Adult watercolor painting program planned at Schroon library

As of Wednesday, September 12, 2012 -3:48 p.m.

Schroon Lake — The Schroon Lake Public Library will offer adult watercolor painting classes this fall thanks to a grant.

As part of Creative Aging in New York State Libraries, a national leadership project funded by the U.S. Institute for Museum and Library Services, three Clinton-Essex-Franklin libraries will receive a total of $6,500 to support free arts learning programs for older adults. The Rouses Point Dodge Memorial Library and Wells Memorial Library in Upper Jay also received funding.

“In the rural setting, the library is seen not just as a library, but as a community center, a meeting place, a place that is open and free to anyone that wishes to walk through its doors,” said Jane Bouchard, Schroon library director. “We will have the ability to offer quality arts programming to our elderly population and my hopes are that the program is so successful that we then continue to explore and expand into other types of arts programming for our community."

The Schroon Lake program, “Beginning to Paint Using Watercolors,” will be held on Thursday 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. beginning Sept. 20. The program will conclude Nov. 1. There will be a final event Friday, Nov. 9, 4 to 6 p.m.

Interested people can call the library at 532-7737 x13 for more information.

The two-year initiative is a partnership project of Lifetime Arts, Inc., the Westchester Library System and the America Library Association. It builds on Lifetime Arts’ work with major public library systems over the last four years and demonstrates a new model for public libraries to deliver and instructional arts programs for an aging population.

The field of creative aging, which focuses on the beneficial and powerful role of the arts in enhancing the quality of life for older adults, is increasingly recognized as an important contributor to positive aging efforts. Creative Aging programs are conducted by professional teaching artists and promote mastery and encourage social engagement – two keys to successful aging.

Times of Ti