Just in time for the holiday rush, the Kalamazoo Book Arts Center is offering a wide array of handmade gifts for sale with its first annual Book, Print and Paper Market beginning on Friday as part of the November Art Hop.
Among the many items for sale will be cards, original works of art, books of poetry, stationary, handmade lamps, and other crafts. Almost everything related to the book arts is printed on handmade paper, the trademark and specialty of the KBAC.
The artists are by-and-large members of the KBAC itself, and work in its large studio space located in the Kalamazoo Park Trades Center. Many of the poets involved at the KBAC are published through New Issues Press at Western Michigan University, and are also based in and around Kalamazoo. The artists represented are not strictly Michiganders, but the KBAC tries to maintain the local heart of its business.
“We have at least one book of poetry that ranges from authors worldwide,” said KBAC Studio Assistant Katie Platte. “We’re trying to keep it mostly local.”
The Book, Print and Paper Market will be the first of its kind for the KBAC. Smaller amounts of handmade paper and book art are always available for sale at the KBAC’s studio itself, but never on such a large scale.
“This is the first time we’re doing something like this,” Platte said.
The idea came naturally for the KBAC. Its traffic and visibility always increase during popular events through the year such as its participation in Kalamazoo’s monthly Art Hops, as well as the KBAC’s own bimonthly poetry readings.
“We get a lot of people through for the Art Hop, and the books have been selling really well at all of our readings,” Platte said.
Although the market is an opportunity for the KBAC to draw more attention and support from the community, the focus is on the artists and their wares.
With the market stretching through all the way to the end of November, it is the perfect time for those artists to capitalize on the commercial juggernaut that is the holiday season.
“It’s a great opportunity for those poets to sell their works before the Christmas rush,” Platte said.
Because this is the first time the KBAC has put on a market of such scale, it is uncertain exactly how successful it will be for the KBAC and its artists. Of course, for those who love the devotion and hard work put into the book arts and related crafts, the sheer fact of the market taking place is success enough for them.
“Hopefully there will be some interest,” Platte said. “Even if the books don’t sell well, at least the poets have the opportunity to see their works sold.”
If this installment goes well, the KBAC hopes to plan another market in the spring, possibly in coordination with its yearly Edible Book Festival.
“Come on down,” Platte said. “It should be lots of fun.”
The KBAC’s first annual Book, Print and Paper Market begins on Friday, Nov. 6 from 10 a.m to 9 p.m. as part of this month’s Art Hop. The market lasts the duration of November, and is open every Monday through Friday from 10 a.m to 1 p.m.
The KBAC is located in the Park Trades Center on the corner of Park Street and West Michigan Avenue in downtown Kalamazoo. For more information visit www.kalbookarts.org, or call (269) 373-4938.
