Melrose Artists & Artisans Craft Show

Melrose is a small village and for many years women would craft and sell their products at the Melrose Craft Show. Tyendinaga Twp. Public Library is now hosting the show and has invited 22 artists and artisans to participate starting Saturday Nov. 8 and Sunday Nov. 9 from 10 am. - 4 pm.
The show is held in the Tyendinaga Twp. Recreation Hall situated on McFarlane Rd. off of Melrose Road. For more information contact the Library at 613-967-0606

I will be presenting my originals, prints and cards suitable for gifts for the Holiday Season.

Art for Literacy

'Art for Literacy'
invites artists to blog at this new blogspot!

As the Art Coordinator at Tyendinaga Township Public Library I am very pleased to announce our brand new blogspot for artists who support Literacy at our Library through their exhibitions at the Library's Gallery!
All artists can participate in the Library's Featured Artist of the Month by contacting the members at artforliteracy@gmail.com

Community Press - Eastern Edition/ Shannon Bray

Supporting literacy through art

by Shannon Binder Bray

Purple balloons marked the roadways and fresh picked bundles of lilacs permeated the air at the Tyendinaga Township Library's 2nd Annual Lilac Tea and Art Show held Sunday, May 25.

Local dignitaries MPP Leona Dombrowsky and Tyendinaga Reeve Margaret Walsh were among those received at the show which featured the artistic talents of ten Quinte Region artists. The Library's main room and meeting room displayed an outstanding collection of colorful landscapes, vibrant abstracts, dramatic still life, intricate florals and delicate fibre art. All were courtesy of artists Anne Buckley (rug hooking, spinning, weaving, fibre artist), Suzanne Cavers (acrylic and oil artist), Jan Coombs (water color artist), Joyce Empey Smith (impressionistic water color, stained glass artist), Roberta Fisk (poet, oil and charcoal artist), Cynthia Guthrie (impressionistic acrylic artist), Mona Morris (floral and landscape oil artist), Tina Osborne (various media abstract artist), Saga Sabin (acrylic, water color, fibre artist) and Alta Vance (acrylic, water color artist).

Organized by Tyendinaga Township Library's Art Coordinator and Friend of the Library Cynthia Guthrie, this year's show welcomed approximately 100 guests and raised over $400 for the library through the Lilac Raffle. Involved artists donated a piece of their work to the raffle and the generated funds support the library's literacy programming. This year the funds will provide tutoring and reading partnerships for students who are recommended by their teachers. "This provides children with a positive experience and they will carry the benefits of the Library's program back to their school" said Guthrie.

Guthrie would like to see the annual Lilac Tea and Art Show generate a goal of $1,000 in the near future. "Friends of the Library and volunteers will continue to work towards that objective" she said "The artists that donated art in support of Literacy at the Library were invaluable in our ability to fund raise and The Friends of the Library thank them." Guthrie stressed the importance of art promotion and support within all communities and has also been instrumental in establishing an artist of the month, Art for Literacy exhibition within the library.

Township Librarian Frances Smith said the Lilac Art Show brings a sense of "cultural realization" to the community in that there are so many artists in the area that are virtually unknown by Tyendinaga residents. The show and other community events held at the Library, largely supported by Friends of the Library, also "open up the doors of the library" Smith said "to more than just the library itself" attracting various members of the community as well as traditional library patrons.

The show also allowed the library to display it's collection of art history books including their newest editions, donated by Nancy MacDonald. MacDonald made the donation in memory of her late husband, Tyendinaga's Dennis Allan MacDonald, described as "an artist in his own right." Approximately thirty books from Dennis' personal collection, art and otherwise, now grace the Township's library shelves in honor of his memory. The Tyendinaga Township Library extends their heartfelt thanks to Dennis' family for their generous dedication and contribution.

cutline sbb_artists

Posing with MPP Leona Dombrowsky and Tyendinaga Reeve Margaret Walsh at the Tyendinaga Township Library's 2nd Annual Lilac Tea and Art Show on May 25th were artists (from left to right) Cynthia Guthrie, Anne Buckley, Saga Sabin, Jan Coombs, Roberta Fisk, Joyce Empey Smith, Suzanne Cavers, Alta Vance, Tina Osborne and Mona Morris. Photo by Shannon Binder Bray.

LILAC TEA ART SHOW

I am very excited to let my readers know that the Lilac Tea Art Show now has it's full complement of 12 talented artists in the mediums of oils, acrylics, water colour, coloured pencil, pastel/charcoal and fiber arts.

The Lilac Tea Art Show date is Sunday, May 25/08 from 1 - 4 pm.
852 Melrose Road (north east of Belleville Ontario and Hwy 401)
613-967-0606 or email tyendinagatwplibrary@yahoo.ca
www.ttpl.ca

Art for Literacy is an unique partnership between the Library of Tyendinaga, the Friends of the Library and a large community of local artists to promote learning through literacy.

You are welcome to join us with your support by purchasing a Lilac Tea Raffle Ticket. All proceeds from this sale are given to Literacy programs and purchase of non-fiction books at the Library.

'Spring's Perfume' (5x7" acrylic) by Cynthia Guthrie and 'Sure Sign of Spring' (5x7" coloured pencil on pastel board) by Rita Woodburne will be donated to the Library to be raffled at the Lilac Tea Art Show.

I will keep you posted as to other donations of art to this worthwhile cause. In the mean time lets all think 'SPRING' and get all this snow melted. Besides I have a very cold robin eating sumac berries from my winter twig display and he looks like he could use some warmth.

Art at Tyendinaga Township Public Library

Today 2 local artists, Elveda Lockwood and Pat Werden brought their work to exhibit in the Library Gallery until April 17/08. Both paint in oils and a majority of their work represents landscapes from the township.

I'm hoping that as more artists become familiar with the Library Gallery that over time the Library will become known for it's support of local artists and culture within the community.

Volunteering as the Art Coordinator has been a wonderful experience and I am enjoying the opportunity to organize and plan events that promote 'Art for Literacy'.