Arapahoe Libraries is proud to host art exhibits each month at Eloise May, Koelbel and Smoky Hill libraries. Library galleries offer the community a place to view a variety of art at no cost while also providing visibility to local artists. A volunteer art selection committee selects exhibits based on artistic quality, variety of exhibits and the suitability of format for each exhibit space.
Have a question about the galleries or interested in showcasing your art? Visit the Art Galleries page for more information.
Cait Ghoshal
Cait Ghoshal is a mixed media artist living in Centennial, Colorado. She primarily uses collage, acrylic, pen and ink, and watercolor for an abstract expressionist style. Cait is a dedicated journaler, creating art daily for more than three years. She is enthusiastic about the power of an artist’s journal in building skills, developing concepts for larger pieces of artwork, and finding one’s own style.
What is your favorite piece in the show and why?
“Good Listener” is a portrait of my daughter. The painting is one of three portraits in this exhibit, including my mother and grandmother. I created these to consider their interior worlds of each: their generation, their culture, their influences and desires. You can really only guess about another person’s inner life, so perhaps these paintings reflect more about what I’ve gained from each for myself. My daughter is still creating her interior world, so her portrait shows a young girl in form only surrounded by marks and texture. We often praise young children for being a “good listener” and I wonder what messages that she listens to will be a part of her understanding of herself and the world around her.
What motivates you to create?
I’ve never really identified as an artist. Being an artist wasn’t on my “when I grow up I want to be…” list. I’m a naturally curious person and I like activities that are process oriented and require dedicated attention over time. So I’ve taken variety of art classes over the years and particularly enjoyed painting en plein air with watercolor. After having children, however, I felt more compelled to dedicate time to a hobby that centers and nourishes myself. And then I discovered the world of artist’s journals. The range of artistic expression is astounding – Comics! Illustrators! Fine artists! Junk journals! Nature journals! I just devoured any and all information on technique and experience. I particularly loved Lynda Barry and Austin Kleon’s work for the sheer fearlessness and encouragement. Keeping an artist journal has helped me sustain creative momentum over time. Working with an artist journal has helped me move beyond worries and fears about making the wrong mark on the page to the pure freedom of expression. The more I work in my artist journal, the more I am motivated to improve and explore ideas with art.
Who are your biggest artists influences?
My biggest influences are my teachers and studios that I’ve belonged to over the years. I began sketching the urban environment in pen and watercolor because of my interests as an urban planner. While living in Chicago, I joined the Urban Sketchers group and sketched en plein air across the city. I also took watercolor, acrylic, contemporary watercolor classes with Lillstreet Studio in Chicago. After moving to Colorado, I have taken abstract, drawing, bookbinding, mixed media, watercolor and acrylic classes with Art Students League of Denver, Curtis Center for the Arts, and Jeanne Oliver’s studio. Julia Rymer, Jeanne Oliver, and Cliff Austin have been crucial to my growth as an artist. I’m also a member of the Colorado Women’s Caucus for Art, which has provided many opportunities for me to learn and contribute to the Colorado art community. Being a part of a community of artists at all skill levels has been illuminating and influential on my artwork.
What message do you want your art to convey to viewers?
The pieces in this exhibit show a wide array of materials and styles falling under the mixed media tent. The common thread across all of the work, however, is that I use expressive marks and layering techniques to reflect on identity, memory and sense of place.
Info for Acrylic Holder
One of the reasons that I make art to delve is to explore my family’s creative legacy. My grandmother and mother gave me the evergreen gift of creativity. My grandmother was a prolific folk artist and my mother is an accomplished writer and illustrator. For a long time, I treated my artistic interests purely as a hobby. I turned more the creative spark within myself as my skills and artistic interests expanded. Art journaling exploded interests far beyond the page and gave me the discipline to move to canvases. As I’ve drawn a more defined circle around my creative practice, I’m feeling closer to my grandmother and mother.
I hope that showing work like this in Arapahoe County Libraries reminds others that it’s never too late to seize their creativity and relish the beauty of their own unique mark.
Cait Ghoshal
Instagram: caitghoshal_studio, opens a new window
Amber Sliter
Smoky Hill Library, opens a new window
I'm Amber Sliter, currently creating in Denver, CO. My work often plays with the balance between the natural and synthetic world. Previously, my sculptural oil paintings focused on cellular forms in our bodies and how cells can alter due to environmental substances. Currently, my work is flipped focusing on quieting my mind through a meditative intuitive abstract painting process, knowing that stress can cause significant issues to our bodies in various scales. You will see the cellular and microscopic forms still inform my abstract hand. However, now my goal is to find harmony in this meticulous detail, creating a composition that soothes the brain as it flows with your eye across the surface. Each painting sparks a feeling of peace, movement, or playful energy.
What is your favorite piece in the show and why?
“Vibrant Bones Mind Mosaic” is my favorite piece, I love the balance between the vibrant colors staining the neutral tones. I am really happy with the movement in the composition and the energy that fuels my mind as my eye roams throughout the painting.
What motivates you to create?
I find color palette and subject inspiration all around. It could be sparked by a feeling, a curious thought, a soil tone that moved me, a faded fabric that brought back a distant memory. In this new series of abstract paintings it’s more of a meditation. I find painting to be a healing practice that allows me to work through emotions, break mind cycles or build new mind waves, and work towards peace with each brush stroke or color blended.
Who are your biggest artists influences?
I am deeply inspired by many artists. To name a few Ana Mandieta, Georgia O'keeffe, Egon Schiele, Henri Matisse, and Gustav Klimt.
What message do you want your art to convey to viewers?
I love that abstract work allows space for folks to find their own identities and emotions in the colors and forms. While I have my own inspirations for each painting, I don’t want to restrict where each individual's mind may go or what kind of conversation each painting may spark. My hope is that folks feel free to roam and open to feel what comes up for them.
Website: amberfayeart.com, opens a new window
Instagram: instagram.com/amberfaye_art , opens a new window
S.L. Yang
Originally from Colorado, Dr. S. L. Yang obtained her Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Southern California. When not doing her engineering consulting work, Dr. Yang enjoys producing art, taking walks, snowboarding, dancing, spending time with family and friends, and giving back to the community. She is constantly looking for ways to bless others with her creations and talents.
Description Of Show This show is a collection of various works that Dr. Yang has produced over the recent few years. Dr. Yang’s work can noticeably be categorized into distinct thematic and subject groups, including animals and nature, the character of God, Christian symbolism, and abstract art.
What is your favorite piece in the show and why?
While it is hard to pick one favorite piece, I am very fond of the piece Salt Of The Earth. I created this piece for a 2022 art exhibit that explored the biblical concept of salt. This exhibit was put on by Christos Collective, a professional Christian art group which I am very blessed to be a part of!
What motivates you to create?
My main motivation to create art is to bless others. I tend to bring forth my prayers, desires, and gratitude through my art. I also desire to evoke God’s character and love (most of the time indirectly) through my art.
Who are your biggest artists influences?
I am most influenced by God - from His wonderful creations (especially animals) to His character and His relationship with me.
What message do you want your art to convey to viewers?
My desire is that my artwork conveys feelings of love, hope, security, comfort, joy, and wonder. I especially want my art to communicate to viewers that even in the midst of a darkening world, there is still good.
Website: PeacefulRainDS.com, opens a new window
Instagram: instagram.com/PeacefulRainDS1, opens a new window
Facebook: facebook.com/PeacefulRainDS, opens a new window
