Stories that Soar! has entered into the book making component of its program in Bisbee. Children from Bisbee, Naco, and Sierra Vista wrote stories for the Stories that Soar’s Magic Box. Some of those stories were chosen to be made into books, and others will be selected to be acted out as performances at MAKE. MAKE, the youth arts festival, will be held on March 31 at 11 a.m. at Central School at 43 Howell Ave., in Old Bisbee.
A group of 12 children and adults signed up to meet at high school art teacher Maria Asaro’s room at Bisbee High School after school each day the week of March 12 to learn how to illustrate and make books.
Andrea and Drew Burk from Stories that Soar! came down from Tucson for the week to facilitate this book making workshop. The Burks have been teaching bookbinding and illustration for Stories that Soar! for the past four years. They also run Spork Press, a small, independent press hand-publishing poetry and fiction since 2000. Drew is a self-taught book maker. Andrea has an undergraduate degree in painting and is working on her masters in art education. They shared their artistic and book making knowledge with the children and adults that participated.
The artists first selected stories to illustrate and learned some drawing techniques. Scout Day, age 7, said, “It was fun. I like that someone will be happy that I picked their story.” The artists then made their illustrations and bound their own books.
Axel Adams, age 10, said, “It was really nice experience. I would definitely would do it again next year. I didn’t think it would be as fun as it is.”
Asaro, art teacher at the high school, shared, “This was a great experience for me as an art teacher to be involved in the process all the way through, from book illustrating to book binding. It is nice to see what happens after several days of working together, a rapport develops. It is all the more meaningful for those involved.”
Last year, Bisbee resident Tamara Holcomb Page illustrated books for Stories that Soar! and returned this year to illustrate books and talk to the group about her career as an illustrator.
Page said her first-grade teacher had the class write, illustrate and bind their own books. She said the experience had a significant impact on her life and inspired her to pursue her career as an illustrator.
All participants will receive copies of their books and anyone can find copies at the Bisbee Public Library after March 31.
For details, contact (520)559-4483.
Source URL: http://www.svherald.com/content/news/2012/03/20/254839
