Tag Archives: Muskegon Museum of Art

‘Downton Abbey’ costumes are a delight to see in person

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The formal dining attire in the “Dressing the Abbey” exhibit is complimented by pieces from the Muskegon Museum of Art. (Photo by Thomas Hegewald)

By Thomas Hegewald
WKTV Contributing Writer

I was a little late in becoming a fan of the television series Downton Abbey. It was in its second or third season before I started watching it (from the beginning).

A detail look at the bearded silk of a debutante’s gown. (Photo by Thomas Hegewald)

Initially, it was the title sequence that pulled me in by capturing in carefully composed and choreographed shots the details of life in that time period and setting. I instantly knew that this was a high quality television production where everything, down to minute detail, would be accurate.

Once I started watching, the characters and storylines continued to hold my attention. An integral part of bringing those varied characters to life was the period clothes they wore. During that time period (and setting) people (especially women) changed their attire multiple times during the day to dress appropriately for an event or activity they were participating in. In Downton Abbey, the costumes themselves then played a large role in establishing each character’s personality which in turn helped to engage viewers in watching the series. 

“Dressing the Abbey,” a new exhibit at Muskegon Museum of Art, features 35 costumes from the Downton Abbey™ television series, which ran for five seasons, premiering in 2010. The costumes range from high formal (and intricately beaded), casual tweeds for outdoor or hunting, to humble servants’ uniforms. Exhibits Development Group, based in Minnesota, provided the exhibit components – which included the costumes on mannequins with a few accessories like a bike, horse saddle and rack (also featured in the television series).

Muskegon Museum of Art Director of Marketing Kristina Broughton told me how the museum searched through its permanent collection for period pieces of art to compliment the exhibit. As backdrop to exhibit vignettes, there are oil paintings, prints, Tiffany glassware as well as actual furnishings from the Hackley and Hume homes – on loan from the Lakeshore Museum Center.

Butler and head housekeeper attire. (Photo by Thomas Hegewald)

Muskegon Museum of Art also went as far as to paint an accent wall violet to complement one of the Dowager Countesses’ violet themed costumes. The end result of such thought and execution is that the inclusion of period pieces enhances the sense of being there. Where mannequins stand in formal attire of a tux or beaded gown, behind them are portraits of aristocrats in oil and an ornately carved wood table and chairs – giving a sense of a formal dinner party. Complimenting a display of less formal dresses, though no less intricately designed, are a number of Tiffany lamps and glassware.

Broughton also pointed out that the costume designers always sought to use period pieces when creating the custom-made clothing – like period fabric. In one piece, it is noted that the jacket for a dress ensemble was actually made out of a period tablecloth.

Each exhibit grouping features printed information regarding the character/scene in which the costume was worn as well as additional historical information regarding a particular setting or activity. Period pieces from Muskegon Museum of Art’s collection or on loan are also identified for inquisitive visitors, like me.

As a draw for younger attendees of the exhibit, Muskegon Museum of Art created a space focused on children’s toys at the time as well as a touch and feel area. Visitors of any age can test their tactile skills by feeling the difference between types of fabrics hanging from a wall.

 

“The Dressing the Abbey” exhibit runs through Sept. 12 at the Muskegon Museum of Art, 296 W. Webster Ave, downtown Muskegon. Check muskegonartmuseum.org for information on gallery hours and entry fee.

‘Winslow Homer: Illustrating a Nation’ brings Civil War era illustrations to Muskegon Museum of Art

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Winslow Homer Civil War sketch, part Muskegon Museum of Art exhibition, “Winslow Homer: Illustrating a Nation”. (Supplied)

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

Highlighting lesser known works of Winslow Homer — one of the most significant American artists of the 19th Century — the Muskegon Museum of Art opened a new exhibition, “Winslow Homer: Illustrating a Nation”, last week and it will be on display through March 20.

Homer was famed for his dramatic depictions of people and nature, as well as his illustrations of day-to-day life, including the battles of the Civil War which were published in Harper’s Weekly, a New York City based illustrated magazine that extensively covered the American Civil War.

The exhibition features several of Homer’s best known images from the era, including “The Noon Recess”, “Snap the Whip”, “A Sharpshooter on Picket Duty”, and “The Dinner Horn” — a companion image to the MMA’s oil painting “Answering the Horn”. Other works in the exhibition depict illustrations of leisure, work, and the everyday lives of people, as well as dramatic scenes and circumstances.

In 1861, Harper’s Weekly assigned Homer to illustrate the events of the Civil War, which brought his work to the forefront of the nation. Homer captured the day-to-day events of the war, illustrating battles, soldiers in conflict and at rest, and the effects of the war on the families at home. Today, the Harper’s Weekly illustrations serve as a direct record of the events of the Civil War.

The Muskegon Museum of Art is located at 296 W. Webster Ave. For more information visit muskegonartmuseum.org.

Ford Museum to open in-person show ‘Women in Uniform’ with virtual opening lecture

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  • In World War I women were accepted into the Navy to serve in limited roles, such as the nurses depicted on this poster engaged in the rehabilitation of returnees.(Poster by unknown artist, circa 1925. Supplied)
  • The Naval Reserve Act of 1916 lead to formal permission to begin enlisting women in mid-March 1917, shortly before the United States entered the “Great War.” (Oil painting by Anne Fuller Abbott, 1925. Supplied)
  • One of the most prolific and well-recognized artists to contribute to the Navy’s recruitment campaign, especially the recruitment of WAVES, John Philip Falter created over 300 designs for Naval recruitment posters during WW II.(Oil painting for poster, by John Philip Falter, circa 1943. Supplied)
  • The single stripe on this WAVE’s shoulder signifies that she is an Ensign. To meet wartime needs, some members of the Hospital Corps in the enlisted ratings were appointed to the commissioned ranks of Ensign, Lieutenant (Junior grade), and Lieutenant for temporary service. (Oil painting for poster by John Philip Falter, circa 1944. Supplied)
  • This painting serves to depict the introduction of women to sea duty aboard ships in the US Navy.  Before this only nurses had served on ships at sea. The first women to come aboard USS Sanctuary (AH-17) where line officer Lt. (Junior grade) Ann E Kerr and the first enlisted PN3 Peggy Sue Griffith. (Oil painting by George Gibson, Jr., 1973. Supplied)
  • Upon returning from harrowing service in the Philippines at Bataan and an evacuation from Corregidor on USS Spearfish (SS-190), Lt. (Junior grade) Ann Bernatitus of the Nurse Corps, received a hero’s welcome from her hometown in Pennsylvania, complete with parade and dinner at the local high school. (Oil painting on Canvas by Albert K. Murray, 1942. Supplied)
  • Capt. Joan Bynum, the Navy’s first African-American female captain, achieved that rank in 1979 in the Nurse Corps. (Pencil drawing by (enlisted petty officer) DM1 Erick Marshall Murray, 1997. Supplied)
  • About 37,000 American women took part in the Persian Gulf War, the largest deployment of women in history. Ten percent of these women were Navy personnel. They served on support ships — ammunition, supply, tenders, and oilers — and in Military Sealift and Combat Logistics Force vessels. Others were in helicopter combat support squadrons, construction battalions, and in a cargo-handling and port unit at Bahrain. (Oil painting by John Charles Roach, 1991. Supplied)
  • Seabee Power. (Oil painting by Morgan Ian Wilbur, 2016. Supplied)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

Women have served in a variety of roles, and worn a variety of uniforms, in the U.S. Navy — from sailors to admirals, from Yeomen to aviators; in peacetime and in harm’s way.

