Each year the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens is home to the Very Special Arts Festival for students with disabilities. The festival gives students the opportunity to visit the Museum, explore Art Connections, and create artwork through various art stops. The staff designed and brought to life several art projects that allow every student to participate, regardless of ability.

What I have yet to mention is that I am the Marketing and Development intern, and the VSA Festival was my first week At the Museum. I entered the Museum on Tuesday morning, and immediately made myself useful in one of two painting stations. Staff members thoroughly explained our responsibilities, and assigned everyone in the room to a table and job. Within the hour, thousands of students started pouring into the Museum, and rotating into our painting station. They started painting landscapes with green paints, then switched to reds to create flowers. It was a group effort by staff and volunteers to clean the tables and adaptable painting tools, and replace them before the next group of student visitors entered. The day went by fast, and we hustled to make every students experience the best. As I looked around the room, I realized why this festival is such a special week.  You could tell just by watching them, that the students did not have many experiences like this, and were very excited. When the time came to move to another station, the students were sad to leave their work, and wanted to continue painting. It goes to show how universal art is, and how therapeutic it is for not only our student visitors, but for the volunteers and staff that help.

Later in the week, I helped staff and volunteers in the clay station and Art Connections by monitoring traffic and collecting the finished clay projects. The clay room – a little less messier than the painting station, but just as exciting – is where I saw the students creativity peak. The staff and volunteers showed the students how to mold their block of clay into a flower. Whether these students were hearing, visually, or language impaired, they were able to be successful. They used their hands, elbows, and chins to create something unique and meaningful. They were able to express themselves completely. By the end of the day I saw fewer flowers and more animals, such as dolphins and birds. I assisted a young boy who created a Batman sculpture, and would not rotate stations until he had the cape sculpted perfectly. As I collected the finished pieces, I reassured the students that they would get their sculptures back after we fired them. I can only imagine the excitement the students will exude when their sculptures finally arrive.

Being new to the festival, and a new intern to The Cummer, I was able to experience the VSA Festival in an exciting and unique way. I worked after VSA hours to prepare lunch for the volunteers who helped. I was able to witness the student’s excitement over the art, and I was able to share stories with the volunteers about their experiences. I was even given the opportunity to participate in the VIP/media tour that took place on Tuesday afternoon. The Cummer is the only VSA Museum that has the students to participate in projects throughout the galleries and grounds. I was told not to do for the students, but to guide them in creating whatever they felt. It was an inspiring and moving experience, and I feel grateful for my involvement.

Artist in the Store

Tuesday, May 14th from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Artist in the Market 

Saturday, May 18th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Michael Viafora is an authentic automotive artist who has been drawing , painting, and designing and rebuilding automobiles since winning a Pinewood Derby design contest as a child in his native state of New York. Viafora graduated from Jacksonville University and has been an art instructor for the DCPS for a number of years.Using his automotive themed art he was selected as a featured billboard artist in the “Embracing Our Differences” exhibition in Sarasota Florida as well as locally winning the Jacksonville bookmark design contest. His automotive art graces the homes of many local car collectors.  Viafora states ” I use watercolor and acrylic to paint the automotive form with the same vigor as contemporary artists paint the human portrait and figure “

For many of these students the VSA Festival presents the only time in the year when they will have exposure to the arts and access to art materials.  With that in mind the education staff of the Museum has striven to create several engaging and meaningful activities for students during their visit.

This year’s projects range from painting to sculpting to collage and clay hand-building.  The theme that ties these projects together is their focus on the natural world and their reflection of the Museum’s art collection as well as its gardens.

In our painting project each student will use brushes, sponges and smaller tools to create a vibrant, abstract landscape made up of varying tones of green highlighted by the addition of orange and magenta representing blooming flowers.

The representation of the natural world continues in the collage project where each student will create an image of the sky using blue poster board and a variety of textured papers in various shades of blue, gray and white.

In the gardens our student visitors will sculpt flowers, insects, fish, plants, or birds with colored pieces of wire.  They can manipulate the wire with their hands, or wooden dowels that will be provided, to create whatever their surroundings inspire them to build.

For our clay project this year students will use white clay to create flowers inspired by the Cummer Gardens.  Students will use their hands to form to the flower center and petals. They can add details and texture to their flowers with carving tools.

Finally, students will create an accordion book and draw their own cover design with an image inspired by the permanent collection around them.  They will then attach a paper frame around their cover artwork to complete their masterpiece.  They can then add additional drawings and written words inside the book about their festival experience when they return to school.

In addition to creating projects that are of value to each student that visits us during VSA week, the education staff has also made sure to develop these projects so that they are adaptable for all ability levels.  Whether any particular student is visually, language, or hearing impaired.  Whether they possess emotional, behavioral, or intellectual disabilities, every student that comes through our doors will be able to participate in every project we offer.

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.

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What is a Podcast?

A podcast (or non-streamed webcast) is a series of digital audio files that are released episodically and often downloaded through a website. There is a wealth of podcast content available in nearly every subject, from news to storytelling, sports to movies and more. You can visit our podcast page here at blog.cummer.org/podcast.

The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens will be buzzing this summer with creativity and art making. Children of all ages will have an ARTrageous time at Camp Cummer as they explore the Cummer Gardens and art galleries and create projects that will include painting, drawing, printmaking, mixed media, and clay sculpture.   Art lessons, taught by experienced Museum Educators, will stimulate their imagination and build their visual vocabulary through artistic expression in a fun environment. What are you waiting for? Don’t miss your chance to enroll your child in up to two weeks of camp! One RED and one BLUE week.

Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Members $180, Non-members $200

Elementary: Camp Cummer (Entering 1^st-6^th grade)

(RED)  Week 1:  June 10-14

(BLUE)  Week 2:  June 17-21

(RED)  Week 3:  June 24-28

(BLUE)  Week 4:  July 8 -12

(RED) Week 5:  July 15- 19

(BLUE)  Week 6:  July 22 – 26

Middle School: Camp Cummer (Entering 6^th-9^th grade)

July 29 – August 2

Extended Care is available for Elementary School Camp ONLY.

Morning Care: 8-8:45 a.m.-$20 per week

Afternoon Care: 3:30-5 p.m.- $30 per week

For more information, please call 904.355.0630. 

VSA is an activity-based festival where students go to eight 15-minute art-making activities that are located in our studios, galleries, gardens and Art Connections. Groups arrive through the front entrance and are paired with a guide that leads the group through a designated route of stops, so that each group gets to participate in all eight stations.

This inspiring festival, and the tremendous effort that goes into making it happen, could not take place without the dedicated efforts of those who choose to volunteer their time.  Our volunteers, numbering close to 1,200, not only ensure that we can have a festival but that it is a success.  They are the ones leading the school groups through the museum and gardens.  They are there at every stop to explain the activities and assist every student who visits us.  They cut paper and roll clay and make sure materials are replenished and ready to go for a new group every 15 minutes.  It is thanks to their invaluable efforts that VSA at the Cummer is a continuing success.

The Cummer Museum of Arts and Gardens is currently seeking additional volunteers for this year’s VSA festival.  If you or someone you know is interested in volunteering for this worthy cause please call 904-355-0630.

Saturday, March 23 through Saturday March 30

2013 Garden Month provides many opportunities for our members and guests of all ages to explore and experience our historic gardens through exciting events, tours, lectures, classes and exhibitions.

Daily & Ongoing

During March we will have Docent led Garden Tours every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 11 a.m.  This tour is free with museum admission and no reservations are required.  The Docents will meet our guests in the Front Lobby to begin the tours.  We do appreciate advance notice for large groups.  Please call 904.899.6038 for more information.

Also during Garden Month our Loggia will be transformed into a Garden Store with art, plants, gifts, and books on sale Tuesday’s from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Wednesday’s through Saturday’s from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. during the month of March, 2013.  We will have unique and fun items for garden and art lovers.

 Saturday

If you feel a need to get back to nature and enjoy the natural beauty that surrounds us, “Excursion into Wild Florida with Jim Draper” is for you!  On Saturday, March 23, 2013 from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Julington Durbin Creek Preserve, Jim will lead an excursion to explore this natural habitat.  Bring your own lunch.  Wine and light hors d’oeuvre will be served at The Cummer after the outing.  Members $125, non-members $140, Active Docents $63.  Space is limited.  Ages 13 and up. For information and reservations, please call 904.355.0630.

It’s not Garden Month without art classes for children! For children ages 6-10, we have Art Adventures on Saturday, March 23, from 10:30 a.m. to Noon. Children will celebrate Garden Month by painting in our Cummer Gardens.  Members $10, non-members $15. For information and reservations, please call 904.355.0630.

Sunday

On Sunday, March 24, at 1 p.m., join us for a talk with artist Jim Draper as he explores the many layers behind his newest body of work, Feast of Flowers. Jim will begin with an idea to explore and you will discover new ways to understand Florida history, environmental aesthetics and our place within the natural order. Space is limited. Members free, Non-members free with paid Museum admission Please call 904.899.6038 to make your required reservation by March 22.

Tuesday

On Tuesday, March 26, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 pm, please join us for a talk on Living the River Friendly Life: Rain barrels, Irrigation and Fertilizers featuring Matt Eaton, North Florida Irrigation and Jimmy Orth of St. Johns Riverkeeper.  Seating is very limited; first come, first seated.

Wednesday

On Wednesday, March 27, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., please join us as the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens hosts its first Farm to Table dining experience featuring locally sourced and seasonal fresh foods that will showcase some of Jacksonville’s best chefs. Enjoy the view of the St. Johns River as you dine in our garden. The collaboration between North Florida farms, local fisheries, artisans and some of the city’s most talented chefs will make for an unforgettable dining experience. Members: $150.00 per person, Non Members: $160.00 per person.  Please call 904.899.6038 to make your reservation.

Thursday

On Thursday, March 28, from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., Beekeeper Karen Wassmer will give a talk on Creating a Bee Friendly Garden and share her knowledge and experience about beekeeping, plants best suited for honeybees, and creating bee-friendly gardens. Karen is an active member of the Northeast Florida Honeybee Association and Jacksonville Beekeeper Association. Ages 13 and up.  Members $10, Non-Members $15, Active Docents $5.  For information and reservations, please call 904.355.0630.

 Friday

For an exciting way to experience our gardens; we are offering “Yoga in the Garden” on Friday, March 29 and Saturday, March 30, from 10:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. Certified yoga instructor Brittany Simpson will lead “Mind/Body Yoga” in the Cummer Garden. Beginners are encouraged! This is a gentle yoga class focusing on breath awareness, alignment and balance.  This type of yoga is ideal for relaxing the mind and body while helping calm the stress and tension from daily life.  Postures and breath will release toxins from your body and leave you feeling lighter, happier and rejuvenated! Space is limited. Please bring your own towel and yoga mat.  Ages 13 and up.  Members $5, non-members $10. For information and reservations, please call 904.355.0630.

Saturday

Instructor Ann Evans with Cypress Creative Floral Design will host an afternoon flower arranging workshop on Saturday, March 30 from 1p.m. to 3 p.m. The workshop will include all arrangement supplies, an introduction and discussions on selecting the right flowers and container, proper stem cutting, arrangement and caretaking, as well as handy tricks and expert advice. At the completion of the workshop, each student will take home the masterpiece they create.  Ages 13 and up. Members $100, Non-Members $115, Active Docents $50. For information and reservations, please call 904.355.0630.

On Saturday, March 30, from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., several artists participating in “A Brush with Nature” from the Jacksonville Arboretum & Gardens will be in our gardens demonstrating watercolor and acrylic painting and pastel drawing from 12 noon to 3 p.m.  This event is free with paid museum admission.

Saturday, March 16 through Saturday March 23

2013 Garden Month provides many opportunities for our members and guests of all ages to explore and experience our historic gardens through exciting events, tours, lectures, classes and exhibitions.

Daily & Ongoing

During March we will have Docent led Garden Tours every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 11 a.m.  This tour is free with museum admission and no reservations are required.  The Docents will meet our guests in the Front Lobby to begin the tours.  We do appreciate advance notice for large groups.  Please call 904.899.6038 for more information.

2013 Garden Month provides many opportunities for our members and guests of all ages to explore and experience our historic gardens through exciting events, tours, lectures, classes and exhibitions.

Daily & Ongoing
During March we will have Docent led Garden Tours every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 11 a.m.  This tour is free with museum admission and no reservations are required.  The Docents will meet our guests in the Front Lobby to begin the tours.  We do appreciate advance notice for large groups.  Please call 904.899.6038 for more information.

Also during Garden Month our Loggia will be transformed into a Garden Store with art, plant, gift and book sales Tuesday’s from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Wednesday’s through Saturday’s from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. during the month of March, 2013.  We will have unique and fun items for garden and art lovers.

Saturday
If you feel a need to get back to nature and enjoy the natural beauty that surrounds us, “Excursion into Wild Florida with Jim Draper” is for you!  On Saturday, March 9, 2013, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Willie Brown Trail, Jim will lead an excursion to explore this natural habitat. Bring your own lunch.  $100 for members, $115 for non-members and $63 for Active Docents. For information and reservations, please call 904.355.0630.

It’s not Garden Month without art classes!  For children ages 3-5, we have Art for Two on Saturday, March 9, from 10:30 a.m. to Noon. Children will celebrate Garden Month by painting in our Cummer Gardens.  Members $10 for two, non-members $15 for two. For information and reservations, please call 904.355.0630.

Tuesday
On Tuesday, March 12, at 7 p.m. in the Hixon Auditorium, local artist Jim Draper and Director Hope McMath will give lead an engaging discussion about the idea of being a participant versus a possessor while tending and cultivating a garden.  This event is free to the public. Seating is very limited; first come, first seated. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday

The Cummer is very excited to host British author Andrea Wulf on Wednesday, March 13 at 11 a.m. for a lecture in the Hixon Auditorium.  In her latest book, Founding Gardeners, award-winning historian and author Andrea Wulf looks at the lives of the founding fathers and how their attitude to plants, gardens, nature and agriculture shaped the American nation. In a unique retelling of the creation of America, Ms. Wulf will share with us how plants, politics, and personalities intertwined as never before.  A luncheon in the Terry Gallery will follow the lecture and Ms. Wulf will be available to sign her books in the Loggia Garden Store.  Members $65, non-members $70.  Please call 904.899.6038 to make your reservations.

 Saturday
The 2013 Cummer Ball & Auction will be held on Saturday, March 16 from 6 p.m. to midnight.  This black tie event will have dinner, dancing with The Tangee Renee Band and a Live Auction.  Funds raised from The Cummer Ball support The Cummer’s mission to engage and inspire through the arts, gardens and education.  Grand Benefactor attendees will have an opportunity to adopt a work of art in the Museum’s permanent collection for one year.  An event is planned for May 2013 to choose the piece of art. We do not mail tickets for the Ball & Auction; we check your name at the door. Please call 904.899.6038 to make your reservations.

Grand Benefactor

Member: $2,500 per couple or $1,250 for one reservation

Non-member: $2,600 per couple or $1,300 for one reservation

Patron

Member: $1,000 per couple or $500 for one reservation

Non-Member: $1,100 per couple or $550 for one reservation

Different types of dogwood flowers are native all over much of Eurasia, North America, China, Japan and the southeastern United States.

The yellow or green flowers grow in clusters at the center of what seems like petals, which may bloom in white, red or pink, depending on the cultivar. Some think those petals are the flower’s blossom because of their color, but those are actually leaves called bracts. They are a protective jacket for the flower buds in the middle. The Dogwood also blooms in greater numbers when under the sun rather than in shade.

The legendary Dogwood has been told to be the tree used to make the wooden cross Jesus was crucified on.  Because of this God declared that the Dogwood tree would never be able to grow large enough to make a cross. The bract of the flower come in four and makes the shape of a cross. The actual cluster of the flower is similar to the crown of thorns and has red-clustered fruit in the middle said to symbolize the blood of Christ. In the outer middle part of each bract leaf is an indention representing nail prints. The flower also blooms in April close to Easter Sunday, which celebrates the resurrection of Christ after he was crucified.

Each month, we will be offering an opportunity to connect art and science through a new series on The Cummer Blog.  Please join us in this conversation, and tell us what topics you would like to see more information on.

Our featured exhibition is Jim Draper: Feast of Flowers.

