September | 2013 | Dallas Museum of Art Uncrated

Archive for September, 2013

All Dolled Up

Our 30,000 (and counting!) DMA Friends have some fun and unique rewards to choose from, one of which was the Art Beauty Shoppe Reward. Our lucky DMA Friend Lacey recently redeemed this special reward, which allowed her and three friends to get their hair and makeup styled in 1930s fashion (courtesy of Pouf) and then have a photo shoot with Isaac Soyer’s Art Beauty Shoppe (1934) in the American Art Galleries. The ladies came prepared with vintage outfits and props, including a 1934 Ladies Home Companion. Check out the scene below and stay tuned for an upcoming blog post from Lacey about her experience.

Sarah Coffey is assistant to the chair of learning initiatives at the DMA.

Friday Photos: Getting In Touch

Published September 27, 2013 Friday Photos Closed
Tags: Art Beyond Sight, Art Beyond Sight Awareness Month, texture, works of art

With October just a few days away, the DMA is gearing up to participate in Art Beyond Sight Awareness Month. Art Beyond Sight raises public awareness of ways that individuals who are blind or visually impaired can take part in art-related activities.

One way that art can be explored beyond sight is through the sense of touch. Wandering the DMA’s galleries, it’s easy to find works of art that are full of interesting textures. Although we can’t actually touch the displayed works of art, it’s still fun to imagine how they might feel. Here are a few of my favorites:

I imagine that this pangolin skin hat has an extremely scaly texture. Unlike the smoother scales of some animals, the pangolin’s skin seems to be much pricklier, almost like a pine cone!

This Peruvian panel is covered in a thick mass of beautiful macaw feathers. I imagine that the lush feathers make this work of art extremely soft to the touch.

This Indonesian jaraik was once hung outside a house as a protective figure. Made from wood and metal, the lower portion of the jaraik is pointed at the ends, like a misshapen pitchfork. Because of this, I imagine that it would be sharp to the touch.

Brancusi’s sculpture, Beginning of the World, includes an egg-shaped form made from marble. I imagine that the marble figure has a smooth, sleek texture—much like the eggs that I purchase regularly at the grocery store!

What other works of art can you find that are smooth, sharp, soft or scaly? Can you think of any other textures that are found in works of art here at the DMA? Tell us what your favorite textured works of art are and be sure to visit us during the month of October to take part in one of our many Art Beyond Sight activities!

Artworks shown:

Pangolin skin hat, 20^th century, The Democratic Republic of Congo, Africa, Dallas Museum of Art, Lent by Michael and Shelly Dee
Panel with rectangles of blue and yellow featherwork, c. A.D. 650-850, Huari culture, Peru, Dallas Museum of Art, Textile Purchase Fund
Protective figure (jaraik) in the form of an animal, 1900, Taileleu village, Indonesia, Dallas Museum of Art, The Eugene and Margaret McDermott Fund, Inc.
Constantin Brancusi, Beginning of the World, 1920, Dallas Museum of Art, Foundation for the Arts Collection, gift of Mr. and Mrs. James H, Clark

Amy Elms
McDermott Education Intern for Visitor Engagement

Autumn in the Arts District

Published September 25, 2013 Arts District , Dallas , DFW , Guest Blog Post , Late Nights Closed
Tags: AT&T Performing Arts Center, Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, Crow Collection of Asian Art, Dallas Arts District, Dallas Black Dance Theatre, Dallas City Performance Hall, Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Dallas Theater Center, DMA, Klyde Warren Park, Nasher Sculpture Center, Shakespeare Dallas, The Dallas Opera

This October is going to be one of the most exciting I can recall – from the 15th anniversary of the Crow Collection of Asian Art and 10th anniversary of the Nasher Sculpture Center to the U.S. premiere of Jim Hodges: Give More Than You Take at the DMA, and even (dare I say it?) the unveiling of a new Big Tex at the State Fair. Having spent most of my life in the Dallas Arts District thanks to my mom, Susan (a DMA docent since 1976), I am thrilled to serve my first year as executive director of the Dallas Arts District during the inaugural year of the Perot Museum of Nature and Science, Klyde Warren Park, and the Dallas City Performance Hall, and in the first year of DMA Friends (the DMA’s free membership program) and free general admission.

