Triptych to be unveiled in Roxbury on Saturday
When Roxbury Public Library Board of Trustees President Jen Wasek decided to put a mural on the wall of the building’s large meeting room two years ago, she knew just who to turn to.
“Jen and I have been friends for a long time because we both worked together in Roxbury schools before I became an art teacher here. She just wanted to brighten up the room because it hasn’t had a face lift in a while,” said Isabel Speronza, an art teacher at both Jefferson Elementary School and Nixon Elementary School.
“But life happens. There was some holdups on both ends so finally in the spring of 2015, we said okay, we really need to do this. Let’s get it done. Jen Wasek is the one who deserves all the credit for getting it going.”
Wasek originally wanted the mural to be painted directly on the walls as part of a community effort but her idea met with slight resistance from other board members who weren’t sure about permanently painting the wall. Speronza also worried about time constraints because of the enormity of the project.
“It’s a really big space so for me to do it all by myself was a little bit overwhelming. I just didn’t know when I would do it,” said Speronza, a resident of Randolph.
“I’ve done murals with my students. It takes about a whole week and every class gets to paint part of it. It is a lot of work. I didn’t think I had that time outside of school to do it. So we revamped the idea.”
Instead, Speronza and her husband, Joseph, a screen printer by trade with his own screen printing and graphic design business, are painting a triptych, a three-panel canvas titled “Tablet to Tablet.” Portraying the history of reading from the Stone Age through the E-Age, the triptych is a fundraiser for the Roxbury Public Library.
For $100, families added their names to one of the three canvases, with each painting measuring 36 by 48 inches. All money raised will be used to purchase reader tablets for the library.
“We ended up deciding we were going to do it as a triptych. What I really like about them is they can be hung together, completely pushed next to each other to make it look like one piece or they can be hung with space in-between because they all work on their own as separate paintings as well,” said Speronza.
“Tablet to Tablet” will be unveiled on Saturday at the library during Roxbury Township’s 2015 Home for the Holiday event which takes place along Main Street from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The library will also host the displays from the Wreath Decorating Contest. Voting takes place from 1-3 p.m. in the library’s conference room.
At 4 p.m., visitors can enjoy a special Holiday Concert by world class harpist, Sylvia Kowalczuk. She has performed several times at the White House and the Vatican and she was the resident harpist at the Plaza Hotel in New York City for 15 years. Refreshments will be served. The Roxbury Public Library is located at 103 Main St.
The Home for the Holiday event includes caroling and entertainment groups, crafters, food trucks and pictures with Santa Claus from 1-3 p.m. Horse and carriage rides from Stockton Carriage Tours, courtesy of the Roxbury Area Chamber of Commerce, will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The day ends with the annual tree lighting at 5 p.m.
For a complete list of the day’s events, call Roxbury Recreation at 973-448-2015 or visit www.roxburynj.us/holiday. For more information about any of their programs, call the library at 973-584-2400 or visit www.roxburylibrary.org.
Help the Homeless
Carolina and Chrystal are 3-month-old female tabby kittens who are both sweet and very playful. Their siblings have been adopted and they would both love a home of their own.
To adopt them or to see all of the available kittens, cats, puppies and dogs available at the Randolph Animal Shelter, contact Claudine at 973-886-1485 or email her at Doggie54@optonline.net.
The Randolph Animal Shelter is located at 97 Ironia Road in Mendham. For more information, call them at 973-543-9333. Hours are 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., weekdays and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. Closed Sundays.
Roxbury inducts newest honor members
The 2015 Roxbury High School National Honor Society inducted its newest members during November at the annual induction ceremony. The inductees are: Brooke Alvine, Eric Bang, Sarah Basenese, Kayla Bedel-Franklin, Alexandra Berdej, Hannah Bhend, Olivia Boon, Deanna Burns, Anna Cook, Haley Cook, Margot Correa, Margaret Dacey, Ryan Decker, Garrett Dexter, Annmarie DiGioia, Jaymie Fiebel, Corinne Findlay, Thomas Fleming, Moira Fulton, Elizabeth Gage, Emily Giordano, Daniel Giuliano, Madison Gordon-Mara, Taryn Guettler, Giovana Harrigan, Daniel Helmus, Kristen Herraiz, Rachel Jaeger, Kelsey Joyce, Ericka Katzenback, Jaclyn Katzenberger, Jacklyn Kleinsorgen, Emily Koepfler, Breanne Lanier, Alexa Lattner, Kent Libby, Jack Liddy, Sarah Lou, Tyler Lucas, Conor Luppnow, Kristilee Maiella, Hannah Bedel-Franklin, Ryan Mangano, Aniela Martinez, Kassandra Matiz, Elliott Matthieson, Amelia Medici, Samantha Meneses, Matthew Meola, Jessica Miklinski, Shannon Miller, Susan Miller, Jessica Nagie, Jill Nathanson, Vilina Ong, Nicholas Pascua, Kevin Pollison, Cassandra Rhein, Sarah Richman, Hayley Riddle, Alyssa Rose, Brennan Schisler, Mihir Shah, Christopher Sluke, Rachel Smith, Alexis Smith, Eden Stauffer, Brendan Steckler, Samantha Tesfaye, Brenna Turse, Dominique Tye, Kaley Uellacker, Benjamin Vecchio, Sheena Virdi, Tucker Voelbel, Nolan Warsaw, Sadie Wilson and Stephanie Wilson.
Staff Writer Leslie Ruse: 973-428-6671; lruse@GannettNJ.com.