Marine Veteran’s Artwork Reflects Journey Of Healing At Lexington Park Library

Image: Artwork by Chris Kotlinski on display at the Lexington Park Library art gallery

LEXINGTON PARK, Md. — Visitors to the Lexington Park Library can experience a collection of large-scale contemporary paintings this summer as local artist and U.S. Marine Corps veteran Chris Kotlinski showcases artwork shaped by his journey through PTSD recovery. The exhibit is presented through a partnership between the St. Mary’s County Arts Council and the St. Mary’s County Library.

The exhibit features large-scale portraiture, expressive faces and color palettes displayed throughout the library’s gallery space. Many of the works explore themes of identity, emotion and personal reflection while blending realism with abstract elements inspired by Kotlinski’s experiences and observations of everyday life.

Finding Peace Through Art

Kotlinski said painting became an important part of his recovery after leaving military service. A former pilot and U.S. Marine Corps veteran, he said the transition from the structured demands of aviation to having unoccupied time, coupled with anxiety and emotional distress associated with PTSD, led him to seek a healthy outlet. Painting provided both purpose and a way to process his emotions, eventually becoming a source of peace during his recovery.

“Painting became the conduit for time and an expression of emotional energy,” Kotlinski said. “I wasn’t constricted by my artwork. It became a place for peace. Something I desperately required from my anxiety and panic attacks.”

Kotlinski said the collection currently on display at the Lexington Park Library draws inspiration from the emotions and experiences of everyday life. He said each painting explores themes such as joy, perceptions of beauty, division, suffering, hope and the choice between creating peace or chaos.

“The raw emotion of everyday life was the backbone of my inspiration,” Kotlinski said. “Innocent joy, social standards of beauty, illusion of division, value in suffering, finding the light after being in the dark and knowing whether you bring peace or chaos were the invoked emotions for each painting.”

Rather than identifying one favorite piece, Kotlinski said every painting represents a different point in his recovery journey. Seeing the collection displayed together has given him a new appreciation for the emotional investment, time and personal growth reflected in each work.

“I truly put a part of myself, whether mental, emotional, or physical, into each piece,” Kotlinski said. “I am able to look at each one and understand where I was on my PTSD recovery journey.”

He said he hopes visitors leave the exhibit with a different perspective on adversity, viewing life’s struggles not simply as obstacles to overcome but as experiences that can build strength and understanding.

“The struggles in life are necessary for God to give you the grace of strength to patiently endure,” Kotlinski said. “Your true strength will only be tested when you are required to use it.”

Making Art Accessible To The Community

Amy Ford, branch manager at the Lexington Park Library, said displaying local artwork at the library helps make art more accessible by bringing it into a space people visit every day rather than limiting it to traditional galleries. She said the library partners with the St. Mary’s County Arts Council to host rotating exhibits featuring local artists, giving visitors new experiences throughout the year while showcasing the creativity found across Southern Maryland.

“Art is for everybody, and it doesn’t need to be locked away in galleries,” Ford said. “It can be in the spaces that people go to every day.”

Ford said the exhibits continually refresh the library experience, allowing visitors to discover familiar places, people and artistic styles while encouraging conversations with artists during exhibit installations. She said community response has been overwhelmingly positive, with visitors regularly commenting on the displays and returning to see new exhibits.

“It gives our visitors always something new. Our book stacks are not going to change very often, but there’s always something different, new,” Ford said. “Often, it’s a local artist, so sometimes people will get to see places they know around St. Mary’s County. Sometimes they’ll get to see people they know around St. Mary’s County featured in the art gallery, and we love for the community to be able to see themselves here.”

She described libraries as places of imagination and inspiration where literature and visual artwork come together to encourage creativity. As the Lexington Park Library prepares to open its new makerspace, Ford said the expanded facilities will allow for additional art classes and longer-term creative projects, further strengthening the library’s role as a community arts destination.

“If you haven’t visited the library in the last month, you should come by,” Ford said. “You should see the new show, and art gives us another perspective on the world, just like we get perspective from the stories in our books.”

Bringing Art Into The Community

The exhibit is currently on display at the Lexington Park Library, located at 21677 FDR Blvd., and is available for public viewing during normal library operating hours. The gallery is presented through a continuing partnership between the library system and the St. Mary’s County Arts Council, which regularly brings local and regional artists into public spaces throughout the county.

Visitors can view the collection throughout the summer and learn more about Kotlinski’s work through information displayed alongside the exhibit.

Kotlinski is also preparing for his upcoming “Actions of Beauty” art show scheduled for Aug. 29-30 at St. Aloysius Church in Leonardtown. The two-day event will feature artwork from multiple artists and provide another opportunity for residents to engage with Southern Maryland’s creative community.

Additional information about the gallery program is available through the St. Mary’s County Arts Council and the Lexington Park Library.