This past weekend, I checked out the Ex Libris show of original bookplates at RECSPEC gallery. A friend of mine had a piece in the show.
The idea for these works really struck a chord with me, as a lover of both books and art. I love the idea that you can express your individuality through a bookplate, simultaneously laying claim to your property while stamping it with your own personality.
Case in point: Here’s a beautiful bookplate from the show by my friend and co-worker at McDonald Observatory, Laura Thoms. The top portion shows the domes of the telescopes where she lives on the observatory grounds. At the bottom, her home and the wildlife who visit her daily: a deer and her fawn, birds, and a few of the javelinas that abound on site. I love the contrast between the red type and the black graphics.
Ex Libris closed on June 9. It has got me thinking, though, that this would be a great gift to commission for a friend (or myself) through a local artist.
artsarticulated.com 