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Conference Center,
Building A
Fort Mason Center has become a nexus for bookish themes and book lovers with a resident group dedicated to books (Friends of the San Francisco Public Library) and numerous literary events during the year. One of the more intriguing book events returns in early April to the Conference Center — the Book Arts and Printers’ Fair.
The Pacific Center for the Book Arts (PCBA) hosts the Book Arts and Printers’ Fair. The fair brings calligraphers, printers, bookbinders, book artists, and dealers together under one roof to display and sell their work.
Book artists need a variety of tools and materials to create beautiful, handmade books. Such items abound at the fair, thanks to the many participating printmakers, paper marbling artists, and tool and equipment suppliers.
Educational programs also take place during the fair. Instructors in the children’s area show the next generation of book artists how to print, fold, and sew paper into books. For adults, a marketing expert offers workshops on how to market and sell book art.
The ancient arts of bookbinding, hand printing, and illustration were nearly lost to modernization. However, the West Coast has seen a strong revival of the book arts with many artisans mastering the craft and moving it into the realm of fine art.
For more than 25 years, PCBA has been part of the book arts renaissance. PCBA members are professional book artists, book workers, and educators who sponsor many lectures, workshops, exhibitions, and other events to promote and refine book arts.
Get involved in the book bustle at the Pacific Center for the Book Arts’ Book Arts and Printers' Fair. For more information, see April 8 and www.pcba.info.
– Claudia Willen
Photo: Handful of metal type used in printing, Courtesy of Pacific Center for the Book Arts
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