Generative Measures: Research and Writing for Artists’ Books Spring 2023

Event Info

This online workshop takes place on Zoom on Thursdays, March 30, April 6, 13, 20, from 6-8pm Eastern Time.

• Thursday, March 30, 6:00-8:00pm
• Thursday, April 6, 6:00-8:00pm
• Thursday, April 13, 6:00-8:00pm
• Thursday, April 20, 6:00-8:00pm

Please Note: Registration for this workshop closes on March 23, 2022 at 11:59pm.

About the Workshop:

This online class at Center for Book Arts is taught by Instructor Ellen Sheffield.

This workshop will focus on non-traditional approaches to developing original content for artist’s books. A wide range of research tools will first be demonstrated to jump start ideas for projects. From these research seeds participants will respond to writing prompts and engage in experimental creative writing techniques to grow these ideas into prototypes for artist’s books. Processes will be taught for getting text onto the pages of simple folded book structures including alternative mark making, transfers, rub-on type, stencils, rubber stamps and pressure printing. This workshop is for visual artists who want to expand their writing skills and for writers who want to explore the artist book as a time-based medium and go beyond their usual writing practice.

There are a total of 12 spots open in this small-group workshop.

Required Materials:

• A dozen 3″x 5″ notecards
• Pen or pencil
• 6 to 8 sheets of 8.5″ x 11″ paper or a sketchbook w/ at least 8.5″ x 11″ size pages or larger
• Two 11″ x17″ sheets of paper (can be copy paper)
• Scissors or x-acto knife
• Vintage and contemporary magazines for collage

optional:

• Sheet of carbon paper
• Alphabet rubber stamps and ink pad
• Masking tape

About Ellen Sheffield

Ellen Sheffield’s works on paper and artist’s books combine text and image in unexpected ways. Her interest in juxtaposing visual techniques—materials, design, mark-making, and printing processes—with written language—essays, poetry, and hybrid writing—drives Sheffield’s collaborations with other artists and writers including Lewis Hyde, Fanny Howe, and Andrew Grace.

Recently Sheffield’s work has explored themes of race and class in Gambier, OH—the rural community she lives in. Her work is informed in part by research into local African American history completed by her husband, Ric Sheffield—a Kenyon College Professor of Sociology.

All images courtesy of the instructor.