“Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen.”
– Leonardo da Vinci
This quote resonates with the library as both poetry and art are near and dear to our heart. Recently, 85 hard core poetry fans turned out for the launch of Doris Daley’s latest volume of poetry, Lucky Me. Copies of Doris’s book can be purchased at the library for $25. This book features many poems that Doris wrote as part of the Poetry by the Fireside group. Doris facilitates our poetry group, which meets on the last Thursday of the month at 10:30 am. Each month she sends a prompt to participants to inspire some original work which is shared with the group, along with poetry written by other poets. Information about our poetry group is under the “program and events” tab on our website at sheepriverlibrary.ca
We are passionate about other types of art at the library too. We provide a space for artists to display and sell their work in our large program room. Our art co-ordinators, Andy and Chester Lees work with artists in a variety of mediums, such as painting, photography, fibre arts and drawing to create exciting and informative exhibits. If you are interested in booking a show, call the library at 403-933-3278. Information about current and upcoming shows is under the “program and events” tab on our website: sheepriverlibrary.ca.
In the main space of the library, we have a quilt display that we change out three or four times a year. These quilts are on loan from local quilt guilds or private collections. If you’d like to learn about the current display, information is in a binder above the new book display near the circulation desk.
In addition to the changing displays, the library has a permanent art collection, made up of artwork that has been donated over the years. If you walk around the library, you will see the various pieces. In the painting category we have an unfinished prairie landscape painting by Willis Magee; The Ride Begins, a Liz Sullivan print of an acrylic on canvas; Spring Storm by Penny Corradine; Froggy, a print by blind artist Karen Argue and an untitled watercolour of the Turner Valley area in the 1930s by Arthur Hutton. There are three quilted wall hangings behind the circulation desk, Picnic in January by fibre artist Sheila Niles, the Dingman Well Discovery Heritage quilt by Laurie Bennett and Michelle Kuzyz and the Library Partners Quilt by Diane Osberg and Ken Wong. On the fireplace mantle you can view The Dance of the Butterfly, a wood carving by Rob Osberg, along with the poem he wrote which tells the story that inspired the piece.
Art that is in the main library area can be viewed anytime the library is open. If you would like to see our gallery display in the program space, please contact us! If the room is being used for a class, you may not be able to view the art.
The library recently purchased some indigenous art items which will be on display at different times throughout the year. To make sure our art acquisitions accurately reflect the community’s present and history, the library board would like to create an Art and Culture Committee. This committee would be responsible for the purchase and commissioning of art pieces as well as curating donated artworks and planning art related events and activities. If you are interested in being a part of this committee, call Jan at 403-933-3278.
We hope to see you this month at Out Loud or on Halloween, when some of the staff will be dressed in incredible costumes. Prepare to be scared!
The library will be closed on Monday, October 14 for Thanksgiving.
