Painting at the library

By Katie Nichols (Contact) | Selma Times-Journal

Published Friday, June 19, 2009

What started out as blank, ceramic tiles or plates came to life as flowers, houses and even an alien at the Selma-Dallas County Public Library on Thursday.

Children filled each table at the morning and afternoon sessions at the library’s Ceramics Fun program, which is part of the “Read and Recycle” summer.

“This program is continuing to focus on our theme for the summer,” Library Director Becky Nichols said. “Painting ceramics allows the kids to express themselves and a lot of them have chosen earth-related things to paint, like trees and plants.”

The children’s masterpieces were taken to the Selma City Ceramics Department, where they will be fired and then returned back to their rightful owners.

Candi Duncan and L’John Hill, both with the Selma City Ceramics Department, helped the kids get in touch with their inner Picasso or Monet.

“We come every year and hold a ceramics program at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.,” Duncan said. “We hope that the program entices kids to come out to the Dallas Academy Building and continue to create art.”

The Selma City Ceramics Department has more than 1,500 molds to choose from. There is a $20 enrollment fee, which expires each Christmas.

“It doesn’t matter when you enroll,” Duncan said. “The fee is $20 from that point until Christmas.”

Five-year-old twins Marleigh and John Mark Green might just become regulars at the ceramics department.

“This is our first time painting ceramics,” Marleigh said. “It’s a lot of fun too.”

The library will continue to have programs daily from Monday to Friday until July 23.

Friday the library will have a Juneteenth Arts and Crafts program from 10 a.m. until 11:15 a.m. Monday has two programs — Taekwondo Class at 2 p.m. and the Junior Book Bunch at 3:30 p.m.

Calendars of the events are available at the Selma-Dallas County Public Library, which will give the dates and times of the programs as well as the age range and number of children permitted.

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