Love Letters to the Library: a celebration of possibility

An exhibition at the gallery at main

This series of 22 mixed media collages were made each week of summer 2022 at the East Liberty branch of the Carnegie Library system.

The public library was always a sanctuary of sorts as I grew up, and as an adult I am still drawn there; now with my teens and toddler in tow. Growing up it was a place of promise- of hope, possibility, endless knowledge, and opportunity. Last summer I decided to see if I could call back to that sense of promise and possibility. In a season where making art felt daunting with 3 kids at home and studio space that intersected with family life, I recalled this sanctuary from my childhood- the library. Free to all who needed respite within its walls.

My favorite table next to the large windows offered ample space to spread my materials. A large canvas bag with colorful paper and fabric was my companion as I put textures, colors, visions to paper. The stakes were low, the community members who passed by encouraging, and I began to find a sense of flow there, of summers long ago when the hours were endless and my sense of wonder and play was abundant. The spaciousness and light reminded me that my work can also be playful, uncomplicated, and full of possibility.