A 'uniquely portable magic' at Columbia City Gallery
If Stephen King is right that “books are a uniquely portable magic”… then a book arts exhibit must be a special kind of sorcery.
“The Book as Art” gathers a dazzling array of handmade books at the Columbia City Gallery. They’re different from the books I alter, which are usually sealed shut (partially or completely). Although I make narrative art, the story is told within a more traditional volume. These artworks tend to deconstruct the book design itself. It’s fascinating to see what qualifies as a “book" in an artist’s opinion, and what materials they choose to manipulate.
MalPina Chan, “The Evil Eye:: Envy and Jealousy”
Narrowing down the selection must’ve been a nightmare for MalPina Chan and her co-curators. But installation day… now that I would’ve volunteered enthusiastically to do.
Getting back to the “portable” part of the magic, though, I can’t escape the desire to hold a book in my hands. How do you allow people to get a good feel for the artwork, literally and figuratively?
Fortunately, there’s a time and place to ask: the book artist panel discussion at the gallery tomorrow, October 19th, at 4pm. After a couple hours in this magicians’ workshop, maybe I’ll walk out with a few secrets I can take back to my own studio.
"The Red List" is the hot ticket for October
Ya know what’s worth braving cold temperatures and work week fatigue? A roomful of butterflies and moths… and the people who love them.
Ghost Gallery’s opening reception for “The Red List” was pleasantly packed, partly thanks to The Stranger recommending the exhibit as a hot pick. I met lots of new people, and old friends also showed up to see my collages in person. Which reminds me…
The gallery is open every day except Mondays. So you get nearly a whole month to decide which moths or butterflies you’d like to give a new home.
Checkerspot butterflies (which also appear in my collages) by Amber Anderson & Kira Rae Luongo
Bonus: part of your purchase will help protect the threatened current habitats of these endangered animals. The gallery will donate a percentage of sales to the Xerces Society’s conservation work. So if it’s just too chilly at night to see the show, tomorrow’s a new, warmer day to drop by. Just follow this handy guide to finding Ghost Gallery… oh, and save a cupcake for me.
"The Red List": Do you know the password?
You might get to see “The Red List” exhibit at Ghost Gallery five days before everyone else — at your own pace! — if you follow these steps:
Check your email for the password to access the online preview. (Not on my mailing list? Sign up here.)
I’ll send you the password.
At 12pm today, click on the link to browse the artwork. Take your time before making any decisions… sleep on it if you want.
But don’t take too much time — on Tuesday, October 8th, that’s when the public can access the show online.
The physical exhibit opens October 10th during the Capitol Hill Art Walk, which means two things: the pleasure of enjoying art in person, and the task of navigating art walk crowds. Fortunately, the online preview helps if you need a minute to decide what you want. Once you know that, you can make a beeline to it at the reception. Saves time and decision-making brain power. (You’re welcome.)
Of course, you could just delay the whole thing until just before the show closes on November 10th… but why?