Our Current Display

Maria Colacrai and Scott Colacrai

Maria Colacrai

Maria Colacrai began working with pastels at Artsplace after retiring from the Waterbury school system. She works under the instruction of Mally DeSomma, fine artist. Maria uses photos from her various trips here in the United States and also trips to other countries. She likes to paint landscapes and lake scenes. Maria has shown her artwork in several art shows in the Cheshire and Waterbury area including the Cheshire and Crosby High School libraries and Cheshire Nursery. Her painting ‘Ready for Spaghetti’ was awarded a prize in a show at the Cheshire Public Library.

Scott Colacrai

Scott Colacrai began painting in 2006 at Artsplace in Cheshire. He works under the tutelage of Carmella DeSomma, fine artist. Scott’s art pieces are done in pastels. His paintings feature wildlife including native and tropical birds and domestic and wild animals. Scott has shown his work in a number of art shows in the Cheshire area including the Cheshire Public Library and Cheshire Nursery. One of his paintings entitled ‘Wolf’ was awarded the Jerry’s Artarama Award in the Cheshire Art League 2009 Visual Arts Exhibit.

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