Trees of Kentucky

When the Paul Sawyier Public Library moved from the Old Federal Building into its new facility in 2006, it was only natural that the new building include art. After all, it is named for one of Kentucky’s most renowned artists, impressionist painter, Paul Sawyier.

Laura Mentor, who created the stained-glass, was struck by Sawyier’s love of Kentucky’s natural beauty, a love she shares. Mentor describes the matching stained-glass windows in the reading section downstairs as a “kaleidoscopic image of elements of Kentucky trees,” one focused on blossoms and spring leaves while the other features fall foliage, seeds, cones, and nuts.

For the semi-circular window in the children’s section, she chose the branches and leaves of Kentucky’s state tree, the tulip poplar, and animated them with birds, butterflies and insects.