Book Arts Tuesday/ Alex Appella and Transient Books

Alex Appella is a book artist living in Córdoba, Argentina and, with her husband, owner of Transient Books. Here is how she describes her journey from eastern Oregon to South America:

Becoming a book binder was a natural side effect of being a writer often on the road. My first books were typed on construction paper and stapled into their covers, which were made from paper grocery sacks. Quite basic…but it achieved the initial purpose: a way to publish and commercialize/share my writings no matter where I was. Once my Aunt gave me a Keith Smith book, though, a (more adept) book artist was born.

With my husband Magu Appella, I am co-founder, co-garbage taker outer, co-webmaster, co-administrator, co-problem solver, co-diaper changer and co-bookbinder at www.TransientBooks.com.

I came to Córdoba, Argentina in 1994 to investigate our family’s history. I meant to only stay six months. This plan was drastically modified. As of 2010, I'm still down here--married, binding books and raising children. And after 12 years of further investigation, writing and experimentation, the original family history investigation led to The János Book.

I love the democratic and global approach of Transient Books. They make hand bound books accessible and affordable. They are believers in the power of creative activity and derive satisfaction and joy from working with their clients to create vessels for their thoughts and feelings and dreams. They custom bind blank journals including ones for composers filled with blank music pages and create printed books—memoirs, novels, poetry, emails, and blogs. They have a US distributor in Oregon to whom they do a bulk shipment once a month so shipping costs are reduced and they can reach out beyond Argentina. Here they are talking about their work and their evolution:



In addition to the work for others, Alex creates her own artists books using a variety of materials and forms. I particularly like The Janos Book about her family's history.