'New Zealand Odyssey', published in 1989 by Heinemann, was authored by me, Don Donovan (who did the text and illustrations) and Euan Sarginson, who did the photography and design. In this series of blog posts, I will publish some of my drawings.
This rather serious looking building was opened in 1905 as a replacement for an earlier library. Funded by literary-crusading philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, a Scot who'd made a fortune in the USA out of steel - among other things, it remained Thames's library at least until 1987 when I did this drawing. I think they have a handsome new one now.
The thing that fascinated me at the time was that the brick inserts between the windows and pilasters had been covered with a layer of brick veneer. It gave the place a Formica look but, I guess, the original bricks might have become severely eroded. But it did seem a bit like sticking American cloth over a mahogany table.
© DON DONOVAN
donovan@ihug.co.nz
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