindings for twenty-five years and has contributed several innovative structures to the field of book arts. In addition to maintaining an active studio practice, she teaches in workshop settings, sharing a passion for both sound construction and fearless exploration. https://robertalavadour.com/

Please register as soon as possible! We will email the supply list after receipt of payment.

Questions? Email santafebag@gmail.com. Not a member but want to join BAG? Go to https://santafebag.org/join-or-renew-bag-membership/.

Art Flea Market on Saturday, October 14

(Hey! Help us publicize this event by downloading the graphic here and posting it to social media and emailing it to friends and family!)

The Santa Fe Book Arts Group Presents its Annual

Art Flea Market

Saturday, October 14, 2023, 10 am to 3 pm
St. John’s United Methodist Church, 1200 Old Pecos Trail, Santa Fe, NM 87505 (new venue!)

Multi-vendor flea market featuring:

  • art journal kits
  • artwork: prints, paintings, watercolors, collages, sculptures, etc.
  • beads: ceramic, paper, etc.
  • bookbinding tools
  • bookboard
  • bookcloth
  • bookbinding kits
  • books and magazines about art
  • books: journals, notebooks, artist’s, miniature, zines, flexagons, etc.
  • boxes
  • braided cords
  • brushes
  • collage packets and supplies
  • crochet hooks and knitting needles
  • dolls and doll parts
  • dollhouse furniture
  • ephemera
  • frames
  • garland kits
  • greeting cards and notecards
  • knitted accessories
  • leather scraps
  • linoleum
  • marbling combs/supplies
  • markers
  • matchboxes, decorative
  • mats
  • metal and wood pieces
  • buttons
  • mirrors, framed
  • mixed-media items
  • paints: watercolor, etc.
  • palettes
  • paper: dyed, marbled, handmade, collage, pads, etc.
  • pastels
  • pastepaper
  • pencils and pens
  • printmaking paper
  • rusty stuff
  • small paper sculptures
  • thread
  • tins
  • washi tape
  • watercolor pencils
  • yarn

Vendors

  • Ruthanna Abigail
  • Diane Adair McEvilly
  • Ashisha
  • Jeffrey Atwell (for Gordon Fluke)
  • Bonnie Binkert
  • Andrea Cypress
  • Anne Engelhardt
  • Carol Erickson
  • Esther Feske
  • Julie Filatoff
  • Audrey Hinsman
  • Jennifer Jordan
  • Will Karp
  • Cynthia Leespring
  • Mary-Gray McGee
  • Marcia Moore
  • Micaela Seidel
  • Julie Shelton Snyder
  • Julie Wagner
  • Richard Wolfson (for Vicki Bolen)

SATURDAY: The Sketchbook Habit Workshop with Lee Kellogg

The Sketchbook Habit: Creating and Sustaining the Art of Daily Creativity, a Workshop with Lee Kellogg

Saturday, September 16, 2023, 1 pm to 3 pm Mountain Time
Online via Zoom
$39 for BAG members; you must be a member to participate
Register at https://santafebag.org/register-for-lee-kelloggs-sketchbook-workshop/

This fast-paced workshop will get you jazzed up for starting, restarting, and maintaining a sketchbook. Pull out any book (a blank book, one with a few pages your started years ago, or even an old printed book that has no readers today), grab your supplies, and Lee will walk you through several exercises to get you going and keep you going.

Lee will talk about paper quality, desired outcome, daily practice, why anyone should keep an artist’s journal or a sketchbook, keeping and displaying sketchbooks, and sharing your work.

Materials Required

  • Water-soluble media: watercolors, gouache, water-based crayons and water-based markers in assorted colors
  • Sparkling watercolors, if you have them
  • Paint brushes
  • Water container
  • Rags
  • Painter’s washi tape (purple) or Frog tape or blue painter’s tape
  • The book you are going to work in
  • POSCA or similar acrylic markers
  • Binder clips are helpful if your book doesn’t stay open

Lee Kellogg has been teaching art and creativity for over two decades. Lee was the owner of Guadalupe’s Fun Rubber Stamps in Santa Fe, which closed in 2020. She now resides in Bend, Oregon, on the east side of the Cascade Range.

Nature and travel inspire her art. Flora and fauna making up nature journaling, while urban and pastoral landscapes fill her travel journals. Happy to work in a variety of mediums, Lee tends to favor watercolor with pen-and-ink drawings.

Lee currently teaches for the Deschutes Public Library, through private classes, and online. She has taught classes for the Santa Fe Public Schools, the Palace of the Governors, and the Craft and Hobby Association.

Questions? Email Lee at lee@leekellogg.com.

Register at https://santafebag.org/register-for-lee-kelloggs-sketchbook-workshop/

In-Person AND Online BAG Meeting on Saturday, August 12

Saturday, August 12, 2023, 1 pm to approximately 3 pm MT
In person: Room 606 at Santa Fe Community College
Via Zoom (online): For security reasons we never put the Zoom link on our website. If you did not receive an email from Santa Fe Book Arts Group with the link, please check your email program’s “spam” or “junk” folder. Still not there? Email santafebag@gmail.com with your name and your email address.

Free; Open to the Public; All are Welcome

Agenda

  • Welcome and Announcements by President Linda Zwick
  • “A Life in Art” presentation by Esther Feske
  • “Celebration of the Book 2023/2024” (exhibits) Update by Will Karp
  • Upcoming Programs and Workshops by Julie Filatoff
  • Upcoming Salons by Gail Murray
  •  Artist Trading Card Swap Update by Ruthanna Abigail
  • Round Robin Art Journal Update by Cynthia Leespring and Deanna Joy Hallmark
  • Annual Art Flea Market on October 14 by Cynthia Leespring
  • September Mail Art Description by Linda Zwick
  • September Anything Goes Description by Linda Zwick
  • Community Announcements (calls for entry, upcoming exhibits and workshops, other highlights) by Attendees (2 minutes maximum, please)

A Life in Art: a Presentation by Esther Feske

As the daughter and niece of art teachers, Esther Feske studied art education in college. She earned her Master of Fine Arts degree in graphic design and photography from the University of Iowa, and was the teaching assistant for calligraphy and in the type lab. Then for 10 years in the pre-computer world she was a book designer, proofreader, and editor for Penfield Press.

