GBF Children’s Village: A Look at Book Arts

by Heidi Bishop

What is Book Arts?
It’s well known that the Gaithersburg Book Festival is a must-attend celebration of books, writers and literary excellence for DC Metro area book fans, but did you know that the festival is unique in its inclusion of a Book Arts activity for children?

As we usher in an era of E-readers and iPads, the physical book format represents one of the ways authors and publishers have traditionally shaped how we experience a story. The field of Book Arts, however, goes beyond cover design or illustrations. It elevates the entire book structure to an art medium. Artists creating handmade books are careful in their selection of papers textures, colors, embellishments, and structures. Some artists use these elements to create an original piece of artwork that expresses a story or idea in their own personal style. Other artists focus on the craft of book binding and preserve the rich history of books crafted by hand.

Interested in learning more?

• Examples from a museum exhibit showcasing unusual structure
• Examples of beautifully hand-bound books
• Examples of Books Arts projects designed for children

And make sure to check out the Children’s Accordian Bookmaking Activity in the festival’s Children’s Village this year!