Artists Book House and Goreyesque: An Uncanny Match, an Open House, and More
Artwork © Landis Blair, 2025
The Artists Book House website welcomes a curious arrival. Goreyesque, an online literary journal featuring stories, poems, and artwork inspired by Edward Gorey, is moving from its previous home to https://www.artistsbookhouse.org/goreyesque. Issue One has already arrived, and additional issues will appear at its new ABH home throughout September and October.
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. This will include A Goreyesque Gala, held at the home of Alison Aldrich & John Varones in Highland Park, IL on Saturday, October 25th, 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Guests will enjoy food, refreshments, and excerpted performances of The Uncanny Attic. Tickets to the Gala are available here.
ABH will also host a Gorey-themed open house and fundraiser - A Goreyesque Open House on December 13th, 2025 from 2:00 to 5:00pm at 4207 W Irving Park Rd, Chicago, IL 60641.
This year marks the 100th anniversary of Gorey’s birth and 25th anniversary of his death, and the ABH event and Goreyesque launch will honor these milestones.
Stay tuned for more details!
About Artists Book House:
Founded in 2019, Artists Book House is an interdisciplinary arts education organization dedicated to teaching and promoting the literary and book arts and offering a non-credit arts education open to all. Through community, education, exhibitions, and events, we help people tell their stories and transform their worlds into books. More details about the organization are available at the website: https://artistsbookhouse.org.
About Goreyesque:
Goreyesque is an online literary journal featuring work inspired by the spirit and aesthetic of Edward Gorey. Both a storyteller and illustrator, Gorey has crept into the imaginations of authors, poets, artists, filmmakers, and musicians. Goreyesque provided a forum for new and established creators in all genres, highlighting Gorey’s cross-disciplinary influence.
In 2014, Chicago artist Kenneth Gerleve created an installation in conjunction with the Edward Gorey exhibitions at Loyola Museum of Art (LUMA). Inspired by Gorey's sensibilities and dark humor, Summerland: A Ghost Story appeared in the space adjacent to the gallery containing Gorey's work. Gerleve worked with writer and editor-in-chief Todd Summar to compile an online anthology of work inspired by Edward Gorey's legacy, which became Goreyesque. Summar worked with editors Howard Simmons, Kori Klinzing, and Jess Millman to produce the journal.
On September 1, 2025, the website will be redirected to the Artists Book House website at https://www.artistsbookhouse.org/goreyesque
Until then, the full Goreyesque website can be found here: https://www.goreyesque.com/