Meet June’s Artist of the Month

June 9, 2026

Just in time for summer travel season, and America's 250th birthday, AAPLD's Artist of the Month display features stunning photos from a great American road trip. Seen through the eyes (and lens) of Romanian-born photographer and author Raluca Barbu, the photographs depict the rugged beauty of the American West.

In 2018, Raluca and her husband set out to explore their adopted country, visiting 19 states and over 30 national, state and tribal parks. The photos, and her book American Vacation, (available at AAPLD!) tell the story of that epic trip.

Read on, to learn more about Raluca.

Your name: Raluca Barbu

Your community: Crystal Lake

Your background/training: I was born and raised in Pitesti, Romania, came of age in Cluj-Napoca, where I got my college degree in Library Science, got married, became a mother, and worked for more than a decade for one of the largest companies in Romania. I now live in the United States, where I am almost building a second life, and also, finally using my Library Science diploma as an Adult Programming Specialist for the Algonquin Area Public Library.

I have been writing since my teenage years, when my dream was to publish one book. Twenty-five years and five books later, I am still writing.

Your preferred medium: Writing and photography

Your preferred subjects and why: Writing is my way of making sense of life and expressing gratitude for it. Each of my books grew out of a meaningful life lesson and explores the universal experience of growth and change. The photos in this exhibit were taken during the 45-day trip my husband and I took in 2018 through 19 states and 34 national, state, and tribal parks. They are also part of the travel book I wrote about that trip, American Vacation. More than 250 photos are accessible in the eBook version of it.

I photograph landscapes as a way of preserving both their beauty and my gratitude for having witnessed them.

What inspires your work? Life! I am fascinated by life: the surprises it brings, the people I meet, the places I am lucky enough to visit, and the randomness of it all.

Is your work for sale? If so, how can someone contact you? Yes, my book is. You can check out American Vacation at the library (it is currently in 15 libraries statewide). You can also purchase the eBook (with all the photos) HERE. For more details, visit my website: ralucabarbu.ro/

Meet This Month’s Featured Artists

April 15, 2026

AAPLD is pleased to welcome the Land Conservancy of McHenry County back to our Art Wall, displaying the entries in the organization's 2026 photo contest.

Amateur photographers are invited to participate in the annual contest, highlighting the beauty and diversity of McHenry County's landscapes. The photos were taken at properties the Land Conservancy has helped protect or restore.

Since its founding in 1991 the Land Conservancy has preserved 3,500 acres of land. Eight sites are open to the public, including Yonder Prairie near Woodstock, Boloria Meadows in the Boone Creek watershed, and Wolf Oak Woods on Route 120 near Wonder Lake. Other sites are conservation easements; private land that is protected from development through a voluntary, permanent agreement between the landowner, and the Land Conservancy.

Stop in and enjoy a look at the plants, animals and inspiring natural beauty of McHenry County!

Meet March’s Artists of the Month

March 9, 2026

Each month, the club meets to share techniques, inspiration and their latest work, and photographers of all experience levels are welcome. Whether using a smartphone, digital or analog camera, or all of these, our members prove that great photography is about vision, creativity and community.

Most months, the club gathers at an off-site location for a photography field trip. Upcoming meet-ups are:

Sunday, April 19, 2:00 p.m.- Coroco Coffee Shop, 101 S. 1st Street, St. Charles, IL

Sunday, May 3, 1:00 p.m.- Anderson Japanese Garden, 318 Spring Creek Rd, Rockford, IL

Sunday, June 7, 2:00 p.m.- Algonquin Area Public Library, 2600 Harnish Dr., Algonquin, IL. We will be planning upcoming photography field trips.

Sunday, July 12, 11:00 a.m.- The Farmer's Market at the Dole Mansion, 401 Country Club Rd, Crystal Lake, IL

Click each date to register. To learn more, contact Kelly Kuningas at kelly.kuningas@aapld.org

Meet February’s Artist of the Month

February 17, 2026

February’s exhibit on the Art Wall at the Main Library on Harnish Drive, “Echoes of Hiroshima, A Survivor’s Story” depicts the experiences of Masakazu Saito, who survived the detonation of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima Japan, a little more than a mile from the epicenter.

