Seeing is Understanding

I helped with the opening of the Shereen LaPlantz show Thursday night, and what a wonderful evening it was. So many happy people in one room is always a good thing, but, people aside, the exhibit is spectacular. I have owned Cover to Cover since maybe 1996, and I have to confess that although the instructions for making various samples are quite clear, they were just a bit intimidating to me. Not just me, apparently, since I talked to several people Thursday night who also own the book and confessed the same feeling. But to actually see the examples pictured in the book right there in double-sided glass cabinets made a world of difference. Seeing is understanding. I pulled that book out again early this morning, and reread passages with a new understanding. Not so scary anymore! I could do that! The one sadness is that we could not all handle the books, opening and closing, turning them over, examining the mechanics. Books are tools, after all, meant to be touched even if they contain no words, and I am a tactile person, always fighting the urge to touch beautiful things adorned with that polite "Touching Harms the Art" sign.

But I digress. What I wanted to say is that this show is NOT just for those interested in book arts. Anyone interested in paper crafts or three dimensional art will find something to think about here. It is  a unique chance to see a remarkable, inspiring collection.