Fulton County Public Art in Public Libraries

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PUBLIC ART IN PUBLIC LIBRARIES Celebrating artwork commissioned and acquired as part of the Fulton County Library Building Program

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PUBLIC ART IN PUBLIC LIBRARIES Celebrating artwork commissioned and acquired as part of the Fulton County Library Building Program

Fulton County Public Art Program A program administered by the Fulton County Department of Arts and Culture

The Public Art Program funded through the Fulton County Board of Commissioners and supported by the leadership of the Fulton County Arts Council.

Fulton County Board of Commissioners

Fulton County Arts Council

Chairman

Joe Bankoff, Chair

Robert L. Pitts

Joan Compton, Vice Chair

Vice Chair and District 4 Natalie Hall

Marie Willsey, District 1 Sandy Barth, District 2 Jan Collins, District 2

District 1

Catherine Fox, District 3

Liz Hausmann

Sadie Talmadge, District 3 Marc Boyd, District 4

District 2

Onaje Henderson, District 4

Bob Ellis

Arnika Dawkins, District 5

District 3 Lee Morris

W. Imara Canady, District 5 Sandra DeShields-Hightower, District 6 Pamela Smith, At Large

District 5 Marvin S. Arrington, Jr. District 6 Khadijah Abdur-Rahman

Dick Anderson, County Manager Anna Roach, Chief Operating Officer

David Manuel, Director Alex Frankcombe, Public Art Manager

FOREWORD I was delighted to receive the invitation to write the foreword for this catalog. The seven year collaboration between the Department of Arts and Culture and the Fulton County Library System is a partnership that will be fruitful for years to come. Through this partnership, our residents will be able to view and admire the beautiful works of public art purchased and commissioned for the Fulton County Library Building Program. We have commissioned 13 pieces and acquired 239 works of fine art over 7 years from 166 artists, the vast majority being from Georgia and Metro Atlanta for each of the libraries in Fulton County.

We all know that “public art” is more than art placed in public spaces - it is also a term that conjures different images for different people. It can take a wide range of forms such as murals, sculptures, or landscapes – all of which will be found in our libraries. But regardless of its forms or sizes, the treasures known as public art will also offer insight into the artist’s thoughts, visions, and dreams. I deeply believe that the public artwork that will be on display in our libraries will additionally serve as an educational tool that will entice those who view it to discuss the interpretative value of each piece.

As you review this catalog, here are a few things that you will notice – and love: First, each of the pieces on display throughout the libraries in Fulton County are absolutely beautiful. They demonstrate not only the great achievements of each artist, but the talent and determination to create each masterpiece. You will also notice works that symbolize the beauty and majestic environments found in the great state of Georgia.

Each time one of these pieces is seen, it will serve as a reminder of all the beauty within our area.

The pieces on display throughout the Fulton County Library System while all exquisite, each tells a different story. For instance, “OPEN”, by David Landis in the Alpharetta Library is composed of three powerful pieces of artwork that collectively bring classic children’s literature to life. While “PORTAL, COMPENDIUM, AND PROCESSION”, by artist Gregor Turk in the Metropolitan Library, is a three component piece that brings the scenic Metropolitan Parkway to life. I may have only mentioned only a few of the beautiful pieces on display, but I hope that our residents will take the time to visit each of our 33 libraries to see the powerful pieces of artwork on display.

Artist and painter Romero Britto once observed, “Art is too important not to share.”

Those words perfectly sum up the combination of immaculate public art in our public libraries. Now when residents enter these buildings, not only will the words in the books on the shelves transport them to other worlds, but the beautiful art on the walls will allow them to see what’s ahead.

Richard Anderson County Manager

Collaboration and partnership is the thread that binds. “Cause I never felt this way in my heart before; love (art) has found its way in my heart tonight.” These are the 1977 Earth Wind & Fire song’s lyrics titled ‘Would You Mind.’ For me, These lyrics capture the feelings of the beauty of experiencing art in every form, whether it’s music, dance, or visual art—the beauty of art can be seen in museums, galleries, and homes all over the country. In Fulton County, you can find public art in parks, on the side of buildings, and in our libraries. Public art has no limits or barriers, nor does it have any size requirements. It can be a mural, sculpture, digital, and even a live performance. No matter how you categorize art, it connects community, creativity, and public spaces. It enriches our environments, boosts our local economy, and fosters community pride.

Collaborating and Partnering with the Fulton County Library System creates a unique experience and opportunity for our Department of Arts & Culture. Introducing local artists and their creative work to a new audience of patrons exploring and enjoying their literary journey makes this partnership a perfect match. Entering the Library, you will find amazing art that complements and defines our facilities’ character on every floor.

One unique installation titled “Tree of Light” was ranked in the Top 100 of all submissions globally in the 2021 CODA awards.

Fulton County’s Leadership Team, The Board of Commissioners, The Arts Council, and the Department of Arts & Culture believes the arts are essential to our citizens’ quality of life and our communities’ economic and social health. Our mission is to ensure all ‘citizens’ access to the arts.

David Manuel Director, Fulton County Department of Arts and Culture

It is always a delight to walk into public spaces and see art on display. It’s also true that art and libraries are perfect matches.

Together, they stand to solidify the cerebral affect that art and books exude. Books, waiting to be rescued from the shelves, line up with a symmetry that is only rivaled by carefully selected art pieces hanging to grab the senses, in twists and turns.

The very physical presence of art in library spaces triggers a sense of well-being. In library spaces where art mingles with books, and other materials, one can find a sense of comfort and exploration. It is always wonderful to walk around the library, looking for something to read, while also encountering what is displayed from an artistic standpoint.

The Fulton County Library System is proud to be a continuing partner of the Public Art Program through the Department of Arts & Culture. The County’s commitment to art in public spaces has greatly enhanced the Library’s Capital Improvement Program that saw the building of 11 new libraries and the renovation of 23 others. The complement of architecture, construction, interior design, and the artistic esthetic delivered by the Public Art Program, make the spaces unique. People of all ages continue to marvel at the new look and feel of our libraries.

Special thanks to all participants in the Public Art Program. Thank you for helping to make our libraries destination places.