Image source: dbdt.com

With the end of summer, the Dallas Arts District is in full swing again, beginning with a day of activities on Saturday, October 5. The Dallas Black Dance Theatre will kick off its 8th annual DanceAfrica marketplace and festival at Strauss Square with a pedestrian parade of dancing in the streets from the DMA to the AT&T Performing Arts Center. CBS Radio’s Fall for the Arts will have free family activities and three stages of performances from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. You can also catch a sneak peek of Jim Hodges: Give More Than You Take at the DMA that day, before the exhibition officially opens. Additionally, the Crow Collection of Asian Art will celebrate its 15th anniversary with the grand reopening of its sculpture garden, which will include kids events and food truck lunch service.

Jim Hodges, and still this, 2005-2008, 23.5K and 24K gold with Beva adhesive on gessoed linen, The Rachofsky Collection and the Dallas Museum of Art through the DMAamfAR Benefit Auction Fund , © Jim Hodges

The Crow isn’t the only institution celebrating a milestone anniversary this fall. The Nasher Sculpture Center is celebrating its 10th anniversary with Nasher Xchange, a three-day weekend of free festivities culminating in a ten-hour celebration on Sunday, October 20. Friday, October 18, will also include a free afternoon concert and tour at the Meyerson Symphony Center, TEDxSMU at the Dallas City Performance Hall, and the Arts District Fall Block Party. The Nasher, DMA, and Crow Collection of Asian Art will stay open until midnight for our fall Arts District Block Party, and light-based, site-specific new media and immersive art installations can be explored district-wide as part of Aurora’s Light of Convergence, presented by the Dallas Morning News.

Image source: dallasaurora.com

A new class of first year students has begun their academic semester at Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, and a new crop of leaders is starting a new chapter in the neighborhood as well. Dr. Scott Rudes is Booker T.’s new principal; Tara Green started this summer as president of Klyde Warren Park; Doug Curtis is the AT&T Performing Arts Center’s new president and CEO; and The Dallas Opera welcomes its new music director, Emmanuel Villaume. Maestro Villaume will begin his inaugural season with Carmen on Friday, October 25, at the Winspear. The performance will be simulcast free in Klyde Warren Park – complete with a costume contest and singalong. Park visitors can also enjoy food and drink from the Park’s new restaurant, Savor, and their grab-and-go kiosk, Relish – both opening soon.

Courtesy of Dallas Opera

There’s far more to share, including new seasons of the Dallas Theater Center, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, and Shakespeare Dallas, as well as newcomer Oral Fixation’s true storytelling series. You can enjoy a Pearl Cup Coffee or free Patio Sessions concerts in Sammons Park. To stay up-to-date on all the goings-on in our neighborhood, “Like” Dallas Arts District on Facebook, follow @DalArtsDistrict on Twitter, and subscribe to our weekly e-blast here.

Thanks for supporting our new collaborative and inclusive programming, and I hope to see you soon in the Dallas Arts District!

Catherine Cuellar is the executive director of the Dallas Arts District.

Teacher Resources: Resourceful Recycling

Published September 24, 2013 Art & Teaching , Creativity , Resources Closed
Tags: C3, materials, recycle

Many educators have the gift of recycling materials into wonderful creations. If they do not already possess this genius, they quickly learn how to be resourceful with what they have around them. In C3, we defy all resource limitations when creating workshops and programming. Check out how we up-cycle materials in some of our hottest programs. I hope it inspires you!

Late Night Creativity Challenge

Creativity Challenges occur once a month on Late Night at the DMA. In these challenges, teams compete against each other using random materials to create an original work of art inspired by the collection. I have never once purchased materials for this program—all the creations come from leftovers and odd materials I find around the C3 Art Studio and my own personal closet.

Visitors celebrate the summer by creating games inspired by the collection.

Materials used: cups, scraps of paper, and pom pom balls

The first Miss America pageant happened in the 1920's which was the focus of the DMA's special exhibition Youth and Beauty. Visitors had to walk the stage in their gowns and participate in a question and answer portion to become the next Miss DMA.

