If you’ve ever been curious about how books are made and wanted to immerse yourself in a piece of local history, this is the event for you.
This book structure combines modern and ancient binding techniques giving an opportunity to explore elements of both. When finished, the structure lies completely flat and also folds back on itself making it useful both as a journal or album as well as an on-the-go sketchbook.
This class will take place in a very special setting: All Saints’ Church, Cambridge. All Saints’ was built in the 1860s to the plans of the famous nineteenth-century architect G.F. Bodley, who worked closely with Arts and Crafts artists such as William Morris and local artists such as Frederick Leach. The simple wooden door opens into a dramatic blast of colour and pattern with almost every surface painted, stencilled or with gilded decoration. All Saints’ is now looked after by the Churches Conservation Trust, a national charity with over 350 churches in its care. 25% of fees will be donated back to the charity.
We will use some of the now very limited stock of beautiful Cockerell marbled papers which have a strong local connection. Douglas Cockerell was one of the country’s most noted Arts and Crafts bookbinders and the brother of Sydney Cockerell, private secretary to William Morris and Director of The Fitzwilliam Museum. The marbling style was developed by the Cockerell family in Letchworth , then Grantchester and finally brought to the Cockerell Marbled Papers studio in Barton where production stopped in 2012.
The class is suitable for complete beginners but is also designed to impart valuable skills whether you are new to bookbinding or have already dabbled!
