Asheville Bookworks

BookWorks is pleased to welcome back many of our previous instructors and excited to add the talents of new instructors in 2008.

Heather Allen-Swarttouw	Annie Cicale	Bridget Elmer	Matt Liddle	Lauren Scanlon
Frank Brannon	Margaret Couch Cogswell	Daniel Essig	Katherine McGinn	Sandy Webster
Jennifer Brook	Laurie Corral	Celia Gray	Brandon Mise	Jenna Weston
Caryl Brt	Gwen Diehn	Annie Fain Liden	Steve Pittelkow	Gretchen Winger

To view class descriptions and register for workshops, go to our Workshops > Schedule section.

Heather Allen-Swarttouw Workshops: Keeping Creative Journals - April 8, 15, 22, 29, and May 6, 13 Journaling and Your Creative Voice for people who have taken Keeping Creative Journals September 3, October 1, November 5 and December 3 Heather Allen Swarttouw is a studio artist creating with cloth, ceramic and mixed media. She received her BFA in painting and sculpture from the University of New Hampshire and her MFA in textiles from the University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth. She exhibited and taught throughout the United States, Canada, Japan, Nepal, Thailand and Singapore. Creating a personal reference library of creative journals has given her insights and propelled her in her current creative explorations. She wrote "Journaling and My Creative Process" that appeared in the Summer 2003 issue of Surface Design Journal.

Frank Brannon www.speakeasypress.com Workshops: Introduction to Handset Letterpress • April 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 and May 7 • September 8 - 10 Intermediate Letterpress Printing - June 13 - 15 Frank was born in Maryville, Tennessee, in the foothills of the Great Smokey Mountains, and currently lives near Dillsboro, North Carolina. He is a 2005 graduate of the M.F.A. in the Book Arts Program at the University of Alabama and is proprietor of SpeakEasy Press. He previously studied Physics (M.S., 1991 and B.S., Phi Beta Kappa, 1987) at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and completed three years of Ph.D. work in Atmospheric Science at the State University of New York, Stony Brook. Frank has 17 years of experience in educational instruction and administration. He most recently worked with the Academic Affairs Office at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. He has previous experience as an informal educator with the U.S. Department of Energy’s American Museum of Science and Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The limited edition, letterpress books that Frank produces are held in several special collections libraries in the United States and England as well as with private collectors. His most recent monograph focuses upon research into the Cherokee Phoenix newspaper of northern Georgia, 1828-1834. Research continues on the origins and demise of this historical newspaper as well as an exploration of the character-forms of the original Sequoyan syllabary. In 2008 Frank was lead letterpress printer for the Penland School of Crafts Winter Residency in Letterpress.

Jennifer Brook www.jennybrook.com Jennifer Brook is a writer and book artist who recently completed a limited-edition letterpress artist’s book, entitled Transplant, during a 3-month residency at BookWorks. Her passion for making books has brought her to interesting places all over the world, including Italy, where she worked with weavers and bookbinders. In addition to producing her own work, Jennifer leads writing and bookmaking workshops with people of all ages, facilitates brainstorming sessions for individuals and organizations, and has worked with youth in foster care to design and author their own zines.

Caryl Brt Trained as a furniture maker and woodturner, I explore a wide array of decorative objects for the home. I currently focus on one-of-a-kind sculptural lighting with handmade paper shades and decorative mirrors. As well, I make range of small gift items such as carved wooden spoon,s and turned fan pulls and wine stoppers. After earning my degree in professional crafts- wood at Haywood Community College, I opened a wood studio on 60 acres in the nearby Smoky Mountains. For the last 15 years I have been blest with working at something I really love surrounded by the special beauty of the Appalachian Mountains. I divide my time between working at the Crafts Department at Haywood Community College in Clyde, NC and on my own designs at home in my studio. I also maintain a close association with Arrowmont School in Gatlinburg, TN and the Southern Highland Craft Guild in Asheville. I have taught, taken and served as teaching assistant for turning and woodworking classes at Arrowmont. I have been a member of the Southern Highland Craft guild since 1995, participated in their exhibitions and sell my work through their retail outlets. For six years I interviewed and wrote articles introducing American woodworkers, galleries and schools to the Japanese public through the Tokyo-based “Encyclopedia of Wood” magazine.

Annie Cicale
www.cicaleletteringdesign.com

Workshops:
Getting Started in Printmaking
October 22, 29 and November 5, 12, 19

The world of books and writing has captivated Annie Cicale since she was a child. After a short career as a chemical engineer, she turned to the visual arts, specializing in painting, printmaking and drawing. The visual qualities of writing became her subject matter when she discovered the expressive power of the calligraphic form. She has experimented with the word as image in her paintings, and her books emphasize content in simple structures. Annie has an MFA in graphic design, as well as her engineering degrees. She taught for many years at AB Tech, as well as for many calligraphic organizations throughout the US and Canada. In 2004, Lark Books published her book, The Art & Craft of Hand Lettering, which is a best seller in the world of book arts.

