esigner ookbinders d b contemporary book arts
DESIGNER BOOKBINDERS NEWSLETTER NO 184 WINTER 2018 02 introduction Find out more at: www.designerbookbinders.org.uk
DESIGNER BOOKBINDERS NEWSLETTER NO 184 WINTER 2018
Editorial Winter Spotlight 2018
Welcome to the winter edition of the newsletter. Our new editor, Troy Moore, has masterminded (no pressure) this issue, the second in our new digital format. He has some Firstly, I would like to thank Talitha for all her hard work on new plans and ideas to incorporate and I’m sure will bring us the newsletter, it is evident from your editorial piece in the all we need to know about what’s going on in the autumn edition you’re passionate about your work and while bookbinding world. you claim you are “really not a bookbinder,” you will be forever associated with Designer Bookbinders. Tributes to Faith Shannon, who died in August, feature here. I write this having just heard of the death of Maureen Duke Good luck working on your accreditation and I look forward whose life is also honoured. to speaking with you again. ‘Thank You’ Tal. I had very little contact with Faith. Living in Scotland made it I’d also like to thank Rachel Ward-Sale for her notice in the difficult for her to attend DB meetings but her influence was autumn newsletter regarding Faith Shannon. The single always around and she never stopped supporting new hardest thing for me taking over the editorial role was binders and the work of DB. reading the announcement on social media that Faith had died. It was clear the impact Faith had within our craft and Maureen and I both taught at Urchfont Manor in Wiltshire. We on her students. were both there for 16 years, I started in 1996 and Maureen a year later. She took most of the general binding subjects and Rachel contacted me shortly after, asking “Do you think I did classes in more alternative approaches. I left in 2011 to you could put something about Faith in the newsletter? found BINDING re:DEFINED and Maureen left in 2012 when She influenced so many people with her work and it would Wiltshire Council decided to sell the Manor. Maureen shifted be nice to have a tribute to her.” That was the 2nd hardest the equipment from Wiltshire to Dillington House in thing to read, I didn’t have a clue where to begin. Somerset, organised a new set of tutors, and Dillington now carries on offering a solid grounding in binding. Luckily for me Rachel and Lori are very supportive and I was tasked with contacting those who knew Faith. You probably Both of these women have left lasting legacies, through their can guess by now, that was the 3rd hardest thing to happen. lifelong work and through their students. Binding is richer for I need not fear, everyone I contacted was extremely helpful, having them and all of us have benefitted, if not directly then I had suggestions galore, emails, letters and photographs by proxy through one of their students. dropping through the letterbox. Thank you to those who contributed, and I hope you find inspiration in their words. On a different note – the Annual Competition will have happened by the time of reading. I was again able, in In this edition we have contributions ‘from afar’ and others capacity of President, to attend the judging day. It’s always a ‘closer to home’. Including the opening Joint Workshop of pleasure to go, to see the entries and be privy to the the season with Tracey Rowledge, as well as calls for entries/ discussion of the judges. Each book is looked at in depth and competitions and next years’ courses, masterclasses and everyone makes sure that all aspects particular to a binding other dates for your diary. are noted. Nothing is overlooked and choices are not easy. Thank you to everyone who entered – we could not carry on If you have a workshop, course or an upcoming exhibition of this important event without your participation. interest, or other pieces of news and information relevant to our members, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Cold weather has set in and daylight is curtailed but it’s the perfect time to hunker down in your workspace and make [email protected] new work.
As always, Enjoy the process,
Troy Moore Lori
On the cover
A collage of the work of Ivor Robinson notices 03 Find out more at: www.designerbookbinders.org.uk
DESIGNER BOOKBINDERS NEWSLETTER NO 184 WINTER 2018
Maureen Duke BEM
1928 - 2018
“It is with great sadness that Designer Bookbinders has to report the death of Maureen Duke.
Maureen was a skilled practitioner and inspirational teacher of the crafts of Bookbinding, Conservation and Restoration for 70 years.
Maureen was awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM), in the Queen’s 2017 New Year Honours List, for life-long service to the teaching and propagation of the crafts of Bookbinding, Conservation and Restoration.
She was also elected as Chair, President and one of the two Patrons of the Society of Bookbinders.
She had a profound influence on students and fellow craftsmen and women across the UK and around the world and continuously motivated the members of the SoB with energy, commitment and high distinction
She commanded the deepest respect for the vigour and enthusiasm with which she preserved, nurtured and interpreted her crafts for several generations of bookbinders and craftsmen.” Hannah Brown
Fellows Nicky Oliver, Glenn Bartley and Mark Cockram, who knew Maureen have kindly offered to put together a few words, which I am sure you will find a colourful and interesting read. Ed.
Upcoming Vacancy
Designer Bookbinders is currently looking for someone to take over the organisation of the Joint Designer Bookbinders/ Society of Bookbinders Workshops.
Season 15 2018/19 is currently underway and the planning for season 16 2019/20 is nearing completion. The candidate chosen for Designer Bookbinders would need good organisational skills and be able to work with their SoB partner.
A good understanding of both societies, and the needs of its members would be good, however a knowledge of previous workshops is not necessary, as much information as possible will be provided. Design skills and the ability to source materials would be good, but again are not necessary, unless you’re confident you want to take that role on also. Current designs and templates exist and a Photoshop designer could explain what is required in order to produce the flyer. Guidance and advice will be given at every point, ensuring a smooth handover, allowing as much time needed to complete the future seasons’ programmes...
If you would like more information or wish to express interest please email [email protected]
Newsletter Deadlines 2019 Meeting Dates
Spring Edition 1st February 2019 Saturday 19th January 2019 Designer Bookbinders Publications Ltd. Summer Edition 1st May 2019 Executive Committee
Autumn Edition 1st August 2019 Saturday 23rd February 2019 Applications: Fellows and Licentiates Winter Edition 1st November 2019 Saturday 06th April 2019 Designer Bookbinders Publications Ltd. Executive Committee AGM/Spring Meeting 04 notices Find out more at: www.designerbookbinders.org.uk
DESIGNER BOOKBINDERS NEWSLETTER NO 184 WINTER 2018
Application to become a Fellow or Licentiate Keeping control of exhibitions and activities is a major area of the Committee’s work, as well as responsibility for developing Applications to become a Fellow or Licentiate of Designer the work and services of the Society. Bookbinders will be considered at the next Fellows’ meeting on Saturday 23 February 2019. The work of the Executive Committee is central to the success and vitality of Designer Bookbinders, and being part of it is Fellows of Designer Bookbinders are elected on submission varied and interesting. of their work and are considered to have achieved the highest standards in both design and technique. Fellows are the The closing date for nominations is Saturday 19 January 2019. exhibiting members of the Society. Should there be a greater number of nominees than seats, ballot papers will be sent out with the Spring Newsletter. Licentiates are elected on the basis that their submitted work displays the potential in design and technique for them to The elections will be held in April 2019. be considered as candidates for Fellowship within a period of seven years. They also have the opportunity for their If you are interested in standing as a member of the Executive work to be shown in the Society’s exhibitions. DB is keen to Committee and would like further information please contact encourage new talent and each Licentiate has two Fellows the Secretary. appointed as mentors to help develop their design and technical skills to the highest possible standard. Nominations should be sent to:
To apply you must be a practising bookbinder either born or Wendy Hood, The Secretary, Designer Bookbinders, resident in the UK, or have practised in the UK for at least five 24 Junction Road, Bath, Somerset, BA2 3NH. years for Fellowship and three years for Licentiateship and be resident in the UK when you apply. Email: [email protected] Tel: 01225 342793 If you are thinking of applying you may find it helpful to talk to a Fellow about your work. London Craft Week
Applications for Fellowship and Licentiateship should be 7th -12th May 2019 received by the Secretary by Saturday 26th January 2019 (four weeks prior to the applications meeting). We are pleased to announce that following previous successful collaborations, Designer Bookbinders will be For more information and details on how to apply please ask teaming up with London Craft Week in early May 2019. for a Fellow and Licentiate Pack from Wendy Hood: London Craft Week aims to bring together the best of British The Secretary, Designer Bookbinders, 24 Junction Road, crafts and designer brands. Next year’s programme will build Bath, Somerset, BA2 3NH. on from those in recent years. There will be an exhibition, a book artist in residence, and a series of short workshops The pack can also be found in the Members’ Handbook. designed to bring the book arts to a wider audience.
Email: [email protected] More details will follow in due course as we cannot give away Tel: 01225 342793. too much ahead of the official London Craft Week press releases, but for more information and if you would like to be www.designerbookbiners.org.uk involved please contact: [email protected] Notice of by-election for the Executive Committee April 2019 - 2020 Sarah Burnett-Moore - Secretary to the Steering Committee
A Fellow’s seat will become available on the Executive The Giudecca Room Bindery at St Bride Committee in 2019 until 2020. Foundation, London
The Executive Committee is made up of the President and The Giudecca Room Bindery at St Bride Foundation is eight other members; four Fellows, one Licentiate, one available to rent for small classes of up to 6 students. Associate and two others from the membership. For further details about the availability of this central London The Executive Committee meets four times a year and venue and weekday/weekend rental rates please contact meetings are held in London. The Executive Committee Wendy Hood, the DB Secretary. is responsible for ensuring that the activities of Designer Bookbinders run smoothly. Email: [email protected] 05 Find out more at: www.designerbookbinders.org.uk
DESIGNER BOOKBINDERS NEWSLETTER NO 184 WINTER 2018
The Annual UK Bookbinding Competition Ash Rare Books Lettering Award
2018 Clare Bryan The Illustrated Man
Sponsored by Designer Bookbinders and The Folio Society J. Hewit & Sons Prize
Photographs of the winning bindings: Yuko Matsuno Fifty-one Poems, Mary Webb www.designerbookbinders.org.uk Harmatan Ltd Leather Prize The awards were announced by President Lori Sauer at the Private View on the 14th of November in the Layton Room at Mel Jefferson Enclosures: Times and Places, the St Bride Foundation. Andrew Anderson
The Judges’ Award (donated by Maggs Bros)
Rebecca Price 31 Days of Endangered (BBC), Artist’s book
Shepherds Prize for Book Arts
Yuko Matsuno The Island, Geert Mak
Four Highly Commended Certificates given by The Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association
Kaori Maki Sundrie Pieces, George Herbert
Glenn Malkin The Illustrated Man
Linda Miles The Making of the English Landscape, W. G. Hoskin
The Mansfield Medal for best book in the Competition Helen Schrager Selected Poems, John Betjeman
Mel Jefferson The Illustrated Man Designer Bookbinders would like to congratulate all the winners and thank all those who participated in the The Folio Society Prize for the Set Book competition.
1st Mel Jefferson The Illustrated Man 2nd Gillian Stewart The Illustrated Man
The Clothworkers’ Prize for an Open Choice Book
1st Yuko Matsuno The Island, Geert Mak 2nd Kaori Maki Emily Dickinson: Selected Poems
Lisa von Clemm Prize (judged by Stefanie von Clemm)
Yuko Matsuno The Illustrated Man
Sally Lou Smith Prize for Forwarding
Marie Doinne Vathek, William Beckford
St Bride Foundation Prize for Finishing
Miranda Kemp The Illustrated Man
Elizabeth Greenhill Prize (for Gold Tooling)
Not awarded 06 notices Find out more at: www.designerbookbinders.org.uk
DESIGNER BOOKBINDERS NEWSLETTER NO 184 WINTER 2018
Designer Bookbinders - The Set Book 2020 Call for entries
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck The GUILD OF BOOK WORKERS JOURNAL invites Illustrated by James Albon submissions of papers, articles, essays and proposals for photo galleries for our forthcoming issue. Both members and The Folio edition is approximately 9 x 5 ¾ inches, 112 pages. nonmembers are welcome to submit.
