Campbell County High School art teacher Leslie Hagen, who sponsors her school’s, National Art Honor Society chapter gives her students a goal throughout the year is to give back to the community through art service projects.
This year’s project will have the eyes of the community on the collective work of all of Hagen’s honors art students, as they and five other local artists were selected to participate in the Kenton County Public Library Foundation’s Book Bench Project.
In collaboration with the City of Covington, the Kenton County Public Library Foundation has developed a community art installation that brings literacy and artistic expression together. Six local artists have painted their interpretation of books on a fiberglass bench in the shape of an open book. In May 2023, the Book Benches will be placed throughout Covington for people to sit and read, but on Wednesday, April 26, from 4-6 p.m., the public will have a chance to see them and meet the artists. Refreshments will be provided.
The project has been a vision of the library for many years. However, in late 2022 the City of Covington’s Economic Development Division offered a Quality of Place Grant that could help pay for such a project. The library applied, and while they didn’t receive that grant, the City thought so highly of the program that they offered funds from the American Rescue Plan Act. ARPA granted municipalities of all sizes flexible, extensive federal grant funding. Upon completion, benches will go in neighborhoods throughout the City of Covington.
A call to artists resulted in 38 submissions. Library staff provided the artists with a list of books to choose from. Each artist submitted a rough sketch of the book they would paint. Staff narrowed down the submissions and worked with area artists on the final selection. The chosen artists received their benches and got to work in early February. They had just two months to turn their vision into reality.
“What these artists created in such a short time on an unconventional item is truly remarkable,” said Robin Klaene, Book Bench project manager and Public Relations Director for the Kenton County Public Library. “The benches are over 180 pounds, have curves, ridges, multiple sides, and the artists’ attention to detail on every aspect of these benches is truly breathtaking. I can’t wait to see them in the community later this spring.”
In addition to the funding from the City of Covington, local movers Two Men & A Truck assisted with the program by moving benches from the library to each artist’s location to the clear coating company and back to the library. They will also assist on the day of installation. “Without the help of Two Men & A Truck, I don’t know how we would have moved these benches,” said Klaene. “They have been a terrific partner in this project.”
The local artists featured are:
Phoenix Brumm-Jost
Book featured: The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
Campbell County High School – Honor Art Students
Book featured: A Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
Claire Long
Book featured: Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White
Terri Schatzman
Book featured: The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
Gabrielle Siekman
Book featured: Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
Becca Stadtlander
Book featured: Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
“Taking the idea from the brainstorming process to seeing it on the actual bench for others to see and enjoy is so cool,” said Campbell County High School senior Molly Hart. “I hope people walk by and wonder about the group that created this bench.”
The Book Bench Reveal event is free and open to all. Details, including the artist and location of each bench, are available at kentonlibrary.org.
Kenton County Public Library