I’m in the middle of my studio clean out. It definitely got worse before it got better, but today I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Or at least the floor in some places.
I’m being rather harsh in my clean out, I don’t want to do this again soon. Everything has to earn its space. Especially books. So far I’ve donated 4 bags of books to the library and I’ve got two more boxes of books to donate to the Bay Area Book Artists Sale on Sunday, October 16th.
In my studio I have one of those Ikea bookshelves with the squares to divide books. Above is a photo of one of two squares labelled, “Book Arts How To.” I thought I’d share with you the books that I think are worth keeping in my studio and why.
Most books about Book Arts include the standard bindings, Accordion, Coptic, Pamphlet, etc. In order for me to keep a book in this category, it has to have one or more of the following:
- Unique binding ideas
- The best photos and instructions for a particular binding
- A gallery of book examples with outstanding artists books
Today, the first 5. Note, these are in no particular order of preference. Rather the order they are on my shelf.
Book Art Studio by Stacie Dolin and Amy Lapidow.
The primary reason this book gets to stay? The Limp Paper Binding. A variation on the traditional Limp Vellum Binding. I haven’t tried it yet so the book goes back on my shelf.
re-bound: creating handmade books from recycled and repurposed materials by Jeannine Stein
This book deserves shelf space for the gallery. Here two of my favorites by Elaine Nishizu and Judi Delgado.
Next, Book Arts: Beautiful Bindings for Handmade Books by Mary Kaye Seckler
I keep this book for The Raven’s Foot Binding. It is a fun and unusual binding and well described here.
More Making Books By Hand by Peter and Donna Thomas
While there are instructions about how to make books, this one gets to stay as a catalog of Peter and Donna Thomas’ artwork. Here one of my favorites, The Trout.
Book + Art: Handcrafting Artists’ Books by Dorothy Simpson Krause
This book is unique in that it has Thermal Bindings (bindings created with the use of heat)
And Drumleaf Bindings, bindings created by applying glue to the spine. Neither of which I’ve done, but both of which look interesting and useful.
Next week, the next five.
On a personal note, the wedding in Virginia Beach was wonderful, beautiful, sentimental. We’re still smiling from the joy we shared with Samantha and Jeff.
We also experienced Tropical Storm Hermine which turned out to be stormy enough to create some challenges for the bride and groom but also disappointing after watching all of the weather channel doom and gloom. For fun, Greg and I went to the coast at took some Hermine selfies. Here is my favorite.
~Ginger
Midnight Musings 