Bookbinding blog by book artist Katie Gonzalez, of Nashville, showing handmade books in the Coptic binding, Italian Long stitch, Japanese stab binding, Secret Belgian Binding, and French Link Stitch.
It's an exciting time to be an entrepreneur in Nashville, and an event coming up in a few weeks will celebrate all that we've got going on here, as well as helping artists like me to push forward in the new year. I'll be attending the Nashville Creativity Summit, hosted by The Skillery, which includes one day of workshops to empower the creative community, and a second day for those creators to share their skills through hands-on classes across the city.
In advance of the event, The Skillery interviewed me for a write-up on the company blog, which really got me thinking more about how far I've come as an entrepreneur. Here's a little bit of what I had to say:
"... If someone would have told me in college that I'd own my own business one day, I would not have believed them. The whole process just came about so organically. It began with a dream of having a more fulfilling, creative career. I quickly found myself spending hours poring over business blogs, and loving it. I actually enjoy branding, marketing, self-promotion, and product development ... "
This isn't the only time I've been on The Skillery blog lately. I was excited to read a first-hand account of the bookbinding passion that one of my classes inspired. Right before Christmas, I taught a class on binding miniature book ornaments. My student wrote:
"That class, quite unexpectedly, launched a new passion in me. I spent the next few days making books that were slightly less mini, based on Gonzalez's tutelage. Then I set out to learn other binding methods ..."
I feel like The Skillery has come a long way since launching in November 2011 — and so has my business since I came to Nashville. In some ways, these go hand-in-hand. I actually taught the first class that The Skillery ever hosted, and I've happily sold out four more classes since then.
So I'm looking forward to the Nashville Creativity Summit on Feb. 9 and 10. If you're here in town, consider signing up.
What: Nashville Creativity Summit presented by The Skillery
When: Saturday, Feb. 9 and Sunday, Feb. 10
Where: The Emma Bistro, 9 Lea Ave, Nashville, TN 37210; and locations throughout Nashville
Community education classes are starting back up at Watkins College of Art, Design & Film in just a couple of weeks. In addition to my Introduction to Graphic Design and Typography class (which is already full), I'm teaching two different book arts classes this spring that still have some open spots.
The first one is a nine-week intro to book arts course, which will cover the basics of bookmaking, plus lots and lots of different handmade book structures. You'll learn how to make single sheet books, hardcover and softcover pamphlets, multiple variations of accordion books, flag books, star books, photo albums, four different types of books sewn with the Japanese stab binding, an Italian longstitch journal, and more. This class starts in less than two weeks, so be sure to sign up soon!
The second class I'll be teaching is a weekend workshop devoted to the Coptic binding. In just two days, you'll make your own hardcover journal with an exposed spine binding. This workshop isn't until March, so you have a bit more time to sign up.
No previous bookbinding experience is required for either class. To register, please call the Watkins Community Education office at (615) 383-4848 or register online. And the view the complete spring course catalog — for classes like clamshell boxmaking, darkroom photography, printmaking, and stop-motion animation — click here.
Fold, tear, glue, and stitch:
An introduction to book arts
When: Tuesdays, 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.; February 5 – April 2 (9 weeks)
Where: Watkins College, 2298 Rosa Parks Blvd., Nashville
Cost: $205, plus $40 materials fee
Description: Learn the basics of bookmaking and more than a dozen binding styles as you become familiar with the materials, tools, techniques, and vocabulary of handmade books. The course will begin with simple folded structures and build toward intricate and exciting books that can be used as journals, sketchbooks, photo albums, and sculptural displays. Instruction will cover essentials of paper grain, folded signatures, hardcover and softcover books, and binding by hand. The class will also include the opportunity to view and handle a collection of professionally made examples. You’ll leave with an assortment of your own handbound books, and the skills and resources to continue binding at home. All tools and supplies included in materials fee.
Binding handmade journals
When: Saturday, March 2, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., and Sunday, March 3, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Where: Watkins College, 2298 Rosa Parks Blvd., Nashville
Cost: $90, plus $20 materials fee
Description: Learn to bind your own unique and functional book, perfect for journaling or sketching. This two-day workshop will teach the Coptic binding style, which features hard covers, exposed stitching on the spine, and pages that lay completely fl at when open. The Coptic stitch, developed by early Christians in Egypt, remains one of the most popular bookbinding styles. All tools and supplies included in materials fee.
The holiday rush has come and gone, leaving me with a bit of time to refresh, to reorganize, and to do a bit of reading for pleasure. When I returned to Nashville after visting my family for Christmas, I decided to take some time off before diving right back into the studio.
