Art Wednesdays at the Library

Today, Bennie Johnson Wood, artist and teacher, started the first of her three Wednesday art classes that she is holding at the library for children 8-12 years old.  It was a colorful success with 16 students creating beautiful pictures with Magic Markers.  The class was fun but the students took their artistic work seriously as the picture with Kate and Fernando shows. Melody Vasquez, Bennie Wood’s assistant, was by their side to encourage them.

If your child missed today’s class, don’t worry.  There are two more classes coming up. But please hurry and register your children as seating for the classes is limited!  We unfortunately had to turn away some children today because they hadn’t been registered and there wasn’t enough room for them.  The classes are free but there is a $5.00 registration deposit which will be refunded to you after your child has completed the class. 

The April 6^th class will be held at 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. and the painting medium to be used will be crayons but this won’t be the typical crayon coloring-within-the-lines project.  (In fact, I know a couple of grownups who want to audit this class and may be petitioning Ms. Wood to teach an adult crayon painting class!  Why should the kids get to have all the fun?)

The last of the Wednesday Art Classes will be on May 4^th at 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. and Ms. Wood will be teaching the children how to use colored tissues and Plexiglas to make a stained glass look.

These classes are made possible for your children by a grant funded by the Arts Council Northeast and the Texas Commissions on the Arts.  The library’s 50^th Birthday Committee has also made contributions to help fund the supplies for these classes.  We thank each of them and Bennie Johnson Wood for their ongoing support and efforts in helping bring the beauty and appreciation of art into our lives and the lives of our children.    

Art Among Books

The next time you come into the library, please take the time to browse the shelves.  Not just for that special book but to enjoy the bronze sculptures placed throughout the library as well.  In honor of the Haltom City Public Library’s 50^th birthday celebration, Sculptureworks_tm  Library Exhibit is featuring the works of ten renowned sculptors.  The bronze sculptures are displayed throughout the library, each equally beautiful and yet so unique.  This is the third time that Sculptureworks_tm of Hurst, TX has had an exhibit at the Haltom City Public Library and I know it won’t be the last. 

My favorite is the "Library Cat", no, it’s the one titled “Free Sprite,” or it is the sculpture of the eagle?  I still haven’t seen them all; I think there are thirty, so I guess I don’t really know my favorite yet.  Which one is your favorite?  You can either send us a comment or submit the name of your favorite sculpture to: libraryblogmistress@gmail.com.

The sculpture titled “Crane Query” by Karryl is a permanent resident of the library and can be found maintaining order in the library’s Board Room.   The other pieces of art will be displayed for the next three months.

If you pick up the free brochure on the Sculptureworks_tm Library Exhibit, you will find the names of the sculptors as well as some pictures of them working.  Visit their website: www.gobronze.com and learn how a sculpture in the clay stage becomes a bronze statue. 

Keep Saturday, March 12^th marked on your calendar.  The library is having its Celebrating 50 Years of Reading and Rocking from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. in the library’s parking lot.  It’s going to be a 1960 style birthday party and it is free to the public. There will be snacks, bounce house, puppet show, and Home Depot’s “Kid’s Workshop”,  free trees (until we run out), games, Fire Safety House, and multiple displays and demonstrations.  I guarantee you won’t run out of things to do or see.