Chapter, Guild of Book Workers

E-mail: dvcgbw@gmail.com

Philadelphia, PA 19107

Library Company

Delaware Valley
Jennifer Rosner
1314 Locust St
Newsletter, Winter 2019
FROM THE CHAPTER CHAIR
Hello Everyone,
As you know, we are hosting the GBW Stand-
ards of Excellence Seminar October 24-26 of
this year. We have set up a separate commit-
tee to work on the many details of the seminar
and one of our first tasks was to make a logo.
Years ago, Val Kremser designed a really great
logo for our chapter so we decided to spruce
that one up and add some wording. Sounds
simple, right? It seems to me that things like
this are always easier said than done. But af-
ter several permutations we have an awesome
logo ready to go! Hope you enjoy the preview.
Since we are such an active chapter, it seems
right that we would have an exhibition of
some sort during Standards. This time the
topic will be children’s books. We chose this
topic hoping to get as much participation as
possible. Pretty much anything goes. You can
create a book; restore a book, bind a copy in a
unique way or in a fine binding; you can alter
a book, or you can make two-dimensional art
based on a children’s book. I hope you will
consider participating in this fun exhibition!
Jennifer Rosner

¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ INSIDE THIS ISSUE

6 Questions.............................. 2-3
Encyclopedia Britannica Project
................................................. 4-5
Valentine Mail Art ................... 6
My Favorite Tool ..................... 7
PLEASE

Annual Report ......................... 8-9

STAMP
PLACE
HERE

Brien Beidler Workshop ..........10-13

Member News .........................14-15
Page 2 Page 15

DELAWARE VALLEY 6 QUESTIONS— Puppets, It Didn’t Just Happen, Out There In Here are included
CHAPTER, GUILD OF BOOK JENNIFER ROSNER in Page by Page: Contemporary Artist’s Books, March 5—
WORKERS April 20, 2019. The exhibit offers visitors the chance to discover
The Guild of Book Workers pro- what truly makes an artist’s book — intent. This exhibition brings
motes interest in and awareness of 1. How long have you been a the engaging world of book arts to the Hudgens Center for the
the tradition of the book and paper member of the GBW? I am
arts by maintaining high standards
Arts, Duluth, GA.
of workmanship, hosting education- pretty sure I became a member
al opportunities, and sponsoring not long after graduating from Emily is teaching a workshop, Composing At the Press, for Maine
exhibits. college, maybe 1978 or 1979? Media Workshops, August 4-10, 2019. Using a Vandercook proof
The Delaware Valley Chapter–one press with magnet and Boxcar bases it is possible to print in a
of ten chapters in the US–is located 2. Where are you from origi-
in the Pennsylvania, New Jersey spontaneous manner composing the image as you print. Stainless
and Delaware tri-state area with nally? I am from Syracuse, steel wire combined with various sticky backed foams can be cut
activities centered in Philadelphia. New York, where it snows like and manipulated to make shapes and lines quickly and can be al-
Our diverse membership includes crazy all winter. I laugh at the tered as needed. The emphasis will be on experimentation and
book artists, book conservators, fine
binders, calligraphers, librarians, chaos that snow causes here in variation rather than on specific end products.
paper marblers, teachers, photogra- Philadelphia. http://www.emilymartin.com
phers, printmakers, and graphic
designers. 3. When did you realize you Maria Pisano has work in the exhibit:
The Delaware Valley Chapter of- wanted to learn bookbinding?
fers a newsletter, workshops, lec- Line and Form – Frontline Arts 45th Members’ Exhibition –
tures, exhibition opportunities, When I was looking to transfer Branchburg, NJ Feb. 12- March 29, 2019
tours, and social events. Member- to an art school, I saw that and is presenting a workshop at Center for Book Arts
ship is open to all interested persons Philadelphia College of Art Carousel Books – March 16-17, 2019
and includes professionals, ama-
teurs, and students. Our website is: (now University of the Arts) https://centerforbookarts.org/learn/course-list/
https://dvc-gbw.org/ offered bookbinding. I really,
really wanted to take that class Rosae Reeder will be having a show at the University of the
Chapter Officers and felt at that moment that no Arts 6th Floor Gallery March 1 through April 4, 2019.
Jennifer Rosner other college was of any inter-
Chapter Chair est to me. I transferred, took Learn, Make, Teach, Repeat
Alice Austin the class and loved it. I still
Vice Chair Learn
Lisa Scarpello have the first book that I
transitive verb
Treasurer bound. 1: to gain knowledge or understanding of or skill in by study,
Rosae Reeder
Secretary 4. What is your favorite book instruction, or experience.
Denise Carbone structure these days? I love the
Workshop Coordinator
limp vellum structure and I The work in this show is the culmination of many hours of
Ruth Scott Blackson study, instruction and experience. Models made from taking
Kristin Balmer often make books like this with
Exhibition Co-chairs
various workshops in bookmaking culminate in a wide range
heavy handmade paper. I don’t
Valeria Kremser of book structure, texture, and topic. The knowledge gained
use it often for my job, but ra- from making these structures has informed my work in many
Webmaster
Jackie Manni ther for creative projects. They ways. In this exhibition, you will see a selections of works creat-
Newsletter Editor are so fast and satisfying. ed while being inspired by the act of learning, making, teaching
Karen Lightner
Newsletter Designer and repeating.
Page 14 Page 3
MEMBER NEWS

