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Clowning Around this Throwback Thursday!
Do you remember Whizzo? “Whizzo’s Wonderland?” "Whizzolark?" This clown was a serious entertainer!
"He had one goal: entertain children and make them laugh."
Read the latest jocohistory blog entry: Frank Wiziarde: Entertainer, Artist, Whizzo the Clown
For even more local history visit jocohistory.org or follow our hashtag on Twitter.
Now at Lackman: Sterling Witt
Melodic and aggressive, abrasive and pretty, political and universal, the music and visual art of Sterling Witt has many starting points. In addition to writing catchy, rocking and thought-provoking tunes, Witt is an accomplished painter whose visual work is as vibrant as his music. Encompassing everything from dazzlingly abstract portraits to 3D works that confound, entertain and inspire, Witt brings high-voltage energy to whatever he creates.
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What comes first – the medium or the message? Tell me a little about the work that will be on view.
I started painting the word Love in an effort to bring more love into my life. I figured if I painted the word, then I would be thinking about it and by thinking about it I would manifest more love in my life. I also think the Love Paintings series have a positive effect on the surroundings of where they are displayed. I chose the watercolor medium because I wanted it to be a challenge for myself to control the paint. Using watercolors with enough water will create a spontaneous result that forces me to act fast and often deal with whatever happens. Being slightly out of control of the painting creates the qualities I'm looking for in the end.
What do you feel is your role as an artist?
To express myself and make quality art. I am not one of those people who think anything is art because someone says it is. Composition ought to strike you from across the room. You shouldn't have to think about it, although you might want to think about it after you've enjoyed it thoroughly. Making art is a personal exploration for me. Often what I appreciate in art is unattractive to others. That old adage: One man’s trash is another mans treasure, is so true for me.
What influences your practice/works?
I'm always in search of understanding the world I live in. Discovering the truth--whatever that is--seems to be my personal mission and I assume this has an influence over my creations. Some people think everything is figured out and understood and the world is no longer a place of mystery. Yet a person can spend their entire life studying one subject and never know everything about it. If you think the world is boring and just dirt, rocks, air and water, then the world tends to show you only the mundane because that’s what you believe and what you are open to seeing. For me, it seems the more I understand the less I am certain I know. The world is a mysterious place. Just think: every few years science disproves what was once believed to be fact.
Who are the other artists you look to for inspiration? And what about their works do you like?
The Italian painter Giuseppe Arcimboldo never ceases to amaze me. He created some of the greatest illusions and fantasy works. Artists like Arcimboldo make me wonder if art is progressing or digressing as time goes on. He was making his art in the 1500s, and that's incredible to me. The Renaissance Dutch painter Hieronymus Bosch is another amazing artist and creates some of the most interesting depictions of historical events, both fantasy and illusion. He was painting in the 1400s--that’s 600 years ago! This is a strong reminder to me that we are not on the cutting edge as much as we often think we are. These guys were making their art in a time when there were no phones, no Internet, no cars, and no electricity. Go have a look at their art and tell me that it's not astonishing.
What other writings do you recommend reading to have a better understanding of your artworks and your art practice/process? Please look through our on-line catalog and provide any links to resources that you would recommend.
The Magic of Believing by Claude M Bristol is a great book and was one of the first books I ever read about creating what you want in your life. I have read and reread this book. I would recommend it to anyone. No matter who you are or what you believe, this is a powerful book. https://jocolibrary.bibliocommons.com/item/show/161746036?active_tab=su…
6 by 6: Ready to Read and Early Literacy
The Importance of Early Literacy
From day one, a baby’s brain is busy learning about their environment. From the sounds that they hear to the things that they grasp with tiny fingers, every experience helps build connections in the brain. Think back to high school biology. Do you remember hearing the word synapse in those classes? That’s what those connections are. Over time, a network of synapses creates a framework upon which all formal learning will reside. One role of the Johnson County Library is to help children—and the adults who care about them—build that critical framework.
