A Kansas City artist, Heidi Pitre, has found a unique way to preserve the fading memories of library checkout cards. For decades, these cards were a simple way to borrow books, but with the rise of digital technology, they have become obsolete. Pitre, an avid reader and artist, discovered these cards during a residency in Navasota, Texas, and saw an opportunity to create something special. She began collecting cards from classic titles, adorning them with pen-and-ink illustrations inspired by the books and their authors. Each card is a tiny work of art, capturing the essence of the book in a symbolic or playful way. For example, the card for 'The Art of Badminton' features a giant shuttlecock, a nod to the city's iconic Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Pitre's collection includes cards for books like 'The Sea Wolf' by Jack London, with a seal-hunting schooner on the cover, and 'The Hotel New Hampshire', featuring a bear balancing on a motorbike. She has created over 160 illustrations and continues to collect cards as she exhibits her work across the country. However, Pitre's process is delicate, as she gets only one shot at each card, and she has only made a few mistakes in a decade. The exhibition 'Permanent Record' showcases her unique artwork, offering a glimpse into the past and a reminder of the importance of preserving these small, yet meaningful, pieces of history.
