This exhibit is FREE to the public and will be on display during library hours Monday-Friday 9 am-6 pm, starting Friday, October 16, 2026, through Friday, November 6, 2026.
"I am asking you to endure it" by Hannah Perkins.
Dates subject to change due to artist availability, please call to confirm if considering visiting toward the end of a show.
Artist statement:
"I am asking you to endure it. / I am aware that this request is fundamentally selfish. I can offer no justification for it, no argument in its favor. It is simply the outcome I desire to see the most. So I am asking you" - Anonymous internet post, account deactivated.
My first show was titled "For a dear friend". It invited the audience to view and participate in my work, as though I had made it for them personally, an act of love from one friend to another. I view this show as a continuation of the creative journey I am on as an artist, and I pick up my conversation once more to the audience--with you--"I am asking you to endure it."
"PEOPLE have been THINKING too long that
ART is a PRIVILEGE of the MUSEUMS & the
RICH. ART IS NOT BUSINESS !
It does not belong to banks & fancy investors
ART IS FOOD . You cant EAT it BUT it FEEDS
you. ART has to be CHEAP & available to
EVERYBODY . It needs to be EVERYWHERE
because it is the INSIDE of the
WORLD." - 'the Why Cheap Art? manifesto', Bread & Puppet Glover, Vermont, 1984
I first began creating zines last year as a response to this ideology--stemming from a desire to create good in my community, and that art should be free and accessible to anyone. In this world, people can feel so disconnected and lonely, and I hope my zines can bring people together. I truly do believe that it is important, now more than ever, to hold onto whimsy, small moments of delight and encouragement, and to share that feeling with others. Currently, I give out my zines for free at Caverns & Forests Board Game Cafe, the Argenta Library, and Pocket Dimension Bookshoppe, but I am working on expanding the locations my zines are placed at.
My poster series began as a self-challenge--to create an art piece every day for the entirety of summer. It developed into a collection of artworks devoted to and celebrating the joy of creativity itself. Naturally, as with any daily art challenge, some days felt easier than others, and I curated this selection with that struggle in mind. All too often, I loose myself in a spiral of overthinking creative projects. These pieces serve as a reminder not to strive for perfection, rather, to embrace the childlike joy of creating.
Ultimately, it is my hope that these pieces will give you encouragement, a moment of relief--to feel seen and understood. Even if we never meet directly, this was made for you, and, I am asking you to endure it.
Artist bio:
Hannah Perkins is an Arkansas-based artist specializing in digital art and mixed media. Her work explores hope, connections between strangers, and moments of quiet vulnerability.
Having lived in China and Vietnam, Perkins grew up immersed in different cultures and artistic perspectives. These experiences shaped her decision to pursue art and eventually brought her back to the United States, where she studied graphic design at Ouachita Baptist University and graduated in 2021.
Perkins began working as a digital artist to explore what it means to be known and loved; and to share that feeling with others. More recently, she has begun creating art zines as both a contribution to Little Rock’s creative community and a way to continue developing an independent artistic practice after college.
@HPerkins.Design on Instagram
hperkinsdesign.com
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.
