Fort Erie Show

I was putting the finishing touches on an art display today in Ridgeway, at the Crystal-Ridge Public library. Amy Roebuck had asked if I'd mind putting up an art display for the month of march. She'd seen the kids' reaction to my Mad Science presentation one summer she had booked to get the kids into the library building.

Over the past few weeks I've been putting together a special painting for the occasion. I got my friend Sarah, and her daughter, to pose for me, reading a book together. It does look good, if I do do say so myself. Many people have been tossing compliments towards the picture.

Anyway, I filled the two display cases at the two branches with my art. Some paintings and stone carvings went in, and I added some mazes for the kids to solve, some colouring pages, and a small description of my art classes. Later, I will add a Mad Science t-shirt to each display so the kids can make the connection. The librarians have my permission to make copies of the mazes and colouring pages over the March Break and easter weekend.

At the 2nd location, just as I was finishing up the display, the librarian had to leave for a couple of minutes to help a young boy take out a book. He looked about 5 years old. The boy and his mom were just in time to get their book before the library closed for the night. He recognized me from a Mad Science class and said hello. Then he had to get back to the task at hand. His cheeks were filled with determination, a little chubby, but the lips firm as he held his book up to the counter. The title simply said "Chemistry". He and his mom were going to do science experiments over the weekend. I've been giddy ever since. The whole drive home I've felt waves of euphoria from some gland sending little shivers through my body. I counted at least four of them on the drive home through the snow on the QEW from Fort Erie to St. Catharines. The little guy also got one of my hockey mazes from the librarian to take home.

My art will be in Fort Erie for a whole month. I miss having it in the house. One of my peculiarities is that I like to carry a finished painting around with me. "To see what it looks like in the different lights" I tell people. That's a little true. Sarah's daughter's hand looked a little mustardy in the white sunlight, so I fixed it when I got it home.

The real reason I carry the pictures with me is the hope that I will get sick of them, that I won't miss them when they get new homes. I'm not sure that trick is going to work for me this time.