The creative spirit of Arlington Heights was on full display Thursday night as the Art with Alayne Artists' Celebration Reception brought together 31 artists, their families, friends and many community members for a celebratory evening at the Arlington Heights Memorial Library honoring the creative work inspired by the popular Creative Aging series, and local artist Alayne McNulty, who for many years has designed monthly projects and facilitated meetups.
The event was especially meaningful for those who have learned from Alayne for many years in the virtual format, but had never met in person. The program first began in 2017 and moved to a virtual format in 2020, with many joining as a way to connect when library programs could not be held in person, offering artists of all skill levels a chance to try something new. One participant shared that the evening felt like “coming home to a community that has supported me since 2020,” while another thanked Alayne for “helping me rediscover my creativity.”
Alayne shared how deeply moved she was to see both familiar faces and new artists gathered together. She reflected on her pride in everyone’s growth and the courage it took to share their work publicly, noting the collective creativity on display was a testament to the vibrant community fostered by the library and participants.
The public is welcome to view the artwork on the library's first floor through Monday, December 1. All of the past monthly video lessons are available to all at https://www.ahml.info/virtual_art. Upcoming Art with Alayne meetups are listed in the library's monthly newsletter and in the online calendar at https://www.ahml.info/attend/events.