Mystic & Noank library will present local artist Helen Roy’s show, “A Celebration of Color,” at the library’s Ames Room Gallery starting Tuesday, Dec. 5.

The library’s December Art Show will include a Meet The Artist reception on Saturday, Dec. 9, from 3-5 p.m. The show will be on display through Tuesday, Jan. 16.

Roy is a juried member of the Cooperative Gallery of Westerly in the Westerly Train Station. She takes pleasure in creating colorful art that is inspired by the world around her.

A self-taught artist and educator living in Westerly, she considers herself fortunate to have had the opportunity to fall in love with painting after 30 years as a Learning Disabilities Specialist.

Her journey to becoming an artist began in the summer of 2015 when an important creative person in her life was going through a very challenging time and Roy purchased painting supplies to encourage creativity and lift her spirits. The materials sat for a few weeks until Roy decided she would pick up a paintbrush herself, hoping her actions would encourage her loved one to paint.

That moment started her in a direction that she never anticipated as she found a new best friend in both painting and creating.

Roy recognizes that the first reaction to visual art is what is seen but believes the most important response is how a painting or piece of art makes the viewer feel. Does the piece give you joy, warm your heart, or make you smile and feel positive? Those are the emotions and uplifting energies Roy tries to evoke in her work. Her hope being that a colorful vibrant painting can transform a down or dark emotion.

Roy’s palette is often dominated by the soothing colors one observes watching the sun set over the ocean: especially shades of blue, green, yellow, coral, pink, and lavender. Roy’s mediums are acrylic, oil, cold wax & oil and mixed media collages. Some of her work consists of clean lines and geometric shapes, while other pieces are abstract seascapes or non-representational bursts of color.

Her latest adventure is colorful Caldwell inspired mobiles, focusing on color and movement. She creates mobiles for indoor or outdoor use with wood or metal in both representational and nonrepresentational styles.

The Ames Meeting Room Gallery at The Mystic & Noank Library serves as a public art gallery and provides exhibit space for the work of local artists. The room is also used as a meeting space for people of all ages.

In the Galleries is a regular feature. To submit, email times@theday.com.