News
The latest happenings at Ewing Farm and beyond.
2012 at Ewing
Please see the Calendar and Book Arts League Classes pages for upcoming events.
2011 Events:
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small press: the art of letterpress
an exhibit at Boulder Arts & Crafts Gallery
through November 6, 2011
Visit Boulder Arts & Crafts Gallery 1421 Pearl Street in downtown Boulder to see this show. Featured artists are: David Ashley, Allison Bozeman, Rick Griffith, Alicia McKim, Kay Moller, Tom Parson, Ray Tomasso, Gail Watson & Matthew Winheld. Several are Book Arts League members & instructors. A percentage of sales will benefit the Book Arts League. Thanks to Earl Noe for loaning his Chandler & Price Pilot Press for the display.
Recent years have seen a growing number of small print shops creating functional paper goods & fine art with old fashioned letterpress printing presses. These presses leave a characteristic tactile impression on paper. There is great appeal in the dimensional aspect of the letterpress print, from a calling card to a poster.
The art of setting lead & wood type made in the last century excites many designers. The type itself is a small sculptural relic from the past. Graphic design on computers has its place – but machines requiring maintenance, traditional tools and oil can impart real character and depth uniquely their own. small press: the art of letterpress showcases local artists fascinated with the process of creating fresh new ideas with traditional letterpress tools.
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Lauren Ottaviano & Kay Moller taught the Creative Letterpress class on a warm October Saturday. The nine students completed an accordion style book about Fall. Lauren brought pre-printed pages & covers, and everyone in the class contributed a short poem or sentence having something to do with Autumn. They chose a font, set their type and printed on the Vandercook press at the Ewing Bunkhouse. The whole group was incredibly talented and patient, and the end product was beautiful. Lauren hopes to continue doing introductory courses like this one to promote letterpress printing.
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September 17: Book Arts League at
Lafayette Days, Old Town Lafayette
Help send the Centaurus High School Marching Band to New York City this fall by being part of the Lafayette Days Celebration in Old Town. BAL will be participating by offering book arts demos. Art Night Out, a pancake breakfast, a parade, and kids’ activities are all part of the family-friendly festivities! For more information go to City of Lafayette web site
WHEN: Saturday, September 17, starting at 11:00 (Book Arts Demos)
WHERE: Festival Plaza at Public Road and Chester Street in Old Town Lafayette
Free! Drop on by!
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BAL Booth at the Lafayette Peach Festival Saturday, August 20th, 2011
It’s that time again! The Lafayette Peach Festival will be held on Sat, Aug 20, from 9am-4pm in Old Town Lafayette, and the Book Arts League will have our usual booth offering demos and items for sale. We have been a regular at this event for years, and folks look forward to seeing the traveling Pilot “spokespress”, buying t-shirts, and getting the latest news on Ewing and our activities. It’s our big opportunity to let the community know we’re here and thriving!
As usual, we are inviting volunteers to come out and enjoy Lafayette’s signature festival and help out the Book Arts League. We need help with:
Booth setup (~7:30 am-8:30am)
Book arts demos (printing, bookbinding, calligraphy) (~9:00-4:00, in shifts)
Sales (~9:00-4:00 in shifts)
Greeters/Information (~9:00-4:00, in shifts)
Booth takedown (~4:00-5:00 pm)
Coffee and peach smoothie runs (anytime!)
Please let us know if you can help out for a couple of hours or half-day, or whatever you can do. It’s a fun event, with food, music, Western Slope peaches, and arts of all kinds, and a chance to socialize with other BAL members and the good people of Lafayette. Refreshments and snacks will be provided.
If you can help out, please email sekoja@gmail.com. We need to work up a schedule, so please respond as soon as possible. See you at the Peach!
http://www.lafayettecolorado.com/peachfestival/2011peachfestival/2011peachfestival.html
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It’s getting late…
Do you know where your Ephemera is?
The 2011 Ephemera Exchange is the annual collation of small printed pieces by members and friends of the Book Arts League. It is a terrific opportunity to exercise your creativity and expand your paper arts collection. And best of all, there’s still time to participate! We’ve pushed the deadline back to post-Thanksgiving, so everyone has time to complete one (or more!) ephemeral paper projects.
