FOBA 2024 - Eline Lipkin – Writing in the Blanks

Class Overview - All Levels

This class is for anyone who has wondered what to put inside their beautiful, yet blank, book and who wants to jumpstart their writing. Through generative writing exercises, students will be exposed to poetic forms such as the monostitch, haiku, haibun, burning haibun, erasure, “six-word memoir,” abecedary, and the lune. There will be time for freewriting, revision, and sharing.

We will consider parallels between the poem and the artist’s book and look at how white space functions as an ‘active blank’ in which emotion can resonate; how stanza breaks serve as a container, just as a book page or section might; how font, point size, and physical arrangement can impact meaning; and how “VisPo” (visual poetry) interconnects these genres.

While exploring how text can intermarry with form, augment intention, and add dimension to the artists’ book, we will also see how writing can prompt a new book arts project. 

CLASS SUPPLIES

• Pen and Paper (PL21, P2038)

Optional Supplies:

• Students are welcome to bring their own books or mock-ups of their projects to work with.