“Hands of Josephus,” a sculptural book by artist Miriam Schaer.

Book artist Miriam Schaer will be a keynote speaker, sharing her unique vision at the Department of Art Education and Crafts annual conference at Kutztown University in Kutztown, Pennsylvania on November 22, 2013. The theme for this year’s conference is “The Book: Image, Text and Tales,” and Schaer’s contribution is sure to enthuse and inspire.

Books existed before printing presses and after e-readers, as quill-writ edicts on sheepskin scrolls and keyboarded patterns volatile as smoke. So what, after all, is a book? Daring to go where few books have gone before, Schaer will present examples and alternatives, from the first codices to the bleeding edge of today’s artist-inspired interpretations — as well as a selection of her own hand-made, sculptural editions. Prepare to be challenged! Click here for more information about the conference.

Miriam Schaer is a multimedia book artist and a senior lecturer in the Center for Book and Paper. She exhibits extensively and is represented in numerous public and private collections. She taught book arts at Pratt Institute, served as artist in residence at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Egypt, is included in the Brooklyn Museum’s Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, was represented at the Cheongju International Craft Biennale in South Korea, and received a NYFA Artists Fellowship for her work. Ms. Schaer frequently uses garments such as girdles, brassieres, aprons and children’s clothing as materials for unique, limited edition books. The fabrics are manipulated and embellished to serve as enclosures, within which handcrafted books and objects explore feminine, social, and spiritual issues.