And they, too, deserve a salute of honor and gratitude. President Gerald Ford, a Navy man himself, knew that fact.

“For my part, I will do everything I can to see that our service men and women continue to receive the recognition and respect that is their due,” President Ford said in 1975. “They have earned it.”

Working with the Naval History and Heritage Command, and the Naval Art Gallery, the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum will open a new exhibit “Women in Uniform” Jan. 24, and public is able to visit the museum in-person with some pandemic protocols.

The exhibit, which will run through May 6, will open with a Jan. 24, 7 p.m., Zoom event featuring Rear Admiral (retired) Samuel J. Cox, Director of Naval History and Heritage Command, and his colleague, Gale Munro, Curator of the Naval Art Gallery. The two will present a program giving a brief history of the role women played in naval history and also give background on selected works from the exhibition.

(Public registration for the Zoom is available on the Ford Museum’s website  at fordlibrarymuseum.gov.)

In peace and in war

The “Women in Uniform” exhibition showcases rarely displayed art from the Naval History and Heritage Command’s collection.

Women have had a continuous, and growing presence, in uniform throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, as stated in exhibit material. Whenever international or domestic events dictated the need, the Navy expanded its opportunities for women to serve.

These artworks demonstrate the wide-ranging and varied occupations women have held as they continue to push the boundaries of prospects available to them.


From a Yeoman in World War I to an aviator, from a sailor to an admiral, this exhibition features works of art  that depict female Navy military personnel.

The first large-scale employment of women as Naval personnel took place to meet the severe clerical shortages of the World War I era. The Naval Reserve Act of 1916 had conspicuously omitted mention of gender as a condition for service, leading to formal permission to begin enlisting women in mid-March 1917, shortly before the United States entered the “Great War”.  Nearly 600 female Yeomen were on duty by the end of April 1917, a number that had grown to over 11,000 in December 1918, shortly after the Armistice.

In years of peace, and wars — including World War II — women continued to enlist and serve in the Navy, including up to the 2000s.

About 37,000 American women took part in the Persian Gulf War, the largest deployment of women in history. Ten percent of these women were Navy personnel. They served on support ships — ammunition, supply, tenders, and oilers — and in Military Sealift and Combat Logistics Force vessels. Others were in helicopter combat support squadrons, construction battalions, and in a cargo-handling and port unit at Bahrain.

While the exhibit is open to the public, in-person, tickets must be purchased in advance, online. The museum’s COVID pandemic health and safety protocols are listed on the museum’s website.

Exhibit of ‘lost photographs’ of Alaskan photographer opening at Muskegon Museum of Art

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  • Diomede Mother and Child, from “Edward Curtis: Unpublished Alaska”, on display at Muskegon Museum of Art starting Sept. 16. (Supplied)
  • Edward Curtis and daugher Beth in a kaiak, from “Edward Curtis: Unpublished Alaska”, on display at Muskegon Museum of Art starting Sept. 16. (Supplied)
  • Nunivak Man on sled rails, from “Edward Curtis: Unpublished Alaska”, on display at Muskegon Museum of Art starting Sept. 16. (Supplied)
  • Cliff houses on King Island, viewed from Jewel Guard, from “Edward Curtis: Unpublished Alaska”, on display at Muskegon Museum of Art starting Sept. 16. (Supplied)
  • Ju-kuls Nunivak, from “Edward Curtis: Unpublished Alaska”, on display at Muskegon Museum of Art starting Sept. 16. (Supplied)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

On June 8, 1927, Edward Sherriff Curtis, one of America’s premier photographers and ethnologists, set sail on the steamer ship Victoria towards Nome, Alaska, accompanied by daughter Beth Curtis Magnuson and newly employed assistant Stewart C. Eastwood.

Curtis took hundreds of images on his journey, only part of which were ultimately published. The rest sat, unseen, passed down through the family until the recent publication of a book and the curation of an exhibit detailing this “lost photographs.”

On Sept. 16, the Muskegon Museum of Art (MMA) will open the exhibit “Edward S. Curtis: Unpublished Alaska, the Lost Photographs”, with the exhibit running through Jan. 9, 2022.

This exhibition accompanies the 2021 publication of the complete journals by Curtis’ descendants, John and Coleen Graybill, in the book “Edward Curtis: Unpublished Alaska.”

The exhibition’s opening event — on Sept. 16, with a reception at 5 p.m., a book signing 6 p.m., and a lecture at 7 p.m. — will feature Graybills in attendance. The event is free and open to the public. Reservations are not required.

“Edward Curtis: Unpublished Alaska, The Lost Photographs” presents, for the first time to the public, images made from the unused original negatives. Over 100 images will be included in the exhibition, along with excerpts from the personal journals of Curtis and his daughter Beth that describe their often harrowing adventures in the Bering Sea.

Curtis, his history, and ‘The North American Indian’

Born in 1868 near Whitewater, Wisc., Edward Sheriff Curtis was to become one of America’s premier photographers and ethnologists, according to the Edward S. Curtis Gallery website.

When the Curtis family moved to Port Orchard, Wash., in 1887, Edward’s gift for photography led him to an investigation of the Indians (now more properly called Native Americans) living on the Seattle waterfront. His photograph “Homeward” won Curtis the highest award in a photographic exhibition contest.

Edward Curtis and daugher Beth in a kaiak, from “Edward Curtis: Unpublished Alaska”, on display at Muskegon Museum of Art starting Sept. 16. (Supplied)

Having become well-known for his work with Native Americans, Curtis participated in the 1899 Harriman expedition to Alaska as the lead photographer. He then accompanied George Bird Grinell, editor of Forest and Stream, on a trip to northern Montana. There they witnessed the deeply sacred Sundance of the Piegan and Blackfoot tribes. Traveling on horseback, with their pack horses trailing behind, they stopped at the precipice. Below them, the view of the valley floor stretched with over a thousand teepees — an awesome sight to Curtis.

This event would transform his life and inspire him to create “The North American Indian”. Consisting of over 700 large portfolio images, over 1,500 volume size images, and over 7,000 pages of text, “The North American Indian” is a part of American history in both its imagery and its creation.

Begun in 1906, “The North American Indian” was the defining passion of Curtis’s life, an attempt to record, in writing and photography, the lives of the indigenous peoples of the Southwestern, Western, and Northwestern United States. This trip, planned for a single season, would be the final voyage to complete his epic quest.

The MMA is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., daily; 11 a.m. to 8 a.m., on Thursdays, and closed Mondays. Visit muskegonartmuseum.org for more information.

