I often design projects specifically for a workshop. I enjoy the whole process – concept, sketches, rough models and finally, making the finished samples. I explore the project in different sizes and proportions, and the possibility of hinging multiple structures together or combining units in unusual ways.

Generally, the class projects come about from playing around with materials, or from a self-imposed assignment to create a new class. My goal is to design open-ended projects with lots of possibilities. But the bottom line is that the project was basically designed for a class.

TELESCOPE BOOK class samples are visible on the Scor-it Board on the left and a tiny telescope, part of my miniature book titled 'Galileo - A Telescopic View', is displayed on the right. I made all the projects in the background quickly and accurately with my Scor-it Board.

Sometimes, often months or years later, a class project will inspire a full-blown book structure with text. Such is the case with TELESCOPE BOOK. I’d been teaching this class for some time, and one day – BINGO – I knew the telescope class project was perfect for a book structure I wanted to create.

The class project was the inspiration for a miniature book titled ‘Galileo, a Telescopic View’, in an edition of 100. The telescope is one of four components of the book structure and it’s a variation of the class project – it has four sections as opposed to three, and I’ve added a folding easel to the back so it can stand up.

Artists Jenn Pang (left) and Patricia McGovern with completed TELESCOPE BOOKS, ready for embellishment

I taught  my 3-hour TELESCOPE BOOK CLASS last Sunday as part of the Seattle Center for Book Arts series titled ‘Books that Pop, Move, and Go BOOM!’.

SCBA Mission Statement:

Our mission is to provide educational, technical, and creative resources for individuals in the pursuit of book arts. Our vision is to foster appreciation, understanding, and acceptance of the book as a contemporary art form and medium for self-expression. Our ultimate aim is to establish a facility specifically designed and equipped for bookmaking and all related art forms.

(Heads-up: Karen Vance Chickadel will teach FLAG BOOK on March 1, and Chandler O’Leary will teach JACOB’S LADDER on March 8 as part of the series).

Artists Patricia and Jenn using Scor-it boads to construct sleeves for their Telescope Books