Brien Beidler is a bookbinder and toolmaker who explores the structure, aesthetics, and impact of pre-industrial bindings in a 21st century context. In Brien’s practice, bookbinding and toolmaking work in parallel to investigate the role books have played in the history of ideas and other facets of cultural history.

In his binding, Brien is deeply inspired by the processes of historic bookbinders and uses tools and techniques that replicate the structural and visual properties of the books they made.

In his toolmaking, Brien specializes in hand-engraved finishing tools and other decorative stamps for bookbinders, leatherworkers, and woodworkers. See a video of his process here.

He also teaches workshops in bookbinding, gold tooling with egg glair, and finishing tool making, and is on the board of Co-Directors for the Paper and Book Intensive.

Brien holds an undergraduate degree in Chemistry from the College of Charleston, where he was first introduced to bookbinding in the library’s Special Collections. He was the Director of the Bindery and Conservation Lab at the Charleston Library Society from 2012-2016 before establishing his own practice.

Brien is currently based in Minneapolis, MN where he shares a studio with Wren, his curmudgeonly spaniel.