Henri- Joseph Harpignies was a French painter and printmaker, who made a late in life debut in the Salon in 1853.   Harpignies showed an affinity for nature and took a special interest in the rendering of trees to such a point that Anatole France, a great writer of the period, named him the Michelangelo of trees.  In a direct statement to the other French artists working in other styles who rejected the associations that Italy had with the classical tradition of the Salon and the cradle of true landscape painting, Harpignies wrote (quoted in Bailly-Herzberg, Janine, L’Art du Paysage de l’Atelier au Plein Air, Paris: Flammarion, 2000, pg. 176):

“Ah, makers of pigs’ ponds and of boatmen, intransigent realists, painters of the banks of the Marne and of the Oise and other trite everyday subjects, come and see the valley of Poussin… there you will see real landscapes.”

Henri-Joseph Harpignies (French,1819 – 1916), Landscape, 1893, Oil on canvas, 23 1/8 x 31 3/4 in., Gift of Mrs. Pauline Lefkowitz, AG.1985.2.1.

In 1900, he obtained the Grand Prix at the Exposition Universelle, where his talent was represented by a series of oil and watercolor landscapes and is to today noted as one of the master Impressionist artists of the 19th Century alongside Monet and Manet.

Richard Arbib (1917–1995)
Cyclar Mark IV “Mopod” Vehicle Proposal
1979
Ink, gouache and graphite pencil with collage elements on illustration board
Height x width: 55.9 x 74.9 cm (22 x 29 1/2 in.)
Framed: 60.6 x 78.1 x 2.9 cm (23 7/8 x 30 3/4 x 1 1/8 in.)
Jean S. and Frederic A. Sharf Collection
L-SE 1046.1.10

The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens would like to present Future Retro: The Great Age of the American Automobile,an exhibition comprised of drawings from the collection of Jean S. and Frederick A. Sharf and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston that showcase the beauty and ingenuity of American automotive design during the decades following World War II, a landmark period in car styling.These illustrations provide a rare glimpse into the creative process of some of America’s premiere car designers.

L-SE 1046.1.32
Peter Wozena
Oldsmobile Proposal
June 12, 1958
Colored pencil and graphite on tracing paper and white gouache
Height x width: 35.6 x 42.5 cm (14 x 16 3/4 in.)
Framed: 60 x 81 x 2.5 cm (23 5/8 x 31 7/8 x 1 in.)
Jean S. and Frederic A. Sharf Collection

The MFA’s collection includes an extensive selection of illustrations, ranging from preliminary sketches to fully rendered works intended for presentation to car company executives. 

L-SE 1046.1.30
Elia Russinoff (born in 1930)
Design Proposal: Two Door Sports Car
1953
Colored pencil on black paper
Height x width: 59.7 x 73.7 cm (23 1/2 x 29 in.)
Framed: 63.5 x 78.1 x 2.5 cm (25 x 30 3/4 x 1 in.)
Jean S. and Frederic A. Sharf Collection

Some of the drawings featured in the exhibition articulate concepts that would later be incorporated into specific models, while others represent futuristic ideas that were curtailed before even making it past the drawing board.

Six eye-catching cars, 1957 Cadillac El Dorado Biarritz, 1956 Continental Mark II, 1956 GM Firebird II, 1963 Chrysler Turbine, 1963 Ford Thunderbird Sports Roadster, and the 1961 Chevrolet Impala SS are reflective of the modern period, and will certainly steal the show. 

Chrysler Corporation and Carrozzeria Ghia, Chrysler Turbine, 1963, front-engine, rear-drive hard top coupe, 201.6 x 72.9 x 53.5 in., Courtesy of the Chrysler Group, LLC.

Adding depth and perspective, which will enhance the experience of viewing the MFA collection, as they represent the culmination of the era’s engineering and design.

Chevrolet, Impala Super Sport, 1961, convertible, 209.3 x 78.4 x 55.5 in., Courtesy of Dr. and Mrs. Wellington C. Morton.

This exhibition will be on view from May 14 through September 8, 2013.

For more information, please visit our website.

So, what do the Nazis have to do with Jacksonville, you ask? With two pieces of Nazi loot uncovered in The Cummer’s permanent collection, the answer is more than you might think.

From 1933 through the end of World War II in 1945, the Nazi regime systematically pillaged cultural property and artworks throughout continental Europe.  Some of their loot was sold to fund Nazi-related activities; some became the property of senior party officials.  Other pieces were destroyed.  After the war, tens of thousands of confiscated objects were recovered by the Allies, but that was only a portion of the works stolen. Although exhaustive efforts were made to return these objects to their rightful owners, many works of art never found their way home.

To this day, museums and individual collectors still struggle to verify the proper ownership of works of art that changed hands during these years.

This presentation returns as part of The Cummer’s Talks & Tea Series, which invite you to sit comfortably in the Galleries and Gardens of the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens while art historians, artists, and other experts facilitate informational and educational discussions on various topics related to the Museum’s permanent collection, as well as special exhibitions. At the conclusion of each talk, tea and light refreshments will be served. This presentation on Nazi Art looting will take place on Wednesday  May 15 and Thursday, May 16 at 1:30.

Call 904.899.6038 to make your required reservations, and we will check your name in at the door on the day of the event.  Tickets are $6 per person.

In 2013, Florida is commemorating the 500-year anniversary of the arrival of Europeans and Africans in the Americas. Juan Ponce de León’s expedition to Florida in 1513 marked a major turning point in world history.  When Europeans and Africans met Native Americans on the shores of the land we now call Florida, life on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean was forever changed.  In 1564, Jacques Le Moyne became the first European artist to visit Florida.  He made drawings and watercolors of the Timucua, a people indigenous to the northern part of the state.  Despite their inaccuracies, these prints were for decades the only images of Florida flora, fauna, and peoples known to the Old World.

Theodor de Bry (Flemish 1528 – 1598), after Jacques Le Moyne de Morgues (c. 1533 – c. 1588), Hunting Alligators, 1591, Engraving, Museum purchase in honor of Congressman Charles E. Bennett, AP.2002.1.3.

In 1591, Dutch engraver and goldsmith Theodor de Bry published Grand Voyages, which contained engravings of Le Moyne`s watercolors (now lost).  Although Theodor de Bry never traveled to the Americas, the images he created helped to shape the European perception of Native American cultures and the land they inhabited.

De Bry’s renditions of Le Moyne’s sketches are both historically significant and highly controversial. Scholars point out that certain aspects of the engravings do not match later depictions of the Timucua Indians encountered by the French in northeastern Florida, and contend that de Bry certainly altered the images prior to publication.

Artistic license is evident in several of the images such as the one shown here with its fantasticly oversized Alligator, on display in the La Florida exhibition at the Cummer, through October 6th.

This illuminated leaf comes from the Old Testament of a Latin Bible with a historiated initial of the Prophet Jonah near the bottom of the right column.  This nine-line tall historiated initial “E” or enlarged letter contains a picture shows Jonah praying in the whale’s mouth with a synagogue in the upper part of the initial.

Artist unknown (French),Gothic Manuscript Page: Jonah & the Whale, c. 1250, Tempera and Ink on Vellum, 8.5 x 6 1/8 in., Gift of Mrs. Ruth Pruitt Phillips, AG.1993.1.1.

Along with this large starting point ornamentation, there are two ornamented initials with marginal extensions  found on this leaf, painted in deep blue, pink, and burnished gold, with curling stems.

The illumination of this leaf suggest that is may have come from the workshop of the Dominican painter, who Robert Branner called “a rare and original painter” and who was one of the earliest miniaturists to invest his figures with feelings and to give them personalities of their own.

This invested emotional quality can be seen with close observation of the facial expression of Jonah while praying to the Lord for deliverance from the whale.

Another interesting feature to note is the responses of the Lord are here written in red ink, a tradition maintained in many Bibles used today.

Exemplifying the rising interest in mythological subject painting in the Baroque period, The Cummer possesses two great examples of Baroque epic paintings by Alessandro Gherardini.   Set side by side on the Semmes Gallery wall, we have the Triumph of Neptune and Amphitrite and The Forge of Vulcan, which draw from two works of Latin literature.

Alessandro Gherardini (Italian,1655 – 1723), Triumph of Neptune and Amphitrite, c.1688 – 1689, Oil on canvas, 30 1/4 x 39 7/8 in., Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Kendrick Guernsey, AG.1972.16.1.

The Triumph of Neptune and Amphitrite is described in detail in Ovid`s Metamorphoses. In the work, Neptune is shown with his wife, Amphitrite, who he pursued far and wide across the seas before winning her.  After much persuasion, she consented to become Neptune’s wife, and in this painting we see the couple united in their role as rulers of the sea, accompanied by a Nereid and assisted in their journey by wind gods.  Above them hovers a putto representing Cupid.  In its broadest sense, the painting represents the Triumph of Love.

Alessandro Gherardini (Italian,1655 – 1723), The Forge of Vulcan, c.1688 – 1689, Oil on canvas, 31 3/8 x 40 1/2 in., Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Kendrick Guernsey, AG.1972.15.1.

The Forge of Vulcan  represents an episode in Book VIII of Virgil’s Aeneid where the Cyclops are fashioning armor for Aeneas. This work is very dark and typically of the Baroque period there is one source of light in the scene, the fire of the forge.  Vulcan,  the god of fire, is best known for his role as the blacksmith of the gods and goddesses. According to myth, Vulcan forges the most iconic elements of Greek mythology, such as Zeus’ thunderbolt, Athena’s helmet, and the armour of Achilles in Homer’s Iliad.

Charles Webster Hawthorne was an American portrait and genre painter and a noted teacher who founded the Cape Cod School of Art in Provincetown, MA in 1899.  He was born in Illinois, but raised in Maine.  He studied painting under several notable artists at the National Academy of Design and the Art Students League.  Hawthorne declared that the most dominant influence in his career was William Merritt Chase.  Both men were naturally talented teachers and figurative painters who were drawn to rich color and the lusciousness of oil paint as a medium.

Charles Webster Hawthorne (American, 1872 – 1930), April, c. 1918-1920, oil on canvas, 39 5/8 x 40 in., Gift of Raymond J. and Margaret Horowitz, AG.2009.3.1.

This portrait demonstrates Hawthorne’s interest in combining elements of realism, while keeping Monet’s style and the glow of Impressionism, differentiating between color and tone and to re-create the illusion of light in new ways.  We see the a summation of Hawthorne’s unique style in this portrait with the rich blue tones of the background and the impressionistic-like light changes in the dress of the young woman named April.

Content with more rural life than that of William Merritt Chase and his New York art circles,  Hawthrone broaden the subject matter of American Impressionism to include the rural and earthy world outside of big metropolitan centers.  By 1916, the historic fishing village of Provincetown had become the largest art colony in the world luring such artists as George Ault, Gifford Beal, Reynolds Beal, Henry Demuth, Childe Hassam, Ernest Lawson, and William Zorach to its shores.  According to historian Ronald A. Kuchta, “Provincetown is the origin of many famous paintings in the history of the twentieth-century American art.”

Martin Johnson Heade (American, 1819 – 1904), The St. Johns River, c.1890s, oil on canvas, 13 x 26 in., Purchased with funds from Membership Contributions, AP.1966.29.1.

Martin Johnson Heade lived in Florida from 1883 until his death.  At first an avid hunter, he soon changed his views and began writing articles protesting the use of bird feathers for ladies’ hats, and even called for the protection of  wetlands at a time when marshes were more likely filled in for development than preserved.

Heade began as a portrait painter, working in a primly self-conscious and labored limner tradition. Only in the early 1860s did Heade turn to a subject well suited to his artistic personality landscapes. He worked with a limited range of pictorial elements—haystacks, clouds, sky, water and a flatly receding earth—to create a precise spatial structure within which to explore the fleeting light effects of a coastal environment.  The eerie ‘luminist’ precision of his landscapes and his independence from conventional composition contribute to the unsettling impression his work makes, as well as to its appeal to modern sensibilities.

This work depicting the St. Johns River at dusk, demonstrates his use of light effects and space to capture the simplistic beauty of the wetlands and waterways that now define Jacksonville. This work is on display as a part of the La Florida exhibition on view through October 6th.

Greece, Torso, 1st century A.D., Marble, 23 5/8 in., Morton R. Hirschberg Memorial Fund Purchase, AP.1984.4.1.

This small sculpture, despite being only a Torso of a youth from the shoulders to knees, is representative of the height of Classical Greek Sculpture.  Sculptures of this size were often found as grave markers or as votive gifts at Temples.  Following the style of Polykleitos of Argos, this sculpture uses the compositional system of the contrapposto, which provides visual as well as physical balance to the sculpture. This system can be identified by the creation of an “S” around a center line.  Think of it as forming a sort of visual dollar sign of arm bends and leg strides.  So, next time you visit this guy in the gallery, see if you can see the contrapposto.

Thomas Sully (American, 1783 – 1872), Captain Samuel Worthington Dewey, 1834, oil on canvas, 30 1/16 x 24 7/8 in., Gift of Mr. & Mrs. Stanley Bernstein, AG.1998.3.1.

A Philadelphia druggist commissioned this portrait of Captain Dewey, who had recently attracted national attention.  In the summer of 1834, when the American frigate Constitution, commonly known as Old Ironsides, was being repaired in the Charleston Navy Yard near Boston, a figurehead depicting President Andrew Jackson (1767-1845) was installed upon the ship.  Jackson was unpopular in the financial centers of the Northeast because of his economic reform program and stringent monetary policy, and Boston was no exception.

One evening, a young captain rowed out to the Constitution and sawed off Jackson’s head.  Much of Boston applauded this brazen act of partisanship.  Captain Dewey became a folk hero in the Northeast and a man much maligned by the supporters of President Jackson.

Benjamin West (American, 1738 – 1820), The Honorable Mrs. Shute Barrington, 1808, oil on canvas, 50 1/8 x 40 3/16 in., Foundation Purchase, AP.1960.2.1.

Benjamin West, who was born in Pennsylvania, moved to Italy in 1760.  After three years of study, primarily in Rome, West relocated to London.  He became firmly established as a master painter and teacher, and was appointed Historical Painter to George III (1738-1820).

Jane Barrington (1733-1807) was the wife of the Right Reverend The Honorable Shute Barrington (1734-1826), Bishop of Llandaff.  The Bible upon which Mrs. Barrington leans and the image of Durham Cathedral in the background allude to the couple’s service to the Church.  Dated one year after Mrs. Barrington’s death, the work is a posthumous portrait commissioned by her husband.

George Bellows (American, 1882 – 1925), Emma in an Orchard, 1916, oil on canvas, 30 1/8 x 38 ¼ in., Purchased with funds from The Cummer Council, AP.1980.1.1.

Bellows is best known for his energetic scenes of city life. In contrast to these works, the paintings that he created during his summers in Maine and Rhode Island depict the bright leisurely days of summer. In this painting, Bellows captures his wife Emma bathed in the summer light of Camden, Maine, a favorite vacation spot of the Bellows family.

Bold and broad strokes of violet and green contrast with the focused and narrow brush strokes that form the portrait of Emma. This contrast presents Emma as a serene and focal point amidst the flurry of paint and color, grounding the work and allowing the bold strokes of the background to convey the energy of the moment.

Andy Warhol (American,1928 – 1987), Gertrude Stein from Ten Portraits of Jews of the Twentieth Century, 1980, Silkscreen on paper, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Daniel M. Edelman, AG.2012.4.10.

Andy Warhol was an instrumental figure in the development of Pop Art. However, Warhol turns away from contemporary culture in 1980 with an exhibition at the Jewish Museum of Paintings titled “Ten Portraits of Jews of the Twentieth Century.” The international array of individuals included as subjects among the group Warhol labeled his “Jewish geniuses”—Sarah Bernhardt, Louis Brandeis, Martin Buber, Albert Einstein, Sigmund Freud, George Gershwin, Franz Kafka, the Marx Brothers, Golda Meir, and Gertrude Stein—represented various areas of the arts, education, entertainment, law, politics, philosophy, psychology, and science.

Warhol’s portrait of poet Gertrude Stein might appear a surprising selection to some.  Yet as artists, Warhol and Stein both produced innovative works, although the pair emphasized experimentation through a fairly basic approach to their craft and with a deceptive plainness.  One certainly could contend that the influence exerted by each of these individuals on those around them and those of subsequent generations is even more significant than their own noteworthy artistic accomplishments. Surely, it would be difficult to imagine modernism during the first half of the twentieth century without the presence of Gertrude Stein as it would be difficult to discuss the postmodern period of art without mentioning Andy Warhol.

There are no ticking clocks in this exhibit.  No sand running through the hour glass to mark the passage of time.  In fact there is almost nothing of literal time keeping in this terrific exhibition from Jacksonville’s Museum of Contemporary Art.   Instead, this show is about the abstract nature of time.  About what a subjective and personal experience it can be.  The artists in this show are playing with time by speeding it up or slowing it down or sometimes stopping it completely.  The exhibition staff at MoCA understands the power in this.  Similar to the way looking at something too closely creates abstraction, so does viewing something too slowly. 

Sam Taylor-Johnson, The Last Century,2005, DVD, Duration: 7 minutes 12 seconds, © Sam Taylor-Johnson, Courtesy White Cube

Sam Taylor-Johnson, The Last Century,2005, DVD, Duration: 7 minutes 12 seconds, © Sam Taylor-Johnson, Courtesy White CubeIn SLOW, MoCA presents a dynamic exhibition more about immersion rather than passive viewership. Not only do visitors have to physically alter their pace in order to take in the work but a variety of worthwhile interpretive tools are also available to take the viewer deeper into the exhibition.  These include a phone tour where one can access the voice of the artist offering a brief explanation of the corresponding work by dialing a number on their phone.  Another tool offered that is a little more specific to the subject matter is what the museum describes as a “Left Brain/Right Brain” tour.  This is presented as a printed component associated to each artist.  On the left hand side of the sheet you have the “Left Brain” understanding of the work. The technical aspects, the process, the “how did they do it?”  On the right hand side you’re presented with the “Right Brain” understanding.  This falls closer to the “why” of art making.  “What is the artist trying to tell me and why does it matter?”   Taken together this information presents a compelling case.  Particularly because of the technical nature of the work in the show and because most of said work involves the use of video which is still a young medium in the art world.

Idris Khan,Rising Series….. After Eadweard Muybridge ‘Human and Animal Locomotion’, 2005, 5 x Platinum prints, Each print 20 × 16 inches, Courtesy: Courtesy the Artist and Victoria Miro, London, Copyright: Idris Khan

A common thread throughout the exhibition is the preoccupation with the history of art.  Both Idris Khan and James Nares reference the early years of photography in their work and both have at some point created images that are evocative of Eadweard Muybridge’s experiments with the medium.  The difference being that while Khan’s are a more literal interpretation, Nares’ are more lyrical.

Sam Taylor-Johnson goes a step beyond the others by referencing the history of painting rather than the history of photography.  In her video A Little Death 2002 we start with a scene that closely resembles Jan Weenix’s Still Life with Hare and other Hunting Booty 1697.  The video looks very much like an old master still life in the beginning but through time-lapse photography we can see the accelerated decay and ruin of the once picturesque scene.  The body of the hare falls apart as it is eaten away, taking the scene and pushing it to the logical conclusion the original couldn’t reach.

David Claerbout, Ruurlo, Boculorscheweg, 1910, 1997, single channel video projection, black & white, silent, 10 min loop, Courtesy to the artist and Yvon Lambert,                                                     Hauser & Wirth, Micheline Szwajcer

Other highlights include David Claerbout’s The Long Goodbye depicting a woman emerging onto the steps of a grand country house, recognizing the viewer and waving to us as our point of view pulls away and the scene fades to black.  This unbroken shot probably would not span even a minute in real time but in Claerbout’s vision it stretches to nearly ten.  At such a snail’s pace every tiny gesture can be examined and becomes significant.

James Nares, Still from Street, 2011, HDV, 61 minutes, Edition of 6

This idea is taken further in James Nares’ brilliant video Street 2011.  In what I felt was the most moving piece in the exhibition, we as the viewer are gliding along crowded New York streets watching the people around us move by in slow-motion. The small, mundane gestures are now multiplied by the hundreds. The video has a strange, voyeuristic quality to it.  At this slowed pace we are at leisure to examine the faces and expressions of the people in crowd.  None of which, amazingly, ever look back at the camera.  In this way, and with the addition of a stirring soundtrack, the everyday activities of these New Yorkers are elevated to cinematic levels.  And at just over an hour in length it’s not hard to imagine the work as coming close to the realm of mainstream cinema.

All in all MoCA has done a great job creating an exhibition that is not only cohesive but exciting – not an easy task.  Take the time to visit this show, and once there, take the time to slow down and watch it unfold.  SLOW: Marking Time in Photography and Film is currently installed at MoCA Jacksonville and runs through April 7^th.

Gilbert Stuart (American, 1755 – 1828), George Washington, c. 1803, oil on canvas, 26 ¼ x 21 ¼ in., Purchased with funds from the Mae W. Schultz Charitable Lead Trust, and additional gifts from The Frank Barker Family and Diane DeMell Jacobsen Ph.D. in memory of Thomas H. Jacobsen, AP.2008.1.1.

Gilbert Stuart, the pre-eminent American portraitist of the Federal period, was born in Rhode Island.  He was active in New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C., before he permanently settled in Boston in 1805.  Stuart painted portraits of the most famous Americans of his era, and exerted a profound influence on the new generation of American portraitists.

Stuart first painted George Washington in 1795 and again in 1796.  The 1796 portrait, the model for the Washington portrait on the dollar bill, was left unfinished so that Stuart could keep it as a basis for further replicas.  Ultimately, he painted Washington’s likeness more than 100 times.  The painting seen here is one version of the unfinished portrait.

Clockwise: “Apple Garden”, 2010, 30×30; “Dragonfly”, 2010,
24×36; “Sea Inside”, 2010, 24×36; “Fire Flower”, 2010, 30×30.

Artist in the Store – February 26th, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Anna Miller received an extended professional art education in Eastern Europe that set her on a path to personal artistic discovery. Starting at age of 12 she attended a college level art school, and continued to study privately in studios of permanent European artists. She continued her education by entering the National Academy of Fine Art and Architecture of Ukraine, from which she graduated in 1997 with MA in Painting and later same year moved to United States.

In 1999 she received an offer to teach part time at a local college. She later became a full-time member of the faculty, and has taught at the school for over 10 years. She continues teaching and exhibiting her work locally in Jacksonville, FL.  Anna Miller is currently a member of Southlight Gallery.

Anna is currently working on her MFA at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco.

“I consider my life to be an amazing adventure and a discovery of colors and forms.”                                   -Anna Miller.

Auguste Rodin, (French 1840 – 1917), Young Girl Reclining, c. 1884-1885, bronze, 5 x 9 in., Bequest of Ninah M. H. Cummer, C.0.343.1.

