KDesantis

Nature Artists at Pember for September First Friday

The Pember Library and Museum in Granville, NY is pleased to present Natural Creations as the theme for its First Friday event on September 1. Both featured artists work with natural, found objects – such as branches, bark and stone.

We welcome back Bob Dienst, Sr., of American Images Studio, who has shown with us before. Bob crafts limited edition, dimensional copper and brass sculptures of American wildlife, as well as copper jewelry. He integrates found objects into his work and can customize a variety of finishes and mounts. A native of New Jersey, Bob makes his home in Granville, NY.

Sara Jane Cormier always gathered interesting objects that she came upon. “After years of collecting bits of wood, bark, stones, and shells,” she said, “I finally thought of combining them as ‘art’. It’s fun and satisfying work.” Sara Jane will be exhibiting a variety of materials with natural embellishments.

First Friday would not be complete without music and we are excited to bring back Cole Kitz for a night of keyboard and song. Cole recently completed a study of wolf communication and promises to demonstrate the highlights.

First Friday is from 7 to 9 pm.
Some of the art will remain on display through September.

For more information, please call 518-642-1515.

Summer reading for adults. Why should kids have all the fun this summer?? You too can have fun by participating in the Pember Library’s Adult Summer Reading Program “Build a Better World” July 12–August 16.

Learn some ways to plan for your retirement without sacrificing your basic needs. Russ Antonacci and Alex Lambiaso will be the speakers from GFN Bank’s Wealth Management/Retirement departments.

Our summer reading program is supported in part by Federal Library Services and Technology Act funds, awarded to the New York State Library by the Federal Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Dreadful Art IV takes over the Pember for August

Some of the “worst art on the planet” is on the program for August at the Pember Library and Museum in Granville, NY. The fourth annual exhibition, “Dreadful Art IV” opens at First Friday on August 4 and will remain up throughout the month.

“It’s a contrarian showing that really highlights how difficult good art is produce and how worthy good art is,” mused Mary King, Pember board president. “Although the show is great fun, the works themselves typify the road of the artist and the struggle for excellence. Without bad, we wouldn’t have good…”

Ballots for “Best of the Worst” will be available at the Pember, with a prize given to the winning entry.

Open call for submissions runs until Thursday, August 3. Submissions may be dropped off until then. Works will can be purchased for nominal cost. For more information, call 518-642-2525 or 642-1515.

A special play list of recorded music to complement the décor will be part of the show.

First Friday runs from 7 to 9 pm, the first Friday of every month.

Summer reading for adults. Why should kids have all the fun this summer?? You too can have fun by participating in the Pember Library’s Adult Summer Reading Program “Build a Better World” July 12–August 16.

Genealogy, or the study of family history, has been described as the “fastest-growing hobby in America”. With the popularity of television shows like “Who Do You Think You Are”, the ease of sharing information via the internet and the reconnecting of distant relatives using social media, it’s no wonder more Americans than ever before are interested in discovering their roots. Professional genealogist Lisa Dougherty will help you get started in the pursuit of your own family history by offering guidelines for gathering information, conducting effective family interviews, and organizing your research.

Lisa volunteers at Crandall Library in Glens Falls once monthly answering genealogy questions, third Wednesday of every month from 10am-12pm. The remaining dates for 2017 are August 16, September 20, October 18, November 15, and December 20.

Our summer reading program is supported in part by Federal Library Services and Technology Act funds, awarded to the New York State Library by the Federal Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Children of all ages are welcome to join our Lego Club. We will meet every Wednesday afternoon. We have a small Lego table and several thousand Lego pieces. For our first few meetings, we will have “free build” — put blocks together any way you want. Other meetings may include a robot theme or outer space or pirates! We have books and magazines to give ideas. We hope to be able to keep creations on display until the next week when we will need the blocks to build something new.

Beginner and experienced knitters and crocheters are encouraged to meet at the library between 3:00 and 4:30 PM on Wednesdays to teach each other and to learn from each other. The library will provide space for crafters to meet and to socialize while working on their yarn projects. The library will have a limited amount of yarn, crochet hooks, and knitting needles for people to try the crafts before they invest money in needed equipment. Basic stitches will be taught and more advanced techniques can be researched through books and online resources. Please call the library for additional information.

Pember First Friday Features: Artist Reni Wulfken, “Songer-singwriter” Neal Herr, and Lavenlair Farm.

The Pember is pleased to welcome German-born artist Reni Wulfken for a first time exhibit at the July First Friday on July 7. She lived and studied painting in Venice, Florida and is newly returned to this area.

Reni has been drawing and painting since childhood and recently studied with Canadian artist Walter Burden. Reni is inspired by subjects from the natural world, and interprets nature through color and light. “When I paint, the world goes away. I am in a place of total relaxation, and there is a serenity there that no other endeavor can match. It is from this place that I create my best work.”

Her subject matter includes flowers, fruit, birds and other animals, as well as portraits of human subjects. Reni paints primarily in acrylics on paper, canvas, and slate, but occasionally does multi-media paintings.

Reni is a three-time exhibitor at the Venice Art Center in Florida, and more recently at Stone Valley Arts in Poultney, Vermont.

Summer is here and Diane and David Allen of Lavenlair Farm will be at First Friday with a wide array of lavender inspired bouquets, soaps and lotions. Be sure to ask them about the four thousand lavender plants in the 100 foot diameter meditative labyrinth they built on their farm.

“Songer-singwriter” Neal Herr will be performing. Neal is an award-winning writer, director, composer, producer and teacher of musical theater who has written over 500 original songs and a dozen musicals. A frequent performer, producer and music director at Hudson River Music Hall, involved in tributes to Simon & Garfunkel, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Neil Young and the Bee Gees, he’s recorded over ten CDs of original music at Lylac Studios in South Glens Falls, NY. This summer he’ll be directing kids at the YMCA in an original kids improv musical, Makin’ It Up. He loves kids, dogs, singing and libraries, in no particular order.

First Friday is July 7, from 7 to 9 pm and is free.