Setting Up the Show

I've mentioned earlier that Orange Coast College is doing a book arts show featuring books made by students over the last few years.

It's this month, from today til the 21st, and we had quite a bit to do to get ready for it.

First of all, we wanted the books to be accessible to people which meant making a space where the books could both be on display and within reach.

Second, we wanted an inviting place. So, last Tuesday, the class spent several hours browsing through the drama department's collection (everything from "Mouse poison" to "Old fashioned telephones" and man-eating plants was available on the shelves--I would have loved to stay longer just looking at the labels) and carrying our finds over to the room. There are some lovely pieces there now, an old-fashioned couch, a chaise lounge, some comfortable chairs, just waiting for people to come in and sit down.

Bookshelves proved to be in short supply, so several of us ended up coming back on Sunday to bring and/or set up shelves and an additional supply of tables, rugs, and plants (Guess who brought those last?). We spent a lot of time studying the room, carrying shelves back and forth and re-arranging the rugs to get the look we wanted.

It also took a while figuring out how to display some of the pieces. My own contribution is, I finally realized, thirteen feet long and *not* the easiest to find shelf space for when it is fully displayed. Someone else made a lovely book with images from Hawaian quilts--one I still need to look at in greater detail, the images are so complex--and an accompanying smaller book that needed extra

care. A small portion had to go behind glass.

The final results are, I think, well worth the time it took. I do hope plenty of people can come to the opening on Thursday night.


Pictures: Courtney, Kim, and Keri carefully hanging a piece; Keri arranging the tea things opposite an altered Alice in Wonderland book, me taking advantage of the chance to sit down and look at one of the books.