By Kristina Ailara

Find some time to stop by Chester Library this month to admire the local artistic talent! During the month of October, artwork created by the ArtMatters Group from neighboring Washington Township Public Library will be showcased in Chester.
Susan Scarince Jones, a founder of the group, says, “We are very pleased to be showing our artwork at the Chester Library.”
The group began three years ago when Jones and fellow artist, Brenda Sheeder Nast, realized that there were many artists in the Washington Township area who did not have a place nearby to show their work or a place to meet. The director of the Washington Township library, Jackie Zuzzi and the youth librarian, Maria Birch suggested they use the Washington Township Library. 
Jones says, “At our very first meeting, we had about 15 artists show up. They all had a variety of styles and favorite mediums that they worked with.  They range from novice to experienced professionals.  We meet every month to encourage each other, exchange ideas, plan outings, hold workshops and hang new shows.  With a large meeting room with open walls, The Washington Township Library became our permanent art space.”
Since its inception, the group has grown. Jones explains, “We have about 25 regular members. We meet once a month on Monday mornings, so those who work during the day can’t always make it. We have about 18 members who do exhibits and get together on a regular basis.”
The group also hosts guest artists, speakers, excursions and demonstrations. They often combine their monthly meetings with workshops. ArtMatters has offered several different workshops this year: watercolor, photo apps, fabric, rock painting, self-portrait, glass painting, and oil pastel. They have an upcoming clay workshop scheduled for Oct. 17 and a 3-D workshop scheduled for Nov. 21.
The artists featured at Chester Library during the month of October include Elise Ange, Janice Carruth, Are Jay Clark, Fran Creegan, Elmer Dey, Susan Scarince Jones, Patricia Middings, Roseanne Panico, and Sher Weston Stec. Some of these artists have won contests in the past and some lead workshops teaching different forms of art. Their display consist of photos, watercolors, acrylic paintings, an oil painting, a woodcut print, a giclèe print, a mixed media print and more. Several of the art pieces are for sale and prices range from $35 – $250.
Chester Library hosts a different art exhibit each month to support the local artistic community. According to Charlotte Zacker, a library assistant at the Chester Library, anyone interested in displaying their art at the library should speak with Debbie Tintle, a local artist, who reviews selections and schedules the displays. Zacker says that patrons enjoy these monthly exhibits.
The exhibits can be viewed during the library’s regular operating hours. The Chester Library is open Mon. – Thurs., 9 a.m. – 9 p.m.; Fri. – Sat., 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Sun., 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. The exhibits are free and open to the public.
To learn more about the ArtMatters group, visit https://artmatterswt.yolasite.com/ or
https://www.facebook.com/ArtmattersWTL/. Art Matters can also be contacted at
artmatters.wt@gmail.com.