The Southport Memorial Library’s first art show of 2023 features the three dimensional assemblage art sculpture of Southport-based artist André Benoit through Feb. 28. 

People, animals, sea and land birds, sea animals and merfolk ... the subjects of this former physician’s art never cease to amaze, delight and amuse. 

“It seems every bend in the road affords me an opportunity for visual distraction,” says Benoit in his artist’s statement. “With orderliness not being a priority, entropy has often been incorporated intentionally, or found its way into in my recent foray in wooden sculpture assemblage, often eliminating the fixed focal points of my earlier dry-brush watercolor and, in the past two decades, my work with oil and acrylic renderings.

“In this new, physical, and dimensional medium, I have renewed and invigorated my artistic drive. Wood remnants, flotsam and jetsam from the shoreline, trim work from renovated homes, and broken and discarded furniture — what I most enjoy about my work with salvaged materials are the stories behind my acquisition of them, and the opportunity to meld unrelated pieces into a composition that commands a second look.”

The Library is located at 1032 Hendricks Hill Road, Southport. Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday and Saturday; Thursdays 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. For more information, call 633-2741 or visit https://www.southportlibrary.org.