Art Exhibitions

Every few months the Sherman Library, as part of our effort to promote cultural enrichment, features the works of a selected local artist. Over the course of a year, many different types of art can be seen such as traditional, abstract, watercolors, oils, pastels, as well as photography. Not only is the artwork enjoyed by library visitors…it’s for sale. In fact, a percentage of any sale is donated by the artist to the Sherman Library.

If you are interested in showing your art at the Sherman Library please contact us at SLPrograms@biblio.org

Our Current Exhibition

“A Retrospective” Paintings by Ed Smith (1932-2026)

Art Show October 16 - November 18, 2026

The Sherman Library is delighted to present “A Retrospective” - Paintings by Ed Smith (1932-2026). Ed Smith left a legacy of a life well lived and a series of paintings that his wife and family are sharing with the community to view and enjoy. Smith’s paintings are a combination of realistic and impressionistic, capturing the beauty around us, its moods, and light.

Ed Smith’s paintings cover a wide range of subjects including, cityscapes, landscapes, and portraiture. Smith was not only fascinated with light but also shadows, reflections, and textures, such as those found in water, glass, and wood. “Capturing the beauty around us, that magic and making people more aware of it, is what I strive for” said Smith.

Born and raised in East Rockaway, Long Island, New York, Smith received the top prize in the Metropolitan Opera Set Design Contest while still in high school at the young age of 17. After high school, he attended and graduated from the New York Institute of Applied Arts and Sciences. Smith was also proud to have served in the Army during the Korean War for two years, where he oversaw specialized photography for sensitive missile testing programs in White Sands, New Mexico. During this time, he also developed his own film techniques.

Smith then returned to New York City and, after many years working as Art Director for Reader’s Digest, ventured out on his own to establish Smith Associates, specializing in advertising, promotion, and marketing. Eventually moving out of the city, he concentrated on his painting and exhibited his work in numerous shows over the years in Darien, Wilton, New Canaan, Sherman (including the Library, JCC, and White Silo), and Kent, where he won First Place in the Kent Art Association’s President’s Show. He was also recognized among the Top 200 winners in an international art competition celebrating America’s parks. His Sherman home studio was his refuge

To see more of his work, visit www.edsmithartist.com

The opening for Smith’s show will be Friday October 16, 6-8 pm and the paintings will be on display at the Sherman Library from October 16 – November 18, 2026.