Visitors create gowns to become the next Miss DMA in conjunction with a special exhibition.

Materials used: toilet paper from the DMA Operations team, tape, cling wrap, and blue reflective paper

C3 Adult Workshops

The Open Studio, C3 Artistic Encounters, and Think Creatively allow adults to experience art in new ways. These workshops are led by staff or local contemporary artists, who share the creative process and lead visitors through an art making experience.

Alternate identities workshop.

Materials used: rail board and staples

Guest artist Martin Delabano showed what can be created with scraps of wood.

Materials used: wood, hot glue, beads and pipe cleaners

Collage workshop with guest artist Margaret Meehan.

Materials used: Magazines, card stock, and yarn

Urban Armor

Our teens join us for monthly Urban Armor workshops where we take a closer look at the Museum’s collection and then create original works of art using advanced techniques in the Tech Lab.

Conceptual Weaving project where materials were chosen to represent a certain thought. Our teen's word was playful.

Conceptual Weaving project where materials were chosen to represent a certain thought. This teen’s word was playful.

Materials used: cardboard, assorted collage materials, twine

Studio Creations

Visitors can discover a different activity each month by exploring how artists see the world through the our collection. After time looking at works of art in the gallery, visitors create their own art project in our studio every Saturday and Sunday.

What happens when you leave your artwork behind?

You guessed it–Found Object Sculptures!

Materials used: Old and abandoned art work, cardboard, and assorted collage materials

Life size recreation of our city!

Materials used: boxes, paper, and tape

The Art Spot

Even if we are not having a program, you can still make original works of art in C3 at the Art Spot! We provide materials and tools everyday for visitors to drop by and create!

Visitors created family portraits inspired by a work of art in C3.

Materials used: Paper and tape

Office supplies to inspire the creative process!

Materials used: File folder tabs and clear tape

Jim Hodges, Changing Things, 1997, Dallas Museum of Art, Mary Margaret Munson Wilcox Fund and gift of Catherine and Will Rose, Howard Rachofsky, Christopher Drew and Alexandra May, and Martin Posner and Robyn Menter-Posner

Doesn’t this last creation look inspired by the new Jim Hodges work on view? Drop by and see more amazing creations when the exhibition opens on October 6!

How do you reuse your materials? Remember: Before you purchase supplies, see if you can transform the materials you already have. We would love to see the work that you create with the objects all around you.

Amanda Batson
C3 Program Coordinator

Getting Ready to Give More

Published September 23, 2013 Behind-the-Scenes , Dallas , Exhibitions , Installation Closed
Tags: Artist Talk, Contemporary Art, Dallas Museum of Art, DMA, Jim Hodges, Jim Hodges: Give More Than You Take, U.S. Premier

We have just under two weeks until we open the U.S. premiere of a major traveling exhibition, Jim Hodges: Give More Than You Take . The exhibition is an exciting one not only because it is the first comprehensive retrospective of Hodge’s career in the U.S. but also because it is co-organized by the Museum and the DMA’s senior curator of special projects & research, Jeffrey Grove.

The nearly eighty works on display in the exhibition consist of hundreds of items, from brass chains to denim, from napkins to head scarves, from silk flowers to light bulbs. If you passed by the DMA’s Barrel Vault during a recent visit, you may have seen some of the detailed installation, which began in early September. Get an up-close look at the installation below, and mark your calendars to meet Jim Hodges on October 3 during a special Artist Talk at the DMA!

A Passion for Pachyderms

Published September 20, 2013 Collections , Education Closed
Tags: Dallas Museum of Art, DMA, Elephant Apperciation Day, Pop-Up Art Spot

Little-known fact: September 22 is Elephant Appreciation Day. I’ll bet you haven’t celebrated it before! Well, here at the DMA, we love elephants. Dumbo, Babar, Horton–they’re all great examples of lovable elephants, but our favorite elephants live on the third floor of the Museum.

