March is National Youth Art Month
Opening March 6 through March 26
The Midwest museum of American Art presents the Elkhart Community Schools’ exhibition of selected work by middle school and high school students beginning Sunday, March 6 , and continuing on view through Saturday, March 26, 2005 . This event has been held annually for the past twenty-five years in conjunction with National Youth Art Month.
The Mary Jane Parmater Keefe Award will be presented to six outstanding art students. The award winning students will be chosen on the basis of votes cast by 16 Elkhart art teachers to encourage students in the visual arts. Carolyn Keefe of Houston, Texas, continues her support of this prestigious award in memory of her late mother, a former Elkhart native and patron of the arts.
Other awards to be given include the PSI IOTA XI Sorority Middle School Student Award of Encouragement along with two Honorable Mentions, Kappa Kappa Kappa, Alpha Rho Chapter, for the 22nd year will give monetary awards known as the Curator’s Choice Awards to ten students. For the second year, there will be a $500 Art Scholarship Award given by the Elkhart Evening Optimists.
The Opening Reception for students, teachers, parents, and invited guests will be held on Sunday, March 6, from 1:00pm to 3:00pm . Art Instuctor Tom Grove (Elkhart Central High School) is the Chair of this year’s exhibit.
Sponsors for Youth Art in Elkhart 2005 include Elkhart Noon Optimists, Elkhart Evening Optimists, Carolyn Keefe of Houston, Texas, Heart City Kiwanis, Hopman Jewelers, Psi Iota Xi, Tri Kappa, Alpha Rho Chapter, Seifert Drug Store, Inc., & State Farm Insurance – Rocky Enfield.
JOIN the MIDWEST MUSEUM and Support the Culture of Your Community
The Midwest Museum of American Art is pleased to bring a major exhibition of over 60 works together for the first time in honor of artist Abner Hershberger. The exhibit title is borrowed from the documentary film created by Director, Daniel Perez of Washington, D.C., about the retired Goshen College Professor of Art. The film will be shown on a continuing basis during the course of the exhibit which opens on Friday evening, April 1, from 7:00 to 9:00pm. The exhibition will continue through June 5, 2005.
This exhibit will survey a broad variety of media which the artist has developed over a fifty-year span. Drawings, paintings, prints, and sculpture will provide a kind of road map of the artist’s journey from his roots in Nebraska and North Dakota to his prsent home state of Indiana. Visually rooted in the great Midwest, Hershberger’s imagery resounds with visual harmonics of color and allusions to the “fields” of his childhood. Hershberger has evolved his paintings to (at times) resemble aerial views of plowed and tilled landscapes. The abstract shapes collide in a visual language unigue to the artist’s own interpretation of space, volume, and color.
For those unfamiliar with Abner Hershberger’s entire body of work, the exhibit will illuminate a story of a mind shaped by lessons in realism but yielding to the powerful force of 1950’s Abstract Expressionism. The artist cites particularly the paintings of Hans Hofmann and Mark Rothko as influences in his development. An illustrated catalogue, checklist of works with lenders to the exhibit, and as interactive DVD will familiarize visitors with the evolution of this artist who is “rooted in the land”.
*The Midwest Museum wishes to thank all of the individual collectors who lent works to the exhibition and Brian Burnett for his work on the educational materials. Sponsors include the Indiana Arts Commission and the Genesis Program of the City of Elkhart.
Memorial Concert in Honor of Jeanne Batten
Sunday, March 13, at 3:00pm
The Museum will present an afternoon of chamber music featuring the Juliana Trio in honor of the late museum patron and volunteer Jeanne Batten. Jeanne was a dedicated member of the Midwest Museum who volunteered her services in organizing and managing its archives and library for over ten years. Recently, she had donated her beautifully restored 1912 Steinway Grand piano which has been played by many accomplished musicians.
Participating in this program will be Juliana Lockman, piano, Sara Thomas, violincello and Judy Weaver, violin. All of the musicians excel in their fields and are widely known throughout the state. A selection of music by Bela Bartok and Anton Arensky will be preformed. Please join us in the Main Gallery for an afternoon of enchanting msuic in Memory of Jeanne Batten.
*SPECIAL CONCERT to be annouced…
Be watching for the Special Concert coming on June 5. Allen Norris will be performing a selection of 18th, 19th, and 20th Century piano music to benefit the Acquisition & Education Fund of the Midwest Museum.
