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Art Displays

 Current Displays  

• March 2008 Art exhibit - The Topsfield Main Street Foundation - Community Exhibit
  
• Upstairs Gallery: Local Artist Collection
  
• Through-out the Library enjoy DeCordova Museum Artwork on Loan

Exhibit Policy and Procedures

 History

From its earliest days the Topsfield Town Library has been dedicated to supporting the arts in many forms in order to enrich the cultural life of the Town. Plans for the 1935 library incorporated fine arts as a permanent part of the building. The central square shaped lobby with skylight became a viewing room surrounded by murals painted by the architect of the building, Mr. Harold Fields Kellogg. The space was meant to represent a typical New England town common around which the rest of the settlement could be seen. The series of eleven murals depict the life of the Town from the 1600's to the 1800's. In the first two murals, Topsfield's roots are traced to its sister town of Toppesfield, England and the arrival by ship of the first settlers. The activities required to found the community occupy the next eight murals. In the last two murals, Topsfield is a well established town. Some of its sons are shown departing to join the battle of Lexington and Concord in 1776. The final scene is of Topsfield Academy opened for the instruction of students. Mr. Kellogg also fashioned from plaster three muses representing branches of knowledge and mounted them above the door leading to the stacks. The upper floors of the original library had separate exhibit rooms on either side of this atrium. One was used for display of historical materials, the other for fine and decorative arts. In addition to these features of the original building, musical performances were held at the library.

In later years, local artists were encouraged to display their work throughout the building. Through the kindness of Family Bank, Richard Wyman's painting of the Topsfield Common with its buildings joined the historical murals of Topsfield in the lobby. A wide variety of music and art appreciation programs, performances, and writing workshops have been held at the library. These programs are sponsored by the Library, the Friends of the Library and Community Groups.

 Today

Due to a generous trust fund left to the library by a former summer resident of Topsfield, George Lambert Gould, The Topsfield Town Library has funding for the arts. In the planning of the expanded library, new works of art were commissioned or collected to continue the Library's tradition as a center for the arts. A well known muralist, David Fichter, was engaged to create a very special mural for the whole length of a wall in the Children's Room. With emphasis on young readers, it weaves together many local scenes and events and is entitled "Topsfield Reverie." A portrait by Cameron Bennett of benefactor George Lambert Gould is displayed in the new lobby. Above the circulation desk is a four-panel work entitled "River Road." The piece is created entirely from handmade paper by artist Meg Black. In the Young Adults department, Masconomet students have combined three separate but related collages to depict their experiences and surroundings. Symbolic of the Library's commitment to the visual and performing arts, the Muses created by Mr. Kellogg are now located above the doorway of the Friends' Meeting Room. The flexible space of the Meeting Room allows for exhibits and performances of many kinds.

 Current Displays

Topsfield's history is celebrated in the Topsfield Room, with fifteen framed historic photographs, circa 1900, the work of Otto Lake. The 1794 library bookcase, with its original collection, is displayed in the exhibition lobby.

It is the hope of the Trustees, with the help of an advisory committee, to continue to acquire permanent works of art that will broaden the collection from these Topsfield themes. Equally important is the accommodation of changing exhibits in the meeting room and exhibition walls of the exhibition lobby. Accordingly, artists are encouraged to share their work with the community by arranging, with the Director, a suitable month for their exhibit. Information is available at the main desk in the Library.