Shelf-Portraits

”Bookshelves are a pretty universal thing. Almost everyone will have a bookshelf or surface to stack or store their books on. I find other peoples book shelves fascinating. As an avid reader myself, along with having worked as a librarian in a past life, I find bookshelves – or the books on them – are a secret window into that persons life.
Your bookshelves can say a lot about the person you are – they are a selection of stories, information and words that you have allowed into your life – they fill your head and your heart.

A bookshelf is a physical representation of many aspects of a persons life. Cookery books, travel guides, self help books, DIY guides, trashy novels and Shakespeare can all give an insight into your passions, personality, aspirations and dreams. Books hold memories of the places you have visited and the people you have met. They tell the story of holidays taken, family meals cooked, languages learned and problems overcome. They can be funny, romantic, thrilling, scary, autobiographical, technical, historical, geographical……
Roo Waterhouse’s commissioned paintings are a colourful glimpse into the lives of others. I get the same feeling in the winter when I walk down the street with everyone’s Christmas tree’s on show in their windows!

Then there is the whole other topic of order and display! How are your books organised on your shelf? Are they in alphabetical order? Grouped into categories? Size order? Colour spectrum? Soft back and hard back?
Or are you like Rob and his records in High Fidelity by Nick Hornby, compulsively re-ordering your books into lists of ‘Top 5 Romances’ or ‘Top 5 Breakup Novels’
The possibilities are endless….

I think having a personalised, commissioned Shelfie is like having a portrait done of yourself (the original Selfie), portraying your personality through the books you read.”

“Which books would you choose?”

Emily Stubbs @ Holmfirth Art Market