From Press to Pixels: Historical Tools and New/Digital Media

Is there really anything new about producing text and images? From fine letterpress printing to avant–garde experimentation in digital media production, historical media shapes the contemporary and e-media recapitulates the past.

Listen in on a discussion between Rob Barnes and Trace Reddell about media.

Understand the contemporary views of Trace Reddell, Director of the Media Studies Program at the University of Denver, and how the new field of digital studies pays tribute to five centuries of printing. Learn how craftsman Rob Barnes of Foils and Dies Vintage Pressworks in Denver, uses the experience of centuries of letterpress predecessors to bring fresh life to text.

Sponsored by the CU–Boulder University Libraries, Book Arts League, Friends of the Libraries, ATLAS Institute, English Department, Colorado Calligraphers’ Guild, and Center for Humanities and the Arts.

Contact: deborah.fink@colorado.edu, 303-492-8302

http://ucblibraries.colorado.edu/news/index.htm

From Homer to BFF: about how we express ourselves
a slide talk by Brian Allen, an interested amateur

A rapid ride from pre-history to a speculative future in the ways humans communicate. Socrates was not happy about the written word; calligraphic writing’s influence on early printed work; printing types through the centuries; the transition to digital; are our alphabetic symbols evolving into something different?

Brian Allen, who worked for over twenty years in digital font production, is a calligrapher and letterpress printer.

with Brian Allen (co-founder, with Julia Seko, of the Book Arts League)

Using a small project to demonstrate and to stimulate discussion and sharing, we’ll talk about the major aspects of letterpress printing from beginning to end. Brian will share resources, tips, and information gleaned from years of failure and success in commercial job printing.

Letterpress printers – this is a great opportunity to come and learn from a master craftsman – Brian Allen  has worked in the field of typography for 30 years, variously as a typesetter, calligrapher, digital typeface production worker and letterpress printer.

Sunday July 18th, 1–4 pm

Book Arts League Ewing Farm Bunkhouse

1915 N. 95th St., Lafayette

$40 nonmembers and $30 BAL member

Details at: http://www.bookartsleague.org

Please contact Kay Moller to sign up: moller@colorado.edu

Please do NOT use the online application form for this workshop. Ignore the REGISTER link.

Is that how everybody buys letterpresses and other equipment?

The Rocky Mountain Letterpress Society and the Book Arts League are pleased to host a Letterpress/Book Arts Sale and Wayzegoose on July 10 at Ewing Farm.  This is a local opportunity to get the equipment you need, meet book arts artisans, and exchange information with old friends and new.

The Ewing Farm, an historic centennial farm in Lafayette, is the permanent home for our fully-equipped letterpress printing studio, which includes our historic collection of metal type and restored old printing presses. At our studio, the public can experience an old-fashioned print shop. Come visit us at our open house, view the presses in action, meet members of the BAL and enjoy refreshments!

When: Saturday, June 5, 1-4 pm (no registration required)

Where: Ewing Farmhouse and Bunkhouse, 1915 N 95^th St., Lafayette (Please park on Prairie Ridge Drive.)

Free! Drop on by!

Spring Letterpress Card

With Julia Seko, celebrate springtime by printing a simple, seasonal set of cards. Participants will use alternative printing techniques to create a limited edition tribute to the season. No previous experience necessary.

Minimum participants 4/maximum 8.

(This workshop is full, as of 5/21/10; to add your name to the wait list, submit a registration form, but do not send payment. You will receive an email confirming your request.)

When: Saturday, June 12, 10 am-4 pm.

Where: Ewing Farm Bunkhouse, 1915 N. 95^th St., Lafayette.

Workshop fees: $40 BAL member/$50 non-BAL member, plus $5 materials fee.

Caterpillar Stitch Journal

With Jeff Becker, students will unlock the secrets of the unique, eye-popping caterpillar stitch. It is a decorative, externally visible binding stitch on a leather cover, which students will learn as they make a blank book to take home. No previous experience necessary.

(This workshop is full as of 5/18/10; to have your name added to a wait list, submit your registration request below, and Michelle will confirm your place on the wait list.)

When: Saturday, June 19, 12-4 pm.

Where: Ewing Farmhouse, 1915 N. 95^th St.,  Lafayette.

Workshop fees: $45 BAL member/$55 non-BAL member, plus a $15 materials fee.