Karen Hanmer offers workshops and private instruc-

tion to working practitioners and dedicated hobbyists, fo-
cusing on a solid foundation in traditional binding skills.
April 5-7 | The Simplified Binding
May 2-5 | Medieval Girdle book covered in velvet
May 30-31 | Forwarding Basics
June 1-2 | Basic Leather Working for Bookbinding
July 31-August 4 | Leather Binding Fundamentals I
July 31-August 5 | Advanced Leather Binding: Fine Binding
September 14-15 | Variations on the Sewn Boards and
Drum Leaf Bindings
Details and registration information:
http://www.karenhanmer.com/teaching/

Andrea Krupp is exhibiting a series of drawings and

visual poems from her Fellowship at Ballinglen Arts Foun-
dation in Ireland at the Cerulean Arts Gallery.
www.andreakrupp.com

Yes, that is a spinning wheel in my studio! I use my comfortable, well-

lit room to explore both the book and fiber arts.

5. What are you working on week I got my job at the Library

right now? I love traditional Company: the first week of
bookbinding and I really en- February, 1980. That’s a long
joyed the workshop we had last time ago, but I have stuck with
summer on pre-industrial fin- both of them! I always wonder
ishing with Brien Beidler. He what my horoscope said that
did a marvelous job of demysti- week…..
Emily Martin’s artist book Desdemona In Her Own fying something that I have al-
Words is included in the exhibit Open Sesame! The ways found so difficult. I have
Magic of Artist’s Books Revealed, (March 1,- July 9, bound a couple books that are
2019), a major look into the special world of Artist’s Books. ready for tooling. I hope to get
Bainbridge Island Museum of Art, Bainbridge Island, WA.
to that sometime soon.
You can view a stop motion animation at https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfGtKQ-780s 6. Tell us something about
yourself that might surprise
Emily’s three artist books King Leer: A Tragedy in Five us. I met my husband the same
Page 4
ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA PROJECT
By Kristin Balmer
The DVC was given a 29 volume set of Encyclopedia Britannica
(Eleventh edition, 1910) and we were invited to “do whatever you
want with it.” Participants responded in different ways, depending
on their inspiration. Some responded to the information included
in their chosen volume, using subject matter explained within as a
jumping off point. Some chose to repurpose the materials of their
volume. Others explored and deconstructed the idea of Encyclope-
dia itself. A few combined ideas, creating exciting books. Check it
out! https://dvc-gbw.org/encyclopedia-britannica-project/
Cube by Jennifer Rosner
Steel Construction 1911 by
Thomas Parker Williams
Page 13
on blotter paper before doing the real thing. We tried on
goatskin and calfskin. Goatskin was easier to tool and gives
a nice impression, however the calfskin is slipperier (and
easier to burn) but a quicker clean up. We all found that the
temperature of our tool was key. Brien explained that you
wanted to hear a slight hiss; too hot a tool would burn the
leather. It is a constant balance
of tool temperature, correct
leather preparation, and a steady
hand. Brien also encouraged us
to use some finishing wheels
since we would be using these
when gold tooling our spine. We
all used a strip of blotter paper
the exact measurement of our
leather spines to sketch out our
final design. Once we were happy with the design, we began
the preparation of the spine and let the gold tooling com-
mence. I must say, this was a little nerve wracking but we
all gave it a go. There really were some spectacular and
beautiful spine designs in our class. At the end of the class
when we were all admiring our work, class participant Re-
becca Gilbert aptly said, "Wow! I have a lot more sympathy
for the gilders on some of those books we used to see in the
stacks. We used to be so critical of them and the mistakes
they made. Not anymore!" It is not easy to keep the wheels
straight, the patterns spaced correctly, and have everything
fit on the spine. But that also is the charm of the hand-
made piece, and when you glance at the spines, they all look
beautiful anyway.
Lastly, we have Brien to thank for his perseverance, humor,
and passion for the tool making and gold tooling process.
THANK YOU so much Brien!!!!
If you want to know more
about Brien and the work
he does, view his website
at www.beidlermade.com.
You can also follow him on
Instagram @bhbeidler
where he posts a lot of his
work.
Page 12 Page 5

