In the Gallery -- November 2011

Portraiture and Cross Stitch Adorn November's Art Gallery

As raw blustery breezes bend naked branches earthward, November bursts forth in celebration of the three artists exhibiting in the Library's Mary Bishop Memorial Art Gallery. You will find GRAPHITE & PASTEL PORTRAITTURE by fine artist Kari Rajkumar dancing on the gallery walls. Gallery Display Cases are abloom with A LOVE AFFAIR WITH CROSS STITCH by mother-daughter artists Phyllis Brower & Anne Sexton.

Born in Rantoul, Illinois, Kari Rajkumar moved with her family to Northern Virginia as a toddler and was home schooled there. She received no formal training in art save a few basic drawing classes around 9 or 10. Even at this early age, teachers commented on Kari's talent for realistic drawing and giving her subjects “a natural sense of weight.” At 14, Kari, with her mother and younger brother, relocated to Paris, Illinois where they still live. It wasn't until 2006 that Kari discovered for herself her adeptness at photorealism and began to explore portraiture in earnest, using photographic references and the Grid Method (an Old Master's technique) to achieve greater accuracy in portraying her subjects. In this technique she is self-taught. In 2008, she attended a brief introductory workshop in pastel, where she received only fifteen hours of instruction, half about pastel portraiture. One of Kari's portraits was published in the January/February 2010 issue of The Artist's Magazine, winning third Place (Student/Beginner Division) in their Annual Art Competition. Her work also received “Best of Show” at the 2010 October National In Decatur, IL. Most recently, her graphite portrait “Scott” received second place in Southwest Art Magazine's annual “21 Under 31” international competition and was subsequently published in their September 2011 issue. Kari has often been invited to conduct classes in area schools and art centers, and occasionally offers private lessons in her home. She also accepts portraiture commissions in pencil and pastel with the ultimate goal of working in oils. Kari is a member of the Board of Directors at the Paris Art Center in Paris, IL and is a member of the Portrait Society of America. Further information is available on Kari's website at http://www.karirajkumar.com./

Through all the stages of Anne Sexton's life, her mother, Phyllis Brower, was a constant source of support, example and friendship. As a little girl, Anne remembers sitting next to her mom as she painstakingly taught her to knit, sew, embroider, and cross stitch. She thoroughly enjoyed the lessons, both because she loved to create beautiful things, but more importantly because as long as the lessons continued she could remain close to her mom and her mom to her. Both Anne and Phyllis had an affinity for counted cross stitch, a popular form of counted thread embroidery. Counted cross stitch uses a pattern printed on paper laid out on a grid; the cloth remaining unmarked. The embroiderer must count across as well as up and down, to know precisely where to place the stitches. Using floss, x-shaped stitches are created one at a time to form a design or picture. Although cross stitch is often executed on easily countable even-weave fabric aida cloth, Anne and her mother preferred using linen with 22 to 28 stitches per inch. Ultimately counted cross stitch pieces are executed for the intrinsic sense of accomplishment they provide, for the joy they brings to the beneficiary, and for the sense of comfort provided in homes. Anne and her mom initially produced work that was predominantly reproductions of historical samplers. Working a sampler was a common occurrence for seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth century schoolgirls and women to learn stitches, techniques, and elements of needlework design. A girl who was expected to go into service had to learn to mark her mistress's linens with family initials mend clothing. Girls in higher ranks of society were expected to impress potential husbands with prowess at needlework, as exemplified by her sampler. Phyllis and Anne often created samplers to celebrate births, commemorate marriages, and denote name etymology. As Anne and Phyllis increased their skills, their interests broadened and they sought more challenging work. The challenges were usually determined by the count of the fabric, the intricacy of the design, and the introduction of new techniques. “A shared love of ours was tweeding”, Anne says, “a technique where two or more colors of thread are used in the same needle at the same time to give depth and a subtle blend of color to the finished piece. Father Winter, a work that required three years to complete, is an excellent example of the use of tweeding. In 2007, Anne's mother Phyllis Brower passed away leaving Anne surrounded by her love. Her kindness and patience created a legacy that Anne will hold in her heart forever. There are days when Anne longs for one more moment, one more conversation, one more glimpse of her mom's beautiful face and gentle hands. In those moments, Anne feels Phyllis' presence in the heartfelt memories manifesting themselves through her own hands.

Beekeeping class

It's that time again for

Bob Congleton's Beekeeping class

Saturdays from 9am until noon. Dates include:
November 12
December 10
January 2, 28
February 18, 25
March 17, 24
April 21, 28


Please sign up at the circulation desk.

Upcoming Book Signings

Saturday November 12th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Local author John Sands will be at CDPL to sign his new book  
The Lottery Winner. Stop in and buy a book or just meet the author!





Sunday November 13th
Mel Vance will be here for a book signing. His book The Blackness of Utter Darkness will sell for $17 with $2 of that going to the Fish Food Pantry. Come by and get an autographed book from Mel or just say Hi!

Deweys Do Book Club

CDPL's book club The Deweys Do

will discuss Alice's Tulips by Sandra Dallas

Monday November 14

6:30 p.m.

Sign up at circulation!

Identity Theft Prevention and Repair

Identity Theft Prevention and Repair

This vital program is presented by the Indiana Attorney General's Office and is Sponsored by CDPL.

