A Delightfully Creative Duet! The Art of Don & Helen Weisflog

Don and Helen Weisflog, our delightfully creative duet, met and married in Kenosha, Wisconsin in 1972 and had one child, Amy. Don, a born artist and teacher, graduated from the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee with M.S and M.F.A degrees. His undergraduate degree came from La Crosse State University in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Don Weisflog, who passed away in 2006, after booking this exhibit with his wife Helen, spoke of his art as a way of life, not just a profession. Most of the great artists were born teachers. While not thinking of himself as a great artist, but as a good artist always trying to improve, Don was also filled with the passion to teach. One cannot teach a student unless he/she is open to and interested in learning about the material presented. With proper direction, the student is capable of motivating him/herself to learn and create within and without of the rules of the discipline. Don felt a person learned best when they became deeply involved in a subject. Involvement follows interest and is related to an understanding of real life, he said. During his teaching career at Ivy Tech, Lafayette and Anderson, IN, Anderson University, Anderson, IN, Carthage College, Kenosha, WI, Shorewood Opportunity School, Milwaukee, WI and the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, Don made a great effort to relate whatever course he was teaching to his student and his/her development as an individual. Facts are important, he went on to say, but going beyond the facts to create in the students an enthusiasm for the course work as it relates to life development, is much more important. Interest is generated when information filters through a student's thinking process. Don inspired this interest by asking a multitude of questions geared to wring out a student's own ideas about the presentation. A professor's job is to open and expand the minds of students who then use this information to construct stronger and more understandable criteria for their own lives. Gaining self-confidence in themselves and in what they create will help provide them an opportunity to comfortably share their unique perspective with the world. Stillwater, Oklahoma born Helen Ann Spangler Weisflog moved to St. Paul, Minnesota when she was six months old. She attended grade school, high school and three years of study at Macalester College in St. Paul before moving to Kenosha, Wisconsin where she graduated from Carthage College with an English degree and met and married husband Don. In 1975, they moved to Anderson, Indiana where Don began teaching Art at Anderson University. Helen spent her time taking care of their daughter Amy, volunteering for Brownies, Girls Scouts and directing Girl Scout Camp. At the same time she owned and managed a catering business, did interior design and helped Don with large art projects and installations. Sounds like a pretty busy schedule, doesn't it? In 1985, Don and Helen moved to Colfax, Indiana where Don held several positions, including one as the lead designer of Old Indiana Fun Park. Helen was the secretary for Old Indiana and several Lafayette companies. Helen's artwork began with acrylics in 1974, watercolor in 1985 and paper pulp art forms in 2002. Still progressing toward whatever looks interesting; Helen has developed a new interest in altered photographs printed on canvas. When Helen asked Don about her own artwork, he said he would be happy to teach her techniques, but never ideas. He taught her, as he taught all his students, friends and colleagues, by asking questions that drew out her own artistic ideas. Softly guiding her thinking by exposing her to his own deep love of art and the beauty he saw in everything and everyone, Don then left her alone to express herself in her own way. Now that you know a bit more about this DELIGHTFULLY CREATIVE DUET, you will definitely want to visit the Library's Mary Bishop Memorial Art Gallery from Saturday, May 26 until Friday, June 29 to enjoy in depth the eclectically beautiful creations of Don and Helen Weisflog.

Upcoming Carnegie Museum exhibit!

Tuttle Middle School students have been on site at the Carnegie Museum to help prepare the inaugural exhibit in the temporary Exhibition Gallery. It is a collaboration between Tuttle Middle School, Crawfordsville Electric Light & Power, the Montgomery County Historical Society, and the Carnegie. "Exploring the Shocking World of Electricity" will include the history of electricity and CEL&P. Visit the Carnegie Museum home page to see some pictures.

Carnegie Museum volunteer callout

If you would like information about volunteering at our new Carnegie Museum, we will have an information night on May 17, from 3 - 5 pm, at the public library. There will also be a tour of the Carnegie Museum and refreshments. For more information, please contact Kat Burkhart (362-2242, carnegie@cdpl.lib.in.us)

In the Gallery this month!

