Collaboration and Community: The Altered Book Project
Looking at books ( Photo courtesy of Caryn T. Davis)
“I’ll sit and watch,” Clarice, an 80-something-year-old woman, told me. The other women cut, glued, collaged, chatted, and told her how much they enjoyed altering their recycled hardcover books. They showed her their books to entice her to stay and make her own. Gwen related the story of her husband, who had died and had loved accordions. She had been delighted to find a drawing of an accordion and glued it on top of 1940s sheet music she had affixed to her book page. She had also cut and pasted the title from the same sheet music: “The Sky is Extra Blue (Just for Me-Just for You)” above the accordion. Thelma shared the front of her book. She had cut a square in the middle of the hardcover with a box cutter, thereby creating a window. Tiny flowers and jewels she had glued onto the subsequent book page peeked through the gold-fringed frame. These women had never seen altered books before and yet here they were, taking a leap of faith into their curiosity and creativity, revealing the project theme: their cherished memories.
What is required to alter books are basic skills and the spirit of adventure that almost everyone who participated in my altered book workshops reveals in these community-based and collaborative art-making workshops. And what about Clarice? By the end of the second hour, Clarice had retrieved memories of her daughter’s explorations of national parks, particularly Yosemite. Clarice was pulling Ansel Adams’ Yosemite photographs from another recycled book to glue onto her book pages. She added buttons and large gold butterflies for page borders, along with botanical drawings of flowers and mushrooms she cut out and collaged onto Half Dome. “Can I hug you?” Clarice asked me at the end of the session, as she laughed and smiled, having moved from silent observer to active creator.
Sky Is Extra Blue (Photo courtesy of Caryn T. Davis )
To date, over 150 altered books made from primarily recycled books and materials, have been created by participants ages five to eighty-five years old on Staten Island, in Queens, Brooklyn, and Delaware County, New York. Many of the project themes rely on the idea that “the personal is political,” which has allowed for intimate connections via art-making to social justice issues. Participants have used creative expression to address the climate crisis, women’s empowerment, combatting racism, by delving into the history of African-heritage people on Staten Island, and standing up against Jewish oppression by learning about the European Holocaust. Essentially, workshop attendees, through their artistic expression, resist hate, misinformation, and all other types of prejudices. The public celebrations, a significant component of The Altered Book Project, have been held at New York Public Libraries on Staten Island, the Staten Island Museum, and the Brooklyn Museum. At these well-attended events, the audience interacts with the book artists who share their creativity related to their book’s theme. In short, the book artist “educates” their audience in a unique way through the arts, and a ripple effect takes place in a community.
Decades ago, I stood before a painting of a young man holding a goblet toward the viewer, welcoming us into his world. I cried as I stood in front of what I learned was “Bacchus” by Caravaggio. I asked myself, “How could a two-dimensional object of canvas and paint elicit this reaction?” Even more so, how could something created by someone in the 16th century, whom I knew nothing about, connect to me so deeply? As founder of The Altered Book Project, I try to bring the “magic” of visual art to many people who have not generally had their creative minds nurtured or respected. Although, there are attendees who self-identify as artists, too. In both cases, bookmakers delve into altering their books, accumulating new skills for their creative expression. By the end of the workshops, they exhibit confidence in themselves and are pleased with their books. The Altered Book Project is a passion project and serves as a way to bring others along with me on my quest to learn, observe, and communicate in a visual way to the world. My continuing quest to answer my questions based on my connection to Carravagio’s painting inspires me and, by extension, the book artists, who compel me to continue to develop my artistic practice—painting.
In a digital age, interaction with humans can be distanced in many instances. Social media, digital games, and technological tools engender a certain kind of useful human connection via text and images. More recently, Artificial Intelligence has expanded this distanced stance between humans. For example, an AI platform teaches languages in an online environment. Cartoon humans provide personal interaction and give feedback which promises to assist shy people to develop their language proficiency without human contact. However, even though I use some of these digital tools regularly, as do many others, there is no substitute for face-to-face human interaction, especially when it comes to creativity and critical thinking. I honor the close-up and personal connections between people by being in the same room together, sharing ideas for art-making, and making the art. The spark, the energy, and the urge to create that may have lain dormant for so many, can be revealed by being together. And for those who create regularly, the altered book format is often a new avenue of expression. In short, each participant brings their strengths and discoveries to each other sans technology.
Group photo on the steps of the museum ( Photo courtesy of Caryn T. Davis )
Leticia walked up to me as I was cleaning up after a workshop session. “I thought you were going to join us today,” I exclaimed and added, “I missed you.” Leticia responded, “Everyone is talking about you at the lunch table. They said that you were kind and patient so I want to start an altered book next week.” I secretly breathed a sigh of relief that her lunch table discussion had been a positive one about me and therefore, the project. I point this out because the ability to be kind and patient to people who I have never met, and sometimes people close to me such as family and friends, does not necessarily come easily to me. Yet, I believe these two ways of connecting to people are essential in every area of my life, and specifically in community-arts projects. I aim to practice kindness and patience as much as possible. When I make a detour, I come back to these attributes as soon as possible. When people take a leap of faith to trust themselves and to trust me, a person they do not know, to try an art form they have never seen before, we are each actively practicing kindness and patience.
Light and Love: An Altered Book Project is on exhibition at the Staten Island Museum until July 7.
Caryn started The Altered Book Project with her adult ESOL students at the College of Staten Island to teach English Through the Arts because she believes everyone benefits from creative expression in a collaborative, supportive art-making environment. Caryn has received numerous NYC and State arts grants, and residencies to design and facilitate altered book workshops for people ages five to eighty-five on themes relevant to a wide range of community partners. She was honored as one of The New York Times ESOL Teachers of the Year and received the NYC Literacy Assistance Center’s Literacy Recognition Award. She holds a CUNY BA from Hunter College and a Masters in TESOL from the New School. You can view all of Caryn’s Altered Book Projects and schedule workshops at: caryndavis.square.site