Guilderland Library Notes for Thursday, June 18, 2015
— Photo from Mark Curiale
“Once Upon a Time” in a library, these young Guilderland Central School District artists are pleased with how well their mural graces the lobby of the Guilderland Public Library.
“We wanted to do something to brighten the library, and, while looking at some of the artwork the high school students had on display here in May, well, it just gave me an idea,” said Tim Wiles, director of the Guilderland Public Library, as he watched his maintenance staff install some new artwork in the library’s lobby.
Tim’s inspiration came to fruition this past Wednesday as Guilderland Central School District art teacher Meredith Best and a few of her Advanced Placement and Advanced Art 2 student artists delivered their “Once Upon a Time” mural to the library.
“It’s big,” said Ms. Best. “We needed to use a school bus to get it here.”
Evoking the infinitely varied stories that can be found in books, the eight-foot wide by four-foot high mural features a sailing ship, fire-breathing dragon, schools of fanciful fish, and a pair of cavorting dolphins all flowing out of the pages of a book. To the right of the mural is a lone reader, reaching high on a shelf for a book.
The mural’s concept is the brainchild of student Alicia Chen. She sketched out the idea, and then she and 10 of her fellow students — Eden Alin, Marissa Burack, Celia Chaikowski, Hayley Chang, Brian Cubello, Vivian Dai, Olivia Elmore, Jonathon Feil, Maggie O'Brien, and Emily Romano — took brushes in hand to craft this extraordinary creation.
“I love reading books,” said Ms. Chen. “They sort of transport you to a different world.” Her love of reading is reflected in the mural.
When asked if art is in their professional futures, the students were varied in their responses. While she enjoyed working on the mural, Hayley Chang revealed that next year she’s off to the University of Rochester for a double major in art history and evolutionary biology leading up to one day going to medical school.
Olivia Elmore is hoping her interest in art leads to a career in the fashion industry, and possibly going to the Fashion Institute of Technology. Maggie O’Brien plans on minoring in art, but working in the health and wellness field.
And Eden Alin, who’s going to the University at Albany in the fall leading to a medical career, summed it up best when she said she and her fellow students will “have a part of ourselves in the library for a while.”
The mural has been a lobby traffic-stopper. Patrons have slowed and stopped to admire the artwork. One, Rob Futterman, commented, “It’s inviting and colorful; I really like it.” He paused, and added, “It sure beats the brick wall.”
Staff members enjoy it, too. Commented Youth Librarian Leslie Saperstone, “It looks fantastic and brightens up the lobby so much. Thank you, students!”
Every spring, young artists from the Guilderland Central School District hold a showing of their creations in the Library’s Helderberg Room. Elementary school students display in April, and the high school students show in May.
“It’s the unofficial start of spring for us here when the students’ art goes up,” said library staffer Carol Belstraz. “And it’s kind of a bummer when the art comes down at the end of May. Now, though, we’ll have this delightful creation with us all year long.”
“It’s just another example of the school district and the library working closer together,” said Wiles, whose wife is the district’s superintendent of schools. “Everybody wins. The students get another venue to showcase their talent, and the library’s customers get a more inviting welcome. I love it.”