All books were once handmade. Pages were painstakingly measured and folded and stitched together, carefully covered, then pressed. Despite the domination of machine printing and binding we are accustomed to today, some books are still handmade — like those crafted by Wanrudee Buranakorn, professor of photography at UW-Eau Claire.

“It’s a very rewarding thing to do,” says Burankorn, who holds MFAs from the University of Alabama in both Photography and Book Arts. She equates the self-proclaimed “labor of love” with making tables or knitting sweaters — crafts that employ raw materials to create one finished piece at a time.

Buranakorn’s books are a delight to handle (visit www.wanrudee.com to see them). Beautiful silk and leather-bound books present black-and-white photographs that seem to emphasize form and depth, often featuring the human body or draped fabric. By printing directly onto high-quality paper (which is sometimes also handmade), Buranakorn eradicates the need for glue, which can add unwanted bulk and decrease the lifespan of the book.

Her books often feature texts as well, which she tends to find “by accident.” For instance, she once lifted a poem from a note left in an abandoned classroom. “When I can’t get rid of the words in my head, I have to do something about it,” she says.

“Doing something about it” means diving into the lengthy, many-stepped process of bookmaking. Indeed, Buranakorn once spent four months crafting her Book Arts thesis. To create “Images of Buddhism” — a visual tribute to the religious traditions of her home country of Thailand — Buranakorn exposed photographs using the platinum process. This is one of the most beautiful, difficult, and expensive methods known for developing photographs.

“I felt it was a subject that was worth the process,” she said. Her instincts and talents proved so successful that a limited edition copy of the book is now in the private collection of the King of Thailand.

    Despite credentials like these, and the fact that she holds four degrees (including two earned in Thailand), Buranakorn loves teaching bookbinding to beginners. Because exactness is crucial to the construction of books, and because students’ expectations are so high, she must play the dual role of teacher and “forgiver of mistakes.” Internalizing her own advice, Buranakorn says, “Teaching others allows me to be more forgiving to myself. It’s more about process than product.”

In March, Buranakorn will be teaching an introductory bookbinding course to interested community members. She recommends the class to the artistic-minded, but no particular qualifications are required. “People with patience make neat, tidy books,” she admits. “But people less particular about precision are more brave … they use unconventional materials. I learn from them.”

The six-week class will allow students to construct four different book-structures: the simple folded box, soft-cover and hard-cover pamphlet bindings, and a simplified case binding. Students’ toolboxes will contain both modern and ancient tools —everything from bone folders (smooth, flat pieces of bone that create crisp creases) to X-acto knives. Books constructed in class will remain blank. Buranakorn wants students to focus on the basic book structures rather than deliberate over the interaction between content and design.

Buranakorn is also excited to preside over a Special Topics Bookbinding course next fall — the first of its kind available to university art students for credit. Though book arts have bloomed in popularity in recent decades, only three institutions currently offer the MFA in Book Arts that Burankorn holds.

“We’re pretty lucky to have Wanrudee at UWEC,” says Phil Huelsbeck, outreach specialist for the College of Arts and Sciences. Thanks to Buranakorn and these courses, book arts will gain their first foothold in the Chippewa Valley.

  An Introduction to the Art of Handmade Books is open to ANYONE. The classes run Wednesdays, March 25-April 29, from 6:30 to 9:00 pm in Haas Fine Arts Center. The cost is $155 and you can register online or by calling  836-3636. Students are encouraged to sign up early.