Welcome Reception

The Welcome Reception is held on Tuesday night before workshops begin on Wednesday morning. It is a time to hear more about the events and activities that will take place during the conference. More importantly, it is a chance to get to know some of your fellow conference attendees. Meet new people, catch up with previous conference attendees, welcome first-time attendees, and participate in a fun creative activity.

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Trade Show

Come browse from the professionals! This year we’re expanding the trade show to have a cadre of book arts-related suppliers present all five days of the conference. Located in the same building as many of the workshops, you’ll be able to pick up supplies you may have forgotten, discover treasures you didn’t know you needed, find that elusive tool you’ve been looking for, or supplement your stash with something special.

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Snag-a-bag swap

For FOBA 2024, we’d like to have some fun with our conference carry-all bag. We will be holding a snag-a-bag swap and sale.

Grab one of those bags from your conference tote collection and up-cycle it! You can repurpose one you already have by marbling, painting, dyeing, printing, collaging, embroidering or generally embellishing the bag into a new, one-of-a-kind collector’s item.

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Photo Booth

Artist books can be difficult to photograph, especially when they involve many pages or moving parts. To help with this tricky task, we will be offering a photo booth set up for participants to document their artwork, along with handouts containing detailed instructions on the best ways to photograph your artwork and artist books in particular.

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FOBA Merchandise

Show your support for FOBA! For the 2024 conference, we have t-shirts, aprons, and tote bags for sale at BLUE FOX PRINTS

A portion of the proceeds benefits FOBA.

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Limelight Moments

Here’s an opportunity for your moment in the limelight: bring a piece of artwork that you want to share with your peers, and what better group of peers than your fellow participants at a book arts conference? Present a finished work of which you are particularly proud and tell us about it. Talk about recent work in a new mode or medium. Present an incomplete project that has reached an impasse. Tell us how you achieved a recent commission or brought an idea from conception to fruition.

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Keynote Speaker

Our featured speaker for the conference is Sarah Maker who describes book art as “when an artist gives you something and says, ‘This is a book,’ and you let that inform the way you interact with it.” She started the #AreYouBookEnough challenge on Instagram to educate the world about the book arts and foster meaningful bonds between book artists.

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Fundraising Raffle and Silent Auction

FOBA will hold a Raffle and Silent Auction at the 2024 conference. Proceeds will support the Colleen Cavin Fellowship program as well as support the running of FOBA’s biennial conference. Raffle tickets will be available from volunteer sellers every day of the conference. You can participate in the Raffle and Silent Auction by donating items before the conference and/or bidding on them during the in-person conference.

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Hospitality Night

Hospitality Night is a time to share what you have done in your workshops. In addition, we will be holding the Silent Auction, announcing the Challenge Book winner, BiblioBingo prizes, and holding the Flash Exhibit. Please note that there is no selling at this event.

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Flash Exhibit

We will be holding a flash exhibit on Saturday evening during Hospitality Night. Be sure to bring what you’ve created during the conference to share, fill out your entry form, and you’ll immediately be entered into a drawing for one of the evening’s prizes!

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First Timers Club

New to FOBA? You’re not alone! Join the First Timers Club and you can learn what to expect at the conference, make new friends, and get your questions answered.

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Faculty-Staff Exhibit

The Faculty-Staff Exhibit is a great chance to see some works of art by your FOBA Conference workshop instructors and conference staff. It will be located on the first floor of the Richard Woodcock Education Center, just follow the signs once you enter the lobby. This exhibit will also be open to the public during the course of the conference.

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Challenge Book: Interaction

You are invited to explore the theme of “Interaction” in book or box form for this year’s Challenge Book exhibit. Challenge Books will be displayed anonymously and artists revealed at Hospitality Night. Conference participants will judge the entries and, in addition to the approbation of your peers, you could win a prize!

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BOOK-MINGLE

How many times have you gone to a book arts exhibit and wondered, “What’s on the next page?” or “Why did the creator decide to do that?”? Come to the Book-Mingle and satisfy your curiosity. Instructors and staff will be on hand to turn the pages (or let you do it yourself) and answer your questions during this informal gathering at the faculty/staff exhibit.

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BiblioBingo

Part treasure hunt, part trivia quest, part bingo daubing, this game will put you in pursuit of information and people. Everyone will receive game sheets in their welcome bag and there will be prizes for finishing a row or column (or all!) of the spaces. You’ll complete a square by finding a specific person (like someone from Arizona or instructor whose name begins with D) or item (like an artist’s book with a blue cover or a tool made of wood) or vendor (like someone selling something purple or who traveled from out of state) or fill in a little-known fact.

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Artists’ Fair

The Artists’ Fair will be open on Thursday and Friday evenings, and it is an opportunity for book artists to personally sell their fine crafts.