And so I spent the first few days of the new year curled up on my comfy couch with People of the Book by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Geraldine Brooks. The novel was recommended to me by a shopper at an art show this past fall as we chatted about bookbinding.
The novel centers around the journeys of an actual book, the Sarajevo Haggadah, a rare Hebrew illuminated manuscript. The book begins from the perspective of an Australian book conservationist who is hired to work on the book. As she carefully examines the pages and binding of this rare codex, she finds clues — such as wine stains, salt crystals, a piece of a rare butterfly wing, and a white hair— that provide insight into where the book may have traveled and how it was created.
Each chapter of the novel goes into detail about a particular clue, filling in the details of how the insect wing happened to be hidden in the haggadah's binding, or how Kosher wine was spilled on its pages. And while all of these details unfold, the reader also learns of the book's journey, from its creation in Spain, to the story of how it survived the Spanish Inquisition, the rash of books burned by the Nazis, and the bombings in Bosnia. And while People of the Book is a work of fiction with imaginary characters, many of these stories are actually based on the haggadah's remarkable history.
And as a bookbinder, it was also a treat to read a novel that included mentions of linen thread, wheat paste, gold leaf, vellum, and other familiar materials. Yes, this is a little bit nerdy, and perhaps the typical reader wouldn't get quite as much of a kick out of this as I did. But regardless of the fact that the topic was of particular interest to me, this novel was one of the most engaging and enthralling books I've read in several years. It was easy to get caught up in the lives of the characters and their interactions with the haggadah, spanning from 1480 to the present time. The pieces of the story were woven together as carefully as one would create an exquisitely-made handbound book. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good read.
Have any of you read People of the Book? I would love to hear what you thought of it in the comments.
When you have a newspaper reporter for a husband, art shows get covered in a whole new way. We just wrapped up Porter Flea a few hours ago, and he was still so motivated after an incredible show that he went ahead and compiled Instagrams and tweets from the artists and shoppers who attended and we're sharing them below.
He used Storify, which is a really convenient tool for crowdsourcing and compiling social media when lots of people come together in one place — and especially when those people are snapping tons of photos and tweeting their thoughts.
Porter Flea Holiday Market has finally arrived — 11 to 6 on Saturday — capping off a great wave of positive publicity in recent weeks, including a handful of features that included photos and write-ups of my handmade books.
Nashville's newest magazine, Native, got things started with a photoshoot of Porter Flea artisan items. For the photos, I brought my books to Moonbase, which is a quirky collaborative work space inside one of Nashville's coolest renovated buildings, Marathon Village, which once was an auto manufacturing plant (pre-1920s). That's also where Porter Flea will take place.
As you can see, three of my little red suede books, with vintage map pages, made it into the magazine.
It wasn't long before my books appeared in three other magazines, starting with Nashville Lifestyles, which kindly described each of my custom books as "an honest-to-goodness work of art." So kind of them.
Amid all of my busy preparations for Porter Flea, I have also been teaching, which caught the attention of another of Nashville's magazines, The East Nashvillian, which featured my handmade book ornament class in its December issue.
In mid-November, The City Paper published a feature story, "A better brand of Flea," in which I helped to explain what has made Porter Flea such a unique and successful show:
"Unlike most other craft fairs," I told the paper, "Porter Flea includes a strong showing from male artists, bringing diversity to the show with handmade wood furniture, letterpress posters, screen-printed T-shirts, and leather goods."
My husband and I have spoken often about the particular flair of the Flea, and diversity of talents is really one of its strongest attributes. I'll be excited to see some of the new participants on Saturday.
It was also a welcome surprise to see Porter Flea noticed beyond Nashville. Southern Living was "buzzing" about the event on their website and posted a link to my shop, among others.
The popularity of the show has given its organizers a chance to put the spotlight on local artists. It's been great to be a part of the positive energy. We've got great momentum, at just the right time.
That's right, this Nashville indie craft show is so popular that a line forms for the 11 a.m. opening. And once it starts, this show has a pulse like no other that I've done. Hosted in Marathon Music Works, a recently renovated concert venue, the show gets all of the little details just right: the music, the food trucks and coffee treats, and, of course, a great mix of artists.
This year's vendor list includes specialists in vintage glasses, handmade furniture, printmaking, awesome lighting design, and one of my husband's personal favorites — Thump Trunks, these great suitcases converted into boombox stereos. Oh! And I can't forget to mention that a great ceramics artist, Anderson Bailey, will be taking part for the first time.
It's the best show around and we love the venue. And, just two years in, Porter Flea has begun to get some good press. In the past month, the show and my work got mentions in a Nashville City Paper story, in Native Magazine and in Nashville Lifestyles. The Nashville Scene named it the city's "best artisan market." Not bad at all for a show that got its start in July 2011.
