Pictured are Kristina Benson, director of the Ashville Free Library, Shannon Taylor, director of the Lakewood Memorial Library, and Adam Hughes, program director at Lakewood Memorial Library.

As part of this year’s Summer Reading Program, the Lakewood Memorial Library and Ashville Free Library joined forces for a community canvas swap that encouraged young artists to explore their creativity.

Children ages 6-12 had the unique opportunity to participate in a collaborative “Paint-by-Number” project, where canvases were swapped between the two libraries each week, allowing kids from both libraries to contribute to the evolving artwork.

The finished masterpieces will be displayed at both libraries, showcasing the collective talent and teamwork of local youth.