As the final days of August approach and those Yellow School Buses begin to grace our streets again, we find there are plenty of activities to steer us past September. If you have not tuned into the Southeast Steuben County Library Calendar of Events recently, you might miss out on some great opportunities to engage with your community. Most recently, the library and Corning Garden Club took the initiative to spruce up some neglected raised garden beds that reside between the library building and Nasser Civic Center Ice Rink. What once housed invasive weeds, untamed shrubs, and actual trash now has new presence just in time to present the public with an arts gathering, Free and Open to the Public.

Imagine!- Public Art in the Plaza will take over the library’s backyard, Nasser Civic Center Plaza, starting Thursday, September 2 and runs through Sunday, September 5, 2021. The event kicks off at 6:30pm with a ribbon cutting ceremony, which reveals a public art installation of kites. “Art Lifts us Up” is an overall theme of this event, which is an effort to gather community and work through the challenges of this on-going pandemic.

The library has arranged for the installation of a giant Sunflower Sculpture to be on view during this event. The sunflower is a symbol of positivity and strength, qualities that make up our unique community. We want you to ensure you get down to the plaza! The creators of the sculpture, the Crows Nest Artists, will be on site on Friday from 5 to 7pm to host a Birdhouse Making Workshop. Create fun, funky bird houses and feeders out of recycled, found and natural materials with the expertise of Gwen Quigley and Tony Moretti. Your creations can be used to decorate the plaza and can be picked up on Sunday evening or take them home right away for your feathered friends. This activity is made possible in part by the QuickARTS grant program administered by The ARTS Council of the Southern Finger Lakes and funded by the Community Foundation of Elmira-Corning and the Finger Lakes, Inc.

For those who have plans for Labor Day weekend, check out the next Crafting with Kimberly on Tuesday, September 14 from 5:30 to 7:30pm where we will learn a simple Sunflower Painting method. As the season changes, we try to hold a pop of color, positivity and strength as we head into the dark and cold months of winter. Kimberly’s August Birdhouse workshop is postponed until further notice, but keep an eye on the Facebook Page for news and other notifications. We will begin to transition back to virtual workshops via Zoom starting in October. This will give us ample time to craft together, while staying cozy at home.

We practiced yoga outdoors in the hidden gem of Margaret Smyers Park in Caton on August 21. It was a hot and humid morning in the Civic Center Plaza while we gardened, but the rain nearly ruined our plans for asana practice. Luckily there are plenty of pavilions to rearrange in the park and we made the best of a wet situation. Of course, the rain halted once we moved the tables and created shelter, but the practice was priceless. Click here for a recording of the session and find a few other Creation Station made videos while your perusing. Join us again next Saturday, September 11 at 11am in Kinsella Park, Painted Post. Families and Friends welcome. No rain allowed!

Our latest Maker Monday was lead by Megan Walsh who is well-known for these blue-toned creations. This type of photographic printing process creates imagery using sunlight and provides incredible details. Despite a rainy afternoon, there were peeks of sunshine that allowed us to test this method. Using botany samples from her property, Megan described the process and gave us a few chances to battle the weather for a quality print. It is recommended to have a UV rating of 5 or higher for this process to be effective. Luckily we had kits to practice on a bright day. Our next Maker Monday will be hosted by Yours Truly. We will make Wooden Wind Chimes using driftwood, beads, and other found materials. Sign up today for your lesson on September 20 from 4:40 to 6pm.

That’s a wrap for this stationary moment. I’ll check you on the flip side!