By Mary Lou Atkinson for NolaVie
It was the most I ever paid for a book: $170. And it’s not very big, only 4 by 6 inches, with a mere 10 pages. But I made it myself: I made the paper pages from a pulp of paper bits, glue and water; cut the cardboard cover to size and covered it in fabric; added end papers; and bound it all together with needle and cord. And I’m pretty darn pleased with myself. The $170 was the cost of a Papermaking and Bookbinding course at the New Orleans School of Art and Craft in Bywater.
Truth be told, I did complete another, larger book, but it was with paper made by other class members, and the binding would not have earned me a passing grade if such things counted. But that’s the point: In this sort of class, grades do not count. You can cheat by watching what a classmate is doing.
In fact, sometimes a classmate gives you the answer you need to solve a problem – which, in bookbinding, can be a knotty problem in more ways than one. It’s not at all like being back in high school or even college, when lessons learned (or not learned) determined the course of your future – or so we were told.
This is learning for the sake of learning, for the pure joy of accomplishment, be it ever so humble. I now have my eye on a pottery class at Sinistra Studio on Metairie Road. If all goes well, I could become the proud owner of a $140 vase.
Mary Lou Atkinson writes Crescent City Culture: Observations on the art of living in New Orleans, whenever the creative spirit stikes, for NolaVie.
Waves of Change–The Impact of Political Tides on Louisiana’s Environmental Future
Healthy Gulf has been a cornerstone in safeguarding Louisiana’s natural and human resources through sustainable and equitable practices. But a new threat looms with Governor Jeff Landry’s recent consolidation proposal, which aims to merge crucial coastal management with the Department of Energy and Natural Resources. Writer Leah Claman delves into the complexities of this proposal, breaking it down for those unfamiliar with environmental policy, and sheds light on what this could mean for the future of Louisiana’s coast and its communities.
Earthtalk: Retaining starts with repurposing – Green Light New Orleans
This piece spotlights Green Light New Orleans, a non-profit dedicated to promoting collective engagement in sustainability practices in local households. Author Brett Steinberg discusses the non-profit's Rain Barrel program, effectively combining art and water conservation.
