Exhibiting
Artists of
Women
Book Artists Exhibition
Mary
Beth Boone • Jo
Ann Brody • Kristy Deetz •
Rebecca Goodale • Karen
Hanmer • Kristy
Higby • Susan Hogue • Susan
Kapuscinski Gaylord • Cynthia Lollis •
Mary Ellen Long • Marie Marcano •
Nicole Margaretten • Stephanie
Nace • Carol
Parker • Genie Shenk • Alice
Simpson • Danielle Smith-Llera
About
the Show
Converse
College will host the Third Biennial Women Book Artists
Exhibition, a national juried exhibition of artists'
books, January 13 though February 13, 2004 in the Milliken
Art Gallery. With over forty books on display the exhibition
builds upon the its reputation of being one of the finest
artists' book shows in the southeast. A selection of
both unique one-of-a-kind books and limited edition
works are combined to introduce the viewer to the exciting
contemporary world of the book as an art form.
Artists' books are an
art form that has experienced an increase in popularity
in the past two decades. Unlike handmade books, which
are often found in gift shops, the artist book is distinguished
by the content found within its pages. Each artist brings
to her books her own personal stories, concerns, and
artistic insights. Issues concerning the Iraqi war,
motherhood, spiritual questions, and the environment
are found scattered through the exhibition. Collaborations
with creative writers appear in several books by Kristy
Higby, and Cynthia Lollis. And like any art form, it
has an aesthetic quality and can take many forms. In
addition to the traditional codex binding, other formats
found in the exhibition include accordion, concertina,
pop-ups, flag, and tunnel books.
Often artists who create
artists' books come to it from other mediums, such as
printmaking, photography and painting. Several of the
books found in the show include these mediums in their
construction. Depending upon its medium, the artist
book can be unique one-of-a-kind or a limited edition
series. One of the exciting features of artists' books
is the use of nontraditional materials, many examples
of which can be found in this show. Jo-Ann Brody's books
use clay as the page structure with carved Hebrew text
and figures to convey her response to mothers' life.
Kristy Deetz's encaustic wood relief books are mounted
on the walls and provide the viewer with patterns that
reflect nature and the struggle of both spiritual and
physical forces.
This
is the fourth book show curated by Ms. Prater, Associate
Professor of Studio Art at Converse College, and teaches
a class on book arts and is herself a book artist.
