The Cincinnati Book Arts Society and I

This past Saturday I was invited by the Cincinnati Book Arts Society to attend their annual meeting and spend some time talking about my book Moby-Dick in Pictures as well as my process. I don't believe the event was open to the public which is why I did not post anything about it on the blog prior to the event. I had first met several members of CBAS at Cincinnati's own Books by the Banks festival last autumn and they were kind enough to remember me and invite me back.

I had a fantastic time talking to all of the members of CBAS, particularly because we share so many of the same values and interests. They are all fiendishly devoted to the craft of the book, and there were many examples of their work present at the gathering. Here are a few photos of the event and of some of their work.

One of the members of CBAS helping my wife set up the laptop so I could project images of my art on to the wall behind me...

I was able to bring some of the Moby-Dick art as well as share some of the upcoming Heart of Darkness illustrations in person...

This is one of the two "Show and Tell" tables where members of CBAS show the book art they have been working on. It was a great experience to see this kind of thing, and to be able to actually touch the books, pick them up, flip through them and so on. The level of craft was just amazing.

This is one such project titled carved in stone by CBAS member Janice Kagermeier...

The inside...

And an example of Janice's work where she combined photographs of the deceased with images from the Spring Grove Cemetery where they are presumably resting. Some of the images were quite eerie...

Another of Janice's books, titled Side Effects. My wife and I were quite smitten with how Janice worked the plastic pillbox so seamlessly into the cover...

Beautiful handstitched binding...

Examples from the interior...

Another piece titled In Two Tongues. I apologize but I did not catch the name of the artist responsible for this one...

Pages from In Two Tongues showing the dual structure...

Two others. First, a cannister of little books titled Things I Can and an absolutely tiny little blank book in a box. Again, sincere apologies, I did not catch the names of the artists who created these...

The tiny book revealed, with my wife's hands for comparison. My wife is very short and very slender with amazingly thin delicate fingers, so that gives you an idea of just how little this thing was...

A sizeable portion of the Cincinnati Book Arts Society, ready for me to speak to them...

Me talking about the book. I even wore a necktie for this one...

I got very animated for this talk, and the questions from the CBAS members focused a great deal on the creative process. It was great to really dig into this kind of thing in person, talking to people face to face...

Many thanks to everyone from the Cincinnati Book Arts Society, especially Janice Kagermeier and Cecie Chewning who initially invited me and handled many of the logistics of getting me down there.