Book Art

Book art is a medium where the material, textual and structural components combine to create a faceted, more comprehensive and potent language to express content. Subject matter determines form in the versatile medium of book art.

2000-PRESENT


A Year in Books
52 Weeks 52 Books

An exploratory year-long book art project guided by constraints and observation (2013).

The three complete sets of this project are located in the following Special Collections:
• Yale University, Haas Arts Library
• University of Washington, Allen Library
• University of California Santa Cruz, McHenry Library

A selection of 20 books from this project can be found at the National Museum for Women in the Arts


Lyall Harris’ book art can be found in many private collections and the following Special Collection Libraries and Museums:

Appalachian State University, Belk Library, Boone, NC
Bainbridge Island Museum of Art, Bainbridge, WA
Baylor University, Central Libraries, Waco, TX
Baylor University, Crouch Library, Waco, TX
Bibliotheca Librorum apud Artificem, Petersham, Australia Blue Ridge Community College, Houff Library, Weyers Cave, VA Carnegie Mellon University, Hunt Library, Pittsburgh, PA
Cleveland Institute of Art, Gund Library, Cleveland, OH
College of Saint Benedict, Olin Library, St. Joseph, MN College of William and Mary, Swem Library, Williamsburg, VA
Denison University, Doane Library, Granville, OH
Duke University, Perkins Library, Durham, NC
Emory University, Woodruff Library, Atlanta, GA
Evergreen State College, Evans Library, Olympia, WA
George Mason University, Fenwick Library, Fairfax, VA Indiana University, Lilly Library, Bloomington, IN
James Madison University, Carrier Library, Harrisonburg, VA
Lafayette College, Skillman Library, Easton, PA
Los Angeles Public Library, Central Library Special Collections, Los Angeles, CA
Maier Museum, Randolph College, Lynchburg, VA
Maryland Institute College of Art, Decker Library, Baltimore MD
Mills College, Heller Room, Oakland, CA
Minneapolis College of Art and Design, Andersen Library, Minneapolis, MN
MIT, Rotch Library, Cambridge, MA
Monmouth University, Special Collections, West Long Branch, NJ
Morris Museum of Art Library, Augusta, GA
National Museum for Women in the Arts, The Betty Boyd Dettre Library, Washington DC
Otis College of Art and Design, Artist Book Collection, Los Angeles, CA
Ringling College of Art and Design, Kimbrough Library, Sarasota, FL
Rollins College, Olin Library, Winter Park, FL
Saint Olaf College, Rolvaag Library, Northfield, MN
San Jose State University, King Library, San Jose, CA Savannah College of Art & Design, Jen Library, Savannah, GA

Savannah College of Art & Design, Artist Book Collection, Atlanta, GA
Scripps College, Denison Library, Claremont, CA
Smith College, Mortimer Rare Book Collection, Northampton, MA
Stanford University, Green Library, Palo Alto, CA
Swarthmore College, McCabe Library, Swarthmore, PA Temple University, Paley Library, Philadelphia, PA
UC Berkeley, Bancroft Library, Berkeley, CA
UC Berkeley, Environmental Design Library, Berkeley, CA UCLA, Arts Library, Los Angeles, CA
UCSB, Davidson Library, Santa Barbara, CA
UCSC, McHenry Library, Santa Cruz, CA
University of Colorado, Norlin Library, Boulder, CO University of Connecticut, Dodd Research Center, Storrs, CT
University of Delaware, Special Collections, Newark, DE University of Louisville, Bridwell Art Library, Louisville, KY
University of Louisville, Ecstrom Library, Louisville, KY University of Miami, Richter Library, Miami, FL
University of North Carolina, Atkins Library, Charlotte, NC
University of North Carolina, Sloane Art Library, Chapel Hill, NC
University of Puget Sound, Collins Library, Tacoma, WA
University of Richmond, Boatwright Library, Richmond, VA
University of Texas at San Antonio, Special Collections, San Antonio, TX
University of Utah, Marriott Library, Salt Lake City, UT
University of Vermont, Bailey/Howe Library, Burlington, VT
University of Virginia, Albert & Shirley Small Library, Charlottesville, VA
University of Washington, Allen Library, Seattle, WA
USC, Doheny Library, Los Angeles, CA
Vanderbilt University, Heard Library, Nashville, TN
Virginia Commonwealth University, Cabell Library, Richmond, VA
Washington & Lee University, Leyburn Library, Lexington, VA
Wesleyan University, Olin Library, Middletown, CT
Yale University, Haas Art Library, New Haven, CT


Selected Links:

Bookseller: Vamp & Tramp

Back to Front: Artists’ Books by Women, Maier Museum 112th Annual Exhibition, Randolph College (2023-24)

32nd Annual Helen Clark Berlind Symposium speaker, Maier Museum, Randolph College (Nov 4, 2023)

“From the Bench of Lyall Harris,” Lunch Hour Artist’s Talk, San Francisco Center for the Book (2023)

Voice-Overs: A broadside project of Virginia Humanities and Virginia Center for the Book (2021)

Artist-in-Residence at Blue Ridge Community College, a collegewide community project, “Walk in My Shoes” (2019)

Freed Formats: The Book Reconsidered, A traveling exhibition (2019): Mark Twain Library (Redding, CT); Ridgefield Guild of Artists (CT); Ridgefield Library (CT); Putnam Arts Council (Mahopac, NY); Mahopac Public Library (NY); Five Points Gallery (Torrington, CT); University of Hartford Art School (CT)

Conversation with Amos Paul Kennedy, Jr., Virginia Festival of the Book, co-facilitated with Veronica Jackson (2019)

Just One Look, An Exhibition of Contemporary Book Arts: Exploring the theme of Women and Vision, University of Washington, Seattle, WA (2016)

Atelier Vis-à-Vis, Book Project International, Marseilles, France (2016)