BLOOMINGTON - The paper is starting to deteriorate and is in need of restoration. This time, it isn't a book at the Bloomington Public Library in need of attention, but sketches in its art collection.

A sketch by Mary Cassatt, an American impressionist, is under conservation to remove the "foxing," or the yellow spotting, in the paper, said Library Director Georgia Bouda. The work is the first piece of art restored under the library's recent project to preserve its art collection.

"It's not unusual for libraries to have an art collection, but we have a particularly good one," Bouda said.

Sketches and etchings from artists such as Edgar Degas, Francisco Goya and James Whistler are included in the library's Nora H. McCurdy Memorial Collection.

In 1922, local socialite Laura McCurdy donated the 61 pieces of art to the Withers Public Library and asked the collection be named after her mother, Nora. The library, at Washington and East streets, was torn down in 1977 and its collections moved to the current library, 209 E. Olive St.

For years, many pieces in the collection were stored in back rooms or hung in the library board room. It came out of storage after an expansion of the library last year.

At the same time, an appraisal of the artwork was done to update the library's information on its collection.

"With the big project out of the way, we could turn to these other projects that need our attention," Bouda said.

After the Cassatt is restored, an oil painting by an Illinois landscape artist needs work before the oils flake off the canvas, Bouda said. Other pieces need to be framed and a statue needs to be repaired.

That work will be done as money becomes available. Bouda said about $5,000 is needed to complete the restorations.

Sale proceeds from one piece of the art collection was used to fund the nearly $1,000 Cassatt preservation. That painting by Lou Burk was purchased by Burk's great-great-grandson, George Gordon of Chicago.

Gordon, who started researching Burk about three years ago, found out about the local painting after an aunt sent him a newspaper article from 1991. He contacted the library to see if it was available for sale.

According to Pantagraph archives, Louis A. Burke was a self-taught artist born in Kentucky in 1845. He based his life in Bloomington but traveled around the country and throughout Europe. He died in 1914.

He was known for painting livestock portraits.

"I don't think the board would have sold the painting to just anyone," Bouda said. "The family connection here persuaded the board."

---

Under Restoration

Artist: Mary Cassatt, American, 1845-1926.

Title: Kneeling in an armchair

Medium: pencil and paper

Owner: Bloomington Public Library, Nora H. McCurdy Memorial Collection

The McCurdy Collection: 61 sketches and etchings donated to the Withers Public Library, the predecessor to the Bloomington Public Library, in 1922 by Laura McCurdy in memory of her mother, Nora.

---

How to help

The library set a goal of raising $5,000 to help restore the artwork in its collection.

To make a donation, checks can be mailed to the Bloomington Public Library, P.O. Box 3308, Bloomington, IL 61702 or by contacting Library Director Georgia Bouda at (309) 828-6091.

SOURCE: Bloomington Public Library