The
Carnegie Collection
n addition
to its traveling and special exhibits which change every month,
the Museum has a permanent collection of 1580 art and ethnographic
objects. Over 600 are paintings, drawings, prints and photographs
primarily by 20th century California artists. Due to limited
gallery space, only a small selection from the permanent collection
are displayed periodically.
The Carnegie collection is Oxnard's municipal
art collection which began before the Carnegie Building was used
as a fine arts museum. The collection was begun in 1924 when
members of the Art Club of Oxnard decided to purchase "Desert
Bloom" by California landscape painter Katherine Leighton.
Money was raised through popular subscription and a "penny
festival".
Additional paintings have been collected through the years by
such artists as Arthur Beaumont, Colin Campbell Cooper, Millard
Sheets, Leo Politi, John Valadez, Frank Romero, Cornelis Botke
and Jesse Arms Botke, as well as many other artists. This is
a treasury of art and culture in Ventura County that needs lasting
support.