Ukrainian Egg Demonstration
“PYSANKY” , the Ukrainian art of decorating Easter eggs will be demonstrated by Mr. Gale Balmer on Palm Sunday afternoon, March 20, from 1:00 to 3:00pm at the Midwest Museum of American Art. This annual event is an opportunity to view the craftsman at work, while discovering the array of designs and colors he employs. The demonstration is FREE to the public and finished work will be available for purchase.
A special lecture will be presented in the Main Gallery on Sunday, April 3 at 2:00pm . The program will be a multifaceted discussion on art and life inspired by the Middle East. The dialogue will range in topics from the spiritual to the geopolitical utilizing a monotype image created by Gloria Carney entitled, “Old Man if the Middle East: Son of Abraham or Son of Ibrahim?”. The discussion will be presented by Dr. Peter Carney and the artist, Gloria Smith Carney, and be moderated by Willard Roth.
Museum Receives Genesis Grant
The Midwest Museum of American Art is pleased to receive another year of funding from the Genesis Grant Program of the City of Elkhart. For fiscal 2005 the museum will receive $19,000 for a ten-month series of changing exhibition and educational programming. Thanks goes to Genesis for keeping the visual arts alive for all citizens.
If you are doing your Spring cleaning early…remember the Midwest Museum is looking for donations of “unique-junk-tique” for its Artist’s Attic fund raiser sale. You may call the museum for pick up of objects, books, furniture, reproduction prints, statuary, ceramics, etc. at 293-6660. The items will be placed on sale in May during the two-day event which benefits the museum’s educational and acquisition funds. Remember – one person’s junk is another person’s treasure! The Artist’s Attic sale will be held in June with exact dates and times to be announced. Invite a Friend to become a Member of the Midwest Museum of American Art and share the experience!
The Midwest Museum of American Art gratefully acknowledges gifts in honor or in memory of special friends. Notes of acknowledgment are sent by the Museum to those honored or to the families of those memorialized. Recent memorials and donations to specific funds include:
In Memory Of
Jeanne Batten (by John & Nancy Banks, Bayer Health Care, Elkhart Area Site, Richard & Patricia Beitelshees, John & Patricia Bickart, William & Bee Bissell, Rich & Babette Boling, Philip & Verna Brinson, Dr. Rick & Cindy Burns, Andrew & Karen Carter, Mr. & Mrs. William H. Chambers, Willard & Virginia Chester, Joyce Cleaveland, William & Jody Comer, Larry & Sheila Cook, Carlton & Kelly Gerber, Mary Gosling & Family, Christina Graham, Dorothy Hemphill, Mary C. Helvey, Bob & Ferne Huber, H. Clay & Alison Huth, Lyla Lockhart, George & Ruth Lovett, George & Joann Lovett, Jr. , Dr. & Mrs. Willaim C. Luther, Dr. & Mrs. John Moberg, Thomas & Mary Naquin, Allen M. Norris, Northern Box Co., Inc. , Charlie & Cheryl Owens, H. Willam & Millisent Peterson, Betty Plunkett, Terry J. Rodino, Thomas & Ann Semons, David & Maria Solow, Dennis & Breta Stahley, David T. Stutsman, Paul & Betty Thomas, Willam A. Thorne, Edwin & S. Margueritte Weiss, and Jen & Kathy Zienty)
Carolyn Best (by Jane Burns, Dr. Rick & Cindy Burns, Bill Dean & Ann Baucus, and Paul & Betty Thomas)
Mary Ruth Brady (by Harold & Jean Borneman, Jane Burns, Dr. Rick & Cindy Burns, Mr. & Mrs. Tom Corson, Wendell & Martha Culp, Alice W. Holtz, Frances & Marie Kennard, Paul & Betty Thomas, Mr. & Mrs. Richard Treckelo, George & Evelyn White, and Dewey & Phillis Welch)
Donald McFall (by Alice W. Holtz)
Ralph Montagano (by Mr. & Mrs. Richard Treckelo)
Gordon Stock (by Paul & Betty Thomas)
Betty Singleton (by Mr. & Mrs. Richard Treckelo)
Mark Wollenweber (by Paul & Betty Thomas)
Frances Chomer (by Mr. & Mrs. Philip Brinson)
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