Currently on View

Taking Note: Artists' Sketchbook Facsimiles

January 4 - March 10, 2010

Curated by Laurie Whitehill Chong

Sketchbooks from the outside appear to be like most books, they are intimate and portable. Because of their size, they can often fit in a pocket or pack and be readily available. They are interactive and must be opened to reveal the contents. When closed, the contents are private, hidden between the covers. But unlike most books that come already filled with text and image, sketchbooks begin as blank white pages, waiting to be filled.

Pen, brush and pencil are often thought of as the most basic artists’ tools. Drawing in whatever medium is at the heart of the creative process. The eyes see, the mind imagines, but the hand is the extension of both, giving shape to thought, making visible the invisible. Sketchbooks are the ultimate artist’s tool. They are a very private and personal work space, a place where ideas, random musings, notes, and images are recorded, tested and refined.

It is rare to be able to see actual sketchbooks of well-known artists because most of them reside in museums or private collections. But technology has enabled us to experience faithfully reproduced facsimiles of many of them. As we explore these “artists’ tools” or private work spaces, we gain a more intimate understanding of the artist’s thinking and creative process. We feel the energy and immediacy of the moment when visions are captured. We see notations that accompany sketches, adding clarity and direction. We see curious juxtapositions of thoughts and marks, random doodles, rejected images, and numerous revisions. We see that creativity may sometimes come as a flash, but more likely we see that it comes with much effort. The sketchbook reveals to us the relentless passion of the imagining mind.

The exhibit is displayed on two floors of the Library.
Fleet Library Reading Room exhibition cases, 1st Floor and Balcony
Fleet Library Special Collections exhibition cases, 2nd Floor hallway

View RISD Library's guide to Artists' sketchbook facsimiles