A visitor to my studio asked if I had ever been to the Parker Library, I had never heard of it.

She recommended going on a guided tour which visits the library at Corpus Christi which can be booked at the tourist office on Peas Hill or online.

A few days later I joined 3 others in the rain outside the Tourist Information Office and met our very informative guide. As we walked he told us a bit of history about the college and once inside the grounds of Corpus Christi we visited the oldest part of the grounds before climbing the stairs to the Parker library.

Inside the library was an array of very old manuscripts and we were allowed to handle a few facsimiles to get a feel of the amazing illuminations inside. I was immediately hooked and made a few drawings. I chatted to the librarian and applied to become a reader so I could study some of the illustrations in my own time.

On Wednesday 10 August I spent my first morning engrossed in the miniatures embellished with gold and silver and started a new sketchbook which will form a series of paintings culminating with, I hope, my own book of hours.