South Jordan artist and illustrator Brooke Smart designed the installation that now hangs at the Herriman Library. (Peri Kinder/City Journals)

 Rainy weather in late April provided the perfect backdrop to welcome a new art installation at the Herriman Library (5380 W. Herriman Main St.). “Puddle Jumpers” by South Jordan artist Brooke Smart is a bright, three-dimensional installation featuring colorful umbrellas, iridescent raindrops and puddles, a happy duck and playful children. 

Created as a temporary exhibit at Eccles Theater in Salt Lake City in 2024, “Puddle Jumpers” was originally 40 feet tall, but was modified to fit the Herriman Library’s ceiling space. Salt Lake County Library Director Joey McNamee said its themes of joy, curiosity and exploration fit in with the County Library’s mission to encourage learning and investigation.

“Access to the arts is incredibly beneficial for strengthening learning development in young kids and improving cognition in older ones,” McNamee said. “This art piece was designed to be on display in the six-story lobby of the Eccles Theater, which is a little bit taller than our one-plus-story branch, but we were excited to see if we could make it happen. Brooke, thank you for being open to some adjustments to the scale of your piece.” 

Smart created the installation to reflect the joy of jumping in rain puddles and features a duck family that lives near her home. When the library reached out to her about moving the piece to Herriman, she was excited to figure out a way to make it work. 

She’s also a children’s book illustrator, with her books available at County Library locations. Smart’s art has been featured in Bravery magazine, the New York Times and the holiday windows at The Grand America Hotel.

“I love that this representation of a fun day in nature can be so close to my neighborhood. I know how important libraries are to communities and to families of all shapes and sizes,” Smart said. “It’s rewarding to know I can play a role in literacy and learning. As an artist, it’s rewarding to play a role in making this community asset fun and colorful, and I’m excited to be part of the newest feature at the County Library.”

Library officials joined Salt Lake County and Herriman City leaders to celebrate the art installation. Herriman Mayor Lorin Palmer said he appreciates community spaces that offer access to learning, creativity and connection, with the Herriman Library being central to the city’s vision. 

“I love when community projects tie so seamlessly into our general plan,” Palmer said. “A big part of that plan is strategic development for our future generations, but it also focuses on our community character, our history, our agricultural ties and our connections to each other.”

“Puddle Jumpers” found a permanent home thanks to a collaboration with Salt Lake County Arts and Culture. Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson attended the event and thanked Smart for creating a piece that will inspire the community.

“Thank you, from the bottom of my heart as a mayor, for contributing to our community in so many ways,” Wilson said. “Your work’s amazing and to have it in a new home here is absolutely perfect.”