Esther moved to New Mexico in 1984 and was an office manager, real estate appraiser, receptionist, instruction manual writer, and occasionally a teacher. She was president of Albuquerque Business and Professional Women, Escribiente Calligraphy Guild, and Libros New Mexico Book Arts Guild.
A bookbinding course from Mita Saldaña in 2001 ignited her passion for making handmade books, because books can incorporate all her skills. The discipline of graphic design is apparent in all of her mixed-media art.

From 2010-2016, Esther was designer and assistant editor of the acclaimed Malpaís Review poetry quarterly. Now, for Hummingbird Hollow Press, she’s designer, editor, and proofreader for poetry and other books using KDP/Amazon.

Call for Entries: 2023 New Mexico State Fair

The New Mexico State Fair will accept artist’s books for judging and exhibition. All the rules are here; PLEASE READ THEM CAREFULLY:

https://cdn.saffire.com/files.ashx?t=fg&rid=NewMexicoStateFair&f=Bookbinding_-_2023.pdf

Want to enter? You have two options:

Deliver Your Artwork Yourself

At the Creative Arts Building on the fairgrounds (building 7 on this map):

  1. Deliver your entries on Friday, August 25, or Saturday, August 26, 9 am to 5 pm. If you cannot go to the Fairgrounds to drop off your entries, you can make prior arrangements with Mita Saldaña, 505-280-9323, to meet or drop off. If you are not going to the fairgrounds, please fill out this form and take a printed copy to Mita along with your work.
  2. Pick up your entries on Monday, September 19, from 9 am to 12 noon. (Julie will pick up any work that she delivered.) If you delivered your own artwork and cannot make that time, contact Mita Saldaña at 505-280-9323 for alternate arrangements.

OR, Take it to a Location in Santa Fe to be Delivered on Your Behalf

If you wish to enter your work but don’t want to drive to Albuquerque, please contact Julie Filatoff so you can deliver to her your art to her NO LATER THAN WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 23, by 7 pm. (Julie lives near Santa Fe Community College.) Contact her at julie@jirafstudio.com or 505-660-9942. Please fill out this form and take a printed copy to Julie. (You may also bring these items to the August 12 BAG member meeting at SFCC.)

This category is sponsored by Mita Saldaña, of Against the Grain Bindery, and Libros New Mexico Book Arts Guild. They need volunteer artists for 2-hour demonstrations (simple bookbinding) during the fair, especially during the weekends. You get a free ticket for entry into the fair for the day and Libros will reimburse you for parking. Interested? Text or call Mita at the number above.

The State Fair is open from Thursday, September 7, through Sunday, September 17, and at that time you can see if your artwork won a ribbon and view all the other wonderful entries!

Call for Vendors: Annual Art Flea Market

Santa Fe Book Arts Group Art Flea Market
Vendor Rules and Information

Saturday, October 14, 2023, 10 am-3 pm (setup 8:30-10 am; takedown 3-4 pm)
Yes, we know it’s the day of the eclipse
At St. John’s United Methodist Church of Santa Fe
1200 Old Pecos Trail (at Cordova), Santa Fe, NM 87505

The Annual Art Flea Market enables BAG members to declutter their art studios. It is highly anticipated by other BAG members, the art community as a whole, and visitors to Santa Fe.

Members can sell any art supplies or tools that one would use to make art, display art, or be inspired to make art. This includes (but is not limited to):

  • Handmade papers
  • Ephemera
  • Paints, pastels, pencils
  • Brushes, palette knives
  • Tools
  • Boxes
  • Books about art techniques or artists
  • Art storage items
  • Frames
  • Fabric and Yarn
  • You are also welcome to sell your own artwork

Please note: This is not a garage sale. If you have items that are not art or related to art, the organizers will ask you to remove those items from display.

To participate as a seller, read this entire document, then fill out the application.

Schedule

  • 8:00 to 8:30 am: Vendors may pile up boxes outside entry doors (under portal).
  • 8:30 am: Carry in items (helpers okay) and begin setup. Pick up your nametag.
  • 9:00 am: Helpers leave. Helpers take car OR vendors please move cars to far end of parking lot so our buyers have convenient places to park.
  • 9:00 to 10:00 am: Finish setup. Vendors and volunteers may buy from other vendors (please don’t sell to anyone else).
  • 10:00 am to 3:00 pm: Art Flea Market open to the public.
  • 3:00 to 4:00 pm: Takedown. Please don’t start packing up before 3:00. It’s disruptive to other vendors and buyers.
  • 4:00 pm: Leave with lots of money and more space in your studio!

Fee

The fee is $20 per vendor, which you can pay via check or PayPal (see application form).

Provided

  • Table and 2 chairs

Second table MAY be available; see application form.

To Bring

  • Tablecloth
  • Items for sale
  • Items to donate for the FREE table or the BAG sales table
  • Change (plenty of $1, $5, $10, etc.)
  • Lunch, snacks, and drinks (consume ONLY in the kitchen)

Advertising

Your $20 vendor fee helps pay for advertising, which includes:

  • Posters (we’ll email to you); please email to your friends and family, print it and post it (with permission) around town, post it on your Facebook or Instagram account, etc.
  • Pasatiempo
  • Santa Fe Reporter
  • Craigslist
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Etc.

Thanks to Our Volunteers

  • One will answer general questions about the Art Flea Market and BAG.
  • One will take membership dues.
  • One or two will answer questions, prevent early entry of buyers, and ensure that helpers leave by 9 am.
  • Two will cover your table so you can take breaks.
  • Two will work at the BAG sales table.

Want to volunteer? Contact Cynthia Leespring.

