Erin Fletcher crafted her first book from a weaving while studying at the School of the Arts of Chicago. She wanted to learn more about bookbinding, and continued her education in historical and contemporary binding techniques from the North Bennet Street School.
When did you first realize you are a creative person?
Since I was a child, I’ve always gravitated towards hobbies that were creative.
At a young age I loved drawing, which slowly grew into storytelling, designing photo albums and greeting cards. However, once I discovered embroidery through cross stitching, my creative drive turned to anything related to fiber arts.
I realized that I was creative when my family pointed out that I was the only artistically creative person in the family. And the same could be said about my friend group when I was a child. For much of my childhood and adolescence, I crafted on my own and for my own enjoyment.
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How did you get involved in bookbinding and the book arts?
I crafted my first book from a weaving. While studying at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, I was tasked to turn a weaving into a book and this project sparked my initial interest in bookbinding.
While at SAIC, I took every book related class that was offered. This gave me a brief introduction into book arts but didn’t satisfy my desire to learn more about historical bookbinding techniques. It was shortly after graduating that I discovered the North Bennet Street School in Boston and was thrilled when I was accepted to attend NBSS.
Where did your interest in book arts begin and what form of training have you received?
At SAIC, I was exposed to a small selection of binding structures that were simple and suitable for book arts. During this time I also experimented with printmaking to make my own content. However, I found more satisfaction in constructing books rather than designing the content.
When I heard about the Bookbinding program at NBSS, I knew that was where I needed to be. I moved to Boston with my husband in 2010 to embark on the full-time two-year program.
During this time, I received training on a wider range of historical techniques and structures dating as far back as the 11th century (we also looked at and handled book structures made even earlier than that). I developed the skills to create more complex binding structures and work with more challenging materials such as leather, vellum and gold leaf.
Conservation was another aspect of my training at NBSS and the main reason why many people attend the program as it provides the necessary experience to work in a conservation lab. I spent part of my final semester working at the Rare Book Room in the Boston Public Library. From this invaluable experience I discovered that I found more joy in making new books and designing artistic covers.
Describe your creative space.
I am lucky to have my studio in my home where I can shut off all other responsibilities and focus on my work. The walls are painted lilac, a color that makes me feel warm and inspired. I’ve also covered the walls with art, awards and ephemera that I’ve either collected or been gifted over the years. Everything in my studio is meant to provide an environment that spurs creativity.
I also try to stay very organized since my space is small. Most of my supplies, such as leather, paper, colored pencils, paints, etc. are organized by color. Another striking visual, but a strategy that also helps me hone my designs.
The tools I use on a daily basis are within an arm’s reach of my bench. I want to make sure I’m working efficiently in all aspects of my practice. In my studio, I am creating work for both clients and myself. I also teach and so the space needs to transform quickly and easily between projects.
What supplies are needed for book arts?
It depends on the level of bookbinding or book arts you are interested in. I have many different tools and pieces of equipment to work on a range of binding structures. And at some point it’s easy to become obsessed with tools! However, a good starter kit would include: a bone folder, glue brush, craft knife, cutting mat, ruler, PVA, awl or pin vise, no. 18 needles and scissors. You can achieve a lot with these tools.
Have you found something intended for one media that works well for something else?
Certainly, in my own work I blend embroidery with traditional bookbinding decorative techniques such as onlays and tooling. Leather is a great canvas for dye, paint, printmaking inks and tattooing. I’ve explored marquetry techniques and laser-cutting in my work as well.
I think there are almost endless ways of blending other mediums and disciplines with bookbinding. People within the field are constantly reinventing bookbinding and book arts by merging it with other mediums.
How often do you start a new project? Do you work actively on more than one project at a time?
When it comes to commissions, I’ve worked on anywhere from 6 – 19 projects a year. The length of each project can vary depending on the style of binding and size of the edition. However, most projects take at least 2 months to complete. So I am constantly working on multiple projects at once, but I try not to work on more than 3 or 4 at a time. Whenever I can find a quiet moment in my schedule, I like to work on personal projects such as my design bindings or wall panels.
Can you tell us about the inspiration and process of one of your works? How does a new work come about?
I recently bound a miniature copy of The Wild Swans by Hans Christian Andersen. The text block was letterpress printed by Rebecca Press and includes wood engravings by Sarah Chamberlain. During the design phase I will read through the text, jotting down things that inspire me such as words, imagery or colors.
From my notes, I will begin to doodle ideas for what I think the cover might look like. My goal is to create a design that is sympathetic to the content. During this phase I will also consider what style of binding would best suit the text block and my design.
In The Wild Swans, the protagonist is tasked with knitting shirts for her brothers to free them of a curse that turns them into swans every night. There is a structure known as Knitted Boards Binding, which was developed by Belgian binder Marja Wilgenkamp. This was an opportune moment to use this structure.
I wanted to tell more of the story with my design and so I created a decorated box to house the book that introduced the 11 brothers as swans and the sister as a rose. When the box is opened, the knitted covers peek behind an embroidered chemise which is covered in hand-cut leather and handmade paper leaves. The protagonist must first strip the leaves from the plant before being able to knit the fiber. This process causes her hands to bleed, which is reflected on the endpapers with diluted blobs of orange and red on pale pink paper.
Each book requires a different approach. Sometimes my designs can be literal, sometimes they introduce a tangential topic and sometimes they are an abstraction of the content. In this way, the work feels unique and fresh.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?
I’m not sure I can pinpoint one piece of advice that was pivotal for me. However, what I have found to be the most beneficial in my career is community.
In my experience, the bookbinding community is extremely welcoming and available for support. I’ve leaned on my colleagues when I’ve struggled with materials and techniques or when I’ve needed help dealing with a challenging client or student.
So, my piece of advice would be to find your community and to offer the same level of support as you seek for yourself.
What do you do to keep yourself motivated and interested in your work?
For the past decade, I’ve been laser focused on making my studio practice grow and I’ve come to the point where I am asking myself this question. I am looking to pivot and get back into making content and artists books.
I also want to make creative work that is not tied to a book. In order to make this change, I’ve set in motion a new way of working that allows me time to focus on these new endeavors. Accountability has also been helpful in keeping me on this new path and that has materialized in the form of collaborations.
Do you feel that you chose your “passion,” or did it choose you?
I feel as though bookbinding chose me. I entered into art school with the intention of studying fashion design only to find that I was more intrigued with fiber arts. When I finally began working with books in a creative way, I just felt like I had found the medium that finally spoke back to me.
Do you lecture or teach workshops? How can students/organizers get in touch with you to schedule an event?
Yes, I teach a variety of bookbinding structures and my embroidered leather technique. I teach both online and in-person. I travel often to teach at various institutions around the country such as North Bennet Street School, San Francisco Center for the Book and Maine Media.
If you are interested in either taking a class or hiring me to teach a class, you can find out more information on the Workshops page of my website. On this page, you’ll find a list of all the classes I offer and what workshops are currently on the schedule.
I can also be booked to speak about my work or give a demonstration on technique.
Where can people see your work?
The best place to see my work all in one place is on my website. My client work is on display in the Services portion of the website, while my personal work is displayed in the Portfolio. From time to time, I have work on display in an exhibition. I post that information regularly on my Instagram: @herringbonebindery and in my newsletter.
Interview posted January 2025
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