Asheville BookWorks Newsletter

BookWorks January/February 2008 Newsletter

January 11 – February 22, 2008
Reception: Friday, February 1 from 5:30 – 7 pm (free and open to the public)

Matt Liddle calls book arts his field because it is a broad enough category to encompass most of the things that interest him. Paper, in its profound simplicity is simultaneously ephemeral and durable, and also infinitely transformable.
Matt Liddle - Journeys to the Interior
For more information, visit our Happenings page.

Margaret in her BookWorks studio space.

nternal page from Gretchen Winger's thesis project The Cast of Characters.

Opening reception for PRINTED: Contemporary Prints and Books by North Carolina Artists.

New Look for BookWorks
Check it out! BookWorks has a brand new face! The website, re-designed by Alice io Ogelsby (io design & illustration, inc.), is based on a logo created for BookWorks by NC artist, Andy Farkas. The new logo first appeared on posters and T-shirts for the third annual BookOpolis, 2007. Please take a few moments to wander through the new website. New pages have been added and all info has been updated. We hope you enjoy it and find it even easier to navigate.

BookWorks Invites You to Make this An Exciting New Year of Letterpress and Book Arts
Gain new skills and become part of a growing community of writers, printmakers and book artists. This year we are launching a new series of classes that builds knowledge and community. The two major areas of study, Letterpress/Printmaking and Book Binding will focus on skill building by offering Introductory classes followed by Intermediate level classes that conclude with BookOpolis in September, 2008.

	Book Arts Sampler: A Primer February 11, 18, 25 (no class March 3) and March 10, 17, 24 Mondays: 6:00 - 9:00 pm Book Arts Sampler: Beyond the Basics July 14 - 18 Monday - Friday: 10:00 am - 4:30 pm (1-hour lunch break)
	Introduction to Handset Letterpress January 30, February 6, 13, 20, 27 and March 5 Wednesdays: 6:00 - 9:00 pm Intermediate Letterpress Printing April 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 and May 7 Wednesdays: 6:00 - 9:00 pm

Register Early! For more information on these and other workshops, visit our Workshops>Schedule area.

BookWorks Resident Artists' News

Margaret Cogswell has been an artist in residence at Bookworks since January, 2007. In this short time she has accomplished an amazing body of work and recently received a prestigious and coveted award: A three-year Penland residency. "The past year and a half has marked a shift in my studio practice and subsequently my work; I have made the transition to working as a full-time studio artist, moved my studio to Asheville BookWorks where I have taken advantage of numerous book classes, and have tapped into a supportive artist community. I believe that the Penland residency is a natural and important next step."

Margaret reveals her long-standing affection for the book form in her statement, "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 can offer. I want viewers to have a sensory experience through handling, wearing and playing with my books."

Margaret Cogswell wearing one of her crowns. She will be teaching a workshop "Crowning Glory" in May.

Although her main studio will shift to Penland, Margaret will continue her association with BookWorks and is teaching a class this spring: "Crowning Glory." Register early! For more information on these and other workshops, visit our Workshops>Schedule area.

Gretchen Winger has been an artist in residence at BookWorks since 2005. In November 2007, she completed her MFA from University of Alabama Book Arts Program. The MFA in the Book at The University of AL is an intensive three-year program. Faculty is Steve Miller for letterpress and papermaking and Anna Embree and Wes Baker for binding. Gretchen participated in the first U of AL Book Arts trip to Cuba and completed a summer internship at Center for Book Arts in NYC.

Her thesis project is titled The Cast of Characters, an abecedary by Arthur Saltzman. The text was found in the Black Warrior Review, a literary magazine published by the U of AL. With the author's permission, Gretchen set about creating a limited edition. It is handset and letterpress printed in Bembo with gelatin print illustrations and large letters printed from found wood and metal type, hand cut linoleum blocks or photopolymer plate.

Gretchen Winger working on the letterpress. She will be teaching a series of letterpress workshops this year.

Gretchen teaches beginning and continuing Letterpress and Binding classes at BookWorks throughout the year. Visit the Workshops page of the website for more info. Register early! For more information on these and other workshops, visit our Workshops>Schedule area.

January 18 to February 29
Many printmakers and book artists that teach, exhibit and work at BookWorks are included in this wonderful show including Matt Liddle, Andy Farkas, Katherine McGinn, Jennifer Brook, Laurie Corral, Judith O'Rourke and Brandon Mise.
Acclaimed printmaker Bill Fick has curated the most comprehensive exhibition of North Carolina print and book artists to date: PRINTED: Contemporary Prints & Books by North Carolina Artists. On display from January 18 to February 29, 2008, the exhibition will feature 43 artists from across the state working in print and book making techniques, including etching, relief prints, lithography, linocuts, woodcuts, vitreography, screen prints, digital printing, mixed-media constructions, and more. A special section of the exhibition will highlight several North Carolina fine art and letter press studios such as Littleton Studios, Horse and Buggy Press, and Blue Barnhouse Press.

The exhibition will amply demonstrate the vivacity and range of the print community in North Carolina and the fascinating directions that contemporary printmakers are exploring. See www.greenhillcenter.org for more information.