Lisa di Liberto
Visual Artist

Artists Statement

Art Teaching Practice

Community Art Instruction

Individual & Private

Teaching Artist in NYC Public Schools

After school collaboration with LeapNYC and PS154Q in Flushing, NY

Introduction to Bookmaking and Collage for 3rd - 5th graders

I designed the curriculum and introduced students on how to build their own accordion books.
We discussed what an 'accordion' was and the mechanics of the working folds, no matter what form an accordion comes in.

The book was created by a 4th grader.

The use of professional bookmaking tools were introduced including a brief history and demonstration of their use.

Some of these tools were improvised in order to work within a specified budget. Showing the actual tools to students and how some were improvised for their use allowed the students to quickly adapt.

Students choice of collage paper to use for the covers of their books.

One of my 3rd grade students begrudgingly asked if they were going to learn math. I used my most supportive voice answering, "not the same way you learn it in your math class."

At the end of this project this same student proudly walked over to me with a great smile holding his book. He told me he loved the paper he chose and explained that the zigzag patterns made him think about math symbols. He said he created them by cutting the paper into those shapes to paste on his book covers. (shown here)

Any misgivings he may have had about applying math to an art form, in his own creative process he was inspired—and that gave him the freedom to organically connect the two instead. #artsareessential

Students learned how to create their own 'End Papers'. This student cut out heart shapes from collage paper. They were used as a design element to hide the exposed end of the ribbon. Ribbons are used to tie their books closed.

This book also shows a pocket fold I taught them how to make when they were creating the folds of their accordion books.

The pocket fold holds cards they would later write on for National Poetry Month, which is in April.

Students creating a collage for one of their book covers.

A students finishing touches to the cover of their book using collage paper and scissors.

Samples of books in their final stages

A final accordion book showing it with a ribbon closure around the collaged cover.

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