Bookbinding Booklet Uploaded

So I've gotten around to uploading the booklet I made for my Intro to Bookbinding workshop a couple weeks ago. It's just under the "Bookbinding Resources" tab. Enjoy!

INTRO TO BOOKBINDING @ MCGREGOR PARK LIBRARY (SAT OCT 1, 2-4PM)

Crossposted at lukknits.

Waxed Linen Thread & Mini Bone Folder

I've been getting ready these past couple of weeks or so for my Introduction to Bookbinding workshop on Saturday October 1, from 2-4pm at the McGregor Park branch of Toronto Public Libraries! The event is 100% free, so all you need to bring with you is yourself and preferably enthusiasm for bookbinding in some form! The workshop is going to take place as a part of Culture Days. There are a bunch of other (free) activities happening everywhere, so take a look and see what interests you!

I drew up the instructions for a bunch of different bookbinding methods, with and without needle/thread, so I'll upload those to either here or my art happenings blog after the workshop. The first time I planned and ran a bookbinding/zine workshop, we ended up using Shannon Gerard's illustrations and handouts (with permission) from when she did a bookbinding workshop in our class, so participants this time get to have the first sneak peak at the booklet I've put together!

Paper, needles, thread, rulers, etc. + decorative cover paper + instruction booklets

The only thing I'm really worried about at this point is how many people are going to show up, since I realized somewhat belatedly that it would have made planning a lot easier had I made the event registration-required instead of drop-in. I have enough materials to be fully prepared for 15 participants, including pre-cut covers in rag paper. If any more participants show up, we'll just share the needles and see if we can cut some more paper on the spot. I'll be bringing my cutting mat and some scissors/x-acto knife for that purpose also.

Regardless! The McGregor Park library is almost like the sister branch to the library I currently work at, across systems: they're both small community centre libraries (though McGregor Park is definitely smaller) and they're both closed on Mondays! So it was definitely meant to be! I'm really excited about this, so if you're free that day, feel free to drop by and learn how to bind your own books!

Toronto Printmaking Coalition "TEAM UP!" Show @ Graven Feather (Soon!)

Coming to a gallery near you..

Super excited to finally post this up! Crossposted at my knitting blog because I'm just that hyped up for this show to finally go up. We handed in our prints around the end of March, I believe? I've been looking forward to seeing everyone else's work! I'll be helping with set-up also, so there's this little perk where I get to see it a touch earlier. I can't wait to see it up!

Please come join us for the opening reception if you can - Thursday June 16 from 7-9pm - or drop by throughout the exhibition dates anyway if you can't make it for the reception!

YorkU Juried BFA Exhibition

I'm happy to announce that I will be part of the Juried BFA Exhibition of York University graduating students at Gallery 1313! The information is there on the poster, but in case it's not clear, here it is again:

Where: Gallery 1313 (1313 Queen St. West)
When: March 16 - 27, 2016
Reception: Saturday March 19, 3-6pm

I'm incredibly excited to be one of the students to be included in this show, and super proud of all my fellow printmakers who are also going to be a part of this! Jane & co. (AKA The Plainest Weave; AKA what I had been working on pretty much all of last semester) will be making their appearance here, and I'm very much looking forward to having them up in a gallery setting (their debut having been at our York University Open House).

In addition to this, I will also be participating in a print exchange held by the Toronto Printmaking Coalition! In tandem with the exchange itself will take place an exhibition of all the prints at Graven Feather from June 8 - July 3, with the reception on Thursday June 16.

It's an incredibly busy time of year for me right now - never mind the thesis I have to write for my psychology degree! - and while it comes with its accompanying stress, I do really enjoy participating in all these events and becoming more a part of the art/print community.

On Forgetting One's Camera...

Gallery setup with loom

... On reception night. And so there are only pictures of the gallery space without any human presence. But I did get to install the working(!) loom I built, which I felt was pretty amazing in and of itself, for me personally. Even more amazing? Visitors actually wove on it! There's a good chunk woven by people coming into the gallery! I've finished the rest of the warp, which wasn't much, and just need to finish the piece and take pictures of it.

That entire red section, plus half of the grey (below) was woven by visitors!

 The turnout was more than I could have hoped for or even imagined - a huge thank you to those who came to celebrate my show with me!

Also, take a look at that shed.

I have to say, woven into fine print is the show I have been the happiest about during the actual show itself, even just right after we finished the set-up. Everything came out just as I envisioned it, and it all came together cohesively. It's lovely when things work out just right.

Also, I will be posting images of each of the pieces, complete with detail shots, hopefully soon.

woven into fine print

woven into fine print is up! It's been one week, but I finally got around to taking photos of the show, and I've got to say: I'm pretty happy with it! This is the first time I've felt quite so satisfied with a show right after setting it up. Such a good feeling.

The largest wall plus its adjacent

A lot of white and off-white, which is definitely my style. Also the incorporation of textiles into my work -textiles being my other better half (the other better half being printmaking, of course) - makes me feel as though this first solo show came together really well. In addition to which it also encompasses most of the things I explore in my artwork, namely language, process itself (whether it be printmaking or textiles, or even language), and the materials I use.

"How we do one thing is how we do anything" (Laura Spencer King, via Apiece Apart). This quote resonates with me a lot, and I think that it applies to my work: the way I approach printmaking is the way I approach knitting or weaving, and I'm not sure whether I chose both these time-consuming, labour-intensive, and detail-oriented processes because that is the way I am, or if I am the way I am because I chose to do them. I'm glad I found printmaking, and glad that I have finally been able to incorporate my textiles into my print work.

I also must extend a big thank you to Shirley & co. once more for helping me with my install! I could not have done it without them (or if I did, I would have had to stay overnight).

Check out my first solo show at Gales Gallery (York University, in the ACW building, right beside the waterslide/fountain)! The reception is Thursday October 15, from 6-9, and I guarantee good food and company, as well as fibre-related fun all around!

Upcoming Show: woven into fine print @ Gales (Oct. 5-16)

I'm excited to announce my upcoming show, woven into fine print, at Gales Gallery, located on the York University Keele Campus in the Accolade West building (ACW), which will feature most of what I've been working on last year (some of which I'm finishing up within these weeks leading up to the show!).

The concepts I have been working with include language and process, as well as a focus on materials. Two bodies of work that I have been working on over the past year or so - knit/weave and line'n'form - will finally make their appearance, along with some other standalone pieces.

The closing reception is on Thursday October 15, from 6-9pm, and will be a blast. Come join me for good food, fibery delights, and good (sober) company.