The Rules

  1. Abide by the schedule above.
  2. When you leave, take your trash (including food trash) and unwanted packing materials to the dumpster.
  3. No smoking anywhere on the property.
  4. No items may be taped, tacked or otherwise attached to walls, doors or other surfaces.
  5. We will have one or more FREE tables where vendors (or any BAG members) can place unwanted items. At 3:00 pm please remove any of your remaining items that you would like back. Anything left on these tables will be donated to Resourceful Santa Fe.
  6. Please keep the aisles clear and do not block fire exits, alarms, and extinguishers. If you have questions, see Cynthia Leespring or Julie Filatoff.

Questions? Email Cynthia at cynleespring@gmail.com or Julie at julie@jirafstudio.com.

You can download these instructions as a .pdf.

BAG Meeting on Saturday, July 8, 2023

Saturday, July 8, 2023, 1 pm to approximately 3 pm MT, via Zoom (online)
Free; Open to the Public; All are Welcome

Agenda

  • Welcome and Announcements by President Linda Zwick
  • Fall Classes at Santa Fe Community College by Ro Calhoun Gouletas, Rebecca Bradshaw, and Sudeshna Sengupta
  • Presentation by Marci Easterbrook (see below)
  • Update on Exhibits of Members’ Works in 2023 and 2024 by Will Karp
  • Upcoming Programs and Workshops by Linda Zwick
  • Upcoming Salons by Gail Murray
  • Artist Trading Card Update by RuthAnna Abigail
  • July Mail Art Description by Linda Zwick
  • July Anything Goes Description by Linda Zwick
  • Community Announcements (calls for entry, upcoming exhibits and workshops, other highlights) by Attendees (2 minutes maximum per person; will be timed)

Structure & Story, a presentation by Marci Easterbrook

For our online presentation on Saturday, July 8, Marci will discuss how different books structures show and narrate content or even create opportunities for understanding your own story with varied structures. This will include several structures.

Marci Easterbrook has taught book arts, papermaking, lithography, letterpress, and the book as sculpture at Santa Fe Community College since 2012. She also teaches drawing, painting, printmaking, and books arts at Mendocino College in California; workshops at the Mendocino Art Center, the Cape Cod Art Center, Santa Fe BAG, and Humboldt Public Libraries. Marci received her BFA in Illustration from Rhode Island School of Design; her Professional Printmaking Certificate in Lithography from Tamarind Institute; and an MA in Art Studio Education from the University of New Mexico. Visit https://www.marcieasterbrook.com/.

Then the following weekend…

Structure & Story Workshop with Marci Easterbrook

Presented by the Santa Fe Book Arts Group
Saturday, July 15, and Sunday, July 16, 2023; 9 am to 4 pm (with a break for lunch; nothing open on campus, please bring your lunch)
Santa Fe Community College, Room 700
$185 for BAG members with most materials included; must be a member in good standing
Details and registration: https://santafebag.org/register-for-marci-easterbrooks-workshop/

Please note: For security reasons we never put the Zoom link on our website. If you did not receive an email from Santa Fe Book Arts Group with the link, please check your email program’s “spam” or “junk” folder. Still not there? Email santafebag@gmail.com with your name and your email address.

Structure & Story Workshop with Marci Easterbrook

Presented by the Santa Fe Book Arts Group
Saturday, July 15, and Sunday, July 16, 2023; 9 am to 4 pm (with a break for lunch; nothing open on campus, please bring your lunch)
Santa Fe Community College, Room 700
$185 for BAG members with most materials included; must be a member in good standing
Register here: https://santafebag.org/register-for-marci-easterbrooks-workshop/ Continue reading “Structure & Story Workshop with Marci Easterbrook”

The Life Cycle of the Book: Friday, June 9, 10 am to 3 pm

The Life Cycle of the Book
Friday, June 9, 2023
10 am to 3 pm
The lobby of the New Mexico Museum of Art, 107 West Palace Avenue, Santa Fe, NM 87501
Free; does not include admission to the galleries

This exhibit includes 10 “exploded” books by Santa Fe Book Arts Group members. The exhibit is only open for five hours on one day, so please come by!

(Click on any image to start slideshow. Viewing in an email? Click here to see it on the web.)

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

These new works of art were created from discarded books that exemplify the variety of printing techniques employed over time by publishers. Reveling in a book’s tangible aspects, the show brings together 10 works created from books that engage different periods in art and celebrate the art of printing itself.

Abby Smith, Librarian and archivist at the NMMA, contacted BAG to ask if we’d like a donation of some old books that they were weeding out that were unrelated to their collection focus. Abby understood that book artists could repurpose these as art.

BAG’s Community Outreach committee sprang into action, picking up the books and disseminating them to BAG members everywhere.

The show is in the NMMA lobby. Included artists, Abby, and a library volunteer will be on hand to answer questions. Please join us for this special opportunity to get to know your Museum Library and be inspired by the art in books and the book as art.

The artists are:

  • Tracy Armagost
  • Sally Blakemore
  • Kim Burkholder
  • Barbara Doroba-Ogg
  • Julie Filatoff
  • Alex Fischer
  • Lynn Grimes
  • Mary Ann Jackson
  • Roberta Lutgens
  • Lee Mann
  • Mary Gray McGee
  • Marcia Moore
  • Barbara “Beej” Nierengarten-Smith
  • Rosemary Rae

Call for Entries: Celebration of the Book

Santa Fe Book Arts Group presents

Celebration of the Book

October 2023 to April 2024

The Santa Fe Book Arts Group (BAG) will have several public exhibits during a six-month period to showcase the works of its members. Those scheduled to date include:

  • Santa Fe Main Library (October 2023)
  • Santa Fe Southside Library (October 2023)
  • Santa Fe LaFarge Library (October 2023)
  • Santa Fe Community College (March-April 2024)

During that period of time BAG will also hold a number of programs, workshops, and presentations.

Please Note: As part of our partnership agreement with Libros New Mexico Book Arts Guild, its members have been invited to participate in these exhibits and events. All of the guidelines below apply to Libros members as well.

Submission Guidelines

Each BAG member is entitled to submit up to two pieces of book art for the exhibits. If you submit a collaborative, that book will count as one of the two books allowed for each of the submitters (only submit one form, please).

