Cartonera at BABE 2019

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartonera

Bristol Artists Books Event 2019 was buzzing! Held at the Arnolfini arts centre every two years, the exhibition and lecture series attracts participants from as far afield as Norway. The exhibition stalls span two floors, spread across several galleries. So much to see and attempt to take in!

I attended a couple of talks with my friend Jenn (unusual bookbindings, and the confusingly named flatpack sculptures, which I think should have been called 'books that stand up for themselves'. So much was on offer, I only bought two little books but came home brimming with ideas.

These colourful 'cartoneras', or books made with corrugated cardboard covers, filled with pages.of newsprint overprinted with woodblock printing, really grabbed me. There's so much I can try at home, without it costing the earth, because I have a lot of papers and other materials, and a few tools too. Ideas are forming and re-forming.

I was accompanied by my friend J. We took the train to Bristol Temple Meads, had a coffee in the Knights Templars Wetherspoons, then caught the ferry along the river to the Arnolfini. What a very civilised way to travel! We returned by the same route, with a trip across the harbour during the day to refuel at another Riverside cafe. My only regret was that the brilliant sunshine of the past few days had given way to low temperatures and grey skies. I'd been to BABE (the same event) on sunny days in both 2013 and '15, so I naturally assumed that the weather would be fine!

We got back home in time to watch the new Line of Duty, series 5. Gripping already.