Catherine Burkhard

Dallas, Texas 
Catherine Burkhard is a bookbinder and calligrapher with a private practice based in her Books ‘n Letters Studio in Dallas. Since 1983 she has studied with Dorothy Westapher, Raoul Bollin, and Monique Lallier; has attended workshops and seminars regularly; and has completed an internship at the Etherington Conservation Center. She is a member of the Society of Bookbinders and the Hand Bookbinders of California and currently serves as President of the Lone Star Chapter and as Secretary on the Board of Directors of the Guild of Book Workers. In addition to teaching classes and workshops, she creates custom bindings and performs restoration and conservation work.

Example Binding: 
The Thread That Binds: Interviews with Private Practice Bookbinders
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Compiled and with introductions by Pamela Train Leutz.
New Castle, Delaware: Oak Knoll Press, 2010.

Based on medieval binding structures, textblock and marbled endsheets sewn on Pleister tapes with link stitch. Conservation endbands. Layers of pared leather and flannel to support spine, last layer is a vellum spine lining with extended flaps. Boards made by laminating binder's board with handmade paper, alternating each as well as alternating grain to provide density and an appearance of wood boards. Thick covers chamfered, except at spine, and attached with vellum flaps. Spine bands added. Crimson Harmatan goatskin, graphite applied to head and tail edges and top edge gauffered with silver circles. Front cover decoration based on centuries-old cuir-ciselé technique.

Design Description: 
Based on simplified French binding. Endsheets of Fabriano Roma handmade paper. Harmatan goatskin in dark green and biscuit cover the front and back boards. Insets on front board include the focal design and title. Larger inset based on centuries-old cuir-ciselé technique. Inner cross in scarlet represents Christ's blood shed for mankind. Seven diamond-shaped cutouts are for the "biblical seven" symbolizing fullness, completeness, or perfection as referred to in the text. Cut in center of cross further emphasizes the love God had in His reunion with men. Smaller inset hand lettered using gothicized italic hand.

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Catherine Burkhard example binding

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Catherine Burkhard design proposal

Catherine Burkhard