For most people, February is that time of the year when we all must prepare ourselves for the dreaded tax season ahead, but for all you fashionistas and Project Runway fans out there, it is also a month when the new fashion trends for the Fall/Winter 2013 season are put out on display during New York Fashion Week and London Fashion Week.

For the month of February in London and New York, big name designers from Valentino to Ralph Lauren, as well as the more avant-garde, showcase their designs to the world, while fashion magazines and blogs comment on what they see as the emerging or repeating trends of the upcoming season. From what I’ve read in the blogosphere, leather, animal print, and androgynous looks paired with more feminine elements are big trends for 2013.

While I can’t experience the glamour of New York or London Fashion Week in person, I can live fashion vicariously through the Internet, and so can you! Now available on the Calgary Public Library website in the E-Library, is the Vogue Archive which contains all issues of the magazine (US edition) from its beginnings in 1892 to the current month. Access to the Vogue Archive is available with your Calgary Public Library card and can be found in the Arts & Music section and Newspapers & Magazines section of the E-Library.

This virtual archive includes every page, cover, and advertisement that has been published by Vogue, all of which are searchable by photographer/illustrator, fashion item, company/brand, and much, much more. The archive also allows readers to browse by issue as well as by subject area.

What I find most impressive with the Vogue Archive is the quality of the images. As I was browsing through the January 2013 issue on my computer, I was blown away by the high-resolution and bright colours of each image. The only drawback that some readers may come across is that the Flash Image Viewer format will not be compatible on certain devices such as an iPad. The Flash Image Viewer allows viewers to manipulate a page such as zooming in and rotating the picture. Fortunately, for iPad users the regular Full Text format with images is also available, although the reading experience is not as interactive as it would be with Flash.

Not only is it an enjoyable experience to have over 100 year’s worth of the Vogue collection at my fingertips, but the Vogue Archive is also a valuable resource for those studying fashion or who are interested in fashion history, the arts, design and fashion journalism.

Poems are strings of words that rhyme.

(I guess that’s not true all the time.)

Poems have shape and poems have form -

unless you want to flout the norm.

Poems are written; poems are read.

They live on paper and in your head.

What training does a poet need?

She need only love to write and read.

You’re a poet – yes it’s true!

So, let those poems come out of you!

But make yours sound free-flowing and loose.

Or you’ll end up like me:

a little too “Dr. Seuss”.

April is National Poetry Month! Come and celebrate with us! If you love poetry, then maybe you’ll be interested in the following:

• Our e-library contains a complete collection of Shakespeare’s sonnets (and plays, too!).
• The fourth floor of the Central Library contains a huge range of poems and corresponding critical analysis.
• Each branch contains a range of poetry for children.
• We have a Writer in Residence who can give you critical feedback about your work.
• We have an Aboriginal Writers' Circle and a Creative Writing Club that is open to all.
• On April 26th, we'll be hosting readings by three notorious poets, over the noon hour.

And now, for this post, the end has drawn near.

…and you’ll not hear me rhyme until April next year!

If you are a person who makes paintings, prints, sketches, drawings or sculptures, then check out this new book!

Author Tad Crawford explains the business of art, and goes on to explore copyright and permissions, contracts, taxes, grants, and more! There are even chapters on how to resolve disputes and approach museums and galleries.

Pictures are worth 1000 words, the old cliché goes. But, pictures can also be worth thousands of dollars. Protect your work and impress your clients with a thorough understanding of your rights and obligations as a creator.

What do David Bowie and U2’s Bono have in common? Well, there’s music and stardom, of course. But in addition, both of them have worked with Brian Eno, musician, composer, artist and man of many talents.

Catch Brian Eno’s 77 Million Paintings at the Glenbow Museum this month. 77 Million Paintings is a constantly evolving sound and imagescape which continues Eno’s exploration into light as an artist's medium and the aesthetic possibilities of "generative software."

I particularly recommend attending the launch party for this exhibit. The Glenbow has recently begun hosting launch parties for its new exhibitions, and they are really quite fun! If you’re not a “museum person”, these parties are a great way to get you in the door. Admission is pay-what-you-can, and there will be music, performances and a cash bar, too!

Now, what to wear to the party? I’ll have to choose from my 77 Million pairs of shoes...

More information about the Glenbow Museum and the launch party here.

I was recently asked to write a blog post about Calgary’s bid to be the 2012 cultural capital of Canada.

Wait. Calgary? The cultural capital of Canada?! What about our big three – Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver?

There are plenty of reasons why Calgary is poised to become Canada’s cultural capital – and why 2012 is the perfect year for us to make a bid. Let me share a few that excite me.

Firstly, there will be several Centennial celebrations in 2012. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that 2012 will be the Centennial year of the Calgary Public Library! It’s only 2010 and already we’re planning exciting events to get the whole city celebrating. The Calgary Stampede will also celebrate its Centennial in 2012. The Stampede is unarguably the biggest party of the year, and its hundredth anniversary is sure to draw both locals, and visitors from all over the world!

Calgary has a young, well educated populous. It’s also experiencing growth because of the many newcomers who choose to “put down roots” here. This combination of higher education and cultural diversity is sure to foment culture! And with a civic election looming, we can vote for the candidates who are just as enthusiastic about arts and culture as we are!

I’m excited to shake off our “cowboy” reputation and show Canada (and the world!) that Calgary is a hotbed of intellectual pursuit, artistic accomplishment, and all-things-cultural.

Bring on the food, dance, theatre, performance, music, lectures, exhibits, festivals, costumes and gatherings!

For more information, please visit calgary2012.com

This weekend, visit the Glenbow Museum for the launch of its Fernando Botero exhibit. This event is pay-what-you-can, and is a great opportunity to enjoy the exhibition on a night with music, performance, refreshments, and festivity.

September is Arts and Culture Month, so if you’re looking for information about events throughout the city, then contact our Arts & Recreation department. Also, check out some of the arts events happening at your local library branch!

Fernando Botero Launch Party

Arts and Culture Month at your library