WHEN her father was gravely ill, local artist Mary-Anne Le Roux found a creative outlet to help her through the grieving process.
Sitting by his bedside in an Adelaide nursing home, she would decorate old books with sketches and stencils as a way to pass the time and document her memories with him.
She found second-hand books were a convenient and portable canvas and has since continued to paint the pages of old novels, transforming unloved books into vibrant artworks.
A selection of her “reclaimed” books will be displayed at the Mount Gambier Library this month as part of South Australian Living Artists week.
“My 83-year-old father was dying and while I was with him in the nursing home I worked on two books – I could easily put them down during the many interruptions with staff attending him,” Ms Le Roux said.
“I drew my dad as he lay in the bed and I drew memories with dad from when I was young – we were very close.
“After he died, I kept working on the books and decorating the beautiful old paper and somehow it made me feel closer to him.”
Ms Le Roux purchased more old books from the library, op-shops and second hand book stores.
“I love printmaking and the books are full of my prints,” she said.
“Every page of each book has been lovingly painted and I am amazed to see how they have transformed.
“Some pages were pre-planned and others were spontaneous – I was delighted with how they turned out.”
She said she had painted around 30 books cover-to-cover and had narrowed her exhibition down to her favourite 12.
“The library seemed the perfect place to show off my books,” she said.
“Each one now tells a new story of my journey as an artist, a daughter and someone who lives in and loves the South East.”
Listen to the Quiet Voices – 12 Books Transformed will be formally opened at the Mount Gambier Library at 11am this Saturday.
The exhibition will remain on display until September 1.
