Have you always wanted to write but were unsure how to begin? Interested in including words in your visual work? This gentle workshop will shine light on how words can be used like other art media to describe an object, to capture a mood, to tell a story, and to transform how we see the world. Each workshop in the Friendly Writing Series is different and can be taken in any order; no prior experience necessary. Beginning, new, and returning students are warmly welcome.

In this section, we will first make a softcover, sewn-ribbon notebook, then move through a series of guided writing explorations related to color concepts to loosen up. Through examples we will also look at short forms of writing that lend themselves well to book art. Students will emerge with their notebook full of visual approaches, ideas, tips, tricks, and several short pieces that have the potential to kickstart a writing practice, to inspire a book project, or to be just for fun.

Materials to Bring: Favorite pens and pencils (all colors), magazines to cut up.

Optional: watercolors, gouache, or inks, and small brushes, waterbrush.

Optional and available at SFCB for student use during workshop: needles, scissors, utility knife, cutting mat, awl, bone folder, metal ruler, glue sticks.

Workshop Fee (includes $10 materials fee): $130.00

Date & Time: Sunday, May 20, 2018 :: 10am-4pm

Location: 375 Rhode Island St, San Francisco, CA 94103

Note: Please read over the SFCB Registration Policies before signing up for a class

REGISTRATION WILL CLOSE 3 DAYS PRIOR TO THE START DATE OF THIS WORKSHOP.

About the Instructor | Alisa Golden

Alisa Golden currently teaches bookmaking and letterpress printing as an adjunct professor through the MFA Writing program at CCA. Alisa holds an MFA in creative writing and is the founding editor and publisher of the online and print literary magazine, Star 82 Review. She is the author of Making Handmade Books, has had stories and poems published in numerous literary journals, and her book art may be found in special collections across the country. www.neverbook.com

Past Student Reviews:

“One of the things I liked the most about this workshop was how Alisa taught us to come at writing from many different angles.”

“It was such a great opportunity to take a class with Alisa, whose name I have heard and books I have seen for so long. She titled the course just right. I never felt pressure to share, but we were in an encouraging atmosphere which helped me to stay in the moment with each exercise. Really enjoyed learning the bookbinders fold and binding.”

“Safe space for exploring writing; instructor explicit at the outset that the writing was personal and for ourselves. Loved making a book. Loved learning from Alisa; and appreciated the various samples of her work and other book resources she brought to share; appreciated the basics part of her instructions.”

“Overall an enjoyable and useful course.”