of milk or half and half; the protein in the milk helps the glair not
to froth. Next, vigorously whisk the mixture, strain through a
window mesh, and let sit overnight. I asked Brien how long the
glair lasts, expecting him to say a few weeks. However, he men-
tioned that he has some in his refrigerator that he made in Sep-
tember, and it is still good. The acidic vinegar acts as a preserva-
tive. Brien much prefers this process over using the synthetic
glair. It is cheaper, and he likes to stay true to the historic hand-
made process. I was definitely persuaded to use this method in Apples by Christopher A.
the future. Brown

Day Two:
After the previous day of tool making, the group was raring to go
for the next part of this workshop: the GOLD. For the trade-style
gold tooling Brien supplied us with gold leaf, cotton balls, paste
wash, glair (made the previous day), Vaseline, gold rubber, light-
er fluid, and water. We also needed a gilding pad, gilding knife,
heating element, the finishing tools that
we made on day 1, and a cotton pad.

Brien was really great at demonstrating Encyclopedia Britannica Project

all the steps for this tooling technique.
His abbreviated version:

Apply paste wash to leather

Apply egg glair to leather
Apply egg glair to leather again
Thin layer of grease (like Vaseline)
Lay down gold
Tool Lepidoptera 471 by Adrienne Stalek
Clear excess gold away
Marvel at what you hath wrought, or
cry out in despair

Before tooling a leather spine that Brien kindly prepared for us,
the early part of the day was focused on the prep (see notes
above). Focusing on how to use these new materials and process-
es was key. Brien expressed the goal was ‘expediency and neat-
ness’. We practiced using the gold leaf with our newly made tools
on small scraps of leather.

Brien showed us how to hold our tools correctly, and we practiced

Page 6 Page 11
VALENTINE MAIL ART for their tools. This process involved drilling a dowel and then
By Jackie Manni soaking it in water for a number of hours. The hole we drilled
In her book Reading Like a Writer, Francine Prose described the varied (using hand drills) was slightly smaller than our piece of square
forms a novel can take as a "difference that will remind you of how many stock brass that
rooms there are in the house of art.” She was talking about literature, but I would go into the
couldn't help but apply this aphorism to our Valentine Mail Art project. hole. The brass
Such visionary Valentine variety! Paper, metal, plastic, paint, ink. Struc-
tures large and small, and everything in between. Folded cards, postcards, stock we used was
ornaments, photographs, and books. Weaving, sewing, pasting. I was de- 1/4" and cut to 3"
lighted for days as I opened and viewed the love and art that made it's way in length. The next
to me through the postal system. I am so happy to belong to the amazing step was to shape
home with so many rooms that is the Delaware Valley Guild of Book
Workers — on Valentine's Day, and every day!
the shank of our
brass stock which
Many thanks to everyone who participated: Kristin Balmer, James Engel- involved holding
bart, Carolyn Hakes, Andrew Huot, Shannon Kerner, Becky Koch, Val
Kremser, Karen Lightner, Jacqueline Manni, Emily Martin, Melanie the brass stock in
Mowinski, Rosae Reeder, Jennifer Rosner, Lisa Scarpello, Eriko a vice and using a
Takahashi, Heather Turri, Melissa Tedone, Kristin Ziegler. coarse file to taper
the piece of stock. The aim was to sand all four sides of the stock
to obtain a gentle taper all the way down. This was a pretty phys-
ical process and many of us were fighting with our vices. Once
this was achieved on the thicker end of the stock, we were to
shape and polish it so that the end resembled a perfect dome
shape using various sandpaper grits. This dome shape is where
the design goes.

Next was the fun bit where we got to figure out our designs. I de-
cided to design a tool impression with a simple diamond and also
a square shape with lines going horizontal and
vertical. Workshop participants came up with
some really beautiful but simple designs using
a range of tools to get the desired effect. Some
would use sanding and filing, while with more
linear designs a jeweler’s saw was required. If a
design was to be circular, then a hole punch
and hand drill was used to achieve the shape.

