Ruta Prusinskaite

2024 QEST Garfield Weston Foundation Emerging Maker - Bookbinding
London

Ruta is an up-and-coming designer bookbinder who is passionate about preserving English bookbinding traditions. After studying Fine Art Printmaking at the University of Brighton, Ruta worked as a print technician before starting her bookbinding career in 2021. She currently works part time at Bookbinders of Lewes and Wyvern Bindery in London.

Ruta won the Chelsea Bindery Forwarding Prize with her first full leather binding in the Designer Bookbinders UK Competition 2023 and is eager to continue expanding her skill set to achieve more in the industry.

QEST funding will see her participate in a series of bespoke one-on-one workshops with master bookbinder Rachel Ward-Sale. Ruta will explore traditional techniques and how they can be adapted to contemporary ways of binding. She’ll also learn a variety of board attachments, covering a book in quarter, half and full leather as well as techniques for modern leather joints and doublures.

Her ultimate goals are to become a Licentiate of Designer Bookbinders, enter international bookbinding competitions and start her own bindery where she can offer employment or apprenticeships for future generations.

The standard of design bookbinding is set high, in both traditional and contemporary ways of binding. I have a long way ahead of me, but the QEST grant is giving me an opportunity to learn, improve and develop.

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