A close-up of various pieces of textured, handmade paper in shades of green and off-white. The papers are layered, revealing rough and uneven edges, highlighting their artisanal quality.
Literary Arts Institute

2009-2010 Academic Year

January 4, 2010
A close-up of various pieces of textured, handmade paper in shades of green and off-white. The papers are layered, revealing rough and uneven edges, highlighting their artisanal quality.

Papermaking Class July 1, 2010

Participants met at the Prairie Kiosk to get a brief description of the plants used to make this signature paper. They then moved to the New Science Center to see the rest of the process and make their own paper.

Smiling person with glasses and curly hair, wearing a patterned shirt, in an indoor setting with blurred background decor.

Elizabeth Alexander May 8, 2010

Poet, essayist, playwrite, and professor Elizabeth Alexander gave the commencement address during the 2010 College of Saint Benedict graduation ceremony. Her collection of poetry, American Sublime (2005), was a Pulitzer Prize finalist and an American Library Association’s “Notable Book of the Year.” She has published four other poetry collections and read her poem “Praise Song for the Day” at the inauguration of President Barack Obama.

A split image shows a grayscale photo of a man on the left, with curly hair and a suit jacket, and a woman on the right, with braided hair, wearing a light-colored sweater. Both appear to be looking at the camera.

Bernardo Atxaga and Wang Ping Apr. 27, 2010

Bernardo Axtaga read from his novel Obabakoak, a collection of fables, gossip, diary excerpts and literary theory centering around the village of Obaba in Basque, Spain. He will be joined by Wang Ping, author of The Last Communist Virgin at The Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis.

A person with short, curly hair wearing a light blue shirt and a patterned scarf, smiling against a neutral background.

Beth Kissileff April 8, 2010

“Shared Dreams: A Reading by Beth Kissileff”. Kissileff read a chapter from her upcoming novel Questioning Return. This event was co-sponsored with the Jay Phillips Center for Interfaith Learning.

Close-up of metal letterpress type blocks arranged in rows, showing various letters in relief. The letters are positioned upside down and backwards, typical for printing. The metallic surfaces have a slightly worn, vintage appearance.

Spreading the Word Mar. 16, 2010

Book Arts Exhibit

The Spreading the Word Exhibit was held in the Benedicta Arts Center and allowed visitors the chance to engage with a variety of book arts projects.

Black and white image of a person with short hair wearing a jacket over a sweater. They are looking directly at the camera against a blurred outdoor backdrop.

David Rakoff Mar. 12, 2010

In “The Wit of David Rakoff,” humorist and author David Rakoff discussed his work and the creative process.

Black and white photo of a man sitting in an office chair, leaning back with hands behind his head. He is wearing a shirt and vest, and books are piled on a desk in the foreground. A window is visible in the background.

Nick Hayes Mar. 11, 2010

“A Reading and Conversation with Nick Hayes”. Hayes read from and discussed his new memoir, And One Fine Morning: Memories of My Father.

Person with short hair and glasses, wearing a dark top and necklace, sitting in front of geometric windows. Smiling slightly. Image in black and white.

Mary Hark Feb. 25, 2010

“Seam: Recent Works by Mary Hark.” Mary Hark is an artist and paper-maker. She gave an artist talk on her recent work.

A person wearing glasses and a dark shirt is holding a green book, standing in a room with a painting of books on the wall and a roll of paper on a table nearby.

Buzz Spector Feb. 25, 2010

“Shelf Life: A Talk About Art and/of Books.” Spector presented a gallery talk during the opening reception of the Spreading the Word exhibit. He is an artist and critical writer, and his work often focuses on the book as both subject and object.

Portrait of a person with long dark hair, smiling softly. The image is in black and white, with a neutral background.

Louise Erdrich Feb. 19, 2010

“An Evening with Louise Erdrich” was co-sponsored by Fine Arts Programming at CSB/SJU and LAI. This event gave insight into Erdrich’s work and the importance of creativity in our lives and communities.

Ellen Bryant Voigt Oct. 20, 2009

Ellen Bryant Voigt’s “The Art of Syntax: Rhythm of Though, Rhythm of Song,” was the winner of the S. Mariella Gable Award for 2009.

A smiling elderly person with short hair and round glasses, wearing a dark turtleneck sweater. The image is in black and white, highlighting their facial features and gentle expression.

Carol Conelly Oct. 14, 2009

“An Evening of Poetry and Conversation.” Carol held a reading, conversation, and book signing for her newest collection of poems All This and More. The event is sponsored by the Euge

ne J. McCarthy Center for Public Policy and Civic Engagement and the SJU University Chair in Critical Thinking. Connolly, the first poet laureate of St. Paul, MN, was joined by Nick Coleman, senior fellow at the McCarthy Center, and Mark Conway, director of the Literary Arts Institute of the College of Saint Benedict.

A smiling woman with brown hair is wearing a white vest over a patterned shirt. She stands in front of a wooden bookshelf filled with books and papers.

Ruth Rogers Sep. 21, 2009

Roger’s talk, “Of Beauty and Relevance: Artists Books and the Liberal Arts,” focused on the evolution of the book as material culture as well as artists’ books and their use in the academic curriculum.

A person with short dark hair and glasses is wearing a blue sweater and standing in front of a light-colored, textured wall. They have a neutral expression and are looking directly at the camera.

Book Lovers’ Night July 16, 2009

Featured Author Leif Enger read from his novels Peace Like a River and So Brave, Young, and Handsome. A book signing took place after the reading.