Anythink hosts artist Helen Hiebert at Anythink Wright Farms in Thornton, Colo., from May 13-20, 2022, to kick off the 2022 mySummer program. As an artist-in-residence, Hiebert will be constructing an interactive large-scale paper lantern at the library. Visitors to Anythink Wright Farms are invited to observe Hiebert’s artistic process and ask the artist questions during the drop-in sessions listed below. A livestream Q&A with Hiebert will also air on May 19.

The lantern will be on display beginning May 20 and will be available for visitors to enjoy throughout the summer. Viewers are invited to step inside the lantern and ponder how they can “be the light.” When viewers step out of the lantern, they are prompted to think about how they can share their light in their communities.

Based in Red Cliff, Colo., Hiebert is an artist who constructs installations, sculptures, films, artists’ books and other works, using handmade paper as her primary medium. She teaches, lectures and exhibits her work internationally and online, and is the author of several how-to books about papermaking and papercrafts. Her work explores why she as an individual and we all as a collective are on this planet and how we can coexist and thrive.

“The theme of this year’s mySummer is wishes, and Helen Hiebert’s lantern installation embodies this perfectly,” says Stacie Ledden, director of strategic partnerships at Anythink. “Her art will encourage our community to be hopeful, feel empathy for others and marvel at the bright future ahead of us.”

Anythink previously worked with Hiebert in 2014 on “The Wish,” a large dandelion installation commissioned for Anythink Huron Street that is made of 300 handcrafted paper seeds. These seeds represent the wishes of individuals from the Anythink community and across the globe.

As an experience library, Anythink introduced mySummer in 2010 as a way for people of all ages to let curiosity be their guide during the summer months. Anythink encourages everyone to READ books that inspire, to THINK about new topics and questions and to DO hands-on activities that help them experience the world around us. Programs like mySummer help close opportunity gaps by providing high-quality, hands-on learning experiences to students of all ages and backgrounds. More information is available at anythinklibraries.org, and registration for mySummer will open on June 1, 2022.

Drop-in Sessions with Helen Hiebert
Meet the artist and learn more about her process during public drop-in sessions.
Saturday, May 14, 11 am-12 pm
Tuesday, May 17, 11 am-12 pm

Livestream Q&A with Helen Hiebert
Join a virtual conversation with the artist and ask questions that could be answered live during this Q&A. This event will be held online free via Anythink’s YouTube and Facebook pages.
Thursday, May 19, 12-1 pm

mySummer Finale with Helen Hiebert
Enjoy a night of festivities and wishes in the Anythink Wright Farms backyard. At this culminating event to celebrate the end of mySummer, participants are invited to bring their handmade paper lanterns from Helen Hiebert’s July workshops and share their “light” with friends and neighbors.
Saturday, July 30, 8-10 pm

All live events listed above will take place at Anythink Wright Farms, located at 5877 E. 120^th Ave., Thornton, CO 80602.