Heilmans cover Chickasha Library in community's favorite books

Jun. 30—The Chickasha Public Library has undergone a novel transformation over the last year.

Top shelf artists, Adam and Amber Heilman, have nearly covered the exterior panels of the library in paintings of book spines—from Silverstein to Stephen King.

Each panel has been painted as a bookshelf with the spines of well-loved books facing the outside.

These "shelves" are commissioned by an individual, family or civic group, who decide which titles they would like represented. The panel may also be dedicated to or in memory of a loved one. One panel in the front has been dedicated "To all who read."

Even the book drop received a "treasure chest" makeover.

The project began in March 2020, and brought some positivity to a difficult year. Choosing titles of favorite books to be artistically rendered in such a public space provided a welcome distraction.

"So many people needed that to think about, and they enjoyed it so much," Lillie Huckaby, Chickasha Public Library Director, said.

Huckaby said there are stories behind each panel. People have had fun choosing books, waiting in anticipation and finally taking pictures in front of the panel, often with friends and family.

The Heilmans have taken a lot of care in replicating the spines of the books, down to the familiar fonts. At first they made stencils by hand and cut them out with x-acto knives. However, this was very time intensive, Amber said.

They purchased a Cricut machine with their first panel commission, which made the process much smoother. Adam was able to use his graphic design knowledge to replicate fonts and enter them into the Cricut.

The artists have also made an effort to match the colors of books in order to make the end result more personal, Amber said. She said one of her favorite books to paint was "Oh, The Places You'll Go" by Dr. Suess. Several colors were needed to give each color the right depth.

Huckaby said some people have been very specific about wanting the book painting to resemble their own physical copy.

While there are hundreds of books painted on the library, it is inevitable that some titles have been repeated.

"I try to tell people 'That title is already out there, would you like to try another one?' and they say 'No! I have to have that one. That's mine!,'" Huckaby said.

Because their canvas is outdoors, the Heilmans have had to contend with Oklahoma's ever-changing weather. Stormy days bring humidity between periods of rainfall. Sunny, hot days tend to make the paint dry too fast for shading and blending techniques.

Daylight has been less of a factor, however, due to the street lamps in the area. Adam said he has occasionally painted until 10 p.m.

In addition to transforming the library, the Heilmans have kept busy with other projects around town such as painting signs, storefronts, murals and volunteering their artistic talents at the Chickasha Community Theatre.

"If they need our help we try to do that because that's where we started," Amber said.

Both agreed that volunteering for the Chickasha Community Theatre gave them valuable practice in learning to do large scale paintings.

The Heilmans said they see potential for murals and street art to migrate to Chickasha's downtown area, similar to the Plaza District in Oklahoma City.

Amber and Adam can be reached via Instagram @aaheilmanart or Facebook at Aa Hellman Art.

There are still some spots left to be painted at the Chickasha Public Library, particularly the back, southeast wall. There is also one spot in the front and a few single titles on the south side. Those interested in purchasing a panel may call the Chickasha Public Library at 405-222-6075.