It’s been almost a year now that I started apprenticing and working for a wonderful traditional bookbinder and restoration queen, Dea Sasso.  I have learned soooo much from her, both about books and life.  We have wonderful days in her bindery, in the basement of her home in West Asheville drinking tea, sharing dreams and, of course, buckling down to work.

Here are a few projects from the past year:

Dea teaches all over the place and juggles life both in Massachusetts and Western North Carolina.  The most dependable place to find her classes in marbling, book binding, restoration and leather work is the John C. Campbell Folkschool:

Dea Sasso is a professional hand bookbinder, sole proprietor of Light of Day Bindery since 1988, and custom leather designer since 1970. She works on private collections; repairs and restores old books; and designs and creates new books, editions and miniatures. Dea has been teaching in art institutes and privately since 1991. She has an MSPH and has studied and worked for numerous nationally-known hand binders and conservators. Many of her students have gone on to start binderies of their own. She is the Folk School’s Resident Artist in Book & Paper Art, Printmaking, Marbling, & Calligraphy.