The exhibit displays a series of watercolors painted by an unknown artist, which Saito commissioned twenty-five years ago. Now 101, Saito has dedicated his life to advocating for peace and the abolishment of nuclear weapons.

Join us on Thursday, February 26 at 7:00 p.m. for Echoes of Hiroshima, A Survivor’s Story, a moving virtual program commemorating the Hiroshima bombing on August 6, 1945. This event pays tribute to those affected by nuclear war while sharing an urgent message of peace.

Presenter Clinton Fairbanks shares Saito’s unforgettable story. At the age of 20, Saito was a squad leader in the Imperial Army’s Communications Division, living in a barracks just 1,800 metres from where the bomb hit. Gravely injured but resilient, Saito lived to share his experiences through the watercolors, and also a book, ninety seconds past midnight: an atomic survivor’s story. Fairbanks collaborated with Saito on the book, which his wife, Kaoru Fairbanks translated.

Fairbanks is a photographer and storyteller who has worked with creative communities in the U.S., Japan and other countries. He said that he’s drawn to stories of people, memory, resilience, and the moments that define a life. “My work explores how personality, history, and imagination intersect, especially stories that bridge generations and cultures. The book presents a historical biography centered on Mr. Saito’s lived experience,” Fairbanks said.

“I believe storytelling preserves voices that might otherwise fade. Mr. Saito’s story, in particular, has become a calling to share the most important message of peace, forgiveness, and remembrance.”

Learn more about Fairbanks and his work at his website. His books, including ninety seconds past midnight, are available from Amazon. Those wishing to support the continued sharing of Mr. Saito’s message of peace may contribute through GoFundMe.

Meet January’s Artist of the Month

January 5, 2026

Name: Steven Hillmann

Community: Crystal Lake (since 2000)

Preferred Medium: Digital photography

Background/training: Mostly self-taught over 50 years, but I also graduated from the New York Institute of Photography in 2008.

Preferred subjects: Landscapes, night and high-speed photography. These types of subjects allow for thoughtful composition more than faster moving objects. I enjoy technically challenging work.

What inspires his work: Capturing scenes that inspire, and events that are too short or too long to be seen with the naked eye.

Is your work for sale? All my work is for sale. Images can be produced on paper, canvas, acrylic or metal. Visit my website to see more of my work and to contact me, SWHphoto.com

Meet December’s Artist of the Month

December 9, 2025

Name: Michelle Marsh

Community: Wonder Lake

Preferred Medium: Photography

Background/training: I've had a camera in my hands ever since I was a kid playing with a Barbie camera. I also learned as much as possible from my grandmother, who loved photography. My current style has developed over years of experimentation and self-study.

Preferred subjects: My favorite subjects are wildlife and landscapes. Photography is my favorite way to capture the beautiful sights I see while out in nature.

What inspires her work: My mom told me adventure is where you find it. While I would prefer to travel the world to take photos of exotic locales, sometimes the backyard is the farthest I can travel. I like the challenge of making the everyday extraordinary.

Michelle's work is for sale, and she can be reached at michellemrsh@gmail.com, or instagram.com/compassroeadventures

Meet September’s Artist of the Month

September 6, 2025

Bold. Exciting. Abstract. Citing influences that include Salvador Dali, Jackson Pollock and pop culture icon Bob Ross, local artist david's work captures unexpected elements and brilliant color. Stop by AAPLD's Adult Services Department at the Main Library during the month of September for a look at his cathartic, and compelling contemporary art. (Lower case usage at the artist's request)

Your name: david

Your community: lake in the hills

Your background as an artist: I'm corporate finance/cpa by trade, and my art "training" consists of one art class in middle school, architectural drafting in high school and watching countless hours of Bob Ross. Excluding one painting on a pair of functioning bifold closet doors in 2006, my first painting was on Oct. 25, 2023. The triggering event was making some special custom Halloween cards. Painting #207 was completed at the end of August, 2025. I have four more pieces that are currently in progress.

