Bookbinding Using Tyvek
Workshop Dates:Sat/Sun March 29 - 30, 2008
Workshop Fees:$150 +$20 materials fee
Workshop #:WS0803-04
Course Times: 9:30 - 3:30
Course Description:Explore the strong and versatile man-made material called Tyvek (used in the building industry) to investigate its possibilities for creative and unique bindings (1-2 bindings over the two day workshop).
For the decorative side of the binding you are encouraged to play with leather, string, cord, beads etc. to create very personal books.
Students should bring the following materials:
- set square
- metal ruler if you have one, otherwise plastic is fine
- pencil and sharpener
- eraser
- sturdy exacto knife
- self healing cutting mat
- wide eyed needle
- bonefolder, if you have one
- a sheet of decorated paper
Location:Denman Island Arts Centre
Tanja Bolenz
Tanja Bolenz was born in Germany in 1962 and emigrated to Vancouver BC in 1980. After one year at Emily Carr Institute of Art & Design, she returned to Germany and trained as a hand bookbinder with Siegfried Büge. In 1985, back in Vancouver, she opened her own bindery and worked in fine binding and restoration, as well as teaching bookbinding until 1994, when she went to Great Britain.
Calligraphy had been one of her primary interests since the mid-1980s. In order to study calligraphy in more depth, in 1994 Tanja enrolled at Roehampton Institute in London. There, the curriculum included an intense study of Western scripts, as well as gilding, miniature painting, and painted and experimental lettering. She graduated with a BA in Calligraphy (First Class Hons.) in 1997.
While at Roehampton, she became interested in lettercarving in stone and after leaving college was fortunate to be able to work and study with letter-designer Tom Perkins in Cambridgeshire for 17 months. Since lettercutting in stone is a very two-dimensional application, Tanja felt that she needed to understand the three-dimensional qualities of stone in greater depth.
In 1999, she enrolled at Weymouth College, Dorset for a two-year course in Applied Architectural Stone Work. At college, she produced varied pieces of masonry and architectural carving and lettering, both for school projects and commercial purposes. In 2001, she graduated with a Higher National Diploma. To further develop her skills, Tanja worked for Alec Peever in Oxfordshire for six months; following that, she began working freelance.
Since 2004 she has been living mostly in Germany concentrating mainly on her stone work. She continues to teach both calligraphy and bookbinding on a regular basis in Europe as well as Canada.