Steve Miller, professor for the school of Library and Information Sciences, is in charge of the exhibits shown on the fifth floor of Gorgas Library.
“John DePol was one of the greatest wood engravers in the United States in the 20th century,” he said.
He said they were really fortunate to have an archive with over thousands of woodprints by Depol, and they were even more excited to have the original wood blocks that the artist had used.
He said the exhibits change four to five times a year to highlight a new artist.
“Our exhibits deal with hand paper making, book artists, historic book binding structures and many different aspects of the handmade book,” Miller said.
The last week of September, the University of Alabama hosted an artist from Cuba, Alejandro Sainz.
“Our students work in a book arts program where they work on various book art projects here in Alabama, then finish them at the studio that Sainz is a part of over in Havana Cuba,” Miller said.
This is the sixth time the book art program will be traveling to Cuba, and Sainz said he is thrilled to be a part of this program.
“Where I am from, I never see a university or a group of student artists like I see at UA,” Sainz said. “This whole experience has been incredible to me.”
Miller said they were fortunate to have an archive with over thousands of wood prints by Depol, and they were even more excited to have the original wood blocks that DePol used.
“After I moved to Alabama, DePol would send me many portfolios of prints that he had been working on,” Miller said. “He also came to the University many different times and worked on a couple of projects with the students.”
Although DePol passed away 10 years ago, several different artists from around the world are still coming to The University of Alabama to work with students on many different art projects.
Sainz has been an artist for 25 years and while he was at the University, he said he showed future artists his craft to inspire them to continue on their work.
“You know when everybody’s attention is to their devices or reading for classes, I think it’s really important to remind people that individuals still make things by hand,” Miller said.
