If you go
› What: Silk painting demonstration.› When: Noon-2 p.m. Saturday, May 18.› Where: Chattanooga Public Library, 1001 Broad St.› Phone: 423-643-7700.› Note: All of the Silk & Shades classes are full, but check chattlibrary.org/events for possible cancellations. The finished works will go on view Oct. 4.
Groves of trees and flocks of birds are taking shape at the Chattanooga Public Library. Come October, their leaves and wings will flutter overhead on painted silk banners meant to “enliven the first floor of the library in a public installation,” says Chattanooga artist Claire Vassort.
With a grant from the Lyndhurst Foundation, the downtown library has launched an artist-in-residence program that is offering free art classes to children and adults. This first project, called Silk & Shades at the Library, is led by Vassort, who has more than 30 years’ experience in silk painting.
Vassort says she had three objectives for her first partnership with the library: She wanted to contribute to creating an inviting atmosphere at the library. She wanted to educate the public about silk painting – “a bit of an obscure medium,” she says. And she wanted to further the library experience by offering patrons multiple reasons to visit.
“It’s not only something to look at [for any visitor], but with the classes it’s something they can do themselves,” she says of participants. “That will bring them back to the library to say, ‘Look, I painted this one. That’s my contribution.'”