All entries must be clean and dry, and produced by the submitting BAG member. Credit for any books displayed will identify only the member who submits the piece. If some parts of the book have been produced by someone other the member, it is up to you to inform that person that acknowledgement for the piece will be given solely to the submitter.

Because our venues are supported by public funds, entries must be free of political content and explicit sexual content.

Curating the Exhibits

An Exhibits Committee has been formed to curate the exhibits. It is the intent that each piece submitted will be displayed in at least one venue.

Please note that wall pieces will be displayed without any protective display cases or barriers, and depending on space availability, some three-dimensional entries may also be displayed without any protective display cases. Every effort will be made to display all entries securely and safely to minimize the possibility of damage.

By submitting your artwork you do so with the understanding and agreement that that the Exhibit Committee has permission to display the books in a manner that is appropriate for the exhibition and within the space allocated.

For the SFCC Exhibit, pieces will be displayed by the staff at the Fine Arts Gallery.

Entry Fee

There is a non-refundable fee of $10 for each entry. You may pay this through PayPal (see below) or by check (see form).

To pay for ONE entry on PayPal, go here: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=NFBDJWAAAMYHS

To pay for TWO entries on PayPal, go here: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=RN8VATCNDDP5C

Photographs

You must submit one photo of each piece by Tuesday, August 1, 2023. You may submit photos electronically to santafebag.artwork@gmail.com or provide them on a flash drive by August 1. Please name the photos as follows:

yourlastname-yourfirstname-name-of-piece.jpg (or .png—both file types are acceptable)

So for example: filatoff-julie-into-the-briny-deep.jpg

By submitting your photograph you are granting BAG permission to use your photos for publicity purposes such as inclusion in exhibit catalogs, published matter, promotional materials, and websites.

Additionally, you are granting permission for exhibit visitors to take photos of your pieces for their personal and non-commercial use.

A photo of each entry, including the title and the name of the artist, will be published on the BAG website and in the show catalog.

Delivery Guidelines: Hand Deliveries

The deadline for all entries is Tuesday, August 1, 2023.

Please be sure to include the completed and signed Application Form with your entry. If you are paying by check, please include the check with the application form.

You may submit artwork at any in-person BAG meeting prior to August 1.

You may also submit artwork by appointment at any of the following locations no later than August 1.

Central Santa Fe: Helen Fabel, (505) 316-6801 (text only) or (505) 988-1879 (calling/messages), helenfabel@comcast.net

Santa Fe Southside: Will Karp, (505) 231-0054, willkarp@comcast.net

Albuquerque: Susan Wright, (678) 899-0509, wrightsusan277@gmail.com

You must submit each entry in a closed box with any appropriate protective materials. You may include display instructions, photos, and written preferences. Every attempt will be made to present your book as you wish, but there is no guarantee that will occur, and you submit your books with the understating and agreement that the final presentation configuration is at the sole discretion of the Exhibit Committee.

The Exhibit Committee will contact you after April 2024 to arrange the return of your artwork.

You may not remove any piece selected for the exhibit before the shows’ conclusion. Any pieces that you do not pick up will be held and distributed at a future BAG meeting or by appointment.

Delivery Guidelines: Mailed Artwork

The deadline to receive all entries is Tuesday, August 1, 2023.

Please package artwork securely and safely in a box:

If mailing by US Post Office: BAG, PO Box 4332, Santa Fe, NM 87502-4332.

If mailing by UPS or FedEx, please email santafebag.artwork@gmail.com for instructions.

Please include the completed and signed Application Form with your entry. If you are paying by check, please include the check with the application form.

Please send an email to santafebag.artwork@gmail.com when you mail the package with any tracking information (if applicable) so that we can check with the Post Office or UPS or FedEx if the package is slow in arriving.

The Exhibit Committee will mail back your piece(s) to you after April 2024. If your address changes between August 1, 2023, and April 1, 2024, it is your responsibility to inform BAG via email at santafebag.artwork@gmail.com. BAG is not responsible for lost packages. The cost of mailing will be the responsibility of the applicant.

Storage

It is BAG’s intention to store all entries before and between exhibits in a climate-controlled storage unit. Please be aware that entries may be stored or on exhibit until April 30, 2024.

Artistic Guidelines

Entries are meant to “show the artist’s hand”: that is, they demonstrate a high degree of handmade work and limited pre-made components. Techniques encouraged include the judicial use of handmade papers, natural materials, found objects and materials, altered books, calligraphy, photography, watercolor and other original hand-painted images, and embellishments. Spiral bindings and other commercially available binding schemes are discouraged. Minimize the use of pre-fabricated elements, photos, snapshots, logos, or recognizable symbols that might interfere with presenting a unique design.

Size Requirements

Consider the size of your pieces. It is possible that we may be limited in displaying overly large pieces because of limited amount of wall space, pedestals, or other display cases.

Wall Pieces

You are strongly encouraged to consider submitting wall pieces as your entry. There is much more wall space available than vitrines and shelves, and your submittal would be more likely to be exhibited in more than one of the exhibits.

You may use Plexiglas or other protective materials if desired.

Wall pieces must be pre-wired and be ready to hang.

Copyright

All material entered must be free of copyright infringement, and the submitter must certify that it is free of any copyright issues. It is solely up to the artist to take full responsibility for assuring that the piece is copyright-free or clearly documented to be free of any infringements. Care needs to be taken with using poetry, quotes, text, etc., that are generally (but not always) copyright-free 70 years after the author’s death. Some Native American symbols and designs may be prohibited as well as certain cartoons. Rights to use songs, lyrics, and quotes may also have restrictions that need to be verified by the submitter. Please submit documentation with your application that you have permission to use any copyright material.

Insurance and Liablity

Theft and vandalism have not been issues in past exhibits; however, artists need to be aware of the potential for loss or damage to their work.

