April Fools?

Mother Nature may be playing an April Fool joke on us –“ Ha, ha, bet you thought it was spring” – but there are some great events coming up at the Fosston Community Library Arts Center Library book club will meet Tuesday, April 11, at 7 p.m. to discuss the book The Lying Game by Ruth Ware. It tells the story of four women who get together 17 years after being asked to leave a boarding school, where they played the lying game, trying to make others believe all sorts of outrageous stories. Mystery – suspense – even some romance, it’s a good read. Come and join us. Saturday, April 22, at 7:00 p.m. The Wildwoods will be in concert at the Arts Center theater. This folk/Americana trio is based in Lincoln, Nebraska, and includes a husband and wife team, Noah and Chloe Gose, as well as bassist Andrew Vaggalis. General admission tickets are available at Nord’s and online at www.fclaa.org. The new exhibit in the Sorenson Gallery is entitled “Clearwater Creatives.” Photographs by Monika Lawrence of Bemidji will feature ten different artists, all of whom live in Clearwater County. Art featuring artists – an interesting concept. This poem I wrote some years ago seems appropriate: Maybe I’ll Write a Poem If I could write a poem about spring, Would it make me feel it were here? WouldI see a flock of robins out there Instead of those hungry deer? Would icicles onthe picnic table Magically all melt away? Instead of white snow would I see green grass Inviting me out to play? I’d like to replace the biting north wind For now with a southerly breeze. By writing of flowers would I forget That daily I’m ready to freeze? Ah, Spring, what a lovely season it is! We know it will come here some day, Not just in my poem, but actually, At least by the end of May.

Winter display in the gallery

Ah, March!

Ah, March – will it mean the end of winter or will the snow and ice linger on into April? I can’t really predict the weather, but I can tell you a few things about the Fosston Community Library Arts Association and what’s new for the month. The newest FCLAA board member is Karen Norland, who grew up in Ankeny, Iowa, which incidentally is in Polk County, Iowa. Norland, who has lived in Fosston since 2003, is married to Mike Norland and has a 13-year-old son, two cats and two dogs. She is a woman of many talents. In addition to having worked as a paramedic for 35 years, currently in Blackduck, she is a yoga instructor and an aromatherapist. Her yoga studio, Junkyard Yoga, is located in The Ginger Junker in McIntosh. She enjoys doing counted cross stitch and distilling her own essential oils, as well as playing the piano and several other musical instruments. In joining the board, she is interested in learning more about the arts in the area, particularly things that are family oriented. The current exhibit in the Sorensen Gallery, “Walk through Winter,” will be coming down (I hope that means the end of winter.) Thanks to everyone who stopped by to view it. A drawing will be held on March 1 to determine the winner of the framed painting. The next display, which will be coming up some time this month, will be work from the Fosston Youth Art students. The library book club will meet Tuesday, March 14, at 7 p.m. This month’s book is The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. I haven’t read it yet, but apparently it’s a mystery and a fantasy involving a doctor who finds he has eight days and eight different incarnations to solve the murder of Evelyn Hardcastle. Sounds interesting, to say the least, and the coffee and treats are always good. Bingo for the kids is the first Wednesday of the month at 3:30 p.m. That would be March 1 and April 5. Everyone likes to win prizes. If winter drags on, or even if it doesn’t, stop by the library to pick up a book or two to read, Also, the library has a puzzle exchange, so bring home a jigsaw puzzle as well.

It's February

It’s February, and winter continues with some enjoyable opportunities at the Fosston Community Library Arts Center. Fittingly enough, the exhibit coming up at the Sorenson Gallery is entitled “Winter!” It features photography, painting, mosaic and pottery, all depicting our cold winter days. A winter youth art club series led by Kirby Vossler, began January 29th and will run for five weeks. The classes are open to students in grades 6 through 9, but if there is room, slots will open for older students and adults. There is a charge, but scholarships are available. Email hello@fclaa.org to register. The Book Blizzard reading program continues at the library through the month of February. Pick up a reading log at the library and once you’ve read four books, you may turn it in and you may win a prize. Keep in mind that a book blizzard is much more pleasant than one with snow and wind. If you aren’t sure what you want to read, the library will once again feature the Blind Date with a Book, so you might want to check that out. Book club will meet Tuesday, February 14, at 7 p.m. This month’s book is The Library of Lost Things by Laura Taylor Namey. I haven’t read it, but any book with the word library in the title must be good. There will be treats. The FCLAA held it annual meeting in January. Officers and directors elected include Abby Pearson, pres.; Barbara Johnson, v. pres.; Joann Papke, sec., Maggie Stewart, treas.; and directors, Jason Steinbrenner, Kirby Vossler, Kate Moore, Mike Mulry, Sarah Steinbrenner, and Karen Norland. There will be Bingo for the kiddos on Wednesday, Feb. 1 after school. That’s always a popular activity. Prizes, you know. On Sunday, Feb. 19, at 6 p.m. the Arts Center theater will be the location for a special presentation sponsored by the East Polk Heritage Center. Caleb Curfman will speak about “Peddlers Cure-Alls to Secret Liquor Halls.” The presentation is free and open to the public. And – if you want to think about something other than snow during February, there will be a take and make craft available at the library. It is a suncatcher. It is suitable for all ages and free while supplies last.

Nordic textile folk art by Stephanie Anderson

January 2023

A new month and a new year – 2023! Seems amazing, doesn’t it? What hasn’t changed is the season. It’s still winter. Activities continue at the Fosston Community Library Art Center. With the new year comes the FCLAA annual meeting, which is scheduled for Wednesday, January 11, at 7:30 p.m. Annual reports will be presented, and the 2023 board of directors will be elected. The meeting is open to the public, so if you are interested in what goes on behind the scenes, this is your chance to find out. Stephanie Anderson’s Nordic textile folk art display is currently being shown in the Sorenson Gallery, so if you come to the meeting, you will be able to view that as well. If you aren’t coming to the meeting, the gallery is open during normal library hours. The Book Blizzard is scheduled during January and February. Log your reading during those months, and for every four books read, you have a chance to win a prize. You may pick up a paper log sheet at the library or track your reading on the Beanstack app found on the LARL Website. Also check the LARL Website for a link to the virtual Chinese calligraphy class scheduled for Monday, Jan. 9, at 7:00 p.m. Instructor Jojo Liu will teach calligraphy basics. Supplies, including ink, paper, and brushes, are available free of charge at the library beginning Dec. 29. The library book club meets Tuesday, Jan. 10, at 7 p.m. This month’s book is Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton. I haven’t started reading the book year, but the blurb on the cover says, “After the death of her beloved grandmother, a Cuban-American woman travels to Havana, where she discovers the roots of her identity – and unearths a family secret hidden since the revolution.” Sounds promising, and there will be coffee and goodies. Given the fact that there are several months of winter left, it might be prudent to check the library Facebook page if the weather seems dicey. There have already been several early closings due to inclement weather. The Facebook page is also a good source of information about the various activities as well. The library will be closed on Monday, January 16, in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Current exhibit in the Sorenson Gallery