Book Source

Ever wondered where I get the books that I use to make my work? 

Around the back of my studio, is a charity shop, nestled on the high street. Around the back of the charity shop, adjacent to my studio is a trolley, which literally gets filled up 3 times a day with books. 

 

The chairty shop owners then wheel the trolley to the recycling bins across the street. 

When I ask why they don't try and sell them, the answer I get is 'books don't sell'. 

'Really'?

 

 I am great advocate of the book, and it makes me sad to think of all of these books ending up in recycling plants.
 (They must throw out at least 10-100 books a day!)

Occassionally, I ask if I can rifle through the trolley, taking out books that I can use in my art. 

Here are just some of the books we retrieved yesterday!

I can't believe these books were going to end up in landfill or recycling plants, and I'm sure this is not a policy of most charity shops. 

Some of the illustrations in these books are so beautiful, and most are vintage. 

I will either be using these books in my own work, or be taking them with me to schools and community centres, where I give workshops.