Finding altered books at the library is usually a librarian’s nightmare, but the latest exhibition at the Shepard Hall Gallery in the Santa Maria Public Library features just that: altered books. What’s more, the librarian has even joined the exhibition.
Altered is a mixed-media presentation featuring work by a diverse group of artists who focus on manipulated books and other found objects. The exhibition was inspired by class projects from the Allan Hancock College Fine Arts Department, according to John Hood, an art and design instructor at the college.
“The projects turned out very well,” he said. “They were very inventive, and I thought, ‘Wow, we need to show this.’ And what better place than the public library?”
The art varies from extremely personal and introspective (one piece deals with the memory of the artist’s grandmother) to more whimsical and imaginative. The only assignment was to “cut through the books somehow,” Hood said.
With that challenge, Hood said he wanted to get the artists to think outside the box and encouraged them to incorporate common objects into their pieces.
The artists cut, burned, drilled, nailed, and chained the books to transform them into new pieces of art. Some artists actually sliced through the books and incorporated pictures and other elements. Others used pieces of pages, text, or pictures from the volumes. The result is that each piece now conveys a meaning that goes beyond what the words between the covers convey.
Altering books to create art isn’t a new concept, Hood said. Artists have been doing it for centuries. In the 12th and 13th centuries, he explained, artists would paint in books.
Hood’s own inspiration for the mixed-media exhibition came from a show that’s been popping up in Guadalupe for about five years now. Once a year, Brent Witters would put on a one-day mixed-media art show that got Hood thinking about how Santa Maria needed to have such a presentation—but for an extended showing.
Witters said he’ll display some art in the library show as well: a painting made with house paints on a record cover, and a true mixed-media/discarded material sculpture.
“My sculpture is multi-sensory, meaning it will affect multiple senses,” he said. “The other works will prove interesting for those interested in contemporary modes of art making.”
Artist Carey Reimer said creating her work for the show has been one of her most satisfying creative experiences.
“It was especially inspiring because the physical book itself heightens curiosity and contains its own world,” she explained. “And even though I chose to alter that world, its pre-existence was my spark.”
And approaching the book, she said, was less intimidating than approaching a fresh canvas.
“Art can be straightforward or it can tease, and whenever you head toward a piece of mixed media art, you’re almost certain to encounter a delicious bit of teasing,” Reimer said.
Most of the artists are students in the mixed media-traditional course. There were also a few surprise guests for the show. When Hood discussed presenting the exhibition in Shepard Hall, Librarian Jack Buchanan mentioned that he also dabbled in mixed-media art. His contribution can be found near the entrance to Shepard Hall.
Hood said the show has been well received by audiences that have gone through it so far. The art was hung on Nov. 26, and more than 40 people passed through the exhibit that day. Hood said patrons were overwhelmed by the exhibition, calling attention to the rich diversity and describing the show as unexpected and out of the ordinary.
“The only criticism we’ve received is that it’s not the kind of show you can see … in 20 minutes and walk away fulfilled,” Hood said. “You need to sit down and take time with them.”
And with some of the pieces, that’s exactly what patrons are invited to do. Signs indicate which works are interactive, but even with permission, many patrons have a hard time feeling comfortable handling the art.
“The kids right away start opening doors and flipping pages. Adults that have gone through felt they couldn’t touch anything, so it was hard for them to interact with the works,” Hood said.
Like any good book, Altered begs for more than one read. Patrons will want to visit the exhibition more than once to get an understanding of what the artists are trying to convey through their works.
“Some are very involved,” Hood said. “To try to absorb them in one sitting is maybe a little much.”
Arts Editor Shelly Cone can’t resist a good read. Send long, wordy e-mails to scone@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Dec 11-18, 2008.