Inspired by a trip to Italy, French sculptor François-Auguste-René Rodin created his first major sculpture in 1875.  Throughout the course of his career, he often pursued commissions for unconventional memorials. Many of his most notable sculptures, which were deliberate fragments or intentionally left unfinished, were criticized during his lifetime as they clashed with the traditions of the French Academy. In contrast to the Academy’s interest in more formulaic and decorative figural sculpture, Rodin rejected traditional mythological and allegorical themes. He believed  the goal of his sculpture was to promote inner feelings through muscular movement.

Rodin studied the works of Michelangelo (1475-1564) and Puget (1620-1694) to help appreciate the portrayal of emotion in the human form. The surfaces of his sculptures catch the subtle play of living motion and light and show careful attention to details of anatomy. In Young Girl Reclining, the contrast of textures between her polished skin and roughhewn ground give emphasis to the sensuous softness of her languid body.

Norman Rockwell (American, 1894 – 1978), Second Holiday, 1939, oil on canvas, 33 ¾ x 47 ¼ in., Purchased with funds from the Morton R. Hirschberg Bequest, AP.2005.6.1.

Norman Rockwell was  most well known for his paintings of American life in the mid-20^th century.

In 1943, Rockwell was inspired by President Franklin Roosevelt’s address to Congress, which spurred his most well known works, the Four Freedoms paintings. These paintings were reproduced in four consecutive issues of The Saturday Evening Post with essays by contemporary writers.  Rockwell led the way for many more artists to display works of art through mass- media forums.  Therefore, we celebrate you, Mr. Rockwell, for opening up the world of art for all to appreciate and enjoy.

Jim Draper, Large Passion, 2012, Oil on canvas, 48″ x 60″, Courtesy of the Artist

Jim Draper lives, works, and creates art in the city of Jacksonville, he is an instructor at the University of North Florida and has been featured in numerous solo and group exhibitions, such as the recent Highway Gallery, and is a part of collections throughout Florida and the Southeast.

In this exhibition, Draper explores the idea of natural resources as consumer commodities by examining how Florida’s bountiful flora and fauna were exploited by settlers in search of  the “Pascua de Florida” (Feast of Flowers).

Jim Draper, Nana, 2012, Oil on canvas, 48″ x 60″, Courtesy of the Artist

Draper’s body of work captures the response to being present in nature and comments on society’s stewardship of natural resources.  Ecologists, biologists, philosophers, historians, taxonomists, and writers have compiled their knowledge to create the historical backdrop for this exhibition in an attempt to examine Florida’s history, ecology, and raw beauty.

Jim Draper, Magnolia, 2012, Oil on canvas, 48″ x 60″, Courtesy of the Artist

This exhibition will be held in the Stein Gallery December 18, 2012 – April 7, 2013.   For more information, please visit our website.

Artist in the Store – Tuesday, December 18, 5-7pm

Written by Stephanie Elayne Ashley

I am a sculptor using glass and other forms of media to create auditory sculptures that evoke a heightened sense of emotion and engagement of the viewer. My work combines my love of sound with my passion for creating tangible forms. I choose sculpture since it brings forth the intricacy of the third dimension that is lost in medias such as painting or drawing. By utilizing space, my works are more engaging for both myself, in their creation, and the audience, in their viewing. I choose glass as my material not only because of its aesthetic luminescence, but also for its resonant quality that cannot be matched by any other material. I experiment with the nature of glass and ceramics to create percussion and wind instruments from both materials. Currently, I am expanding on this body of work by creating, tuning, and assembling glass bar percussion instruments. The use of sound furthers the audience’s interaction by incorporating time. Sound can bring about emotions that are left untapped by the simplicity of a static form. Being a musician, as well as an artist, I use my knowledge of auditory resonance and its structure, to create sculptures with life. My work comes from my love of operatic expression and the physical climax of emotions felt from experiencing a live performance. My purpose is to give the audience an in depth physical and emotive involvement with my work.

Through photographs, letters, and ephemera, this exhibition celebrates two strong women who helped shape Jacksonville in the twentieth century, and whose legacies remain vibrant today.  Materials for the exhibition were sourced from the Clara White Mission; the Jacksonville Historical Society; the University of North Florida Thomas Carpenter Library, Special Collections; and the Archives of the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens.

Eartha White and Ninah Cummer: Connecting with Community will be on display in the Milner Gallery from November 27, 2012 through April 14, 2013.

From 1933 through the end of World War II in 1945, the Nazi regime systematically pillaged cultural property and artworks throughout continental Europe.  Some of their loot was sold to fund Nazi-related activities; some became the property of senior party officials.  Other pieces were destroyed.  After the war, tens of thousands of confiscated objects were recovered by the Allies, but that was only a portion of the works stolen. Although exhaustive efforts were made to return these objects to their rightful owners, many works of art never found their way home.

To this day, museums and individual collectors still struggle to verify the proper ownership of works of art that changed hands during these years.

Jennifer Perez, Argosy Motel, Ormond Beach, Florida, 2008, Light emulsion print, 17″ x 21″, Courtesy of the Artist

Jennifer’s passion for photography began while traveling throughout northern California and Central America.  In an effort to better refine her skills she pursued formal photography training from the Southeast Center of Photographic Studies and the University of Central Florida.  This led to opportunities for a diversity of assignments many of which have been published in newspapers, magazines and travel books.  She currently resides in St. Augustine and continues to pursue a career in photography.

]]> http://blog.cummer.org/2012/11/folio-weekly-exhibition-artist-highlight-jennifer-perez/feed/ 0 http://blog.cummer.org/2012/11/folio-weekly-exhibition-artist-highlight-sharla-valeski/ http://blog.cummer.org/2012/11/folio-weekly-exhibition-artist-highlight-sharla-valeski/#comments Tue, 27 Nov 2012 16:00:45 +0000 Kristen Zimmerman http://blog.cummer.org/?p=8613 Each week, The Cummer will be highlighting each of the 50 artists represented in the upcoming Folio Weekly Invitational Artist Exhibition, on view at the Museum from August 24 – December 2.

Sharla Valeski, Abe Lincoln Femme Buck, 2012, Mixed media drawing, 34.5″ x 13.5″, Courtesy of the Artist

In 1987, Sharla Valeski moved to Jacksonville from Dallas, Texas. She enrolled at FCCJ (now Florida State College at Jacksonville) and later at Jacksonville University (JU) where she graduated magma cum laude with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art. From JU, Valeski adopted a philosophy that has fueled her art-making all these years. At the beginning of her career, the artist chose alternative spaces to show her art, although in 2001 she was included in the Women to Watch Exhibition at Alexander Brest Museum in Jacksonville. That changed in 2009 when Valeski participated in Art After Dark at the Florida Theater and the Bright Young Things exhibition at the Jane Gray Gallery. Shortly after, she opened a gallery/studio, The Next Gallery, being one of the first Off the Grid Galleries through Downtown Vision and The Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville. The Next Gallery became a great source of pleasure for Ms. Valeski as she experimented with window displays and the installation of art and objects she found locally and in her travels.

After two years of running The Next Gallery, Valeski happened upon the new CoRK Arts District in historic Riverside. She opened a studio in the first phase of the development. The shared gallery space in the building remains a source of inspiration for the artist and an opportunity to display her large scale soft sculptures. Ms. Valeski paints, draws, sews and builds installation pieces. She works mostly from childhood memories, dreams and her imagination. A new-found identity has emerged as she explores the idea of being feminine using methods, materials and imagery that are traditionally assigned to females. She lives in Atlantic beach with her husband, Brent and sons, Tom and Sen.

Julianne French, Utopia, 2010, Vintage photo, oil paint, ink, and paper on canvas, 8″ x 10″, Courtesy of the Artist

Julianne French, artist and art educator, received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting and art history from Jacksonville University in Jacksonville, Florida and her Master of Fine Arts in painting from The New York Academy of Art, the Graduate School of Figurative Art in New York City. Her work has been exhibited in national and international shows from FL to NY to Italy.  She is currently the Teacher of the Gifted in Nassau County teaching Art Appreciation and Humanities to high school gifted students.  Recently she received an Art Ventures Individual Artist grant from the Community Foundation; a grant to study at Yale University through the Gilder Lehrman Institute; and an invitation to work beside museum and art educators through the Connecting Collections Institute in NYC, studying artworks from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Whitney Museum of American Art, The Museum of Modern Art and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum.

Tony Wood, Blue Striped, 2012, Photograph on frosted transparent media paper mounted on a light box, 24″ x 20“, Courtesy of the Artist

Tony Wood was born in Nashville, Tennessee but has lived in Jacksonville since 1981. Wood has studied at both the University of South Carolina and the University of North Florida, where he received his BFA in 2001. Since in Florida, he has studied and worked with such renowned artist and professors as Louise Freshman-Brown, Paul Ladnier and Larry Jon Davis. Working with these artists gave him a strong desire to create works of art almost exclusively based on the human figure and face. In 2002-04, Wood was the Duval County Artist in Residence. These experiences lead to an interest and career as an art instructor in the public school system. Wood has exhibited his artwork throughout Florida and Southeast Georgia and has works in many public and private collections. In 1994 he received a talent grant from the state of Florida and in 2009, received an individual artist grant from the Community Foundation, which allowed him to pursue new approaches in portraiture. Wood is currently showing his artwork in the Southlight Gallery and Studio 121 in downtown Jacksonville.

Kelly Crawford, Butternut, 2012, Chromogenic print, 20″ x 20″, Courtesy of the Artist

Kelly Crawford is a Florida native living and photographing in St. Augustine, FL.  Originally from southern Palm Beach County, she headed north after her high school photography teacher suggested she attend Daytona Beach Community College’s photography program. While there she received her A.S. degree in Photographic Technology and went on to receive her Bachelor’s degree in Photography from the University of Central Florida.  Her primary focus lies in shooting film with old cameras, darkroom printing whenever possible, and experimenting with polaroid/instant films.
Look for her in St. Augustine’s “First Friday Artwalk” at Anchor Boutique on September 7, 2012.

Augusta Savage (American, 1892 – 1962), The Diving Boy, c. 1939, bronze, 32 ½ in., Bequest of Ninah M. H. Cummer, C.0.602.1.

Join Hope McMath, Director of The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens along with Chief Curator, Holly Keris as they discuss Florida’s little-known connection to the Harlem Renaissance.  Learn about Jacksonville’s native sons James Weldon Johnson and John Rosamond Johnson, along with another local artist, Augusta Savage, each of whom had unique ties to the Harlem Renaissance. The lecture will be followed by cocktails and live music by the Dixie/Swing Quintet featuring Lisa Kelly and JB Scott.

Attendance is $25 for members while non-members will pay $35. Please call (904) 899-6038 to make your required reservations by noon on Monday, November 26.

Jacob Lawrence, 1917 – 2000, Migrants Cast Their Ballots, 1974, Serigraph on paper, Gift of the Lorillard Corporation, AG.1976.1.8.

This image is one of twelve prints included in the Kent Bicentennial Portfolio:  Spirit of Independence, commissioned to celebrate the country’s 200th birthday.  Leading American artists were asked to create works that spoke to their interpretation of independence.

This print by Jacob Lawrence relates to his earlier series, The Migration of the Negro (1940-41), a suite of 60 oil paintings depicting the epic movement of African Americans from the rural South to northern cities between 1900 and 1930.  Here the migrants exercise their right to vote, something they were not able to do in the South.

Doug Eng, Dancing Oaks, 2012, Digital Photograph, Pigment on Paper, 22 x 30 in., Courtesy of the Artist

Doug Eng is a photographer and installation artist. His photographic body of work specializing in urban and natural landscapes has won numerous awards in juried competitions and is widely published. Eng’s engineering background informs the language he utilizes to explain a curiosity about forms, structures, patterns, rhythms, and textures. Eng’s involvement in several local collaborations has developed into a calling to revitalize the city of Jacksonville through the arts.

Doug Eng, Forest Renewal, 2010, Digital Photography, Pigment on Paper 12 x 48 in., Courtesy of the Artist

https://www.facebook.com/doug.eng

Dustin Harewood, Seeds, 2012, Acrylic and Collage on Wood, 40 x 30 x 8 in., Courtesy of the Artist

Dustin Harewood was born and raised in New York City in the 1980’s. In the early 90’s his family moved to Barbados, where he spent his high school years.  He moved back to the U.S to get his first degree in art at North Carolina Central University. He later attended the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where he received his M.F.A in painting and drawing. After graduating, he moved to Jacksonville, where he is currently co-running the Art Program at FSCJ’s Kent Campus.

Jenny Hager, Medallion, 2011, Monoprint, 30 x 40 in., Courtesy of the Artist

Jenny Hager is an Associate Professor of Sculpture at the University of North Florida, where she has been teaching for six years. She received her MFA in Sculpture and Digital Media from San Jose State University in San Jose, CA.  She also holds a BA in Art Education and a BFA in Art Studio from the University of Kentucky in Lexington, KY.  Interested in a variety of processes and materials, including steel, cast iron, post-it notes, video, wood, digital photography and found objects, she finds inspiration in dreams, objects from her childhood, gadgets, sea life and other curiosities.  She is also very interested in collaboration; the spirit of community is important in both her teaching practice and in her own work.

Jenny Hager, Winged Hoof, 2011, Cast Iron, Steel, Stainless Steel, 3 x 2.5 x 6 ft., Courtesy of the Artist

Hager’s cast iron work has been exhibited across the country and recently in the Cymru Ironstone Castle Exhibition in Wales.  Flight Lab, a video installation, has traveled to the Ogden Museum of Southern Art in New Orleans and York College, Pennsylvania.  A collaborative work completed with her husband, Lance Vickery, Three Clouds, is on exhibit at the Knoxville, TN airport for the Art in Public Places exhibition for the next year.  Hager’s most recent project is a collaboration with colleague/printmaker Emily Arthur.  The twenty foot tall Trojan horse, combining sculpture and print, was recently exhibited in New Orleans, Corpus Christi, and Houston.

The von Klemperer family.

The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens is proud to announce the resolution of a Nazi-era provenance/restitution case regarding two items in the Wark Collection of Early Meissen Porcelain.

In 2010, information was discovered that brought the provenance of the pieces, a teapot and a coffeepot,  into question. After extensive research, The Cummer determined that the pieces, which have been in the Museum’s collection since 1965, had been illegally seized by the Nazis from the family of Gustav Von Klemperer, one of Germany’s leading bankers. Von Klemperer’s collection of more than 800 pieces of Meissen is widely regarded as one of the most significant collections ever assembled.

Meissen Teapot, 1723, and Meissen Coffeepot, c. 1735.

In September 2012, The Cummer returned these pieces to Mr. Von Klemperer’s heirs, who have graciously agreed to lend the pieces back to the Museum for one year so that the story of their past may be shared with the community.

The pieces are on display in the Betsy & William D. Lovett Gallery through September 2013.

Join me for a lecture on Nazi-related looting and restitution cases on Tuesday, November 6 at 7 p.m. Admission is free for members and non-members. For more information, please call (904) 356-6857.

Loïs Mailou Jones, Design for Cretonne Drapery Fabric, 1932. Watercolor
on paper. Courtesy of the Loïs Mailou Jones Pierre-Noël Trust.

The myriad of themes explored by Loïs Mailou Jones (1905-1998) over the impressive length of her career makes for a dynamic exhibition of more than 70 works, including paintings, drawings and textile designs. The retrospective begins with her early textile designs and sketches from the Harlem Renaissance. After graduating from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, at a time when racial and gender prejudices pervaded society, Jones began her career as a textile designer. She sold her bold fabric creations to department stores until a decorator told her that a colored girl wasn’t capable of producing such beautiful designs. This incident prompted Jones to shift her artistic focus to the fine arts so she could sign her name to her works.

During a brief teaching stint at Palmer Memorial Institute, a preparatory school in Sedalia, North Carolina, Jones created several paintings that marked her transition from design to fine art. Though far less vivid than the later works for which she became famous, these early paintings still clearly show her fascination with color and culture.

Loïs Mailou Jones, Marché aux Puces Rue Médard, Paris, 1938. Gouache
on board. Courtesy of the Loïs Mailou Jones Pierre-Noël Trust.

Jones’ influences were extensive throughout the remainder of her career. Her lush oil paintings of the French countryside and traditional fruit and flower still lifes highlight her skillful observation of nature. The influence of philosopher Alain Locke, who encouraged Jones to draw inspiration from African art, is evident in many of her later works, such as Irma (1972). She also conveyed the social struggles of African-Americans through powerful psychological portraits such as Mob Victim (1945) and Jennie (1943). Her marriage in 1952 to noted Haitian graphic artist Louis Vergniaud Pierre-Noël instigated a change in the subject matter and palette of her paintings. Her frequent trips to Haiti re-energized her strong design sense and inspired vivid acrylic and watercolor paintings that displayed a marked fascination with Caribbean culture. After additional travels that included African countries, her work became characterized by brilliant color, rich patterns and a variety of Haitian and African motifs.

Loïs Mailou Jones, Nature Morte aux Corail, Haiti, 1985. Watercolor.
Courtesy of the Loïs Mailou Jones Pierre-Noël Trust.

In addition to her outstanding accomplishments as an artist, Jones was also a noted educator at Howard University in Washington, D.C. for 47 years. It has been said that Jones was just as involved in her students’ career developments as her own.  Among her illustrious students are David Driskell, Elizabeth Catlett and Robert Freeman.

President Jimmy Carter honored Jones for her outstanding achievements in the arts in 1980, and in the last ten years of her life both President Bill Clinton and French President Jacques Chirac met the artist and collected her work. During a six-year solo exhibition tour, the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. held an 89^th birthday party for Jones and apologized for previous prejudicial policies.  Loïs Mailou Jones continued to create her vibrant paintings until her death in 1998.

Leslie Stokes, Tranquility, 2011, Oil on Gallery Wrap Canvas, 36 x 36 in., Courtesy of the Artist

Leslie Stokes resides in Fort Pierce Florida where she has a studio and teaches intuitive oil painting.   Her paintings are a study of color and pattern, while interpreting nature.  She graduated from the University of Kentucky and has a degree in Art History.  She has studied art in France and New Mexico.  In addition to private collections she is in the collections of the Jill Schwartz and Associates, Winter Park FL, City National Bank, Miami FL and the University of Kentucky.

Jessie Barnes, Honor, 2012, Oil on Panel, 36 x 48 in., Courtesy of the Artist

Jessie Barnes is currently a senior at the University of North Florida, majoring in Fine Arts with an emphasis in Painting, Drawing and Printmaking, and minoring in Art History. Prior to UNF, Barnes attended Douglas Anderson School of the Arts and graduated as an AP Scholar and as the president of the school’s chapter of the National Art Honor Society. In addition, she has participated in the Maryland Institute College of Art’s Summer Pre-College program, and a Governor’s Summer Art program at Jacksonville University. She is expected to receive her BFA in the spring of 2013, and intends to continue her education by attending graduate school to obtain her MFA.

Jessie Barnes, Expose, 2012, Gum Transfer with Ink Wash, 22 x 28 in., Courtesy of the Artist

Barnes is a recipient of the prestigious Lazzara Scholarship, and most recently won Best in Show for her painting, Sarah, at the Ponte Vedra Cultural Center in 2011. She then was given a solo exhibition, entitled Collectivity, which opened in May at the Center’s newest gallery. Her body of work focuses on the magnification of a unique collection of found photographs, and seems to speak to the notions of the human condition, nostalgia, and the loss of the private, tangible photograph to the vast world of contemporary digital media.

For more information about the artist and her work, visit her website.

Paul Karabinis, Fish Out of Water, 2011, Toned Cyanotype, 20 x 24 in., Courtesy of the Artist

Paul Karabinis is Associate Professor of Photography at the University of North Florida where he teaches courses in photography and the history of photography. From 1982 until 2007 he served as Director of UNF’s University Gallery. Most recently he served as co-curator and catalog author of Shared Vision: The Sondra Gilman and Celso Gonzalez-Falla Collection of Photography, MOCA Jacksonville. Working primarily with historical photographic processes, his tabletop collages are composed of preexisting pictures (photographs and drawings) in combination with three-dimensional objects.

William Schaaf, Suwannee (Shinto Fertility Fetish), 2012, 3/9 Bronze Edition, 29 x 14 x 16 in., Courtesy of the Artist

William Schaaf was born in Richmond, Virginia, in l944.  He has a B.F.A. from the University of Florida, Gainesville, and a M.F.A. from the University of Illinois, Urbana/Champaign, both in Painting and Printmaking.  Aside from occasional jobs refurbishing houses, landscaping design, driving tractor-trailer trucks, he has made his living from art business sales, teaching and visiting-artist situations. For many years he has used Art as a Healing Agent with so-called ADD, autistic, abused, and exceptional young persons. He was an early consultant for the Arts In Medicine Program, Shands Hospital, Gainesville, Fl.

Academically, he has served many roles… professor, lecturer, workshop facilitator, visiting artist, in over 25 different institutions, including Southern Illinois University, Penn State University, York University, Toronto, Wayne State University, Detroit, Princeton University, N.J., Universities of Illinois, Florida, Wisconsin, S. Florida, Miami and others.

He has provided for dozens of drawing/writing creative process workshops in such places as: The Omega Institute for Holistic Studies, N.Y., The Penland School of Crafts, N.C., Shands Medical Center, Hospice of N. Florida, both of Gainesville, Fl., University Medical Center, Jacksonville, Fl., Valencia Community College, Orlando, The Ringling School of Art & Design, Sarasota, Fl., and some of the afore-mentioned universities.

He has been awarded residencies at Yaddo, Saratoga Springs, N.Y., the MacDowell Colony (twice) at Peterborough, N.H., the Ossabaw Island Project, (twice) Savannah, Ga., and the Virginia Center for the Arts. He has twice been awarded Individual Artist’s Grants from the State of Florida, and served on the Florida Individual Artist’s Grant Panels for the State of Florida. He was an Alternate in Painting for the American Academy in Rome and worked on Christo’s Surrounded Island Project in Miami, Florida.  He was invited as a visiting artist and scholar to the Marino Marini Foundation Headquarters, Pistoia, Italy.

