I am excited to introduce two sculptural book making retreats – one here in Manitoba with a focus on log books, the other in Telegraph Cove, BC with a focus on driftwood books.
View photographs and read testimonials of previous retreats HERE.
Eco Craft : : September 9 – October 29, 2022
It is with a sense of urgency and a perennial mix of despair and hopefulness that the Manitoba Craft Council presents Eco-Craft, a creative, cross-disciplinary collaboration of artists and scientists striving to address what is arguable the biggest challenge facing our generation: climate change. The rapidly deteriorating environment – the pan-species, world-wide crises that human behaviour patterns have given rise to – needs the sincere and sustained engagement of the craft community and creatives of all stripes.
Quiet Places : : Artist Talk August 11 ~ 6 pm
If you missed the artist talk for Quiet Places you can listen to a recording of myself and Bev Ellis at the Carousel Theatre.
Quiet Places : : Craft Council BC Gallery, Granville Island, BC
August 11 -Septemer 29, 2022
Quiet Places is a collaboration between myself, Bev Ellis (ceramic artist) and Sue Gordon (visual artist) developing links between ceramics, encaustic painting, printmaking and bookbinding. We seek to discover a unified contemporary use of conventional and traditional practice. Our cultural and personal narrative is concerned with the substance of things, the nature of each medium, its structure and feel. We are exploring ideas of containment , wholeness and hope. Rather than despair over the loss of or destruction of the environment (realizing that there is much to be discussed in this regard), we are choosing to celebrate the physical properties and mythical histories to remind viewers of the constant beauty and strength inherent in the world of trees.
Dos Rapporté Binding Workshops
- Workshops temporarily postponed due to COVID – dates TBD
January 22, 23, 2022 10:00 am – 1:00 pm both days
January 29, 30, 2022 10:00 am – 1:00 pm both days
Cost: $150 + $35 materials fee
Dos Rapporté is a contemporary binding designed by Benjamin Elbel of Elbel Libro Bookbinding based in the Netherlands. This unique design has a spine whose edges fold back on themselves, a little bit like a hollow. This allows it to be made off the book and later attached (in French: rapporté). Beyond the fact that the books bound this way open well, this spine construction stands out through its clean, stylish shape, and through the quality of the transition to the boards. If it is well made, the spine and boards end up perfectly level, with a line in between which is neither a score, nor a groove, but something else, something unique, pleasant to the eye and to the touch.
This will be a two day workshop to allow our text blocks and covers to dry under weight for the night. Classes will be taught at my home studio in Winnipeg and will be limited to three participants allowing for plenty of one on one interaction and hands on instruction.
This is an advanced class that requires previous bookbinding experience. Please contact me if you have questions.
Registration can be purchased through my online shop
Coptic End Bands
February 26, 2022 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Cost: $95 + $35 materials fee
Prerequisite: Intro to Bookbinding
End Bands, or head bands are both beautiful and functional. They add strength and can enhance the overall design of a coptic bound book. In this workshop we will prepare wood covers and begin our session by sewing up a book (ability to sew up a book using the two needle coptic method is required). This could be a good opportunity for a refresher on your coptic binding skills! We will then learn the technique of sewing end bands on the head and tail of our books.
Workshop will be held at my home studio and class size will be limited to 5 participants allowing for plenty of one on one interaction and hands on instruction.
Registration can be purchased through my online shop.
March 4 – April 30, 2022
Feast, Famine explores how climate change relates to food: how it’s served, prepared, grown, and distributed. Exhibiting artists investigate the crisis of food production alongside possible solutions, crafted with a thoughtful connection between materials and maker. The works are displayed on a large table in the gallery, an intimate setting that brings to mind packed holiday dinners with extra seats squeezed in, shoulder to shoulder – a dinner party with eleven artists invited to contribute.
Show opens to the public on March 4, 2022 6-8 pm for First Friday to the general public.
Official opening reception will be March 11, 2022 6-9 pm by appointment with timed entry to manage group sizes, contact tracing, etc. Artist, supporters and the general public are welcome. Register here.