Muskegon Museum of Arts exhibits celebrate 100th anniversary of Friends of Art support

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Ansel Adams (American, 1902-1984), “Half Dome, Merced River, Winter from The Photographs of Yosemite Suite” (Silverprint photograph, 1938. Gift of the Friends of Art, 1989)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

This year, the Muskegon Museum of Art is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Friends of Art, an independent non-profit organization established in 1921 that promotes the study of art and supports the museum.

Two exhibitions organized by the MMA recognize the contributions of the Friends of Art, highlighting works of art that the group has contributed to the MMA over the past century — including one exhibit featuring iconic photographs of Ansel Adams which opened Feb. 18.

The exhibit “Friends of Art: 100 Years” features almost 30 artworks donated by the “Friends” to the museum’s permanent collection over the decades.

Tunis Ponsen (American, 1891-1968), “Yacht Club Pier” (Oil on canvas, 1931. Gift of Friends of Art, 1931)

“Visitors will discover a rich diversity of objects along with some of the museum’s most significant works of art, including pieces by James Richmond Barthé and Paul Howard Manship and one of our signature paintings, Tunis Ponsen’s ‘Yacht Club Pier’,” Art Martin, MMA senior curator, said in supplied material.

The exhibition runs through May 2, and includes a video, “Friends of Art 100th Year Anniversary”, which tells the story of the history of the group through the years. The video and exhibition information can be found here.

Also on exhibit as part of the celebration is “Ansel Adams: The Photographs of Yosemite Suite” which features 24 iconic images taken in the 1940s of Yosemite National Park — the location and pictures that defined Adams’s internationally celebrated career.

In preview material of the exhibit, it is stated: “The artistic and technical contributions Ansel Adams made to photography established him as a legendary figure in American art. Seen by millions of viewers during his lifetime, Adams’s images documented the American wilderness, capturing transitory moments of light and weather that gave his subjects an emotive power not previously seen in landscape photography.”

Friends of Art members purchased the photographs for the museum collection in 1989. The exhibition runs through May 9.

Paul Howard Manship (American, 1885-1966), “Flight of Europa” (Bronze on onyx base, 1928. Gift of the Friends of Art, 1944)

The museum is open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays, and closed Mondays. Health and safety measures include limited occupancy in galleries and other public spaces, enhanced cleaning, and mask wearing is required for guests and staff.

Visit muskegonartmuseum.org for museum updates, visitor information, and exhibition information.

American art in new, ‘Native’ context on display at Muskegon Museum of Art

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Jonathan Thunder, “Quarantine at Gramma’s House”. (Supplied)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

Just as it is nearly impossible to categorize “contemporary art” in the new millennium, it is also of little value to label contemporary Native American art as realistic or abstract, as idealistic or fatalistic.

As evidenced by three exhibitions of contemporary works by Native American artists currently on view at the Muskegon Museum of Art this winter, Native American art and artists defy labels and categories.

Jason Quigno (Supplied)

The MMA’s major show, opened earlier this month, is “The Art of the People: Contemporary Anishinaabe Artists”, is organized by the MMA in partnership with the Grand Valley State University Art Department. But just as intriguing is the MMA’s exhibits “Jim Denomie: Challenging the Narrative” and “Levi Rickert: Standing Rock — Photographs of an Indigenous Movement”.

The three exhibits will be up though February, 2021.

The Art of the People

“The Art of the People: Contemporary Anishinaabe Artists”, according to an announcement from the Muskegon Museum of Art, features artwork by both nationally recognized and “early career” contemporary Native American artists “in a wide array of media that combines cultural traditions, imagery, and themes.”

The invitational show will appear concurrently at the MMA and Grand Valley State University Art Gallery, and incorporates sculpture, painting, ceramics, beadwork, mixed media, and photography.

“The exhibition explores the ways in which these artists express their experiences in both traditional and non-traditional media, techniques, and subject matter,” according to the announcement. “Through representational and abstract imagery and design, the artists address issues of craft, history, identity, social and political justice, and popular culture.”

Jason Quigno is the guest curator, and is a sculptor and member of the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe. According to supplied information, he works in a variety of stone —granite, basalt, marble, limestone, and alabaster — “transforming raw blocks into flowing forms.” His work has garnered significant recognition and awards and he has completed numerous public commissions for communities and institutions around Michigan.

Exhibiting artists in the show also include Le’Ana Asher, Adam Avery, Shirley Brauker, Kelly Church, Wally Dion, Dino Downwind, Cherish Parrish, Jonathan Thunder, Robin Waynee, and Jason Wesaw.

The exhibition runs through Feb. 28, at the Muskegon Museum of Art and opens in January 2021 at the GVSU Art Gallery.

Challenging the Narrative

“Jim Denomie: Challenging the Narrative”, organized by the MMA, features new and favorite paintings by Denomie, a nationally known and award winning Anishinaabe artist, which reveal “the continuity and ongoing explorations” within his work.

Jim Denomie, “Four Days and Four Nites Two Moons”. (Supplied)

“His colorful, humorous paintings directly address historical, political, and cultural issues facing Native Americans in the U.S.,” according to the announcement. “Using traditional imagery, stereotypes, comic symbols, and pop culture imagery, Denomie presents playful, alluring narratives that, on closer inspection, reveal biting and thought-provoking challenges to historic and contemporary misperceptions, prejudices, and injustices.”

The exhibition runs through March 10, 2021. For more information, visit his website here.

Standing Rock photographs

“Levi Rickert: Standing Rock, Photographs of an Indigenous Movement”, is a collection of photographs which document Rickert’s journey to Standing Rock in 2016 as part of the Dakota Access Pipeline protests.

Photograph at Standing Rock by Levi Rickert (Supplied)

“These images capture not just the news-making conflicts and clashes between protestors and private security firms at the site, but also the day-to-day experiences of the men and women joined in their shared call for action,” according to the announcement.

Levi Rickert (Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation) is the founder, publisher and editor of Native News Online.

This exhibition runs through February 28, 2021.

The Muskegon Museum of Art

The Muskegon Museum of Art galleries and store are open 11 a.m. to  4 p.m., Tuesdays through Sundays, and closed Mondays. Safety protocols include limited occupancy in galleries and other public spaces, social distancing, enhanced cleaning procedures, and requiring visitors and staff to wear masks.

For more information visit muskegonartmuseum.org.

Muskegon Museum of Art announces rescheduled annual gala, other events

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A scene from the Muskegon Museum of Art. (MMA photo by Jennifer Green Photography)

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

The Muskegon Museum of Art this week announced to members the rescheduling of several events postponed due to COVID-19 related “Stay at Home” restrictions, most notably that the MMA’s annual Gala has been moved to Saturday, Aug. 29.

“As you know, we are a program heavy organization and, disappointingly, have had to cancel and reschedule dozens of events,” Kirk Hallman, executive director of Muskegon Museum of Art, said in an email to members. “The Muskegon Museum of Art will emerge from this a stronger institution. We have weathered many crises since 1912 and we will get through this together as well thanks to your support! We still have big plans for the future.”

