Gene Vosough

Art Director. Designer. Paper Engineer. Good Friend.

By Bruce Foster

Gene Vosough had been a good friend of mine since we met in the early 90's at Ottenheimer Publishers in Baltimore, MD. Gene was on the art staff there headed by Bea Jackson, the first professional who saw my potential as a paper engineer. Gene was the second. Years later I was trying to break into the big box publishers of New York. Even though I had thrust my business card into the hand of Robin Corey at the Book Expo in Chicago, nothing had come of it in the two years since. But one day I got that call from Robin. She was offering me my first Simon&Schuster assignment! Why now? Because Gene had, in that interim, joined the art staff there. Robin asked Gene (since he and I had a common Ottenheimer history) if my work was trustworthy. Gene wholeheartedly vouched for me. And my career took off. After that, whenever I was in New York, Gene was the first person I would call and make plans with. Our friendship only grew stronger. No celebration or event was complete without his presence.

I tell you this so you can understand how devastating his passing has been for me. I lost a brother.

But we all also lost a kindred spirit. Gene himself became a paper engineer as well, designing and/or concepting many books inside the anonymity of S&S, being on staff. But he did achieve a list of books to his credit as well. From licensed characters like Spongebob Squarepants, Blues Clues, and Fairly Odd Parents, on to celebrated movable books like Birdscapes (alongside familiar names Renee Jablow and Andy Baron) and eventually to his own line of greeting cards for his venture, Royal Odyssey, Gene succeeded in contributing to our world. But Gene will be remembered by many of us in the pop-up world for his guidance and help both technically and graphically, for his support, his generous spirit, fierce defense of our concepts in those S&S pitch meetings, and of course, a unique and joyous laugh.

Gene's family was a unique one. His parents were artists and musicians, but formed a very small family. Gene was an only child, and to my knowledge left no family behind. No aunts, uncles, cousins. So it falls to us, his family of friends, to remember and honor his legacy. This one is for you, Gene.

“Gene was instrumental in helping me navigate the intricate and very complex world of creating commercial 3D books for young readers,” Sabuda told Publishers Weekly. “He helped me understand the technological challenges of printing my work in the way I wanted it to appear, especially in using non-traditional inks, in the finished books, in addition to being a fantastic art director and hand-holder. His passing is a great loss to the publishing world, and I will miss his wonderful, wonderful laugh!”

-Robert Sabuda

Keith Allen: Well, well, well...look what time it is again... PopUpTober TIME! Please help spread the word! RULES:

1. Make any Pop-Up using the prompts provided 2. Post in October on the date provided 3. Tag with #Popuptober2025 #Popuptober

Chibitronics will once again be piggybacking off this to feature pop-up solutions by invited paper engineers featuring their electronic lights. Add #Chibitronics

The Museum of Modern Art recently announced their new edition of holiday pop-up cards by some very familiar as well as newly discovered names! Find wonderful new cards by Rob Kelly, Peter Dahmen, Dominique Ehrhard, David A Carter, Peagreen, Aimee Hucek, Keisuke

Christiane

Shimako

A+B Designs, and more! Send some pop-up joy to friends and loved ones this year!

Mbs Conference

The clock is running down for the Movable Book Society’s next conference, September 25-28, 2025 in St. Louis, MO. Check at https://movablebooksociety.org/conference/ for information how to attend live or virtually. There will be a book sale where tables are already filling up and book-related excursions.

Book Fairs

You won’t want to miss the Movable Book Society’s Virtual Book Sale/2025. It appears to be the best yet with unique and valuable movable books, some quite surprising. Watch for the announcement on movablebooksociety.org and Facebook and Instagram. The sale is most likely to be in October, 2025.

The Empire State Rare Book and Print Fair will be on September 26-28, 2025 at Vanderbilt Hall, Grand Central Terminal, NYC. I am sorry to miss this fair but if you are unable to come to the MBS Conference, visit this show. Not familiar with Grand Central Terminal? It is a work of art by itself. https://bit.ly/3VIqet3

Our West Coast members should not miss the Rare Book LA: Union Station Book Fair, October 4-5, 2025. With support from ABE Books, more than 50 exhibitors from London, New York, and everywhere in between will fill the Ticket Concourse at LA Union Station with an electrifying array of first editions and other historical material. Attendees are encouraged to join partners Metro and hop onboard Metrolink, Metro Rail, or Amtrak for this transit-friendly book fair. Money will be raised for the Palisades Library Branch devastated in the wildfires. Movie related events are also on the docket. https://bit. ly/4ggQGDD

Too bad the St. Louis Rare Book Fair could not coordinate dates with the MBS Conference. The Fair will be held October 10, 4-8PM at the Missouri Athletic Club. https://bit. ly/4pfr6Tt

The Seattle Antiquarian Book Fair will be held October 28 & 19, 2025 at the Seattle (WA) Center Exhibition Hall. This is an international bookseller event. https://bit.ly/3VdZu3w

On November 21 and 22, 2025, The Northampton Antiquarian Book, Ephemera, and Book Arts Fair will be at the Center for the Arts at Northampton (MA) Community Arts Trust. The gamut of the print world will present their wares. https://bit.ly/4ghZyZy

It is not too early to make your arrangements for the Boston International Book Fair, November 7-9, 2025 sanctioned by the Antiquarian Booksellers Association