Our Permanent Art Collection on Display

Two works by Maine artist Bernard Langlais are on view in our lobby thanks to a partnership with Colby College and the Kohler Foundation. More Langlais works can be seen on the Langlais Art Trail at other cultural institutions. The Kohler Foundation has an overview, slideshow, and video on their Langlais page.

Joseph Fiore (1925-2008) was an acclaimed avant-garde artist known for his abstract compositions.  He also was an environmentalist, drawing key inspiration for his art from the natural world.  Between 1975 and 1987, Fiore produced a collection of Rock Paintings, also called the Geological Works, inspired by geology and rocks.

Local artist Anthony Venti has graciously donated two prints to Vose Library. “This poster was submitted as an entry for the Common Ground Fair. Apparently it was rejected because the judges thought the blueberry motif would confuse people with the Union Fair’s Blueberry Festival. Six months later, this poster was given a new life to represent The Wild Blueberry Association of America! From that point on, it made its way to Japan. This poster was part of a cultural exchange between the US and Japan. It hung at the Aomori Prefectural Museum.”

The Voyage Begins “began quite innocently. To me, an old bookshop or library symbolizes the passage of time. Each page in every book has the potential to unlock our thoughts and ideas. I wanted to create an ambiance that makes viewers feel inspired by their surroundings: A model Galleon (Note: The lantern glows on the transom!); the cast shadow of the palladian windows against the sun-streamed wall; a worn wooden floor with oil stains, suggesting a former tenant . . . could it have been a machine shop? For me, the most overlooked quality is the sense of quiet — just the sound of an occasional creaking floor board.”