BIOG

See Who's Who 2009:

Born 10th June 1928, Southport England.

Edu. Ackworth School Yorkshire 1939-1946. RAF 1946-1949: Southport School of Art 1949-1951; Royal College of Art, London (Roger Powell) 1951-1954, ARCA (1st Class).

Art and Bookbinding teacher Malvern College of Art 1955-1957, Assistant to Sydney Cockerell (bookbinder) 1957 - 1961;

Married Dorothy Weighill, artist 1957; three sons: Jason, Alaric, Philip.

Book-art studios, Hampstead, Woodford, 1961- 1970, Merstham 1970-1986; studio at Yatton Keynell 1986-present.

British Museum team for Florence flood disaster 1966-67.

MDE (Meister der Einbandkunst) 1970: Fellow, Designer Bookbinders, President 1977-79.

Editor of The New Bookbinder 1980-95.

Bindings in many public and private collections world-wide include: V & A Museum, London: British Library, Royal Collection, Royal Library, Holland; New York Public Library, HRHRC Texas, the Lilly Library Indiana USA.

14 lecture tours in USA since 1975, and 9 lectures in Europe and other countries.

150 book art exhibitions, major retrospective solo exhibitions Ascona and Goldsmiths' Hall London, 1970-71, Portland Oregon of works collected in USA and Canada 2007. Several painting exhibitions include John Moores, RBA.

Publications: The Lord of the Rings and Other Bookbindings of Philip Smith 1970, New Directions in Bookbinding, 1974, The Book: Art & Object, 1982; A Book Art, Concept & Making in preparation. Numerous articles, reviews, exhibition catalogues internationally.

Honours: Gold Medal, second International Biennale Sao Paulo, 1972: Presidum of Honour, Czechoslovalia 1989, Silver Medal, Paris International Bookbinding Art,1992;Gold medal EEC Bookbinding Prize 1993, Patents for maril 1971; Lap-Back Book-structure UK and USA 1994; 1st Prize Bookbinding Czech Republic 2004; MBE for Services to Art, 2000; Silver Medal Exhibition of Books as Art Italy, 2000, 2002; British Library National Sound Archive: National Life Story Collection 2004; Representative of UK at international exhibitions of Bookbinding Art, Paris 1992, 2008. Listed in International Biographical dictionaries in UK and USA.

Memberships: Society for the Study of Normal Psychology 1957- present; Designer Bookbinders; Meister der Einbandkunst Germany; Canadian Bookbinders and Book Artists Guild (CBBAG); Society of Bookbinders UK; Center for Book Arts New York; Czech Society of Designer Bookbinders.