Born in California in 1973, Karen Bleitz has been creating book works in England since 1997. Her Interactive and often sculptural books draw readers in by allowing them to alter or manipulate the page.
 
Books with machines, pop-ups, and magnets become dynamic stages where the reader actively participates in debates around issues that range from the evolution of language to the role of gender and the body in communication. The transformations that take place within the pages force her readers to ‘re-view’ and experience the subjects from a changed perspective.

Bibliography

Bleitz, Karen.  “The Mechanical Word.” CODE(X) + 1 Monograph Number Nine​​​.  Berkeley: The Codex Foundation, 2014​

Epstein, Eli.  “9 Innovative Methods for Modern Storytelling​​.”  Mashable.com​.  New York: 1 Jul. 2014

McCabe, Chris.  arc: UNBOUND​.  London: Arc Editions, 2013

Weston, Heather. “Structure as Metaphor – Dolly: Edition Unlimited by Karen Bleitz.”  Bookcraft.  London: Quarto Publishing, 2008

Bodman, Sarah.  “The hybrid lexicon: an overview of contemporary artists publishing in the UK.”  Book Art Object​.  Ed. David Jury. Berkeley: The Codex Foundation, 2008

Edwards, John.  “Print Evolution.”  Paper Jam.  Nov. 2008

Price, Richard.  “Words In Process: Arc Editions​.”  Artist’s Book Yearbook 2008-2009.  Ed. Sarah Bodman. Bristol: Impact Press The Center for Fine Print Research, 2007  DOWNLOAD ARTICLE​​

King, Ronald.  “New Blood at Circle Press.”  Parenthesis – Concerning the Book Arts. UK: Journal of the Fine Press Book Association.  Journal No.10, Nov. 2004

Fairman, Elisabeth.  “Cooking the Books: Ron King & Circle Press at the Yale Center for British Art.”  Artist’s Book Yearbook 2003-2005.  Ed. Sarah Bodman. Bristol: Impact Press The Center for Fine Print Research, 2003

Lambirth, Andrew & King, Ronald.  Cooking the Books – Ron King & Circle Press.  London: The Yale Center for Brtish Art & Circle Press, 2002

Kim, Shin.  “Book Designers in the Digital Age.”  Monthly Design (256).  Korea: Oct. 1999

Courtney, Cathy.  Speaking of Book Art – Interviews with British & American Book Artists​​.  Los Altos Hills: Anderson-Lovelace Publishers, 1999  DOWNLOAD ARTICLE​

Zimmer, William.  “‘Cool Britannia’ Artists at Work.”  New York Times.com.  May 9, 1999

​”Thurston’s Root.”  Sleazenation.  UK: Nov. 1998

Antennae.”  The World of Interiors.  UK: Aug. 1998

Paper Round – Truly Original Ideas.”  Design Week.  UK: Jul. 1998​

Talks

Designer Bookbinders Day of Lectures – London, March 2017

ABC Days – Paris, 2013

Codex Symposium – Berkeley, CA, 2009

University of California at Santa Barbara – Santa Barbara, CA, 2007

Seoul International Book Fair – Seoul, Korea, 2007​

Ewha Women’s University – Seoul, Korea, 2007

University of the Arts – Philadelphia, PA, 2006​

Camberwell College of Art – London, 200​6

Collections

Bowdoin Colle​​ge Bowdoin Library, Brunswick, ME, USA

The British Library – London, UK

Columbia University – The Butler Library, New York, NY, USA 

Jack Ginsberg Collection of Book Arts – Johannesburg, South Africa​

Lafayette College – Skillman Library, Easton, PA, USA

Mills College – F.W. Olin Library, Oakland, CA, USA

Nabi Art Center Collection – Seoul, Korea

Rhode Island School of Design​ – RISDI Library, Providence, RI, USA

Stanford University – The Green Library,  Palo Alto, CA, USA

Temple University – Samuel Paley Library, Philadelphia, PA, USA

University of the Arts London Collection – London, UK

UCLA – The Arts Library, Los Angeles, CA, USA

Wellesley College – Margaret Clapp Library, Wellesley, MA, USA

Yale Center for British Art  New Haven, CT, USA

Associates

Arc Artists’ Editions
Co-founder. Design, production, promotion and sales of limited edition art works and artists’ books; August 2006 to present
 
Circle Press Publications
Artist book design, production, promotion, sales and general management; March 1997 to April 2007
 
Codex Foundation
Consultation; 2006 to present

Teaching

Book Arts Elective, Course Leader
University of the Arts London: Camberwell College of Art, London. Creation and leadership of elective program for 2nd & 3rd year degree students. September 2001 to December 2007
 
The Virtual Studio Elective, Course Leader
University of the Arts London: Camberwell College of Art, London. Introduction to 3D computer and real world modelling using 3D Studio Max. September 1999 to December 2007
 
Key Skills Communication Level 3, Program Co-ordinator
University of the Arts London: Camberwell College of Art, London. Development and  implementation of KS program for Foundation students and staff. September 2002 to June 2005

Education

Camberwell College of Arts, London
MA Book Arts (scholarship received from Mills College); December 1996 to December 1997
 
Mills College, Oakland, CA
BA Comparative Literature: Spanish (major), English (minor) Language and Literature; September 1994 to May 1996
 
University of California at Davis, Davis, CA
Studies in Literature, Folklore, Myth and Religion; September 1991 to January 1993
 
Otis Parsons School of Design, LosAngeles, CA
One semester summer program in Painting; June 1990 to August 199​0