KENILWORTH — Three times a month, Paper Pals meet to create art out of paper.
They recently created boxes with dahlia flowers on top. The program, led by Kathleen Czarnecki, senior programing library assistant at the Kenilworth Public Library, said she was looking at her fall garden, and the dahlias were in full bloom, giving her inspiration for the recent program.
“We are getting together and having fun,” she said.
Paper Pals began during the pandemic. “We were one of the first libraries to offer something,” she said. During the pandemic, people couldn’t go to the store to get cards, so at Paper Pals, they made their own.
Companies were very generous to help Kenilworth Public Library’s art program. Heartfelt Creations, a card-making supply company in the Midwest, which is now out of business, donated dies, stamps, molds and paper to the library. They also received a die-cutting machine from Anna Griffin Inc., in Atlanta.
“The price was too expensive,” said Czarnecki. “We’re just a library. She donated a huge bunch of dies and paper. I’ll always be grateful to her. We were able to do more things.”
The Kenilworth Public Library also received a $5,000 grant from Level Up Your Library, which helped the Paper Pals program continue.
“People are kind, to donate to our group,” said Czarnecki. “It’s open to all adults and it’s so much fun.”
Eileen Bremer, of Cranford, will be moving in November and said she’ll miss Paper Pals so much. She said, “They are a welcoming group. Maybe there will be some groups where I’m moving.” She also said she’d come back to visit.
Jaye Shear, of Kenilworth, said she enjoys being with her Paper Pal friends. She’s been friends with Marge Romano, of Cranford, for 51 years.
Romano, who is a graphic designer, said, “This [Paper Pals] gives me an outlet. Jaye introduced me to this and I love it.”
Gloria Southward, of Springfield, also enjoys the comradery of friendship as well as the paper crafting.
Michele Kiger, of Westfield,explained that everyone works on the same art piece, yet they all come out different. She said, “That’s the cool thing. They all look so unique.”
Joyce Chiappetta, of Kenilworth, says the class is very relaxing and very social. “We have fun laughing and joking,” she said.
Chiappetta carries all her Paper Pals artwork in a large bag and brings it to class each time.
Paper Pals meet three times per month: Twice during the day and once during the evening. The dates and times can be found on the Kenilworth Public Library website.
To find out when Paper Pals meets again and to learn more about the Kenilworth Public Library, visit: https://kenilworthlibrary.org/.
Photos by Maryanne Christiano-Mistretta
