Jody Alexander is an artist, bookbinder, papermaker, librarian and teacher who lives and works in Santa Cruz, California. She makes paper, in the Eastern-style, and uses her papers to bind books with exposed sewing on the spine in a number of historical and modern binding styles. She combines these books with found objects, wooden boxes and drawers, metal, bones, etc. to create sculptural works. Her pieces celebrate collecting, storytelling, and odd characters.

More recently she has been binding books out of mull (a bookbinder's material) that have resulted in the Ghost Book series. She combines her ghost books with digital photo emulsions, and hand and maching stitching to evoke certain feelings: "sometimes it is one of those feelings that you can’t put into words but it makes you take a deep breathe and sigh, feel warm or cool, or maybe wiggle a little."

Jody Alexander teaches book arts at Foothill College,and San Francisco Center for the Book.

Check Jalex Books Blog for updated information on exhibits, classes and new artwork.