2nd Manchester Artist's Book Fair

Hazel managed to set the alarm to go off for 6a.m. instead of 7-30 so up pretty early to get to Manchester for the Artists Book Fair at the Holden Gallery in MMU. We went by train and got there about 9-45 in time to have some breakfast at the health food cafe place in All Saints. It took ages to arrive though despite us being the only customers. So we missed the lecture by Maria Fusco which was very good apparently. She is about to start running a book course at Goldsmiths.

Treena was kind enough to let me put some of my tawdry books on her table of wonders which she was running with her friend, seen here trying to escape the camera's impertinent gaze. It was quite slow at first but later got quite busy and bustling. Not much room to move in fact and quite hot! It was good to see a few people we know including Tony, Penny and Nick who was looking after the MMU table. Hazel was glad to see that some of her new 1st years had taken the trouble to come along.

Nice to meet also Francis Van Mael (Red Fox Press) who had come over from Ireland for the fair and had a load of nice books he had bound himself and some names I recognised from the old mail art days. Later we swapped a few books which was nice and I promised to send him something for his latest project on the theme of "Salt & Pepper".

For lunch we opted for a sandwich in the office and then to library to see more artists books and a wonderful Rowland Emmett cardbourd model of the train he made for the Festival of Britain in 1952. The Far Tottering and Oyster Creek Railway.
Hazel took a photo of it having filled in the necessery forms in triplicate and submitted finger prints and DNA etc.
Archie insisted on going to the music shop "Johnny Roadhouse" and looked at the guitars and tried a couple of banjos. A helpful assistant showed him how to tune and told him the differences between the various sorts - open back and solid etc
He might have one for Christmas. More of that tomorrow..I must mention the great pop-up workshop too which was held in a nearby room. We all made a little house with a porch and conservtory and trees and a fence and the whole thing could be flattened and then springs up when you open the pages! Gosh! Photo tomorrow.