Ireen Krantz

Ireen comes from Halle in Germany, where she began her bookbindery career as an apprentice in Hamburg for three years. Thereafter, she continued with something that can be called an ’apprentice journey’ throughout Germany, Austria and Switzerland for another three years. She then worked with different master bookbinders in different workshops to widen and deepen her knowledge. During this time, she decided to seek out older bookbinders to interview them and to ask them to share how they did their spring-back binding. Spring-back binding is a special interest for Ireen, and she has compiled here insight to her own techniques that she wants to carry on.

After the ’apprentice journey’, Ireen moved to Halle in Germany, and started her studies at the University for Art & Design, Burg Giebichenstein, with a major in book art.

She holds a Master of Bookbindery, and in 2003 she received the ‘bel libro 2003’ award in Ascona, Switzerland. In 2007, she was given the ‘Harmatan Award for Forwarding’ by the Society of Bookbinders, and this autumn she will finalise her six year university education.