Upcoming workshops in 2015

I will be giving several bookbinding workshops around Ireland in early 2015. These workshops are suitable for all levels – beginners to advanced. Participants will also gain knowledge of how to use book binding tools and the principals of bookbinding including grain direction, gluing and folding tips.

1. Sculptural Books

In this two-day workshop, participants will create a variety of non-traditional book structures including flag books, flexagons, star books and alternative concertina books. Through the craft of bookbinding, we will experiment with different forms that will bring sculptural form to your ideas.

We will start by creating paste papers, one of the oldest forms of decorative paper used by bookbinders. The paste paper will be used for the covers and content of the books.

Dates and venues:

17th & 18th January, 2015
Lorg Printmakers, Galway

2nd & 3rd May, 2015
Graphic Studio Dublin

2. Expandable Books

In this two-day workshop, participants will create a variety of sewn books, which make excellent sketchbooks, journals or artist’s books. Using simple sewing techniques, participants will be encouraged to develop their own distinctive book bindings, ones that can expand and evolve in unexpected ways.

We will make a loop stitch binding: an exposed sewing in which stitches are shown on the book’s spine; a panelled accordion book: a glued structure which is perfect for displaying drawings and other artwork; a dos-à-dos book: a binding where two or more separate books are bound together; and some other alternative book structures.

Date and venue:

28th & 29th March, 2015
Lorg Printmakers, Galway

3. Letterpress & Book Making

Print and bind a small book in this one day workshop. Beginning with an introduction to letterpress printing, each participant will set a short text using metal type and print it on a small table top press with printmaker Mary Punkett. Then you will join me to create your own imagery to accompany the text and bind the pages into a beautiful book.

Date and venue:

9th May, 2015
Creative Spark, Dundalk, Co Louth

If you would like to enroll, please email me at eilis@foldedleaf.ie or enroll directly with the venue.