 The
Wells College Book Arts Center, established in 1993, provides a broad learning
opportunity for Wells students and the Aurora community in the arts and
crafts of the book. In contrast to desktop printing by computer, students
learn first-hand the traditions and history of the book through letterpress
printing and hand bookbinding courses, a History of the Book course, an
introduction to calligraphy course, and special topics courses such as
Digital Design and the Artist Book, Boxmaking, Inspiration and the Medieval
Binding, and the Printed Book. The Center also serves the campus and community
with a variety of lectures, workshops, and symposia, and an annual Summer
Institute. Begun in 2005, the Institute’s week-long intensive courses
in letterpress printing, hand bookbinding, artist’s books, letterings arts
and font design are taught by some of the foremost book artists in the
U.S. and Europe.
The Book Arts Center’s on-campus
staff includes the acting director, Nancy Gil, the Victor Hammer Fellow,
Sarah
Bryant, and adjunct faculty. The Victor Hammer Fellowship, established
in 1998, is a two-year fellowship that brings a talented, emerging book
artist to Wells College for the purpose of sharing his or her expertise
and love of books with students.
The Book Arts Center has
three distinct facilities: the Wells College Press, the Jane Webster
Pearce Class of 1932 Bindery,
and the Robert J. Doherty Typographic Laboratory, which is the student
pressroom. In Morgan Hall, where the Book Arts Center is housed, a small
exhibit space on the ground floor showcases work by the Wells College Press
and Wells students, as well as work by renowned book artists.
Victor Hammer, an internationally
renowned figure in 20th-century graphic arts, founded the
Wells College Press in 1941.
His respected position among the leading typographers, printers, and artists
of his time is due not only to his publications, drawings, and paintings,
but to the type he designed, cut, and cast. During the years Hammer taught
at Wells College, students entered the world of publishing under his tutelage.
The Long Library Archive has copies of many publications Hammer created
in the 1940s, as well as copies of his students’ works. Victor Hammer operated
the Wells College Press until his retirement in 1948. The iron hand press
he used is still in the pressroom and is a complement to the four Vandercook
presses students use to print personal letterhead, postcards, broadsides,
and short books in BKRT 120 Letterpress Printing. In 1991 Wells re-established
the Wells College Press in order to publish works of artistic and literary
merit.
The Bindery came into being
in 1991 when Wells alumna Jane Webster Pearce ’32 presented
the College with her complete
fine art bindery. Ms. Pearce also arranged for funds to support
an introductory course in
bookbinding, which has been offered to Wells students each semester since
1993.
The Book Arts Center currently
houses seven Vandercook presses, two Pilot presses, Victor
Hammer’s Washington-style
hand press and over 300 cases of type and ornaments. The Center is also
the proud home of a large collection of 19th century type and ornaments
donated in 2001 by the widow of Robert Greenlee of the Gay 90s Press, has
an extensive collection of 19th and early 20th century wood type, and recently
received a large collection of cuts, type and equipment from the Oliphant
Press in New York City. The Wells College Press publishes books and broadsides
by visiting writers. The Book Arts Center prints, among other things, certificates
and awards, announcements for campus events, and most important of all,
the Wells diploma.
MEET
THE FACULTY
THE BOARD
OF ADVISORS OF THE WELLS BOOKARTS CENTER
BOOK ARTS MINOR
Students wanting to complete
the minor in Book Arts are required a total of 7 courses, or 18-23 semester
hours.
The required courses include
these four (11-13 sem. hours):
BKRT 115
Hand Bookbinding 1 (3 sem hours)
BKRT 120
Letterpress Printing (3 sem. hours)
BKRT 225
History of the Book (3 sem. hours)
BKRT 290/390
Internship in the Book Arts (2-4 sem. hours)
Students then choose three
from the following (7-10 sem. hours):
BKRT 105
Letter Arts I: Introduction to Calligraphy (3 sem. hours)
BKRT 215
Hand Bookbinding II (3 sem. hours)
BKRT 220
Digital Book and Graphic Design (3 sem. hours)
BKRT 285/385
Topics in the Book Arts (2-4 sem. hours)
BKRT 299/399
Independent Study in the Book Arts (2-3 sem. hours)
INTERNSHIP POSSIBILITIES
Students with a declared
minor in the Book Arts have interned at:
The Conservation Lab of the
Frick Art Reference Library in New York City
The Grolier Club Library
in New York City
The New York State Archives
in Albany
The Wells Book Arts Summer
Institute and at private presses.
Minors interested in an internship
should contact Nancy Gil for information.
Last updated 06/22/2009 |
