I contacted Steve Miller about visiting the University of Alabama, knowing he was the Coordinator of the Book Arts MFA. I wasn’t sure if we’d be able to visit, as, unfortunately, his house was a victim to the April 27th tornadoes that ripped through Alabama and I know a lot of the area is still busy working on recovery. (Though, in one of the biggest displays of generosity from the book arts community, the College Book Art Association raised $15,000 for Steve in a little over three days by less than two hundred members. Amazing!)
But I also knew on some level that Steve is a force of nature himself: a co-director of the Paper Book Intensive, on the board of the Robert C Williams paper museum we just visited, one of the founders of CBAA, and that he has also been a part of the UA Book Arts program as long as it has been running.
Luckily, he managed to squeak us in for a brief tour.
We met at his office in the program, and I took his office door as a good sign:
Steve Miller's door (I really liked this arrangement!)
He then gave us a quick tour of the department, which is housed in the library sciences building. This gives it some unique advantages, like quick access to the collections and sharing gallery space with the library. Not to mention, that clean organized special library feel:
Binding room 02
Then Steve showed us the Typelab press room, where one student was just finishing up her thesis project (congratulations!) before heading out for the day. Steve also explained some interesting pulp/print developments they were working on.
Press room, left
Press room, right (with a bundle of Alabama kozo hanging up!)
Speaking of pulp–we realized rain was rolling in and just made a dash for the UA’s paper studio before it started pouring. So we wait a bit while trying to decide how to best brave our exit.
awwh, Glenn!
Matt and Steve goofing around in the papermill
Steve, thank you so much for having us, and best of luck in your endeavors!
Tags: roadtrip