Among the other schedule changes announced were: the J2B2 Concert will be held on Sept. 4; On Tap has been moved to Sept. 25; and the Postcard Salon “will be held this fall.”

In detailing the plans for the museum’s exhibits, the summer Permanent Collection Exhibitions, including a planned major Glass Exhibition, will not open as planned on May 14.

“We will open these shows as soon as possible … It will be worth the wait!” Hallman said. “These shows will now run into November. We are disappointed at having to place the 92nd Annual Michigan Contemporary on hiatus for a year. It will return better than ever in 2021.”

   

Currently, the staff has been “putting volumes of content and activities online including a virtual preview tour of three galleries from this summer’s upcoming exhibitions.”

For more information visit muskegonartmuseum.org.

Muskegon Museum of Art offers remote art projects for crayons, cameras

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One of the Selfie Challenge artworks was “Fastball” (bronze, 1987) by Albert W. Wein (American, 1915-1991). (Supplied by MMA)

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

The Muskegon Museum of Art may be closed to visitors due to the COVID-19 restrictions, but it doesn’t mean lovers of art can’t have some fun with art projects sponsored by the museum.

For adults — or tech-savvy children — with a love of cell-phone selfies, the museum is offering the MMA Selfie Challenge. For children — or children-at-heart — with crayons (or whatever is used these days) in hand, the museum is offering “Color our Collection” coloring book pages.

“Calling all selfie snappers! The MMA is hosting a “Selfies of the Best Kind” challenge,” the museum states in supplied material. “Every other day in March, we are posting a work of art from our collection on Facebook that we encourage you to replicate at home with a selfie.”

Check out the museum’s Facebook page for the artwork of the day, snap your selfie, post it to your wall, and tag the Muskegon Museum of Art. (Use #picturesofthebestkind or #muskegonartmuseum for tags.)

The remaining Selfie Challenge Dates are March 25, 27, 29 and 31.

Also, the museum is offering Color our Collection coloring book pages available for download and printing. In all there are seven images from the Muskegon Museum of Art’s permanent collection available, with information about the artist on the second page of the pdf files.

Among the paintings available for coloring are John Steuart Curry “Tornado Over Kansas”, Edward Hopper’s “New York Restaurant”, Dale Nichols’s “Footsteps in the Snow”, Roger Brown’s “Painter of a Birds Eye View”, Jacob Lawrence’s “The Builders: The Family”, Hughie Lee-Smith,’s “Apres-Midi” and Severin Roesen’s “Tabletop Still Life”

For more information and its many activities during and after the COVID-19 restrictions, visit muskegonartmuseum.org.

Snapshots: Early holiday weekend trips from Wyoming and Kentwood

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By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

Quote of the Day

“Tree decorating with cats. O Christmas tree, O christmas tree, your Ornaments are history!”

Courtney VanSickle

Perfectly decorated trees at MMA

The Muskegon Museum of Art is jumping into the holiday spirit early with its 15th annual Festival of Trees, running through Dec. 1, highlighted by a silent auction of the display trees. The complete story is here.

Get a early peek at the Garden

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park’s annual Metro Health Christmas & Holiday Traditions exhibition is not officially open until Nov. 26, but much of it is already up — and thee is a great show in the featured art gallery. The complete story is here.

The Mighty Wurlitzer Organ holiday concerts at the Grand Rapids Public Museum.

Holiday music live at GRPM

Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) holiday events kicks off this weekend with two Classic Melodies organ concerts as part of the Mighty Wurlitzer Theater Organ Concert Series. The complete story is here.

Fun fact:

Almost 1 million

The number of songs in the “Christmas Music Catalogue” … Well. actually, 914,047 tracks represent 180,660 unique songs and were created by 63,711 unique artists – from Aaron Neville to Zuma the King. The top 20 artists with the most Christmas tracks in the Spotify catalog are all pre-Beatles artists. (Source)

Pick a great tree: Muskegon Museum of Art opens early holiday festivities

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Muskegon Museum of Art’s Festival of Trees. (Supplied/LaShelle Mikesell)

By WKTV Staff
ken@wktv.org

Looking to get an early start on the Christmas festivities? How about taking an easy and beautiful way decorate your own home for the holidays?

The Muskegon Museum of Art is jumping into the holiday spirit early with its 15th annual Festival of Trees, running Nov. 20 through Dec. 1, highlighted by a silent auction of the display trees, as well as a special concert and cocktail hour Friday, Nov. 29.

The Festival of Trees includes professionally designed themed trees and décor which will be available for purchase through silent auction over the 11 days of the festival. Raffles, music, holiday shopping, and other special events will also be available.

The festival runs Wednesday, Nov. 20, through Sunday, Dec. 1, daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sundays 12-5 p.m, but closed Thanksgiving Day. Festival admission is $10 for adult, $5 for MMA members, $3 for children 3-17 yrs. (under 3 free), and $15 for an All Festival Pass.

Among the special events are a First Day Food Drive, Nov. 20, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., when attendees receive half-off Festival of Trees admission with your donation to Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry.

Other special events are a Deck Your Halls Decorating Demo Event on Nov. 24 — when floral designers Deb Moon from Le Fleur Shoppe and Skeeter Parkhouse from Wasserman’s Flowers and Gifts will demonstrate how to create unique holiday décor , with items created during the demo raffled to the audience.

Other special events are Senior Day, Family Day, , a Teddy Bear Breakfast, and a special Cocktail Hour for Muskegon Civic Theatre “The Christmas Carol” ticket holders.

The Teddy Bear Breakfast, on Saturday, Nov. 30, from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m., is a family-favorite especially fun for kids 3-8 years old. Tickets includes festive breakfast with fruit, sausage, muffins, quiche, juice, and coffee; Teddy bear checkup by a certified teddy bear nurse; a visit with Santa; Teddy Bear Parade and Story Time; and Make-and-Take craft.

The special Nov. 29 concert and cocktail hour begins at 6 p.m. and is $12 per person ($10 MMA members) and tickets may be purchased by calling 231-720-2580.

Muskegon Museum of Art is located at 296 W. Webster Ave., Muskegon. For more information visit muskegonmuseum.org .

Guitarist Juber’s artful talents take wings at Muskegon Museum of Art

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Laurence Juber in a 2016 photo by Mickey Deneher

By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org

Laurence Juber not only knows hot to handle an electric guitar — and he has two Grammys to prove it — he also knows how to handle a camera lens.

Both talents will be on display at the Muskegon Museum of Art this month as, first, “The Photography of Laurence Juber” — photographs from his 2014 book, Guitar with Wings, which showcases the intimate photographs of his days as guitarist with Paul McCartney’s band Wings — is currently on display through September.

Then, on Friday, June 14, Juber will be in concert at the museum’s Frey Auditorium starting at 7 p.m., with a pre-concert reception at 5:30 p.m.

