Western Courier

Issue date: 3/28/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Adam Sacasa The library will be featuring different aspects of art and architecture from libraries around the state until April 4.

Four large displays of local art and architecture greet students as they enter the second floor of the Leslie F. Malpass Library.

Until April 4, the "Art and Architecture in Illinois Libraries" displays will each show different aspects of architecture and art from many of the different libraries located throughout Illinois.

Allen Lanham and Marlene Slough of Eastern Illinois University created the exhibit, which was funded by an Illinois State Library grant.

"As part of that (Lanham) asked who would be interested in showcasing the exhibits," said Phyllis Self, Western Illinois University Libraries Dean. "The grant pays for the shipping and publicity."

Students may not have noticed the exhibit during its first day on display because it was placed on the first floor. Due to the size of the displays, however, the exhibit was soon moved to the second floor. The move was also a way to help the art reach as many students as possible.

"I think that it is a good thing that the library has put up the display," said Amanda Chenoweth, senior elementary education major and student assistant at Malpass Library. "It's interesting to see how much work and thought has to go behind each piece of work when constructing a building or room. Having the display up will help students appreciate all the work architects do."

The grant the Malpass Library received required it to do something that has enduring value for the community. In accordance with that grant, librarian Brian Clark and instructional design and technology graduate student Shailendra Verma created a documentary of local weaver Jo Sanders putting the fabric on - or warping - the Thought Products Cassandra Loom on the third floor of the library, donated by Sanders.

"The dean came to me saying she wanted to do a documentary on Jo and the loom," Clark said. "(Sanders) is one of the only people in the community who knows how to use this specific loom."

Clark was then approached by Verma, who chose the documentary as an independent study project. While there are five different modules, or sections, to the documentary, currently only three are finished. Clark hopes to put the documentary up on the library's Web site by the end of the semester so anyone interested can simply stream the video.

Sanders, with the help of a friend who does most of the physical work, speaks throughout the documentary about how to use the loom, often telling personal stories of when she used the loom.

"The idea is that someone who is into weaving can watch this and figure out how to use a loom," Clark said. "Realistically, I don't think you or I could jump on a loom and know what we're doing."

The documentary will be shown Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. on the first floor of the Malpass Library. Sanders will also receive a pin in honor of her support of the library and her work in the documentary.

In addition to the architecture exhibit and documentary, the library will hold an art exhibit beginning Wednesday at 6 p.m. and concluding at the end of April. Watercolor paintings, baskets and photographs by six local artists will all be on display and for sale.

"The purpose of the exhibit is to encourage art in Illinois libraries," Self said.

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