Gayle Hunter Holloman Executive Director, Fulton County Library System

Lynn MarshallLinnemeier Beneath the Ogirishi Tree Wolf Creek Library

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Andrew Crawford On A Roll Palmetto Library

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George Nock Door of Knowledge and Milty’s Realm Andrew B. Lovell Elemental Cloud Milton Library

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Milton Library

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David Landis OPEN Alpharetta Library

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Allen Peterson Northwest Atlanta Globe Chris Condon New Growth Forest East Roswell Library

Northwest Library at Scotts Crossing

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COMMISSI

Radcliffe Bailey From the Cabinet Gregor Turk Portal, Compendium, and Passage Metropolitan Library

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Auburn Avenue Research Library

P.38 Tristan AlHaddad Immaterial Louise Watley Library at Southeast

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Robert Witherspoon Tree of Life South Fulton Library

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AREA C Projects Of, If, And, Like Central Library

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Luftwerk Tree of Light Central Library

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BENEATH THE OGIRISHI TREE 14

LYNN MARSHALL-LINNEMEIER 2014 LOCATION: Wolf Creek Library South Fulton

Beneath the Ogirishi Tree is a multi-part commission; a large sculptural tree with benches and four multimedia works located throughout the library. The 18-foot high tree honors a sacred tree in Nigeria, West Africa, considered to be a protector and a symbol of peace. The multimedia works were inspired by West African textile-based soft sculptures and costumes used in the Egungun masquerades; ceremonies to honor ancestors. The works contain images and mementos of ancestors and family histories of community members. Photographs of ancestors were transferred onto fabric and quilted together.

These tapestries were created in collaboration with community members and produced during a series of artist-organized “sewing circles.” MarshallLinnemeier researched Wolf Creek and South Fulton historical records, conducted oral history interviews, and gathered photographs, stories and mementos from the community.

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ON A ROLL

ANDREW T. CRAWFORD 2015 18

LOCATION: Palmetto Library Palmetto

This fabricated steel sculpture is loosely based on the imagery of an old tractor that has been left to rust in a field. Andrew T. Crawford responded to the underlying architectural theme of the library.

The structure of the building is based on the forms found in agricultural buildings, mainly barns. Often in his work, the artist creatively reshapes familiar and common objects. The sculpture takes the essence of the form of a tractor and re-organizes it through gestural lines, making references to natural form and movement. Other inspirations for On a Roll include hay bales and the effects of neglect and decay on mechanical objects.

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DOOR OF KNOWLEDGE AND MILTY’S REALM 20

GEORGE NOCK 2015 LOCATION: Milton Library

Milton

Milty is a four-and-a-half foot tall bronze statue of a pony, being fed an apple by a young boy while a happy little girl sits on his back. This work honors the not only the equestrian but the family-friendly, cultures that are hallmarks of the spirit of the Milton community. The sculpture is placed in the center of the Plaza, on an eighteen-inch tall concrete base and is intended to serve as a meeting place and a signal of welcome.

Milty’s theme of an interactive lifestyle is also extended into the bronze relief, Door of Knowledge, a companion work. The door is a six-and-a-half foot high by three feet wide and features a likeness of the front door of the original house which stood on this site, honoring a bit of Milton’s history. Books, with covers showing images of youth, pets, and horses, emanate from the door’s windows, again depicting this library as an enriching family-oriented resource.

clockwise f rom top left Door of Knowledge, Milty, and a closeup of Milty

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ELEMENTAL CLOUD ANDREW B. LOVELL 2015 22

LOCATION: Milton Library Milton

Elemental Cloud is based on the dramatic color transformation in leaf foliage that is seen as the seasons change, symbolic of the beauty of impermanence and rebirth. Lovell used the chemical reaction of various patinas on copper and iron elements to create an organic coloration gradient.

This process speaks to the elemental underlying cause of the actual color change in plants — oxidation. Cloud-like and airy, suspended above the heads of visitors to this library, the piece was designed to draw the eye up and to fit uniquely into the architectural design of this atrium.

Great care was taken in the creation of the facility to preserve the historic oak trees on the property, and this artwork speaks to our wonder in their presence and to the lush surrounding natural environment in Milton and North Fulton County.

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OPEN

DAVID LANDIS 2015 24

LOCATION: Alpharetta Library Alpharetta

OPEN is a multi-component project installed in different areas of the library and is composed of three related artworks: The Explorers, The Chase and The Guardians. Collectively, the project highlights literature as well as the power, knowledge, and magic that reading endows. Each element of the project is intended to bring classical children’s literature to life. The artist is reminding us that when we open a book, or the door to a library, we are also opening our minds. As a father, Landis is particularly compelled by the relationship of parents and small children as they explore stories together and enter the realm of the imagination.

clockwise f rom top left The Chase, The Guardians, and The Explorers

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NEW GROWTH FOREST CHRIS CONDON 2015 26

LOCATION: East Roswell Library Roswell

These whimsical carved stone and wood sculptures depict various natural elements of the surrounding Chattahoochee River landscape, installed as vignettes throughout the library. Working with the architects and the design team, the artist placed artwork to invite visitors’ exploration of the facility, much like a nature walk.

More than 75% of the materials used by the artist were recycled from the site including construction palettes and waste. Sections of the large oak trees, which were too old to be salvaged and stood on the land before this library was constructed, were also re-purposed into parts of the sculptures as a commemorative gesture of honor. The artist imagined plants and animals, displaced by construction, slowly returning to a new growth forest, their presence bringing the natural setting indoors.

Condon actively involved community children and families in the project through an educational workshop for children at Chattahoochee Nature Center, which included a presentation from naturalists on area wildlife, hands-on activity drawing wildlife, an artist talk, and an opportunity to engage the artist and learn about his process.

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NORTHWEST ATLANTA GLOBE 28

ALLEN PETERSON 2015 LOCATION:

Northwest Library at Scotts Crossing Atlanta

Northwest Atlanta Globe is a public art sculpture based on community maps. This project highlights locations from the past two centuries in Atlanta, with the heightened detailing of locations that have significance to the Northwest Atlanta community prominently marked on the surface of the orb.

