VOLVELLES Bloom with Unexpected Surprises in June Workshops

The subject was BLOSSOM.  The book form was the VOLVELLE, a  book comprised of two flat circle "pages" joined at their center points in such a way that they can rotate independently.  During rotation, openings cut into the top page reveal words or imagery on the under page.

The form made our heads spin with possibilities and as always in these workshops, each person brought her own vision to the project and created a stunning adventure of a book.

 
Thursday Group

Karin Lempke

Melanie Gates

Rose Anne Boyle

Gail Gates

Lorraine Hartin Gelardi

Mimi Graminski

Deanna Touhey

Karen Summerlin

Saturday Group

Betty Vera

Lois Linet

Josette Lee

Pam Wright

Miriam Frischer

Rachel Hanka

Congratulations one and all on your inspired innovations with this dizzying book form.  And thanks, as always, for all the fun of making art in community with you.

Cheers,
Jo

BIRD Flock to the May Workshop

We entered the spaces and rhythms of bird life.  Birds, foliage and flight all emerged magically from acetate transfer mono-prints.  Double pamphlet books took flight as people experimented with ways to create openings and sculptural dimension with paper.

 THURSDAY GROUP

Deanna Touhey

Karl Volk

Diane Johnson

Judy Malstrom

Pat Joel

Susan Appollo

Karen Holtslag

Debbie Stone

Amy Farrell

SATURDAY GROUP

Lorraine Hartin-Gelardi

Cait Johnson

Karen Summerlin

Josette Lee

Pam Wright

Marianne Muggenburg

Karin Lempke

Thanks again to all who came to the workshops for all the fun of seeing your visions emerge with such spirit and beauty!  It is wonderful to make books with you in community.

Cheers,
Jo

MAY WORKSHOP - You are invited into the world of BIRDS

Imagine life on the wing, songs at dawn, and a house that

sways in the wind. 

We will be making a clever double pamphlet and exploring the place of rhythm and space in books as we soar into the world of birds.

To register contact Jo@JohanneRenbeck.com

offered
Thursday May 27, 7:00-9:00 pm
The Little Schoolhouse at Pleasant Plains Presbyterian Church
2 Fiddlers Bridge Road, Staatsburg, NY
repeated
Saturday May 29, 10:00 am - 12:00 noon
Clinton Community Library,
1215 Centre Road, Rhinebeck NY

This is the 5th of six free monthly book arts workshops designed to
to spread awareness and enjoyment of this rich art form.
You are invited to join the fun!

Cheers,
Jo

APRIL WORKSHOP - Japanese Stab Binding Meets Water

Japanese stab binding sharpened wits. Everyone learned four-hole binding and some  people boldly incorporated the more challenging tortoise shell and hemp leaf designs in their books.  Water proved compelling. In its ebb and flow on a variety of papers, water generated ink-wash images and added sculptural surprise to books by warping and wrinkling the pages. Water even evoked poetry.

Each water book took us all to a unique world; an exploration of pattern and rhythm, memories of the ocean's edge, expressions of grief, a place of rocks and snakes, appreciations of a world shaped by water, to describe just a few. What exciting books! And what fun to enjoy a book making adventure in good company.

Cheers to you all,
Jo



Thursday workshop group water poem

life above and below the water
ripples
uncertainty
rocks
a worm, a long worm snake,
a snaky worm
raindrops on water
movement

Ania Aldrich

Deanna Touhey

Jo Ann Innello

Karen Holtslag

Pam Wright

Saturday Workshop group poem

ripples
a landscape
shirring
a road
rootlets
a lake
wrinkles
reflections
a sausage casing
and a ribbon
I see a path
flower bed
a marsh
a person

Susan Appollo

Glenda Schwarz

Diane Johnson

Annie Scibienski

Debbie Stone

Cait Johnson

Terry Sennett

Betty Vera

Josette Lee

Angela Balletto

JOURNEY WORKSHOP- Lorraine told. We drew.

Storyteller Lorraine Hartin-Gelardi magically wove the story of a woman's loss and quest into an enchanted world of rocks and caves, fairies and feather capes. (www.Lorrainetells.com)

As Lorraine told this journey tale from Scotland, workshop participants engaged expressive gestural drawing techniques to create images for their books. 

A double accordion book format allowed for many variations and innovations in the visual retelling of the story.  Each book reflected story elements of particular resonance for its maker.  Each book offered a unique and intriguing world to explore.  What delight it was to hear Lorraine tell this vivid tale and to watch so many expressive beautiful books come to life. 

Thanks to all for the pleasure of your company and the flat out fun of making art in community!
Jo


THURSDAY workshop books in progress.

Luanne Panarotti

Pat Joel

Deanna Touhey

Gail Gates

Judy Malstrom

Joann Innello

Santha Cooke

Joan Levitt

The Thursday evening group meets in the historic school house at Pleasant Plains Presbyterian Church, a building that in its span has accommodated students, fire engines, refugees, church committees and now,  most happily for us, book makers!  Many thanks to the church for making its facilities available to the community.



SATURDAY workshop books in progress.

Angela Balletto

Hanne Andersen

Betty Vera

Susan Jane Appollo

Annie Scibienski

Debbie Stone

Karin Lempke

Terry Sennett

Terry and Angela

And what a good place to end this post with a picture of our dear librarian, Terry Sennett, and with thanks to the Clinton Community Library for hosting the Saturday sessions.