The Boulder Junction Public Library presents award-winning weaver, Mary Burns and local author, naturalist and educator, John Bates, on Thursday, August 10, 7 pm, at the Boulder Junction Community Center.

In many traditional cultures, water is imbued with feminine roles and symbolism, with women serving as the protectors of water. Women & Water: A Global Exhibit celebrates and honors water by portraying women who work with it, protect it and advocate for it. Award winning artist Mary Burn’s beautiful jacquard weavings are currently showcased at the Northern Great Lakes Visitor in Ashland until October 16. Featured are 39 women from 20 countries, including scientists, water-walkers, teachers, farmers, activists and healers, all who hold deep connections with water and have remarkable stories. It is Mary’s hope that this globally inspired exhibit will help develop and strengthen our own ties with water and inspire actions to further protect our waters.

In this joint program, Mary will tell the stories of many of the women in the exhibit, and her husband, John Bates, will amplify some of the difficult water issues we currently face worldwide, and which will likely grow only larger unless we change the way we perceive and conserve water. He will share stories both of massive challenges and of positive solutions.

An award-winning weaver, Mary Burns is the creator of the handwoven jacquard exhibit Ancestral Women: Wisconsin’s 12 Tribes as well as her current exhibit Women and Water: Woven Portraits from Around the World. Mary crafted the portraits for these exhibits on her unique hand-jacquard loom from Norway. She is one of only 30 individuals in the United States who currently own this loom and work professionally with it. The 124-page color book illustrating the exhibit was recently published and will be for sale after the program.

Mary’s love of weaving began in high school art class and for many years she wove award-winning rug-weight wall hangings, which reside in private homes across the United States. She also creates and teaches tapestry weaving, felting and eco-printing. She has received many awards including the Best of Show in Wausau’s Festival of Arts in 2008 and 2012.

John Bates is the author of ten books and a contributor to eight others, all of which focus on the natural history of the Northwoods. He’s worked as a naturalist in Wisconsin’s Northwoods for 33 years, leading an array of trips and giving talks all designed to help people further understand the remarkable diversity and beauty of nature, and our place within it.

This event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served. John and Mary will be selling and signing books after the program. For questions and further information, please call the library at 715-385-2050 or email [email protected].