Ah Haa: “HOMETOWN BOUND,” Art of Bookbinding, Opens 2/3!

26 Jan Ah Haa: “HOMETOWN BOUND,” Art of Bookbinding, Opens 2/3!

Bookmaking classes for kids and adults will take place at Ah Haa and in the AAB Stone Building throughout February 2022. More information and registration links can be found at www.ahhaa.org and www.telluridelibrary.org.

HOMETOWN BOUND celebrates its opening on February 3 during Telluride Art’s Art Walk, 5-8 pm. The exhibition runs through February 28, 2022. For additional information or questions, please visit the Ah Haa School’s website at www.ahhaa.org or call 970/728- 3886.

For more on the American Academy of Bookbinding, go here.

Bookbinding artist is Camille Botelino

The tiny town of Telluride hosts a surprising gem: an internationally recognized and widely celebrated bookbinding school.

A program of the Ah Haa School for the Arts, the American Academy of Bookbinding, draws students from all over the world for intensive courses in the art of fine leather binding, book repair, paper conservation, book history, and other related subjects. Books created in the historic 1909 Stone Building on Willow Street (the home of the American Academy of Bookbinding) win international acclaim, and American Academy of Bookbinding (AAB) students and instructors are some of the preeminent book artists in the world.

Yet most people who live in or visit Telluride have no idea what goes on in the Stone Building. Nor do they realize how exciting, creative and unique the process of creating a finely bound book can be. In HOMETOWN BOUND, the February 2022 exhibition in the Daniel Tucker Gallery at the Ah Haa School for the Arts, AAB and Ah Haa takes visitors on a visual adventure to demystify bookbinding.

Finished works and fine bindings by 26 Bookbinding artists will be paired with AAB student class notebook pages and sketches performed by AAB students, allowing visitors an insider’s glimpse into how books get made.

Book artist is Susan Estelle Kwas

Raised cords, inlay, onlay, headcaps, hollow backs, and doublures – these intriguing and mysterious bookbinding concepts are just some of the terms that lead visitors of HOMETOWN BOUND on a treasure hunt throughout the exhibition. Guests will learn about the bookbinding processes, what to look for in a fine binding, and how ideas become a reality as they trace techniques and concepts from notes to books.

“The craftsmanship, creativity, and care that goes into creating these fine bindings are just incredible,” notes Kris Kwasniewski, Ah Haa’s Exhibition Manager, “I don’t think anyone who views this exhibition will look at books quite the same way again.”

Visitors are also invited to vote on their favorite student classroom notebook sketches. The “People’s Choice” award-winning student sketch will be featured on an AAB coffee mug.

All exhibitions in the Daniel Tucker Gallery strive to celebrate creativity, provide value to the community, engage in collaborative partnerships and offer interactive learning opportunities. As such, those interested in bookbinding can sign up for one of the free bookmaking classes that Ah Haa offers in partnership with Wilkinson Public Library.

Book artist is Silia Reike

More about the American Academy of Bookbinding: 

Founded in 1993 as a program of the Ah Haa School for the Arts by Tini Miura, Einen Miura, and Daniel Tucker, the American Academy of Bookbinding is an internationally known, degree-oriented bookbinding school that offers book enthusiasts of all levels the opportunity to initiate and improve their skills in a generous and supportive learning environment.

The Academy conducts intensive courses in the fine art of leather binding, book restoration, repair, preservation practices, and related subjects. The goal of the Academy is to provide a level of excellence in bookbinding education and, for those interested, graduate professional-level binders with the knowledge and skills to produce the highest quality work and the ability to pass on those skills to the next generation.

The Academy is unique in the United States in its ability to offer comprehensive, diploma-granting programs in the study of bookbinding and book preservation, taught by some of the most experienced and highly regarded book artists and conservators in the world.

Many introductory classes are offered for students with little or no experience. Others can further advance their studies and enter a program that culminates with a diploma either in Fine Leather Binding or Integrated Studies. Students can also pursue both tracks.

Training and practice at the American Academy of Bookbinding provides attendees with a level of skill and understanding that ensures quality and confidence in their work and should help to further their careers.

For more information about HOME BOUND and the American Academy of Bookbinding, go to bookbindingacademy.org.