In the last few years, a resurgence of interest has led to new projects funded by the Friends. Cleaning and conservation has resulted in brighter and better preserved artwork. In 1996, for the first time in decades, the Friends began approving new art purchases at the Gasparilla Festival of the Arts. Several pieces of contemporary art by notable local artists wre added to fit in with, and enhance our collection. Artistic Development and Innovation .
Some artists attempt to add to the vocabulary of art, using groundbreaking, innovative processes.
Some examples are works by Vasarely , Albers, Anuszkiewicz , and Uelsmann . Literary Qualities and Allusions . Many works have a sense of narrative or are metaphorical. Art which narrows the distance between visual and literary explorations seems particularly appropriate for a library. Testa-Secca, Pachner, Covington, and Kollwitz may be viewed from this perspective.