And other matters.

Are done, and are going in the mail this week. This is the second in a series of occasional small scale publications, combining text (found, handset) and image (carved in wood or linoleum) produced via obsolete technology in editioned works which are distributed at will to a chosen audience. The content of the series aims for historical interest, commemorative intent and a healthy dose of humor, and the distribution methods are based on the values of the gift economy.
Our publishing model reflects the print tradition of the tract, small pamphlets used for religious and political purposes, which are often either left for someone to find or handed out. Our first production was a pamphlet on the History of Pie; this fall we are happy to present a pamphlet on the subject of Weasels and their Habits.

Here’s my somewhat haphazard report from the NY Art Book Fair, which took place last weekend at PS1:

1. Opening was hot. Why is it always hot? Every year, never fails, it’s just too hot.

2. The Center’s table was in a nice quiet corner, which might be something you don’t really want to be in at a fair, but for me it was better than being in the crowded crowded hallway right next to us. Panic attack level of crowded. Teeming hordes of people came to the fair, I think more than last year, and last year was big too. And even in the quiet corner the teeming hordes came to visit. I didn’t see quite as much as I had planned on, partly because the teeming crowds of people kind of got in the way of the books, and partly because every time I left the table I spent money. But much of what I saw I liked, and many people I liked came and saw and talked, and all in all I had a grand time.

This is Jen, who helped out. Thanks Jen! She’s holding a copy of the IFS, Ltd. Book Trust Prospectus, which we traded an exhibition catalog for. IFS were the best dressed of the barter-for-book-project exhibitors.

Here is a link to Susan Mills’s books, which were lovely and smart and humble all at the same time. Interior Sky is my favorite.

She was next to Women’s Studio Workshop, who had a copy of Heidi Neilson’s new book Orbital Debris Simulator. In 3-D!

Lubok Verlag: German publisher selling GREAT lino cut books; I really liked the serials they had of collected artists.

This is a book by Elisabeth Belliveau, don’t get lonely, don’t get lost, it’s surreal and feminine and funny. There’s a whole bit about famous dead women writers and their dogs. It comes with an animation, which I love!

This is a book which I looked at while the table-sitter was not there, and liked. Then I came back to buy it when the table sitter was there, and he was really annoying, so I had second thoughts, and didn’t like it as much. Then I came back again, and the annoying table sitter was quiet this time, so I liked it again. It has interesting staples and multicolored handwritten tangles of text and a theory of everything.
Otherwise, I spent too much money and made some progress on a scarf. I hands down had the best time at the event than I have in past years.  It seemed like a greater range of vendors, and different kinds of vendors mixed together, which I think worked well. There’s a more official review of the event in the New Yorker here, if you’re interested.

I do think that it’s unfortunate that it was the same weekend as every other print event in NYC, the Editions/Artist Book  Fair in Chelsea, as well as the biennial Book Arts Fair and Conference at Pyramid Atlantic down in Maryland. There’s plenty of other weekends that all of these things could have happened, and it overwhelms the capacity of organizations and other people involved in the field.

Center for Book Arts has a table at the biggest book fair I’ve been to, all weekend long at PS1. I’ll be present on Sunday, smiling at strangers and working on that new scarf.  I’ll make an effort to take some photos this time around to share with the internet.

If you visit the fair, bring snacks and water, take as many breaks as you need, maybe stretch before. There’s a lotta books to see.

The McGinley Paper Company Sample Book Of Faults is in a show up this fall at the Print Center in Philadelphia:

Pulling from History: Letterpress

The second in The Print Center’s Pulling from History series, this exhibition will bring together letterpress works made by contemporary artists, presented side-by-side with historic examples to give context to the approaches utilized. This exhibition is co-curated by Matt Neff, a Philadelphia printmaker who also runs Common Press at the University of Pennsylvania.

September 7 – November 20, 2010

Also on view:
One of Us: Isaac Tin Wei Lin
Dear Tree Hugger… : Andrew Kozlowski
Thursday, September 16
Opening Reception: 5:30-7:30pm
Gallery Talks by the Artists & Curators: 5:30pm

They have nice photos up here.

Furry little weasels. This one’s done, the other will be there soon.

This Friday, August 13th from 6 to 9pm  I’ll be at the next installment of Book Arts Lounge at the Center for Book Arts:

Using erasers and carving tools we’ll carve our own rubber stamps, construct a hodge-podge assortment of words and phrases and stamp our way into some simple instantaneous books. Bring your own found text- hand made signs, lost pet notices, advertisements, informational pamphlets, tracts, spam messages, directions for use- or borrow some of ours. We’ll go over the basics of rubber stamp making, string together some nonsensical phrases and produce some basic tri-fold pamphlets.

$10 suggested donation/ $5 members

I’ve made a bunch of stamps for people to try, and everyone will be able to carve their own.