Art Collection

Campbell County Public Library Art Gallery

The fine art collection at Campbell County Public Library is sponsored by The Library Foundation Inc. and features representational art of the early and late 21st century.

View the gallery online.


A Word from Steve Riss

Throughout history, events have shaped the direction of art. In the late 1800s an innovation changed the shape and technique of art forever. With the invention of the camera, the artist no longer had to paint a true, realistic rendition of this world.

The art style of impressionism was born with the use of heavy layers of paint and the juxtaposition of colors now in vogue. Plein Aire (in the open air) became a favorite method for the artist to catch the light and shadows of everyday life. Often paintings were done in a single sitting versus the traditional method of thin layered washes that sometimes took a year to complete.

The majority of paintings in The Library Foundation collection reflect this Plein Aire style of painting. Although the collection is western-art influenced, it is also comprised of landscapes from sea to shining sea. Included is West Coast impressionist Edgar Payne’s Brittany Sails, an East Coast seascape painting by Chauncey Ryder, the Grand Tetons (Afternoon Light) painted by Wyoming’s own Conrad Schwiering, and Gerard Delano’s Canyon Pastoral representing the Southwest. Etchings by Hans Kleiber and charcoals by Hollis Williford are included in the collection and a number of bronzes also grace the spaces of your library.

An impressive collection usually found only in larger cities is here for your enjoyment in the friendly atmosphere of Campbell County Public Library. Pause and immerse yourself into the world only found in art.

-Steve Riss, former Library Foundation Inc. President