Registration is open for the Middlesex County Public Library’s (MCPL) upcoming workshop, “The Art of the Book,” on Saturday, April 18, 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., at MCPL’s Deltaville branch. The workshop is divided into two sessions, featuring a folded book heart sculpture and a book box. Attendees can sign up for one session or both. There is no fee, though an RSVP is requested to gauge supply needs. Light refreshments will be served.
During the morning session, from 10:30 a.m. to roughly 12:30 p.m., participants will be introduced to the medium of altered books through examples and images. They will then create a heart sculpture from a hardcover book using the corner-fold technique.
A short lunch break will follow. During the afternoon session from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., participants will create a hollowed-out book box. Techniques to be taught include safety with blades, creating a template, cutting, glueing and finishing the book box.
The art of “altered books” refers to the act of “upcycling” a book — usually an old or redundant one that has outlived its useful life — to create a new work of art, often incorporating other media like painting. The resulting art and methods of creation are as varied as the books themselves, and have gained acceptance in the art world as a sophisticated method of mixed media sculpture. The technique emerged in the early 20th century, championed by artists like Marcel Duchamp, before gaining popularity in the later part of the century as access to books became commonplace.
Maggie Kerrigan is a Virginia Beach-based artist with more than 30 years experience. “Altering books allows me to elicit a further message from the printed page,” she says in her artist statement. “I merge my own impressions to provoke viewers with an added dimension while they regard the original literary work.” Her work has been exhibited at numerous shows, galleries, and exhibitions including the Museum of Contemporary Art, The Stravitz Gallery, and others. Examples of her work can be found on her website, thebookartist.com.
The workshop is made possible in part by a grant from the Virginia Commission for the Arts and support from the Friends of Deltaville Library.
To reserve a space, call the Deltaville branch at 776-7362, or email yourmiddlesexlibrary@gmail.com. More information on this and other library events can be found on the library website www.yourmiddlesexlibrary.org as well as social media.