North Montgomery School Corporation's Bratton Initiative & Art Teacher Exhibit Result in Scintillating Library Exhibit

In striving for excellence, the North Montgomery Community School Corporation has initiated fifteen bold, forward looking reform initiatives named for Montgomery County resident William E. Bratton, famed member of the Louisiana Purchase Lewis and Clark Discovery Expedition, and later first official superintendent of Montgomery County's Public Schools. These initiatives are meant to further enhance the well-rounded educational experience now in place in the North Montgomery Community School system. One of these fifteen initiatives involves hosting a district-wide art contest and exhibit, showcasing the artistic adventures of students and art teachers from the North Montgomery County Elementary Schools, Middle School and High School. Over two-hundred images, resulting from this positive collaborative experience, may be found in the Library's Mary Bishop Memorial Art Gallery during the entire month of May. Viewing this outstanding gathering of creativity, from grades K-12, is an absolute must for those yearning for a fresh, warm sunshiny spring experience. Do come often and stay long. You won't want to miss a thing!

As one of the promoters of this unique North Montgomery Student Display, Sugar Creek Elementary School Art Teacher, Kim Goebel, will be exhibiting her personal art work in Gallery Two of the display. As a youngster growing up, Kim never knew she had a talent for art until as a senior in high school she took the only art class offered in the Dickson, Tennessee School System. Earlier, Kim's older sister Teresa, had taken the class and became quite talented, so Kim figured if her sister could do it, so could she. That was the humble beginning of a lifetime career of challenging herself to learn more and more about any art medium that attracted her fancy. In 1980 Kim graduated with an Art Degree from Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, TN, in spite of the fact that one of her first art teachers, looking at a piece of her work, told her she had no talent for art and should choose another career! At the time of her graduation, teaching positions were hard to find, so Kim took a job at Vanderbilt University Law Library. Her first teaching position, after moving to Indiana, was at Thorntown Elementary School. When an Art Teacher position opened at the North Montgomery School District, Kim jumped at the chance and applied. She has been teaching art in grades K-5 for twenty-one years and absolutely LOVES it, telling her students how lucky she feels to get paid for having so much fun! In her personal art, Kim enjoys using pastel, watercolor, colored pencil and acrylics on paper or fabric for her quilted wall-hangings. Her real passion is painting animals, most especially her own pets. Working primarily from photos, Kim continues to strive for striking realism in every piece of her work. As her artistic vision widens, Kim transfers her artistic skills to the art of quilting, joyfully working to create large pieces, at very little expense, which she is unable to do in any other medium. Her spectacular art quilt wall-hangings incorporate the plethora of light; bright colors necessary to convey the realism for which she strives. Horses are another of Kim's passions. Gratefully, by teaching horseback riding classes in the summer, Kim is able to not only indulge her own passion, but impart that passion to both adults and children in her beginning and intermediate horseback riding classes. This beautiful, eclectically talented woman graciously glows with the pleasure of having two jobs which bring her so much pleasure! Kim's work hangs in many private collections across the United States. Many of the pieces displayed in this exhibition have been borrowed from those collectors. Kim enjoys the challenge of doing commissioned art pieces and is always happy to work out a quote for anyone interested in owning a painting. She may be reached at 364-9527.

Carnegie Museum of Montgomery County progress

The reconstruction and remodeling of the Carnegie Museum has come very far since December 2005 when we first began to gut the interior of the old library in order to transform it into a modern museum -- while restoring the original building's grandeur. Be sure to visit the Carnegie Museum's web site too see more reconstruction pictures.

Carnegie Museum hours announced

When the Carnegie Museum opens this spring, the hours will be Wednesday through Saturday 10am-5pm, but additional tours will be given by appointment.

Carnegie Museum opening this spring!

The Carnegie building served from 1902 to 2005 as the Crawfordsville Public Library. When the museum opens visitors will be able to view the building in it restored glory. The original floors containing mosaic tile from 1902 will greet visitors as they enter the building.