Between the times the entries are submitted to BAG and returned to the artis, every effort will be made to protect submitted artworks. Please note that BAG and the individuals and facilities holding and storing the submittals prior to or after the show shall assume no responsibility or liability for loss or damage. By signing the Application Form, the owner or submitter of the artwork agrees to relieve BAG and its members from any and all liability for the artwork submitted. You may wish to contact your personal insurer if you have any questions regarding liability insurance.

Sales

The artist has the option to state whether or not the book is for sale. Interested buyers may contact the artist directly or contact BAG (in which case we will notify you of the interested party). BAG has no rights or interest in any negotiations or sales made privately between the artist and the buyer.

Our Hosts

Please keep in mind that we are the guests of the Exhibit facilities. It is not a foregone conclusion that we will continue to be invited in the future, so we ask that when you communicate with our hosts, you acknowledge our appreciation for their hospitality and consideration.

Totem Mobile Salon with Kim Walter

The Totem Mobile Salon with Kim Walter will be on Sunday, September 17, 2023, from 1 pm to 4 pm. It will be in person at Kim’s house in downtown Santa Fe near the Capitol. The address will be provided upon confirmed registration. To attend you must be current on 2023 BAG dues. To register, email Gail Murray at gail@gpmurray.com. There is a maximum of six participants; after six, Gail will start a waiting list.

We will build a personal paper totem mobile based on how we see ourselves and how others see us. There are surprises along the way, because the session is all about observation, creativity, and fun. Each participant will walk away with their personal totem. The process is as much fun as the end result!

You may pay the salon fee of $20 (cash or check, payable to Kim Walter) on the day of the Salon. Kim will supply all materials and snacks.

Kim Walter was trained in the corporate world to manage interpersonal relationships, especially among creatives such as writers, editors, photographers, food stylists, art directors, illustrators, and publishers. She found art journaling in 2010, and has never looked back.

New Collaborative Book; Signup Deadline is April 15, 2023

Santa Fe Book Arts Group is leading a joint collaborative book for BAG and Libros New Mexico Book Arts Guild. This will be BAG’s 2023 collaborative book.

The structure will be a drum leaf binding, proposed by Gail Murray, and based on a drum leaf binding designed by Elizabeth McKee for a workshop she taught this year. The theme is “geometry.”  Pages will be 5” x 10”, folded to 5” x 5” for the book. Pages will be attached back-to-back, and only the front side of each page will be visible in the completed book. Participants are expected to use Arches Text Wove paper for their pages.

The deadline to sign up is Saturday, April 15, 2023; email Linda Zwick at lindazwick55@yahoo.com to sign up.

By the end of April participants will be notified of the number of pages to make. Pages will be due by Friday, July 21, 2023. Compilation meetings will be scheduled in mid-August, probably the week of August 14 and/or the week of August 21, on Zoom, in-person, or hybrid.

Participants must be a current member of either BAG or Libros.

Call For Submission: Westward Bound II

Westward Bound II | August 17 – September 10, 2023

This is a national juried exhibition, open to artists at least 18 years of age. Eligible are artists’ book works either created by artists living/working in The American West or artists’ book works with content relevant to The American West.

Westward Bound II will be on view from August 17 – September 10, 2023 at Spark Gallery in Denver’s Art District on Santa Fe.

Important Dates

  • March 5, 2023: Online submissions open.
  • June 18, 2023: Deadline for submissions & payment to be received.
  • July 3, 2023: Announcement of accepted works via e-mail.
  • July 31, 2023: Deadline for work to be received by Abecedarian Artists’ Books.
  • August 17, 2023: First day of exhibit at Spark Gallery.
  • September 10, 2023: Last day of exhibit at Spark Gallery.
  • Week of September 11, 2023: Unsold work returned to artists.

Details about artists’ reception + other events TBA

Submit work at https://abecedariangallery.com/store/call-for-submission-westward-bound-ii/

Eligibility and Media

This exhibition is open to any artist 18 years of age or older. Artists living outside the United States should email prior to submission so that additional non-US exhibitor guidelines can be discussed.

Eligible are any artists’ book-works (editioned or unique) created by an artist working in The American West OR with content that relates to The American West.

What is The American West?

Virtually every part of the United States except the Eastern Seaboard has been “the West” at some point in American history, linked in popular imagination with the last frontier of American settlement. For purposes of this exhibition, The American West refers to that vast stretch of plains, mountains, and deserts west of the Mississippi and so includes states now considered the mid-west (such as the Dakotas, Kansas, Nebraska, and so forth).

Before submitting, please note that book works that are larger than 16 inches in any dimension when closed may be challenging to display fully open.

Please also note that the number of protective cases is limited – most works will be displayed on open pedestals or shelving.

Maximum of 2 works may be submitted per artist.

Selections will be made by Anna Bernhard, Director, Stanley G. Wold Resource Center and Library, at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado. Anna is also Director and co-founder of CABIN (Center for Artists’ Books and Inclusive Narratives).

Fees/Submission

Entry fee for this exhibit is $18 for each submission. Full-time students and/or those identifying as BIPOC or LGBTQ can opt to pay a lesser fee of $12 for each submission.

You needn’t enter your submissions all at the same time. Submission for this exhibition is by file upload only.

Each book submission must include 2-6 images. Links to short videos showing the work are also encouraged.

Please send gallery quality images without background clutter or text. DO NOT send composite images or images with embedded text. If your work is accepted for exhibition, the images you submit, along with the text you provide will be used for print & digital publicity.

Please note that you will not be able to change any information submitted at time of entry, including the price, after the submission process.

Sales

It is expected that all work exhibited be for sale. The prices you submit during the submission process are the retail prices Abecedarian Artists’ Books will adhere to throughout the duration of the exhibition. Abecedarian retains a 40% commission on works sold by Abecedarian during and following the exhibit.

Catalog

There will be an online catalog which will remain online during and after the exhibition.

Accepted Entries

Works must be delivered ready for installation/display. Curator reserves the right not to exhibit any work inaccurately represented by the digital entry, that arrives damaged, is not properly prepared for exhibition or is deemed too fragile for effective display

Display/Insurance/Rights

Book works will be exhibited on pedestals or shelving. On acceptance to the exhibition, a consignment agreement, insurance agreement and delivery guidelines will be sent to each participating artist, along with any additional information or updates.

