Connections Cafe, located inside the Tempe Public Library, unveiled its two-artist exhibition "The Paintful Experience" Tuesday.
Jason Todd, a cafe employee, said that most people have told him they find the exhibit interesting.
The vibrant, colorful paintings have crisp lines and are so detailed that Todd said he almost thought the paintings were computer-generated.
A painting by local artist Tom Stephenson depicts an elderly man on the left and three reproductions of a baby on its stomach with its arms outstretched on the right.
Todd said that some people, even employees, have found the image disturbing.
"The flying babies are a bit creepy," Todd added.
Stephenson was born in Phoenix and has been active in the art community for more than 20 years.
His work has been on display in a number of locations including Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and Gammage Auditorium.
Geoff Gildner, whose work makes up the other half of "The Paintful Experience," is also a local artist.
Gildner graduated from ASU with a bachelor's degree in history after switching from an architecture major. He said he planned on teaching and kept painting on the side.
Instead of being a teacher, he ended up working at two different architecture firms doing work on the Mesa Arts Center and the Tempe Center for the Arts. Since then, he has been a full-time artist, he said.
He has displayed his work through the city at the post office in downtown Tempe.
"Going through the city is the best way for local artists to get work on display," Gildner said.
The exhibitions at Connections Cafe are the crossroads of the work of artists who are at different levels of their careers, Gildner said.
The cafe is part of Tempe Connections, one of four Arizona Next Chapter initiatives sponsored by a grant from the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust.
It is open during regular library hours and serves a variety of coffee, tea and treats. It also has two computers and plenty of seating with Wi-Fi availability.
Reach the reporter at Jennifer.oconnor.1@asu.edu.
