Official behind-the-scenes blog of the Dallas Museum of Art
Through the Eyes of Our Children – Something Beautiful opened yesterday on the Museum’s M2 level. The exhibition showcases the work of more than seventy students from several elementary schools in the South Dallas–Fair Park area of the Dallas Independent School District. We wanted to share some photos of the installation and inspire you to find something beautiful of your own.
Photography by Adam Gingrich, Marketing Assistant at the Dallas Museum of Art
#1 Mom mugs, construction paper cards, misshapen clay bowls, homemade jewelry—many moms probably have an entire stash of Mother’s Day gifts they have received over the years from their children. When I’m working with preschool children in the studio, one comment I hear over and over again is “this is for my mom!” For kids, there’s just something about creating artwork they’re proud of and wanting to give it to mom. In honor of Mother’s Day, I thought I’d check in with some of our kid experts to find out what they think about celebrating mom.
Kris and kids 2008
Kris and kids 2011
Miller and Andrea 2009
Miller and Andrea 2011
Arwen and Kayte 2009
Arwen and Kayte 2011
Arwen and mom Kayte have also been attending our art classes for several years. After one class about birds, Arwen went home and created an entire clay aviary display for her bedroom. She thinks mom’s favorite work of art is “the furniture,” but Kayte claims it is Robert Raushenberg’s Skyway. On a recent trip to Paris, Arwen was so museum-savvy, she didn’t have any trouble visiting the art museums and making herself right at home with her sketchbook.
These are just a few of the fabulous moms who regularly visit the Museum and have become a part of our museum family. Treat your mom to a day at the museum this Mother’s Day! You can enjoy a Mother’s Day brunch in the Atrium, create art to wear in the Studio, and spot a few of the famous moms hanging out in the galleries (like Henry Ossawa Tanner’s painting pictured below).
Henry Ossawa Tanner, "Christ and His Mother Studying the Scriptures", c. 1909, oil on canvas, Dallas Museum of Art, Deaccession Funds
Leah Hanson is Manager of Early Learning
Four times a year we host an Autism Awareness Family Celebration at the Museum for children with autism and their families. Families have fun together at this special event in the Museum’s Center for Creative Connections for two hours before the Museum opens to the public.
In April, we recognized Autism Awareness month with an April 2 Autism Awareness Family Celebration in collaboration with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. The morning event focused on music as Jaap van Zweden, Music Director of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, and his wife, Aaltje van Zweden-van Buuren joined us. A Dallas Symphony Orchestra string quintet performed, and Jaap van Zweden talked about movement as he waved a colorful streamer in the air along with children. Aaltje van Zweden-van Buuren shared a compelling story about her family’s experience using music therapy with her son, an individual with autism.
I had the joy of talking with an enthusiastic and involved father at our recent event; Denny Singh is clearly his son’s number one fan.
What three words would you use to describe your family?
After my son’s diagnosis: strongER, as in “what doesn’t kill you makes you . . . “; closER, as in redefining the word “love” and spending more time together; and MORE appreciative of what many take for granted, like our son playing with a friend.
What types of activities does your family enjoy together?
Shopping while letting my son take photos of stores (his current obsession), visiting museums and the aquarium and zoo, going to water parks, and hanging out with his beloved cousins.
What is unique about your son?
His quirky, outgoing personality (e.g., asking people about their rings and jewelry), his grasp of technology and working a smartphone better than his parents, his empathy and ability to care, and his effort to overcome challenges and inspire us to be better people while guiding us on this unexpected journey.
What do you like most about the Autism Awareness Family Celebrations?
To borrow from a Visa commercial:
Admission to the Autism Awareness Family Celebrations: Free
Additional expenses like supplies for crafts and fun activities: Free
Creating a safe environment where families and their children are welcomed, supported, and valued: PRICELESS
Have the events changed your perception about visiting an art museum with your family?
The events have empowered our family to be more involved in the community and not be afraid of activities or environments because of autism. And just as important as the event are the tickets given to families for a follow-up visit to the DMA any other day like any other family.
The most recent Autism Awareness Family Celebration was focused on music. What is the role of music in your family?
Music plays an important role in our family, especially for our son. He loves music and all instruments, which he knows by heart (confusing a clarinet with a bass clarinet is a no-no!). While riding in the car, he asks to listen to a specific CD over and over again. Other parents tell me this isn’t just an autism thing, although his memorizing eighteen songs by number is! For those with autism, music has been shown to teach language and improve overall functioning.
Do you have any advice about visiting museums for other parents who have a child with autism?
JUST GO!!! Regardless of your child’s “level of functioning,” he or she deserves the opportunity to experience the beauty and culture of the arts. As communities become more inclusive and welcoming, it is our duty as parents to take our children out into them. Take it slow at first to make a visit a positive experience for all. Most of all, remember, “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
I eagerly look forward to seeing you at the next Autism Awareness Family Celebration at the DMA!
