Thornwillow is a printer and publisher of handmade, limited edition books. We do all of the design, typesetting, letterpress printing, and binding at the press in a complex of 19th century buildings in Newburgh, NY. We believe that in this age of disposable communications and virtual relationships, beautifully made objects that are designed to last, matter. Thornwillow is one of the leading fine press publishers in the world. Our books are in the permanent collections of the Smithsonian, The Metropolitan Museum, and The White House. Our collectors and customers are based all over the world. We are an artisanal enterprise committed to teaching and perpetuating the related arts and crafts of the written word.
Book Binder
We are looking for a full time or part time person to join our bindery. In the bindery we do every aspect of fine bookbinding in house from folding and sewing to making paper, cloth, and gold tooled leather bindings. We also make the clamshell boxes, marble and decorative paste paper in house. Experience is not necessary, as we like to train enthusiastic people and pass on the craft. We are looking for someone with enthusiasm, the ability to work with their hands, patience and determination, and a love of books.
Book Binder responsibilities include:
- Becoming familiar with the techniques employed at the press and working every day to learn and improve one’s mastery of the craft.
- Delivering top quality work efficiently and on schedule
- Updating project reports and schedules
- Maintaining component inventories
- Evolving responsibility for care and maintenance of tools and equipment
- Evolving responsibility for maintaining production workflow and procedures
- Evolving responsibility for managing project planning, scheduling, and organization
- Evolving responsibility for finding ways to improve quality and productivity through modifying workflow, deploying dormant equipment. and expanding the skillbase of the team.
- Evolving responsibility for training new and less skilled members of the team
- Help with other ancillary work at the press as needed – including assisting with quality control, packing and shipping during crunch periods. In short, lending a helpful hand even when it is not directly connected to your immediate area of responsibility.
The following skills are will be developed within the scope of work:
- folding & collating
- Sewing
- cloth bindings
- half leather bindings
- full leather bindings
- edge gilding
- stamping and tooling
- leather paring
- marble and paste paper making
- box making
- Solid organization and time-management skills
- Care and attention to detail.
- Excellent manual dexterity and hand skills
- Team spirit.
Job Type: Full-time or part-time
Schedule: Monday to Friday 8:30 to 5:30
Work Location: Newburgh, NY 12550: Candidates must be able to reliably commute or relocate before starting work.
Compensation: Starting at $144.00 / day, with significant room for growth as skills, experience, and commitment evolve. For more seasoned candidates, compensation will be commensurate with experience.
Affordable Housing in the Thornwillow Makers Village (pending availability) – applicable to full time employees only (minimum 40 hours/week)
For more information please contact: opportunities@thornwillow.com