March is National Youth Art Month
Opening March 5 through March 26
The Midwest Museum of American Art presents the Elkhart Community School’s exhibition of selected work by middle school and high school students beginning Sunday, March 26, 2006. This Event has been held annually for the past twenty-seven 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.
Kappa Kappa Kappa, Alpha Rho Chapter, for the 23rd year will give monetary awards knows as the Curator’s Choice Awards to ten students. For the third 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 5, from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. Art Instructor, Candice Clarke (Memorial High School) is the Chair of this year’s exhibit.
Sponsors for Youth Art in Elkhart 2006 include Elkhart Luncheon Optimists, Elkhart Evening Optimists, Carolyn Keefe of Houston, Texas, Heart City Kiwanis, Hopman Jewelers, Tri Kappa, Alpha Rho Chapter, Seifert Drug Store, Inc., & State Farm Insurance – Rocky Enfield.
PIONEER PRINTMAKERS OF THE 20TH CENTURY
March 28 through May 28
The Midwest Museum is pleased to present a major exhibition covering an important era in American Printmaking (1930 to 1975) created from its permanent collection. The term printis often incorrectly used by the general public due to the fact that, in America, printmaking had been a largely reproductive art, based on European art traditions and techniques and very often European subject matter. Around 1900 more and more American artists became directly involved in making their own etchings and lithographs at the same time more and more artists discovered a purely “local” American subject matter. This exhibit will highlight the four basic areas of hand-manipulated print and include seventy-five etchings, engravings, lithographs, wood-cuts, and silkscreen images.
“Pioneer Printmakers of the 20th Century” will attempt to show the dramatic changes and innovations in the work of artists who were involved in the American Printmaking Renaissance . The result of artwork created in the WPA Graphic Division during the Great Depression, the effects of the GI Bill in postwar America and the rise of the university-trained printmaker will be explored in this exhibition. Prints representing the first and second generations of innovative printmakers who pioneered not only a formal language of art in the 20th century, but who affected the world’s art market will be displayed.
“Pioneer Printmakers of the 20th Century” will include works by Garo Antresian (b.1922), Stanley William Hayter (b.1901), Mauricio Lasansky (b.1914), Alice Trumbull Mason(1904-1971), Gabor Peterdi (b.1919), Rudy Pozzatti (b.1925), and June Wayne (b.1918) . In total over fifty artists will be represented in this benchmark exhibition.
March 3 thru March 26
The Midwest Museum will present eleven works by famous sporting artist LeRoy Neiman from its permanent collection which have never before been seen. Neiman, who rose to fame in the late 1960’s, created a wider audience for his work, when in 1972, he was asked by ABC Sports to cover the 1972 Olympics in Munich. The exhibit will feature a suite of ten lithographs Neiman developed from his “on-the-scene” drawings of the events which unfolded in and around the Olympic Village.
With the recent release of Steven Spielberg’s movie, “Munich”, and the winter games currently being held in Torino, Italy, this exhibit of rare moments captured by the international art star Neiman is a must see. The ten lithographs from the 1972 games and the additional large scale serigraph of the 1976 Montreal Olympics were donated to the Midwest Museum by Dr. Warren Hamula of Colorado Springs, CO in 1985 and 1998. The will be on display in the Mary Jane Parmater Keefe Gallery.
Ukrainian Egg Demonstration
“PYSANKY”, the Ukrainian art of decorating Easter eggs will be demonstrated by Mr. Gale Balmer on Palm Sunday afternoon, April 9, from 1:00pm 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.
The Year of the Museum is a time to celebrate the many ways that museums enrich our lives and our communities. For the American Association of Museums it represents the beginning of a major national effort to encourage all Americans to experience, celebrate, and support the museums in their communities. A centennial book and an hour-long PBS television special to air this spring entitled, Riches, Rivals, and Radicals: 100 Years of Museums in America,traces the rise of the American museum over the past century.
For its part, the Midwest Museum of American Art will offer an eight-part film seriesentitled, American Visions , every Sunday beginning March 19 to April 9 ; (a break for Easter Sunday, April 16); then to resume from April 23 to May 14 . Each film will begin at 2:00PM and is offered FREE to the public. This PBS series is narrated by Time Magazine Art Critic, Robert Hughes. It features stunning historical film reels and engrossing interviews with artists and other artworld personalities. The series does not need to be viewed in order. Each hour-long segment is self-contained to its theme. Join us for any Sunday viewing or take in the whole series to celebrate The Year of the Museum at the Midwest Museum of American Art.
