Ladies’ Night … with a twist, knot, and bauble
I won’t lie. I don’t consider myself to be all that crafty. Yet, I’m somewhat obsessed with crafters. I want to know about that time you yarn-bombed a yield sign, your ability to turn found objects into steampunk brooches, and how cross-stitched rap lyrics make you giggle. So that probably explains why I’ve been crashing the party at Girls’ Night Out, a monthly program offered by the Wintergreen Arts Center (149 State Street, Presque Isle).
Breaking Trail
By Dianna Leighton 
Girls’ Night Out offers women of all ages a time to work on their personal UFO (unfinished object), which can take just about any artistic form. For those who have two thumbs and no UFO to speak of (like this gal!), each session also features a free demonstration or lesson from local artists. Past lessons have included making your own dreamcatchers with Carol Ayoob, working with alcohol inks with Martha Grant, and creating clay whistles with Hyrum Benson and provide a ton of inspiration in a fun and playful environment.
Yet, there is also much to be learned just from being in a room filled with 15 to 20 extremely talented and knowledgeable women each month. There is a time for introductions, which actually serves as more of a Show ’n’ Tell Time for women to show off their latest project, discuss their process, and share personal stories connected to their work. Through this portion of the program alone, I’ve learned of new arts like rug hooking and gained interesting insights into the evolving connections between women and crafting, such as the rich history of quilting culture (prompted by this discussion, I also later learned of quilting’s contemporary influence in the areas of collaborative content creation and copyright law, two topics dear to today’s librarians and artists alike).
Although it’s easy to say that crafting, in and of itself, is an efficient way for individuals to express themselves, it’s also easy to see the remarkable influence that comes from allowing crafters to connect with one another. When I sat down to talk with Wintergreen’s Executive Director, Wendy Gilman-Zubrick, about the program, she was quick to use the terms “empowering” and “relaxed.” While each night is comfortable and accessible, participants are able to network, learn, and create in a way that is quite unique for our area … and much needed during those critical times when it’s easy to feel isolated due to geographic location or even just juggling hectic personal and professional schedules. Wintergreen has made a significant contribution to the Presque Isle area through its youth programming, but it is clearly showing that it can also provide welcomed opportunities for adults to socialize, learn and create as well. In turn, participants have been eager to invest their time into the program by sharing their personal skills and donating items to the center’s annual holiday art sale. All the while, they’re also fueling the engine of creative energy that has been rumbling in Presque Isle’s downtown area in recent years through initiatives such as the First Friday Downtown Art Walk.
Girls’ Night Out is only a few months old, but I’m very anxious to see what the future holds as the group continues to grow and evolve. If you’re feeling shy about stopping by, please don’t. The doors are always open on the third Thursday night of the month and, if you need to, you’re always welcomed to sit by me and, well, we can always giggle about cross-stitched rap lyrics and make a delightful mess with alcohol inks.
Dianna Leighton is youth librarian at the Mark & Emily Turner Memorial Library in Presque Isle. Her professional and personal interests include community building, digital media and content creation, and promoting transliteracy skills. In her spare time, she enjoys testing her cooking skills, reading anything she can get her hands on, and sharing stories and experiences with those in her community. Dianna can be reached at (207) 764-2571 or via e-mail at diannaleighton@presqueislelibrary.org.
