This exhibit is FREE to the public and will be on display during library hours Monday-Friday, 9am-6pm, starting Friday, May 15th, 2026, through Friday, June 5th, 2026.
"From the Loft" by Ally Cantrell
Artist Statement:
Some spaces hold more than walls and windows… they hold echoes. An old warehouse loft, worn by time and light, became the place where abstraction finally took root.
In 2022, I moved into this loft during a period of artistic burnout. I had stepped away from art and shifted into the fast-paced world of tech startups and sales, where urgency and constant motion define the rhythm of daily life. In contrast, the loft offered something grounding. Its open air, weathered surfaces, and changing natural light created a space to slow down - to notice the overlooked, the subtle, the in-between.
My early art practice was rooted in photorealism, a discipline defined by precision, control, and constant analysis. Within the contrast of my daily work and this new living space, my relationship to making began to change. I moved away from representation and toward material, texture, and intuition. Layered surfaces, muted palettes, and eroded edges emerged - reflecting both the physical environment of the loft and an internal desire for stillness. Process replaced expectation. Making became an act of listening rather than control.
Living through motherhood and a fast paced career, my practice has begun to take root by honoring breath and presence. These works continue that exploration, offering moments of pause within a world that rarely slows down. From the Loft is ultimately an offering of space - paintings created to invite calm, to cultivate quieter rhythms, and to allow room to simply be.
Artist Bio:
Ally Cantrell is an Arkansas-based abstract mixed media artist living and working in downtown Little Rock. After early recognition for her photorealistic graphite drawings, her practice has evolved toward minimal, texture-driven abstraction.
In 2022, Cantrell moved into a historic warehouse loft—a transition that coincided with her work in the fast-paced tech startup world. The contrast between urgency and stillness now informs her practice. Drawing inspiration from weathered surfaces, natural light, and material restraint, her work invites pause and reflection within everyday spaces.
Artist's Socials:
allycantrell.com
Instagram: @ally_bobble
This is the secondary branch of the William F. Laman Public Library located in the heart of the Argenta Arts District of North Little Rock.
