Exhibits are an important function of the Guild. They allow members to display their work in all the various styles of the book arts: fine bindings, artists books, calligraphy, letterpress printing and decorated paper. Exhibits are organized both at the national level as well as by the regional chapters.
National Exhibits
New exhibits are organized every three years and travel around the United States. The themes for past exhibitions have varied from a set book (where all bind the same book) to such diverse topics as fine printing, flight and the alphabet.
An exhibition catalog is printed for each exhibit. Many past catalogs are available for sale. Please see the GBW Publications page for availability.] More recent exhibits have been made available online on our Gallery page.
Chapter Exhibits
Many of the regional Chapters also sponsor their own exhibitions, which travel around their particular area of the country. Some examples of past and present Chapter exhibitions are listed on the Chapter Exhibits page.
Current Exhibit: Marking Time
Time has long captured the imagination of artists, writers, scientists, philosophers, and theologians. Guild of Book Workers members are invited to interpret "marking time" as broadly or narrowly as they wish. Possibilities might include but are not limited to: a specific incident in or period of history, the future, science fiction, time as a scientific or spiritual concept, the measurement of time, current events or the role of time in one's own life.
The show will open in May, 2009 at the Minnesota Center for Book Arts and travel around the country through January,, 2011. Both a full-color print catalog and an online catalog are available.
Exhibition Schedule:
Please note that dates are subject to change. Check with the venues before making travel plans. The most up-to-date schedule is listed on the Marking Time online exhibit page.
- Minnesota Center for Book Arts, Minneapolis, MN
May 15-Aug 15, 2009
- San Francisco Public Library, San Francisco, CA
September 6-November 22, 2009
- University of Washington, Seattle, WA
December 7, 2009-February 19, 2010
- University of Utah Marriott Library, Salt Lake City, UT
March 5-April 23, 2010
- Denver Public Library, Denver CO
May 3-June 25, 2010
- Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, Cincinnati, OH
July 5-August 26, 2010
- Lafayette College, Easton, PA
September 5-October 25, 2010
- Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
November 5, 2010-March 20, 2011
For more information
Please contact Karen Hanmer, Exhibitions Chair.