ABC – artists’ books club

ABC is a cross-disciplinary forum for makers of artists’ books and ephemera, founded by MA alumna Lilla Duignan in 2009 for students and interested parties based at Bower Ashton. It provides an opportunity to get together for critical and constructive dialogue, to contextualise work, explore ideas and to develop creative practice and theory. ABC meets and works as a group towards exhibitions, projects and participation in regional and national artist’s book fairs and events.

“The perfect space in which mystery meets matter and conjoins, is for me the book”

Allil Enna Nangi-Ud

ABC coordinators for the academic year 2017-2018 are Cathey Webb and Gen Harrison:

Cathey has a keen interest in artists’ books and makes small editions using a variety of printmaking techniques. http://catheywebb.weebly.com.

Gen seeks to be a purveyor of inky joy whose interest in Artists’ Books comes from an interest in the context, conveyance and containment (or not) of words. https://typochondriacs.wordpress.com.

Over the course of this year we hope to inspire you to make artists books by showing some easy book-making techniques, exploring collections of artists’ books and hearing about the work of other book artists. Our overall project for the year is based on the theme FOUND. We hope you will join in by making a book on the theme to show in the Library’s artist’s book display cases.

Some of the meetings this year will be held in the library, or another location, so check here if you are unsure where to meet.

Timetable of meetings

Thursday 26th October 2017
12:30 – 13:30 Library
Intro to ABC 2017-18, making simple folded books and exploring UWE Artists Book Collection

Thursday 2nd November 2017
12:30 – 13:30 Portakabin 1
Talk by Theresa Easton, book artist, printer, and founder member of Artists Union England

Thursday 23rd November 2017
Kate Holland from the Designer Bookbinders will be doing demos in the library today – edge decoration in the morning and inlays and onlays in the afternoon, open to all.
11am-1pm and 2pm-4pm.

Thursday 7th December 2017
12:30 – 13:30 Portakabin 1
Making Pop-up-books / cards

Thursday 25th January 2018
12:30 – 13:30 Library
Micro-workshop FOUND poetry with Jeremy Dixon of Hazard Press.

Thursday 15th February 2018
12:30 – 13:30 Library
Making needle thread pockets and pamphlet books, FOUND project and other updates.

Thursday 15th March 2018
13:00 – 14:00 Portakabin 1
View and discuss a sample of books from Arnolfini’s artist’s book collection.

Thursday 12th April 2018
12:30 – 13:30 Library
Show & Tell ABC Members – bring your books, FOUND project progress.

Thursday 10th May 2018
12:30 – 13:30 Room 1B4
Your chance to explore, combine techniques, play and make session. FOUND project – bring your books.