Have you ever looked up to the very top of the book stacks when wandering through Meekins Library on a hunt for that one book to catch your fancy? When you did, you may have been surprised by the numerous pairs of great big eyes of fanciful imaginary creatures looking down at you! Who made those wonderful critters? Why, the 5th graders at the Anne T. Dunphy School in the 2005-2006 school year, of course.
Artist and art teacher Nancy Mahoney offered her students that year the opportunity to invent distinctive creatures out of papier mâché. The students worked in groups to collaboratively design their own critters taking inspiration from both the natural and fantasy worlds, painting, and embellishing their creations with “found objects” (also known as junk) in eclectic ways.
The results are a colorful collection of unique, friendly creatures who watch over all who browse the Meekins book stacks!
The creatures were a gift from the students and their art teacher, to celebrate the 2003 Meekins renovation and decorate the new stacks.
The long green Very Hungry Caterpillar was made the son of a library patron and his friends and donated to the Meekins for display.
The next time you visit Meekins—look up! Thanks to Nancy Mahoney for remembering all the details. Daria D’Arienzo, Meekins Archivist. #throwbackthursday; #tbt.
Posted to Facebook 11/18/2021
