I have returned from my six week holiday in England and a little break after that.
I had a wonderful holiday, fulfilling all my dreams. I have so many sketches to share with you and I am not sure where to begin. I photographed my sketchbook and posted daily while I was away to instagram ( alissaduke1) and facebook Alissa Duke Art. You can look and see them there.
I completed four watercolour sketchbooks (13x19cm) with my watercolour pencils and ink pen. I still have to scan all of these. This will take some time as some of the sketches still need to be finished and I have to write notes on many of the pages.
Here is just a glimpse.
ten days in London
three days of Goodwood Revival
three weeks in Coombe near Wotton Under Edge in the South Cotswolds
Each sketch tells a story and takes me back to the moment I was there .
I am going on Annual Leave tomorrow for six weeks in England.
This week’s blog post will be the last until I return in October!
I am taking four sketchbooks and my sketchkit and some spare watercolour pencils . Below are some of my sketches in preparation. I will be sketching ALL THE TIME and posting to Instagram daily (alissaduke1).
Below are my outfits for Goodwood Revival Historic Motor Racing Festival. Three days of car racing from 1940’s-1960s . Everyone who attends dresses in outfits of the day. HERE are my sketches from 2018.
I will have so much to share when I return. Also lots of exciting plans and classes planned for the rest of 2024 !
Did you know that it was International Lion Day on Friday? i didn’t I don’t usually know about these international days until they are over. There are calendars you can look ahead at to find these things out. Here is a selection.
My immediate thought was the Trafalgar Square Lions, which I will be seeing in two weeks in London. Then I thought of all the other lion sketches and drawings I have done and decided to share them all here. I sketch them every time I visit London. I know I have arrived and it is now a tradition.
and then there are the real lions at Melbourne Zoo. They are usually sleeping on the platforms, but have come close to the glass wall a few times. Magnificent!
Sketched in an old ledger.
I have also drawn a lion in a book It is an old copy of The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S.Lewis. It took a long time to locate a copyright free image online that had the right look.
A variety of subjects, many of these I have sketched before. Most were sketched quickly. The longest one was Affinity Quartet which was one hour in the Library.
A week ago at Melbourne Athenaeum Library – Affinity Quartet. It was a lovely way to end my week of Melbourne Rare Book Week events.
I spent most of the week finalising MRBW sketches, scanning and sending them to the various partners or organisations involved.
This past Friday, I was back to the traditional Prosecco.
Saturday on the tram – about 20 minutes
This evening – a Zoom chat with UK friends
a quick sketch of some of the London books I have on table.
Last week I posted my sketches from Melbourne Rare Book Week days 1-3 . And now it is all done for another year. I had planned a mid-week blog, but time got away.
I will feature some sketches here but the entire 30 sketches from the week will be on my Flickr site for you to look at. click HERE. Flickr is a photosharing website. All of my sketches go there and I have organised some of them into themes in Albums. There is one for each MRBW,
THE WEEK
Now We Are Ten : A book collector’s reflections on a decade of Melbourne Rare Book Week
Since its inception in 2012, MRBW has become an important festival in Melbourne’s cultural life. The current Program Director will reflect on the evolution of MRBW from the original concept to this tenth iteration of the festival. He will take a book collector’s view of its importance, as well as its international significance as a model for similar festivals. Appropriately, the event is co-hosted by The Melbourne Athenaeum Library, one of the original, ongoing partners of MRBW.
It was so lovely that I was included in the talk as part of the history of MRBW. I have been with then officially as sketcher on location since 2106.
It’s Cold and Old and Rarer than Gold : Collectables from the Heroic Era of Antarctic Exploration
Tony Shields has been a stamp and coin dealer since 1970. Every day he handles wonderful pieces of history and art which he researches and loves. Since childhood, he has been fascinated by the stories of Scott and Mawson in the Antarctic and has sought stamps and other items depicting the experiences of these incredible explorers. Come and share Tony’s enthusiasm and knowledge of collectables from the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration, 1820-1921.
Rare Sports Books and Ephemera : A panel discussion on interesting items from the MCC Library
Panelists: Gideon Haigh, Cheryl Critchley, Kasey Symons, Greg de Moore, David Studham and Trevor Ruddell
The panel of sports historians, journalists and librarians will present selected highlights from the Library in its 150th anniversary year and they will discuss their significance in the history of Australian sport. Learn about the variety of items held in the collection, which goes well beyond the boundary of cricket, even stepping over the boundary line of Australian Rules Football into other sporting arenas. The event will finish with a Q&A session.
