Old Books In The Studio

Welcome back to my blog! After five years of hiding this page, I’ve dusted it off to share some bits about my work, studio and life as an artist.

I thought I'd show a little bit of my studio here and there. I put a lot of care and thought into what is in my space because it's where I spend most of my time. 

Today I thought I'd share some older books I have behind me in my bookcase! I like to thrift for old books because A - they're cheap and I like giving something used another life and B - you always find interesting subjects in the random pile. 

These books all cover some subject of natural science, history, architecture or artwork that has something to do with the desert southwest. I love the region and I like to find books and objects that help inspire me in that realm. 

A few months ago I found the book,  Wildflowers of Western America. I loved this book because it had detailed descriptions of flowers and their characteristics but also charming photos of the species in a full color section of pages. 

I enjoy looking through these types of books because it's a passive way to explore a subject without the distractions of the internet. As someone who grew up between the world of no internet and the internet today, it's interesting to remember a time when you really did have to rely on books to figure out the world around you.

Speaking of which, this dictionary was a fun find. It's from 1931 and the pages have that beautiful brown patina on them. The pages are thin and almost feel like a bible. This would have been something a family kept for reference and learning for the whole house. You can tell it was cared for, some of the pages are taped back together. I was really drawn to the old plate illustrations inside the book. They're beautifully done and have a real old world charm to them. The animal illustrations, like this caribou, are perfection.

Another fun book I stumbled on was, Science in the Twentieth Century. This book is collects articles and papers about scientific discoveries and issues. Inside are photographs and drawings of all sort of neat subjects. I love the articles about space and the moon especially. Typically, when I run weekly errands, I stop into the thrift store to see if there are any old books I'd like. They range from $2-$5 and are always a fun look through. I encourage you to check out your local used bookstore, antique store or thrift store! There could be something neat to find! 

I hope you enjoyed this little glimpse into my studio! What sort of items do you like to keep in your creative space?

Thank you for reading! 


Join my newsletter to receive updates like this in your inbox!