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. 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 that for her the outcomes although appealing, if rudimentary at this stage, were 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 ten years has been extensive and various: a part-time class at the London College of Communication, a further year at City Lit, Fleet Street; full-time one-year Diploma course in Book and Paper Conservation at West Dean, near Chichester, as well as courses at Urchfont Manor in Wiltshire and private tutoring.
Her portfolio to date has comprised stabilisation projects for national book collections, a super-yacht interior project; numerous repairs and bespoke hand- crafted books for individuals. Gaynor teaches in her workshop/bindery on a one-to-one basis, gives workshops in public spaces to groups, and also participates in local fairs and exhibitions by demonstrating the sewing of books on a traditional sewing frame – see current calendar below.
Gaynor is a member of the Society of Bookbinders (until recently the editor of the SoB Newsletter and still writes Book Ends) and of Paperweight.
Events calendar
Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 July 2011
The Festival of Wood and Rural Crafts
Gilbert White’s House and Oates Museum, Selborne, Hants, GU34 3JH
* Exhibition/sale and demonstration of book sewing on traditional frame both days
Saturday 23 July 2011 – 2pm open
Horsell Village Show
Horsell CofE Junior School, Horsell, Surrey 01483 855108
*Exhibition/sale and demonstration of book sewing on traditional frame
Saturday 27 August - Saturday 3 September 2011
Petersfield Arts and Crafts Society
Festival Hall, Petersfield, Hants
Open daily 10.15am – 5.45pm, except Sat 3 Sept 10.15-1pm
*Exhibiting two leather/vellum decorative wall panels
Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 August 2011
Stedham Art Society Exhibition (part of Madhurst festivities)
Stedham Village Hall
* Exhibition/sale and demonstration of book sewing on traditional frame both days
Sunday 9 October 2011
Blackmoor Rural Craft Fair and Apple Tasting Day
Blackmoor, Liss, Hants, GU33 6BS. 01256 76 1634
* Exhibition/sale and demonstration of book sewing on traditional frame
Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 November 2011
Milland Exhibition & Sale of Contemporary Crafts
Milland Village Hall, Nr Liphook, Hants.
* Exhibition/sale and demonstration of book sewing on traditional frame both days
PROVISIONAL
Sunday 22 July 2012
Literary Festival
Jane Austen’s House Museum
Chawton, Hants, GU34 1SD. 01420 83262
* Exhibition/sale and demonstration of book sewing on traditional frame
Sat 4 /Sunday 5 August 2012
Rural Festival
Gilbert White’s House and Oates Museum, Selborne, GU34 3JH
*Exhibition/sale and demonstration of book sewing on traditional frame
Gaynor also features on the Watershed Galleries web site - the on-line gallery for artists