Folded Fan Sculptural Artists’ Book: A Vehicle for Imagination, Experimentation and Play with Debra Disman

Schedule: Jun 5, 2021 — 1pm - 4pm (PT); 
2pm - 5pm (MT); 3pm - 6pm (CT); 4pm - 6pm (ET); 
Register by May 15, 2021

The “Folded Fan Book,” Debra Disman’s personal name for this fun and versatile book structure, is comprised of an accordion spine, two covers, and full size pages which “fan out” when the book is opened. This structure can be treated as a traditional codex or built into a sculptural form limited only by the ingenuity, creativity, and innovation of the maker. Students will gather their own materials based on the supplies list provided and determine the size and content of their books, inspired by examples of different ways this structure can be developed, reimagined, and used. We will spend the first part of the workshop creating the basic structure, then take off into unexplored territory where students can utilize their chosen materials to transform their books into personal explorations of their own histories or potential futures. Will it become a container of memory, visualization of an intention, a container of dreams, an excavated artifact? Whatever participants choose to create, this book can become a vehicle for imagination, experimentation, and play.

Materials: Participants will supply and source tools and materials. The use of existing materials in your living/work space is encouraged. A list of supplies will be sent one month before the workshop. The Zoom link will be sent the week of the workshop.

Please direct questions to california@guildofbookworkers.org

Location/Venue:  Online with The California Chapter of the Guild of Book Workers
For more info & pictures: https://gbwcaliforniachapter.wordpress.com/ 
Cost/Fee:  GBW member: $50/non-member: $60
Material/Studio fee:  

Their workshop calendar: https://gbwcaliforniachapter.wordpress.com/ 

Instructor and bio:  Debra Disman is a Los Angeles-based artist working primarily in the form of the book, both as a solo practitioner and in the public sphere of community engagement. She creates work and projects which push the boundaries of the book into new forms and materials. Her work is shown in museums, galleries, universities, and libraries across the U.S. Disman was the featured artist for the Big Read in LA in 2016; is the recipient of a 2016-17 WORD: Artist Grant / Bruce Geller Memorial Prize to create “The Sheltering Book,” a life-sized book structure designed as a catalyst for community creativity; and was commissioned by LA’s Craft Contemporary Museum to create an interactive book for the 2017 exhibition, “Chapters: Book Arts in Southern California.” She was a Studio Resident at the Camera Obscura Art Lab at 1450 Ocean in Santa Monica in 2018, and has served as an Artist-in-Residence with the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs since 2017. She is local Artist-in-Residence at 18th Street Arts Center in Santa Monica, CA. http://debradisman.com/  Instagram @artifactorystudio