He has exhibited in some 100 group shows, plus some 25 one-person exhibitions in many major U.S. cities, in such galleries as Robert Friedus and Allan Stone, N.Y., Chiaroscuro Gallery, Santa Fe, N.M., The Kentucky Derby Museum, Louisville, The Ringling School, Sarasota, Fl., The Tampa Museum of Art, Fl., Jacksonville Museum of Art, Jacksonville Museum of Modern Art, The Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens, Jacksonville, Fl., The Society of the Four Arts, Palm Beach, Fl., Samuel P. Harn Museum, Gainesville, Fl., Gulf Coast Museum of Art, Largo, Fl., the Orlando Museum of Art, Fl., and the J. Johnson Gallery, Jacksonville, Fl.  His work is in many private, corporate, and museum collections including: The Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art, Gainesville, Fl., Jacksonville Museum of Contemporary Art, Fl., Deland Museum of Art, Fl., Vero Beach Museum of Art, Fl., The Tampa Museum of Art, Fl., The Orlando Museum of Art, FL., The Kentucky Derby Museum of Art, Lexington, Convergys Corporation, Lake Mary, Fl., Alabama Power Corporation, Birmingham, City of Orlando, Fl., General Telephone and Electric, Tampa, Bell South Corporation, Jacksonville, Fl., Tupperware Corporation, Kissimmee, Fl., Berol Corporation, Ct., State of Florida, Tallahassee, Robert Rauschenberg Estate, Sanibel, Fl., Jennifer Johnson Collection, Fl., Ed Harris Collection, Malibu, Ca., David Cofrin Collection, Gainesville, and others.

His work has been featured in Spur Magazine, The Equine Image, Sky Magazine (Delta Airlines), Sculpture Magazine, Horizon Magazine, Art In America, Notes to A Young Painter, Hiram Williams/book, The Drawing Handbook: An Approach, Stuart Purser/book. He has been featured in videos for television (WUFT-TV, Gainesville), and was a guest speaker for, Voices in the Wind, National Public Radio, Washington, D.C.
ABOUT THE WORK

William Schaaf’s early influential teachers, especially Hiram Williams, gave him a notion that art was a way of life, a lifelong vocation, a place where the spirit of one’s own nature and Self could be sought and found. A project at the University of Florida in his sophomore year put him on the path with the horse and rider theme, which has been varying and cross-pollinating in both 2 & 3-D applications. Rembrandt’s Polish Rider led to what has become a lifelong devotion for well over 45 years. Perhaps childhood memories of heroic Italian monuments or the majestic equine statues of Richmond, Va., his early homes, had incubated long enough.

The 2-D works, usually mixed-media, are as pages out of a diary, often taking years to produce. There is a constant adding and subtracting, fusings of paint to surface, with a resulting rich matrix of markings and scratchings, events that denote history and time.  These 2-D pieces serve as windows through which one can travel expressionistically, realistically, abstractly, psychically. The horse serves as a kind of magic guide, a guardian & protector, a force of soul, accompanied by spirit beings, helpers, guardians, parts of self along for the ride.  Journeys are of visions, dreams, places of power and mystery, healing and discovery.

The 3-D works are characterized with some of the same modes as the 2-D works. The sculpture is influenced by a Japanese aesthetic, and more recently by the simple elegance of the many Native American fetish and doll makers. There is a love of Wabi-Sabi, of accidental happenings of nature, of surface and beauty, all the while serving functionally as ‘medicine’ pieces, reliquaries, works of intention (fetish) and prayer. They may serve as votive offerings which try to honor and emulate the various indigenous traditions that he is attracted to. The horses are often about primal elemental energies long-associated with the equine. In essence, the sculptures are simply fetishes, made large.

He works in stone, wood, clay, which are frequently translated to bronze editions. They are then patinated (visualize watercoloring with acids) so they will resemble lapis, jade, turquoise, which he considers the healing stones. For nearly 40 years, he has been in collaboration with Rick Frignoca, at the Bronzart Foundry, Sarasota, Fl.  It is a full service foundry, which does everything, including the enlargement and adaptation of any sculpture to any required situation.

Liz Gibson, 3 Legged Fox, 2012, Photograph and Acrylic Handprint on Canvas, 13 x 16 1/2 in., Courtesy of the Artist

Deformity, adversity, and empowerment- these are the themes of my work. Having been born with seven fingers total, (five fingers on my left-hand and two fingers on my right-hand) as an artist, I have chosen to take this unique personal experience and transform it into a shared experience with my audiences. I have created four distinct characters that represent different developmental stages a person born with a physical defect goes through. The transformation is marked in terms of both social perception and self-perspective. It is most important to me that the work I make is both visually intriguing as well as socially compelling.

To see more of Liz Gibson’s work, please visit her website.

Daryl Bunn, Fire Six, 2011, Photography, 59 x 43 1/2 in., Courtesy of the Artist

“Unexpected” is a term that could define the ever-exciting offerings that mark Daryl Bunn’s creative path.  He is a multi-dimensional artist/photographer who continually reaches further to express his inspiration and vision.

Historically, photography has been his prominent mode of creative expression.  He has built his career and reputation on his finely crafted skills and is well-known in the commercial photographic field for his technical and creative excellence.  The fine art photographic images being offered are simply visually breathtaking.

Daryl Bunn, Fire Five, 2011, Photography, 28 1/2 x 38 1/2 in., Courtesy of the Artist

Daryl’s creative interests, however, are vast and varied.  He has recently returned to his love of the art of serigraphy first expressed in 1976.  The prints are simplistic, architecturally elegant, emotionally charged, and challenge the viewer to reflect inward.  “My hope is that they are appreciated for the use of color and shape, composition and balance.  I would consider them successful if the viewer can create their own relationship with the work,” he says of his recent series.

The photographic images and serigraphs are offered as highly limited editions.

Daryl’s work has been included in numerous art exhibitions for which he has received many prestigious awards.

Daryl Bunn’s art is represented in many collections, including:
Mayo Clinic
Rulon Company
The Haskell Company
Drs. Mark and Theresa Abood
Allan Land Group
Ann Betchkal

Dr. and Mrs. Saul Eisen
Michael Dunlap Architects
Dr. and Mrs. Michael Phillips
Taylor Hardwick, AIA
Dr. and Mrs. Richard Markell
Stacy Moseley & Joseph Scherer
Baptist Medical Center
Pajcic & Pajcic Law Firm

Daryl Bunn is currently represented by Fogle Fine Art, HAS Art Solutions, Soho Myriad, Atlanta/Los Angeles, Rollins Fine Art, Tampa, & A.A.R., Houston.

David Engdahl, Lamelliform 205, 2010, Sande (Brosium Utile)/Walnut Veneer, 14 x 20 x 8 in., Courtesy of the Artist

An architect by education and vocation, David Engdahl has been working with laminated wood sculpture since 1971, and has exhibited his works throughout the U.S., including over twenty states. His work is included in numerous corporate collections as well as permanent collections of the Orlando Museum of Art (FL), the Huntsville Museum of Art (AL) and Wiregrass Museum of Art (Dothan, AL).

David Engdahl, Lamelliform 200, 2009, Sande (Brosium Utile), 27 x 13 in., Courtesy of the Artist

He received an Individual Artist Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts through the Fine Arts Council of Florida, and two of his works were displayed in the U.S. Embassy in Bahrain through the U.S. State Department, and one each have been in U.S. embassies in Latvia, Angola, and Zimbabwe.

Cooking is a big part of our daily lives, and the little one loves to help out in the kitchen.

Calling all photo enthusiasts. The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens invites experienced and novice photographers alike to participate in a photo experience as we explore our new exhibition Histories in Africa: 20 Years of Photography by Elizabeth Gilbert.

In the same way that Elizabeth Gilbert endeavored to capture the customs and traditions of disappearing ways of life, we challenge you to do the same using your family’s traditions as the subject of documentation. Whether the image is shot with your cell phone or your pride and joy digital, we want to see your attempt to document your own family traditions. 

From September 14th through December 30th 2012, send between one and three photos to asesnick@cummer.org.  Feel free to include a caption for your pictures.  All appropriate photos will be shared on The Cummer’s Flickr account and on Facebook.

Remember… this is not a contest, but rather a shared photo experience celebrating the Elizabeth Gilbert exhibition and the art of documentary.

Jando Dance, Malawi, 2006, silver gelatin photographic print, 59 7/8 x 40 in. © Elizabeth Gilbert.

The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens is excited to present a remarkable body of work by photojournalist Elizabeth Gilbert. Opening September 13, Histories in Africa: 20 Years of Photography by Elizabeth Gilbert draws from her impressive career documenting this extraordinary continent.

Gilbert’s startling black and white photographs are featured in the permanent collections of The Los Angeles County Museum of Art and The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas. They have also been exhibited most recently at The Museum of Arts and Design in New York City in the exhibition ‘The Global Africa Project’ (2010-2011). Her work is also highlighted in two publications, Broken Spears: A Maasai Journey, published by Atlantic Monthly Press, and Tribes of the Great Rift Valley, published by Abrams, and she has also been published in TIME, Newsweek, LIFE, Paris Match, and The New York Times among other publications.

A native of Jacksonville, Gilbert attended St. Mark’s, Bartram, and Episcopal before graduating from Parsons School of Design in 1990.  The following year she moved to Kenya to work with photographer Peter Beard. As a news photographer, Gilbert documented on the brutal civil wars in Rwanda, Somalia, and Sudan.  She “soon realized that photographing these events had little impact on their outcome. The brutality and tragedy I witnessed then hit me years later like a great tsunami slowly gathering itself at sea.” Instead, she turned her attention to recording the rapidly disappearing traditional cultures she witnessed around her. “I wanted to find the Africa that hadn’t yet been ravaged by foreign empires, wars, and the modern world,” said Gilbert.

“Nairobi was a different city then,” said Gilbert. “Maasai tribesmen could be found grazing cattle on the side of the road, or entering elevators in city skyscrapers carrying just a spear and a sack of tobacco. It seemed they had stepped into town from another era.”

This juxtaposition between old and new ways of life struck a chord with Gilbert, who drew on her background as a photojournalist to document these traditions before they disappeared. “Most of it is already gone,” said Gilbert, who cites “the steady infiltration of commercial tourism in rural areas; the growing popularity of Western clothing, music, and culture; and the diminishing numbers of small tribes such as the Batwa Pygmies” as just a few examples of this vanishing world.

The Circumcisionist, Malawi, 2006, silver gelatin photographic print, 26 ¼ x 40 in. © Elizabeth Gilbert.

For her first book, Broken Spears: A Maasai Journey, Gilbert spent four years embedded with this noted tribe. Despite the fact that their images were mass-produced on commercial items like postcards and T-shirts, the tribe was losing its customs and traditions to modern culture. Gilbert captured their ceremonies, such as the Eunoto ceremony, a retirement ceremony for warriors, and “The Horn of the Ox,” where young boys try to prove their manhood by grabbing an ox by its horns, as well as more controversial aspects of Maasai life such as female circumcision and lion hunting. “To me,” said Gilbert, “they were relics from Africa’s past. When I looked at them I saw the history, the greatness they had known when the Rift Valley was theirs. The early photographs from these safaris are like artifacts to me, pieces of history suspended in time.”

“The loss of African tradition in the last century and the change I witnessed during my own travels slowly redefined my role as a photographer,” said Gilbert. “I no longer saw myself as an invisible recorder, but as a collaborator with the people whom I photographed. I was a stranger, yet they had allowed me to document their most private rituals and ceremonies. This permission in itself was their own acknowledgement that a way of life was disappearing. Influenced by this, I began to create a more idealized portrayal of what I believed was a vanishing world.”

Her second book continued this journey into the Great Rift Valley, a vast area of Eastern Africa that is thought by scientists to be the birthplace of the human species. Gilbert spent nearly three years living among more than 25 ethnic groups, including the Samburu and Mursi.  “Though African ceremony is full of vivid pageantry, most of my photographs are in black and white,” said Gilbert, who hoped “this would distill the subjects in a timeless record, and preserve the memory of a lost era long after the process of globalization has eroded it forever.”

The Maz Brotherhood, Omo Valley, Ethiopia, 2005, silver gelatin photographic print, 26 ¼ x 40 in. © Elizabeth Gilbert.

Gilbert’s photographs capture Africa in transition. The Cummer’s exhibition draws from her twenty-year career and spans the entire scope of her work.

“After traveling and living abroad, bringing the work home to Jacksonville, the city where I was raised, is especially meaningful to me,” said Gilbert. “This is where I grew up. My family, oldest friends, teachers, god parents – the people who shaped my childhood – are all here. It is very personal to me to be coming home for this milestone, my first solo museum exhibition.”

This exhibition will be on view through December 30, 2012.  For further information on programming, please visit our website.

Alisha Lewis, Self Reflection, 2010, earthenware, 5 x 5 x 9 in., Courtesy of the Artist.

An appreciation of the human figure, satire, and humor, are reflected in
Alisha’s art.  Her current sculptures and videos are social commentaries that express ideas of self-image.  Inspired by the European figurine tradition her sculptures’ physical features are not exaggerated and modeling style is simplistic but emotionally charged.

Alisha’s art relates to work from the Black Arts Movement and to Black
Feminism of the 1970′s.  These intersections of gender, race, and culture are also present in contemporary African American art by Lorna Simpson, damali ayo, and Kara Walker.  These artists address the post-colonialist baggage still present for African Americans, women especially so, in contemporary America.

Her art also comments on the internal struggle of the African American
community.  The sculptures convey a psychological state in a post- colonialist
society, and a double consciousness.  She uses posture in her ceramic figures as well as performances to reflect socio psychological states.  She comments on the internal struggle of African American women with image; conflicts between their physical features, mainstream notions of beauty and social acceptance. The figurines are intimate views, hand modeled, and decorated with terra sigilatta, overglazes and various cold finishes.

Join us for the opening night celebration for this exhibition on Friday, August 24^th.  Purchase $5 tickets on our website by clicking here.  Museum members will receive free admission.

Brianna Angelakis, Neurasthenia, 2012, Graphite and oil on wood, Courtesy of the Artist

Brianna Marie Angelakis (b. 1990) is a young, American artist.  She was born in Massachusetts and moved to New Hampshire during her early teen years.  She moved to Florida at the end of her high school years, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude.  Her artistic inspiration stems from her love for literature and poetry in addition to her own experiences as a young woman.  She often depicts a narrative which centralizes around the female figure or child figure in nature.  Her paintings evoke the strong emotions correlated with romanticism and childhood innocence, elevating the female and child into a sublime, natural world.  By isolating her figures, she creates an emotional relationship between the figure and the observer.  Brianna Marie Angelakis currently attends Flagler College in St. Augustine, FL.  She will graduate in the Spring of 2013 with a B.A. in the Visual Arts, a B.A. in English, and a minor in Illustration.  Her artworks have been exhibited in various galleries located throughout north and central Florida, and she will be showing internationally for the first time in Leeds, England this December.  Her works have been published internationally through print and online magazines.  She currently lives and works in northern Florida.

You can find more information about the artist here:
Main Portfolio
Facebook
DeviantART
Tumblr

Join us for the opening night celebration for this exhibition on Friday, August 24^th.  Purchase $5 tickets on our website by clicking here.  Museum members will receive free admission.

Bharati Chaudhuri, Spirit of Life, 2011, monoprint, 22 x 30 in., Courtesy of the Artist.

A highly acclaimed contemporary artist, Bharati Chaudhuri has been working professionally for over 30 years, creating painting, printmaking, digital art and ceramics.

Her work, on one hand, expresses Indian sense and sensibilities; on the other hand, it reflects her western life experiences as well. Her works are in private and corporate collections throughout the world, and have received critical acclaim for imaginative composition, vibrant colors and masterful use of design elements.

Bharati received BFA and MFA degrees in painting from a premier art institution in India, Visva-Bharati University at Santiniketan, founded by the first Asian Nobel Laureate poet Rabindranath Tagore. Subsequently, she earned post-graduate degrees in painting, and in design & batik at the same school; she also studied printmaking at Cooper School of Art, Ohio. She has been recognized with a national scholarship by the Government of India.

Bharati has participated in over 100 solo, two-person, juried and invitational group shows, received numerous awards, scholarships and recognitions. Her drawings, paintings, prints, book/CD covers, illustrations, greeting cards and other designs have been sold in 22 countries across all 5 continents. Two of her large wall murals are in prominent public places in India.

Bharati is the founder-owner of Creative Studio in Jacksonville, Florida, a Board Member and a former President of Jacksonville Coalition for the Visual Arts. You can contact Bharati at bharatiart2000@yahoo.com, and you can view her gallery.

“When I work, I see my world through my inner eyes. I make my creative journey through an imaginary world of reality, dream and fantasy. My work is a pictorial representation of thoughtful abstraction of nature and form. Simplicity of form and fluidity of composition are the key aspects of my work. I try to achieve a dramatic visual effect using a combination of vibrant and dull colors along with patterns and design elements. I work with all my emotions, feelings and sensitivities to reach a point of satisfaction and attain an esthetic equilibrium” — Bharati

Join us for the opening night celebration for this exhibition on Friday, August 24^th.  Purchase $5 tickets on our website by clicking here.  Museum members will receive free admission.

Brian Shannon, Infinity, 2012, oil on panel, 18 x 14 in., Courtesy of the Artist.

Brian is a 2003 graduate of Douglas Anderson School of the Arts and has practiced oil painting since 2005, periodically displaying work and participating in gallery shows around Jacksonville.

The majority of his work is focused on the figure, ranging from portraiture to narrative, combined with aspects of landscape, interior and still life painting. In addition, he has also created dry media work in charcoal, graphite, and chalk.

To learn more about the artist, you can visit Brian’s website, or follow him of Facebook.

Join us for the opening night celebration for this exhibition on Friday, August 24^th.  Purchase $5 tickets on our website by clicking here.  Museum members will receive free admission.

vitrines? What wall color will enhance the viewer’s experience? How is layout to be determined?  Should it be organized by subject matter, by artist, or chronologically? Can the window shades remain open? Works on paper fade and deteriorate in ultra violet light like that which comes from sunlight.  How many didactics will there be? What objects is the education department concentrating on? What size school groups must be accommodated?

For example, in Temples and Tombs: Treasures of Egyptian Art from the British Museum, the scale of the Egyptian objects could handle a large and involved setting. Many of the objects were temple sculpture, so inferring a temple was in order. With 24″ diameter cardboard tubes and 42″ wide tapered foam flowerpots painted with a textured brick color paint the visitor got a subtle experience of objects in a temple. Does the art work call for a simpler setting?  The approach is equally complicated. The Miradas exhibition is a good example.

Amalia Galdona Broche, Mannequin, 2011, mixed media, , 24 x 36 in., Courtesy of the Artist.

Amalia Galdona Broche is an incoming freshman majoring in Sculpture at Jacksonville University. As a Douglas Anderson School of the Arts student she participated in school-organized exhibitions as well as high school county shows. Having spent her childhood and early teen years in Cuba, her work is greatly influenced by her Hispanic roots and memories of her upbringing. She has lived in Jacksonville, Florida for the past four years.

Join us for the opening night celebration for this exhibition on Friday, August 24^th.  Purchase $5 tickets on our website by clicking here.  Museum members will receive free admission.

Christine Schub, Amsterdam Morning, 2011, oil on board, 16 x 20 in., Courtesy of the Artist.

Christine Schub, a self-taught artist, holds a Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of Florida.  She has been a professional artist for thirty years.  Her work is included in many private and corporate art collections.  Christine spends her summers gardening and painting in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Wintertime finds her at her home on Amelia Island, Florida.

MY EARLIEST MEMORY OF CHILDHOOD IS MAKING ART….

plotting designs with Mom’s wonderful collection

of buttons or Crayola-ing the loops and circles I drew

on the cardboard insert from Dad’s laundered shirts.

I have many more colors to work with now but the

process itself hasn’t changed all that much. I still begin

the paintings with no preconceived notion…just a loose

application of thinned oil paints on primed masonite

board, or stretched linen or canvas.

The painting emerges ever so slowly revealing itself

in starts and fits. Most of the paintings, especially

the larger ones, take many months to complete. From

an amorphous splash of color comes a highly detailed

abstraction that may be reminiscent of a city, an

ancient land or even a feeling of carnival or industry.

The paintings are the product of inspiration filtered

through dreams, memories, or human archetypes.

See more at Christine’s Website.

Join us for the opening night celebration for this exhibition on Friday, August 24^th.  Purchase $5 tickets on our website by clicking here.  Museum members will receive free admission.

Leonard Baskin (American, 1922 – 2000), Self Portrait at Age 44, 1966, etching, image: 5 7/8 x 6 in., Gift of Mr. H. Shickman, Shickman Gallery, New York, AG.1968.3.1.

An internationally acclaimed sculptor, printmaker, painter, calligrapher, essayist, book designer, and poet, Leonard Baskin (American, 1922 – 2000) was a major figure in 20th-century American art.  In the 1940s and 1950s when movements such as abstract expressionism all but eliminated the human form in painting and sculpture, Baskin championed it.  Through figuration, his overarching concern was to express the power and depth of the human condition at its most primal.  This exhibition of works on paper, selected from the Museum’s holdings as well as a private collection, highlights images of humanity.  The poignancy of Baskin’s artistic legacy is the common consciousness of humankind.

Born in New Brunswick, New Jersey, Baskin grew up in Brooklyn under the strict tutelage of his rabbi father, which gave him a rich classical education.  After studying with sculptor Maurice Glickman, and attending several universities, Baskin taught himself the art of printmaking at Yale University, which he attended on a scholarship.  There, in 1942, he founded the Gehenna Press, a private fine art press that published more than 100 handcrafted artist books and portfolios during his lifetime.  Primarily known as a sculptor, Baskin rapidly gained international recognition as a printmaker and book designer.  He worked as professor at Smith College in North Hampton, Massachusetts from 1953 to 1974.

Leonard Baskin: Works on paper is currently on view in the Millner Gallery through November 11th.

Ronald W. Bayles, Street Preaching, 2009, photograph, 6 x 9 in., Courtesy of the Artist.

Ronald W. Bayles was born in 1947 in Des Moines, Iowa.  He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Arts at the University of West Florida, Pensacola. He is also is a graduate of the U.S. Military Photojournalism program at Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York and the U.S. Navy School of Photography, Pensacola, Florida.  He served 22 years in the U.S. Navy – 14 years as a Navy Photojournalist.  From 1993 – present, Ronald is a police photographer for the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.

Join us for the opening night celebration for this exhibition on Friday, August 24^th.  Purchase $5 tickets on our website by clicking here.  Museum members will receive free admission.

Over 750 submissions were received from the Call to Artists.  This is a true testament to the broad spectrum of ideas and techniques from our vibrant local arts scene.  This also made selecting the final artists all the more challenging.

We are pleased to announce that the jury has chosen 50 artists to be included in the exhibition.  Congratulations to the Winners!

The Cummer will be in contact with all the winners this week.

Mark your calendars for the opening event on Friday, August 24th.  If you have questions about the event, or would like to purchase tickets, please call (904) 899 – 6027.  Tickets will be free for members, and $5 for non-members.

Stay tuned for further details.

The exhibition is sponsored by Haskell.  

Camille Pissarro (French, 1830 - 1903), Les Glaneuses (The Gleaners), c. 1889, gouache with charcoal, crayon and watercolor, 18 ¼ x 23 in., Purchased with funds from the Morton R. Hirschberg Bequest, AP.2004.3.1.

