Unlike many who see the rise of electronic books, or eBooks, as one more step in the demise of the book, Canmore artist and Sunny Raven Gallery owner Meg Nicks sees hope.
She hopes that eBooks might remove the need for reams and reams of paper used to publish paperback books of the pulp fiction variety, while allowing that paper and perhaps more attention go towards the traditional book.
“If you look at the history of paper and books in the early 20th century, when the paperback book became popular the quality of paper dropped because they had to use so much of it. If eBooks take away the need to print all of that pulp fiction, maybe we can return to the book as an object of value,” Nicks said.
One small step towards that idea is the current Sunny Raven exhibit The Art of the Book: a Celebration, which features 26 handmade and altered books by eight local artists who are using the medium to express their art, thoughts and work, and their love for books. And the methods they have chosen to do all of that are both complex and quite simple.
These methods include handbound books produced by artists such as Dea Fischer, who also leads bookbinding workshops, and Joan Gregory or, in the case of Christine Thorpe and Jocey Asnong, altering existing books.
One of the goals for the annual book show is to demonstrate that making a book is fun and isn’t as complex as it may appear.
Thorpe, for example, painted the pages of children’s board books white and then collaged it while adding images, text and pockets to create her own book.
“You can take an existing book and make it into a book of your own and that takes away having to learn bookbinding,” Nicks said. “Some people really like the structure of making a beautiful book, but it is good to encourage people to look at other ways of making books, the beauty of how a book is made.”
Other books were made from a single sheet of paper, folded and cut to create a small concertina book.
“And then it is your imagination after that, what you want to do with it,” Nicks said.
Photographer Susanne Swibold created two simple ‘flag books’ that feature her photographs on individual tabs, while both Joan Gregory and Barbara Belyea made books featuring original text, combined with photographs and artwork.
The beautiful aspect about bookmaking is that artists and non-artists alike are able to create something tactile, something made by hand that in turn can be held.
“Humans have always done things with their hands, this goes back to inventiveness and a hand-skill and developing skills,” Nicks said.
Scrapbooks and photo albums are good examples of what can be done, as well.
Starting small opens the door. “As you start to understand the form of books you can play more.”
The book exhibit is proving to be so successful Nicks said she is considering hosting a Christmas show this year as well.
The Art of the Book: a Celebration ends Saturday (July 16).
