Accordion book on a whole new scale

As the year winds down I'm doing anything but slowing - we're already deep into design and sample production for our 2011 greeting card collection (I can't wait to show some sneak peeks!) and there's been little time between that and craft fairs for things like photographing work and updating the blog. So instead I'm going to share a photo from the MFA exhibit Fresh Ink: Ten Takes on Chinese Tradition which I visited with Sadie and my parents (in the background) about a month ago.

I loved the exhibit and the whole concept behind it - ten contemporary Chinese artists re-imagine the work of past masters from the MFA's collection. I loved this series of oversize accordion books with giant brush stroke paintings set up in a series of tiers like an audience. It was amazing to walk through the installation (and believe me I got up close and personal to figure out the construction and materials he used) since the accordion is a construction after my own heart.

I highly recommend the exhibit (up through February 13) and can't wait to go back to further explore the new Art of the Americas wing.

Lotus books

Great weekend workshop collaboration - lotus books!



Here's everyone deciding in what order to assemble the book.



A finished poem.



Two finished books side by side (to show off the two sides of the book).

It's such an interesting structure and everyone worked well together to really create a beautiful collaboration. Thanks to each of our students for all of their hard work and a very professional and lovely finished project.

Photos courtesy of Angela at Carta, Inc.

2009 Calendars - take one

I'm excited to announce that the first of three new 2009 calendars by Albertine Press is ready and on sale at our Etsy store.



Inspired by all of the bookbinding we've been doing with Angela during our workshops, this year we are offering a limited-edition, miniature, hand-bound, hard-cover, accordion calendar.



The calendar features old-fashioned cuts from nature inspired by each month (at least up here in the north east) printed in a soft sage green. The month blocks are printed in a lovely gray ink. Inside paper is one of our favorites, a soft, 100% cotton Somerset velvet stock. It's also a signed and numbered edition of 70.



I just couldn't make up my mind about what paper to bind the covers in, so we went with four different hand-made papers: a hand-sponged speckled paper, a Florentine traditional pattered paper, and two hand-made Japanese papers (one textured, one smooth).

It's a really beautiful, little display calendar that will delight all year long.

Accordions & more

At the end of August, Angela and I held a new two-day workshop to create accordion pocket books. Everyone created original letterpress haiku cards to slip into the pockets of the books created on day two (when we also made two other, smaller accordions, for practice and fun).



We're happy to be offering this class again at the end of October. Details can be found on the website along with registration information.



For more images visit Angela's blog.