Curious about local art? We are too!

When it comes to the arts, Nova Scotia is spoiled for talent, and we're pleased to feature local art in many of our Library spaces.

From The Sunroom at Central Library to art displayed in our branches, we want to give local artists space to connect with our community and share their vision.

Current exhibits

The Sunroom at Central Library

Information on next display coming soon.

Alderney Gate Public Library

Information on next display coming soon.

Cole Harbour Public Library

On display January through March 2026

Art by Susan Lord Ferguson 

Susan, an Islander born and raised in a small rural potato farming community, had a passion for painting at an early age. She has learned to paint under the influence of various watercolour artists in PEI and NS, and with the NS College of Art and Design. Susan’s been a member of the Bluenose Decorative Artists and is with the Dartmouth Visual Arts Society.

Susan finds beauty and inspiration everywhere. Her paintings are loosely tied to the magnificent colours and textures found all around the maritime provinces – at our beaches, across our shorelines, in the flowers and fields and the people and animals who live here.

Susan seeks the peaceful side of life, lives at the seashore in the summer and strives to keep this the focus, along with her love of the Maritimes, for her authentic and relaxing artwork.

J.D. Shatford Memorial Public Library

On display February 2026

Art by Susan Lord 

Susan lives on the beautiful South Shore of NS and is a retired system analyst from Bell Aliant.  When she first joined AA&C, she was working solely in fibre, rug hooking her own designs, which were inspired by her photography. Her love of fibre arts led her to a needle felting workshop in 2009, and from there she discovered three-dimensional needle felting. She has been creating her unique felted birds on driftwood ever since.

Susan is interested in creating mixed media artwork using image transfer, collage techniques, rust printing and assemblage.  Her artwork is continually evolving as she explores new ways to express her creativity. Photography, especially the beauty of nature, has been a lifelong passion. She has been a member of the Aspotogan Arts and Crafts group since 2004, and is their current Treasurer and Webmaster.

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Keshen Goodman Public Library

On display February 2026

Art by Snehal Kank 

Snehal is a watercolor and gouache artist based in Halifax and the artist behind Plumes & Blossoms Art Studio. Inspired by the birds and florals of Nova Scotia, her work blends careful observation with loose, expressive brushwork. Through her art, Snehal hopes to bring a sense of calm, joy, and connection into everyday spaces.

Musquodoboit Harbour Public Library

On display until February 6, 2026

Wiggles & Giggles Art Display

Musquodoboit Harbour Public Library's current art exhibit was made by participants of their Wiggles & Giggles Storytime preschooler program. On display until February 6.

Sackville Public Library

Information on next display coming soon.

Tantallon Public Library

On display February 2026

Art by Bryan Ashwood

My name is Bryan Ashwood, 

I began painting five years ago during the COVID period, initially as a creative outlet and a way to slow down after a long career of service. After 20 years in the Canadian Navy, art became a space where I could reflect, reset, and explore a different kind of discipline, one driven by instinct, emotion, and curiosity. 

Today, painting remains an important part of my life as I take a break from formal education and consider my next steps. I live locally with my two children and stay active in the community. When I’m not painting, you’ll likely find me at the rink watching competitive junior hockey, another long-standing passion that mirrors the focus, intensity, and teamwork I value both on and off the ice. 

My work is shaped by lived experience, balance, and the ongoing process of transition. 

Woodlawn Public Library

On display February 2026

Exemplars by Kim Cain

Exemplars is a retrospective collection of works created for the purpose of inspiring students with an example of the expected assignment. Over my 25 years of teaching in the public system, my materials of choice are red clay and acrylic paint. The raw red clay as a material itself connects me to the  Cheltenham Badlands site in Ontario, famous for its red-coloured soil. I also connect to the Ancient art of Africa, another site of red clay, known as laterite, formed from intense weathering rich in iron and aluminum oxides (rust). My sculptural forms are people who have crossed my path. Wireman is a bust that was created in the early 2000s and has been weathered through outdoor exposure. I have also included a self-portrait, created when I was teaching in the International Baccalaureate program. In order to prepare students to paint themselves, I created my own portrait. Looking back at the painful time the painting was created, the emotional sadness is sensed in my reading of the work. I have also included drawings, collages, and some smaller painted works in this exhibit entitled Exemplars.

As a visual artist/educator based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, my work has explored the African Canadian existence here in Canada and how it relates to the larger global African Diaspora. I exhibited my art after achieving my BFA and B.Ed. from NSCAD, and I began teaching in the public school system at various levels from P-12. As an art teacher, my philosophy towards teaching was to allow students to make artistic decisions in all aspects of their creative journey towards the resolution of their work. My journey as an artist/teacher has involved many art media. My passion for art-making has centred around learning about new techniques and materials to share with my students. I call this my research as an artist.