Camille Pissarro was born 7/10/1830 in the Danish West Indies, the son of a French-Portuguese merchant and a Creole woman.  At age twelve he was sent to a boarding school in Passy, where he took his first lessons in painting.  Returning to St. Thomas in 1847 Pissarro worked as a clerk in his father’s store and drew at the harbor whenever he found time.  Five years later, forsaking his father’s business, he sailed with a Danish painter, Fritz Melbye, to Caracas to paint.  In 1855 his father agreed to send him back to Paris to study art, and he worked at both the École des Beaux-Arts and the more informal Académie Suisse, where he met Monet.

Pissarro was particularly interested in the works of Courbet and Corot, whom he visited several times seeking advice.  Corot allowed Pissarro to list him as his teacher in the catalogue of his first Salon exhibitions in 1864 and 1865.  In 1863 he had participated in the Salon des Refusées with three paintings, and in the mid-1860s he lived with members f the nascent Impressionist movement at Pontoise and Louveciennes.  In 1870 at the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War, Pissarro and Monet met again in London, where they were received enthusiastically by Durand-Ruel, who exhibited their work in his London gallery and later in Paris.

When Pissarro returned to France after the war, he found that his studio had been ravaged by the Prussians and much of his work destroyed.  In 1872 he settled at Pontoise, where he was soon joined by Cézanne.  Pissarro introduced Cézanne to plein-air painting and the two artists worked frequently together (as  also did Gauguin).  At the same time, he absorbed Cézanne’s solid sense of composition.  Abandoning the official salon, he participated in the first independent showing of the Impressionists in 1874 and remained the most loyal member of the group, contributing to all the subsequent exhibitions.

In 1884 Pissarro came in contact with Seurat and Signac.  He experimented with their divisionist techniques from about 1886 to 1890, but gradually abandoned them as too rigid.  Returning to a freer brushstroke, he retained the fresh, pure color of the divisionists and devoted himself to new subjects.  From 1895 the worsening of his eye-trouble forced him to give up working en plein air, and he painted many town views from windows in Paris.  He died blind in 1903.

AP.1969.1.1- Triptych Altar, Pieter Coecke Van Aelst

By Angela Gonzalez,  Curatorial Intern

Triptychs were used as decoration that would adorn altarpieces. The ornamental artworks would serve the public as a visual aid for devotional ceremonies.  Due to high illiteracy rates, triptychs also assisted in presenting the stories of the Bible for those who were unable to read. The church would commission artists and request certain scenes from  the Bible to be presented. These would typically read as a narrative. The Triptych Altar consists of scenes from Christ’s infancy.

On the left panel, the Nativity scene is depicted. Centrally located, the Christ child is laying on a white cloth surrounded by Mary, Joseph and various other onlookers. The group is situated under a barrel arch which is reminiscent of Roman architecture. The central panel, which is the largest, depicts the Adoration of the Magi. The Christ child sits upon Mary’s lap receiving gifts from the three wise men. In the background are more architectural structures and in the distance is a misty landscape. The right panel depicts the Presentation at the Temple.

The fascinating aspect to the Triptych Altar is the hidden symbolism. For example, the crumbling Roman architecture is representative of the fall of Paganism and the rise of Christianity. Moreover, in each panel, tiny details are included which are used to legitimize the overall message of the painting. At the top of the central panel, a sculpture of Abraham and Isaac rest on the top of a column. The inclusion of the Old Testament father and son is used as foreshadowing for the sacrifice of Christ. It is the small details to this painting that reinforce how important it is to take a second look and inspect all the details.

Richard N. Chamberlain, Inside Black, 1988, enamel and oil on panel. © Richard Chamberlain.

Don’t miss your last chance to see this very exciting show.  The Year of the Sheep closes on July 8th, 2012.  

In the late 1980s, Richard Chamberlain began a series of paintings dealing with his experiences in Vietnam.  Called The Year of the Sheep, which refers to the Chinese calendar designation for 1967, the year he spent in Southeast Asia, the series is comprised of black-and-white images that are reminiscent of abstracted landscapes. They are markedly different from Chamberlain’s other paintings, which are far more traditional, softly colored interiors, still lifes, and figures.  More than 20 years after his tour of duty in the Marines, Chamberlain still found himself haunted by his war experiences and sought counseling to deal with his anger and depression. A therapist suggested he use his skill as an artist to work through these emotions.  What began as bands of black and white slowly emerged into these stark visions, where the viewer becomes drawn into the conflict.  “The borders of good and evil are not always clear,” says Chamberlain. “I realized we weren’t fighting the enemy. We were fighting nature – the land, the heat, the disease, the monsoons,” he said. “This was the real enemy.” And this meant that we were opposite the side of nature, which is scary, because nature is usually thought of as good.”

AP.1990.19.1- Mosaic with Mask of Silenus, Roman, 1st century A.D.

By Angela Gonzalez,  Curatorial Intern

Depictions of masks are included in mosaics throughout the ancient Roman world. This mosaic contains an image of the mask of Silenus, a woodland diety associated with the Greek god Dionysis and the Greek theater. Silenus became the chief comic character of the satyr plays written by Greek tragedians. In this mosaic, the mask depicts Silenus with a snub nose, a beard, a gaping mouth, wide eyes, and a menacing facial expression represented in the wrinkled brow lines.

Mosaic was a popular art form among the ancient Romans. The technique involves small pieces of colored stone, marble or glass called tesserae, which would be arranged in cement or a plaster base. Although this form of art used tiny materials, it was unbelievably durable. The Romans would use mosaics as flooring or for decorating pavement in outdoor spaces. Mosaics are only one aspect of the vast Roman decorative program which included wall frescos, sculptures, furniture, and ornamental architectural elements.

Alejandro Colunga (Mexican, b. 1948), Boy with Tricycle (Niño Con Triciclo), 1980, lithograph, Bank of America Collection. © Alejandro Colunga.

Welcome to our very first DIY Challenge.  Much like our Photo Challenges (#1 & #2) this is NOT a contest, but rather a shared experience.  For this challenge we are asking you to write the first line of an imaginary novel using Alejandor Colunga’s Niño con Triciclo (Boy with Tricycle) as your inspiration. This artwork is from the exhibit: Miradas: Ancient Roots in Modern and Contemporary Mexican Art: Works from the Bank of America Collection currently on view at the Museum through September 16, 2012.  Entries must be limited to one sentence containing no more than 50 words.  Consider what you see in the image, the time period, culture, and social setting of the artwork, and interpret it in your own way.  Inspiration can also be drawn from the original Music of Goliath Flores, who created an amazing playlist inspired by the Miradas exhibit.  Please keep in mind that this is a family friendly site, and no inappropriate material will be published.

From June 22nd – September 16th,  send your entry to asesnick@cummer.org. All appropriate entries will be shared on the  Museum’s Facebook page.

AP.1994.3.1- Louis Benoît Zamor, Marie Victoire Lemoine, 1785

By Angela Gonzalez,  Curatorial Intern

Lemoine was an artist at a time when women were limited in their subjects. Education for women artists was limited by their exclusion from studies of nude models. Lemoine was still successful with her production of detailed portraits, miniatures and genre subjects. She was born to a middle class family in Paris. She had three sisters, two of whom when on to be successful artists as well. Marie never married. She concentrated on her career and skills as an artist. She exhibited her work in Salon of the French Academy between 1796 and 1814.

The subject of this portrait has been identified as the notorious Louis Benoît Zamor, the protégé of Louis XV’s mistress, Madame Du Barry. Du Barry expelled Zamor from her home after he sympathized with the French Revolution. His testimony against Madame Du Barry was a contributing factor to her execution by guillotine in 1793. Although the sitters identity is difficult to prove due to accounts that describe him as Bengali or African descent and differ regarding his age. At any rate, Lemoine created a stunning likeness of this youth. His elegant silk attire and embroidered vest indicate his connection with a family of nobility.

Charles Joseph Natoire (French, 1700 - 1777), The Awakening of Venus, 1741, oil on canvas, 38 ¾ x 49 ¼ in., Purchased with funds from the Morton R. Hirschberg Bequest and The Cummer Council, AP.1991.5.1.

By Angela Gonzalez,  Curatorial Intern

This classically themed painting of The Awakening of Venus is the epitome of Charles Natoire French Rococo style. As a student at the French Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture, Charles Natoire was awarded the coveted Grand Prix de Rome in 1721. After studying in Italy from 1723 to 1729, Natoire returned to France and was elected to membership in the Academy in 1734. Known for his expert draftsmanship and fine history paintings, Natoire executed numerous decorative commissions for the French royalty and nobility. Natoire returned to Rome in 1751 to serve as Director of the French Academy, a position he held until his retirement twenty-three years later.

Natoire’s representation of Venus is tranquil yet also erotic. Venus reclines on a feather bed as she carelessly allows the sheets to fall of her body. She holds her left hand up to her neck and gestures her right hand to her servants. The two female servants gaze at Venus, mesmerized by her flawless skin and beauty. Two putti interact together in the foreground as Venus’ attention remains on her own comfort.

Venus, Roman goddess of love, sex and beauty, is often portrayed in a seductive, sensual manner. The name “Venus” can also be given to a mortal woman as a conventional comparison to the beautiful, sexual god, Venus. Natoire’s graceful (and almost superficial) approach of the soft, voluptuous skin of Venus and the classical drapery that surrounds her is typical of the Rococo style. The Awakening of Venus is a playful, sensual painting filled with rich, creamy color and a spot-on representation of Venus.

Miradas is a fitting title for a show about artists looking at themselves and their heritage and reflecting on where they have been and where they are headed.

From June 5 through September 16, visitors to the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens will have the opportunity to view paintings, prints and photographs as part of a survey of Mexican and Mexican-American art drawn from the collection of Bank of America. As one of the leading corporate collections in the country this exhibition, curated by Cesareo Moreno of the Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago, marks the first time Mexican art has been presented in a major exhibition at The Cummer.

Beginning with works produced around the end of the Mexican Revolution in 1920 and carrying through to the first decade of this century, Miradas not only highlights the connection between ancient civilization and the modern Mexican national identity but also common cultural aspects and artistic theories.

Javier Chavira b. 1971 Mexican The Warrior 2004 El guerrero Acrylic and crayon on paper/ acrilico y crayón sobre papel Bank of America Collection

One such trend presented in this exhibition is Indigenismo. This movement emerged as an examination by artists of Mexico’s history prior to the Spanish conquest as well as the ensuing aftermath. The effects were most broadly felt in the Muralist movement, which sought to infuse avant-garde theories on art with Mexico’s indigenous culture and current political climate. The work of artists like Diego Rivera and others established this movement and even inspired the creation of a similar program in the U.S. within the Works Progress Administration-Federal Art Project in 1933. A modern example of Indigenismo on display in Miradas might be Javier Chavira’s El Guerrero (2004). This work evokes an image reminiscent of the Aztec warrior of ancient Mexico while presenting it in a contemporary composition.

The work of the Muralists also ties into the later Chicano movement of the 1960’s. As immigration from Mexico to the U.S. increased during the mid-20th century the Mexican-American children of those immigrants were faced with discrimination and stereotypes about their culture. What ensued was a civil rights movement that sought to establish equality and which used innovative methods that included music, literature, and visual arts to convey its message. One major artist associated with this movement and who is represented in Miradas is Judithe Hernandez.

As a native of Los Angeles, Hernandez was a founding member of that city’s mural movement. Many of the themes that she and her contemporaries were addressing, (injustice, equality, and pride in Mexican identity) were linked to things like the Mexican revolution, the indigenous cultures of their ancestral homeland, new social and political ideas, and advanced art theory.

Judithe Hernández, b. 1948 American Red hand, bloody hand, hand of oppression, 2008 Mano Colorada, Mano de Sangre, Mano de Opresión Pastel on paper/pastel sobre papel Bank of America Collection Graciela Iturbide b. 1942 Mexican

One piece by Hernandez shown in this exhibition reflects both her involvement with the sociopolitical climate she currently inhabits as well as acknowledging her heritage. The work Red Hand, Bloody Hand, Hand of Oppression (2008) references the serial murder of women in Ciudad, Mexico while presenting the portraits as brightly colored elements of indigenous mythology.

Others showcased in Miradas include Mexican artists Manuel Alvarez Bravo, Gunther Gerzso, Gabriel Orozco, Diego Rivera, Rufino Tamayo, and David Alfaro Siqueiros, as well as Mexican-American artists Robert Graham, and Roberto Juarez.

The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens is pleased to present this significant collection of artwork to the North Florida community.

Paul Camille Guigou (French, 1834 – 1871), L'Entrée de la Riviere à Lourmarin (Mouth of the Lourmarin River), c. 1867, oil on canvas, 37 ¾ x 56 ¼ in., Purchased with funds from the Morton R. Hirschberg Bequest, AP.1989.16.1.

By Angela Gonzalez,  Curatorial Intern

French landscape painter Paul Guigou studied painting in Apt and Marseille in his younger years and was later influenced by the Barbizon School and Gustave Courbet after visiting Paris in 1859 when he was just twenty-five. Two years later, he began to paint full-time. Guigou painted hundreds of landscapes filled with idealistic scenery and great detail. In Mouth of the Lourmarin River, Guigou uses earthy tones of green, brown and grey with sparks of color in flowers and figures. Five small sigures stand in the center of the painting and allow the viewer to comprehend the sense of scale in nature. A sixth figure stands alone on a grassy hill above the central figures and tends to his sheep.

AP 1988.2.1- Portrait of a Lady, Cornelis van der Voort, 1617

By Angela Gonzalez,  Curatorial Intern

Cornelis van der Voort was a Flemish artist who settled in the Dutch Republic once his hometown of Antwerp fell captive to the Spanish in 1585. He set up in Amsterdam and became one of the city’s leading portraitists. He was elected head of the Guild of St. Luke which united all the professional painters in that city.

Van der Voort presents a sober, yet elegant portrayal of the affluent Dutch Republic. The woman is dressed in black with white lace rendered in astonishing precision and accuracy. Her portrait is part of a custom double portrait, with her husband’s image to be placed on the left side. Her face is solemn, and her eyes gaze from the canvas in an unflinching manner. The buttons on her dress are painted in gold which run from her neck down to her waist splitting the bottom of the canvas in two. She holds a white textile in her left hand. Adorning her left hand is a double banded ring, complete with a red gem and a blue gem. Cornelis van der Voort and his contemporaries focused on the minute details such as the pattern on a textile, the application of lace to a sleeve or the individual lines that would make up a head full of hair. For the artists in the North, art was all about painstakingly rendering the details. This is evident in Portrait of a Lady.

Sassoferrato (Giovanni Battista Salvi) (Italian, 1609 - 1685), Praying Madonna, c.1660, oil on canvas, 17 3/4 x 14 in., Purchased with Membership Contributions, AP.1968.17.1.

By Angela Gonzalez,  Curatorial Intern

Italian painter, Giovanni Battista Salvi was born in Sassoferrato, from where he got his nickname. During the Renaissance and Baroque periods in Italy, it was customary for artists to be nicknamed after the city from which they came from. He was trained in Umbria by his father, Tarquinio Salvi, and was especially active in Rome and, later, Umbria and Florence. Surprisingly, during the seventeenth-century, Baroque period, most of Sassoferrato’s work resembled a style more closely related to fifteenth-century, Renaissance. As opposed to typical Baroque scenes, characterized by drama, deep shadow and rich color, Sassoferrato used sweeter, softer colors to create scenes of grace and devotion.

At the request of Catholic Church during the time of the Counter-Reformation, he painted several versions of the praying Madonna, most of which are reminiscent of the works of Raphael. In this devotional painting of the Praying Madonna, Mary is dressed modestly in a royal blue cloak and a softly modeled veil. She looks downwards as her praying hands come together,  in which her fingertips gently touch one another. Her skin is porcelain white and her cheeks, lips and fingertips are painted in shades of rose. Sassoferrato illustrates a tender, pure and loving Mary.

AP.1979.2.1- Madonna and Child, Nicklaus Weckmann the Elder, c. 1490-1500.

By Angela Gonzalez,  Curatorial Intern

Nicklaus Weckmann the Elder was an active artist in Germany between 1481- 1526. He was the leading sculptor in the town of Ulm. In 1481, he was granted citizenship to the city and was listed on the register of names as “Nicklaus Weckmann, sculptor, the elder.” His workshop produced numerous sculptural programs for churches throughout southwestern Germany.

The Madonna and Child is sculpted three-fourths of the way around, with a hollow back. This sculpture was originally part of a large winged retable or altarpiece. Highly carved altarpieces would serve as an illustration to Biblical narratives and aided those who could not read. They were adequately named, “Bibles of the illiterate.” Weckmann depicts Mary in a naturalistic manner, with a relaxed pose as she gazes down to the Christ child she is cradling. The Christ child is animated, reaching towards the viewer. In his hand, he holds a pomegranate which is a Christian symbol of fertility and eternity.

Many of the altarpieces of this time period would be painted in order to depict fine detail. However, Weckmann allows the natural beauty of the limewood to beam through. The absence of paint also illustrates how skilled Weckmann was at this carving. This is evident in the cascading hair of Mary, the folds of her robe and especially her facial expression. Limewood is not only pleasing to the eye, but it is said to have held holy powers which would help to scare away the plague.

Pier Francesco de Jacopo Foschi (Italian, 1502 - 1567), Bartolomeo Compagni, 1549, oil on panel, 40 ½ x 32 ½ in., Purchased with funds from The Cummer Council, AP.1984.3.1.

By Angela Gonzalez,  Curatorial Intern

This portrait is of wealthy, Florentine merchant Bartolomeo Compagni, who lived in London, where many other rich foreigners lived. Italians, like Compagni, were especially distinguished in import and export trade. He administered several “fund raisers” to support the war efforts of Henry VIII and handled very large amounts of money as loans and other financial services. During a visit to Florence in 1549, Pier Franceso de Jacopo Foshi painted Compagni’s three-quarter portrait and inserted the sitter’s name on the letter in the bottom left foreground of the painting. Compagni is depicted with his pen in hand, which is softly raised above his desk of letters, gold pieces and red wax (a reminder of his valuable and classified business ventures). One letter is secured by the seal of Saint George, Patron saint of England, and serves as an indication of Compagni’s prominence in London.

Foschi painted a large amount of formal portraits during his career in Florence, where he completed other numerous commissions of great achievement. His portraits are painted in the Mannerist style and his sitters gaze directly at the viewer, such as the Bartolomeo Compagni portrait. He paints Compagni in movement, with the bottom, right half of his body facing his desk and the upper, left half of his body twisting toward the viewer. His left hand rests upon his left leg and he stares, almost free of expression.

AG 1989.12.1- Valtat and His Son, Louis Valtat

By Angela Gonzalez,  Curatorial Intern

This colorful painting depicts a man and a young boy, situated side by side. The elder holds a paintbrush as the younger peers onto the canvas before them. It is a self-portrait of the artist and the young boy is his son. The brush strokes are loose which provides movement through the composition. Valtat uses tones and hues of red, yellow and brown to make the background stand out. There is no recognizable imagery, except for the figures which dominate the foreground. The artist on the right, wears a hat as he stares out to the viewer. His coat is fastened only allowing a small white collar and the top of his tie to peek through.

Valtat was born in northwestern France, and as a child he grew up in Versailles. He spent a considerable amount of time in the South of France. He became friends with artists in the area, and it should not go without noting that Auguste Renoir (1841-1919) was a personal friend of Valtat. He was also a stage designer however, this is an aspect of his career that has not been studied in great depth. He was active in many different categories of new techniques in the approach to creating art such as Pointillism. Later in life he would be associated with the Fauves, a group of artists known for their loose handling of the brush.

The colorful artwork can be seen on exhibition at the Museum from April through October.

AG 1966.32.1- The Dickson Brothers, John Neagle, c.1840.

By Angela Gonzalez,  Curatorial Intern

John Neagle spent most of his time in Philadelphia where he received his artistic training. Alongside his friend and brother-in-law, Thomas Sully (1783-1828), Neagle dominated the art of portraiture in the city. Neagle spent some time in Boston where he studied the work of renowned artist Gilbert Stuart (1755-1828). It is evident through Neagle’s art that this stay in Boston had an influence on his compositions, especially portraiture.

Neagle painted a family portrait for his cousin John Dickson. The painting is comprised of Robert, Levi, John Jr., and James Dickson; these are the children of John. Each child is shown with rosy cheeks and prominent dark eyes. The group is situated around a table. Upon the table is a humorous stick drawing of the boy’s parents. Placed on top of the drawing is a pocket watch symbolizing the passage of the boy’s childhood. The children’s favored possessions are placed on the table, including a figurine and a trumpet.

AG 1984.5.1- Mirror, Etruscan, Late Fourth Century B.C.

By Angela Gonzalez,  Curatorial Intern

Etruscan civilization flourished in Italy from the ninth to the first century B.C. when the Etruscans were integrated into the Roman Empire. Little is known about their culture including their origin, and their language is only partially understood. However, the Etruscans served as the conduit of ideas and achievements for the rest of the Mediterranean and they influenced the development of Roman society. Most interesting are the contributions of the Etruscans that are normally associated as inventions of the Romans. These consist of the arch, the invention of concrete, Roman numerals and the toga.

Mirrors were considered luxury items and have only been located in tombs that contain women. The non-reflecting side, or reverse side, is often decorated with scenes from Etruscan mythology or illustrations of daily life. The Cummer mirror is one single cast piece. The imagery on the non-reflecting side shows a seated woman on the left surrounded by items related to her toilette. On the right is a bird delivering a necklace to the seated woman, while a winged figure stands before her. The woman has been identified as Malavisch, the Etruscan name for a figure associated with wedding rituals. Scenes of adornment are common on Etruscan mirrors, supporting the idea that these objects were given as wedding gifts.

AP 1988.2.2- Portrait of a Gentleman, Cornelis van der Voort, 1617

By Angela Gonzalez,  Curatorial Intern

Cornelis van der Voort was a Flemish artist who settled in the Dutch Republic once his hometown of Antwerp fell captive to the Spanish in 1585. He set up in Amsterdam and became one of the city’s leading portraitists. He was elected head of the Guild of St. Luke which united all the professional painters in that city.

Van der Voort presents a sober, yet elegant portrayal of the affluent Dutch Republic. The custom double portrait features a man on the left and his wife which would be placed on the right. The arrangement of the portraits was traditional. This arrangement illustrates the man presenting his wife to the world. His right hand rests on a table top and he his dressed in all black attire with cuffs of white on his sleeves. Although his coat is black, the pattern of the textile is revealed through the careful use of highlights. The buttons that run down the front of his coat are each individualized. Carefully, a sash is tied in a knot around his waist. In his beard are lines upon lines to form his facial hair. A touch of grey in the beard demonstrates the man’s age in comparison to his wife. This portrait is a prime example of the Northern European artists and their attention to detail.

