Book as Art: Illuminated
August 11–September 29 | open during library hours
The Periodicals Gallery of the Decatur Library
215 Sycamore St., Decatur, Ga.
Opening Reception
Friday, Aug. 25 | 7–9 pm
The luminous sheen of copper, brass, gold leaf and enamel lights up the annual Book as Art exhibition. This juried show celebrates the book with a wildly varied collection of inventive and intriguing work that challenges expectations. Join us to view and celebrate the remarkable work in this exhibit.
Book Festival Extended Hours
Saturday, Sept. 2 | 9 am-6 pm
Sunday, Sept. 3 | Noon-5 pm
White Glove Nights
Thursday, Sept. 7 and Sept. 21 | 7-9 pm
We’re putting away the “do not touch” signs. Volunteers will provide participants with white gloves allowing firsthand exploration of the books in the exhibition.
Bookmaking for Kids
Thursday, Sept. 14 | 4-5 pm
Children ages 6-12 can come learn about art and bookmaking through a hands-on craft program.
2017 Exhibition
See photos of this year’s collection and view artists’ statements below.
Digesting Your Words and Phrase
Three CT Gardens
Untitled
At Low Water
Wave
Holding Up the Roof
Walking Meditation, Part XIII: August Bloom
Threshold
Old True
Ammonite II
Reticula Curva
Book for the Brokenhearted
Endless Eternal Elusive
LandEscape
Sacred Peop LXVII
Nicaragua: Surviving the Legacy of US Policy
This is War! Robert Capa at Work
Still Point
A Heap of Witness
Archaic Inquiry: Serial Dilution
Inherent Knowledge
These Things are Gray
Blue Ridge
Taxonomy of Shapes
Sconce
Bird’s Bar Mitzvah
Goode’s School Atlas
Gymnopaedie #5: A Day Without Words
Mister F
Listening to the Darkness
Little Black Book
Wood Family Album
(Don’t) Let Go
Jurors
Anne Beidler has been a faculty member at Agnes Scott College in Decatur, Georgia since 1992, where she is a professor in the departments of art and art history. She teaches drawing, printmaking, artist bookmaking and an occasional first-year seminar. Her work has been included in exhibitions throughout the United States and internationally over the last 30 years. In 2000, Beidler received the Southeastern College Art Conference “Annual Award for Creative Achievement.” She has been a visiting artist and speaker at a number of colleges and universities including Rollins College in Florida, the University of Georgia-Cortona Program, Tulane University and Seoul Women’s University in Korea. Her work can be found in private and public collections and numerous print portfolios – most recently the “Where we have gone, before we go” portfolio for the 2017 Southern Graphics Council International conference. Beidler served on the Southeastern College Art Conference board of directors from 1996 through 2002, published an article on her creative work and process in the ASIANetwork Journal in 2011, and has presented papers at numerous professional conferences, including the College Art Association, the Asian Network conference at Emory University, The Southeastern College Art Association and the Southern Graphics Council International conference.
Daniel Essig was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and studied at Southern Illinois University, Penland School, and the University of Iowa. Nineteen years ago he moved to Asheville, North Carolina where he maintains a full time studio at Grovewood Gallery. He lectures and offers workshops at book centers, craft schools, colleges, and artist retreats, as well as privately. He has created wooden and sculptural books for more than 25 years. He is a recipient of the North Carolina Artist Fellowship grant. Essig exhibits his work nationally and is in numerous private and public collections. Recently his work has been collected by the Smithsonian Renwick Museum, University of California Santa Cruz, McHenry Library Special Collections, and the Topeka Public library. Many of his sculptural pieces are featured in The Penland Book of Handmade Books.
John Risseeuw, professor emeritus at Arizona State University, taught book art, printmaking, and papermaking for 40 years. He founded Pyracantha Press, the book art imprint of ASU, and his own Cabbagehead Press. His prints, books and collaborative works, many on handmade paper, have been shown in over 450 exhibitions in 26 countries and have been widely collected. The Library of Congress purchased an archive of his work on paper and all of the books from Cabbagehead Press. He was founding president of the College Book Art Association, has chaired the board of Hand Papermaking magazine, and served Southern Graphics Council International as conference organizer and printmaker emeritus. His research includes making handmade paper from silk, sustainability issues in fine art print practices at the Centre for Fine Print Research in Bristol, England, and the analysis of metal printing type alloys using the proton induced x-ray emission (PIXE) laboratory at ASU.