Mineral County Library and Stan Winston School - a Love Story
by Bonny-Lynn Coté
I first talked to Courtney Oberhansli from Mineral County Library in the rural community of Hawthorne, Nevada, about two years ago. I am an East Coast transplant to Nevada, and I have lived all over the state, but I did most of my growing up in the small desert town of Pahrump, (PAH-rump) NV. There aren't a ton of things for kids to do in Pahrump. It is the actual desert. Consequently, as a kid, I spent my summers at the Library, and those library memories made my conversations with Courtney both personal and heartfelt.
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- Building a Zombie Horde at Mineral County Library
- Hosting More Practical Effects Classes for the Community
Building a Zombie Horde at Mineral County Library
Courtney has three sons: Dillon, Casey, and Grant. Like most of us who grew up in real small towns, the Oberhansli boys grew up making their own fun. A crafty bunch of boys, they spent hours putting on performances: writing, directing, acting, and even building their own sets. Courtney helped out, but it became a family affair.
In 2013, Courtney applied for a mini-grant through the LSTA (Library Services Technology Act). While seeking programs for the library, her son, Dillon, showed her an on-demand course from the Stan Winston School of Character Arts, Bruce D. Mitchell’s course "Wearable Art: How To Make A Mask." Her excitement about the lesson led to our first call. Though it took approximately a year to get the funding, a lengthy process typical of bureaucracy, we received the good news that she'd gotten the grant in October 2014. Immediately, we set out planning her first Stan Winston School Community Event using the course: How To Build A Zombie Horde On A Budget - Bruce Spaulding Fuller.
(Great moments from the first Stan Winston School Community Event.)
Though we'd missed the Halloween window, Courtney had the idea to have a zombie toy drive at Christmas. I loved the idea; zombies never go out of season! One of my former students had even given me a perfect book with zombie Christmas carols, It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Zombies, and with that, the wheels were set in motion.
(The zombie chorus at Zombie Toy Drive.)
(One of the zombies at Zombie Toy Drive.)
Courtney and her son Casey created a short film to promote the class. On December 8, 2014, when I arrived at Mineral County Library for the event, the weather outside was all of 18°. But zombies don't feel the cold! Despite the frigid temperatures, the Zombie Toy Drive had a decent turnout, and the library received quite a few donations.
Hosting More Practical Effects Classes for the Community
Through the new year, the library has continued using the Stan Winston School content to host classes for the community. Recently, they've hosted drawing classes using the courses by SWSCA instructors Tim Martin, Jesse Fohrman, and Davis Fandino. Next up for the Mineral County Library patrons will be a series of building and fabrication courses!
(One of the drawings from the Library-hosted drawing classes using the SWSCA courses.)
(Class members show work based on the Stan Winston School's courses.)
As the Stan Winston School’s first library program, the Mineral County Library has taken an exciting path introducing art and technology from Hollywood’s finest special effects artists to the community in Hawthorne, NV. I really can't wait to see what Courtney, her family, and her patrons produce next. As a former small-town Nevada resident myself, I'm proud to have had the opportunity to enhance education in my home state and encourage people far from the footlights of Hollywood to follow their dreams. Mine began in a movie theater in Pahrump, NV, watching The Terminator. Now, I work for the Stan Winston School, keeping Stan's legacy going. I’m living proof that no matter where you are from, you can achieve your dreams.
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This program is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, administered by the Nevada State Library and Archives.
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