Please join us for 2013 Garden Month at The Cummer:

• “Discovering the Layers” Gallery Discussions with Jim Draper
  March 24 at 1 p.m.
• Community Day & Plant Sale, along with a Rainbarrel sale in partnership with St. Johns Riverkeeper on Saturday, March 2, 2013 (Free admission all day)
• Off-site Excursions into Wild Florida with Jim Draper:
  Saturday, March 9, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Willie Brown Trail
  Saturday, March 23, 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Julington Durbin Creek Preserve
• Docent led Garden Tours - every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday for the month of March 2013 at 11 a.m. (Free with Museum admission. Docents will meet you in our Lobby at 11 a.m. to begin the tours)
• Garden Store at The Cummer featuring art, plant, gift and book sales
• Demonstrating artists, in partnership with The Jacksonville Arboretum & Gardens, will be painting our gardens.  The Jacksonville Arboretum & Gardens is hosting a plein air painting event, A Brush with Nature, from March 21 through March 23, 2013.  Please visit our friends and enjoy the natural beauty of their woodland and trails!
• Free Community Day, Saturday March 2, 12 to 3 p.m. – free all day
• Garden Concert featuring Noel Freidline on Friday, March 8, 2013
• Classes for children
• Classes for adults (and children ages 13 and up)
• Lecture by Jim Draper and Director Hope McMcath on Tuesday, March 12, 2013 (Free to the Public)
• Lecture by British author Andrea Wulf on Wednesday, March 13, 2013
• Lecture by Chief Curator Holly Keris on Tuesday, March 19, 2013 (Free to the Public)
• Talks and Tea at The Cummer:
  The Cummer Gardens Part 1: Wednesday, March 20 & Thursday, March 21 at 1:30 p.m.
  The Cummer Gardens Part 2: Wednesday, April 17 & Thursday, April 18 at 1:30 p.m.
• Lectures by St. Johns Riverkeeper on Tuesday, March 5, 2013 and Tuesday, March 26, 2013 (Both are free to the Public)
• Fashion Show featuring Krista Eberle and Timo Weiland on Friday, March 22, 2013
• Farm to Table Moonlight Dinner in our garden on Wednesday, March 27, 2013

For more information and to make your reservation via credit card, please call 904.899.6038

New Museum Educator Karl Boecklen

In January, Karl Boecklen joined the education staff as a Museum Educator.  His job will be to continue the integration of the Gardens and our riverfront campus into our arts education programs.  Karl is a native of New York City and a graduate of SUNY-Stony Brook with a degree in the biological sciences.  He has worked as a classroom educator, a scientist and most recently for the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens as their supervisor for educational programs.  At the Zoo, Karl coordinated the outreach, After Dark Programs and animal encounters as well a “tour” as the supervisor for their interactive areas.  He specialized in interdisciplinary programs such as “ZooTrek”, the Zoo’s partnership with the Jacksonville Public Library.

Known throughout the local public school systems as “Mr. Karl”, Karl brings a great enthusiasm and joy to introducing children and adults to the natural world through art, language arts, math, and science.

The Junior Docent program began many years ago as a way to engage middle and high school age students in the museum. They don’t have to be artists, just curious about art and the way museums work. Many students have already been involved in life at The Cummer through summer camp, weekend classes, or volunteering. This program invites those exemplary students to meet monthly to work on a year-end project that offers some sort of art interpretation to museum visitors.

While this program is special in its own right, you may be wondering how they could be breaking new ground? Many museums around the world are looking to technology to engage their visitors in exhibitions. Our Junior Docents have taken on the task of writing and recording audio content to enhance two temporary exhibitions this spring. All you (the visitor) will do is use a smart phone to scan a QR code on the label next to the artwork and you’ll be transported to a recording of one of our Junior Docents.

When you visit The Tsars’ Cabinet: Two Hundred Years of Russian Decorative Arts you will have the opportunity to learn more about Russian history under the Romanovs’ rule through looking at decorative objects. The intricacies of these decorative objects will be explained to you via digital recording by one of our friendly Junior Docents.  You can also hear the students speak in person about this exhibit at our Community Night for The Tsars’ Cabinet on Tuesday, February 26^th  from 4 to 8 p.m.

Learn about individual works of art and the artists in another exhibition entitled La Florida. You will hear students speak about works of art from The Cummer’s permanent collection and pieces borrowed from other institutions around Florida. The fascinating stories of how these works of art came to be will be told by one of our knowledgeable Junior docents via audio recording. You can hear students speak in person about this exhibit as well, at our Community Opening for La Florida, Tuesday, April 2^nd, 4 to 8 p.m.

Are you interested in becoming a Junior Docent for Fall 2013 and are entering 6^th through 12^th grades? You may contact Lori Eisenberg Castro at leisenbergcastro@cummer.org for more information.

“It is especially gratifying that our support and that of others will open this very special museum to all of Jacksonville through the Public Sculpture Garden and Weaver Free First Saturdays.  I will now think of The Cummer as the people’s museum.”

- Delores Barr Weaver

The Weaver’s gift provides greater access for the entire community, making art and the programs at The Cummer more available to more people. Through this gift, the Weavers continue their long commitment to supporting the arts in Jacksonville and serving the community by providing free access for all.

“The Weavers have been long time supporters of our efforts around education.  This significant gift expands upon our shared vision of a Museum that is a core asset to the Community and is open, engaging and relevant to all who desire to participate.  I know I am not alone in marveling at the unparalleled impact the Weavers have had on the quality of life in Jacksonville.”

-Hope McMath

In addition to the free admission aspect of the day, each Saturday will include special programming: Drop-In Art classes for children in the theme of out Tuesday Night class, Yoga in the Gardens, special projects on the Make Art Now cart, live music by local musicians, and more!

As part of its Art Fundamentals series of classes, The Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens is offering a 6-week acrylic painting class with artist and instructor Allison Watson.

Ms. Watson is a life-long resident of North Florida.  She began her profession as a studio artist in her early twenties and has worked as an animator, illustrator, textile artist, art teacher, licensed interior decorator, and art teacher on the staff of the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens.  Ms. Watson paints from her own photographs of Florida as well as other remote places from her kayaking and hiking travels.  As a life-long environmentalist, her creations manifest her love of nature.  Her works are represented in over three hundred and fifty public and private collections in the United States and abroad.

Students in Allison’s class will learn composition for landscape and still life, color theory, and techniques in acrylic.  The class is open to all skill levels with beginners being introduced to the medium and intermediate to advanced painters strengthening their skills.  Each student will have individual attention and work at their own level.

This six week session begins February 27 and meets on March 6, 13, 20, 27 and April 3

Classes fall on a Wednesday each week, running from 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. and are open to individuals 16 and up.  The cost for class is $170 for members, $190 for non-members, and $85 for active docents.

For more information or to register for classes, please call (904) 355-0630.

Why purchase a rain barrel?  By using captured rainwater to water plants or wash your car, you can help to lower your water bill, prevent the over pumping of groundwater and help protect our aquifers, springs, wetlands and river.  You also protect the river and its tributaries from storm water runoff that may carry fertilizers and harmful chemicals.

Purchase your rain barrel(s) today by clicking here.  Pre-orders must be must be received by Monday, February 25, 2013. The rain barrels will be available for pick-up on Saturday, March 2 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens Community Day. This event is free and open to the public.

For more information on the rain barrels, please contact Shannon Blanksinship at 904-256-7613 or Shannon@stjohnsriverkeeper.org.

Giovanni Battista Zelotti, Allegories on Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter, no date, grisaille on canvas, 19 1/2 x 37 x 2, Bequest of Ninah M. H. Cummer, C.0.151.1.

The Ringling Museum designed the exhibition to highlight Veronese’s  great contributions to the Venetian Renaissance and showcase his illustrious body of work, which has not been shown in the states for over two decades.  Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter was formerly attributed to Veronese because of its signature gestural style, but the work was likely created by Zelotti, a member of Veronese’s Venetian workshop, who worked in the same artistic manner as his master.

Veronese’s masterpiece, Rest on the Flight into Egypt, has been in the Ringling Museum’s collection since 1925, when John Ringling purchased it as his first Old Master painting.  This piece, along with two Veronese portraits, form the foundation for the upcoming show, which will be joined by pieces drawn from institutions throughout the country, including numerous sketches and paintings.  The exhibition intends to focus on Veronese’s approach to religious and secular narratives and portraiture, while examining his process and repetition of subject matter by including both quick and elaborate sketches and several versions of his favorite subjects.  Dr. Virginia Brilliant, the Museum’s Curator of European Art, is behind the inception of this exhibition, she envisions grouping drawings and paintings that address the same subject in order to display Veronese’s process and subtle changes throughout his career.  Dr. Brilliant believes that Veronese is dismissed as a “merely decorative painter” in comparison to other Venetian greats, like Tintoretto and Titian, and hopes that this exhibition will prove Veronese’s other merits.

The exhibition will run December 6, 2012 through April 14, 2013.

Talking about it with your family.  Especially when the family member is a  child.

KTAC can help.

KTAC offers a five week workshop four times a year during the evening, 5:30- 7:30pm.  Programs are held at Riverside Presbyterian Day School and include dinner for children and families.  Each week children ages 5 to 17 attend a session focusing on a specific topic.  Art educators and clinical social workers help the children complete a project that promotes discussion of emotions and feelings.  Adults meet separately in a group led by a clinical social worker where they learn how to effectively communicate with their children.  These workshops are free and open to anyone in the community that needs these services.

The next five week session begins on Tuesday January 29th at Riverside Presbyterian Day School, 830 Oak St. Jacksonville, FL 32204.

• Week 1: Tues. January 29-RPDS
• Week 2: Tues. February 6- RPDS
• Week 3: Tues. February 12- RPDS
• Week 4: Tues. February 19- RPDS
• Week 5: Tues. February 26- The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens, 829 Riverside Ave. Jacksonville, FL 32204

Call now to register at (904) 308-5822.

A traveling exhibit called “Lobby for the Arts,” opened at the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens on January 8, 2013.  The exhibit features artwork and video performances by Cathedral Arts Project (CAP) students from participating schools across Duval County.  After its Cummer debut, Lobby for the Arts will travel into the lobbies of area businesses, museums, theatres, and hospitals over the course of Cathedral Arts Project’s 20th anniversary year, from January – December 2013.

“This exhibit focuses on the artistic talents and accomplishments of our ‘CAP kids’ and their teachers,” said the Rev. Kimberly Hyatt, executive director of Cathedral Arts Project.

Since its inception, Cathedral Arts Project has served over 15,000 students. CAP offers multi-disciplinary arts education to nearly 1,800 elementary and middle school students throughout Duval County annually, providing on-site, after-school instruction in visual arts, dance, music, and drama.

Jim Draper, Willy Brown’s Marsh, 2012, oil on canvas, on loan from artist

In correspondence with Jacksonville artist Jim Draper’s newest series “Pascua Florida: Feast of Flowers” which celebrates the 500th anniversary of the first European engagement with Florida, the Education Department at the Cummer is introducing a new school tour for Spring 2013. Complementing an interactive gallery visit, each guided tour will include activities in the Museum’s beautiful historic Gardens. Through Jim’s art, students will explore different Florida ecosystems and will have an opportunity to create a studio art project of their own. The Cummer has partnered with St. Johns RiverKeeper to develop an integrated curriculum that supports state standards in the visual arts, math, and science.  Tours will be available from January 8 through April 5.

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.

National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Chairman Rocco Landesman has announced that the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens is one of 832 non-profit organizations nationwide to receive an NEA Art Works grant. The Cummer is recommended for a $37,000 grant to support an exhibition of medieval art illustrating the concept of empathy, a topic still relevant today.

The exhibition, The Art of Empathy, will examine late medieval devotional artwork in relation to the Museum’s Mother of Sorrows painting (c.1470) by the Master of the Stötteritz Altar. The exhibition will include 21 carefully selected artworks, 19 of which are borrowed from seven collections in the United States and Germany, including Walters Art Museum, National Gallery of Art, Museum of Fine Arts Boston, Sarah Campbell Blaffer Foundation, Davison Art Center, Munich’s Staatliche Graphische Sammlung, and Aschaffenburg’s Stiftsmuseum. The objects represent a broad range of media – panel painting, manuscript illumination, printmaking (woodcut, metalcut, and engraving), printed books, wood sculpture, and metalwork. The exhibition is curated by David S. Areford, Associate Professor of Art History at the University of Massachusetts Boston. The funding from the NEA will support the exhibition, catalogue, and related educational programming.

“I’m proud to announce these 832 grants to the American public including The Art of Empathy exhibition,” said Chairman Landesman. “These projects offer extraordinary examples of creativity in our country, including the creation of new work, innovative ways of engaging audiences, and exemplary education programs.”

“The Cummer is thrilled to receive support from the NEA for this important project,” said Chief Curator Holly Keris. “We have been working with Dr. Areford since 2010 to bring our Mother of Sorrows to life and give her the recognition she deserves as a true masterwork in our permanent collection. We look forward to sharing this exhibition with our visitors.”

In March 2012, the NEA received 1,509 eligible applications for Art Works requesting more than $74 million in funding. The 832 recommended NEA grants total $22.3 million, span 13 artistic disciplines and fields, and focus primarily on the creation of work and presentation of both new and existing works for the benefit of American audiences. Applications were reviewed by panels of outside experts convened by NEA staff and each project was judged on its artistic excellence and artistic merit.

For a complete listing of projects recommended for Art Works grant support, please visit the NEA website at arts.gov.

For the past 50 years, the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens has been committed to engaging and inspiring through the arts, gardens and education. A permanent collection of nearly 5,000 objects and historic gardens on a riverfront campus offers more than 130,000 annual visitors a truly unique experience on the First Coast. Nationally recognized education programs serve adults and children of all abilities.

On December 8^th, the St. Augustine location of Painting with a Twist is hosting a fundraiser in partnership with VSA with 50% of proceeds going towards the organization.

Painting with a Twist provides a unique classroom experience.  In addition to being invited to bring their own bottle of wine, students in each session are provided with paint, canvas, and brushes along with an enthusiastic and knowledgeable instructor who leads the class step by step through the process of completing the session’s featured artwork.  At the end of the class students go home with a one of a kind creation and new skill to explore.

On Saturday the 8^th there will be a number of classes to choose from, most with a holiday theme, beginning at 10am and running on until 10pm.  Interested students can reserve spaces online here.

This is a great opportunity to create a piece of artwork either for yourself or as a gift for the holidays, and to help raise money for a worthy organization doing tremendous good in our state.

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.

Reading Schedule:

The Curious Garden by Peter Brown – November 20

Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll Walsh – November 27

Rose’s Garden by Peter H. Reynolds  – December 4

Dream Snow by Eric Carle – December 11

Winter Lights by Anna Grossnickle Hines – December 18

Written by Morgan Walker, Student at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts

It’s basic physics: head hits glass, glass breaks into a shower and I’m left to face the impact. This windshield was tough enough to withstand my brother’s record pitch, just not the tenuous bone of my skull. The glass splinters then fractures completely, but it is beautiful. Everything I knew about broken glass before is gone because in these three seconds, it was the last thing I saw. Always, in what-if situations, I thought my life would flash before my eyes, but I wasn’t afforded that luxury, only broken glass against the atmosphere of a rainy day. There wasn’t any pain, or maybe there was so much it converted into a dull sensation I couldn’t feel yet, except for the eminent darkness rapidly approaching with earth.
I came to the intersection and should’ve waited a second or more, in driver’s ed they tell you to wait three seconds, well, I waited two. What followed will always remain basic physics.
When she slid across the blacktop between the intersection, to the sound of dragging tarpaulins, I couldn’t move. You know, like in those movies when someone is dying and they need to pass peacefully. Was I supposed to caress her head and tell that young girl it was all happening for a reason?
Being a cattle farmer prepares you for death. That week I was working on my fence and hadn’t been gone but an hour, when I saw my horse slowly making his way through the fence. I ran out there, my bum knee locking up with every step. He was already in the road before I could reach for him and then there she was.
So when the blood was spurting from her mouth and the skin on her arms had been rolled back, how was she going to believe me when I told her this was all going to be okay?

Studio of Dolf James

Yesterday, the staff of The Cummer, went on a field trip to the CoRK studios to visit with Dolf James, and Jim Draper.  We spent the first few minutes with Dolf, who explained the creation of the CoRK collaborative space, the people who were instrumental in its creation, and their vision for the future.  CoRK is a warehouse space that is over 80,000 square feet and growing, dedicated to artist studios and gallery space.  This project was conceived by developerMac Easton and artist Dolf James, and is located at the Corner of Roselle & King streets.

Studio of Jim Draper

We spent the majority of our time with Jim Draper, a local artist who will exhibit at the Museum beginning in December.  As we approached the upcoming 500th anniversary of the Spanish landing in Florida, and the State of Florida’s Viva Florida campaign, the Museum found it necessary to come up with a completely ‘Cummer’ interpretation to commemorate the event.  This idea came to us in the form of a middle of the night email from Mr. Jim Draper, and is culminating in our spring exhibition Feast of Flowers.  This exhibit includes not only Draper’s artwork, but also aspects from scientists, botanists, social historians, musicians, literature, and much more.  It will include a digital publications with more than 19 contributors.

You have this idea and this thing, and you start playing with it and tweaking it, and then it is out there.  And then you wake up one day and you are in it, you are part of it.    -Jim Draper

The inspiration for this show began with a flower, the hibiscus grandiflorus.  When in the marsh, Jim encountered the hibiscus plant, and noticed that the large leaves were ridden with holes.  His first reaction was disappointment, but then he noticed the butterflies nearby.  It occurred to him that without the holes, you would not have the butterflies, as the original catapillars need the nourishment in order to transform into this beautiful new thing, called a butterfly.

The concept for the triptych layout of the paintings came from Draper’s art historical passion for Gothic art, and a somewhat narrative persuasion.  While most of the pieces are meant to be interchangeable in this case, they also tell a broader story, both within the context of each piece, as a trio, and in a broader, all-encompassing sense.

The planning and work for this show has been going on for more than a year and a half.  This has involved many meetings, long hours spent in the studio, many trips to various natural sites throughout the state, and a lot of concentration, reworking, organizing, and re-organizing.  However, despite all of this work, in a grand gesture that is far out of the natural tendency of an artist, aside from a few minor specifications, Draper is giving complete control of the exhibit presentation to our Curatorial staff here at the Museum.