Shrine, late 18th-19th century, silver over wood, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of David T. Owsley via the Alvin and Lucy Owsley Foundation

Shrine, India, Gujarat, late 18th-19th century, silver over wood, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of David T. Owsley via the Alvin and Lucy Owsley Foundation

This shrine was most likely used in a private home or chapel in India. Notice the intricate details on the elephants and their riders. This particular shrine is made of carved wood and covered with hammered sheet silver using a technique called repoussé. First, designs are created by hammering into the reverse side of a malleable metal. Then, the design is refined by chasing or embossing, to really get those little details to come to life.

I asked a few DMA staffers to take a good look at the shrine and then imagine what it would be like to be a part of the artwork. This is an activity that anyone can do at the DMA at our Pop-Up Art Spot around the Museum! If you haven’t already dropped by, make sure you do the next time you’re here. There are many different activities that can be done while you are in the galleries. Check out these talented drawings made at the shrine earlier this week!

Emma Vernon, Manager of the DMA Partners Program, drew herself traveling through Nepal on a very festive elephant!

McDermott Intern Madeleine Fitzgerald drew herself into the picture.

Sitting alongside a monkey is McDermott Intern Amy Elms.

Our Exhibitions Graphic Designer, Kevin Parmer, chose to do his drawing in black and white.

McDermott Intern Hayley Prihoda shows that anything is possible with her whimsical elephant.

The next time you’re at the Museum, stop by a Pop-Up Art Spot and have some fun! It is open from noon to 3:00 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 11:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on the weekends. Also, be sure to come by and show the elephants in the shrine your appreciation!

Hayley Dyer is the Audience Relations Coordinator for Programming at the DMA.

Friday Photos: Found Object Frenzy

Published September 20, 2013 Friday Photos , works of art Closed
Tags: Collage, Jim Hodges

I’ve had a lot of fun exploring the DMA’s galleries throughout the first three weeks of my McDermott internship. As a lover of collage and assemblage, I was excited to find a wide variety of artworks created with found objects. Although it was hard to narrow it down, here are three of my favorites:

Natural items, such as raffia, wood, cowrie shells, beads, parrot feathers, and goat hair were used to create this mid-20th century helmet mask from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

In Family Portrait, artist Martin Delabano used found materials to recreate everyday objects. He also included meaningful items, such as his father’s watch and a piece of his son’s baby blanket.

Jim Hodges’ Changing Things is composed of dozens of silk flowers. Find out what other found objects Hodges uses at the DMA’s upcoming exhibition, Jim Hodges: Give More Than You Take, which opens October 6th!

What would you create using found objects from your home? Stay tuned next month for a kid-friendly found object DIY project!

Artworks shown:

Helmet mask (mukenga), mid-20th century, The Democratic Republic of Congo, Africa, Dallas Museum of Art, gift in honor of Peter Hanszen Lynch and Cristina Martha Frances Lynch
Martin Delabano, Family Portrait, 1963, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Mr. and Mrs. Bryant M. Hanley, Jr., Lorine and David H. Gibson, and Sonny Burt and Bob Butler
Jim Hodges, Changing Things, 1997, Dallas Museum of Art, Mary Margaret Munson Wilcox Fund and gift of Catherine and Will Rose, Howard Rachofsky, Christopher Drew and Alexandra May, and Martin Posner and Robyn Menter-Posner

Amelia Wood
McDermott Intern for Family and Access Programs

Culinary Canvas: Chocolate Caramelized Banana Bread

Published September 19, 2013 Culinary Canvas Closed
Tags: cake, chocolate, recipe

You might have noticed this little fellow standing watch on the third floor in our Indonesian galleries. In his original Indonesian habitat, he would have adorned a clan house, on top of a tall post or beam. If he could ever find a moment to relax, I bet he could unwind nicely with a piece of this banana chocolate concoction. I mean, who doesn’t love banana bread–and this one packs a double chocolate punch!

Architectural sculpture depicting a monkey, Indonesia, late 19th-20th century, Dallas Museum of Art, The Eugene and Margaret McDermott Art Fund, Inc.

