Maureen O'Brien

Paintings by Maureen O'Brien will be on display at the Sorenson Gallery until mid-May.

It's April

If I say April – what words come to mind? April fool, April showers, April love (if you're old enough to remember the Pat Boone song)? How about April at the Fosston Community Library Arts Center?

If you haven't been to the library yet this month, be sure to come and check out the new display of Maureen O'Brien's paintings in the Sorenson Gallery. O'Brien, who says she has been painting “most of her life,” works out of her Evergreen Farm Studio, which is located near Solway. She is known for her nature and wildlife paintings and has done murals at a number of sites throughout the state. Someone commented about the paintings on exhibit that they make you “feel like you're taking a walk in the woods.” Most of them are for sale if you'd like to take one home.

April 11-16 is National Library Week and also the Week of the Young Child. In recognition of these special times, the library will have a treat for any child caught reading in the library during the week. Also, during Family Fun Time at 3:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 13, participants will be recycling discarded books into craft items. And that's not all – Booker the Owl, the new LARL mascot, will make an appearance at story time on Friday morning at 10:30 a.m., and every child attending will be given a book.

The library book club meets Tuesday, April 12, at 7 p.m. This month's book is Before I Go to Sleep by S. J. Watson. It's a real page-turner with a main character suffering from a form of amnesia that causes her to lose her memories every time she goes to sleep. There's still time to read it before book club, so check out a copy and come join us.

Writers' group is scheduled for Thursday. April 28, at 7:30 p.m. New members are always welcome – no dues, no pressure. You're welcome to come and see what it's all about.

There is a musical event scheduled for Sunday, March 1, at 7 p.m. Orland Aspen's vocal students will be presenting their spring recital. Everyone one is welcome and refreshments will be served.

After telling you what is going on this month, I do have to mention something that isn't going to happen. Due to a variety of circumstances, the 13^th Annual Festival of Tables is not being held this year. Event organizers had a difficult decision to make and want to ensure supporter of this successful fund-raiser that it will be held next spring.

March at the Library Arts Center

What should I say about March? That it's still winter. At this point most of the ice is gone from the streets so hopefully spring is on the way. However, winter, spring, summer, fall – things continue to happen at the Fosston Community Library Arts Center. On Wednesday, March 2, there will be a birthday party for Dr. Seuss at 3:30 p.m. Held in conjunction with Read Across America Day, the party will celebrate reading with cake and games. If you don't get your paper until later on Wednesday, it might be too late, but otherwise this is a fun activity for kids.

There will be a fun activity for adults when the library book club meets on Tuesday, March 8, at 7 p.m. with a Downton Abbey tea party to celebrate the final episode of the popular series. The book for the month is Barbara Taylor Brandford's Cavendon Hall, set in Edwardian Era England with a cast of characters who include the aristocratic Ingham family and the Swann family, who serve them. It may not quite be Downton Abbey, but it is close.

Another activity this month iis writers' group, which will meet Thursday, March 31, at 7:30 p.m. New members are always welcome.

Also, the third-grade musical will be performed in the theater on March 10 and 11. Alas, attendance is by invitation only, so unless you have a third-grader in your life, you are probably out of luck.

Last month I introduced you to Jeff Olson, one of the new FCLAA board members elected in January. The other new member is Fosston native Barb Johnson. The daughter of Sheldon and Judy Mattson, Barb grew up in the area, but did live away for awhile, in Grand Forks and then in the Twin Cities. However, she and her husband Ryanell, who have three children, one still in high school, moved back here 17 years ago or so. For a while she operated a picture framing business, but for the past 6 years she has worked in Mentor for the Northwest Minnesota Multi County Housing and Redevelopment Authority, a nonprofit which helps folks obtain rental assistance and provides housing, as well as working in community development. Barb, whose hobbies are traveling and eating, says she excited to be on the FCLAA board and looks forward to serving.

Just a reminder – the Hot-Reads-for-Cold-Nights adult reading program continues through the month so stay warm, read a book, and remember – next month is April.

Writers' Groups

It's been awhile since I've posted anything from writers' group on here so here's a little poem I wrote for our last meeting.

My Cat

Once I had a little cat.

He grew and grew and now he's fat.

And when sometimes he wants his food

I have to say he's downright rude.

He sits upon our dining table.

It's taboo, but he is able

To break the rules we have for pets,

Cause he pretends that he forgets.

His look says “Feed me, feed me, do,

I am so hungry, it is true.

Although it's early, I can't wait.

I need some food upon my plate.”

He has us trained so very well.

We give him food and all is swell.

Hello, February!

