27-page Resource

I was delighted to receive in the mail last week a copy of Tracy Dietzel's 1992 African American Artists' Books: A Resource. This 27-page limited edition includes a list of Artists' Books by Black artists.

For the last few months, I have been "pinning" amusing, visually wonderful, and interesting pop-up books and artists books on a Pinterest board called "Pop-ups & Book Arts." I wondered where the books by African American artists were. Who are the established artists book creators of color or even the emerging ones? 

As Ms. Dietzel noted, one definition for artists' book is "large or open edition books, often inexpensive, conceived, designed and frequently published by the artists."  Her resource includes a listing of 30 or so artists and their book works including Frieda High W. Tesfagiorgis, Phyllis Thompson, Amos Paul Kennedy, Jr. Bisa Washington, Carrie Mae Weems, Adrian Piper, Clarissa Sligh, and others.

I'd love to learn expand the list of Artists' Books by African Americans and invite you to share your work or names of artists who should be explored!  Enjoy!