The Winter/Spring YS programs begin Monday, January 6th.
INSIDE THE LIBRARY
Derby Arts Council's
Year in Review
As the calendar flips to December marking the official start of the holiday season, the Derby Arts Council is inviting the community to celebrate and reflect upon the year’s artistic accomplishments. The Derby Art Showcase, held in January, featured the work of over 60 local artists and drew a crowd of over 250 people. This was just the start of a great year as the Arts Council went on to host a variety individual art shows at the Derby Public Library featuring a great mix of local talent. Throughout the year, artists shared oil, acrylic, watercolors, pastels, fused glass, fiber, mixed media and even 3D clay sculptures. Continuing an annual tradition, the Arts Council supported young and emerging artists through its student art show. This year’s featured group were students from both Derby middle schools, and visitors had the opportunity to view a variety of excellent pieces.
While the larger exhibitions in the Gathering Space Gallery were certainly outstanding, those who ventured into the interior library and visited the High Wall Gallery were also in for a treat. This year’s shows brought fascinating photos of prairie chickens, elaborate fiber weavings, landscapes and still lifes in oil and pastel, and captivating photography from an Alaskan adventure.
The Photo Club, a popular initiative sponsored by the Arts Council, has continued to thrive. Members have enjoyed learning new photography techniques, participating in field trips, and showcasing their work. The Photo Club members is closing out our year in the Gathering Space Gallery with an exhibition of breathtaking landscapes and intimate portraits.
Whether you're a budding artist or just love to admire the work of others, art has something for everyone. Take a class at the DRC, check out Third Thursday, or simply stop into the library to enjoy an art show. When you stop into the library, take the time to stroll the galleries and enjoy the current display in the lobby, Dicken's Village, A Christmas Story. The case is filled with memories from John and Vanessa Call.
Let's support our local artists and make 2025 a year to remember!
Dickens Village
shared by John and Vanessa Call
Moonlit Meadow
by Barbara Haynes
High Wall Gallery
"Echoes Of The Plain"
by Barbara Haynes
Every day the sun makes a journey across the sky to end in an unpredictable and unique display of light and color.
Barbara Haynes grew up on the high plains of western Kansas and was always inspired and fascinated by the sunsets. Each sunset unfolds with its own color harmony, texture, and marks as they appear on the canvas. She feel each work is arrived at after a journey – some arrived at with ease, others taken through more difficulty – all unique and unpredictable.
Haynes is our featured artist from the month of December. We strongly encourage you to make a trip to the library to enjoy her unique view of Kansas.
Looking for someplace to discuss books? We've got you covered!
We have four active book groups here at the library that are open to everyone. If you love to read and talk about the books you read, pop in to one or more of the book groups!
Hauntingly Good Reads — meets at 7 p.m. December 3. The title for December is Krampus by Brom. The book club will meet in person in the Frank Fanning Conference Room.
Bemused Bibliophiles— meets at 1 p.m. December 4. The title for December is The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown. The book club will meet in person in the Frank Fanning Conference Room.
Wine & YA — meets at 6 p.m. December 13. The title for December isThe Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot. The book club will meet in person in the Community Room.
Joyful Page Turners — will NOT meet in December.
Bemused Bibliophiles meets during the day and reads popular books that have been on the bestseller list. Hauntingly Good Reads meets in the evening and explores all kinds of books that have a supernatural/magical/unexplainable kind of bent—we look far beyond the traditional vampires, ghosts and witches. Wine & YA is our newest book club centered around young adult novels and adults who love to read them. Joyful Page Turners is the most enduring book club at the library—it's been meeting regularly since May 2000! Books selected for this book club include just about everything: classics, modern bestsellers, non-fiction, and more.
Click the blue "Read More" button below to visit the book club page on the library website, where you can find lists of books each book club has read.
But wait there's more!
Get your copy of
Celebrating Derby now!
Celebrating Derby — 150 Years: 1869-2019 is a wonderful book that lets you see what life was like in the early years of the town we call Derby, but was originally named El Paso.