I think that artists really need to be more aware of their place in the community, and their place within institutions.    -Jim Draper

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

Thursday, October 18, 2012      1:30 & 2:30 p.m.

Spend an afternoon at The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens enjoying the recent installation of Loïs Mailou Jones: A Life in Vibrant Color. You will enjoy vivid colors, varied styles, and fascinating iconography inspired by her many travels.  Jones painted into her early 90’s and you see her journey expressed in her body of work, from bold and energetic graphics in her textile designs to the soft tones seen in post-impressionism work inspired while living in France back to deep, rich, contrasting hues used to illustrate the people, landscapes, and symbols witnessed living and traveling through Africa, Haiti, and America.

An engaging and informative lecture about this pioneering artist will be given by Assistant Director of Education, Maggie Reynolds and will be followed with tea and light refreshments. Sessions are held on Wednesday, October 17 at either 1:30 or 2:30 p.m. or on Thursday, October 18 at 1:30 or 2:30 p.m.  Admission is $6.00 for members and non-members. Seating is limited so please make your required reservation by calling Louise Stevens at (904) 899-6004.

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.

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.

The question: Why do people see art differently?

There’s a multitude of explanations, ranging from psychological to socio-economic, but those explanations are messy. I proposed a rather mundane approach to  attempting to answer this question.

For my reasoning, let’s start with light.

courtesy of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light

Visible light is a very narrow band on the spectrum of electromagnetic radiation situated between Infrared and Ultraviolet radiation. Visible light is estimated to be less than one percent of the entire electromagnetic spectrum. My reasoning focuses more on how our eyes perceive light and our brain processes the information, rather than the radiation itself. Our human eyeballs have cells, called cones, with which we perceive color. We see items as a certain color because the pigments in those items reflect those particular components of the visible spectrum and absorb all others. For example, we see red apples as red because the pigments present reflect only the red components or wavelengths, of white or visible light. Now some of you may already know where I’m going with this, but for those of you that need a hint, a quick internet search of “Colorblind” will net “about 3,790,000 results”, thank you Google. Adding the keyword “statistics” will give you another “361,000”.

courtesy of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_eye

The general consensus is 7 to 10 percent of the male population has some form of color blindness, which is actually more properly described as color vision deficiency. Now, the color vision deficiency genetic markers are both, recessive traits ,and linked to X-chromosomes. The combination of these two properties, with some cool biology charts and math, mean that less than .4 percent of the female population, by most calculations, has a color vision deficiency. Daughters are likely to inherit the recessive genes from parents, but thanks to more cool biology, math, and charts, both parents would have to exhibit a color vision deficiency for a daughter to have color vision deficiency, whereas a son can exhibit a color vision deficiency where both parents lack one. As you can see, with .4 percent of female population being color vision deficient if you iterate the situation it becomes less likely the longer you look at it. While these percentages are not alarmingly large, they are such that it is highly likely that you are acquainted with a person who has a color vision deficiency.

It has been conclusively proven, that as human individuals we are all different in some way shape or form. An easy answer would be that since we are all individuals it would be in our individual nature, to have a distinctly individual interpretation of art. As a human, I, of course, made this assumption.

However, as an engineer, I made a metric.

For a 6,973,738,433 world population we factor in a color vision deficiency modifier. Using [(7+10)/2] +.4 = 8.9 percent, as rough average of color vision deficiency on a world scale, we have a modified world population of 6,973,738,433 x (1 – .089) = 6353075712.46. This rounds to 6353075713 people, but for the sake of being rigorous we will keep it as a decimal. On average there are 4.5 million cone cells per human eyeball. The wavelength of Red visible light is 750 to 620 nanometers (a range of 130nm). We chose red wavelength because it is the largest ranged wavelength in the visible spectrum and because the majority of color vision deficiency is in the perception of the colors red and green.

I submit to you that the reason why people see art differently is that, according to my calculations, there exist [6353075712.46 x (4,500,000 x 2)] / 130 = 4.398 x 10¹⁴ possible personal cellular per nano meter (pc/nm) interpretations of the color red.

The next time you’re enjoying looking at some works of art, try counting how many different personal cellular interpretations of the color red you see!

Are you color vision deficient?

References:

http://science.hq.nasa.gov/kids/imagers/ems/visible.html

http://missionscience.nasa.gov/ems/09_visiblelight.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visible_light

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visible_spectrum

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eye

http://www.toledo-bend.com/colorblind/Ishihara.asp

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_blindness

http://www.google.com/publicdata/explore?ds=d5bncppjof8f9_&met_y=sp_pop_totl&tdim=true&dl=en&hl=en&q=world+population

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.

The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens will celebrate Art Beyond Sight Awareness Month this October with the opening of The Women of Vision exhibition in Art Connections.  Art Beyond Sight (ABS) was created in 1987 on the premise that everyone must have access to the world’s visual culture if they are to participate fully in their communities and in the world at large. ABS Awareness Month celebrates 10 years of partnerships among 250 cultural institutions around the world including The Cummer.

For the past 15 years, The Women of Vision, a group of local women who experience low vision or blindness, have gathered monthly at The Cummer to share their experiences in art making, memoir writing, and exploring the galleries and historic gardens. The women create powerful works of expressive art, including paintings, drawings, clay sculptures, and poetry. This artful program, which is observed as a national model, serves as a vehicle for personal reflections, demonstrates the communicative power of visual and literary arts, and develops accessibility awareness for both the creator and viewer.

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.

Feast of Flowers, Conversations, as a part of in-studio programming for the forthcoming exhibition at the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens (2013), intends to create an environment which allows social existence and artistic thinking to come together. It serves to break down the hierarchy between artist and non-artist (as well as teacher and student) so that we can all engage, instigate, and provoke thought on ideas that we already find familiar or within our reach.

This event is held within Jim Draper’s studio at CoRK Arts District (Rosselle and King) from 6 to 9 pm on September 19th, 2012. The conversation is from 6:00 to 7:30 pm with a relaxed social hour that follows.

We hope to see you!

Jando Dance, Malawi 2006 Silver gelatin photographic print

The Yao people of Malawi, though predominantly Muslim, observe a blend of spiritual beliefs, customs, and cosmologies that remain synonymous with their Bantu heritage. Initiation rites remain an important part of the Yao social order and are celebrated with ceremony and dance. Here, dancers celebrate Jando, the circumcision of young boys coming of age.

Music plays an important role in many African ceremonies. To hear a selection of music composed by local musician, Ajamu Mutima, using the voice, kora, thumb piano, flute, drum and other traditional African instruments, use your mobile device to scan the QR code below. For a free QR scanning app, visit redlaser.com or getscanlife.com. Mr. Mutima’s CDs are also available for purchase.

Simply click on the title links below to listen to each selection.

Healing Waters – Sky & Earth album

Banana Tree – Returning album

Ways To Go – Returning album

Man Who Wears Red & Black Fila – Rhythm of Life album

Ichetucknee (Original Flute Music) – Rhythm of Life album

One of The Cummer’s signature events is the annual VSA Festival. The Festival brings in children with varying levels of disabilities from all over the community to come to the Museum to interact with the art and gardens. This year’s Festival served more than 2,200 students from 49 schools in the surrounding four counties. Here is a quote from one of the parents who experienced the Festival:

“It was absolutely magical for us. My son, who we are not able to take many places, simply came alive at the Museum.  My husband doesn’t often have a chance to see Ben flourish like that, so it offered him such a great deal of hope for our son.”

Cummer in the Classroom and The Weaver Academy of Art are two art education programs at The Cummer that serve more than 3,000 children (Pre-Kindergarten through fifth grades) and more than 200 teachers in nine inner city schools, of which an average of 90% of the students qualify for free and reduced lunch. This initiative provides outreach in to the classroom, Museum tours, free art classes, a scholarship program for Camp Cummer to recognize outstanding participation and much more. Here is a quote from a parent whose child participated in these programs:

“My son and I have taken advantage of this opportunity to attend The Cummer for the past three years. He is always excited to know that a class is scheduled and loves sharing his creativity with family and friends.”

The Cummer offers art classes including Drop-In Art, which allows children ages 4 to 10 to explore the galleries or gardens and experiment with a different art process, Art for Two, where children ages 3 to 5 can create art with their favorite adult and Art Adventures, where children ages 6 to 12 can experience different types of art. The Cummer also has Camp Cummer where children can be immersed in fine art. One elementary camper said:

“I love printmaking because I have so many copies that I can give one to everyone I love!”

Your contributions help us continue these programs and allow us to reach a larger audience.  Thank you for supporting The Cummer!

Click Here to Donate.

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.

Marcy Appelbaum, Family Series/Americana, Jr Lady Triathlete, 2011, Color Photograph, 12 x 18 in., Courtesy of the Artist.

Marcy Appelbaum, a Jacksonville resident for nearly 25 years, is a free-lance Pulitzer Prize nominee and a Florida State and National award-winning photographer.  She is a gifted visual storyteller.

“Documenting people and their lives allows me to capture who people are at any given moment in time. Their connections to each other — and ultimately to my audience — makes me grateful to my subjects and the candor they give to my lens, memorializing those brief moments in time that the eye can often miss or that we’re otherwise too busy to notice ”

Appelbaum worked as a staff photojournalist at The Jacksonville Business Journal, The Daytona Beach News Journal, The DeLand Sun News, and The Florida Times Union for several years and entered into the digital world early on.

Recent shows include Strike Jax, an on-going participation in the international traveling show The M.I.L.K. (Moments in Intimacy, Laughter and Kinship) Book Series, and Women in Photojournalism.  Although her passion is black and white, the Folio Weekly Invitational Artists Exhibit at The Cummer marks her first showing in digital color. Her work has been published in many publications, including Time magazine, Rolling Stone, Golf Digest, and Child Magazine.  She is currently available for on location assignments, life cycle events, and portraiture.

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.

Art student at The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens

Education Reform is the buzz phrase used by every stakeholder, every policy maker who makes decisions for our students – our leaders of tomorrow.

Education reform with out including the arts? An arts education is responsible for encouraging the development of visual-spatial abilities, reflection, and experimentation.  What would Leonardo da Vinci say?  He was planning cities and inventing flying machines between painting such great works as the Mona Lisa and the Last Supper.  Arts education teaches and nurtures creativity, judgment, and discipline.  What about the student who struggles and looks for a reason to get up and go to school every day?

Let me use, as an example, a girl who, at a young age had trouble with math and spelling and wondered how she could ever fit into an academic world. That’s when she discovered she had artistic talent – in the 3rd grade when her class made posters for Fire Prevention Week.  She was completely surprised when she won a ribbon for 2nd place!  Realizing that she was proficient at drawing gave her the confidence to question why she couldn’t excel any further in her newfound strength. This was a defining moment in her education as the arts made a difference in the path her life would take.

Once she discovered this talent in art she begged her mother to sign her up for art lessons.  Her mother’s reply was an emphatic “No!”  She stated that the week was filled with other activities such as piano and tumbling.  Somehow this little girl had to convince her mother that art was her passion!  She found leftover paint from a “paint by number” kit in her neighbor’s trash.  She locked herself in the bathroom and made a paintbrush from a pick-up stick, scotch tape and cuttings from her own hair.  She painted a bouquet of flowers for her mother with her makeshift brush on a piece of notebook paper complete with little pieces of hair to add texture.  Her masterpiece brought tears to her mother’s eyes and she promptly signed the little girl up for art lessons.

This true story took place fifty years ago and the little girl in the story was me.  I truly believe that my own childhood learning difficulties have guided me and my exposure to an arts education encouraged me to be successful in school. I went on to became a career Visual Arts Educator for Duval County Public Schools and am proud to have helped many students develop a passion for learning. Today, I continue my life’s work as a Museum Educator at The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens.

Art saved me and it can help save other children who have academic struggles. It is my opinion that the arts are at the core of education reform and are a vital part of a well-rounded education for every child. Please join me in my arts advocacy.

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.

Interactive printmaking project in Art Connections

Artist sketching the Cummer Oak

Miradas Exhibit

Teens sharing their artwork!

Garden painting projects

1. READ!!!

•  Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, by Isabel Alcantara & Sandra Egnolff
• In Wonderland: The Surrealist Adventures of Women Artists in Mexico and the United States, by Ilene Susan Fort & Tere Arcq, with Terri Geis

2. WATCH…

the movie Frida, for a look into the art, politics, and culture of Modern Mexico.  In addition, you will get a look at the relationship between Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, two of the most influential artists from this time period.

3. EAT

Cook your own Mexican cuisine with great recipes online, or go out for dinner at a nice Mexican restaurant.  I will be making a few of the following myself:

Jicama Chili Sticks

Baja Black Beans, Corn, and Rice

Chili Relleños

4. Drink

Cafe de Olla – Sweet Cinnamon Coffee

Mexican Chupacabra Martini

Ponche Navideño – Mexican Holiday Punch

Horchata de Arroz - Refreshing Mexican rice beverage

Carlos Almaraz 1941 – 1989 American, born in Mexico Moonlight Myth, 1985 Mito de claro de luna, Oil on canvas/oleo sobre tela Bank of America Collection

Join us for a Community Opening in celebration of the exhibition Miradas: Ancient Roots in Modern and Contemporary Mexican Art on June 19^th. Jacksonville musician Goliath Flores graces us with his vocal talent and musical accompaniment, art-making for all ages can be enjoyed in the studios, and TreeCup café will be open and serving light meals and refreshments. Don’t forget to pick up a Miradas guide which also contains a section for family activities in the gallery.

Want to know more about Mexico and its rich history? There is a selection of books to read or browse in the gallery for children and adults.

This exhibit features paintings, prints and photographs spanning from the 1920s to the first decade of the 21^st century. Enjoy the expressive works from such artists as Rufino Tamayo, Judithe Hernandez, David Alfaro Siqueiros and Diego Rivera. This beautifully colorful collection addresses such themes as social and political reform, indigenous pride and culture, and the Mexican Revolution, and the artists’ strong visual opinions based on these topics.

1. CREATE!!!

Pick up a copy of Mexico!: 40 Activities to Experience Mexico Past & Present, at The Museum Store.  This book is full of interesting facts about Mexican culture and history, as well as tons of great activities for children of all ages.  Make an Ojo de Dios to celebrate birthdays, snip a Papel Picado banner, learn the Mayans glyphs for numbers and how they structured their society, and make Aztec style hot chocolate!

2. COOK

Try cooking some Mexican or Mexican style food with your kids.  Stick to classic ingredients and dishes, and explain why they are important to understanding Mexican culture.  At my house, we love to make these dishes as a family:

Mexican Chicken

Taco Caserole

Guacamole

Salsa - (you may want to leave out the peppers on this one)

3. Drink

Make some of these refreshing Mexican beverages before sending then out to play.

Agua de Sandia - Watermelon Water

Agua de Limon -  Lime Water or Limonada:

Students spend the academic year studying works of art, learning about The Cummer, and creating their own works of art that reflect what they learned. Teachers participate in professional development at The Cummer, learning ways to integrate art into their classroom curricula.

When May comes around, educators are busy preparing for art festival activities to kick off the year. We set up the cafeteria with art stations where students celebrate their love of art by creating works of their own. Our loyal docent corps lends a hand, too. This year, students painted fish using a crayon resist technique and recalled their visit to the St. Johns River. Each class worked together to color Portrait of a Lady by Cornelius van der Voort with oil pastels. Finally, they created a collage using origami paper with patterns like the ones they saw in Beyond Ukiyo-e: Japanese Woodblock Prints and their Influence on Western Art.

Holy Rosary students color and paint their fish

.

St. Pius 8th graders show off their Portrait of a Lady

During each fun-filled week, students will explore The Cummer galleries then experience art making by drawing, painting, printmaking, exploring ceramics and creating special projects.

There are six weekly sessions for grades 1 – 6 beginning June 10^th and ending July 27^th.  There is also a week of camp just for middle school students from July 30 to Auguat 3^rd. The cost of each session, Monday through Friday, 9:00 – 3:30 p.m. is $180.  for members, and $195.  for non-members. Extended Day is available.

So, prepare your child for the future while they have fun creating – for a whole week at The Cummer Museum!

Wednesday my school North Florida School of Special Education had the opportunity to take part of your annual VSA field trip.  Our students loved it.  It was my first time on this particular field trip.  I was very impressed by how organized and interactive it was.  There were so many volunteers at each station and they weren’t afraid to interact with our students.  So many times, I come across people who are volunteers, and they are afraid to interact with special needs students.  It was amazing to see the opportunity for my students to have the chance to be “normal” kids on a field trip.

This is one of my students who talked to all the little statues in the kids’ wing. It was amazing to watch him, read about the statue and then feel the statue; he then proceeded to “talk” to each statue.

Standing in the kids’ zone at the end of the trip, watching my students interact with the volunteers, exploring the art and socializing with their peers and students from other schools; I realized my students were offered a chance to be “normal” for once.  It brought tears to my eyes.  So many of these kids go through life where they get stared at and or not accepted in the real world.  This program allows them normalcy, if only for a few hours.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

The exhibition showcases almost 50 paintings, drawings, and prints by such renowned artists as Claude Monet, Camille Pissarro, Pierre-Auguste Renior, Mary Cassatt, and John Singer Sargent. The works in this exhibition illustrate the emergence of Impressionism in 1870s France, its evolution to Post-Impressionism, and its later influence on American artists.

