closure
The theme for our 2009 creative book-arts open exhibition is CLOSURE. This is in honour of Emma’s recent completion of
her PhD, which has dominated the last 8 years of her
life. She now has closure.

The closure exhibition will take place
15th August–19th September 2009
at artworks-MK, UK.
Opening times:
Monday – Friday 10am-4pm and
Saturdays 10am – noon

The private view is on Thursday 13th August 6–8pm
artworks-mk, Great Linford Arts Workshop, Parklands, Great Linford, Milton Keynes, MK14 5DZ.
T:01908 608108 www.artworks-mk.co.uk

After the main exhibition a small selection of work will then tour to the College of Fine Arts and Design, University of Sharjah, UAE. To be curated by Karen Goodwin Legg.

Additionally some of the book works will also tour to The University of Northampton, UK.

Collaborative element
Each year we set a collaborative element relevant to the theme.
We keep these pieces as a record of each exhibition.

For closure we would like you to send us a small
item/piece of work that represents something you
would like to get closure on or say good bye to.
Please label each item with a relevant word. We
will box these labelled items up to help you get
closure. These items will not be returned – they
will be kept as part of the exhibition archive.

Submission details
Please complete and submit an on-line form – click on
button on left 'closure submission'.
Books will only be considered if an on-line form is submitted.
If you can please also print out form (before sending) and
include with your book.

Size
Please make your book under A3 in size (unless by prior negotiation).
There are weight restrictions – please see bottom of page.

Postage costs – see bottom of page for full postal details.
If you are sending from the UK please include return postage.
No big or heavy books from abroad – we can only return
those that are small and light.

We have no funds – at all!

WLYB Book Collection
If you would like your book to be donated to our
special collection of artists' books then you do not
need to worry about size, weight or return postage.
Our collection is growing in size and we hope to
exhibit it in the future.

Selection details
Once books are submitted we will make a selection
of those to be exhibited. For consideration books
must be based on the theme of closure and be
well crafted, creative and innovative.

You can also email photos of your books for pre-selection.
Photos to be emailed to: curators@weloveyourbooks.com

Books to be sent to:
Melanie Bush,
School of the Arts, The University of Northampton,
St. George's Ave, Northampton, NN2 6JD, UK.

Key words – use these as starting points
CLOSURE:
the end, end of the line, end of the road, put an end to,
finish, finish off, finishing touch, finality, final, finito,
peter out, wind up, shut, shut up, shut down, shutter,
snap shut, shut in, tie, tie the knot, tie up, tie down,
tie up loose ends, lock, lock up, lock down, locked in,
locked away, open and shut case, pin down, realise,
reach, goal, fulfil, resolution, result, done, done &
dusted, it’s a done thing, that’s it, that’s that, satisfied,
close, close up, close down, success, accomplish,
effect, result, deal with, dealt with, sorted, accepted,
relief, put away, put down, shelve, complete, completed,
completion, completer/finisher, clinch, conclude, conclusion,
settle, at last, at long last, achieve, achievement, secure,
protect, fasten, clasp, bolt, seal, in the bag, buckle, press-stud,
button, button up, magnet, velcro, sew, repair, stitch, cat gut,
string, ribbon, thread, knit, hook & eye, zip, zipper, zip up,
zip lock, flap, envelope, bind, cover, encase, enclose, stick,
wrap, wrapper, wrap up, it’s a wrap, finale, curtains,
denouement, cadence, wall, gate, door, pen, window,
hatch, bang, slip case, box, lid, put a lid on it, bottle,
bottle up, bottle it, stopper, screw down, tighten, cupped,
pack in, trap, trapped, cell, restrained, slide, knot, knotted,
revenge, pay back, fold, folded, folding, terminate, last one
to leave switch off the lights, walk away, serve notice, board
up, barricade, it’s all over, get over it, draw a line under it,
goodbye, exit, ex, move on, wash hands of it, enough,
had enough, cut it out, desist, put away, no more, is no
longer, thing of the past, sign off, send off, cease,
cessation, culminate, stop, discontinue, deceased.


Any queries email: curators@weloveyourbooks.com

Important small print
Photographs of your books may appear in publicity, articles, the catalogue and our research projects.
Your submission of work is seen as agreement to this. Whilst we will take as much care as possible
your work will be returned via Royal Mail and it will also be on public display for people to handle so
it is submitted at your own risk/insurance.

