Winners emerge from the Underground
Published 10:04 pm Tuesday, October 2, 2018
The judges went back and forth, looking over and considering each submission before their final votes were cast, and the winners of the Suffolk Public Library’s Underground Art Show emerged with their creative flair on full display.
There were 19 submitted pieces on display at the North Suffolk Library on Saturday. Each one was a unique interpretation of a challenged or banned book for Banned Books Week. Some were two-dimensional drawings and paintings, and others were three-dimensional recreations pulled straight out of favorites like “Harry Potter” and “Fahrenheit 451.”
“I wanted to get a visual representation of banned books for the public, and to inspire them to be creative with banned books,” Library Services Coordinator Angela Martin said.
There were three main awards, along with an honorable mention that was given to the wire, paper and acrylic flames of “Montag’s Memories” by Elizabeth Wells. Winners won bags of prizes ranging from gift cards and movie tickets to free books and tote bags.
The Best Use of Materials award went to “Alaska” by 15-year-old Olivia Taylor, a mixed-media piece that used pages straight out of “Looking for Alaska” by author John Green. Best Interpretation of a Banned Book was awarded to Jeff Onwularu’s “There’s No Place Like Home,” a digitally rendered inspiration from “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” with exquisite detail and lavish colors.
Margaret Laney Cross, 8, won Best in Show for her acrylic painting inspired by “James and the Giant Peach.” Margaret Laney said she really enjoys books by author Roald Dahl.
“They’re really funny, and he makes up words,” she said.
Her mother, Kate Cross, said her daughter loves to read a little bit of everything and was happy she got the opportunity to showcase that love of reading.
“We’ve just loved everything that’s going on at the library and all the opportunities that they provide for the children,” Cross said.