Summer Reading Program: Read, Renew, Repeat!
This summer, embrace the joy of reading with our Summer Reading Library Programs!
Teen/Tween (6th to 12th grade)
From June 24 to August 16, readers of all ages are invited to “Read, Renew, Repeat” through reading, learning, and community!
Join us virtually for a variety of art history webinars! Sign up for some or for all!
Sponsored by the Tewksbury Friends of the Library, Corning Community Impact & Investment and a collaboration of libraries.
NOTE: These programs will be recorded. All registrants will receive the recording via email within 48 hours of each program.
On 15 April 1874, in Paris, an exhibition opened that would launch one of the most famous artistic movements in the world: impressionism. For the first time, Monet, Renoir, Degas, Morisot, Pissarro, Cezanne and Sisley came together independently to exhibit their work: light-filled, colorful paintings, convoying fleeting impressions with a brisk and lively touch. In doing so, these artists distanced themselves from the official Salon, the major official exhibition that dominated the Paris artistic life, and the guardian of academic tradition. What happened over the course of those few week? Through a selection of works shown at the exhibition of these independent artists and at the official salon, Musée d’Orsay proposed a revival of it for its 150th anniversary. Examine the exhibitions of both 1874 and 2024 with Patrick Herpe, a French tour guide ZOOMing live from Europe.
Johannes Vermeer, who created the iconic painting “The Girl with the Pearl Earring,” is considered a world renowned Dutch Master of the 17th century. That painting is one of only 37 works of his that scholars believe survive today. For the first time ever, 28 of those 37 were exhibited in 2023 at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. In this lecture, study his quiet, luminous interiors that seem to capture the daily life of ordinary people in his hometown of Delft. Learn the latest insights into this beloved but enigmatic artist. Led by art historian Mary Woodward, a guide at several Historic New England properties. She previously served as Public Programs Coordinator and Educator at the Concord Museum.
Explore eight late-19th and early-20th century summer art colonies across New England: Provincetown and Cape Ann in Massachusetts; North Conway and Cornish in New Hampshire; Old Lyme and Cos Cob in Connecticut; and Ogunquit and Monhegan Island in Maine. During the summer and fall months, you’ll be able to visit these sites and their museums. Discover the incredible, creative energy that still exists in these art colonies in New England. Led by Martha Chiarchiaro, owner of Seeing History, who has brought history to life through the art of the times for more than 30 years. She received her Masters’ degree in the History of Art from Williams College and provides a variety of art history presentations at the Worcester Art Museum, the Worcester Institute for Senior Education (WISE), libraries, senior centers, and garden clubs.
The remarkable career of Henri Matisse, one of the most influential artists of the twentieth century, fundamentally altered the course of modern art. Spanning six and a half decades, his vast creative output encompassed painting, drawing, sculpture, graphic arts, and paper cutouts. Examine his extraordinary life and many of his important works. His friend and sometime rival Pablo Picasso once said, “All things considered, there is only Matisse.” Led by Janet Mandel, a retired 32-year art history teacher, who now presents illustrated talks on a variety of art history topics at colleges & universities, libraries, museums, senior centers, and community centers.
Please join us as Michelle Heron leads a 4-week online yoga series, where participants will explore the practice of yoga from the comfort of one’s own home. Renew your spirit with a gentle yoga flow combined with restorative poses, focused breathing, and mindful meditation to soften into summer.
A yoga mat/towel or blanket, blocks, extra pad for knee cushioning, bolster(s) and/or pillow(s) are great support props to have nearby. Cameras can be on or off, options are given using invitational language, and props are encouraged.
Tuesday, July 16, 2024 – 11:00 – 12:00 PM – Register Online starting Tuesday, July 9, at 9:00 AM.
Tuesday, July 23, 2024 – 11:00 – 12:00 PM – Register Online starting Tuesday, July 16, at 9:00 AM.
Tuesday, July 30, 2024 – 11:00 – 12:00 PM – Register Online starting Tuesday, July 23, at 9:00 AM.
