About
Deborah has been designing, making, and selling books since 1996. Her work has included wholesale commissions for the stationery company Papyrus, collaborations with wedding photographers, and the production of a commercially manufactured book of her own design. Today, she creates fine bindings and teaches marbling. Deborah is the eleventh graduate of the Fine Binding Diploma program at the American Academy of Bookbinding. She divides her time seasonally between ecological gardening in the summer and studio practice in the winter.
The details
“I have a B.S. in Environmental Science with a concentration in plant ecology. At some point I read that you could make paper from plants, so I tried it—and was hooked. I made paper constantly, always experimenting. In 1997 I decided to be a vendor at the Portland Saturday Market. When I was figuring out what to sell, I just thought, “I’ll make books.” In 1999 I worked at Oblation Papers and Press, making paper for their bindings and wedding invitations. Those early years were a hybrid—I made books from my own paper, which evolved into wedding albums, and eventually into fine bindings.
Over time I’ve taken classes across the country, taught a few of my own, and became the 11th graduate of the fine binding program at AAB. Somewhere in there I also had two amazing kids and started a business designing and installing butterfly gardens.” Deborah
A look inside workshops
Explore marbling through hands-on workshops. Get in touch to take a workshop or to host one in your space.
Lectures & Presentations
Marbling Fine Bindings is available as a lecture or presentation by request. Previously presented as part of the American Bookbinders Museum lecture series.