Unknown (Greek), Attic black-figure Amphora, c. 520 – 510 BC, terracotta, 16 in., Museum Purchase, AP.1966.21.1

By Angela Gonzalez,  Curatorial Intern

The amphora was a common piece in Ancient Greece and typically sculpted with a tapered base and neck, a wide body and two handles. This vase-shaped container was used as a storage vessel or transportation vessel for both dry and liquid products, but this amphora was most likely used for wine. Illustrated around the amphora, is the procession of Dionysos, Greek God of wine and winemaking. On one side of the vessel, Dionysos holds long grapevine branches and a kantharos, a bowl-shaped container which holds Dionysos’ wine and is never empty. He stands in between two bearded satyrs, who are half man and half goat, and is followed by a continuing procession of Maenads, who are depicted on the other side of the vessel. Maenads, or “raving ones,” are wild females and followers of Dionysos who get heavily intoxicated and become irrational.

This Greek amphora utilizes the black-figure style of vase painting, which renders figures and other designs almost like silhouettes. Natural, clay vessels were decorated with black slip and then incised to create detail and further design. After the firing process, the natural color of the clay would turn red to create a rich background and also project through the scores of black figures. These black-figure, Greek vases were extremely popular among Etruscans, who later developed their own black-figure technique based on Greek examples.

AP 2011.3.1- End of the Festival, Hughie Lee-Smith c.1954

By Angela Gonzalez,  Curatorial Intern

Hughie Lee-Smith was born in 1915 in Eustis, Florida to parents who were recently divorced. His mother, an aspiring singer, moved to Cleveland leaving Lee-Smith to be raised by his grandmother in Atlanta. His grandmother wished for Lee-Smith to grow up educated and cultured. As a result, she limited the places he could play and people he could befriend. These events in Lee-Smith’s childhood years would lead him to artistically and philosophically investigate the human need for belonging once he began his journey through adulthood.

Lee-Smith creates psychological landscapes embodying loneliness. Due to a childhood fascination, he includes elements from carnivals, festivals and circuses. He was never allowed to attend the celebrations and his longing for participation is reflected in his works. End of the Festival recalls his childhood frustrations. He paints an isolated boardwalk surrounded by water as ominous clouds engulf the sky. Red streamers attached to posts blow upward towards the sky. A male figure stands in the front, looking to the rocks below. In the distance stands a second figure. Both bodies disconnected from their surroundings which reflects the detachment felt by the artist as a child. As a new acquisition to the permanent collection of The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens, End of the Festival is an emotionally moving painting full of the artist’s mournful intensity.

C 203.1- St. Christopher and the Christ Child, Lucas Cranach the Elder, German c.1518

By Angela Gonzalez, Curatorial Intern

Lucas the Elder was the foremost member of a family of artists by the name Cranach working in Saxony in the sixteenth century. In 1505, he settled in Wittenberg, where he became court artist to the Electors of Saxony. There he established a highly productive workshop that developed a distinct manner of painting that defined the art of Saxony for the rest of the sixteenth century.

This painting depicts the legend of St. Christopher, which records a Canaanite of huge stature named Offero who wanted to serve the most powerful person in the land. His first master, a king, failed him by fleeing in fear of Satan. The giant Offero left this king. During his wanderings in search of the all-powerful Christ, the giant came upon a hermit who directed him to ferry poor and weak people across a swollen stream. One night the giant Offero carried a small child. This small child grew heavier and heavier with each step. With the aid of a large branch the two reached the opposite shore where the giant explained how he felt like he was carrying the weight of the world. The child explained, yes. You were indeed carrying the weight of the world as well as the weight of the creator of the world. Offero was later given the name Christopher; which is Greek for “Christ-bearer.”

Pier Francesco de Jacopo Foschi (Italian, 1502 - 1567), Bartolomeo Compagni, 1549, oil on panel, 40 ½ x 32 ½ in., Purchased with funds from The Cummer Council, AP.1984.3.1.

This portrait is of wealthy, Florentine merchant Bartolomeo Compagni, who lived in London, where many other rich foreigners lived. Italians, like Compagni, were especially distinguished in import and export trade. He administered several “fund raisers” to support the war efforts of Henry VIII and handled very large amounts of money as loans and other financial services. During a visit to Florence in 1549, Pier Franceso de Jacopo Foshi painted Compagni’s three-quarter portrait and inserted the sitter’s name on the letter in the bottom left foreground of the painting. Compagni is depicted with his pen in hand, which is softly raised above his desk of letters, gold pieces and red wax (a reminder of his valuable and classified business ventures). One letter is secured by the seal of Saint George, Patron Saint of England, and serves as an indication of Compagni’s prominence in London.

Foschi painted a large amount of formal portraits during his career in Florence, where he completed other numerous commissions of great achievement. His portraits are painted in the Mannerist style and his sitters gaze directly at the viewer, such as the Bartolomeo Compagni portrait. He paints Compagni in movement, with the bottom, right half of his body facing his desk and the upper, left half of his body twisting toward the viewer. His left hand rests upon his left leg and he stares, almost free of expression.

“If you keep doing whatever it is you wanna do, someday somebody’s gonna call you a punk” – Iggy Pop

Although Iggy was almost certainly not referring to Monet’s Water Lilies his observation still rings true when considering the Impressionists, their body of work, and the legacy they left behind.  Some visitors to our exhibition Impressionism and Post-Impressionism from the High Museum of Art might wonder how anyone could call Monet a misfit or Pissarro a punk but let’s examine the evidence.

During the time that Impressionism was emerging there was only one “correct” way of making Art in France and it was rigorously upheld by the Academie de Beaux Arts.  What could be more rebellious than making work that flew in the face of the established order the way these artists did?  Speaking of the Academie, It was their severe refusal of Edouard Manet’s Le dejeuner sur l’herbe which brought about the exhibition of his work and others in the Salon des Refuses, a fitting home for those considered “misfits”.

The idea of Impressionist painters as punks isn’t much of a stretch either.  Both support a do-it-yourself type of mentality, organizing themselves outside the mainstream.  Both explore the transgressive side of life.  And both celebrate the working class and the role of the common man.

The next time you’re visiting The Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens be sure to check out the show and see for yourself why Renoir was rebel, Monet was a Misfit, and Pissarro was a Punk.

Call to Artists

The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens is partnering with Folio Weekly to present the Folio Weekly Invitational Artist Exhibition. This juried exhibition will be displayed at The Cummer from August 24 – December 2, 2012 and will showcase local artists.

Artists are invited to submit original works of art (paintings, photographs, works on paper, sculptures, mixed media).  Official guidelines are below.

For questions, please contact submissions@folioweekly.com.  

1. Submissions are welcome beginning May 21 through June 10.
2. Artists are encouraged to submit no more than three works for consideration.
3. Works are not to exceed 6ft high x 4ft wide and must have hanging hardware installed.
4. Digital images of the completed work of art must be submitted to submissions@folioweekly.com.
5. Slides, hard copies or in-person deliveries will not be accepted.
6. Submissions must be accompanied with artist information: email/mail/phone and title/dimensions/media/date for each work of art.
7. Artists will be responsible for transporting the selected artwork to and from The Cummer in advance of the exhibition opening.
8. Submissions will be reviewed by the exhibition’s jury.  Not all submissions will be accepted for exhibition.  Only works that meet the above guidelines will be considered.
9. For questions, please contact submissions@folioweekly.com.

Exhibition Sponsored by: Haskell

For questions, please contact submissions@folioweekly.com. 

]]> http://blog.cummer.org/2012/03/folio-weekly-invitational-artist-exhibition/feed/ 2 http://blog.cummer.org/2012/03/en-plein-air-at-the-jacksonville-arboretum/ http://blog.cummer.org/2012/03/en-plein-air-at-the-jacksonville-arboretum/#comments Thu, 15 Mar 2012 13:00:46 +0000 Amber Sesnick http://blog.cummer.org/?p=6375

Jim Draper Painting

“En Plein Air” is a French term meaning “in open air”. Since the mid-19^th Century and the advent of portable painting supplies like the paint tube and “box” easels, artists have taken to the outdoors. The Plein Air movement brought artists out of their studios and into the natural light. It birthed a new type of artist who recorded everyday scenes of life in the colors and light that nature provided and offered artists a new way to approach their painting process. The stiff formality and romanticism of the studio gave way to this entirely new concept resulting in the Impressionism Movement.

In the Marsh

Painters such as Monet, Pissarro and Renoir took to the outdoors using colors and brush strokes that captured sparkling natural light. Works by these artists and others will be on display at The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens in Impressionism and Post-Impressionism from the High Museum of Art, an exhibition that will be on display from February 16^th through May 6^th. Today, plein air painting is enjoying a resurgence. Like the Impressionist masters, open air artists study and paint the light as it appears under different weather conditions and at different times of day. The Cummer will feature plein air artists during Garden Week at the Community Day on March 17 between 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. Additionally, the Jacksonville Arboretum & Gardens will host a Plein Air Painting Invitational, “A Brush With Nature” March 29 – 31. Thirty-six of the finest plein air artists that Florida has to offer will set up their easels and spend three days capturing the trails and creeks, the lily pond and its reflections, and all the spectacular flora and fauna experienced at the Jacksonville  Arboretum & Gardens. As we move into spring, now is a wonderful time to get outdoors and experience something new. Visit the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens to view work by the original plein air artists and then meet and observe today’s plein air artists following in the footsteps of Monet at both the Museum and the Jacksonville Arboretum & Gardens.

AP 2011.4.1 The Tempest, Bob Thompson 1965

By Angela Gonzalez,  Curatorial Intern

As an African American artist in New York City, Bob Thompson was immersed in the cities vibrant surroundings. He visited museums to study the art, befriended jazz musicians and worked alongside some of the most noted art historians such as Meyer Schapiro (1904-1996). Born in 1937 in Kentucky, Thompson lived a modest, middle class life. He attended University of Louisville where he pursued a degree in art.

Thompson moved to the bustling streets of New York in 1959. He resided on the Lower Eastside and obtained his first solo exhibition at the Delancey Street Museum. Later he moved to Paris where he would become influenced by the works of the old masters. When he returned to New York his work took a dramatic shift. Instead of using muted colors, Thompson embraced the philosophy of color field painters and adopted a brighter palette. He decided to move to Provincetown with his wife and to complete new paintings. The Tempest marks one of his later works utilizing the adoption of new his painting techniques.

As part of The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens permanent collection, The Tempest references Venetian artist Giorgione’s (1477-1510) Fête Champêtre (ca. 1508).  He captures the composition of the earlier work especially in the two main figural elements. Thus, Thompson is comparing himself to Giorgione, and Provincetown to Venice. In Thompson’s reinterpretation of the painting color dominates the canvas generating a heightened sense of expressionism. Thompson’s love for the old masters led him to leave Provincetown in 1965 to depart for Rome, Italy. He continued to study fiercely and paint unrestrained until his untimely death in 1966.

Paul Camille Guigou (French, 1834 – 1871), L'Entrée de la Riviere à Lourmarin (Mouth of the Lourmarin River), c. 1867, oil on canvas, 37 ¾ x 56 ¼ in., Purchased with funds from the Morton R. Hirschberg Bequest, AP.1989.16.1.

French landscape painter Paul Guigou studied painting in Apt and Marseille in his younger years and was later influenced by the Barbizon School and Gustave Courbet after visiting Paris in 1859 when he was just twenty-five. Two years later, he began to paint full-time. Guigou painted hundreds of landscapes filled with idealistic scenery and great detail. In Mouth of the Lourmarin River, Guigou uses earthy tones of green, brown and grey with sparks of color in flowers and figures. Five small sigures stand in the center of the painting and allow the viewer to comprehend the sense of scale in nature. A sixth figure stands alone on a grassy hill above the central figures and tends to his sheep.

AG 1971.5.1 Madame Renoir, Pierre Auguste Renoir 1916

Written by Angela Gonzalez, Curatorial Intern

French painter, sculptor and printmaker Pierre Auguste Renoir was born February 25^th, 1841. He was one of the founders and leading artists of the Impressionist movement. Beginning in the late 1860’s, Impressionism broke the rules of traditional academic painting. Artists utilized various techniques such as applying paint in small visible strokes, mixing paint directly on the canvas and playing on the effects of natural light. The Paris based art movement favored an asymmetric horizon line while creating images of everyday, common subjects such as trees, fields or street scenes. When it came to portraying the figure, Impressionists focused on the average and ordinary person rather than religious leaders or royalty.

Renoir is best known for producing some of the movement’s most famous images containing carefree leisure. He started as an apprentice at a porcelain manufacturer where he would paint flowers and copies of Rococo artworks on plates. He saved his money and in 1862 enrolled in École de Beaux-Arts in Paris. Among his classmates were Claude Monet, Frederick Bazille and Alfred Sisley. Although Renoir may be best known for his colorful paintings of the commonality captured in intimate and candid compositions, he was also a sculptor.

Renoir’s sculptures started taking shape later in his life. At the age of 78, his brilliantly painted figures jumped off the canvas and took the form of bronze sculpture. Noticeably, the models and poses used for his sculptures are the same. Characterizing Renoir further are marks in the surface which parallel his signature brushstrokes.  A prime example of his bronze sculpture is Madame Renoir; a bronze bust depicting a woman with long hair wearing a hat. Part of The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens permanent collection, this sculpture embodies Renoir’s style and follows Impressionist ideals. Pierre Auguste Renoir died in southern France on December 3, 1919.

Gioacchino Assereto (Italian, 1600 - 1649), The Lamentation, c. 1640, oil on canvas, 50 x 62 in., Purchased with funds from The Cummer Council, AP.1988.1.1.

Italian Baroque artist Gioacchino Assereto was born in 1600 in Genoa, France, where he began his training at the studio of Andrea Ansaldo at the early age of fourteen. Throughout the decade in which he was a student, Assereto produced many works close in style and genre. Typical of baroque style, Assereto incorporated drama and emotion in his paintings (almost all of a religious genre) with the aid of the chiaroscuro and sfumato techniques. He continued to improve his technique and style during his twenties and thirties, but it wasn’t until 1639, when he visited Rome, that he discovered a flourishing interest in realism. A year later, Assereto painted The Lamentation.

A common subject of Baroque painting, The Lamentation depicts a dead Christ after his broken body is removed from the cross, along with those who mourn over him. Assereto’s interpretation of The Lamentation is exceptionally powerful. He paints Christ’s flesh as if it has been stripped of pigment. The black background and intense shadows highlight Christ’s body which practically shimmers in the darkness, alluding to His holiness even after death. Assereto renders the Virgin Mary’s face in the same manner, which allows the viewer to understand her deep sorrow. She holds her hands out near Christ’s shoulders while Mary Magdalene gently raises Christ’s hand to her face and Saint John holds the crown of thorns. Assereto’s Lamentation is rich with emotion and offers the drama we look for in Baroque art.

Impressionism was a 19th-century art movement that originated in France with artists that were interested in making work that more closely resembled the way the world was perceived rather just as it appeared. It was an art of immediacy and movement, of candid poses and compositions, of the play of light expressed in a bright and varied use of color.

Frederick Carl Frieseke (American, 1874 - 1939), Before Her Appearance, 1913, oil on canvas, 61 1/8 x 61 1/8 in., Purchased with funds from The Cummer Council, AP.1985.2.1.

Impressionism was also a movement that emerged as a reaction against the established way of making art at the time. In the mid 1800’s the Académie des Beaux-Arts dominated French art. The favored subject matter was typically either a religious or historical scene, the compositions were carefully planned, and the colors were often somber in tone to match the theme of the work. Paintings emerging from the Académie were also highly polished, with emphasis placed on realism even under close examination. All traces of the artist were essentially repressed.

Childe Hassam, (American, 1859 – 1935), Afternoon in Pont-Aven, Brittany, 1897, oil on canvas, 20 x 24 in., Bequest of Ninah M. H. Cummer, C.0.162.1.

The Académie des Beaux-Arts also held an annual juried exhibition which upheld these values called the Salon de Paris and it was for their show in 1863 that Édouard Manet’s Le déjeuner sur l’herbe was not only rejected but also severely criticized for its content. That, in addition to the unusually large number of rejected works that year prompted Emperor Napoleon III to hold a Salon des Refusés (Salon of the refused) to showcase this work. This exhibition drew attention to the burgeoning movement and garnered the participating artists the impetus to organize independent exhibitions to showcase their art.
It was at such a show in 1874 that the term Impressionism was coined. Used in a derisive way to review the exhibition, the term is a play on the title of Claude Monet’s painting Impression, soleil levant (Impression, Sunrise). Unfortunately for the reviewer the term stuck and was embraced by the artists and the public alike and this movement, which now had a name, only continued to grow in popularity.

Radicals in their time, early Impressionists violated the rules of academic painting. They began by constructing their pictures from freely brushed colors that took precedence over lines and contours. They also painted realistic scenes of modern life, and often painted outdoors. The Impressionists found that they could capture the momentary and transient effects of sunlight by painting en plein air, or painting outdoors, in nature rather than in the studio; a practice that was facilitated by the invention of the lead paint tube. They portrayed overall visual effects instead of details, and used short “broken” brush strokes of mixed and pure unmixed color, not blended smoothly or shaded as was customary, in order to achieve the effect of intense color vibration.

Even though they were a diverse group in style and temperament, unified primarily by their spirit of independence, the artists that made up the

Impressionists present a critical moment in art history. This movement, as shown in the works of Camille Pissarro, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Claude Monet, and others is showcased this month in The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens exhibition, Impressionism and Post Impressionism from the High Museum of Art running from February 16th through May 6th.

Claude Monet, (French, 1840–1926), Houses of Parliament in the Fog, 1903, Oil on canvas , 32 x 36 3/8 inches, Purchase with Great Painting Fund in honor of Sarah Belle Broadnax Hansell, 60.5.

That’s right, Renoir, Monet and Pisarro are heading to Jacksonville  as part of the exhibit: Impressionism and Post Impressionism from the High Museum of Art.  More than 50 works by renowned artists such as Claude Monet, Camille Pissarro, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Mary Cassatt and John Singer Sargent will be on display at the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens from February 16 through May 6, 2012.  The exhibit illustrates the emergence of Impressionism in France during the 1870s, the movement’s evolution to Post-Impressionism, and its later influence on American artists.

Camille Pissarro, (French, 1830–1903), Snowscape with Cows at Montfoucault, 1874, Oil on canvas, 18 3/4 x 20 1/4 inches, Purchase with funds from Helen C. Griffith to honor Robert Sherrill Griffith, Jr. and from Joan N. Whitcomb in memory of Taylor Stuckey, 2007.128.

The exhibit on loan from the High Museum of Art in Atlanta features works by such pre-Impressionist artists as Eugene Boudin to mark the initial transition from the traditional, academic paintings of the French Academy of Fine Arts and the Paris Salon to the loose brushwork and airy landscapes of Monet, Renoir and Pissarro that defined the Impressionist movement.

The term Impressionism was derived from Claude Monet’s painting titled “Impression, Sunrise” which caused a stir when it debuted in 1872. The Impressionism and Post Impressionism from the High Museum of Art exhibit features paintings by Monet, Renoir, Pissarro and Frederic Bazille, all founders of Impressionism. The movement spanned two decades and the exhibit represents works from throughout the period, including paintings by American greats such as Cassatt and Sargent who were influenced by Impressionism, and examples of how the movement evolved into Post-Impressionism as seen in works by Bonnard, Paul Cézanne, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, and Edouard Vuillard.  In addition to a change in technique to more visible strokes, Impressionist artists broke away from traditional rules of subject matter and composition. Impressionism was the mix of all of these elements – candid poses and more natural compositions, brushstrokes that showed immediacy and movement, less use of black, somber colors, and the belief that the viewer’s eye would allow less detailed, unblended colors and shapes tell a story.

Mary Cassatt, (American, 1844 – 1926), Sketch of a Mother Looking Down at Thomas, ca. 1893, Pastel on brown paper, Overall: 27 x 22 1/2 inches (68.6 x 57.2 cm), Gift of Jacqueline and Matt Friedlander, 2005.277.

Be the first to see this exhibition when it opens on February 16th.  While you’re here, be sure to check out the exhibition, Beyond Ukiyo-e: Japanese Woodblock Prints and their influence on Western Art on view through August 9.  This exhibition shows the influence of the bold designs, unique perspective, compositional arrangements, and simplification of the Japanese woodblock prints, and how the impressionist artists infused their own works with these elements.

AP 2011.2.1- The Bathers, John E. Costigan c. 1963

Written by Angela Gonzalez, Curatorial Intern

John E. Costigan was a self-taught painter and trained printer distinguished by his impressionistic style and affinity for bucolic scenes. Born on February 29, 1888, he was orphaned in adolescence. Taken in by his aunt and uncle, Costigan moved to New York City where he obtained a position at the H.C. Miner Lithographing Company. It was here that he learned about printing through various apprenticeships. Costigan was promoted to sketch artist where he was able to apply his artistic talent through designing posters.

Limited to only a few weeks, Costigan studied under William Merritt Chase and George Bridgman at the Art Student League. He stayed committed instead to a studio where illustrators and newspaper artists spent time sketching models in an informal atmosphere. In 1918, Costigan joined the army as a private and served in World War I. Upon returning from battle, Costigan married and moved to Orangeburg; a town situated by the Hudson River in New York. This setting would serve as inspiration for the pastoral landscapes that are prevalent subjects in Costigan’s work. He exhibited his oil and watercolor paintings and received an influx of awards.

Costigan’s body of work provides a look into the realities of his rural life. He focused on scenes of non-figural landscapes as well as compositions featuring bathers, mothers with children and single introspective figures. Characteristics of his style include use of impasto, short forceful brushstrokes and rich vibrant colors. In his work, The Bathers, Costigan provides a look into a luminescent scene of boldly colored figures filled with movement and atmosphere. This painting presents a notion of timelessness and an energetic look into the peaceful, utopian world of the pastoral.

This unique show, which opened in December 2011, includes several Western works from our Permanent Collection. And now we’re adding another impressive piece to the mix.

Gustave Leonard de Jonghe (Belgian, 1829 - 1893), L’admiratrice du Japon (The Japanese Fan), c. 1865, oil on canvas, 44 1/4 x 34 1/16 in., Gift of The Francis & Miranda Childress Foundation, AG.1988.3.1

Does this look familiar? It’s a 50 Favorite: Gustave de Jonghe’s The Japanese Fan, painted in 1865.

For the past year, it has been gracing the walls of two other museums. For the exhibition The Orient Expressed: Japan’s Influence on Western Art, 1854-1918, the Japanese Fan went on display at the Mississippi Museum of Art in Jackson, Mississippi from February through July 2011. Then it traveled with the exhibition to the McNay Art Museum in San Antonio, Texas, where it has been on display since October.

The prevalence of oriental objects and subjects in The Japanese Fan reflects the late nineteenth-century fascination with Japanese art and aesthetics, a phenonemon called Japonisme, which was spawned by the newly opened trade routes between Europe, the United States, and Japan. The woman in the painting is clearly a fan (no pun intended) of all things Japanese. Are you?