Published by The Folio Society for the first time, Of Mice DEADLINE: December 15th 2018 and Men is John Steinbeck’s electrifying tale of injustice and shattered dreams, set during the Great Depression. Send queries and submissions to: [email protected]. Steinbeck’s sparse narrative is suggestive of a stage play and his gift for relating complex human sentiments with the We welcome lavishly illustrated submissions addressing any of briefest authorial direction is unsurpassed. The characters the fields represented by the Guild’s membership, including are drawn with confident self-restraint that borders on but not limited to: detachment; Steinbeck sets the scene then pulls back to allow them space to tell their story. The effect is overpowering and BOOKBINDING (how-to articles; discussions of structures and ensures this thought-provoking novella will endlessly gnaw at finishing techniques, both old and new) the reader’s conscience. PAPERMAKING/DECORATING (hand papermaking, marbling, paste paper)
ARTISTS’ BOOKS (innovative structures, examinations of an artist’s body of work)
HISTORY (little-known events, figures, or movements; new findings about a period or particular development in the history of the book and book arts)
CONSERVATION (treatment techniques, what does or does not work, and how this information can be broadly applied to the book arts)
ALLIED TECHNIQUES (calligraphy, printing, toolmaking)
PROFILES (interviews with book artists, practitioners, conservators, collectors)
GALLERIES (presenting selections from a collection or exhibition, accompanied by a profile of the collection or exhibit)
All submissions are subject to review and revisions may be requested before an article is accepted for publication. For more information about the review and editorial process, see We are planning an exciting rebranding of the competition “Creating the GBW Journal,” pp. 8-9 in the GBW Newsletter and, with the blessing of our lovely sponsors, the Folio at https://guildofbookworkers.org/sites/guildofbookworkers. Society, we have decided to make the competition biennial. org/files/newsletter/gbw232.pdf
In order to give ourselves a good run-up, we are taking a Complete submission guidelines are available at https:// break in 2019 and will return with a bang in 2020. guildofbookworkers.org/sites/guildofbookworkers.org/files/ journal/journal_guidelines.pdf. Our set book will be John Steinbeck’s classic “Of Mice and Men” and we will be posting details of how to order a copy To see sample back issues, visit our website at https:// very soon. guildofbookworkers.org/journal
Look out for announcements on DB’s website Christine Ameduri and Cara Schlesinger, Co-Chairs www.designerbookbinders.org.uk as well as on social media, Guild of Book Workers Journal Twitter @DesignerbookUK [email protected] Instagram @db_bookbinding_uk https://guildofbookworkers.org/journal 07 Find out more at: www.designerbookbinders.org.uk
DESIGNER BOOKBINDERS NEWSLETTER NO 184 WINTER 2018
Call for artists Call for papers
I am thrilled to announce that submissions are now being I am delighted to announce that the ‘turn the page’ accepted for ‘turn the page 2019’, a two day artists’ book Symposium will be returning in 2019. event held in the stunning glass Atrium of The Forum building in Norwich City Centre on Friday 17th and Saturday 18th May The symposium will he held on May 16th at The Forum in 2019. Norwich in conjunction with ‘turn the page’ Artists Book Fair 2019. I am honoured to welcome Les Bicknell and Maria The only event of its type and calibre in the Eastern Region, White as our Keynote Speakers for 2019. the fair offers a unique platform for artists whose work is book based or informed by the physical or conceptual properties of The inaugural symposium covered topics as broad as the book. appropriation as art, book arts in the library, and the book as map. I look forward to receiving your proposals for what I am A variety of exhibiting options are available including tables, sure will be an equally diverse and exciting day of book arts. plinths, wall or floor space and display cabinets and will showcase an eclectic mix of work including traditionally The ‘turn the page’ Symposium promotes new research and produced limited editions, zines, folios and multiples, is hosted in conjunction with ‘turn the page’ Artists Book sculptural or altered books and book based installation or Fair. Proposals are welcome from artists, creators, publishers film. and academics that explore the many facets of the artists’ book. Submitting is as simple as completing our submission form and sending the very best photos of your work. You can find Subjects could include but in no way limited to: full details on our website: The book as object, the book as a journey, curating the book, www.turnthepage.org.uk/submit book artists as independent publishers, fine art presses, the haptic in book arts, intertextuality, materiality, book arts and Submission Deadline: technology, book arts in special collections, collaboration in Friday the 21st of December at midnight GMT. book arts production. Abstracts are for twenty-minute papers and should be no more than 250 - 300 words. Proposals for papers should be sent as attached Word documents, with a short biography appended, and submitted by the January 31st 2019 to
You can find full details and an optional submissions form on the website:
www.turnthepage.org.uk/symposium
Rosie Sherwood, Creative Director, ‘turn the page’ 08 notices Find out more at: www.designerbookbinders.org.uk
DESIGNER BOOKBINDERS NEWSLETTER NO 184 WINTER 2018
ARA Suisse - Fira 2020 OPEN • SET?
What is OPEN • SET? The OPEN • SET competition and exhibition is a triennial event in the United States, featuring finely crafted design bookbindings. Sponsored by the American Academy of Bookbinding, it is designed to encourage both new binders and professionals, and is open to binders around the world. OPEN • SET 2020 offers prizes and acknowledgement in two categories: participants may choose to bind a book of their choice in the Open Category, or bind a book that the competition provides in the Set Category. Entries are limited to one book per category, per binder.
Binders from all levels and cultures are invited to participate, as OPEN • SET is not limited to citizens of the United States nor to students or affiliates of AAB. All entries will be reviewed by a jury of three professional binders. The three Call for Entries from the Swiss Friends of the Binding Arts members for the jury are Monique Lallier, Mark Esser, and Patricia Owen. ARA SUISSE is pleased to announce the next FIRA - International Forum of Art Binding. 2020 Exhibition Venues
FIRA 2020 will be held at Chateau Nyon, at the edge of Lake New York City – The Grolier Club Geneva, just 20 minutes from Geneva airport. San Francisco – The American Bookbinders Museum Salt Lake City – Marriot Library, University of Utah The exhibition will open on February 13th 2020, and will close Austin – Austin Public Library on April 5th 2020. About the Set Book Tours, seminars and a binders’ dinner will be held on the opening weekend. The Set Book for the competition is Happy Abstract, a letter from William Blake, a commissioned work designed and Registration form and payment must be received by the end printed by Russell Maret, a highly recognised artist and of March 2019. letterpress printer from New York.
The binding and book entry form must be received by June Registration Opened August 15th 2018 30th 2019. OPEN SET Registration fee CHF 140 (approx £110) or CHF 100 for ARA members, this includes: exhibition catalogue, insurance for First place $3000 First place $3000 the books once they are in our possession, return of the Second Place $2000 Second Place $2000 books to the participant’s home. Please note payment must Third Place $1000 Third Place $1000 be made in Swiss Francs. August 15, 2018: Registration opens A contemporary binding, open book, 1 book per participant, May 1, 2019: Registration closes maximum height 32 cm. Previously exhibited books are not September 1, 2019: Submission due acceptable, nor are undecorated books. The jury’s decision is September 2019: Jury review final, while unexhibited participants will still receive a copy of November 2019: Non-exhibition books returned the catalogue. Full year 2020: Exhibition travels January 2021: Exhibition books returned Books will be returned by the end of April 2020. www.bookbindingacademy.org/open-set Information and entry forms on our website: www.arasuisse.ch
For any further information, please email: [email protected] in memoriam 09 Find out more at: www.designerbookbinders.org.uk
DESIGNER BOOKBINDERS NEWSLETTER NO 184 WINTER 2018
Faith Shannon MBE HonFDB ARCA ATC
24th February 1938 - 24th August 2018 010 in memoriam Find out more at: www.designerbookbinders.org.uk
DESIGNER BOOKBINDERS NEWSLETTER NO 184 WINTER 2018
Introduction, with thanks to Jeff Clements:
Before celebrating Faith’s achievements and character it may be helpful to write a short introduction for the members of Designer Bookbinders who might not know her. I have extracted some relevant details of her life to provide a background to the articles which follow.
Born in Dehra Dun, Uttar Pradesh, India in 1938 Faith returned at the age of eight to Belfast, Northern Ireland. From 1955 to 1959 she studied at the Belfast College of Art, with painting as the main and bookbinding as the subsidiary subject. With the winning of several scholarships came the possibility of studying at the Central School of Arts and Crafts, London from 1958 to 1959. At Goldsmiths College Faith was awarded the Art Teachers Certificate (ATC) in 1960. Then followed her studies at the Royal College of Art, majoring in Bookbinding in 1963. (then an apart study under the tutorship of Roger Powell and Peter Waters). This included a visit to the U.S.A. by means of the Dublin Scholarship award.
Faith’s career began from 1963 as illustrator and designer bookbinder and in 1967 she was a member of the British seen here talking with the world renowned book conservator Museum team at the Florence flood disaster. She was Christopher Clarkson (d. 2017) a former fellow student at the awarded the MBE in 1977 and was an enthusiastic member Royal College of Art and colleague at the Florence Flood of the Crafts Council and the Council for National Academic disaster of 1966 help to weave a tapestry showing the many awards. From 1980 to 1987 Faith was senior lecturer in threads of her voyage through life which might end up charge of Bookbinding at Brighton Polytechnic. Her book rather like one of her delightful kitchens, full of exciting and ‘Paper Pleasures’ (later retitled ‘The Art and Craft of Paper) wonderful things, clay pots, dried and fresh herbs, wicker was published in 1987. Faith was President of Designer baskets, jars of ‘something’, usually home made and if one Bookbinders from 1987 to 1990. In 1999 she was awarded looked carefully there was a reflected image of Faith in each the Centennial medal of the Society of Designer Craftsman. and every detail, with the whole scene a little wild and furry She was a judge in various national and international events round the edges! including the First International bookbinding competition organised by Designer Bookbinders at Oxford in 2009. Faith and I had a parallel history, our birthdays one day and four years apart, we both studied separately at the Central Not only did Faith organise courses at her home in Scotland School of Arts and Crafts in London ‘the’ centre for the from 1990 and take part in Scottish Arts Council matters she hand bound book continuing the arts and crafts tradition also cared for two families and saw her own children follow during the fifties. In a note from Faith she mentions that personal careers with Shannon as photographer and Hannah our paths crossed before 1968, we certainly came together as graphic designer respectively. through Designer Bookbinders, art education, exhibitions, conferences, as competition judges and as examiners, FAITH SHANNON MBE HonFDB ARCA ATC then finally we were joint editors of the journal ‘The New Bookbinder’ published in 2013.
Faith taught craft bookbinding and design at Brighton, I had already been an advisor and examiner with the course “The name, the person, her work - creative, practical and for a few years and was part of the interviewing board at theoretical, together with her pedagogical achievements and her appointment, she was very surprised indeed to see me her personality are known to most of us in some measure or there! Her methods and ideas proved to be very successful, a other, nevertheless each Faith remains a perplexing memory number of DB Fellows emerging from that background. for many of us. The course was unique, and included part time and full time Was she painted by Leonardo Da Vinci, or was she ‘Liberty’ students eventually studying to honours degree level, it was with the flag, immortalised by Delacroix?; did she model for invariably a delight to see and adjudicate the work carried out one of the three marble graces of Canova or could she have each year under Faith’s direction and leadership. been the last of those elegant Pre-Raphaelite ladies? A high point was the first DB ‘Horizons’ International Her regal appearance at the Mediaeval Banquet at the conference which I had conceptualised as DB President in Society of Bookbinders conference in Nottingham, 1989, 011 Find out more at: www.designerbookbinders.org.uk
DESIGNER BOOKBINDERS NEWSLETTER NO 184 WINTER 2018
1982 whilst lecturing with Faith at a similar event in Belgium and was then organised with Faith and enthusiastic assistants in 1984 at Brighton Polytechnic, where speakers and demonstrators from various European centres came together. For many this was their first experience of creative bookbinding in Great Britain, and which proved to be quite a shock for some! (and graphic design student Hannah designed the delightful poster!).
