Library Exhibits

Exhibiting August 21 through September 24 at the Woodbourne Library is "Curious Critters" with award-winning children's author and photographer David FitzSimmons. His more than two dozen children's books have sold over 5 million copies and received numerous awards, including both the IBPA's best first picture book and best picture book. David's books include Curious Critters, Curious Critters Backyard Animals, Curious Critters Marine, Curious Critters Birds, Curious Critters Raptors, Curious Critters Dogs, and numerous state-focused Curious Critters board books covering over one-third of the US, including Ohio. He also authored Animals of Ohio's Ponds and Vernal Pools, Salamander Dance, and Wakem the Rooster: Up All Night. Five Curious Critters books were featured in Chick-fil-A's kid's meals, and David has licensed his books to Scholastic and PBS. His TV appearances include ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, and The Weather Channel. An educator for twenty years, David worked first as high school English teacher and then as a university professor, having taught at Ashland University, Ohio State University, and Cornell University. He holds a Ph.D. in English from Ohio State. Regularly visiting schools, David helps connect children with nature through writing and photography. He is an active leader in the Children & Nature movement. To learn more about David and his award-winning picture books, visit www.curious-critters.com.

Library staff from all aspects of the organization share their creative talents with the community — from sculpture and photography to fiber arts, acrylics, and 3D art. Artwork crafted at Creativity Commons is also included. On display at the Woodbourne Library July 11 - August 20. See photos of the exhibit.

The work of long-time graphic artist Mark Freytag was featured at Woodbourne Library in June. Freytag studied at both the Dayton Art Institute and Wright State. His career included designing ads, annual reports, brochures, corporate branding, and websites before his retirement whereupon he chose to focus on fine art. His paintings are mixed media abstract art usually on Arches Watercolor Paper and canvas. On display June 5 through July 10 at the Woodbourne Library. See photos of the exhibit.

Mark Echtner is a Professor of Drawing and Painting at Sinclair College in Dayton Ohio. Echtner received his B.F.A. from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee and his M.F.A. from Miami University. Echtner's work has been exhibited nationally in juried, group and solo exhibitions. His work hangs in numerous private collections throughout the U.S. and Europe. On display May 1 through June 5 at the Woodbourne Library. See photos of the exhibit.

The Visual Arts Contest is an annual program designed to encourage and celebrate youth visual arts skills in Painting and Drawing. It is conducted in tandem with the Optimist International Visual Arts Competition. At the local level, three winners are selected from two age categories. The first place winner from each category advances to the international competition. In this exhibit, we show the 2024 winners with the theme "Hope" and the 2025 winners with the theme "Bringing Out the Best." The International winners are featured on notecards which will be available for sale to the public June 1, 2025. Jada B. from Normandy Elementary with "Glimmer of Hope" is an International winner. See photos of the exhibit.

Artist Kimberly Ceccarelli paints from a variety of subjects and prefers to paint from life. She loves to paint en plein air which is a French phrase meaning "in the open air." It refers to the practice of painting a scene or subject outdoors from start to finish. Explore her oil and pastel works themed Golf, Flowers, Water, Snow and Female. On display at the Woodbourne Library February 18 – March 25. See photos of this exhibit.

Advanced Placement students at Centerville High School created original artwork through a sustained investigation. For these artists, a finished piece creates a comma in their mind rather than a period. Through practice, experimentation, and revision from piece to piece, these artists continue the pursuit of their next best work and answers to their most sincere questions. On display at the Woodbourne Library January 7 through February 17. See photos of this exhibit.

Dr. Hyacinth Paul shares her beautiful alcohol ink paintings -- merging diverse thoughts and ideas -- in Symphonic Inkspirations & Confluence. Also featured is a series of traditional sarees honoring the freedom and contributions of Indian women of Dayton who continue to inspire Hyacinth and tell her stories. On display at the Woodbourne Library December 2, 2024 - January 6, 2025. See photos of this exhibit.

Coinciding with the nation's election of its 47th president, this exhibition contains Herbert Block's original drawings of presidential cartoons from Franklin Roosevelt through Bill Clinton. Although respectful of the office, Block insisted that no president was "above caricature or comment." For him, the political cartoon was "essentially a means for poking fun, for puncturing pomposity." Herbert Lawrence Block, commonly known as Herblock (October 13, 1909 – October 7, 2001), was an American editorial cartoonist and author best known for his commentaries on national domestic and foreign policy. During the course of a career stretching into nine decades, he won three Pulitzer Prizes for editorial cartooning (1942, 1954, and 1979), shared a fourth Pulitzer Prize in 1973 for Public Service on Watergate, the Presidential Medal of Freedom (1994), the National Cartoonist Society Editorial Cartoon Award in 1957 and 1960, the Reuben Award in 1956, the Gold Key Award (the National Cartoonists Society Hall of Fame) in 1979, and numerous other honors. On display October 21 through December 1 at the Woodbourne Library. See photos of this exhibit. This exhibition was made by the Herbert Block Foundation.

The Centerville Arts Commission, City of Centerville, and Washington-Centerville Public Library are sponsoring the 2024 Snap Centerville Photo Contest, which will highlight the best photography in the Centerville area. Vote for your favorites! The top three winners in each age bracket will be featured in the Centerville Art Gallery at the Centerville Police Department from December 3 - December 31. On display at the Woodbourne Library October 21 through December 1. See these photos.

The library and Centerville-Washington History partnered once again for this annual exhibit to honor our Veterans. Besides the uniforms and memorabilia featured from our hometown heroes, we also pay special tribute to the Military Working Dogs (MWD) and their handlers. On display at the Centerville Library November 8 - 11. Shown here are photos from Sophie's Companions for Veterans.

In commemoration of the 35th anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall, 6th – 8th grade students studying the German language at Tower Heights Middle School have made their own graffiti projects interpreting the Fall of the Berlin Wall, which led to unification and freedom for all Germans. The Berlin Wall was a concrete barrier that separated West Berlin from East Berlin and the German Democratic Republic from 1961 to 1989. The wall was built to prevent people from escaping East Berlin to the West. The history of divided Germany is closely related to the history of the United States. American forces occupied post-WWII Germany, and helped establish the free, capitalist, and democratic West German government, participated in the Berlin airlift, occupied West Berlin and Checkpoint Charlie, and presidents Kennedy and Reagan made speeches at the Wall, etc. Each design has an alternate side which represents the student artists’ perspective and imagines experience of the Germans and the history of the Berlin Wall. See photos of this exhibit which is located in the Woodbourne Library Marketplace November 8 - 18.

Renowned Dayton photographer Dan Cleary blends his passion for photography with a fascination for the Wright Brothers' legacy. Cleary seamlessly blends historical images of the Wright Brothers with current images he has taken at the same locations. The result is a compelling visual tribute to the Pioneers of Flight. On display July 26 through September 3 at the Woodbourne Library. View photos of the exhibit.