Chocolate Caramelized Banana Bread

Yields 1 loaf
Level: Easy

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
¾ cup packed brown sugar
3 very ripe bananas, sliced
6 ounces plain yogurt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons bourbon
2 eggs, room temperature
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray loaf pan with cooking spray.

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add brown sugar and sliced bananas. Sauté until mixture is melted and nicely caramelized, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

In medium bowl, whisk together yogurt, oil, and bourbon. Add eggs one at a time, whisking until fully incorporated. In separate bowl, mix together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.

Place cooled banana mixture In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment and beat at medium speed until smooth. Beginning and ending with dry ingredients, add flour mixture to mixer, alternating with yogurt mixture. After each addition, mix on low speed until just incorporated. Remove bowl from mixer and stir in chocolate chips by hand with rubber spatula if desired.

Scrape batter into loaf pan. Bake 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs.

caramelizing the bananas

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light.

Sarah Coffey
Assistant to the Chair of Learning Initiatives

Art Customized

Published September 18, 2013 DMA Partners Closed

The Custom Option Group events are a brand new facet to the DMA Partners program (formerly membership). To create these new groups, we have been listening to our Partners (formerly called “members”) to learn about what they enjoy most at the DMA. We’ve worked closely with other departments in the Museum, and with institutions across the Dallas Arts District, to design and plan events, activities, and tours that are unusual, giving current DMA Partners insight and knowledge into the Museum and the works of art unlike ever before. We’ve planned events ranging from intimate curator-led tours in the galleries, to going behind the scenes at some of our local theaters, to creating your own work of art during an artist-led workshop here at the DMA.

Currently, we have three unique Custom Groups available: Art Focus Options allow DMA Partners to engage more directly with the art that interests them, the Education Focus Options give DMA Partners the opportunity to learn and participate in the art world, and the Admission Options are great way for DMA Partners to share the DMA with their friends and family.

This year, we have already held a few events, including the return of Book Talk, The Warehouse gallery talks, docent- or curator-led tours, and our first event this year: Designing the DMA. This highly requested event featured our very own Jessica Harden, director of exhibition design, and Mandy Engleman, director of creative services, discussing what goes into the DMA’s design process, from typeface to exhibition layouts, and how different design elements contribute to the development of the special exhibitions you love. The response we received from the event was tremendous and extremely positive-–and just what you have been looking for!

To see what’s going on in your Custom Option Group, check out the Events for Partners page on our website, and I hope to hear your ideas and suggestions for new events!

Find out more about DMA Partners here.

Maegan Hoffmann is the assistant manager of the DMA Partners Team.

Educator Resources: National Portfolio Day

Published September 17, 2013 Resources Closed
Tags: National Portfolio Day, Visual Arts

Take a moment and think back to when you were in high school. Do you remember how it felt as you anticipated graduation? Were you excited to move out of your parents’ house and attend college in a new city or state? Did you imagine yourself embarking on a professional career or did you have an idea of what you wanted to do, but no clue how to get there?

Students interested in pursuing a degree and/or work in the visual arts can receive valuable feedback, information, and guidance on National Portfolio Day. During this event, representatives from national and international colleges review student artwork, give feedback, and provide information on their programs. Perhaps most importantly, students gain experience talking about their work and their creative process as well as asking for guidance and advice.

Teen visual artists collaborate on a mural design during the summer 2013 Urban Armor Mural Camp

Teen visual artists participate in a DMA workshop

Dallas National Portfolio Day falls on Sunday, October 6, and is hosted by the School of Visual Arts in New York City. The event takes places at the Hilton Anatole from 12:00-4:00 p.m. It is free, open to the public, and does not require pre-registration. Teachers, friends, and relatives, please pass this information on to anyone you know who may benefit from this experience!

Melissa Gonzales
C3 Gallery Manager

Dallas Museum of Art Uncrated

Archive for September, 2013

All Dolled Up

Friday Photos: Getting In Touch

Autumn in the Arts District

Teacher Resources: Resourceful Recycling

Getting Ready to Give More

A Passion for Pachyderms

Friday Photos: Found Object Frenzy

Culinary Canvas: Chocolate Caramelized Banana Bread

Art Customized

Educator Resources: National Portfolio Day

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