Railroads tracks continue onto the surface of the plaza, where they are embedded in the concrete.

These shiny metal rail lines, embedded flush with the surface of the plaza, usher visitors to the front doors of the library, visually connecting the globe with the building itself.

The artist engaged the community through numerous mapmaking workshops and outreach activities. Community members of all ages were invited to make hand-drawn maps, depicting details of places of interest in Northwest Atlanta. These map drawings showed locations and names of places from the past and the present. The artist carefully numbered each drawing and tried to embed interesting details from each of the maps in the three-dimensional relief surface of the sculpture.

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PORTAL, COMPENDIUM, AND PROCESSION 30

GREGOR TURK 2016 LOCATION: Metropolitan Library Atlanta

Gregor Turk’s work for Metropolitan Library consists of three components; Compendium, Portal, and Procession. Portal and Compendium are two sides of the same sculpture. On its east façade, Portal contains contour lines of the area’s topography, etched onto stainless steel panels with a center porthole that greets visitors as they approach the facility, reinforcing the concept of the library as a portal. The sculpture’s west façade features a lightboard grid of twenty-five stained glass windows repurposed from the Capitol View Baptist Church, previously located on the site.

Inside the library, mounted to the wall is Passage, a map of houses and buildings found along a 3,750foot section of Metropolitan Parkway. As patrons walk down the main library corridor, they will also proceed down a miniature version of Metropolitan Parkway with neighborhood buildings replicated on the corresponding walls.

Together, these works speak to the concept of libraries and books as “portals” and the metaphor of the book as a form of illumination, drawing in community members and providing an activated public space.

clockwise f rom top Compendium, Portal, and Procession

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IMMATERIAL TRISTAN AL-HADDAD 2016 32

LOCATION: Louise Watley Library at Southeast Atlanta

Immaterial represents the complex global network of knowledge, communication and creative collaboration that is redefining contemporary culture. Through virtualization, the contemporary library is being transformed from a “house of knowledge” into a “web of thought.” The horizontal wall installation creates an immersive threshold into this new digital knowledge space depicting a world of infinitely connected rays of light comprised of 144 unique literary quotes. The lines map the locations of each library in Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System, creating a latticework of textual and textural light.

The outline of the fitted acrylic panels represents the neighborhoods served by each library in the system.

The artwork consists of four layers of acrylic material, each with its unique visual properties. The base layer is an opaque mirror; the second is a light-emitting radiant layer of vibrant green; the third is a clear ‘depth’ layer, and the fourth is a two-way mirror.

When overlayed, the layers reflect, refract, and transmit light to create an infinite ‘bounce’ of light and thought.

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TREE OF LIFE AND PATHWAY TO AWE 34

ROBERT WITHERSPOON 2016 LOCATION: South Fulton Library Union City

Inspired by South Fulton Library’s identity as a ‘Treasure Among the Trees,’ Robert Witherspoon’s Tree of Life is a two-part project for the interior and exterior of the library.

The stainless steel sculpture contains multi-colored polychromate “leaves” that are engraved with Adinkra (West African) symbols for knowledge, community, truth, and learning. The concrete base is inset with a stainless steel mandala and was designed at a height to allow seating. The sculpture is intended to be a colorful and beckoning presence at the entrance of the library.

Witherspoon extended the project into the interior of the library by collaborating with photographer/ naturalists Kathryn Kolb and Jessica Muhammad of EcoAddendum to create a community-based photography project exploring the natural landscape in South Fulton entitled Pathway to Awe. More than 50 community members of all ages and backgrounds participated in nature hikes/photography workshops that traversed Herbert Greene Nature Preserve & Utoy Creek, Cascade Springs Nature Preserve, and Cochran Mill Nature Preserve during the summer of 2016. The artists carefully chose 24 images by 14 participants.

top Tree of Life overleaf A selection of eight photos f rom the local community

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FROM THE CABINET RADCLIFFE BAILEY 2016 38

LOCATION: Auburn Avenue Research Library Atlanta

The wall mounted metal sculpture, created by Radcliffe Bailey as a gateway artwork for the library’s front entrance that opens onto Atlanta’s historic Auburn Avenue. The artwork metaphorically speaks to the movement and growth of people of the African diaspora and therefore to the countless stories, documents, images, programs and histories one will find within Auburn Avenue Research Library on African American Culture and History. The images are also drawn from the artist’s visual vocabulary and family history. The two tiers hold various weathered steel silhouettes including a sailing ship, a steamboat, a doorway, a picture frame, an open book, a 19th century Garveyite, a soldier, a piano, a saxophone, and African masks. The shelves are linked, like through lines, by an oar and an upward leading ladder that transitions from a railroad track into a DNA strand.

opposite The artwork installed at the f ront entrance. p. 45 From the Cabinet (Victrola) is installed at the rear of the building.

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OF, IF, AND, LIKE 42

AREA C PROJECTS 2020 LOCATION: Central Library Atlanta

Inspired by orators and their use of repetition as a strategy for building energy around their ideas, OF IF AND LIKE is a text-based art installation that assembles a variety of voices from Atlanta’s past and present, bringing them together in a strange and everchanging chorus. The phrases in its mirrored glass surfaces come from hundreds of works by Atlantans: poets; preachers, storytellers; songwriters, historians, hip-hop artists and more.

As you watch, the artwork uses custom software to resort and reconfigure its archive of over 10,000 phrases into ever-changing, mantra-like assemblages that are constantly on the move. The phrases were pulled from their original sources on the basis of beginning with the words of, if, and or like. These words were selected for the way they act as connectors in the things we say and write, and while the phrases they introduce can feel unfinished when they stand alone, something interesting happens when you put them together: they begin to ‘collaborate,’ to go off in new directions and form new connections of their own.

Through the medium of text and the live merging of many voices, OF IF AND LIKE reflects Atlanta as a city whose countless unique parts add up to something greater than (while forming the essence of) the whole.

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TREE OF LIGHT 46

LUFTWERK 2020 LOCATION: Central Library Atlanta

Atlanta, the ‘City in a Forest,’ is a place of deep roots and rich history. As a gathering place for knowledge, this library serves as its heart – its modern Tree of Science – drawing in its community and branching out to others.

