“THE STORY BEHIND THE ART”: This work by Bhagyashri Guhagarkar, inspired by blown-glass flowers, is featured in the annual Artists’ Group exhibit at Plainsboro Public Library, on view August 31 through October 2. A reception will be held on Sunday, September 8 from 2 to 4 p.m.

At the annual Artists’ Group exhibit at Plainsboro Library, approximately 25 participating artists from the West Windsor-Plainsboro area and beyond will share a little background about the piece they enter. Accompanying each piece of art will be written remarks explaining “The Story Behind the Art,” this year’s theme. The short commentaries may focus on the materials used, the artist’s technique, or the thoughts that drove them to create the image.

The show runs August 31 through October 2. A reception will be held Sunday, September 8, 2 to 4 p.m.

Untitled, by Bhagyashri Guhagarkar, was inspired by the enormous blown-glass flowers by Dale Chihuly, a work installed at the Bellagio Hotel lobby’s ceiling in Las Vegas. Using bright acrylic color, Guhagarkar creates her textures with rectangular metal scrapers. Elaine Rosenberg created her collage, Trashed, with recycled materials, including plastic bags, wraps, and balloons, which were fused together by heat. Nature is the source of many of the artist’s inspirations, including Aleksandra Seletskaya’s The Lake (watercolor on synthetic Yupo paper) and Murali Sappa’s lake scene in oils. In Donna Senopoulos’ Shadows, the intent of the piece was to explore shadowy textures made by sunlight through tree leaves, using watercolor medium on heavy rag paper coupled with leaf prints from alcohol-based inks.

The artists share their thoughts and opinions as well. Lavinia Kumar’s Immigration, a semi-abstract depiction of disembodied legs in a barbed wire funnel, represents people seeking immigration to the U.S. and the dangers they face. A Journey, an acrylic by Sandhya Modi which was painted with a palette knife, was inspired when the artist heard family members chanting spiritual lines to Buddha on behalf of a sick friend. Marcia Kiplinger paints a scene from a beach in Rio de Janeiro, where she grew up, that holds special memories. Other pieces include Susan Freeman’s three dimensional mixed-media “memorial” titled Selma, and Sweety Mehta’s brilliantly colored painting of a rainy day with its myriad of reflections.

The Plainsboro Library Artists’ Group is open to all area adult artists, professional and amateur, and provides an opportunity to critique artwork of all mediums, as well as a chance to network and collaborate. The group meets on the first Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in the library. The library sponsors this exhibit on an annual basis.

The Plainsboro Library is located at 9 Van Doren Street, Plainsboro. Hours are Monday through Thursday 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and Friday through Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call (609) 275-2897.