Guided tours of the exhibition will be given at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. and a self-guided scavenger hunt will be available at the Museum front desk for interested visitors. After you peruse the art, you may join us in the Concourse for live music, a face painted French mustache for the daring and a glass of wine or delicious treat available for purchase from the TreeCup Café. Don’t miss your last chance to find out why Renoir was considered a Rebel before we say “Au Revoir”!  Please contact us at (904) 356-6857 or visit www.cummer.org for additional information.

• Garden Tour
• Fish Painting Project in the Gardens
• Japanese Fan Collage in the Stein Gallery
• Collaborative Portrait in the Semmes Gallery
• Art Connections Activities
• Live Music by Ajamu Mutima
• Clay Relief Sculptures in the Studios
• Painting Monoprints in the Studios

Ellen Diamond: En Plein Air

The focus of this Plein Aire Workshop in the Idyllic setting in the Cummer Gardens will be to create paintings that will focus on capturing the essence of the experience using the impressionist approach to light and color. The beautiful gardens and love of nature will be the inspiration for the exciting paintings that will evolve.

A loose modernist approach will be the focus and will be demonstrated by Ellen Diamond who is a Contemporary Impressionistic painter. Her work has been influenced by Monet, Bonnard, Matisse and Cezanne. Luminous and exciting color will be stressed and will be an important element in the workshop.

Event Details:
April 28, 2012 – April 28, 2012
10:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Location: The Cummer Gardens

Members: $80, non-members: $95, Docents: $40.

To register, please call: (904) 355-0630.

Supply list available upon registration.

Photo by Ingrid Damiani

A Cummer signature event, the 2012 VSA Festival will take place May 1 through 4, 2012.  The festival provides an opportunity for more than 2,300 students with disabilities and their teachers and chaperones to experience the beauty of original works of art and the creative power of the art-making process.  The Festival involves the assistance of more than 1,200 volunteers.

The Festival has been recognized as a national model by VSA Arts International and is the only such event to happen in a museum anywhere in the country.  The Festival consists of a series of 8 ArtStops scattered throughout the Museum’s galleries, gardens, studios and Art Connectionsand is designed so that all students, regardless of ability level, can successfully engage in the creative process and interact with artists and musicians.

The Cummer would like to give a special THANK YOU to our title sponsor Citi and the following supporters:

Mrs. C. Kirby Alexander, Mr. and Mrs. Ronald A. Autrey, Mr. and Mrs. James G. Baldwin, Borowy Family Foundation, Mary and Bruce Bower, Brooks Rehabilitation, The Chartrand Foundation, City of Jacksonville, Mr. and Mrs. Robert M. Clements, Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville, Inc., DuBow Family Foundation, Duval County Public Schools, FDLRS Crown, Fifth Generation Fund of the Bradley-Turner Foundation, Inc., Firehouse Subs, Lloyd A. Fry Foundation, HEAL Foundation, Mr. and Mrs. Russell B. Newton III, Scott-McRae Group | Duval Dealers, Up & Cummers In Memory of Ellie Kavalieros, VSA Florida, Watkins Christian Foundation and Mr. and Mrs. Douglas C. Worth.

For more information, or to become a volunteer, please call Art Connections at (904) 355-0630.

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

Many think that it is difficult to get amaryllis to re-bloom, but it is actually quite easy.  Start by simply cutting the bloom off once the flower has wilted,  and continue watering until the stalk begins to die.  At this point, trim the stalk, leaving about two inches.  Continue watering and give the plant as much sunlight as possible.  Your flower should re-bloom in the spring.  It is a bit more complicated to force the bloom for winter, but still doable.  For directions on how to do this, take a look at the following post from YumaSun.

The name Amaryllis come from the Greek story about a shepherdess.  As the story goes Amaryllis, along with all the other young ladies in the village, was quite taken with a young shepherd.  His focus was solely on the plants and flowers, so he told each young lady to bring him a flower he had never seenand to her he would give his heart.

Being taken with him as she was, Amaryllis went to the High Priestess for advice on how to win the shepherd’s love.  The Priestess told her to pierce her heart with a golden arrow and walk the same path to his house every day until he fell in love with her.  Every day she walked shedding a little more blood on the path.  On the 30th day she noticed a flower there on the path that she had never seen before.

She picked this beautiful, large bloomed, blood red flower and took it to the shepherd.  When he opened the door he was stunned by the beauty of both the flowers and the young woman.  He named the flower after her and as they say, they lived happily ever after.

Come out to visit all the beautiful flowers we have blooming in the Gardens, learn more about them in our weekly garden posts.

Spring, Session 1: Painting Fundamentals

Allison Watson

Wednesdays 1:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Classes began April 25 and will continue until June 9, 2012.

Members $168, non-members $188, Active Docents $84

This class introduces painting to beginning students and strengthens the skills of intermediate painters.  Each student will have individual attention and work at their own level.  Learn composition for landscape and still life, color theory, and techniques in acrylic, watercolor, and mixed media.   Ages 13 and up, featuring instructor Allison Watson.

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AP 1985.2.1-Before Her Appearance, Frederick Carl Frieseke 1913

Written by Angela Gonzalez, Curatorial Intern

A dancer, sitting legs crossed upon a stool, holds a mirror up to her face. Lifting her hand to her lips, she applies lipstick just before going on stage. She is clothed in a soft pink garment that slips down to reveal her pale shoulder. The woman is surrounded by pink, blue and white floral drapery; with the occasional splash of yellow. Her jewelry, hair brushes and make-up rest on the vanity in front of her. This fleeting moment is seized by Frederick Carl Frieseke, the American Impressionist artist.

Born on April 7, 1874 in Owasso, Michigan, Frieseke went on to receive his first artistic training at the Art Institute of Chicago. He later took classes at the Art Student League in New York City before travelling to Paris, France in 1898. Frieseke was enamored with Europe and spent most of his time traversing the Atlantic Ocean. Beginning in 1900, he started to spend his summers in an artist colony located in the French town of Giverny. He was a leading member of “The Giverny Group,” and his signature style based on synthesizing light, creating atmosphere and depictions of the female form became the dominant aesthetic for the area.

In 1912, Frieseke spent his winter on the island of Corsica, just off the Italian coast. He created Before Her Appearance in a house he had rented. The woman posing for the painting is one of his favorite models named Marcelle. It was this winter that Frieseke prepared six works of art for the upcoming Paris Salon exhibition. Included in the Paris Salon was Before Her Appearance, which was very well received. Frieseke would exhibit throughout America and Europe winning medals and collecting honors. The artist passed away August 28, 1939.

Florida Blue, has evolved from a health insurance company to a health solutions company. It is no longer just about health insurance, it’s about the pursuit of health. Florida Blue makes giving back to the community a priority because supporting the Museum, and other cultural institutions like The Cummer, is an investment in everyone’s health. Florida Blue is committed to putting the people of Florida first.

It was an exciting night at Englewood Elementary School as Duval County Public Schools in Jacksonville prepare families for the celebration of an annual celebration of  Carnival.  Mardi Gras, as it’s commonly known in America, has roots in in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana. United States of America. The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens could not miss this event.
We provided a hands on Mardi Gras mask-making activty for the families.

For me, the name Mardi Gras was unknown, so I had to find some more information about this merrymaking!  And finally I knew, that Mardi Gras is basically a Carnival, or in Czech language this is said ‘‘Masopust“ .  In our country it means several days of feasting before Ash Wednesday, but Mardi Gras is originaly French for Fat Tuesday, referring to the practice of the last night of eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season, which begins on Ash Wednesday.

So, my co-worker Terry and I left after work toward Enlgewood Elementary School at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, February 17th.  I was really looking forward to this, because I like  going outside the museum, as it is special. You meet many different people and I must comunicate with them. There were more than 200 kids and their parents.  I must admit, that helping children solve their problems in creative tasks is an inspiration and fun for me. We enrich each other, basically.

When we drove through the school building, at a distance I saw a woman in a mask and Terry said, ‘‘Tomas her name is Paula.  She is my friend,” so we know that we are in the right place. We did not come with our own mask so Paula gave us one to wear. They were really great peices.

Each kid got a passport, which they used at each station that had a different art project. When finished with their creative work, they got a stamp to pass and continue to another station.  It was a list of tasks for them and the whole celebration was accompanied by a band from Jamaica.

Another special activity for the children was the ‘‘limbo”, a popular form of dance that originated on the island of Trinidad. The dancer moves to a Caribbean rhythm, then leans backward and dances under a horizontal pole without touching it. If you touch it or fall backwards,  you are “out”.

Anyway, I didn’t expect, that the children could visit all nine stations to complete creating all the diffrent projects.  The reason was, these tasks were each from 10 to 20 minutes long. But the opposite was true, we had around 240 masks, and we had around 30 pieces left over.  Many of the parents deserve great appreciation for their patience.

Music slowly finished and it was time for us to go.  It was a very nice experience, but we were both really tired throughout the work week. On Friday evening Terry and I were looking forward to going home.

Justin Martin

Mr. Martin is frequently called upon to lecture on Olmsted, a vitally important American historical figure whose influence is still felt across the nation. Mr. Martin is a former staff writer at Fortune magazine. His articles have appeared in various magazines such as Newsweek, Money, and Conde Nast Traveler, as well as in newspapers across the country:The New York Times, Boston Globe, San Francisco Chronicle, and Lawrence (KS) Journal World.

To discuss his various books and articles, Mr. Martin has made a number of national media appearances including NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw, CBS Sunday Morning, CNBC Power Lunch, and assorted NPR affiliates.

Tuesday – 6:30 p.m. Speaker Justin Martin.
Author of Genius of Place: The Life of Frederick Law Olmsted, will speak on Olmsted’s historical influences throughout our nation.  This lecture is complimentary to the community.

James Farmer

James was raised “organic” where “farm to table” was a lifestyle before they became popular notions. Growing up, he was taught how to pull things from the family farm and garden to provide much of the food, décor, and flavor in his home. Through the years, James has revitalized old recipes to make them relevant and healthier for contemporary tastes and entertaining.

After forming his landscape design company in 2005, James was asked to consult on an historic Macon, Georgia garden that needed restoration and updating. News spread quickly about James’ work in this important garden, and it was soon featured in The Atlanta Journal and Constitution, Southern Living Magazine, Traditional Home and ultimately in the book, “Private Gardens of Georgia.”

Tuesday, March 13, 2012 – 11 a.m.  Speaker James Farmer.
James Farmer’s greatest aspiration is to combine his farm education and academic education with his love for cooking and entertaining.
Member: $65.00
Non-member: $70.00

Issues that will likely come up in these meetings include federal funding for agencies and programs that support museums, federal education policy (including the impact of No Child Left Behind on museums), the economic role that museums play in communities, nonprofit tax-exempt status, charitable giving, and historic preservation.

Despite these seemingly weighty topics the American Association of Museums, the organizer for this event, is encouraging anyone with an interest in the museum field to participate including staff, volunteers, trustees, students, and even museum enthusiasts.

To learn more about this event or to register to participate, please visit the American Association of Museums website.

Saturday, March 17^th is Family Day during Garden Week and will be chock full of exciting educational offerings for both young and old.  We will offer a class on The Biology of Bees, Papermaking using clippings from the garden and Cyanotype Prints – all from 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. and are for adults. Children ages 6 to 12 will experience Plein Air painting in the Cummer Garden.

Please call Kim Pomar at (904) 899-6038 to pre-register.

His recent projects include two web-based initiatives: What’s Out There? (a searchable database of the nation’s designed landscape heritage) and Cultural Landscapes as Classrooms.

In 2004, Mr. Birnbaum was awarded the Rome Prize in Historic Preservation and Conservation. In 2008 the ASLA awarded Charles the Alfred B. LaGasse Medal and in 2009 the President’s Medal. He is currently a Visiting Professor at the Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture Planning + Preservation and a frequent blogger for The Huffington Post.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012 – 9.30 a.m. Speaker Charles Birnbaum.
The Founder and President of The Cultural Landscape Foundation, Charles Birnbaum will speak  on cultural landscape stewardship and preservation highlighting connections to Cummer architectural design.
Member: $45.00
Non-member: $50.00

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.

TreeCup Cafe & The Cummer Museum Store: Throughout the Impressionism and Post Impressionism from the High Museum of Art exhibit from February 16 through May 6, TreeCup Café at The Cummer will feature Parisian-inspired fare on Tuesday evenings and The Cummer Store will be stocked with a variety of Impressionist gifts, prints and treasures.

Photo Challenge: February 16 – May 5.  The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens invites experienced and novice photographers alike to capture reflected images or reflected light along the St. Johns River. From February 16 through May 5, 2012, send between one and three photos to lstevens@cummer.org. Photos will be shared on The Cummer’s Flickr account and on Facebook. This is not a contest, but rather a shared photo experience celebrating Impressionism and creative expression.

Lecture: Brilliant Transformations: Masterpieces of Impressionism and Post-Impressionism: Dr. Debra Murphy, University of North Florida.  Tuesday, February 28 at 7 p.m.  $5 Members and Non-members.

Lecture: Special Guest Lecturer David Brenneman, Director of Collections and Exhibitions, High Museum of Art.  Tuesday, March 6 at 7 p.m. $5 Members and Non-members.

Talks and Tea: Seated galley talks at 1:30 p.m. with afternoon tea and refreshments following. Reservations requested; please call (904) 355-0630.  $6 Members and Non-members.  March 21 & 22 at 1:30 p.m.  April 18 & 19 at 1:30 p.m.

Art for Two: Classes in painting, drawing and printmaking.

Something’s Fishy! – February 11, 10:30 a.m. to Noon

Print Like our Japanese Friends – March 10, 10:30 a.m. to Noon

Let’s Make a Good Impression – April 14, 10:30 a.m. to Noon

Art Adventures: Classes in painting, drawing and printmaking.

Something’s Fishy! – February 18, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Plein-air Painting The Garden – March 17, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Let’s Make a Good Impression – April 21, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Moon Gazing River Cruise: April 5, 2012.  Join the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens for a brilliant evening as we cruise the St. Johns River under the evening sky. Enjoy wine, cheese and light hors d’oeuvres. Like Japanese Artist Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, whose selected woodblock prints from the series One Hundred Views of the Moon, are currently on view at The Cummer, you will be entranced by the moon as it lights a shimmering path along the river on this hour-and-a-half cruise. We will board The Riverkeeper Water Taxi between 7:00 and 7:30 pm at The Riverside Artist Market Dock under the Fuller Warren Bridge and return to disembark at approximately 9:00 pm. The trip is $45.00 and reservations can be made by contacting Louise Stevens at (904)899-6004.

Bon Voyage Late Closing Hours: Saturday, May 5 until Midnight.  Savor the last chance to see the Impressionism and Post Impressionism from the High Museum of Art at The Cummer until 12:00 midnight.

Impressionism and Post-Impressionism from the High Museum of Art is organized by the High Museum of Art, Atlanta. 

This month, students will create a Starry, Starry Night Cityscape Collage. After a search in the galleries for cityscapes, the students will practice strategies for comparing and contrasting artwork featured on the art history timeline in Art Connections.  They will return to the studio and create their own starry cityscape using collage techniques.
Art for Two – Saturday, January 14,    10:30 a.m. – 12:00 noon

Ages 3 – 5 with their favorite adult   Pre-registration is required.  Members $10 per pair, per class,          Non-members $15 per pair, per class
Art Adventures – Saturday, January 21, 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Ages 6 to12  Pre-registration is required.   Members $10 per class, Non-members $15 per class

This plant blooms in the spring with the advantage of its flowers opening latest of all magnolias, which enables the it to avoid late frosts that could damage it.

Overall, this deciduous plant is an easy one to maintain, the tricky part is how to plant it. The tree makes shallow roots that can be easily disturbed and damaged, and does not like transplanting. Planting the tree too deep should also be avoided. Once the planting is done well, all the Purple magnolia needs is light and well-drained, acidic soil with equal moisture throughout the year.

Photograph courtesy of Kedgar Volta, Brunet-Garcia Advertising.

One in Three: Let’s Solve our Dropout Crisis, is a powerful art exhibition and community mobilization effort to unite the city of Jacksonville and to create a common vision for our schools.  The exhibition lifts the faces and stories of 20 current and former Duval County Public School students through dramatic portraits by photographer Ingrid Damiani.  Their stories demonstrate the power of an engaged community that works ONE by ONE to ensure that all students are successful in school. They show the need for every person in our city to get involved in public education. The ONE by ONE campaign will bring our community together face to face, voice by voice and ONE by ONE to find solutions for our children.

Photograph courtesy of Kedgar Volta, Brunet-Garcia Advertising.

The exhibition is currently on view at the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens until January 9, 2012.  The exhibition then hits the road and travels to areas all over Duval County to bring this exhibition and campaign to your neighborhood.  The exhibition will be divided into two compelling “mini” exhibitions so that two venues each month can share the stories of these remarkable students.

The exhibition is intended to start a dialogue.  Through these venues there will be opening events, town hall meetings and various other programming activities based around the conversation that needs to take place about public education.  To find events that will take place in your neighborhood, check out the ONE by ONE website or to find out more about an event or how you can get involved, email events@jaxpef.org.  Get involved.  Let your voice be heard.

