When the Friends of the Weaverville Library needed a new logo for their publications, they knew right where to turn: local high school art students.
The Weaverville Library first opened in 1955, and since then there has been a volunteer community group that supports it. The Friends of the Weaverville Library (or FOWL for short), help the Weaverville Library operate a used bookstore, put on community programs, purchase special materials, make helpful facility improvements, and more.
Previously, FOWL had used a basic sketch of the library building as a logo, but the FOWL board of directors was interested in something a little more clear and classy. In August 2023, FOWL Chair Stuart Lamkin reached out to Eamon Aldridge, the art teacher at North Buncombe High School (NBHS). “I loved the idea of our local students helping out our local library,” Lamkin said. “I hoped we could give them an outlet for their artistic talent, offer them some real-world design practice, and encourage them by using our new logo with pride.”
Lamkin had never met or corresponded with Aldridge before e-mailing him out of the blue, and worried the invitation might be ignored, but the art teacher was excited about the idea. “That sounds like a great opportunity that my students would love to be a part of,” Aldridge said, “working on something that applies to the world outside the classroom.” To the students’ credit, they were interested from the start.
The first round of possibilities included images from multiple students, many of them using books and playing off the fun FOWL/fowl bird connection. Lamkin said, “They were all great. I loved seeing how the students expressed themselves in such different ways. But I would’ve felt bad just choosing one student’s design over the others, so I wanted to combine different graphical aspects of each one.”
Lamkin sent Aldrige suggestions for pulling ideas from each student’s logo, so the Art Club went back to the drawing board, literally and figuratively. What they came up with in the end was the beautiful logo that FOWL is now using in its communications, newsletters, and social media. When Lamkin shared the finished product with the rest of the FOWL Board, they loved it as well. Comments included: “What a great job the students did! It's wonderful. An outstanding logo! Bravo to the students and the teacher who encouraged them! What talented young people! It's beautiful and elegant. Excellent. Stunning!”
Numerous students in the Art Club contributed to planning and working on the project, then the final rendition was put together by NBHS sophomore Dream Burford. The group had worked on the logo throughout the year, in between other important projects like painting murals around the school and working overtime on the spring musical. On the last day of the school year for clubs to meet, Lamkin was able to visit the Art Club and personally share FOWL’s gratitude and admiration. All the students were given gift certificates to the Weaverville Library’s Used Bookstore as a thank you gift, and the Art Club was issued a certificate of appreciation.
Thinking back on the process, Lamkin remarked, “I was so pleased with how it turned out, from beginning to end. I truly appreciate Mr. Aldrige’s willingness to take up the project, especially in the midst of so many other things; then the students putting their talents into it. They really did a phenomenal job, and FOWL will be extremely proud to use our new awesome logo everywhere!”
- Written by Stuart Lamkin, Friends of the Weaverville Library