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Exhibits

Artists' Book Competition: 2021-2022

The 2021-2022 panel of jurors:

  • Lauren Cross, College of Visual Art and Design, UNT
  • Jenny Bates, Greater Denton Arts Council
  • Edward Hoyenski, Special Collections, UNT
  • Julie Judkins, Special Collections, UNT

Winner: What is life?

Artist: Rongshuyue Sun

Media: paper, marker

What is life? is a book about life, consisting of three boxes, the first box contains “yes and no” ice cream bar representing choice of life, music and pets, receipts, calendars and other everyday things. The second box is the people we meet in our life: family, friends, colleagues, partners. The third box contains a book about “what is life?”

A box with all sides laying open, with two lids sitting behind. There are various materials attached to the insides of the sides of the box, and straps holding them in with labels like friends and family. A smaller box sits at the center of the open box.
A box with all sides laying open, with two lids sitting behind. There are various materials attached to the insides of the sides of the box, and straps holding them in with labels like friends and family. A smaller box sits at the center with a book open sitting inside. The book has a line drawing of a birdcage and some writing.
A sheet of paper that has been folded and cut into a sort of puzzle. The page has a hand drawn and colored image of a family standing together.

Second Place: Typeface Design Sample Book

Artist: Murial Bezanson

Media: watercolor, gouache, ink, acrylic

This project includes a unique, custom typeface. It was a technical feat for me as much as a creative one. It was a moment for me to consider letterforms as pattern, to forget the rules, to call loose pages a book, to think of type as more than something to be read, and to be a designer and printmaker at the same time.

A set of square cards with parts of letters printed in red ink on each in a pattern design, with a small black version of the letter on each card.

Honorable Mention: Black in Time

Artist: April Ajaifia

Media: paper bags, cardstock, paper

This book is a representation of fashion through the decades for Black women as well as the influcences of Black media and figures on fashion demonstrated by paper dolls.

An open book made of brown paper bags, with images of Black women on the left page and text on the right. A paper doll of a Black woman sits below with an outfit on either side of her.

Honorable Mention: The Hypochondriac

Artist: Sophia Carswell

Media: wood, paper, acrylic, felt, chipboard

This work explores my own personal experiences with Hypochondria (or health anxiety) and is meant to bring awareness to the lesser known internal, isolating, and consuming through spirals that come with health anxiety episodes.

A shallow black wooden box lays open, with repeated text in the lid reading Have I Gone Mad? and a black rectangle with text at center that reads Hypochondria with the definition below. The lower portion is divided into four sections and lined with red cloth. Each section has a different three dimensional pop up paper cube.

Honorable Mention: Notre Dame Cathedral Box and Book

Artist: Alessandra Garza

Media: wood, cloth, ribbon, paint

This is a work about the importance of preserving ancient historical architecture and art.

A wood cube with painted panes of glass on each side to look like stained glass. An accordion fold book is laid out next to the box with a line drawing resembling the spire of Notre Dame Cathedral.

Honorable Mention: The Illusion of Intimidation

Artist: Anna Lombardo

Media: wood, metal, mylar

This book embodies what I call the Illusion of Intimidation - looking hard to talk to, but as soon as someone tries, I burst open and spill everything.

A book with wooden cover and side walls on hinges that close into a box. There is a lock attached to the open cover of the book, and inside are clear plastic pages with black text.

Honorable Mention: Book of Prayer

Artist: Jordan Scott

Media: Silver, paper, acrylic, metal leaf, pen and ink

This book is an exploration of the tradition of prayer books and treasure bindings. However, this book is meant to show a true attitude of prayer. The book will not open until you remove the spine to emphasize the private devotion of prayer and the passage of scripture within shows Christ in solitude, earnestly praying to the Father.

A small book with cover made of hammered silver, with a raised Chi Rho symbol.
Three separate silver pieces of a book cover, front and back covers and spine, laying separate with the interior pages of the book standing to the side. The pages have a blue border with gold leaf and handwriting at center in red or black ink.

Honorable Mention: The Dishes Must Be Done

Artist: Kassidy Stines

Media: linoleum relief print, matte board, pen, book cloth

This book is an exploration of the mundane tasks you can do, or have to do, when everything else seems to be falling apart.

Layerd black boards layerd and cut into shapes like a stack of dishes, with printing in white. The boards are bound along the lower edge, and the title at the bottome reads The Dishes Must Be Done.

Honorable Mention: Playing Cards

Artist: Ally Walters

Media: paper, ink

Playing Cards is presented as an accordion style artist book containing 24 hand drawn playing cards accompanied with an etched design on each card. Playing Cards allows the viewer to interact and play with the cascade of cards, such as you would when performing a card trick.

Accordion folded pages with hand drawn playing cards on one side, and an etched design on the other. They fold out from a a light pink and green case.
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