At the time of the book’s release, Vintage Guitar magazine called it “A treasure trove for fans of McCartney, Wings or pop music in general,” accord to the book’s website, while Beatlefan magazine said: “Juber’s book chronicling the last years of Wings is a fitting tribute to an under-examined period of McCartney’s career, and Wings fans in particular will find both his pictures and the eloquent text an enjoyable addition to their library.”

As far as Juber’s musical talents? If Pete Townshend, of The Who, no slouch with the guitar himself, called him “a master”, you got to believe. And then there are those Grammys.

Juber is a music graduate of London’s Goldsmith’s College, he was featured guitar soloist with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra before becoming established as a studio musician in the mid-1970’s, according to supplied material. As lead guitarist in McCartney’s Wings he won his first Grammy. After Wings broke up, Juber has gone on to released 27 solo albums. The latest, “Downtown”, is a 2018 collection of standards. His solo arrangement of “The Pink Panther Theme” earned him a second Grammy.

As a studio musician, he has worked with artists such as Dan Hicks & The Hot Licks, Seal, and the French chanteuse Sylvie Vartin. He also co-composed the soundtrack of the award-winning video game “Diablo III”, scored the NBC Dateline documentary “Children Of The Harvest” and was also featured in the Ken Burns’ documentary “The Tenth Inning.”

That is what you call not resting on your laurels.

And while you are at the MMA, catch “Lights, Camera, Rock ‘n’ Roll: Music Photography by Paul Jendrasiak”, which spans the career of the veteran Michigan concert photographer and includes “stunning front-row photographs of rock stars performing at venues throughout the state over the past two decades,” accord to supplied material. The exhibition also runs through September.

Tickets to the Laurence Juber in concert are $25 in advance (for non members) and $30 at door, and the ticket includes the pre-concert reception with a cash bar. The Muskegon Museum of Art is locate at 296 W. Webster Ave. For more information call 231-720-2580 or visit muskegonartmuseum.org .

Pop, Rock, and The Prize at the Muskegon Museum of Art

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By Marguerite Curran, Muskegon Museum of Art


Summer at the Muskegon Museum of Art starts in May and celebrates Pop Culture and Rock ‘n’ Roll, along with displays from the permanent collection and paintings by first-ever Bennett Prize finalists. An array of special programs accompany the gallery shows.

Pop

Replay: The Exhibition celebrates American Pop and Geek culture through a variety of media, including large-scale LEGO® brick sculptures. The galleries housing the colorful show have been newly refinished with walls resembling giant LEGO bricks to make a backdrop for artwork that explores how iconic cartoons, video games, movies, and comic heroes and villains influence our culture. Kids of all ages can enjoy racing LEGO brick cars on a downhill racecourse, draw self-portraits on a mirror, practice figure drawing with wooden models, and build their own plastic brick creations. A $5 admission upgrade will be applied for entrance to the Replay exhibition galleries. Replay opened on May 9 and will run through Aug. 18, 2019.

Rock ‘n’ Roll

Photo credit: Paul Jendrasiak

Lights, Camera, Rock ‘n’ Roll: Music Photography by Paul Jendrasiak spans the career of the veteran Michigan concert photographer. Stunning front-row photographs of rock stars performing at venues throughout the state over the past two decades will bring back memories for many viewers. The exhibition runs May 23 through Sept. 1, 2019.

Programs

Paul Jendrasiak will be at the MMA to talk about his work and experiences at the opening of the show on May 23.


A Rock Star Super Saturday family program on Aug. 10 will give budding artists a chance to create their own limelight-worthy artwork.


Guitar with Wings: The Photography of Laurence Juber features photographs by Juber from his 2014 book Guitar with Wings, which showcases the intimate photographs he took of the McCartneys during his days with Wings. The exhibition runs May 16 through September 1, 2019.

Photo credit: Laurence Juber

Laurence Juber in Concert: “A Master” – Pete Townshend (The Who) Laurence Juber will perform in concert at the MMA on June 14. $25 Advance Tickets are available at the MMA by phone at 231.720.2580 or online HERE. Tickets will be $30 at the door.


Juber was lead guitarist in Paul McCarney’s band Wings and has since established himself as a world-renowned musician, winning two Grammys. He fuses folk, jazz, and pop to create a multifaceted performance.


Ticket includes a 5:30 pm pre-concert reception.

The Bennett Prize

Margaret Bowland, Detail of White Fives, 2012. Oil on linen, 84 x 70 in.

Rising Voices: The Bennett Prize for Women Figurative Realist Painters opened May 2 with an announcement of the first-ever $50,000 prize winner, Aneka Ingold of Tampa, FL. Twenty-nine paintings by the winner and the other nine finalists from across the country comprise the show. The works exemplify universal issues as well as stories specific to the artists. The finalists were chosen from a field of over 600 entries. The Bennett Prize exhibition project and accompanying show catalogue were organized by the MMA, The Pittsburgh Foundation, and Steven Bennett and Dr. Elaine Melotti Schmidt—avid collectors of and advocates for women artists painting in the figurative realist style. Special films, a figure drawing workshop, and an original theatrical performance will accompany the exhibition. Rising Voices runs through Sept. 8, 2019.


The Muskegon Museum of Art is located at 296 W. Webster Ave. in downtown Muskegon. The Museum is open Tuesdays through Sundays and closed Mondays. Parking is free and bus parking is available. Go to www.muskegonartmuseum.org for up-to-date visitor information, including gallery and store hours.


A ‘Fantastical Holiday Adventure’ at the Muskegon Museum of Art, Nov. 21-Dec. 2

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Holidays, Kids Activities, Recreation, Upcoming Events, , ,

Muskegon Museum of Art (Courtesy photo)

By Marguerite Curran, Muskegon Museum of Art

 

The Muskegon Museum of Art’s 14th Festival of Trees runs Nov. 21 through Dec. 2, 2018. Each year, MMA volunteers and staff transform gallery spaces with festively designed Christmas trees and decorations, many of which can be purchased through the silent auction during the Festival. The Festival has become a local community holiday tradition that offers special events, holiday music, visits with Santa, Money Tree and special gift raffles, and holiday shopping. Festival of Trees looks different every year; this year’s theme is “A Fantastical Holiday Adventure.”

 

Funds raised through tree and decoration sales, raffles, sponsorships, and ticket sales benefit the museum. For information on sponsoring an event or tree in 2019, call 231.720.2573.

 

Hours

The Festival will be open Wednesday, Nov. 21 through Sunday, Dec. 2 and will be closed on Thanksgiving. Open daily 10am to 5pm and Sundays noon to 5pm.

 

Admission
Purchase tickets at the door: $10 Adult, $5 MMA Member, $3 child 3-17 years (under 3 free); $15 Every-Day Festival Pass. To purchase gift passes, call 231.720.2580 or purchase at the Museum Store.

Special Festival of Trees Events

First Day Food Drive — Wednesday, Nov. 21

 

Special half-off adult admission: $5 with a food donation for Loaves and Fishes food pantry, just in time for the holidays. Regular adult admission: $10.

