Friends of the Ashland Library - Events

Sudbury artist Jeanne Rosier Smith has been painting award-winning still lifes and portraits for 25 years and since 2006 has been teaching pastel painting in her home.  This exhibit is a collection of Jeanne’s work and some of her most talented students.

In Jeanne’s words, “ Once people look closely at pastels, they want to try them....and once you get your hands on all those pure, rich colors, you’re hooked.”  Her students are from the Metrowest area and beyond. “The work has become so impressive that I knew we had to get out and show it in public.”

A former English professor, Smith learned the importance of tailoring her teaching to her audience: “Teaching painting is like teaching writing: finding  success means building on each persons’ unique strengths, and providing clear ‘how-to’s’ without hindering individual expression.” As one of her exhibiting  students comments, “Jeanne’s approach to teaching has led me to believe in myself as an artist and to preserve and develop my own style of painting.”

Jeanne is a member of the Portrait Society of America, Pastel Painters Society of Cape Cod, and her work has appeared in Best of American Pastels Vol. II.

Her web site:  http://www.jeannesmithart.com

Upstairs Display Case
March 5th to June 12th
Warren Telechron Clocks

Shortly after moving to Ashland in 1992 Ioannis Papayannopoulos and his wife, Cathy, purchased an interesting looking old electrical clock (and surprisingly in good working condition), at a Framingham antique shop. A plate on the back of the clock stated that it was made by the "Warren Telechron Company" in Ashland, Massachusetts. This finding and the fact that their house was near the Warren Elementary School prompted Ioannis to investigate further, whereupon he discovered that Henry Warren, an inventor and a successful entrepreneur (and fellow MIT graduate, albeit nearly a century earlier), had founded the Telechron company that became an important part of Ashland history.

Ioannis has been collecting Telechron clocks for many years, many of which are still operational 60-80 years after they were made with their original parts, a testament to the superb design, engineering excellence and high quality manufacturing associated with Henry Warren and the Telechron company. Ioannis believes that the story of Henry Warren and Telechron goes beyond Ashland, in that it exemplifies the invention and technology based entrepreneurial spirit which had been the bedrock of American economic prowess in the past. He is thankful of the opportunity afforded to him by the Ashland Public Library to share with local residents his interest in one of the shining examples of the town's past.