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The Minnesota Book Artist Award

The Minnesota Book Awards Announces Jody Williams as the 2008 Book Artist Award Winner

The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library is pleased to announce Jody Williams as the winner of the 2008 Book Artist Award, a new award of the Minnesota Book Awards.  This award, co-sponsored by the Minnesota Center for Book Arts (MCBA), recognizes a Minnesota book artist for excellence throughout a body of art work, as well as significant contributions to Minnesota’s book arts community.

Williams has been publishing limited edition artist’s books in Minnesota since 1989.  “Books communicate information and ideas; boxes keep things safe and hidden,” says Williams.  “Most of my work deals with artist’s books and boxes, and with the relationship between communication and containers.”  Williams has a passion for little books and little boxes, and early on discovered that her most successful work is small.  Williams teaches at MCBA and the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, as well as at schools and art centers throughout the United States and in Europe.

Williams will receive special recognition and an award at the 20th annual Minnesota Book Awards gala on April 12, 2008 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel – Saint Paul Riverfront.  Awards will also be presented that evening to the winners of the eight book categories (Children’s Literature, General Nonfiction, Genre Fiction, Memoir & Creative Nonfiction, Minnesota Nonfiction, Novel & Short Story, Poetry, and Young Adult Literature) as well as the Readers’ Choice Award, sponsored by the Pioneer Press and TwinCities.com and the Kay Sexton Award, sponsored by Barnes & Noble.  Gala tickets are on sale now.  Visit www.mnbookarts.org or call 612-215-2527 for more information about the Minnesota Center for Book Arts.

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Call for Nominations

The Minnesota Book Awards, coordinated by The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library, calls for nominations for the 2008 Minnesota Book Artist Award.  The annual Award, co-sponsored by the Minnesota Center for Book Arts, recognizes a Minnesota book artist for the excellence of artistic work in the book arts throughout his or her entire career, as well as significant contributions to Minnesota’s book arts community. 

Individuals may nominate more than one book artist for the Award, but each nomination requires a separate nomination form.  Book artists nominated for the Award will be contacted by the Minnesota Book Awards to submit an application.  Because the judging process for the Award requires samples of the artist’s work and an artist’s statement, book artists will not be considered for the Award unless an application is submitted following the nomination. Book artists are encouraged to apply directly for the Award and need only complete an application–a separate nomination is not required for book artists.

About Book Arts Book arts is a dynamic discipline within the larger landscape of contemporary art. At the Minnesota Center for Book Arts, the definition of book arts is broad and includes all things “bookish.” Though book arts often require bookbinding, printing or paper-making to come to fruition, contemporary book artists use these traditional book art practices and others in surprising and exciting new ways. Book arts include, but are not limited to, fine press and letterpress printers.  The creative evolution of book arts is limitless.  For more information about book arts, and the Minnesota Center for Book Arts, please visit www.mnbookarts.org.

Award
The 2008 Minnesota Book Artist Award will include the following:

1. A $500 award ($250 cash and $250 honorarium for a program or event in the Saint Paul Public Library system in 2008)
2. A Minnesota Book Award and recognition at the Awards gala
3. A retrospective exhibit at the Minnesota Center for Book Arts in early 2008
4. Opportunities for traveling exhibits or displays at Minnesota libraries
5. Statewide publicity surrounding announcement of the Minnesota Book Awards

Selection
The primary selection criteria, in order, are: demonstrated excellence and innovation of artistic work in the book arts throughout a career, and significant artistic contributions to Minnesota’s book arts community.

The Minnesota Book Artist Award is selected by five jurors in a two step process.  In the first step, three finalists are chosen based solely on the materials submitted in the applications.  In the second step, the three finalists are contacted and asked to provide samples of their book art work to the Minnesota Center Book Arts for a one week period for review by the judges.  All of these materials are returned to the finalists.  Jurors select the Award winner based both on the actual work samples provided and the initial application materials submitted. 

Jurors are selected by the Minnesota Book Awards and will include representatives from the Minnesota Book Awards/The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library, Minnesota Center for Book Arts, Minnesota libraries, knowledgeable individuals from the book arts community not eligible for the award, and/or accomplished artists working in other media.

Eligibility

1. Current Minnesota residents, and Minnesota residents during 2007 are eligible for the Award.  Additionally, non-residents are considered eligible if they meet all of the following requirements:  living within the metropolitan area of a Minnesota city during 2007 (for example, Douglas County, WI is within the metropolitan area of Duluth), primarily working in Minnesota in 2007, and participating in a book arts community that is primarily Minnesotan.  Nominations for non-residents meeting all of these guidelines must include a written summary (no more than one page in length) detailing how the nominee meets these non-resident eligibility requirements.  Birthplace, long-standing Minnesota connections, and Minnesota content in artistic work, are not relevant criteria for eligibility.  Final determination of resident eligibility will be made by the Minnesota Book Awards.
2. Artists must have worked extensively in the book arts.
3. Artists must be willing to provide actual samples of their book arts work for a brief period if selected as a finalist.
4. Artists must be willing and able to participate in the majority of Book Awards activities surrounding the Award, including exhibits, programs and gala, if selected as the winner.
5. This Award is for a body of work, not a single piece or exhibit.

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Application for Book Artists
As stated above, because the judging process for the Minnesota Book Artist Award requires samples of the artist’s work and an artist’s statement, book artists will not be considered for the Award unless an application is submitted following the nomination.

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The Minnesota Book Awards is a Capital City project, led by The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library,
in consortium with the Saint Paul Public Library and the Mayor’s office in the City of Saint Paul. 
Outreach partners for the Book Awards include the Metropolitan Library Service Agency (MELSA)
and the Minnesota Library Association (MLA).