The text engraved on the discs of the sculpture is a poem created by an Atlanta-based poet from words derived from the community to describe Atlanta's trees:

Tree of Light is a poem of light expressing interconnected ideas of our appreciation of trees.

The sculpture is made of text inscribed mirror discs arranged like the leaves on a tree while referencing Marcel Breuer’s original quartet of skylights located on the ceiling of the fourth floor: four circles of light, poised in the corners of a square. The words engraved on the discs are a product of community outreach, collected through a process of wordplay and arranged

by Atlanta-based poet Valerie Respress.

Hopeful Peaceful Giving Life Wisdom Resilience Healing Strife Aromatic Nectar Bold Lush Imagine Eternity Serenity Hush Canopy Shade Home Calm Mysterious Connection Majestic Rebirth Refreshing Beauty Mother Earth Fun Sun Breeze Begun Children Swinging Bees Stinging Peaches Clinging Frogs Singing Refreshing Remarkable Memories Made Colorful Foliage Dramatic Poetry Nurturing Splendor Magnificent Tranquility Inspiration Sustaining Life Eternity Integrity Enduring Rebirth Longevity Soothing Vibes Amazing Naturally Ancient Spirits Soulful Serenity Love Unafraid Provides Opportunity Renew Unite Rejoice Community Thrive Nourish Create Positivity

In form, the artwork is a suspended sculpture consisting of a branching structure, supporting over 400 mirror polished stainless steel discs – “leaves,” engraved with text. From the chaotic burst of light, the order and form of the tree emerges, like knowledge emerging from the haze of inquiry. Read and experienced from different viewpoints, they combine into a multitude of collective ideas and wordplay.

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FINE ART ACQUISITI

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FINE ART LOCATIONS

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Fulton County Arts and Culture introduced the Fine Art Acquisition Program in 2017 to address the lack of artwork in public facilities and to make more effective use of small funding amounts provided through the County’s percent-for-art resolution.

Since it’s inception, the Program has invested over $450,000 into the Georgia arts community with a total of 239 pieces from 155 artists.

The acquired artwork as part of the Library Bond Program were placed in 30 libraries listed on the right and mapped on the adjacent page.

Funding for this Program is provided by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners through a one percent allocation from the Fulton County Capital Improvement Program.

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Milton Branch 855 Mayf ield Rd, Milton

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Alpharetta Branch 10 Park Plaza, Alpharetta

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Kirkwood Branch 11 Kirkwood Road NE, Atlanta

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West End Branch 525 Peeples St SW, Atlanta

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Roswell Branch 115 Norcross Street, Roswell

East Atlanta Branch 400 Flat Shoals Ave. SE, Atlanta

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East Roswell Branch 2301 Holcomb Bridge Rd, Roswell

Evelyn G. Lowery Library @ Cascade 3665 Cascade Rd, Atlanta

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Metropolitan Branch 1332 Metropolitan Pkwy SW, Atlanta

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Louise Watley Library at Southeast Atlanta 1463 Pryor Rd SW, Atlanta

Robert E. Fulton Library @ Ocee 5090 Abbotts Bridge Rd, Johns Creek

Northeast/Spruill Oaks Branch 9560 Spruill Road, Johns Creek

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Sandy Springs Branch 395 Mount Vernon Hwy NE, Atlanta

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Adams Park Branch 2231 Campbellton Rd SW, Atlanta

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Northside Branch 3295 Northside Parkway NW Atlanta

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East Point Branch 2757 Main St, East Point

Buckhead Branch 269 Buckhead Ave NE, Atlanta

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Cleveland Avenue Branch 47 Cleveland Avenue SW Atlanta

Northwest Branch at Scotts Crossing 2489 Perry Blvd NW, Atlanta

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Wolf Creek Branch 3100 Enon Rd, Atlanta

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College Park Branch 3647 Main Street, College Park

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Hapeville Branch Branch 525 King Arnold Street, Hapeville

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The Gladys S. Dennard Library at South Fulton 4055 Flat Shoals Rd, Union City

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Fairburn Branch 60 Valley View Dr, Fairburn

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Palmetto Branch 9111 Cascade Palmetto Hwy, Palmetto

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Dogwood Branch 1838 Donald Lee Hollowell Pkwy NW, Atlanta Joan P. Garner Library at Ponce De Leon 980 Ponce De Leon Ave NE, Atlanta Central Library One Margaret Mitchell Square, Atlanta Adamsville-Collier Heights Branch 3424 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive SW, Atlanta Washington Park Branch 1116 Martin Luther King, Jr., Drive, Atlanta

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AMIE ESSLINGER | CELL DIVISION 1-3 | 2019

Acrylic, ink, paper, foam core, balsa wood, medium, custom wood panel, 8in diameter ea Artist Statement My work explores hidden elements of the natural world, creating textured objects seemingly in motion. Vivid colors and nearly microscopic detail express an indulgent approach to object-making. The practice generates an aesthetic that echoes the chaos inherent in orderly natural systems and illuminates microscopic bio-systems. My approach interjects activity not visible to the human eye into the real space of the gallery, compelling the viewer into an act of visual dissection.

About Amie Amie Esslinger received her BFA with a concentration in drawing and painting from Georgia State University in 2008. She has shown in galleries throughout Atlanta, including The World Unseen: Intersections of Art and Science at the David J. Sencer Centers for Disease Control Museum in association with the Smithsonian Institution. Esslinger has been a resident of Yaddo in Saratoga Springs, New York, and the Hambidge Center in Rabun, Georgia.

ANDREW FEILER | AMERICAN PRAYER FLAGS | 2012 Photography, 30in x 20in

Artist Statement American Prayer Flags is part of the series “Brighten the Corner on Which You Stand”. This ongoing series considers the many roles that color plays in our manmade environment. Color is strikingly present in our created world. It comes in a myriad of forms, resides in innumerable places, and plays many roles. It attracts, it announces, it warns, it provokes, it conceals, it beautifies. But color often carries the same underlying, very human message: “Look at me!”

