Sumer Time, Summer Time, Sum Sum Summertime and Books

Hello Everyone:

Sitting at my window today, I am enjoying the wetness of the day and marveling at the beautiful greens from the trees and grass as the dust of the past week is washed off of them. Lady summer has arrived in a splash of heat and humidity – what a great week it has been. 

New Work

Story Rooms 

The first story room I created was Harvey Hornet’s Writing Room.  I recently completed the second one – Lydia Ladybug’s Flower Room.  This one is for my granddaughter’s birthday.  As I created this one I started thinking about other story rooms that I may create.  I have a number of them lined up to be created over the coming year. 

Lydia Ladybug's Flower Room

   Lydia Ladybug's Flower Room Side view

Lydia Ladybug's Flower Room - back view.  The materials I used to make this story room are: fabric, decorative papers, Davey board, metal, wood, photo, peacock feathers, dried wild cucumber blooms, pismire wings, maple keys and felt. 

Lydia Ladybug's helper

 

Open story book about Lydia Ladybug's Flower Room

 Closed Story Book - FlutterBook

 Pictures and story inside the story book about Lydia Ladybug's Flower Room

The books under the flower room

So what is a story room?  It’s a room I make with book board, decorative papers and found objects.  I start with an idea, usually coming from a found object, i.e. hornet’s nest, dried wild cucumber blooms, and then a story starts to build in my head.  From there I build the room and under each room I put a set of books.  Each room comes with its own story, which I write and incorporate into one of the books.

 Student Work

I recently completed the spring bookbinding course at the Ottawa School of Art and a number of weekend workshops.  I am always amazed at where students take what they have learned in class, and expand on it using their imagination and creativity.  Some beautiful books have again been created.

Eva made this for her daughter's birthday

Another of Eva's amazing creations

Madeleine's Tunnel Book about how she enjoys riding her bike.   

The open version of Madeleine's Tunnel Book.  Fabulously colourful, humorous and artistic.  Her hanging geese gave the impression of flight. 

 Amy's beautiful leather Explorer's Journal.  The leather was embossed with futuristic designs which Amy used to incorporate her closure. 

 Amy braided cotton thread and incorporated a piece of lava rock to complete the closure. 

 The interior of her book. 

Doreen's leather Explorer's Journal was made from a faux reptile stamped leather.  She incorporated a hand made glass bead for the closure and French style stitching. 

The interior of Doreen's book. 

  

EXHIBITS

The Instructors’ Exhibit at the Ottawa School of Art Orleans Campus at the Shenkman Arts Centre, 245 Centrum Boulevard, opened on June 7^th and runs to July 21, 2013.  The vernissage and an opportunity to meet the artists will be on July 7^th from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. 

The Instructors’ Exhibit at the Ottawa School of Art George Street Campus will open on August 1 and run to August 29, 2013.  The vernissage and an opportunity to meet the artists will be on August 1 from 5:00 to 8:00 pm.

The Eastern Ontario Contemporary Book Artists exhibit has moved to the Marianne van Silfhout Gallery at St. Lawrence College in Brockville at 2288 Parkdale Avenue. The exhibit is from June 21 to July 20, 2013.  One of my books in this exhibit has been purchased by Queen’s University and will be in the permanent collection at the W.D. Jordan Library. 

Summer Workshops and Courses

July

George Street Campus Workshops

·        July 6 -  1:00 – 4:00 pm – Box Making

·        July 13 -  1:00 – 4:00 pm – Paper Decorating – Marbling, Paste Paper

·        July 20 – 1:00 – 4:00 pm – Flowers and Folding Books

Orleans Campus – Workshops and Course

·        July 27 – 10:00 – 4:30 pm – Music, Abstract Art, Dada Poetry and Bookbinding Workshop – course code S13SWS6

·        July 31 – August 28 – Monday and Wednesday evenings: 6:00 – 9:00 pm

o       Book Arts Intro – Course Code S13S040B

August

George Street Campus Workshops

·        August 3 – 1:00 – 4:00 pm – Box Making

·        August 10 – 1:00 – 4:00 pm – Paper Decorating – Marbling, Paste Paper

·        August 24 – 1:00 – 4:00 pm – Flowers and Folding Books

Orleans Campus Workshop

·        August 17 – 10:00 – 4:30 pm – Hanging Puzzle Book – course code: S13SWS7

• Registration for the workshops and courses is through the Ottawa School of Art

By phone; George Street – 613-241-7471/ Orleans Campus: 613-580-2765

By e-mail: George Street: info@artottawa.ca/ Orleans Campus: osao.info@artottawa.ca.

