Exhibitions
Art is always happening at the Library - come see what's new!
We’re proud to showcase artwork that inspires, educates and brings our community together. Ten of our Library locations feature dedicated gallery spaces where visual artists from across the Kansas City metro area exhibit their work. These displays are enjoyed by visitors of all ages—and they help make our Libraries even more vibrant and welcoming.
We’re fortunate to partner with InterUrban ArtHouse, which curates exhibitions at all Library branches except the Central Resource Library. InterUrban ArtHouse also partners with the Library to offer art-centered events including hands-on workshops, performances, classes, and more.
Explore our current exhibitions:
- Preview the featured artwork
- Get to know the artists and their creative perspectives
- Find out where and when each exhibit is on display
Janice Shoultz Mudd
Blue Valley Library, Sept 8 - Dec. 12.
In her abstract landscape paintings, Mudd explores the intricate web of human relationships, experiences and our fragile connection to life on Earth. Guided by the patterns of satellite and drone imagery, maps and photographs, as well as the textures and rhythms of nature itself, her work traces the landscapes of memory, knowledge and presence. Luminous colors and layered, tactile materials reveal the unseen intersections between humanity’s past and our shared contemporary world —an invitation to pause, reflect and encounter the beauty and complexity of the life we inhabit. These are the landscapes of the 21st century.
Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators
Central Resource Library, Sept. 8 - Dec. 12
“A Thousand Words: The Art of Children’s Illustration” showcases the breadth and talent of Society of Children’s Book Writers and
Illustrators (SCBWI) members in Kansas and Missouri. Sketches paired alongside final illustrations allow viewers to see inside the
illustration process. Spreads from both published and in-progress picture books showcase the text-image interplay for which the
medium is celebrated. Pieces from artists pushing the boundaries in terms of media and subject demonstrate the many possibilities
for children’s illustration today. SCBWI will be presenting at the annual Writers Conference — see pages 18-19 for more details on the
conference.
The SCBWI Kansas/Missouri chapter services children’s authors and illustrators in the area. Through craft workshops with professional
children’s authors and illustrators, regional conferences with editors and agents, and community events, this organization provides
opportunities for kidlit creators to share ideas, hone their craft and build connections.
Join us for the reception, Nov. 13, 4-6 p.m. at Central Resource Library.
Laura King
Cedar Roe Library, Sept. 8 - Dec. 12
We humans change and grow, and artists constantly morph creations from one form to another. King describes her style as “contemporary impressionistic realism — sorta.” She created her Imaginary Garden series using many materials (lots of vibrant paint, hand-painted collage papers, ink, pencil, charcoal and more) and familiar images, intended to evoke beauty, peace and a bit of whimsy. Transplanted from the East Coast art world years ago, she is a reluctant (and appreciative) Midwesterner, enjoying exhibiting her work around town and displaying it through her online gallery.
Ilya Skye Zonoozi
Corinth Library, Sept 8. - Dec. 12
Zonoozi’s work combines an appreciation for the mundane and an infatuation with the absurd. This intertwining represents their understanding of the world and reflects the way in which they engage with it. As can be seen in the varying themes of Zonoozi’s pieces, sometimes the focus is on physical objects, and other times on metaphysical ideas. While most recently, most of their artistry has utilized felt, they also enjoy working with markers and watercolors. Their hope is that their art will challenge the viewers’ perception of what is known and what is beyond our reach.
Carrie Bernauer
Leawood Pioneer Library, Sept. 8 - Dec. 12
Bernauer paints with oils on canvas to mix and blend the subtle colors of Kansas. She wants to capture and share the sensation of the sun, wind and air you inhale while walking these roads and fields. Please take a deep breath and experience the quiet beauty of Kansas.
Dianna Bartel
Lenexa City Center Library, Sept. 8 - Dec. 12
Dianna Bartel is a contemporary landscape artist inspired by the kinetic joy of big skies and wide-open spaces. Her goal as an artist is to catch just a moment in time that makes your heart buzz; to make you smile or to remind you that all of creation is out there waiting for you to step into life and find joy in it.
Ann Morrison
Merriam Plaza Library, Sept. 8 - Dec. 12
As an art teacher for 30 years, Morrison taught how to think creatively more than anything else. She and her students traveled through the vast landscapes of their imagination and as a result her work is diverse and eclectic. For this show Morrison chose ways of communication in letters and phrases we all use as well as visual puns and mystery messages. She used found objects and morphed images at times to tell a story but mostly used the alphabet itself.
Kindra Back
Oak Park Library, Sept. 8 - Dec. 12
Back says Christian scripture, her greatest source of inspiration, accompanies each painting as an individual note of enrichment to the experience of art. “I often live in a tension between what I believe and what I experience, expressed in contrast of colors, textures, materials and how paint is applied.” Back has a bachelor’s degree in studio art and minor degrees in art history and psychology as well as a master’s degree in art therapy.
Jhulan Mukharji
Shawnee Library, Sept. 8 - Dec. 12
Makharji is a self-taught figurative artist, and works mainly in pastels and oils. His mother was an accomplished artist, and painting was an
integral part of his childhood. Art remains a passion for him and he enjoys exploring its varied visual boundaries. Makharji’s paintings are a pictorial diary of this evolution. Born in India, he taught and practiced cardiology for over four decades until retiring in 2023.
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