Tracy McQuay at the Carson City Library

Capital City Arts Initiative
Books & Writers
at the
Carson City Library
900 N. Roop Street
Carson City

Tracy McQuay:
reading Friday, November 4, 7 - 8pm
writing workshop, Saturday, November 5, noon - 1pm


As part of its Books & Writers series, CCAI will present a literary reading by writer Tracy McQuay on Friday, November 4, 7pm at the Carson City Library. Tracy will also conduct a writing workshop at the Library on Saturday, November 5 from 11am – noon. Both events are free and open to the public.

Tracy McQuay teaches first grade at Mark Twain Elementary School in Carson City where, for the past seven years, she developed and facilitated an after-school poetry program for the school's students. Her current work received a 2011 Artists Fellowship Honorable Mention from the Nevada Arts Council. She is a recent graduate of Lesley University where she earned a MA in Integrating Arts into Education. Her writing has appeared in several literary journals and she published a story in "Chicken Soup for the Christmas Soul" in 2008. She is a member of Ash Canyon Poets, GCW (a women's critique group), and the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.

The Carson City Library co-sponsors the Books & Writers series with CCAI.

Reflections Sneak Preview!

CCAI's AIE [Artists In Education] Program is currently coordinating creative workshops with members of the Carson High School ECHO Club*, and students at Mark Twain Elementary School.

Acting as student-teachers, ECHO Club members, working with Mark Twain Elementary School teacher Tracy McQuay, Club Advisor Evelyn Wakeling and CCAI staff, are helping develop art projects that will be submitted to the PTA's Reflections Program. As noted on the PTA's national web site, "In its more than 30-year history, the program has encouraged millions of students across the nation and in American schools overseas to create works of art. The program offers students the opportunity to create works of art for fun and recognition. Students in preschool through grade 12 are encouraged to create and submit works of art in four areas: literature, musical composition, photography, and the visual arts (which includes art forms such as drawing, painting, print making, and collage)."

In December and January there will be six workshops promising to result in some terrific, trailblazing creative projects that will be submitted for jurying in early 2009.

CCAI extends special thanks to Mark Twain Elementary School Principal Laura Austin, the Carson City School District, and Nevada Hispanic Services–Carson City for their support.

* ECHO = Everyone Can Help Out

[graphic: work from the first workshop in which Twain students created collage postcards. The recipe: magazines, index cards, scissors, glue sticks, engaged instructors and students, and creativity! Note that we also snuck in a micro art history lesson, providing examples of collage works from the early 20th century avant-garde. Click to enlarge.]