Albrecht Dürer’s Innovations in Book Illustration : Albrecht Dürer’s Innovations in Book Illustration
National Gallery of VictoriaSpeakers: Dr. Petra Kayser, Hansen Associate Professor Jenny Spinks and Professor Charles Zika
This session focuses on illustrated books and related prints by German Renaissance artist Albrecht Dürer (1471–1528), drawn from the NGV’s rich holdings, including examples of his early work as a book illustrator, the Apocalypse in a Latin and a vernacular edition, a range of devotional books and illustrated scientific treatises. The speakers will discuss the technique and historical context of their production to highlight Dürer’s ambition and originality, as well as the breath of his knowledge.
THE RARE BOOK FAIR
The Melbourne Rare Book Fair is the major annual book fair of ANZAAB and one of only a few rare book fairs in the Southern hemisphere. Now in its 53rd Edition, the Melbourne Rare Book Fair again featured rare and wonderful books, manuscripts, ephemera, prints (and much more) from the best rare book and antiquarian dealers across Australia and New Zealand and from overseas. It was a gathering of buyers, sellers and lovers of books not to be missed.
I sketched Thursday night and on Friday. As I stood back and sketched I observed and listened. It was lovely to see a steady flow of all types of people exploring the Fair. For some, it was a curious or tentative first visit and others were regulars, greeting old friends and looking to add to their collections, big or small. I purchased a lovely book for the price of a dinner out.
And the BIGGEST surprise, when I entered the FAIR, my sketch from last year on the wall !!! I did not see them on Thursday night when I entered after the launch. So it was a big surprise to enter the door and see it. This is the cloakroom. Professional photos were taken with me in the photo, but this was on my phone.
It was a wonderful, amazing week of sketching and meeting new people and catching up with old friends. I am becoming a familiar face with the partner presenter orgnisations and the booksellers. See you all lnext year.
In the meantime, you can follow my daily sketches on Instagram alissaduke1 or Facebook Allissa Duke Art.
Melbourne Rare Book Week has begun for another year.
MRBW runs 18-27 July and it is a very special one as it is the 10th year. The culminating event of MRBW is always the Australian Antiquarian Book Fair, presented by The Australian and New Zealand Association of Antiquarian Booksellers (ANZAAB).
There are many more events this year, so many that I can’t sketch at them all, and had to make some decisions about what I can get to. I am sketching t 23 of the 44 evtns. Most events are in Melbourne CBD, but some are a few suburbs away, a few even further afield. I take the week off work and document each event. sketching on location. The talks usually go for 45 minutes to one hour. In most cases, it involves people sitting and listening. I sit in the back row and sketch – sometimes the people in front of me are the feature and sometimes the building itself. It is not all about expensive, high-end collectables, but also the sharing of stories behind the books in interesting collections of organisations and individuals.
THURSDAY
Noted Donations to the Melbourne Public Library The C J LaTrobe Society Speaker: Shane Carmody
From its beginning the Melbourne Public Library supplemented its book stock with donations. In 1873, the library published a catalogue of these gifts, listing an array of donors from emperors and kings to more humble colonists. In part a celebration, in part an appeal for more gifts, the catalogue provides an insight into the literary culture of the time. Historian Shane Carmody will discuss book culture in the early years of the Colony of Victoria, featuring eminent donors and their fascinating donations to the Melbourne Public Library collection.
FRIDAY
The Oldest Book in the Supreme Court Library The Law Library Victoria Statham’s Abridgement (1491) and its place in law reporting today Speaker: Alissa Duke
I could not sketch my own event ! so here are some photos!
Sit amongst the books and shelves of the magnificent Supreme Court Library and learn about the oldest book in the Library, Statham’s Abridgment, which was printed in 1491. Discover what it is, and how this book came to be in the Library. Hear about its place in the history of law reports and how this five-hundred-year-old book relates to law reporting in Victoria today.
My Life in Readings An interview with Mark Rubbo Interviewer: Jane Sullivan Melbourne Athenaeum Library, Legendary Melbourne bookseller Mark Rubbo spent almost 50 years in the business until he retired as Readings managing director last year. From his days with one Readings outlet in Carlton to presiding over a chain of eight shops, he nurtured new Australian writers, worked to extend Melbourne’s cultural influence, and fought off a challenge from the Borders behemoth. Text publisher Michael Heyward calls him one of the world’s great independent booksellers. He talks about his career and 50 years of Australian writing to author and literary columnist Jane Sullivan.
