Conservator me

I’m doing a little cross-pollination between my selves, these days.  Here’s a blog post I wrote for the Library Company of Philadelphia, some musings on woodcuts, and a sample of some “day-to-day” inspiration.  The influence of the rare book collection at the Library Company on me is subtle and deep, absorbed through 25+ years of hands-on work at the bench.  Click here for a picture of my work bench from a previous post.

Finding a hidden gem, a woodcut or engraving inside the covers of the books is always a reason to stop, look and share with my coworkers.  As I write in the Library Company blog “Beyond the Reading Room”, woodcuts speak in a timeless language.

John G Hurtin, Baronet, will cover this season (New York State, s.n., 1800) The gouge marks in the ground beneath the figures’ feet show the carver’s bold approach. Photo courtesy of The Library Company of Philadelphia.

Light from Dark: woodcuts old and new

Discover another gem while you’re at it, click here for information about where I work, the Library Company of Philadelphia.  It’s ONLY a living breathing legacy, founded by our beloved Benjamin Franklin in 1731.