William Campbell Contemporary Art announces new ownership

Fort Worth’s renowned and enduring art gallery, William Campbell Contemporary Art, transitioned to new ownership in December of 2020.

Fort Worth Contemporary Art Partners has purchased William Campbell Contemporary Art and Gallery One Frames. FWCAP founders are Jadz Pate, Clayton Snodgrass, Tim Locke, J.W. Wilson, and Peeler Howell. Howell has worked as the Campbells’ gallery assistant since August 2017, and will continue to manage day-to-day operations, a news release said, Pam and Bill Campbell owned and operated the gallery and frame shop on Byers Avenue for 46 years.

“Fort Worth Contemporary Art Partners has no desire to do anything fundamentally different from what Bill and Pam have created over the last forty-six years,” Howell said in the announcement.

“We want to continue to cultivate the relationships they have created with the artists, clients, and customers, and anybody that has an interest in contemporary art, or art in general. Bill and Pam have been ideal mentors, and will continue to be so,” he said.

The Campbells have made an indelible imprint on the Fort Worth art community, championing contemporary artists and making their work accessible to a broad audience base.

“Though we are going to really miss seeing our clients on a regular basis – many who have become such great friends over the years – and working with our artists who are like family to us, we couldn’t have wished for a better scenario,” the Campbells said. “We are excited to see William Campbell Contemporary Art continue beyond our retirement and look forward to the gallery’s future in Peeler and his partners’ extraordinary and talented hands.”

Earlier in January, William Campbell Contemporary Art announced its election as a member of the International Fine Print Dealers Association (IFPDA).

The prestigious group, which includes more than 160 members from 13 countries, consists of art dealers who celebrate and promote prints and the medium of printmaking, from old-world masterworks to contemporary pieces, that announcement said.

The new owners believe in the mission set forth by the Campbells more than four decades ago, and remain dedicated to upholding the values that have made William Campbell Contemporary Art a Fort Worth institution, they said in the sales announcement.

“We are committed to exhibiting the same quality of art and service that Fort Worth has grown accustomed to,” they said.

The Campbell name will remain as homage to its founders, as will the location and stable of artists.

“We will carry the Campbell torch forward into the future while always honoring its past,” Wilson said.

Membership in the IFPDA organization is by invitation only. The Fort Worth gallery was nominated by IFPDA board member Jonathan Novak and approved by the group’s board and membership.

The Campbells have a long history of working with fine prints, and have incorporated them into the gallery’s inventory since its opening in 1974.

In addition to maintaining an international network of premier print dealers, the association hosts the annual IFPDA Fine Art Print Fair in New York City, and each year presents the IFPDA Book Award in recognition of scholarly excellence and original research.

“It is a tremendous honor and we were thrilled to be invited to become a member of IFPDA. Being recognized by our peers is a huge compliment,” Pam Campbell said when the membership was announced.

William Campbell Contemporary Art