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Elsi Vassdal Ellis – Stick Binding

Workshop Description: Have you wondered what to do with that orphaned chopstick or a paintbrush that has seen better days? Are you looking for a technique to offer additional aesthetic variations to a pamphlet binding or even a medieval long…

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Elsi Vassdal Ellis- Panel Book with Box

Workshop Description: The workshop will explore the panel book structure composed of double boards glued to book cloth hinges to form stacked double-sided panels that sit on a small, lidded box to house small objects. Workshop participants will learn how…

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Elsi Vassdal Ellis – Moving Steps Binding

Workshop Description: This adhesive structure introduces a simple movement to the text block that is activated when the book is opened with the pages forming stepped fore edges that can be used for indexing or to build an image. Individual…

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Shawn Sheehy – Movable Magic: The Animating Binding

Workshop Description: In the 1960’s, Bronx-based Child Guidance Books published a series that exploits a unique mechanical approach to animation: a self-pulling mechanism— integrated into the binding—that causes figures to dance on the page without apparent means. Wouldn’t you like…

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Sarah Matthews – Block Printed Flag Books

Workshop Description: Join us for an immersive three days, discovering the captivating fusion of block printing and bookbinding. This creative journey empowers you to craft sculptural books that uniquely tell your story. Experience the meditative process of carving unique blocks,…

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Eline Lipkin – Writing in the Blanks

Workshop Description: This class is for anyone who has wondered what to put inside their beautiful, yet blank, book and who wants to jumpstart their writing. Through generative writing exercises, students will be exposed to poetic forms such as the…

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Margo Klass – Woodland Journal

Workshop Description: The woodland journal is rugged enough to take on walks in the woods, and suitably elegant for coffee table display. Its cover features a framed composition of stones and twigs sewn onto a panel using Japanese-inspired techniques. Inside…

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Margo Klass – The Unfolding Box Book

Workshop Description: This 3-dimensional book structure requires the artist to imagine how the book will be experienced in the hands of its viewer – from unlatching the cover, to opening the box by unfolding the hinged panels outward in all…

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Laurel Herbeck – Coptic Cross Stitch Journal

Workshop Description: This journal combines Coptic stitch and Cross-stitch in an elegant and stunning binding. The Coptic stitch is a two-needle across the spine sewing, while the Cross stitch is sewn along the binding simultaneously as the Coptic stitches progress…

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Brenda Gallagher – Beaded Miniature Books

Workshop Description: Students will make several miniature books with beaded spines. We will cut small pages and fold into signatures. Then a miniature case will be created by covering small boards with decorative paper and book cloth spines. Students will…

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Erin Fletcher – Exploring Embroidery on Paper

Workshop Description: Embroidering the surface of paper creates an alluringly tactile effect that can enhance any design. During the first half of the workshop, students will experiment with a range of surface design techniques including embroidery by making a series…

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Robert Choe-Henderson – Hanji: Hand and Vat

Workshop Description: HANJI: VAT AND HAND is an immersive Korean papermaking workshop designed to introduce hanji (Korean handmade paper), its history, production, and versatility. Learn two papermaking techniques: webal tteugi ( single-scoop method; indigenous to Korea) and ssangbal tteugi, (twin…

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Mary-Ellen Campbell – Sun and Earth

Workshop Description: Create cyanotypes; those lovely indigo images made from nature or from film negatives on rusted and tea stained papers resulting in unique pages. Day 1, participants will be learning techniques as well as compiling notes on our experiments.…

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Pietro Accardi – Secretary Box

Workshop Description: The secretary box features one large bottom drawer, two recessed diagonal drawers, and three niches within a hatch top opening. The box is entirely covered with marbled fabric, dimensions: 10 inches wide, 7 inches deep, and 6 inches…

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Sirlei Caetano – Dreams

Artist: Sirlei Caetano Title: Dreams Techniques & Materials: Monotipia, bordado, costura de bulas sobre tecido. Monotype, embroidery, stitching of medicine leaflet on tissue. Artist Statement: Nascida em Santa Cruz do Sul, RS, Brasil. Participa de Exposições nacionais e internacionais de…

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Mary Kritz – Dreams Of World Travel

Artist: Mary Kritz Title: Dreams Of World Travel Techniques & Materials: I created this book using Fabriano hot press and cold press water colour papers. I coloured eight 4 x 6 inch hot press paper panels with water colours. Thinking…

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Marjon MUDDE – It is better to give

Artist: Marjon MUDDE Title: It is better to give Techniques & Materials: Techniques: paper cut outs, letterpress on monotypes done by children 30 years ago during one of my workshops. Materials: Rives etching paper, Ingres d’Arches, cotton fabric, string, magnet.…

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Maria do Carmo Toniolo Kuhn – My dreams

Artist: Maria do Carmo Toniolo Kuhn Title: My dreams Techniques & Materials: colagem sobre tecido, costuras coloridas e escritos. Artist Statement: Nascida em Bento Gonçalves, RS, Brasil..Formada em História Natural, dedica-se ás artes visuais desde 2000, participando de exposições de…

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Mara Caruso – Of Heavenly Things

Artist: Mara Caruso Title: Of Heavenly Things Techniques & Materials: Drawing, painting, cutting and collage. Canson paper. Artist Statement: Colored pencil, black pen, brush, drawing on tissue paper and collage. Born in Erechim, RS, Brazil, she resides in Porto Alegre.…