For the final part of the day, Brien demonstrat-

ed making egg glair, which is used as an adhe-
sive for gilding. I had come across synthetic
glair but had never attempted to make this my-
self. To make the glair Brien used 1 egg white, and then half of
an egg shell for the rest of the measurements. This included 1 x
1/2 shell of white vinegar, 1x 1/2 shell of water, and a few drops
Page 10 Page 7

PRE-INDUSTRIAL FINISHING MY FAVORITE TOOL—KAREN LIGHTNER

The Tools and Their Use with Brien Beidler
July 14 -15, 2018 My favorite tool is a double-headed steel awl I purchased from
Shanna Leino. One end is sharp and the other end has a ball on
By Ruth Scott Blackson with contributions from Tara O’Brien it. I use the ball end to mark spots where I’m going to drill a hole
for certain Coptic binding covers. The head of the drill sinks
As soon as the tool making and gold finishing workshop taught by right into the indentation I’ve made with the ball. The tool feels
Brien Beidler was announced, I jumped at the chance to take this good in my hand and I love the simple etched pattern.
class. Although I do a great deal of hot stamping in my work as a
freelance bookbinder and book restorer, making my own gold
tools and using genuine gold leaf to tool a book does not come un-
der my radar (or to be more precise - I lack the knowledge/
experience and tools). I follow Brien's Instagram page and am fa-
miliar with his work and tool-making prowess, so I was more than
eager to take this class.

From the 'get go' it was apparent that

this class was going to be an interest-
ing one. As with all classes run by the
Delaware Valley Chapter Guild of
Book Workers (DVC), the participants
introduced themselves. However, Bri-
en threw another question into the I’ve also been doing some letterpress, as you can see from
mix, “What is your favorite sandwich?”
my Valentine and the pointing hands below. Fun!
It sounds like a peculiar question but it — Karen Lightner
instantly made everyone feel relaxed
within the group. Good call Brien!!!

Once introductions were out of the

way Brien got down to business. The
workshop was split into two parts. On day one we made tools, and
on day two we did the actual gold tooling with gold leaf onto leath-
er, using our newly created tools.

Day One:
Brien told the class that he first got into making tools when he met
Jim Croft (a Medieval bookbinder and papermaker who is well
known for making tools). Meeting Jim 'blew his mind' said Brien.
He has also received a lot of support from fellow toolmaker Shan-
na Leino.

To begin, everybody in the class needed to make wooden handles

Page 8 Page 9

Annual Report - Delaware Valley Chapter of the Collaborations – Valentines - We had a valentine mail art ex-
Guild of Book Workers – July 1 2017- June 30, change again in February. Twenty members participated.
2018
Web – Our website continues to be updated with online exhibi-
General — Chapter Officers during the past year were: Jennifer tions and events. DVC activities are announced on multiple social
Rosner, Chair; Alice Austin, Vice Chair; Lisa Scarpello, Treasurer; media outlets.
Rosae Reeder, Secretary; Denise Carbone, Workshop Coordinator;
Ruth Scott Blackson and Madeline Lambelet, Exhibition Co-chairs; Fun – In January, 2018, we hosted our fifth annual bowling party
Becky Koch and Jackie Manni, Newsletter editors; Val Kremser, in South Philadelphia.
Webmaster. Officer changes this year: Madeline Lambelet stepped A busy year! Many thanks to everyone who contributed their time
down as Exhibition Co-chair and Kristin Balmer will take her and energy to our chapter!
place. Becky Koch stepped down as Newsletter Editor and Jackie
Manni will take over and produce the newsletter on her own (In Respectfully submitted,
the meantime, Karen Lightner has offered to take on the design of Jennifer Rosner
the newsletter). These are appointed positions. We held an election Annual Meeting, June 26, 2018
during our 2018 Annual Meeting and took a show of hands to ac-
cept the slate of uncontested elected candidates.
Membership — We currently have 83 members.
Financial – Our balance as of 6/25/18 is $6185.00
Workshops – Four interesting workshops this past year! Medie-
val Long and Link Stitch Binding Workshop with Bill Hans-
com; Rigid Board Binding Workshop with Alicia Bailey; Cat-
erpillar Stitch Workshop with Denise Carbone; Pierced Vel-
lum Binding Workshop with James Reid-Cunningham
Newsletter — We sent out two sixteen-page newsletters this year, Longstitch Binding Workshop, July 2017
chock full of news, all printed and mailed.
Exhibitions – Bird in Hands was on display at the UArts, Dec
15, 2017 to January 26, 2017. The reception was well attended be-
cause it took place when the College Book Arts Association was in
town for their conference. Bird in Hands, was a collaborative pro-
ject where participants chose a bird and made an edition with the
bird and the name of the bird on the page. We had 35 participants
and in April 2017 we held a party to exchange and collate the pag-
es. Smith’s Structures was installed at the Free Library of Phil-
adelphia and was on display May 6 to July 6, 2018. To honor Keith
Smith's contribution to the book arts community, participants
chose a structure or technique found in his five volume set, 'Non- Caterpillar Stitch Binding Workshop, March 2018
Adhesive Binding'. There were twenty-six participants.
Page 8 Page 9

