Art in the Libraries Tour
TOUR MAP
TOUR GUIDE
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Tour Summary
Painted on walls, hung in alcoves and displayed in glass cases, the branches of the Campbell, Kenton and Pendleton County Public Libraries have many examples of art created, inspired or donated by Northern Kentucky residents.
This tour is organized by library branch.
Newport Branch, Campbell County
Newport Branch
901 E. 6th St.
Newport, KY
The Newport branch’s current building was constructed in 2004, replacing the original library, which was built in 1902. This branch serves around 165,000 patrons each year, mostly residents of Newport, Bellevue and Dayton. Its works of art include two murals and two original paintings by Kentucky artist Harlan Hubbard.
Newport Branch, Campbell County
Untitled Mural by Tammy Batson Stephens
This fairyland mural is complete with a castle and woodland creatures. It features a portion of a quote by Charles William Eliot, Harvard’s president at the turn of the 20th century. In its entirety, it reads: “Books are the quietest and most constant of friends, they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.” The artist, Tammy Batson Stephens, has created or contributed to four murals in the Campbell County Public Library system.
Newport Branch, Campbell County
Untitled Mural 2 by Tammy Batson Stephens
This mural depicts Newport, Bellevue and Dayton, Kentucky as viewed from the Ohio River circa 1915-1922. Landmarks that can be seen include Sacred Heart Church in Bellevue and the Campbell County Court House in Newport. The artist, Tammy Batson Stephens, has created or contributed to four murals in the Campbell County Public Library system.
Newport Branch, Campbell County
HMS Victory by Rudell Bowling
This model of the HMS Victory was created entirely from scratch and hand-painted using no instructions or kits. Having set sail in 1765, the HMS Victory is the oldest ship still in commission; it now sits in dry dock in Portsmouth, England. She participated in the American War of Independence, the French Revolution, and the Napoleonic Wars. Her most noteworthy conflict was the Battle of Trafalgar where, despite helping lead Britain to victory over Spanish and French forces, Lord Nelson of the British Navy was killed. As with all of Bowling’s models, this ship model is noted for its precise details. Bowling honed his skill for working on meticulous tasks while making surgical equipment for brain aneurysms in Wilder, Kentucky.
Newport Branch, Campbell County
Delta Queen by Donald J. McIntosh
The late local artist Donald McIntosh worked on a variety of artistic endeavors, including as an illustrator for the Cincinnati business community and painting scenery for local theaters. However, rivers and boats, such as the Delta Queen (pictured here), held a special place in his heart.
Newport Branch, Campbell County
Delta Queen II by Donald J. McIntosh
Painted by late local artist Donald McIntosh, the Delta Queen was built in 1927. Though most widely known for touring the Mississippi River and its tributaries as a passenger vessel, during World War II she was sent by the United States Navy to San Francisco Bay to transport wounded men from boats on the ocean to the hospital. She was docked and turned into a hotel for a portion of the 2000s before returning to service in 2018.
Newport Branch, Campbell County
Fourth Street School by Harlan Hubbard
Harlan Hubbard painted Newport’s Fourth Street School and the nearby First Campbell County Court House as part of the Public Works Art Project (PWAP), a program that sought to employ artists during the Great Depression. This piece was originally hung in the Newport Library’s Carnegie Branch from 1934-1990. It was restored and reframed in 2001 to hang in the Newport Branch on Sixth Street, where it remains today.
Newport Branch, Campbell County
First Campbell County Courthouse by Harlan Hubbard
Campbell County native Harlan Hubbard painted the Campbell County Courthouse in 1934. Born in Bellevue, Hubbard lived for a time on a “shantyboat” with his wife Anna. During this time, they traveled down the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers to New Orleans. They would later settle in Trimble County, KY where they raised their own food and lived without electricity, plumbing or a phone. Hubbard’s large body of work consists mostly of landscapes.
Newport Branch, Campbell County
Mrs. Stephen Payne-Gallwey and Her Son Charles by Joshua Reynolds
Artist Joshua Reynolds painted the original oil on canvas in 1779. This reproduction was created in 2012 as part of the Taft Museum’s Art for All. The reproduction originally hung in another county’s public library until 2014 when the Kenton, Boone, and Campbell County Public Libraries traded reproductions to bring new art into their communities. The artist was the founder and first president of the Royal Academy of Arts and was knighted by King George III in 1769.