About Andrew Andrew Feiler earned his Bachelor of Science in Economics from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He earned a Masters in Modern History from Oxford University and a Masters in Business Administration from Stanford University. Andrew’s photographs have been featured on NPR and in numerous magazines and newspapers, including Slate, The Bitter Southerner, and SouthxSoutheast photography magazine. His work has been displayed in galleries and museums with solo shows at National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, the Octagon Museum (American Institute of Architects) in Washington, D.C., and City Gallery in Charleston, SC. His works are in several public and private collections, including Atlanta University Center and Emory University.

ANTONIO JOHNSON | LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON | 2018 Photography, 24in x 16in

Artist Statement My artwork explores social and cultural spaces in America, with a particular focus on concepts of home, healing, and the importance of safe spaces. My work has always dealt with capturing scenes that communicate the complex beauty of urban spaces and everyday people. I often wonder what will happen to the physical space of the barbershop as black neighborhoods and communities begin to change. This work highlights the role of black barbers as stewards of these spaces, people who literally have a hand in shaping identity and maintaining barbershops as physical sites for community, thought, and expression. It is my hope that viewers will see themselves in the images captured, identify with the experience, and be transformed by it.

About Antonio Antonio “Tone” Johnson is an emerging visual artist whose work focuses on concepts of home and healing. Tone’s primary medium is photography, and in just a few short years behind the camera, he has earned a reputation for capturing scenes that communicate the complex beauty of urban spaces and everyday people. Tone was raised in West Philadelphia and educated at Morgan State University, a historically black college in Baltimore. He calls Atlanta home.

CHARLY PALMER | QUEEN Acrylic on canvas, 30in x 20in

Artist Statement In my youth, I was fascinated by illustrations in Ezra Jack Keats’ The Snowy Day. Though inspired by Keats’ random geometric shapes, the simplicity of layered textures and patterns, and the mix of bold colors, I bring unique style and technique to fine art. I create visual theatre that gleans from history and life experience. In the recent past, I worked under the pseudonym Carlos—my alter ego, resulting in a body of work that is less controlled and more abstract and primal. The fusion of my artistic styles has culminated into the perfect stylistic voice, which is fully expressed in my powerful Civil Rights series.

About Charly Charly Palmer studied Art and Design at American Academy of Art and School of the Art Institute in Chicago. His work is in private and public collections which include Atlanta Life Insurance, McDonald’s Corporation, and the Coca Cola Company. His previous work His Story, belonging to the estate of Maya Angelou, was auctioned by Swann Gallery in 2015. He completed a project with the Green Bay Packers which features art for the Lambeau Stadium.

Palmer recently illustrated two children’s books, There’s A Dragon In My Closet and Mama Africa—a children’s book chronicling the life of Miriam Makeba--for which he received the 2018 Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Award. Palmer remains in high demand for significant commissions. He currently lives and works in Atlanta, GA.

DANIEL BYRD | THING TWO | 2019 Acrylic and spray paint on canvas, 4ft x 5ft x 2.5in

Artist Statement For me, creating work is the greatest way to celebrate and commemorate what it means to be human, to be “us.” Call it what you will--innovation, progression, evolution--this odd human trait of making something in order to see what lies beyond it drives my creative work. In my paintings I discovered a “woven” image or “mark.” This technique reflects my desire to constantly evolve, to push in new directions the nonverbal language of mark making, which has obsessed me since my childhood. I see the weave as a motif to unite viewers emotionally with the work itself rather than to stand in “splendid isolation”.

About Daniel An Atlanta native, Daniel Byrd earned his BFA in painting at the Savannah College of Art and Design in 2018. He has shown in several group shows around the city as well as his first solo exhibition at Thomas Deans Fine Art, where he created an immersive mural installation surrounding his work in 2019. What he considers to be progressive mark making, Daniel’s language of paint is a reflection of the things we all have in common. This mysterious will to not only survive, but to push the world around us.

ESTEBAN PATIÑO | HARLEQUIN #1 | 2019 Acrylic on wood, 49in x 49in x 4in

Artist Statement My work deals primarily with language, how it is created, how it is perceived, and how arbitrary language can be. In working with these questions, I’ve created my own system of symbols to create an entire alphabet. My intention is to show structures of language with my alphabet and play with its forms. I do this by creating speech bubbles, palindromes, “heaps of language” and different metaphors to understand how (written) language is perceived. Currently, I’m using my alphabet to create interactive experiences. It attracts communities to engage with the language while keeping an abstract element of my work.

About Esteban Colombian born visual artist Esteban Patiño (b. 1980) lives and works in Atlanta, GA. Esteban is a 2016 recipient of a Hambidge Artist Residency Fellowship and is included in the High Museum of Art’s permanent collection. An active member of the Atlanta arts community, his works are curated into exhibitions throughout the city and the region.

His solo exhibitions include Black|White|Read, curated by Shannon Morris, June 2 – July 21, 2017, Westobou Gallery, Augusta, GA; GER-ART Gallery, (A) Round (2016) and Esteban Patiño (2017), and DECAHEDRON (2016) at Westside Cultural Arts Center in Atlanta.

EVELYN QUIÑONES | TO BE YOUNG AND FREE | 2020 Photography, 24in x 16in

Artist Statement My photography is a journey of self-discovery and self-expression. I capture the spirit of people, their form, gestures, and expressions, and am inspired to preserve moments that we may otherwise lose to memory. Capturing moments is meditative. I become immersed and respond to something that moves me. When I look at the world, I experience many beautiful moments - even in ordinary places that most of us would not even think to look for beauty in.

About Evelyn Evelyn Quiñones is a photographer and graphic designer of Dominican and Puerto Rican descent currently based in Atlanta. She received her BFA from American Intercontinental University. Evelyn has exhibited at the Hammonds House Museum, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, The Mayor’s Gallery at City Hall, WonderRoot and Sinclair Gallery.