During these conferences, exhibition openings, competition judging and student awards Faith and I could enjoy the opportunity of being together away from the crowd, visiting museums and galleries in London, Oxford, Brussels and Mainz, wandering through woods near Gregynog in Wales, or enjoying the wonderful Scottish landscape. At these times she would let her personal thoughts and experiences and family history ramble and so I came to appreciate her background, often filled with uncertainties and an early naivety. Eventually this led to that strength of purpose and stoicism which carried her forward. From apparently being a very shy young girl requiring elocution and deportment lessons she could suddenly give an ’off the cuff’ speech on behalf of the Judges and Designer Bookbinders at the Dinner following Drawing directly from nature formed an essential part of her the First International Bookbinding competition held at the work. Fine binding designs linked directly to the content of Bodleian Library in Oxford in 2009. I was the other DB judge the book rather than being only decorative, the Lewis Carroll and was both astounded and very much impressed by her titles being good examples, and quite unusual for that time. performance! Later came more formal and simplified bindings using vellum For Faith time and motion and all those sorts of earthly things and unusual materials and techniques and in recent years were not of so much importance; often to the frustration of the use of textures and direct interpretations of nature itself clients and collectors, time was measured not just in hours began more and more to affect her vision resulting in unique or weeks but sometimes in years, what was really of the bookbindings of a sharply defined expressionist character. utmost for her was the creative thinking, practical analysis The series of ten bindings for ‘Stone’ led to its logical and exact craftsmanship. This resulted in very distinctive conclusion, reaching a high point of textural expressionism, it objects reflecting both the world around us and depicting her also left her completely exhausted. personal vision of the book, its content and structure. Here we can recognise the life source and its influences which There was continuous development over time, Faith was carried Faith through the years. Forget the city life, career always a brilliant illustrator even illustrating seed packets! making and professional requirements, sometimes difficult (there are drawers still full of her early illustrations at family responsibilities and complicated relationships. Corranbeg). What have you with Faith herself?
Nature, preferably raw and direct!
Whether it was the sea or distant landscape, visually experiencing the elements, handling that most elegant sailboat or on foot, through wind and rain, experiencing the character and feel of natural materials, plants, pebbles, rocks or whatever, preferably with a cheerful dog, this really was the real and magical world for Faith Shannon, she formed an integral part, so simple was it.”
Jeff Clements MBE HonFDB Amsterdam, September 2018 012 in memoriam Find out more at: www.designerbookbinders.org.uk
DESIGNER BOOKBINDERS NEWSLETTER NO 184 WINTER 2018
Fellow, Jenni Grey:
“You don’t always get the opportunity to thank people for all they have done for you. Not because you are ungrateful, but because you are usually so busy getting on with the business of living that you don’t have the time to reflect on how you’ve got to where you are in life. So it was lovely to have the chance to reflect on and share all the reasons I had to be grateful to Faith when she received her Hon Fellowship in 2013.
I owe a great deal to Faith who helped me enormously in my bookbinding career, not least by encouraging me to drop out of the bookbinding certificate scheme to take a degree course, which she knew would be the best thing for me creatively. In writing me a good reference and helping me assemble my portfolio she was obviously instrumental in my getting a place at Brighton - a University that in those days wouldn’t have looked at, let alone interview, anyone in my position who hadn’t done a foundation course first.
Her binding philosophy has influenced me more than any other bookbinder. Faith stated she wouldn’t like all her work to be recognised as being by the same person, by that she meant that she wouldn’t bind Edgar Allen Poe’s ‘Tales of Mystery and Imagination’ in the same way she would bind ‘The Snowman’. For those of you who haven’t heard the story of ‘The Snowman’ before, Faith did a wonderful binding of with the adult education crowd. that book in white velvet, which created a quite a stir in some That range of ages and abilities benefitted all of us, not quarters because she was criticised for using an inappropriate only in our bookbinding practice but socially as well, and material which could get dirty and was perceived as less I have lovely memories of the end of year parties at her durable than leather. Faith’s calm response was that snow home in Ringmer. Alongside her teaching, other projects gets dirty and a child’s best loved toy is the one that will happened because Faith was at Brighton, in particular the become the most battered and threadbare. This was a first international bookbinding conference run by Designer memorable lesson in considering why you are binding a book, Bookbinders ‘Horizons’ in 1984, and the book ‘Paper who it’s going to be for, and how it’s going to be used and Pleasures’, both of which provided great opportunities for stored; but the thing I remember most about this binding is students to learn and participate in. Faith saying rather wistfully ‘Do we always have to be binding a ‘great work’, can’t we just have some fun sometimes? Faith was attractive and charismatic. Many of the men at Brighton University fell a little bit, if not totally, in love with her. Even the ‘job’s worth’s’ technicians in the place were not immune to her charm. If you went to ask them for help or materials you could get nothing out of them at all, but just say the three magic words ‘Faith sent me’ and someone who wouldn’t give you a sheet of unprinted newsprint one minute would be unlocking the plan chest and saying here, help yourself – I’ve only just used the last of the Barcham Green paper I was given an unbelievable thirty-five years ago now!
It was a great loss to Brighton, but also to Designer Bookbinders when Faith moved up to Scotland, and we didn’t see so much of her. She will be sorely missed by her students and colleagues, and I hope her legacy and influence will live on through her past students and her creative and talented descendants Hannah and Shannon. For those of us who aren’t fortunate enough to own one of her bindings I’m so glad that we at least have articles in The New Bookbinder and photographs of her work in catalogues to jolt our memories if As a tutor she encouraged everyone into the binding ever we should feel the need to remind ourselves of what an workshop, so you would find students as diverse as those outstanding and inspirational binder she was.” from graphic design to performing arts rubbing shoulders 013 Find out more at: www.designerbookbinders.org.uk
DESIGNER BOOKBINDERS NEWSLETTER NO 184 WINTER 2018
Fellow, Rachel Ward-Sale:
Faith Shannon at the Liverpool Library.
“Four years ago Designer Bookbinders held an exhibition at the newly refurbished Central Library in Liverpool. As part of the redesign the entrance had been moved and a new stone path laid, engraved with the titles of famous books with some letters picked out in red. During the opening weekend I learned that the red letters spelt ‘Cyclops in the wood’ and refer to the binding of ‘The Genus Crocus’ by Faith Shannon.”
These areas had never been permanently open for people to look around since the war.
I don’t know how Kenny’s mind worked on this, but as it was the Oak Room he came up with the clue ‘The Cyclops in the wood’ – wood = Oak and Cyclops = the painted vellum and glass lid of Faith’s binding. Once the competition was over and the library well opened I thought we could put the binding safely away so that it didn’t fade, but no – we were constantly asked where the binding had gone, what the letters meant on the pavement – people were bringing their relatives in to show them the binding – visiting school classes wanted to see it. Aghhh!
So now, it is on permanent display, near the Audubon, behind a filtered glass screen and likely to remain so for many years to come - the second most viewed item in our entire collections!”
A lovely story and a fitting tribute to a wonderful binder.”
Librarian Steven Deardon filled me in on the history;
“One of our senior managers, now retired, Kenny Kay came up with the idea of linking a competition to the pavement for when we re-opened. The clue was to be spelt out in special red letters and it took the successful solvers to a particular book in the Oak Room. Two winners were drawn from the correct answers and were presented with book tokens. The aim was to draw people to the rare books displayed in the Hornby Library and specifically the Oak Room where the Audubon Birds of America was on display. 014 in memoriam Find out more at: www.designerbookbinders.org.uk
DESIGNER BOOKBINDERS NEWSLETTER NO 184 WINTER 2018
Fellow, Annette Friedrich: George Kirkpatrick:
“How very sad that Faith has died. She was so kind and “I have thought a great deal about all those years. We were welcoming, so funny and witty, so observant and interested in both teenagers and had a fantastic time together with our both people and nature. And of course, she was an amazing group in the bookbinding studio at the Art College in Belfast, artist! with our teacher Kenneth Webb.
I knew Faith since I was thirteen years old. One might wonder Kenneth was really a painter who taught us other subjects, ‘How come?’ with me being German? Well, my father had and so art was more about Art than bookbinding. We were taken his annual leave to do classes with her in Ardfern taught only the basics of bookbinding, but were encouraged (loved it, of course!). And when Faith heard, that the little to create as many ideas as we could, which was fun. Kenneth daughter (me) was about to embark on a year in school in would take us out drawing and painting and ask us about our York, she invited me to come up for the various breaks. I ideas, and eventually say “Why not?”. don’t remember much how I made my way up there for the first time on my own, except for that the bus stopped in the Faith was full of ideas, and we considered ourselves to be middle of nowhere, that dusk was falling, and that obviously artists first. the lady, who waited for me at the kerb, had to be Faith! Of course, Faith was better than the rest of us, we didn’t The initial shyness was quickly overcome and I had a brilliant, mind, because she was not only beautiful, but because she brilliant time with her. I tagged along for her walks with the really was very good at everything. We were always very close dog, was dragged up hills and through heather, pointed out friends, we had a great group. the beauties within the landscape and the shifting nature of the tides. Faith cleared a little space for me in her workshop where I would fiddle around with paper, or just let loose to explore things for myself. It was so wonderful to be there and so fascinating to see Faith and her ways, that I decided then and there to become a bookbinder. I never trained with her as such, but have been back and forth many times over the years, enjoying her friendship and support, her gentle guidance along the way.
I shall miss her immensely, but am grateful for the many years of friendship.”
I remember one friend John, who suddenly out of nowhere picked Faith up on to his back and carried her over to the paper bin and gently put her in, and then put the lid back on. It was all in jest, maybe a little reminder we were a group, Faith took it very well, she knew it was in the greatest of fun and humour.
“Good-bye, Faith, good-bye.”
015 Find out more at: www.designerbookbinders.org.uk
DESIGNER BOOKBINDERS NEWSLETTER NO 184 WINTER 2018
I remember it was just after Christmas, the 4th of January and what others were doing and we could take Faith out for lunch we were still on holiday. Faith, John and I all went to the zoo and continue our various conversations. for a day of drawing. It was a terribly cold day so we decided to spend most of it inside and ended up in the Monkey After a period of time I left Belfast to teach bookbinding, house. I don’t think the monkeys appreciated us eating our textiles and foundation in Canterbury, so I didn’t see Faith sandwiches, the sound was unbelievable. I often wonder what often, until 5 years later, when we were both invited to come happened to her drawings from the monkey enclosure and of to Florence just after the great flood. The whole city had the monkeys, they were some of the best I’d seen. been deeply flooded, buildings filled with mud from the lower ground right up to the ceiling. Nearly all the buildings We went on in to a smaller house with smaller animals, were empty, there was one that hadn’t been excavated and encased in a glass screen, creating a long gallery. we could look in to the mud-caked rooms, muddied glass and branches stuck to it. There were streets that hadn’t been cleared, and we had to climb up the mud with cars semi There were no other visitors that day due to the cold weather. buried in the now hard baked mud. It was an outstanding The keeper came in to see if there was anyone else except experience. Our walk to the Library was luckily cleared, the us, and to ask if we minded being locked in while he let the water/mud lines at 13 feet high were still very much visible. animals out to run around. It was amazing to see them all running around, we never knew that porcupines could run so It seems as though we were on holiday, far from it, we all fast. One porcupine took a fancy to Faith, and kept running worked very hard while there, it was painful to see such into her legs. tragedy.
