Rob Borges NMA Binding Class

This spring I attended a hard-cover book binding workshop at the Nevada Museum of Art taught by Rob Borges, a Mills College grad who completed a grad student residency at the Black Rock Press and now runs the Fat Elk Press here in Reno, Nevada.

Binding, block, and "covers"

This is a style of binding I've done before, but the cover system is different consisting of an envelope type front and back cover and a floating spine. Please be aware this is my description of the technique! There may be a better way to explain. The front and back are covered by a folded stiff paper that's been scored and sewn into the binding like a regular signature.

Spine and block together!

The covers are then filled with museum board, map folder, matt board, Davey board - your preferred "hard cover" material. The spine is measured to the book, mine is off by a noticeable 3mm (for shame, Rachel!), covered in book cloth and glued to the cover and text block. The cover papers are then attached.

This is a handsome creation, one I may well make again if I have extra oddly shaped matt board lying around. It is an alternative to the structure relying more heavily on adhesive (on an exposed binding like my December books), book cloth or the binding itself (as with my coptic stitched journal).

Carol Brown of the SMAC!

Carol Brown, a fellow printmaker and book artist, was also in my class! It was a pleasure to see her again, she works at the Saint Mary's Art Center in Virginia City, Nevada which has a beautiful press that I will be lucky to use this summer! Thanks so much to Carol for helping organize that print day!