Annual Report - Delaware Valley Chapter of the Collaborations – Valentines - We had a valentine mail art ex-
Guild of Book Workers – July 1 2017- June 30, change again in February. Twenty members participated.
2018
Web – Our website continues to be updated with online exhibi-
General — Chapter Officers during the past year were: Jennifer tions and events. DVC activities are announced on multiple social
Rosner, Chair; Alice Austin, Vice Chair; Lisa Scarpello, Treasurer; media outlets.
Rosae Reeder, Secretary; Denise Carbone, Workshop Coordinator;
Ruth Scott Blackson and Madeline Lambelet, Exhibition Co-chairs; Fun – In January, 2018, we hosted our fifth annual bowling party
Becky Koch and Jackie Manni, Newsletter editors; Val Kremser, in South Philadelphia.
Webmaster. Officer changes this year: Madeline Lambelet stepped A busy year! Many thanks to everyone who contributed their time
down as Exhibition Co-chair and Kristin Balmer will take her and energy to our chapter!
place. Becky Koch stepped down as Newsletter Editor and Jackie
Manni will take over and produce the newsletter on her own (In Respectfully submitted,
the meantime, Karen Lightner has offered to take on the design of Jennifer Rosner
the newsletter). These are appointed positions. We held an election Annual Meeting, June 26, 2018
during our 2018 Annual Meeting and took a show of hands to ac-
cept the slate of uncontested elected candidates.
Membership — We currently have 83 members.
Financial – Our balance as of 6/25/18 is $6185.00
Workshops – Four interesting workshops this past year! Medie-
val Long and Link Stitch Binding Workshop with Bill Hans-
com; Rigid Board Binding Workshop with Alicia Bailey; Cat-
erpillar Stitch Workshop with Denise Carbone; Pierced Vel-
lum Binding Workshop with James Reid-Cunningham
Newsletter — We sent out two sixteen-page newsletters this year, Longstitch Binding Workshop, July 2017
chock full of news, all printed and mailed.
Exhibitions – Bird in Hands was on display at the UArts, Dec
15, 2017 to January 26, 2017. The reception was well attended be-
cause it took place when the College Book Arts Association was in
town for their conference. Bird in Hands, was a collaborative pro-
ject where participants chose a bird and made an edition with the
bird and the name of the bird on the page. We had 35 participants
and in April 2017 we held a party to exchange and collate the pag-
es. Smith’s Structures was installed at the Free Library of Phil-
adelphia and was on display May 6 to July 6, 2018. To honor Keith
Smith's contribution to the book arts community, participants
chose a structure or technique found in his five volume set, 'Non- Caterpillar Stitch Binding Workshop, March 2018
Adhesive Binding'. There were twenty-six participants.
Page 10 Page 7

PRE-INDUSTRIAL FINISHING MY FAVORITE TOOL—KAREN LIGHTNER

The Tools and Their Use with Brien Beidler
July 14 -15, 2018 My favorite tool is a double-headed steel awl I purchased from
Shanna Leino. One end is sharp and the other end has a ball on
By Ruth Scott Blackson with contributions from Tara O’Brien it. I use the ball end to mark spots where I’m going to drill a hole
for certain Coptic binding covers. The head of the drill sinks
As soon as the tool making and gold finishing workshop taught by right into the indentation I’ve made with the ball. The tool feels
Brien Beidler was announced, I jumped at the chance to take this good in my hand and I love the simple etched pattern.
class. Although I do a great deal of hot stamping in my work as a
freelance bookbinder and book restorer, making my own gold
tools and using genuine gold leaf to tool a book does not come un-
der my radar (or to be more precise - I lack the knowledge/
experience and tools). I follow Brien's Instagram page and am fa-
miliar with his work and tool-making prowess, so I was more than
eager to take this class.

