Artists' Book Fair

a couple of pages inside the zine

The Siganto sponsored week-end run by the SLQ was a great success. I can't believe I forgot my camera and don't have any photos to post. There was plenty to photograph but sorry I can't show you a thing so I've put in a shot of the inside of the zine I made specially for the day. Have a close look at the stamps I managed to find to help me make a point. (You may have to click and enlarge the image to see properly). Luckily Doug Spowat, who would never be without his camera, has covered both the seminar and Fair in detail.

On the Saturday, the seminar was very inspiring and I'm so glad I went along. Initially, I thought it might be a bit academic and formal but was pleasantly surprised. The State Library of Qld and Siganto Foundation need to be congratulated for running a great week-end.

On the Sunday, the Artists' Book Fair was also very enjoyable and quite productive for us. Helen Malone and I shared a table and met lots of very interesting and committed artist's book enthusiasts and collectors. 

However, there was not a lot of passing traffic and our clientelle were mainly people who had also attended the seminar the day before. Although the number of artists who had tables was quite small, and there was only one zinester, the quality of most of the work was very high. There really were not a lot of books for people to purchase, particularly at the less expensive end of the range. Still, I think that with more promotion, this event could become a regular annual event so that Brisbane can offer more in this area like some of our other capital cities. I am so glad we have a State Library and the Siganto Foundation that supports and promotes this area of the Arts.