A Mural of One's Own: Virginia Woolf's Library That Inspired a WSU Art Professor

Something new and vivid now adorns the wall adjacent to Manuscripts, Archives and Special Collections on the ground floor of Washington State University’s Terrell Library.

The mural, “Virginia and Vanessa,” by WSU Arts Assistant Professor Jiemei “Mei” Lin, honors renowned 20th-Century author Virginia Woolf and her sister, artist and fellow Bloomsbury Group member, Vanessa Bell.

The mural holds special significance given that WSU is home to the Leonard and Virginia Woolf Collection, containing — among other things — the Woolf’s combined 9,000-volume library and editions of Woolf’s novels featuring Bell’s artwork.

Recently, we spoke with Trevor Bond, WSU Dean of Libraries, about the collection’s literary impact, the new mural, and the enduring influence of Woolf and Bell on contemporary culture. In the video below, Bond and Lin share their insights and discuss what they hope visitors will take away from both the collection and mural.

A Mural of One's Own: Virginia Woolf's Library That Inspired a WSU Art Professor | This Is Pullman

To learn more about the Leonard and Virginia Woolf Collection, including a full catalog of the library’s contents, visit Library of Leonard and Virginia Woolf: https://archive.libraries.wsu.edu/woolflibrary/woolflibraryonline.htm

To view items from the Woolf Collection, schedule an appointment here: https://libraries.wsu.edu/masc/plan-your-visit/

Visit the mural: Ground floor of the Terrell Library, NE Terrell Mall Drive in Pullman, WA

Watch the first episode of "This is Pullman"

Watch the first episode of "This is Pullman"

A Mural of One's Own: Virginia Woolf's Library That Inspired a WSU Art Professor | This Is Pullman

A Mural of One's Own: Virginia Woolf's Library That Inspired a WSU Art Professor | This Is Pullman

A Mural of One's Own: Virginia Woolf's Library That Inspired a WSU Art Professor | This Is Pullman

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