Paste Papers

Up to the elbows, learn and explore paste papers on the Ewing Farmhouse lawn with Jeff Becker. Participants will make their own work to take home for use in future bookbinding projects. No previous experience necessary.

Minimum participants 3/maximum 6. (Three spots open as of 5/21/10.)

When: Sunday, July 11, 12-4 pm

Where: Ewing Farmhouse, 1915 N. 95^th St., Lafayette.

Workshop fees: $45 BAL member/$55 non-BAL member, plus $15 materials fee.

Coptic Stitch Journal with Stamped Copper Cover

Create a Coptic stitch journal with durable copper covers with unique stamped designs, aged with a patina.  Tracy Bellehumeur will provide beautiful materials, including decorative paper for fly-leaves and signature spines, and journal pockets applied by sewing machine or folds.  The Coptic stitch (my favorite) has an open spine to expose a beautiful series of braid-looking stitches across the spine.  Consider using your original paste paper from Jeff Becker’s class for the decorative fly and end papers.

Minimum participants 4/maximum 8.

(This workshop is full as of 6/21/10; to have your name added to a wait list, submit your registration request below, and Michelle will confirm your place on the wait list.)

When: Saturday, July 31, 9 am-1:30 pm.

Where: Ewing Farmhouse, 1915 N. 95^th St., Lafayette.

Workshop fees: $60 BAL member/$70 non-BAL member, plus $15 materials fee. (these numbers are a correction from the postcard that some readers received by mail.)

Register soon–The Ewing Farm is a beautiful, unique environment for learning and practicing the book arts, and plenty of book artists are onto us!

The 11th annual International Edible Book Show and Tea took place on Sunday, April 11 around tea time at the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art. Several dozen “bookish” entries were created by artists of wide-ranging age and ability. All ingredients in the creations were to be edible, though were not required to be tasty. The entries in the gallery show were displayed and admired until a bell rang at 5pm, then most of the books were consumed and became history.
The event was sponsored by the Book Arts League, a non-profit community organization devoted to the arts of the book including workshops, art exhibits, and other inedible events open to the public <http://www.eatyourwordsboulder.com>. Look for our next Edible Book Show to happen again sometime around April Fool’s Day, 2011. ( Bonnie Mettler)

Gweneth Ewing cuts the ReBirthday cake – Lafayette Mayor Pro Tem Jay Ruggeri looks on.

The League welcomed many guests to the Farmhouse Grand Opening at the historic Ewing Farm in Lafayette. The recently-renovated farmhouse, which is the base of operations for the nonprofit community arts organization, was open for tours, hands-on bookbinding demonstrations, and sales of contemporary book arts.  Refreshments were served to the family-oriented crowd.

A “Re-Birthday” cake celebrated 124 years of the building’s existence.  With Ewing family members looking on, Gweneth Ewing cut the cake and Lafayette Mayor Pro Tem Jay Ruggeri spoke about the original homestead and the hand dug well. He thanked all the partners who have invested in our past  in hopes of bringing a brighter future. He described the marriage of the Book Arts League and the Historic Ewing Homestead as “a match made in heaven–a perfect fit. These non-profit/all volunteer efforts will NOT ONLY bring good new energy to this historic landmark… but they ‘bring history to life’ by their historic preservation of THE BOOK.”

Book Arts League volunteers gave a printing demonstration in the adjacent Ewing Farm Bunkhouse, where the League has set up a working letterpress print shop that uses traditional typesetting and presses from the 19th and early 20th centuries.

The site, owned by the City of Lafayette, is being restored using grants from the State Historical Fund and the donations, volunteer labor, and fundraising of the Book Arts League.  The Book Arts League’s mission is to promote the arts of the book through workshops, demonstrations, and outreach.

Gwenth Ewing, Julia Seko, Jay Ruggeri

Tom Parson demonstrates on a press in the bunkhouse

But we also need a few sturdy volunteers to help prep the Farmhouse exterior for painting.  We will supply all tools and other supplies; all that is required is your presence and energy.  We hope to start right away if possible.

We will also need volunteer help prepping and painting the interior.

If you think you can help out with either of these tasks, please contact us at this website.

We can really use your help, so do let us know soon!

This is the culmination of many years of hard work with the City of Lafayette, and means that we will be able to occupy both buildings for workshops and other activities while continuing the ongoing restoration.  Please join us in completing this important phase of the project on the BAL’s home!