For the Love of Books

    When I was living in Oxford, England, the most humbling event was when I was allowed to use the Bodleian Library for the first time.  The weight of the knowledge and imagination contained within the rooms of that special place was awe inspiring.  We had to take an oath in order to use the reading rooms. : "I hereby undertake not to remove from the Library, or to mark, deface, or injure in any way, any volume, document, or other object belonging to it or in its custody; not to bring into the Library or kindle therein any fire or flame, and not to smoke in the Library; and I promise to obey all rules of the Library.”
    I long to get back there to study once again.  It is glorious.  

Follow this link to see a bit of the inside of the library - as well as some other amazing book places I long to haunt!

Over extended and under paid!

   I am in the home stretch for the show.  As You Like It goes into technical rehearsals this week.  Still so much to do.  Today, between Girl Scout meetings, shopping for GS meeting, and doing all the family things I have been not doing this week because I was in the theatre, I am building a suit in purple chevron wool, for a character who, with the fat suit I already made, has a chest of 52" and a somewhat larger waist.
   I spent the past two days in the theatre painting - the floor had to be done so the lighting designer had some idea of the amount of bounce light he would be dealing with - the value of the floor is very important when designing for an arena theatre.  I had students in for a few hours on Friday, and they were pretty helpful, but I did have to spend some time correcting their mistakes.  Little things which, with time and experience, they would have seen as  incorrect, but which take a while to correct.  I wanted the rock steps to look like they were made out of granite, so they had been based grey, and I asked them to gently and lightly sponge some colours on.  When they were done I had something resembling a cheetah's fur.   My own fault, as I did not do it with them, but I assumed it was so simple that they could do it without supervision.  NEVER ASSUME!
   So yesterday, with an audio book playing, I feather dusted and sprayed 6 different colours over the floor's base colour - I think that is done.  I tempered the pattern on the stone steps. I played with texture on the trees. Now all I have to do is finish the tree texture and grade the top into darkness - tricky since this theatre has no catwalks and all must be done with extension ladders propped against the lighting grid. I have to get the vines hung, the rocks touched up, the branches and stones for the floor in place, and finish all the costumes.  The garments that were pulled are in good shape, but the gowns, suits, and strongman outfit that are being built are in various stages of unfinished.   A long week ahead? Oh yes.  Now off the computer and back to work.