2024 Workshop List

Workshop Description: We will explore the structural properties of woven and interlocked paper through the construction of 3 to 4 non-adhesive binding structures including a multisignature structure sewn on paper straps woven into a slotted paper cover, Carmencho Arregui’s and Hedi Kyle’s “crossed structure” bindings, and Claire VanVliet/Elizabeth Steiner interlocking structures. Paper weaving will also be explored as an ornamental process through the creation of papers woven from strips of colored and decorative papers. Choosing papers, methods of cutting strips,…

Workshop Description: How do those super-creative individuals that come up with new book structures do it? This workshop will help you understand the thought process. We will examine—through demonstration, discussion, and construction—the evolution of “families” of book structures. Evolution of structures will be seen as driven by variation, combination, adaptation, and solution of problems. We will apply these processes, evolving our own families of structures derived from simple structures provided by the instructor. At the end of this workshop you…

Workshop Description: This class is for anyone who has wondered what to put inside their beautiful, yet blank, book and who wants to jumpstart their writing. Through generative writing exercises, students will be exposed to poetic forms such as the monostitch, haiku, haibun, burning haibun, erasure, “six-word memoir,” abecedary, and the lune. There will be time for freewriting, revision, and sharing. We will consider parallels between the poem and the artist’s book and look at how white space functions as…

Workshop Description: This adhesive structure introduces a simple movement to the text block that is activated when the book is opened with the pages forming stepped fore edges that can be used for indexing or to build an image. Individual folios with a center panel serving as the glue seam are attached to the inside cover. The width of this glue seam determines the width of the fore edge steps. One advantage of this structure is that there is no…

Workshop Description: This workshop will explore a variety of options for rubbings to create art for artist’s books, collage art, and cyanotypes. On the first day we will embark on a journey of exploration, experimentation, and discovery, as we apply different rubbing media and surfaces onto a variety of papers and substrates. Several types of surfaces will be explored as well as a variety of tools and materials. On the second day we will briefly explore cyanotype applications as well…

Workshop Description: Have you wondered what to do with that orphaned chopstick or a paintbrush that has seen better days? Are you looking for a technique to offer additional aesthetic variations to a pamphlet binding or even a medieval long stitch structure? This workshop combines the basic Coptic sewing technique with an external spine element. Because the stick/rod does not function as a hinge, it can be tapered, organic, or not perfectly round. Participants will explore a minimum of three…

Workshop Description: The workshop will explore the panel book structure composed of double boards glued to book cloth hinges to form stacked double-sided panels that sit on a small, lidded box to house small objects. Workshop participants will learn how to assemble the structure without access to a nipping press. Various approaches to covering the boards will be demonstrated as well as using a small die-cutting machine to create inlays for board coverings. Materials/equipment to be provided by students: See…

Workshop Description: Embroidering the surface of paper creates an alluringly tactile effect that can enhance any design. During the first half of the workshop, students will experiment with a range of surface design techniques including embroidery by making a series of small panel plaquettes. In the second half of the workshop, students will put these skills to practical use by crafting a decorative Tue-Mouche binding. Developed by Ben Elbel, this binding is constructed with layers of handmade paper, making it…

Workshop Description: This workshop will focus on 2 extraordinary multiple signature book structures. Work with the principles of watermedia surface design in the form of watermedia monotypes, dropped-in watercolor techniques, acrylic ink line symbolism, and collage imagery for development of context in book structures. Focus will be on watercolor monotypes along with surface textures and pattern integration on Masa papers. The monotypes will reflect the concept with additional collage elements and text symbolism. The wooden covers will be designed with…

Workshop Description: We will focus on a unique combination of Collagraph (a form of collage) printmaking, relief block prints, and book structures. Produce printing plates with collage shapes and hot glue to create free flowing designs. Experiment with textures with this unpredictable, intuitive method. The plate designs are very versatile and durable for continued print runs, providing enough prints for two or more books. Design and carve images with little effort on soft rubber material to create relief block prints.…

Workshop Description: Learn to draw! Build confidence or brush up on your skills through drawing and lettering exercises. Learn how to create drawings and add unique drawn letters. These techniques can be used later to enhance your own blank books. We will practice line quality, textures, and how to see and draw objects and various letterforms. Light effects and shading techniques will be studied to give the illusion of form. Most of the work will be done in graphite, but…

Workshop Description: Create cyanotypes; those lovely indigo images made from nature or from film negatives on rusted and tea stained papers resulting in unique pages. Day 1, participants will be learning techniques as well as compiling notes on our experiments. On day 2 participants will finish up the cyanotypes and create simple books from our experiments and notes. This is not particularly a binding course but a page manipulation class. The books created will serve as technique sample books. Materials/equipment…

