Next stop over Austin, Texas. Since 2018, during my first visitation to the Austin Book Arts Center, the key members have been very welcoming and invited me to join in any event happening throughout while staying in the city.

Approaching Austin, I instantly communicated with Olivia Primanis and Mary Baughman, letting them know of my plans. A prompt response was received with pertinent information on the Third Thursday Series of ABAC for the month of November. Olivia Primanis presented “How will I bind this artists’ book? I couldn’t miss this guest artist talk!

© 2019 Louise Levergneux. The cloth corner of the Austin Book Arts Center in Austin, Texas.

© 2019 Louise Levergneux. The Austin Book Arts Center is filled with interesting equipment..

The email naturally included a kind invitation for me to participate in the conversation and present my own artists’ books. I happily brought two books and took part in the discussion. The overall session was a hands-on exploration of a variety of materials and structures that were used through the centuries and how they affect how a book handles. Carefully choosing a particular structure for your specific project remains a key element for success of the « raison d’être » of the artists’ book.

This was a terrific evening enjoying the camaraderie of people who appreciate bindings and artists’ books. An incredibly popular session provided me the opportunity to encounter other members of the ABAC.

© 2019 Louise Levergneux. (from left) Bob Bryant enjoys the enviable reputation of being a treasure for the center, Bob collects old books, and in 2017 decided to take classes, which permits him to repair his own collection; Mary Baughman, Olivia Pr… — © 2019 Louise Levergneux. *(from left)* Bob Bryant enjoys the enviable reputation of being a treasure for the center, Bob collects old books, and in 2017 decided to take classes, which permits him to repair his own collection; Mary Baughman, Olivia Primanis, Linda Anderson; Margaret Tenney is documenting the event and is as a board member; Sigrid Nama and Christopher Hynes an artist who creates assemblage art and paintings.

© 2019 Louise Levergneux. One of Olivia Primanis' great pleasures is experiencing the way each binding structure effects how a book’s “mechanics’ work!”; Linda Anderson instructs book-arts classes for teachers at ABAC; Kathryn Cooksey Pew and Sigrid… — © 2019 Louise Levergneux. One of Olivia Primanis' great pleasures is experiencing the way each binding structure effects how a book’s “mechanics’ work!”; Linda Anderson instructs book-arts classes for teachers at ABAC; Kathryn Cooksey Pew and Sigrid Nama.

© 2019 Louise Levergneux. Linda Anderson, Christopher Hynes, Mathew De La Cruz, Beatrice Baldwin, Suzan O’Connor, and Mary Dines.

© 2019 Louise Levergneux. Exploration of a remarkable variety of structures.

© 2019 Margaret Tenney. Myself, Bob Bryant, and Christopher Hynes’ artists' book “Threads of Life: Of Birds and Clouds.” — © 2019 Margaret Tenney. Myself, Bob Bryant, and Christopher Hynes’ artists' book “**Threads of Life: Of Birds and Clouds**.”

© 2019 Louise Levergneux. Kathryn Cooksey Pew, Sigrid Nama, Christopher Hynes, and Beatrice Baldwin. The accordion structure in the forefront is Christopher Hynes’ artist's book which was part of Olivia’s question for the talk, “which binding will c… — © 2019 Louise Levergneux. Kathryn Cooksey Pew, Sigrid Nama, Christopher Hynes, and Beatrice Baldwin. The accordion structure in the forefront is Christopher Hynes’ artist's book which was part of Olivia’s question for the talk, *“which binding will create physical qualities that flow with the narrative of “Threads of Life: Of Birds and Clouds.”*

© 2019 Margaret Tenney. Alan Stearman, myself, and Bob Bryant; Laura Agnew a wonderful volunteer; Olivia Primanis, Linda Anderson, Kathryn Cooksey Pew, Sigrid Nama, Beatrice Baldwin, and Suzan O’Connor.

© 2019 Margaret Tenney. (from center to left around the table back to the right) Kathryn Cooksey Pew, Sigrid Nama, Christopher Hynes, Beatrice Baldwin, and Barbara Brown; Mary Baughman a board member; Lena Rogy, trained in book binding in Germany is… — © 2019 Margaret Tenney. *(from center to left around the table back to the right)* Kathryn Cooksey Pew, Sigrid Nama, Christopher Hynes, Beatrice Baldwin, and Barbara Brown; Mary Baughman a board member; Lena Rogy, trained in book binding in Germany is currently teaching workshops at ABAC; Andrew; Amanda Stevenson, Executive Director of ABAC; Alan Stearman an engineer who followed a couple of workshops, then helped to repair or improve equipment at ABAC; myself and Bob Bryant.

© 2019 Margaret Tenney. The talk brought me back to my books and their structure. My turn to talk about my books and the reason for structure; Mathew De La Cruz in the background.

