The Old Forge Library, in conjunction with the Mid-York Library System Grass Roots Regional Read of “A Dirty Life” by Kristin Kimball, will display artist Loretta Lepkowsi’s traveling art show, Celebrating Family Farms of the Tug Hill Region, beginning Wednesday October 1st. 
An Opening Reception for the artist will be held on Friday, October 3 from 5 to 8 p.m. as part of the First Friday Art Walk.
The Family Farms Art Show was initiated with sponsorship of the Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust with partial funding in 2010 from a Community Arts Grant from the NYS Council on the Arts.
These home-grown paintings share visual stories of working people on their farms in the Tug Hill Region.
The show is intended to heighten regard for these hard working people as well as educate the public on the variety of agriculturally related businesses in the Tug Hill region, mainly in Lewis and Jefferson Counties.
Lepkowski was raised on a small southern Lewis County dairy farm with a beautiful view of the Adirondacks.
She currently resides with her spouse, a large animal veterinarian, and her two children and pets just north of the family homestead.
Inspired by her upbringing and previous careers in social work and elementary education, she has a passion for painting portraits and working people in various mediums including watercolor, pastel, acrylic and charcoal.
Lepkowski is a signature artist with the Central New York Watercolor Society (2011) and has received awards from shows at VIEW in Old Forge and North Country Arts Council in Watertown where she also receives training from fine arts workshops.
She is an annual participant of VIEW’s Plein Air and the American Association of Bovine Practitioner’s student veterinarian scholarship fund auction.
A Regional Read brings communities together through reading, learning, and discussion of a single book or topic.
Mid-York Library System’s 2014 Regional Read is a ”Grassroots Read” bringing together the traditional and the trendy by exploring the vibrant agricultural community that has long formed a vital part of the economy in upstate NY and the newer phenomenon of the “locavore,” an individual who endeavors to eat more food that is produced locally.
The Libraries Regional Read programs and events are funded by MYLS and NBT Bank. More information is available by calling the library at (315) 369-6008.
