Discover the enduring art of bookbinding in this immersive hands-on workshop with artist Louise Monte, whose work features in Mother Island at Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery. Come and learn how artists use handmade books as creative tools, journals and artworks, and leave with the skills and confidence to continue your bookbinding journey at home.

Working across artist books and mixed media, Louise incorporates bookbinding into her artistic practice as a way of exploring memory, narrative and materiality. During this intimate masterclass, participants will gain an introduction to the contemporary possibilities of bookbinding, while viewing a selection of Louise's beautifully crafted artist books alongside examples from her personal collection.

Guided by Louise, participants will learn the fundamentals of hand bookbinding and create their own A5/A6 pocket-sized journal. Using traditional binding techniques, coloured thread and a curated selection of decorative papers, participants will construct a hand-bound book with an exposed spine that celebrates the beauty of craftsmanship and making.

Whether you're an artist, designer, writer, or simply curious about working with your hands, this workshop offers a rare opportunity to learn a timeless creative skill in a small-group setting.

TICKETS:

$45 ticket price includes all materials as well as coffee, tea and biscuits.

Places are limited to 6 participants – so make sure to book to secure your spot!

WHAT TO BRING:

All materials provided.

Please bring your own lunch as the workshop will include a half hour lunch break. Fridge, microwave and hot water are available for participants use on site.

FACILITATOR BIO: Louise Monte works with found objects, exploring the intersection of memory, time and human fragility. Shop receipt books from her family’s former business – a corner store - are a recurring element used in her work to examine personal and collective histories. Her practice is shaped by durational themes and an interest in activating audience participation.

VISITING LWAG

See Mother Island at LWAG 11am – 4pm Tuesday – Saturday from 17 October – 5 December.

Mother Island brings together three artists with distinct artistic practices who share a deep engagement with storytelling through material. Across sculpture, installation and textile works, the artists examine the bonds that connect us to people, places and histories, while reflecting on the ways culture, memory and care are passed between generations. The exhibition proposes the idea of the "mother island" as a site of origin, belonging and protection, but also a space from which we must sometimes depart to define our own identities.

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We acknowledge we are situated on Noongar land. We pay our respects to the traditional owners of the lands on which we live and work across Western Australia and Australia.

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View all related events to the exhibitions at uwa.edu.au/lwag/Events

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Images

Left: Louise Monte, I See You (detail), 2026, Photo: Robert Frith

Right: Louise Monte, 2026. Photographer: Suzie Gravestock, Ilkka K Photography

Introduction to Bookbinding by Louise Monte

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Introduction to Bookbinding by Louise Monte ticket