JENNIFER DIAZ-LINEBERRY | MEET ME IN THE DREAMLAND | 2018 Ceramic, 120in x 156in x 3in

Artist Statement My work strives to create tension within the space of repetition and texture. I make work that you crave to touch, ache to reach out your hand and feel. The fact that I create work for fine art spaces means that often patrons look but cannot touch, leaving a feeling of desire that settles into the consciousness. I want to leave the viewer with a dull ache of longing, recalling both past memories and a future not yet determined.

About Jennifer Jennifer Diaz-Lineberry’s art has been shown at MOCA GA, Callanwolde, Clay Center of New Orleans, LaGrange Art Museum, Cultural Center of Cape Cod, as well as in private collections.

Jennifer was also chosen as an artist in Emory’s “Science Wonder Art” program for 2019-2020, which connects an artist and a scientist to create a unique piece of art. Jennifer currently lives and works in Atlanta, GA.

JERMAINE CLARK | MORE HARLEM | 2020 Acrylic paint on panel, 8ft x 4ft

Artist Statement Motivated by my inner-city upbringing, where hip-hop culture and music was a big influence, I sought out painting as a creative outlet. The inspiration behind my work can be linked to street art/graffiti, & hip-hop music where freedom of expression and passion for art is what I aspire to articulate. The principal theme of my work is unity through expression, represented by an intersection of line, color, and texture. By channeling the energy of a moment through gestural marks, and abstracted, lyrical text, my aim is to reimagine the execution of abstract expressionist painting from a unique contemporary perspective.

About Jermaine Since graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 2010, Jermaine Clark has produced solo art exhibits nationwide and has participated in several prominent group shows such as the Haute Hip-Hop exhibit presented by Project Plus Gallery in St. Louis, MO. The Hambidge Center for the Arts annual silent auction, and Wonderroot’s Imaginary Million exhibit. Currently residing in Atlanta, GA, Jermaine and his work have been featured by Sprite P.O.U.R and American Family Insurance’s “Dream Fearlessly” national ad campaign. He was also honored by the National Black Arts Festival and graced the cover of Visionary Artistry Magazine.

LASUNDRA DAVIS | SOUL | 2019 Photo on Metal, 36in x 24in

Artist Statement I believe every person has a story to tell and different ways of sharing their stories.

Photography is my way of sharing my story and to share the world as I see it through my eyes. My photography journey began less than 3 years ago. With photography, I hope to inspire and encourage people to follow their dreams through my work.

About LaSundra LaSundra “Sunny” Davis is an Atlanta-based event, fashion, lifestyle, and landscape photographer. Her interest in photography piqued after attending a photowalk with members of Crew Thick, an Atlanta-based photography group of creatives. She joined the group in 2018. Her photography and editing skills are due to her extensive background in visual merchandising and from collaborating with her Crew Thick family. Her fun and flirty images have graced the digital pages of London’s Black Beauty & Hair Magazine.

LILLIAN BLADES | FRINGED MIRRORS | 2018 Mixed media on wood, 18in x 48in

Artist Statement Mirrors and glass are reflective materials that bring the viewer and the immediate environment into the same picture plane. I allow the viewer to have spurts of interaction with their reflection, and their experience is fringed with the duality of the emotionally charged mosaic-like painting. The assemblage format of collected and curated bits and pieces is like a quilt or family heirloom. I want to evoke that same comforting feeling visually for myself and for others.

About Lillian Lillian Blades was born in Nassau, The Bahamas in 1973 and currently resides in Atlanta, GA. Lillian Blades received her BFA from Savannah College of Art & Design and her MFA from Georgia State. In 2020 she was commissioned to create a 17.5 ft hanging installation for McKinsey and Company in Atlanta, Georgia. Her artwork can also be found in public and private collections, including the National Gallery of the Bahamas, Birmingham Museum of Art, Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson International Airport and the State Farm Arena in Atlanta.

MANTY DEY | COTTON CANDY | 2019 Acrylic on watercolor paper, 18in x 23.5in

Artist Statement I create paintings inspired by paper collage, botanical illustrations, and color field paintings. In these works, acrylic paint and ink washes are layered to create luminous floating abstractions.

Opaque and transparent shapes shift across the surface, creating subtle undulating forms. Each layer unveils traces of intentional and improvised gestures as they accumulate and dissolve over time and temperament.

About Manty Manty Dey is a visual artist working in Atlanta, GA. Dey earned a BFA in painting and drawing from Georgia State University, and an MFA from the University of Georgia. Dey’s work has been exhibited at MOCA GA, Georgia Museum of Art, Macon Museum of Arts and Sciences, and MINT Gallery. She has been awarded residencies at Vermont Studio Center and The Hambidge Center for Creative Arts and Sciences.

JUST CALL ME WILLIS | HALOCENE | 2020 Photography, 40in x 52in

Artist Statement Coming back home after so many years deployed, I found my community ravaged by gentrification. Landmarks of blackness swept away in the name of progress, my tightknit community converted into a diaspora. As I reconstitute who I am from the parts of who I was, I look at the things I previously used to define who I was. As things disappear, my past experiences a second death. I go about recreating my past. Just as a memory has gaps, so do my images. My work explores place and space in a deeper context while hijacking the viewers, developing punctum, and creating a narrative while simultaneously directing the conversation into something new on a multifaceted level.

About Willis Willis is a military veteran who seeks to explore his past by capturing the present. Willis is a Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) student attending the Atlanta campus. Locally, he has participated in several group shows, as well as a solo show, including Luxumbra Group Show (2017), SCAD Open Show (2018), and Traplanta Solo Show (2019).

TERRI DILLING | SUMMER VIGIL | 2019

Acrylic, screenprint, charcoal, and crayon on stretched canvas, 30in x 30in x 1.5in Artist Statement I identify with the lineage of Abstract Expressionism in America. For me, a painting conveys a mood or emotion. I use color, line, and different kinds of marks to communicate those emotions.

My paintings are inspired by nature and my own personal experiences, but they are open to a viewer’s own experience and interpretation. I often think about verbs rather than nouns, focusing on movement and energy. I also seek balance. As I paint, some parts get pushed back or covered over, and others get pulled forward. When a painting is finally resolved, it contains a rich and complex history.