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2010 Ephemera Exchange
All submissions should be 5″ x 7″ or smaller, in an edition of 30.
Deadline is November 30th, 2011.
Send entries to:
BAL Ephemera Exchange
c/o Laura Stinson
4710 Holiday Dr #302
Boulder CO 80304-2361
Please include $5 to help offset return postage.
Questions? Email laura (at) katzenjammy.com, or call her at 720-938-1634.
BAL outreach at Lafayette Days, Old Town Lafayette
Help send the Centaurus High School Marching Band to New York City this fall by being part of the Lafayette Days Celebration in Old Town. BAL will be participating by offering book arts demos. Art Night Out, a pancake breakfast, a parade, and kids’ activities are all part of the family-friendly festivities! For more information go to http://www.cityoflafayette.com/sectionindex.asp?sectionid=78
WHEN: Saturday, September 17, starting at 11:00 (Book Arts Demos)
WHERE: Festival Plaza at Public Road and Chester Street in Old Town Lafayette
Free! Drop on by!
Another Wayzegoose!!!
Wayzegoose Printer’s Fair & Book Arts Sale
The Rocky Mountain Letterpress Society and the Book Arts League are pleased to host a Letterpress/Book Arts Sale and Wayzegoose on Saturday, July 9th at Ewing Farm.
Come buy, sell, and trade letterpress and book arts equipment and supplies, exchange information, and visit with old friends and new.
For the general public, it’s a great opportunity to meet printers and other book arts artisans, experience book arts and printing demonstrations, purchase book arts items, and see the tools and materials of these centuries-old trades and crafts. Refreshments provided, along with fun for all ages!
DATE/TIME: Sat, July 9, 9:00am-12:00pm
WHERE: Ewing Farm, 1915 N 95th Street, Lafayette. Everyone, including sellers, please park on Prairie Ridge Drive across from the playground and take the gravel path to Ewing. See the map on the BAL website at www.bookartsleague.org
Note that parking is prohibited on Larkspur Court, per our lease. Do not park on 95th St. either. (Important – the police have come by when people parked in these spots.)
COST: Event is free for public and buyers. $5 fee for sellers, who will bring small items only that can be put on tables; if larger items for sale, bring photos. Sales are strictly between sellers and buyer; BAL charges no commission and does not take responsibility.
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- David Ashley, Kay Moller, Lauren Ottaviano, Evert Brown, Earl Noe
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- David Asley, Ray Tomasso, Elizabeth Winheld, Matthew Winheld.
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- Judy Gardner, Evert Brown, Jack Roberts, and Alicia McKim.
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- Jason Wedekind, Lonnie Smith
Medieval sewing methods and handwriting were the basis for this workshop, introducing non-adhesive codex structure using raised cord sewing and sewing with leather straps.
We had 12 participants and it was a great workshop.
To view more pictures of the workshop visit this Link:
A Helping Hand for the Ewing Farm
Volunteers: From lt., Kay Moller, Graham Blanco, Sharon Blanco, John Blanco, Nick Blanco, Julia Seko, and Carolyn Cutler.
John and Sharon Blanco help out.
Carolyn Cutler helps out as well
Evert Brown helps out
On Sat, April 16, volunteers from around Boulder County gave the Ewing Farm a good spring cleaning. The effort was for SeLebration 2011, hosted by Project Yes, a Lafayette-based nonprofit that provides leadership opportunities for young people through the arts and civic involvement.
Volunteers cleaned, weeded, and helped organize the League’s workshop and print shop spaces to prepare for upcoming activities.
This is the second year BAL has offered Ewing Farm as a service site, and we are grateful to Project Yes and their volunteers for all their hard work.
BAL volunteers also helped by providing tools, prepping the site, and working alongside SeLebration volunteers.
Thanks to Project Yes, Boulder County volunteers, and BAL helpers!
Open House at Ewing Farm
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. In addition, visitors can tour the recently renovated Farmhouse, which houses our book arts workshop space and historical items about the Ewing family and early Boulder County. Come visit us at our open house, view the presses in action, meet members of the BAL and enjoy refreshments!
