Brown Library Children’s Room welcomes animal art exhibit

Published 6:16 pm Wednesday, May 2, 2018

Nature and animal lovers will find plenty of inspiration in the children’s room at Brown Library in Washington.

The work of Sherry Conrad Frye will be on display through May and June. Made up of photographs and drawings, the exhibit is designed to give a view into animals in nature, and in the imagination.

“I titled the exhibit ‘Living Species,’ and my focus is living creatures of all types that live in the moment and have feelings, value, a place and purpose in the world,” Frye said. “I’ve tried to match some of the pencil drawings to photographs so people can see them in nature and rendered in drawings.”

Frye said she hopes to inspire children to research the animals, or simply look at them a little differently and see their beauty. Frye’s photographs range from a seagull in mid-flight to a frog peeking out from behind grasses. Her intent is to show them in their natural habitat.

“I don’t have very expensive photography equipment,” Frye said. “I just basically have a point and shoot, and I do not use Photoshop, so all the photographs are as (the animals) are in nature.”

Children’s librarian Terry Rollins said he welcomes artists’ work as not only a way to promote art, but as an educational tool.

“Because we’re a public space, we feel like it’s a great way to highlight some of the regional artists, and we have the space to do it,” Rollins said.

Rollins said hosting exhibits in the Children’s Room gives kids the opportunity to experience art, some of them for the first time.

“I think it helps them learn more about the world around them, to see things from a different perspective, to even discover art for the first time — that there’s a whole world out there of ways to express yourself,” Rollins said. “Hopefully, that will allow them to continue to have an appreciation as they grow older.”

Brown Library is located 122 Van Norden St., Washington. Its hours of operation are Mondays through Saturdays from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m.