Home again, home again...

I'm back! Well, physically I've been back from my trip to England for ten days, but the first five or six found me quite jet-lagged and foggy-brained. I am just now feeling like I'm approaching normalcy (or at least my version of normalcy).

Since I'm just getting back into drawing mode, I have no new drawing to post. But I thought I would share a few highlights, in the next few days, that might be of interest to my fellow artists and book lovers. First up...the Bodleian Library at the University of Oxford!

When I arrived for the tour at the appointed time, the woman at the gate told me that I was the first to arrive. "You may go through those double doors and wait inside for the others."  Well, I was already rather awestruck being among the gorgeous buildings of Oxford, so I'm fairly sure that I gasped audibly when I entered this "waiting room":

(I know, the photo is a bit fuzzy...I was a tad overwhelmed.) Formerly the Divinity School, it's an exquisite room. (It may also be known to you as the Hogwarts infirmary.) Our tour guide was fascinating and extremely knowledgeable. As we climbed the stairs and toured the centuries-old Duke Humfrey's Library, we learned that, since its creation around 1600 through current day, all readers (students and staff) in all of the libraries that make up the Bodleian have been required to take this oath:

They are so serious about this oath that Duke Humfrey's library was only used in daylight hours until electric lights were invented. And when the library stood in for Hogwarts' library in the film, the flame on Harry's candle had to be inserted digitally!

We were then taken into the Radcliffe Camera. I was so excited; the public can only enter these rooms on certain tours. No photography was allowed, but I'll easily remember those gorgeous round reading rooms. 

After the tour, we went through the "Magical Books" exhibition at the Bodleian where we saw original sketches by C.S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien and Phillip Pullman. Click here if you're interested; much of the exhibition can be seen online.

We then walked over to the Ashmolean Museum to see the Master Drawings exhibit. Click here for more information. While there were stunning drawings from many famous artists, I was especially drawn to (no pun intended) this self-portrait and this sketch by Samuel Palmer.

One last thing—while I toured the Bodleian, my husband climbed to the top of one of the church towers and took these panoramic shots of Oxford. (Click to enlarge.) Such a beautiful town...enjoy!

Next up: Beatrix Potter's stomping grounds, and meeting a British blogging friend...in person!

Old Books

Prismacolor colored pencil on Strathmore Charcoal paper. "Pottery Green"

“It is a good rule after reading a new book, 
never to allow yourself another new one till you have read an old one in between.” 

— C.S. Lewis

I love old books, so when I saw this week's topic on Illustration Friday, "worn", I had to look no further than the bookshelf next to my desk. I've always liked how these four looked together, in their green and blue covers. I might have gone overboard using the grey-green paper, but I like how their faded covers sort of fade into the paper.

I've drawn books before (here) and I always have a grand time doing them. I've thought about doing a series, but I'm a big fan of artist Jane Mount's book series, and worry that I'm not being original—not that my work is all that similar to hers. I guess it's time to re-read this wonderful little book that I have,  Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon. It's enlightening, inspiring, and great fun to read.

Speaking of books, I mentioned in a recent post that I'm going to visit the home of Beatrix Potter on my upcoming trip to England. Well, in my travel planning, I somehow neglected to see that her house isn't open on Fridays...the day I'll be there. Grrr. I tried to console myself with the fact that there will be a smaller crowd and I can still see the outside and the gardens. But what really cheered me up was the fact that, a few minutes later, I got the last online reservation for one of the infrequent tours of the Bodleian Library at Oxford, and the tour includes going into the not-usually open-to-the public Radcliffe Camera.  (I'm such a library geek.) And when I read the description of the exhibition that's on while I'm there, I forgot all about Beatrix and her not-open-on Fridays abode. Check out the amazing exhibition here.

I'll be back home on July 13, so I hope to give you a full report!