Sectarian Riot? Coverup? Royal United Services Institute of Victoria The literature of the Battle of Fromelles 1916Speaker: Major General (Ret’d) Michael O’Brien CSC, MDA, BSc (Mil)
Australia’s disastrous Battle of Fromelles has generated a large volume of literature over the last 100 years. It has caused a riotous assembly in Bendigo and accusations of a coverup. Mike will review the writings from his intimate experience with the twenty-first century re-burial and identification of Australia’s lost soldiers from this battle.
SATURDAY
A Viewing of Rare Bird Books Museums Victoria Guides: Haley Webster, Olga Hionis and Shae Graham.Rose Bollen
Fly into the museum to see a selection of beautiful ornithology books from our Rare Book Collection, presented by the museum’s librarians. Groups of 20 people will be shown some stunning and beautiful images of the world’s most spectacular birds in a selection from some of the most desirable and collectable books in the collection.
The attendees moved around the tables to view the books and be told about their creation and art and how they came into the collection.
SUNDAY
An Evening with Elizabeth David & Friends Books for Cooks A talk with tastes Speaker: Tim White
An intimate conversation about Elizabeth David, celebrating the importance and collectability of her books, her influence on mid-century food writing and cookery, her books, her friends and her legacy, presented by a specialist culinary bookseller, whose favourite author to cook from is, of course, Elizabeth David. Tastes from several of her books will be served and various editions and versions of her books will be on display and for sale.
I am honored that my sketches from previous years feature on the bookmark this year and throughout the program. It is lovely to have a printed program.
AND my sketches are on the posters for the Rare Book Fair . I have been sent photos of them on walls around the city, but have not seen one yet. I want to take a selfie and maybe take it down and home with me after the event. !!! I will post a photo if I get to do that !
I may post again during the week , as well as again on Sunday,
Today’s blog post has this week’s sketches. Once again – a variety of styles, medium and themes. Some in ink, others watercolour pencil and some both.
The first are at Emporium Food court with sketching friends. Food courts can be a great place to sketch as you don’t have to move on.
Friday night at the Melbourne Athenaeum Library at a different sort of event – and a documentary film and music.
On Saturday I held classes of Nature Sketching with Watercolour Pencils with Friends of Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. It was held indoors this time. The Winter day was crisp, but a bit chilly to be outside the whole session.
Sundays was a sketch catchup with locals at Kere Kere Cafe. Two hours of chatting and sketching. I brought along some feathers, nuts, berries and snails.
Barry gave us a wonderful explanation of perspective and vanishing points. Somehow I applied this to my snails…
Next Saturday I am holding two, two-hour classes at the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria.”Nature Sketching with Watercolour Pencil”.
It has been organised by their Friends Group. I visited to look at the garden around the Plant Cottage, where they hold the classes. I have held classes in Summer and Autumn, and this is my first Winter class. We were fortunate to be able to sit in the courtyard outside for the last two Seasons.
These next events will be indoors, no matter how sunny it is There is still a chill in the air and a bit of rain.
I also looked around the garden surrounding the cottage to see what was in bloom. There was more colour than I thought! I will bring some leaves and gumnuts inside to sketch. I also have permission to cut some flowers. There are 10 students around two tables, so I will spread out what I collect.
The class is for anyone who is interested in looking at nature and getting some pencil marks down on the page. Watercolour pencils are such fun to play with.
All of the above sketches were mainly done on location, until the rain got heavier. I completed them at home. I started this sketch from a photo and will finish it before next week’s class.
Djoliba Rattler is a collaboration involving Aboubacar Djéliké Kouyate, who was born and raised within the ‘griot’ musical tradition of his homeland Mali, and three renowned Melbourne musicians: George Butrumlis on accordian, percussionist Ray Pereira OAM and bassist Mark Ferrie.
The group presented selections from their recently released album ‘Malibourne’ which fuses Kouyate’s interpretations of traditional Malian musical themes with the distinctly Melbourne musical sensibilities of George, Mark and Ray.
This was a challenge with different instruments and music, rhythms and lighting.
However there was some familiarity as I still stood in the same shelves to sketch and had the backgrounds of shelves and the audience in the same place. AND I sketched with my watercolour pencils and Lamy Safari Ink pen.
I sketched many more pages on the night.
Three of the audience danced in the aisle
Thanks to the Melbourne Athenaeum Library for all of their wonderful events . Free to Members and $20 to Non Members .