SCHRECKENGOST – tribute thru March
The 1941 “Pursuit Plane” pedal car on loan from David and Denise Sanders will be on view through March 31. The child’s toy was designed by 20th Century Industrial Designer, Viktor Schreckengost who will turn 100 years old in June. Over 100 museums are celebrating his accomplishments by exhibiting objects which he designed over his 70-year career.
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 2006, the museum will receive $16,000 for a series of changing exhibitions 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, travel souvenirs, statuary, ceramics, etc. at 293-6660. The items will be placed on sale this Summer 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 dates for the Artist’s Attic sale will be announced in the next bulletin.
NOON TIME TALKS
A variety of Gallery Talks featuring topical issues. FREE Every Thursday at 12:20pm
Art Education in Our Public Schools
A special series of gallery talks by three art educators from the Elkhart Community Schools Corporation highlights the various approaches, techniques and accomplishments of their programs.
MARCH 2 Brian Byrn , Currator introduces Youth Art in Elkhart 2006
MARCH 9 Matt Hartman , Art Educator, Memorial High School
MARCH 16 Tom Grove , Art Educator, Central High School
MARCH 23 Megan Woods , Art Educator, Westside Middle School
A Special Series devoted to MODERNISM & Printmaking in the 20th Century
MARCH 30 The Inquiring Eye – Early Modernism Brian Byrn, Curator, will deliver a short talk accompanied by slides on early Modernism as a lead in to a series which will aid visitors in their appreciation of art in the 20th century.
APRIL 6 Pioneer Printmakers (Part I) Brian Byrn, Curator, introduces the exhibition which surveys 45 years of printmaking in the 20th century.
APRIL 13 Pioneer Printmakers (Part II) Brian Byrn, Curator, discusses the art of the post-war era to about 1965. Slides will be used to illustrate important movements in this period.
APRIL 20 Stanley William Hayter Brian Byrn, Curator, introduces the work of this printmaking master from the MMAA permanent collection. Hayter was the seminal figure of printmaking innovations in America.
APRIL 27 Gabor Peterdi Brian Byrn, Curator, discusses this luminary of 1950s Modernism whose prints became the standard to follow as the university system of training begins to form.
The Midwest Museum of American Art gratefully acknowledges gifts in honor or in memory of special friends. Notes of acknowledgement 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
Marian Ball (*by Jane Burns, Brian & Lisa Byrn, Alice Holtz, and Dorothy Holtz)
Eugenia Basquin (*by Wendell & Marty Culp)
Harold “Bud” Borneman (*by Mary Helvey, and Geraldine Martin)
Eva Ruth Johnston (*by Tom & Dot Corson)
Kay Lambdin (*by Sue & Don Scharrer)
Kathryn Lansche (*by Geraldine Martin)
Cheryl MacMillan (*by Celeste & Adrian Ringuette)
Vera Matzke (*by Marjorie Swift, and Jane Burns)
Patricia Myers (*by John & Patricia Bickart, Bill & Kris Flora, Mary Helvey, Geraldine Martin, Celeste & Adrian Ringuette, Sue & Don Scharrer, Barbara & George Thomas, and Paul & Betty Thomas)
Tom Naquin (*by Alice Craven, Mary Helvey, Geraldine Martin, and Barbara & George Thomas_
Harriet Parmater (*by mary Helvey, and Jack & Ann Turnock)
Norman Reedy (*by Kandy Armstrong & Family, Robert Armstrong & Family, Tom & Liz Borger, Jane Burns, Jan Cawley, Ms. Margaret Chattin, Tom & Dot Corson, Dean & Sanita Cripe, Wendell & Marty Culp, Mrs. Madeline Dausey, Robert J. & Mary Pat Deputy, Mr. & Mrs. Richard Doyle, Tom & Lois Dusthimer, Elcona Country Club, Don & Judy Findlay, Sandy Futterknecht, Mary Helvey, Ken & Eleanore Koppin, Linda & Ralph Lingren, Janice Lohman, Claire & Bill Luther, Mr. & Mrs. John Maisel, David B. McNitt, Paula Neher, Robert & Jean Noyes, Delores Ort, Diane Ruby & Family, Mr. & Mrs. Harry Shapiro, Mary Lou Stackhouse, Bette Stock, Marjorie Swift, Barbara & George Thomas, Dick & Anne Treckelo, Candyce Warrick, Mr. & Mrs. Robert Weed, Mr. & Mrs. James E. Weber, and Sharon Zimmer)
Florence Richardson (*by Byron Brady, and Marjorie Swift)
Oscar Stevens (*by Jane Burns)
In Honor of the 50th Wedding Anniversary
of Margaret & Alfred Nelson (*by Ken & Eleanore Koppin)
(DR)