“Artist’s Books are the Trojan horse of the art world… you don’t know exactly what is inside until it is revealed.”
– Cynthia Sears, BIMA Founder, referencing book artist Walter Hamady
Artist’s Book Collection
About BIMA's Artist's Book Collection
BIMA is proud of its commitment to feature and display the unique and burgeoning world of Artist’s Books. A fairly recent trend in the art world, Artist’s Books are a fast-growing art form that the public is beginning to notice. BIMA’s goal is to help make this unique medium more visible and accessible.
BIMA’s Artist’s Books exhibition changes three times throughout the year. Due to its participatory form, Artist’s Books are suited to starting conversations as opposed to being used to share opinions. Come see for yourself and join the conversation!
What is an Artist’s Book?
BIMA defines an Artist’s Book as a three-dimensional art object—usually one-of-a-kind or in limited edition—which reveals or tells its story over time using a combination of content and form and involves the agency or participation of the viewer.
Artist’s Books combine various art forms and media, including drawing, painting, printmaking, collage, gluing and binding, sculpture, photography, textiles, creative writing, and storytelling.
The Sherry Grover Gallery
Enter a gallery unlike any other. Marvel at the ingenuity and artistry of an art form that has a unique ability to tell stories—so personal and passionately told that they can be felt viscerally.
Surround yourself in the warmth of the cherry cabinets, glowing with work by artists from around the globe. Inspired by the passion for the art form of BIMA’s Founder, Cynthia Sears, BIMA’s Sherry Grover Gallery is home to more than 1,300 Artist’s Books and the collection keeps growing.
Artist's Books Unshelved Videos
Take a dive into the artform of artist’s books with a video series exploring selected pieces from the Cynthia Sears Artist’s Books Collection. New episodes are released on the first and third Saturday of each month on BIMA’s YouTube channel.
Open Book Tours Video Library
Take a look back at a selection of Open Book Tours over the years.
Artist’s Books Lectures & Panels Video Library
Explore our library of videos of past tours, presentations, lectures and panel discussions.
A peek into the collection
Who is in the collection?
BIMA’s Artist’s Book collection features the work of hundreds of artists including Julie Chen, Suzanne Moore, Philip Zimmerman, Ben Blount, Tia Blassingame, Diane Jacobs, Mare Blocker, Joann Pohlman, Fred Hagstrom, Lois Morrison, Clarissa Sligh, Aimee Lee, Kyoko Matsunaga, Elsi Vassdal-Ellis, Susan King, Claire Van Vliet, Catherine Alice Michaelis, Alisa Banks, Ellen Knudson, Katherine Ng, Peter Rutledge Koch, Karen Kunc, Jessica Spring, and Charles Hobson.