Lucky for us, The Japanese Fan comes back to the Cummer in early February and will be installed in the Stein Gallery soon after.

Want to learn more about this fascinating work, and the West’s admiration for Japanese art and culture? Come see the exhibition! Beyond Ukiyo-e is open until August 9^th 2012.

Girolamo Giovenone (Italian, 1487 – 1555), Christ Among the Doctors (Disputa al Tempio), 1513, tempera on panel, 73 1/4 x 40 11/16 in., Museum Purchase, AP.1981.1.1.

“Christ Among the Doctors,” also known as “The Finding in the Temple,” is a passage from the Gospel of Luke and is a scene from the early life of Christ. Frequently depicted in art, this scene occurs at a temple in Jerusalem, where Mary and Joseph have accompanied twelve-year-old Jesus on a pilgrimage to celebrate Passover. Mary and Joseph lose sight of Jesus as he strays off in the temple and assume he has begun his travel back home. When they realize he never left the temple, they return to search for Jesus and find him three days later, taking part in a discussion among “doctors,” who are all impressed by his knowledge and understanding.

Gerolamo Giovenone painted several religious scenes throughout his career and Christ Among the Doctors is one of the rare works signed and dated by the artist. He was born in Northern Italy, where he spent most of his painting career during the Early Renaissance. In his interpretation of Christ Among the Doctors, Christ is seated on an elevated chair, which is stationed on a platform. The doctors, or educators, surround him just as students do, as they read from their scrolls and books, or hold their hands to their mouths in contemplation. Christ holds out his hand as a gesture to express his conversation and looks at Mary who enters the scene at the right.

Although several paintings were bought by The Cummer using funds restricted to art purchases that were raised through special fundraising initiatives like The Cummer Ball, the majority of the works highlighted in this exhibition were either given to the Museum, or have been promised to the Museum in future years.

The gifts and purchases acquired to commemorate the Museum’s 50^th Anniversary mark a new interest in the art of the 20^th century. Over the last few years, The Cummer has been actively listening to our members and visitors, who have expressed an interest in seeing more modern works on display within our permanent collection. Many of these new acquisitions help The Cummer explore the popular trends in art in the last fifty years, and continue the story of art through the ages.

Henry Ossawa Tanner (American, 1859 – 1937), Midday, Tangiers, c. 1912, oil on canvas, 24 1/8 x 20 in., Museum Purchase, AP.2011.1.1.

Among the highlights are three paintings by prominent African American artists: Henry Ossawa Tanner (1859-1937), Hughie Lee Smith (1915-1999), and Bob Thompson (1937-1966).

Hughie Lee-Smith (American, 1915-1999), End of the Festival, 1954, oil on Masonite, 24 x 36 in., Museum Purchase, AP.2011.3.1.

Other works in the exhibition include a selection of Shaker decorative objects, which will be future gifts from area collector Ken Hatcher; Christina Foard’s Cummer Aerial, 2011, a museum purchase; Steve Williams’s Passion of the World with Pioneer Chaser, a mixed media portrait of Jacksonville namesake Andrew Jackson, a gift from the artist; and five works from Andy Warhol’s series Ten Portraits of Jews of the Twentieth Century, a future gift of Jacksonville collectors Cindy and Dan Edelman.

Christina Foard, Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens, Aerial, 2011, oil on canvas, 36 x 48 in., Museum Purchase, AP.2011.5.1

Thomas Moran (American, 1837 - 1926), The Doge's Palace, Grand Canal, Venice, 1898, oil on canvas, 14 x 20 in., Bequest of Ninah M. H. Cummer, C.0.165.1.

Moran was born in England, but is best known for his panoramic landscapes of the American West. He began his artistic career in his teen years as an engraving apprentice at a magazine firm. He became bored with engraving and started to produce works on paper as sketches using watercolors or oils. He eventually became an illustrator at the firm, and continued to expand his artistic experimentation. Moran was especially intrigued by romantic landscape painter Joseph Mallord William Turner. He admired Turner’s use of oils and watercolors and appreciated his technique. Moran, like Turner, set out to paint a striking and idealized view of nature. With atmospheric effects and romantic settings, Moran used his inspiration from nature to generate his own, personal observation of the landscape. He dedicated a majority of his career to the seductive idea of “Western Exploration” and painted numerous landscapes of Yellowstone, Yosemite and the Grand Canyon. Moran was so closely associated with Yellowstone that he was nicknamed “Thomas Yellowstone Moran” and, soon after, he started to sign his paintings using the initials “T.Y.M.”

Moran also traveled to Europe and Florida to paint landscapes (for example the Ponce de Leon in Florida, also at the Cummer Museum). In his ventures to Europe, Moran made several studies in Venice and painted The Doge’s Palace, Grand Canal, Venice. There are various Moran paintings of the Grand Canal, all of which contain a misty atmosphere, highly reflective water and stunning sunsets. In The Doge’s Palace, Grand Canal, Venice, a cluster of sailboats join each other in the left of the foreground. Doge’s Palace and St. Mark’s square are illustrated far into the distance, above the horizon, which is blurred to project the city as a mystical destination.

“Once you ‘got’ Pop, you could never see a sign the same way again.  And once you thought Pop, you could never see America the same way again.”   – Andy Warhol

As the name implies, the ‘Pop’ art movement was interested largely in popular culture and the imagery it produced.  Emerging as a response to Abstract Expressionism; Pop rejected deep personal meaning and instead embraced the superficial, the commonplace and the banal.  Advertisements, celebrities, and household objects were all acceptable subject matter during this movement.

Although Pop became the dominant art form of the 1960’s its origin can be traced back to the seminal exhibition “This is Tomorrow”, which took place in London in 1956.  At this show Richard Hamilton’s Just what is it that makes today’s homes so different so appealing? was first displayed.  Hamilton’s use of mass reproduced images in addition to his sense of irony in representing the ideal home (he was living in a Britain still recovering from World War II) makes this work one of the earliest examples of the Pop movement.  America meanwhile was developing its own version of Pop which came to the forefront in the 1962 exhibition at the Pasadena Art Museum “New Painting of Common Objects” which featured future stars of the movement Roy Lichtenstein, Jim Dine, Andy Warhol, Ed Ruscha, and Wayne Thiebaud.

While all of them would go on to have successful careers it was Warhol who became the house hold name.  Having begun his career as a commercial artist, Andy Warhol was able to translate this experience into the realm of fine art by implementing silkscreen printing into his paintings; a technique normally reserved for advertising.  His early work focused on reproducing everyday objects such as coke bottles, dollar bills, soup cans, etc.  Later stages of his career focused on his social circle and his own growing celebrity as he made paintings of movie stars and heads of state.  In the end Warhol was nearly as good a business man as he was an artist, turning his art into as much a commodity as the objects he’d painted during his career.

In the world of contemporary art the unofficial heir to Andy Warhol’s legacy may be Jeff Koons.  He too has made a career in reproducing low-brow objects in a fine art setting.  Balloon animals, inflatable toys, Easter eggs and cartoon characters regularly make appearances in his work.  Even as a business man he has surpassed his predecessor with his works selling in the tens of millions; a staggering feat for a living artist.  However, despite the appearance of irony in his work, Koons himself has stated that there are no hidden meanings in his works, nor any critiques; this perhaps in an effort to distance himself from the label of Pop artist.

As a movement in art, Pop is not only important historically because it informs us about the time in which it was made but also because many of the issues these artists were dealing with are still present today and being addressed by artists working now.  For greater insight into Pop, Jacksonville is lucky enough to have two exhibitions opening this month with great examples of the genre.

MOCA Jacksonville’s  ReFocus: Art of the 1960’s presents a survey of art from this period of radical change and growth in America.  Pop artists represented here include Roy Lichtenstein, Jasper Johns, and Robert Rauschenberg.

Also this Month here at The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens we have our exhibition 50 Forward: New Additions to the Permanent Collection opens on January 31^st featuring several new purchases in honor of our 50^th anniversary including the work of Andy Warhol.

Sassoferrato (Giovanni Battista Salvi) (Italian, 1609 - 1685), Praying Madonna, c.1660, oil on canvas, 17 3/4 x 14 in., Purchased with Membership Contributions, AP.1968.17.1.

Italian painter, Giovanni Battista Salvi was born in Sassoferrato, from where he got his nickname. During the Renaissance and Baroque periods in Italy, it was customary for artists to be nicknamed after the city from which they came from. He was trained in Umbria by his father, Tarquinio Salvi, and was especially active in Rome, and later Umbria and Florence. Surprisingly, during the seventeenth-century (Baroque period), most of Sassoferrato’s work resembled a style more closely related to fifteenth-century (Renaissance period). As opposed to typical Baroque scenes, characterized by drama, deep shadow and rich color, Sassoferrato used sweeter, softer colors to create scenes of grace and devotion.

At the request of Catholic Church during the time of the Counter-Reformation, he painted several versions of the praying Madonna, most of which are reminiscent of the works of Raphael. In this devotional painting of the Praying Madonna, Mary is dressed modestly in a royal blue cloak and a softly modeled veil. She looks downwards as her praying hands come together,  in which her fingertips gently touch one another. Her skin is porcelain white and her cheeks, lips and fingertips are painted in shades of rose. Sassoferrato illustrates a tender, pure and loving Mary.

The Witte was recently home to the Miradas exhibition which will be making its way to the Cummer in June of this year. Our Director of Education, Susan Gallo, took the time to visit the Miradas show while it was there and met with Sarita Rodriguez, their Director of Public Programs.  For the Witte, this was a summer show that was unexpectedly inserted into their schedule.  As a result they did not create much programming around it, however they did include a dramatic readers’ theater with poetry reading and original music, as well as a lecture for members by their curator.  The exhibition comes with lesson plans for teachers and pages of ideas for educational tie-ins to be used for tours during the school term, and we are excited to have the chance to utilize them.

What types of programs (i.e. events, activities, tours, projects, etc…) would you like to see included on our schedule for this show?

Unknown (Greek), Attic black-figure Amphora, c. 520 – 510 BC, terracotta, 16 in., Museum Purchase, AP.1966.21.1

The amphora was a common piece in Ancient Greece and typically sculpted with a tapered base and neck, a wide body and two handles. This vase-shaped container was used as a storage vessel or transportation vessel for both dry and liquid products, but this amphora was most likely used for wine. Illustrated around the amphora, is the procession of Dionysos, Greek God of wine and winemaking. On one side of the vessel, Dionysos holds long grapevine branches and a kantharos, a bowl-shaped container which holds Dionysos’ wine and is never empty. He stands in between two bearded satyrs, who are half man and half goat, and is followed by a continuing procession of Maenads, who are depicted on the other side of the vessel. Maenads, or “raving ones,” are wild females and followers of Dionysos who get heavily intoxicated and become irrational.

This Greek amphora utilizes the black-figure style of vase painting, which renders figures and other designs almost like silhouettes. Natural, clay vessels were decorated with black slip and then incised to create detail and further design. After the firing process, the natural color of the clay would turn red to create a rich background and also project through the scores of black figures. These black-figure, Greek vases were extremely popular among Etruscans, who later developed their own black-figure technique based on Greek examples.

Richard N. Chamberlain, Inside Black, 1988, enamel and oil on panel. © Richard Chamberlin.

The first exhibition of 2012 will be the artwork of a local artist, Richard Chamberlain.  In the late 1980s, Chamberlain began a series of paintings dealing with his experiences in Vietnam.  Called The Year of the Sheep, which refers to the Chinese calendar designation for 1967, the year he spent in Southeast Asia, the series is comprised of black-and-white images that are reminiscent of abstracted landscapes. They are markedly different from Chamberlain’s other paintings, which are far more traditional, softly colored interiors, still lifes, and figures.

Richard N. Chamberlain, Hard Rain (study), 1987, ink jet reproduction of a lost painting on paper. © Richard Chamberlin.

More than 20 years after his tour of duty in the Marines, Chamberlain still found himself haunted by his war experiences and sought counseling to deal with his anger and depression. A therapist suggested he use his skill as an artist to work through these emotions.  What began as bands of black and white slowly emerged into these stark visions, where the viewer becomes drawn into the conflict.  “The borders of good and evil are not always clear,” says Chamberlain. “I realized we weren’t fighting the enemy. We were fighting nature – the land, the heat, the disease, the monsoons,” he said. “This was the real enemy.” And this meant that we were opposite the side of nature, which is scary, because nature is usually thought of as good.”

Richard N. Chamberlain, Nui Loc-Son, 1988, enamel on oil on panel. © Richard Chamberlin.

The exhibition is poignantly titled, “The Year of the Sheep”  and will be on view in the Millner Gallery from January 10 – July 8, 2012.  The exhibition consists of approximately 22 of these abstracted landscapes paintings.  Come visit The Cummer to see this insightful exhibition and see for yourself one man’s journey through darkness and light.

George Healy (American, 1813 - 1894), Portrait of Andrew Jackson, 1845, oil on canvas, 30 1/16 x 35 ¼ in., Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Algur Meadows, Dallas, Texas, AG.1972.14.1.

This sensitive portrait of Andrew Jackson was painted just days before his death and, sadly, does not represent the Andrew Jackson nicknamed “Old Hickory” for his tough personality. Jackson is seated in the center of the three-quarter portrait and barely slouching in a black chair. His brown and black overcoat blend in with the dark brown background and black chair as his shirt falls into shadow. This creates an illumination of Jackson’s drawn face and grey hair, and draws the viewer’s attention to his drooping grey eyes, which were once a deep blue. In this portrait, Andrew Jackson is an old and dying man, exhausted from illness.

This portrait was painted shortly after King Louis-Philippe of France received news that Jackson was sick. He called upon George P. A. Healy, who had a studio in Paris and worked on commissioned portraits in France under royal patronage, to paint Jackson’s portrait. Practically against his will, Jackson decided to sit for the tenacious artist at his home in Nashville, Tennessee, even though he was tired and in pain. Healy painted three versions of the portrait and found them so moving that he kept one copy for himself. Healy’s copy is the portrait that hangs in the Cummer Museum. Healy continued to paint hundreds of portraits in America, including portraits of other presidents.

Madame Monet by Claude Monet

Written by Gerry Bialka

The next Adventures in Art series at the Ponte Vedra Library takes place at 6:30pm Tuesday, January 17th. Local artist Jan Bialka will present “The Influence of Japanese woodcuts on the Impressionists” in conjunction with The Cummer Museum’s exhibition of Japanese woodcuts and the forthcoming exhibit of Impressionist art.

As Japanese prints first became available to European and American artists in the late 1800’s, they incorporated the subjects, motifs, and compositional devices of the Japanese into their art. Striving to create a new and modern kind of art, they found both motivation and models in the artistic techniques of the Japanese.

Jan Bialka is a local artist. She studied art history at Lake Forest College and graduated from the Ray-Vogue School of Design in Chicago. More recently you may remember Jan as the owner of Compleat Books in Sawgrass Village or as the president of the Friends of the Ponte Vedra Beach Library.

Adventures in Art is a monthly series cosponsored by FOCUS Cummer and the Friends of the Ponte Vedra library. All events at the library are free and open to the public.  No reservations are required.

FOCUS Cummer is an affinity group of the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens. FOCUS’ members are residents of the Beaches communities who are united to support the Cummer’s mission to engage and inspire through art, gardens, and education.

The Friends of the Library Ponte Vedra Beach is organized to enhance and enrich the community by making the Ponte Vedra Beach public library an outstanding educational, cultural, civic and recreational center.

William Stanley Haseltine (American, 1835 - 1900), Sunset on the Grand Canal, Venice, early 1870s, oil on canvas, 14 x 25 in., Gift of Helen Haseltine Plowden through the National Academy of Design, New York, AG.1961.7.1.

William Haseltine attended college in his hometown at the University of Pennsylvania and earned his degree from Harvard University. Following the year of his graduation, Haseltine traveled abroad to Germany to study at the Düsseldorf Academy with a concentration in landscape painting. The romantic aesthetic and emphasis on tranquility present in Haseltine’s landscapes are characteristics associated with the Hudson River School, which he was part of. Artists of the Hudson River School were American, Luminist, landscape painters who presented an idealized interpretation of nature.

Haseltine traveled to countries all over the world in order to paint these sublime scenes and frequently visited Venice. Sunset on the Grand Canal, Venice is a prime example of a picturesque scene where water and sky expand across the entire painting and create a sense of romance, serenity and grandness. Pink clouds settle on the horizon along with small, gliding boats and a thin shore, lined with the buildings of Venice. In the foreground small sandbars rise up from the water, and isolated wooden posts project a feeling of sweet independence from the busy city. Haseltine pays close attention to detail in the rendering of the ships and buildings, but loosens his brushstrokes as he paints the scene’s reflection on the water and the soft, hazy clouds that fill the sky at sunset.

The Eugene Savage exhibition, The Seminole Paintings, is a collection of Art Deco style paintings giving a social commentary on the effects of industrialization on the Seminole Indians and their land.  Along with the exhibition, we also have a number of new podcasts tocomplement it, available on iTunes.  Find out more about the people and culture of the Seminole Tribe of Florida, along with the symbols and meanings behind Eugene Savage’s paintings.

Photos by Ingrid Damiani

One in Three: Let’s Solve our Dropout Crisis is a photo-documentary exhibit about the dropout crisis in Duval County Public Schools.  The exhibit was organized by local photographer Ingrid Damiani and the Jacksonville Public Education Fund to start a conversation about the problems in our education system, through the medium of art.  The title of the exhibit refers to the statistic that one in three 9th-graders in Duval County do not make it to graduation.

Stay tuned for our next big exhibit in the Mason Gallery – Impressionism & Post-Impressionism from the High Museum of Art.

The Scottish Colourists Installation at Mayo Clinic

The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens has partnered with Mayo Clinic in many ways over the last ten years.  Our newest project involves Mayo Clinic Center for Humanities in Medicine, which integrates the arts and other expressions of human culture into the healing environment.  One way Mayo Clinic accomplishes this is through visual art exhibitions at the Robert and Isabelle Davis Gallery located in the Mayo Building at Mayo Clinic.

This Gallery and the exhibits featured with in it are made possible by the philanthropic funding of Robert and Isabelle Davis.  Their passion for art, as well as their desire for it to be shared and enjoyed by Mayo patients, families and employees is reflected in each exhibition.  Mr. and Mrs. Davis are also devoted friends, volunteers, donors and advocates for The Cummer.  They have both recently served on The Cummer’s Board of Trustees and have played a critical role in their leadership and dedication to The Cummer.  They have generously supported many initiatives at The Cummer; some include the Lane Building project, beautification of The Cummer Gardens and most recently, the 50^th Anniversary Host Committee.

As a result of Mayo Clinics’ partnerships in the arts, both institutions’ relationship with the Davis Family and the Cummer’s mission to engage and inspire through the arts, gardens and education, working with Mayo Clinic to bring “The Scottish Colourists” exhibition to fruition was a collaboration that produced synergistic rewards for all those involved.

Cummer Curatorial Department Installing Artwork at Davis Gallery

Cummer Curatorial Department Installing Artwork at Davis Gallery

The exhibition, a loan from the personal collection of Mr. and Mrs. Davis, was packed, transported and installed by the Cummer Curatorial Department.  The Center for Humanities in Medicine planned the exhibition content, labels and execution of the project.  The exhibition celebrates “gifts of colour and light” as well as represents Robert and Isabelle Davis’ dedication to arts and healthcare.

Hope McMath, Director of The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens speaking at the opening reception

Please join us for a lecture on “The Scottish Colourists” given by Hope McMath, Director of The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens on Monday, November 28 at 12pm in the Walker Auditorium in the Davis Building at Mayo Clinic.  All programs are free and open to the public.

Stay tuned for additional upcoming collaborations between The Cummer and Mayo Clinic in 2012.

Master of the Stötteritz Altar (German, active late 15th century), Mother of Sorrows, c. 1480, oil on panel, 8 ¾ x 6 ½ in., Gift of Mrs. Clifford G. Schultz in memory of Mr. Clifford G. Schultz, AG.1984.1.1.

Written by Allie Gloe, Curatorial Intern

David Areford, Associate Professor of Art History at the University of Massachusetts and guest curator of The Cummer’s 2013 exhibition “The Art of Empathy: The Cummer Mother of Sorrows in Context,” recently gave a lecture at Brown University. In his lecture, “Seeing Through Tears: The Cummer Mother of Sorrows and Empathy in Detail,” Areford explored the use of human pathos in paintings, its connection to Late Medieval devotional practices, and its dependence on an emotional response from its 15th Century audience.

The Cummer’s Mother of Sorrows was used as an example in the in-depth conversation between professors and graduate students – all whom are now eager for this upcoming exhibition. This painting is currently on exhibit at The Cummer in the Medieval Art Gallery.  This painting is one of only six known works attributed to the anonymous artist, who is associated with the Stötteritz Altarpiece, a triptych located in the church at Leipzig-Stötteritz in Germany. This panel was the left half of a portable hinged diptych designed for personal devotion. The Madonna’s tears and swollen, red eyes work together to generate emotion while her costume, hair and hands bring forth religion and devotion – also discussed by Areford.

Find out more about Professor Areford’s new book, The Viewer and the Printed Image in Late Medieval Europe, and stay tuned for more details about the upcoming exhibitions soon!

Photos by Ingrid Damiani

From the Jacksonville Public Education Fund.

Brandon’s struggles started early in his life when he felt keenly the absence of his father.

As he grew up, the absence of positive influences played as much a role in Brandon’s life as the presence of negative ones.

He needed role models to show him that education was the key to success, but none emerged. No extra tutoring helped enough when he struggled with math.

When he fought too much at school, special education classes were ordered, and his academic achievement slipped.

Although his mother tried to move him to Middleburg in middle school, he got involved with substance abuse and fell in with the wrong crowd. He moved back to Jacksonville to live with a relative. When he was 15 and his sister needed help paying the rent, no one tried to talk him out of the armed robbery they attempted together.

Today, as he awaits trial in the Duval County Pre-Trial Detention Center, Brandon sees more clearly those missing pieces. He studies hard and has become a role model for other juvenile inmates. He is the correctional officers’ first pick to lead tours of the jail and brings to tears other teens who he hopes to dissuade from getting in the same trouble he did.

He dreams of one day becoming a psychologist or a pastor. He prays that the world might see he has redeemed himself.

Evening Concert in the Gardens at 6:30 p.m. with the University of North Florida Jazz Ensemble 1 under the direction of J. B. Scott.  Playing music from the 40s to today’s hits.  Chairs and blankets are welcome.

FREE Admission all day. 

For more information, please call (904) 355-0630.

Frederick Frieseke was born in Owasso, Michigan. After the death of his mother, the young Frieseke came to Jacksonville, Florida to live with his uncle, Albert Carl Frieseke. The residence was at Floral Bluff in Arlington, an area Frieseke would capture 25 years later in a series of memory paintings of Florida.

