Sylvia Ramos Alotta who was awarded The Jewish Book Arts Award by the Isaac Anolic Foundation began her classical training in drawing and painting at age of eight. After receiving a BFA from the Cleveland Institute of Art, she was an Automotive Interior Designer for General Motors in Detroit. In 1995, Sylvia was awarded a U.S. Design Patent for a unique journal system [UNDERAPS] and began a lifelong interest in hand bookbinding. She holds an MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts in Book and Paper Arts from Columbia College Chicago. Her graduate school sketchbook on various bookbinding structures was published as The Exquisite Notes.

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The book has become her artistic form of expression from concept to production reflecting a diversity of achievements based on her experience in industrial design, graphics, photography, and print. Her work can be found in publications as well as private and public collections. She has served on the Executive Board for the Guild of BookWorkers and exhibited internationally. She has  taught at Columbia College Chicago, Morgan Conservatory, Center for the Book, Paper Book Intensive, and Southwest School of Arts and Crafts. Sylvia is a Spertus fellow of the Midwest Jewish Artist Lab and Jewish Artist's Collective Chicago.