After some time of drawing we realised it was getting quite One adventure of ours was a road trip on a Sunday, late, it was getting quite dark and the snow was becoming colleagues had suggested venturing along the motorway deeper, it was time for us to leave. to Assisi. We were driving on the motorway when all of a sudden our driver veered on to wrong side of the road, which Unfortunately there was nobody to let us out, at all. We were was nearly the end of all of us, fortunately he managed to locked in with the animals and we couldn’t think of any way of turn around and get on the right side of the road. Assisi was getting out? awesome though.
In those days we had no phones and certainly no mobile Faith and I travelled back to London after an experience phones. The only thing we could think of was to get up over neither of us would forget. the turn-ins and out on to the roof. It was so high up and the conditions akin to the Alpine Mountains, so in order to get We kept in touch over the years and would occasionally meet, out, we would need mountain climbing equipment, but we if I was in Scotland. had nothing. It is with fondest memories I remember Faith, she will be By now John had managed his way up on to the steels (thanks missed.“ to my shoulders), it was worse, the steel was freezing and we had nothing else to hold on to and as the snow got heavier we could barely see each others faces. John was pulling Faith from above with me underneath to push Faith from the bottom end. At least that day, Faith had trousers on.
(I must point out that in those days in Northern Ireland, ladies rarely wore trousers. Believe it or not, at that time in Belfast Art College, ladies would be thrown out if they wore trousers.)
We experienced a complete white out, and to this day I still can’t remember how we managed to get down again. All I can say is that the story was told to all at the Art College, and with some mirth, “The day that Faith Shannon escaped from the zoo!”
So our adventures carried on until Faith went to the Royal College of Art in London and I joined up with Roger Powell and Peter Waters. At that time they were starting to restore the St. Chad Gospels, the 7th Century book, it was a great honour for me to be there. Roger and Peter were very much still involved with modern bindings, and Peter taught Faith at the Royal College of Art on his days in London. Peter would often take me to the Royal College of Art too, so I could see 016 in memoriam Find out more at: www.designerbookbinders.org.uk
DESIGNER BOOKBINDERS NEWSLETTER NO 184 WINTER 2018
Honorary Fellow, Jeannette Koch: The Service was led by Tim Barlow, an independent minister, and close friends and family members made moving Faith’s Farewell at Ardfern contributions that outlined the multi-facetted sides of Faith’s Friday 7 September 2018 life. Designer Bookbinders’ own Annette Friedrich read out a tribute from Jeff Clements whose words expressed his “After a 10 hour drive from London the day before, in wind deep love and respect for Faith as a contemporary binder, and rain, I reached The Argyll Inn in Lochgilphead, and after old friend and teacher. a modest supper, went to bed wondering what the morrow would bring. Driving over to Ardfern the magic started. The Both Hannah and Shannon, Faith’s children, gave brave and sadness in my heart was suddenly transformed by the beauty unfaltering tributes, expressing their honour, pride and deep of the landscape where Faith had lived all these years, and love for their mother, and these strong emotions were gently the sunshine bathed everything in a warm kindly light. I soothed by an acapella group of local girls and women who wondered how many bookbinders would be there, and was sang a family ‘fave’, ‘Blackbird by The Beatles’. not disappointed as there stood Tom McEwan, Annette Friedrich, who had braved the journey from London by rail All the speakers stood beside Faith’s coffin, an elegant sheer and two local buses to be on time, Jack London, and Gavin clinker-built boat-box in ash wood, made by two craftsmen Rookledge, once a student of Faith’s at Brighton and faithful from the Corranbeg Workshops and stamped with Faith’s tiny friend since the 80s. shamrock and ‘S’ tools. Faith was a great sailor and had her own boat ‘Ratty’. After the service, we all went outside to see Faith’s coffin loaded onto ‘Ratty’, decked with bunting, which was then towed by trailer to Kilvaree Cemetery. This was a feat of ingenuity as oars instead of a mast enabled the boat to pass under the trees, and a rope pulley lowered them to get round the last bend of the loch. All guests followed on by car and on foot, and in streaming sunshine, we stood in this beautiful graveyard at the tip of the peninsula to pay our last respects as Faith was lowered into the grave where Sandy, her husband was also buried. A brown butterfly flew past and in the distance a magnificent eagle was seen soaring in circles above. The a capella choir sang.
Afterwards, all were invited for wine and refreshments in the Village Hall which was hung with drawings and paintings by Faith and photographs of her taken by her son, Shannon. A precious moment to share loving memories of an extraordinary woman, and wonder at the talent, richness, and We all made our way to Craignish Church, a plain, pleasing variety of her creative output. Georgian building. Its simple, clear symmetry and the intimate atmosphere inside was an ideal choice for Faith’s It brought vividly to mind my last visit to Corranbeg in 2016 Farewell. On the invitation of Hannah, Faith’s daughter, she accompanied by Alain Taral, the bookbinder from France asked people to make a little paper boat for the “Paper who won DB’s first International Competition in 2009. Faith Queen”, and these little vessels were displayed throughout was one of the judges. He and his wife were totally thrilled the church. at meeting her and being able to see one of her last ‘Stone’ bindings in progress, and marvelled at the myriad of found objects and ephemera that covered every surface in her overfilled bindery. 017 Find out more at: www.designerbookbinders.org.uk
DESIGNER BOOKBINDERS NEWSLETTER NO 184 WINTER 2018
The Tarals and myself then went to the Village Hall where Faith and her daughter Hannah were in the process of hanging an exhibition of her drawings, paintings, ceramics and paper objects. The Tarals were mesmerised by her creations! Her skill, inventiveness and sheer joy in the ‘making’ process was mind-blowing and I was so happy that they were given this unexpected treat. We had already visited Colin Hamilton in Frenich the week before and seen the preceding ‘Stone’ bindings that he and Kulgin Duval had commissioned.
If only a catalogue raisonné of her entire works could somehow be produced, this would be a fitting recognition and lasting record of her remarkable creative and artistic achievements.
By the way, the little paper boats, now an impressive flotilla will be launched some day soon on a calm sea.”
“Shannon and Jeanette gave me access to numerous photographs, this was in a folder entitled ‘Funeral’, it was the last image in the folder, I thought this a very fitting send off.
I wasn’t fortunate enough to have met Faith, however, along this journey, I was fortunate to have had the chance to have spoken with so many great and wonderful people who were her friends. I hope those of you who knew Faith, had been touched and captivated by her, taught by her, or simply enjoyed her work, that you find inspiration in the words shared by Faith’s friends, during this period of reflection. Thank you Faith, ‘Rest In Peace’.”
Ed. 018 Maureen Duke BEM 1928-2018 Find out more at: www.designerbookbinders.org.uk
DESIGNER BOOKBINDERS NEWSLETTER NO 184 WINTER 2018
Fellow, Glenn Bartley:
“I first met Maureen Duke almost forty years ago in the Bindery at Guildford Technical College in Surrey, and my first impression of her was a slightly posh, confident lady who was kind, thoughtful and encouraging.
She was also wearing an un-buttoned white lab coat, which billowed behind her as she whooshed along the corridor.
Always.
As an impressionable 17-year-old keen to learn more of the craft of bookbinding, Maureen was ideal. I don’t remember her being a hard taskmaster; her tutorials and demos were patient and thorough, backed by a sound understanding of the principles - the sort of stuff you don’t forget.
So, the best kind of teacher: “No, luvvy - try holding the knife like this… Aha, very good, luvvy, that’s it!” Maureen often called you ‘luvvy’ - a lot. Apparently, she often couldn’t Fellow, Nicky Oliver: remember your name; she had a lot of students. “I can’t really express the magnitude to which Maureen has The weekend get-togethers at ‘Fernbank’, Trotton will be had an effect on my life. The following words won’t really do remembered fondly. With Alf holding court in the living room her justice.... (after being ‘rescued’ from the local pub); fellow students poking about in the ‘characterful’ bindery; making cheese We first met at the 2001 Society of Bookbinders Cambridge straws in one tiny corner of the kitchen table otherwise Conference. I was taken aback by her generosity in sharing covered in pots and pans… her knowledge, a feeling I’m sure many of us can relate to. The wealth of her experience and her no-nonsense “it’s only We kept in touch fleetingly over the years, but I know when bookbinding” approach dispelled fears within the practice in we met, that she was proud of her students making their way order for us to get on with enjoying the craft. successfully in the world of bookbinding. She inspired me to do the same; learn – practise – share. I’m glad we had a good long chat when Royalty crossed our paths last year - a well-deserved, and overdue, award of The work that she did for the bookbinding community and, Medallist of the Order of the British Empire for her life-long in particular, the education of bookbinding is renowned - a teaching and promotion of bookbinding, conservation and steadfast figure to whom many would turn to. She was always restoration. ready to help and support in any which way she could. Maureen had this wonderful ability to slice through bullshit I wonder if her charity work for orphaned children in Romania and get to the nucleus of any issue with poise, patience was also considered?” and grace. She would listen quietly – deep in thought – then would proffer up a solution to most bookbinding conundrums.
There will be many of you with your own stories, memories and tales all of which will be rich with fondness, humour and delight - I am skimming the surface with my own recollections. I am unable to put into words succinctly enough to share with you what this wonderful woman meant to me.
She welcomed me into her home, I would visit as often as I could and we would sit and chat for hours about almost anything – both of us nursing small glasses of red wine, at times in front of a roaring fire and by lamp light. She was a source of immense inspiration, support and encouragement but most of all she was my friend.” 019 Find out more at: www.designerbookbinders.org.uk
DESIGNER BOOKBINDERS NEWSLETTER NO 184 WINTER 2018
Fellow, Mark Cockram:
“Maureen’s Magic Millimetre.
Those of us who had the opportunity to have either been taught by, lectured to (and sometimes at) watched demonstrations, sat on committees or, indeed, been in the presence of Maureen Duke, will have indelible memories. Some memories are shared in the public arena whilst others are intimate and personal experiences.
For most of us in the bookbinding world community, Maureen is perhaps best known for her teaching and to say that she taught on a global scale would be no over statement. However, Maureen always managed to make you feel included, her teaching and her approach to her work was honest, with no hidden agendas. She would equally suffer no BS, fools or charlatans - cutting to the point and providing her thoughts and experience with grace, charm and understated professionalism.
Though Maureen wrote articles, guides and was asked to write forwards to technical bookbinding manuals, lecturing and demonstrating on the international stage, she never got round to having her own methods, techniques and ethos collectively published. Often one would hear “Too Busy” or “There is plenty of time for that later”.
Maureen may not be published, however, I and others feel that she went one better. With an obvious passion for her art and craft and her ability in being able to disseminate skills and knowledge, Maureen was able to create bookbinders and other workers with the book who are enthused with the same passion and desire to keep learning and to share with others. They are her books, they are able to change and adapt as the future unfolds.
Though strongly associated with the Society of Bookbinders, Maureen was a passionate advocate of all areas of the book. Conservation, restoration, craft, book arts and design binding. Indeed, it was as a student on the Bookbinding and Conservation course at Guildford College in 1990, that Maureen introduced me to Designer Bookbinders and encouraged me, and many others to walk down that path.
Though graduating in 1992, I and I am sure countless others feel that they never graduated from Maureen.
