In my last post on why I’m skipping
the “Photo 2.0” upgrade, I outlined the signs I’ve seen that artists are leaving
the on-line, digital realm of presenting work and returning to, or newly embracing,
physical objects as the output of their artistic practice. None of this is
surprising because people who buy and collect art are looking for physical
objects, be it original works, fine prints, sculptures, or hand crafted books.
They appreciate the choices artists make about the process that was used, which
paper was used, what materials with different textures and smells were used,
the size and shape of the print/book/painting. These same choices and
opportunities create work that can be experienced on a richer, deeper level that
is more compelling to both artist and audience.
Leading these changes are artists who are not only
producing fine art objects, but are selflessly helping others who want to extend
their artistic practice in that direction. One such person is Lauren Henkin, a
remarkable artist from Portland who in recent years has produced a series of
extraordinary hand crafted fine art books of several compelling bodies of work.
Lauren has a full time day job, and takes on art projects that might last a
year from initial concept to completion and require many late nights in the
studio. Yet she also chooses to spend a great deal of time and effort
encouraging other artists who want to improve their work and produce finely
crafted work, by maintaining a pretty busy teaching schedule. Her drive and
generosity of spirit is truly remarkable.
This weekend I was one of seven students in a two day
workshop Lauren gave at Lúz Gallery in Victoria entitled “Turning Towards
Self-Publishing”. Having taken a workshop on marketing previously with Lauren,
I knew that I could expect a well organized, comprehensive presentation given
with clarity, kindness, wit and with a sensitivity to the different needs of
individual students. And that was exactly the experience I had in this new
workshop.
I think one of Lauren’s great gifts, and what makes her an
outstanding teacher, is her generosity in sharing her personal experiences and
stories as they relate to the subject at hand. In this case, she shared the
pitfalls and mistakes she went through with her first book project; she share
financial details, and time commitment requirements of her projects so that we
could fully understand the scope of each of the different book projects she’s
completed. There are not many teachers who would be so open about their
experiences.
The topics covered in the first day and a half were
comprehensive, including details on how to finance a project, how to find and
work with collaborators (e.g. designers, bookbinders, letterpress artists), how
to learn the difference between different types of handcrafted books (important
for conversing with various dealers and librarians), how to structure a project
from beginning to end, when and how to build an audience for your book, how to
market the book, how to increase your chances of recovering the costs of the
project and gaining income beyond that. We also looked at many examples of different fine press and
artists’ books in our hands – Lauren shipped four boxes from her personal
library to share with us. We were introduced to the wide variety of paper
choices for bookmaking, and cloth/paper choices for binding from sample books
that she brought. There was also a presentation on elements of designing a book,
and inspiring examples of the many different forms artists’ books take.
You’re probably reading this, thinking that no matter how
well organized the workshop was, that sounds like an overwhelming amount of
information, and how could anyone possibly retain enough of it. In addition to
the excellent instruction, Lauren had prepared a 65 page course manual that can
be used by each of us as a resource after the workshop. In the words of one
student “this manual alone is worth more than the cost of this workshop”.
The final afternoon was spent looking at prints each
student brought of bodies of work they were considering for a book project.
Lauren engaged the entire class in considering each other’s work, how it
related to the intent of the project, what were the strongest images that
relayed that message, and how could those images be effectively sequenced. This
was done in a very supportive, sensitive way and was in itself a great learning
experience.
I took away three important lessons from this workshop, each
of which I think illustrates what a great teacher Lauren is, and how well she
connects to her students. The first important lesson was her caution that
making books takes time away from photographing/drawing/painting – i.e. making
content. She encouraged us to think carefully about that and whether delving
into book making was consistent with the goals of our art practice. The second important
lesson was her encouragement that everyone take on a project that would have be
consistent with the time we were prepared to devote to it, even if it was a
small project that didn’t involved producing a bound book. While she had given
us the information and tools to tackle complex projects, it was clear that she
supports and encourages artists who are willing to take on a book project
regardless of whether it’s relatively simple or complex. The third important
lesson was her relentless requirement that whatever we choose to do, that we do
it to the highest level of craft possible, out of respect to the quality and
beauty of the images we are each producing.
It’s that final lesson that has defined every outstanding
teacher I’ve ever had, and Lauren is firmly in that group.
