The barbecue was ablaze for grilling brats supplied by BAL and chicken brought by Kay, with an array of goodies brought by the participants ranging from deviled eggs, pie, the ever-popular chocolate brownies, and North Denver tamales. A lemonade stand run by the kids next door did a brisk business, maybe because everyone thought someone else was bringing the beer, and it was Sunday. "Next time, I'll bring beer," promised Julia.

Everyone took a turn on the crank of the big press and helped hand-ink the form. Two- and three-color versions of the poster were produced, each impression slightly different, with everyone taking a copy home. Participants were David Ashley, Jeff Becker, Linda Bevard, Bonnie Mettler, Kay Moller, Earl Noe, Julia Seko, Andy Schwartz, and Laura Tyler.

Ten thousand people ambled through the Lafayette Peach Festival, Saturday, August 21, according to the Boulder Daily Camera.

At times it seemed as if they all stopped, at least briefly, at the Book Arts League booth. This was the third year the League has demonstrated book arts at the annual peaches-and-antiques festival. Over 300 visitors printed a keepsake on the League's recently-acquired C&P Pilot press. A hundred of them took one of the new brochures designed by Brenda Gallagher. Dozens had their name beautifully lettered on a bookmark designed and printed by David Ashley. Lisa de Young helped David in lettering the bookmarks. Many printers' hats were folded.

Though few items were sold, hundreds paused to curiously examine the Ephemera Exchange and other examples of BAL workshops and classes. As usual, the old fashioned book arts technologies, the one 500 years old, the other 5,000, had a peculiar fascination for a wide cross section of people, including lots of kids. A few people recognized the old printing press from school or work earlier in life. One was Robert Sterett, of Louisville, whose family has been involved with letterpress printing since 1893.

The Peach Festival was the maiden voyage for the League's Pilot press, which has been repaired and adjusted by Rob Slentz, known in the BAL as "Dr Science." Rob built a special lift/dolly for the press by modifying a wheelchair lift he found at an auction. The Dr Science Press Lifter allows the press to be safely loaded and unloaded into even small vehicles where there is a sill enclosing the cargo space.

BAL members visiting and staffing the booth were David Ashley, Evert Brown, Lisa de Young, Brenda Gallagher, Bonnie Mettler, Nancy Missbach, Earl Noe, Louise Padden, Julia Seko, Rob Slentz, and Nan Wigington.

Jeff Becker taught the Coptic Stitch Binding at the Lafayette Art Center, Sunday, June 27, 1 - 4 pm. Though this is a non-adhesive binding, PVA was used to adhere paper to the cover boards. A small recessed area was cut into the front board before it was covered allowing for a decorative insert on the front of the book. Paper was then folded, torn and nested into sections for the text block, holes were punched in the sections and cover, and finally the book was sewn.

Participants were Carly Greto, Letitia Hess and Monalisa Hess.

Said Jeff, "Since the library is only open 4 hrs on Sunday, we were short the extra half hour needed for a comfortable class; Considering how much was to be done, Carly, Letitia, & Monalisa made a valiant effort and all were 'mostly done' by closing time. I believe a good time was had by all."

Photos: Carly Greto

BAL members met Saturday, June 26, at picturesque, eccentric Limbo Ranch to discuss, dine, and elect officers at their Annual General Meeting. Julie Seko was reelected president, David Ashley became treasurer, and Jeff Becker will serve as secretary.

	Photo: Linda Peterson

BAL member and award-winning animator Evert Brown's carousel book, The Brown Boys, was one of 52 works chosen from over 200 entries for the traveling show, "Stand and Deliver: Engineering Sculpture into a Book Format."

The show opened at the Brookfield (CT) Craft Center on April 11, and will be at the Denver Public Library June 3 to July 29, 2005. The show's Denver appearance is sponsored by the Book Arts League, Rocky Mountain chapter of the Guild of Bookworkers, Special Collections Department of the University Libraries, University of Colorado at Boulder.

Evert's book was selected for the show's "Revealing Folds" category. According to the Stand and Deliver website, "These are books of transformation. Pages burst from ingenious containers or elegant covers and evolve into complex three-dimensional sculptural shapes. The innovative accordions, carousels, Hedi Kyle-inspired flag-books, shadow boxes, and honeycombs are a festival of folds."

See a slide show of The Brown Boys.