This piece showing Bryce Canyon was taken by Tom Janik.

Fredonia’s Darwin R. Barker Library is excited to announce its next local art exhibition, “Visions of the National Parks and Beyond 2” — a local encore to a show originally installed at the Crary Art Gallery in Warren, Pa., last summer.

This exhibition takes viewers on a quintessential American journey — an expedition of discovery, wonder, and contemplation of our treasured and varied national parks.

The artworks here capture both the grandeur and quiet beauty of our national parks and monuments, from the nature-sculpted landscapes of Utah, to the animals of Yellowstone and the rugged ice-capped peaks of the Grand Tetons, back to iconic parks in the East like Acadia and Gettysburg National Battlefield. More than mere celebrations of nature, these works are personal testaments by artists who were moved by the richness of the places kept naturally intact as national parks, preserved for the benefit of the entire country.

Throughout our history, the parks have been under threat from industry and tourism, and this exhibition shows some of the vibrancy, vitality, and beauty that would be lost if these lands were surrendered to commercial interests.

As Senator and “Father” of Earth Day Gaylord Nelson reminds us, “The wealth of the nation is its air, water, soil, forests, minerals, rivers, lakes, oceans, scenic beauty, wildlife habitats, and biodiversity.” Nelson’s sentiment is even more critical today, and these works invite you to behold our vast American riches — our National Parks.

This exhibition features more than twenty works by six acclaimed regional artists: Thomas Annear, Wendy Bale, Angela Caley, James Hoggard, Tom Janik, and Thomas Paquette. Working in a rich variety of media and sizes, the artists engage the splendor of the parks through black-and-white and color photography, paintings in oil, gouache, acrylic, and mixed media and cut paper pieces.

The library will host an opening reception on Wednesday, March 4 from 5 to 7 p.m. Enjoy refreshments and talk with the artists!

“Visions of the National Parks and Beyond 2” can also be viewed during regular library hours from Wednesday to May 2. The Darwin R. Barker Library is located at 7 Day St., Fredonia.