Kent Library's Artist of the Month Blog
Meet the artist of the month, with our art director Amanda Lynne.
Tuesday, September 30, 2025
Monday, September 1, 2025
September Artist of the Month
Art At The Kent Library
Sponsored by The Friends of Kent Librarywith Arts on the LakeExhibit: Power and SolitudeShow Dates: September 1st-30th
Eric Aguayo
Through my lens, I aim to reveal the deep, contemplative solitude that exists within nature’s most powerful scenes, inviting viewers to experience both awe and calm in equal measure.
This collection features three Fuji Pearl photo prints, each measuring 24x36 inches and priced at $700
THE DIVIDEWind-sculpted dunes in Great Sand Dunes National Park.
SURGEHawaiian waves crashing in a suspended moment of power.
CASCADESA moody, layered view of the Cascade Mountains.
For more of Eric's work:@eaguayophotoericaguayophotography@gmail.comwww.ericaguayophotography.com
Friday, August 1, 2025
August Artist of the Month
Art At The Kent Library
Sponsored by The Friends of Kent Librarywith Arts on the LakeExhibit: EBB & FLOWShow Dates: August 1st-30th
Katori Walker & Evan Bishop
Katori Walker is a poet, playwright, self taught multi-media artist, spoken word performer, muralist, a Scholastic Inc. children’s author, art educator and in her spare time enjoys reading poetry at open mics . She was born in NYC and was raised in Puerto Rico and St. Thomas, and feels that her Caribbean background has contributed to her love of bright colors and textures. Katori wrote her first play AJUMA “A Journey U Make Alone” in 2019 and it became a highly acclaimed piece about intergenerational family issues, and is currently working on another.
She also teaches ARTSPEAK/FPTP workshops as a guest of Yonkers Poet Laureate Golda Solomon and during the pandemic collaborated with other artists to create the zoom platform Art4Wellness, a free way for artists from around the world to interact and create art while listening to a live DJ spin vinyl records. In addition to Art4Wellness Katori co created the 100 Words of Wisdom art exhibit which involved the body art and photography of 141 seniors. Katori is passionate about making seniors feel seen and heard within the community. Katori is also passionate about the voices of children and believes that “children are treasures that need to be nurtured with inspiration and positively empowered” and teaches children’s workshops for various ages and makes what is called “happy art” with her Katori Kids illustrations.
Over the years, Katori has curated art shows and her art work has been in various galleries and venues within the tri-state area. She also collaborated in 2020 with two other female artists to create a title wall at the Yonkers Hudson River Museum in an exhibit called “Woman to the Fore”.
Katori has received many awards and accolades over the years including most recently the YWCA Spirit of a Woman Leadership Award, the African American Heritage Award from The Yonkers AAHC, the NCNW Changemakers Award from The National Council of Negro Women (NCNW), Inc. Westchester Section and has a day named after her by the Westchester Board of Legislators.
Evan Bishop is a professional artist who has relocated from his birthplace in the Bronx to the Yonkers to continue beautifying and empowering communities with his art. He is the recipient of multiple grants and has received proclamations from the Yonkers Mayor, County Legislators, and New York State Senators for his unique and engaging community art projects.
As a curator, Evan has produced several exhibitions in New York City and Yonkers including the Hip Hop Heroes exhibit at the Hudson River Museum that celebrated the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop Culture. This year, Evan curated a mural festival that hosted 15 professional muralists in the historic Carpet Mills Arts District. Muralists came to the festival from as far as England to participate. As a muralist himself, Evan has beautified walls, and business gates throughout Yonkers, Harlem and the Bronx for over three decades.
As a teacher, he used his passion for comic books to empower his students to explore non-violent resolutions to social issues that matter to them. This initiative led to him producing Yonkers Comic Con, an annual event where thousands of fans, cosplayers and families gather to celebrate all things relating to comic books. In 2024, Katori Walker, Evans' artistic counterpart, actively participated alongside him in the 2nd annual Yonkers Comic Con. This event attracted 4,000 people to the Yonkers RiverFront Library. Evan is currently the Executive Director of Yonkers Arts, a progressive nonprofit organization that is at the forefront of engaging and impactful programming and exhibitions in Yonkers.
