It was Christmas season 2010 and senior bookseller Justin Rowe was in the process of trying to figure out what to do for a holiday window display at the Cambridge University Press Bookshop when his wife whipped out an old food magazine that had a recipe with a papercut background.
The seed was planted and Rowe got to work. He created 3 book sculptures for the window display.
The result was “pretty amazing” says Rowe. “Suddenly I’d look out of the window and there’d be eight people crowded round it. That was quite odd. Then I did it again last year, and the response was even bigger.”
It got to the point where enough customers were clamoring to buy the sculptures that a raffle was set up with all the proceeds going to a local charity.
And this past weekend the second exhibition of Rowe’s work was held.
For now though, Rowe plans to stick to bookselling. “Sadly I don’t think this is going to match my wages at the bookshop. There’s been a lot of interest, and I’ve sold a few, but you can’t make a living wage out of being that kind of artist, I don’t think.” says Rowe.
I think he might be surprised.
piece at cambridge-news, How Justin’s amazing talent unfolded.
Previously on book patrol:
A Book Artist Takes to the Stage: Su Blackwell as Set Designer