The Potomac Chapter will be sponsoring several great programs over the next few months that we would like to bring to your attention so you can mark your calendars now. We will send out announcements in advance of events with more specifics on logistics, but want to alert you to the activities we have in store.
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Workshop on Book Arts for Girl Scout Troop
Saturday, February 8, 1:00pm – 4:00pm
Maryland State Archives, Annapolis, MD
We are delighted to work with a local Girl Scout troop, and help the girls earn their Book Arts badges!
The girls will tour the Maryland State Archives, learn basic book structure, and will each create two books of their own.
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Movie Night – “Between the Folds”
Tuesday, February 18, 5:30pm
Folger Shakespeare Library
Wine, cheese, and popcorn @ 5:30pm in the Tea Room; movie to start @ 6:00pm in the Board Room
A viewing of the highly acclaimed PBS documentary “Between the Folds” that chronicles the stories of 10 master paper folders. If you’d like to get a preview of what you will see go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tE4lqYzS2m0.
Please rsvp if you plan to attend. There is no charge, but we will put out a donation basket to help cover the cost of snacks. We hope to see you there.
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Exhibit Tour – “Book Binding from the Gilded Age”
Saturday, March 8, 11:00am
Walters Museum in Baltimore
We have arranged for a special tour with Diane Bockrath, curator of the exhibit “Book Binding from the Gilded Age.” The exhibit highlights a golden age of fine book binding from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, influenced by the Arts and Crafts, Art Nouveau and Art Deco movements. For more information about the exhibit, go to: http://thewalters.org/events/eventdetails.aspx?e=2738
This will be a unique opportunity to hear about this great exhibit from the perspective of the curator. Space will be very limited, so please rsvp to GBWPotomacChapter@gmail.com if you would like to attend. Also, please indicate if you will need a ride from the DC area.
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Lecture by David Kent – “A Life in Books: A Publisher’s Thoughts on the Past and Future of the Book”
Monday, March 10, 8:00pm
Goucher College, in the Batza Room of Goucher’s Athenaeum, Towson, MD
David Kent, CEO of HarperCollins Canada, will reflect on his 40 years in the publishing industry, how publishing has changed, what has remained the same, and where it may be headed. HarperCollins Canada, publishes fiction, nonfiction, and children’s books, as well as religious and reference books.
The lecture, which will inaugurate Goucher’s new interdisciplinary Book Studies program (http://www.goucher.edu/academics/book-studies), will take place in the Batza Room of Goucher’s Athenaeum at 8:00pm on Monday, March 10th.
Tickets for this event are free and can be reserved at www.goucher.edu/tickets or by calling 410-337-6333.
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Workshop on Bone Tool Making, with Shanna Leino
Saturday, April 12, 9:00am – 5:00pm
Pyramid Atlantic Arts Center, Silver Spring, MD
We are delighted to have Shanna Leino give this one day session on “Bone Tool Making” where we will be introduced to the tools and techniques needed to form and finish bone folders of our own design. Simple methods of adding adornment to your tools will also be demonstrated. No previous experience is necessary.
Cost is $100 for members; $125 for non-members
Materials fee, TBD, paid directly to the instructor
Reply to GBWPotomacChapter@gmail.com to request additional information or to reserve your spot.
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Potomac Chapter Happy Hour
June 20, 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Bar 201, appropriately located at 201 Mass Ave NE. It’s at the corner of 2nd, D, and Mass Ave. About 2 blocks from Union Station.
Feeling like the week is dragging on? Need something to look forward to? Mark your calendar for the next Potomac Chapter Happy Hour. We will get together on Friday, June 20th. Come meet up with other bookish types and enjoy a drink and an appetizer. As if you needed more incentive, the first drink and the appetizers are on us while supplies last or until 7:30, whichever comes first. Seriously. The Potomac Chapter will spring for a limited number of happy hour priced drinks. When those are gone it will be the usual cash bar. Feel free to bring a guest, but due to the limited number of pre-paid beverages, we ask that only PC members partake of the free libations. In other words, you’ll have to buy your non-Potomac chapter friends a drink. But you can use the occasion to extol the virtues of membership in GBW.
Please rsvp to GBWPotomacChapter@gmail.com if you plan to attend. Thanks!
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Summer Party
July 19, 5:00 – 9:00 pm
8911 Alton Parkway, Silver Spring, MD 20910
It’s time for the Potomac Chapter Summer Party! We’ll be meeting at the home of our esteemed treasurer, Linda, on Saturday, July 19th. Come spend some time with your friends from the Potomac Chapter, enjoy a cool drink, and have a bite to eat. Summer Pot Luck – bring a dish to share. Beer, wine, and soft drinks furnished.