Why the Library
The Library recognized its unique role in brain development many years ago and created an early literacy program designed to be applicable and approachable for everyone: 6 by 6 Ready to Read. The program focuses on six pre-reading skills to help kids get ready for formal education. The Library doesn’t teach reading. Instead, we provide tools so learning to read is easier when the time comes.
Storytime, Activity Spaces and Outreach
Last year, more than 41,000 adults and children attended a library storytime. We plan and present storytimes separately for babies, toddlers and preschoolers. Each storytime leader demonstrates the pre-reading skills with songs, rhymes, movement activities and, of course, high-quality children’s books. We are hopeful these learning lessons continue in the car and at home, because it’s the parents and caregivers who have the most influence on a child’s learning; librarians just help start the process.
Literacy Guidance
At Johnson County Library, we have a special team of early literacy specialists who plan the activities in our 6 by 6 activity spaces. These areas are more than a random assemblage of toys. Instead, each center includes activities designed with an intent to reinforce one more of our six pre-reading skills. Play is best when shared, so we strongly encourage adults to play with their children to maximize the impact. Although these spaces vary in size from one location to the next, they are open whenever the library is open and make a great destination for afternoon playdates or bad weather days.
Outside the Library
Of course, not all families can come to the library so we also take our early literacy magic on the road, visiting childcare centers, preschools, park facilities and Parents As Teachers play centers in Blue Valley, Shawnee Mission and De Soto. The Library offers morning workshops for MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) groups and free, for-credit trainings for preschool teachers.
With assistance from the Friends of the Johnson County Library, we also present books for waiting areas at Shawnee Mission Birth Center, Kansas Department of Children & Families, Johnson County health clinics, and WIC offices. To paraphrase Disney’s The Little Mermaid, we want to be where the people are.
This Week at the Library
This week at the Library:
Kids can learn about W.A.T.E.R. Safety - in English y en español! Several dates and locations this week »
Families will stomp, clap, play drums and sing with Johnny and Adam. Tuesday, June 26, 2 pm @ Antioch Library
Job seekers, register now to enjoy snacks while learning how to enhance a resume to catch employers' eyes. Tuesday, June 26, 6 pm @ Blue Valley Library
Voters and future voters, take the guess-work out of November. Register to vote, update your information, grab an absentee ballot, or find your polling place. Wednesday, June 27, 1 pm @ Central Resource Library
Teens, the Library is your new escape room! Come crack codes, solve riddles, and beat the clock to break out of the Library. Friday, June 29, 5:30 pm @ Shawnee Library
You've heard of Read to a Dog, but we have Library-certified local, friendly teens who need kids to read to them, too. Saturday, June 30, 10 am @ Lackman Library
Much more happens each week at the Library, so check out our full schedule »
Find a Great Book to Read
In a rapidly changing world, the Library has come to mean different things to different people – local arts incubator, MakerSpace, or focal point for community engagement – yet for many people the library is still a place for books. Some people see the rows and rows of neatly shelved books at the local library and find them wonderfully enticing, but others find those stacks looming and intimidating, feeling utterly lost in what SHOULD be the simple act of finding a good book.
Find it Here
A book that could be perfect for one person might be absolutely of no interest to another. Or the book that seems to hit all the right points might turn out to be too slow, too twisty, or too unfocused when you actually sit down to read it. Luckily, the Johnson County Library has resources to connect you to that perfect book. Our library staff can help you find that ideal title in a vast array of genres, like space opera, a sweeping historical romance or a gritty thriller.
In addition, we’ll ask you about your favorite appeal factors. Do you like novels that are fast-paced with lots of action? Alternatively, would you prefer novels that are slower, richer and take their time? Do you like books set in a specific place, like the back alleyways of a crime-ridden city where police track down a ruthless killer? Or, would you prefer wild, far-away worlds of adventure filled with vampires or elves? Maybe you want a title that would be perfect for a book group, full of meaty topics? Whatever the need, we understand no two readers are the same and reading suggestions should reflect that.
Making Connections
Not only does the Library have the expertise of our staff with the training to listen to your tastes and help you find what you want, but we also have an online catalog containing connections to great content, accessible with a click of a button. One of our databases, NoveList, can even give you author read-alike lists.
