Open Tues-Sat 10am-4pm: Museum Closed December 24th and 25th

Nature as Muse

Join us for Nature as Muse, a panel discussion presented by The American Bookbinders Museum with panalists Elizabeth Curren, Sara Press (Deeply Game Publications), and Rebecca Chamlee (Pie in the Sky Press). We’ll discuss nature’s influence in practice and as model on Saturday, June 15th at 11:00 am PST. Whether its using organic materials, or fashioning patterns to mimic nature, we’ll explore the intersection of nature as material and muse.

Gain valuable insights and practical tips as these talented craftswomen share their journey from early sketches to the final binding, showcasing how they incorporate elements of the natural world into their work. The panel will share how they integrate natural materials into their bindings, and how they use design elements based on models from the  natural world. Don’t miss this opportunity to explore nature’s influence on bookbinding.

Cost: $10
Webinars are recorded and available to all registered attendees after the webinar.

About the Panelists:

Elizabeth Curran, My artist’s books and prints reflect life-long interests in literature, natural sciences, cartography, landscapes and dreams. Recently I have been using collagraphs, linoleum blocks and woodcuts in my book designs. Exploring various book forms and structures allows for experimentation and discovery. I believe that we are changed by sensory information. Artists’ Books are an art form that can be handled, examined and manipulated, thus inviting the viewer to fully participate and share in the experience.

 

Rebecca Chamlee is a book artist, printer, writer, and bookbinder who has published innovatively designed, letterpress printed, limited-edition fine press, and artist’s books under the imprint of Pie In The Sky Press since 1986. Her work is in prominent special and private collections throughout the U.S. and has been exhibited widely. As a self-taught naturalist and citizen scientist, Rebecca’s artist’s books examine the intersection of her artistic and scientific interests by collecting and cataloging the natural world. Rebecca retired in 2023 as an associate professor at Otis College of Art and Design where she taught bookbinding, letterpress printing, and artist’s book classes and headed the Book Arts minor program for over 20 years. She now holds workshops at her studio and book arts centers throughout the country.

Sara L. Press, Photographer, Printmaker, Book Artist based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Under her imprint Deeply Game Publications, she has published sixteen book works in editions that range in size from 3 to 100 copies. Her works focus of the overlap between nature and culture. She has receive numerous honors and awards, and her work is part of many prestigious permanent collections.

 
 

Missed the Lecture? No problem, you can access a recording of the lecture.

 

American Bookbinders Museum

The American Bookbinders Museum is the only museum of its kind in North America, celebrating and exploring the history, tools and stories of bookbinders and bookbinding, from its earliest forms through the changes and innovations of the industrial revolution.

Learn more