FOLEY, Ala. — Candy Bembry will be the Foley Public Library’s first featured artist. Her work will be on display at the library (319 E. Laurel Ave.) for about three months.

This area artist has moved beyond painting and beyond stained glass to create a sparkling combination of both. Her humorous and fantastical paintings may depict mermaids or an homage to famous painters.

Her golden glowing glass is perfect for her renditions of works by Gustav Klimt as well as her version of Botticelli’s “Birth of Venus.”

Bembry grew up surrounded by water and music. Her mother was an opera singer, her father a jazz musician, boat captain and school teacher.

She spent her summers catching crabs and selling them at Andersen’s Marina.

She graduated from the University of South Alabama with a bachelor of fine arts degree and a master’s degree in counseling.

In college, she managed a stained glass studio where she taught all levels of stained glass artistry. Here she developed a fascination with glass, but was unable to achieve the results she desired.

With a background in painting, she wanted more flexibility than stained glass offered and she began making mosaics. Her mosaics could be described as paintings made of glass.

Bembry’s personal history serves as a motivation for her work. The process of making a mosaic is very tedious and time consuming.

Many of her mosaics contain thousands of pieces of glass. The reward comes from seeing a piece come to life.

Her artwork is a vehicle for self expression and a time to contemplate thoughts and ideas.

She now resides in Daphne with her three children.

The Foley Library, in cooperation with Foley’s Performing Arts Association, will have quarterly art shows with works by members of PAA.

The Friends of the Library have purchased a gallery hanging system to enable changing out the pictures without harming walls.

For more information, call the library at (251) 943-7665.