Art exhibit is library's largest

The Sisters community is invited to come to the Sisters Library and enjoy the most exciting and charming Friends of Sisters Library (FOSL) Annual Art Exhibit yet. In the eight years the FOSL Art Committee has been putting on the exhibit, the more-than-178 pieces of art this year represent the most unique and diverse exhibit ever.

The beautiful wood working of local craftsman Mark Thompson has brought to life the tale of Aesop's, "Tortoise and the Hare" in the form of an exquisite child's rocking hare.

The beautifully carved bass wood tortoise elegantly mounted between the hare's legs on rockers acts like a pendulum, amplifying the energy that puts the rocker in motion.

In addition to the hare and the tortoise, Mark brought along a beautifully carved pushing "clacker." It works so well that when he and his wife, Bunny, presented it to their grandchildren, Mark also gave a set of ear plugs to the kid's parents.

While Mac Hay and another FOSL Board Member - who were helping to check in the over 178 pieces of wondrous art - were picking up a couple of BLTs at Hop N Bean across from the library, Betty Jane Powell, a photographer from Redmond, overheard their conversation and asked, "Do you mean, if I run on home and bring a couple of my photo art pieces, I can exhibit them in the show?"

Mac assured her she could, not knowing the magnitude of that innocent question. An hour later Betty walked into the library with two flower photos printed on canvas. As the FOSL art committee volunteer placed Betty's résumé in the three-ring notebook on display with all the other artists in the exhibit, she noticed the words, "temporary blindness..."

Turns out, Betty had an undiagnosed case of multiple sclerosis, that struck her last year and caused temporary blindness and disorientation. Betty recovered with such gratefulness, she said, "Everything I looked at was more magnificent and compelled me to photograph everything

around me."

Everyone is invited to the gala exhibit reception that will be held on Friday, January 17, in the library community room, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. There will be the usual goodies, the opportunity to meet the artists, and to vote for three art pieces for the People's Choice awards.