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Library Card Design Contest

Announcing the winners of the 2024 Library Card Design Contest!

Six submissions were chosen as 2024 Limited-Edition Library Cards.

2024 Theme: Seasons of Pima County

What comes to mind when you think about different seasons, specifically in our home within Pima County? Is it the distinct smell of creosote during the stormy monsoons, or the feel of the crisp winter air and sometimes (just sometimes!) the amazing contrast of white snow on green saguaros, or the changing geography and changing leaves as you make your way up the undulating road of Mt. Lemmon in the fall, or maybe even the sound of bats migrating to and from the bridges along The Loop?

Sometimes we experience seasons that aren’t designated by the calendar, maybe they are more enduring passages of time that leave marks on us in other ways. Celebrate those seasons with our limited edition library cards.

Read about each of the six winners below!

, opens a new windowEd Flores

Title: San Xavier Mission: After the Monsoon

Medium: Photography

What inspired you to create this piece?

I visited the San Xavier del Bac Mission with a friend who was relocating from Tucson. Since she had never been there before, she invited me to join her, and I happily brought my camera to take some pictures of the mission for her.

 

While we were exploring, it started to rain, so we decided to wait it out. As the storm cleared, the clouds began to part, revealing a beautiful scene. Awestruck, It took a moment for me to realize I had a camera with me, so I quickly snapped a few photos before the clouds completely slipped away. We were so fortunate that we were able to be a witness to the beauty that we had just seen.

, opens a new windowDebbie Gallerani

Title: Tucson or Bust

Medium: Mixed media paper & acrylics

What inspired you to create this piece?

I decided to create a series of bright and amusing scenes with the mid-century modern desert animals I have been currently drawing. As a big fan of road trips, I found it fitting to have oh-so-cool Coyote, and super chill Mountain Lion hop into their retro turquoise convertible to cruise the Sonoran Desert and enjoy the spectacular sights.
I would love to join them, wouldn't you?

, opens a new windowTracy Ann Holmes

Title: Summer Monsoon

Medium: Watercolor

What inspired you to create this piece?

I love the amazing clouds that boil and build on hot summer afternoons. They build until they can no longer contain the water and electricity explodes in light and sheets of water. Add to that the stunning sunsets and you have an amazing show!

, opens a new windowSierra Lauman

Title: Neighborhood Stories

Medium: Digital

What inspired you to create this piece?

From thundering rains to bright summer days, to fields of wildflowers, there's always something to admire in the desert throughout the year. Equally as beautiful is the wildlife that thrives in this landscape. Taken together, the stories and images that are woven from this imagery are second to none. It's thoughts of these surroundings, as well as the fantasy of being able to share stories with the local wildlife, that inspired this piece.

, opens a new windowChelsea Lindholm

Title: The Strolling Saguaro and the Looming 'Soon

Medium: Digital art via Procreate

What inspired you to create this piece?

When I think of Pima County seasons, monsoons are my first thought. A typical Arizona transplant, I find myself missing deciduous seasons like fall, but monsoon season here in the desert scratches that itch. Seeing a distant wall of dark blue-grey clouds to the south instantly builds anticipation for flashes of lightning and breaks of thunder. Though the downpour may be brief, monsoons bring greenery and vibrancy to a sun-tired desert, and blooms erupt from happy cacti. My strolling saguaro may get caught by the storm, but he'll continue to grow and benefit from the life-giving rain year after year.
Animation has inspired me since I was a child, with my first drawings of cats, dogs, and horses occurring in elementary school, after obsessive viewings of The Lion King, Balto, and every Don Bluth film. Lately, I've been inspired by rubber hose style cartoons and the Golden Age of American Animation for the characters' dynamic movement and emotive features.

Jane Madsen

Title: Jackrabbit in Spring Colors

Medium: Machine embroidery

What inspired you to create this piece?

I am inspired by the animals and plants of our beautiful desert, and the jackrabbit is one of my favorites.  I decorated this jackrabbit with the brightly colored flowers, cactus and plants of the desert, as he rests next to a majestic saguaro.  I would love to remind people of the delicate ecosystem the jackrabbit thrives in.

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