July Musings and Newsings from Tamsin at Barefoot Bindery 

Hello there, I hope you are enjoying the summer and have the opportunity to spend time with loved ones?

It seems that every time I visit my Mum these days I find more mementos from childhood. This little treasure is a homemade bookmark that I am certain my Gran helped me to make. Gran was a dab hand with the pinking shears and we always knew which birthday or Christmas presents were from her because of the zaggedy-edge gift labels she would make from used greetings cards. 

Finding this has made me feel so grateful to these women, both of whom filled my childhood with books and creativity and a sense of resourcefulness.

Gran was the first person to show me how to repair books, back in the 1970's. Using a magical cloth-backed adhesive tape, she would fix the broken spines of the "The Book of Common Prayer" from the uniform rows in the low pew-back bookshelves at our church. Thinking of it now, I can smell the special musty fusty-ness of the books, feel the stretchy sticky-ness of the tape and hear the crunch of her scissors cutting it. I have those scissors in my Bindery Studio now. If you like I will show them to you if you visit! I will also show you Gran's own tiny copy of  "the Book of Common Prayer" given to her in 1931 and bearing the tiniest stitches that evidence an attempt to sew it back together at some time. 

Here's a picture of little me with Gran picnicking circa 1974.

This train of thought led me to review the other "grandmothers" who have helped me along my bibliophile's journey and self-directed bookbinding apprenticeship.

(Please feel free to scroll through this chapter of nostalgia to get to the juicy news about workshops and events further down!)

I have always made books; from miniature "Fairy Books" for my little sister, through DIY notebooks and self published pamphlets using a stapler, through to the first "properly" bound sketchbooks I learned to make during my Art and Design Foundation course at The Kent Institute of Art and Design (now part of the University for the Creative Arts) in the early 2000's. I count "Jane", my then tutor as my first bookbinding teacher. After that my interest in the book as an art media/object was fuelled by the granddaddy of Printmaking and Artists Books David Ferry, Head of Printmaking at WInchester School of Art. Rachel Hazell, aka the travelling bookbinder, with her poetic aesthetic, passion for sharing the love of paper and joy in making books, has been a key influence. (Rachel is pictured below at her event "A Map of My Heart" in Utrecht in 2017.)

The internet is an incredible resource and I have found excellent instructions from many book crafts people and bookbinders there over the years. Jennifer Bates aka Sea Lemon publishes very comprehensive and accessible videos on You Tube.

When I first moved to Salisbury in around 2006, I was hugely excited to see a sign in a craft shop window saying "BOOK MAKING CLASSES!" I marched in to enquire about these classes to find out what the sign really meant was to hurry up and book your places on crafting classes. Disappointed but undaunted I searched for other bookbinding classes and found Lori Sauer's classes in Harnham and got myself added to the wait list for a place. I have studied with Lori for a number of years now, including a recent Perfect Measuring masterclass with Tine Noreille hosted by Lori at her bindery.

I could go on and on about other bookbinding teachers and classes I have benefitted from, but my real point is that I feel grateful to ALL my grandmothers. We all start somewhere, whatever our field, finding the teachers we need as our interests and passions grow, and we all stand on the shoulders of giants!

The juicy bit - news and events!

Exhibitions:

I currently have Book Art pieces in 2 exhibitions. First, there is still time to see "One Ash - Wish" and "One Ash - Scroll" at Chapel Arts Studios in Andover within the exhibition "One Ash - an anthology" until 23rd July. This inspiring show is the culmination of a 2 year project with Andover Trees United.

I am also delighted to be exhibiting my Artist's Book made using a found inner tube," A Binding - Black and White", and a small edition of upcycled notebooks, at Fisherton Mill in the "Recreate" exhibition running now until 13th August

Connected to this exhibition are my Upcycled Bookbinding Workshops. On 16th July 8 intrepid participants will learn how to create quirky notebooks using the covers from discarded books with the Coptic stitch. This workshop is fully booked but there are still places available for "Scrap-paper Sketchbook" on 30th July when you can learn how to turn the contents of your recycling bin into useful and unique journals.

Out and About!:

I am busily preparing for Wessex Country Fair at Wilton House on  Saturday 6th August, where I am taking Barefoot Bindery to meet lots of lovely people. This event is the main fundraiser for Salisbury Hospice and this year it looks to be epic with live music until 9pm. This is the only outside event planned for Barefoot Bindery this year. DO come and say hello and maybe have a go at the mini project I will be sharing live on the day!

Second Sundays Andover 

This is a lovely new curated artisan market on the second Sunday each month in Andover 10-4 (the clue is in the name right?!) On Sunday 13th August I will be hosting a free pop up printmaking shop where you will be able to print a choice of relief printing blocks. So if you are free that Sunday why not pop along to my pop up and enjoy the artsy atmosphere and some amazing street food!

Creative Workshops

Time to plan ahead for the Summer holidays!

This August I am hosting some lovely creative opportunities. First up is a Story Scroll workshop for families 10.30-12.20 on Saturday 13th August. This project offers plenty of opportunity for creative play and expressive inventiveness! That afternoon 13:30-15:30 it is the grown ups' turn to make a Driftwood Scroll based on the snippet roll technique. A perfect souvenir or personal gift.

I have been impressively organised and scheduled my workshop programme through to December. If you are curious, why not take a look on my Eventbrite page?