Meet Canmorite Patricia Langevin, the Banff Public Library's artist for the month of September.

A full-time mapmaker and part-time abstract artist, Langevin sees a unique connection between her work and her artwork.

Langevin's day job sees her working at the Canmore Civic Centre as a GIS coordinator, a mapmaker in layman's terms. But mapmaking, she said, has its own artistic element to it.

"There's data bases and there's mapping on the computer that is more IT but there is the other aspect of producing a map that looks good and that's visually pleasing for audience," she explained.

"You always have to pay attention to the visual aspect when you create a map . every audience looks at a map a different way."

Langevin's desire to pick up a paint brush started growing after moving to the Bow Valley 10 years ago.

Like many permanent residents she originally planned to be here for only a year, but 10 years later she has no plans to move. She took up painting abstract art part-time five years ago after getting to know the artistic community in Canmore and Banff.

"There's a big community of artists here so it's inspiring to actually start dabbling into the art," she said.

Two years ago Langevin became a member of the Canmore Art Guild and has participated in some of their group shows with her abstract art. Now she sits on their board.

"I met a lot of people and I've gotten some really good feedback and there is good exchange with other artists here."

Langevin said she has had her eye on the Banff library space for a couple years now after she had a show at Botega Hair Salon and Art Gallery in Banff and they recommended the library as a free venue for artists.

After being on the waiting list for some time, Langevin said she was thrilled to find out last winter that she would be the artist for the month of September.

She has been working on her show ever since, titling it Ignited, named in part because abstract art has "sparked" Langevin's imagination as an artist.

"I use a lot of texture and bold colours and I try to create some paintings that have a mood or ambiance," she explained.

"I'm trying to just show emotions whether they are really calm or serene or really energizing."

Nature, said Langevin, is a huge inspiration for her work but also modern objects.

"I like to travel and visit urban cities and sometimes just the graffiti or the colours, the architecture, it's just like an inspiration to me," she said.

At her opening - a wine and cheese reception held in the library Friday, Sept. 7 at 7-9 p.m. - Langevin hopes that people will come out and have a discussion about art with her.

"Abstract painting is always different for everybody. I'm hoping it will spark discussion on what they perceive it is," she said. "That's what is really a thrill for me."