Staff member Grace Exley is not just the College’s Library Assistant She’s also a trained artist, with a BA in Fine Arts from St Hilda’s and Scholarship at The Royal Drawing School to her name. So when an opportunity arose to create a new artwork for some empty wall space in the Upper Meyricke Library, Grace was the perfect choice for the commission.

Here, she tell us about her inspiration for the work, how consideration for students influenced her design choices, and the challenges of working on such a large (and high-up) scale.

 

How did the commission come about Grace?

The Meyricke Library used to be home to the College’s science labs, and as any Jesus undergraduate will know, it’s a hotchpotch of different spaces on different levels. The Upper Myericke combines a large double-height room with leaded-light windows, and a small mezzanine where we keep our collection of (subject) books. In the main room, we have a special ladder so students can access books on higher shelves, but there is a limit on how far they can stretch to reach those books safely. This meant that, given the double-height of the library, there were significant areas of bare wall on show, and Owen (McKnight, Jesus College Librarian) wanted to find a creative way to cover them up. So we had a chat about what might be possible, and the idea of painting a mural emerged.

What was your starting point for the design of the mural?

I’d been working on some ideas for an artwork for a wall at home, and thought it might look good in the library. I like early 20^th century art movements such as Futurism, Soviet Constructivism and German expressionism; specifically the geometry and colour palettes used by the artists. So the mural design started with some doodling on graph paper, and using a compass, to build up a geometric pattern. I also knew that Owen had studied Mathematics at St Catherine’s, and thought he might like the use of geometry in the composition. Once I was happy with my design, I used Photoshop to mockup an image of the mural in situ to show him, and he really liked it.

 

Did the library space itself play a role in your choice of pattern and colour?

I was mindful that the mural would need to be in keeping with the overall style of the Meyricke Library. Although the building in which the library is housed dates from the early 1900s, the library itself has undergone several refurbishments since, and has the feel of the 1970s about it! So I didn’t want to create something that would clash with that.

The student experience was also a factor. Geometric patterns don’t have a narrative, so lend themselves to contemplation. I didn’t want students studying in the library to be distracted by the art, but rather it become a gentle focus for concentration. There are no repeating patterns for that reason too. The student use extended to the colour palette I chose too; the soft browns and creams compliment the colours of the surrounding woodwork, so blend in rather than stand out. I left some areas of the pattern bare, to show the original woodwork, which also worked really well.

 

With so much blank wall to cover, did it take you a long time to complete the mural? 

I began the artwork at the start of August (with Owen’s permission) as most students are on vacation then so it’s usually pretty quiet. After drawing out the full design in pencil, I used standard interior emulsion paint to fill in the pattern, beginning with the lighter sections. It’s really important that the mural has longevity, so I wanted to do a professional job. Each section required several coats of paint (and a steady hand) to make the lines look crisp, and climbing up and standing at the top of the library ladder to paint each day was pretty challenging, but it was worth it.

 

And you filmed the whole process?

Yes, I set up a time-lapse camera to record the painting of the mural, moving it regularly as I worked along the walls. I’m excited to be able to share the film with everyone. What you can’t see in the film, but is important to mention, is that the mural is dedicated to Owen and all the students of Jesus College.

WATCH THE FILM

Now completed and on show, what kind of feedback have you had about the mural?  

College staff were the first to see the new artwork after I’d finished it (although many had popped along to see the work in progress during August). We hosted a special open afternoon in early September in the Upper Meyricke, and people took pictures, and everyone was so kind in their comments. Now our students are back, and they love it too.