The Friends of the Library debuted their first art show last Friday at the Cordova Center Museum gallery.
The Catch is a community sourced art show that shares the same name as the literary quarterly that inspired the exhibit. The show opening was well attended and participants were able to enjoy refreshments and conversation while viewing artwork and printed poems. A donation-based admission was accepted on behalf of The Friends of the Library.
Jullian Gold works as a librarian at the Cordova Public Library and said “The Catch” first began during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 as a monthly virtual poetry meet-up. The Zoom-based poetry meetings quickly became popular with both year-round and seasonal Cordovans.
Participants gave Gold feedback early on that while they found meet-ups enjoyable as a space to share their creative musings, not everyone was interested in poetry.
“After hearing that I tried to come up with a model that could satisfy more genres and more ages,” Gold said.
Thus, the concept of a quarterly publication came into being and the first hard copy issue was released in the summer of 2021.
Participation amongst the community has remained steady throughout the nine issues of “The Catch.” Gold said about 30 or so individuals submit work for each issue.
Submissions include creative essays, original photography, 2D art, and poetry.
Paula Payne, cultural program leader at the Cordova Center, encouraged Gold to celebrate the two years of successful publication with a community art show sourcing works from past contributors to the quarterly. The show features the 2D art found within the pages of “The Catch” in the form of large-scale printed poems and paintings, but also allows for various multimedia sculptures and functional art such as ceramics.
“To see the 2D stuff we usually publish in a gallery is a totally different experience,” Gold said.
Gold said that while setting up the show, she and Payne both reflected on the fact that many of The Catch’s contributors are not the same as the usual pool of artists who show work in the gallery space.
Gold said she is glad to see the quarterly continue to build community through art in this way.
“In terms of bridging gaps and building community, maybe a show like this will increase interest on both sides of it: bringing more artists into the gallery space for future shows, and also bring more artists into ‘The Catch’ for future issues,” Gold said.
The Catch gallery show will be available for viewing through the month of August. The literary quarterly can be found in both print and online. Printed copies are available at the Cordova Library and excerpts from each issue are posted on the Cordova Public Library Facebook page.
“The Catch” is currently accepting submissions for its 10th issue until Sept. 15, with the theme dreamscapes. Readers interested in submitting work or in signing up to receive the digital copy of “The Catch” via email can contact Jillian Gold at jillian.cordovapubliclibrary@gmail.com.
