The Book Restructured:
Wire Edge Binding

The range of books being produced today by artists is truly remarkable. Some diverge wildly from what we recognize as traditional book form, others play with slight variations. Often this break with tradition requires a reevaluation and restructuring of the traditional structures.

If you’re interested in creating a nontraditional book (e.g., a book with thick pages, or a book that is sculptural), the achievement of your goal may require the use of a material or movement not possible with conventional structures. Wire edge hinging grew out of just such a challenge. This binding configuration utilizes a thin metal wire along the hinging edge of each page. The metal wire is exposed at regular intervals creating knotting stations where thread attaches one page to the next. The result is a binding that opens exceptionally well, and gives you the option of producing unusual shapes.

During the two days we will look at various wire-edge structures useful for books, enclosures, and articulated sculpture. You will produce both a simple codex, and an accordion model that forms a tetrahedron. (The tetrahedron model pictured above was made by a student. You can bring your own decorative paper to the workshop, as she did, to customize your tetrahedron.)

All levels of experience are welcome.