"The gallery," said Karen McDermott, "is filled with books that people can look at in a way they have seen books before." McDermott is director of the Book Arts Roundtable, a group that, under the aegis of the Baird Center, was established to encourage the love of book and paper arts, and to create a forum for exchange of ideas and information about books. Thursday night saw the opening reception of "Booked 7" at the Pierro Gallery, an exhibit of books crafted by members of the group. 

The reception was followed by a talk by Mary Taylor of Taylor Art Studio in Marshfield, Mass., a self-described "mixed-media printmaker." This year is the 10th such exhibit—the last seven of which have been held at the Pierro Gallery—and McDermott explained that it has become the group's practice to bring "a big name artist" to the annual event. This year's reception and talk was also the second "Art Nite Out," sponsored by the Pierro Gallery.

Glancing around the busy Pierro Gallery, McDermott said, "We have coptic books, flip books, even books that hang from the ceiling. This shows how varied a canvas a book can be for an artist." Indeed, a book mimicked the porthole of the Titanic, an artfully-shredded Macaulay's "Life of Johnson" entitled "Scottish Roots," and a pop-up version of Peter Pan that drew a great deal of attention. About half the works are for sale.

The show, which concludes on March 13, also includes "Tend Your Garden," a silent auction of papier-mache lunchboxes crafted by members and guests of the Book Arts Roundtable. A live auction of guest artist Deb Mell's lunchbox will take place on the same date at 3 p.m. 

The Book Arts Roundtable grew out of "Beyond the Fold, Artists' Books: traditional to cutting edge," a 1999 exhibit at the Pierro Gallery chaired by McDermott. The exhibit, which was supported by a Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation grant, included workshops in bookbinding. When the exhibit concluded, public interest in bookmaking remained, and McDermott and friend Benita Wolffe started the group. Wolffe now serves as assistant director.

"Book Arts covers all the bases," said McDermott, explaining the group's longevity. "We have artists who work with fiber, with no paper at all, with handmade paper. We see sculptural books, and books that rotate." Taylor is teaching a workshop at the Baird this weekend; it's full with a waiting list, according to McDermott.

"Our group is generous with time and expertise," said McDermott. "That's what makes our group special. We meet on Wednesday mornings, when people drop in with questions. One member might show another the kettle stitch or a chain stitch."

For her part, Taylor, whose work crosses traditional and digital printmaking lines, was impressed by the "array of talent" she saw at the Pierro Gallery. Looking around the gallery, Taylor remarked, "It's a wonderful collaboration of innovation and whimsy."

"Booked 7" is open daily at the Pierro Gallery from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. It is free and open to the public.