Tuesday, August 6, 2024 – 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM – Register Online starting Tuesday, July 30, at 9:00 AM.
Please sign up online or contact the library for assistance, 781-665-2313.
July is Disability Pride Month, an annual celebration of differing abilities that connects back to the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, a ruling prohibiting discrimination against people with disabilities. The month aims to promote visibility and mainstream awareness of the positive pride felt by people with disabilities.
Check out a sampling of books available through the Melrose Public Library! Click on a title to learn more about the book or to place a hold.
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Get crafty this summer! See what is new this month in Creativebug!
Using your library card and PIN, create your own account for FREE and nurture your creative side with 1000+ video classes in painting, knitting, crafting, sewing & more!
Magpie Sketchbook: A Daily Practice – July 1
Use a sketchbook as your muse to gather captivating imagery that ignites your imagination. Rebecca Ringquist of Dropcloth Samplers, celebrated for her embroidery and intricate stitched drawings, empowers you to explore your unique artistic style through fearless experimentation, free from the constraints of perfection or productivity. Over the course of a month, embark on an expressive journey dedicated to spontaneous mark-making and playful collaging in the first half, then respond to those textures and images in the second, culminating in exquisitely layered, visually intricate pages. When you’re done, you’ll have a place to begin.
Make a Paper Maché Vase – July 10
Elevate the art of paper maché with Corrie Beth Hogg, multi-media maker and Brooklyn-based author. In this class, Corrie demonstrates how to make an impressive paper maché vase inspired by ornamented Italian earthenware from the 16th century. The most amazing thing about working with paper maché is its accessibility – all you really need is cardboard, masking tape, newspaper, and glue. Corrie has designed and provided a template that turns a flat piece of cardboard into a three-dimensional vessel, allowing for a glass cylinder insert if you wish to use it for fresh flowers. Learn how to build the vase form piece by piece, then add paper maché. Finish by exploring several decorating options to make your vase truly your own and be amazed by what you’re able to create with paper.
One Square at a Time: Making Art on a Grid – July 17
Blank pages can be overwhelming for even the most experienced artists, but what if, instead, the page was divided into small squares and the only task was to fill each square with a single element? Artist, illustrator, and author Lisa Congdon finds this process so freeing that she returns to it again and again. In this class, Lisa provides insight into why your brain has a natural affinity for the grid to create visual balance. She guides you through choosing a color palette, subject matter, and composition for each square as well as addressing the composition as a whole. You’ll work on two projects – a black pencil drawing on white paper and a multi-color drawing on black paper – and in the process, discover your own favorite symbols, shapes, and colors to create different moods and stories in your art.
Woven Star Quilt Block – July 24
The Woven Star is a gorgeous pattern that seemingly radiates right off your quilt top. It’s intricate enough to provide visual interest but also simple enough to have fun with finding favorite color and pattern combinations. Award-winning quilter and designer Sarah Bond teaches you how to sew the Woven Star with precision straight piecing and basic paper piecing. She will also share a round version of the Woven Star that incorporates a little bit of curved piecing. The class PDF includes patterns for these blocks in different sizes so you can play with scale and use different sizes of blocks on the same quilt top. Throw them all together in a mini quilt, full sized quilt, or whatever you have a mind to create. The result is truly celestial.
CB Mixtape: Crafts for Kids – July 31
CbMixtapes are playlists made of specific bits taken from different classes and grouped together by a common theme. It’s a fun way to learn how one topic is approached by a variety of artists with different techniques, all rounded up in one curated mixtape.
This selection of kid-friendly classes covers a variety of techniques using simple materials, including paper folding, assemblage, drawing, and tin-foil sculpture.
Read, Renew, Repeat Bookmark Printable PDF
It’s a library card holder, a notebook, and a bookmark, all in one! Loop it around the handle of your book bag to keep your library card and reading list handy. Print the PDF to create your own!