Maryanne Grebenstein Maryanne Grebenstein

Old Documents and Bindings

I took a group to London and Cambridge this past February/March to view manuscripts and participate in a workshop in Cambridge. While in Cambridge, we came upon a wonderful antiquarian bookseller’s shop called G. David. I purchased a few old...

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Maryanne Grebenstein Maryanne Grebenstein

Workshop with Patricia Lovett

This post is the third in a series describing a week-long trip I organized to take a group to London and Cambridge. The first post talked about the manuscripts we saw in London and the second post is about the exhibits and manuscripts we saw...

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Maryanne Grebenstein Maryanne Grebenstein

Lions and Tigers and Bears! A Visit to Cambridge, U.K.

This post is a follow-up to my recently published blog, A Visit with Some Manuscripts at the British Library. It’s the continuation of the chronicle of a trip recently offered by The Abbey Studio to London and Cambridge to view manuscripts...

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Maryanne Grebenstein Maryanne Grebenstein

A Visit with Some Manuscripts at the British Library

One of the very fun aspects of my work at The Abbey Studio is that from time to time I organize trips – sometimes domestic, sometimes international – related to illuminated manuscripts and calligraphy. I recently took a group to London and...

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Maryanne Grebenstein Maryanne Grebenstein

Making a Small Bestiary

Many of you know that bestiaries are medieval books about beasts. They contain beautiful paintings and elaborate descriptions of natural items – primarily animals, but they can also include fish, rocks, and fantastic beasts.

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Maryanne Grebenstein Maryanne Grebenstein

Golden Rule for Book Design

True confession: I’m a total traditionalist. Although I have a great appreciation for the fun and spontaneity of a wild, modern layout that runs off the page, in my own work I like to stick to the classics. I enjoy using historic examples as...

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Blog, Calligraphy, Painting Maryanne Grebenstein Blog, Calligraphy, Painting Maryanne Grebenstein

Fooling the Eye

You may have experienced something like this: You walk into a restaurant that is housed in a building with solid walls all around. But as you pan the room you see a view of a beautiful footbridge across a very picturesque river with...

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