The Cathederal Arts Percussion Ensemble is striving to build a solid foundation not only in percussion technique, but in sight reading skills as well. These young musicians from local elementary schools demonstrate their ability to sight read music at several levels, while also displaying the solid foundation in technique and musical understanding which they are mastering in their classes.

The Cathedral Arts Advanced Strings Ensemble is comprised of violin students that have played and studied the violin for a number of years. The instructional program focuses on all aspects of music including sight reading, memorization, improvisation, proper playing technique, and concert etiquette. Twenty six performing students showcased their individual skill and talent at The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens with a variety of solos. The students ended the performance with a demonstration of ensemble teamwork and were warmly applauded by an audience of parents, teachers, principals and the Museum’s general visitor.

South Moon Under, 1935, oil on canvas adhered to aluminum and wood, 20 × 20 in., Purchased with funds provided by the Mae W. Schultz Lead Trust, AP.2007.2.1. Photograph courtesy of Daniel Portnoy Photography.

Podcast Topic:

Lecture: An Everglades Providence: Marjory Stoneman Douglas and the American Environmental Century with Dr. Jack E. Davis, University of Florida Professor of History

University of Florida Professor of History Dr. Jack E. Davis speaks on An Everglades Providence: Marjory Stoneman Douglas and the American Environmental Century.  Examining Douglas’s eighty-year relationship with the Everglades, the book explores nature as a historical agent in south Florida life, the feminization of nature protection, and the evolution of the science of ecology and its influence in environmental awareness.

Sponsorship provided by The Florida Humanities Council.

Listen Now

Get the Podcast

• Suscribe to the Cummer Podcast in iTunes
• Visit the podcast page on our blog
• Subscribe with your own podcast reader
• Download an MP3 of the podcast

What is a Podcast?

A podcast (or non-streamed webcast) is a series of digital audio files that are released episodically and often downloaded through a website. There is a wealth of podcast content available in nearly every subject, from news to storytelling, sports to movies and more. You can visit our podcast page here at blog.cummer.org/podcast.

South Moon Under, 1935, oil on canvas adhered to aluminum and wood, 20 × 20 in., Purchased with funds provided by the Mae W. Schultz Lead Trust, AP.2007.2.1. Photograph courtesy of Daniel Portnoy Photography.

 Podcast Topic:  UNF Professor Dr. Elizabeth Heuer speaks on the topic of the Eugene Savage exhibition.  Sponsorship provided by the Florida Humanities Council.

Listen Now

Get the Podcast

• Suscribe to the Cummer Podcast in iTunes
• Visit the podcast page on our blog
• Subscribe with your own podcast reader
• Download an MP3 of the podcast

What is a Podcast?

A podcast (or non-streamed webcast) is a series of digital audio files that are released episodically and often downloaded through a website. There is a wealth of podcast content available in nearly every subject, from news to storytelling, sports to movies and more. You can visit our podcast page here at blog.cummer.org/podcast.

South Moon Under, 1935, oil on canvas adhered to aluminum and wood, 20 × 20 in., Purchased with funds provided by the Mae W. Schultz Lead Trust, AP.2007.2.1. Photograph courtesy of Daniel Portnoy Photography.

This podcast is part III of the Cummer Symposuim, The Inspiration of Florida.  The Symposium was held on November 15, 2011.  Sponsorship is provided by The Florida Hunanities Council.  This podcast features Willie Johns, Seminole Tribe of Florida member and Tribal Historian and FSU Professor Dr. Andrew Franks leading a discussion on the history of the Seminole people.

Listen Now

Get the Podcast

• Suscribe to the Cummer Podcast in iTunes
• Visit the podcast page on our blog
• Subscribe with your own podcast reader
• Download an MP3 of the podcast

What is a Podcast?

A podcast (or non-streamed webcast) is a series of digital audio files that are released episodically and often downloaded through a website. There is a wealth of podcast content available in nearly every subject, from news to storytelling, sports to movies and more. You can visit our podcast page here at blog.cummer.org/podcast.

T

Two lectures each day, beginning at 1:30 pm & 2:00 pm.  Admission is $6 per person.

December 14th & 15th  -  The Cummer Collection:  Images of Celebration

January 18th & 19th  -  The Cummer Collection: American Views

February 15th & 16th  -  Impressionism and Post Impressionism from the High Museum of Art Part I

March 21st & 22nd  -  Impressionism and Post Impressionism from the High Museum of Art Part II

April 18th & 19th  -  The Year of the Sheep

May 16th & 17th  -  Hayes Collection of Japanese Woodblock Prints

June 20th & 21st  -  The Healing Gardens

July 18th & 19th  -  Folio Weekly:  An Exploration of Contemporary Art

August 15th & 16th  -  Miradas:  Ancient Roots in Modern Mexican Art

September 19th & 20th  -  Photography of Liz Gilbert:  Images from Africa

South Moon Under, 1935, oil on canvas adhered to aluminum and wood, 20 × 20 in., Purchased with funds provided by the Mae W. Schultz Lead Trust, AP.2007.2.1. Photograph courtesy of Daniel Portnoy Photography.

This podcast is part II of the Cummer Symposuim, The Inspiration of Florida.  The Symposium was held on November 15, 2011.  Sponsorship is provided by the Florida Humanties Council.    This podcast features historian Dana Ste. Claire speaking on the topic of the Florida Cracker.

Listen Now

Get the Podcast

• Suscribe to the Cummer Podcast in iTunes
• Visit the podcast page on our blog
• Subscribe with your own podcast reader
• Download an MP3 of the podcast

What is a Podcast?

A podcast (or non-streamed webcast) is a series of digital audio files that are released episodically and often downloaded through a website. There is a wealth of podcast content available in nearly every subject, from news to storytelling, sports to movies and more. You can visit our podcast page here at blog.cummer.org/podcast.

South Moon Under, 1935, oil on canvas adhered to aluminum and wood, 20 × 20 in., Purchased with funds provided by the Mae W. Schultz Lead Trust, AP.2007.2.1. Photograph courtesy of Daniel Portnoy Photography.

This podcast is part I of the Cummer Symposuim, The Inspiration of Florida.  The Symposium was held on November 15, 2011.  Sponsorship is provided by The Florida Humanities Council.  This podcast features Holly Keris, Cummer curator and Elizabeth Heuer, guest curator speaking on the topic of the Eugene Savage exhibition.

Listen Now

Get the Podcast

• Suscribe to the Cummer Podcast in iTunes
• Visit the podcast page on our blog
• Subscribe with your own podcast reader
• Download an MP3 of the podcast

What is a Podcast?

A podcast (or non-streamed webcast) is a series of digital audio files that are released episodically and often downloaded through a website. There is a wealth of podcast content available in nearly every subject, from news to storytelling, sports to movies and more. You can visit our podcast page here at blog.cummer.org/podcast.

The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens, the Museum of Science and History, and the Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens invite you to attend our second annual SHZAM Camp!

Our three institutions have partnered again this year to offer a unique Camp experience for children ages 8-11. This year’s shared theme is Passport to Florida: students will explore the unique history and culture, and learn about the plants and animals that call Florida home. Students will spend each day at a different location: Monday at The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, Tuesday at The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens, and Wednesday at The Museum of Science and History.

Camps meet from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Extended Care is available from 8:00-5:00 at each location.

$105 for Family Members of any of the three institutions; $120 for non-members.
$10 fee per child/per day for before or after care
For more information, please contact us at (904) 757-4463, ext. 122.

Register ONLINE.

Zoo Campers have the opportunity to go behind the scenes to learn more about the exotic animals in our collection. In order to participate, shoes must completely cover the feet; sandals, heelies, crocs and all other shoes that expose the bare skin of feet or interfere with walking are not permitted during behind the scene tours. Children who do not follow the behavior policies and safety directions or wear the prescribed shoes will not be permitted in behind the scene areas.

Impressionism and Post Impressionism from the High Museum of Art coming to The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens ~ February 2012.

Impressionism and Post Impressionism from the High Museum of Art showcases almost 50 paintings, drawings, and prints by such renowned artists as Claude Monet, Camille Pissarro, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Mary Cassatt, and John Singer Sargent. The works in this exhibition illustrate the emergence of Impressionism in 1870s France, its evolution to Post-Impressionism, and its later influence on American artists.
Impressionism and Post Impressionism from the High Museum of Art coming to The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens ~ February 2012.

Impressionism and Post Impressionism from the High Museum of Art showcases almost 50 paintings, drawings, and prints by such renowned artists as Claude Monet, Camille Pissarro, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Mary Cassatt, and John Singer Sargent. The works in this exhibition illustrate the emergence of Impressionism in 1870s France, its evolution to Post-Impressionism, and its later influence on American artists.

Do you have people who are hard to shop for?  Here are some ideas:

Scarves

We have a ton of scarves, ranging in price from $18-$145.  Scarves are a hit with most ages and are an easy way to liven up an outfit.  I personally find this video by Wendy’s Look Book very helpful – 25 Ways to Wear a Scarf in 4.5 Minutes.  In addition to our regular selection of scarves, we will also be featuring beautiful handmade scarves by Shilpa Rathi.  All of her scarves are hand dyed, embroidered, and eco friendly.

Eco Friendly Toys & Art Supplies

You can never go wrong with this fun and save toys when buying for the children in your lives.  All are made with natural dyes and paints, are produced in responsible ways, and they are super cute!  From sippy cups and clothes to finger paints and dolls, we have worry free gifts for any imagination.

Wreaths

These wreaths are unique and beautiful.  Let your front door be the talk of the neighborhood during the holidays or all year.  From simple to extravagant, there is something for everyone’s style.

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!

Brandon with Director Hope McMath

Written by Deirdre Conner
Communications Manager
Jacksonville Public Education Fund
To passersby, it might have seemed like any other free Tuesday night at the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens. Families and visitors strolled the halls looking at exhibitions and activities.

But inside the ONE in THREE: Let’s Solve Our Dropout Crisis exhibition, a momentous event was unfolding.  Brandon Rothenberg, a student featured in the exhibit, was seeing it for the first time.

Many who have seen the exhibit stop at Brandon’s story for a long time, caught by his striking photograph but lingering as they wonder what he must be doing right now. That’s because Brandon currently attends school in the Duval County Pre-Trial Detention Center.

Brandon has been in jail since he was 15, awaiting a resolution to the armed robbery he was charged with as an adult. He will be 18 in December.

You can read more about Brandon’s story here. But here’s some background on why a current jail inmate was chosen to be a part of this exhibit, which aims to rally community support for education:

Through a nomination process conducted by our organization, Brandon was one of 20 students chosen for the exhibit. He was nominated by officers at the Duval County Jail because of his impeccable conduct and dedication to improving his life through education, as well as his role conducting tours of the jail for at-risk youth. In our interview, we found Brandon to be exceptionally mature and deeply grateful for the chance to encourage other youth not to make the same mistakes he has made. Brandon has changed greatly since he entered the jail two years ago, and that comes through dramatically in the exhibit.

Today, he is an A/B honor roll student and a role model for other inmates. At the exhibit, many who view Brandon’s story are inspired by his quest for internal change, while also reflecting on what factors could have prevented him from entering the justice system in the first place.

He faces an uncertain future. If sentenced as a youthful offender, he faces at least a few more years behind bars, but if sentenced as an adult, faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 20 years.

It seemed at first an impossibility that Brandon would ever have the chance to visit the exhibit and see first-hand the impact he was having on others. But thanks to his dedicated attorney, Jennifer Espenship, and the support of JPEF and the Cummer, Judge Adrian Soud granted a special transport order allowing Brandon to visit the exhibit for a few hours to share his story with at-risk youth, meet the other ONE in THREE featured students and give his family a few fleeting hugs.

As Brandon spoke last night to a group of young teenagers who are part of the Communities in Schools TEAM UP program, he implored them to prioritize their education. WJXT Channel 4’s Vickie Pierre covered the visit – check out the video here.

“Education is the key to success,” he said. “I wish I had realized that earlier.”

Later, he was asked: What has been the best part of all this?

“Being here with you right now,” he said.

Most of the time, people who don’t know his story look at his shackles and see him as a danger to society. For Brandon, the way strangers saw him changed for just one night.

But for those who those who have been affected by his story of determination and redemption, that perception is changed forever.

How does imagery tell a story, influencing thought and behavior? How and why do we create visual representation to explain our reality? These are questions we will explore in this one-day symposium which includes presentations by Cummer Curator Holly Keris, University of North Florida Assistant Professor of Art History Dr. Elizabeth B. Heuer, Florida State University Associate Professor of History Dr. Andrew K. Frank, Florida Historian and author Dana Ste. Claire and Seminole Tribe of Florida member and Tribal Historian Willie Johns.

The exhibition, on view through January 8, 2011, features 42 paintings and watercolors inspired by Savage’s trips to the Everglades. Around the time of his visit, there was an ongoing debate raging between environmentalists, who wanted total protection of the Everglades, and advocates who defended Seminole culture. The Seminole Indians and their plight intrigued Savage. In his work, he used bold colors with shifting perspectives and rhythmic lines and patterns to create stylized scenes that conveyed the simplicity of the Seminoles’ lives.

WHO:             1 to 1:30 p.m. Holly Keris

The Cummer Collection. The Art of Florida including the acquisition of the Savage paintings. Introduction of the historical component of Savage.

1:30 to 2:15 p.m. Professor Dr. Elizabeth B. Heuer

Eugene Savage: The Seminole Paintings. Savage’s interpretation and representation of the Seminole people and landscape of Florida.

2:30 to 3 p.m. Holly & Elizabeth

Q&A and audience discussion in the gallery.

3:15 to 4:15 Dana Ste. Claire

The Florida Cracker.

4:30 to 6 p.m. Professor Dr. Andrew K. Frank and Willie Johns

The history of the Seminole Tribe of Florida.

WHEN:          Tuesday, November 15, 2011, 1 to 6 p.m.

WHERE:       The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens

829 Riverside Ave.

Jacksonville, FL 32204

COST:            FREE Admission

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

Funding for this program was provided through grants from the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, the Florida Humanities Council with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this exhibition do not necessarily represent those of the Florida Humanities Council or the National Endowment for the Humanities.

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.

One in Three, an exhibit spearheaded by The Jacksonville Public Education Fund, is on display at the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens through December.  The exhibit includes large scale photographs, written narratives, and testimonial videos that highlight the faces and stories of 20 Duval County public school students. Through dramatic portraits by photographer Ingrid Damiani, the One in Three exhibit serves as a voice to begin a community conversation about improving our education system and addressing the drop-out crisis. Those who experience One in Three are left with an overwhelming sense of hope and responsibility.

I was able to speak with photographer Ingrid Damiani about her experience with the One In Three project.

• How did you become involved in this project?

I specialize in documenting the work of non-profit organizations.  Hope McMath, the director of the Cummer Museum, knows how much I love bringing light to difficult subjects through personal stories.  I was delighted when she first presented the idea to me. I am drawn to projects that allow me to explore topics that seem daunting or overwhelming.  I also enjoy creating photographs that invite others to learn about those difficult issues, and that I hope are part of inviting positive change. With the One in Three project, I was fortunate enough to not only to be involved through my photography but behind the scenes as well.

• How did you capture the turbulent struggles and successes of each individual in a static image?

My intention when I photograph someone is to connect with them in a meaningful way.  I am looking to show the inner strength they possess in the midst of their struggle.  I am looking to capture the strength and beauty in each person. It’s what drives any image that I create.  My hope is that people who view my photographs will feel drawn to look more closely at situations that may be difficult or painful.

•   How did your conversations with the students affect the photographs themselves?

The interviews that Rachael Tutwiler, from the Jacksonville Public Education Fund (JPEF), and I had with each student were more like natural conversations. We didn’t want the students to feel the pressure of being in the spotlight. Rachael lead the interview process with directed questions, but when I saw a moment that I wanted to capture, I would stop them to photograph or begin to redirect the questions myself. We developed a natural rhythm between each other and the kids that took a lot of the pressure off.

• Was there a teacher or mentor while you were growing up that encouraged your interests to lead you to a successful career in photography?

 Not when I was growing up. I was passionate about photography at a young age, but didn’t see it as something I could pursue as a career. I saw photography as a personal interest or something that I did in my free time. It wasn’t until my thirties that I became serious about using the camera to explore issues that interested me.  I was fortunate to find wonderful teachers and mentors along the way who encouraged me to exhibit my work.

• What role do you think art plays in the education of our community’s youth? 

Art accesses a part of the brain that allows humans the opportunity to weigh different options, look at problems from new angles, and try on different hats. This skill can be applied to anything in life. Art brings a rich, colorful texture to the world that instills hope and possibility.

• What hope has the One in Three project instilled in you? 

The sense that these problems are solvable. Despite all of the big struggles that face them, the students in the exhibition are hopeful about their future. I think they are great examples of how resilient the human spirit is.  Their stories also show how powerful it is when an adult takes the time to really listen to a child and help them discover solutions to their challenges.

http://slakker9.info

It wasn’t until a few years ago that I started taking trips for vacation.  If I was going out of town for a particular event, I would usually plan a couple of extra days to make it worth the drive or flight. To fill the extra time, I found that I liked to explore, check out museums, art galleries, etc.  This year, it occurred to me that there isn’t a good reason why I couldn’t do the same thing right here in Jacksonville, so that’s what I decided to do for my annual October “staycation.”

