The Barbara Lewis Book Challenge
Open to All PaperWorks Members
The Barbara J. Lewis Education Trust
The Barbara J. Lewis Education Trust was established to “underwrite activities that promote awareness, understanding and appreciation of books made by hand.” The Barbara J. Lewis Book Challenge has been designed as a 10-year program to focus on involving PaperWorks members in the creation of handmade books. Each year the Committee announces a challenge theme. Any member in good standing can participate in the competition. Entries are displayed at the April meeting. Members present at that meeting serve as the jury to select those entries which “best realize” the theme. The winners are announced at the June meeting.
Who is Barbara Jimmie Lewis?
Barbara served on the steering committee and the original PaperWorks Board when it formed in 2001. She was a painter all of her life. Her early work was realistic but gradually it became more and more stylized. Composition was her forte but she also loved color and used it skillfully in her work.
Her style became very personal and quite recognizable as she gradually moved from watercolor to mixed media. In the late 90's she discovered the world of artists’ books, which became her passion and the ruling love of her artistic life.
She was seriously ill for many years, but her outlook was always sunny. In her final month she was so weak that the most she could do was to sit quietly in her armchair and try to finish one last book. This was to be a special book about her family. Barbara had gathered old photographs and other ephemera about her family members but she never got to complete it. So, to honor that unfinished work, the committee picked "family" as the theme for the first challenge.
Special Awards from the
Tucson Festival of Books
People's Choice from the Barbara Lewis Exhibit
Compedium by Annette Geistfeld
People's Choice from the General Festival Exhibit
Paris Travel Journal by Barbie Adler
Click here for a video presentation of all entries.