Gallery Wall
Bi-monthly, the library features a different artist or group of artists on the Gallery Wall and in the display case on the 2nd floor. Please email the Adult Programming Librarian with questions about the Gallery Wall. Artists interested in displaying their art can submit an Art Display Proposal form.
In the Case
Prints created by attendees of the Hokusai-Inspired Block Prints program in June.
On the Wall
Cecilia Lad Smith
What is your connection to Glen Ellyn?
I have lived in Glen Ellyn since 2006. When I moved here, I returned to the practice of printmaking after a long hiatus by studying at COD with a dedicated group of printmakers there. Eventually I formed my own private studio, which is now above the Chamber of Commerce building on Main Street. In addition to national shows I have shown my work at COD, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, and the Burning Bush Gallery at Gary Methodist in Wheaton.
What is the title or theme of the collection?
Works on Paper
The theme is three kinds of print media and and the stages of making a print.
Briefly describe the collection.
Lithographs are on the left wall. Blockprints are above the case, and on the right are intaglio prints. The collection demonstrates the forms a print can take during the process.
What type of media is used in the collection?
Lithography (drawn on stone or tumbled metal plate), relief (block) printing (carved on wood, linoleum, or synthetic material), intaglio printmaking (drawn on a copper plate and etched with acid).
Do you work with other types of media?
Yes, I make pencil and watercolor drawings and also have begun using egg tempera on panel.
What was your inspiration for the collection?
Because I was asked to lead the block printing session at the library earlier this summer, I want to show people other types of print techniques. I am always enthusiastic to talk about printmaking because it is something not everyone knows about. Historically, prints are the people’s medium; they are created in multiples so many people can own an original handmade piece of art. They are also living pieces- an image can take many forms during the process and be captured in separate proofs and editions along the way.
What inspired you to become an artist?
I have loved to draw since childhood and particularly liked illustrations in books. When I was young I made lots of drawings that told a story and when I studied art formally, that took on a new meaning.
What is your artistic (or professional) background?
I was an art major concentrating in printmaking and drawing at Kenyon College. After working as a technical writer and then raising three children, I returned to my art practice when I moved to Glen Ellyn and discovered the printmaking studio at College of DuPage.
How did you reach the current point of your career?
In the last 19 years I have made work on a regular basis. Taking classes at COD for 10 years with many of the same people influenced my practice and intention.
How has art influenced your life?
It’s a way of seeing and being. Seeing what is truly there and how things relate to each other. I can’t imagine being any different.
What do you like most about being an artist?
Knowing that I have the ability of my hand and eye to create something that reflects me and the world I see.
