Date: Fri 26-Sep-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: DOTTIE

Quick Words:

Library-mural

Full Text:

Finishing Touches: "Path To Knowledge" Brightens Library Wall

BY DOROTHY EVANS

Behind closed doors at the newly renovated Cyrenius H. Booth Library, several

Newtown artists and a cabinetmaker are hard at work applying their unique

skills and decorative know-how.

After meeting with Library Board members and discussing what would be

appropriate, these townspeople have donated their time and expertise - even,

in some cases, their materials - to make the library a place that the whole

community can enjoy.

The fact that the library has been closed to the public during the last few

weeks awaiting a Certificate of Occupancy (CO) has actually been an advantage.

It has given them time and opportunity to finish their work in relative peace

and quiet before the books, the staff, and the patrons return.

As Library Board member Chris Spiro said recently, the final result promises

to be a building that the town will treasure for years to come, beautiful as

well as functional.

`Claude-Lewis'

Not Claude Monet

One flat surface that seemed to be crying for a little color and creativity

was the 14-foot-long sheet-rocked wall at one end of the addition's large

public meeting room.

"It's a really big room. When they [Library Board] said they wanted us to

paint the wall with `a few of your lines and flowers,' I knew the mural had to

be more substantial," said Claudia Coopersmith one recent September day.

Mrs Coopersmith and her partner, Linda Pickwick, share ownership of a

six-year-old decorating business they call "Claude-Lewis."

"People will be seeing this from all the way across the room," said Mrs

Coopersmith as she worked on the acrylic mural, applying the details.

"We keep backing up to look at it," she added.

"Claude-Lewis" specializes in the creation of decorative paintings and murals

in area residents' homes, as well as in adding painted designs to furnishings.

Since both women have children who enjoy using the library, they were glad to

be given the chance to do the mural as a special "Thank You" gift from their

families to the town, Mrs Coopersmith said.

Mary Hawley

As A Young Girl?

The soft, pastoral scene is painted in spring colors of green and pink. It

could almost be an Impressionist's work depicting the south of France 100

years ago. More appropriately, it might be rural Newtown at the same time.

"The Path To Knowledge is never long," quoted Mrs Pickwick, pointing to the

wall mural.

She wasn't sure who first said those words, but she did have a pretty good

idea of what that path might look like. The two women consulted their art

books and took color photographs of the Castle Hill area.

Mrs Pickwick's pencil sketch appealed to her partner and they went right to

work "putting it on the wall," as Mrs Coopersmith said.

While dabbing bits of paint from her palette, she told a little about the

thought processes that had led to the mural painting.

We saw a winding dirt road crossing a fertile green valley and surrounded by

low hills, rather like the countryside around Newtown.

The season is early spring with trees leafing out and flowers blooming.

A young woman strolls alone down the road reading a book while she walks, lost

in thought.

She might be from Victorian times as her long dress suggests.

She might be Mary Hawley as young girl, many years before she became the town

benefactress who donated money to build the Cyrenius H. Booth Library in

1931-32.

The tranquil scene could be Newtown in the Castle Hill area the way it looked

a century ago. Perhaps the landscape is only a vision from the woman's

imagination - a place she is reading about in her book.