Artist Made Books, Sketchbooks, ‘Zines, and Comics
Call For Art
For Brentwood Art Center’s first exhibition of 2027, we’re inviting our community of student artists and faculty to show us their books.
Artist journals, sketchbooks, Artist Made Books, Comics, and Zines have a long history in the creative output of artists, but they’re often overlooked in favor for what’s on the wall. With this show, we hope to put a focus on the vast array of creativity that can be found between the covers of a book - and books without covers a’tall - and encourage our community to make books of their own.
Open to all students who have taken a course with BAC in the past year, as well as recent faculty.
All age groups welcome:
5-8
9-12
13-18
Adult
What are Artist Made Books? from The Smithsonian, “An artist’s book is a medium of artistic expression that uses the form or function of “book” as inspiration. It is the artistic initiative seen in the illustration, choice of materials, creation process, layout and design that makes it an art object. A book that only contains text is simply a book; even if authored by an artist.” (full article here)
Because of the unique nature of artist made books, submissions in this category should arrive ready for displayed and to be handle by viewers.
For works that are not to be handled, they must be accompanied by a case or other protection provided by the artist. (Please talk to our Preparator Jason if you have questions.)
-Sketchbooks: The Art Institute of Chicago describes them as “…a place where an artist can meditate on ideas, create studies, and work on capturing what’s in their mind’s eye. Sketchbooks are treasuries of thought, hesitation, and moments of clarity, and they come in a variety of sizes and mediums, each as unique as the artist’s vision.“ (full article here)
A sketchbook can take many forms: A box of photos and odd clippings, a bullet journal, your refrigerator door covered in articles and pictures. A folder on your computer desktop. (Please talk to our Preparator Jason if you have questions.)
-Zines: “A noncommercial often homemade or online publication usually devoted to specialized and often unconventional subject matter.” (More here)
By design ‘zines are freeform and eclectic. Created through a broad range of processes, in varying scale and presentation.
For the purposes of this exhibition a zine or comic should be a self-made publication that can be reproduced with a copy machine, printer, or other commercially available technological device. (Please talk to our Preparator Jason if you have questions.)
-Comics are "juxtaposed pictorial and other images in deliberate sequence, intended to convey information and/or to produce an aesthetic response in the viewer" As defined by Scott McCloud, (read his book here).
Zine, Comics, and Chapbook makers must provide:
5 printed copies of your publication for sale, along with bags/boards to keep them neat. (Please talk to our Preparator Jason if you have questions.)
Full page illustrations of completed sequential art and zine design will also be accepted for display.
