A NEW CHAPTER FOR OLD BOOKS

By LISA PERKINS
Traverse City, Michigan - Herald staff writer

Pam Yee has developed an eye for turning other people's recyclables into artistic treasures.

Yee, who lives in Beulah, presented a program on one of her favourite artistic pursuits - altered books - at the Interlochen Public Library Saturday. She uses everything frompaint color chips, restaurant napkins and material scraps to a discarded comuter hard drive to give new life to discarded book.

Altered books, by definition, are any books - old or new - that have been recyled by creative means into works of art.

"You are limited only by your imagination," said Yee, co-president of International Society of Altered Book Artists.

"The pages of a recycled book are blank canvases. Tearing, burning, painting, collage-ing, assembling, sewing, calligraphy-ing, adding pop-ups, image transfers, or photos are just some of the techniques used in creating altered books."

Claiming to be a consummate recylcer, Yee notes that nothing goes to waste at her house.

Photo Credit: Lisa Perkins

"I buy books from the library used book sales, which helps out the library, and gives the books a new use," she said.

"I'm always looking for things I can use. I'll pick up things that other people would think of as trash, like the paper ring found on coffee cups I can use that in the coffee themed book I'm working on. This is really a great off-shoot to recycling."

The ISABA, started two years ago by Yee and other artists she met on the Internet, has a current membership of more than 400 artists from around the world. Their mission is to promote altered books as an art form and exchange skills, experiences and ideas through education, exhibits and events like the program presented for 20 enthusiastic new artists on Saturday.

"I was so excited about this program coming here," said Interlochen Public Library Director Janette Ransom. "I'm going to have to give this a try, it looks like a lot of fun."

Amber Edmonson of Traverse City attended Yee's program to pick up some new skills and ideas to add to her repertoire.

"I've been making altered books for a while. I find it very relaxing," Edmonson said.

Photo Credit: Lisa Perkins

Though Yee has only been making altered books for four or five years, the art form has been around since the Victorian age.

"A friend of mine found a book from 1899 at an antiques mall. It had articles and small cards applied to the pages. It looked like it may have belonged to a group of girls - perhaps a school class, "Yee said.

Yee teaches classes at the Crystal Lake Art Center in Frankfort. For more information call 231-352-4151 or visit www.crystallakeartcenter.org.

Reprinted by permission: Grand Traverse Herald