Workshop Description: All that you need to know about marbling on paper and fabric (silk and cotton). Also we’ll talk about working with metallic paint (on paper) and how to create your own book cloth. We’ll discuss color theory and explore simple (and effective) ways to use the color wheel to create beautiful combinations of colors. The last day students will create their own marbled scarves. The goal is to marble 20-30 sheets of paper and 10 fabrics plus two…

Workshop Description: The secretary box features one large bottom drawer, two recessed diagonal drawers, and three niches within a hatch top opening. The box is entirely covered with marbled fabric, dimensions: 10 inches wide, 7 inches deep, and 6 inches tall. Students will acquire a wide variety of skills that can be applied to bookbinding, box making, and other fine handcrafts. Pietro will provide a wide variety of unique marbled fabric to choose for your box (this is always the…

Workshop Description: We’ll explore at least 10 deceptively simple book arts projects, many of which begin with one sheet of paper transformed into multi-faceted structures, that can become the basis for artist’s books or engaging classroom content. We’ll approach each project with an eye on how to lead others through the steps, helping participants fine tune their teaching approach. Students will leave class with a portfolio of structural models and the reference materials and skills to repeat the projects in…

Workshop Description: The Sewn Board Binding is one of the most versatile and user friendly structures in the book arts field, both for binders and the book’s end users. In this class students will learn the basics the binding, then explore ways to embellish or subvert the structural elements to create something reflective of their artistic vision. Materials/equipment to be provided by students: Basic bench set: See Materials Glossary for definitions and images Materials/equipment to be provided by instructor: Instructor…

Workshop Description: Think back to the last time you picked up a movable card. You moved the mechanism back and forth, soothed and satisfied by the movement. You wished there was a collective noun for movable cards. Well, there is! Join paper engineer Shawn Sheehy in building A SATISFACTION of movable mechanisms that demonstrate a wide range of movement possibilities. All you need is a simple set of hand tools and an interest in engaging with paper mechanics. And to…

Workshop Description: In the 1960’s, Bronx-based Child Guidance Books published a series that exploits a unique mechanical approach to animation: a self-pulling mechanism— integrated into the binding—that causes figures to dance on the page without apparent means. Wouldn’t you like to add this animation strategy to your book artist toolbox? Join paper engineer Shawn Sheehy in building this five-spread workshop model, featuring various applications of this dynamic and versatile mechanism. Lift volumes, create lateral and rotational movement, and more! All…

Workshop Description: Get in touch with the land & printmaking! We’ll start by gathering Northwest native plant cuttings around campus. We’ll then roll on black oil-based ink on the cuttings with a brayer, and hand print on Japanese washi paper with a spoon. Next, watercoloring, signing, and writing the common and botanical names for plant identification. Learn to hand sew your prints together as a paper quilt. Also learn how to print the plant cuttings with an etching press on…

Workshop Description: Solar plate etching is a form of intaglio in which a photosensitive polymer plate is used. A drawing on trace film is placed on the plate which is exposed to light and developed in water. Ink is rubbed into the etched lines and printed onto paper. With monotype, colored inks are applied by brush and brayer on a plexiglass plate. Students will experiment freely with both techniques singly and in combination to achieve interesting hand-pulled prints. Students will…

Workshop Description: Students will make several miniature books with beaded spines. We will cut small pages and fold into signatures. Then a miniature case will be created by covering small boards with decorative paper and book cloth spines. Students will then make several beaded books. We will learn simple macrame using waxed linen thread adding beads in a variety of designs. Book pages will then be tied in with macrame weavings. Optionally, students can add a ribbon for hanging the…

Workshop Description: Botanical printing is an art form that uses the natural pigments in leaves to make beautiful, one-of-akind designs on fabric or paper. In this two day workshop you will explore different types of paper and mordants and learn to add color with natural dyes. You will also get to dip your toes into printing on fabric to create a soft cover for the book you will make on day two. On day two you will learn to embellish…

Workshop Description: In this workshop we will create and use an indigo dye vat, and learn to create beautiful patterns by folding and binding fabric. There are infinite ways to manipulate fabric to create unique designs and everything necessary to try out numerous techniques will be provided. Dip dyeing produces stunning ombre designs with indigo dye and you will also have the opportunity to dye paper of various types and sizes. Several pieces of cotton fabric as well as a…

Workshop Description: Introduction to Artist Books explores a variety of methods and materials that will be used to create a series of artist books. Over the course of 3 days, students will learn and practice different bookbinding structures, the art of Suminagashi paper marbling, and basic block printing techniques. At the end of the workshop students will have created a library of artist books, structure models, and decorated papers to take home for further creation. Materials/equipment to be provided by…