Owned and operated by the Crawfordsville District Public Library, the purpose of the Carnegie Museum is to be an interdisciplinary museum of Montgomery County and for the people of Montgomery County. It will contain history, art, science, and culture.

The two story museum houses six galleries with various themes and a rotating exhibition schedule within those themes. The inaugural exhibit in the temporary Exhibition Gallery is collaboration between Tuttle Middle School, Crawfordsville Electric Light & Power, the Montgomery County Historical Society, and the Carnegie. "Exploring the Shocking World of Electricity" will include the history of electricity and CEL&P.

Other galleries include the Business & Industry Gallery which features both past and present businesses of the county. The Athens Gallery will focus on literature, learning, arts & culture, military and democracy. Other galleries will cover Sports & Pop Culture Gallery, Montgomery County highlights and Early History.

The museum is located at 222 S. Washington Street (US 231), two blocks south of the courthouse. Parking is located behind the building.

Hours: Please call for more information.

Admission: Free

Present Indiana Program -- Vonnegut: a Hoosier Legacy

The Present Indiana Program invites you to Vonnegut: A Hoosier Legacy, by Aaron Spolarich (Wabash College '08)

Monday - April 2, 2007 @ 7:00 p.m.
Lower Level Classroom (Room D)

Find out more!

Gallery: Spring's Delicate, Delicious Dance of the Quilts

Winter hibernation is over! Spirits rise with the first hint of spring! Fantastic fabric forays, fresh from the hands of Sugar Creek Quilt Artist's winter wonderland, are blooming quietly in a profusion of color and beauty in the Public Library's Mary Bishop Memorial Art Gallery beginning Monday, March 19 and lasting until Tuesday, May 1, 2007.

With a core of 60 active members, Sugar Creek Quilters try to learn about and enjoy everything relating to the art of quilting. Member's interests range from those who enjoy simply being around or under quilts, to those who create bed quilts, art-quilts, patterns, clothing and everything in between. Members' fun-loving camaraderie, whether visiting a quilt shop, taking a class or quilting together, is an amazing thing to see and always is so stimulating.

The group meets in the Public Library's Lower Level on the third Monday of each month at 6:30. Everyone is welcome! Cost for membership is $15.00 per year. This includes a monthly newsletter, the opportunity to take workshops and hear state-of-the-art speakers at each monthly meeting.

Quilters travel on a whim, in groups or alone, to quilt shows and shops around the country. A visit to Rosemont, Illinois and Paducah, Kentucky each April is always a treat, as is the March Bloomington Indiana exhibit. Minnesota and Wisconsin attract attention with exhibits in June and September.

A road trip to Threads of Time, a new quilt shop in Danville, Illinois, provided a uniquely unusual winter rescue for mired minds. What a joy to be welcomed so warmly by a happy, knowledgeable staff, whose customer service skills were way above the ordinary. On the drive home, members raved about being served tasty refreshments, the quality and diversity of merchandise and the pleasantness of the owner and staff. I guarantee you, no one left with just refreshments!!!

Quilts, this year, have interesting and enticing titles; Humble Pie, Hangin' Out to Dry, Texas Two Step, Black and White Beauty, Friends on the Block, My Feathered Friends, The Heart of Peace, Everyone Needs A Place in the Sun, Girls from Ghana and Are We There Yet? With names like these, imagine what the quilts look like, then pay a visit to the exhibit and see how close your vision comes to the real thing. I promise you'll enjoy!

Construction pictures of Carnegie Museum

The Carnegie building is in the final stages of its remodeling to become the Carnegie Museum of Montgomery County! You can view some recent pictures on the Carnegie web site.

Library closed on Friday, March 9

The library will be closed all day on Friday, March 9, in order to host a district library conference. We will reopen on Saturday, March 10, at 9am. We apologize for any inconvenience!

