ABBA (A Buncha Book Artists) / Pyracantha Press
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The Galleries Director is to remind Dan Mayer and Club leaders from ABBA / Pyracantha Press to submit the proper forms to the Gallery Committee each year in Spring to exhibit the following Fall for their anuual bookshow. The Galleries Director brings this before the Galleries Committee for final approval along with all other applications and helps to coordinate exhibition dates and times.
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INSTRUCTOR BIOS
Dan Mayer
Daniel Mayer is an artist/educator who investigates the intersection of language and art resulting in experimental artist’s books, prints, and large-scale public art projects. Mayer’s two PHX Sky Train public projects have received national and international awards such as the “2013 Job of the Year” National Terrazzo and Mosaic Association, “Top 100 International Public Art Projects”, 2015 CODAawards, Collaboration of Design and Art, featured in PBS’ ArtBeat Nation, and included in the comprehensive publication “Franz Mayer: Architecture, Glass, Art”.
Mayer has been nominated for a 2016 Governor’s Arts Award in the Individual Artist Category based on his PHX Sky Train public art projects and extensive body of studio work. Mayer exhibits nationally and internationally and has work in numerous private and public collections such as the Getty, Yale, NY Public Library, Netherlands National Library, ArtPool Artists Books Archives in Budapest, among others. Mayer is the Director for ASU’s Pyracantha Press in the School of Art where he publishes collaborative limited-edition books and teaches Printmaking and Artists Books since 1986.
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PROMOTIONAL BLURBS
Blurb #1
"There’s a variety of different things you can do with book arts that it’s really wide open,” Gallagher said. “That attracted me to it." - Sean Gallagher, Photography senior
Blurb #2
"Hailey Tang, junior graphic design major and president of ABBA, said the club goes outside the traditions of book-making and takes the field in a new direction.“It’s an artists’ book club, so our definition and our process of making a book is really open to interpretation, and it’s encouraged in fact,” Tang said. “As a design major, a lot of work that I produce is digital. Once I found A Buncha Book Artists, I realized there are different ways of telling stories and making art in a physical form that can be really beautiful.” - Hailey Tang, Junior graphic design major
Blurb #3
"When I found ABBA, (A Bunch Book Artists) it was really nice because it was a lot of people who knew what they wanted to do with their art, and if they didn’t, they were very open to discussing art history or current art events,” Fresquez said. “It was a good niche to find." - Sam Fresquez, Intermediate art sophomore
Blurb #4
"ASU club A Buncha Book Artists is striving to redefine traditional book-making as a creative art form. The club began in fall 2000, launched by advisor Dan Mayer to provide ASU students interested in creating art through books a place to further explore their ambitions... ABBA encourages new forms of books, both physical and digital, in an attempt to produce an appreciation for both." - Emma Sounart, The State Press
PHXZineFest
https://www.phxzinefest.com/blog/a-bunch-of-book-artists
Blurb #5
"A Bunch of Book Artists of ASU opened their 16th annual fall show ‘Press Release’. The show showcased new artist books from around the country, the local community and invited artists from Wasted Ink Zine Distro to display their zine collection by over 40 zinesters. Chris Adamson was guest juror. The show exhibited an array of booklets, handbooks and zines made from various substrates; many of which were created with recycled materials, papers and plastics. Some varied from simple to very intricate and complex to exteremly delicate pieces of art. Many guests were able to pick up the works and flip through them. A pleasurable hands-on, interactive experience.
Overall, an amazing show that inspires creativity and sparks passion for DIY art and hand made and print medium chronicles."
Pyracantha Press at Arizona State University
http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/best-of/2013/people-and-places/best-letterpress-haven-6471324
Blurb #6
"Pyracantha Press isn't easy to find, but once you wind down the staircase in the Art Building on ASU's massive Tempe campus, hang a sharp left, and find either a printmaking student or kind professor to let you into the door, you'll want to remember its location — and find a way to sign up for a few credits.The underground classroom is a trove of letterpress resources. Established in the early 1980s, Pyracantha Press officially is the production and research imprint of the School of Art's book-arts program, according to ASU. The countless drawers of metal and wood type and presses that date back a hundred years are overseen by professor John Risseeuw as well as Dan Mayer and Gene Valentine, who have taught hundreds of students the basics of letterpress and the art of crafting a message with type, ink, and paper. Lucky us, they're continuing a tradition — and opening the studio from time to time for public demonstrations and interactive activities."
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PAST PRESS
ASU Now
State Press
http://www.statepress.com/article/2016/10/spcampus-asu-book-artists
Biology and Society Joins with the Pyracantha Press in the New American University
https://cbs.asu.edu/news/biology-and-society-joins-pyracantha-press-new-american-university
VIDEO CLIPS
Petko Press (from ASU Foundation)
The Library Channel goes to the Pryacantha Press
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gM2RnSOaOQ&feature=youtu.be
Biology and Society Joins with the Pyracantha Press in the New American University
https://cbs.asu.edu/news/biology-and-society-joins-pyracantha-press-new-american-university
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