With dark hair pulled up into a bun, a baby carrier where she gently rocks her six-month-old daughter securely attached, Laurie Archambault is busy among colors and tools that she uses for both bookbinding and marbling. In this vibrant workshop, the desire to create is immediate. For the past few months, she, who graduated from the École Estienne in 2011, has settled into 8-10 rue Duchefdelaville in the 13th district. It’s a much larger space than her previous 20 m², which became too cramped due to the excitement generated by her classes and workshops.
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©Jagoda Bartus/Le Bonbon
The goal was simple: to have a place where she could « welcome people and that would be visible from the street ». However, the process was a bit more complex. But behind her discreet appearance, there's a determined woman, ready to take on challenges, and even willing to take financial risks — « if you don’t take risks, nothing happens », she admits with conviction — to bring her art to life and continue to get known. Proof that such strength of character pays off: the demand keeps growing. « More and more people are looking for me, they are curious, eager to learn, and to dive into all sorts of projects ».
Making Transmission a Priority
This perseverance, the bookbinder and marbler had to show by adding a third profession to her generous resume, that of being a mom. Finding the balance between being an artist, a teacher, and a family member is no easy task. You have to manage the unexpected, and deal with that “fear of being judged.” But above all, there is this visceral love for her craft and for passing it on. And while it has always felt like a long-standing certainty, the real turning point came when she lost the man who taught her the art of marbling. “He had passed it on to me with a certain shyness, I thought that I couldn’t wait, I had to pass on as much as possible, and that I had to adapt…”; what everyone wants to do, because the recipes are different », she claims.
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With her, there are no “academic” constraints. Freedom takes the lead, driven by goals to achieve throughout the marbling and binding sessions: “We respect the times for grinding, drying... It’s a respect”t for practice that I always try to maintain. » Escape or almost meditative pause, its pedagogy is captivating. Today, she offers year-round courses, individual lessons, and occasional workshops. And the results go both ways : the one who seems to be of a reserved nature has surprised herself by opening up more, « being much more sociable » than she ever thought she could be.
An artistic fiber born from insatiable curiosity
For Laurie, choosing a manual profession was an obvious choice from her school days, where she could hardly sit still. Driven by unparalleled curiosity, « I had to dig around, search, and experiment». A scientist at heart, an artist in her hands., she sees art as a way to apply concrete processes, while " materializing something artistic ".
©Jagoda Bartus/Le Bonbon
Very early on, she works as a facilitator for the City of Paris — proof of her unwavering determination and strong taste for sharing knowledge. A blank canvas, she takes the opportunity to test artistic projects with children, even with limited resources. Faced with concerned parents, she proves her capability. Against those who dare to belittle her, she holds on tight, driven by the deep belief that, yes, she belongs here. Then she creates her brand Laurie & Les Petites Mains in 2012, before Wecandoo takes a real turn a few years later. When the platform launches in 2017, Laurie is among the first artists to collaborate, offering...
t a creation workshop for a small bound notebook.
Dreams, desires, and goals in abundance
New workshop, fully booked months in advance… Are there still challenges to tackle for Laurie ? Yes, one : feeling fully legitimate in art bookbinding. With over thirteen years of experience in binding, a deep understanding of paper properties, as well as binding and unbinding techniques, she continues to move forward with high standards, eager to push boundaries and create even more, and more freely.
Although she doesn't yet feel like she belongs to the “ exclusive circle of art bounders”, the artist is slowly carving her path, starting with art marbling, which she has recently taken up. “By succeeding in marbling, I tell myself that I don’t have to tense up for art binding,”she acknowledges. Undoubtedly, some things take time. But, perhaps unconsciously, she already seems to be on the path to her dreams. After all, Laurie is convinced: “Once you become interested in something, it’s over, it lasts a lifetime.”
©Jagoda Bartus/Le Bonbon