From the 'get go' it was apparent that

this class was going to be an interest-
ing one. As with all classes run by the
Delaware Valley Chapter Guild of
Book Workers (DVC), the participants
introduced themselves. However, Bri-
en threw another question into the I’ve also been doing some letterpress, as you can see from
mix, “What is your favorite sandwich?”
my Valentine and the pointing hands below. Fun!
It sounds like a peculiar question but it — Karen Lightner
instantly made everyone feel relaxed
within the group. Good call Brien!!!

Once introductions were out of the

way Brien got down to business. The
workshop was split into two parts. On day one we made tools, and
on day two we did the actual gold tooling with gold leaf onto leath-
er, using our newly created tools.

Day One:
Brien told the class that he first got into making tools when he met
Jim Croft (a Medieval bookbinder and papermaker who is well
known for making tools). Meeting Jim 'blew his mind' said Brien.
He has also received a lot of support from fellow toolmaker Shan-
na Leino.

To begin, everybody in the class needed to make wooden handles

Page 6 Page 11
VALENTINE MAIL ART for their tools. This process involved drilling a dowel and then
By Jackie Manni soaking it in water for a number of hours. The hole we drilled
In her book Reading Like a Writer, Francine Prose described the varied (using hand drills) was slightly smaller than our piece of square
forms a novel can take as a "difference that will remind you of how many stock brass that
rooms there are in the house of art.” She was talking about literature, but I would go into the
couldn't help but apply this aphorism to our Valentine Mail Art project. hole. The brass
Such visionary Valentine variety! Paper, metal, plastic, paint, ink. Struc-
tures large and small, and everything in between. Folded cards, postcards, stock we used was
ornaments, photographs, and books. Weaving, sewing, pasting. I was de- 1/4" and cut to 3"
lighted for days as I opened and viewed the love and art that made it's way in length. The next
to me through the postal system. I am so happy to belong to the amazing step was to shape
home with so many rooms that is the Delaware Valley Guild of Book
Workers — on Valentine's Day, and every day!
the shank of our
brass stock which
Many thanks to everyone who participated: Kristin Balmer, James Engel- involved holding
bart, Carolyn Hakes, Andrew Huot, Shannon Kerner, Becky Koch, Val
Kremser, Karen Lightner, Jacqueline Manni, Emily Martin, Melanie the brass stock in
Mowinski, Rosae Reeder, Jennifer Rosner, Lisa Scarpello, Eriko a vice and using a
Takahashi, Heather Turri, Melissa Tedone, Kristin Ziegler. coarse file to taper
the piece of stock. The aim was to sand all four sides of the stock
to obtain a gentle taper all the way down. This was a pretty phys-
ical process and many of us were fighting with our vices. Once
this was achieved on the thicker end of the stock, we were to
shape and polish it so that the end resembled a perfect dome
shape using various sandpaper grits. This dome shape is where
the design goes.

Next was the fun bit where we got to figure out our designs. I de-
cided to design a tool impression with a simple diamond and also
a square shape with lines going horizontal and
vertical. Workshop participants came up with
some really beautiful but simple designs using
a range of tools to get the desired effect. Some
would use sanding and filing, while with more
linear designs a jeweler’s saw was required. If a
design was to be circular, then a hole punch
and hand drill was used to achieve the shape.

For the final part of the day, Brien demonstrat-

ed making egg glair, which is used as an adhe-
sive for gilding. I had come across synthetic
glair but had never attempted to make this my-
self. To make the glair Brien used 1 egg white, and then half of
an egg shell for the rest of the measurements. This included 1 x
1/2 shell of white vinegar, 1x 1/2 shell of water, and a few drops
Page 12 Page 5

of milk or half and half; the protein in the milk helps the glair not
to froth. Next, vigorously whisk the mixture, strain through a
window mesh, and let sit overnight. I asked Brien how long the
glair lasts, expecting him to say a few weeks. However, he men-
tioned that he has some in his refrigerator that he made in Sep-
tember, and it is still good. The acidic vinegar acts as a preserva-
tive. Brien much prefers this process over using the synthetic
glair. It is cheaper, and he likes to stay true to the historic hand-
made process. I was definitely persuaded to use this method in Apples by Christopher A.
the future. Brown

Day Two:
After the previous day of tool making, the group was raring to go
for the next part of this workshop: the GOLD. For the trade-style
gold tooling Brien supplied us with gold leaf, cotton balls, paste
wash, glair (made the previous day), Vaseline, gold rubber, light-
er fluid, and water. We also needed a gilding pad, gilding knife,
heating element, the finishing tools that
we made on day 1, and a cotton pad.

