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Displays That Delight
Posted Jan 15, 2007 by Joyce McKenzie
Updated Jan 15, 2007 at 02:14 PM
By JOYCE McKENZIE
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Since early childhood, Anita Long and Janet Castro have had a passion for creating objects with their hands.
Although they grew up at opposite ends of the eastern seaboard and have dabbled in a variety of mediums prior to becoming friends a few years ago, their enthusiasm for expressing themselves has never changed.
And both have been invited to exhibit their works at the Temple Terrace Public Library, 202 Bullard Parkway, throughout the month of January. Long’s acrylic paintings are featured in the Artist’s Corner and Casto’s scrapbooking and paper crafts are in the facility’s display case.
“We’re always happy to have artists display their work and these artists’ exhibits are especially nice and colorful,” said Armand Ternak, assistant director of library services. “It’s just great to know there are local people who can enlighten and brighten our surroundings.”
Long, who recently celebrated her 50th birthday and today makes her living as a graphic artist, readily recalls her fourth-grade painting of a vibrant purple-colored elephant. In fact, as a youngster raised in Miami she remembers taking advantage of every opportunity during her elementary, high school and college years to draw and paint.
“But, as time passed I was busy living life and being a ‘big sister’ to Erin, now 25, and really didn’t have the time,” said Long, who prior to assuming ownership of Business Ink Printing in 2000 with her husband, David, managed the Temple Terrace business.
Long also devoted many of her spare moments to spending time with her mother, whom she described as her “best friend.”
However, her mother passed away in 2002 and her absence created a tremendous void in Long’s life. To fill the “hole” in her heart, she decided to take an art class at the Temple Terrace Family Recreation Center taught by Pam Patton.
“Although I hadn’t picked up a paintbrush in years, she re-sparked the passion in me,” Long said. “If it weren’t for Pam Patton and her classes, I would probably not have kept painting – she is such a supportive and fun lady.”
Patton described Long as an individual who is inspired by the challenges put before her.
“She’s very creative, she knows how to put colors together well and she really tries hard,” Patton said.
So fueled by her re-found love of painting, Long has since joined the North Tampa Arts League, Tampa Realistic Artists and the Arts Council of Hillsborough County. In October she participated in Art-Out, an outdoor fundraiser in Dover that included about 50 artists and initiated a $100 donation from the Temple Terrace Woman’s Club, of which she has served as a board member since 2003.
“I’m a weekend painter. It’s totally freeing and when I paint I forget who I am,” Long said. “Dave has his Jetski and he does his thing while I do mine. That’s especially important when a husband and wife work together.”
Dave agreed.
“That’s her total respite from everything, and she’ll sit there hour after hour,” Dave said. “But she he does it strictly as a hobby and never intends to make a living at it.”
Casto, on the other hand, grew up in South Burlington, Vt., where she involved herself in a variety of hobbies including jewelry making, knitting, karate and swimming. In fact, she even earned her black belt in karate.
She’s an operating nurse by profession and spent four years on active duty in the U.S. Navy, where she met and married Rod, a native Floridian and her husband of nearly 25 years.
About a year ago she attended a party hosted by a Stampin’ Up demonstrator and was immediately hooked on the concept of using decorative rubber stamps and other accessories to create personalized greeting cards, scrapbooking applications and other home décor projects.
“I knew right then it was what I wanted to do,” Casto said. “I like to teach people, I like to be creative and I like to challenge myself.”
As a Stampin’ Up demonstrator, Casto hosts free workshops of her own at her home, as well as a monthly stamp club where participants are charged a fee to learn new techniques.
Castro is grateful to the library staff for allowing her to show a sampling of the cards and other crafts projects she’s made, as well as a showing of some of Long’s art.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for us to show our work,” she said.
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