Your preferred medium: aside from the 'traditional' acrylic on canvas, 'non-traditional' components tend to be incorporated, such as earth, fire, gasoline, barbed wire, various adhesives, nails. The medium du jour is spray paint direct to raw, untreated cement board.

Your preferred subject: the abstract, the angular, the anguish

Your inspirations: Jackson Pollock, Hans Ruedi Giger, Hieronymus Bosch, Salvador Dali, Vincent Locke, Stan Rice and of course, Bob Ross

Is your work for sale? If so, how can someone contact you? Selected works are for sale and reasonable offers will be considered. Find me on Instagram at art.of.catharsis , on etsy at artofcatharsis.etsy.com (store re-launch coming in October, 2025) or via email, artofcatharsisofficial@gmail.com

Meet This Month’s Featured Artist Robin Morgan

August 9, 2025

You could describe Robin Morgan's work as a breath of fresh air! As a "plein air" painter Robin's studio is the great outdoors. She paints exclusively outside, sometimes even in bad weather. Her work has taken her to remote areas, parks, and gardens in search of a scene that speaks to her. "I need to paint some thing or place that I feel connected to, or inspired by. I especially love color and texture, and work to communicate a sense of place, atmosphere and feeling," Robin said.

Enjoy her exhibit on the Art Wall through the month of August, as she brings the great outdoors inside AAPLD's Adult Services Department.

Your name: Robin Morgan

Your community: Evanston, IL

Your background as an artist: I've always been creative and prefer to spend my time making things. I hold a BA in Art History and have taken many painting workshops with some fabulous teachers, some well known, such as Michelle Dunaway, Georgia Mansur, and Clare Bowen. Others, like Jeff Krantz, are not so well known, but just as significant to my work. I also spend time studying artists who inspire me, such as Sargent, Durer, Dixon, Morisot, Rembrandt, Giorgione, Bosch, Sorolla, Monet, Richard Schmidt, Chris Green, the Luminists and the Hudson River School.

What inspires your work: Nature, wild spaces, and the feeling I get from being outside.

Your preferred medium: Currently, it's oil paint but I've also spent a lot of time working in black and white smithing, textile art, stained glass, and clay. I also draw, sketch and hand sew.

Your preferred subjects and why you're drawn to them: I am drawn to color, and textures of natural objects. I also do portrait work. Painting for me is demanding and one can never learn all there is needed to know to produce a work that communicates what one hopes to communicate. It is always the deep joy of being outside and the wonderful variety of natural things that inspires, excites and informs my work.

Is your work for sale, and how can someone contact you: Yes, and they can text me at 847-828-6312

Meet This Month’s Featured Artist Drew Kristoff

July 15, 2025

Super Hero fans won't want to miss this month's exhibit on the AAPLD Art Wall. Local artist (and AAPLD staff member) Drew Kristoff's love for art and comics is on colorful display during the month of July. Learn a little more about Drew and his work.

Artist: Drew Kristoff
Background/Training: I've been drawing since grade school, and by the time I got to junior high, I started to get more serious. Like most artists, I copied other artist's work, which taught me about layout, perspective and shading. In high school, I spent a lot of time filling sketchbooks with original and inspired art. My high school art teachers encouraged me, and I started to explore new techniques. After high school, I attended the American Academy of Art in Chicago, where I studied fundamentals, figure drawing, illustration, advertising and even tried a semester of oil painting. I graduated with an Associates degree in Illustration/Graphic Design.
What inspires your work: I can get inspiration from almost anything, possibly something I see when walking or driving or from viewing other artist's works.
What is your favorite medium: My favorite medium is using colored pencils and then adding additional dimensions by adding pastels or watercolors to enhance the illustration.
How can someone contact you: I accept freelance work, please contact me by email at dkristoff@sbcglobal.net