Because of the pandemic, library programming has been entirely virtual. This has reduced creative opportunities for children, so the children’s department of Loveland library decided to plan programming that will focus on reading, making, exploring, and sharing. 
With this in mind, Loveland library will collaborate with local artist, Amelia Furman, on a large children’s art installation. The library and Amelia have committed to providing an opportunity for children to make, explore and be part of something bigger for their community.
This project is called “Connecting the Dots” and will involve child and family participation in the creation of a 48 x 48 original mixed media work that will be installed in the library. This piece will allow children to select book pages from discarded books for the collage background and also help create the abstract design of the painting that will be placed on top of the background.
“Children need to be reminded constantly that they have something special to share with the world and it is projects like these that help them feel part of something bigger and encourages their innate sense of creativity.” –Amelia
During the summer learning program finale, July 30th, kids can come to the library to place their “mark” or their dot on the collaged panel. Each dot will receive a number and then artist, Amelia Furman, will connect the dots and create an abstract design from the dot to dot that was created by the kids. Amelia first came up with this particular technique of art making during the pandemic when she was looking for ways to keep her two young sons occupied during long days at home.
“You never know what you are going to get when you do a dot to dot like this. It was thrilling to me because you couldn’t go wrong and each time, it was new and different.” –Amelia
During the course of the pandemic, Amelia created over thirty dot -to -dot drawings. She will be teaching her method during the finale event so that each kid can create their own dot to dots to take home and make their own abstract creations.
This project is looking for support from the community for the raising of $2000.00 to pay for the materials and time to create the 48 x 48 original work by Amelia Furman. Those interested in donating to this public work of art can go to www.ameliafurman.com The donations are being collected through GoFundMe and Amelia is working in conjunction with the Friends of the Loveland Library to help spread the word and get this project fully funded. All donors will receive a curated, downloadable reading list by Beth Gudmestad and Amelia Furman and donors of $75.00 and above will be gifted a limited edition print of the final artwork to be unveiled August 28th.
The Loveland Public Library’s summer learning program theme is “Learning COLORS your World.” Learning is normally defined as knowledge or skill acquired by instruction or study and during the pandemic learning has been interrupted, modified, and abbreviated. The library wants to offer a program that will provide enrichment opportunities for students over the summer in hopes of re-engaging children in learning. For more information about the library’s learning program, visit https://www.lovelandpubliclibrary.org/events/summer-learning-program.
Questions about the “Connecting the Dots” project can be directed to Amelia Furman at 970.541.4273 or amelia.furman@gmail.com
