Bound by Love

In the June '04 issue of Walrus Magazine Ethan Gilsdorf has written an interesting article about bookbinding and the attempts that are being made to save this dying art (is it dying? some people would disagree). It's a fascinating article, and there are some lovely pictures showing the time-consuming step-by-step process involved in repairing a rare book. But I am very disappointed that either Mr. Gilsdorf or the editors at Walrus felt it only necessary to focus on this french bookbinder Edwidge Birlouez and her school Les Ateliers d'Or, which is apparently the only French institution soley devoted to vocational training in bookbinding. It would have been nice if the article at least mentioned The Canadian Bookbinders and Book Artists Guild, otherwise known very fondly as CBBAG, found right here in Toronto.

So I will mention CBBAG. The goals of CBBAG are as follows:

To create a spirit of community among hand workers in the book arts and with those who love books;

To promote greater public awareness of the book arts;

To increase educational opportunities and foster excellence through exhibitions, workshops, lectures, and publications.

It's a wonderful group of talented, enthusiastic book-loving people who want to share their passion and knowledge in the book arts. There are a wide variety of workshops, and not just in bookbinding; there are courses in box making, paper making and decorating, letterpress printing and paper conservation, all taught by experts in their various fields.

The scan you see (sorry, don't have a digital camera yet) are two books I made in the Bookbinding I course, which I took part in last year. I learned a great deal, made some wonderful new friends, and can't wait to take new courses as soon as possible. CBBAG now even provides a Home Study Program for those not able to attend the classes, or for those who want some great video reference to refer to whenever the need arises.

So there you go. Wonderful people saving and cherishing the dying art of bookbinding right in our own city. Could have saved yourself the trip to France, Walrus.

Comments

[michele]

In that Walrus article Ethan Gilsdorf stated that the mindset, which was defined as a devotion, required of a bookbinder is as "important to preserve as the techniques."
You seem to concur by stating that CBBAG has a "wonderful group of talented, enthusiastic book-loving people who want to share their passion and knowledge in the book arts."

So, do you think this mindset and passion can motivate deeper public appreciation? I certainly hope so.

postscript: the books you did look so elegant - very nice.

[patricia]

Yes, I think this mindset can motivate deeper public appreciation, but some deeper support from the media couldn't hurt the cause either....

Thank you for the kind words re: my books. It was a lot of work, but well worth it. A true labour of love.

[M Harbert]

This is great website thanks for sharing it.
http://www.aboutbookbinding.com