Brien was really great at demonstrating Encyclopedia Britannica Project

all the steps for this tooling technique.
His abbreviated version:

Apply paste wash to leather

Apply egg glair to leather
Apply egg glair to leather again
Thin layer of grease (like Vaseline)
Lay down gold
Tool Lepidoptera 471 by Adrienne Stalek
Clear excess gold away
Marvel at what you hath wrought, or
cry out in despair

Before tooling a leather spine that Brien kindly prepared for us,
the early part of the day was focused on the prep (see notes
above). Focusing on how to use these new materials and process-
es was key. Brien expressed the goal was ‘expediency and neat-
ness’. We practiced using the gold leaf with our newly made tools
on small scraps of leather.

Brien showed us how to hold our tools correctly, and we practiced

Page 4
ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA PROJECT
By Kristin Balmer
The DVC was given a 29 volume set of Encyclopedia Britannica
(Eleventh edition, 1910) and we were invited to “do whatever you
want with it.” Participants responded in different ways, depending
on their inspiration. Some responded to the information included
in their chosen volume, using subject matter explained within as a
jumping off point. Some chose to repurpose the materials of their
volume. Others explored and deconstructed the idea of Encyclope-
dia itself. A few combined ideas, creating exciting books. Check it
out! https://dvc-gbw.org/encyclopedia-britannica-project/
Cube by Jennifer Rosner
Steel Construction 1911 by
Thomas Parker Williams
Page 13
on blotter paper before doing the real thing. We tried on
goatskin and calfskin. Goatskin was easier to tool and gives
a nice impression, however the calfskin is slipperier (and
easier to burn) but a quicker clean up. We all found that the
temperature of our tool was key. Brien explained that you
wanted to hear a slight hiss; too hot a tool would burn the
leather. It is a constant balance
of tool temperature, correct
leather preparation, and a steady
hand. Brien also encouraged us
to use some finishing wheels
since we would be using these
when gold tooling our spine. We
all used a strip of blotter paper
the exact measurement of our
leather spines to sketch out our
final design. Once we were happy with the design, we began
the preparation of the spine and let the gold tooling com-
mence. I must say, this was a little nerve wracking but we
all gave it a go. There really were some spectacular and
beautiful spine designs in our class. At the end of the class
when we were all admiring our work, class participant Re-
becca Gilbert aptly said, "Wow! I have a lot more sympathy
for the gilders on some of those books we used to see in the
stacks. We used to be so critical of them and the mistakes
they made. Not anymore!" It is not easy to keep the wheels
straight, the patterns spaced correctly, and have everything
fit on the spine. But that also is the charm of the hand-
made piece, and when you glance at the spines, they all look
beautiful anyway.
Lastly, we have Brien to thank for his perseverance, humor,
and passion for the tool making and gold tooling process.
THANK YOU so much Brien!!!!
If you want to know more
about Brien and the work
he does, view his website
at www.beidlermade.com.
You can also follow him on
Instagram @bhbeidler
where he posts a lot of his
work.
Page 14 Page 3
MEMBER NEWS

Karen Hanmer offers workshops and private instruc-

tion to working practitioners and dedicated hobbyists, fo-
cusing on a solid foundation in traditional binding skills.
April 5-7 | The Simplified Binding
May 2-5 | Medieval Girdle book covered in velvet
May 30-31 | Forwarding Basics
June 1-2 | Basic Leather Working for Bookbinding
July 31-August 4 | Leather Binding Fundamentals I
July 31-August 5 | Advanced Leather Binding: Fine Binding
September 14-15 | Variations on the Sewn Boards and
Drum Leaf Bindings
Details and registration information:
http://www.karenhanmer.com/teaching/

Andrea Krupp is exhibiting a series of drawings and

visual poems from her Fellowship at Ballinglen Arts Foun-
dation in Ireland at the Cerulean Arts Gallery.
www.andreakrupp.com

Yes, that is a spinning wheel in my studio! I use my comfortable, well-

lit room to explore both the book and fiber arts.