KATORI'S ARTWORK
SHE IS ME16"x20" Mixed media on canvasNot for sale
FRIENDS FOREVER16"x20" Acrylic on canvasNot for sale
TIME'S FOUNTAIN IN THE TIGER GARDEN30"x15" Digital collage on canvas$250
For more of Katori's work follow her on Instagram@WalkerKatori@320Arts
EVAN'S ARTWORK
FLOW24"x20" Digital art print with acrylic embellishments on canvas (Limited edition)$300
FIRE DANCE20"x16" Digital art print with acrylic embellishments on canvas (Limited edition)$300
EBB & FLOW16"x20" Digital art print with acrylic embellishments on canvas (Limited edition)$300
For more of Evan's work follow him on Instagram@EvanBishopArt@320Arts
Monday, June 30, 2025
July Artist of the Month
Art At The Kent Library
Sponsored by The Friends of Kent Librarywith Arts on the LakeExhibit: KaleidoscopeShow Dates: July 1st-31st
Pradeep Gupta
My artistic practice is influenced by Eastern philosophy. Putting colors and intuitive marks on the canvas is like a meditative process to me. My art pieces are simple, abstract, and minimalistic in nature with a focus on texture and materiality. Through the careful layering and manipulation of these elements, artworks become an expression of mindfulness and serenity.Never, ever do I think about what others expect or want, or what will sell; but rather I look at my time in my studio as a process of discovery. I identify who I am with my artwork, in other works, I love the work, the experience of making each art piece.For more information go to https://pradeep-gupta.comContact me at pradeep_1961@yahoo.comFollow my Instagram @pradeep9174855571
PG 12213" x 13" Acrylic on stretched canvas$375
Saturday, May 31, 2025
June Artist of the Month
Art At The Kent Library
Sponsored by The Friends of Kent Librarywith Arts on the LakeExhibit: Stadium SeriesShow Dates: June 2nd-3oth
James Sparks
I am a visual artist painting primarily with oil on canvas or linen.
What invigorates me as an artist is achieving that revelation when patterns, textures and imagery cohere into a unified design that redefines the subject matter. With the stadium series, the geometry of the architecture (seats, enclosures, etc.) provides a repetition of patterns in contrast to the mayhem of the crowd. In the study of decaying leaves, parallel floorboards provide order to the random assembly of leaves. If successful, the randomness of the imagery is experienced in a more formal, abstract context. For many years now my subject matter has focused on the theme of complexity and diversity as found in nature, especially when the scale is manipulated and enlarged. This theme, where movement, space and form interact, presents itself in my paintings of stadium crowds at sporting events as well as in more recent paintings of dried leaves accumulating in a corner of my porch or that congregate along the pathways that meander in the wooded area behind my studio.
As a young child growing up in Boston in the 1950s, my father would take me to many iconic Red Sox/Yankee rivalry games at Fenway Park, and like today, every game was a sellout. I remember being mesmerized by the colorful and animated sea of faces, the loud cheering, and the sheer energy of thousands of fans packed so closely together.
The two paintings on display at the Kent Library are part of my “Stadium Series”, a group of works that capture the visual energy between the multitudes of different personalities, contrasted by the geometric, regimented architecture of a sports stadium.
For more information go to www.jamesbsparksartist.com or contact me at sparksphoto49@gmail.com
"Daunting Diagonals", 52" x 46", oil on linen, $2400. (Yankees)
What invigorates me as an artist is achieving that revelation when patterns, textures and imagery cohere into a unified design that redefines the subject matter. With the stadium series, the geometry of the architecture (seats, enclosures, etc.) provides a repetition of patterns in contrast to the mayhem of the crowd. In the study of decaying leaves, parallel floorboards provide order to the random assembly of leaves. If successful, the randomness of the imagery is experienced in a more formal, abstract context. For many years now my subject matter has focused on the theme of complexity and diversity as found in nature, especially when the scale is manipulated and enlarged. This theme, where movement, space and form interact, presents itself in my paintings of stadium crowds at sporting events as well as in more recent paintings of dried leaves accumulating in a corner of my porch or that congregate along the pathways that meander in the wooded area behind my studio.
As a young child growing up in Boston in the 1950s, my father would take me to many iconic Red Sox/Yankee rivalry games at Fenway Park, and like today, every game was a sellout. I remember being mesmerized by the colorful and animated sea of faces, the loud cheering, and the sheer energy of thousands of fans packed so closely together.
The two paintings on display at the Kent Library are part of my “Stadium Series”, a group of works that capture the visual energy between the multitudes of different personalities, contrasted by the geometric, regimented architecture of a sports stadium.
Thursday, May 1, 2025
May Artist of the Month
Art At The Kent Library
Sponsored by The Friends of Kent Librarywith Arts on the LakeExhibit: Riley the DogShow Dates: May 1st-31st
Jeff Hodges
Jeff Hodges is a videographer based in Manhattan who has been filming documentaries, fashion shows, and the performing arts for almost 50 years. He has produced many films about nature and local history that can be found in libraries and historical societies throughout Putnam County and elsewhere.
