Cathy's Art Diary

Small exhibition at the Bodleian Library for this annual book binding competition. The theme this year was heroic works and there were some lovely examples. Quite often the binding picked up the story in the book others were just beautiful covers. I loved Tom McEwan’s binding in purple goatskin with gold patterning. Also Troy Moore’s “Alice in Wonderland” which was a bottle with a copy of the book on a tiny scroll inside and of course a label saying “Drink me”. My favourite though was Sylvester Pacura’s cover for “The Golden Legend” which had a tooled stained glass window in the leather binding. Closed on 20 August 2017

Interesting exhibition at Liverpool Central Library of book bindings contemporary designers. I must admit the best thing about the show was the chance to look round the newly built/refurbished Liverpool Library which I remembered from 3 weeks work experience there in 1985! The display cases were in the older areas of the Hornby Library and Picton Reading Room. Note to self, don’t up zip your handbag it he middle of the Picton Library it’s got an amazing echo! The bindings were fascinating. I loved Stuart Brockman’s watercolour of Oxford by the book of the same name by John Curtis.   Also Angela Jones’s “ABC tour of Wales” bound in pastel stripes of leather. I just wish I could commission some fancy bindings for where I work now!