Little Faces of Montclair

As part of an upcoming Art and Literature series for children, the Montclair Public Library hosted a free Arts & Crafts event Wednesday called "Self-Portraits for Children."  The library provided yarn, fabric squares, glue, stickers, buttons and more, free of charge to the children who participated in the event.  Mirrors were set up at the tables so the children, who ranged in age from 2-10, could consult their reflections as they worked.

"With the pool closed and the weather like this, it couldn't have worked out better," said Stephanie Parisi, whose children, Quinlan and Aidan, attended the event.  The soothing atmosphere in the library auditorium, as well as the varied and colorful art supplies, seemed to inspire the children into contemplative creativity. 

"I love art!" declared six-year-old Fiona Stanton.  She paused from working on her portrait to point out her sisters working beside her. "Those are my sisters. Catie is styles, Brigit is toys, and me, I'm art."

Christopher Damaskis, who announced that he turned nine this week, looked skeptically at his portrait. "I just finished it fast," he said. "I think the hair looks a little weird."

The children's portraits will eventually be stitched together to form a quilt, which will be unveiled in October as part of the library's "Little Read" campaign.

Liz Campbell, Executive Director of the Montclair Public Library Foundation, described the library's upcoming events as she supervised the portrait activity.

"In October we'll be doing Little Read 2010.  The quilt will be displayed in the first floor gallery, along with other child-created art," she explained. 

Pausing, Campbell helped a tiny child glue buttons on her portrait, then continued, "The kick-off to the event happens the night before, October 22, at 6:30 p.m. There will be an art reception for the quilt, and teachers from elementary school will be reading bedtime stories to the children. Kids can come in their pjs and bring their stuffed toys. There will be cookies and milk. It'll be cute."

Campbell's 11-year-old son Jake interjected, "This summer, I read one thousand three hundred pages," he said proudly.

Little brother Andrew, 8, thought about that for a moment and countered, "Well, I read eight books."

"We're big library users in our family," Campbell said, not surprisingly, and smiled at the boys. She went on, "The Montclair Art Museum is helping us with this project, and the museum is also a "Little Read" site. This event is sponsored by Josh and Judy Weston, and the Vance Wall Foundation. John and Rose Cali also contributed with a private donation."

As the children finished their portraits, Campbell, helped by her sons, began to clear off the tables. 

"We'll be raffling off an overnight sleepover at the library at 4 p.m. on October 23," she said. "Like how the museums do it, you know?  The winner can invite 10 of his or her friends to spend a night here. There will be a scavenger hunt and a movie, and pizza and cake, and bedtime stories. And breakfast the next day." Campbell added that the prize was limited to children in grades 1-6 only, and that there would be parent chaperones on hand.

Adult members of the community will also be invited to read out loud to the children during the "Little Read" event. 

"Last year Stephen Colbert was kind enough to read to the kids," said Campbell. "He read in the big red chair, remember? Maybe he'll come back this year. I hope so."

For more information about "Little Read" events at The Montclair Public Library, contact Liz Campbell: (973) 744 -0500 ext. 2222, or go to: www.montclairlibrary.org

The Montclair Public Library at 50 South Fullerton Avenue is open four days a week: Wednesdays and 
Thursdays from 10 am to 8 pm and 
Friday from 10 am to 6 pm and Sunday 1 to 5 pm.  The library is closed on Mondays, Tuesdays and Saturdays.