Introduction

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Syracuse University Library – Special Collections Research Center

Introduction

Central New York Book Arts is an exhibition that features book works created by regional book artists, including students at Wells College in Aurora, N.Y., and Printmaking 552 in the School of Art and Design, College of Visual and Performing Arts, here at Syracuse University.

The exhibitors are Jennifer Betton, Nicole Blum, Carol Ceraldi, Leigh Craven, Tijana Djordjevic, Diane Fine, Jessica Ginsberg, Beverly Hettig, Zebadiah Keneally, Sue Huggins Leopard, Robert LoMascolo, Conor McGrann, Ellen Nanni, Zoe Nementz, Shalini Patel, Bertha Rogers, Jamie Shoneman, Jane Tam, Robert Walp, Cynthia Wang, Wells College Book Arts Center, and Craig Wischerath.

The first Central New York Book Arts: Traditional to Innovative exhibit was held in the fall of 2001 at the Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center in Auburn, N.Y., and featured 31 works by 25 artists. As in 2001, a regional call-for-entries was sent out, attracting 13 entries by 10 artists. In addition, the 12 students of Peter Verheyen's "Book Arts" class in the Printmaking Department of Syracuse University's School of Art and Design were included in the exhibit. These students also juried the exhibition, giving them a first-hand look at the range of work being produced by regional book artists and a further opportunity to discuss the various facets of one-of-a-kind artist's book, editioned fine press work, bookbinding, and student work.

The 22 works in the exhibition illustrate a wide range of book structures, including sewn books, accordions, and sculptural works using such materials as clay, cloth, paper, leather, and parchment. Techniques used for text and imagery include letterpress printing, woodcuts, silk-screen, laser/inkjet, calligraphic, and combinations of these techniques. In the case of the 12 students from Verheyen's class, these works also represent their final projects for the class, but hopefully not their explorations of the book as medium and object. These final works for class will be added to the holdings of the Special Collections Research Center after the close of the exhibition and will be available for study into the future. Earlier works by Verheyen's class were shown in Central New York Book Arts, an exhibit that remains available online on the Library's Website.

Past book arts exhibitions featuring works by Syracuse University students are also available online, and include: