Newport Paper & Book Arts Festival

Pietro Accardi is native to the Italian city of Turin, where he established “La Legatoria del Sole,” a modern bookbindery steeped in the ancient traditions of paper marbling, restoration and bookbinding. After lengthy service to Turin’s Municipal Archives, Main Public Library and University Libraries, he is now enjoying his second life as a well-loved book arts teacher at the Center for the Book in San Francisco and venues throughout the West. His teaching style is generous and kind with an endearing Italian accent. Accardi Book Arts, founded by Pietro and his wife Vanessa, is a Classical Marbling Studio and Bindery in the Sierra Nevada mountains near Lake Tahoe. www.accardibookarts.com

Cheri Aldrich has been a full-time, self-supporting artist since 1974, when she arrived in Oregon. Besides paper and book arts, she is known for her mixed media jewelry, eco printing, mixed media wall art, kelp art, assemblage and slow stitching. She has attended all but the first festival, came on board as an organizer in the fourth year and has taught at 20 of the 25 festivals as well as working behind the scenes. She has retired from doing art shows and is enjoying her expanded studio time exploring new mixed media techniques.

John Nelson Arbuckle is a Pacific Northwest mixed media artist who has taught children and adults for 44 years in Washington, Japan, Germany and, most recently, at Edmonds Community College. John has taught mixed media and collage workshops throughout the Pacific Northwest. He especially loves to create art journals using his bookbinding skills. His collages have been selected for many Northwest Collage Society art shows, and his work has been published in multiple mixed media books. Several of his collages were recently exhibited in New Zealand and Vermont. John’s collages are mainly narrative works that include the use of ephemera, acrylic paint and other mixed media. John creates art journals, artist trading cards and mail art to send snail-mail to other artists. artjuvenation.blogspot.com/

Rebecca Chamlee is a self-taught naturalist and book artist who has published letterpress, printed, limited-edition fine press and artists’ books under the imprint of Pie in the Sky Press since 1986. Her award-winning work is prominent in special and private collections throughout the United States and has been exhibited widely. Rebecca is an associate professor at Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles, where she heads the book arts minor program and teaches bookbinding, letterpress printing and artists’ book classes. She also holds workshops at her studio and book arts centers throughout the country. pieintheskypress.com

Donna Gephart lives in Eureka, CA, in Humboldt County, home to redwood trees, the Pacific Ocean and many beautiful rivers. She graduated from Humboldt State University (HSU) with a degree in Spanish. Later in life, Donna earned a teaching credential and taught fifth grade. After retiring from HSU as the program coordinator for extended education, she began looking for artistic outlets. Donna discovered book arts and joined the Northern California Book Arts Guild (NORBAG). She has taken and taught workshops at NORBAG, San Francisco Center for the Book and Newport Paper & Book Arts Festival since 2016.

Glenda Goodrich (“GG”) is a mixed media artist, art doula and trained SoulCollage® facilitator. GG learned mixed media through a one-on-one mentoring relationship with a professional artist, educational workshops and by experimentation. She enjoys helping others find their journey toward wholeness through creativity. Her students describe her teaching style as welcoming, open, warm and supportive. Through her teaching and guidance, people find simple and joyful ways to awaken creativity and find passion in life. She has taught mixed media collage classes at the Currents Gallery, The Art Department Supply Store, Breitenbush Hot Springs, Chemeketa Community College, Keizer Art Association, Mt. Pisgah Arboretum, the Newport Paper Arts & Book Arts Festival, Runaway Art & Craft Studio, and in her home studio in Salem. www.glendagoodrich.com

Susan Jones purchased her first loom at a garage sale in 1983. With a background in loom weaving to guide her discovery of three-dimensional shapes and forms, she studied with many West Coast weavers, basket makers and paper artists. Exploring the forest and beaches became her daily quest, as she learned to sustainably harvest plants for her baskets. Challenging herself to use every bit gathered, the plant scraps were cooked and pulverized into paper pulp as she enthusiastically discovered the paper arts. She found herself collecting food from the garden to make vegetable papyrus, laminating fruits and vegetables into sheets, exploring translucence, texture and patterns. Susan has been an instructor for Sitka Center for Art & Ecology, Oregon Book Arts Guild, Columbia Basin Basketry Guild, OSU Craft Center, Bay Area Basketry Guild and Newport Paper & Book Arts Festival.

Margo Klass is a mixed media artist whose work includes box constructions and artist books. She shows her work widely in Alaska and is included in the collections of museums and national parks in addition to many private collections. An active member of the Northwoods Book Arts Guild, Margo has been the recipient of a Rasmuson Foundation Individual Artist Award and the 2015 Alaska Governor’s Individual Artist Award. www.margoklass.com

Jeri Oswalt is on a mission to add handmade book cloth to every book artists materials list. As an embroidery and book arts artisan, the role of teacher and preserver of craft matters as much to her as the making. A small addiction to thread started as a child and kept growing. These days Jeri does traditional hand stitch on non-traditional surfaces, frequently as part of a box or book. She has been fortunate to study book arts with great teachers over the years. Jeri holds degrees in clothing and textiles/communication from Oregon State University, a masters focused on adult learning and level-3 certifications in embroidery and design from London City & Guilds. Her day job is all about creating great learning events for employees.

Kelley Salber was born in Billings, MT, where her passion for texture and color and miniature things developed at an early age. She spent most of her life expressing herself through watercolor, collage and found-object sculpture. Her propensity is toward three-dimensional works. When she was introduced to the idea of the book as art, she found it fit her hands-on, “let’s build it” approach. Kelley loves to experiment with the book as a sculptural form. She imaginatively forms miniature worlds and delights in inventing her own books, as well as building with book board and paper. Kelley holds a bachelor of science degree from Montana State University and is a self-taught artist. She lives in Bend, OR. Her work can be found in Hood Avenue Art Gallery in Sisters, OR. Her work has been exhibited in multiple shows throughout Oregon. www.kelleysalber.com

Connie Stricks has worked with paper in various forms for over 20 years and has been bookbinding since 2008. She has taught at The Folk School of Fairbanks, Northwoods Book Arts Guild and at the Newport Paper & Book Arts Festival. Connie’s work has been in group and two-person shows at The Well Street Art Company and Bear Gallery (Fairbanks, AK), the Pratt Museum (Homer, AK) and the International Gallery (Anchorage, AK). Her work is sold at If Only (Fairbanks, AK), The Anchorage Museum and The Bunnell Art Center (Homer, AK).

Jill Timm is a full-time book artist focusing on small editions of hand-crafted books. She often uses interesting structures and non-typical materials (requiring the use of a Dremel) to convey the essence of a place or subject. Jill has an MFA and has earned grants, awards and professional achievements for her work in fine arts, graphics and photography. Her artist books are in many collections worldwide. Articles about her artist books have been published in numerous periodicals and books. Jill loves teaching others about the exciting work of making books.

Arlene Warner has been working as a fine artist in the Rogue Valley since 2013. She uses her background as a professional graphic designer in hand-made books, journals and specialty cards. Arlene’s work has been exhibited in various galleries throughout Oregon and across the United States. She is currently a studio artist at the Ashland Art Center. arlenewarner.com