Arts @ Wells College

Peter D. Verheyen
A Bookbinder’s Journey: My analog and virtual life in the book arts

Thursday, Oct. 17th, 2019 — 6:00 p.m.

Hostetter Lecture Hall (Stratton Hall 209)
Wells College / Aurora, NY

Admission is free and all are welcome.

Verheyen gave an illuminating talk about his career as a bookbinder, conservator and academic librarian. Along with examples of his work, he discussed the materials and techniques he uses to craft his bindings, with selections of his bindings for attendees to explore. He also discussed in depth a recent project which ties together the many threads of his long and accomplished career.

Verheyen was inspired to begin his life’s work as a work-study student in the conservation lab at Johns Hopkins University’s library, after which he completed a museum internship and formal apprenticeship in Germany, with continuing conservation studies in Switzerland. Returning to the U.S., he worked as a binder in private practice and academic libraries, ultimately establishing the conservation lab at Syracuse University, where he currently works as a librarian.

Peter D. Verheyen has acted as exhibitions and publicity chair for the Guild of Book Workers, and his bindings have been widely exhibited throughout the U.S. and abroad. In 1994, he founded Book_Arts-L, an active email listserv with nearly 3,000 subscribers worldwide, and the Book Arts Web, a comprehensive resource for the book arts community that links to book arts-related sites on the web, including educational opportunities, professional organizations, tutorials, reference materials and image galleries. From 2004 to 2014, he and other colleagues founded and published the Bonefolder: An e-Journal for the Bookbinder and Book Artist. He was awarded the Guild of Book Workers’ Laura Young Award for service to the organization in 2009, and honored with their Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.

This lecture is the 48th in a series named for Susan Garretson Swartzburg. Working closely with Wells faculty and staff, Swartzburg helped to organize the press, bindery and other components that became Wells’ Book Arts Center. She served on the Book Arts Board and established a biannual book arts lecture series in memory of her father, developing contacts, raising funds, organizing events and finding speakers.

For more information, email bookartscenter@wells.edu