Three years ago artist Chris Demarest approached the Jones Library with a proposition. He wanted to sit in the library, paint, and see what happened. This unusual request has grown into the Artist in Residence program, which brings in local artists throughout the year to paint in the lobby of the library on Amity Street.
Demarest, who grew up in Amherst, had a 30-year career writing and illustrating children’s books, but he was looking for something different. When he saw a black and white photo of a World War II pilot, he was immediately inspired to paint it. Demarest sold the portrait to the son of the pilot, who gave it to his father.
“It was that man’s reaction that created this project. He cried. What does one give an 88-year-old man? Suddenly seeing himself, in color on canvas, brought this normally stoic man to tears,” Demarest said.
This was the beginning of Demarest’s World War II Portrait Exhibit, originally housed at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C. Demarest decided to take it on tour, starting with the residency at the Jones Library. What was meant to be a short exhibit quickly turned into a much greater experience.
“Originally it was supposed to be a one-month gig but ten days in, [Library Director] Sharon Sharry told me, ‘You’re not going anywhere.’ I stayed another three months,” Demarest said.
Sharry believes the public’s positive reaction was due to Demarest’s openness and willingness to help his audience learn.
“He’s an artist who is able to create and let people watch him create,” she said. “He can stop, turn around, and talk to whoever is asking him questions. That’s a real skill. Generally, artists are shy about that.”
For Demarest, it was a chance to share his vision with the community and help people connect with each other.
“It’s always about the people,” he said. “World War II has a strong connection for many, either directly or from the spouse or children who now are, because of seeing the collection of paintings, remembering their parent. I had chairs for people to sit and share their stories. The paintings were the draw for them to sit and talk.”
The Artist in Residence program has grown to include many other artists and subjects over the years, but the spirit of connecting and learning has not been lost.
“It’s fun for people to watch artists at work,” Sharry said. “For somebody who is not talented in that way, like myself, it’s really cool to be able to see somebody who is really good at that and to watch them perform.”
Library patrons of all ages often stop and ask questions. Part of the artist’s job is to teach them about the art and how it is created. People often asked Demarest about his work or their own, including an 11-year-old girl “who popped in every couple of weeks to share her work.”
Unlike Demarest, many Artists in Residence stay just one month, though the schedule is very flexible and Sharry is happy to have them for longer. The artists come and go throughout the year, often with a few months between them. They are found mostly through word of mouth and the library does not know who the next Artist in Residence will be.
Demarest highly recommends the program to local artists. “Not everyone is going to like the work, but the point is to share one’s talents and act as both teacher and nurturer for those with an artistic bend,” he said.
Demarest is still touring with the World War II Portrait Exhibit, currently on the west coast, but he has left his mark on the Jones Library.
“He had a blast when he was here, and it was hard for him to stop,” Sharry said. “It was touching him, it was bringing meaning to his life, and it was bringing meaning to a lot of other people’s lives.”
Careri, Jenna 