It’s all the rage these days. It’s on TV, you read about it on social media, and researchers are even doing studies on its benefits. Adult coloring. Who would have guessed that a gentle regression of sorts back into childhood would not only be accepted, but be encouraged?
Remember the thrill of a brand new box of crayons? The sight of all those colors lined up in the order of the color spectrum. The smell. The choice of which one to pull out first and bear down gently onto the chosen page of a brand new coloring book.
Admit it. You love it when your child or grandchild asks you to color with them. Sitting there, the two of you focused on your “work,” calmly chit-chatting and commenting on what a nice job you each are doing staying in the lines. The intent, the stillness, the focus, the “being here now-ness” of it all. There’s just something to it. Coloring.
Until I heard about the adult coloring craze, I hadn’t thought to reconnect with the crayons, markers, colored pencils, and Barbie and Strawberry Shortcake coloring books I remember so fondly from my youth. Coloring was a big part of my daily life. I did it all the time.
I remember coloring for what seemed like hours while my two older brothers were at school. Even during Mr. Rogers I would have a crayon in my hand, pressing lightly back and forth over a set of lips with a red crayon, or brown over a tree trunk. Sometimes I would color the entire sky blue, and sometimes I wouldn’t. In the world of coloring, like Bob Ross told a young Jeannie Perry, “You can do anything you want to. This is your world.”
I digress a little.
With this renaissance of coloring for grown-ups, coloring books have taken on a new look of complex patterns, delicate details, of geometric designs that turn monochromatic monotony into a multicolored meditation.
Libby O’ Neill, library director at the Taber Library, knows exactly what I’m talking about, although at first the concept eluded her.
“I think it’s a lot of fun,” said O’ Neill. “It does help people to de-stress because they’re focusing on … coloring. It’s a lot more complex than just kids’ coloring books.”
A while back during the summer, one of the trustees at the library suggested to O’ Neill that she start an adult coloring group at the library, “And I was kind of like, no … I don’t know. It really hadn’t caught on yet.”
“And then after he mentioned it, it was all I would hear about.” At library conferences, O’ Neill said, many librarians were talking about how they established adult coloring groups in their own libraries.
“It was like the only idea librarians could talk about,” said O’ Neill. Her next thought drifted toward the Taber trustee who first suggested it. “He must’ve been right!”
Just to see what would happen, O’ Neill scheduled a series of adult coloring sessions, holding the first one back in November. Eight people attended, ranging in age from 20 to late 70s, O’ Neill said.
The library provided the markers, crayons, colored pencils, intricate adult coloring books, and the sacred space to use them. There were also snacks.
“It was great. We just sat around the table and there were coloring books to kind of inspire people, and I had a whole kit of coloring materials and we all shared from that and it was all kind of peaceful,” said O’ Neill. “We had some snacks and we all just sat and colored and chatted about the upcoming holidays and happenings at the library. It was just a really great atmosphere.”
The Taber Library will host another adult coloring session on January 13 at 11:00 am. O’ Neill said the feedback she received was that many would have liked to attend but could not in the afternoon. O’ Neill said she decided to switch the time to the late morning to see if that would make a difference for those who wanted to come but couldn’t before.
“I wanted to hit different targets (of people). I want to sort of include everyone that wants to participate,” said O’ Neill. “I’m still sort of mixing the times to see what works.”
If you are thinking about trying out some adult coloring with some of your neighbors who are also looking for a relaxing time, you can register for the coloring group by contacting the library at 508-748-1252 or email eoneill@sailsinc.org. You could drop by, too, but registering will ensure there are enough materials and snacks for everyone.
“I really just want people to come and enjoy themselves at the library and realize that the library is more of a community center,” said O’ Neill. It’s a place to have fun and socialize, she added. “Although the books will always be there, it’s not always about the books.”
By Jean Perry