5. What are you working on week I got my job at the Library

right now? I love traditional Company: the first week of
bookbinding and I really en- February, 1980. That’s a long
joyed the workshop we had last time ago, but I have stuck with
summer on pre-industrial fin- both of them! I always wonder
ishing with Brien Beidler. He what my horoscope said that
did a marvelous job of demysti- week…..
Emily Martin’s artist book Desdemona In Her Own fying something that I have al-
Words is included in the exhibit Open Sesame! The ways found so difficult. I have
Magic of Artist’s Books Revealed, (March 1,- July 9, bound a couple books that are
2019), a major look into the special world of Artist’s Books. ready for tooling. I hope to get
Bainbridge Island Museum of Art, Bainbridge Island, WA.
to that sometime soon.
You can view a stop motion animation at https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfGtKQ-780s 6. Tell us something about
yourself that might surprise
Emily’s three artist books King Leer: A Tragedy in Five us. I met my husband the same
Page 2 Page 15

DELAWARE VALLEY 6 QUESTIONS— Puppets, It Didn’t Just Happen, Out There In Here are included
CHAPTER, GUILD OF BOOK JENNIFER ROSNER in Page by Page: Contemporary Artist’s Books, March 5—
WORKERS April 20, 2019. The exhibit offers visitors the chance to discover
The Guild of Book Workers pro- what truly makes an artist’s book — intent. This exhibition brings
motes interest in and awareness of 1. How long have you been a the engaging world of book arts to the Hudgens Center for the
the tradition of the book and paper member of the GBW? I am
arts by maintaining high standards
Arts, Duluth, GA.
of workmanship, hosting education- pretty sure I became a member
al opportunities, and sponsoring not long after graduating from Emily is teaching a workshop, Composing At the Press, for Maine
exhibits. college, maybe 1978 or 1979? Media Workshops, August 4-10, 2019. Using a Vandercook proof
The Delaware Valley Chapter–one press with magnet and Boxcar bases it is possible to print in a
of ten chapters in the US–is located 2. Where are you from origi-
in the Pennsylvania, New Jersey spontaneous manner composing the image as you print. Stainless
and Delaware tri-state area with nally? I am from Syracuse, steel wire combined with various sticky backed foams can be cut
activities centered in Philadelphia. New York, where it snows like and manipulated to make shapes and lines quickly and can be al-
Our diverse membership includes crazy all winter. I laugh at the tered as needed. The emphasis will be on experimentation and
book artists, book conservators, fine
binders, calligraphers, librarians, chaos that snow causes here in variation rather than on specific end products.
paper marblers, teachers, photogra- Philadelphia. http://www.emilymartin.com
phers, printmakers, and graphic
designers. 3. When did you realize you Maria Pisano has work in the exhibit:
The Delaware Valley Chapter of- wanted to learn bookbinding?
fers a newsletter, workshops, lec- Line and Form – Frontline Arts 45th Members’ Exhibition –
tures, exhibition opportunities, When I was looking to transfer Branchburg, NJ Feb. 12- March 29, 2019
tours, and social events. Member- to an art school, I saw that and is presenting a workshop at Center for Book Arts
ship is open to all interested persons Philadelphia College of Art Carousel Books – March 16-17, 2019
and includes professionals, ama-
teurs, and students. Our website is: (now University of the Arts) https://centerforbookarts.org/learn/course-list/
https://dvc-gbw.org/ offered bookbinding. I really,
really wanted to take that class Rosae Reeder will be having a show at the University of the
Chapter Officers and felt at that moment that no Arts 6th Floor Gallery March 1 through April 4, 2019.
Jennifer Rosner other college was of any inter-
Chapter Chair est to me. I transferred, took Learn, Make, Teach, Repeat
Alice Austin the class and loved it. I still
Vice Chair Learn
Lisa Scarpello have the first book that I
transitive verb
Treasurer bound. 1: to gain knowledge or understanding of or skill in by study,
Rosae Reeder
Secretary 4. What is your favorite book instruction, or experience.
Denise Carbone structure these days? I love the
Workshop Coordinator
limp vellum structure and I The work in this show is the culmination of many hours of
Ruth Scott Blackson study, instruction and experience. Models made from taking
Kristin Balmer often make books like this with
Exhibition Co-chairs
various workshops in bookmaking culminate in a wide range
heavy handmade paper. I don’t
Valeria Kremser of book structure, texture, and topic. The knowledge gained
use it often for my job, but ra- from making these structures has informed my work in many
Webmaster
Jackie Manni ther for creative projects. They ways. In this exhibition, you will see a selections of works creat-
Newsletter Editor are so fast and satisfying. ed while being inspired by the act of learning, making, teaching
Karen Lightner
Newsletter Designer and repeating.