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On the Wall: Community-Art-Lending

Versión en español / Spanish version 

Borrow framed local art with your library card.

Check out a piece of art for up to 4 weeks to enjoy in your own home. Artwork is free to check out.
All you need is your library card!

There are 30 pieces of original art by local artists available to borrow. The collection includes framed paintings, photographs, and mixed media.

Artwork can be checked out at 5 of our library branches:
Corte Madera, Inverness, Marin City, Point Reyes, and South Novato.

Find out how it works below.

Artist Spotlight

Watch intimate interviews and candid conversations with the artists, as they share their unique journeys, inspirations, and the stories behind their creations. Each video is 1 min.

Video Interviews with the Artists

On the Wall Artist: Meg Reilly

On the Wall Artist: Richard Blair

On the Wall Artist: Mary Pieper Warren

On the Wall Artist: Meg Reilly

On the Wall Artist: Richard Blair

On the Wall Artist: Mary Pieper Warren

Browse Artwork

View availability by location:

Please note: Availability is on a first come, first served basis. It is not possible to place a hold.

Browse all 30 artworks below. Click on the images to enlarge.

In the Tropics, Jennifer Isaac, 26 x 20 inches; Corte Madera Library Collection
Trout, Amanda Tomlin, 15 x 24 inches; South Novato Library Collection
Holy Man, Maalak Atkins, 25 x 27 inches; Marin City Library Collection
Adult Brown Pelican in Breeding Plumage, Richard Blair, 26 x 10 inches; Inverness Library Collection
Lynx, Susan McMudie, 11 x 9 inches; South Novato Library Collection
The Voyage, Toni Littlejohn, 20 x 27 inches; Point Reyes Library Collection
Golden Hour at Rodeo Beach, Steve Disenhof, 14 x 17 inches; Marin City Library Collection
Tule Elk at Sunset, Point Reyes, Carlos Porrata, 12 x 24 inches; Inverness Library Collection
Coastal Marin, Tom Soltesz, 9 x 12 inches; Point Reyes Library Collection
Garden Hummingbird, Tim Walker, 10 x 14 inches; Corte Madera Library Collection
Marin Hills in the Spring, Nancy Nichols, 18 x 24 inches; Marin City Library Collection
Airborne, Ayumi Kie Weissbuch, 13 x 16 inches; Corte Madera Library Collection
Rest In Power, Miranda Chen, 26.5 x 22.5 inches; Corte Madera Library Collection
Sunday Breakfast, Kathryn Whitten, 9 x 12 inches; Point Reyes Library Collection
Black-necked Stilt on Bothin Marsh, Marnie Walters, 22 x 30 inches; Marin City Library Collection
In the Distance, Meg Reilly, 18 x 18 inches; Corte Madera Library Collection
Glimmer, Stephanie Thwaites, 13 x 13 inches; South Novato Library Collection
Night Blooming Cereus, Bob Hemstock, 22 x 18 inches; Marin City Library Collection
Reindeer Terrain, Jane Zich, 10 x 8 inches; Inverness Library Collection
Mystery, Mary Pieper-Warren, 16 x 12 inches; Inverness Library Collection
Point Reyes Shipwreck, Harvey Abernathey, 23 x 29 inches; South Novato Library Collection
The Town Dog, Rick Budde, 18 x 22 inches; South Novato Library Collection
Morning Glory, Barbara McLain, 10 x 12 inches; Point Reyes Library Collection
Mt. Tamalpais From McInnis Park, Thomas Wood, 8 x 10 inches; Point Reyes Library Collection
Lupine Host Plant for Boisduval Blue Butterflies, Molly Brown, 14 x 11 inches; Inverness Library Collection
Banjo Player, New Orleans, Anne Pelletier, 13 x 13 inches; Inverness Library Collection
Feeding Time, Noel Ryan, 22 x 28 inches; South Novato Library Collection
Queen for the Day, Cathy Bowman, 7 x 7 inches; Corte Madera Library Collection
Here Deer, Victoria Mimiaga, 24 x 18 inches; Marin City Library Collection
A Walk Around the Barn, Wendy Schwartz, 24 x 24 inches; Point Reyes Library Collection

How It Works

You must be a library card holder over the age of 16 to check out art. Get a card.

Discover Artwork

  • Browse artwork above or search the catalog to find an artwork you'd like to borrow.
  • Artwork must be checked out and returned to the same loaning library during open hours.
  • Availability is on a first come, first served basis. It is not possible to place a hold.

Borrow

  • Check out for up to 4 weeks.
  • No renewals.
  • Limit of one artwork at a time per library card.
  • Artwork includes a protective case for transport.
  • Artwork includes a hook or wire on the back for hanging.  It may be hung up or leaned securely against a shelf or mantel.
  • Please handle the artwork gently and make sure to keep it away from heat sources.

Return

  • Return artwork to a library staff member at the main desk of the same library you borrowed it from.
  • Artwork must never be returned in the bookdrop or left outside the library.
  • A fee of $50 will be assessed for artwork that is damaged or not returned.

I love what I checked out. Can I buy it?

Unfortunately, no. These artworks are owned by the Marin County Free Library for all library patrons to enjoy. However, now that you have discovered a new local artist, you can purchase directly from them. See the individual artwork listing in the library catalog for a link to the artist's website, if available.

About the Program

This new program is an innovative and exciting partnership between the Department of Cultural Services and the Marin County Free Library that offers the opportunity for library card holders to check out and borrow original artworks by Marin County artists.

We are beginning this program with 30 original artworks available in 5 branch locations, including Corte Madera, Inverness, Marin City, Point Reyes, and South Novato.

The Department of Cultural Services has partnered with arts organizations in each community to offer the opportunity to artists in each district. Submissions were then juried by a team from Cultural Services and the Marin County Free Library, with final selections made by a committee of the Marin Cultural Association Board.

Our vision is to expand the opportunity for all Marin County residents to enjoy original art from the community and provide direct support to local artists.

The On the Wall Community Art Lending Collection is generously supported by:

  • Marin County Library Foundation
  • Tomales Bay Library Association
  • Friends of the Marin City Library
  • Friends of the Novato Libraries
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