For the Love of Reading Exhibit Opening at FPL
(Crystal A. Proxmire, March 9, 2013)
As Sara Previch read a very old copy of Albert Camus’ book The Plague, the crisp yellowed pages came loose from their binding. She knew this was the last time that copy would be read, and she wanted to honor it somehow rather than just throwing it away.
“I do mixed media art, and I thought ‘hey, I should use this in a piece.” 
Months later when she learned of the For Love of Reading artist exhibit at the Ferndale Public Library she knew this piece would fit right in.
Previch, along with 17 other artists, had works selected as part of the books and art themed exhibit. On March 8 she was able to share her work at the exhibit’s opening reception.
The well-attended event featured a variety of artworks, snacks, fizzy juice beverages, and music by Josh Malerman with special appearances by Honest 2 Goodness and the Mystics.
Berkley resident Rick Lieder was also among the artists features. Though many of the artists were novices or new to the trade, Lieder has been professionally designing book covers and other commercial graphics for years. His creations have been used by the X Files TV show, Boing Boing blog, and several books. He’s 
also the author and illustrator of a new book called Step Gently Out.
“I started doing photography but then I learned to paint so I could do more with my illustrations,” Lieder said. For the Love of Reading exhibit he selected The Five of Cups cover, which was done for a novel by Caitlin R. Kinnah.
Rachel Joanisse of Hazel Park was inspired by Paulo Coelho’s book The Alchemist. “The whole point of it is to follow your dreams,” she said. “It’s a really good book that anyone 
should read. It really inspired me.” Joanisse had two paintings in the exhibit – Alchemist 1 and 2.
The exhibit was not limited to art about specific books, as seen by Ben DeFever’s A Fiction of Melody. DeFever, who works at Lift in Royal Oak, does multiple types of art where he tends to include his muse somehow. “I’ve been using her a lot lately in illustrations, which have sort of been all over the place,” he said. The piece features his muse engrossed in her favorite book, which is also a figment of DeFever’s imagination.
Featured in the exhibit are: Nicole Burroughs, Kia Ix-chel Arriaga, Barbara Campagna, Julie Craigo, Ben DeFever, Paul Erlandson, Diane Irby, Rachel Joanisse, B.P. LeGault, Peggy Kerwin, Rick Lieder, Marco Mancinelli, Marija Makeska, Zachary McInchak, Juana Moore, Sarah Previch, Jerry Shirts, Justin Tumey and Jayde Williams.
The exhibit runs from March 2 – April 22, and coincides with two library programs: Ferndale Reads and The Day of Books and Roses event on April 22 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information on these and other FPL events visit their website at http://www.ferndale.lib.mi.us.
