College Cuttings

Wells College Book Arts Summer Institute, ’24

I recently had the privilege and joy of attending the last Wells College Book Arts Summer Institute in Aurora, NY. I received a spot on the waitlist program, and my partners gifted me tuition as an early birthday gift, boding well for my new year of life.

My instructor for the week, Erin Sweeney, and her TA, Matao Dreskin, both hailed from UArts, a Philadelphia based university that announced it’s closure shortly after Wells. In a class-room full of Wells Alumni they were skilled and empathetic presences. Together we folded, sewed, crafted, and generally had a grand old “Book Book Origami Thread Time” (IYKYK).

Handmade paper exploding out of a book like rock-strata. This book was made at the Wells College Book Arts Center.

A non-conventional book standing on it's pages, origami boxes, with the cover facing inwards to create a geometric tower. This book was made at the Wells College Book Arts Center.

Utilizing handmade paper from my BASI ’23 class with Tom Balbo, I folded origami boxes and letters and combined them into books that opened with elements of surprise.

My goal is often to capture places and experiences with words, but sometimes the stories are too fleeting, and leaves are the best I can do. In one Tyvek volume I stitched plant pieces collected from across my college campus. I’ll miss you, Sycamore and Strawberries, thank you for nurturing the Dandelion Girl in me.

Sticker Booklet