Gathering: A Virtual Retreat

22 – 24 September 2023

Friday 22nd 6 – 7pm, Saturday 23rd 10 – 4pm, Sunday 24th 10 – 4:00pm (Use a time converter to check when that is where you are.)

Imagine a weekend of making and writing, foraging and listening, connecting and sharing. We have created an online experience to mirror the feeling of an intimate in-person workshop: Two full days of collecting, assembling, binding and coming together.

Gathering is a bookart retreat led by Rachel Hazell in your own home, using easily available materials, and two large sheets of paper.

The main binding structure we’ll use is a variation of the Slit Slot book in Bound, developed to incorporate a variety of text and inkery, collage and colour.

After ‘meeting’ on Friday evening, we’ll continue to stretch our horizons, focusing in on delicate details and expanding limits.

There will be plenty of time working as a small group and apart, with bursts of activity, moments of reflection…and synchronised tea breaks.

Hosted live on Zoom, GMT (UK) time. Not recorded.

Limited to ten participants. Priority will be given to those who have not taken this course before.

£290.00

Sold Out

FRIDAY 6PM

Gathering Together

Friday Evening, for an hour:

We’ll begin gently with an introduction to the ideas explored in this workshop, and a run through of our schedule.

Then a quick project to get hands and eyes in sync, followed by a suggestion for morning writing. We’ll finish with a poem.

SATURDAY

Gathering Ideas

Early morning writing, tuning senses.

Starting at ten:

Gathering things and thoughts. Spark your curiosity by collecting resources from your immediate environment. Make lists of sensations and certainties! Amass inspiration from the inexhaustible range of possibilities around us.

Own time: Exploratory exercise – a creative meander (outside, if possible) and lunch.

In the afternoon:

Gathering words onto paper. Gathering shape and colour from our surroundings. Preparing pages, making marks. We’ll finish at four.

Followed by:

One – to – one tutorials, ten minutes to talk with Rachel.

SUNDAY

Gathering Pages

Early morning writing, reflecting, noting.

Beginning at ten:

Gathering pages: Editing, collating, designing. Decide on order, play with arrangements of rhythm and space.

Own time: Lunch

An afternoon of:

Binding: Cutting paper down, constructing your Slot Strip book, adding finishing touches. Gathering impressions of your work, with photography and maybe film.

Grand finale:

Gathering together, showing and sharing, celebrating. Bring what you have gathered.

Things to Gather

  • Something to write on or in – a notebook or sheaf of blank paper.
  • Something to write with
  • A selection of papers – copy paper, coloured papers, thin card, an old book to repurpose, some magazines or catalogues to cut up
  • Two large sheets of thick paper, preferably short – grain, 130gsm minimum, up to 250gsm maximum
  • A variety of mark-making instruments: from pens to crayons, dip pens to graphite sticks
  • Ink, paint – whatever you have
  • A glue stick
  • Cutting mat
  • Scalpel
  • Scissors
  • Some linen thread, or string, or thong – about 90cm
  • A camera or smart phone, for taking photographs and short clips of film (not essential!)

Please read the Terms and Conditions before booking and email hello@thetravellingbookbinder.com with any queries.