DC Art Book Fair

Thank you for your interest in DC Art Book Fair 2020. We are so excited to be back at the gorgeous National Museum for Women in the Arts. The museum will be free and open to the public on this day while featuring tablers for the fair. Applications are now open. All are encouraged to apply! Here is the link to the application: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd05OZ6smcNmy50dxwkfM38-EiRv8AF-2IyP1P2GY9ZjfNc_w/viewform?usp=sf_link The deadline is March 15. The DC Art Book Fair Collective will look through the applicants and make our decision by April 1. We will notify you all then.

RSVP for the event on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/events/651288645679215/

Now that we are in our fourth year, priority will be placed on newcomers. Please encourage your friends who make art books to apply – this is a great event and we would love to give those a chance who have not been featured a space to shine. Please email us if you have any questions! [email protected] Thank you! Malaka and the 2020 DC Art Book Collective

2019 DC Art Book Fair Exhibitors 

Adriana Monsalve Alex Vice ALISON Baitz Allison Fischbach Anna Sellheim April Malig Athena Naylor Aurora blobs feeling things Caroline Kim Carolyn Toye CHRIS K. Christa Dippel (Defectivepudding) Colleen Itani Corinne Butta Dana Jeri Maier DC Zinefest ELEMENTS ELIZABETH Graeber Erica Federhen Erin Segal Gretchen Schermerhorn Hannah Chertock Homocats Irene James McPherson Jamila Zahra Felton | The Beat of Blossoms Jasjyot Singh Hans Jennifer White-Johnson Julie Sheah Katana Lippart Kyle Quinn Lenora Yerkes MALAKA GHARIB Marlena Chertock, Stephanie Levi morgan sturgeon NGUYEN NGUYEN NMWA Norberto Gomez One Eight Studio Pellinore Press Prayers Zine Pretty Boy Cry Club Risolve Studio Robin Ha Ruth Sabrina Barekzai Summer Reyes Teta Alim Three Fifty Valerie Lucas Veronica Melendez

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be profiling some of the tablers at the DC Art Book Fair.

For profile #6, we’re profiling Chris Scott of the comic book Two Ton Rock God from PG County, MD. He’s a data analyst by day and a comic artist by night. His book is a concentrated burst of illustrated adrenaline that celebrates blackness, robots and rock music. ChrisJamesScott.daportfolio.com 

Why do you draw: I can trace my need to draw ALLLL the way back to the first time I saw the opening credits to Thundercats. It was breathtaking and it melted my 3-year-old brain. Been hooked on art since.

Why is your book cool: Simple: Brown folks rocking out. Season that generously with futurism and sci-fi. Presto! THAT'S the lifeblood of Two Ton Rock God. I really just think it's a synthesis of all the things that mean the most to me. I hope that enthusiasm is evident with each piece in the book.

Advice for aspiring artists: Just get out there and fall on your face. You'll learn so much about yourself and be all the better for it.

We are very excited to host Bookish Baltimore, a nomadic artist bookstore and hub for the literary and book-making arts, at the DC Art Book Fair. 

Catch their bookshop-van at the front of Lab 1270 on Saturday and peep their goods. www.bookishbaltimore.com

In this piece we interview Bookish Baltimore’s Shannon Partrick and Chris Zickefoose, who describe themselves as “artists and writers by day, wild by night.”

Any advice for aspiring art-book makers? 

Publishing art books is a labor of love. Publish what you are excited about.

Tell us something about yourself. 

[Shannon] I have been living in a blanket fort for the past week. 

What’s the coolest part of your work? 

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be profiling some of the tablers at the DC Art Book Fair.

For profile #4, we’re featuring Ursula Minervini and Jonathon Poliszuk of Pellinore Press, an indie publishing shop. http://www.pellinorepress.com/ The duo is based in Baltimore, MD. 

What do you do? 

We keep a lot of different jobs in addition to the time spent making our own prints, comics, and other artwork. Ursula teaches printmaking at Towson University and Maryland Institute College of Art. Jonathon is a freelance art installer, packer and framer. Jonathon also helps manage Velocipede Bike Project, a community bike shop. We both also accept custom letterpress printing and edition printing jobs, mostly working with other artists.

What makes your art book/ zine/ comic cool? 

Our covers are printed from woodcuts!

Advice for aspiring art book makers

In addition to developing your images and storytelling, give careful thought to design and production choices. A book is a tactile object as well as a container for information. Elements such as papers, printing techniques, binding style, and the scale of the book have a huge impact on how the content will be received.

Fun fact about YOU

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be profiling some of the tablers at the DC Art Book Fair.

