By John Maruskin

Clark County Public Library

Part of the mission of the Clark County Public Library is to display work by local craftpersons, makers, photographers, artists and collectors.

In the past, the library has shown antique farm tools, handmade dolls, crochet pieces, arrow-heads, porcelain birds, wood intarsia, Barbies, Transformers and many other kinds of artifacts and projects in the front foyer display cases, the reference area and in the Brooks Community Room.

With the New Year under way, I’m putting out a call to any Clark County resident who does crafts, art or who collects to get in touch with me at the library if she or he has something to display.

In the past, one of the main display impediments for local visual artists, like illustrators, painters or photographers, has been the inability to have work framed. Well, we’ve come up with a solution to that problem. In the past two years, the library has collected a good number of frames ranging in size from 8-by-8 inches to 11-by-17 inches. We have used those frames for five different shows: four photography shows and the current exhibit of Elvis Cardona’s comic book art in the library’s reference department.

Those frames can also be used to display needlepoint and cross-stitch projects, collections of ephemera, like souvenirs and pamphlets, even refrigerator art.

Please remember, you don’t have to have a large collection of objects or 50 pieces of art or photography ready in order to have an exhibit. One of the neatest display ideas these days is the “pop-up,” which is a small, interesting collection of objects that can be temporarily displayed and then replaced by another pop-up.

Have a few interesting items you’d like to show? We can create a pop-up.

If you’d like to talk to me about having a display of your art or your collection, please call 744-5661, ext. 110, or email john.clarkbooks@gmail.com.

If you search the book shelves of the Clark County Public Library, you’ll find books by local and regional authors who have shared their autobiographies, memoirs, ideas and imagination with the community. Why shouldn’t visual artists and collectors do the same?

Programs this week?

— At 10 a.m. Tuesday, Internet 2,  Learn more efficient ways to search, retrieve information and how to copy, paste and print.

— At 2 p.m. Wednesday, Kentucky Picture Show presents the story of Chesley Sullenberger, an American pilot who became a hero after landing his damaged plane on the Hudson River in order to save the flight’s passengers and crew. Rated PG-13.

— At 7 p.m. Wednesday, Trivia Night at the Engine House Deli. The answer to, “What’s the hippest Wednesday night venue in Winchester?”

— At noon Thursday, Book Lunch participants start the new year in sunny Provence discussing “A Good Year,” by Peter Mayle.

— At 6:30 p.m. Thursday, the World War II Discussion Group meets to talk about military history.

— At 10 a.m. Friday, Write Local meets to carry on the great tradition of Appalachian Storytelling, and to find out what happens next to a talking 1957 Chevy.

— From 10 a.m to 4 p.m. Saturday, Puzzle Day at the library. Puzzling about what to do every other Saturday? Join us for Puzzle Day at the library. Help put some of our jigsaw puzzles together. We want to see what they look like! If you’re in the area and feeling a bit puzzled stop by and give us a hand.

There are still a few seat seats left for Elvis Cardona’s comic book art class next Saturday, Jan. 28, from 1-2:30 p.m.

If you love comics and want to learn how to draw them, sign up for this class. You don’t need drawing experience, just imagination and enthusiasm.