The State Historical Society of Missouri invites the public to view a new exhibit, Wild Missouri – the ART of Conservation, open now through March 29, 2025, at the SHSMO Art Gallery located in the Center for Missouri Studies, 605 Elm St., Columbia. A public reception featuring the exhibit’s curator Joan Stack and photographer Noppadol Paothong will be held Saturday, October 26 from 1:30-3 p.m. at the SHSMO Art Gallery. The exhibition demonstrates how the Missouri Department of Conservation has played a significant role in fostering environmental stewardship through the art of Charles Schwartz and nature photography by Noppadol Paothong.
About the Artists Featured in the Exhibition:
Charles Schwartz (1914-1991) was a distinguished artist, biologist, and naturalist who was active in the Missouri Department of Conservation for over 40 years. Born and raised in St. Louis, Schwartz received an undergraduate degree in zoology from the University of Missouri in 1938 and a master’s degree in 1940. He married fellow MU student Elizabeth “Libby” Reeder (Ph.D., 1938), and the two collaborated on many projects, including the award-winning illustrated book Wild Mammals of Missouri, first published in 1959 and still in print. As a trained zoologist, Schwartz spent hours observing and studying the habits of animals and birds. His images reflect an intimate familiarity with the creatures he depicted. The couple became well known in the early environmental movement and became good friends with naturalist Aldo Leopold and zoologist Marlin Perkins.
Noppadol Paothong grew up in Bangkok, Thailand, and in 1993 traveled to the U.S. to attend North Idaho College. Initially planning to major in graphic design, he switched to journalism after taking a wildlife photography course. He received a scholarship to attend Missouri Southern State University in Joplin in 1998, and after graduation worked for the Joplin Globe and Springfield News-Leader. In 2006, his passion for wildlife photography led him to join the Missouri Department of Conservation as a staff photographer, and he has since become an internationally recognized and award-winning wildlife photographer. Paothong is an associate fellow of the International League of Conservation Photographers, an elite group comprised of the world's top wildlife, nature, and culture photographers around the globe.
The exhibition is free to the public and open during regular visitor hours at the SHSMO Art Gallery Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. and each Saturday from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.