More than fit to print
Exhibition showcases the best of the book-making art
The 65 members of LIBROS — New Mexico Book Arts Guild are more artistic than literary. They create books in which the emphasis is on crafting the covers, the pages and the binding rather than the written word.
“It’s an art form in and of itself,” said Ginger Rice, the outgoing president of LIBROS.
During July, about a dozen LIBROS members will show their books in an exhibit titled “Read Write & Glue” at the South Broadway Public Library, 1025 Broadway SE.
The exhibit reflects the diversity of the artistry of making and designing books. Among the book artists, Rice said, are Mary Sweet, who will show her travel journal with watercolor paintings based on her trip to Greenland; Elizabeth McKee, who will show a large three-dimensional clamshell box called “Hey Diddle Diddle,” one of an edition of six; Dale Harris made a “magic box with a butterfly Jacob’s ladder-style book and other enclosures”; and Terrye Bullers, who crafted four books, one of them a multimedia memoir titled “Mother Says.”
In addition, the exhibit will present several collaborations. One collaboration is the work of 36 LIBROS members who participated in the making of a book called “’Zines.” Each participant created 36 ’zines so that every one of them has a full set, Rice said.
Another collaborative book in the exhibit is titled “Book Keeper, A Book Maker’s Log.” All 22 collaborators created their own set of decorative
border designs on facing pages.
In individual projects, the artists can be as creative as they want to be. “Some are sculptural books. Some are blank journals. Some do bookbinding. And others do altered books where they take an existing book by folding pages or cutting them or changing them in some way,” Rice said.
“And then some make covers of wood or of metal. The binding can be any style,” such as sewn-on tape or Copticstitched binding.
The handmade books LIBROS members create are in various sizes. For example, Candice Stanford made four miniature ornament books for the exhibit that are less than 2 inches in diameter, Rice said.
In connection with the exhibit, there will be a demonstration on the making of a pamphlet stitch binding. The free demonstration is from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, July 6, at the library.
“Anyone who comes into the library and wants to participate, we’ll show them how to do the binding. And they’ll walk away with something they have made. That way they can make their own bindings at home,” Rice explained.
She said members of the public who want to learn different bookmaking techniques are welcome to attend LIBROS meetings. At every meeting, there are different book-arts activities.
LIBROS meets monthly, except in July. Meetings are held at 9 a.m. on the first Saturday of the month at Manzano Mesa Multigenerational Center, 501 Elizabeth SE, Albuquerque. Most of the guild members are Albuquerque area residents.
Anyone interested in joining should attend a LIBROS meeting or visit the website librosnm.org.
Rice thinks the benefits of LIBROS membership are unlimited: “Being around other artists. Taking advantage of the collective creativity. Everyone is willing to share their ideas.”
The guild will also sponsor the Handmade Book Exhibit at the 2019 State Fair at Expo New Mexico, she said. That exhibit will be in the Creative Arts Building.