Here is what he has to say about the subject of his current exhibit "Riley the Dog":
Riley the dog came to us from Santa Monica California. She was five years old, and such a hellion that her previous owner sometimes gave her bits of Valium to make her more tractable.
Like other Yorkies that entered our lives throughout the years, she arrived "over my dead body" but nonetheless took up residence in our city/country lifestyle. She quickly adapted to the turmoil of Manhattan, strutting down the sidewalk like a hoodlum, barking at police cars and ambulances, straining at the end of her leash to challenge any dog that came along. Friendly dog owners would attempt a canine introduction, saying "my dog is a real sweetheart, she loves little dogs" while Riley launched herself into the air in a frenzy of snarling and biting. We had no friends among the large fraternity of urban dog owners.
There are fourteen 10"x12" photos in the exhibit $100 Per Photo
Tuesday, April 1, 2025
April Artist of the Month
Art At The Kent Library
Sponsored by The Friends of Kent Librarywith Arts on the LakeExhibit: Here and AwayShow Dates: April 1st-30th
Arlene Seymour
Creating for ArleneRobinArt
Arlene Seymour was born in NYC, but travels to the Hudson Valley in her teens left a lasting impression. She moved to the Hudson Valley in 1978. After several attempts to relocate, the pull of the river and mountains were an irresistible force, becoming her official home in 2000. She spent many of her professional years as a Creative Arts Therapist. Semi-retired now, she is able to focus on her art, letting it flow in whatever current runs below the surface. Arlene's art can be seen in exhibitions throughout the area and in several private collections. Using watercolor, gouache, ink, and acrylic, Arlene’s paintings are inspired by her home in the beautiful Hudson Valley and her travels worldwide.
When discussing her process and inspiration Seymour explained; “I create colorful, expressive semi-abstract landscapes, wildlife, figures, and fanciful worlds based on my photography and my imagination. I believe creation is a core response humans possess to express emotions. My work is inspired by my years as a creative arts therapist, witnessing the progress people are capable of when they are encouraged to express themselves. I believe each work of art I create is infused with emotions that others can relate to. Although I often begin a piece based on my photographs, my inner state reveals itself in surprising and pleasing images and forms in my paintings. At times, my work is intuitive and spontaneous, when layers and colors of paint transform a blank canvas to an imaginative landscape or figure. I work with acrylics, gouache, watercolor, and inks on paper or canvas. This exhibition is composed of a variety of my work including my trip to England last year, my home, June pond in Putnam county as well as some of my imaginary natural world paintings. It is my hope that these paintings show a combination of the physical and emotional while bringing to the viewer an image to ponder.”
Saturday, March 1, 2025
March Artist of the Month
Art At The Kent Library
Sponsored by The Friends of Kent Librarywith Arts on the LakeExhibit: Diversity in ColorShow Dates: March 1st-31st
Pamela Hallisey “Aries”
Pamela Hallisey, also known as “Aries” is a self-taught artist living in Lake Carmel, NY. She was born in 1971. When she was a child, even when times were tough and money was short, “Aries” as she likes to be called, remembers always having access to pencils, paper and crayons; and thus began her love of creating.
Spending time with her “Poppy” in his basement workshop, as he created things, like dollhouses and personal plaques for loved ones, further inspired her. She came to learn and believe that there is nothing you cannot create if it comes from love, and passion, and grows within your heart. Having two adult daughters, she hopes she can instill in them, and in anyone who views her work, the belief that anything is possible.
With all forms of nature as her inspiration, Aries creates Fun and Fine art in multiple mediums. From vibrant and cute cryptids created with POSCA markers, to realistic birds with watercolor. She also incorporates the use of her pyrography (commonly known as wood-burning) tool in as much of her work as possible.
In recent years, Aries has invested a lot of her time into figuring out how to bring pyrography and watercolor together, learning the proper temperatures to burn on paper and finding a style that truly enhanced the beauty of both mediums. She refers to the combining of these two mediums as her “Fire and Water” technique. Having always loved everything outdoors, spending time in the woods as a teen in Queens and now enjoying every moment of wildlife she gets to experience around Lake Carmel, NY, she brings her love of local wildlife and the outdoors into her current works. Her “Birds of Prey,” “Backyard Birds,” and “Nocturnal” collections feature all of the local wildlife she’s surrounded by every day.
8"x10" Acrylic POSCA Marker on Paper
Original matted and framed $158
8"x10" Archival Print $25
14"x11" Pyrography and Watercolor
Original matted and framed $525
14"x11" Archival Print $40