Magic Books and Paper Toys

Event Info

This two-day, in-person workshop takes place at CBA on Saturday and Sunday, January 20 and 21, from 11:00am–5:00pm ET.

• Saturday, January 20, 2024 – 11am–5pm
• Sunday, January 21, 2024 – 11am–5pm

Please Note: Registration for this workshop closes on January 13th, at 11:59 pm.

About the Workshop:

Explore a variety of structures from flexagons to magic wallets, simple popups, cootie catchers, instant accordion skylines and mountains, jogged pamphlets, flip books, exquisite corpse structures, stitched triangle star books. Make quick models and then develop them into one-of-a-kind artist books, collaborative and individual projects, or potential limited editions. Kickstart your creative practice, incorporating content exercises derived from oulipo and surrealist techniques. Learn new approaches to content and structure.

Required Materials:

• bone folder

• awl – long thin point. An etching needle or potter’s needle can work

• tapestry needles: large eye (big enough for heavy thread) dulled point

• pencils + sharpener

• Optional Materials: 
  collage materials, buttons, beads, etc
  rubber stamps and stamp pads
  postcards

All other materials will be provided by Center for Book Arts at no additional cost.

About Esther K. Smith

Esther K Smith is the author of HOW TO MAKE BOOKS, Making Books with Kids, Magic Books & Paper Toys, and editor of the Rizzoli reprint of WH Page’s Specimens of CHROMATIC WOOD TYPE, Borders &c. Artistic Director at Purgatory Pie Press, Esther K Smith makes collaborative limited editions with letterpress printer Dikko Faust, Susan Happersett and other artists & writers. Purgatory Pie Press works are in public and private collections throughout the world including Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Modern Art, Cooper Hewitt, London’s V&A, and Tate Modern Museum.

All images courtesy of the instructor.