For profile #3, we have Dayanita Ramesh from Washington, D.C., the artist behind Girl Comix: http://dayanitababuramesh.com/

Day job / night job - Social Media Associate/Illustrator at Media Matters / Girl Comix

Why you make art books/ zines/ comics - I've been drawing since I was a little kid and discovered zines/comics in college. I make them because I love the idea of creating your own world/universe with your own rules. I also think zines/comics are among the most accessible mediums where you can reach a lot of different people and really whisk people away somewhere special.

Why you think your art book/ zine/ comic is cool - I think my stuff is cool because I combine politics and surrealism/weirdness and because you don't see a lot of oddly shaped brown lady characters with leg hair in art.

Advice for aspiring art book makers - Read a lot, look at as much art as you can (all kinds of art), always carry a little notebook because ideas can come to you at weird, unexpected times, and be observant of what's around you because you never know where you'll get an idea from.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be profiling some of the tablers at the DC Art Book Fair. 

Today we’re meeting Robin Ha, a cartoonist from Falls Church, Virginia. She’s the maker of Cook Korean! A Comic Book With Recipes http://robin.megaten.net

What’s your full time job? Cartoonist 

Why do you make art books/ zines/ comics? 

Ever since I started reading comics when I was 6 years old, I was hooked by comics. I think comics is the most wonderful medium to tell your stories.

Why you think your art book/ zine/ comic is cool:

I love the freedom of creating your own zines and comics, and also   collaborating with the people I love. Everyone has different tastes and story to tell, and zine and comics is a fun, casual and creative way to share it with a lot of people.

Advice for aspiring art book makers: 

Just do it!

What’s next? 

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be profiling some of the tablers at the DC Art Book Fair. 

First up is Martin Graff, maker of The Face Zone, a trippy art book http://www.thefacezone.com/ that serves up wit and wisdom for “just seconds or minutes of your time,” he says. 

This video shows what his art book is all about: 

What’s your day job? 

By day, I'm a high school English teacher at West Potomac High in Alexandria, VA. The rest of the time, I'm a creator of surreal daydreams to trip your imagination.

Why do you make art books and zines? 

Our times beg for an authentic, resonant voice to break through the clamor and clutter with art that inspires us to notice the world through creative eyes, to ask deeper critical questions, and to enjoy the ride along the way.

Advice for aspiring art book makers? 

Less is more.

Fun fact about YOU?

From left to right, top to bottom: Elizabeth Graeber and Chickpea, Alison Baitz, L.A. Johnson and Malaka Gharib. 

Behind the DC Art Book Fair is the DC Art Book Collective, four women who love making art books and love the District. Here’s a little more about us: 

L.A. Johnson  

http://www.thelajohnson.com/

Why did you want to start the DC Art Book Fair? Because I love throwing parties and oh yeah, art books, too.

What do you love most about Washington, D.C.? That you can do anything here! If you have a crazy idea, there is a community to support you.

What makes a good art book? I love hand drawn, hand made work with stories that take me out of my head and into another place. Specifically, brushwork, bright colors, and bold adventures.

What is your spirit animal? 

Elizabeth Graeber

http://elizabethgraeber.com/

What is it that you make? Drawing and painting birds and plants. What do you love most about Washington, D.C.? The parks, the Portrait Gallery and Comet Ping Pong pizza What zines/ art books are you a fan of? Abstract City by Christopher Niemann https://www.amazon.com/Abstract-City-Christoph-Niemann/dp/1419702076 The Principles of Uncertainty by Maira Kalman https://www.amazon.com/Principles-Uncertainty-Maira-Kalman/dp/0143116460/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1478006188&sr=1-1&keywords=maira+kalman 100 Girls on Cheap Paper by Tina Berning https://www.amazon.com/100-Girls-Cheap-Paper-Drawings/dp/0811867196

Alison Baitz 

http://onflora.tumblr.com/

Give a 1-sentence description of your design/ creative ethos: Forever trying to forge the perfect balance dark and light, through a gothy floral photo zine.

What do you love most about Washington, D.C.? Besides my friends and my friends at Chinatown Express, I passionately love DC's many (free) museums.

Why did you want to start DC Art Book Fair? I love all the art/book/zine events that happen in DC and while I have participated in several of them, I've never felt like I truly ~fit in~ fully. So I had to help create the space that would feel most me.

Malaka Gharib

http://malakagharib.tumblr.com 

Why did you want to start the DC Art Book Fair? My glossy, full-color food zine, The Runcible Spoon, felt so different from other indie publications. I wanted to find a place in D.C. where I could showcase it along with similar indie mags. 

