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Regin Igloria, multidisciplinary artist and educator, will be teaching multiple workshops for Artists Book House throughout Summer 2026. We asked him about his background, practice, and connection to ABH.
On 23 July, 2020, we visited Evanston-based artist Mardy Sears. She is a printmaker, ceramicist, and artist book maker.
It’s been a long, cold winter, but spring is finally here. We’ve been busy cooking up new ideas and new learning opportunities for the ABH community. We’re excited to welcome you back to 4207 W Irving Park Rd.
Our 2026 calendar is filling up. Keep an eye out for more information and links to register for the workshops, classes, and events listed below. We’ll also be announcing additional classes in the coming weeks.
Have you ever wanted to know how a hardcover book is constructed? Are you looking for the perfect sketchbook filled with your favorite paper? The Introduction to Bookbinding course will introduce students to bookbinding tools, materials, and terminology.
We are excited to announce that construction has begun on our roof, and will soon begin on our facade. If all goes well, work will be completed in mid-November. Because of this, ABH will be closed until early December. We will send an email out to everyone once work has been completed. Until then, check out our upcoming workshop, Paper Masks with Erin Cramer, which has been rescheduled for December 6th and 7th, 2025.
A Macabre Merriment Honoring the Edward Gorey’s Centennial and to benefit the building renovation of Artists Book House
Artists Book House (ABH), the literary and book arts nonprofit, will host a new feature on its website. ABH will be the new home of Goreyesque, an online literary journal featuring stories, poems, and artwork inspired by Edward Gorey. The journal, founded by ABH co-founder Ken Gerleve and Board member Todd Summar, is moving to ABH as part of a series of late 2025 celebrations and fundraising events honoring the work of Edward Gorey.
Artists Book House founder and former Board President, Audrey Niffenegger, will be exhibiting new work at Zolla Lieberman gallery from September 5 - October 11, 2025 with an opening reception on Friday, September 5th from 4 to 7pm.
Artists Book House Founder Audrey Niffenegger and Board President Ken Gerleve were recently featured in the Chicago Sun-Times!
***Students may attend one or both classes. This listing is for both sessions.***
An introductory-level course for individuals with little to no experience making books, with an emphasis on using recycled and repurposed materials such as cardboard boxes, food packaging, and found objects. Participants will learn a variety of book techniques, including zines, pamphlets, accordions, and several spine-sewn books.
Ideal for sketchbooks and journals, the buttonhole stitch is a versatile and functional book for multiple uses. This non-adhesive bookbinding method allows for a continuous front-to-back cover format with multiple signatures. Participants will be introduced to a variety of methods for approaching the creation of this unique book using traditional and repurposed materials. No previous experience is necessary, and all materials and tools will be provided.
Regin Igloria, visual artist and founder and director of North Branch Projects (NBP), has been leading Community Binding workshops throughout the Chicagoland area (and beyond) since 2010. These monthly workshops introduce bookbinding skills and techniques to participants in a collaborative setting. Various binding techniques are covered, including variations on hand-sewn pamphlets and zines. Prompts are incorporated in the process to build content within the books, and instructional handouts and samples are shared, offering expanded resources to explore the medium beyond the work session.
An introductory-level course for individuals with little to no experience making books, with an emphasis on using recycled and repurposed materials such as cardboard boxes, food packaging, and found objects. Participants will learn a variety of book techniques, including zines, pamphlets, accordions, and several spine-sewn books.
Linoleum block prints are a popular introduction to relief printmaking, but few people venture beyond the one-color print. Reduction printmaking is a process by which a single block of linoleum is carved, printed, carved, and then printed again, creating a multi-color print with perfect registration.