It is after all, friends, not rocket science.” 020 from afar Find out more at: www.designerbookbinders.org.uk
DESIGNER BOOKBINDERS NEWSLETTER NO 184 WINTER 2018
‘Bookbinding in Iceland’ Because Iceland was a Danish colony most of those valuables ended up in Denmark and sadly many of them were lost in Einar Sveinn Ragnarsson the colossal Copenhagen fire of 1728. Sadly, there are not many sources about the history of bookbinding in Iceland even though bookbinding has played a great part in some of our most important treasures. Nevertheless, as a 4th generation bookbinder, I felt obliged to do some digging and reading up on it when asked to write a short article about bookbinding in Iceland.
Early ages
It is believed that bookbinding in Iceland began around the year 1000 with connections to Christianity and was maintained alongside translations on religious journals, as well as law books, genealogy and Islendingabok or the Book of Icelanders, which is an historical work dealing with early Icelandic history. The author of the Book of Icelanders was an Icelandic priest, Ari Þorgilsson, working in the early 12th century.
Since there was no printing in Iceland at the time, all books were hand-written on parchment and usually bound in a soft leather binding. The more modern German way of binding wasn’t introduced to us until the late 16th century.
Even though Gutenberg invented the printing press in about 1450 in Germany, the advent of printing in Iceland was even slower than in most places. The first press arrived in One of the original “Guðbrandsbible“ the country about 1530, nearly a century after Gutenberg’s breakthrough and was set up in Hólar where a bishop named Further knowledge Guðbrandur Þorláksson then put it to use to print the Bible along with a few other smaller books. In time many more print shops opened and therefore a lot more bookbinders were required and naturally the two Guðbrandur’s Bible took seven years to print and was finally industries bloomed together - obviously one art form couldn’t finished in 1584. Five hundred copies were made and it was be without the other. the first Icelandic language translation of the Bible. This was also a break-through time in Icelandic bookbinding because With improved technology, printing and bookbinding got bishop Guðbrandur hired a bookbinder from Hamburg more and more mechanised and nowadays all over the named Jurin to finish the books. world machines make books without the human touch of a bookbinder. What is even worse is that nowadays there are Jurin brought with him the tools and materials necessary fewer students learning the art of bookbinding by hand or for his work and taught an Icelandic bookbinder, Jón getting essential advice from a master in the craft. Arngrímsson, his methods and therefore the old Icelandic bookbinding style is naturally the contemporary German style where books are bound in leather, presumably with oak boards and decorated with roll stamps.
Of the five hundred copies printed, Jurin is believed to have bound half of them himself, and because Iceland was then a part of Denmark one hundred and twenty copies were sent to Copenhagen. Jón Arngrímsson, Jurin’s apprentice, bound the remaining one hundred and thirty copies. This enormous project was hailed as a sensation and may have inspired Icelanders who owned old manuscripts to have them bound or even rebound since there was now access to the necessary tools and knowledge. Therefore there have been many book collectors in Iceland over the years and maybe most notable are Brynjólfur Sveinsson and Árni Magnússon who both collected some of Iceland’s most My booth at the graduation exhibition in Reykjavik technical precious books and scripts in the 17th and 18th century. college. 021 Find out more at: www.designerbookbinders.org.uk
DESIGNER BOOKBINDERS NEWSLETTER NO 184 WINTER 2018
Attendance for a career in bookbinding has decreased so drastically that sadly it is just a question of time when the Technical College in Reykjavik, where students have been able to study bookbinding, will be forced to cut bookbinding out of their curriculum. Although this sounds very pessimistic, we should not despair. Icelandic bookbinders have throughout the years been diligent to seek out further education whether by going abroad or to get a teacher to come to Iceland. I sure hope that present and future students will keep on seeking further knowledge this way.
“Norðanvindur“ bound by Ragnar Gylfi Einarsson for the 2009 Nordic bookbinding competition.
Final words
Even though binding books by hand had to give in a bit to technology my hope is that there will always be people that admire the art form of a beautifully bound book; that bookbinders will keep on doing fine art and let the creativity live on. It doesn’t matter how technical and fast the machines will get, they can never make it as beautiful as we can. It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.
Einar Bookbinders that attended a workshop with Stuart Brockman in Oxford 2007
JAM “Thank you very much for this piece Einar, I hope the readers Icelandic bookbinders have been taking part in competitions enjoy your words, I certainly found it very interesting. and exhibitions all over the world since 1900. There was some pause though with the technological changes but only To put this in to context, Lori and I met Einar and his father for few decades. Since 1974, Icelandic bookbinders have Ragnar during a 5 day course with Suzanne Schmollgruber again participated in competitions and exhibitions across held at Lori’s bindery over the summer. Scandinavia and Europe. We all had to introduce ourselves to Suzanne, as one does, In 1989 a few bookbinders founded a club that they named there was an audible gasp in the room when Ragnar told us JAM. The name was formed from the initials of two Danish he’d been binding for 40 years, suitably impressed with that, binders who came to Iceland to teach in a workshop (Arne Einar then told us, (as he mentions in his article), that he is a Möller Pedersen and Jakob Lund). Since then they have fourth generation binder. Suzanne explained to the group been fairly active and in 1993 two of them participated in that we would come away with a book in the style of Jean De an exhibition at the Copenhagen Art Museum, which was Gonet. It’s fair to say, Ragnar and Einar left with four or five celebrated on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the books. Royal Library in Copenhagen. Participants came from most European countries, and it is fair to say that Icelanders did I have since been fortunate to meet up with these guys in well. London, as they attended the Joint Designer Bookbinders/ Society of Bookbinders workshop with Tracey Rowledge in Icelandic bookbinders regularly participate in Nordic September.” Bookmaking, a competition that is then shown throughout Scandinavia, and each country takes turns to host the Ed. competition. In 2009, Iceland hosted the competition. 022 from afar Find out more at: www.designerbookbinders.org.uk
DESIGNER BOOKBINDERS NEWSLETTER NO 184 WINTER 2018
‘The view from Ascona’ A sort of enlightenment happened when I saw Edwin Heim teaching. I was so inspired by his course, the respectful way Suzanne Schmollgruber he treated books, his refined skills and his professionalism, that my only thought was “This is it! - C’est ÇA que je veux “Suzanne Schmollgruber is the Director of the Bookbinding faire!!! - That’s what I want to do”. and Design department at the Centro del Bel Libro in Ascona, more information on Suzanne’s responsibilities and activities I got the opportunity to stay and study at Ascona for a whole within the school can be found here year, taking all the courses, meeting students and teachers from all over the world, practising techniques in detail, with https://www.cbl-ascona.ch/en/home time and an absolute amazing master’s support. After all the rushing, hurrying and eventual frustration I’d experienced As the youngest of 5 children, born in the French part of from my years as an apprentice, I finally experienced what I Switzerland, and growing up in Austria, I was very lucky to was intensely looking for and this for me was like a balm for have a jeweller and watchmaker for a father. I would find the soul. myself in his workshop, imitating gestures, and I would love to try and make all sorts of tools and materials, learn new Little by little, I started to collect and buy tools as well as skills and discover the attention to detail in a playful way. other bits of equipment, all very small in size, but, I needed to be able to build up my workshop at home. I was 18 when I visited my first bindery, this was completely by chance, it was such a revelation, I was fascinated by After exactly one year of full immersion in paradise, I moved everything I saw in that workshop. All my plans and priorities to Basel where I worked in different binderies. I shared my suddenly changed. all of a sudden, I enrolled on a very typical life and my workshop with a violin maker. I learned to work Swiss apprenticeship. I learned to work quickly, to repeat with wood, something I really loved. My workshop was almost an infinite series of bindings, boxes, structures and cases. I complete when I felt a strong need to discover new horizons. finished my exams, but somehow became very frustrated and bored, life was changing again. I decided to travel and try I was 25 when I moved to Barcelona. I moved my whole something else. bindery and started from scratch, working mostly for artists, graphic designers, architects, museums and exhibitions.
In the beginning it was not easy making a living. But I remember that people were curious about what I was doing and wanted my work and that was a great motivation. All the time I was thinking about looking for a part time job, I was fortunate, I had the chance that, one way or another, work came in and I always made bookbinding a priority.
During the last three years of my time in Barcelona, a friend of mine Marta, who’s a social worker, created a bindery for young people with disabilities. At the time I had serious health problems of my own, and Marta hired me to teach these young people. This gave me the opportunity to guarantee a regular income, as well as the time to be able to take care of my own health. The human enrichment during this working experience was enormous and gave me the courage I needed to make ends meet.
In Summer 2004 I met Sabino, who later became my husband. He came to Barcelona from Milan for a vacation, and it was only a year later I moved to Italy. I packed up my whole workshop and started all over again, keeping clients and courses in Spain, France and Switzerland. My professional life in Milan was tough and in complete contrast to my more enjoyable and successful years in Barcelona. But even this was useful.
At the end of 2009 a letter from Ascona arrived out of the blue. I read that Edwin would soon retire and would I like to apply for the role? I never thought about it, but Edwin really I’d heard about the Centro del Bel Libro, so I decided to encouraged me to apply, so I sent my CV certain they would try one course and see how it went? The French binding, I never ever hire me. Not me!!! wanted to learn how to make it properly, at least once, and then l would find something more interesting. 023 Find out more at: www.designerbookbinders.org.uk
DESIGNER BOOKBINDERS NEWSLETTER NO 184 WINTER 2018
Kylin Lee Acherman at the workbench, Kylin has been a guest teacher for many years.
But I was wrong.
Here starts the scary part. When I saw the course programme The Centro del Bel Libro also has had many Designer I had to prepare I just wanted to faint. I still remember sitting Bookbinders students, visit and do the courses, as well as with Edwin in front of this endless course list, repeatedly many Designer Bookbinders as guest teachers within our saying “how can I do all of this?” His simple Zen like masters programme, and that’s a privilege! answer, with his super calm voice, which still resonates with me today, “not all together, just one at a time, one after the A colleague told me that if we have a privilege we have a other!” he said. Edwin spent hours and hours supporting me, duty. My duty is the greatest pleasure I could ever imagine: explaining the minutiae, what felt like the millions of details, sharing what I love to do! techniques and experiences. I felt a huge responsibility while he was handing over his little child - the school - on a How will our craft evolve? I think that we more than ever silver tray. I absolutely would not have made it without his need to make the difference by pushing our work towards permanent help and support. detail and high quality. The future of our craft is change. Then let’s be ready for change. The only thing we really need, for Each week a new technique was on the programme. I whatever we choose to do, is to follow our passion. Mine is spent the first 5 years, every night and weekend preparing, just binding books - the most sexy work in the world!” studying, repeating, sweating and trembling. Suzanne Today, after eight and a half years, I am still sweating and trembling before each course, a sort of stage fright, but at least I am starting to handle it now. Experience has turned me into a calmer person and more trusting in my abilities. I’m not an expert, but a sort of allrounder. I feel as much like the student, because I am still learning, it’s how I handle the process. I think of the Centro del Bel Libro like a platform of sharing knowledge. People from all continents come with their own background, creating together their very own personal and unique experience, needs and interests, technically and artistically.
Last summer I had the opportunity to be invited by the Designer Bookbinders President Lori Sauer, to her wonderful bindery for a residency as part of the BINDING re:DEFINED programme. Again, I felt so scared, it actually turned out to be one of the most important highlights of my year! I met fantastic people with great motivation and that’s a dream for teaching. Thanks to this experience, I am here writing my story, grazie mille Lori and Designer Bookbinders! 024 closer to home Find out more at: www.designerbookbinders.org.uk
DESIGNER BOOKBINDERS NEWSLETTER NO 184 WINTER 2018
‘we love your books’ ‘Offset 2018’, is ‘we love your books’ 14th experimental book arts exhibition. Emma Powell The selected works are currently available to view online here “‘we love your books’ was established by Emma Powell and Melanie Bush in 2005 and the first exhibition, ‘Meeting in http://rejectamenta.com/wlyb/offset-2018/ the Middle’, took place in the same year at The University of Northampton.
