For more than a century, the Carnegie-Stout Public Library has connected our community with the arts — a tradition that began when the library first opened its doors in 1902. Today, that legacy continues through Art @ Your Library, a monthly celebration of local creativity held beneath the historic rotunda.
As part of Dubuque’s First Fridays celebrations, the library comes alive each month with alternating exhibits from local artists and musicians, transforming the space into a vibrant gallery at the heart of downtown.
Meet the Artists
This June and July, Art @ Your Library brings together four local and regional artists working across a variety of mediums, including abstract acrylic painting, watercolor, Zentangle, acrylic florals, and wood carving. Through intricate line work, vibrant garden scenes, meditative drawings, and whimsical carved figures, each artist offers a unique perspective on the world around them. Join us on Friday, June 5th from 5:30–7:30 p.m., for the Art @ Your Library Opening Reception to meet the artists in person, enjoy live music, and purchase art from these wonderful, local artists.
Haley Hammerand – Abstract Acrylic
Haley Hammerand, known professionally as Bleakz of Bleakz Blanket Fort, is a self-taught artist who has been creating in various forms for more than 10 years. Her early work included digital design, mixed media, and photography. Today, her primary focus is abstract acrylic painting and textile art. Haley’s signature style is what she describes as “abstract line art” – a highly detailed and therapeutic form of expression created through intricate lines and layers of acrylic paint. Inspired during a thunderstorm and the challenges of everyday life, her distinctive artistic approach is both unique and deeply personal. In addition to being an artist, Haley is the proud mother of three children and caretaker to seven beloved cats. She also enjoys riding her e-bike, supporting her community, and advocating for brain health awareness.
Deb Horch – Watercolor
Deb is a Dubuque artist with a passion for Watercolors and Zentangle drawings. She has won awards in Iowa Artists and the Iowa Watercolor Society. Although she has never been formally trained in fine art, she was a graphic designer for a local screen printer for 15 years. She also owned Positive Creations for 22 years, a freelance printer for local artists and she creates commissioned pieces. Deb attended many drawing and watercolor classes from Beth Hartig at the Old Jail Gallery, Bridget Austin at Door County Peninsula School of Art,and currently enjoys Zentangle and Zia classes from Lorilee Hamel at Roberta Kuhn Center. She starts every day with drawing or painting, and states that it is her “meditation and therapy”.
Janaan Roberts – Acrylic
Janaan is a Midwest-based artist whose work is inspired by the quiet beauty of nature and everyday surroundings. Working primarily in acrylic, she creates floral, botanical, and garden-inspired paintings that feel approachable, balanced, and easy to live with. Her style focuses less on strict realism and more on creating warmth, familiarity, and visual comfort.
Her “In the Garden” series reflects her love of seasonal color, natural movement, and the simple details often overlooked in daily life. At the heart of her work is a simple goal: to create artwork that brings warmth, brightens a room, and sparks a sense of joy and ease while offering a brief escape from the noise and worries of everyday life. Through color, texture, and natural subject matter, she invites viewers to pause and enjoy a moment of lightness.
Jim Walsh – Wood Carving
Jim Walsh and his wife, Ann, reside in Hazel Green, Wisconsin. He has been wood carving for 10 years and has been a Midwesterner and avid Packers fan for the past 31 years. Jim carves at home in Hazel Green, in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, and with the Boynton Beach, Florida, Wood Carvers Club. He also attends wood carving shows in Maquoketa, Iowa, every June, as well as similar shows in Florida during the winter months. He prefers basswood for his carvings, with the occasional use of tree bark and cypress knees. Jim works primarily in a caricature style, creating both people and animals, and specializes in 7-inch miniature screech owls.
We invite you to stop by and experience the exhibit in person. Interested in showcasing your own work? Apply to exhibit at the library here.