Register your creatively curious little one for PRINTING PARTNERS, a program where students engage in hands-on learning about the book arts. Together we’ll explore a new book arts project each week, including: origami bookmaking, hand-stitched journal making, and various forms of making prints including letterpress printing cards, screen printing tote bags, and more!

The program runs for 6 weeks, with one class held at the library each week. Each class builds upon the other–by the end of the program young learners will have developed skills to create more involved and unique pieces of book art!

Pre-Registration is required and FREE thanks to our generous funders.

Details about the PRINTING PARTNERS PROGRAM:
• Pre-registration for the program is required and is completely free.
• The program runs for 6 weeks, and students are encouraged to attend all classes. The program is limited to 15 participants, so please only register if you intend on attending as many classes as possible, thank you!
• Classes will be held in person at the Frank E. Merriweather Jr. Library.
• Classes are geared towards ages 6+, and younger children & families are welcome with appropriate adult supervision.
• Registered students will receive all materials for all classes at no cost, and keep their kit of art supplies at the culmination of the program.
• For questions about the program, please email WNY Book Arts Center Education Director, Rosemary Williams: [email protected] or call 716-348-1430.

Removing the barrier of cost and transportation, PRINTING PARTNERS affords all families the opportunity to participate in high-quality arts learning.

In this hands-on program, learners of all ages & abilities engage with the book arts to build their creative confidence and artistic skills. Classes offer students a safe space to investigate basic to advanced forms of book & printmaking techniques alongside professional teaching artists, and work with specialty artist materials to create thoughtful & unique works of art.

Questions about the program? Please email WNY Book Arts Center Education Director, Rosemary Williams: [email protected] or call 716-348-1430.

PRINTING PARTNERS TEACHING ARTIST

Weekly Friday PRINTING PARTNERS classes at the Frank E. Merriweather Jr. Library are led by Book Arts teaching artist Ruby Merritt!

ABOUT RUBY MERRITT

Ruby Merritt (she/her) is a Western New York, Buffalo based professional artist, adjunct professor and teaching artist. Merritt received her BFA, concentrating in Drawing and Painting from the State University of New York at New Paltz and a Masters of Fine Arts at the University at Buffalo, in 2013.

A familiar niche for Merritt’s artwork is the contemporary ‘art and science’ or ‘bio-art’ realm. Producing work that is process based, using earth cycles, such as rock and water cycles, to manipulate and nurture her work. Printmaking, photography and bookmaking have become an incipient nesting ground for displaying and capturing the shapes and patterns mimicking and documenting nature’s visual wonder.

Believing that we need to perceive the natural world as art objects, Merritt frequently shares her experiences, techniques and instructs hand made projects as a Teaching Artist for Book Arts workshops and the Printing Partners program.

Ruby Merritt Artist Website / Classes