Workshops & Courses
CBBAG-OVC sponsors and supports workshops and courses to develop and to promote bookbinding and book arts amongst members and interested members of the public.
CBBAG-OV Spring2010 Workshops
Location: All workshops in the Dowson Room at
The Heron Road Community Centre
1480 Heron Road Ottawa
Ontario K1V 6A5
Workshop Registration:
Larry Thompson
Box 574, Merrickville, Ontario
K0G 1N0
Email: studio@greyweathers.com
Phone: (613) 269-3714
Please make cheques payable to "CBBAG-Ottawa Valley" Materials fees to be paid to workshop instructor on day of workshop. (listing also available in pdf)
The Nag Hammadi Codex
Instructor: Christine McNair
Time: Saturday, June 19, 2010 9:00 am — 4:00 pm
Prerequisites: none
Workshop fee: CBBAG members $85, non-members $100
Materials fee: $30
Registration deadline: June 9, 2010
Description: The Nag Hammadi codices take their name from the Egyptian village where in 1945 a clay pot containing thirteen ancient books was discovered. These books are the earliest extant codex bindings ever found - 1800 years old - and were uncovered in remarkably good condition. Students will construct a sympathetic facsimile of the Nag Hammadi codex, and experience the structure and form of ancient bookbinding. The textblock will be bound together with knotted leather tackets on a leather spine piece and covered in boards stiffened by laminates. The book is held closed with leather ties and wrapping bands which are integrated to the cover using a delicate slotting and lacing technique. (see photos)
Future Courses
An introduction to inlay/onlay work
Instructor: Christine McNair
Prerequisites: preferably some experience with leather paring, please indicate.
Description: An introduction to techniques in onlay/inlay work for binding. Students will create sample boards using a variety of different techniques from traditional and design binding. The discussion for the day will include the importance of good technique and sharp tools.
(see photos)
Previous Courses
Bookbinding I
Instructor: Mary McIntyre
Duration: Five full days
Course fee: $400 members/$460 non-members*
Materials fee: $35
Prerequisites: none
This course introduces the variety of tools, materials, sewings and constructions fundamental to hand bookbinding. The course will start with the making of a simple pamphlet and proceed to the binding of two hard cover books. This class prepares participants to explore bookbinding on their own or continue with more advanced studies.
* The non-member fee includes one year's membership in CBBAG. It is to be paid on the first workshop only.
Tacketed Binding
Instructor: Christine McNair
Course fee: $80 members/$90 non-members
Materials fee: $20
Prerequisites: Prior experience hand sewing books is useful but not required.
Description: A one-day workshop where participants will make a small tacketed semi-limp binding. Part of the stationery binding tradition, tacketed bindings hold the sewn bookblock to the cover using parchment tackets that are twisted and laced into a case. Decorative lacing is also sometimes used on the covers. The binding produced in the workshop is based upon a medieval example from Lyon that is also sometimes used as a conservation binding for archival materials. Participants will sew the book block, make their own parchment tackets and lace the covers. (See pictures.)
A Storybook in Mixed Media
Instructor: Holly Dean
Workshop Fee: CBBAG members $160; non-members $200
Materials Fee: $35 ($25 if participant provides own book structure)
Description: Mixed media artist Holly Dean will lead you on a journey to the land of "Once Upon a Time" where you will explore the enjoyable process of layering paint, imagery and text to create an enchanting, if short, storybook.
On Friday evening we will play with words and images to come up with our story theme. There will be ideas and images on hand, although participants are encouraged to come up with their own.
On Saturday we will learn how, when and why to use particular acrylic paints and mediums. The magic of collage, how to put text on the page and how to put it all together will be revealed as well. There will be lots of demonstrations! We will prepare our book structures and decorate each page, artfully and imaginatively telling our stories. There will be samples and ideas for inspiration.
On Sunday afternoon we will make final embellishments to our storybooks and take time to see what each of us has created.
No prior experience in writing, art making or bookbinding is necessary. Bring along a willingness to play and be prepared to have fun! Handouts will be provided and, closer to the class date, a link to an online site with sample Storybooks and warm-up exercises will be provided to those who have registered.
Materials to bring include images from magazines, laser or inkjet prints of photos, story ideas and scissors. Book structures will be available or you can bring your own - no more than 8 pages plus cover is about right and heavy paper or board is best for the page weight.
If you have any art supplies or tools that you would like to use, feel free to bring them along, but it is not a requirement. The materials fee will cover other essentials.
(see photo)
About the Instructor: Once upon a time in the land of Merrickville there lived a quirky artist named Holly Dean. Nestled in her gothic studio, she created paintings, drawings, books and objets d'art inspired by medieval myth and legend...words and images juxtaposed among archeological layers of texture and paint. By some alchemy these visual stories conveyed a sense of both past and present. Selling her works in Merrickville at The Grotto and her own studio, as well as on her website and at art shows throughout the land, Holly developed a following of collectors. She shared her love of creating art and books through teaching.
Holly and her talented partner also created beautiful "Costume Balls" and handmade original mixed media paintings for Cirque du Soleil. She lived artfully ever after…