First series of new rotating art series at Weller Library

WAITSBURG - The Weller Library Board of Trustees and Library Director Sarah Roberts were considering options for displaying artwork at the library. Deciding on exhibiting paintings above the main room bookshelves, they purchased six 24" x 36" canvases. Roberts contacted local artist Lane Gwinn, who offered to do the first set of paintings.

Gwinn painted six authors in black and white, with colorful imagery portraying their bodies of work in the background.

"In this age of Artificial Intelligence, I wanted to create paintings that would highlight some great books and the people who write them," said Gwinn.

With help from Roberts, the artist chose Octavia Butler, author of the "Parable of the Sower" series, Maurice Sendak whose work includes "Where The Wild Things Are," Martha Wells author of the "The Murdererbot Diaries" series, Ernest Hemingway author of "The Old Man and the Sea," Allie Brosh author of "Hyperbole and a Half" and John Green writer of "Everything is Tuberculosis."

The library staff has made these books available for checkout.

The paintings were donated by Gwinn and will be on display through November. The library will hold a silent auction for the work, with proceeds benefiting Waitsburg's public library.

A new series of canvases will be painted by Waitsburg Elementary students. Roberts will work with the first through sixth-grade classes to depict books chosen by the students.

Stop in to see these imaginative works of art and celebrate creativity at the Weller Public Library.