In commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the United States, the Monticello-Union Township Public Library is pleased to announce the first art exhibit in the gallery space titled, “Landscapes of the American West and Beyond.” Local artist Terry Lacy will have his artwork on exhibit from June 15 - July 15. The exhibit will focus on the landscapes and seascapes across the U.S. created by artist Terry Lacy. Terry has always been fascinated by landscapes: from the area surrounding his farm to the vast expanses of the American west.

All of the paintings are of watercolor or handmade paper. Terry learned the process of handmade paper, fifty years ago, from Katheryn Clark at Twinrocker Handmade Paper in Brookston Indiana. As an artist, Terry was captivated by the centuries-old process of hand papermaking since my first encounter with it. Originally, paper was vital to society as it provided a means to write and print information essential to the functioning of any developed society. Most paper produced during that time was white or light-colored for practical purposes.

Terry began working with handmade paper over fifty years ago, continually refining and exploring the medium to create his handmade paper landscapes. Living on a farm in the Wabash Valley with his wife since 1973, the surrounding landscape has become a major influence on his work. While most artists use traditional mediums like watercolor, oil, or pencil, Terry uses pigmented cotton fibers suspended in water to create one-of-a-kind handmade paper pieces.

Hand papermaking is a fluid medium that allows Terry to explore a range of possibilities like embedding flat items, embossing, and contouring edges to follow images like clouds or water and land forms. The finished product always has a unique matte finish that's hard to achieve in other mediums.

Join us as Terry Lacy shares his unique process in creating paper and painting beautiful landscapes on it at the reception night on Tuesday, June 30 at 6 pm in the Art and Sherry Morgan Program Room. All artwork on exhibit is available for purchase. For more information on Terry Lacy’s artwork, visit the library’s website at www.monticello.lib.in.us