Tri Kappa Art Show

As we enthusiastically welcome the awakening freshness of spring, so too, we eagerly welcome the awakening fresh possibilities available to Montgomery County's high school art students, in the spring of their lives. From winter hibernation, eclectic expressions of original ideas, raw energy and talent have erupted from fertile imaginations and are presented for your viewing pleasure in the Public Library's Mary Bishop Memorial Art Gallery from Saturday, February 24 until Sunday, March 18, 2007. Come often, stay long, and enjoy new facets of the exhibit on each visit. Through the financial and volunteer support of members of Crawfordsville's Tri Kappa Sorority and the encouragement of county high school art teachers, we are again able to present this annual exhibit. These dedicated women and gifted art teachers go out of their way to support talented young artists and provide for them a venue in which to display their work without the grueling process of having to be juried into the exhibit. Every student who has the desire and tenacity may enter pieces into one or more of the following fourteen categories; Ceramics, Communication Arts, Graphic Design, Computer Graphics, Drawing I and II, Jewelry & Metalsmithing, Mixed Media, Painting, Photography I and II, Printmaking, Sculpture and Textile & Fiber Design. Tri Kappa provides an experienced, well-qualified judge, from outside Montgomery County, to award first, second, third and honorable mention prizes to winners in each of the fourteen categories and Best of Show. Generous monetary prizes and ribbons are provided by Tri Kappa as well. Do come and be awed by the talent emanating from these young high spirited artists who "just want to entertain you"!

New Carnegie reconstruction images

We have new pictures of the Carnegie Museum of Montgomery County reconstruction on our web site. Work continues toward a late spring opening!

Traveling Art Adventures - Times Two Plus Photography

The month of February is an exciting time to step in from the cold and visit the Mary Bishop Memorial Art Gallery at the Crawfordsville Public Library. You will find the cadre of work k dancing on the gallery walls from the brushes of teachers Karen Patton, Tracy Smoll and the cameras of home-schooled students under the tutelage of Dawn Meadows.

We'll start with Karen Patton, retired Montgomery County elementary school teacher and member of the Crawfordsville Art League, Wabash Artist Alliance, and Indiana Plein Air Painters. She has also been artist in residence at the Lew Wallace Study and has had work displayed in several exhibits in Lafayette. Although she has had a life long interest in art, she only began painting about 8 years ago. Karen studied painting at the Lafayette Museum of Art, Morton Center, and the Renaissance Academy. She has taken workshops with Jerry Smith, Rena Brower, and James Werner. Karen never expected to become an artist even though she loved art. Now she can't imagine not being one. "A work of art helps connect us to our deepest feelings and memories with sensory images that draw us into the work" she says. For Karen, art is a many-splendored adventure in the exploration of mediums which inspire her to develop her artistic talent in new ways every single day. She paints what gives her a sense of purpose and adventure. Many of the images in this exhibit are based on photographs taken while traveling with husband Mike in Europe, the Caribbean and Mexico. Her approach to art is a mirror of her life philosophy. As a teacher in the classroom, she put one of her favorite personal philosophies on the bulletin board, hoping it would inspire her students as much as it inspired her. "Life is not a destination but a journey", writes Albert Camus, French author and philosopher who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1957. Certainly her life has not turned out the way she expected, but she feels she has taken "the road less traveled" and made the most of it. She believes if one goal isn't achievable, there is always another waiting around the corner that might work out even better, if you don't give up on this one and only "journey of life".

