WELCOME TO THE BLUE DOOR BINDERY
GAYNOR WILLIAMS, Bookbinder
MA, BA (Hons), Cert Ed, Diploma in Book and Paper Conservation
Gaynor's journey to bookbinding was protracted. After some years in the commercial world organizing large exhibitions and conferences she returned to education, which culminated in two degrees and teacher training, after which she lectured in History of Art and Literature at Further and Higher Education. The demands of what she calls 'head work' eventually drove Gaynor to take a sideways step and seek a hand skill, the aim being to earn an alternative modest living and achieve a less stressful life. Re-invention was the desire. The choices seemed infinite and after dabbling in the making of marbled paper, stained glass, and mosaic, she realized that each of these skills was certainly a delight, but for her the outcomes although appealing, if rudimentary at this stage, was not there. A weekend bookbinding course turned out to be the turning point.
As books had featured in her life highly both as artefact and as a tool of learning she became immediately entranced. Her subsequent training over the following nine years has been extended and various: a full-time one-year Diploma course in Book and Paper Conservation at West Dean, near Chichester, a part-time class at the London College of Communication, and another a year later at City Lit, Fleet Street; Urchfont Manor in Wiltshire and private tutoring.
Her portfolio to date has comprised work for national book collections, a super-yacht interior project, repair and bespoke book work for individuals. She gives lessons in her workshop/bindery on a one-to-one basis and gives workshops in public spaces to groups.
Gaynor is a member of the Society of Bookbinders (until recently, the Editor of the SoB Newsletter), Designer Bookbinders, and Paperweight.
Gaynor's workshop, the Blue Door Bindery, a mile or so west of Rogate on the A272 between Petersfield, Hampshire, and Midhurst, West Sussex, part of a converted milking parlour, is the culmination of years of study and practice, and importantly, a desire to make things (in this case, books) better . . .
Two Bookbinders @ Work
In July 2010 Gaynor and fellow bookbinder Maureen Duke were involved in a two-week exhibition and series of demonstrations of some traditional bookbinding techniques in The Midhurst Gallery, Grange Road, Midhurst, GU29 9LT
Gaynor also features on the Watershed Galleries web site - the on-line gallery for artists