One of the places in town that I’d never been to was the Cummer. I’ve driven by it plenty of times. I even lived in Riverside for a few years.  But for whatever reason, I never made the time to stop in. After my most recent visit, I see that I’ve really been missing out. Sure, they have regular art just like any other art museum, but they also feature some unique collections (at least in my opinion). They have this entire collection of porcelain that is truly amazing. I was also touched by the One In Three exhibit, which features beautiful photographs of students and explains struggles they overcame to be where they are today.

http://slakker9.info

After checking out the galleries, I made my way to the Gardens, and I was astounded.  I found it to be simple yet beautiful at the same time. I was really impressed with the Cummer Oak, and one of the staff members told me that she knew people that used to play on it when they were kids. Of course, there’s no climbing now, but it’s nice to imagine. I found the Gardens to be very peaceful. I could imagine that if I had a particular stressful day, this might be the place to go and find my center.

Of course, with the technology available on cell phones, it’s easy to be an amateur photographer, and I snapped a few shots, which you can see by following this link.

Your ancestors are women of compassion

and courage, defying convention.

Your ancestors are the women who have gone before you, 

women of uncommon courage,

of unwavering faith and vision.

They are the women of our time, the ones

who proved themselves in spite of obstacles.

You feel the strength of their spirit

in the beating of your hearts.

Listen!

Sophia speaks to her daughters:

You are descendants of star dust and rain drops, 

of mountain tops and the ocean’s depths.

You are one with the blue heron and the butterfly,

the white whale and the bumble bee.

Your ancestors are teh women who kept secrets,

who controlled thier destiny,

who changed the course of history

for those who came after them.

Your laughing eyes, your graceful limbs,

your full breasts and rounded hips,

are nothing compared to your nimble mind, 

your spirit of freedom and adventure, your thirst for justice,

your desire for love and fulfillment.

These gifts are your treasures, your legacy, your heritage.

As the barren desert brings forth flowering plants,

as the soaring eagle nests in rocky clefts,

so you must cling fast to your inheritance

that you and the daughters who succeed you will thrive!

Mark your calendar for this bipartisan town hall meeting, which takes place the evening of Tuesday, October 25 at the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens. See the ONE in THREE exhibition for FREE, and learn more about education policy in the Florida Legislature. Then, add your voice to the conversation!

Find all the details below. We hope you will join us—and invite a friend to do the same. Before you come, tune in to WJCT 89.9 FM at 9 a.m. on Monday, October 24, where the representatives will talk education during a live call-in segment on First Coast Connect with Melissa Ross.

Learn more about the ONE by ONE campaign and upcoming events at the ONE by ONE website.

Photo by Ingrid Domiani

For the past fourteen years, a group of women has made the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens their monthly venue as a reprieve through the communicative power and beauty of the visual and literary arts.

During visits to the Museum, the women learn about art history, create art using paint, clay and collage, and explore the gardens and galleries.  They also write expressive poetry and record their memoirs.

What makes these women exceptional and extraordinary is that each experiences low vision or blindness.  This artful program serves as a vehicle for personal reflections and the development of awareness for all.

The Cummer celebrates the creativity of this special group with an annual exhibition representing Art Beyond Sight month that serves as a symbol for the transformative nature of art, both for the creator and for the viewer.  The Women of Vision continue to engage and inspire the community through accessibility as the program is observed as a national model.

This exhibition represents the strength, beauty and influence of women, realized through diversity and life’s hardships and triumphs alike.

Join us as an official 1 in 3 event opening tweeter.  Submit to us why you want to cover the community opening event and we may select you to be an official Cummer Tweeter on the afternoon of September 13th. 

Recognizing that Duval County is at a critical moment for improving public education, the Jacksonville Public Education Fund launched the ONE by ONE campaign to unite the community behind a common vision to ensure that all students graduate from high school ready for college and the workforce.

The sobering reality is that one in three students in Duval County does not graduate from high school on time or at all. High school students from low-income families are six times more likely to drop out than students from higher income families.

Yet people in Jacksonville believe in the power of education!  Join the campaign…

The campaign begins with ONE in THREE, a multimedia art exhibit that features 20 Duval County students. Through large-format photographs and videos, the students’ stories demonstrate the power of an engaged community that works hand-in-hand with the school district to improve student success. The exhibit will begin at the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens in September 2011. It will travel the entire Jacksonville community, one neighborhood at a time, starting in January 2012.

• Art for Two is offered for children ages 3 to 5 and their favorite adult (Every second Saturday, 10:30am) pre-registration required. 
• Art Adventures is for children ages 6 to 12 (Every third Saturday, 10:30am) pre-registration required. Next class is this Saturday!
• Drop-in Art is for children ages 4 to 10 (Every Tuesday, 5pm) register between 4 and 5pm prior to class. Class size is limited, so get there early!
• Painting Basics is for teenagers and adults (Offered as five-week sessions) pre-registration required; supply list provided upon registration. Next class begins October 5th!
• Talk and Tea is a seated gallery talk at 1:30 p.m., with afternoon tea and refreshments following.  $6 for Members and Non-members, includes lecture, tea and admission to the museum and Gardens. (Every third Wednesday and Thursday) pre-registration requested.

Peruse our program calendar for class descriptions and special program offerings or call Art Connections for more information at 355-0630.

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.

Jacksonville is home to many museums in the Northeast Florida area, The Museum of Science and History (MOSH) being one of them. As two interns from The Cummer, we were given the opportunity to visit MOSH and explore its many exhibitions.

The first stop on our journey was “The Body Within,” where you enter through a larger than life mouth. Upon entering, you go through a “sensation station” and various other activities that allow you to play with your senses. You can smell different fragrances and try to guess what they are, and you can feel without seeing different objects and try to guess them as well. Also on display are preserved organs, allowing the viewer to behold what’s inside of them.

After exiting “The Body Within,” we made our way to “Water Worlds.” This exhibit is dedicated to our own St. Johns River. This exhibit was fully equipped with two large fish tanks whose inhabitants are native to the St. Johns River, such as these little guys pictured above. This exhibit gave an in-depth explanation on exactly why the St. Johns River is so polluted and why it is vital to preserve this river before it becomes extinct. Personally, neither of us even knew that a river could become extinct.

From there we entered “Atlantic Tails.” This exhibit housed a replica of a GIANT Right Whale and her calf where you could compare the size of their organs to your own. In here you could also see how the human’s bones work to move in comparison to a dolphin’s bones, the different migration patterns of different whales along the East Coast and other exciting facts about marine mammals.

Passing by a fossil of an Allosaurus, we walked right into the “JEA Science Theater & Aqua Expo.” This exhibit was really interesting. It gave us information on how many gallons of water it takes to run the average household and just above an interactive demonstration, there’s a real-time counter that was displaying exactly how many gallons of water had been used in Jacksonville since 7 a.m. that morning. That to us stood out and gave viewers a first hand glance on why they need to do their part in conserving water.

Next door to the “Aqua Expo” was “Florida Naturalist’s Center” where some of Florida’s native wildlife (sadly no Florida Panthers) resides. A Great Horned Owl, a Barred Owl, a Screech Owl, some snakes, amphibians, and reptiles could be seen here. Of course MOSH’s famous opossum, Daisy May, was sleeping when we came to visit so we were not able to see her.

We continued upstairs to the second floor where we entered “Savage Ancient Seas” where colossal fossils of turtles, bigger than a Smart Car, swam in the air. Right before the entrance to the Planetarium, a dedication to space exploration stood with large duplicated pictures of different galaxies from the Hubble Telescope and replicas of NASA space uniforms.

Across the way, the “Currents of Time” seemed to be our main priority with how interesting the exhibit was. It seemed like it was never ending journey through the history of Jacksonville. The walls were adorned with hundreds of historic facts about Jacksonville, which allowed us to learn some new and really interesting things about this city. From the types of clothing worn to the different architecture, “Currents of Time” truly depicted Jacksonville’s shift from the different eras, especially its literal rise from the ashes of the Great Fire of Jacksonville in 1901.

Our last stop was The Loft Gallery where “The Shell: 530 Million Years of Inspired Design” is on display through September 18th. This outstanding collection of shells mesmerized the viewers with the nature-made designs casted upon shells, some holding brilliant colors of bright green and purple and some displaying designs you thought were painted on, only to find out that nature is what created them.

Neither of us have ever been before and we greatly enjoyed the few hours we spent at MOSH. We both learned so many new and interesting things. For example, did you know that despite their large size, humpback whales’ throats are so small that nothing larger than a baseball can be swallowed at a time? We didn’t either!

So, if you have never been to MOSH before, or even if you have and are looking for something to do on a blisteringly hot summer afternoon, try MOSH on for size. The exhibits are so interestingly cool that you’ll forget that it’s 100 degrees outside. And then when you’ve finished learning about really fascinating things, swing on over to see us here at The Cummer. Enjoy!

Art for Two meets the 2^nd Saturday of each month and is for children ages 3 to 5 and an adult friend. That means two artists are twice the fun! This class is designed to make the three to five year old child feel successful and comfortable with their first adventures in the process of making art.

Art Adventures meets the 3^rd Saturday of each month. Children ages 6 – 12 years begin their art experience with a visit to the gallery, where they are engaged in meaningful discussions of the social, historical and artistic content of featured artwork.  Afterward, they return to the studio to create a masterpiece using a variety of art materials and processes.

So, don’t forget to add the rich experiences of art classes at The Cummer to your child’s fall schedule for a well rounded education.  For more information call 904-355-0630.

The Weaver Academy of Art at The Cummer Museum was created in 2007 for underserved elementary school aged children. Funded through a generous gift by the J. Wayne and Dolores Barr Weaver Endowment, the program serves over 3,800 students and more than 275 teachers in 8 public and 2 private, Title 1 schools. Students receive curriculum based museum tours, classroom outreach, a day at the annual VSA arts Festival, and free family passes to the museum. Teachers are offered professional development opportunities, lesson plans and free family passes to the museum. The program is expanding with an after-school family component.

Hang paintings for the exhibition, New View, in Art Connections? Check.

Help with events such as Teen Night, Talk and Tea, Drop-In Art and Women of Vision? Check.

Create art with a group of students from the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind? Check.

Fire hundreds of clay boats in the kiln? Check.

Deliver the clay boats to the dozens of schools in that participated in the VSA Festival? Check.

Craft a bookmark with Mayor John Peyton at the Museum Hop? Check.

Spend the day at St. Pius Catholic School for an art festival? Check.

Write a post for the Cummer Blog? Check.

Reading this list of accomplishments, you might assume that these opportunities were afforded to me over the last several months, or maybe even throughout the past year.

Try again.

I started my internship on May 16th, 2011. That was just a few weeks ago. I have been able to take advantage of all of the opportunities listed above, and more, in this short amount of time. The great variety of tasks and responsibilities delegated to me is absolutely astounding. Each day is filled with exciting new duties that I look forward to completing. I have loved every moment of my time here, and I would definitely recommend the Education Internship to anyone considering applying for the position in the future. I can only imagine what the rest of the summer has in store for me and my fellow interns!

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.

Almost every day one adult reaches the top of the ramp leading to Art Connections and stops. He or she looks around, declares “Oh, this is the kids section”, turns around and heads back to the other end of the museum. But Art Connections is not the “kids section”! It’s for everyone!

In 2004 the original Art Connections was redone into the place you all know and love today. From the very first ideas to the final inception, Art Connections has always been intended for all ages! This place is meant to be explored with all of your senses (well, maybe not taste!)

Being able to touch and hear and see all at the same time makes any experience more meaningful and Art Connections aims to do just that. From the Creativity Timeline, to Picture Perfect or Face to Face, Art Connections has got it all to bring out your creativity no matter your age.

(L to R) Early Meissen Porcelain Family Guide and Meissen Gallery Guide

By now, you may have heard that The Cummer recently unveiled a remodeled Betsy and William D. Lovett Gallery featuring the reintstallation of the Ralph H. and Constance I. Wark Collection of Early Meissen Porcelain. Included in the re-installation are new ways to enjoy the collection, including the beautiful new panels in the cases, the podcast, app, and QR codes in the galleries (more on that in a later post), and the printed guides for visitors of all ages.

If you are a child, a child at heart, or a family with young children, you will love The Royal Dish Family Guide that you can pick up in the Lovett Gallery. Designed with children in mind, this guide helps you interpret the porcelain collection and understand important words, the history of porcelain, curating a collection, and the detailed paintings that decorate the porcelain pieces. There are spaces to draw, color and write. There is even a scavenger hunt! Remember that only pencils are allowed in the galleries, so grab a set of colored pencils from the Make Art Now cart just outside the gallery.

Now the mantra of “look, but don’t touch” that we all hear in the galleries is fun with an interactive family guide.

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!

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.

To celebrate our 50^th Anniversary year, an anonymous donor has offered to match up to $50,000 of the funds raised through The Cummer’s 2011 Annual Fund. Every gift matters, from $5 to $5,000.

We want to now what inspires you at The Cummer. Is it beautiful art in the galleries, historic gardens overlooking the St. Johns River, or maybe the school group you saw touring the Museum on your last visit? Below are specific ways that your contribution can make a difference at The Cummer.

Art: Your gift will support conservation of the collection, including the restoration and reinstallation of an important 17^th century tapestry.

Gardens: Your contribution will help to beautify The Cummer’s landscape along Riverside Avenue and the Art Connections’ entrance, bringing the beauty of the historic gardens to the entire campus.

Education: Your donation will aid in meeting our goal to allow an additional 5,000 children access to tours, school outreach, camps and classes celebrating the joy of art and gardens.

Bringing it all together: Your support will create a more meaningful visitor experience through using cutting-edge technology and placing The Cummer’s collection and gardens in the palm of your hand.

Please consider making a gift today to double your impact on these important programs at The Cummer. We are currently at the $43,000 mark and have $7,000 left to reach our goal. We need your help to continue building on the Museum’s foundation of cultural inspiration for the next 50 years.

Remember, your gift to The Cummer is 100% tax deductible.

DONATE HERE

We are anticipating another creative and fun summer at The Cummer for our campers. All of the educators are working on a dynamic curriculum that includes drawing, painting, clay, printmaking and collage. We are going to spend time in the galleries learning about the Cummer Fifty Favorites, the new Silk Road exhibition, and the Neighborhood as Art.

Campers will spend time in the gardens exploring the flora that abounds in the summertime and use what they find to inspire their art making.  We plan to produce beautiful landscape paintings of the gardens, black and white prints of leaves and flowers, clay shoes and boxes, pop-up books, color studies in abstract painting, and more. All of the educators can’t wait to push up our sleeves and spend the summer creating with campers.

One-week sessions run from June 13th through July 22nd (no camp July 4th through 8th)  for rising 1st-6th grades. Middle School camp is July 25th through 29th. Each week costs &180 for members and $195 for non-members. All art materials are provided. Students must bring their own lunch. If you are interested in enrolling in a session or two this summer, call Art Connections at 355-0630.

This will be an experience that will empower young people to actively participate in the museum, interact with the art on their terms, and engage their creativity.

5:30-7 - Viewing teen led gallery presentations

5:30-6:45 - Teen made film screenings

5:30-7:30 – Puzzle project in studios with practicing artists

5:30-7:30 - Food in the RR

7:30 on – Music entertainment, enjoy museum on own, and a gallery scavenger hunt

For more information call 904-356-6857.

It’s a busy time of year in the education department with the VSA Festival fast approaching.  Each year we offer an outreach program to classes of special needs students from schools participating in the VSA Festival.  Schools from Duval, St. Johns, Clay and Nassua counties have the opportunity to attend the annual festival.

Teachers have the option of booking an outreach visit with me where I visit the classroom, speak to the students about what to expect at this years festival, and complete an art activity.  This year we are painting aprons that students can wear to the museum during the festival.  Each student chooses a colored apron and is encouraged to paint it with images that represent themselves.  Free painting and color exploration is also encouraged.

As a Museum Educator, I find it very rewarding to serve a population of students that is often under-served in the arts.  Students that do have the opportunity to paint often find pleasure in showing their teachers and myself just how well they can paint, while others look up at me with astonishment when given the freedom to paint.  Whether it’s their first outreach visit or I’ve visited in the past, teachers and students love the classroom time spent together doing and talking about art and look forward to it every year as do I.

If you are one of the many volunteers at VSA this year you can easily spot the classes you know received a visit- just look for the beautifully painted apron.

One of the central components of the River Friendly Campaign is the Rain Barrel Project. Partnering businesses, schools, and organizations in northeast Florida are displaying artistically-designed rain barrels to help raise awareness about conserving water and how to be river friendly.    The Cummer has placed a rain barrel in front of our beautiful historical gardens, which are situated on the St. Johns River.  Come view our rain barrel and take the pledge to protect the St. Johns River.

Second through fourth grade artists collaborated to create the rain barrel, “Rain That Shines” for the St. John’s Riverkeeper project.  The young artists gather each Tuesday afternoon at the studio of Tayloe White where they use various art mediums to explore the intersection of art and science.  “My goal is to encourage exploration and innovative thinking through experimentation with art,” said painter Tayloe White.  “This project provided an opportunity for these innovative thinkers to learn that making art is more than painting a pretty picture. Their creative work has the power to inform, inspire, and invite curiosity.”

Find out more about how you can help YOUR river.