About Terri Terri Dilling is a painter and printmaker who received a BA from Indiana University, a BFA Georgia State University, and has also studied visual arts in England, Spain, and Italy. Terri has been creating and exhibiting her work for over twenty years and has received numerous grants and awards. She has been very active in her art community, helping found the non-profit Atlanta Printmakers Studio in 2005, and serving on the board for 13 years, 6 of them as president. She has shown both nationally and internationally, and her work is in many public and private collections around the world.

TIKVA LANTIGUA | A MOLDED IMPRESSION | 2019 Silkscreen, 25in x 19in

Artist Statement When a wall becomes the page, each image becomes interconnected, influencing, and influenced by its surroundings. Quiet, cartoon landscapes, the fluid language of aphorisms and dream logic, marks, and shapes become characters, all placed into conversation with one another. A mining of interior worlds brings to surface a less-than-official history; a grab bag of cultural, familial, personal-mythological, interior histories. Reaching back through memory, desire, the unsettled and eternal, to find evidence of the unseen life that connects us and drives us apart; we are caught in the act, reaching to place our selves within each other.

About Tikva Tikva Lantigua earned a BFA from Savannah College of Art and Design in Printmaking, and an MFA in Print Media from Cranbrook Academy of Art in 2016. Tikva is currently starting a small business of printed apparel and home goods. Recent exhibitions and screenings include: Solo Exhibition anticipated September 2020 at Day & Night Projects, Atlanta, GA, Group Exhibitions: Hundreds of Thousands at The Dude Ranch, Austin TX, Performance and Installation at Penland School of Crafts, and Impossible Biology for the new media curatorial series Her Environment, NY.

WESLEY L STEWART | UNTITLED #13 | 2017 Painted Steel, 36in x 36in x 6in

Artist Statement My current artwork explores biomes juxtaposed with abstract shapes, lines, and patterns, thus creating a contrast of space, traditional fine art, and street art. A Biome is an area of the planet and is made of several ecosystems of living and nonliving things in an environment, often formed in response to a shared climate. I am interested in public art and how murals, sculpture, and installations reinvent or altar spaces. I build my three-dimensional work one piece at a time without strict guidelines - since exhausted in countless sketchbooks. This allows for a conversation between the material and artist or what he calls “Drawing in Space” (DiS). Sculptures are either left in their raw form, painted, or combined with other materials.

About Wesley Wesley L Stewart was born and raised in Augusta, Georgia. His interest in sculpture, especially metalwork, began when working for the family business – Stewart Sheet Metal. His work encompasses both linear and planar aspects, incorporating color to accentuate specific areas of the work or to the surrounding area. His artwork is at local establishments in Augusta, Ga. such as Frog Hollow Tavern and both Farmhaus Burgers. Wesley’s public art is on two, painted traffic boxes in Augusta, Ga. while sculptures are on the campus of the University of North Georgia, Dahlonega, Ga., and in the downtown area of Deland, FL.

ZUZKA VACLAVIK | ATRIUM | 2018 Acrylic on Canvas, 40in x 40in

Artist Statement I am interested in creating modular paintings through very simple means and forms. These works are painted in a square format, so that they can be rotated in any direction and have no specific orientation. The forms reveal the white spaces between them, animating that which isn’t painted. The bright, graphic nature of the compositions relates them back to their source material in a kind of loop: various facets of our contemporary visual world, such as pattern and design.

About Zuzka Zuzka Vaclavik is a dual citizen of the United States and Slovakia, but grew up in Germany. After she received her BFA, Zuzka lived in Phnom Pehn, Cambodia for two years working as a part-time English teacher and full-time painter before beginning her graduate school studies. In 2008, Zuzka received her MFA from The University of Georgia and has since then exhibited her work in New York, California, Cambodia, Germany, Austria, and across the United States. Zuzka held her first solo exhibition entitled Thirst in Atlanta through Poem 88 Gallery in 2015. Her works are in numerous public and private collections, including the permanent collection at the High Museum of Art.

2017-2019 Acquisitions Milton Branch Bernita Nana Destruction of Nature

72 Evelyn Quiñones Serenity

Furery Reid Old Barn and Car

Kimberly Roseberry Sitting Alone

Nancy Barbosa Hathaway BranchesBranches

Rae Broyles Avalon

Terrell Clark Piedmont Park Series (Bench)

Piedmont Park Series (Dock)

Alpharetta Branch Diane Kirkland Chattahoochee River

Marthalyn Fortson Abstract Forest

Meaza Nigatu Untitled

Nancy Blum Aurora

Robert Clements Harvest

Roderick Banks Revolutions

Suzy Schultz Martha's Brushes

Tim Hunter Baltimore Oriole Eastern Towhee

Piedmont Park Series (Trees) Tom Swanston Clouds Passing Rain ( 2 pcs) Thomas Meyer Untitled - 2929 (Magnolia)

Roswell Branch

East Roswell Branch

Andrew Sheldon Hahn Woods

Barry Vangrov Chattahoochee River Study (Fall) Reflections #5

Cathy Fussell Satsuma

Helen DeRamus Dive into the Deep

Elizabeth Lang Anna Ruby Falls

Huiping Du Through My Eyes

Elizabeth Lang Chattooga River

Marthalyn Fortson Number 1

Gittel Price Snow covered bridge

Su Ahsan Stay Firm

Kathryn Kolb Beech Tree Cascade Springs

Northeast/Spruill Oaks Branch Cathy Fussell Black and white Improv I

Lisa Gleim-Jonas Last Harvest Elizabeth Barton Runner Marilyn Nieves Magic in nature Gittel Price Point Reyes Nancy Barbosa Blue sky GW Harper Wait For It

Jermaine Clark On the bright side pt. 2

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Maria Artemis Lantern Parade-2

