Joanna ESPINER

My background and arts practice
I am 59 and live in Bristol, Uk. I have a degree in Ceramics from Bath Spa University and have worked with clay all through my life since childhood. Alongside my ceramic practice, I have a strong practice in drawing and respond to the world around me using both drawing and clay. I am passionate about sharing my creative knowledge, skills and experience with others, especially to support their wellbeing and lead clay and other creative workshops for all ages in a range of community settings.

My interest in the Sketchbooking course is to develop a daily practice of drawing and really expressing myself in my drawings. Also to practise working in different media to create different atmospheres and impact. I have always loved children's books and would like to create one someday if I could. I would also like to become more confident at drawing and illustrating so that I could perhaps try and get some of my drawings published or printed somewhere.

My interest in this book-making course
Over the years I have accumulated a large number of drawings I have made, using pen and ink, pencil and charcoal and watercolour. Over the time of the pandemic, I have been reflecting on what to do with all of these drawings and how to archive them. I had an idea that it would be wonderful if I could bind them together into books. I enjoy handling books and have made some simple sketchbooks in the past. Whilst participating on another Domestika course, in children’s illustration, I discovered this book making course by and experienced an immediate, strong and impulsive desire to participate, to learn more about how to create artist books and to give myself the experience of making books again. I am delighted to be taking part and have found the introduction already truly inspiring and very much look forward to learning and experiencing more as i work through the units.