ILLUSTRATED ACCORDIONS—WOW!

May 14, 2021

Like most galleries everywhere, the KBAC exhibition space has been rather empty. We’ve been showing off our white walls to almost no one rather than displaying the wonderful work of artists that many can enjoy. No longer!

The 2021 Illustrated Accordion exhibition is in person (through June 18) and online (forever and always). The amazing variety of books showcases the talents of over 90 book artists bringing energy, color, thought, and joy to all that see it! We’ve hosted a Zoom/FB live event in which participating artists explained their processes and absorbed the knowledge and creativity that was shared. We’ve had many people walk through the show, with some travelling quite a distance to get here, and some locals returning more than once to really take in the details of the books. Our Facebook and Instagram posts always get lots of activity when pictures of the books are posted. We’ve been interviewed for a public television program called Lively Arts in which we share the wonders of the books. (Watch for details about that broadcast soon!) And we’ve sold quite a few of the books too. Clearly, there is interest in this!

What makes the exhibition even more special this year is that we are sharing the books, and some of the skills needed to make a book, with over 1,000 elementary aged students through the support of the Kalamazoo Regional Educational Service Agency. Originally busloads of kids were scheduled to be here in the studio, but adaptation is a skill at which we’ve all become quite adept. So, 15-minute demonstrations were filmed with Lorrie at the paper vat, Jeff at the press, and Katie explaining the parts of a book. KRESA Teaching Artists filmed here in the studio walking around the exhibition talking about the book structures and content. We’ve developed live and taped online programming so that kids can make their own illustrated accordion books celebrating the things that are most important to them. We’re doing our best to not only share the books that are here from all over the world but educating young people on how books can be a window into their world.

Coordinating and hanging this annual exhibition is a mountain of work. And then after the show comes down most of the books need to be mailed back to their proud creators (don’t get behind us in the line at the Post Office that day!). But we are so proud to host it and share our love of books with so many people that love them too. 

Jeff, Katie and Lorrie

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