Newport Branch, Campbell County
Hometown Teams by Chris Felix
Artist Chris Felix created this piece for the traveling Smithsonian exhibition Hometown Teams, which featured several items from local athletes and events alongside traveling works from the museum. The exhibit took over a year for the library to organize. Local athletes, including jockey Eddie Arcaro and Celtics basketball player Dave Cowens –a Newport Catholic alum–are featured in Felix's contribution.
Cold Spring Branch, Campbell County
Cold Spring Branch
3920 Alexandria Pike
Cold Spring, KY
The Cold Spring branch has nearly doubled in size since it was originally constructed in 1984. It serves around 190,000 patrons each year. Among other works of art, it has on display models of four World War II ships created from scratch by local veteran Rudell Bowling.
Cold Spring Branch, Campbell County
Robert Louis Stevenson by John Singer Sargent
An American expatriate artist, John Singer Sargent painted three portraits in 1887 of famed writer Robert Louis Stevenson at his home in Bournemouth, England. Stevenson’s most notable books include Treasure Planet and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. This reproduction of one of the portraits –originally commissioned by a Boston banker for his wife− was a part of the Taft Museum’s 2012 Art for All program. It came to the Cold Spring Branch in 2016 when Boone, Kenton, and Campbell counties traded reproductions.
Cold Spring Branch, Campbell County
Wings to Your Dreams by Carrye Kearns
Local quilter Carrye Kearns designed and created this 69” x 40.5” quilt depicting a colorful bird. The artist has frequently displayed at the Campbell County Public Library’s Art After Hours summer art show.
Cold Spring Branch, Campbell County
Untitled Mural by Allyson Burke
Allyson Burke’s mural features several teens who regularly attended programs at the Cold Spring Branch. Some of them were such library fans they ended up working at the library as adults! The artist frequently displays her work at the Campbell County Public Library's Art After Hours program.
Cold Spring Branch, Campbell County
USS Block Island by Rudell Bowling
Rudell Bowling made this model of a Bogue Class Escort Carrier entirely from scratch with no prefabricated parts. Bowling actually served on the USS Block in 1944 when it was torpedoed three times. Six men died and 673 were rescued by the USS Ahrens. This is one of four World War II vessel models on display at the Cold Spring Branch.
Cold Spring Branch, Campbell County
USS Block Island #2 by Rudell Bowling
Another model of USS Block Island, this is the second of four World War II vessels on display at the Cold Spring Branch, and one of six models created by Bowling that are displayed in the county-wide library system. Each of Bowling’s models is made to a different scale. Displayed nearby, the USS Ahrens would have been half the size of the USS Block Island.
Cold Spring Branch, Campbell County
USS Ahrens by Rudell Bowling
Rudell Bowling created this model of a Buckley Class Destroyer entirely from scratch with no prefabricated parts. The USS Ahrens rescued the surviving crew of the USS Block in 1944 after they were torpedoed by a German U-boat. The artist was among the rescued crew. The USS Ahrens is named Marine Raider Edward Ahrens, a Dayton, KY native who died in the Battle of Guadalcanal. It is the third of four World War II vessels on display at the Cold Spring Branch.
Cold Spring Branch, Campbell County
U-549 by Rudell Bowling
The final of four World War II vessels on display at the Cold Spring Branch, the U-549 is the German submarine that bombed the USS Block in 1944. It was later sunk by the USS Eugene E. Elmore. All 59 men on board were killed. This model was created by Rudell Bowling, who served on the USS Block when it was hit. Bowling created the model entirely from scratch with no prefabricated parts.
Cold Spring Branch
Untitled Mural by Tammy Batson Stephens
This mural is the fourth by artist Tammy Batson Stephens to be displayed at a Campbell County Public Library branch. It features a quote by Marcus Tillius Cicero about the importance of libraries. It is the system’s only outdoor mural.
Fort Thomas Branch, Campbell County
Fort Thomas Branch
1000 Highland Avenue
Fort Thomas, KY
The Fort Thomas branch was named after Philip Carrico, who was the first regional librarian in Northern Kentucky, establishing libraries in all eight counties. Carrico then became the director of Campbell County Public Libraries. This branch serves more than 170,000 patrons each year. Among its works of art is a large mural in the Children’s Department that depicts scenes and characters from classic stories and nursery rhymes.
