By Jordan Hanzon

The Book Arts Program (BAP) has grown in scope and reach and now offers an emphasis in Book Arts through the Studio Art major in the Department of Art and Art History. The BAP is excited to offer their space and equipment to students who are committed to learning the process-based technologies involved in visual book production, and apply their interests and skills in visual communication, writing, and research to the ideation, design, and production of artists’ books. The first student to choose this emphasis is Ada Popham, who started by pursuing a minor in the program initially. “Choosing Book Arts was a bit of fate meeting passion. I‘ve always loved books and enjoy art and working hands-on,” shared Popham. “When it gained major status, switching made perfect sense – diving into something that combined my interests.” 

The experiential learning opportunities have been incredibly beneficial in the student experience so far. Popham praised the experience by sharing, “The friendships and camaraderie I’ve discovered within the program, along with the hands-on experience, and mentorship I’ve received, have been invaluable in refining my skills and nurturing my creative vision.” 

When asked to address students who may be considering pursuing the new emphasis, she replied, “I would encourage them wholeheartedly! While a substantial amount of effort and work is required in each class, there is plenty of space for experimentation, collaboration, and personal growth. There is so much to learn and be inspired by, and the work is incredibly rewarding.” 

The Future of the Book Arts Program

The space and equipment needs of the studio have expanded as the program has grown. The BAP is looking for opportunities to offer more equipment access and potentially more studio space to students who are invested in these inherently interdisciplinary methodologies. They look forward to exploring the potential for the Book Arts Program to contribute to the university’s new experiential learning baccalaureate requirement. 

About the Book Arts Program

Part of the J. Willard Marriott Library since 1995, the Book Arts Program champions wide-ranging explorations of the book in interdisciplinary makers’ spaces for active learners from the campus, local, national, and international communities. The program facilitates the use of traditional and contemporary equipment for bookbinding, letterpress printing, book design, typography, papermaking, and related practices. As the digital world grows bigger, so does people’s desire to use their hands for more than typing and texting. By combining newer technologies such digital and risograph printing with more traditional practices, the BAP keeps historic technologies applicable in contemporary practice. The interdisciplinary space supports both scholarly and creative connections to the past, to fellow studio users, to skilled and knowledgeable faculty, and to the greater community. 

Book Arts has a robust and wide-reaching community outreach program and extends these learning opportunities to community members, K-12 students, and the national community of makers. They have also collaborated with the Department of Art and Art History to bring in Art Education students to assist in the K-12 outreach arm of the program. As resources allow, the program also supports experiential learning opportunities for other departments on campus that help students meet course objectives through hands-on learning experiences. 

About the Studio

Initially, the Book Arts Studio housed one flatbed press, a large paper cutter, and several cabinets of metal type. The studio is now home to numerous table-top presses, three board shears, three guillotines, a Hollander beater, traditional and alternative printing darkroom, photopolymer platemaker, venthood, etching press, Risograph, large format Epson printer, dry mount press, backing press, plough, Kwikprint stamping machine, Hammond saw, drill press, nipping presses, and tools for gold tooling, leather binding, encaustics, papermaking, marbling, and multiple alternative printmaking techniques.  

The Book Arts Studio also has one of the largest university collections of metal type and antique photoengraved printing blocks in the country, along with a sizable wood type collection. Trained university students, staff, faculty, and members of the larger community have access to over 2,000 cases of metal type, over 20,000 photo engravings, and about 100 cases of wood type. The studio is a working museum of thirteen floor model presses—ten mid-twentieth century flatbed proofing presses, and three clamshell platen presses, built in the late nineteenth century through early to mid-twentieth century.