Artists are advised to provide their own insurance coverage and will be asked to complete and return an insurance waiver.

Insurance in transit to and from Abecedarian Artists’ Books is the responsibility of the artist.

It is expected that submitting artists are not violating any stated or implied relationship with another gallery or dealer by submitting work for this exhibition and that the artist/creator of the work is not in violation of any copyright laws.

Agreement

Submission of entry constitutes agreement to all conditions in this prospectus. The artist agrees that images of selected artwork and the submitted text can be used by Abecedarian Artists’ Books and Spark Gallery for promotions and publications.

* Instructions for submission fee payment will be sent via e-mail on receipt of submission.

**Detailed image preparation and naming guidelines can be found on the online entry form.

Call for Entries: Anything Goes, July 7-15, 2023

Libros New Mexico Book Arts Guild and Santa Fe Book Arts Group are having a joint show, “Anything Goes,” at the Tortuga Gallery in Albuquerque.

The show will be held Friday, July 7, through Saturday, July 15, 2023. The show is open to members in good standing only. This is a collaborative show and any member from either group is encouraged to enter. Click here to download the application.

APPLICATION: The deadline to submit application, photo, and NON-REFUNDABLE of $5 fee per piece is May 15, 2023. Each piece entered must be submitted with its own application, photo, and $5 fee. Any type of artwork that is made by a Libros/SF BAG member is allowed, not just artist’s books. All work must be made by the member. All entries will be reviewed by jury for appropriateness and size (due to space). There is no commission fee taken on the sale of any artwork; all sales will go directly to the artist. There is no limit to the quantity of pieces an artist can submit; however, if we get an overwhelming response and space becomes limited, we may have to put a limitation of quantity in place. If pieces submitted require a unique or specialized display prop then the artist needs to provide it. We would like to use the photos submitted for marketing purposes so, if you don’t want your photo used check the box on the form. Note: if any Libros/SF BAG member wants assistance in the application process (whether with photos, forms, or computer assistance), you may contact Susan Wright at wrightsusan277@gmail.com or 678-899-0509 to receive help. We truly want all members to have the opportunity to submit.

In addition to works of art by members, we will allow some selling of materials such as handmade cards, hand-mixed paints or dyes, or handmade papers or packets of interesting ephemera, papers, etc. All materials must have professional-looking packaging. Each artist wanting to sell materials will pay a $5 fee and then a 10% commission on all sold items. Each type of item to be sold must have its own application. There is no commission taken on the sale of any art piece, only on material packets/cards.

We will have the ability to take credit card sales and any transaction fees will be deducted from the artist sales amount. All applicants will be responsible for paying their own gross receipts tax and responsible for reporting the income to the IRS. Libros and BAG take no responsibility for either item. There will be no tax added to the sales price at the gallery. So, sales price must include everything and the artist will be responsible for gross receipts tax (sales tax), income tax, and credit card fees. Send entry applications, photos, and fee to Susan Wright by mail or drop off to 4612 Eastern Ave. SE, Albuquerque, NM 87108 to arrive no later than May 15, 2023. Make checks out to Susan Wright.

ARTWORK INTAKE: The intake of all artwork and materials to be sold will take place on Thursday, July 6, 2022 from 10 am to 12 noon. Artwork and materials must be dropped off during these hours or contact Susan Wright to make special arrangements. If you live out of the area and want to mail your entries in then send them to Susan Wright, 4612 Eastern Ave. SE, Albuquerque, NM 87108 to arrive no later than July 1, 2023. Susan will make arrangements to get them back to you if unsold; shipping fees will be due once assessed.

SHOW HOURS: The opening reception of the show will be on Friday, July 7, 2023, from 4 pm to 7 pm. The show will run through Saturday, July 15, 2023 during the hours of 11 am to 5 pm each day except for the last Saturday because we will take down the show starting at 4 pm on July 15.

OPENING RECEPTION: The opening reception will take place on Friday, July 7 from 4 to 7 pm.

SHOW TAKEDOWN: All artists MUST pick up their unsold work/materials on Saturday, July 15, 2023, from 4 pm to 5 pm.

SITTING THE GALLERY: We will need a large team of gallery sitters comprised of the Libros/SF BAG members to sit the gallery all the hours the show is open. Please check the box below if you are willing to help sit the gallery.

LIABILITY: Libros, BAG, and Tortuga Gallery accept no responsibility or liability for any damage or theft of artwork submitted. However, we will be as diligent as possible in caring for the artwork. Libros, BAG, and Tortuga are also not responsible for any accidents. Receipt of your application assumes you agree to this policy.

Monthly Art Challenges Announced

Mail Art–12 in ’23: Color

Each month you will create a 4×6 postcard (using cardstock) that focuses on one color.

Then email Linda Zwick (lindazwick55@yahoo.com) with your address before the third Saturday of the month. She will email you the name and address of your recipient the next week.

You have the entire month to work on your card. Please mail it to your mail art recipient by the end of the month. (For example, if you sign up in December for the January mail art, please mail your card by the end of January.)

Also email a photograph of your card to BAG (santafebag@gmail.com). These images will be used on social media, the BAG website, and occasional BAG slideshows. If you would prefer not to have your card exhibited in any of these venues, please just skip sending in an image.

Anything Goes! Adventures in Art: Famous Artists

Create a piece of art, any size, shape, and with whatever materials you choose.

There is no assigned exchange involved in this project, so send to anyone you like or keep for yourself.

Please photograph and email an image of your creation to BAG (santafebag@gmail.com) by the end of the next month. As with Mail Art, your image may be used on social media, the BAG website, and for a Zoom presentation. Emailing an image serves as your permission for BAG to use this photo of your art.

BAG President Linda Zwick has given us a challenge. Create a piece of art of any kind (no limitations on size or structure), send to friends and family if you like, and send a photo to santafebag@gmail.com (for posting on the website and social media, and inclusion in a likely future slideshow at a BAG membership meeting). The themes are just suggestions; create whatever suits your fancy!