 

Family Day — Friday, Nov. 23, 10am-5pm

 

Santa will stop in for a visit from 2-4pm and the fun will include a kids’ craft activity, scavenger hunt, and performances from The Nutcracker by the Michigan Youth Ballet Theatre from 1-3pm. Call 231.720.2571 for group bookings. Special Family Day half-off adult ticket price: $5.

 

Teddy Bear Breakfast — Saturday, Nov. 24, 8:30–10:30am

 

Teddy Bear Breakfast is especially fun for kids ages 3 to 8 years old, with a full family breakfast; visit with Santa, teddy bear checkup (by a certified teddy bear nurse), Teddy Bear Parade, and more.

 

Tickets: Adults $15, Kids 12 and younger $8. Tickets include breakfast, all activities, and Festival of Trees admission. Tickets are limited and sell out early. Call 231.720.2580 to purchase tickets in advance.

 

Deck Your Halls: DIY Holiday Project Demo — Sunday, Nov. 25, 1–3pm

 

Floral designers Deb Moon from Lefleur Shoppe and Skeeter Parkhouse from Wasserman’s Flowers and Gifts will demo how to create unique holiday décor during this event. Ticket includes a take-home DIY kit, refreshments, and Festival of Trees admission. Items created during the demo will be raffled to the audience. Holiday Cheer, from 1:00 to 1:30 pm, will include a light snack, coffee, and cash bar.

 

Space is limited.

 

Advance Tickets: $35 per person/$30 MMA member. Call 231.720.2580 to purchase. Purchase tickets by Nov. 18.

 

Senior Day — Tuesday, Nov. 27, 10am-5pm

 

Special Senior Day half-off ticket price: $5 for ages 65+. Free coffee and cookies, vendor samples, door prizes, and more. For large groups, call 231.720.2571.

 

THE SANTALAND DIARIES by David Sedaris, Presented by Andrew Zahrt
Friday, Nov. 30 & Saturday, Dec. 1, 6:30pm Cocktail Hour | 7:30pm Performance

 

(ADULT CONTENT: For mature elves only). THE SANTALAND DIARIES is the story of a Macy’s elf during the holiday crunch. At first, the job is simply humiliating, but once the thousands of visitors start pouring through Santa’s workshop, he becomes battle-weary and bitter. When a new Santa is ushered into the workshop, one who seems to care about and love the children who come to see him, our hero experiences an uncharacteristic moment of goodwill, just before his employment runs out. Arranged by Joe Mantello

 

Ticket includes cocktail hour with a complimentary drink and refreshments in the Festival of Trees galleries. $12 adult, $10 MMA Member, $15 at the door.

 

Call 231.720.2580 to order advance tickets.

 

Santa at Festival of Trees
Santa will be at the museum on Family Day and on Saturdays during Festival of Trees:

  • Family Day Friday, Nov. 23, 2–4pm
  • Saturday, Nov. 24, 12–2pm
  • Saturday, Dec. 1, 2–4pm

The Muskegon Museum of Art is located at 296 W. Webster Ave. in downtown Muskegon. Visitor information at www.muskegonartmuseum.org or 231.720.2570. Membership information: 231.720.2571. Museum Store and Event Ticket Sales: 231.720.2580.

 

 

 

 

 

 

FantasMenagerie: The Art of Nat Rosales at MMA, through Jan. 13, 2019

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, , ,

‘Wheel Horse’ by Nat Rosales (Photo supplied)

By Marguerite Curran, Muskegon Museum of Art

 

The Muskegon Museum of Art will present the sculptures of Michigan artist Nat Rosales in a one-person show from Oct. 18, 2018 through Jan. 13, 2019.

 

FantasMenagerie: The Art of Nat Rosales features the fantastical vehicles and creatures Rosales creates from scrap metal, found and manipulated objects, and mechanical parts. Rosales assembles his sculptures using cast bronze and brass animal sculptures, door and drawer knobs, decorative lamp bodies, gears and drives, various housings, and a host of decorative metal, plastic, and ceramic bric-a-brac.

 

According to MMA Senior Curator Art Martin, “The resulting combinations are a blend of Alice in Wonderland and H.G. Wells, an amalgam of whimsy, fantasy, and mechanics.”

 

FantasMenagerie features over a dozen of Rosales’ recent works, a menagerie of vehicles, contraptions, and mechanical-animal hybrids. Formed from found objects and scrap, and inspired by Rosales’ life and culture, these fantastical creations invite the viewer along on a journey of magic and exploration.

 

By Nat Rosales (Photo supplied)

Rosales has been drawn to sculpture since childhood, an ideal expression for his fascination with taking things apart and exploring how the resulting pieces might be reconfigured and assembled. His current body of work began in 2004, with one of his earliest creations, Hog I, appearing in the Muskegon Museum of Art’s annual juried Regional Exhibition in 2005. His Mexican and Catholic heritage combine with a life-long interest in Cubist and Modern sculpture to form the foundation of his artistic expression.

 

Nat Rosales will make a second appearance at the MMA in a gallery “Crash Course” on Thursday, Nov. 8 from 6-7pm. He will point out features of his works in the show and discuss his techniques at this free public event.

 

FantasMenagerie is underwritten by the Van Kampen Boyer Molinari Foundation. The Michigan Artist Series Media Sponsor is Blue Lake Public Radio. Additional support is provided by the Michigan Council for Arts and Humanities, an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Arts.

 

The Muskegon Museum of Art is located in downtown Muskegon at 296 W. Webster Ave. Visit www.muskegonartmuseum.org or call 231-720-2570 for more information.

WKTV to broadcast Armand Merizon documentary as major show opens in Muskegon

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“This Was My Land” (1990). Armand Merizon gave this painting to Dave and Muriel in exchange for a Lake Michigan painting he wanted back and destroyed. (Supplied)

 

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

 

Between an opening of a major show of the works of West Michigan artist Armand Merizon in Muskegon, the availability of a superb art book on the artist, and WKTV’s airing of a documentary on the artist, now is the perfect time to catch up with one of the region’s premier painters of landscape (and much more).

 

The show, Armand Merizon: His Life & Art, will open at the Muskegon Museum of Art on Thursday, Sept. 20, with a free to the public opening reception and book signing from 5:30-7 p.m.

 

WKTV will air “Armand”, the Armand Merizon documentary, three times this week to coincide with the Muskegon exhibit, on WKTV Cable Channel 25 on Tuesday, Sept. 18 at noon and at 6 p.m., and on Wednesday, Sept. 19, at 8 p.m.

 

And at the museum’s exhibit opening Muriel Zandstra, author of Armand Merizon: His Life and Art, will be on hand to sign her book, which will be available for purchase in the museum store.

 

Zandstra’s book on Armand more than just a literary effort

 

Armand Merizon (1920-2010) was a lifelong Grand Rapids painter remembered for his detailed landscapes and brilliantly colored abstractions, according to supplied information. A founding member of the Grand Valley Artists organization, he influenced generations of West Michigan artists and was an active and supportive presence in the community.

 

Armand Merizon in studio (with image of musical influence Beethoven). (Supplied)

This exhibition highlights his entire career, beginning with the precocious landscapes of his late teens and ending with the intuitive abstractions of his final years.

