Last Saturday was “shop local” day, a community focused antidote to the megastore madness that is Black Friday. I totally missed it, which isn’t to say I was one of the millions camped out at the mall as I totally support the idea of buying from local merchants, especially artists and artisans living in the community where I, you and they live.
I’ll be doing lots of it as the holidays approach. Hopefully you will too. If you want to take that gesture one step further then here is an opportunity to support a local arts organization, learn how to make your own handmade books and get started on some extremely personalized holiday shopping.
Dec. 15 Writer’s Ink will be hosting Bookmaking with Kevin Greeland with Writing Prompts from Rob Williams. The workshop is designed so that you can create your own one-of-a-kind book/gift and fill it with your images, ideas or text. You’ll learn basic skills from workshop facilitator and bookmaker extraordinaire Kevin Greeland who will demonstrate at least four different styles of bookmaking.
At the same time and in the same workshop you will also be motivated to create your own content by writer Rob Williams, co-editor of the anthology From Boys to Men; Gay Men Write About Growing Up.
Once upon a time a book made a nice but perhaps rather dull holiday gift. Now, in this age of ebooks and online everything, a book can be something out of the ordinary, perhaps even extraordinary when it is made by you for someone in particular.
All sorts of handmade objects are becoming popular again and a book is right up there because of the binding options, the paper choices and your own content.
With a couple of weeks to consider what you want to make (and for who) there’s plenty of time to think about what papers to bring (handmade or purchased) and what artwork you want to include.
All skill levels are welcome but space is limited so be sure to book your place early. And make sure to stick around for the panel discussion that will include Greeland and Blair Thornley, the creator of these wonderful drawings illustrated here.
Blair Thornley lives and works right here in San Diego. Her whimsical drawings have appeared in the New York Times, Vanity Fair, Vogue and other national publications.
Stay tuned for more community-oriented holiday art ideas in columns to follow.
