Sollas Bookbinding

The first time I saw a bookbindery from the inside was at the beginning of the summer of 1994. It was a small bookbinding workshop in Berlin. I asked whether I could help out and to my surprise the answer was yes and so I stayed for the summer, learning some of the basics of the craft. Since then I have deepened my knowledge by learning from Sylvia Juhl, a master book binder from Salzwedel in Germany. In 2004 I established my own workshop in Sollas, North Uist, in the Outer Hebrides.

My books and boxes are made employing traditional bookbinding techniques which I love adhering to closely. I do however also want to give my work its very own style and feel. This I achieve through hand crafting the wax paper I then use to cover the objects I make. Many layers of ink, dyes and wax ensure a rich and deep texture which at times is evocative of sea, sand and rock patterns and at other times a mere aesthetic expression. This makes my books and boxes attractive and sturdy at the same time.