PETER AND DONNA THOMAS

Peter and Donna Thomas of Santa Cruz, California, started their private press in 1976 naming it the Good Book Press, but changed the imprint to their names in 1988. They write the text, create the art for the illustrations, make the paper, handset the type, print on a letterpress, and bind the book in-house. Peter specializes in the paper-making and printing and Donna focuses on the linoleum-cut illustrations and the fine bindings. They publish both full-size and miniature books. After 1990, the Thomas’ book arts objective expanding from printing fine press books to seeing books as fine art objects. These fine art books are largely Donna Thomas’ creations and involve calligraphy and watercolor illustrations, shaped pages, and leather bindings. Many consist of quotes of such authors as John Muir, Walt Whitman, William James, Oscar Wilde, and Henry David Thoreau. (Bradbury 302)

Artist’s Statement: “ Many years ago, while visiting an old bindery, we were told by the proprietor, ‘You can’t buy experience.’ We found this was true. We printed our first book in 1978. It was a collaboration of three short stories written by Peter and illustrated with etchings by Donna. Thirty books from the edition were printed on Peter’s handmade paper and bound with a leather spine and colorful woolen cloth which Donna had woven from her hand spun, naturally dyed yarn. To assure that the books we made reflected our intent, we always made the paper, printed and bound the books completely by ourselves. At some point, our vision for the kind of book we wanted to create expanded beyond simply ‘fine press.’ To see the book as art, to consider the form, structure, textures and content, rather than only the information, required new ways of thinking about the book. The book became our art as well as craft. The book is the summation of all art. There is sculpture and architecture in the binding, dance in the structure, music in the sequence of the pages, visual art in the illustration, literature in the text and drama in the collaboration of skills required to produce it.”

Peter and Donna Thomas, for The Art of the Miniature Book, Selections from the Library of Alden Jacobs, an exhibit held September 23, 1999-November 24, 1999, Special Collections & University Archives, Alexander Library, Rutgers University.