Entries were submitted from the United Kingdom, Germany, Denmark, Canada, Brazil, and the USA. The book works embrace folded paper structures, 3D sculptures, boxes, pop- ups, paper-cuts, stitching techniques, embossing, and the reuse of found books and natural materials. The book works are a mix of analogue and digital solutions and all explore experimental visual approaches and outcomes.
For some artists the form is more important than the content and for these the form actually becomes the content.
These books might have ‘blank’ pages but the shape of them and they way they are attached to the cover is all important.
Since then a yearly call for entries has attracted creative These solutions are visually bold and impactful. For example, and experimental book entries from all over the world. see the work of Linda Parr on the ‘we love your books’ Participants are professional book artists, students or website. hobbyists. Part of the remit of ‘we love your books’ is to give students the opportunity to exhibit alongside creative professionals.
Recently ‘we love your books’ exhibitions have been online and all exhibitions are available to view here: http://rejectamenta.com/wlyb/
A selection of book works have been exhibited across the United Kingdom. Some have made it to an exhibition at The University of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates.
Over the years ‘we love your books’ has created a supportive and friendly network for participating artists. Book arts groups, individual artists and academic courses use the yearly themes to initiate work to submit for consideration. This has enabled a core of artists to regularly see their work selected for the exhibitions. 025 Find out more at: www.designerbookbinders.org.uk
DESIGNER BOOKBINDERS NEWSLETTER NO 184 WINTER 2018
The work of Linda Parr For any of the ‘we love your books’ exhibitions there are no right or wrong interpretations of the themes that have been set. They are always intentionally broad and open to interpretation in multiple ways. This, we hope, has encouraged artists to take their work in unexpected and visually challenging directions.
We are having a break for 2019 so currently there is no call for entries. Keep an eye on the website for future information and exhibiting opportunities. Thank you to all the artists that have exhibited with us over the last fourteen years – we love your books.
Prior to 2005 Emma and Melanie had worked closely together teaching Graphic Design and Illustration to degree level students in the United Kingdom.
‘we love your books’ was a way for Emma and Melanie to continue to work together across two academic institutions.
Emma still teaches at degree level and specialises in For some of the others the content explores the theme book arts, paper crafts, sustainable design methods and through the use of image, pattern, shape, photography or printmaking. She has an external studio at Leicester Print type. For example, see the work of Jenny Stevenson. For Workshop where she is currently exploring screen-printing, her the imagery is positioned in an offset manner within the etching and letterpress in experimental ways. You can follow folded and cut structure. Emma on Instagram @dremmapowell.
Melanie has recently retired from teaching to pursue more book arts related activities. Her studio is surrounded by her beautiful cottage garden and her work combines experimental structures and content with digital manipulation and layout.”
The work of Jenny Stevenson
What is rejectamenta?
Rejectamenta is the term, I (Emma), used to describe my PhD study (completed in 2009). The research explored my own visual practice and that of a range of contemporary practitioners.
From this has stemmed my current visual work that builds on this research and crosses the boundaries of sustainable art and design, printmaking, bookmaking and mixed media collage. 026 closer to home Find out more at: www.designerbookbinders.org.uk
DESIGNER BOOKBINDERS NEWSLETTER NO 184 WINTER 2018
‘Bound by Veterans’ Robert East
“The Bound by Veterans (BBV) charity (formerly known as The Wiltshire Barn Project), was founded in 2012 by two bookbinding friends, Rob Shepherd, Managing Director of Shepherds Bookbinders Ltd, and Jonathan Powell, a retired Army officer who works in the Shepherds Daffodil Barn bindery in Woodborough, Wiltshire.
They both shared the belief that bookbinding could be of therapeutic benefit to Wounded, Injured and Sick (WIS), ex-servicemen and women and their partners.
A small trial was run in collaboration with Tedworth House, a rehabilitation centre set up by Help For Heroes, and the success of this led to week long courses being established at the nearby Daffodil Barn workshop, which introduced basic techniques and bookbinding skills.
These courses gave veterans or individuals who were being discharged from the services, the opportunity to see what bookbinding had to offer and importantly, also offered the It is the restorative powers of manual bookbinding that chance to go on to gain City and Guilds qualifications in assists rehabilitation, improving health and wellbeing while Bookbinding, which are recognised internationally. developing employment qualifications.
The end products of attractive books or useful boxes and other items give clients a great sense of achievement and satisfaction, in addition, being able to achieve the City and Guilds qualifications.
Since the charity was registered five years ago over 350 WIS have attended courses at the Daffodil Barn and approximately 50 City and Guilds awards have been awarded.
Her Royal Highness the The Princess Royal (President of the City and Guilds) presented the first City and Guilds certificates to a number of our veterans in 2014. Several have gone on to full or part-time employment and it seems all of them have benefited from the restorative powers of the bookbinding craft.
The progress continues and up to six veterans are now embarking on the new City & Guilds Level 3 Course.
As a very amateur bookbinder myself I have found the activity both absorbing and calming. It is gentle in pace, most of the time, and requires concentration, not in a stressful way, but in a very satisfying way.
The charity began around the time of the end of the Afghanistan campaign when there were many servicemen and women who had suffered severe injuries both physical and mental.
Bookbinding provided a set of skills which were not too demanding, could be carried out indoors and produced something tangible at the end of the courses. Bear Grylls at the Daffodil Barn 027 Find out more at: www.designerbookbinders.org.uk
DESIGNER BOOKBINDERS NEWSLETTER NO 184 WINTER 2018
Here are some observations from students who have attended courses:
“This week has helped me by getting me out of the house and meeting new people which I haven’t been able to do since I left the Army and given me more skills to do something either as a hobby or as a job later in life”
(Clare - a Lance Corporal in the Royal Signals)
“It’s helped me by making my brain work again. It’s so easy when you come out of the Army and you have medical problems and you struggle to walk, to just sit down and watch TV and do nothing and if you carry on doing that, you get yourself in a right rut and complete mess. Finding this [BBV], it not only allows me to be here on the course but it allows On 21st December 2017 HRH The Prince of Wales, the Patron me to take the knowledge away and use the skills I’ve learned of the charity AMAR (Assisting Marsh Arabs and Refugees), at home, so it gives me another hobby again - it’s really helped to bring the silver anniversary year of the charity to a good” spectacular close at Lancaster House.
(Dave)
“I realise now that I’d become institutionalised. I had my whole life mapped out but now I have to start again. Taking the course has helped me tremendously. I was unable to get out of the house for eight months, except for medical appointments, and too nervous to drive anywhere. I now enjoy the journey to the Barn for work. I feel more stable and not too anxious about the future.”
(Rachel, not her real name, who is a Senior Non- Commissioned Officer with over 20 years service in the RAF, and is in the process of being given a medical discharge.) Left to right, Jonathan Powell, Ali Strachan, Wendy Lagden all from Bound by Veterans and Angus Beaton, photographer.
Students who have been through courses at the Daffodil Barn To mark the event he was presented with a beautifully bound are also involved in making products for sale. These include book of photographs of the marsh arabs taken by Angus the Explore Notebook and the Urban Explorer which have Beaton over the last decade. The album and a slip case were waterproof pages and a leather binding, both durable and made in the Daffodil Barn by Bound by Veterans and it was stylish. In addition new products such as our pocket diaries a huge honour for BBV to undertake the binding of such an and notebooks have been added to the list of items for sale. important and prestigious document for a truly auspicious occasion.
Bound by Veterans goes from strength to strength and with generous support from donors is able to continue to expand and offer training and the benefits of restorative powers of manual bookbinding to assist rehabilitation, improve health and wellbeing and to develop employment qualifications.”
For more information, visit the Bound by Veterans website at
www.wiltshirebarn.co.uk
Freya Scott demonstrating marbling 028 joint workshop Find out more at: www.designerbookbinders.org.uk
DESIGNER BOOKBINDERS NEWSLETTER NO 184 WINTER 2018
Joint Designer Bookbinders/Society of Bookbinders Workshop, Season 15.
Gold Tooling a Gestural Image on Paper with Tracey Rowledge, 15th -16th of September 2018.
“The first joint workshop of the season had arrived, it is a well balanced series of workshops ahead, and who better than Tracey Rowledge to kick it off. As many of you may remember, we had quite a glorious summer, challenging Europe on many levels and that Saturday in Barnes wasn’t too far off as we headed deeper in to the autumn on a beautifully sunny day.
Tracey arrived very early and was all set up before the first student arrived. Stoves on and ready. I was impressed by the layout of tools and equipment each student was about to receive, neatly collated. Tracey was extremely well prepped, all materials, designs and templates at the ready. I hadn’t met Amazed by all this information, the students were visibly Tracey before, and was pleasantly surprised how quickly she excited to get started, they were shown some samples, made me feel comfortable and welcome, all very organised gazing in awe and wonderment at the examples in front of and professional. It was then as a steward I thought to myself them, they were keen to get going… “Yeah, it won’t be like this tomorrow evening at 5pm, let the chaos begin!”. A quick demo and everyone raced back to their workbench, galvanised by all this information they’d received, the silence (If you haven’t stewarded before and want to get involved and level of concentration was deafening as everyone started and meet great tutors and students alike, I highly recommend working on their design using their own templates. it, please contact the team at [email protected]). Tracey then spent considerable time engaging in one on one Tracey greeting her students individually as they trickled in tuition as her students worked on their piece, making sure ahead of the 10am start, introducing herself as they arrived. everyone knew what they were doing and the attendees were For some it wasn’t necessary, there were friendly faces that at the same level. Tracey already knew, ‘repeat offenders’ so to speak not that that is a bad thing as it shows a passion for learning the skill The demos and techniques of tooling did not end there, at properly, plus it helped break the ice as they introduced each stage once everyone had reached the same level it was themselves to the rest of the group. There were attendees back to Tracey’s bench for more hints and tips, and of course from all over the UK, one from Italy and two guys from note taking. Iceland. A truly international workshop. Tracey encouraged her students to be creative, think through The introduction to the workshop was enough to whet the the use and application, the techniques used. Everything students’ appetite, Tracey explained the origins and history was considered, from the position of your body ahead of of gold tooling, and the influence of Ivor Robinson (see front application. Stance and the way you handle your tools in cover), on her work and how her techniques have developed. bookbinding is quite important, as in this skill in particular. I particularly liked the explanation of how our education and the tutors’ education become part of a lineage. Another Now, I’m not going to give anything away, any technique reason these workshops are important, you’re not just and application, that wouldn’t be fair would it? You had to be learning from the tutor on the day, you’re learning from their there. wealth of experience and those who taught them. However, it wasn’t a breeze, clearly there were tired eyes, everyone had worked really hard and about 4pm we agreed we’d call it a day. Not bad for a first day, you could see skills developing for those who had never tooled before and those who were consolidating their experience had benefitted. Everyone ended the day very happy.
That Saturday evening the students met up with Tracey for dinner, which gave them all a chance to quiz Tracey about her work, find out more about each other - what courses they had done, and by the end of the evening, share stories about their binding and book arts experiences. 029 Find out more at: www.designerbookbinders.org.uk
DESIGNER BOOKBINDERS NEWSLETTER NO 184 WINTER 2018
The guys (Einar & Ragnar), from Iceland were selling fish leather in many colours, regaling us all with their stories from generations of a family of bookbinders and their Icelandic roots.