© 2019 Louise Levergneux. Alan walking by some of the equipment in the studio. He has devised a solution for the board shear of ABAC. The replacement counter weight was unbalanced and the board shear was a bit unsafe to use. Alan drilled into the re… — © 2019 Louise Levergneux. Alan walking by some of the equipment in the studio. He has devised a solution for the board shear of ABAC. The replacement counter weight was unbalanced and the board shear was a bit unsafe to use. Alan drilled into the replacement counter weight to attach a threaded rod. He found a weight for a telescope that fits the threaded rod. This current rod allows the new weight to be placed where it balances the blade of the board shear. Alan equally found magnets that can be turned on and off. These magnets are used to secure the "fence" on the board shear.

If any of you are in the Austin area, visiting the Austin Book Arts Center it is worth the effort to properly engage with creative people experienced in book arts. If you have time, join a workshop in letterpress printing, bookbinding, papermaking, typography, or book history.

I wish you all a Happy New Year—create and be prosperous.

I’m in Florida at the moment, trying to catch up on organizing my databases, going through photos to make room on my external hard drives... You know the new year cleansing!

Will talk about clearing and cleansing later... For now let’s get back to business after a couple of weeks off for the holidays! Last Fall while in Texas, I visited Flatbed Press with Mary Braughman from Austin Book Arts Center.

© Louise Levergneux. I enjoyed the four legged creates of Texas.

Flatbed is located on Boggy Creek, near the University of Texas. This Spring, Flatbed will be moving to 3701 Drossett Drive in Austin. Flatbed is comprised of two divisions, the Flatbed Press, a publishing workshop collaborating with artists to produce limited editions of original etchings, lithographs, woodcuts and monoprints. And the second division is Flatbed Gallery—a private art gallery, which specializes in original prints.

I had the privilege of meeting Annalise Natasha Gratovich who was working diligently on her own new series, her largest series to date. The Villagers, Carrying Things From Home, is co-published by Flatbed Press. The remarkable series includes eight 3 x 5.5 foot hand-dyed chine collé woodcuts.

© Louise Levergneux. Annalise Natasha Gratovich working on her new series, The Villagers, Carrying Things From Home.

© Louise Levergneux. © Louise Levergneux. Annalise Natasha Gratovich at Flatbed Press.

So, what does “chine collé woodcuts” mean, you ask? Chine-collé roughly translates from French as “chine” meaning tissue, and “collé” is glue or paste. The paper, usually in pre-cut shapes, is actually bonded to the heavier support paper of the print in the printmaking process. The over-all effect of collé is that the paper is actually bonded, not just glued, to the print. It can, at times, look like it is embossed. The word chine was adopted because the thin paper traditionally used was imported into Europe from China, India and Japan. One of the commonly applied techniques includes dampening the thin paper and placing it on the inked plate. What makes collé different from collage is that it is then run through a printing press where the pressure of the press adheres and bonds the collé paper to the print.

This process is how Annalise applies the colour to her work and she carefully hand dyes the coloured papers.

© Louise Levergneux. Annalise Natasha Gratovich’s chine collé woodcuts drying at Flatbed Press.

Annalise says thoughtfully of her creative work —

“The Journey. Searching. Longing/Belonging. Home identity. Personhood… Where are you? Where am I? Can we, will we, be together? My work explores themes of displacement, self and cultural identity, intention and accountability as well as burden and regret. The figures are based on matryoshka dolls (Russian stacking dolls) and the textile patterns are derived from Ukrainian embroidery, either in patterning or stylistic outline. This nod to the traditional and folk arts of the lands of my heritage, Ukraine and the American South, is important and used to invoke feelings of nostalgia- memories or fantasies of far away places lost or cannot be returned to. I consider my work most successful when a viewer is compelled to dream of these memories and places, when they relate to my characters, and in that way I consider my work a visual continuation of what is shared through the rich and important art of storytelling.”

© 2018 Annalise Natasha Gratovich. The Builder, part of The Villagers, Carrying Things From Home by Annalise Natasha Gratovich.

© 2018 Annalise Natasha Gratovich. The Musician, part of The Villagers, Carrying Things From Home by Annalise Natasha Gratovich.

Gratovich is the Associate Gallery Director of the fine art print publisher Flatbed Press and a member of the Board of Directors of PrintAustin, a month-long, city-wide printmaking event for which she has helped organize exhibitions and special events, curate the PrintAustin Invitational, and has participated in artist and curator talks, and panel discussions.

© 2018 Annalise Natasha Gratovich. To Awaken In Paradise an etching with hand dyed chine collé by Annalise Natasha Gratovich.

I’m around the Tampa area of Florida for the next 3 weeks, then I’m visiting The Florida Atlantic University Wimberly Library and the Jaffe Collection at the end of January in Boca Raton. If you are interested in a visit to your studio, please, let me know. I would love to be introduced to your artists’ books.