Fort Thomas Branch, Campbell County
Untitled Quilt by Ronald McDonald Comfort Quilters
The library is often used by quilters in the community who like to meet and quilt as a group. This book-themed piece was created by the Ronald McDonald Comfort Quilters in 2019.
Fort Thomas Branch, Campbell County
Bookworm House by Cindy Johnson
Cindy Johnson created this sculpture composed of all-natural materials for the Campbell County Public Library. It depicts common fantasy story elements such as a wizard, gnomes, and a dragon.
Fort Thomas Branch, Campbell County
USS Constitution by Rudell Bowling
Launched in 1797, the USS Constitution, also known as “Old Ironsides” due to her thick sides and close ribbing, is the oldest commissioned naval vessel still afloat. (The HMS Victory seen at the Newport Branch is in dry dock). She is most associated with her role in the War of 1812, in which she defeated five British warships. As with Bowling’s other five naval vessel models on display in our library system, this ship model was created from scratch with no prefabricated parts.
Fort Thomas Branch, Campbell County
Untitled Mural by Tammy Batson Stephens and Gloria Mills
Artist Gloria Mills started work on this mural in the early 2000s. She painted the four raised panels featuring Hey Diddle Diddle characters. Tammy Batson Stephens extended the work in 2011 to include Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, Jack and Jill, The Frog Prince and Jack and the Beanstalk. Tammy Batson Stephens has painted four murals for Campbell County Public Library System.
Fort Thomas Branch, Campbell County
The Pond by Pierre-Étienne-Théodore Rousseau
Painted by Pierre-Étienne-Théodore Rousseau circa 1844, this reproduction was created in 2012 for Taft Museum’s Art for All program. Around the time of this painting, Rousseau settled in Barbizon, where he eventually became a leader at the Barbizon School. He is known for his focus on naturalism and for elevating the previously low style of landscape painting a generation before the Impressionists arrived. Initially hanging in another county’s public library, this reproduction came to the Fort Thomas Branch in 2016 when Boone, Kenton, and Campbell counties traded their Art for All reproductions to bring new art to their communities.
Pendleton County
Pendleton County Public Library
801 Robbins Avenue
Falmouth, KY
The mission of this library is to "connect our community, explore the world, imagine what can be, and create."
Pendleton County Library
Untitled Mural by Kirk Sullivan
This mural was drawn, airbrushed, and hand painted by local artist Kirk Sullivan in 2013. Designed to inspire imagination and creativity, this painting can be found in the children’s area of the Pendleton County Public Library.
Covington Branch, Kenton County
Covington Branch
502 Scott Blvd.
Covington, KY
The Covington branch opened in 1974 and received an extensive renovation in 2013. It houses Northern Kentucky’s largest collection of genealogy and local history materials. This branch also has a Maker Space, which patrons can use free of charge, although there may be a small fee for some materials. Among its works of art, this branch has a significant collection of paintings either by or related to Covington artist Frank Duveneck.
Covington Branch, Kenton County
Frank Duveneck Collection
Vance Trimble, editor of the Kentucky Post, proposed in 1966 that a collection of paintings by Frank Duveneck be established in Covington, the artist’s native city. Money was raised from across Northern Kentucky to purchase four paintings, which were donated to the Kenton County Public Libraries. Six additional paintings were the gift of the artist’s son and daughter-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Boott Duveneck. Additional paintings were donated by other residents over the years.
Frank Duveneck (1848-1919), who was raised on Greenup Street in Covington, enjoyed a long career as a portrait and landscape artist and was a particularly gifted teacher at the Art Academy of Cincinnati. Like many artists of his generation, he traveled and studied in Europe, where he developed the dark palette and the expressive brushstroke preferred by artists in Munich. Late in his career Duveneck turned to a lighter palette of the Impressionists, especially evident in works completed during his summers spent in Gloucester, Massachusetts.
Covington Branch, Kenton County
Lady in Red Dress by Frank Duveneck
This unsigned piece is believed to have been painted by Duveneck in Paris. The artist captures the elegance and beauty of the model through the interplay of red and green hues. The luminous reflections of sunlight on the woman’s dress and skin demonstrate Duveneck’s ability to describe light with color, as well as his breathtaking talent for “drawing” with the brush.
