Bookmaking, printing and publishing

Over the summer, I had the good fortune of visiting three book arts, bookmaking and book printing/publishing events in Vancouver for the first time.

The first was the CBBAG Lower Mainland's 2015 Book Arts Fair which was held on June 20 at the Main Branch of the Vancouver Public Gallery. Visitors were able to "see, touch and buy  bookbinding, letterpress, altered books, artist’s journal, calligraphy, paper arts and mixed arts ", with up to up to 18 book artists and book arts suppliers will be displaying and their works.

Photo from the website: https://vanbookarts.wordpress.com

On October 17, I attended the Vancouver Art/Book Fair put on by Project Space and held at the Vancouver Art Gallery Annex. Two rooms with close to 70 exhibitors: book artists, book and zine publishers, etc.


Image from the website: http://2015.vancouverartbookfair.com/#program

On October 31, the Alcuin Society held its annual Wayzgoose event with more than 25 exhibitors, including book artists and publishers, wood engravers, paper marblers (traditional and japanese).

Image from the website: http://alcuinsociety.com/the-wayzgoose-is-coming-2/
I came away with an exquisite sheet of hand-marbled paper. I was drawn to its organic, flesh-coloured shapes and the residual fluid flowlines of the second pass.

Detail of a hand-marbled (double-dipped) sheet of paper by Phyllis Greenwood.