Frieseke was a member of the Giverny Group, an assembly of American artists who lived for a period of time in Giverny, France. The group went to Giverny in the 1890’s to seek instruction and inspiration from Claude Monet and in 1906, Frieseke purchased a house next to Monet’s residence in Giverny.

This painting was done when Frieseke was living in Corsica during the winter of 1912/1913. Unlike most Impressionist works, it was painted inside due to the cold weather. Frieseke shows his model, Marcelle, dressed up like a ballerina primping before her performance.

The Cummer Museum purchased this painting in 1985 with the help of school children who donated pennies to help buy the painting.

The finished product is an inspiring work of art that represents one of The Cummer’s most prized paintings and captures the talent that exists in Jacksonville’s artist community.

On November 5, the piece will be auctioned at The Cummer’s 50th Anniversary Ball, with the proceeds supporting an art stop at the 2012 VSA (Very Special Arts) Festival. In 2011, 2,300 children with disabilities were able to experience hands-on art projects at The Cummer through VSA.

Participating Artists:
Matthew Abercrombie - Alyssa Beard - John Beard - Josh Bergesen - Heather Blanton - Jason Campioni - Marisa Carta - Callie Cline - Deb Corbett - Megan Cosby - James Cumberland - Keith Doles - Clay Doran - Shane Douberly - Overstreet Ducasse - Candace Fasano - Crystal Floyd - Christina Foard - Jordan Avery Foster - Patrick Golden - Ed Hall - Dustin Harewood - Christie Holechek - Amber Aultman Houston - Jason John - Karen Kurycki - Rachel Levanger - Denise Liberi - Sean Mahan - Casey Matthews - Franklin Matthews - Hope McMath - Shawn Meharg - Nicole Middleton - Matthew Patterson - Madeleine Peck-Wagner - Anna Reynolds - Silvia Romero - Varick Rosete - Susan Sapinski - Erin Searcy - Amber Sesnick - Ryan Strasser - Anthony Sznakowski - Jason Tetlak - Mark Warren - Ashley Westphal - Tayloe White - Steve Williams - Barry Wilson

Tickets:
Up & Cummers Members…$10 | Non-Members…$15
Funds raised support art education & community programming at The Cummer.

Includes an assortment of beer, wine and hors d’oeuvres

Title Sponsor:
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida, Inc.

In-Kind Sponsors:
Agility Press, Inc.
Cameron Beard
BlackFinn American Grille
Bluefish Restaurant and Oyster Bar
Cypress
Intuition Ale Works
Restaurant Orsay
Riverside Liquors & Village Wine Shop
Team Black
Zoës Kitchen

To purchase tickets or for more information about joining Up & Cummers, please visitwww.cummer.org or contact Emily Magevney at emagevney@cummer.org or 899.6027.

Kim Young will be on hand in the museum store Tuesday, October 18, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. to discuss her creative method of glass blowing.  Examples of her work will be available for purchase in addition to a selection of glass pumpkins created by JU students and faculty exclusively for The Cummer Store.

For more information about the event, please call The Cummer Store at (904) 899-6035.

Title Wall to Exhibition

As part of the Museum’s 50^th Anniversary celebration, the exhibition Eugene Savage: The Seminole Paintings is being displayed publicly for the first time since the 1960s.  The exhibition, on view October 7, 2011 through January 8, 2012, features 42 paintings and watercolors inspired by Savage’s trips to the Everglades.  The Cummer purchased the collection in 2007, after former trustee Samuel Vickers introduced Savage’s work to the Museum.  Savage’s series is the most extensive painted record of the Florida Seminoles from the early twentieth century.

Photograph of the Exhibition

In his work, Savage found a new way to express himself. He found a way to depict native culture as well as critique modern urban life. The natural rhythms of the Everglades are portrayed, which presents a vision of Seminole life. While certainly not documentary in nature, Savage’s abstracted compositions evoke mystery and imagination. Our hope is to have visitors be enthralled by the work of Eugene Savage, and his magical recollections of the Seminoles and the Florida Everglades.

Photograph of the Exhibition

Visitors can learn more about Savage and his work in the book, Eugene Savage: The Seminole Paintings written by guest curator Dr. Elizabeth B. Heuer, Assistant Professor of Art History at the University of North Florida.  The book is available at The Cummer Store for $12.95 and is published by The Cummer in association with D Giles Limited, London. In addition to the book, there will be a family guide offered for the exhibition. A podcast will also be available to listen to in the galleries, which features a Seminole Tribal member telling traditional tales of animals of the Everglades.

Norman Film Manufacturing Company, Poster for The Flying Ace, 1926 lithograph on paper, 40 15/16 x 27 ¼ in., Purchased with funds from the Morton R. Hirschberg Bequest, Mr. Moselle C. Bruton, Ms. Janet R. Johnson, Mr. Michael Lewis, Dr. Emma Moran, Dr. and Mrs. Joseph Anello, Ms. Thelma Geiger and Mrs. Gloriden J. Norris. AP.2002.3.7.

By: Melanie O’Donnell

Have you seen our new exhibit, Jacksonville’s Norman Studios: Movie Posters from the Permanent Collection?

Before Hollywood dominated the film industry, Florida was the hot spot for movie executives.

With our warm weather, sunny skies, convenient location, cheap labor, and diverse scenery, Florida quickly became a frontrunner in the early film business in the first part of the 20^th century. Jacksonville in particular seemed a logical choice as a capital.  The city was the principal financial, manufacturing, distribution, and transportation gateway in the Southeast.  It was, in fact, the largest metropolis in the state.  Its proximity to the St. Johns River, Atlantic Ocean, and Eastern railroad allowed easy access for crews and materials.  At the same time, numerous environments including beaches, swamps, river views, downtown districts, and historic St. Augustine were also convenient.

Norman Film Manufacturing Company, Poster for Black Gold, 1928, lithograph on paper, 41 x 27 5/16 in., Purchased with funds from the Morton R. Hirschberg Bequest, Mr. Moselle C. Bruton, Ms. Janet R. Johnson, Mr. Michael Lewis, Dr. Emma Moran, Dr. and Mrs. Joseph Anello, Ms. Thelma Geiger and Mrs. Gloriden J. Norris. AP.2002.3.1.

However, the heyday was short-lived. By 1920, Hollywood had already gained preeminence as the nation’s film capital. This shift westward allowed First Coast native and silent filmmaker, Richard Norman, the opportunity to purchase the bankrupt Eagle Studios complex in Arlington in 1920. Norman produced at least 8 feature films in 8 years and gained national attention by producing films with African American casts for African American audiences.

In the earliest years of filmmaking, black actors and actresses played extras or bit parts in films aimed toward white markets.  Heroic or positive roles were unheard of until white filmmakers realized that there was a market for race-based pictures. After his purchase of the former Eagle Studios complex, Richard Norman, a white man, had the finest studio complex of any African American-based film producer.

Norman succeeded at producing low budget yet polished and entertaining black cast films.  His productions featured black actors as cowboys, pilots, and businessmen in romance, mystery, and action films.  He recruited some of the most prominent stage actors to make the switch to the screen. Although his films were popular with audiences across the country, especially the emerging black middle class, he was forced to close his business at the onset of the Great Depression.

Norman Film Manufacturing Company, Poster for The Crimson Skull, 1921. lithograph on paper, 41 x 27 in., Purchased with funds from the Morton R. Hirschberg Bequest, Mr. Moselle C. Bruton, Ms. Janet R. Johnson, Mr. Michael Lewis, Dr. Emma Moran, Dr. and Mrs. Joseph Anello, Ms. Thelma Geiger and Mrs. Gloriden J. Norris. AP.2002.3.4.

All five buildings of the Eagle/Norman property are still standing today on Arlington Road near Cesery Boulevard and a local nonprofit, The Norman Studios Silent Film Museum, Inc., www.normanstudios.org, was formed in 2007 to celebrate the role of filmmaker Richard Norman in the early days of the movie industry.

Jacksonville’s Norman Studios: Movie Posters from the Permanent Collection is on view at the Cummer from August 1 – October 30.

http://boxbrotherscorp.blogspot.com/2010_07_01_archive.html

In general, museums “loan” artwork from their permanent collection to other similar institutions for a variety of reasons.  The most common type of loan request is for an exhibition.  Although “loaning” artwork to another museum sounds easy, it is a complicated process that should be made with great care.

The Cummer will consider lending artwork to an exhibition on a case by case basis.  The exhibition must have scholarly merit with an underlying importance of public education and fall within the parameters of the Cummer’s mission statement.  Further consideration is placed on the impact the loan request may have on the museum’s educational program as well as on the visitor experience.  This is an important factor to consider as some loan requests are for six months to a year pending  the number of venues an exhibition will travel to; this means the artwork will be absent from the museum galleries for an extended period of time.

It is also important to consider the physical condition and nature of the artwork requested, its ability to travel and the museum’s ability to care for the work while in their possession.  This is of the utmost importance for the museum to consider before lending an object.

Robert Henri (American, 1865 - 1929), Guide to Croaghan (Brien O’Malley), 1913, oil on canvas, 41 ¼ x 33 in., Purchased with funds from The Cummer Council, AP.1976.1.1.

In Fall 2009, the Cummer received a letter from the Mint Museum in Charlotte, North Carolina.  The letter requested the loan of our Robert Henri, Guide to Croaghan (Brien O’Malley) as part of an exhibition titled, From New York to Corrymore: Robert Henri and Ireland. This exhibition would be the first major museum-organized project about Henri in more than fifteen years as well as the first to consider the important body of work that he created during the six summers that he spent on Achill Island.

After much consideration, the Cummer decided to approve the Mint Museum’s loan request.  The exhibition not only encompassed all of our required criteria but would also be an excellent opportunity for the museum to participate in.  In addition, the exhibition will travel to two additional venues after its commencement at the Mint Museum, whose exhibition just ended August 7^th.  Our Henri will be joining the exhibition as it travels to The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe, New Mexico and then onto The Hyde Collection in Glens Falls, New York.  This means our painting will not be on view from August 2011 through the summer of 2012.

We are very excited to have our Henri painting participate in this exhibition.  Of additional significance is the fact that this exhibition will bring together our Henri painting alongside another version that is in the Mint Museum’s collection, titled, My Friend Brien, for the first time.  It thus presents a rare opportunity for visitors to compare the way that Henri captured different aspects of the subject matters central character, Brien O’Malley in the two different paintings (shown below).

http://www.mintmuseum.org/_if_exhibit.php?exhibit_id=117

So if you happen to be looking for our Robert Henri, Guide to Croaghan (Brien O’Malley) and you just can’t seem to figure out why it’s not in its normal place in the Lane Gallery, hopefully this give you some reprieve.  Should the opportunity present itself that you are able to experience this brilliant exhibition, please be sure to let us know (we LOVE our guest bloggers).  We will gladly miss our Henri, while it’s on loan, but it gives us great pleasure to know that there are other museum goers that will have the ability to view it for the first time and find out why our painting is such a treasure to have in our collection.

Aurora, Age 18. Photograph courtesy of Ingrid Damiani.

Duval County is at a critical crossroads for improving public education. Therefore, the Jacksonville Public Education Fund has launched a year-long campaign called ONE by ONE in order to bring the community together with hopes of improving public education and lowering the dropout rate. However, in order to get the public school system it needs, Jacksonville needs civic interest in education. Thus, ONE by ONE was born.

Travis, Age 20. Photograph courtesy of Ingrid Damiani.

This empowering campaign begins at The Cummer on August 12 and runs through December 20 with the exhibition, ONE in THREE: Let’s Solve Our Dropout Crisis. The title, “ONE in THREE,” refers to the fact that one out of every three high school students does not graduate on time, if at all. In this exhibition, 20 young people will tell their incredible stories of the challenges and successes they faced in order to complete their education through photograph and video.

Ezequiel, Age 11. Photograph courtesy of Ingrid Damiani.

After the exhibition’s three-month stay at The Cummer, it will spend the remainder of the year (through August 2012) traveling throughout Jacksonville as a platform for dialogue and engagement. As the exhibition moves around the city, the stories of these students will awaken the community to the fact that we can only solve this problem face to face, voice by voice and ONE by ONE.

Semmes Gallery Renovation, 2011.

For the past month, we have been renovating The Eunice Pitt Odom Semmes & George Wingfield Semmes Gallery of Baroque Art.  This gallery, otherwise known as the “blue” gallery due to the infamous blue wall color now has a new wall color and a new hanging system.  The paintings in this gallery will no longer suspend from wires hanging from the ceiling.  Not only is this method of hanging artwork risky but it also tends to distract the visitor from truly viewing the painting.  Due to the recent renovation of the wall surface, the artwork will now be attached to the wall in a more safe and discreet manner.  In addition to these items, two columns were built at the entrance of the gallery.  Along with a new layout with some paintings from storage, the new Semmes Gallery will look and feel like a new gallery space.

Semmes Gallery Renovation, 2011.

Semmes Galley Renovation, 2011.

Semmes Galley Renovation, 2011.

Come check out the gallery renovations, when it opens to the public on Tuesday, August 2^nd.  Also, while you’re here, a new permanent collection exhibition will open the same day.  A selection of posters from the Norman Film Manufacturing Company will be on view in the Stein Gallery until October 30^th.  These posters are from silent films produced in the 1920’s by first coast native, Richard Norman.

Thomas Eakins, one of the most important American artists, was born on this day in 1844.  Eakins specialized in many different areas of art.  He was a sculptor, a photographer, a realist painter and an arts educator.  His very influential career spanned more than 40 years, during which he painted several hundred portraits, choosing as his subjects people from his hometown of Philadelphia, PA.

Later, he decided to take the people he painted out of his drawing room and into society.  He loved to paint them in parks, offices, arenas and on streets.  These outdoor venues allowed him to paint his figures the way he wanted, nude or lightly clothed and in motion.  Aside from painting, Eakins developed a huge interest in the new technology of motion photography, a field in which he was seen as an innovator.

During his lifetime, he received little to no recognition for his outstanding works of art.  However, since his death in 1916, American art historians have described his as, “the strongest, most profound realist in nineteenth-and early-twentieth-century American art.”

The Museum’s educational tours allow firsthand examination of original works of art from Ancient Egyptian sculpture through American 20^th century painting.  Trained Docents engage students in meaningful discussions of the social, historical, and artistic context of works of art.

Complementing the gallery visit, each tour includes time in the Museum’s beautiful gardens as well as hands-on exploration with studio art projects and activities in Art Connections.

The 2011-2012 Tours are based on integrated curriculum that supports grade level state standards.  In addition to grade level tours we will be offering a Touch Tour for students who are low vision or blind, a Garden Tour, and several special exhibition tours.

For more in-depth tour information visit our website.

Susan Ober, Morning on the River, 2011, watercolor on paper, 32 x 40 in.

The Community Opening for The Neighborhood as Art on Tuesday, June 14th was a fun-filled success! Nearly 950 people came out to the Cummer to celebrate the exhibit and neighborhood. The evening’s festivities included a meet & greet with Riverside Avondale Preservation, painting for children, live music and bike tours. Also in attendance were many artists who have work featured in the show.

Russ Wilson, Yellow Bungalow IV, 2011, oil on canvas, 22 x 28 in.

Have you seen the exhibit, yet? It features artwork that celebrates the art, architecture, people, parks, river and landscape that make the Riverside Avondale neighborhood great. The Cummer partnered with Riverside Avondale Preservation to celebrate our wonderful neighborhood with this juried exhibition.

Riverside Avondale Preservation Inc. (RAP) is a private, non-profit membership organization whose mission is to enhance and preserve the architecture, history, cultural heritage and economic viability of the historic neighborhoods of Riverside and Avondale. Carmen Godwin, Executive Director, had this to say about the neighborhood and exhibition: “Those of us who live and work in Riverside Avondale always knew we lived in a very special place but now, with the Top 10 Great Neighborhoods recognition, everyone else in the nation knows too. Riverside Avondale Preservation was key in maintaining this special sense of place and ensuring quality of life issues in the area are still at the forefront of making our community great.  This exhibition celebrating our neighborhood comes at a perfect time because of The Cummer’s Anniversary and because of the rich arts community that now calls the community home.  The Riverside Arts Market and various galleries and artists’ studios highlight the immense local talent that we have in the historic district and this exhibition allows those artists an opportunity to share what they think is unique about the neighborhood.”

Ellen Diamond, Memorial Park Magnolias, 2010, acrylic on canvas, 30 x 30 in.

So what do you love about our neighborhood? After the opening of the exhibit, we asked our fans on Facebook what they loved about Riverside Avondale. The small shops, 5 points, Memorial Park and the Cummer are said to be a few favorites. We particularly enjoyed what Amy Pyatt-Buggle had to say: “I love walking or riding my bike and looking at the beautiful architecture and talking with the friendly neighbors. Oh yea, and eating at the great restaurants!” Well said. We agree!

What I found especially nice to see at the opening, was the liveliness and camaraderie of the Riverside Avondale community. Many artists and visitors were often smiling at the sight of a familiar face, and making endless connections and conversations throughout the night. We are just thrilled to be a part of this friendly, wonderful neighborhood!

If you haven’t seen the exhibit yet, come by for a visit, neighbor. It’s open until July 31^st.  Several additional programs are scheduled for this exhibit including Art Adventures on Saturday, July 16, and Talks & Tea Lecture Series on Wednesday, July 20.

1. Norman Rockwell (American, 1894 – 1978), Second Holiday, 1939, oil on canvas, 33 ¾ x 47 ¼ in., Purchased with funds from the Morton R. Hirschberg Memorial Fund, AP.2005.6.1.

2. Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish, 1577 – 1640), The Lamentation of Christ, c.1605, oil on copper, 11 x 9 ½ in., Bequest of Ninah M. H. Cummer, C.0.131.1.

3. Severin Roesen (American, c. 1816 – c. 1872), Still Life with Flowers, Fruit and Bird’s Nest, c. 1865, oil on canvas, 36 x 28 ½ in., Gift of Diane DeMell Jacobsen, Ph. D. in loving memory of her husband Thomas H. Jacobsen, AG.2003.2.1.

4. John Singer Sargent (American, 1856 – 1925), In the Alps, 1911, oil on canvas, 20 x 28 1/16 in., Museum purchase with Council funds, AP.1990.20.1.

How well do you know The Cummer?  If you think you can identify these items—currently on display throughout the Museum as 50 Favorites.  Write your guesses in the comment section below and we will give the answers in two weeks, along with the next challenge.  One winner will receive a complimentary one-day pass to the Museum.  Good luck!

1. Thomas Moran (American, 1837 – 1926), Ponce de León in Florida, 1877 – 1878, oil on canvas, 64 ¾ x 115 7/8 in., Acquired for the people of Florida by The Frederick H. Schultz Family and Bank of America.  Additional funding provided by the Cummer Council, AP.1996.2.1.

2. Ralph Scarlett (American, 1889 – 1984), Abstraction, c. 1934, oil on canvas, 52 x 39 in., Museum purchase with funds provided by the Morton R. Hirschberg Memorial Fund and gifts from Diane DeMell Jacobsen, Ph.D. in loving memory of her husband Thomas H. Jacobsen and James and Diane Burke in memory of Thomas H. Jacobsen, AP.2005.1.1.

3. Theodoor Rombouts (Flemish, 1597 – 1637), The Concert (A Musical Party), c.1620, oil on canvas, 44 7/8 x 68 7/8 in., Museum Purchase with funds by Eunice Pitt Odom Semmes, AP.1970.10.1.

4. Workshop of Gian Lorenzo Bernini (Italian, 1598 – 1680), Armand Jean du Plessis, Cardinal de Richelieu, c. 1641, marble, 26 in., Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Edward W. Lane, Jr., AG.1970.7.1.

For those of you who prefer to see a variety of art spanning age, the ages, ability and demographics, now is the time to be inspired at The Cummer.

Currently there is an exhibit of incredible student work entitled New View. It’s a grouping of drawings and paintings as a response to the gardens and the St. Johns river. These freshmen at Douglas Anderson spent an afternoon in the gardens drawing from life and then turned their gallery and studio experiences into the artistic challenge of abstraction.

These very impressively talented young artists used their creative vision to turn the gardens into an outdoor classroom, shared their beauty with us, and I am so glad they did!

A: Conservation and restoration of art and objects is such a specialized field. Professional conservators spend years in school and in training programs learning how to assess damage and treat it accordingly without causing additional stress on the artwork. Only the largest of museums have a team of conservators located on-site as part of their museum facility.

To locate a specialized conservator, we recommend that you contact:

American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works

1156 15^th Street NW Suite 320

Washington, DC 20005

202/452 – 9545.

Mary Cassatt (American, 1844 - 1926), Simone in a Large Plumed Hat, c. 1903, pastel counterproof on paper, 26 x 21 in., Purchased with funds provided by the Mae W. Schultz Acquisition Endowment and the Cummer Council, AP.1992.8.1.

Mary Cassatt was born in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania, which is now part of Pittsburgh, on May 22, 1844.  She was born into a wealthy family.   Her father, Robert Simpson Cassat (later Cassatt), was a successful stockbroker and land speculator, and her mother, Katherine Kelso Johnston, came from a banking family.

Cassatt’s family viewed travel as an integral part of her education.  During her youth she spent 5 years in Europe and visited many of the capitals, including London, Paris, and Berlin.  At the age of 15 Cassatt entered the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia.  Her family displayed concern for her attendance as they felt she would be exposed to feminist ideas and bohemian behavior.

Cassatt decided to end her formal studies at the Academy due to the slow pace and patronizing attitudes of male students and teachers. After overcoming her father’s objections she moved to Paris in 1866, with her mother and family friends acting as chaperones.  Cassatt worked in a traditional manner, submitting works to the Salon with increasing frustration.

via http://bit.ly/mJ0vx5

In 1877 she was invited by Edgar Degas to show her works with the Impressionists, a group that had begun their own series of independent exhibitions with much notoriety. The Impressionists (also known as the “Independents” or “Intransigents”) had no formal manifesto and varied considerably in subject matter and technique. They tended to prefer open air painting and the application of vibrant color in separate strokes with little pre-mixing.  Degas had considerable influence on Cassatt. She became extremely proficient in the use of pastels, eventually creating many of her most important works in this medium. Degas also introduced her to etching, of which he was a recognized master.

Cassatt’s popularity continued to develop.  Today she is well known for her tenderly observed, yet largely unsentimental paintings and prints on the theme of the mother and child.  Diagnosed with diabetes, rheumatism, neuralgia, and cataracts in 1911, she did not slow down, but after 1914 she was forced to stop painting as she became almost blind. Nonetheless, she took up the cause of women’s suffrage, and in 1915, she showed eighteen works in an exhibition supporting the movement.

She died on June 14, 1926 at Château de Beaufresne, near Paris, and was buried in the family vault at Le Mesnil-Théribus, France.

