What is an Artist's Book?
An artist's book is a book made by an artist that has a visual impact, whether it is through the overall design, the typography, the pictures within, or the binding. The books are usually produced with painstaking care in very limited editions, or as unique examples.
The collection at the Lucille Caudill Little Fine Arts Library has a wide-ranging variety of shapes and sizes, some more book-like than others. We have an emphasis on books that are 3-dimensional or have a sculptural quality, collecting objects that can be displayed in our display cases at the Little Library, which were provided by the Donovan Trust at the University of Kentucky for this purpose.
The A - Z tabs of this online guide link to lists of the books in our collection, organized by the artists' last name.
If you are interested in reading our artists' books in person or using artists' books for a class, please contact the library to make arrangements.
A Guide to Higher Learning
A Guide to Higher Learning by Julie Chen, Flying Fish Press, 2009. Edition of 100.
Letterpress printed from photopolymer plates, contained in a cloth-covered clamshell box. The book is a central box surrounded by rows of square pages which unfold clockwise. In the center is "The Answer Book." The inspiration comes from the field of mathematics, incorporating abstract algebra, analysis, geometry, and number theory.
Family
Family by Rita MacDonald, 1994. Edition of 100.
Silkscreen prints, bound in a wooden box. The front door opens to reveal a collection of household items that represent portraits of individual family members. The concept relates to gender stereotypes and family roles.
Visual and Performing Arts Librarian
Artists' Books in the Lucille Caudill Little Fine Arts Library's Collection
Red, Yellow, Blue by Alice Austin, 2000. Edition of 500.
Little Pink Houses by Maryann Riker, 2009. Edition of 3.
Seeker, Healer by Su Lund. One of a kind.
The Spectrum A to Z by Karen Hanmer, 2003. Edition of 20.
Artists in the Collection
• Julie Chen
• Karen Hanmer
• Susan King
• Mary Rezny
• Jill Timm
• Ruth Adams • Doug Aitkens • Kurt Allerslev, Christopher Wilde and Marshall Weber • Clifford Amyx • Alice Austin • Susan Baker • Milissa Burkart • R. D. Burton • John Byrum • Irene Chan • Rob Dickes • EIDIA • Joel Feldman • Bernice Ficek-Swenson • Deborah Frederick • Maryam Monalisa Gharavi • Rebecca Goodale • Douglas Gordon • Guy Himber • Mei-Ling Hom • KaKe (Ann Kalmbach and Tana Kellner) • Anne Marie Kennedy • Christine Kermaire • Ann M. Kresge • Colette LaBouff • Louise Levergneaux • Richard Long • Su Lund • Rita MacDonald • Jim Machacek • Scott McCarney • Nora Lee McGillivray • Barbara Milman • Howard Munson • Amandine Nabarra-Piomelli • Lesley Patterson-Marx • Todd Pattison • peven (Michael Peven) • Amy Pirkle • Joanne Price • Mary Ann Riker • Camille Riner • Sandra Rowe • Amy Schmierbach • Norbert Schoerner • Sharon A. Sharp • Keith Smith • Diane Stemper • Peter & Donna Thomas • Anita Wetzel • Miriam Woolfolk • Gary Young • Philip Zimmerman
Find More Artists' Books in InfoKat Discovery
To locate materials from the Lucille Caudill Little Fine Arts Library Artists' Books Collection in InfoKat Discovery, follow the following steps:
1. Open InfoKat Discovery and type "artists' books" in the advanced search box.
2. Go to the drop down menu and select "Subject."
3. Hit search. This will pull up several lists of artists' books grouped by subject heading.
Common subject headings are Artists' books and Artists' books--United States
Items cataloged as part of this collection should have the label "Fine Arts Library - Artists Books Collection" in their description. These materials are not available in the regular circulating collection, and you must ask at the front desk in order access the materials.
Ex:
For additional resources for and about Artists' Books, please check out the Artists' Books Resources tab.