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 The Lydia Ruyle Room of Women’s Art is an archival space designed to provide viewing and study, for students and the public, of our current and future art collections. The only room of it’s kind, it was made possible by a generous donation from Bob and Lydia Ruyle.
An impressive collection of prints and drawings by women artists, donated to UNC by Bob and
Chris Petteys of Sterling provided the impetus for this space. This collection of 48 original works by 40 artists such as Mary Cassatt, Bridget Riley, Louise Nevelson, and Kathe Kollwitz can be viewed by visitors. The Petteys family also donated over 500 books, mostly pertaining to women artists. These books and files enhance the research possibilities for students and faculty.
For conservation reasons, works on paper cannot be permanently displayed but must be kept in inert, acid free boxes or portfolios. Light, temperature and humidity conditions leave them vulnerable to damage. A viewing room of prints and drawings also is an essential resource for enabling an understanding and appreciation of works on paper.
 Bob and Chris Petteys started collecting women’s art in the late 1970s, but found that the search for women artists was difficult because of how little was written on women artists. Vacations became art-study excursions and the limited research resources prompted Chris into writing Dictionary of Women Artists, published in 1985. An anticipated six-month project with about 600 entries grew to an 850-page volume taking twelve years to complete. A copy of Dictionary of Women Artists and the accompanying research cards are located at UNC’s Michener Library.
The Lydia Ruyle Room of Women’s Art is located on the lower level of Guggenheim Hall, Room 004. The room is open by appointment. For more information contact Joan Shannon-Miller at 970.351.2184 or joan.shannonmiller@unco.edu
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