In collaboration with the departments of English and History, this Tanner Talks series showcases co-sponsor USU Library’s rich collection of books on early modern science, medicine, and magic, demonstrating how books can be vehicles for creative, meaningful transformations historically. Speakers include Ella Hawkins, a design historian and artist who transforms books into edible art; Chelsea Reutcke, who explores the transformative political potential of books during the English Reformation, and Sarah Neville, who will speak on the library’s early modern printed herbals in the context of a student-curated exhibit, “Shakespeare’s Book of Nature.”

From Books to Biscuits

How does a rare, historic book become a piece of 21st-century edible art? Join Ella Hawkins as she creates a new biscuit (cookie) design based on an early printed book from USU’s special collections. As well as demonstrating this design process, Ella will look back at her past biscuit sets and discuss the unique qualities of printed texts from different periods.

Ella Hawkins is a Shakespeare scholar, design historian, and artist. She shares her fascination with design by creating edible art inspired by historical textiles, objects, and costumes, working with cultural institutions including the British Library, Jane Austen’s House, and Milton’s Cottage. She is a Senior Lecturer at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, and the author of Shakespeare in Elizabethan Costume: ‘Period Dress’ in Twenty-First Century Performance.

Join via Zoom

• Zoom Link
• Meeting ID: 857 1975 8547
• Passcode: 795983