BIBLIOARTS 2026
BiblioArts is an annual teaching and marketplace event with the aim to support Grey-Bruce artists and fundraise for the Georgian Bay School for the Arts (GB Arts).
BiblioArts is a celebration of the “Book Arts” held the weekend of Victoria Day.
For 2026, our third annual BiblioArts will happen from Thursday to Sunday, May 14-17.
“The Book Arts” describes a wide range of art forms including bookbinding, printmaking, letterpress printing, box-making, paper-making, paper marbling, broadsides, card-making, zines and journals, and so much more; it’s an exciting field and we’re happy to bring it all together for this event.
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Thursday and Friday we’ll be featuring special guest artist Jacquie Sullivan who will lead a two-day intensive workshop on Multi-Block Relief Printing focusing on the connection between the Japanese process of Mokuhanga woodcuts and the Western techniques of multi-block linocut printmaking. In 2025 Jacquie received a Canada Council grant to study mokuhanga (Japanese water-based woodblock printmaking) at the Mokuhanga Innovation Laboratory (MI-Lab) in Echizen, Japan. You won’t want to miss this excellent opportunity to learn from a significant artist in this field
Saturday features a Book Arts Marketplace from 9:30am-3pm including printmaking and book artists, specialty vendors of papers, materials, and tools for all your book and printmaking needs. The Goods Kitchen Cafe, located in the entrance to GB Arts, will also be open from 9am-4pm.
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On Sunday morning, four featured workshops will run with sessions of Water Marbling, Silk Screen printing, and Letterpress Printing. Tickets can be found at gbarts.ca or at the links below.
On Sunday afternoon, the public is welcome to join BIG PRINTS!—We’re renting a steamroller and going BIG! We will be printing large-scale relief prints on 1st Ave, behind GB Arts, beside the beautiful boardwalk along the Sydenham River. This is a free outdoor art event running from noon until 3pm.
This is all taking place in the large creative studios of GB Arts, located on the main street in the heart of downtown Owen Sound.
MARKET SAT MAY 16
BIBLIOARTS 2026 is pleased to present a Book Arts Vendor Marketplace from 9:30am-3pm.
The Market will feature printmaking and book artists, specialty vendors of papers, materials, and tools for all your book and printmaking needs.
Stop by frequently as our vendor list grows!
THE BIG PRINT! SUNDAY MAY 17
BIBLIOARTS 2026 is pleased to present BIG PRINTS!
A free outdoor art event!
Join artists from across Ontario to watch the creation of large-scale relief prints made with a steamroller!
The prints will be made between 12 & 3 on 1st Ave, behind GB Arts, beside the beautiful boardwalk along the Sydenham River.
This is a free outdoor art event running from 12 until 3 pm.
WORKSHOPS
Big Prints Collographs
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Sun - April 26, 2026 - 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Instructor: Leah Springate, Mammoth Hall Press
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Collagraphy is a basic yet versatile printmaking process in which a textured plate is inked up and put through a press. It’s so versatile you can make plates from cardboard packaging, box board, and found objects.
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We’ll explore various plate materials and how to make marks with simple tools like craft knives. We’ll then learn how to ink those plates with proper technique and print them in a press and by hand.
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The best part? Participants will have the opportunity to make a large-scale collagraph that will be printed with a steam roller in the laneway behind GB Arts at our BIG PRINTS event coming up in May!
Students will leave with a large masonite panel and materials to work on a large-scale image to be printed three weeks later at our BIG PRINTS event on Sunday, May 17th.​​​​​
Introduction to Multi-block Printing​
Thurs-Fri - May 14-15, 2025 - 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Instructor: Jacquie Sullivan
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Explore the multi-block method of printmaking to create multi-colour prints on paper.
Discover the connection between the traditional Japanese process of mokuhanga woodcut and the modern Western technique of multi-block linocut printmaking, and experiment with a variety of carving techniques, application of oil-based inks, and printing on paper using a book press.
Learn to plan for overlapping design elements to create new colours using process pigments and transparent extender.
Over the two days you’ll carve two linocut blocks and use simple registration techniques to produce a small edition of colourful prints.
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Screen Printing for Beginners
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Sun - May 17, 2025 - 10:00 AM -4:00 PM
Instructor: Yasmine Louis
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This silkscreen printing class is for people who don't necessarily want to know every technical detail about screen printing, but have always wanted to print and make something in one class – and have tons of fun doing it! You do not need to have previous experience with silkscreening or art making to print beautiful things in this workshop.
You will learn how to print using the many screens the teacher will provide and you’ll have lots of different images to work with (words, trees, birds, cityscapes etc.). You will be taught how to use different screens creatively.
We will provide you with some paper and fabrics, but bring your own materials to make something more personal! You can bring clothing (new or up-cycle something old), napkins, tea towels, wood panels, journals, etc. Note: whatever you choose needs to be paper, fabric or wood, and must lay totally flat when on a table to be printed.
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Print as many things as you’d like. Some may want to concentrate on one item, others may want to print many gifts for their friends and family – whatever you feel like. Please wear clothes that are comfortable and can get dirty. Printing can get a bit messy, especially when you're getting creative! No long hanging sleeves.
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Columbian Press - Mottos and Mantras
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Sun - May 17, 2025 - 10:00 AM -1:00 PM
Instructor: Tim Dyck
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Print a letterpress poster with your personal mantra or verse. In this 2-hour workshop students will learn basic typesetting techniques to create an edition of three small poster prints.
Using type from Tim's collection (The Colour Jar), each participant will learn how to properly compose, lock-up, and print a form on the impressive Columbian press.
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Bring quotes, jokes, words of wisdom, or your favourite text to class to see in print. Make it short and sweet: keep text within 8 words or about 60 letters.​
​Water Marbling a Silk Scarf
Sun, May 17, 2025
3 sessions, 1 hour each
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10AM - 11 AM
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11 AM - 12 PM
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12 PM - 1 PM
Instructor: Sarah McKeown - Magpie Marbling
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Discover the timeless art of painting on water, a centuries-old art form where paints are suspended on water to create intricate, fluid patterns.
In this workshop you will design your own bespoke 14 x 72-inch silk scarf by selecting custom colours and utilizing specialized tools to manipulate designs.
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No prior experience is necessary - bring your creativity, and leave with a wearable work of art that is truly one-of-a-kind!