That's all the news for now.  Have a happy Canada Day and a great summer filled with sun and fun.

If you have any questions about my books, courses or workshops, please feel free to contact me at: bbinder999@gmail.com. 

Mary

COURSES, WORKSHOPS, FAIRS AND FESTIVALS

Summer is very quickly approaching, the sun has been shining on us and the grass and trees have turned a beautiful green.  This summer is going to be busy.  The book arts course I am currently teaching is moving along nicely, and the students had the opportunity to look at some of the contemporary artist books at the Library and Archives at the National Gallery of Canada, a couple of weeks ago.

There are still a couple of spring workshops available before we head into the summer programming.    

MAY & JUNE WORKSHOPS

May 25 & 26, 2013 – 10:00 – 4:30 pm – Japanese Hidden Compartment Box

This is a two day workshop at the Orleans Campus in the Shenkman Arts Centre.  This box when opened in one direction has one compartment and when turned around and opened has two compartments.  The box is a compilation of four boxes with lids.  This workshop is a great deal of fun and at the end of the weekend you get to take home an artistic box.

Registration is through the Ottawa School of Art: by phone: 613-580-2765, or by e-mail: osao.info@artottawa.ca.  To see the course information go to: www.artottawa.ca, Orleans, General Interest. 

June 8, 2013 – 10:00 – 4:30 pm – Explorer’s Leather Journal

This is a one-day workshop at the Orleans Campus in the Shenkman Arts Centre.  You will learn how to work with paper and leather to create a beautiful explorer’s journal. 

Registration is through the Ottawa School of Art: by phone: 613-580-2765, or by e-mail: osao.info@artottawa.ca.  To see the course information go to: www.artottawa.ca, Orleans, General Interest.

SUMMER COURSES AND WORKSHOPS  

Here is the lineup for the summer workshops and courses at both campuses of the Ottawa School of Art.  The July and August courses run two nights a week for four weeks.  The new and interesting workshops at the downtown campus are Saturday afternoons from 1:00 to 4:00 pm.  There are two exciting workshops at the Orleans Campus.  For more information and registration, go to www.artottawa.ca and click on General Interest.

SUMMER 2013
George Street Campus	Orleans Campus
July 2 – 25 –  Book Arts Tuesdays/Thursdays – 6:30 – 9:30 pm	July 3 – 29 – Mondays/Wednesdays – 6:00 – 9:00 pm – The Art of Box Making 13S040A
August 1 – 27, 2013 – Book Arts Tuesdays/Thursdays 6:30 – 9:30 pm	July 31 – August 28 – Monday/Wednesdays 6:00 – 9:00 pm – Book Arts Intro – S13S040B
SUMMER WORKSHOPS
July 6 – Box Making 1:00 – 4:00	July 27 10 – 4:30 – Dada – S13SWS6
July 13 – Paper Decorating – 1:00 – 4:00	August 17 – 10:00 – 4:30  Hanging Puzzle Book – S13SWS7
July 20 – Flowers & Folding Books – 1:00 – 4:00	Registration:  Through the Ottawa School of Art:
August 3 – Box Making 1:00 – 4:00	George Street:  info@artottawa.ca 613-241-7471
August 10 – Paper Decorating – 1:00 – 4:00	Orleans Campus: osao.info@artottawa.ca 613-580-2765
August 24 – Flowers & Folding Books

FESTIVALS AND FAIRS

 

I have been accepted to participate in the ORLEANS FESTIVAL on June 1^st and 2^nd.  I will be selling my books and demonstrating how to make books.  This is the first year I am attending this festival and I am looking forward to participating in it. For more information about the festival go to: www.orleansfestival.ca.  Come out and have some fun and stop by my booth to say hi.    

