Each month in the Art Department library staff Radiyah and Eileen pick a theme for the book display and curate books related to that topic. This month’s theme is Road Trippin: A Tour of Places Imagined and Realized . Below you'll find a few highlights from this month's list. Bodys Isek Kingelez (1948-2015) is a… continue reading Places Imagined and Realized: The Art Department's August Book Display

By written by Natasha S.    August 21, 2023   

• Exhibitions
• Art
• Artists Books
• Recommendations
• Catalog
• Architecture
• Mapping Imagination

The Art Department is thrilled to host the launch of  Don’t Look Into The Abyss , a new graphic novel illustrated and published by  Bryn Ziegler .  Ziegler is a book and comic artist specializing in intimate, interactive books exploring themes of queerness.  Don’t Look Into The Abyss  is a single-player… continue reading Bryn Ziegler's Don’t Look Into The Abyss and Other Philadelphia Comics

By written by Alina J.    June 14, 2023   

• Art
• Artists Books
• Comics and Graphic Novels
• Author Events

Inspired by June’s Pride month and our LGBTQIA+ community members, we are celebrating the Rainbow Pantry again! Check out previous blog posts for more ideas on keeping and using colorful kitchen staples. This round, we are exploring ways to create our own cabinet, fridge, and freezer pantry items from scratch! Red A few strawberries will… continue reading Nourishing Literacy | The Rainbow Pantry... from Scratch!

By written by Shayna M.    July 8, 2021    2  

• Artists Books
• LGBTQ
• Culinary Literacy
• Recipes
• Cooking

On December 7, the Art Department at Parkway Central Library will host the 12th annual Book Paper Scissors event, a fair designed for artists who create book-and paper-based work. As usual, numerous local artists and organizations will be on hand showcasing their work and visitors will be able to browse or purchase items directly from… continue reading Book Paper Scissors: 12th Annual Artists' Book Fair at Parkway Central Library

By written by Alina J.    December 3, 2019   

• Art
• Artists Books
• Community Events
• Crafts and Hobbies

Independence Day isn’t the only famous birthday this week: on July 6, 1907 in Coyoacan, which is now part of Mexico City, the revolutionary spirit Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo y Calderon was born in a blue house.  If you wanted to mark the day, it’s pretty easy to find fridge magnets and flower crowns, tote bags, greeting… continue reading Happy Birthday, Frida!

By written by Brittanie S.    July 5, 2019    1  

• Artists Books
• LGBTQ
• Recommendations
• Social Justice
• Pop Culture
• Equality

Who was Herbert Crowley? And why did he almost fade into obscurity after exhibiting critically acclaimed work at the start of the 20th century? Crowley was part of the very influential 1913 New York Armory Show and he went on to create an impressively varied body of work that ranged from elaborately detailed drawings of fantastic… continue reading Herbert Crowley: A Visionary Artist Rediscovered

By written by Alina J.    October 29, 2018   

• Archives
• Art
• Artists Books
• Events at the Library
• Library Resources
• Literary History

The Centaur Book Shop was opened on 1224 Chancellor Street in Philadelphia by Harold Mason. Initial funding was partially supplied by John Frederick Lewis, the Philadelphia bibliophile and philantrophist whose important contributions to the Free Library of Philadelphia include extensive collections of manuscripts held in the Rare Book… continue reading Philadelphia's Centaur Book Shop and Press, 1921-1942

By written by Alina J.    June 22, 2018    3  

• Art
• Artists Books
• Printmaking
• History
• Literary History

Come join us in the Rare Book Department for our newest exhibition, where you will discover a world of books big, small, round, long, clay, flat, wearable, and more! As you make your way through Big and Small, Books for All , you will discover that looks can be deceiving. You may not be able to tell what is inside a book—or if it is even… continue reading Big and Small, Books for All: An Exhibition Open Now in the Rare Book Department at Parkway Central Library

By written by Grace D.    November 2, 2017   

• Exhibitions
• Archives
• Artists Books
• Parkway Central
• Rare Book Department

The Print and Picture Collection is pleased to announce a new exhibition in the Print and Picture Collection Hallway Gallery. The exhibition,  Gerard Brown and Amanda D'Amico , features paintings and prints by Gerard Brown and artists' books and prints by Amanda D'Amico and is on view from January 11 through… continue reading Gerard Brown and Amanda D'Amico Exhibition and Opening Reception

By written by Laura S.    January 12, 2016   

• Exhibitions
• Art
• Artists Books
• Printmaking
• Print and Picture Collection

The Free Library is proud to be a part of Craft NOW Philadelphia , an organization whose mission is to celebrate Philadelphia’s rich legacy of craft, its internationally-recognized contemporary craft scene, and its role as an incubator for arts based in wood, clay, fiber, metal, and glass. November 11 through 15, 2015, Craft NOW is… continue reading A Crafty Celebration from Craft NOW Philadelphia

By written by Samantha M.    November 9, 2015   

• Exhibitions
• Artists Books
• Events at the Library
• Family Programs
• Parkway Central

“I must do what is right for me,” he muttered under his breath while gathering up his tools and shuttering the shop window.  Jacob Eichholtz was living a double life, and it soon had to stop.  He couldn’t stand it any more.  His parents were second-generation Pennsylvania Dutch, amazingly successful as… continue reading I Must Do What Is Right For Me ~ The Jacob Eichholtz Book of Sketches and Painterly Advice

By written by Del-Louise M.    November 14, 2013    1  

• Art
• Artists Books
• Rare Book Department
• Pennsylvania German Collection
• History

SATURDAY, November 19, 2011 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Parkway Central Library Free Library of Philadelphia 1901 Vine Street Free and open to the public! This festive book fair features prints, artists' books, handmade paper, zines, origami, blank books, paper sculpture, and jewelry, all made by local artists. If it's paper-based art, it's… continue reading Book Paper Scissors Artists' Book Fair

By written by Karen L.    November 14, 2011   

• Artists Books
• Events at the Library

The 4th Annual Book Paper Scissors Artists’ Book Fair will be held on Saturday, Dec. 4th from 10-4 at the Parkway Central Library. It's free and open to the public. This festive event features prints, artists’ books, handmade paper, zines, origami, blank books, paper sculpture, and jewelry. Free how-to workshops will be held in… continue reading Book Paper Scissors Artists' Book Fair

By written by Karen L.    November 29, 2010    4  

• Artists Books
• Events at the Library

Don't miss the third annual  Book Paper Scissors Artists' Book Fair at the Parkway Central Library on Saturday, December 5, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.—it's free and open to the public! This festive event features prints, artists' books, handmade paper, zines, origami, blank books, paper sculpture, and jewelry for sale by more… continue reading Book Paper Scissors 2009

By written by Karen L.    December 1, 2009    9  

• Artists Books
• Events at the Library

Ever wonder how a book is made, outside of the huge factory production of regular publishing? This video by Abigail Uhteg, a 2007 graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art, shows how. She had an artists' book residency at the Women's Studio Workshop (Rosendale, NY) this summer and produced a small edition (35 copies) of a book with… continue reading How is an artists' book made?

By written by Shannon G    November 30, 2009    20  

• Artists Books