Melissa Chao of To Boldly Fold
January 06, 2010 | By
Name: Melissa Chao
Location: Boston, MA
Shop Name: To Boldly Fold - The Art of Paper
How did you come up with the name of your shop?
It took a lot of brainstorming. I wanted something fun, but something that still conveyed how strongly I believed in what I was creating.
Tell us a bit about your craft/medium and why you chose it:
I currently make softcover leather journals and sketchbooks. I first began making books because I could never find the right type of sketchbook. Mass produced ones were always falling apart or the paper couldn't hold up to anything besides pencil work. As time went on, my friends began asking for sketchbooks, and from there, I decided to take it on as a full time endeavor.
What is the most difficult part of your craft?
Getting people to really see the care that I put into each book is definitely the most difficult part. It's hard to get people to understand how much longer a book I have made will last after being used on a daily basis than one that has been mass produced and has a glued binding, for example.
Where can we find your work?
My shop: http://www.ToBoldlyFold.etsy.com
and my website: http://www.ToBoldlyFold.com
Do you have any special projects or activities that you are involved on?
Yes! I'm working on turning my bookbinding into a full time career. Go here for more information!
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/toboldlyfold/to-boldly-fold-where-no-bookbinder-has-gone-befor
What is the most costliest part of your crafting?
The costliest material is a tie between the leather and the paper. The leather is, by nature, an expensive medium, but I wanted something that would feel good in an artist's hands. I wanted a visceral connection. The papers I use in my books are two different artist papers that I have found work well for a wide array of mediums. I have one that is great for more delicate artwork and journal writing (the paper in my Spruce and Bonsai Collections). I then have another paper that I tested it with a couple of my friends that are illustrators. Since they all work in a multitude of mediums like pencil, ink, watercolor, collage, and many more, I wanted to make sure that the paper could withstand the media. This heavier paper is found in my Cypress and Driftwood Collections.
Do you create in more than 1 medium?
I am currently only selling my sketchbooks and journals. However, I also enjoy photography and dabble in almost every medium I can get my hands on.
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you choose? And why?
I would definitely live in Italy. I spent three months living there, and it changed my entire way of looking at life. I loved being able to slow down and really understand what mattered to me.
Who is your hero - artistic or otherwise? and why?
Goodness, I'm sure I have a huge list somewhere.
I guess a couple of them are:
Alexander Calder - There is a room full of his mobiles and other work at the National Gallery of Art in D.C. I used to go and lay on the floor in the gallery and just look up at the mobiles. Beautiful work.
Peggy Guggenheim - Her museum in Venice is phenomenal. I went twice in the 5 days that I was in Venice. A fantastic collection of work.
Where do you get inspiration from?
I get a lot of my inspiration from the blogs that I read. I find myself most often looking at interior design blogs, and I think that influences my artwork a lot.
What do you do when you get a creative block?
Find something else to work on! There's always something!
What is the best thing and the worst thing about being your own boss?
The best is being in control of every step of the process. I'm a huge believer in the importance of the craft of my work, and that drives me to try to perfect every step of the process. I'm not sure I've discovered the worst thing yet. I'm so new to being my own boss, that every step has been a thrill!
Photos courtesy of Melissa Chao.
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