Art At The Library

The Cheshire Library is proud to display the work of local artists from all walks of life. Artwork is displayed in our entrance way as well as the walls of the Mary Baldwin Room on our main level. Our art displays are open for public viewing during library’s regular hours.

Please visit our front desk for more information about a specific piece or artist.

Our Current Display

Artist:

Diane Calabro

Featuring Emily Douyard

Diane Calabro

Take a walk with me

Every kid has that special day at school when they draw something, and the teacher gives them some praise. That was me and kindergarten. I finger painted lots of colors and then carefully painted black music notes on the top. Maybe because my parents were in the church choir? Who knows what kids think. But it was a grand day, a perfect day to decide to be an artist. Of course, life gets in the way. Art isn’t practical. It isn’t going to pay the bills. There won’t be a pension at the end. Why is anyone asking a little kid to think about pensions? Who knows what adults think. Besides, being the oldest of seven kids, I had to set “a good example. “

So I did – set a good example – more or less. At least in the education and work ethic areas. Areas of the heart – not so much. I got a nice BA in communications from Albertus Magnus College. I got an even nicer MBA from Quinnipiac University. I worked for consulting, computer, and pharmaceutical companies. I must mention that the computer company offered a pension – $2,000 a year for 10 years upon retirement after age 65. Ridiculous, I know. But if you’re young and you don’t really understand what a pension is, it sounded okay. The pharmaceutical company was significantly more realistic bordering on seriously overly generous. I appreciate that now.

The best practical advice I received was from an artist living in Rockport Massachusetts. A few bottles of wine were opened. Uncle John Calabro recommended working hard, making boatloads of money, and then – at retirement – fully explore the art career. His wife, Joan Calabro, fully supported her husband’s words. She, however, had only ever been an artist. As I was already some three decades into the working hard / making money scenario, it seemed most logical to follow that approach.

I retired a year or two before COVID which gave me the time to explore my art abilities and quickly realize I had plenty of motivation but needed guidance. That’s how Artsplace entered my life. As soon as post COVID classes resumed, I was there and have been part of the Artsplace world ever since.

So take a walk with me. I don’t have that kindergarten picture, but I do have a few pictures from my teenage years. There are fits and starts for most of my adult life until I could retire and live my dream. Then came Artsplace. Then it’s just a banquet of stuff. I hope you enjoy what you see. I hope if you are young and you’re thinking about being an artist – just do it. It’s your life. Deferred gratification is all well and good, but again, it’s your life.

Emily Douyard

Emily Douyard is a recent graduate from Simmons University and works across the street at Knott & Knott LLC. You can see her and her partner Jonah rollerblading on the linear trail.

Emily is calling her pieces “Art from a Prompt.”

I was always interested in creating art and I was lucky enough to have a mentor that I was related to. She is displaying an avalanche of work here and invited me to show some of my pieces along with her. She exposed me to several mediums and art styles growing up which allowed me to excel in my college art class. In this class, I was given prompts which allowed me to explore my artistic abilities further. I also took classes at Artsplace with Megan Jeffrey and Patty Meglio. I hope you enjoy what you see because I enjoyed making these.

Please visit the Cheshire Public Library to see the full display!

Showcase Your Art

Are you an artist who would like to display your work at the Cheshire Library? We are welcoming applications from new artists! Simply click below and fill out the artist submission form.

New Artist Submission Form

Information for Artists about Exhibiting at the Cheshire Library

Art exhibits featuring the work of local visual artists are part of the Cheshire Public Library’s cultural mission. The library welcomes submissions for consideration in the library’s display areas.

Area artists are welcome to apply, with priority being given to those living or working in Cheshire. Our Art Exhibits Selection Committee consists of four members of the Cheshire Performing and Fine Arts Committee (CPFA) who evaluate works for technical and artistic quality and the contribution to a lively and varied program for the year. Potential exhibitors should fill out the online application and submit it along with 4-6 digital images of works they plan to display. Artists may also include links to their websites or social media pages. Exhibits are generally displayed for one month. All exhibits must be appropriate for family viewing. Children’s programs are held in the Mary Baldwin Room, a shared community programming space. As a result, any subject matter deemed inappropriate may be excluded at the discretion of the art selection committee and/or the library.

The committee meets twice a year to select art for the exhibits. The deadlines for submissions are December 31 and June 30.

There are two display areas in the library, a wire grid hanging wall in the lobby and the Mary Baldwin Room. The lobby display area is 12’ by 5’. The Mary Baldwin Room has a hanging system which offers 55 linear feet of space. Paintings may be hung one above the other. An exhibit can utilize both spaces or just one. Artists are encouraged to visit the library to assess the space.

ART EXHIBIT GUIDELINES

Purchasing Art

Though we don’t display prices on the artwork, some pieces may be for sale by the artist. Price listings as well as the artist’s contact information are available at our circulation desk. All sales are to be made by contacting the artist directly.

Upcoming Displays

Upcoming art displays coming soon.