Covington Branch, Kenton County
Portrait of a Lady attributed to Frank Duveneck
This unsigned piece is attributed to Frank Duveneck but could also have been painted by his wife Elizabeth Boott Duveneck (1846-1888), a former student of Duveneck and an accomplished artist in her own right. The two artists fell in love, married in 1886 and settled for a period of time with her father at Villa Castellini until moving to Paris for more artistic opportunities. Elizabeth died of pneumonia in Paris and Duveneck returned to Cincinnati where, with local artist, Clement J. Barnhorn, he created a tomb effigy to honor her.
Covington Branch, Kenton County
East Gloucester, View from Hill by Frank Duveneck
This unsigned painting is believed to have been painted during one of Duveneck’s many summer visits to Gloucester, Massachusetts, where his son was being raised by family members after the 1888 death of Frank’s wife Elizabeth. This piece was previously exhibited at the University of Kentucky Art Museum and Cape Ann Historical Association in Gloucester, Massachusetts.
Covington Branch, Kenton County
Portrait of Frank B. Duveneck by Frank Duveneck
This unsigned piece is of Duveneck’s only son and is believed to have been painted in Italy. Frank B. Duveneck (1886-1985) was born in Florence, Italy on Dec. 18, 1886 and lived with his parents in Europe until his mother’s death in March of 1888.
Covington Branch, Kenton County
Balloon Ascent at Night by Dixie Selden
Selden was a student of Frank Duveneck at the Art Academy of Cincinnati. She went on to become a renowned artist herself with additional influence in impressionist techniques from William Merritt Chase. This unsigned piece offers a view from the window of the artist’s flat in the Woodford at 3rd and Greenup Streets in Covington.
Covington Branch, Kenton County
Woman in White Headdress by Frank Duveneck
This painting attributed to Duveneck is a study of the original piece, Woman with Large Headdress, which resides in the collection of the Cincinnati Art Museum. This painting was donated to the library by Melba Townsend, a former student at the Cincinnati Art Academy. She and her husband Charles Townsend were longtime members of the Cincinnati Art Club.
Covington Branch, Kenton County
Portrait of Frank Duveneck by Bessie Hoover Wessel
This portrait of Covington’s renowned artist, Frank Duveneck, was painted from memory by Wessel, a former student of Duveneck. Duveneck was a close friend and mentor to Bessie Hoover and her wedding to fellow artist Herman Wessel was held at Duveneck’s home. She went on to become a notable artist herself and after Duveneck’s death in 1919, Wessel served as the preeminent expert on and authenticator for many of his works.
Covington Branch, Kenton County
Portrait of John Duveneck, artist's brother by Frank Duveneck
This unsigned work is believed to have been painted by Frank Duveneck as a depiction of his half-brother John Duveneck.
Covington Branch, Kenton County
Head of Chioggia Fisherman by Frank Duveneck
This unsigned portrait attributed to Frank Duveneck is of an Italian fisherman from Chioggia, a fishing port a few miles south of Venice. It was painted for the Colombian Exposition of 1893 in Chicago, better known as the World’s Fair. Another work of Duveneck’s featuring a Chioggia Fisherman is held in the collection of the Birmingham Art Museum.
Covington Branch, Kenton County
Trees, Polling, Bavaria by Frank Duveneck
Signed in the lower left corner with “FD”, this landscape painting attributed to Frank Duveneck depicts a setting he encountered while living and instructing artists in the municipality of Polling in the Bavaria region near Munich, Germany. In 1869, Duveneck left America to study abroad in Munich and eventually opened his own school in Polling in 1878, where he taught many notable artists, including John Twachtman and Theodore Wendel.
Covington Branch, Kenton County
Virgin Mary by Frank Duveneck
Frank Duveneck was a devout Catholic who as a youth studied under noted ecclesiastical painter Johann Schmitt. Schmitt’s works can be found in many churches throughout the Midwest, including five large murals completed for nearby Mother of God Church in Covington.
