Troy library unveils new art piece by local artist

TROY — This September, the Troy Public Library unveiled a new art piece created by a local artist.

The artist, Parker Scott, grew up in Troy and attended Troy High School. His piece features a wooded scene with a caregiver and children reading among woodland friends. It spans 8 feet wide and is positioned above the youth play area.

“This artwork was an opportunity to invest in the space for our local families,” said Keegan Sulecki, the head of youth services. “The library boasted more than 298,000 visitors from July 2022 to June 2023 and amongst them are many families with children. The youth play area is definitely one of the most loved parts of the library.”

Scott recently graduated from the College for Creative Studies in Detroit and said that the Troy library was an important part of his childhood.

“Growing up in Troy, my family and I made regular trips to the local library. I have fond memories of my visits to the youth area — it’s a space full of books and activities to inspire the imagination, and one I’m very excited to be a part of through my work,” said Scott. “My overall goal for the project was to simulate client work by designing a campaign to fit a real-world setting. Designing the work, I definitely had Troy Public Library in mind.”

Scott said he began his career as an artist simply by enjoying the things he loved as a child.

“It’s a way to express my interest in things,” Scott remarked. “That’s how it was when I started. I watched cartoons. I read comics from creators such as Charles Schulz and Bill Watterson, I played games, and I enjoyed those things for the entertainment value, and I expressed my love for them by making my own things. This built and built until I turned it into a career.”

His piece hanging in the library was an attempt to broaden his horizons and create something the community could appreciate.

“The first thing I wanted to do was I wanted to try branching out into different fields with my art,” he explained. “From a practical standpoint, I wanted to apply my work into something that could be used for marketing. I was previously focused on entertainment and production of things like films and cartoons. It was all projects for school. I was drawn to the library because I wanted my projects to be centered on a specific location. I wanted this group of work geared toward something tangible.”

The work will hang in the library permanently. Scott said he hopes to find work in Michigan as a short-term goal, but dreams of moving into animation and cartoon production.

“After I wrapped up school, I decided to send the library an email on a whim. They appreciated my work so much they wanted to discuss doing a potential installation, and that was such an exciting process,” he said. “It’s in the youth area, so most of the people who will see it are kids. I love the idea that they will see it and hope it will inspire their imaginations in the same way I was inspired by artists who came before me.”

Sulecki and Olivia Olson, the library’s head of community engagement, recently worked together to launch what they are calling “Humans of TPL,” an effort to capture stories from community members about how the library has impacted them. They said that Scott’s work exemplifies these efforts. Humans of TPL posts can be found on the library’s social media pages and on their website at troypl.org/humans.

“I’m always amazed at all the different ways people use the library to improve their lives,” said Olson. “We have people tell us that they studied for their degree at the library, or that we helped them find resources after their child was diagnosed with dyslexia, or that we gave someone a community when they were new to the area. It’s so important that these stories get told.”

The library staff all said they hope the community is inspired by Scott’s work and will use their own talents to improve the community.

“It’s such a great piece, and we are so grateful we were able to connect with local artist, Parker Scott, to make it happen,” said Troy Public Library Director Emily Dumas.

“While this is a great addition to the library, this piece holds additional meaning for the Troy Public Library,” added Olson. “Parker’s artwork is a physical reminder of the ways in which the library personally impacts members of the community.”

Troy Public Library is located at 510 W. Big Beaver Road. For more information, visit www.troypl.org.