My Art Exhibition at Zierikzee Library

One day, I simply walked into our local library after reading in the newspaper that another college artist was exhibiting there — and thought to myself: “Why not give it a try too?” That was last year. They were surprisingly enthusiastic, and one year later I was offered a summer slot,  September and Oktober were ideal: still plenty of tourists around, while the nearby campus would be kicking off a new school year — the perfect time to reach both locals and visitors.

Some time ago, I received an email from the library explaining they had started something new: they wanted exhibiting artists to also give a workshop. In theory, a fantastic idea — but I immediately began seeing practical obstacles. Who would pay for all the materials? (Pastel pencils aren’t exactly the cheapest art supplies!) And that’s without even mentioning my time and effort. I sent them a friendly email explaining this, but never got a reply. So I marched back to the library in person — it turned out they had never even received my message. Once I explained that workshops would involve real costs, they admitted they didn’t have the budget for it and told me not to worry about it for now. Which was perfectly fine by me!

And then, today was the big day

This afternoon, my husband and I drove to the library with the car packed full of framed pastel drawings. We were warmly welcomed by Bianca, and then it was time to get to work.

With ready-made strings and hooks we started hanging everything up — luckily we had a ladder and the two of us, otherwise nothing would have gotten done! It’s always a puzzle: which piece goes where? Should I keep certain works together or spread them out? Should they hang evenly or slightly staggered? And of course, the big question: what’s the very first piece people will see when they walk in?

After about an hour and a half, everything finally had its place. ✨

Profile sheets were added so visitors can read more about me, business cards neatly displayed — and with that, the exhibition was ready.

What’s next?

Back home, part two begins: making sure as many people as possible hear about it. Through social media, my website, and every cultural agenda I can find, I’ll be spreading the word. Because it would be a shame not to share this opportunity with the world.