On Saturday, April 10 the Cummer educational staff had the pleasure to host an art making activity for the participants of the annual HEAL Walk at the Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens.  The HEAL foundation is dedicated to assisting individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders living in the greater Jacksonville area.

Participants at the walk spent the morning walking through the Zoo in support of family and friends with Autistism Spectrum Disorder.  After winding their way through the Zoo pathways participants ended at a family fun area.  Here the families enjoyed music, food, and art making activities provided by the Cummer as well as MOCA.

A great time was had by all.  If you missed this year’s event we hope to see you next year at the HEAL Zoo Walk 2012.

Jacksonville Arts League at Creativity Corner

We began by stopping in at the Creativity Corner to make a masterpiece for my son to take home.  The Art League of Jacksonville was facilitating the art project that day.  We made scribble drawings where we closed our eyes, made a scribble, then added details to make it look like something else.

We visited a number of vendors including AlaArt, JC’s Daily Bread, Mom and Pop Crafts, and the farmer’s market.

We loved watching the girls with day-glow hair hula hooping…

…and the amazing feats of juggler Bruce Sarafin were out of this world!  He juggled fire while on a 3-tiered unicycle!

We also had the chance to listen to live music, watch a portraitist in action, get our faces painted, and balloon animals made!

Our Museum Educators will be out at RAM this Saturday at the Creativity Corner, facilitating a crayon resist watercolor project based on the St. Johns River.  Stop by to get your FREE admission coupon to use any time in the next three months!

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!

As one of the most unique arts-filled experiences one can have in a museum, Very Special Arts, or VSA is a combination of community involvement, diversity celebration, inspired volunteers, and happy children.

Photo by Ingrid Damiani

In its sixteenth year the VSA festival brings art-making, music, and the Cummer’s beautiful gardens to the hands and minds of students with a wide variety of disabilities.  The impact that an arts festival of this scale has on its thousands of participants is contagious.  The four day, museum-wide festival serves as a national model through its singularity and wide reach.

Photo by Ingrid Damiani

After six years of planning for and participating in this incredible week, I am thrilled to see familiar smiling faces of volunteers who are ready to selflessly celebrate the true meaning of the event: engaging kids through the arts.  Children of all ages can be seen creating art from clay, paper, and paint, as well as dancing, clapping, and singing with professional musicians.

Photo by Ingrid Damiani

Each year teachers, parents, and walk-up volunteers alike share their stories of inspiration of their role during the VSA festival and how it has changed their lives.  Students who attend share the impact of the experience as well, relating to feelings of success while painting or calm activities enjoyed in the gardens.

For me, this special week continues to motivate, humble, and warm my heart all at the same time.

For more information, please call Jan Thomas at 904-355-0630.

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

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.

This was not, of course, their primary use.  The plant is one of the most poisonous plants to be used in general landscaping.  While quite lovely, it is not advisable to grow them in an area where children play unattended.  Like many other poisonous plants, Foxglove was used by early medical practitioners, and continues to me used in some heart medications.

Foxgloves are biennial plants, meaning that they will bloom for two years.  Though if properly maintained, they may last longer.  During the first year, you will get leaves in a rosette near the ground, and in the second year you will get a 2-5′ spike with many of tubular blooms.  Foxgloves grow best is partial shade, and well drained, acidic soil.  Because of their height, they work well toward the back of the planting area.  They are also excellent for attracting hummingbirds and butterflies, which are both beautiful and beneficial additions to any garden.

It is very important that you plant Foxgloves in a well drained area and space them properly.  They are susceptible to crown rot, powdery mildew disease, and leaf spots if they are not planted properly.

Photo by Ingrid Damiani

I am currently a stay-at-home mom, but I volunteered at the VSA Arts Festival in 2006 and 2007 while working for Best Buddies, a local nonprofit that provides friendship opportunities for children and adults with special needs.  My then-supervisor heard about the festival and decided that the staff could do a sort of service day.  I wasn’t sure what to expect but I love all of the arts, I enjoy working with people who have special needs – and of course I love the Cummer – so I was very excited about the opportunity to help.  Orientation gave me a great idea of what to expect and provided the opportunity to choose from various activites that were planned for the children.  Both years that I participated I found it very difficult to choose just one activity for the day because they all sounded like so much fun!

As someone who enjoys drawing and painting, I chose activities in those areas both years, but there was also music, poetry reading, pottery and many more options.  One of the very best things about the activities is that the children are encouraged to do whatever they can and volunteers are asked to coach them through the project but not do the activity for them.  This means that the child is participating at his or her ability level and each piece of art is truly their own, whether it is a single line drawn or a completed activity that looks just like the example.

Photo by Ingrid Damiani

It was so rewarding to help the children create works of art unlike anything they do at their school setting, where arts funding is limited and often either excludes children with special needs altogether or does not sufficiently accomodate their needs.  I think it is amazing that the Cummer plans the activities throughout the actual museum rather than entirely in classrooms.  When the children work on a project based on a piece of art exhibited at the museum, they are creating their mini-masterpiece in the same room as the prized original!  I doubt many museums allow this kind of access, for fear of the possible hazards, so as a Jacksonville native I feel so proud that the Cummer is not just opening the world of art to children with special needs but they are doing so with open arms and open doors.

As for the volunteers, they are also very impressive.  While many volunteers come back year to year, there are also many more with little or no experience with children who have special needs.  Orientation does a great job at educating new volunteers on basic information to be sensitive and understanding, but all you really need to know is to smile and encourage the children in their artwork, and they can do the rest.  When all of the rotations of children have come through your station for the day, you straighten up and then head to lunch provided by the Cummer and can socialize more with the other great volunteers.  It’s also a fun perk that you get an event t-shirt that features one of the projects that the children will be making.

Photo by Ingrid Damiani

On a different note, as a nonprofit event planner, I am so impressed with the level of organization the Cummer plans.  From volunteer orientation weeks before the event, to the entire process the day of the event, everything went smoothly because everyone knew what they should be doing and everyone understood how important it was to stay on schedule so that it would not create delays for other groups of children.  This requires many, many hours of meticulous planning and the positive results are the proof.

If you haven’t signed up yet to volunteer, do it now.  If you can make a donation to support the event, do it now.  You will not regret either choice.  It is such an incredible experience and I look forward to participating in the VSA Arts Festival for many years to come!

If you are interested in volunteering for the festival, please call Jan Thomas at 904-355-0630.

We will have art-making activities in our studios, live musical entertainment, a nature sensory journal station, storytime in the Gardens, flower pot painting, and a butterfly collage mural.

Also enjoy classes and workshops on Saturday.  From 10-11:30 am Evie Pankok will be leading Vermiculture – The Art of Making Compost Tea, $5 for members and non-members.  From 10 am-4 pm Ellen Diamond will lead a plein air Garden Painting class, $80/members and $95/non-members.  From 10:30a-12:30p children ages 6-12 can enjoy a digital photography class (bring your own camera), $10/members & $15/non-members.  For more information or to register for any classes, please call Kim Pomar at 904-899-6038.

Photo by Ingrid Damiani

We are coming up on our 16th annual Very Special Arts Festival, where we open the entire museum up to over 2,000 special needs students from over 50 schools throughout the greater Jacksonville area for four days.  Last year 1216 volunteers devoted their time and talent to the festival.  I thought it would be nice to share some VSA experiences.

Photo by Ingrid Damiani

“It was one of the most fun and inspiring events I’ve had the pleasure to attend in some time.  The work you are doing and opportunities being offered to our students through the Museum are simply remarkable.  Thank you again for allowing me to witness such a wonderful undertaking and for filling my heart with hope.”  -Josephine Jackson, J.D., Executive Director, Equity and Inclusion, Duval County Public Schools

Photo by Ingrid Damiani

“This year I was fortunate enough to spend one day one-on-one with the children and the experience was very moving and unforgettable.  My first child was a three-year-old boy, in a wheelchair who, only with great effort, could hold up his head and breathe.  But he bravely held onto my fingers and tried very hard to color his project.  He was the sweetest child whose life had been impacted by some event or illness completely beyond his control, but whose bravery and efforts to please would make even the hardest among us weep…  These experiences were repeated several times with children who were black and white, young and old, with varying levels of disability, but each one, without exception, seemed to take great pleasure in what they were accomplishing and with the praise and attention they were getting.  I must say, it was a very poignant and rewarding experience for all of us volunteers.”  -Gee Gabbert, Volunteer

Photo by Ingrid Damiani

“My students were so exited about going!  The “greeting drums” were so welcoming and added to the excitement.  I know my students feel enriched by the kindness and encouragement of new friends (your volunteers).  To me, that is where the magic happens!  This contributes to the students social development as well as learning to try new things.  I cannot imagine the VSA Arts Festival being better!  I am always amazed by the effort that must go into such a terrific festival.  It’s our favorite day of the school year!  Thank you for everything! P.S., my parents that helped were amazed as well!”  -Anonymous Teacher

Photo by Ingrid Damiani

“Yes, did so with my elementary education art’s class with my professor and a few others. It was fabulous!! I would do it again in a heart beat!!”  -Jaclyn Waterman, Volunteer

“It was our joy to play music for this event for years. The Ancient City Slickers.”  –Kayla Killingsworth Douglas, Performer, Ancient City Slickers

Photo by Ingrid Damiani

“I did last year.  It was amazing.  I worked in the paint room with the kids.  These kids are smart and expressive and it is truely amazing.  People under estimate them because of their handicaps, but they will never realize how talented and bright these kids are unless they spend time with them.  It was an experience I will always cherish and never forget.”  –Patricia Ashley Ortiz, Volunteer

Photo by Ingrid Damiani

“I just had to email and thank you for allowing us to come to the festival yesterday.  It was absolutely magical for us.  My son, who we are not able to take many places, simply came alive at the museum.  He LOVED the music with…I forget his name, the guy with the dreadlocks and actually got up and danced at one point.  He was super interactive in the children’s room, and couldn’t get enough of the dark room where you can see your self on the projection screen.  That alone was worth the trip.  We even took him to lunch afterwards and he was SO well behaved we could hardly believe it.  My husband doesn’t often have a chance to see Ben flourish like that, so it offered him such a great deal of hope for our son.  So than you, for all your hard work.  It was an amazing experience.  You have touched so many children and families, including mine.”  -Janeen Herskovitz, HEAL Foundation

Photo by Ingrid Damiani

“Many of my students have difficulty expressing themselves academically but are able to do so artistically.  The VSA Festival gives them the opportunity to create beautiful things that are not scrutinized for having flaws, like their school work.”  -Anonymous Teacher

“Never under estimate a childs heart no matter what conidition you find them in.  Last year I was challenged by emotions every day of  VSA, and VSA change my life in dealing with children with needs.”  -Willie Johns, Volunteer

Photo by Ingrid Damiani

“Every year, our students enjoy attending Very Special Arts at The Cummer.  Our group includes the students, preschool through fifth grade, served in the profoundly mentally handicapped and emotionally mentally handicapped programs.  This annual event significantly benefits each and every child, no matter the range of challenges they face in learning.  It is apparent by the students’ attentiveness and huge smiles of pride of accomplishment with each completed project.  Art enrichment is an essential component in the growth and development of all children and is greatly enhanced by this incredible festival.”  -Amy Roberts, Teacher, Neptune Beach Elementary

Photo by Ingrid Damiani

“This was by far my favorite event we have done so far.  I can’t wait until next year.”  -Cindi Ross, Company Operations Manager, Firehouse Restaurant Group Inc.

“Once again, we are incredibly grateful for VSA.  This one field trip is the only field trip the PMH (Profoundly Mentally Handicapped) students participate in yearly.  We love coming.  The opportunity to be immersed in the arts for a day in the beautiful setting of The Cummer is special.  Thank you for letting us come each year.  The leaders and volunteers make it a breeze to the teachers.”  -Anonymous Teacher

If you are interested in volunteering for the festival, please call Jan Thomas at 904-355-0630.

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.

Here is what some museum visitors have shared when asked: Why are museums important to you?”

“They educate for little money.”  - J. Harold Lowry

“They help me connect to the larger picture.  See the world through others’ eyes, the real and the abstract versions.  They make history tangible and accessible.”  -Dutchess Castle

“They are a beautiful and wonder-filled respite from the world.”  -TJ Howard

“They preserve beauty.”  -Katie Owen

“They are a chance for a rather unique experience–be it educational, recreational, or even a little bit of both.”  -Jamie Booth

“They give an opportunity to experience culture that may not be experienced otherwise.”  -Linda Resta Ingram

“Museums provoke thought and interest in a myriad of subjects.  This is most important when applied to children’s lives.  Especially when museums pursue community outreach, children can be shown how learning is fun, and that museums are perfect places in which to learn.  As adults, we can continue our love of learning in museums.  The collections can inspire us to be more than we were previously.  I have loved these things about museums since I was a small child.”  -Margareth C. Knippel Murphy

“They educate in the most pleasant of ways…….they encourage broader horizons.”  -Kathy McGarry Broderick

“Museums are important because they bring art to life for visitors of all ages!”  -Emily Magevny

Please join us at 6pm at The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens, 829 Riverside Avenue, Jacksonville, FL 32204.  Come prepared with questions on any social topic.  For ideas, please see the Sample Questions section of the Jacksonville Quality Forum page.

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.

The artist John Singer Sargent once said, “Every time I paint a portrait, I lose a friend”.  What he meant was that his friends thought he painted them too realistically – blemishes and all!

Marie Victoire Lemoine (French, 1754 - 1820), Portrait of a Youth in an Embroidered Vest, 1785, oil on canvas, 25 5/8 x 21 ½ in., Purchased with funds from The Cummer Council, AP.1994.3.1.

Before photography was invented important and wealthy people paid artists to paint their portraits.  These portraits provided important clues about lives of these people. Important men may have been shown in uniform, and wealthy people were shown wearing expensive clothes and jewels.

Abraham Rattner (American, 1895 – 1978), Seated Figure in Costume, 1948, oil on masonite, 45 ½ x 37 in., Museum Purchase with funds provided by the Mae W. Schultz Charitable Lead Trust, AP.1991.10.1.

After photography was invented many artists thought there was no need to create a realistic portrait since the camera had that covered.  So artists began to explore new ways to create portraits.  They experimented with different colors to express feelings.  They used different shapes and angles to create portraits.  Artists were free to express their own emotions and thoughts.

Spend some time exploring the portraits on exhibition at the Cummer.  As you look at each portrait try to answer these questions:

• What is a portrait?
• Why have people throughout history had their portraits made?
• What are the various materials that can be used to create a portrait?
• How does an expressive portrait differ from a realistic portrait?
• How do these portraits inspire you to create a portrait yourself?

You might want to try creating a self-portrait when you go home.

What you’ll need:

• One 8” x 10” piece of paper
• Oil pastels or crayons in a variety of colors
• One mirror, on 8” x 10” picture frame, one photograph of yourself

What you’ll do:

• Set up your studio space.  Find a surface that you can make your drawing on where you have access to a mirror.
• Spend a moment looking at yourself in the mirror.  Notice the details of your face and placement of your features.
• Using oil pastels or crayons draw your portrait.  Don’t draw just what you see in the mirror.  Now is the time to be expressive!  This is the time to draw how you feel, not exactly how you look.  If purple hair, green lips, and large ears are always what you wanted, now is the time to draw yourself that way.
• After you finish your self-portrait, compare it to a photograph of yourself.  Which do you prefer?  Why?

Check back soon for more inspirational ideas to be found at the Cummer.

Italian Garden & St. Johns River

There are a lot of things about the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens that should be celebrated: its breathtaking location along the St. Johns, the spectacular oasis of green that makes up its gardens, the treasures that the museum holds, and its vibrant history and ties to the region.  Having grown-up in Jacksonville, I became well aware of these virtues at a young age.    From fourth grade on, it seemed that my teachers made a point to schedule yearly field trips to the Cummer.  During these trips patient docents would take us through the rooms and ask all of us to describe our thoughts about the pieces.  Even as young children, we’d sit in front of the canvases to learn about the symbolism, movement, and history of the works.   We’d also eagerly look forward to being able to interact and play in the Art Connections area which we were convinced had been created just for us.

Art Connections

I didn’t know it then, but the Cummer Museum was changing the way I viewed the world and helping to establish a love for art that would last a lifetime.  Looking at the work allowed me to experience history in a new way.  Suddenly artists weren’t just craftsmen, they were powerful creators able to convey the feeling of a generation, restore a follower’s faith, and shape the future of a political movement.

During high school my fondness for the museum further developed.  As soon as I learned about the Renaissance or Romanticism, I would drive to the museum and stand a few feet away from the history that I was studying.  There was something truly magical about seeing an Albrecht Durer the same day I learned about Albrecht Durer.

School Tour, Trustees Gallery

Those early experiences convinced me to study art history in college and have led me to continue to make memories that include the Cummer today.  I have seen exhibits, attended events, watched friends wed, and even met my Love at the Cummer.  Now I know the museum like the back of my hand, which is convenient when I want to impress all of the out-of-town guests that I introduce to the Cummer.

For more from Matilda take a look at her blog!

Photo by Ingrid Damiani

Most people think about experiencing art in only one way – a visual way.  We can see works of art in a gallery.  We can see how the elements of a work of art are related to each other, and to the whole.  We take for granted the ability to examine or admire a work of art, or to create our own.

