This exhibition is a celebration of the 10 th anniversary of a group of local artists who have a passion for bookmaking and have been meeting regularly since 2009. Reflecting a wide variety of structures, bindings and topics, each artist selected some of her favorite books made during this time period. Many books challenge the idea of what a book is, and are often unique combinations of image and text. In this age of digital information, handmade books inform the experience of reading with creativity and imagination. It is The Bookies’ hope that this exhibition increases the awareness of book arts.

Artist Biography:
Ten years ago, a group of former AGSM students and friends joined Elaine Rounds at a meeting to discuss forming a group that would meet monthly from September to May and share their passion for the paper arts and bookmaking. Now in 2019, The Bookies are celebrating their 10th anniversary. The numbers have fluctuated over the years, with as many as 10 members, and some moving on to new interests or moving from the Westman region. Each member has their own interests and style of bookmaking. The Bookies have made individual and group altered books and sometimes had themes that were a technical challenge, i.e. making a book inspired by a button, calendar, season or topic. At Christmas time, each member designs a book and makes a copy for another member as a gift exchange. The reward of sharing a passion for books has been an ongoing inspiration for The Bookies.