Guy Begbie begbiebook

Practical Book Arts Workshops With Guy Begbie

The begbiebook Independent Bookbinding Workshops & Masterclasses are taught by internationally established book artist, designer, university art & design lecturer and bookbinder Guy Begbie.

(GB Half Cloth Binding With Diamond X Exposed Spine Sewing)

The book is perhaps the most intimate, easily accessible and portable of all art forms. The book as a visual medium can provide links and meeting points between art disciplines. Guy Begbie demonstrates this both in his practice as a multi-disciplinary artist and in his teaching.

The workshops range from one day to five day intensive courses that include both traditional and unorthodox bookbinding, altered books and reconfigured narratives, paper engineering, kinetic book constructions and architectural book structures. All courses are designed to be appropriate for people with or without previous bookbinding experience. Masterclasses are delivered in the context of continuing professional development.

Courses are limited to 15 participants.

(GB Drum Leaf Binding)

Guy Begbie is a peripatetic interdisciplinary artist/bookbinder and a university associate lecturer who is currently based in Wales, UK. He works across borders as an independent European internationalist artist. His book arts practice is informed by a core interest in the parallels between bookbinding structures & architectural/sculptural forms. He works in a variety of media, that includes traditional bindery materials, drawing, painting, printmaking, sculptural casting, sound recording, photography and film-making. He uses non-linear narrative structures to investigate the book in transition from a folded 2D closed object to a 3D open and expanded construction. His book works often allude to the spatial narratives experienced while making a passage or a walking dérive through both natural and built environments.

(GB Sculptural Tower Book)

Guy Begbie exhibits his work and delivers independent workshops internationally. In 2016 he delivered book arts masterclasses at the State Library of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia, where he also gave the ‘Siganto Foundation Artists’ Book Lecture 2016′. He was a recipient of a ‘Manly Library Artists’ Book Award 2017’ and during 2016-17, he engaged in three artists’ residencies in Australia, researching & developing new works at Queensland College of Art, Griffith Centre for Creative Arts Research, Griffith University, Brisbane; Canberra School of Art, Australian National University, Canberra and Cicada Press, University of New South Wales, Sydney. His work is held in state library, university and private collections in Australia and university library and private artists book collections in the UK.

‘Orange Rumba’ Video Short (GB Bristol, UK 2012)

(Click on the above ‘Orange Rumba’ video short image for viewing)

2-Guy-Begbie-Architectural-Brisbane-Derive-Concertina-Freestanding-Books ‘Brisbane Dérive’ Bookworks Series (GB Brisbane, Australia 2016)

Details of current Bookmaking Workshops for 2026

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27th June – Bookbinding Workshop with Guy Begbie ::: The French Sewn Flat Back Case- Bound Book

Where : Creative Learning Room, Y Gaer,

(Brecon Library), Glamorgan Street, Brecon, Powys LD3 7DW

When : Saturday 27th June 10am – 3.30pm

Cost : £40 (includes all materials)

Book by email: begbiebook@gmail.com

The French Sewn Flat Back Case-Bound Book

This book making workshop is designed for participants with or without bookbinding experience. It provides both a mindful and creative experience for the participants, enabling them to capture both a personal narrative and a practical basic bookbinding skillset for further bookmaking exploration.

During the workshop, participants will have the opportunity to make and take home a cloth bound hardback French sewn multi section book.

This is a traditional classic book structure that is strong and durable. The page sections are sewn through each of the page spine folds so that the section page spreads will lie flat when the book is opened.

This type of book construction can be applied universally to books of varying scales and formats, providing a professional binding finish and a neutral elegant space to contain image/text content.

All equipment and materials will be provided for the duration of the workshop.

To book a place on the workshop and for further information and enquiries, please contact the workshop tutor Guy Begbie by email at begbiebook@gmail.com

Tutor: Guy Begbie

Guy is an artist practitioner, bookbinder and book arts workshop provider. He has an independent multidisciplinary artist’s practice which includes working in the field of book arts and printmaking. Guy has exhibited his art works internationally and has 30 years of teaching experience as an art & design university lecturer & book arts coordinator.

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