I'm working hard to prepare a great new line of leather journals and handbound book Christmas ornaments for what will be my third Porter Flea. To see more great photos and read about the previous shows, you can follow these links:
I've been to the store frequently in the past few weeks, including to deliver 20 of my newest handmade leather and suede journals. This line of journals ranges from the bright and colorful (you know me) but also includes books that are more rugged and earthy, including some with pages salvaged from old books and an especially awesome Handy Map of Nashville map book — which, unfortunately, became something of a collector's item after Handy Maps discontinued last year.
But Parnassus is going strong. My husband and I attended the store's one-year birthday party last week and heard some of the most uplifting "thank you" remarks we've ever heard, by both co-owners, Karen Hayes and Ann Patchett. My husband was especially excited to hear Patchett speaking of the resilience of her little independent bookstore. "Amazon and algorithms," will never put Parnassus out of business, she told the crowd.
Really, the store has received such acclaim this year, that I'm just happy my work can be a part of all the good vibrations. And we've also done quite a bit of Christmas shopping there. Plenty of good gifts to be found there — my books included!
Yesterday was the second annual Handmade & Bound book arts and zine festival in Nashville, and it proved to be just as inspiring as the inaugural event. I took a moment today to look back at my review of the festival from last year, and it helped me realize that I've become closely connected to the city's book arts community.
Back then, I had just to moved to the city and was still wondering what a book arts festival would even look like. This time around, I literally saw dozens of familiar faces, including students I've taught, bookbinding friends, and even some strangers who knew all about my work. We're not strangers anymore, and Handmade & Bound is the reason. There's such an energy to the festival. I found myself buying other artists books and getting inspired all over again.
And be sure to check out the 2-minute video at the bottom. You can hear from some of the festival organizers and take a sneak peek at letterpress printing and bookbinding in action.
I'm partnering with The Skillery once again to teach a neat mini-workshop on October 20. It's part of a full day of hour-long classes, with topics ranging from juggling (taught by my husband!) to making terrariums with succulents.
There's still plenty of time to register for my Japanese stab binding class, or any other class that intrigues you. Hope to see you on the 20th!
Bookbinding: Make four fast books
When: Saturday, October 20; 3 - 3:50 p.m.
Where: The Offices of Emma, 9 Lea Ave., Nashville
Cost: $10
Description: This introduction to bookbinding will teach you how to create four small softcover notebooks — all in 50 minutes. You'll learn variations of the traditional Japanese Stab Binding and the basic techniques of bookbinding, including tearing paper by hand, working with sewing templates, and stitching decorative patterns. We will be using high-quality handmade and decorative papers for the covers of the books and colorful waxed linen thread for the binding. You will leave the class with multiple pocket-sized notebooks, and the skills to create more handbound books in the future. The class will also include an introduction to the world of handmade books, and the opportunity to view and handle a collection of professionally made examples.
Picture this: a little table at your wedding that holds a Polaroid camera and your guest book. Your best friends and family members snag the camera, take awesome photos, and immediately mount them into the book and write messages to mark the day.
This particular book was made just for that purpose. I've found that more and more brides are opting for something a besides a traditional book with lined pages in which guests merely sign their names. Rather, a book with more space for guests to leave messages and plenty of room for photos leads to a more meaningful keepsake, and one that's more likely to be treasured and enjoyed long after the festivities are over.
Another exciting thing to note about this book is that it was just featured in Nashville Lifestyles Weddings magazine among their round-up of "lovely local details." The most recent issue is on newsstands now, so if you're in the Nashville area pick up a copy and check out all of the local talent in our city.
Aside from binding books and scoring magazine features (this is my second one of the year; check out the first one here), I've been busy applying to art shows, planning new classes, and filling my Etsy shop to the brim.
Be sure to take a peek at my latest e-newsletter to find out about all the exciting events I have coming up this fall. (You can sign up for my mailing list to ensure that you'll never miss out on my beautiful, informative e-mails packed with gorgeous photos.) My busy season is starting off with the Handmade & Bound book arts festival this weekend. I hope to see you there!
linenlaid&felt
Handmade Books by Katie Gonzalez
Handmade books and bookbinding classes by Nashville artist Katie Gonzalez. This website for linenlaid&felt handmade books showcases her handbound journals, sketchbooks, photo albums, wedding guest books, and baby books. Katie Gonzalez studied book arts in Cortona, Italy, teaches book binding in Nashville, and sells her work through Etsy online, at Parnassus Books in Nashville, and at regional art shows such as Porter Flea and Handmade and Bound in Nashville, Tennessee.