No matter how busy or pressed for time you are, the Library likely has something that fits what you need. Today’s Library is not only about books – Johnson County Library also has eBooks, downloadable audiobooks, books on CD, plus movies and TV shows on DVD. Check out our most recent Staff Picks, and stop in to chat recommendations with us soon!
Library Histories: Cedar Roe
Since its inception in 1952, the Johnson County Library has grown to 13 (soon to be 14) locations! In this blog post we feature the history of the Cedar Roe Library.
By 1965 the Johnson County Library District had reached a population of 165,000. The Library consisted of Headquarters (Antioch), Corinth, Mission, Lenexa, and Gardner. The last three were small storefront branches. The Mission branch had space for about 3,500 books. News stories at the time referred to the crowded conditions as students packed the libraries after school and in the evenings to study and do homework. By 1966 a plan for expansion of the Johnson County Library system had been formulated, and a bond issue went before voters on February 11, 1967.
The $1.5 million plan called for expanding Antioch and Corinth, and constructing new “Northeast” and “Southwest” branches to replace the Mission and Lenexa branches. The package sailed through with a “Yes” vote of 69% of the total vote.
Planning for the “Northeast” library began immediately. A site was chosen about a mile north of the Mission Branch at 6500 Martway. The new library was to be a block west of Roe Avenue on Cedar Street in Roeland Park. A contest was held to name the branch was held and “Cedar Roe” emerged as the winner.
The Cedar Roe Library opened on June 2, 1969. The total cost of the land, materials, construction and equipment was $470,950. The new library had 17,157 square feet, including a balcony originally used for library programs. Today changes in building codes that mandate improved emergency egress have relegated the balcony for use as storage. Dedication of the facility took place on November 16, 1969. The following year, the Cedar Roe Library received the Excellence in Design Medal from the Kansas City Chapter of the American Institute of Architecture.
Since the mid-1990s the Cedar Roe Library has received updating and refurbishing. With the interplay of wood and brick on the interior, Cedar Roe remains one of the most attractive and interesting of the Johnson County Library public facilities.
Get Road Trip-Ready
“Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.”
~ Ibn Battuta
Your Library Card can lead to an epic odyssey!
Happy travelers know the secret to adventure-awesomeness: planning.
Step 1. Have a strategy!
Navigation
- Go old school. Get a Road Atlas. Have you ever relied on your phone for navigation only to encounter a "no-service area" for 3 hours? Never again.
- Snag a Travel Guide. Rick Steves, Lonely Planet, Fodors, Eyewitness and more guarantee a trip tailored to your tastes.
Entertainment
- Music. Every road trip needs a soundtrack. Years later you'll hear song from it that takes you back to the sights and smells of your roadie. Will you have phone reception? If so, our streaming music services are the way to go. No service? No worries! Good old-fashioned CDs are still available for checkout. ;)
- An audiobook. Remember how Listening to Will Wheaton voicing Ready Player One got you from here to Dallas and back a couple years ago? Get them in pretty much any format you want, even an eAudiobook.
- Snackage. You're going to get hungry and the stops are sometimes few and far between. Our advice? Snack-up!
- Have a contingency plan for that abomination your hotel is calling "cable." An eMagazine and eNewspapers will give you solid alternatives.
- Make sure you've viewed this travel tutorial at least once before hitting the open road. :D
Step 2. Pick up your holds from your favorite location.
Step 3. Roll.
Throw Down a Sleeping Bag, it's Throwback Thursday!
Whether you choose to acknowledge June as the "National Great Outdoors Month" or June as the "National Camping Month," we here at the Library take this controversial position: "Why not celebrate both?!"
"It was a perfect weekend, no wind, sunny, and warm. 16 families camped, swapped stories, fished, boated, water-skied, and some even loafed."
It sure seems like these happy campers are keen on camping! Did these 1965 "Prairie Dog Campers" from Overland Park and Prairie Village ever get that tent assembled? Or, are they still out there to this very day? To find out, you'll just have to read the story about this fascinating tidbit of local lore!
And for even more local history, visit jocohistory.org or follow our hashtag on Twitter.