Click the links below to see examples of the artists’ work.

January

January 28 is Jackson Pollock’s birth anniversary. Experiment with poured paint and spatter!

February

In February 2022, Cuban-born artist Carmen Herrera died at age 106, having worked in relative anonymity until age 89. Experiment with abstract geometric shapes.

March

In March 1891, Georges Seurat died at the age of 31. Following his lead, experiment with techniques he devised: chromoluminarism and pointillism, or use Conte crayon to draw on rough surfaced paper.

April

Lyubov Popova was a Russian avant-garde artist. This month, try your hand at Suprematist art, that is, focus on pure artistic feeling rather than on visual depiction of objects.

May

Barbara Kruger is a contemporary artist most well known for her collage style consisting of black-and-white photographs overlaid with declarative captions. Suggestion: create a collage of an image overlaid with text.

June

M.C. Escher was a Dutch graphic artist who made mathematically inspired woodcuts, lithographs, and mezzotints. As noted in Wikipedia, “his work features mathematical objects and operations including impossible objects, explorations of infinity…truncated and stellated polyhedra, hyberolic geometry, and tessellations.” Suggestion: create an exploration of infinity or mathematical objects.

July

Chuck Close was a visual artist, photographer, painter, and printmaker who made many abstract portraits of himself and others. He is known for many styles of artwork, including tapestry portraits and portraits made of many miniature photographs. Suggestion: play with a portrait or self-portrait with a unique design.

August

We all, I bet, know of Andy Warhol, who was a leading figure in the pop art movement. Suggestion: step away from fine art and experiment with imagery from popular culture, that is, focus on a mundane image from an ironic view.

September

Alma Thomas became known for “exuberant, colorful abstract paintings” (per Wikipedia). She had a long career teaching art and did not become a professional artist until about age 68. About this time, she developed a style of pointillism using dramatic contrasts of colors in a mosaic style; most of her works have circular, horizonal, or vertical patterns.  Suggestion: experiment with contrasting colors in mosaic configurations.

October

John Dwyer McLaughlin was an abstract painter and a pioneer in minimalism and “hard edge” painting, in which abrupt changes occur between color areas that are often of unvarying shades. This style of paining is related to color field painting (see December challenge). Suggestion: create an image of bold shapes and strong colors.

November

Margarete Bagshaw was born in November 1964. She died (an untimely death) in 2015. She was a member of Santa Clara Pueblo; her grandmother Pablita Velarde and her mother Helen Hardin were both famous New Mexico artists. Bagshaw was a modernist artist and many of Bagshaw’s paintings incorporate designs based on the Fibonacci sequence, a mathematical formula that’s called “nature’s secret code” or “nature’s universal rule” (an example being the shape of the nautilus shell). Experiment with harmonious components in a piece.

December

Helen Frankenthaler was an American abstract expressionist painter. Per Wikipedia, “her style is notable on its emphasis on spontaneity.” In 1960, the term “color field painting” was used to describe her work. According to Wikipedia, Frankenthaler often painted on unprimed canvas with oil paints heavily diluted with turpentine, a technique she termed “soak stain.” Suggestion: create an image based on “color field” design, using large areas of color and hues similar in tone or intensity.

Tribute to Douglass Rankin (with link)

Recently we said goodbye to a dear friend, Douglass Rankin.

Douglass was a potter, poet, photographer, printmaker, pastepaper marker, postage stamp collector, mail art maker, journal keeper, book artist, beekeeper, butterfly counter, bird and fish watcher, cat lover, gardener, cook, hiker, star gazer, traveler of paths least traveled, wife of Will Ruggles, and most of all, a great book arts friend. We miss you, Douglass!

The photography in the slideshow tribute was supplied by Gail Murray, Dorothy Rankin, and Douglass herself. Paul Murray assisted with the technical aspect of the slideshow, which you can view at https://santafebag.org/2022/11/07/tribute-to-douglass-rankin/.

2023 Membership Dues Increase

The Santa Fe Book Arts Group Board voted to raise membership dues to $40 annually as of January 1, 2023. This is the first dues increase in several years. Members who renew by December 31, 2022, however, can do so at the 2022 rate of $30.

Over the years Santa Fe BAG has consistently expanded the number and breadth of programs we offer as a membership benefit. Programs include meetings, workshops, presentations, and exhibition opportunities. This dues increase will enable us to continue to support and enhance our broad range of programming, because we are committed to supporting your growth as book and paper artists.

Renew today! Visit https://santafebag.org/join-or-renew-bag-membership/.

Artwork by Douglass Rankin.

Two More Paper Engineering Projects

Today at the end of the BAG meeting Sally Blakemore will demonstrate two more paper engineering projects. This is part of an ongoing series for those working on the “Santa Fe Origins” collaborative book, and anyone interested in paper engineering.

First are the animated tabs and pulls. This mechanic operates with multiple slots through the front that contain items that lift when the tab is pulled down. Use it for any kind of reveal-and-conceal idea; for example, bugs under leaves or birds flying up or dancers or a village where the houses and the trees pop up.

You can add as many windows and struts as you wish.

Click on any photo to enlarge.

Click on the diagram to open it in a new window to download and print.

The second mechanic is the two-track wheel with two windows. This can be used for showing comparative things. In her example, Sally has humorously shown things you can accidentally run over with your car in New Mexico: snakes, tarantulas, scorpions, stink bugs, rabbits, chipmunks, ravens, beetles, and more. (Don’t worry, folks—it’s not real.)

Click on the diagram to open it in a new window to download and print.

Book Arts Bugs Abound at the Santa Fe Children’s Museum

Thanks to BAG members Sally Blakemore, Barb Macks, Helen Fabel, and Lynn Grimes, Santa Fe kids are going to look at bugs in a whole new way. Recently the four artists decorated two windows at the Santa Fe Children’s Museum: one with Nature Bugs and one with Urban Bugs.

