Jo-Anne Hirshfield, 1956-1978, grew up in Evanston as part of an artist family. Although her father was a physician, her mother, Pearl Hirshfield, was a multimedia artist who, in 2017, gifted the City of Evanston with two early metal sculptures that are on public view. Pearl passed away last year, on April 13, 2023.
The three other daughters in the family – Deborah, Leslie and Laura – are all artists. Leslie paints and teaches in her studio at the Noyes Cultural Arts Center. Deborah has taught art and music, and continues in both fields. Laura is retired from the Evanston Public Library, where she worked as a readers’ services librarian for many years. Now she makes art, too.
Her sisters say Jo-Anne loved acting, art and poetry. In her memory, the Jo-Ann Hirshfield Memorial Poetry Awards were established at the Evanston Public Library and held for 39 years. Although the poetry competition has been discontinued, a book carousel in Jo-Anne’s name has been permanently installed on the third floor of the Main Library. The carousel exhibits new and diverse poetry books.Â
As a tribute to her creativity and memory, her sisters Leslie, Laura and Deborah are honoring Jo-Anne with this exhibit of her visual art. The drawings being shown were done when she was in her teens, Deborah said, using mixed media – pencil, pen, markers and crayons. The exhibit opens Sunday, April 14, from 2-4 p.m., third floor, east.
A second exhibit, “Free the Books,” also on the third floor, shows work, mainly prints, in opposition to book bans and censorship. Co-sponsored by Hive Center for the Book Arts, Evanston, this exhibit opened in March and continues through April on the third floor, west.
April is also National Stress Awareness Month. A free, drop-in art-making workshop called “Creative Calm” will be held in conjunction with these art exhibits. After viewing the exhibits on Sunday, April 14, visitors can go to the first floor community meeting room, where relaxing, creative art activities will be led and supplies will be provided, from 2-4 p.m.