Kindred Spirits Bookbinding Exhibit

The Canadian Bookbinder's and Book Artist's Guild (CBBAG) recently launched their newest juried exhibit of handmade books. For this exhibit, all the work is inspired by Lucy Maud Montgomery, the woman and her work, to recognize the 150th anniversary of her birth.

The exhibit opened last month in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, alongside the Montgomery conference and the book launch of a new edition of The Blue Castle. The exhibit in Charlottetown continues until August 23, 2024.

The exhibit includes an impressive array of works by 30 members of CBBAG from all across Canada. Likewise, the exhibit will travel across Canada to be shown at several galleries over the next two years. The current exhibition schedule can be found on their website (www.kindred-spirits-bookarts.com) with additional dates and locations to be added in the future.

The exhibition website also includes photos of each of the books, including two made by NSBAG member Rhonda Miller.

Rhonda's full leather rebinding of her mother's 1956 copy of Anne of Green Gables and an artist's book featuring a quote with original watercolour and ink drawings, each with original marbling and custom enclosures.

From the Kindred Spirits website, you can also download and print pages to make a small booklet inspired by Montgomery's scrapbooks. The downloadable files and instructions are available here. A hands-on session was held when the Charlottetown exhibit began, allowing members of the public to make their own copy of this little booklet and similar sessions will be held at other locations as the exhibit travels across the country. Shown here, Rhonda Miller assists with the booklet-making session in Charlottetown last month. A summary of the exhibition's opening events is available here.