Rhiannon Alpers is a papermaker, letterpress printer and book artist. She has an MFA in Book and Paper Arts from Columbia College Chicago and a BA in Book Arts from UCSB. Her teaching experience ranges from university courses to workshop courses, to instruction in her own studio in San Francisco. What’s your connection to BookArtsLA? Rhiannon was one of the first visiting artists to teach in the new BookArtsLA studio in the fall of 2014. Her course included custom boxes to house books, photos or other beautiful items. On October 8-9, she’s returning to teach The Exquisite Wooden Board Book....

How did you first learn about the book arts? What about it piqued your interest?   My path into the field of book arts has been somewhat circuitous. After graduating from college, I worked for several years in the education department at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego. In contemplating graduate school I looked for a program that would have education as a central theme, but that would also allow me to work with my hands creatively. I chose the University of Iowa Center for the Book for its unique joint program that would allow me to receive a masters...

BookArts LA is excited to announce The Tiny Book Show, a mobile exhibition of miniature books housed inside a 1965 Covered Wagon travel trailer and curated by The Creativity Caravan. The mobile arts­ and education­-centered organization, headquartered in northern NJ, will be bringing its collection of books on a summer­long cross­country tour, including stops in Chicago, Madison, Salt Lake City, Portland, Los Angeles, and Atlanta. Poets and educators Maya Stein and Amy Tingle, founders of The Creativity Caravan, will be offering a unique, hands­-on book­making workshop as part of the exhibit stop in Los Angeles. Guests of all ages are...

Rhiannon shared with us some of her special tools and materials. Students added their suggestions and Stanley put it all together in a list:  Boxmaking with Rhiannon Alpers June 13-14, 2015   Resource List Book Board (soft) Best when cutting your own board by hand. Hollander’s will also cut board to your specifications and ship from Michigan. Available from Hollander’s , Gane Brothers , Paper Source   Brass Folding Strips Set of 5 brass strips from ¼” to 2”, all 12” long Available from Hollander’s  and train hobby shops   Double-sided Tape 3M #415 available in rolls ¼” x...

Bookbinders, printers, librarians and a mystery writer joined San Franciscan artist Rhiannon Alpers for a box making workshop June 13-14 at BookArtsLA. Over the two days students made a variety of enclosures, including a phase box, slipcase, and clamshell box.