When: Saturday, April 2, 2011, 1-4 PM
Where: Ewing Farmhouse and Bunkhouse, 1915 N 95th St., Lafayette. (Please park on Prairie Ridge Drive, across from the park/playground.)
Free! Drop on by!
2011 Edible Book Show & Tea
Call for Entries: Get ready to cook your books – and eat them, too!
Ever wanted to digest Reader’s Digest or taste Archimides’ apple pi? Join artists in 28 states and 15 countries in creating books made entirely of edible materials, which will be exhibited and then consumed! The Book Arts League will again host Boulder’s own edible exhibition of tasty texts.
WHERE: Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art,
1750 13th Street in Boulder, CO.
DATE: Sunday April 10, 2011
TIME: Drop off books by 3:30 pm
Event 4-6 pm
Registration Fee: $8 for adults, $3 for children
With edible book entry: $3 for each person per book. $1 per entry for additional entries.
Proceeds support the Book Arts League, a nonprofit community arts organization.
Details and registration form on the website at www.eatyourwordsboulder.com
Want to help out at the event? Be a Tea volunteer! Please use our contact page to let us know:
http://www.bookartsleague.org/contact/
Support the BAL and promote yourself
The Edible Book Show and Tea is a great opportunity to donate some of your book arts and associated artwork to our fundraising sale table, alongside donated goods and services from local merchants and other artists. We need to make as much money as possible from this sale, because expenses for this year’s show are significantly higher than in previous years. Since this is both a cultural arts event and a fundraiser for the BAL, we will need to work hard to achieve both of these ends. Donations from membership are tax-deductible and deeply appreciated!
Annual Meeting 2011
Saturday February 26 at Ewing Farm
The annual general meeting of the Book Arts League is planned for February 26, from 1 to 4 PM, at the Ewing Farm (driving directions below). We will elect officers to the Board of Directors, discuss upcoming events, and update members and guests on matters of general interest to all. After the meeting, we’ll have a potluck afternoon buffet and informal show & tell of members’ recent works or works-in-progress.
Please bring some kind of lunch-type items to share; drinks will be provided.
You can renew your membership at the meeting if it has been more than a year since you last paid dues. Membership information is available on our CONTACT page: http://www.bookartsleague.org/contact/
Getting there – please see our MAP page: http://www.bookartsleague.org/map/
IMPORTANT: Please park on Prairie Ridge Drive, just south of the Bunkhouse, and follow the gravel trail to the Farm. The cul-de-sac just west of the Farm is not available for parking. (Participants with mobility issues who are unable to park on Prairie Ridge Drive and walk, please contact us for instructions.)
Trees Trimmed At Ewing Homestead
Five of the nicest and most talented arborists trimmed and evaluated the trees at the Ewing Farm, home of the Book Arts League, 1915 N 95th St., Lafayette on Jan. 29th:Fred Berkelhammer& James Melton of Berkelhammer Tree Experts, (Louisville); Charley Wagner of Cutting Edge Tree Care LLC (Lafayette), Dan Odell of Tree Care (Lafayette) (who provided a truck and chipper), and Dave Walker of Walker Tree Care (Gunbarrel.) Participants included top competitive tree climbers like Charley Wagner, a six-time winner of the Rocky Mountain Tree Climbing Championship who has also has finished fourth in the International Tree Climbing Competition.
Working till dark, these generous men removed years of dead wood, and gave BAL advice on the future tree care of these majestic and historic trees. The Catalpa tree in the front of the bunkhouse is over 100 years old, and was planted by the original homesteader, John N. Ewing, as a memorial for a daughter who died in 1888. BAL and the trees are deeply appreciative of this valuable gift.
For more pictures link here: https://picasaweb.google.com/ebrown217/EwingFarmTreeTrimming12911?feat=directlink
Open House at Ewing Farm
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. In addition, visitors can tour the recently renovated Farmhouse, which houses our book arts workshop space and historical items about the Ewing family and early Boulder County. Come visit us at our open house, view the presses in action, meet members of the BAL and enjoy refreshments!
When: Saturday, August 28, 1-4 PM (no registration required)
Where: Ewing Farmhouse and Bunkhouse, 1915 N 95th St., Lafayette. (Please park on Prairie Ridge Drive, across from the park/playground.)
Free! Drop on by!