University Library Partners with Local Art Center to Host Artist's Book Exhibit

Herron Art Library, part of IUPUI University Library, has partnered with the Harrison Center for the Arts to sponsor “Bookish,” an Indianapolis Downtown Artists & Dealers Association First Friday event. The exhibit's opening reception was held at 6 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 7, 2009, at the Harrison Center for the Arts, 1501 N. Delaware St. The artwork will hang through Aug. 29, 2009. Both the reception and exhibit are free and open to the public.

“Bookish” builds on last year’s “Book It!” artist’s book exhibit and promotes local and regional book artists in the field of fine arts. Featured artists include Karen Baldner, Elyce Elder, Elizabeth Tuburgen, Dante Ventresca and Katherine Webb. This year University Library will award a $400 prize to the "Best-in-Show."

The Herron Art Library will also exhibit recently acquired artist books from its special collection of artist’s books and fine press books. These works will be on public display at the opening night reception. The Herron Art Library is located at the Herron School of Art and Design and is home to a growing and significant collection of artist’s books.

“This partnership with the University Library brought new audiences to our facility and gave visitors a chance to explore new ideas about art and the role of books in our lives. We are looking forward to building on the success of last year’s event, which had over 600 exhibit visitors,” says Joanna Taft, executive director of the Harrison Center of the Arts.

Also returning this year are guest speakers Tony White, an IU Bloomington professor , and nationally recognized book arts dealers, Bill and Vicki Stewart of Vamp & Tramp Booksellers LLC.

The “Bookish” exhibit was made possible by a generous gift from Mark and Carmen Holeman, collectors of local arts books.

The Herron Art Library’s collection of artist’s books contains many forms of the book arts from fine press books illustrated by artists such as Mark Rothko to miniature books, some conveying powerful messages addressing social and family issues of personal significance to the respective book artist. Artist’s books often become a very personal extension and means of expression of a significant event or issue of an artist’s life.

Significant book artists represented in the Herron collection include Julie Chen, Linda Broadfoot, Emily Artinian, Lois Morrison,and local book artists, Bonnie Stahlnacker, Paul Brown and Karen Baldner. New additions to the collection can be seen in the Artist Book Alcove at the Herron Art Library, 735 W. New York St.

Any resident of Indiana is eligible for an IUPUI University Library card. University Library resources and librarians are also available online at http://www.ulib.iupui.edu .

 - Updated August 10, 2009