Art + literature = fun for St. Monica’s & library!

With social media continuing to overtake our daily lives, it is more important than ever to create a balance in the ways that we teach our children. Nurturing a love for books is fundamental; and leading kids into their local library is still the perfect way to accomplish this. Or perhaps the library can come to them?

St. Monica’s School art teacher Lisa Buglione, along with Nevins Memorial librarians Amy Dorsheimer and Alison Cochrane, have done just that, bringing the library into the classroom in an art and literacy collaboration.

The brainchild of Buglione, this program was developed to expose students to all that libraries have to offer and to recognize the connection between reading and art. With the encouragement and blessing of St. Monica’s Principal Donna Henderson, Buglione is now in her third year of collaboration with the librarians.

Dorsheimer and Cochrane, heads of Youth and Teen Services, respectively, meet up with Buglione annually to discuss pieces of literature that they feel should be included in the program.

“We base our choices on several criteria,” says Dorsheimer,” such as age appropriateness, subject matter related to what the kids are studying, and perhaps the style of the author’s artwork.”

They then discuss with Buglione how the students might create their own artistic interpretations of the book, story or poem.

The fun for the students begins when the librarians visit the classrooms, Dorsheimer heading to grades K-5 and Cochrane to grades 6-8.

Once a month, armed with the appropriate book, they settle in and read, as the audience of students listens attentively. Beyond being engaged in the librarian’s storytelling, the students are also gathering thoughts on how to proceed with their upcoming art project. After the reading, Buglione hands out an art assignment based on the literature, providing the students with a variety of art supplies, from paints to modeling clay.

“In addition to sharing literature with the students, this also gives the librarians the opportunity to share with them what, besides books, the library has to offer,” says Buglione. “So many school media centers have closed in recent years, and many children are not exposed to their local libraries. They have no idea of the scope of what goes on there, from puppet shows to visiting animals and magic shows. It’s goes far beyond books.”

Buglione has been working with art programming at Nevins for many years, teaching classes in bookmaking, illustration, needle felting and macrame. This past year, she has focused more on art therapy programs, as she continues to make an effort to connect students to the library.

A recent exhibit of the students’ artwork was scattered throughout the library, adorning the walls and shelves of both the Children’s Room and the Teen Area, making the atmosphere even more inspiring than ever. From whimsical watercolors to colorful collages, the students’ work was thoughtful, playful and quite creative, as they shared their interpretations of the various pieces of literature presented to them throughout the year. Fourth-graders based their art on a series of books about the importance of conservation for animals. Dorsheimer shared books that explored the creation of wildlife crossings that allow animals to safely travel over, under or around man-made barriers such as highways, reconnecting their natural pathways that have been cut off or disturbed. The resulting array of wildly imaginative pieces of art shows just how much this concept resonated with the students.

“We re-write the program each year,” says Buglione, “and it is so gratifying to see how it has blossomed.”

Dorsheimer was pleased, as always, at the kids’ response this year.

“This program helps students realize the connection between art and literature,” she says. “It benefits the students, the library and the community.”

And it’s just plain fun to see what these kids come up with!