Memories may light the corners of our minds, but sometimes they need a tangible, leather-bound place to live. Maybe something straight out of the 6th Century, given fresh life in the 21st go-round by Marcia Engeltjes.
Her hand-bound leather books are works of art that conceal a functional purpose, holding family photos, a thesis, recipes, personal journals and sketches between covers that represent tradition, but also a whole lot of patience.
Many of her books have a bas relief effect, the leather nudged and prodded around objects that range from hand-carved letters to a knife and fork to a Harley-Davidson logo. She works with deliberation, gluing a quarter-size area at a time until the leather is molded just right.
The result is a piece of art that combines history, function and strength.
“They’re a tactile thing, but I also want these books to be interactive,” Engeltjes said. “
She discovered the ancient process while an art major at Central College in Pella, Iowa. She never imagined making a living with it, but binding students’ journals led to discovering other uses. She began adding old parts of diesel truck engines from her father’s repair shop, finding them transformed when they were sheathed in leather, or having a new beauty out of their usual context.
Now living in St. Paul, she works with clients to personalize their book covers. “One had a cow’s rib arching over the binding,” she said. “That’s a wedding album for a teacher and a chef who got married.” A Harley book cover sports chrome levers.
Prices range from $25 for a necklace journal to $2,500 for a house facade with stained-glass windows. Most books fall in the $300 to $1,500 range. She usually makes only the book cover, but will work with a client who seeks help in arranging its contents. And plan ahead: “I ask people for four to five months to complete a book,” she said.