Tag Archives: Event

Each fall, Clark Memorial Library runs a fundraiser to support ongoing library services. The Library is not a municipal department, but it is a town asset, administered by the nonprofit Bethany Library Association. The Library receives a grant from the Town of Bethany that contributes to overall expenses, but a significant amount of our operating expenses are covered by additional grants and fundraising.

Your donations are put to work immediately to support new and ongoing library services, from updating our physical collection and providing access to a range of digital resources to running our Makerspace, seasonal programming, and art displays!

Click on the link below to download a pledge form, which can either be mailed in or dropped off at the Library in person. For additional donation options – including PayPal, which accepts both credit and debit cards – visit our Support Us! page. Any gift, no matter the size, is greatly appreciated.

PLEASE HELP US TO REACH OUR GOAL!

The Library’s featured artist for November, Phoebe Barron, is one of 73 artists whose artworks are showcased in HMVC Gallery New York’s Vibrant Visions Virtual Group Exhibition, a digital art show running from November 1st to November 30th. You can visit the HMVC website to see her piece Maze displayed in a virtual art gallery along with the works of the other artists, or see it in person in the Library’s Community Room as part of her “Lines, Angles, and Reflections in Architecture” display!

Phoebe with another of her pieces, *Reflected Tree*

Clark Memorial Library and the Arts@Clark! Arts in the Library Committee’s 4th Annual Outdoor Art Exhibit in August was a huge success! We’ve put together a video to commemorate the event, which you can view on the Library’s website or on our YouTube channel. Thank you once again to all the artists who took part, the organizers and staff who helped plan and run the Exhibit, and especially to everyone who attended!

Special thanks to local quilting artist Wendy Frieden for donating an original quilt to decorate our new Children’s Room. We will celebrate the addition of the “Kaleidoscope Quilt” with a kaleidoscope themed Arts@Clark! Makerspace activity on Saturday October 7th, from 1:00 to 4:00 PM.

Local artist Robin McCahill will be hosting two events on September 16th! There will be a drop-in talk from 12:30 to 1:30 in the Community Room downstairs, where Robin’s art is currently on display; Robin will discuss both her work and fiber art techniques in general. This event is open to all and does not require signups.

Then there will be a workshop from 2:00 to 4:00 in the Makerspace area of the Children’s Room, where patrons will learn how to create their own simple felted wool puppet! Workshop participants must be at least 10 years old. Space is also limited and signups are required; you can either call the Library at 203-393-2103 or stop by the main desk to sign up.

Both events are free, and supplies for the workshop are provided. And remember, you don’t have to attend the drop-in talk if you are attending the workshop, or vice-versa!

During the Library’s summer children’s program, our young patrons took part in the All Together Now! House-Building Project – starting with identical paper templates and squares of foamboard, they created over thirty unique houses and yards using craft supplies and their imaginations. At the end of the project, we put all the finished houses together into Clarkville: a model town that reflects the creativity and diversity of our full-sized Bethany community. You can take a brief tour of the completed town using the slideshow above! We will be collecting pictures of all the houses in a book that patrons will be able to flip through when they stop by the Children’s Room as well, and possibly even more exhibitions of the results of this amazing program in the future.

Thank you so much to everyone who took part in both the House-Building Project and the summer children’s program as a whole!

Clark Memorial Library will be closed Wednesday, September 6th for cleaning and repairs, and close at 2:00 PM Saturday, September 9th for a private event.

We will open at 10:00 AM on September 7th and 12th as usual.

Our Arts@Clark! exhibit for August and September will feature the works of local artist Robin McCahill. She will also be hosting a crafting workshop in mid-September, so keep an eye on our Event Calendar!

Robin is from Thomaston, Connecticut. She is a fiber and felting artist who enjoys exploring its two- and three-dimensional qualities. Her work is inspired by nature, textures, colors, creatures, myths and legends, magic, science, and mechanics. She designs and builds props and puppets for performers, as well as performing herself and creating wearable art and home décor.

Robin has been Art Director for Cheshire Youth Theater for 5 seasons, directing kids in plays like Lion King Jr., Singing in the Rain, Moana, Matilda, and coming soon, Shrek Jr. the Musical! She also hosts workshops for both children and adults at Artsplace in Cheshire, as well as libraries, schools, colleges, museums, art centers, rehab centers, and at her studio. She is a bike-fitting specialist and owner of Intuit Bike Fit LLC, and is a licensed massage therapist.

Arts@Clark! and Clark Memorial Library are proud to present the Fourth Annual Public Art Exhibit! The event will take place on Sunday, August 6th, from 1:00 to 5:00 PM, and is free to attend; parking will be available at the Bethany First Church of Christ (511 Amity Road) and Bethany Historical Society (512 Amity Road).

This free outdoor exhibit will feature works by local artists in painting, sculpture, drawing, quilts, pottery, site-specific installation and more on the Library grounds in scenic Bethany Connecticut. It is part of Clark Memorial Library’s summer programming and exemplifies its mission to Engage, Connect, and Grow.

This year’s theme of “All Together Now” celebrates how the arts create opportunities to connect and share the unique nature of Bethany in a lively, supportive outdoor experience. Join us as we come together for an afternoon of art exhibits, children’s activities, live music, and baked goods. We hope to see you there!

July 19th – 29th
The All Together Now! Clarkville House-Building Project
is a Makerspace program for children of all ages.
Participants will build model houses out of paper
and craft materials that will then become part of “Clarkville”!
Take a look at the houses in this model town for inspiration!