I have spent a lot of time this week preparing for an upcoming display of my sketchbooks at the local East Melbourne Library. I have had four displays of my sketchbooks there previously, but nothing since 2020, when we went into a long lockdown in Melbourne. Now that life is back to the new normal, I was invited to install a display in February.

Firstly, I needed to decide on the theme. I chose “my East Melbourne sketches”.

I habve lived in East Melbourne since 2014 and sketch daily everywhere I go. I decided to feature East Melbourne scenes that local residents will be familiar with.

I looked through my sketchbooks for East Melbourne pages and while doing this I formed the themes of the pages to have open in the four cabinets (each has four glass shelves). Decisions have to be made as only one page can be opened at a time in one book. You can see my dilemma. While every page is a sketch and journal page, not all of them are visually interesting enough to been understood through a glass caninet in a display.

I have learned from my previous displays about what I can fit in these cabinets. I know that viewing the sketchbooks on the bottom shelf is obscured by the sketchbooks on the other shelves. No matter how much planning I do in advance, there will always be tweaks on the day.

I PLAN to set up the display on January 31 and it will be in place through February.

Please drop by if you are a local or a visitor. While you are there explore our wonderful local library while you are there. It is a great place and they are very involved in the local community. I am fortunate to be able to connect with the community by having my sketchbooks on display there. In the past, I have used the rooms for my travel sketching classes and may do it again.

See you there!