By Jennifer Spirko

 

Remember the carefree joy of picking up your favorite crayon or marker and adding color to a beautiful picture? It might be time to revisit the relaxing fun of coloring, and the Blount County Public Library can help you do just that.

Coloring for Adults will take place Thursday, February 18, from 7 to 8:30 p.m., in the main gallery of the Blount County Public Library. The event is open to everyone age 16 and up. There is no charge and no required pre-registration. Participants may bring their own coloring books or use pages provided by the library; colored pencils will also be available for patrons to use.

This program is sponsored by the Blount County Friends of the Library.

Adult coloring is one of the hottest cultural trends, taking over Pinterest and Amazon.com. Advocates recommend coloring as a way for grownups to escape the stresses of daily life, to spark creative energy, and to help focus the mind.

While coloring should not be confused with art therapy, it can have some therapeutic effects. Groundbreaking psychologist Carl Jung recommended coloring to his patients a century ago as a relaxation technique. Today, teachers, counselors and meditation enthusiasts have all jumped on the coloring bandwagon, touting the benefits of fun, stress relief and mindfulness.

Library staff hope to make this a monthly event, on the third Thursday of each month at 7 p.m.

Open to the public, this program is hosted by the Blount County Public Library, located at 508 N. Cusick Street, Maryville, where services are an example of your tax dollars at work for you.

For further information about library programs or services, call the library at 982-0981 or visit the Web site at www.blountlibrary.org . To sign up to receive a monthly calendar by email, go to the library’s Home Page and type your email address in the box at the top right that says “Email for library news.”