Artist Books!

Half of our artist books are currently on display across from the circulation desk. Ask the library staff to get a better look at these, or any others that are stored in our Special Collections.

Jen’s selections from our Special Collections

Come in and check out the display just outside the library’s computer lab!

Research Guides

The library has now put together a simple and very useful research guide for all majors here at Ringling. Research Guides are here to help everyone with researching topics about their major. There are even short videos, pictures, books and magazines that relates to the specific major and can  be useful for enhancing one’s work.

How to use Research Guides:

• Go to www.lib.ringling.edu
• Click on the intended major or program

• Click on the individual Research Guide you’d like to see
• Begin researching by clicking on the different tabs
• Each tab will have different  information about the intended major which are all highly informative.

Though Research Guides are still in the process of being perfected, students can at least familiarize themselves with the format of this new strategy.

The Disposable Skateboard Bible – Book Review

The Disposable Skateboard Bible
By Sean Cliver

GV 859.8.C55 2009

“It’s a monument to my glory days of yore, and I have yet to meet anyone with an iota of skateboarding in their past—regardless of hardcore proclivities or collecting biases—that hasn’t walked in, stared at the wall and momentarily lost themselves in a time warp of memories. Such is the unique and twisted power of the vintage skateboard.” – Sean Cliver

Destined for destruction, skateboard graphics have hardly been revered as high art in the eyes of those outside the skateboarding subculture. However, many of these once massed produced pieces of screen printed plywood hold collection value comparative to that of gallery paintings.

The Disposable Skateboard Bible introduces the reader to the little known and much less understood world of vintage skateboard collecting, or as the author Sean Cliver would call it, “skatehoarding.” Squeezing together decades of note worthy decks, this book serves as a hard-bound time capsule of skateboard graphic history. With a light hearted and whimsical style, Cliver discusses his journey into the sometimes dark and damaging obsession of skateboard collecting. Built around visuals more than text, this book outlines the creation of the first skateboard museum, Skatelab and chronologically documents many, but not all, of the coveted pieces in the collection.

The Disposable Skateboard Bible is great for anyone with an interest in skateboarding culture and history. It’s 367 pages are ripe with a colorful, visual evolution of skateboard graphics destined to intrigue even those with the faintest regard for the sport. This book may be particularly inspirational to students in both Illustration and Design who might be considering skate graphics as a career path.

George Haney, 1/2010

Library Insider: Gig Posters

Gig posters, or band advertisements advocating a specific time and place, are more than just promotion, they are an artistic medium utilized to express the artist’s opinion of the band. Stemming from the psychedelic posters prominent in the 60s, to the aggressive punk and new wave posters from the late 70s, gig posters have evolved artistically just as thoroughly as the music they advocated. Luckily for the library, Allen Novak has allowed his collection of awesome gig posters to be displayed for your viewing pleasure.
Most of his collection consists of numbered, limited edition silk-screened posters bought from online vendors, and while he may not be interested in all the bands in his collection, he is fascinated by the art produced for them. The silkscreen layer technique is the aspect that attracts him to these posters and I have to agree, it does create an awesome visual effect. After viewing some of these posters, I’m really interested in listening to the music behind them and I definitely saw a few that I wouldn’t mind having on my wall.
Interested in seeing more gig posters? Check out this book.