The second day saw everyone refreshed and ready to go, a quick demo, a few questions here and there, everyone needs to jog the memory and confirm they’re going in the right direction every now and then.
A mirror of the previous day happened, very much in the same fashion, deafening silence, full on concentration as everyone worked on their design. By lunchtime we could see our achievements during the weekend, whether it was nearing a complete design for the first time, or a skill learned or remembered, or a finished item. By the way everyone was talking they’d all learnt something over the two days.
Thank you to everyone who attended, you made it a great tutors I had the good fortune to be taught by and the weekend. mentors I had the privilege of being guided by in my formative years. With thanks to Sarah Burnett-Moore for organising the joint workshops, as well as Toby and Hayley of I’m also made aware of just how many hours I’ve spent at the www.wurkshop.co.uk for the use of their space and its bench gold tooling to express ideas and how this knowledge facilities, as well as Studio 5 for the loan of additional and deep understanding has informed the way I work and the equipment. And thank you to Tracey for the two days out of way I am able to teach and talk about the subject. her schedule for agreeing to bring this workshop to Designer Bookbinders and the Society of Bookbinders.” As Troy mentioned, I feel it’s so important to discuss with students the lineage they have joined and for this reason Troy Moore one of the people I always talk about is Ivor Robinson, as he very kindly taught me his technique of gold tooling just over twenty years ago, and it’s his technique with some tweaks that I continue to use and teach today - which happens, I discovered some fourteen years ago, is perfectly suited (with some minor adaptions) to work on paper.
So thank you for asking me to teach, it’s always wonderful to hear the silence of concentration and to see the smile on peoples’ faces as they achieve a beautiful gold tooled impression! “
Tracey
You can see more of Tracey’s work online:
www.traceyrowledge.com
www.instagram.com/traceyrowledge
Forthcoming exhibitions:
The view from the tutor. CODEX Book Fair, 3rd - 6th February 2019, South Richmond USA, Codex Foundation: “I’m always pleased to be asked to teach a course on gold tooling, as it gives me the opportunity to share what I’ve www.codexfoundation.org/ come to know and understand about the medium and for there to be the possibility of a growing number of people Collect Open, Collect, 28th February - 3rd March, Saatchi taking on a passion and interest in the medium too. Gallery, London.
When I teach, what comes to the fore for me is how I came to www.craftscouncil.org.uk/what-we-do/collect/ gather my knowledge and experience. I always think of the 030 joint workshops Find out more at: www.designerbookbinders.org.uk
DESIGNER BOOKBINDERS NEWSLETTER NO 184 WINTER 2018
Joint Designer Bookbinders/Society of The workshop is to find the best possible approach in restoring pre-1800 bindings with detached boards whilst Bookbinders Workshop, Season 15. preserving original materials as much as possible.
Cased in Drum Leaf Binding Artists Book - Mark Cockram Procedures covered: 2nd - 3rd February 2019 Barnes, London Spine lifting, reinforced endbands, or resewn if missing, repair of board edges and corners, re-attachment of endpapers and original boards, pairing and staining new leather for spine, re-backing, preserving and re-attaching original spine, if available, gold tooling where appropriate/necessary and furbishing.
* Suitable for more experienced binders
A waiting list is available, please contact: [email protected]
The workshop will provide an introduction to the making of a unique and distinctly non-traditional artists or complete book. The structure will be based on a ‘Drum Leaf’ variant and be hard bound.
Students will have the chance to explore different mediums to first make a text block and then a full cloth binding. Participants will, again, be encouraged to hand colour, manipulate and further extend the bookcloth, each creating a unique book.
*Suitable for all levels
Moveable Book Magic - Paul Johnson 11th - 12th May 2019 Derby Arboretum Full Leather Reback - Flora Ginn 16th - 17th & 23rd - 24th March 2019 South East London The workshop begins with making a sixteen-page book with a detachable cover from a single sheet of paper.
Each of the six spreads contains a different movable structure – house, furnished room, Turkish map fold, secret box (with a message inside), sailing boat and palace. Japanese locked cards adorn the cover.
We will devise a narrative that links these forms and create a story that weaves its way through the pages from beginning to end.
* Suitable for all levels
** Steward required. 031 Find out more at: www.designerbookbinders.org.uk
DESIGNER BOOKBINDERS NEWSLETTER NO 184 WINTER 2018
Stub Binding - Lori Sauer Please send your booking form to: 1st - 2nd June 2019 Irvine, Scotland Sarah Burnett-Moore Binding with a stub, or loose guard, has been around for 92 Battersea High Street centuries. Mainly used for maps and documents in the past, London it is only recently that it has become popular in contemporary SW11 3HP work. United Kingdom
Workshop participants make a small library of templates/ Copies of the brochure and booking forms can be models with various stub constructions for use as future downloaded from: reference. These are a mixture of basic methods and more complex, versatile and decorative techniques. The models www.designerbookbinders.org.uk show how to use a stub on a single section, multiple sections and sections combined with plates or plates only. and
They make use of individual stubs and stubs made from www.societyofbookbinders.com concertinas. Various folding patterns are explained as well as how to attach boards and incorporate endpapers. If time These workshops offer structured, intensive learning from allows a multi section, rounded book will be made. This established teachers and are designed towards a hands-on structure is very adaptable and some of its merits include: approach where students complete a structure or the text block opens flat, all spine styles are accommodated technique following demonstrations from the teacher. whether flat, rounded or rounded and backed, the creation of elegant bindings from single sections, narrow gutter margins The size of each workshop is limited to allow students to no longer disappear in the spine, successfully backing books benefit from individual attention. We hope you are interested with thick paper, attaching plates with no sewing. in this series of workshops and look forward to receiving your booking form. A waiting list is available, please contact: [email protected] Workshops start at 10am and conclude at 5pm each day.
Tutors, stewards and students are actively encouraged to organise a group meal on the Saturday evening, in a nearby pub or local restaurant.
The fee for each workshop is £175, any materials are payable to the tutor on the day.
If there is a technique, method, style of binding, mark making, decoration or construction or a particular tutor you would like to see organised in future workshops please let us know.
Contact Sarah via email:
Registration & Further Information...
These are the 15th series of joint workshops offered by Designer Bookbinders & The Society of Bookbinders.
The programme has been organised by Sarah Burnett-Moore. 032 open day Find out more at: www.designerbookbinders.org.uk
DESIGNER BOOKBINDERS NEWSLETTER NO 184 WINTER 2018
Designer Bookbinders Open Day on some old, interesting books and also encountered some interesting customers, for example, one who wanted a book “In May this year, Designer Bookbinders held an open day at to propose to his girlfriend, which included a place to store the St Bride Foundation, as part of the London Craft Week. the ring.
Visitors were able to watch and try simple bookbinding Eri likes to go against the mainstream and be a bit different. and printing techniques and view DB Now, an exhibition of Needing a partner in crime, she started to work with artist contemporary designed bindings. The Associate Members Danny Flynn and they came up with, in her words, the crazy exhibition took place again, and was won by Pippa Smith with idea of making fine bindings combined with artists work – a a lovely binding of Desert Islands by Walter de la Mare. totally unsaleable book. They created the concept of ‘Little Man’ using a double concertina structure and moving on to Items for sale included a fabulous array of leather, decorated Little Man and his collection of strange friends. The series paper and bookbinding tools from various suppliers. continues with Little Man coming out of the box and watching the world go by. Three excellent demonstrations, described below, were well attended by an interested and varied audience. Eri showed us some wonderful and unusual examples of her work including some stub bindings with a half dowel for the Susan Allix - Making Books spine.
In the first session, Susan described how she creates her She explained that whilst sometimes the contents of her book artists books in three stages – words, images and then the do not fit with the mainstream market, she receives many binding. But first comes the idea. Ideas can be sparked from compliments from fine binders. She likens her work to her anywhere and Susan entertained us with some examples. The love of the music of JS Bach with it’s different and difficult idea for ‘Myth’ came to her from a book about Greek myths, melodies. Of course, fine binding is very time consuming and which she was reading on the beach (with a sketch book). Eri has a process of working on the case at the same time as creating and printing the contents. Describing the first stage – words, Susan showed us ‘Face’, a beautiful round book in a round box where all the words We were able to enjoy seeing more example of Eri’s work contain the word face and ‘Curvatures’ which contains a with several examples on display in the DB Now exhibition. paragraph beginning ‘A Blue Chinese Dressing Gown’ where all the key words start with consecutive letters of the Mark Cockram – Making an Artist Book using a “drum leaf” alphabet. ‘Nonsense and Nonsense’ is a play on words and technique contains page 2309 in a book of no more that 100 pages. ‘Blitz’ was created around a set of war letters which Susan was In an entertaining and creative final session Mark introduced given. us to the “drum leaf” binding, where no sewing is required, a technique based on a binding developed by Timothy Ely. Type is a very important component of Susan’s books, often using examples of hand set, old fashioned type. She First Mark explained how his inspiration comes from everyday sometimes uses home made typography for example, when life, for example, from scraps, things thrown away, street art, she wanted to include the word Ocean and couldn’t find just imagery and buildings. He always carries a sketchbook and the right style of font, she created the letters by cutting up encouraged everyone to do the same. He works directly on jam jar lids. the book as if it is a canvas and enjoys the texture of collage. Mark showed us how to construct the drum leaf book by Turning to the binding, Susan first creates a mock-up to pasting a strip along the edge of the paper to create pairs of decide on factors including layout, number of pages and sections which were then joined to creating the block. style. The binding needs to relate to the original idea and for the words, images and binding to work together making it all Mark provided some great tips that were helpful for both new fit and flow. and more experienced binders, such as how to cut regularly without measuring using a cutting mat. For those without a We were very lucky that Susan bought so many examples of press, he showed us how to use boards (edged with packing her beautiful and unique work including a miniature book in tape to repel glue) and bulldog clips to keep everything a silver case and another book called Tulip, bound in red silk in place while lining the spine. We learnt tips for accurate with leather onlays. Susan told us that she is now working on casing in. We were introduced to “groovy boards”, a thin a book called Invisibility, but we weren’t able to see that one. dowel attached to a board, which fits into the spine gap for pressing. Eri Funazaki – Intricate ways to create unsellable books Using these techniques, Mark was able to finish a unique and In a very engaging talk, Eri described how she started interesting case binding in 45 minutes using only minimal working as a graphic designer in Japan in 1992 when the bookbinding tools.” design process was mostly done by hand. She later worked as a designer and bookbinder for Shepherds, where she worked Jane Watkins masterclasses 033 Find out more at: www.designerbookbinders.org.uk
DESIGNER BOOKBINDERS NEWSLETTER NO 184 WINTER 2018
Designer Bookbinders Masterclasses 2019 of the various techniques and preparations involved when inlaying and onlaying leather designs for bookbinding. He will The Spring 2019 season is now available for booking. explain the reasons behind the use of each method and its relation to the overall design to be executed. Each Masterclass will have a maximum class size of only 6 students, so, early booking is recommended. Payment can be Derek will provide made by cheque or Debit/Credit card. To book places please prepared plaquettes contact Wendy Hood: for students to work on Email [email protected] during the process and Tel: 01225 342793 will guide them through the preliminary stages Terms & conditions and further information: of marking out artwork, www.designerbookbinders.org.uk positioning, cutting and finally applying the March 9-10 Lori Sauer - ‘The Visual Language of decoration. Bookbinding’ Derek works to (To be held at Conway Bindery, Halifax) commission designing and making fine bookbindings This class begins with an overview of visual design, how it from his studio in Bath. affects us and how we use it. A grasp of what makes good He is a Fellow of DB and design is necessary before any of us embark on a creative his bindings are held in project, whether we work in industry or the creative sector. many private and public collections throughout the world. Within bookbinding there are specific Cost: £200 parameters we work Materials Cost: TBA to and each binding begins with a myriad June 8-9 Kathy Abbott – ‘Perfect sewing, rounding and of decisions to make: a backing and spine lining’ text prompts questions about colour, materials (To be held at the St Bride Foundation bindery, London) and structure – which combinations of visual Do you struggle with rounding and backing your books? If and physical elements, so, it’s likely that your problems have started at the sewing suitable to that text, are stage. In this Masterclass, you will learn how to create perfect appropriate and why. sewing, which will enable you to round and back accurately and easily. You will then be shown how to line the spine to Half seminar and half allow for flexible opening. hands-on, the class will take an in depth Kathy served a four-year apprenticeship in bookbinding and look at how creating then gained an HND from the London College of Printing, visual narratives can be followed by a BA (Hons) Bookbinding from Roehampton mapped and approached. Exercises designed to hone and University. She is a partner of Benchmark Bindery, set up in stimulate ideas form the basis for later discussion. Students 2009 with Tracey Rowledge. She teaches at the City Lit and will gain a better understanding of how to channel their vision conducts many workshops across the UK and abroad. She is into intelligent and positive results. a founder member of the group, ‘Tomorrow’s Past’ and is the author of ‘Bookbinding: A step-by-step guide’. Lori is a self-employed binder living and working in Wiltshire. She is the founder of BINDING re:DEFINED, a programme of Cost: £200 workshops focused on contemporary book structures. She is Materials cost: TBA also the current President of Designer Bookbinders.