What’s your favorite zine right now?  I just discovered an artist named Amro Thabit from Cairo who showcased his zine, Al Magala Al Mosawara at Dubai Design Week. I’m obsessed with him and his style --> https://issuu.com/amrothabit 

Photo credit: Instagram @amrothabit-blog​

Last month, we asked indie book and magazine publishers to apply to the first-ever D.C. Art Book Fair, organized by the D.C. Art Book Collective. We’re excited to announce the 40 tablers we have selected for our big event at Lab 1270 on Saturday, November 12. We’re honored to host a mix of comics, indie magazines, indie books, art books, illustrated zines, photo books and more, from a diverse group of artists from Brooklyn to Baltimore. 

Click to read a bit more about each tabler and GET EXCITED!

The Runcible Spoon: The Runcible Spoon is a zine about food and fantasy. http://therunciblespoon.info

Elizabeth Graeber: Elizabeth Graeber is DC’s favorite illustrator. http://elizabethgraeber.com/

LA Johnson/The Intentional: LA Johnson is a visual journalist and illustrator in Washington, DC. She works for NPR as a visual producer by day, and works on illustration, comics and The Intentional by night. http://www.thelajohnson.com/ 

On Flora

On Flora: The floral photo book you never knew you needed. http://onflora.tumblr.com/ 

Marcella Kriebel: Marcella Kriebel's collection of food-related art Illustrated Feast celebrates fried eggs to blue crab! Mix + Match to make your own series! http://marcellakriebel.com/

Fantom Comics: Fantom Comics brings a bit of the local comics flavor with zines, shirts, and totes made in partnership with local artists! http://www.fantomcomics.com/ 

Kate Zaremba 

Kate Zaremba: Kate Zaremba is a shape collector and patterns maker. Zaremba's illustrated zines include subjects like collecting shapes & making patterns, bringing pattern to life through stop motion, and a humorous collection of paper cut collage works. http://www.katezarembacompany.com/ 

Red Table Press: Red Table Press is Mike O'Brien screenprinting, illustrating and making things. http://redtablepress.com/ 

Chris Scott: Two Ton Rock God is a concentrated burst of illustrated adrenaline that celebrates blackness, robots, and rock music. http://chrisjamesscott.tumblr.com/

Fear: Thoughtful curation, hand-drawn illustrations, and high quality paper from Spencer Joynt. http://joyntnotjoint.com/ 

Ten09: "Landmarks" is a new series of Risograph books detailing an altered landscape of Northern Virginia while exploring a varied visual language. http://kardambikis.com; http://jakelahah.com; http://lillisart.com; http://ldwyer1024.wixsite.com/dwyer-portfolio

Dumpling Heart: Dumpling Heart by Jade Feng Lee produces comics and stories inspired by fantasy, food, and her family's home culture. http://www.dumplingheart.com

Project Dispatch: Project Dispatch is an artwork subscription service, with over 20 artist members. We will be selling all 6 volumes of our annual portfolios and curated books, showcasing works that have been included in subscriptions over the years, as well as artist made zines and limited edition trading card packs. http://projectdispatch.bigcartel.com/product/2015-artist-portfolio

Pellinore Press: Pellinore Press produces limited edition comics, artist books, & prints. We print primarily from original woodcuts and handset type. https://www.instagram.com/pellinorepress/

Hair Club: HAIR CLUB works with artists, writers and scholars to publish books where Hair acts as symbol, material, object or form. All books are designed by artist Suzanne Gold. http://suzanne-gold.com 

Girl Comix: Girl Comix is about a funny girl and the weird things that happen to her. She likes to talk about the issues! Things get real and surreal. http://dayanitababuramesh.com

Becca Kallem: Making its debut: DC ABC! An illustrated book highlighting both local and national Washington DC. I'll also have other illustrated books: animals, Spain, space, and more! http://bit.ly/2cXGGmA 

Trinadot: Trinadot is an adventure comic set in a fantastical world populated by talking naturalistic animals and sensuously drawn humans. Prints of painted works and a selection of original pieces will also be available and on display. http://trinadot.com/Trinadot/Trinadot.html

Mica Illustration MFA: Illustrated zines and objects from the hands and hearts of Maryland Institute College of Art’s MFA Illustration Practice program. https://www.mica.edu/Programs_of_Study/Graduate_Programs/Illustration_Practice_(MFA).html

Robin Ha

Robin Ha: Robin Ha Art and Comics: Robin Ha is the author and Illustrator for Cook Korean!: A Comic Book With Recipes which explains 64 Korean recipes through Comics. Along with her cookbook, you will find her mini comics about food and traveling and also Tarot card adult coloring book inspired by Art Nouveau style. http://robin.megaten.net/