“The installations are a wildly diverse experiment using materials as inspiration,” said Sally. “We created a Mylar ‘waterfall’ filled with bugs made from repurposed cookbooks from Kitchenality and Barb’s Tyvek color experiments.”

While working on the installation, the team heard that Eric Carle died. “Eric was a beloved children’s writer and illustrator who created bugs from paper and was one of our heroes of children’s publishing,” explained Sally, “so we dedicated the whole Bug exhibit to his memory.” The 91-year-old author was best known for his book “The Very Hungry Caterpillar.”

The BAG Bug Team also created kits for the Museum’s Garden Camp that starts in June.

The Santa Fe Children’s Museum is at 1050 Old Pecos Trail, Santa Fe, NM 87505; visit https://santafechildrensmuseum.org/ or call (505) 989-8359 for more information. The bug windows are in the Lego building and will be on exhibit through September 2021.

Here are a few photos of the Bug Team at work.

Two Pop-Up Designs by Sally Blakemore

Sally Blakemore, BAG’s Artist-in-Residence, will be demonstrating pop-up engineering at the BAG member meeting on Saturday, April 10, 2021. She will do this because it’s fun, but also to help those who are interested in being part of the “City of Mud” large pop-up book project. Here are two of Sally’s designs. Click on the image to open in a new tab.

A Pandemic Remembrance

BAG member Austa Oliver created a greeting to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the pandemic. “I want to wish all BAG members well as we have just finished a year of hibernating,” explained Austa. “I made the word cloud (below) at the beginning…on 3-12-2020. And on 3-12-2021, I decided the part about changing my age number! Just a thought, as we all think about how long this has all been going on.”

See Austa’s artwork below. (If you’re receiving this via email, click on the title of this post–A Pandemic Remembrance, above–to view it in a web browser.)

Valentines by BAG Members

What a talented, loving bunch of people are BAG members! We received photos of more than 50 valentines from these artists: Ruth Anna Abigail, Monica Andersen, Tracy Armagost, Ashisha, Sally Blakemore, Kim Burkholder, Jill Cowley, Andrea Cypress, Freya Diamond, Liz Faust, Julie Filatoff, Leah Gibbons, Cathleen Higgins, Marjie Kamine, Cynthia Leespring, Elizabeth McKee, Pat Moses, Mavis Murphy, Gail Murray, Austa Oliver, Victoria Rabinowe, Douglass Rankin, Helen Spielman, Susan Surprise, Kim Walter, and Amy Thompson West.

Click on any image to start the slideshow. Click the < or > arrows to advance; click X to close. You can also view a .pdf document with artists’ names here (large file).

Why BAG? A Visual Explanation

At the December 2020 membership meeting, Kim Burkholder led us in an exercise to create a “Word Cloud” by submitting words/terms of what comes to mind when we think of BAG, or what we are thankful for about BAG. She used the tool at Menti.com, and the larger the word and more centrally located, the more people submitted it.

Below is a screenshot; click to enlarge. You can also see it by clicking here.

Why BAG? A Word Cloud

2020 Year-End Greeting Card Project

Because we won’t be able to gather in person at our Annual Meeting on December, we asked BAG members to send their year-end greetings digitally.

We’ll continue to update this page as we receive more cards, so check back!

Click on any image to start the slideshow. Click on the < and > arrows to go forward and backward. Use the X to close the window and come back to this post.

Year-End Greeting Card Project

Because we won’t be able to meet in person at our Annual Meeting in December, we would like to give you an opportunity send your year-end greetings to your BAG friends.

All members are encouraged to make a greeting card. It can be a holiday card (Christmas, Hanukah, Solstice, Kwanzaa, New Year’s, or any other holiday you want to celebrate). It can be a card that communicates any message you want to send out in December that is not linked to a specific holiday.  You are artists; I don’t have to explain the concept of “no rules.”

Once you have completed your card, photograph it and send the photo to elizfaust@gmail.com no later than Tuesday, December 1. You can send a single photo of the front of the card or two photos—one of the front of the card and one of the inside. These will be assembled into an online gallery that will be posted on the BAG website. Also, send me a greeting from you to other BAG members. This greeting will be displayed along with the images of your card.

Cards can be any size and shape that you can dream up. If you would like some help kickstarting your creative process, our Artist in Residence, Sally Blakemore, has designed some pop-up templates that you can use as a starting point for your design. The templates are listed below.

Liz Faust

Sally’s Templates

All of these are just formats, so I encourage artists to just the the idea for themselves and do something totally in their own styles!

 

Tiny Book Holiday Greeting Tree

Download the template here.

Tyvek (FedEx Envelope)
Angel Wing Prayer Flag

Slot Movement Mechanic
(Butterfly, Bird, Bee,
Sugarplum Fairy—
Anything That Flies)

Download the butterfly template here.

 

Download the bird template here.

Skinny Comet
Pop-Up Card Using
Mylar for the Comet

Download the template here.

Soft Pop-Ups
Using Florals Made of
Tyvek and Paper,
Platforms Stacked

Download the template here.

Slot Designs:
Floral or Cactus Pop-Ups

Download the template here.

Pop-Up Basketball Court
(Can be Adapted to
Fireplace With Hanging
Christmas Stocking)

Download the template here.

 

Order Now: Pantone Postcard Book

Pantone Postcard Project: Mail Art 2017-2019

217 full-color pages! This book showcases a collection of mail art postcards from members of the Santa Fe Book Arts Group. It is a visual fiesta, a diverse exploration of art that illustrates the range of talent within the BAG membership, keeping alive the mail art tradition.

This book tells the story of the two-year project, fashioned after Emily Martin’s similar project. The project was based on the Pantone Matching System (PMS), considered the “universal color language” used in art and industry. The cards, created by 54 members of BAG, are original and very creative.

You can order the book here: https://www.blurb.com/b/10438615-pantone-postcard-project

Left, The “plain” Pantone postcards that artists used as the basis for their artwork. Right, the cover of the book showing a selection of the cards by 54 artists. Click to enlarge the photos.