Cost: £200 Materials cost: TBA
April 27-28 Derek Hood - ‘Leather Inlay and Onlay’
(To be held at the St Bride Foundation bindery, London)
In this workshop Derek will demonstrate and discuss some 034 courses Find out more at: www.designerbookbinders.org.uk
DESIGNER BOOKBINDERS NEWSLETTER NO 184 WINTER 2018 035 Find out more at: www.designerbookbinders.org.uk
DESIGNER BOOKBINDERS NEWSLETTER NO 184 WINTER 2018 036 courses Find out more at: www.designerbookbinders.org.uk
DESIGNER BOOKBINDERS NEWSLETTER NO 184 WINTER 2018 037 Find out more at: www.designerbookbinders.org.uk
DESIGNER BOOKBINDERS NEWSLETTER NO 184 WINTER 2018 038 courses Find out more at: www.designerbookbinders.org.uk
DESIGNER BOOKBINDERS NEWSLETTER NO 184 WINTER 2018 039 Find out more at: www.designerbookbinders.org.uk
DESIGNER BOOKBINDERS NEWSLETTER NO 184 WINTER 2018 40 courses Find out more at: www.designerbookbinders.org.uk
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DESIGNER BOOKBINDERS NEWSLETTER NO 184 WINTER 2018
BINDING re:DEFINED London Centre for Book Arts Lori Sauer Britannia Works, 56 Dace Road Hazelbank, Woodborough Road London E3 2NQ Beechingstoke, Pewsey (+44) 20 8510 9810 Wilktshire SN9 6HJ [email protected] United Kingdom www.londonbookarts.org (+44) 1672 851638 [email protected] Mark Cockram - Studio 5 www.bookbindingworkshops.com First Floor The Mews 46-52 Church Road, Barnes Booklyn London SW13 0DQ 37 Greenpoint Avenue (+44) 208 563 2158 4th Floor [email protected] Brooklyn, NY 11222 USA New South Wales Guild of Craft Bookbinders (+1) 718 383 9621 Room 14, NSW Writers Centre, Callan Park [email protected] Balmain Road, Rozelle www.booklyn.org Sydney NSW Australia Canadian Bookbinders and Book Artists Guild www.nswbookbinders.org 180 Shaw Street, Unit 102 Toronto ON M6J 2W5 New York Center for Book Arts Canada 28 West 27th St, 3rd Flr (+1) 416 581 1071 New York, NY 10001 [email protected] (+1) 212-481-0295 www.cbbag.ca [email protected] www.centerforbookarts.org centro del bel libro ascona Dieter Kläy North Bennett Street School Viale St. Franscini 30 150 North Street, Boston, MA 02109 P.O. Box 2600 (+1) 617-227-0155 CH-6501 Bellinzona [email protected] Schweiz www.nbss.edu (+41) 91 825 11 62 [email protected] Penland School of Crafts www.cbl-ascona.ch PO Box 37 (street address: 67 Doras Trail) Penland, NC 28765 City Lit (+1) 828-765-2359 Keeley Street, Covent Garden [email protected] London WC2B 4BA www.penland.org United Kingdom (+44) 20 7831 7831 Professione Libro [email protected] Via Angelo Del Bon,1 www.citylit.ac.uk 20158 MILANO - I Tel/fax: (+39) 02 3944 5640 Dillington House [email protected] Ilminster, Somerset www.professionelibro.it TA19 9DT United Kingdom San Francisco Center for the Book (+44) 1460 258 648 375 Rhode Island Street [email protected] San Francisco, CA 94103 www.dillington.com (+1) 415-565-0545 [email protected] Guild of Bookworkers www.sfcb.org 521 Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10175 West Dean USA Nr Chichester, West Sussex [email protected] PO18 0QZ www.guildofbookworkers.org (+44) 1243 811301 [email protected] www.westdean.org.uk 42 contact Find out more at: www.designerbookbinders.org.uk
DESIGNER BOOKBINDERS NEWSLETTER NO 184 WINTER 2018
South West London Bookbinding Club Contact Details
We are a small friendly group, who continued from a local President authority bookbinding class. We share the costs, and are Lori Sauer fortunate to have Midori Kunikata-Cockram as our teacher. Hazel Bank Woodborough Rd We meet once a week, on a Tuesday afternoon, for three Beechingstoke, Pewsey hours, in three terms of ten weeks. Wiltshire SN9 6HJ Our current venue is a Salvation Army Hall at World’s United Kingdom End in Chelsea, where we store the equipment, including [email protected] presses and finishing tools. We have space for a few more bookbinders, at all levels. Hon. Treasurer If you are interested in joining us, please do get in touch with Jack London the organiser, at [email protected]. 10 Pattison Road London Fees are £110 per term (30 hours) which includes tuition and NW2 2HH use of equipment, which we think is a bargain, particularly for United Kingdom central London! [email protected]
Designer Bookbinders are pleased to Secretary and Membership Secretary Wendy Hood welcome the following new members: 24 Junction Road Bath Glenn BURTON BA2 3NH Guildables Place United Kingdom Guildables Lane [email protected] Edenbridge Kent TN8 6QU Designer Bookbinders Publications DB Publications Ltd. T: 07788 140015 6 Queen Square E: [email protected] London WC1N 3AT Katrina CARYE United Kingdom 467 Huron Avenue [email protected] Cambridge MA 02138 USA The New Bookbinder T: 00 1 781 454 9697 Designer Bookbinders E: [email protected] 6 Queen Square London Wanda ROBINS WC1N 3AT 53 B Englands Lane United Kingdom London [email protected] NW3 4YD T: 07525 785327 Newsletter Editor and Layout E: [email protected] Troy Moore 92 Battersea High Street Additional Information - For Sale. Battersea London Books in sheets listed below, £10 each. SW11 3HP United Kingdom Collection from Bloomsbury. [email protected]
Breakfast at Tiffany’s Information on DB Lectures Periodic table (2 copies) [email protected] The Somme Songlines Website Contact [email protected] for more information. [email protected] 43 Find out more at: www.designerbookbinders.org.uk
DESIGNER BOOKBINDERS NEWSLETTER NO 184 WINTER 2018 044 Find out more at: www.designerbookbinders.org.uk
DESIGNER BOOKBINDERS NEWSLETTER NO 184 WINTER 2018
Your brilliant book art talk matters
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No less a training kit that’s most beautifully crafted 9 Playhouse Court 62 Southwark Bridge Road We bring you horn, wood handle bookbinding awls, London, SE1 0AT bone, horn folders, plain or carved Email: [email protected] Bone, horn, wood made clasps Phone: 020 7928 2633 Your kind enquiries: [email protected] Website : www.chinocrafts.com
Heated Gilding Roller
The Heated Gilding Roller is a high quality temperature London Centre for Book Arts (LCBA), is an artist run, open controlled silicone covered brass roll with an ergonomic handle access studio providing education programmes for the to enable the comfortable application of real gold foil or leaf, or community and access to resources for artists, designers and other matrices such as hot stamping foils to book edges, book makers. covers, leather or other applications. Supplied with silicone heat protection mat, power controller, instructions & 3 metre heat Our mission is to foster and promote book arts and artist-led resistant cable. CE Tested, and made in UK. publishing in the UK through collaboration, education, and by providing open-access to printing and binding facilities; Specifications: Weight 2.2kg. Roll ~7cm x 4.8cm a space for hands-on experience, knowledge, and sharing Handle length 65cm/Temperature up to 185°C through a skills exchange.
Price £650 Introductory offer + pp London Centre for Book Arts Britannia Works Order online or email 56 Dace Road London E3 2NQ www.edgegilding.co.uk Entrance is opposite Bream St.
[email protected] T: 020 8510 9810 E: [email protected] 045 Find out more at: www.designerbookbinders.org.uk
DESIGNER BOOKBINDERS NEWSLETTER NO 184 WINTER 2018
BINDING re:DEFINED
The 2019 programme for BINDING re:DEFINED is now online. There is a great line-up of international tutors who will be in Wiltshire to share their expertise on a wide range of topics. We hope you can join us.
March The Zhen Xian Bao (Chinese Thread Book) with Lori Sauer
May Scroll in a Box with Claudia Benvestito
June Islamic Paper Making with Radha Pandey and Johan Solberg
September Perfect Measuring, Cutting and Folding with Tine Noreille
November Layer by Layer with Rita Lass
Please visit the website for all the details. www.bookbindingworkshops.com email [email protected] or ring Lori Sauer on 01672 851638
BINDING re:DEFINED aims to inspire a wider appreciation of book structures and how they make an intelligent contribution to the aesthetic of the finished work. The focus of our carefully selected programme remains firmly in the tradition of well crafted pieces that exhibit the best in contemporary design. We are based in Wiltshire’s beautiful Vale of Pewsey and are easily reached by road or rail. esigner ookbinders d b contemporary book arts
DESIGNER BOOKBINDERS NEWSLETTER NO 184 WINTER 2018
Courses for adults in bookbinding, book arts, conservation and calligraphy City Lit Keeley Street Covent Garden WC2B 4BA citylit.ac.uk
[email protected] 0207 492 2700 @CityLitArts
BY APPOINTMENT TO HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN MANUFACTURERS OF LEATHER J. HEWIT & SONS LTD. EDINBURGH
J Hewit & Sons Ltd LEATHER MANUFACTURERS
The 'One-Stop' shop for Fine Leather, Equipment, Tools, Materials & Sundries for all Craft Bookbinding requirements.
Our Fine Leather for Bookbinding range includes:
Alum Tawed Calf & Goat Archival Calf, Bookcalf Chieftain & Pentland Goat Smooth and Embossed Goat and Skiver
12 Nettlehill Road - Houstoun Industrial Estate Livingston - West Lothian - EH54 5DL - Scotland
email - [email protected] tel - +44 (0)1506 444160 fax - +44 (0)1506 437749
Published by Designer Bookbinders, 6 Queen Square, London, WC1N 3AT.