Our second teacher-artist, Tracy Smoll, was invited by Karen to share the spotlight for this exhibit. Tracy's story is not unlike Karnes', since they both have become practicing artists in later life. Five years ago, as a part of her Art Education major, Tracy took a painting class at Purdue. In that one semester she painted five oil paintings. After the class she didn't paint again for a few years. Since then, she has taken life drawing and printmaking classes and many other workshops. Returning to oil painting, she realized the enormity of the medium. It is a fickle, trying way to express oneself, but gives Tracy a tremendous appreciation for the master painters. Most of her paintings are of people. "Human form, in all of its complexity and beauty, is endlessly fascinating", Tracy says. When we first meet a new person, there is a brief moment when we look at them without judging or categorizing them. We may know nothing about them and they appear only as another human. Without knowing their context, most of us bring our most generous and kind self to the table. Tracy chooses to remove the context of her subject because she wants the viewer to not only experience that brief moment before judging, but to also imagine who the person in the painting could be. The painting, MRI (Marie), in this exhibit is a good example of what she wants the viewer to see and imagine. The painting of MRI (Marie) is a woman that Tracy met on a trip to Bangladesh. She was a tribal woman who was raised in a rural area, but in the latter part of her life lived and worked on a missionary complex. Tracy loves this painting because of the subject's expression of curiosity. She also likes the keys she is wearing around her neck, which show that she is the person in charge of the household. The print "LIFE HERE" was originally drawn from a still life of old toys. When Tracy first saw the still life of the toys, it looked very frightening to her. It reminded her of the fears and anxieties she had as a child. In painting the original, she wanted to keep the child-like quality of the still life by using cartoon techniques to express drama and movement.

Because two teacher-artists are sharing the gallery exhibit this month, it seemed appropriate to showcase the photography of home-schooled students under the direction of Dawn Meadows, consummate student of photography. Dawn studied Beginning Photography at Lafayette's Ivy Tech State College; but honestly believes she learned more from her own trial and errors than in a formal class. Last year Dawn began home-schooling her daughter and joined the Crawfordsville Area Christian Home Educators (CACHE). She felt a calling to teach Beginning Photography weekly, to students interested in the photographic arts. Since no curriculum was available Dawn developed one herself. Her first year of teaching has been full of ups and downs while experimenting with what works and what doesn't. "Teaching others to fine tune their photographic eye is challenging, but rewarding" says Dawn, "who finds she learns as much from teaching the craft as her students do". It's a great feeling to watch their photography improve in the months they have been together. Personally, Dawn has developed her photographic hobby into a business. She takes senior, family, children and weddings portraits when time allows, but her true photographic love, remains landscapes and flower close-ups. Dawn's students include eighth graders Gabe Kleine, Chelsey Olson, and Annabelle Maroney; ninth graders Shaiya Badgley and Hanna Covington, a tenth grader Rebecca Joy Prosser and last, but certainly not least are eleventh graders Monica Maroney and Sam Wilson.
Come; enjoy three exhibits for the price of one, in the Library's Gallery, until Friday, February 23, 2007. You'll be so happy you did.

CDPL-Wabash Lilly Library requests

Have you heard about the CDPL-Wabash Lilly Library request exchange program?

• If you are a CDPL patron with a Wabash Lilly Library card, you can have your requested books from Wabash delivered to CDPL.
• If you are a Wabash student, faculty, or staff member with a CDPL card, you can have your requested items from CDPL delivered to the Lilly library (or to CDPL, if you prefer).

Read more about it at www.cdpl.lib.in.us/requests/requests.html

An Artistic Celebration of an Extraordinary Life

Spirituality, natural beauty and the pristine innocence of the exotic Native American Culture permeate the amazing artistic efforts of Montgomery County artist Glenna Hutcheson McBee. Glenna's body of work remains on exhibit in the Public Library's Mary Bishop Memorial Art Gallery during the month of January, as an artistic celebration of an extraordinary woman's life. Inspired by her love for God's creations and motivated by a passion to connect with forgotten Native American people, Glenna became a prolific painter and craftsperson. She enjoyed creating art as gifts as well as for its aesthetic value. Her work was partially initiated by travels in the Western United States. Glenna was born and raised in Montgomery County and graduated from Crawfordsville High School. Her career was as varied as her artwork. She worked in several local retail establishments, was active in her church as secretary and youth leader, and ended her career as an administrative assistant at Abilities Services. Two of her last endeavors were pursuing a degree in Christian Education and joining the Praise Team at her church. While battling a cancer, that even her smiling and positive attitude couldn't stop, Glenna was inspired to continue painting and felt comfort in the process. The paintings in this exhibit are Glenna's tangible legacy to those whom she loved and prayed for. Her intangible legacy lives in the hearts and souls of those whose lives touched hers in the largest or smallest of ways before her death in March of 2006. Corinthians Chapter 13, Verses 4, 5, 6 and 7 were Glenna's most oft-quoted bible verses. She was also fond of the Navajo Prayer "Teach us Lord, to walk the soft earth as relatives of all that live". Live Well, Love Much and Laugh Often was the philosophy by which she lived her short, but oh so very productive life.

