By Jen Bort, FFL Buzz Team
Fayetteville Free Library
It’s rewarding to be a maker — to feel that sense of accomplishment from creating something with your own hands — but it can be especially fun this time of year: carving pumpkins, baking pies, putting together creative Halloween costumes, making crafts and gifts for the holidays.
Dale Dougherty, founder of Make Magazine, in the article “The Maker Movement” reminds us that at one time, many people considered themselves tinkerers (fixing their cars, mending their own clothes) and while of course they’re still out there, it seems they’ve declined in number over the years. What has been on the rise, however, is the maker movement. Even those of us who aren’t necessarily “handy” can consider ourselves makers, whether we’re cooking, sewing, knitting, crafting. Making can provide ways to forge deeper connections with each other and with the world around us.
One way to do this is to look around your home and come up with a project like the book-page pumpkins pictured above: glue strips of an already-damaged or otherwise headed-to-the-recycling-bin book to a toilet paper or paper towel roll; use a twig for the stem. Pinterest is a great spot to mine for ideas, or you can always stop into the makerspace at the library (our Fab Lab) for other ideas and opportunities.
Getting deeper into making and moving into the fine arts spectrum can offer another perspective on the world for those of us who may not already be artists in the traditional sense. Learning about art and different methods of painting (for example) can help you delve deeper into the human experience.
For fine art exposure and hands-on activities, check the library’s events calendar. Some upcoming events and classes include Fine Art Fun Drawing and Painting (for ages 5 to 12), Children’s Art Class: Meet the Masters (for grades 2 to 4); Family Paint Night; and Art with Everson (for teens).
For more information, visit the Fayetteville Free Library in person at 300 Orchard Street or online at FFLIB.org.
The FFL Buzz will be back next week.
