Arapahoe Libraries proudly hosts rotating art exhibits each month at Eloise May, Koelbel, and Smoky Hill libraries, with quarterly exhibits at The Space. Our 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.
Kendall Harper
Website: kendallharperart.com, opens a new window
My Lovely Creature exhibit is about a fuzzy little creature with Autism navigating the world the best they know how. The story follows Creature from a toddler to adolescence, from learning about their differences to being accepted by a friend group of others like them. The bright colors are to attract the eye but Creature doesn’t make eye contact with those around them. Their eyes are the emotive guide for the viewer to witness Creature’s reactions to their situation.
I want to share that everyone is different and others glow more brightly. Autism is very prevalent in our society, and we are always learning and evolving our studies of how this impacts someone and how they can best navigate life. Through this exhibit I am sharing my experience of raising my child on the spectrum and all that I learned. I want others who have someone with autism in their life to recognize them as who they are, we are all lovely creatures.
My favorite piece in the exhibit can’t be limited to just one. The piece Choices. Too Hard! really sticks out for me because this represents a moment when I realized that Creature really can’t decide one thing in the sea of so many choices. There’s just too much to process, the lighting, the noise, the assortment of this one simple thing is so overwhelming. I witnessed my own child who is on the spectrum struggle in this exact moment and realized that their processing was so different from my own.
Another piece that really makes me smile is Rocket Jets Out! It’s about Creature stimming by running in a circle as fast as they can. But they stick their fur out backwards like rocket jets to blast off with extra speed. My child enjoyed yelling “Rocket jets out!” and then take off.
I want to share that everyone is different and others glow more brightly. Autism is very prevalent in our society, and we are always learning and evolving our studies of how this impacts someone and how they can best navigate life. Through this exhibit I am sharing my experience raising my child on the spectrum and I all that I learned. I want others who have someone with autism in their life to recognize them as who they are, they are all lovely creatures.
Kumi Thompson
Website: fineartamerica.com/profiles/kumi-thompson, opens a new window
Instagram: @artbykumi, opens a new window
Kumi, originally from Japan and now based in Colorado, is a multidisciplinary artist whose passions for painting and floral design guide her creative journey. Her work weaves together tradition and modernity, infused with meticulous attention to detail that is evident in every brushstroke.
Her artistic practice spans still lifes, portraits, and floral arrangements, each piece honoring her cultural roots while celebrating the beauty of the natural world. Deeply inspired by the Japanese art of ikebana, Kumi draws on its harmony of line, space, and form, reinterpreting those principles through both flowers and paint.
Kumi’s work has been featured in galleries across Colorado Springs, including the Manitou Art Center, Cottonwood Center for the Arts, and Auric Gallery. In 2023, she was selected as one of three emerging artists at the “I See You” event, at Cottonwood Center for the Arts. Since 2024, she has been a resident artist at Cottonwood Center for the Arts, showcasing her most recent paintings and prints.
My art is a study of line, color, and simplicity. I am inspired by the elegance of ikebana and Nihonga - its balance of form, space, simplicity and restraint. Through various mediums and canvas shapes, I explore new ways of expressing these ideas, creating works that invite quiet reflection while celebrating bold color and organic form.
What is your favorite piece in the show, and why?
This artwork( Origami Cranes) is simple, but I believe that it symbolizes both Japanese culture and myself as a Japanese artist.
What motivates you to create?
I have been interested in art since I was a child. However, due to financial reasons, I gave up on my dream of entering an art university in Japan, and had given up on painting. In 2020, during the pandemic, I asked myself what I really wanted to do, and I realized that it was painting.
What message do you want your art to convey to viewers?
My goal is to make the most of my abilities and create paintings that only I can create that reflect my heritage and culture background.
Kimber Wolf
I have always found myself at home among the arts, but photography is where I feel the most comfortable. Its sharing beautiful things with the world and capturing small or big moments that make it special to me.
What is your favorite piece in the show and why?
My favorite photo is of Baby Hummingbird because it was such a rare thing to witness. The little guy was spotted in my parent’s backyard one summer afternoon. The mother hummingbird kept returning to feed her baby while he sat waiting and I propped up a latter at a respectable distance, waiting patiently to get a few good shots.
What motivates you to create?
I want others to get a chance to see beauty in unlikely or often overlooked places. I like being able to get detailed shots to showcase how intricate everything is.
What message do you hope viewers take away from your work?
I want viewers to acknowledge how complex and beautiful our world is. Every creature and every leaf deserves attention and respect.
Mike Cashino
Showing at The Space February-April
Website: mcashino.com, opens a new window
Instagram: instagram.com/mikerubinocashino, opens a new window
My work is an ongoing conversation with myself—an evolving archive of what I need, question, or seek at different moments in my life. I move between nature, human connection, and joy as subjects, using art as a tool for self-exploration and reflection. This experimental process resists a single style; instead, it traces the shifting landscapes of my inner world.
What is your favorite piece in the show, and why?
One of my favorite works in the show is Partners from the Cosmo series. It’s a paper-mâché piece that embodies the feeling of mutual support—leaning on someone who is also leaning on you. The Cosmo works function as symbolic lessons that help me move beyond fear-driven ego and into a more expansive, relational mindset. Partnership feels central to survival and meaning—something to cherish, something to lean into.
What motivates you to create?
I create out of curiosity and a desire for self-understanding. Making art is how I explore my inner world and build a deeper relationship with myself. It’s also how I communicate with and connect to others—inviting shared reflection, resonance, and community.
What message do you want your art to convey to viewers?
I hope my work encourages people to make art simply for the sake of making, and to use creative practice as a way to explore themselves. Art doesn’t need permission or perfection—it can be a mirror, a journal, and a pathway inward.
Show Description
This exhibition is a collage-like collection of works that map my journey as an artist and a person. Each body of work functions as a time capsule—capturing distinct emotional, philosophical, and environmental phases of my life. Together, they trace a path of learning, experimentation, and becoming.