On June 18^th from 11:00 – 5:00 pm I will be at the OTTAWA SMALL PRESS BOOK FAIR at the Jack Percell Centre, 2^nd floor, off of Elgin Street.  Come out and meet the writers and their new books.  Hope to see you there.

Wishng you a great summer filled with fun and activities.  I hope to see you in a class or at one of the festivals or fairs.

If you have any questions about the books, courses or workshops, please feel free to contact me.  I’ll be happy to answer your questions.

Mary

bbinder999@gmail.com

http://youtu.be/k8w13ewrOqg (please note the e-mail address on this video is no longer in use. 

www.artsoe.ca/MaryKritz 

Copyright, all rights reserved Mary Kritz

 

EXHIBITS ≈ BOOK FAIRS ≈ CLASSES ≈ AND ≈ COLLABORATION

HELLO

I hope this finds you all well and enjoying the sunshine.  It appears as though Old Man Winter is having a difficult time letting go of us and letting Lady Spring enter our lives.  I found it amazing how quickly the snow left after a few evenings of rain.  Soon we’ll see the spring flowers popping up. 

SPIRIT HOUSE EXHIBIT

The Spirit House exhibit was installed the first week of March at the Minto Suite Hotel on Lyon Street.  It will come down at the end of April.  If you haven’t seen it yet, there is still time. 

BOOK FAIRS 

There are two book fairs coming up in the next couple of months where I will be selling my work:

Book Arts Show 2013

Saturday, 4 May 2013, from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Library and Archives Canada,
395 Wellington St.,
Ottawa, Ontario.

Speakers and Demonstrations will be running all day.

Open to the public and admission is free.

The Show will provide many local artists with the opportunity to exhibit their explorations in the book arts. From the preservation of historic techniques to taking the book to a new level, book artists want you to see a book as a three-dimensional structure. The Book Arts Show and Sale provides a unique opportunity to meet these artists and discover the breadth of the book arts movement in Canada, including over 25 bookbinders, book artists, letterpress and fine press printers, printmakers, papermakers, paper marblers, calligraphers, book restoration artists and conservators, suppliers, and more.

All book lovers can explore the range of fine handcrafted products being created and will have the opportunity to purchase unique treasures or to start on a new creative journey of their own. The Book Arts Show and Sale is also an opportunity for book artists and bookbinders to meet others working in the related disciplines and to discover new techniques, methods, or materials.

This year’s event presents a wide variety of work both for exhibit and for sale, including one-of-a-kind artist books, letterpress broadsides and publications, livres d’artiste, and bookbinding supplies.

OTTAWA SMALL PRESS BOOK FAIR

June 15, 2013 – 12:00 to 5:00 pm

Jack Purcell Community Centre, 2^ND Floor  

320 Jack Purcell Lane

Ottawa, ON

CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS

Spring book binding and book arts classes are starting again. 

OTTAWA SCHOOL OF ART – 35 George Street Campus

April 17, 2013 – 9:00 am to 12:00 pm

To register:  www.artottawa.ca: general interest

By phone: 613-241-7471       be e-mail: info@artottawa.ca

WORKSHOPS – OTTAWA SCHOOL OF ART – Orleans Campus, 245 Centrum Blvd.

Japanese Hidden Compartment Box

Saturday and Sunday - May 25 – 26, 2013 – 10:00 am – 4:30 pm

This is an interesting and beautiful box.  When opened one way it has one compartment.  Turn it around and it has two compartments when opened.  It consists of four boxes in one, each with its own lid.  After completion of this box, participants will be able to apply their knowledge and skills to box making of any size and shape. 

To register:  www.artottawa.ca – general interest

By phone: 613-580-2765    by e-mail: osao.info@artottawa.ca

Two compartments

When turned around and opened, one compartment.

