The Moscow Third Street Gallery reveals its new exhibit, “Bookers Dozen,” today.
DJ Scallorn, an employee at the Third Street Gallery, said “Bookers Dozen” is a showcase of 17 handmade books on loan from the Idaho Center for the Book located in Boise.
She said the origins of the authors vary. Some are local, some are from other parts of the United States and others are from different countries around the world.
“They are all unique and original books that you won’t see anywhere else,” Scallorn said.
Scallorn said each book shows a different kind of artistic viewpoint. She said there are books made from woodcutting and 3-D card pieces–art spanning from contemporary to modern.
Walking up the stairs into the gallery, one of the first books displayed is a vividly colored folding pop-up book titled “Tree House” by Paul Johnson from Cheshire, United Kingdom. On the plaque next to the book Johnson describes his art.
“I specialize in unique sculptural pop-up books that have no folds. All the sections are joined by paper dovetails and joints,” Johnson said.
“Tree House” is a different type of pop-up book. Instead of it being a book with multiple pop-ups, the entire book is one big pop-up.
Two of the pieces on display are small books, with hard wood and bark covers and a mixed assortment of pressed papers. Each page contains a haiku and a picture that corresponds to it. These books were created Scott Samuelson from Rexburg, and are titled “Standing in a Perfect Sky” and “Spring Light: Idaho Haiku.”
Many other books are spread throughout the room, some in glass cases and some hanging on the walls for people to touch and flip through.
Kathleen Burns, gallery arts director, said the gallery changes about once every month. She said each exhibit differs in size, some with as little as 10 art pieces and some with more than 900. Burns said each new exhibit requires a team of people to put up, mostly consisting of volunteers.
The exhibit runs through Feb. 22 with a gallery reception on Feb. 20 from 4 to 6 p.m. The gallery hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday on the second and third floors of Moscow City Hall.
Erik Fink can be reached at [email protected]