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Big River Bindery

Practicing the Book Arts in the Greater Toronto Area

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What’s Happening in the Shop

We’re working hard and having fun in the shop. See some of what we’ve been doing here.

bigriverbindery

There’s still time to sign up for our introducti

There’s still time to sign up for our introduction course. Learn to use the tools and materials and go home with a stack of books you’ve made. See more at our website, link in the bio. #bookarts #bookbinding #pamphlet #accordionbook #torontobookarts

While my friends are in town, we took time off our

While my friends are in town, we took time off our binding to stop at the @fisherlibrary to see some amazing bindings and artists books. Glad to send time with Michael Wilcox and Robert Wu bindings and artists books by Tara Bryan and @marlenemaccallum. #finebinding #bookbinding #artistsbooks #bookarts #librarytour

I had a great time at #gradex110 and seeing the th

I had a great time at #gradex110 and seeing the thesis work by @e.m._harrison. A great collection of books and prints. Go see it this week if you can. At @ocaduniversity through Sunday. #bookarts #printmaking #artistsbooks #letterpress

Trimming down our Romanesque Bindings today. Inste

Trimming down our Romanesque Bindings today. Instead of a plow or guillotine, we’re trimming the books in the boards. Not as easy as we thought at first. #bookbinding #handbookbinding #romanesquebookbinding #trimmingpaper #bookarts #torontobookarts

Some friends came to the shop so we can figure out

Some friends came to the shop so we can figure out the binding methods for Romanesque books. We’ve been reading and exploring, now we’re trying to make our own. #bookbinding #bookarts #historicbooks #romanesquebinding

We had a great meeting of Toronto book artists at

We had a great meeting of Toronto book artists at the TMU Archives and Special Collections tonight. We saw some of the collection before sharing our own work with each other. A fun evening meeting new folks an and catching up with friends. #bookarts #artistsbooks #torontobookarts #printmaking #letterpress #photobooks

While I’ve been working on other things, @e.m._h

While I’ve been working on other things, @e.m._harrison has been making new boxes and sorting the spacing material in the shop. Now my students won’t have to fight over the 24 point ems. #letterpress #leadtype #spacingmaterial #sorting #shopcleaning #bookarts #torontobookarts

Looking for some summer book fun? Our new spring a

Looking for some summer book fun? Our new spring and summer workshops are now on our website. Learn a historic book structure, a fancy but simple binding, try out pop-ups, or just learn the basics. See more on our website, link in the bio. #bookbinding #bookarts #popups #simplifiedbinding, #historicbooks #bookartsworkshop

Back in the shop with more paper repair. Today I’m filling losses in the paper so the pages are whole and stable. More wheat starch and Japanese paper in the day ahead. #paperconservation #bookconservation #japanesepaper #washi

I’ve had a great day at the @thegpag Wayzgoose.

I’ve had a great day at the @thegpag Wayzgoose. Lovely to see all the other binders and artists, and a great crowd looking and buying books and prints. #letterpress #bookarts #wayzgoose #bookbinding

I just packaged some new pressure prints for the G

I just packaged some new pressure prints for the Grimsby Wayzgoose tomorrow. If you’re nearby, come to Grimsby, Ontario and see lots of prints, books, decorated papers, and more. @grimsbylibrary #bookarts #wayzgoose #bookbinding #pressureprints #letterpress #bookfair

I had a great time with my students in the @ustmik

I had a great time with my students in the @ustmikes.ce letterpress class last night. They’re making great prints and having a great time. Can’t wait to see what they print next week. #letterpress #woodtype #leadtype #letterpressposters #printmaking

I’m using some paste paper to cover these boards

I’m using some paste paper to cover these boards for a new workshop I’ll be offering in the shop. I’m going to let these dry for a bit before sewing the book. #bookarts #bookbinding #pastepaper #decoratedpaper #bookcovers #torontobookarts

We’re back at paper repair on this children’s

We’re back at paper repair on this children’s book. Japanese tissue and paste all day long. #bookconservation #bookrepair #paperrepair #japanesepaper #washi #bookarts #torontobookarts

Toronto book artists and bookbinders, join us for

Toronto book artists and bookbinders, join us for this gathering. Open to anyone interested in the book arts. This time we’ll be meeting in the Toronto Metropolitan University Archives & Special Collections.

We’ll be gathering to see and share our favorite or most recent project. It can be a print, book, or whatever you’d like to bring. If you’ve made a photo based work, or have one in your collection, please bring it along.

Open to all to print, bind, or appreciate. Share with friends or colleagues who might be interested.

Hope you’ll join us.

Toronto Metropolitan University Archives & Special Collections.
Room LIB 404, 350 Victoria Street, 4th Floor.
Toronto

Thursday, May 1
6 - 8 pm

Please DM or email bigriverbindery@gmail if you think you can attend. #bookbinding #bookarts #torontoarts #bookartsmeeting

It’s a good day for wet books. I’m having fun

It’s a good day for wet books. I’m having fun at the @cbbagswo and @westernufims workshop on disaster recovery. These discards got a few more hours of life.

Taking apart another volume of this set of childre

Taking apart another volume of this set of children’s books. Taking the spine, covers, and endpapers off gets it ready for spine cleaning. #bookconservation #bookrepair #bookbinding #cuttingupbooks

Now it’s time for some paper repair on this book

Now it’s time for some paper repair on this book. We use Japanese paper and paste to connect together tears in the pages. Bit by bit, it’s coming back together. #paperconservation #bookconservation #bookrepair #japanesepaper #washi #bookarts #torontobookarts

I had a great tour of the Toronto Metropolitan Uni

I had a great tour of the Toronto Metropolitan University School of Graphics Communications Management today. They prepare students for jobs in printing using modern press and prepress equipment. They still have some older letterpress equipment around, but so many printing and binding options. Thanks to Art for the tour. #letterpress #printing #offsetprinting #digitalprinting #torontometropolitanuniversity

Time to clean another spine. This book had the cov

Time to clean another spine. This book had the cover removed and is getting the old paper, cloth, and glue removed from the spine. Letting the layers soak helps speed up the process, but not this quick. #bookconservation #bookrepair #bookbinding #cleaningthespine @cac_accr #bookarts #torontobookarts

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