Shakerag!

I am back from Shakerag where I assisted Daniel Essig in his workshop Wooden Covers-Mica Pages. As usual, lots of great people and fantastic food. This year I was overjoyed to find Rachel Malde and Kate Clarke in the class. Rachel is a sensitive and elegant photographer as well as a kind person {see her work here}. Kate is a recent art school grad whose clay work is  whimsical and contains a certain kind of magic that imagines teatime with the royalty of Ireland's elven community.  This year's staff show was nicely curated by Angela Berry in a small gallery space across from the main gallery.  I had two long stitch leather journals in the show {just testing to see if I would like long stitch}. here they are:

Dan's workshop was great. He had the week planned perfectly, I didn't have to wait too long for the class to move on to the next step, I always had something to do, and I think I have finally figured out the right amount of tension for coptic binding. We did the same Ethiopian headband and endband that Shanna Leino taught last year but this time around it finally clicked with me.  Some of the things he covered: cutting mica and making mica covers, filing and carving into wooden covers, milk paint and how to layer it and distress it, waxing wooden covers, making mica pages, sewing onto wooden covers, and making your own wooden pegs and leather enclosures. The unexpected tutorial: how to mix a strong cocktail and, in my case, how to dispose of said cocktail when the mixer is not looking.  here are the books I made in the workshop:

Please visit Dan's website {here} to see his sculptural books and find out where you can go to take a workshop with him. He is an interesting person and a laid back guy who really knows his craft. Dan offers private workshops at Bookstone Bungalow & Studios in Ashville, NC. Go {here} for more information.