Quotes by Mary Cassatt:

• I think that if you shake the tree, you ought to be around when the fruit falls to pick it up.

• Why do people so love to wander? I think the civilized parts of the World will suffice for me in the future.

• I am independent! I can live alone and I love to work.

• I hated conventional art. I began to live.

Albrecht Durer (German, 1471-1528), The Circumcision, 1511, woodcut on paper, 11 5/8 x 8 1/8 in., Cornelia Morse Carithers Memorial Print Collection, AP.1991.3.6.

On this day in 1471 Albrecht Durer was born.

Durer was a German painter, draughtsman, art theorist, but is most famous as a print maker.   He is regarded as the greatest German Renaissance artist. His vast body of work includes altarpieces and religious works, numerous portraits and self-portraits, and copper engravings.

Explore more about the life of Durer.

Newly Renovated Lovett Gallery

Member's Opening of the Lovett Gallery

Last Thursday, the Cummer unveiled the newly renovated Betsy and William D. Lovett Gallery and opened a new exhibition On the Silk Road: Chinese Ceramics, Culture and Commerce to our members.  Over 300 people attended the event.  Those in attendance received the first look at the completed reinstallation of the museum’s Ralph H. and Constance I. Wark Collection of Early Meissen Porcelain and to accompany it a new 600-page catalogue of the collection.  The renovation of this gallery has been underway since February and with much anticipation is now open to the public as a permanent display.  The reinstallation presents the collection in a manner that is more reminiscent of traditional 18^th century displays but with a modern interpretation.  New interactive experiences designed by Wingard Creative, including a Meissen “app” and podcast have also been incorporated into the gallery.

Overhead View of the Silk Road Exhibition

Member's Opening for the Silk Road Exhibition

The exhibition On the Silk Road and the High Seas: Chinese Ceramics, Culture, and Commerce is organized by the Norton Museum of Art, West Palm Beach, Florida. It is on view through August 14, 2011, in the museum’s Minerva and Raymond K. Mason Gallery and consists of more than 70 examples of the goods that inspired Meissen artisans from the Doris and Leo Hodroff collection. Featuring pieces adorned with traditional Western and Eastern designs such as the mille-fleur motif, the exhibition tells the story of why Chinese ceramics were so special back at home and abroad.

Both the Lovett Gallery and the Silk Road exhibition are opened to the public.  Come  and check out the new installations, publication and technology today.

The 575-page volume is written by Ulrich Pietsch, director of the State Porcelain Collection in Dresden, Germany, the most important and most extensive collection of Meissen porcelain in the world.

The publication contains full color photographs and complete text entries for 689 pieces in the Wark Collection of Early Meissen Porcelain, given to The Cummer by St. Augustine siblings Ralph and Constance Wark. The collection they assembled is regarded as the most significant collection of its type in the United States and one of the top three collections in the world.

The book will be available in the museum store on May 13th.

Installation Shot of the Lovett Gallery

As part of the renovation of The Betsy and William D. Lovett Gallery, which contains the museum’s early 18^thCentury Collection of Meissen Porcelain, The Cummer wanted to include objects that would help visitor’s understand the relationship between Asian Ceramics and Meissen Porcelain.  The earliest forms of porcelain produced by alchemist Johann Friedrich Böttger (1682-1719) at the Meissen Manufactory were copies of Asian porcelain in the collection of Augustus the Strong, Elector of Saxony and King of Poland (reg. 1694-1733).

The Cummer looked no further than the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota, Florida, which houses the Koger Collection of Chinese Ceramics since 2002.  Last year, the museum formally requested the loan of 11 objects in the Koger Collection, to help visually relate the influence of Asian ceramics on their German counterparts.

Beaker with molded prunus decoration

Beaker with molded prunus decoration

Once approved by the Ringling, the loan objects were condition reported, packed and crated and shipped to Jacksonville.  After allowing for 24-hour acclimatization, the crate was unpacked and the objects condition reported.  Soon, these objects would be measured and prepped for installation in our new display cases alongside pieces from the Cummer’s collection.

Meissen Porcelain Display Case

Can you guess which are Asian originals?  If you need a closer look in order to tell, come check out our new installation of the Lovett Gallery with new a Meissen Porcelain display.  This gallery will open to the public on May 13, 2011.

1. Herman Herzog (German/American, 1832 – 1932), Figure in a Landscape, c. 1910, oil on canvas, 15 13/16 x 19 7/8 in., Gift of Mr. and Mrs. C. Herman Terry, AG.1987.11.1.

2. René-Théodore Berthon (French, 1776 – 1859), Portrait of Princess Pauline Borghèse and the Baroness de Mathiesse, c. 1810, oil on canvas, 83 7/8 x 69 ½ in., Museum purchase with Council funds, AP.2002.2.1.

3. Peter Thijs (Flemish, 1624 –1677) and Pieter Boel (Flemish, 1622 – 1674), Huntsman with His Dogs and Game, c.1650, oil on canvas, 72 x 103 ½ in., Gift of the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, AG.1961.9.1.

4. Winslow Homer (American, 1836 – 1910), The White Rowboat, St. Johns River, 1890, watercolor on paper, 14 x 20 in., Bequest of Ninah M. H. Cummer, C.0.154.1.

Eugène Louis Charvot (French, 1847-1924), View of Rue El – Alfahoui, 1889, oil on canvas, 47 ¼ x 39 7/8 in., Given by Yvonne Charvot Barnett in memory of her father Eugène Louis Charvot, AG.1999.5.3.

In 1889 Charvot painted View of the Rue El-Alfahouine in Tunis. It became one of his major exhibition canvases and was included in the Municipal Exposition of Geneva, Switzerland in 1898. A large canvas of Tunisian city life, it captures the rhythm of the city. In a letter to a niece he wrote:

The city of Tunis and particularly the Arab markets are from the point of view of the artist beyond all description. Delacroix, Fortuny, only gave a faint idea of it. There … all is bright and colored, luminous and fresh. The cube-shaped houses, the mosques, dabbled high and low with white lime, shine under the eastern sun like immense blocks of chalk.

Charvot was clearly taken by the exotic aspects of life in North Africa. When he was sent to Gabès, a lonely desert outpost in southern Tunisia, he used his free time to explore various desert communities. Following are some of his observations:

Djara presents an extraordinary appearance for a Parisian, especially the section extending into the oasis.… I am in a country completely unexplored by painters, and I want to make a good showing before leaving. If my paintings aren’t sucessful … at least they have the appeal of the strange and are sincere.

The Charvot Collection is comprised of 19 paintings, 202 works on paper, and associated archival materials. Research on the collection is continuing and will be presented in special exhibitions and publications.

Over the last year, Vance has created a new concept for the gallery.  The majority of his focus was redesigning the display cases which hold all of our early 18^th Century Meissen Porcelain.  After a courier trip to Dresden Germany, Vance found inspiration in the Porcelain Collection of the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden.

Gallery Installation at the Porcelain Collection in Dresden, Germany

This type of display style is a traditional way to install porcelain that allows the visitor to “see” more of the object.  This new visibility requires a different method to safely secure the porcelain to the wall.  In Vance’s design, most objects require a custom brass mount, while others can be placed on a clear plexi-glass shelf.  Over 200 mounts were hand-made in house and over 250 glass shelves were purchased to produce this effect.

New Display case in Lovett Gallery

Vance also designed new cases for the center of the gallery.  These will highlight two important areas of our porcelain collection.  The process to create this design concept has been remarkable – from sketches to a life-size model made out of cardboard to the final product – these cases will bring a modern and refreshing look to this gallery.

Sketch of Center Case

Model for Center Cases

Final Design of Center Case

New paint, lighting and hardwood floors adorn the gallery currently.  The display cases are complete, mounts and shelves installed; all we need now is the art.  Over the next few weeks, the Curatorial Department will begin reinstalling the artwork back into the gallery, which will culminate on May 13^th when it is unveiled and reopened to the public.  Here is a sneak-peak at the new design of the gallery.

New Lovett Gallery with Display Cases

New Lovett Gallery with Display Cases

Jan ten Compe (Dutch, 1713 - 1761), View of Nieuwmarkt, Amsterdam, 1752, oil on panel, 21 3/8 x 29 ½ in., oil on panel, Museum purchase with Membership Contributions, AP.1963.6.1.

Jan ten Compe found his calling in painting views of major Dutch towns.  His paintings are so precise that they are of special interest to historians because of their topographic and architectural accuracy.  He rendered buildings in minute detail, adding daily activities to enliven the scene.

Bathed in morning sunlight, the turreted building dominates Nieuwmarkt Square in Amsterdam.  Originally built as a city gate, the stately structure became a Waag, or weigh house, in the seventeenth century.  A small group of men load several large bags onto a scale in front of the weigh house and the skeleton painted on one of the doors of the weigh house indicates the entrance to the meeting room of the Amsterdam Guild of Surgeons.

One hundred and twenty-two years ago today, one of the most important artists in the Regionalist Movement was born.  Thomas Hart Benton (April 15, 1889 – January 19, 1975), who used his art to elevate the experiences of everyday people and ordinary events, pursued an art career despite the dissatisfaction of his family.

By the 1920s Benton began to forge his strongly personal style, which is characterized by grand compositions brimming with curvilinear forms, realistic details, and intensified colors.

Thomas Hart Benton (American, 1889 - 1975), June Morning, 1945, oil on masonite, 42 x 48 in., Purchased with funds from The Cummer Council, the Morton R. Hirschberg Bequest, and the Mae W. Schultz Charitable Lead Trust, AP.1994.2.1. Art © T.H. Benton and R.P. Benton Testamentary Trusts/UMB Bank Trustee/Licensed by VAGA, New York, NY.

June Morning was painted by Benton in 1945 and is the cornerstone to the Cummer’s American Art Collection.   Characteristic of his mature style, June Morning depicts a view from his mother’s house on Martha’s Vineyard.  In the foreground, the vibrant, twining foliage parts to reveal Benton’s neighbor milking a cow. The Atlantic Ocean is visible in the distance.  Painted one month after Germany’s surrender in World War II, this work is Benton’s patriotic testament to the strength of the American spirit in the face of the destructive powers of war.  This painting is on view in The Helen Murchison and Edward W. Lane, Jr. Gallery of Impressionist and Modern Art.

1.William-Adolphe Bouguereau (French, 1825 – 1905), Return from the Harvest, 1878, oil on canvas, 95 x 67 in., Purchased with Membership Contributions, AP.1964.2.1.

Reproduction of original frame by Diego Salazar Antique Frames, New York, given in honor of Jack Lee Scott by Jane McRae Scott, 2003.

2. William Glackens (American, 1870 – 1938), The Lake, c. 1913-18, oil on canvas, 25 1/8 x 30 in., Museum purchase with Council funds, AP.1987.2.1.

3. Agnolo Gaddi (Italian, 1350 – 1396), Madonna of Humility with Angels, c. 1390, tempera on panel, frame: 43 ½ x 24 ¼ in., Bequest of Ninah M. H. Cummer, C.0.130.1.

4. Martin Johnson Heade (American, 1819 – 1904), Orchid with an Amethyst Hummingbird, c.1875 – 90, oil on canvas, 18 1/16 x 10 1/8 in., Bequest of Ninah M. H. Cummer, C.0.112.1.

Theodoor Rombouts (Flemish, 1597 - 1637), The Concert (A Musical Party), c.1620, oil on canvas, 44 7/8 x 68 7/8 in., Museum Purchase with funds by Eunice Pitt Odom Semmes, AP.1970.10.1.

Theodoor Rombouts studied in Italy from 1616 to 1625, following an apprenticeship in the vibrant and commercial city of Antwerp in the early seventeenth century. He was in Rome in 1620 and may have worked for the Medici in Florence until 1625, when he returned to Antwerp. Rombouts became a master at the Guild of St. Luke and embarked on a distinguished career producing mainly secular works for private patrons.

The Concert depicts a group of costumed musicians playing various instruments around a table covered with a Persian tapestry rug. Music parties of this type were typical subjects for Flemish artists during the seventeenth century. This painting shows the play of deep shadows and bright highlights that reflect the strong influence of the Italian Baroque artist Caravaggio (1571-1610), whose paintings Rombouts studied during his years in Rome. Caravaggio’s works were characterized by dramatic figures depicted with unflinching realism.

This music party is a celebration of the five senses. Rombouts indicates the various senses by selectively illuminating an ear, nose, hand, and eyes, but omits the sense of taste. This fifth sense may be represented by the foremost figure who looks out, inviting the viewer to complete the circle of senses and welcoming the patron of “good taste” who commissioned Rombouts’s paintings.

It is time to slow down and smell the roses – or, in this case,  look at the art. Please join us at the Cummer for International Slow Art Day on Saturday, April 16th from 10:30 – 12:30 to view 5 pre-selected pieces of  art, then stay and enjoy lunch from 12:30-1:30 (your purchase off the menu) at the Tree Cup Cafe to enjoy open converstation about the art with fellow art lovers.

Did you know that the typical art viewers only spends about eight seconds in front of a work of art?  Slow Art Day is a global grassroots art celebration designed to inspire people to look at art for a longer period of time, seeing the work in its entirety. Looking often reveals details not registered by the viewer at first glance, elements that can bring a work of art to life.

Take 5 – 10 minutes each to look, really look at the follwing pieces of art:

• Allegory of Avarice, Paulus Bor
• Vanitas, Jacques de Claeuw

• June Morning, Thomas Hart Benton

• Café L’Avenue, Richard Emil Miller

• Mt. Washington, Edmund Darch Lewis

Call Art Connections @ 899-6003 to dedicate your attendance.  See you on Saturday, April 16th!

Riverside Arts Market:

Every Saturday from 10am-4pm, under the Fuller Warren Bridge, local artisans, farmers, and food vendors set up their fare for all to enjoy!   There are activities for all ages, live performing artists, and tons of fun to be had.  Robbie Hazen and “The Riot” will be on the River Stage at 11:45, Wingfeld will be on the Hilltop Stage at 11:30, the explosive feats of Dallas, the Human Volcano on the Roundhouse stage, acrobats, face painting, balloons, belly dancers, and more!

Jacksonville Fine Arts Festival at Boone Park:

Come out to Boone Park this Saturday and Sunday for the first annual Jacksonville Fine Arts Festival, hosted by the Avondale Merchants Association, LLC.  This is an outdoor, juried art festival.  Come out and support Jacksonville’s cultural arts.   All profits from the festival will be donated to local nonprofits with a focus on the arts and art education.

Citrus Cel Animation Film Festival:

Beginning on Friday with an opening reception at The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens, this festival makes a great start to the weekend!   The Up & Cummer’s are hosting this event that is open to the public.  Come see “The Art of Storytelling” featuring storyboards and art, followed by three films at the 5 Points Theater.   The weekend will continue with two workshops for kids at the Museum, free admission to the “The Art of Storytelling” exhibit, and lots of films at 5 Points Theater.

HEAL Zoo Walk for Autism:

Go out to the Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens this Sunday for the HEAL! First Coast Zoo Walk for Autism.   There will be fun, music, and games, and you will be walking for a great cause.  The Museum will be facilitating an Arts for All mural.   Jaguar Football Players and The Roar Cheerleaders will lead the way, and Radio Disney will provide musical entertainment.  So come out and support these terrific kids!   All proceeds from the event will go to fund Autism programs throughout the First Coast.

The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens:

With all the other great activities going on this weekend, we thought it would be nice to give everyone the chance to stop by for FREE.   Come for a few minutes or all day, we will have plenty to do for everyone.   From 10:30-noon, we will have our Art for Two class for ages 3-5, for $10 per child (and accompanying adult), as well at workshops in collaboration with Citrus Cel.   The kids will love our Make Art Now projects you can take into the gardens and there is something for EVERYONE in Art Connections, our interactive education space.  We will also be offering half price Family memberships ALL WEEKEND!   Take a look at all the benefits of being a member.

So, if you need help planning out your weekend, we have made an easy schedule so you don’t miss anything you want to see!

Friday Night
5-7pm – “The Art of Storytelling” Reception at The Cummer Museum
8pm, 10pm, & 11:30pm – Films at 5 Points Theater

Saturday
9:30-11:30am – Little Squirts Animation Workshop at The Cummer
10am-4pm – Jacksonville Fine Arts Festival at Boone Park
10am-4pm – Riverside Arts Market
11:30 – Wingfeld on the Hilltop Stage at RAM
11:45 – Robbie Hazen and “The Riot” on the River Stage at RAM
12-2pm – Stop Motion Puppet Fabrication Workshop at The Cummer
12, 2, 4, 6, 8, & 10pm – Films at 5 Points Theater

Sunday
10am-4pm – Jacksonville Fine Arts Festival at Boone Park
7:30am – arrive at the Zoo to register for the First Coast Zoo Walk for Autism, walk begins at 8:30am
1, 3, 5, & 7pm – Films at 5 Points Theater

Martin Johnson Heade (American, 1819 - 1904), Orchid with an Amethyst Hummingbird, c.1875 - 90, oil on canvas, 18 1/16 x 10 1/8 in., Bequest of Ninah M. H. Cummer, C.0.112.1.

Martin Johnson Heade has acquired a reputation both as an artist and a naturalist. His studies of nature, particularly of hummingbirds, began in his youth and continued throughout his life. Following in the footsteps of other American artists, Heade went to South America and the Caribbean between 1863 and 1870. He visited Brazil, Nicaragua, Colombia, Puerto Rico, and Jamaica. At the age of 64, Heade married and moved from New York to St. Augustine, Florida, where he continued to paint for many years. Heade’s patron at the time was Henry Flagler (1830-1913), railroad magnate and real estate developer of Florida’s east coast. When Flagler built the great Hotel Ponce de León in 1885 (now Flagler College), he included studios for artists in order to attract them to St. Augustine. Heade occupied one of these studios.

Heade’s writings on the conservation of Florida’s natural wilderness are unparalleled as pioneering efforts. Heade’s contribution to American nineteenth-century painting is embodied by his study of light, particularly as reflected in paintings of sun-dappled fields and marshes. In this painting, the orchid is a carefully studied representation of the Cattleya labiata Lindley, which is found in Venezuela, whereas the hummingbird has been identified as an Amethyst hummingbird, commonly found in the Amazon Basin.

During our recent exhibit of DeBry etchings of the Huguenots in Florida captured by LeMoynes first-hand drawings, a class calculated that they explored this area five hundred years ago. One student asked the docent, “Ms. Mary, were you alive when the artist was here in Florida?”

Theodor de Bry, Flemish, Meeting between Rene de Laudonniere and the Timucuan Chief Athore, from: Grands Voyages, vol. 2, plate VIII, 1591, Engraving, 12 7/8"x 9 3/8"

Docents teach first graders about seeing texture in art. A class was asked what they knew about the word “texture.” One little boy replied, “I know! It’s like texting!”

Kindergarten students study portraiture. When viewing portraits in one of our galleries, a kindergarten noticed that Captain Samuel Worthington Dewey by Thomas Sully, “looked just like Justin Bieber.”

Thomas Sully, American, 1783-1872, Captain Samuel Worthington Dewey, 1834, Oil on Canvas, 30"x 24"

Seated before the Portrait of Andrew Jackson, fourth graders were asked who was in the portrait. One boy’s hand went up and confidently declared, “Frankenstein.”

George P.A. Healy, American, Portrait of Andrew Jackson, 1845, Oil on Canvas, 30"x25"

Have you ever heard a funny or odd observation from a child as they look at artwork? Please share as a comment below.

Via Peat Bakke http://bit.ly/hMq8kD

“I found a painting in my grandmother’s attic. Can someone at The Cummer tell me how much it is worth?”

You might be surprised how often we receive a call like this. Unfortunately, staff at The Cummer are unable to provide appraisals or valuations of works of art. Although the museum would seem to be a logical place to discover that sort of information, appraisals and valuations are highly specialized areas that require extensive education and certification for their practitioners.

Appraisers often  participate in rigorous training programs, and many are then subject to the professional standards of different organizations. One such organization is the American Society of Appraisers, which only accredits members after they complete a testing and evaluation process that requires years of study, training and peer review.

If you need an appraisal, valuation, or authentication of any work of art, please contact one of the following organizations that will help you locate a specialist in your area:

American Society of Appraisers

International Society of Appraisers

Appraisers Association of America

Once you have determined the basic facts about the artwork in question, you are welcome to make an appointment with one of The Cummer’s volunteer librarians, who will help you find additional information about the artist, style, or subject matter.

Via http://beaurivagecondos.com/images/200817784531.jpg

Calling all artists!  The Cummer wants your artwork!  As part of The Cummer’s 50th Anniversary, the Museum is partnering with Riverside Avondale Preservation to celebrate our wonderful neighborhood.  Opening in June in the Museum’s Thomas H. Jacobsen Gallery of American Art, The Cummer will host a juried exhibition that celebrates the art, architecture, people, parks, river and landscape that make the Riverside-Avondale neighborhood great.

Artists are invited to submit original works of art (painting, photograph, work on paper, sculpture) that capture the Riverside Avondale area.  These works must be available to be exhibited at The Cummer from June 14 – July 31, 2011.

For Official guidelines: http://cummer.org/pdf/Call-to-Artists.pdf

For questions, please contact jury@cummer.org

Pre-kindergarten through second grade students at S. P. Livingston Elementary School collaboratively created artwork as a response to the natural landscape at the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens. As part of the Weaver Academy of Art program, a continuing arts in education partnership between the Cummer Museum and Duval County Public Schools, the students in the Exceptional Student Education department experimented with colored pencils, paint, and paper collage while enjoying the inspiring surroundings on the St. Johns River.

To view the students’ artwork visit the hands-on interactive area of the Museum called Art Connections.  The students’ work will be on exhibit from March 7 through May 9.

This exhibit is made possible through the generosity of  J.Wayne and Delores Barr Weaver, The Dianne T. and Charles E. Rice Family Foundation, The Chartrand Foundation and EverBank.

Meissen Deinstallation

Brian Shrum deinstalling Meissen porcelain

On February 21, the The Betsy and William D. Lovett Gallery of 18th Century Art closed for renovation.  This gallery also contains the museum’s renown collection of early 18th Century Meissen Porcelain.  As these photographs demonstrate, the Curatorial Department moved over 400 pieces of Meissen, many paintings, and furniture into art storage.  Over the next few months new cases will be installed, artwork will be rearranged and once this gallery reopens to the public on May 13th, it will feature a new presentation including increased interpretation and technology.

Lovett Gallery Post-Art Removal

Mini Meissen Display in the Semmes Gallery

Just in case you miss seeing the Meissen Collection during the renovation, we have installed a “mini” display case of Meissen in the The Eunice Pitt Odom Semmes & George Wingfield Semmes Gallery.  It consists of a Coffeepot, Teapot, Tea Caddy and Cup and Saucer with yellow fond.  Hopefully, this will satisfy your appetite for Meissen until May.  Stay tuned for more updates on the renovation of the Lovett Gallery.