 

Raised in a conservative Dutch Calvinist household during the Great Depression, Merizon struggled to find his place, ultimately following his passion for art. With limited training, he was able to turn his natural talents for observation and rendering into complex and intricate landscapes and illustrations. Tragically, at mid-career, he began losing his vision to macular degeneration. Rather than abandon painting, he moved in an abstract direction, presenting the landscape in bold strokes and hot, vibrant colors, ultimately painting by intuition instead of sight.

 

Organized by the Muskegon Museum of Art, the exhibition presents more than 20 paintings from West Michigan collections, including landscapes, abstractions, and several of the artist’s political works. Armand Merizon: His Life and Art is shown in conjunction with the recent release of a biography by the same name, written by his long-time friend and collector Zandstra.

 

After its close at the MMA, the exhibition will travel to the Dennos Museum Center in Traverse City.

 

In addition to the special opening with the art book author, other related programs include:

 

“On An Overgrown Path” (1997). (Supplied. Collection of Sidney J. Jansma, Jr.)

“The Paintings of Armand Merizon: A Closer Look”, a Friends of Art Program with MMA senior curator Art Martin, on Wednesday, Oct. 17, at 10:30 a.m. Martin will examines Merizon’s paintings over the course of the artist’s career. The program is free and open to the public, but paid admission is required for gallery entry.

 

A film screening of the documentary “Armand” and a discussion led by Zandstra will take place on Thursday, Oct. 25, from 6-8 p.m. “Armand” tells the story of the nearly blind 20th Century American artist using personal interviews, historic film footage, and more than 100 of his paintings.

 

The film, according to supplied information, traces Merizon’s search for truth and his portrayal of the social, political, and environmental issues of the 20th Century. It is also a story of perseverance as he battled macular degeneration and rheumatoid arthritis. Despite his ailments, he vowed, “I will paint until my nose touches the canvas.”

 

Director, executive producer, and close friend of Armand, Zandstra, will hold a question and answer following the film showing.  Admission for the film is free and open to the public.

 

For more information on the Muskegon Museum of Art  visit muskegonartmuseum.org .

 

 

Public invited to kayak sculpture unveiling event

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The Lakeshore Art Festival in conjunction with the Muskegon Museum of Art will host a public unveiling event on Thursday, July 5, to celebrate nine new sculptures in downtown Muskegon. The sculptures, which incorporate real kayaks, will be installed at various locations along W. Western Avenue and Clay Street, between 7th Street and Jefferson Street.

 

“We are very excited to bring this fun and unique public art initiative to our community,” said Lakeshore Art Festival Director Carla Flanders. “We are not aware of any other community that has featured kayaks in this way, and we know our residents and summer visitors will be impressed by the creativity of these nine artists.” The sculptures will be on display through Labor Day weekend.

 

The unveiling event will begin at 4 p.m. at the Olthoff Stage at the corner of W. Western Avenue and Third Street. Attendees will receive a map showing where the kayak sculptures are located and will be invited to participate in a “kayak crawl” to tour the sculptures from 4:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. The event will conclude with a reception at the Muskegon Museum of Art to honor kayak sculpture artists and Lakeshore Art Festival artists from 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Light hors-d’oeuvres and a cash bar will be available.

 

The 2018 kayak sculpture project is one of the ways Muskegon is recognizing Sun Dolphin’s decision to locate their corporate headquarters in Muskegon. Sun Dolphin, the world’s largest kayak manufacturer, donated kayaks for the sculptures and is the project’s Signature Sponsor. “Muskegon has been a great business partner to Sun Dolphin over the years, and very supportive of our growing company,” commented Sun Dolphin CEO Chuck Smith. “We are pleased to express our continued support of the community through this unique kayak art event.”

 

The Lakeshore Art Festival is Friday, July 6, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m., and Saturday, July 7, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., in downtown Muskegon.

Call for entries for first-of-its-kind prize to propel careers of women artists

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Susanne Mitchell, Waiting (from the Silence of the Ordinary), 2015, 2015, oil and mixed media on canvas, 65 x 60 in.

By Marguerite Curran, Muskegon Museum of Art

 

Women who paint in the figurative realist style are invited to apply for the $50,000 Bennett Prize, the largest ever offered solely to women painters.Women who paint in the figurative realist style are invited to apply for the $50,000 Bennett Prize, the largest ever offered solely to women painters.

 

The call for entries runs from April 13-Sept. 28, 2018. Details are at www.thebennettprize.org.

 

Endowed by art collectors Steven Alan Bennett and Dr. Elaine Melotti Schmidt at The Pittsburgh Foundation, The Bennett Prize aims to spotlight women artists who are, or seek to become full-time painters but have not yet reached full professional recognition.

 

“The Bennett Prize is seminal at this moment when it’s harder than ever to pursue a career as a painter or artist of any kind,” said renowned American painter Alyssa Monks. “Artists are being pushed to the fringes and art markets are making it more and more difficult for any artists to feel secure.” “A prize at this level of value and seriousness can propel an artist’s career at a time when so many quit or lose faith or stamina,” Monks said.

 

The winner of The Bennett Prize will create her own solo exhibition of figurative realist paintings, which will first be shown at the Muskegon (Michigan) Museum of Art and then travel the country.

 

The Prize is also designed to create opportunities for the public to learn more about the creative vision of talented women painters in the increasingly popular style of figurative realism.

 

“Women are creating important figurative realist paintings that should be seen by a wider audience,” Bennett said. “Figurative realist painters portray the diverse human form, and have much to say in a society struggling to understand human differences, including race, gender and social status.”

 

American painter Aleah Chapin echoed those thoughts. “A prize such as this is a microphone for women’s thoughtful and unique voices,” Chapin said. “We paint because we have something important to say. When the world listens, that is life-changing. The Bennett Prize amplifies that voice, telling the world that what women have to say is valid.”

 

Bennett and Schmidt, of San Antonio, Texas, have endowed a $3 million fund at The Pittsburgh Foundation to ensure the prize will be awarded every two years in perpetuity. “The Pittsburgh Foundation has a history of funding artists whose work and unique perspectives might otherwise be overlooked,” said Maxwell King, foundation president and CEO. “The Bennett Prize establishes an ongoing mechanism for recognizing and elevating the work of women painters.”

 

A four-member jury, including renowned realist artists Maria Tomasula and Andrea Kowch, will select 10 painters from among the entrants. The 10 finalists will each receive $1,000 to participate in an exhibition opening May 2, 2019, at the Muskegon Museum of Art, where the winner will be announced.

 

“The Muskegon Museum of Art looks to showcase innovative programs, and we expect The Bennett Prize to be a tipping point for the artists’ careers,” said Kirk Hallman, executive director of the museum.

 

The winner will receive $25,000 annually for two years, so she can devote the time necessary to mount a solo exhibition, which will open in Muskegon in 2021 and then travel the country.

 

The Bennett Prize is not open to hobbyists, students or artists who have been paid or received an award of $25,000 or more for any single work of art.