Workshop Description: The woodland journal is rugged enough to take on walks in the woods, and suitably elegant for coffee table display. Its cover features a framed composition of stones and twigs sewn onto a panel using Japanese-inspired techniques. Inside there are two sections which include endpapers with flaps, pockets, and blank pages for sketching, writing, and mounting photos. This wrap-around structure is completely non-adhesive and is easily adapted to different sizes and a variety of book making projects. Materials/equipment…

Workshop Description: If you’ve ever wanted to bind prints, digital photos, or paintings that are on single sheets, we will learn both non-adhesive, folded bindings and sewn bindings. We’ll create a simple album following Hedi Kyle’s crown and Claire Van Vliet’s slash bindings based on concertina folds, which allow pages to be added and removed. On the second day we’ll explore 2 sewn bindings: single page coptic and figure 8 stitch used to create sculptural or hanging books that can…

Workshop Description: The class will be a combination design and bookbinding class. The first day students focus on design. We will study a collection of design examples and sketch thumbnails bringing final designs up to full size. Final designs will be created using scraps of decorative paper adhered to Japanese paper. After designs are complete, we will coat the back side with a polycrylic glaze to protect the fragile paper and prepare it for covering. The second day we will…

Workshop Description: This journal combines Coptic stitch and Cross-stitch in an elegant and stunning binding. The Coptic stitch is a two-needle across the spine sewing, while the Cross stitch is sewn along the binding simultaneously as the Coptic stitches progress to form a complex stitched binding. For this two day class the instructor will provide the pre-cut book board, an assortment of decorative papers (washi or marbled papers) for the cover linings, choices of backcloth for the covers, a choice…

Workshop Description: This 3-dimensional book structure requires the artist to imagine how the book will be experienced in the hands of its viewer – from unlatching the cover, to opening the box by unfolding the hinged panels outward in all directions, and discovering at its center the object in a recessed compartment. Each step requires the viewer’s active participation. Although this structure invites the book to be purely visual, text can be added to any of its components.  In this…

Workshop Description: If you’ve ever wanted to bind prints, digital photos, or paintings that are on single sheets, we will learn both non-adhesive, folded bindings and sewn bindings. We’ll create a simple album following Hedi Kyle’s crown and Claire Van Vliet’s slash bindings based on concertina folds, which allow pages to be added and removed. On the second day we’ll explore 2 sewn bindings: single page coptic and figure 8 stitch used to create sculptural or hanging books that can…

Workshop Description: Solar plate etching is a form of intaglio in which a photosensitive polymer plate is used. A drawing on trace film is placed on the plate which is exposed to light and developed in water. Ink is rubbed into the etched lines and printed onto paper. With monotype, colored inks are applied by brush and brayer on a plexiglass plate. Students will experiment freely with both techniques singly and in combination to achieve interesting hand-pulled prints. Students will…

Workshop Description: Students will make several miniature books with beaded spines. We will cut small pages and fold into signatures. Then a miniature case will be created by covering small boards with decorative paper and book cloth spines. Students will then make several beaded books. We will learn simple macrame using waxed linen thread adding beads in a variety of designs. Book pages will then be tied in with macrame weavings. Optionally, students can add a ribbon for hanging the…

Workshop Description: In this workshop we will create and use an indigo dye vat, and learn to create beautiful patterns by folding and binding fabric. There are infinite ways to manipulate fabric to create unique designs and everything necessary to try out numerous techniques will be provided. Dip dyeing produces stunning ombre designs with indigo dye and you will also have the opportunity to dye paper of various types and sizes. Several pieces of cotton fabric as well as a…

Workshop Description: This class is for anyone who has wondered what to put inside their beautiful, yet blank, book and who wants to jumpstart their writing. Through generative writing exercises, students will be exposed to poetic forms such as the monostitch, haiku, haibun, burning haibun, erasure, “six-word memoir,” abecedary, and the lune. There will be time for freewriting, revision, and sharing. We will consider parallels between the poem and the artist’s book and look at how white space functions as…

Workshop Description: This adhesive structure introduces a simple movement to the text block that is activated when the book is opened with the pages forming stepped fore edges that can be used for indexing or to build an image. Individual folios with a center panel serving as the glue seam are attached to the inside cover. The width of this glue seam determines the width of the fore edge steps. One advantage of this structure is that there is no…

Workshop Description: Have you wondered what to do with that orphaned chopstick or a paintbrush that has seen better days? Are you looking for a technique to offer additional aesthetic variations to a pamphlet binding or even a medieval long stitch structure? This workshop combines the basic Coptic sewing technique with an external spine element. Because the stick/rod does not function as a hinge, it can be tapered, organic, or not perfectly round. Participants will explore a minimum of three…