It's always kind of a relief when February comes because then I feel we are on the downhill slope of winter. I realize that this year February has 29 days, but even so it's our shortest month, and March is almost spring.

The Fosston Community Library Arts Association elected two new members to the board of directors at its annual meeting on January 13. They were Jeff Olson and Barb Johnson. In addition, Orland Aspen was reelected to a one-year term. New officers were also elected for the coming year: Bonnie Stewart, president; Michelle Johnson, vice president; Becky Overmoe, secretary; and Molly Peltier, treasurer.

Jeff Olson, who calls Fosston his hometown, is a blacksmith/artist, specializing in decorative ornamental sculptures and jewelry. After graduating from Fosson High School in 1985, he joined the Air Force and lived in various places, including a stint as a civilian contractor in Iraq before moving back to Fosston in 2009 and beginning Olson Ironworks. Thanks to the Internet, he has customers for his one-of-a-kind custom-made items all over the United States and even internationally. Olson's wife Traci is a teacher at the Fosston elementary school. He has two grown children, one living in Fosston and one in Ohio, as well as one granddaughter. In joining the FCLAA board, he hopes to promote local artists by providing venues to showcase their work. If you wish see some of his creations, go to olsonironworks.com.

While you are on the Internet looking at Jeff Olson's art (in addition to his Web site, he has a blog and also a Facebook page), check out the Fosston Public Library Facebook page and give it a like.

The Hot Reads for Cold Nights adult reading program continues through February so there is still plenty of time to win a prize for reading (or listening to) four books. That's certainly a win-win situation: You get the pleasure of reading the book and maybe a prize as well. You can pick up entry blanks at the library or enter on-line on the LARL Web site.

Make one of the books you read The Round House by Louise Erdrich, which is the library book club selection for February. We will meet to discuss it on Tuesday, February 9, at 7 p.m. Erdrich is an award-winning author, originally from North Dakota, but now living in Minnesota. The Round House is set in North Dakota, in a community where “Ojibwe and while live uneasily together.” Our discussions at book club are always interesting, and did I mention there will be coffee?

Writers' group will meet Thursday, February 25, at 7:30 p.m. New members are always welcome with or without samples of their writing.

One last reminder – the library will be closed on Monday, February 15, in observance of Presidents Day.

January at the FCLAC

A new month, a new year – maybe it's time to take part in some new activities at the Fosston Community Library Arts Center. Of course, if you have already been involved with some of these things, we would like you to continue.

Once again, the Hot Reads for Cold Nights adult reading program has started and will continue through the month of March. Read four books (or listen to them) and you will be eligible for some great prizes. Entry forms are available at the library or you may go to the LARL Web site and register on-line. (http://larl.org/hot-reads-for-cold-nights/)

There are few better ways to spend a winter evening than reading a book, so you may as well try for a prize.

Of course, there are some evening events at the library you may want to attend. Book club will meet Tuesday, January 12 at 7 p.m. The book for this month is The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obrecht. Although I have the book, I haven't started it yet, so I'll just quote a little of the blurb on the cover: “In a Balkan country mending from years of conflict, a young doctor arrives on a mission of mercy at an orphanage by the sea. As Natalia begins to inoculate the children there, she feels age-old superstitions and secrets gathering around her. Secrets her outwardly cheerful hosts choose not to tell her.” Sounds intriguing – pick up a copy and join us.

Another evening event you may want to attend is writers' group on Thursday, January 28, at 7:30 p.m. If writing your memoirs has been on your to-do list for awhile, this may be just the place for you. Sometimes we just need the motivation of a deadline. If you have some writing to share, bring it; if not, just come and see what goes on. Not everyone who comes writes memoirs; there is poetry, news articles, novels – and it's interesting to see what people come up with.

On Wednesday, January 13, the Fosston Community Library Arts Association will hold its annual meeting. If you are a member of the FCLAA or if you are interested in becoming one, you are welcome at attend. The FCLAA board is responsible for overseeing the various areas of programing at the arts center, in the areas of music, lectures, gallery and theater. In addition, there is a property committee. These five committees are always interested in having new members, so if you would like to be involved in the promoting the arts in our local area, you are welcome to join. You may contact current board members Michelle Johnson (435-1774), Becky Overmoe (435-6169 or Ray Miller (435-1676) for more information.
Weekly activities at the library:
Tuesdays at 3:30 p.m. - Chess Club
Wednesdays at 3:30 p.m. Family Fun Time
Fridays at 10:30 – Storytime
Also a reminder – the library will be closed on Monday, January 18, in observance of Martin Luther King Day.

Jill Burggraf exhibit

Here is a sample of the Jill Burggraf paintings currently on display at the Sorenson Gallery. They should be there through the end of the year.