The long-anticipated Don’t Look Into The Abyss companion bookbinding workshop! This workshop had three goals: to increase the visibility of the UArts Book Arts and Printmaking program, to share DLITA with the greater Philadelphia community, and to be a free, fun event.
Don’t Look Into The Abyss is a choose-your-own-path game—it’s an interactive book that needs to be read! I designed it to be as accessibly priced as possible while still being the uniquely-printed, hand-bound object I envisioned. But it doesn’t matter how accessibly priced something is if it’s not out there for the community to see. That sentiment motivated the exhibition, book launch, and workshop event series at the Free Library of Philadelphia.
I designed this workshop to mirror the choose-your-path format. I chose three simple (but creative) minimal-adhesive book structures that could be made with the same base materials, brought in two amazing guest instructors from the UArts Book & Print program, and worked with Alina Josan at the Free Library Art Department to open registration to 30 people. We set up three stations and spent the first hour constructing some amazing books (with donated DLITA setup sheet covers). Then, we switched gears and set up the stations for tinfoil monotypes, pochoir printing, and drawing!
As a teacher, knowing every attendee had fun is my ultimate goal. I think we achieved that here!
Thank you to Alina for taking photos, letting me commandeer 11 tables (and bring paint into the library), setting up a very creative photo station, and believing in this unconventional workshop. Thank you to my co-instructors Jessie Solberg and Xue’er Gao— check out their bios in the image gallery! Finally, thank you to the UArts DEIA Fellowship and the UArts School of Art Dean’s Office for making this event possible.