Ingrid Bolton Autumn Reds at the Pond

Sabre Esler Cannon II

Jeff rey Wilcox-Paclipan Cocoon Bloom

Sandy Springs Branch

Joseph Dreher Facial Recognition

74 Allen Peterson Rattlesnake Master Kaneesha Brownlee Charity Claire Chambless Can You Teach Me How to Feel (Real)?

Lori Lejeune Flight David Gaither Poseidon: The Maximal Submariner

Diana Toma A Spring State of Mind

Diane Kirkland Skylight

Gerald Burch Lonely Sparrow

Hope Hilton The Recognitions: Plants as Medicine Series

As the Crow Flies I

As the Crow Flies II

Robin Canty The Happy Tree

Sean Haynes Urban Peace Flower: Unity

Steven Anderson 144 Years 162 Years

Northside Branch

Northwest Library at Scotts Crossing

Karm Howard City Perspectives

Blctxt Contxt Reality in Motion

All We Do Is Win Kaneesha Brownlee Take a Walk with Me #4 ( Bike) Nancy Barbosa Trees Lillian Blades Hue-Doo Stan Kaady Fall Leaves in Water Marilyn Nieves Vibrant Atlanta - Storms Roll Through Buckhead Branch In Kyoung Chun A Visit

Phillip Gandy Across Atlanta

Accumulated Richard DuCree Many Colors Jiha Moon Blue Bird Mayo

Hank Aaron

Yellow Wave Mayo Dogwood Branch

Karm Howard Buckhead Beauty

Rodney Callahan The City f rom the Deck

Adam Crawford The King

Sam Grisham The Light at the End

Terrell Clark Piedmont Park Series

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Joan P. Garner Library at Ponce De Leon

Washington Park Branch

Adam Crawford What'll Ya Have?

Gilbert Young When the Spirit hits Ya

Annette Brown MARTA Station

Henry Blackmon 381 days

Atlanta Skyline Jamaal Barber The Builder Carolyn Grady The Market

Phyllis Stephens Tied to the Stories

Central Library Dorothy O’Connor Ceiling of Black Birds

Rodney Callahan Beautiful Downtown Old School Feel

Adamsville-Collier Heights Branch Lynn Linnemeier Mad Dash for the Wishing Well

TeMika Grooms My Magic

Marcus Bishop She's Got The Whole World In Her Hands

Kirkwood Branch

Recess 1987

Letter 75 The Gultch

Dennis Morton Always Coke -A-Cola

Georgette Baker Chicago Sound (Up South Series)

Karm Howard Celebrate Atlanta!

Niki Murphy Around Atlanta

Henry Blackmon Back To Harlem

Sachi Rome Colorsplash

Nancy Blum Lion

Sharon Crumley Deep

S Promised Gourdet Piano in the Street

West End Branch

Victor Walker I Am Mursi

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Ben Helton Untitled

blctxt contxt ARTlanta Carousel

I Am The Last Tongue

East Atlanta Branch

The World is Mine

Alice Hawks Skyview Centennial Park

CoCo Lemery I am Color

Ré Phillips Malala

D'Andre Brooks Rock the House

Evelyn G. Lowery Library @ Cascade Aziza Andre Imagine

Dwayne Wright Soulista Christopher Eubanks Untitled Dwayne Wright Stay Fly David S. Cohen Story Tree with Tire Swing

DJ Johnson Inverted Atlanta

Phillip Gandy Atlanta Streets

Lauren Stumberg Deconstructed

Ronnie Phillips Swing

Lena Reznik Flowers and Seeds

Rose Barron Before the Storm

Lisa Zunzanyika Zulu Knot Me

Tracy Murrell Dahlia I

Marthalyn Fortson Color Breeze

Metropolitan Library

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Andrew Sheldon The High Matt Haff ner Portal Jasmine Alexia Jackson Optimistic Living Michael Williams Atlanta in Motion Across the Continents

Nancy Barbosa Garden Gold

Nancy Blum Embrace

Esteban Patiño Tuttu Frutti

Krista Clark After Mies

Marilyn Suriani Reeds

Tina Dunkley Think Tank

Louise Watley Library at Southeast Atlanta

Yuzly Mathurin Une femme s'éveillant a la tete

Anita Arliss Interference East Point Branch Dennis Morton Locked in Love

Aaron Adams Majestic Journey

Erica Doggett-Alphin Listen to the Birds

Amanda Tanner Landscape with Shapes

Adams Park Branch

Austin Blue Strange Pyrite

Alessio Loreti Center for Civil and Human Rights and midtown

Christina Kwan Meteorite

Jess Hill A Splace In Time Erica Doggett-Alphin Interwined JoAnn Camp End of Day Erica Doggett-Alphin Sea Dweller Leslie Wilson Loving Every Minute

Lillian Blades Black Ink Series #1

Pearl Bryant H.V. IV

Phillip Gandy A Little ATL on the Side

Telophase

Erin Bailey Look!

Junko Rothwell Stream to Chattahoochee

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Kevin Cole Mid nite Serenade

Suzy Schultz Man in Thought

BS. Summer Blessings

College Park Branch blctxt contxt Grandma's Hands

80 Khalilah Birdsong When the Sirens Call

Elizabeth Barton Elusive Beauty Marisa Cerban Bamboo Canes and Light Between Bamboo Walls

Muhammad Suber G Code

Sharon B Dowdell They Are So Beautiful

Wolf Creek Branch

Imani Christor There is No Escape

Jermaine Clark Dreams come true

Rae Broyles Chaine De Montange

Stacey Brown Colorful People

Carolyn Grady Dwele Hapeville Branch

EuGene Byrd Rose

Joyce Lincoln Hit!

Khalilah Birdsong The Threat of Expulsion

GW Harper The Queen and the Ladies-In-Waiting

Mia Merlin Girls

The Gladys S. Dennard Library at South Fulton

Magic Forest

Athea Eberhardt Innovation Michael Williams Blue City Dream Junko Rothwell Morgan Falls Park

81 Palmetto Branch

Marisa Cerban Below Bamboo Canes

Charles Scogins Great Spirits Paintbrush

Nancy Blum FaceForward

Christopher Eubanks Atlanta at Night - Krog Tunnel

Sandy Teepen Digital Print House (Window Frame)

Kaneesha Brownlee Take a Walk with Me #1

Fairburn Branch Dianne Cutler The Queen

Dianne Cutler Woodland Ferns

Elizabeth Barton Boy on a Bike

EuGene Byrd Leave Your Mark

Marthalyn Fortson Banish the Witches

Ronnie Phillips Daisey

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