Explorer’s Journal

Saturday, June 8, 2013 – 10:00 am to 4:30 pm

This is a leather bound journal lined with Lokta paper.  Participants will learn how to line the leather cover.  They will create multiple signatures and stitch them into the cover using the French stitch. 

To register:  www.artottawa.ca – general interest

By phone: 613-580-2765    by e-mail: osao.info@artottawa.ca

NEW BOOKS

I have been busy creating books for the upcoming book fairs.  Here are some of the books that will be available for sale.

I recently purchased some Italian papers.  They are beautifully decorated and very attractive once incorporated into the book.  I reversed the process I usually use on this style of book.  The leather is on the inside. 

I also got a new template of a hibiscus flower.  Some of the pages of this journal have been hand embossed with the hibiscus flower in different sizes. 

I finally found out how to do the Secret Belgian Binding. 

Traditional Japanese Stab Bound books with Italian paper covers.  I have embossed the pages with the hibiscus flower. 

Here is a coptic bound book and one with the Secret Belgian binding. 

This is a forest green lamb skin, leather bound journal.  I lined it with a red Lokta paper and used a geode to decorate the turn over.  The braided tie is waxed cotton thread. 

I used the Italian paper for a fly leaf and embossed the pages with the hibiscus flower.

This is another lamb skin leather bound journal.  I used a piece of volcanic rock to decorate the cover. 

I lined the leather with a houndstooth decorated paper and made the fly leaf from hand marbled paper.  I used the suminagashi technique to marble this paper. 

The cover of this journal is made from a beautiful foil decorated paper in the design of snake skin.  I lined it with Lokta paper and used marbled paper for the fly leaf.  The closure is a labradorite ring and waxed cotton thread. 

These are single signature books with hard covers. 

In some I used the same paper for the fly leaf as I did for the cover.  In others I used marbled paper for the fly leaf. 

Cloth bound multiple signature books. 

I used the hand marbled papers for end/fly leafs. 

These are Coptic bound address books. I created it so there is one page per person.  Information gathered includes the standard as well as blog, website, birthdays and special occassions. 

 This is a stationery box.  It consists of three boxes in one.  The medallion on the top is a recycled brass necklace with an erect red lion on a blue background.

 The corners are covered in a playful, colourful design.  The feet are wooden beads. 

The interior has three compartments.  There are 20 blank notes with envelopes in the right and left hand side boxes.  The center box is for writing instruments.  I used a combination of floral designed papers and an elegant gold designed paper.  A touch of class with a little fun around the edges.  In the left and right hand boxes I incorporated a piece of paper from the corners - just had to bring the fun inside.  This box measures 13.25 X 7.25 x 2 inches (33.6 x 17.8 x 5 cm).

COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS

This year I am participating in two collaborative projects.  The first project is called Photographic Dialogue.  Ginger Burrell, a photographer and book artist from California initiated a year long photographic conversation with twenty-five participants.  One week we receive a photograph from Ginger and the following week we send her a photograph, in response to the one we received.  I have found this a great deal of fun and it has given me the opportunity to look beyond the visual image of the photograph to explore things like purpose, design and sound.  If you would like to learn more about the project, go to: http://picturingdialogue.wordpress.com.  At the end of the year I will create some photographic dialogue books from the images we have shared with one another. 

The second is an online project called The Noise Project – Labspace Studio in Toronto.  In this project we are given a prompt about noise and then are asked to use any medium to demonstrate the noise.  This has been a very interesting project that gets me to stretch my thinking about noise and how I can demonstrate it using photographic images.  As this is an international project, I find it very interesting how others interpret and present the concept of noise.  If you would like to learn more about this project, go to: www.thenoiseproject..net. 

That’s about all for now.  I hope to see you at one of the book fairs or possibly in a seat in one of the classes or workshops.  Have a great spring and enjoy the beautiful sound of the songbirds returning from the south. 

If you want to know more about my books or classes, please contact me at: bbinder999@gmail.com and I’ll be happy to have a discussion with you.

Mary

http://youtu.be/k8w13ewrOqg 

Just a note:  the e-mail on this video is no longer in use.