Julia rescues books from garage sales, second-hand shops, and estate sales. Using Exact-o knives, rotary cutters, and tweezers, she deconstructs these books and refashions them into topographical landscapes, paper specimen boxes, and three-dimensional collages of the original contents. Her favorite subjects are reference books several editions out of date. These books are no longer valued for the information they contain, but through the carving, are given a second opportunity to be appreciated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you make the book carvings?

I use Exact-o knives, rotary cutters, tweezers, rulers, custom cut panes of glass, and lots of glue. I carve through the covers and remove most of the content so all that remains is a snapshot of what the book contained. I reinforce the backs of some pages with stiffer paper to help them survive humidity. Every image in the finished product came from the book itself.

Don't you feel guilty about destroying books?

I love books. Because of this, I only use books that are no longer valued for their content, and never carve rare or new books. I've deliberately put down books (that would have made lovely carvings!) if I think someone is likely to appreciate them intact.

Do you sell your book carvings?

Yes! Check out my Etsy store! https://strandbookcarvings.etsy.com