Workshop Description: The workshop will explore the panel book structure composed of double boards glued to book cloth hinges to form stacked double-sided panels that sit on a small, lidded box to house small objects. Workshop participants will learn how to assemble the structure without access to a nipping press. Various approaches to covering the boards will be demonstrated as well as using a small die-cutting machine to create inlays for board coverings. Materials/equipment to be provided by students: See…

Workshop Description: We will focus on a unique combination of Collagraph (a form of collage) printmaking, relief block prints, and book structures. Produce printing plates with collage shapes and hot glue to create free flowing designs. Experiment with textures with this unpredictable, intuitive method. The plate designs are very versatile and durable for continued print runs, providing enough prints for two or more books. Design and carve images with little effort on soft rubber material to create relief block prints.…

Workshop Description: The woodland journal is rugged enough to take on walks in the woods, and suitably elegant for coffee table display. Its cover features a framed composition of stones and twigs sewn onto a panel using Japanese-inspired techniques. Inside there are two sections which include endpapers with flaps, pockets, and blank pages for sketching, writing, and mounting photos. This wrap-around structure is completely non-adhesive and is easily adapted to different sizes and a variety of book making projects. Materials/equipment…

Workshop Description: We’ll explore at least 10 deceptively simple book arts projects, many of which begin with one sheet of paper transformed into multi-faceted structures, that can become the basis for artist’s books or engaging classroom content. We’ll approach each project with an eye on how to lead others through the steps, helping participants fine tune their teaching approach. Students will leave class with a portfolio of structural models and the reference materials and skills to repeat the projects in…

Workshop Description: Think back to the last time you picked up a movable card. You moved the mechanism back and forth, soothed and satisfied by the movement. You wished there was a collective noun for movable cards. Well, there is! Join paper engineer Shawn Sheehy in building A SATISFACTION of movable mechanisms that demonstrate a wide range of movement possibilities. All you need is a simple set of hand tools and an interest in engaging with paper mechanics. And to…

Workshop Description: Get in touch with the land & printmaking! We’ll start by gathering Northwest native plant cuttings around campus. We’ll then roll on black oil-based ink on the cuttings with a brayer, and hand print on Japanese washi paper with a spoon. Next, watercoloring, signing, and writing the common and botanical names for plant identification. Learn to hand sew your prints together as a paper quilt. Also learn how to print the plant cuttings with an etching press on…

Workshop Description: How do those super-creative individuals that come up with new book structures do it? This workshop will help you understand the thought process. We will examine—through demonstration, discussion, and construction—the evolution of “families” of book structures. Evolution of structures will be seen as driven by variation, combination, adaptation, and solution of problems. We will apply these processes, evolving our own families of structures derived from simple structures provided by the instructor. At the end of this workshop you…

Workshop Description: The class will be a combination design and bookbinding class. The first day students focus on design. We will study a collection of design examples and sketch thumbnails bringing final designs up to full size. Final designs will be created using scraps of decorative paper adhered to Japanese paper. After designs are complete, we will coat the back side with a polycrylic glaze to protect the fragile paper and prepare it for covering. The second day we will…

Workshop Description: Botanical printing is an art form that uses the natural pigments in leaves to make beautiful, one-of-akind designs on fabric or paper. In this two day workshop you will explore different types of paper and mordants and learn to add color with natural dyes. You will also get to dip your toes into printing on fabric to create a soft cover for the book you will make on day two. On day two you will learn to embellish…

Workshop Description: This workshop will explore a variety of options for rubbings to create art for artist’s books, collage art, and cyanotypes. On the first day we will embark on a journey of exploration, experimentation, and discovery, as we apply different rubbing media and surfaces onto a variety of papers and substrates. Several types of surfaces will be explored as well as a variety of tools and materials. On the second day we will briefly explore cyanotype applications as well…

Workshop Description: This journal combines Coptic stitch and Cross-stitch in an elegant and stunning binding. The Coptic stitch is a two-needle across the spine sewing, while the Cross stitch is sewn along the binding simultaneously as the Coptic stitches progress to form a complex stitched binding. For this two day class the instructor will provide the pre-cut book board, an assortment of decorative papers (washi or marbled papers) for the cover linings, choices of backcloth for the covers, a choice…

Workshop Description: This 3-dimensional book structure requires the artist to imagine how the book will be experienced in the hands of its viewer – from unlatching the cover, to opening the box by unfolding the hinged panels outward in all directions, and discovering at its center the object in a recessed compartment. Each step requires the viewer’s active participation. Although this structure invites the book to be purely visual, text can be added to any of its components.  In this…

