Art lovers who found themselves in the Pasadena area on the fateful evening of March 8th 2024, otherwise known as ‘ArtNight,’ had one more reason to rejoice this year: Jefferson Public Library participated in its very first ‘Art Night’ celebration, and the revelry included sneaky storybook characters, still-life painting, a panel of professional illustrators, live music, and of course, Legos. The whimsical atmosphere combined with an emphasis on hands-on playtime, provided a much needed kid-friendly alternative to the museum experience. By participating in the Jefferson Library activities, children learned that art doesn’t need to be inside a frame.
Over 500 guests began their evening with a welcome from Mulan at the circulation desk. The trailblazing warrior had taken the night off from soldiering in order to be the first of nine storybook characters included in a scavenger hunt for kids. Families were provided with a photo-sheet of each participant holding the books that made them famous. Children who found them all could choose a prize from the treasure chest. Having played Snow White, some of the biggest challenges that I experienced were signing your name in under two seconds dozens of times, and moving around enough to make the hunt challenging for the kids.
Backing up for a moment, before patrons even stepped inside the library, they were immersed in a sea of over 10,000 Legos and Hot Wheels provided by the good people at ‘Hey Hey Entertainment.’ Children participated in some real-world Minecraft together while listening to the musical stylings of ‘Tommy Drinkard & the Remedy.’ Kids and storybook characters alike occasionally took a break from playtime to dance to acoustic versions of 90’s classics like ‘Hit My Baby One More Time’ by Britney Spears, or to grab a bite from local favorite ‘Pie N’ Burger’ food truck.
Not everything was just for kids though. Patrons passed through a ‘Womens’ History Month’ exhibit, designed by library staff Ruth Lorenzana and Tiffany Dueñas and illustrated by library art intern Bee Rodriguez, on their way to the still-life painting area. The teen room of Jefferson Library was reimagined as an artists’ studio, complete with canvases, acrylics, and eye-popping Dia de los Muertos inspired displays. Creativity and talent were visible in equal measure as attendees brought their visions to life under the watchful eye of Ms. Frizzle, who managed the activity while signing scavenger hunt sheets.
Perhaps the most prestigious event on offer was the ‘Book Illustrator Panel’ held from 8pm to 9pm in the meeting room. Attendees were afforded a rare opportunity to discuss the work of childrens’ book illustrators directly with leading industry professionals. The line-up included Sally Deng, author-illustrator of Skyward: The Story of Female Pilots in WWII, Tina Kugler, author-illustrator of the Snail and Worm series, Benson Shum, an illustrator as well as an animator at Walt Disney Animation Studios, and Marcelo Verdad, author-illustrator of The Worst Teddy Ever.
If you didn’t have an opportunity to attend Jefferson Library’s ArtNight this past March, and it’s bumming you out, worry not, round two will be held on October 11th of this year. See you then.
