First Friday Art Reception
2024-09-06 17:00 - 19:30 (America/New_York) | Cortland Free Library, 32 Church Street, Cortland, NY, 13045, United States
“The Glow Within” new paintings by Austin MacRae are on display in the library’s gallery for the month of September.
Join Austin for an opening reception at 5 p.m. today.

First Friday Art Reception
2024-08-02 17:00 - 19:30
Join Sharyn Madison for an opening reception for her “Up Close & Natural” nature photography show that will be on display in the library’s gallery for the month of August.
Sharyn will be on hand to sign any works that you purchase and you can enter a drawing for a free matted print or greeting card of your choice!

Art Exhibit: "Glimpses of Hope" by David Thompson
2024-02-10 09:30 - 2024-02-29 20:00
About the Exhibit:
“Glimpses of Hope” by David Thompson will be on display in Cortland Free Library’s Art Gallery during regular hours (Monday through Thursday, 9:30AM to 8:00PM; Friday 9:30AM to 5:00PM; Saturday 9:30AM to 3:00PM) for the month of February with an opening reception on Saturday, February 10 at 10:30AM.
About the Artist:
David Thompson of Cortland, NY.
Cortland native David Thompson, 49, has faced his share of challenges and knows firsthand the importance of having a creative outlet. David struggled with addiction to prescription drugs and heroin before starting MOUDs (medications for opioid use disorder) and eventually weaning off of suboxone. But alcohol was always his main substance. His family wanted him to get help. “I knew I was in trouble but I didn’t know how to get out of anything,” he remembers.
On Halloween night, 2022, David went to rehab. It was there that he started drawing, a step beyond the doodling he’d done in the past. After his 30-day stint in rehab, he was homeless for 20 months. At one point, he relapsed and went back to rehab; it was that time that something took. He started to see glimpses of hope.
And he drew. Drawing “keeps me out of my head,” he says. He went from drawing in notebooks and sketchpads to using canvas. “Some are ballpoint pen because that’s what I could afford at the time.”
He left his artwork behind at the places he frequented—Grace & Holy Spirit, Cortland Free Library, 7-Eleven, DSS, the coffee shop—simply because he didn’t have a place to keep them while he was homeless.
For his debut exhibit, those pieces—some gifted, some collected, some purchased—have been lent back to the artist for “Glimpses of Hope” showing throughout the month of February at Cortland Free Library. Some artwork will be for sale. David also recently auctioned off three pieces at Loaves & Fishes, where he works, to benefit the organization that he says helps keep him sober. – JLG

Opening Reception for Cat Tales: Artistic Renderings of our Feline Companions
2023-12-01 17:00 - 19:00
Meet the artists for a themed community exhibit!
20% of proceeds from any sales will go to Cortland Co SPCA and CNY SNAP!
Works by the Groton Art Class and David Beale, instructor.

Art Gallery: Regional Photography Show
2023-11-25 09:30 - 15:00, 2023-11-24 09:30 - 17:00, 2023-11-23 09:30 - 20:00, 2023-11-22 09:30 - 20:00, 2023-11-21 09:30 - 20:00, 2023-11-20 09:30 - 20:00, 2023-11-18 09:30 - 15:00, 2023-11-17 09:30 - 17:00 and 17 more dates
Ongoing | Art Gallery: Cortland Arts Connect 13th Annual Regional Photography Show | This exhibit gives Cortland County residents at all levels of experience an opportunity to share their art with other photography enthusiasts. This year’s categories are Birds, Black & White and Humor! Stop by and check out the exhibit during regular library hours!
Reception Tuesday, October 24 at 6 p.m., with the awards presentation at 6:45 p.m.

Portraits Project Exhibit Reception
2023-11-18 12:00 - 14:00
Join Healing Cortland, the Cortland Area Recovery Project, and documentary photographer Zack Bolton for the opening reception of an ongoing portrait and storytelling series now centered around telling stories of those touched by overdose and recovery!
There will be light food and drinks.
This event will take place in the Main Reading Room.