Full postal info for the sending and returning of Artist’s Books:
www.royalmail.com
UK:
we can accept books up to 3kg in weight and we will return using the correctly stamped addressed labels you send.

Europe:
we can accept books up to 2kg in weight and for return we would like an addressed label and euros/pounds (in cash*) to cover the return cost & other mail services. Please look at the Royal Mail website to work out your return cost and consider if you want to use the International Signed For or Airsure services.
*If you do not wish to include cash at your own risk, you will need to add €6 to cover the bank costs of processing a cheque in euros, please make cheques payable to Melanie Bush.

USA & rest of World:
we can accept books up to 1kg in weight and for return we would like an addressed label and the correct amount of $/pounds (in cash*) to cover the return cost & other mail services. Please look at the Royal Mail website to work out your return cost and consider if you want to use the International Signed For or Airsure services.
*If you do not wish to include cash at your own risk, you will need to add $ = £5 to cover the bank costs of processing a cheque in dollars, please make cheques payable to Melanie Bush.

International Signed For prices
International Signed For™ costs just £3.50 plus the Airmail or Surface Mail postage price. The exact price will depend on where the item is going (the geographic postal zone) and the type of mail item you’re sending (letters, small packets or printed papers).

Airsure®
Airsure® costs just £4.20 in addition to the Printed Paper or Small Packet postage price for your item. This price includes up to £36.00 compensation for loss or damage. If you are sending valuable items, you can get additional cover of up to £500 for an additional £2.20 on top of the £4.20 Airsure® fee. 

Re:
An exhibition of experimental books based on any word beginning
with re...

Monday 12th – Thursday 29th May 2008
The Gallery, The University of Northampton, Avenue Campus,
St. George's Avenue, Northampton, NN2 6JD, UK.

Selected work from the exhibition travelled to:
Artworks MK, Milton Keynes 14th July–14th August
Herefordshire College of Art – Summer 2008
University of Portsmouth 3rd-14th November 2008

Curated by 'we love your books' -
Melanie Bush & Emma Powell

A (is for add)
B (is for book)
C (is for collaborate)
An exhibition of experimental artists' books & cubes

The exhibition consisted of a mass collaborative
component of creative cubes alongside individually
submitted experimental artists' books.

14th - 31st May 2007
at The Gallery, The University of Northampton,
Avenue Campus, St.George's Avenue, Northampton, NN2 6JD, UK.

Curated by 'we love your books' -
Melanie Bush, Louise Bird & Emma Powell


Full Circle / Random Journey
An exhibition of altered books & experimental artists' books
Monday 8th May – Thursday 18th May 2006
at The Gallery, The University of Northampton, Avenue Campus,
St. George's Avenue, Northampton, NN2 6JD, UK.

Curated by
Emma Powell, Melanie Bush & Louise Bird (McDonald)

Over 150 books were submitted for this exhibition.
They varied tremendously in scale and use of media and all
engaged the viewer in a personal way. The feedback from the
exhibition was really great and it has obviously inspired and
interested many people.

Some staff from the UK Society of Bookbinders came to the
private view and were impressed by the variety & creativity on
show. Their comments were: " A really refreshing and inspiring
exhibition. Well worth the visit!"

The biggest coincidence must have been an academic from
the University of Ontario coming to meet a Performance Arts
colleague here at Northampton, looking at the exhibition and
seeing there the work of a technician at her University.
It’s a small world!

Here are some further quotes from the comments book:
"Good to see such a diverse collection of ideas presented
in the book form"
"Truly inspirational & so well put together, I wish I had more
time to... explore - I want to know the stories behind each piece".

A catalogue has been created as a record of the exhibition.

Thank you to all the exhibitors who agreed that their work
could be kept as part of our bookmaking archive held at
The University of Northampton.

Meeting in the Middle
An exhibition of altered books & experimental artists' books

This exhibition was held from
Monday 3rd May – Thursday 19th May 2005 at The Gallery,
The University of Northampton, Avenue Campus, St. George's
Avenue, Northampton, NN2 6JD, UK.

Curated by
Emma Powell and Melanie Bush

Lots of really exciting books were received for this inaugural
exhibition. It was great fun opening up each parcel as it
arrived and in some instances the packaging was displayed
alongside the artist’s book. The books in this exhibition were
limited to A5 size (15cm x 21cm) or smaller.