Margaret Couch Cogswell

Workshops:
Crowning Glory - May 3 & 4

I have been making books for over 12 years. Although over the course of my career I have journeyed from weaving to ceramics, fabric collage, and now books, certain themes and materials have stayed the same. Cloth, thread, color and pattern have been constant connectors through the years. My conviction that our greatest rewards often come from simple, everyday objects and moments is a recurring theme. Additionally, communicating with people through the objects I make continues to be the primary and sustaining focus of my work.

I was a slow reader as a child and had a hard time sitting still, but loved books as objects and as containers for pictures- the visual spark that took me on imaginary trips. I also loved the idea that books contained knowledge, even if I could not access that knowledge through the book form. I work in books because of this interactive quality they offer. I want viewers to have a sensory experience through handling, wearing and playing with my books.

I received my BA from Rhodes College. Since that time I have continued my education at Rhode Island School of Design, Penland School of Crafts, Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, Booksworks and until recently thru my full-time job as a mom. My work can be found at Penland Gallery and Bookworks.

Laurie Corral

Workshops:
Haiku Books - May 7, 14, 21, 28 and June 4

Laurie Corral received an MFA in 1994 from Cranbrook Academy of Art in printmaking, after which she found letterpress printing and book arts to be natural extensions of her works on paper. In 1999, she received an emerging artist grant to take classes at the Center for Book Arts in NYC, and completed several book arts and papermaking intensives at Penland School of Crafts. Laurie is the Director of BookWorks.

Gwen Diehn Workshops: Surrealists' Book Trip - July 16 & 17 Making Paints from Local Clay - September 6 & 7 Workshop for adult/child pairs. Gwen Diehn has been teaching in the Art Department at Warren Wilson College since 1989, where she started both the printmaking and artists’ books programs. Her main interests are drawing, making relief prints as a part of mixed media pieces, and producing artists’ books. She enjoys combining digital technology with archaic technologies, such as hand papermaking and letterpress printing. She also has a great interest in visual-verbal journal keeping, especially in the area of travel journals. Gwen has recently completed two books for Sterling/Lark Books, one regarding page design and one addressing visual-verbal journals.

Bridget Elmer Bridget has been a book dork since she first grabbed a musty volume from the shelves of her mother’s library and breathed in the comforting aroma of old ink. She sewed her first binding in NYC, where she served for two years as the President of Booklyn Artist Alliance. Bridget studied letterpress at CBA, as well as Books, Print & Photography at Penland School of Crafts.

Daniel Essig Workshops: Wooden Books - May 23 - 25 Book of Mica - June 20 - 22 Painted Papyrus Book - November 7 - 9 Daniel Essig is a full time studio artist in Asheville, North Carolina. He maintains a mixed media studio at Grovewood Gallery and a bindery at Cyclone Studios. He is also a member of Ariel Gallery, a contemporary craft cooperative of 20 local artists. In addition to exhibiting nationally at many craft shows, including the Smithsonian and SOFA shows, he teaches numerous book workshops at craft schools and book centers across the country. Daniel was recently featured in The Penland Book of Handmade Books, published by Lark Books.

Celia Gray Workshops: Incorporating Encaustic - March 7 - 9 Encaustic Intensive - July 7 - 11 Encaustic Intensive - August 11 - 14 Encaustic Intensive - October 3 - 5 Celia Gray is a studio artist working in encaustic painting and sculpture. In 2003 she completed the two-year Core Student program at Penland School of Crafts where she studied blacksmithing and encaustic painting. She has also been a studio assistant and student for many additional intensives at Penland. Celia recently returned from studies in Cortona, Italy. She is a local studio artist and shows regionally

Annie Fain Liden www.afainbooks.com Workshops: Book Arts Sampler: A Primer • February 11, 18, 25 (no class March 3) and March 10, 17, 24 • October 7, 14, 21, 28 and November 4, 11 Small Book Edition Exchange • August 26 and September 2, 9, 16 with Exchange Party September 23 Book Arts Sampler: Beyond the Basics - July 14 - 18 Book Arts Sampler: A Primer or some experience with basic book binding Annie Fain Liden is a full-time studio artist from Murphy, North Carolina a few miles from the John C. Campbell Folk School. In search of her destined craft she came upon book and paper arts at Penland School of Crafts in 2002. She is known to sneak fiber arts techniques, particularly hand-embroidery, into her book designs, has an extensive mini-book collection thanks to her small books edition exchange workshops, and is a great believer in the blank book as a "place" to explore personal creativity. She teaches regionally and is sole-proprietor of A. Fain Books, specializing in hand-bound, made-to-order custom journals, sketchbooks and wedding books.