Covington Branch, Kenton County
Venetian Steps by Frank Duveneck
Unsigned, this painting is believed to have been painted by Frank Duveneck around 1887 during the two years he spent living in Florence, Italy with his wife and newborn son. The scene depicts a commonly found scene that the artist would have witnessed while visiting and working in nearby Venice.
Covington Branch, Kenton County
Portrait of John Duveneck by Frank Duveneck
Unsigned, this painting is believed to have been painted by Frank Duveneck around 1887 during the two years he spent living in Florence, Italy with his wife and newborn son. The scene depicts a commonly found scene that the artist would have witnessed while visiting and working in nearby Venice.
Covington Branch, Kenton County
Portrait of Mollie Duveneck by Frank Duveneck
This unsigned painting of the artist’s sister is believed to have been painted by Frank Duveneck in the early 1900s upon his return from Italy and eventual relocation to Covington. Mary Catherine “Mollie” Duveneck (1873-1919) tragically died just 12 days after the death of her beloved brother Frank.
Covington Branch, Kenton County
Portrait of Harry Niehaus by Frank Duveneck
Signed at the lower right with the initials F.D., this painting by Frank Duveneck is a depiction of his brother-in-law. Henry “Harry” Niehaus (1848-1918) married Duveneck’s sister Elizabeth in 1876. Both are buried in Mother of God Cemetery.
Covington Branch, Kenton County
Landscape by Charles McLaughlin
This western landscape was painted by longtime Covington resident and former student of Frank Duveneck. An accomplished artist, McLaughlin also worked designing pieces for Rookwood Pottery from 1913-1920. He designed his own home on Riverside Drive in Covington and spent the winter months at his second home in Saltillo, Mexico in the 1930s and 1940s, which likely provided the inspiration and timeframe for this study.
Covington Branch, Kenton County
Portrait of Pope Urban by Fr. Albin Smith and Frank Duveneck
This oil on canvas portrait of Pope Urban is attributed to Fr. Albin Smith per an inscription on the back. It also indicates that Frank Duveneck corrected and finished the portrait.
Covington Branch, Kenton County
Woman Hanging Laundry by Dixie Selden
Selden, a student of Frank Duveneck at the Art Institute of Cincinnati, was a painter of national acclaim who won prizes and had works exhibited throughout the United States. She helped found the Women’s Art Club of Cincinnati and was twice its President. Like her teacher and mentor Duveneck, her style changed over the years from the darker influences of the Munich school early in her career to a more lively and bright Impressionist style later in life.
Covington Branch, Kenton County
Study of Duveneck's "Whistling Boy" by Leon Lippert
Signed on the back, this oil on canvas portrait is a copy of one of Frank Duveneck’s most famous paintings. The original painting, titled “The Smoking Boy,” included a cigarette in the subject’s left hand, which art censors of the time forced Duveneck to paint out of the portrait. The renamed “Whistling Boy” original hangs in the Cincinnati Art Museum. Lippert himself was a prolific and successful artist and was a former student of Duveneck and others at the Art Institute of Cincinnati.
Covington Branch, Kenton County
Market and Square by Harlan Hubbard
This painting depicts the artist’s vision of the Covington Market and Square circa 1856. The work was commissioned for the then Public Library of Covington in 1934 as part of the New Deal’s Public Works of Art Project. Harlan Hubbard was born in nearby Bellevue, Ky and lived in Ft. Thomas for a time before moving south to Trimble County, KY. Many of his other artworks can be found in the Behringer-Crawford Museum located within Covington’s Devou Park.
Covington Branch, Kenton County
Confluence of the Licking and Ohio Rivers by Harlan Hubbard
This painting depicts a typical scene of the Ohio River during the steamboat era. The work was commissioned for the then Public Library of Covington in 1934 as part of the New Deal’s Public Works of Art Project. As part of that same project, Hubbard also painted a mural on the proscenium over the stage of the auditorium in the old Covington Carnegie Library, now a theater and art gallery.
Covington Branch, Kenton County
My Old Kentucky Home by Godfrey Nicholas Frankenstein
This painting depicts the farm of B.F. Sandford on Banklick Turnpike (at the modern day intersection of KY 17 and Kyles Ln.) one of Kenton County’s main thoroughfares. The artist was born in Germany, emigrated to America in 1831 and settled and began painting around Cincinnati. He is best known for his landscape works, most notably those he did of Niagara Falls.
