The Miami-Dade Public Library System Artmobile Spreads Season's Greetings

12/4/23

By: C. B.

In 1976, the Miami-Dade Public Library System (MDPLS) launched the Artmobile – an old bus transformed into an art gallery on wheels – bringing Miami-Dade County residents a variety of mini art exhibits aimed at generating interest in the arts and promoting library services. Renowned New York artist, Lowell Nesbitt, was commissioned to paint the exterior of the Artmobile. Nesbitt, best known for his vivid and unique depictions of flowers, designed the Artmobile to reflect South Florida’s local environment of tropical flowers.

Then art librarian and curator Barbara Young managed the Artmobile and facilitated numerous exhibitions that toured the county for almost two decades.

One noteworthy exhibition was titled Artist-Made Greeting Cards, in celebration of the 1984 holiday season. It served as an invitation to local artists to create an original greeting card using 5 x 7-inch paper provided by the Library. Each greeting card was uniquely designed with imagery and mixed media components at the discretion of each artist.

The outcome of the exhibit was a vibrant and remarkable assortment of holiday cards, each offering a different interpretation of what the holiday season meant to the participating artists. While some cards featured more traditional Christmas imagery, others showcased witty humor and leaned into the style of abstract art.

These distinctive cards conveyed a shared message of positive cheer and a united commitment by each artist to support the arts movement and education in Miami-Dade County. Although the MDPLS Artmobile is no longer in service, the works showcased in the mobile art exhibit were generously donated to the Library and now live in our Digital Collections.

Click the link to continue viewing our collection of Greeting Cards.

Happy Holidays!