For Immediate Release: April 26, 2007

Asian Pacific Heritage Month @ Oakland Public Library

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(Oakland, CA)—In celebration of Asian Pacific Heritage Month, the Oakland Public Library is pleased to host popular programs for children that include storyteller Clara Yen and origami crafts with Oakland artist Won-ju Hulse, whose exhibition, Painting and Origami, will hang in the Asian Branch through the end of May. The details follow:

Clara Yen’s Chinese Folk, Family and Fairy Tales
Storyteller Clara Yen will share Chinese family, folk, and fairy tales told with American flare, Tuesday, May 1, 7 pm at Dimond Branch, 3565 Fruitvale Ave., (510) 482-7844.

Learn to Play Go!
Learn how to play or improve your game of Go, an ancient Chinese form of chess, in this workshop with Chen Wan Yu, the two-time U. S. representative in the World Pair Go Championship. All ages welcome. At Asian Branch, Saturday, May 5, 3 pm, 388-9th Street, Ste. 190, (510) 238-3400.

Origami Workshops and Exhibit

Painting and Origami, The Art of Won-Ju Hulse:

Inspired by both nature and dream images, Ms. Hulse paints in acrylic. Using jewel-like glazes of color and incorporating intricate folded paper shapes, her paintings find poetry in a wide

variety of subjects. Her work is presently on exhibit through May 31, 2007 in the children’s area of the Asian Branch, 388-9th Street, Ste. 190, (510) 238-3400. Born in South Korea, where she grew up, studied and worked, Hulse moved to Boise, Idaho in 2001 and came to Oakland in 2004. She has been creating and showing her origami art since 2003.

Won-Ju Hulse Origami Workshops

Hulse will present her origami workshops for children at five locations:

Wednesday, May 9 @ 3:30 pm at Melrose Branch, 4805 Foothill Blvd., (510) 535-5623
Saturday, May 12 @ 11:30 am at Cesar Chavez Branch, 3301 E. 12th Street, Ste. 271, 535-5620
Saturday, May 12 @ 3:00 pm at Asian Branch, 388-9th Street, Ste. 190, 238-3400
Saturday, May 19 @ 11:00 am at Montclair Branch, 1687 Mountain Blvd., 482-7810
Wed., May 23 @ 11:00 am at Martin Luther King, Jr. Br., 6833 International Blvd., 615-5728

Rockridge Bird Origami Workshops

Additionally, Rockridge Branch Library will feature three Origami Craft Workshops in May. Join library staff and volunteers to make origami birds to decorate an origami tree. We’ll make macaws, swallows, cranes, chickadees, pigeons, crows, and owls! Best for ages 7 to 12 years, but all ages welcome. Meets first three Thursdays in May (May 3, 10, and 17), 3:30 to 5 pm, Rockridge Branch, 5366 College Avenue, (510) 597-5017.

For more information, please call the branch number listed above, the information desk at (510) 238-3134, or see the Library's Web site: www.oaklandlibrary.org. Please refrain from wearing scented products. To request sign interpretation, or other accommodation, call the number above or (510) 834-7446 (TTY) at least five working days prior to the event. The Oakland Public Library is a department of the City of Oakland.

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