Workshop Description: If you’ve ever wanted to bind prints, digital photos, or paintings that are on single sheets, we will learn both non-adhesive, folded bindings and sewn bindings. We’ll create a simple album following Hedi Kyle’s crown and Claire Van Vliet’s slash bindings based on concertina folds, which allow pages to be added and removed. On the second day we’ll explore 2 sewn bindings: single page coptic and figure 8 stitch used to create sculptural or hanging books that can…

Workshop Description: Create cyanotypes; those lovely indigo images made from nature or from film negatives on rusted and tea stained papers resulting in unique pages. Day 1, participants will be learning techniques as well as compiling notes on our experiments. On day 2 participants will finish up the cyanotypes and create simple books from our experiments and notes. This is not particularly a binding course but a page manipulation class. The books created will serve as technique sample books. Materials/equipment…

Workshop Description: The secretary box features one large bottom drawer, two recessed diagonal drawers, and three niches within a hatch top opening. The box is entirely covered with marbled fabric, dimensions: 10 inches wide, 7 inches deep, and 6 inches tall. Students will acquire a wide variety of skills that can be applied to bookbinding, box making, and other fine handcrafts. Pietro will provide a wide variety of unique marbled fabric to choose for your box (this is always the…

Workshop Description: The Sewn Board Binding is one of the most versatile and user friendly structures in the book arts field, both for binders and the book’s end users. In this class students will learn the basics the binding, then explore ways to embellish or subvert the structural elements to create something reflective of their artistic vision. Materials/equipment to be provided by students: Basic bench set: See Materials Glossary for definitions and images Materials/equipment to be provided by instructor: Instructor…

Workshop Description: In the 1960’s, Bronx-based Child Guidance Books published a series that exploits a unique mechanical approach to animation: a self-pulling mechanism— integrated into the binding—that causes figures to dance on the page without apparent means. Wouldn’t you like to add this animation strategy to your book artist toolbox? Join paper engineer Shawn Sheehy in building this five-spread workshop model, featuring various applications of this dynamic and versatile mechanism. Lift volumes, create lateral and rotational movement, and more! All…

Workshop Description: We will explore the structural properties of woven and interlocked paper through the construction of 3 to 4 non-adhesive binding structures including a multisignature structure sewn on paper straps woven into a slotted paper cover, Carmencho Arregui’s and Hedi Kyle’s “crossed structure” bindings, and Claire VanVliet/Elizabeth Steiner interlocking structures. Paper weaving will also be explored as an ornamental process through the creation of papers woven from strips of colored and decorative papers. Choosing papers, methods of cutting strips,…

Workshop Description: Embroidering the surface of paper creates an alluringly tactile effect that can enhance any design. During the first half of the workshop, students will experiment with a range of surface design techniques including embroidery by making a series of small panel plaquettes. In the second half of the workshop, students will put these skills to practical use by crafting a decorative Tue-Mouche binding. Developed by Ben Elbel, this binding is constructed with layers of handmade paper, making it…

Workshop Description: Introduction to Artist Books explores a variety of methods and materials that will be used to create a series of artist books. Over the course of 3 days, students will learn and practice different bookbinding structures, the art of Suminagashi paper marbling, and basic block printing techniques. At the end of the workshop students will have created a library of artist books, structure models, and decorated papers to take home for further creation. Materials/equipment to be provided by…

Workshop Description: This workshop will focus on 2 extraordinary multiple signature book structures. Work with the principles of watermedia surface design in the form of watermedia monotypes, dropped-in watercolor techniques, acrylic ink line symbolism, and collage imagery for development of context in book structures. Focus will be on watercolor monotypes along with surface textures and pattern integration on Masa papers. The monotypes will reflect the concept with additional collage elements and text symbolism. The wooden covers will be designed with…

Workshop Description: Learn to draw! Build confidence or brush up on your skills through drawing and lettering exercises. Learn how to create drawings and add unique drawn letters. These techniques can be used later to enhance your own blank books. We will practice line quality, textures, and how to see and draw objects and various letterforms. Light effects and shading techniques will be studied to give the illusion of form. Most of the work will be done in graphite, but…

Workshop Description: All that you need to know about marbling on paper and fabric (silk and cotton). Also we’ll talk about working with metallic paint (on paper) and how to create your own book cloth. We’ll discuss color theory and explore simple (and effective) ways to use the color wheel to create beautiful combinations of colors. The last day students will create their own marbled scarves. The goal is to marble 20-30 sheets of paper and 10 fabrics plus two…