"Making Handmade Artist Books Using Monoprints" with Patricia Raible

Fri, October 6   9am–4pm

Sat, October 7   9am–1pm

Workshop Description (from the instructor)

Artist books are actual works of art in the form of a book. They are rising in popularity again because artists can paint or print or create textiles and make artist books using their work. The contemporary art book is said to date back to William Blake who worked in the late 1700’s. A poet, painter and printmaker, he wanted to integrate his work both text and visuals.

In this 1.5 day workshop we will create monoprints using Gelli plates, mark making, and/or small bits of collage. These monoprints will be used to create at least four artist books: a lotus fold book with a cover, an accordion fold book using one sheet of paper, an accordion fold book with a nonadhesive cover and optional spine, and a pamphlet stitch book with one signature.

About the Instructor

 In Her Own Words

I have always been a maker, a creator, a modifier, a re-doer. Even as a child I worked with my hands—always busy, always moving. My art is a lot like visual archeology, an unearthing of facts, symbols, and emotions as I attempt to make sense of life’s anomalies. I love surface design, texture, layers, muted colors—artifacts that suggest the history and the emotions behind events and ideas. My art communicates the joys, fears, and scars we collect as we go through our lives. While some elements are recognizable, I am an abstract, mixed media artist. My work has been shown in galleries, corporate institutions, and national publications and is held in a number of private collections. I am a juried member of the National Association of Women Artists and live and work in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Beginnings

I was in my twenties when I took my first art class, an elective that rumor had it would be an easy “A”. I never expected to become so captivated. Though ultimately I completed two writing degrees, I continued taking art classes while pursuing a career and raising a family. Then a retrospective of the late collage artist Romare Bearden ignited my passion once again. It was then that I chose art as a second career, studying on my own and with other wonderful artists locally and nationally.

Process

My first projects combined paper, fabric, and sewing as line, but the love of paint and texture eventually drew me to other. surfaces. I now work on paper, canvas, and the deep wood panels that provide a solid base for me to construct multi-layered, textured abstracts.

Whether visual or tactile, textures are always my first application, and they engage me throughout the process. Central to my paintings, these textures are multi-layered and fragmented and are created by addition to or subtraction from the surface. I may press found objects into the surface, encase materials, paint over them, apply markings and collage, or scrape and incise to reveal the layers beneath. One layer may be placed on top of the other, only to have earlier layers exposed or “excavated.” Images emerge; text becomes texture or line; and symbols connect the diverse elements, integrate the work, and define the boundaries. Turning things over, viewing them from various angles and scratching beneath the surface allows me to explore what is not always visible.

Inspiration

Sometimes the motivation is simple: wanting to communicate the feelings that surround me in the middle of the woods or while watching water cascading over rocks from 30 feet above me or waves cut trenches into the sand at high tide.  Other times it’s more complicated. I may get ideas from reading, listening to others, or writing in my journal. A painting is my method of working out these complex ideas and their relationship to one another. It becomes a mystery or a puzzle to be solved. Sometimes there is resolution. Other times the search continues, and I paint the same ideas over and over. But ultimately it is all connected, all a part of the great energy within us and surrounding us.

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Find Patricia's work at patriciaraibleartmaker.com, and on 

social media at facebook.com/psraible & instagram.com/patriciaraibleartmaker/

Supply List

*In some cases, I have included a link to a specific item. This is merely an illustration of what we will need.

Gelli plate at least 6” x 6”, but preference is 8” x 10”

(if you already have a smaller one we will make it work)

1 sheets acid free chip board for covers 12” x 12” approximately

20 sheets of copy paper

2 sheets of Japanese rice paper at least 12” x 12” for covers. You may buy them already decorated or plan on

making monoprints on these papers as well.

1 sheet Fabriano Tiziano 160gsm acid free drawing, bookmaking, etc color of your choice or Canson colorline 150

gsm

Thread linen unwaxed white or natural. It can be sewing weight for this project. Linen is used because it does not

stretch so it is preferred.

Needle with large eye such as book binding needle or tapestry needle

Glue stick acid free

PH Neutral PVA glue

Double stick tape

Teflon bone folder

Metal triangle for cutting or metal ruler to cut against

Pencil for marking, sketching

Awl punch

xacto knife or matt knife and several blades (They can easily become dull.)

Self-healing cutting mat

acrylic paints 3-5 colors (liquids or soft gel best, at least one transparent to layer if possible)

brushes: small chip brush for glue, one for painting

If you have these items, it would be helpful: stencils, stamps, old credit card, cheese cloth or cloth from orange or

lemon bag (netting), various packing material (though no sharp edges), colored pencils, markers, etc.

You may also bring copies of sheet music, pages from old book all of which can be monoprinted

Registration

Registration is open to CCAL members for $125 price  ($50 minimum deposit required). 

Registration is open to all artists for $150 ($50 minimum deposit required).

Lunch provided – Limited to 12 Participants Max