 

Schmidt and Bennett are among the country’s top collectors of figurative realist art and are committed to seeing that talented women painters receive long-overdue recognition.

 

“We’re aiming to help ensure that there are as many paintings by women as men in museums, commanding the same prices and critical esteem,” Schmidt said.

 

Women artists appear ready for the challenge of making that happen. “The Bennett Prize validates and encourages artists who are placing all their chips precariously on their dreams,” Chapin said. “A prize like this tells them that what they are doing is valuable and important – to go ahead and buy that big canvas and big tubes of paint and spend time making the thing you want to exist. It’s worthwhile.”

Muskegon Museum of Art winter exhibitions and the questions and toil of cotton

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Sarah Wagner

By Marguerite Curran, Muskegon Museum of Art

 

The Muskegon Museum of Art (MMA) opens two new exhibitions, Sarah Wagner: Vegetable Lamb of America and Southern Roots: The Paintings of Winfred Rembert, on Thursday, Dec. 14. The MMA invites the public to an opening reception and a talk by artist Sarah Wagner that evening. The reception will run 5:30-7 pm and Wagner’s talk will begin at 7 pm. The event is free and open to the public.

 

The exhibitions examine, in various ways, the influence of cotton upon history, economics and the environment.

 

Sarah Wagner: Vegetable Lamb of America

 

Sarah Wagner sculpts in wood, metal and fabric, creating animals and environments that address the fragility and resilience of Nature and humanity’s impact on its surroundings. Her art is inspired and informed by the City of Detroit, where she lives and works. For her MMA exhibition, Wagner is creating a new installation of capitalism and industrialism around the world.

 

Southern Roots: The Paintings of Winfred Rembert

 

Winfred Rembert works in the medium of carved and dyed leather, creating vibrant and rhythmic imagery of his life in 1950s Georgia. A storyteller, Rembert reveals images of culture, community, family and struggle through intense color and repeating patterns. His most recognizable pieces depict pickers at work in the cotton fields, a grueling task the artist himself experienced in his childhood and later on a prison chain gang. Over 25 works, including the premiere of several recent paintings by the artist, are featured in the exhibition.

 

The MMA will present a screening of the documentary about Rembert’s life, All Me: The Life and Times of Winfred Rembert, following a special reception on Thursday, Feb. 8, 2018. The reception will start at 5:30 pm and the film will start at 7 pm. Rembert has a lot of stories to tell, from his childhood on a cotton farm to his near lynching during the Civil Rights Movement; his life experiences are the bed of work that inspires his artwork. This film documents Rembert’s life and how his tooled leather artwork has become his biography and therapy. The film was directed by Vivan Ducat of Ducat Media. She and Rembert will be at the screening, followed by a Q&A with the artist.

 

The Muskegon Museum of Art is located next to Hackley Public Library in downtown Muskegon. Call 231.720.2570 or go here for visitor information.

‘Studio Brew: The Colors of Beer’ celebrates the art of brewing

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richard aardsma still life with beer glass digital 2016
Richard Aardsma, ‘Still Life with Beer Glass’, Digital, 2016

The Muskegon Museum of Art (MMA) will present Studio Brew: The Colors of Beer to celebrate the art of brewing through the visual arts, drawing its inspiration from an integral quality of beer: its color. Studio Brew will run August 11 through October 30, 2016.

 

The MMA invited 26 Michigan artists to produce artworks in their choice of media that replicate a single hue from the SRM scale for measuring the color of beer (SRM is a scale for measuring the color intensity of a beer). From pale amber ales to dark stouts, the SRM encompasses a range of rich oranges, yellows, reds, and browns. The result is an exhibition of paintings, photographs, prints, drawings, and sculpture that lead the viewer through the colors of beer.

 

SRM_Beer_Color_ChartFor the viewer, the exhibition is an experiment in fun, an opportunity to experience art through the lens of the familiar and popular act of drinking a finely crafted beer. For fans of Michigan art, the show allows viewers to see how artists solve the creative challenge of making an artwork that must, when viewed from a distance, communicate a single color. The show is, in the end, a reminder of the joy of creating, be it art or a microbrew.

 

The public is invited to an opening reception on Thursday, August 11, from 5:30-7 pm. After the reception, brew masters Chad Doane and Ryan “Rhino” Wasson from Muskegon’s Pigeon Hill Brewing Company, will discuss their craft as part of the opening event.

beer colors large file

 

Studio Brew participating artists are: Richard Aardsma, Lisa Ambrose, Nick Antonakis, Douglas Baker, Diann Marie Bartnick, Sue Boehme, Robyn Bomhof, Bill Chardon, Patricia Constantine, Topher Crowder, Adam Dahlstrom, Thomas A. Depree, Erin Hoffmann, Lori Hough, Sue Line, Billy Mayer, Cara O’Brien, Patricia Opel, Michael Peoples, the late T.L. Pfliger, Frederic A. Reinecke, J. Arthur Sanders, Tom Tomasek, Paul Van Heest, Kathleen VanDeMark, and David Warmenhoven.

 

The Muskegon Museum of Art is located at 296 W. Webster Ave., between 2nd & 3rd Streets in downtown Muskegon. Visit www.muskegonartmuseum.org or call 231.720.2570 for visitor information. The MMA is closed on Mondays.

 

‘Common Ground’ African American Art Exhibition through March 20 at Muskegon Museum of Art

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Crossroads, 2010
Karsten Creightney, ‘Crossroads’ 2010. Collage, water, acrylic, oil and wax on wood panel. Flint Institute of Arts

By Victoria Mullen

Treat yourself to a visual feast! Common Ground, an amazing exhibition of African American art, is a collaborative effort between the Flint Institute of Arts, the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, and the Muskegon Museum of Art. The exhibition showcases the best of each museum’s renowned collections of African American works dating from the 19th century to the present–60 paintings, sculpture, and works on paper that chronicle a cultural history of nearly 200 years.

Five thematic areas—Examining Identities, New Self-Awareness, Towards Abstraction, Gaining Access and Political and Social Expressions—give a broad overview of African American art history from the talent and determination of the earliest artists to internationally acclaimed work by leading contemporary artists.

Charles Henry Alston, Untitled (Couple), 1945-50, oil on canvas, Kalamazoo Institute of Arts
Charles Henry Alston, ‘Untitled (Couple)’ 1945-50. Oil on canvas. Kalamazoo Institute of Arts

Artists represented include Charles White, Elizabeth Catlett, Henry Ossawa Tanner and Jacob Lawrence. Works by Michigan artists are included as well, among them Richard Hunt, Senghor Reid, Hughie Lee-Smith and Charles McGee.

The Muskegon Museum of Art is located at 296 W. Webster Ave., in downtown Muskegon. Hours are Sunday 12-5pm, Tuesday through Saturday 11am-5pm, Thursday 11am-8pm, closed Mondays.

General admission: $8 adult, $5 adult student with I.D, free for ages 17 and under and for MMA members. Free admission Thursdays, from 4pm to 8pm only, compliments of Meijer. More visitor information may be found here.