November 8
6:30 to 7:30 in CDPL's Donnelley Room
FREE

Genealogy Club!

Genealogy Club:
November 8
7pm

"Club Organization" by all members -- organizational meeting for the 2011-2012 year
Donnelly Room
Public Invited

765-362-2242 ext 118
or
gen@cdpl.lib.in.us

Yu-gi-oh Tournament!

Yu-gi-oh Tournament!
Join the fun...

Every Thursday through December @  5:15pm!

Call Michael Gurney for information and to sign-up: 765-307-4253 

Painting classes

Two painting classes for October 18!

Paint In with Mike Bowman
To view the current work you can work on with Mike using your own supplies, go to the sign near the Childrens area. Or just come watch the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month. 6 to 8pm

Jan Brown's Bob Ross "Wet on Wet" Oil Painting Technique
Priced at $45, it is a steal -- to walk away with an oil painting and a new technique learned, all while having a great time. All you need to bring is a 16 X 20in canvas and please wear old clothes. Sign-up at the circulation desk. Come in or call 362-2242 X109

Watercolor Art Class

October 15! Pat Fay's Watercolor Art Class. $40 ALL SUPPLIES INCLUDED! Just bring yourself and be ready to paint a beautiful, watercolor painting... with Pat's help.

Sign-up at the Circulation desk! come in or call 362-2242 x109

Library to construct pavilion for programs

"As crews begin to move dirt for a pavilion at the Crawfordsville District Public Library, director Larry Hathaway is seeing a dream become reality. Hathaway said the library staff has long wanted to have a place where library patrons could enjoy the outdoors."

Read the full story on the Crawfordsville Journal Review web site.

Look at some construction pictures below:

Youth Services fall party

Youth Services Fall Party!

Youth Services will have a Fall Party for children of all ages on October 25th from 6:45 pm to 8pm.
 
Stories, games, and snacks!
 
 If you have a costume, wear it (but not scary please).
 
No registration required. Call 362-2242 ext 115 for details.

Resume Help

RESUME HELP IS AVAILABLE!
Writing a resume can be a chore! Need some help getting your resume done? Help is available at CDPL.
Karen Zach and Suzie Baldwin will help you write your resume or even proofread your current resume.

October 24 (Monday)

Come any time between 7pm to 8 pm @ CDPL (basement)

FREE! Sponsored by CDPL

What have we learned about the property tax caps?

Professor Larry DeBoer
Purdue University, Agricultural Economics

When: Monday, October 24, 2011 from 1:30 to 4:00 EDT / 12:30 to 3:00pm CDT

Where: This program will be delivered via video streaming and can be viewed at the Crawfordsville District Public Library, meeting room C.
The program can also be viewed live online via a personal computer. Contact Ed Sheldon at 765-364-6363 or ejsheldo@purdue.edu for URL.

Who Should Attend: All individuals involved in county and local government budgeting (county councils and commissioners, mayors and city councils, town boards, school boards, library boards, townships, etc.)

Cost and Registration: The workshop is free, but pre-registration is appreciated. To register, contact the Montgomery County Extension Office by phone at 765-364-6363 or email ejsheldo@purdue.edu Please say you are registering for the "Local Government Finance" program. Please register by noon, Friday, October 21, 2011.

Why: Voters put the new property tax caps into the state Constitution in November 2010, but Indiana local governments have been operating under the caps since 2009. Professor Larry DeBoer will look at what this experience has taught us about the workings of the tax caps in our system of local government taxes and budgets. Which taxpayers receive the bulk of the tax cap credits? What determines the level of tax cap revenue losses for a local government? Is there any way to anticipate what tax cap revenue losses will be, before the budget year? What's the relationship between the tax caps and the local income taxes? Professor DeBoer will address these questions and more in this On Local Government webcast.

Genealogy Club After Hours

Join the Genealogy Club for After-Hours Genealogy Research at CDPL on Friday, October 28, 2011 from 5-9 pm. Participants must arrive before 5pm because the library is locked at that time.

Pizza will be served at 5 pm in the Donelley Room on the lower level of the library. Donations are accepted for the pizza supper. Research in the local history and reference area begins at 5:45 pm.

Please confirm your expected attendance by Wednesday October 26. Call 765-362-2242 Ext. 118 or email gen@cdpl.lib.in.us.

Stampin' Up

Stampin' Up Card Craft Class

Thursday October 13th

7pm to 8:30pm

Cost is $10. Brenda Helvie will help you create 2 Halloween and 3 Fall cards, plus a surprise project! Space is limited so please sign up at the circulation desk. Call 362-2242 ext 109 to sign up.

Deweys Do Book Discussion

Have you heard of the Deweys Do -- CDPL's Book Club?

This month the Deweys Do will be discussing Alice Azma's The Reading Promise.

Date: October 10th 2011

Time: 6:30 pm

CDPL

Pick up a copy of The Reading Promise and join the fun!

Scrapbooking Fun

Join Deb Slater at the library for a fun Saturday activity...

Scrapbooking!

Saturday October 8th 9:30-4:30

The class is free and you may use Deb's tools and expertise for your project.

Digital Photography Course

Digital Photography class
Thursdays October 6, 13, 20, 27
6:30 to 8pm

For more information and to sign up, call Joe Ashby at 522-4480.