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.
Arapahoe Libraries Featured Artist 2024:
Latasha Greene
May-June, 2024 at Koelbel Library
Join us for opening night at the Featured Artist Reception for Latasha Greene!
Latasha Greene is an illustrator, painter and plant lover. Greene received her BFA from Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts with a concentration in Scientific and Medical Illustration. A love of the outdoors is a vital part of Greene’s identity and artwork. She is the illustrator of How to Suffer Outside: a Beginner's Guide to Hiking and Backpacking, a National Outdoor Book Awards winner.
Arapahoe Libraries Featured Artist program showcases the work of local artists who use their art to shed light on diverse communities, discuss history, social justice and spark important community conversations.
What is your favorite piece in the show and why?
My favorite piece in the show is called Red Rocks. It is a memory from one of my favorite road trips and I think it really encompasses that awe factor of seeing the desert for the first time.
What motivates you to create?
Creativity is apart of me as a person. Ever since I was a very little girl it has always been my number one form of expression. It allows me to share how I see the world and through that I connect with other like minded individuals which is really special.
Who are your biggest artists influences?
My biggest influence in the artspace is nature. I know that sounds corny but I prefer to go right to the source. Travel and nature are my biggest forms of inspiration. There is nothing more pure than creating artwork from your own lived experiences.
What message do you want your art to convey to viewers?
I want my artwork to spark wonder and curiosity to my viewers. I hope that with that comes a form of pride, connection, and stewardship over the lands we call home.
Website: jitterbugart.com, opens a new window
Lauren Lang
May-June, 2024 at Eloise May Library, opens a new window
The art exhibit Critters of Colorado by local wildlife photographer Lauren Lang brings the grace and beauty of Colorado's native birds, mammals, amphibians, and insects inside for all to enjoy.
What is your favorite piece in the show and why?
Lauren's favorite image in the show is Hidden Amphibian. It showcases her love for nature and how she finds beauty in the smallest creatures. It's a wonderful, intimate moment that captures the sense of wonder the natural world inspires. The photo showcases Lauren's willingness to find that sense of wonder in unexpected places.
What motivates you to create?
Lauren's photography is focused on capturing the beauty of nature, which for her is more than just a hobby; it's a way for her to share her appreciation of the natural world with others. She loves the idea of being able to bring the magic of nature into other people's lives through the lens. Her work reminds her to stop and take the time to appreciate the beauty that surrounds her every day, and Colorado's stunning flora and fauna are her biggest inspiration.
What message do you want your art to convey to viewers?
Lauren wants audiences to leave the exhibit sharing her wonder and awe at the beauty she finds in Colorado's wild places and marveling at the stunning diversity that makes this state such a special place.
Website: jacobinphotography.zenfolio.com, opens a new window
Catie Michel
May, 2024 at Smoky Hill Library
Catie Michel is a muralist, scientific illustrator, and photographer guided by collaborative storytelling and our connection to the natural world. Her academic and professional background in field research and science communication grounds her work in attention, observation, and inquiry. Catie explores what, in nature, is capturing our attention and what, in us, is looking back.
What is your favorite piece in the show and why?
My favorite piece is the Nautilus; these animals are so strange and beautiful. This piece is part of a series in which I paint marine animals I have observed in real life. Nautiluses/nautili are deep sea creatures, so unless I was fortunate enough to explore their habitat in a submarine, my chances of seeing one were very slim! But a few years ago, the Monterey Bay Aquarium opened their Deep Sea exhibit, and I was very very lucky to finally see a living nautilus. It was such a privilege to observe this ancient animal.
What motivates you to create?
My connection to and interest in nature motivates me to create. I studied Animal Science and Wildlife Biology in college, and am now primarily a scientific illustrator. Telling visual stories about the natural world is endlessly meaningful and fueling.
Who are your biggest artists influences?
My biggest artist influences are Maya Lin and Mona Caron.
What message do you want your art to convey to viewers?
I hope my work inspires a sense of curiosity in viewers and guides them to a sense of wonder and inquiry about the subject matter.
Website: catiemichel.com, opens a new window
Instagram: @catiecreating, opens a new window