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Leigh Blom – 3 AM

Artist: Leigh Blom Title: 3 AM Techniques & Materials: This book is an accordion book with pop up features using scrap book paper to create the images within. The four pages of the book allow the book to either be…

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Luiza G P Gutierrez- Dreams, softs and sweets

Artist: Luiza G P Gutierrez Title: Dreams, softs and sweets Techniques & Materials: Desenho, recorte e dobradura. Artist Statement: Nascida em Cruz Alta, RS, Brasil. Formada em Artes Visuais, no Instituto de Artes da UFRGS. Dedica-se ao Livro de Artista…

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Kristi Galbraith – Montana Dreamin’

Artist: Kristi Galbraith Title: Montana Dreamin’ Techniques & Materials: Photo Art, Marbled paper, paper weaving, triaxial weaving, wooden covers with Dremel lettering, leather straps, long stitch binding over leather straps, thread woven into some page, beads and charms added to…

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Kazumi Seki – bittersweet

Artist: Kazumi Seki Title: bittersweet Techniques & Materials: This is a Coptic accordion book. Hand drawing images with matcha are applied on hand made cotton paper. Matcha is one of my favorite teas which has bittersweet taste and scents. Bitterness…

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Jussara Leite Kronbauer- FENIX, NOTRE DAME

Artist: Jussara Leite Kronbauer Title: FENIX, NOTRE DAME Techniques & Materials: Papel canson, vegetal, pintura, desenho e dobradura Artist Statement: Nascida em Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil. Formada em arquitetura. Dedica-se às artes visuais desde 2004, participando de exposições nacionais e…

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Jane S Balconi – Livre para voar

Artist: Jane S Balconi Title: Livre para voar – Free to fly Techniques & Materials: canson paper 300gr, drawing of birds clipped and glued. Artist Statement: Nascida em Caxias do Sul, RS, Brasil. Dedica-se às Artes Visuais desde os anos…

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Insiya Dhatt – Dreams

Artist: Insiya Dhatt Title: Dreams Techniques & Materials: All the materials to build the mobile are enclosed in a box shaped like a book adding an element of anticipation and storytelling to the experience. One gets to weave their own…

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Erminia Marasca Soccol – (Navigate)

Artist: Erminia Marasca Soccol Title: Navegar (Navigate) Techniques & Materials: carimbo, dobradura sobre tecido.Ruber stamp, folding upon tissue Artist Statement: Nascida em Garibaldi, RS, Brasil. Dedica-se às artes visuais desde o ano 1998. Participa de exposições nacionais e internacionais de…

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Amy Siedenstrang – Perchance

Artist: Amy Siedenstrang Title: Perchance Techniques & Materials: I gutted an old clock and coiled lights inside, creating the night sky by embellishing velvet paper with ink and punching holes for the constellations. Various papers and fabric complete the other…

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Adrienne Momi- Dreaming I was the sea

Artist: Adrienne Momi Title: Dreaming I was the sea Techniques & Materials: Letterpress, gilded relief printing, inkjet prints of original art with haiku. Artist Statement: When I look at the sea, I feel swept into its gente caressing arms. I…

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Shawn Sheehy – A Meeting of Mutualists

Artist Statement Typically, paper-engineered structures are built into books that require total collapse. In A Meeting of Mutualists the structures are built into shallow boxes that DON’T require total collapse and therefore allow for novel exploration of engineering parameters. The…

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Roberta Lavadour – Spirit Guide

Artist Statement I’ve been thinking a lot about appropriation, and how materials, techniques, and imagery hold cultural weight. I’m fascinated by the New Age to white supremacy pipeline, and how casual appropriation can push our boundaries. Tapping into my own…

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Rhiannon Skye Tafoya -Ul’nigid’

Artist Statement: Ul’nigid’ is a poetic narrative and visual representation of memories about my maternal Grandmother; she was a medicine-woman, a basket-weaver, and a fluent speaker of the Cherokee language. Ul’nigid’ was uniquely designed to represent her being, and each…

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Rhiannon Alpers – Vanishing

Artist Statement The imagery in Vanishing revolves around insects currently considered threatened or endangered. They are part of the insect apocalypse. Threats to their survival include habitat loss and fragmentation, invasion of non-native species, pesticide application, and global warming.The poems…

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R D Burton – Company Housing

Artist Statement My artist books portray the reality of change rather than a romanticized idea of the past, and display the economic, technological, and social changes that reshape urban and rural landscapes. Many of my books portray the world of…

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Mary-Ellen Campbell – Rust 2

Artist Statement Rust as a metaphor for aging. Book text:Coarse, pitted spikes, cables,chains welded, water-logged,changing, deteriorating, weakenedpulled from the sea barnacle-bound.Iron-red burnt sienna patina,intricate textures exposed,torn joints, corroded bones,oxidized, ossified, brittle break,out of practice forgotten stepsthe stage no longer welcomes.…

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Margo Klass – Preserving Humanity

Artist Statement Preserving Humanity is a tribute to the art of book conservation – the preservation of books as physical objects and as vessels of the human record. The title is inspired by the lecture that opened the 1988 exhibition…

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