Monique Lallier and Don Etherington have opened their personal studio for AAB classes. The Lallier/Etherington studio is (as one can imagine) a beautiful, comfortable and fully equipped facility. The studio is located in Summerfield, North Carolina, a suburb of Greensboro. Teaching from Summerfield will allow Monique and Don to work from home and avoid traveling. Class size in Summerfield is limited to five students.
Greensboro is home to the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, as well as Etherington Conservation Services in nearby Browns Summit, the company Don founded in 1987. If time allows, students may visit the extensive bookbinding library at the University, that houses the largest collection of Don and Monique’s bindings, and get a personal tour of Don’s company where a variety of interesting conservation projects are in progress.
Summerfield Housing
Summerfield has a number of affordable hotels and extended stay accommodations. There is an apartment building five miles from the Lalliler/Etherington studio where students can share accommodations. Once enrolled, the Academy can assist with securing accommodations and pairing classmates if you are interested in sharing lodging and rental cars, if needed. Greensboro has a large commercial airport that is about a 15 minute drive from Summerfield and the Lallier/Etherington studio.
Since 1993, Telluride, Colorado has been home to the American Academy of Bookbinding. The historic Stone Building in downtown Telluride houses the bookbinding studio. Built in 1900 and constructed of native stone and indigenous red limestone mortar, it was first used as a livery stable and assay office, and then used by old Step-and-a-Half Adams, the local undertaker, for his trade. Renovated in 2000, the facility consists of a well lit, 1,400 square foot bookbinding studio and a comfortable student lounge, where books and videos are available for further study. Students have access to the studio and lounge 24-hours a day.
Telluride is a spectacular backdrop for this intensive program. In addition to being a designated national historic district, the town is surrounded by 14,000-foot peaks. Out of class, students can hike in wilderness areas, watch top-notch theater and films, listen to visiting musicians, or fish the San Miguel River. With cool nights and warm days, nothing beats the Colorado Rocky Mountains as a perfect setting for the American Academy of Bookbinding.
Telluride Accommodations
In Telluride, students can choose to make their own housing arrangements or have the Academy do it for them. In arranged housing, students stay in condominiums and houses within walking distance of the AAB studio, shops, galleries and hiking trails. Students stay in private rooms in a shared house or condo, or can stay in a private condo/hotel at a higher rate. Usually students are paired in two and three-bedroom accommodations; occasionally a student will need to stay in a one-bedroom unit. The Academy is dedicated to finding accommodations for students of all economic levels, so please let us know your situation and we will try to find a creative housing solution. There is camping available for $15/night within walking distance of the Academy studio (it opens in mid-May and closes in mid-October), and there are several National Forest campgrounds within 10 miles of Telluride. If you are making your own housing arrangements, please call the Academy for a list of preferred accommodations companies.
