Megan Winn

A lifelong lover of reading and keeping a journal, Megan Winn found bookbinding a natural fit when she began working in the craft in 2007. While always drawn to artists’ books and mixed media, Megan studied a variety of mediums in school but never quite found her niche.

“That all changed the day a friend offered to teach me how to make a journal using a historical binding technique,” Megan says. “After making my first book at that impromptu craft night, I knew I had found my artistic home. I have been making handbound books ever since.”

In 2007, she graduated from Anderson University with a bachelor’s degree in Studio and Fine Art and started her own Binding Bee company a year later. She also studied under a master bookbinder to finesse her craft.

“I started Binding Bee as a way to share my love of handcrafted books and promote the age-old tradition of keeping a journal, something I have been doing for the past two decades,” the Marion County artisan says.

Megan also finds inspiration in the materials she uses, from mostly reclaimed and remnant leather to a variety of handmade and eco-friendly papers, including a 140-pound paper that can be used for journaling or watercolor painting.

“I love the tactile nature of bookbinding and the way the leather and paper feel,” she says. “I have an affinity for finding unique closures to add to each piece and am always working on new designs.”

Megan is also proud of her connection to working artists around the Hoosier state.

“Being designated an Indiana Artisan connects me to the deep history of entrepreneurship the state is known for and also makes me want to promote even more awareness of the vibrant art scene that exists in Indiana,” she says.