Please rsvp directly to Linda by email at capella8911@gmail.com, or by giving her a call (H 301.585.0758 ; M 301.237.2861).
Hope to see you there!
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Girdle Book Workshop, with Renate Mesmer
August 1, 1:00 – 5:00 pm
August 2, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
August 3, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Folger Shakespeare Library Conservation Lab, Washington, DC
The Potomac Chapter is pleased to announce a Girdle Book workshop with Renate Mesmer of the Folger Shakespeare Library. The traditional medieval girdle book has an extended covering of soft leather often ending with a Turk’s head knot. The book was bound in this way so the knot could be tucked under a girdle or belt and the book swung up for reading. The presentation will start with a brief introduction into the history and variations of the girdle book. The demonstration will include: how to prepare a texblock for this binding, sewing endbands, preparing and attaching the wooden boards, paring the skin for covering, making the Turk’s Head knot as a finish on the extended covering and attaching a pair of simple brass clasps.
Participants will need to bring a prepared textblock to the class. The textblock should be 4.5-5cm thick, 4-5 folios per section. The wooden boards will be pre-cut to the exact size, so participants will be provided with height and width dimensions in advance of the class as well as recommendations for paper to be used to form the textblock. Your textblock should be sewn on double raised supports, rounded, and with sewn back bead endbands. We will be having open studio time in the Folger lab prior to the class at a date TBD for participants to bring in their text blocks if they have questions or need instruction in any of these areas.
Cost is $250 for members; $300 for non-members
Materials fee of $30 to be paid directly to the instructor
Please rsvp to GBWPotomacChapter@gmail.com to reserve a spot in the class.
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Images from our recent Girdle Book workshop can be viewed on the Web site of Potomac Chapter member, and class participant, Alice Austin at the following link: http://www.amaustin.com/girdle_book/index.html
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Workshop – “Raised Cord Sewing Meets Wire Edge Binding,” with Daniel Kelm of The Wide Awake Garage
September 12, 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm
September 13, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
September 14, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Folger Shakespeare Library, Conservation Lab, Washington, DC
We are delighted to announce that Daniel Kelm will be presenting a 2-1/2 day workshop. Learn how to make one of Daniel’s unique bindings using a structure that has a non-adhesive spine system that combines exposed sewing on raised cords with an interior wire along the inside fold (gutter) of each section of pages. A significant advantage of the gutter wire is that it allows you to eliminate the kettle stitch—an inherently weak feature when not supported by spine linings. This binding—even without spine linings—yields a very strong, flexible book. Another characteristic of this structure is that the use of raised cords helps us achieve a very successful connection from text block to covers (without the need for a material such as leather bridging spine to boards). You will create your text block by folding paper and collating the folios into sections. Then, you’ll punch the sections for sewing; set up the text block on a sewing frame; and attach one section to the next by sewing around the interior wire and the cords. Daniel will show you how to make your own simple sewing frame from items you can readily purchase. You will construct the covers of your book with wire rods along the spine edge of the boards. The raised cords of the text block will be anchored to the wire rods in the covers to complete the binding.
You can expect to have an engaging conversation about the challenges of integrating materials to create a structure that manifests a desired dynamic.
Cost is $250 for members; $300 for non-members
Materials fee of $45 to be paid directly to the instructor
Please rsvp to GBWPotomacChapter@gmail.com to reserve a spot in the class.
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Tips and Tricks Session, with Sarah McDermott
Tuesday, October 7, 6:00 pm
Pyramid Atlantic, Silver Spring, MD.
Socializing and snacks begin at 6:00 pm.
We are pleased to welcome Sarah McDermott to lead our Tips and Tricks Session. Sarah will demonstrate structures used in artist’s books and techniques she has learned through study and teaching. Sarah is a graduate of the MFA program at the University of Alabama. She is currently an instructor in the Corcoran/GW Art and the Book Program.
Please RSVP to GBWPotomacChapter@gmail.com to reserve a spot in this session.
$5 suggested donation to cover the cost of refreshments.
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Standards of Excellence in Hand Bookbinding Seminar
October 9-11
Las Vegas, Nevada
The annual Guild of Book Workers conference where participants attend presentations by leading experts in the fields related to book and paper arts. Tours of binderies, conservation facilities, rare book libraries and papermaking establishments are arranged in conjunction with the event.
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Holiday Party
December
More good times and good eats.
Details to be determined.
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Stay tuned for more details and additional activities throughout the year. We hope you’ll be able to join us!
Potomac Chapter of the Guild of Book Workers 