Matt Liddle Originally from Albany, New York, he has been living in Sylva, North Carolina since 1995. He is an Associate Professor at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, where he teaches printmaking and book arts in the Department of Art and Design. He received a BA from Dartmouth College (1983) and and MFA in Printmaking/Book Arts (1991) from The University of the Arts. In addition to teaching, he has held a variety of jobs related to art, design and printing, and has pursued an interest in book arts since his early days working with artists Barry Moser, Steve Miller and Bill Schade.

Katherine McGinn www.katherineMcGinn.com Workshops: Monotype Print Workshop - April 14, 17 and 21 Walking the Line - June 7 Art of Woodcut Printing - July 8, 10, 15 and 16 Katherine McGinn is a studio artist and instructor residing in Asheville, NC. Having studied Illustration, printmaking and sculpture her work crosses borders between printmaking, installation, drawing and painting. She received her BFA from Virginia Commonwealth University and an MFA in printmaking from Edinboro University. Katherine has taught printmaking at Edinboro University and drawing at the Virginia Museum School. She has also assisted with Master Printer Kathy Caraccio in NY, NY as well as at Penland School of Craft. Currently Katherine is teaching a course in monotype at Warren Wilson College and is a 07’-08’ Artist Fellows with Arts For Life teaching printmaking to children at Mission Children’s Outpatient Hospital.

Brandon Mise www.bluebarnhouse.org Brandon Mise is the founder and co-owner of Blue Barnhouse. He has his MFA in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University, and studied at the San Francisco Center for the Book. His handbound magazine Em Literary (www.emlitera ry.org) is now in its fourth year and has earned him the Peter Casey Alumni Award and the Compilation/Anthology Award at the annual DIY Book Festival.

Steve Pittelkow Workshops: More Marbling on Paper and Cloth - August 23 & 24 As a bookbinder, Steve Pittelkow’s interest in marbled designs stems from a longtime desire to personalize his own books with distinctive papers and cloth. Steve especially enjoys teaching the craft and revealing the secrets for successful marbling. Over the years, Steve has experimented with a wide variety of paints and papers in his quest for materials that allow students a rich and successful marbling experience. His papers appear in museum and library collections and are used by binders and book artists nationally and internationally.

Lauren Scanlon www.laurenscanlon.com Workshops: Drawing and Narrative - June 30 - July 3 Wood Engraving Intensive - August 8-10 Lauren Scanlon is a studio artist living and working in Asheville, NC. She recently earned her MFA in Printmaking at The Ohio State University. Lauren is the recipient of numerous awards including a Letterpress and Book Arts residency at Penland School of Craft for 2008. Her visual work is narrative and figurative.


Sandy Webster www.sandywebster.com Workshops: Content and Containment of Intimate Spaces in Books July 21 - 25 Book, Basket and Box: Placement of Memory - August 1 - 3 Sandy Webster is an artist currently working in mixed media. She received her BFA with honors from Western Carolina University and her MFA from Vermont College. Her works have been shown in the US and internationally in solo and invitational exhibitions. She has been published in Fiberarts Design Books 1V, V, VI, several Lark/Sterling Publications as well as Handwoven, Shuttle, Spindle & Dyepot, and Textile Fibre Forum. Sandy has taught, lectured and juried throughout the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Jenna Weston Workshops: Haiku Books - May 7, 14, 21, 28 and June 4 “What is the connection between the life I’m living and the objects I’m forming?” asks the potter Paulus Berensohn. This is a question I try to come to terms with in my work. In my everyday life I attempt to live simply, literally surrounded by nature, which is a deep source of inspiration for me. I am dedicated to promoting awareness, reverence, and ultimately, preservation of the natural world. The haiku poetry that I write informs my visual art, and visa versa. These are some of the values I want reflected in “the objects I’m forming.”

Gretchen Winger Workshops: Introduction to Handset Letterpress • January 30, February 6, 13, 20, 27 and March 5 • October 16, 23, 30 and November 6, 13, 20 Intermediate Letterpress Printing - April 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 and May 7 Prerequisite: Introduction to Handset Letterpress Printing or equivalent experience or classes in printing Paste Paper & Portfolio - April 19 & 20 Sewn Board Binding Combo - June 27 - 29 Pre-requisite: Basic Sewn Board binding class or equivalent experience with this structure. Clamshell Boxes - July 26 & 27 Gretchen Winger received a BA in German and Humanities from Washington College and an MFA in Book Arts from The University of Alabama. She is currently an Artist-In-Residence and Workshop Instructor at Bookworks in Asheville, NC. As sole proprietor of Off-Kilter Press she combines her fascination with words and language and texture and materials in creating limited edition artists books, journals, sketchbooks and ephemera.

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