This is a four-day immersive course in traditional bookmaking, focused on the creation of a hand-bound leather journal designed to support reflection, creativity, and long-term personal use. Participants will learn foundational techniques in leatherwork, paper preparation, and hand-sewn binding while exploring the deeper role of books as tools for thinking, remembering, and meaning-making.
Throughout history, handmade books have functioned as extensions of the human mind—places where ideas are tested, emotions are processed, images are born, and understanding takes form over time. Drawing, writing, and collecting thoughts within a self-made book encourages presence, continuity, and self-awareness. Contemporary research in expressive arts and narrative psychology affirms what artists and thinkers have long known: sustained journaling and visual reflection can support mental health, cognitive clarity, and emotional resilience. This course honors both the craft and the contemplative potential of bookmaking.
Participants will design and construct a durable, archival-quality leather journal intended to last a lifetime—an object that becomes a companion for creative inquiry, daily reflection, and personal ritual.
Journal Size: approximately 5” × 7” × 2”
Interior: approximately 260 - 300 pages of mixed archival drawing and writing papers
Location: TBA
This is a four-day immersive course in traditional bookmaking, focused on the creation of a hand-bound leather journal designed to support reflection, creativity, and long-term personal use. Participants will learn foundational techniques in leatherwork, paper preparation, and hand-sewn binding while exploring the deeper role of books as tools for thinking, remembering, and meaning-making.
Throughout history, handmade books have functioned as extensions of the human mind—places where ideas are tested, emotions are processed, images are born, and understanding takes form over time. Drawing, writing, and collecting thoughts within a self-made book encourages presence, continuity, and self-awareness. Contemporary research in expressive arts and narrative psychology affirms what artists and thinkers have long known: sustained journaling and visual reflection can support mental health, cognitive clarity, and emotional resilience. This course honors both the craft and the contemplative potential of bookmaking.
Participants will design and construct a durable, archival-quality leather journal intended to last a lifetime—an object that becomes a companion for creative inquiry, daily reflection, and personal ritual.
Journal Size: approximately 5” × 7” × 2”
Interior: approximately 260 - 300 pages of mixed archival drawing and writing papers
Location: TBA