Wood Bookmaking and Bookbinding  with Hana
  • Pero Negro, Portugal
  • 20 hours over 4 days

Wood Bookmaking and Bookbinding with Hana

Set in the countryside 30 minutes from Lisbon, and surrounded by fragrant vineyards and Old World splendor, learn how to create handmade books using reclaimed furniture and Coptic bookbinding techniques. Hana considers her studio as a place to be healed and her books carry this ethos and energy too.
  • Snacks, Coffee, & Tea
  • Local Transportation

Pricing

One Guest
USD $990
Additional guest(s) (max 4)
USD $480

Accommodation

One Guest
USD $250
Additional guest(s)
USD $150

Meet the Artist

Hana is a bookbinder and woodworker whose handmade books have traveled around the world. Her journey began when she saw fragments of old, ornate Portuguese furniture discarded on the streets. Wanting to find a second use for such beauty, she started turning them into book covers for journals, guest books, diaries, recipe books and photo albums. She calls them “books with a wooden memory.” With emphasis on reclaimed materials, she personalizes each cover with delicate hand engraving and furniture accessories like keyholes, pulls etc. Her principal Coptic stitch bookbinding techniques are unique to her books. When you visit, you'll meet Rúben, her husband and an antique wood restorer who shares her passion to give old wood a new life. She considers her studio as a place to be healed and her books carry this ethos and energy too.

VAWAA Includes:

  • Discovering characteristics of different types of wood and paper.
  • Introduction to basic woodworking tools and equipment, and experience dismantling furniture.
  • Woodworking techniques such as wood cleaning, repairing, cutting, and sanding.
  • Sketching and wood engraving with small chisels, including other creative options for cover construction using reclaimed materials.
  • Homemade natural wood treatment preparation and wood finishing techniques.
  • Paper cutting and folding for journals and photo albums.
  • Bookbinding, including Coptic stitch technique and variations.
  • Materials and access to tools.
  • Your own upcycled wood book.
  • hiking - our house offers many beautiful hiking options.

Stay at Hana's

Stay at Hana’s charming cottage, separate from the studio and her family country house. It has two beds, a private bathroom, and an outdoor swimming pool. You'll be thirty minutes away from the capital city of Lisbon and an hour from the ocean.

The property has friendly animals such as cats, dogs, sheep, and chickens.

Explore Pero Negro

Half an hour from the capital city of Lisbon, wild Atlantic beaches, and the famous Sintra or Obidos, the quaint village of Pero Negro is surrounded by picturesque vineyards that stretch on for miles along the hilly landscape. In a nearby town you can see remnants of the Lines of Torres Vedras, a series of fortresses. You can also see old castles, churches, and plenty of Baroque carvings scattered throughout. A little further away you’ll hear fado music in Lisbon’s pubs, cafes, and restaurants--it’s a traditional style of Portuguese singing known for its expressive and melancholy lyrics. Rooted in themes of marginalization and social oppression, it historically frequented the brothels and pubs of sailors along the port.

Additional Details

The best time to visit Portugal is in spring (March–May) when the country is in bloom. Fall (September–October) is also a great time, as the weather is warm with fewer crowds.

This VAWAA can be extended for up to 10 days. Please ask when you submit your booking request. More time can be dedicated to hand-carving techniques that require extra practice.

The wood and paper studios are an extension of Hana's house where she lives with her two kids and partner, a furniture restorer with whom she shares the wood studio.

You'll be in a rural area with friendly animals. Cats and a dog are often in the house/studio, and other animals such as sheep and chickens live in the garden. If you are allergic to these animals, please bring suitable medication before you arrive.
Hana's Availability 4 days