Marmalade Umlaut: three projects, all based in a punk aesthetic of low/hi culture mash-ups and collage against a rhythmic background http://feudfood.blogspot.com/p/marmalade-umlaut.html

Hannah Renae & Marlena Chertock: We are disabled sisters who write and make art. Born with the same skeletal dysplasia, we use our art to reflect on our bone disorder, our chronic pain, and how invisible illnesses affect the body and interactions with others. Marlena explores the rich images in science and medicine, threading genetics and nature into her poetry. Hannah combines bodily and organic imagery to explore pain, the five senses, and consciousness. Her work features wood, plastic, and paper cut into organic shapes. http://hannahrenaephoto.wixsite.com/hannahrenaephoto http://bottlecap-press.myshopify.com/products/mars 

In a Sense: Ten poems for people that don't like poetry. Ten poems for people that will say "this isn't poetry." Ten poems on vulnerability, innocence, anger, and of course, love. https://www.instagram.com/hereiyam/

Dandelion Wine Collective: We're a group of determined young illustrators and comic artists, currently finishing our last year at MICA. http://dandelionwinecollective.tumblr.com/

643 Collective: 643 is a Collective of 7 Photographers. We are working on several common projects and are based in different cities: Seoul, Paris, New York, Sao Paulo, Los Angeles, Bucharest. http://643collective.com/City-Project

FourSixSix: A new Zine called "Tag", my children's book and all new prints. http://www.foursixsix.com

Paul Hostetler: Satire, humor, fantasy, and funky surrealism, at shockingly affordable prices. https://www.facebook.com/phostetlerart/

The Face Zone: The Face Zone is a uniquely imaginative book of illustrated musings on everything from the stigma of liking scrapple to the meaning of life. https://www.facebook.com/TheFaceZone/

Elliott Junkyard: Elliott Junkyard makes comics, zines, and embroidered things. Most of his work is about tea and cats, often at the same time. https://www.instagram.com/elliottjunkyard

Ink Press Productions: We are a collaborative effort devoted to sharing art through our mission, which is to “blur the lines of genre in writing, visual, and performance art through the publication of handmade books, DIY / manual printing, and experimental events.” http://www.inkpressproductions.com/papers

Joani Maher: Two zines on making life a little easier. http://www.hayrita.com/projects

Process: Hand bound, photo-based, art zines & prints that explore the creation of alternative process photography, love, and collage. http://www.claireharbage.com/#/process/ 

Three Fifty: Three Fifty is a group of artists working to create publications that open dialogue and engage with contemporary socio-political issues. Chase Carter - http://chasecarter.nu/ Margarita Kruchinskaya https://mkruchinskaya.carbonmade.com/ Chantal Zakari: http://www.thecorner.net/c/middle.html

Palabra Press/Black Lab: Works by Leda Black—Physical Language Laboratory :: Photo-Based Digital Originals :: the Female Power Project PLUS further experiments toward a science of the particular from the meta-physical makery called Black Lab. http://facebook.com/blacklab

Dana Jeri Maier

Dana Jeri Maier: A collection of self-published comics and prints from Dana Jeri Maier, cartoonist of The Worried Well. http://www.danajerimaier.com

Matthew Scott Gualco: My project is to use popularized text to invent new meaning and commentary about popular culture and the art world via books, posters, buttons, and other graphic items. http://www.matthewgualco.com/doom/

The Beat of Blossoms: The Beat of Blossoms is the creative work of Jamila Zahra Felton. Through bookbinding, collage, printmaking, and writing, I explore memory, identity, Blackness, gender, love, power, freedom, and African American history. http://www.thebeatofblossoms.com/work

Flycandy: The DMV's hottest visual artists are giving us a peek into their world in the COOL(ist) Grown-Up Coloring Book Evah! http://instagram.com/FLYCANDYTV 

Alexander Atkinson: Canadiana 365cdn.Tumblr.com

The DC Art Book Fair is a first-of-its-kind event in the Nation's Capital. It's a one-day event designed to spotlight local (and whoever else wants to apply) makers of paper goods, from artistic photo prints to high-end artist publications and everything in between. A curated event, it will take place at Lab 1270 on November 12.

We're looking for DC's best and brightest artists to apply with their killer paper-based work. We want to see your rad photo zines, your experimental newspapers, your collaged graphic design prints. Sound like what you do? You have until October 12 to apply. We'll let people know a few days after that.

If your work is super cool but doesn't feel quite at home at either a straight-up zine fest or a craft fair, apply to our event. We'd love to have you.

APPLY HERE: https://goo.gl/forms/BYDJEZOhK9zCdJGb2

Deadline is October 12. 

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