Barrington Area Library Welcomes Artists from Little City
"I draw kinds of heaven; plans for the place I wanted to stay up in the sky, and share my kingdom with everybody, that's why." This is how artist Harold Jeffries, from the Little City Center for the Arts, describes his work and motivation in the documentary film, "Share My Kingdom." Jeffries, along with five other Little City artists, is currently showing his works in the Barrington Area Library's Gallery in the Library. The library will also hold a special screening of "Share My Kingdom" on Wednesday, September 17, at 7 p.m. The exhibit and screening are free and open to the public. See the Barrington Area Library website for details about these events: www.balibrary.org - about us - gallery in the library. The Barrington Area Library is located at 505 N. Northwest Highway in Barrington and the Gallery is open during all regular business hours.
The six artists featured in the "Share My Kingdom/Born Of Necessity" art exhibit are Andy Bell, Tarik Echols, Joe Flasch, Wayne Mazurek, Luke Tauber, and Jeffries. They create with acrylics, watercolors, ink, and even computers, receiving encouragement, training, and support from other artists at the Little City Center for the Arts. This process results in art that transcends the disability of the artists who created it, art of a quality that allows these artists to exhibit and sell their work competitively with others who do not face the same challenges.
The Center for the Arts is the result of an evolutionary process that began with the belief that people with developmental disabilities could be taught skills that would lead to full opportunities in the arts. The program is recognized nationally, a "best practice" model by which others measure their achievement.
The Barrington Area Library Gallery in the Library has reopened after a 16 month hiatus while the library was renovated. "Frank Tumino from the Center for the Arts at Little City contacted us about showing the documentary, and even though the Gallery was not open at that time, we immediately realized we wanted to have these artists exhibit here as well," states Karen McBride, the library's Public Information Manager. "The artwork is impressive from a purely artistic viewpoint, but the underlying story of how these artists, who are often marginalized and treated as outsiders, rise above those circumstances to bring beauty into the world, is also really inspiring and something we felt would resonate with our community."
The Gallery is run by the library's Art Advisory Committee, comprised of staff members McBride, Sam Adams-Lanham, Ashley Brooke Sero, and library trustee Barbara Pintozzi. "Share My Kingdom/Born Of Necessity" is the second show in the renovated Gallery. To learn more about the Gallery, the artists of Little City, and this exhibit, visit the library and access its website, www.balibrary.org - about us - gallery in the library.
Learn more about Little City and its Center for the Arts by visiting www.littlecity.org/arts/home. Little City is located at 1760 W. Algonquin Road in Palatine, Il.