Photo by Ingrid Damiani

For the blind or partially sighted, it is the other way around.  Art not only has a visual presence, it has a tactile presence.  Sound, music and smell can often prompt visual images.  In-depth verbal description and guided touch of an art object can “paint a picture” for the blind.

Photo by Ingrid Damiani

Art Beyond Sight ~ Women of Vision is an exhibition of paintings, drawings and poetry created by the Women of Vision, a group of blind and partially sighted women who have met monthly at The Cummer for over twelve years.  The Women learn the expressive and healing potential of the arts through multi-sensory methods of art making and memoir writing.

Art Beyond Sight ~ Women of Vision is on view in the Art Connections Gallery through March 6.

Augusta Savage and The Diving Boy, c. 1939

One of our great African American female artists represented in The Cummer’s collection is Augusta Savage.  You may have seen her work when visiting the current Cummer Legacy exhibit, but did you know that she is a native of northeast Florida? She was born February 29,1892 (leap year!) in Green Cove Springs.  At an early age, she fell in love with sculpting when she used clay she found in the ground to create small animals.

With the encouragement of one of her teachers, she followed her passion to become a professional sculptor working in Jacksonville and then moving north to Harlem in New York. There she was able to go to art school at Cooper Union and became known as a prominent portrait sculptor. Busts of W.E.B. DuBois, James Weldon Johnson and Marcus Garvey are attributed to her. Her rise in talent and popularity made her one of the first visual artists associated with the Harlem Renaissance. Her work led her to study in Paris for a few years.

Augusta Savage, American, The Diving Boy, c. 1939, Bronze, 32 1/2"

Excited by her own work, Savage wanted to pass on her passion for art to the greater Harlem community. Upon returning to New York after her studies in Paris, she opened the Savage Studio of Arts and Crafts which evolved into the Harlem Community Arts Center. Many well known African American artists started there including Jacob Lawrence and William Artis.  She even set aside much of her own work as a sculptor to teach young people.

The Cummer Museum is lucky to have The Diving Boy in Bronze because many of Savage’s work was not cast and therefore has not lasted through the years. Mrs. Cummer acquired this piece in 1939 for her garden where it sat looking over a reflecting pool in the Italian garden.

As an artist, teacher and activist she said, “If I can inspire one of these youngsters to develop the talent I know they possess, then my monument will be in their work.” The Cummer honors her life’s work with the naming of one of our community programs, Project Augusta Savage, where we teach art in two urban Catholic schools and bring the students to the museum multiple times per year to study our collection and garden. We hope that Savage’s passion for the arts lives on in these young students.

Photo by Ingrid Damiani, VSA Festival 2010

Photo by Ingrid Damiani, VSA Festival 2010

Photo by Ingrid Damiani, VSA Festival 2010

Photo by Ingrid Damiani, VSA Festival 2010

Participants learned the many steps it takes to transfer a laser copy of a photograph to another surface.  The first method was to paint a layer of acrylic medium on a piece of paper and then apply the copied image to it. After the acrylic medium was dry they wet the paper to remove the photocopy paper. All that was left was the image on the desired surface.

The next technique was transferring using a Chartpak blending marker or lacquer thinner. These chemicals were applied to the back of the copied photo so it transferred to another surface when pressure was applied on the back. The advantage to this process was that the artist controlled what parts of the image were transferred by tracing the parts of the image they wanted and then applying the chemicals only to those areas.

The third technique used wintergreen oil. The oil was applied to the back of a copied image much like the lacquer thinner. The paper was then pressed onto another surface using the force of a printing press.

Anna taught participants about the the use of wax in photo transfers. She heated wax and then dipped the transferred images so that there was a thin layer over the entire surface of the paper.

Then she demonstrated the encaustic technique. She used a piece she already started, that had photo transfers and a real leaf applied to the piece of wood with a layer of green wax over top.  She started by melting the layer of wax with a hair dryer so she could work with it again.

She used an etching tool to draw freehand into the top layer of wax which created thin etched lines.

Then she used oil paint to fill in the etched lines and add definition to her drawing.  She wiped away the excess paint with oil.  She then painted another layer of hot wax on the top of the piece.  Then she demonstrated how she transferred images from paper using the hot wax.

If you are interested in learning more about future workshops being held at The Cummer, review our slate of programs here. If you are interested in the work of Anna Tomczak and even take one of her workshops, check out her website.

Nancy Clarke - Former White House Chief Floral Designer

“I think flowers add a special warmth to a room, they sort of set the mood, set the tone, and I just think it helps the people coordinate better, get along better”

As a renowned Floral Designer, Nancy Clarke has created thousands of beautiful decorations and floral designs for 6 American Presidents and First Ladies, their families and the world’s foremost dignitaries.

For 30 years her exquisite floral designs brought beauty, grace and elegance to White House historical events including the Camp David Accords during the Carter Administration, the Russian Summit during the Reagan Administration, the NATO 50th Anniversary Summit during the Clinton Administration, and more recently, the first 100 days of President Obama’s Administration, when the newly-elected President Obama said “The fresh flowers are my favorite part of living in the White House.” -Pres. Barack Obama, January 2009.

In August 1978, Nancy Clarke became a volunteer floral designer working side-by-side with the permanent staff to decorate the Executive Residence.  At the beginning of the Reagan Administration, in 1981, she became a full time member of the White House Flower Shop staff.  In 1985, at the beginning the second term of President Reagan, she was hired as the White House Chief Floral Designer, a position she held until retiring on May 31, 2009.  For thirty years, she designed everything from simple bud vases on the First Lady’s nightstand to elaborate and formal State Dinners. Her floral designs and Holiday decorations dazzled White House Kings and Queens including Heads of State, congressional members, journalists, as well as thousands of visitors to the mansion and millions of worldwide viewers of much-anticipated holiday television specials.

“I will especially miss Christmas time at the White House.  Even after three decades and thirty-one Christmases, the majesty of working at the White House has yet to fade.” Nancy Clarke – May 2009

Hear Nancy Clarke speak at Garden Week on Tuesday, March 15, 2011.  All Garden Week tours are free with regular admission.

Arrangements for the appearance of Nancy Clarke made through Greater Talent Network, Inc., New York, NY

Before people actually visit The Cummer, they often think that art museums aren’t places for young children.  What is there for them to do? Art museums are quiet and little ones can’t touch anything.  If they break out in tears, it’s a mad rush to the exit to save the rest of the visitors from the disruption or to avoid shear embarrassment.

At least that’s the mindset we are used to.  At the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens, you often find children under five.  There is an etiquette to follow, but it is a place for people of all ages.  Parents even hold on to tiny hands through the galleries introducing young eyes to old works of art.  I’ve even seen parents guide babies’ hands over the sculptures of the timeline in Art Connections giving a brief art history lesson.

If you are at a loss for how to start your child on the journey of art appreciation at an early age, here are some tips:

Make Short Visits

Don’t make a day of it. Young children have short attention spans.  Spending 30 minutes at the museum on your first visit may be just enough time to pique the little guy’s interest. After all, you can always come back another time. If he starts tugging on your shirt tail, you know it’s time to call it a day.

Ask Questions

Engage your young art enthusiast by asking questions. “What do you see?” “What shapes and colors do you see?” “What are the people doing in the painting?” This way, he is looking more closely and learning how to converse about art.

Use Five Senses

We all perceive the world through our senses, but especially young children.  Museums are not just for looking. Think about what they can hear, smell, touch and taste. Some senses are fed in different parts of the museum but challenge him to meet all five.

Okay, tasting in a museum may not be appropriate but you can pick up a hot chocolate from the cafe on a cold day and it could begin a tradition for your family;  when you go to the museum you get a hot chocolate (and a latte for you).

Take advantage of Art Connections and The Cummer Gardens as sensory experiences. Touch artwork, cut and glue paper, and build a sculpture in Art Connections. Smell the scents of flowers, listen to birds and the river flowing, and touch the sculptures  in the Gardens.

Have No Expectations

Don’t expect your little one to be an art connoisseur right away. If you go into this adventure with no expectations of what your child should learn or say or do, it will make for a more relaxing experience. Build on the experiences by visiting often and you’ll see that your child will slowly form his own impression of the museum and what’s inside.

Attend a Class

The Cummer offers a class, Art for Two, once a month for children ages 3 to 5 years and their favorite adult. You will spend time in the galleries learning to look at art and then work together on an art project in the studios.  This a great way to get your feet wet and learn some first-hand tips from our resident art educators. See our class calendar for more details.

The Cummer believes in its mission to engage and inspire all through arts, gardens, and education.  On Friday, January 28^th we hosted a daylong session of creative renewal and inspiration for EE/SS and inclusion educators.  Sponsored by The Florida Diagnostic & Learning Resource System (FDLRS/CROWN), the day took the educators through a process of arts creation and integration into classroom learning.

The morning began with a warm welcome to educators by the Cummer’s Director of Education, Susan Gallo.

From there the educators jumped right into the creative process by painting abstract paintings using adaptive art making tools.

Arts exploration occurred in the galleries through discussion,

Creative writing,

And a little interpretive dancing!

Nature was observed in the beautiful Cummer gardens through close observation and creative data recording.

Math lessons were enhanced by the integration of art.

After a full day of  art making and  learning, the educators summed up the workshop through peer discussion about productive ways in which they can continue to engage and inspire their own students.

The Weaver Academy of Art at The Cummer began in 2007 with a goal of increasing access to the museum for underserved students in Jacksonville. The program serves 8 underserved Duval County public schools where over 3,500 students visit the museum for curriculum and special exhibition tours and participate in outreach activities in their classrooms with Art Connections staff. In 2007, the program’s inaugural year, many students had never set foot in an art museum and even arrived with some nervousness. Now students confidently step off the bus and walk through the Art Connections entrance with pride and familiarity, exclaiming “Hey, I’ve been here before! I love the Cummer Museum!” Classes visit at least twice per school year and every student is provided a pass to the museum so that they may visit outside of school time with their families.

The learning continues with visits to each classroom by an Art Connections staff member. Students become familiar with artwork and vocabulary when they are at school so they are prepared for their museum visit. Walking through one of the schools, you might see they have their very own Cummer Gallery. A selection of works from the Cummer’s permanent collection are reproduced and displayed in the halls that students, teachers and parents pass through everyday. When they see the same work during their visit at the musem, they often announce, “I’ve seen that at my school!”

The Weaver Academy of Art is generously supported by J. Wayne and Delores Barr Weaver, Deutsche Bank, Dianne T. and Charles E. Rice Family Foundation, Chartrand Foundation, EverBank, City of Jacksonville and the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville, Inc.

Today’s post is about the Museum’s Junior Docent program. I could feed you all of the factual information about The Cummer’s Junior Docent core being comprised of 40 students grades 6th – 12th; about how each teenage participant engages themselves in art research, creation, and presentation; about the logistics of the monthly meetings. But wouldn’t it make more sense to hear about the program first hand from a Junior Docent? I have asked one of our Junior Docents to be our guest blogger and share her personal thoughts about what it means to be a Junior Docent. So, without further ado…I’d like to introduce to you Swati Sureka. Take it away Swati…

An Artist is Born
An artist, a poet, a performer, a presenter, a blogger, a leader, even a marketing director: the Museum’s Junior Docents program has placed me in roles that I could not have otherwise imagined. It is hard for me to fathom how much the two-hour monthly meetings have affected my personality over the years, but I truly believe that I grew up through this experience, and it will continue to be a significant chapter in my life after I graduate.

I was ten years old when I attended my first meeting. Being the stereotypical bookworm and model student, academics had always trumped my creative pursuits, which were essentially limited to performing an Indian cultural dance once per year. Naturally, when I was asked to give a presentation on an art piece, I was a little bit lost, and decided to use historical and biographical research as a crutch to avoid artistic analysis. I still recall trembling on presentation night, feeling incredibly small in the midst of the large, crowded gallery.

And yet, slowly but surely, I sensed my presentation skills growing. The following year, I was successfully able to conduct a miniature tour featuring three artworks, and the year after, I was able to provide a poetic interpretation.

These improvements soon began to carry over into the rest of my life, when I found myself becoming lead choreographer of an Indian dance for a school program. By the time high school came around, I had found the courage to sign up for drama and art classes, no longer hiding in the shadows. Having secured my faith in my own artistic ability, I decided to share the intricate symmetrical designs I often drew as doodles, garnering some very enthusiastic reactions.

At the end of last year, I had to take a step back to reflect on the progress I had made: my artwork was on display at the museum, as well as my poetic reaction to my favorite work, and, to top it all off, I played the lead role, that of a king, in a short piece of musical theatre that was largely my own creation. By the end of the night, I had received praise for the use of color in my artwork, a breast cancer survivor had informed me of how relatable she had found my poetry to her cancer experience, and several spectators, including the program director, had referred to my performance as “spectacular.”

This year, with the museum’s 50th anniversary fast approaching, I was asked to conduct a video interview with the museum that is soon to become part of an interactive exhibition in the museum, a great honor for me. As this seven-year journey comes to a close, I reflect on it fondly, and appreciate all that it has taught me and allowed me to become. The Cummer Museum, and the creative energy it has instilled in me, will forever have a special place in my heart and mind.

Just over a year ago, The Cummer partnered with St. Vincent’s Healthcare and Riverside Presbyterian Day School to launch Kids Together Against Cancer (KTAC). This program was developed to help parents and caregivers provide their children with coping skills needed to navigate the journey of a cancer diagnosis and treatment in their family.

Knowing that art-making can be a powerful tool for coping with difficult feelings, social workers and teaching artists teamed up to design and implement a six-week workshop for families to explore feelings surrounding this journey.  Adults and children separate into respective groups to discuss their experiences and create works of art that focus on different feelings. Families come together in the end to share their works of art and how their feelings are represented.

This community based program was developed through the generous support of the Rice Family Foundation. There is no cost to participate in the program but space is limited. The program is designed for children ages 5 to 17.

The next session runs January 25 through February 27, 2011.  See the KTAC website for more information about registration and future session dates and please visit KTAC on Facebook!

In December, Art Adventures was all about hats. We searched The Cummer’s permanent collection for hats worn by subjects in our permanent collection.

Mosaic with Mask of Silenus, Roman, 1st century A.D., stone tesserae and cement, 12 1/4 x 12 1/4 x 2 1/2, Morton R. Hirschberg Memorial Fund, AP 1990.19.1

Viewing Mosaic with Mask of Silenus, Roman and Cafe L’Avenue by Richard Emil Miller (see below), among others, gave students ideas for designing their own hats with colors, ribbons, flowers and feathers made from paper. Catch these students (pictured above) modeling their new wears.

Richard Emil Miller, Cafe L'Avenue, Paris, c. 1906-10, oil on canvas, 45 7/16 x 57 5/8, Museum purchase with Council Funds

Do you feel like you missed out on the fun? Don’t worry.  The Cummer has classes year round for children and adults. Every class is taught by a professional museum educator or local professional artist.

• Art for Two is offered for children ages 3 to 5 and their favorite adult (Every second Saturday, 10:30am) pre-registration required
• Art Adventures is for children ages 6 to 12 (Every third Saturday, 10:30am) pre-registration required
• Drop-in Art is for children ages 4 to 10 (Every Tuesday, 5pm) register day of class
• Painting Basics is for teenagers and adults (Offered as five-week sessions) pre-registration required; supply list provided upon registration

Peruse our program calendar for class descriptions and special program offerings or call Art Connections for more information at 355-0630.

SHZAM

Children aged 8-11 spent the day at The Cummer discovering the mysteries of art through gallery exploration and hands-on art activities.  The following 2 days of SHZAM winter camp were spent consecutively at the Zoo and MOSH with campers discovering the mysteries of the animal kingdom as well as scientific discoveries.

The SHZAM partnership plans to extend programming through the offerings of overnight field trips and future youth focused events.  Stay tuned…. There’s more SHZAM coming soon!

It’s the Holidays!  The kids are out of school.  The relatives are coming to town.  Why not enjoy the beautiful Cummer Gardens by getting the whole family involved in a garden scavenger hunt?

  Read the following clues, come out to the Gardens, and see how many garden items you can find for yourself:

Garden Scavenger Hunt

1. Standing proudly in the middle of the gardens with my dog at my feet, I point this object into the sky. _____________

2. The garden is like a rainbow. Find something that grows for each color in the rainbow.

3. I am a mosaic* crab who lives at the bottom of a fountain in which garden?

4. My limbs stretch out over the gardens in a huge embrace. I am the famous Cummer ______  tree.

*a mosaic is made by putting pieces of tile or glass together to create a picture.

“26…27…28 dragonflies!” My young friend shouted out completely unaware of the other 19 students in the Garden. And why not? The sun was glistening, the breeze was cool, and the birds even seemed to be singing in joy. Now, before you start getting the idea that I am describing a scene from Mary Poppins consider spending a cool winter morning in The Cummer Gardens. I think it is one of the most beautiful spots in all of Jacksonville – and I work here.

The Education Department kicked off the fall tour series with a new garden tour called Plants and Paintbrushes for elementary students that fully incorporates The Cummer Gardens into our core mission to engage and inspire through the arts, gardens, and education. And, boy, do the kids love it!

If you are thinking that the kids get to have all of the fun, think again! The Cummer Gardens are here for all to enjoy. You can explore the plant life; grab a paint set from the Make Art Now cart and paint a colorful landscape; or simply sit and count dragonflies.