Preparing for World Domination

I'm not sure how much longer I can hold grad school accountable for the scattered breakdowns that have appeared in my life, but it definitely got in the way of attempting any regular posts to this blog. Fortunately, we're all done with that chapter and can start picking up on some of the things that fell to the wayside, like this blog.

With so much to share, it's a little tough deciding what to start back up with. One of the most exciting new endeavors is SIFT, which is a new multidisciplinary arts organization that the ever talented Angela Driscoll and I have founded. Here's our mission:

SIFT explores the intersections where sequence, image, form, and text converge. Starting from the book arts and radiating outward, our aim is to facilitate exploration and dialogue of interdisciplinary arts. Our objective is to provide educational, technical, and creative resources, and to facilitate workshops, events, exhibitions, and opportunities for artists and writers that engage the diverse audiences and communities in New Orleans.

SIFT at the New Orleans Book Fair

Making pamphlet books

We rolled out at the New Orleans Book Fair, which was held the first weekend of November. We were offering a free bookmaking activity at our table, as well as some letterpress printed postcards and blank notebooks for sale to fundraise for future programming, which will include an evening of artist lectures and an exhibition in the early spring.

Lovely, lovely wood type

Printing on the Vandercook

Printed postcards, waiting to be cut down

I've been dreaming of starting a book arts organization in New Orleans since I was an undergrad, so at least ten years. It's very exciting to be at the point where we're nurturing our fledgeling organization. Although SIFT does not follow exactly in the mold of some of the more established centers for book arts, I'm super excited to carry on aspects of the established model, while embracing as wide a vision as possible of art that engages sequence, image, form, and text.