b is for book

 

How better to spend a sunny Sunday than in the swell company of bookish folk? I did that last weekend, sharing a table at the Book Arts Bazaar at USM, with fellow artist and educator,  Judy Labrasca. We became fast friends when I took her Picture Book course at Maine College of Art years ago.

The Book Arts Bazaar featured over 40 vendors with all manner of offerings: hand made paper, bookbinding, zines, comic books, art books, posters, paper sculpture, vintage ephemera...I was in heaven.

Here is Judy, setting up her beautiful wares.

She was next to Allison Villani, art teacher and maker of paper lovelies like these:

It can be awkward manning a table for a whole day. Good to have colored pencils on hand; I did this sketch of Allison to stay busy.

 

Judy took this photo of me, and my books and cards. Had to bring along a few tulips to remind myself that spring WILL come.

Next to me was the very prolific Michael Connor, infamous author and illustrator of the Coelacanthus series. Here he is seriously sorting his groovy oeuvre of collectibles.

There was a steady stream of book lovers browsing and buying, and the day went remarkably fast.
I did this quick profile of another artist, Svetlana Prudovskaya, who had intricate drawings and hand made books.

It was surprising how many other vendors I knew in the room: Scott Mullenberg, who crafted several portfolios for me, had a modern pile of riveting books.

 These made me think of my motorcycle, and then I saw Scott Vile of Asencius Press, a former island neighbor and bike racer.  The Portland bookmaking crowd is a tight one. There was dynamic Rick Lowe of Casablanca Comics, and the inimitable Crystal Cawley, whose delightful book making workshops I've taken, and who continues to inspire me. And of course, the master of book arts, Rebecca Goodale, who spun this whole event into being.

I took a quick swing around the other three rooms, marveling at the diversity of work. Spotted this,
"Imperfect Anxiety," perfectly titled by Solange Kellerman.

The order and color bursts of this display by Purplebean Bindery caught my eye.

I have a weakness for paper dresses, don't you? Nice visual pun by Libby Barrett here.

M is for moon, another of the alphabet cards I made for the day.

And for a marvelous event, that proves the book arts are alive and kickin' in Maine.

In other bookish news, I just found out from author Susan Blackaby that Nest, Nook & Cranny is
included in the 2011 edition of the Bank Street College Best Children's
Books of the Year! Great news, and just in time for Poetry Month.

Now I'm off to Charlesbridge Publishing, to deliver the final art for my latest book project.
Stay tuned on that front.