Self-checkout is now easier

Until just recently, you could only self-checkout books and videos. Now, with our new DiscMate, you can self-checkout anything in a locked case: DVDs and CDs. The DiscMate will unlock the case for you after you check out the item. You will not need a Circulation staff member to manually unlock these items. You can find out more on our Self-Checkout page.

Carnegie Museum (new construction)

You may be interested in checking out the December 2006 construction images of the Carnegie Museum of Montgomery County. Take a look at the rest of the Carnegie Museum site, too, in order to see the floor plan, donate an item, or simply volunteer.

Carnegie Museum of Montgomery County web site

In case you have not noticed the new link on our library home page, be sure to check out the section that describes the new Carnegie Museum of Montgomery County. Here you can find out about the museum, see construction images, fill out a form to donate an item or to volunteer, and more. You can go directly to the Carnegie section at http://www.cdpl.lib.in.us/carnegie/

From a New Point of View: Watercolor, Sculpture, Acrylics at CDPL

Local Montgomery County artist Pat Fay has worn many hats in his life, but the hat for which he is best known is his "artist's chapeau" worn while painting, sculpting or teaching art classes. Because of his notoriety, Pat was invited to share his eclectic creations in an exhibit in the Mary Bishop Memorial Art Gallery at the Crawfordsville Public Library from Friday, December 8, 2006 until Wednesday, January 3, 2007. Give yourself a sparkling tinsel-treat, visit the Gallery and pick out a special Christmas gift for a special someone. You'll be so glad you did.Though he has resided in Montgomery County with his wife and five children as long as anyone can remember Pat is a native of Dearborn, MI where he attended Detroit Area Public Schools. His earliest artistic memory is that of drawing cartoon characters with his Aunt Grace and Mother. The positive response of an encouraging first grade elementary school teacher, who after seeing his sculptured snowman, sent him to show his accomplishment to all the classes in the school, was the response Pat needed to realize the value of his art and that it was definitely worth devoting leisure time to. In seventh or eighth grade, with the pulse of curiosity thumping in his veins, Pat dug some clay from an empty field next to his home and sculpted a bust of Abraham Lincoln. After it had air dried, he took it to school to show his Art teacher who was delighted and insisted on showing it to the Principal. Impressed beyond words, the Principal asked if she could keep the sculpture as a school display. With great pride, Pat answered "of course" and skipped home to share the good news with his family. It was a little different story at home. Happily sharing his accomplishment, Pat somehow found himself in "big trouble" with his Mother for giving away something she wanted. Oops! Many years later Pat fashioned a second Abraham Lincoln bust as a gift to his mother who never parted with it. Pat continued to excel at art, which had become his passion, until he discovered girls and put his art on the back burner temporarily. Imagine! It remained in the background during his stint in the Air Force and after his discharge in 1958, when he married and began the busy years of responsibility raising five children. There was little time for artwork, so the artwork gene went into hibernation for a while. After ten years of marriage, Pat began to find little slips of time to devote to art and was delighted to return to sculpture. He took several classes at the Cranbrook Institute of Art and continued his growth in the medium for several years. When boredom set in, he taught himself to draw with pastels. This became his medium of choice until acrylic paints caught his eye. Many books and much practice helped him create several paintings which he found pleasing. A move to Crawfordsville stimulated Pat to try yet another medium when he discovered watercolor paintings and the artists who created them. After workshops and years spent honing his skills, Pat continues to create pleasing paintings from which he derives great pleasure. So, come on in and see what Pat has created from that great imagination bubbling quietly under his always recognizable "artist's chapeau".