What's the most important thing you've learned at NBSS?

Shelley Esplin

“It’s okay to fail and even when things go wrong there’s usually some way to salvage it. Also, there will always be mistakes but you shouldn’t point them out to people and after a year you probably won’t see them anymore.”

Alexa Garvin

Embracing and learning from mistakes. Being here, the curriculum has allowed me to make numerous books in a setting where materials are readily available, a rarity in the field. It's invaluable as I am allowed to practice my skills repeatedly on different bindings. Not only do I learn from any mistakes I make during the process of binding a book, but the repetition has also helped me get faster and more confident in my hand skills. I am able to understand what areas I need to work on as a result, knowing that the next book I make will probably be better.

Martha Kearsley

Show up on time. And stay hydrated.