Master Bookbinder/Maitre relieur
One of Canada's foremost design bookbinders, Pierre Ouvrard has prepared more than five hundred beautiful, unique bindings over his fifty-year career. Design binding is unusual branch of the book arts, blending craftsmanship, artistry, and literary sensitivity. In Ouvrard's hands, the book becomes a work of art as fine as any painting. This volume features more than three hundred of his best creations, including the sumptuous Governor General's Literary Award collection. The introductory essays, presented in both English and French, provide a context for appreciating this versatile artist: Alfred Van Peteghem (author and rare-book dealer); Normand Biron (art critic); and Pierre Ouvrard himself. "Pierre Ouvrard's enthusiasm for his craft together with his enormous output over many years have resulted in a collection of work of unparalleled magnitude in the recent history of hand bookbinding in Canada. For those who enjoy unravelling the meaning behind bookbinders' designs, this profusely illustrated book and fitting tribute to the man will provide a treasure trove of ideas ranging from the disarmingly simple to the provocatively enigmatic." - Michael Wilcox, master bookbinder, Burleigh Falls, Ontario