Amanda Blake is Manager of Family Experiences and Access Programs.
On Saturday we welcomed hundreds of visitors to our Art of the American Indians Family Celebration, a day of fun activities, performances featuring the Oklahoma Fancy Dancers, art, tours, and a special sneak peek of the exhibition Art of the American Indians: The Thaw Collection. Below are a few pictures from the day. Join us on Friday, May 20, to celebrate this exhibition during Late Night.
Photos by Chad Redmon, Photographer at the Dallas Museum of Art.
As a special treat for our Dallas Museum of Art jazz (and other music) lovers—and in celebration of Jazz Appreciation Month—we will showcase the music of the great composer, pianist, and bandleader Duke Ellington in the Atrium (part of Thursday Night Live!) during April.
We thought that this would be a great time to spotlight Wendell Sneed, our Coordinator of Jazz in the Atrium. Wendell is a long-time employee of the DMA (18 years!), but more than that he is our own local celebrity and Dallas jazz legend! Wendell was a member of the popular 1970s Dallas funk group Soul Seven and was featured in the 2008 KERA documentary South Dallas Pop—When Funk Was King (visit this link to listen to a clip of Wendell — on drums — and Soul Seven performing with Eddie Purrell).
Soul Seven Album Cover (Wendell is the one on the far left)
I sat down to chat with Wendell about what influenced him to become a jazz musician and to get a bit more information about the great line-up for April.
Wendell Sneed, Jazz in the Atrium Coordinator
What got you interested in jazz to begin with? When did you start playing?
My high school band director, Mr. Allison Tucker, was a jazz drummer. He got me interested in music and was my first mentor. I originally wanted to be an athlete in school but hated all the running! By the late 50s I was totally hooked on the drums and jazz and was playing with several bands around town. By the time I was 17, I was touring all around the Southwest and beyond.
What was your favorite gig while you were out on the road touring?
Besides my time with Soul Seven, my favorite gig was when I was the Music Director for a group called “The Honey Combs” in the late 70s. We had a couple of singles that went “gold.” One of them was the tune “Want Ads.”
What is your favorite Duke Ellington tune?
My favorite Ellington tune is a little obscure. It’s called “Come Sunday.” It actually is one of his sacred music compositions. Of course, I like many of the more well known Ellington tunes also.
What is your favorite work of art in the DMA’s collections?
Leadbelly, by Michael G. Owen, Jr., in the American sculpture collection is my favorite. I think about Mr. Owen creating this work and wonder what it was like to talk to Leadbelly himself as he worked on it. Leadbelly’s music became a very important influence on many musicians from many different genres—from blues, to folk and even rock. I wonder sometimes why Mr. Owen chose to portray Leadbelly in this light—solitary and without his guitar in sight.
Michael G. Owen Jr.'s Leadbelly (1943)
Tell us a bit more about the acts you have booked for the April Ellington Showcase.
We will kick off the month on April 7 with the UNT Repertory Ensemble, which is a group dedicated to playing and preserving the art of “classic jazz.” Next, on the 14th, we have pianist Dave Zoller and his group Daybreak Express. They specialize in doing exclusively Ellington material. On the 21st, we will feature the top student jazz band from Carroll Senior High School. They were the finalists for the Essentially Ellington Competition, founded and judged by Wynton Marsalis at Lincoln Center in New York City.
I am most excited about the performance planned for April 28. We will feature Shelley Carrol, who was a member of the Ellington Orchestra for many years after graduating from the University of North Texas. He will be joined by a very special guest, Duke Ellington’s grandson, Paul Ellington. Paul will share stories of Duke and his compositions that Shelley and his quartet will perform.
Viktor Schreckengost and the Cowan Pottery Studio's Jazz Bowl (c. 1930 -1931)
In addition to the acts Wendell mentioned, on April 14 and 21 we will offer tours of jazz-related artworks in the DMA’s collections, including the Jazz Bowl (pictured above), led by curators and other staff.
Denise Helbing is Manager of Partner Programs at the Dallas Museum of Art.
We were thrilled to celebrate with the O’Donnell Foundation the opening of the thirteenth annual Young Masters: Advanced Placement Student Art Competition exhibition in our Concourse Gallery. Recently, some of the artists discussed their works at our Family First Day with WFAA’s Shelly Slater. In this video, Kathy Tran of Richardson High School talks about her approach to a self-portrait for her digital photograph Getting Out of Bed Is a Choice:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zi4jcBWGscw]
Over 480 submissions were considered, including 366 works by Studio Art students, 100 essays by Art History students, and 15 compositions by Music Theory students. The “Final 48” represent 13 schools.
This year, you can also experience Young Masters in a whole new way at DMA.mobi. Use your own smartphone or borrow an iPod Touch from the Museum to hear music compositions and art history readings by students featured in Young Masters.
And last but not least, check the We Art Family blog after April 8 to see which work earned the “People’s Choice Award.”
Maria Teresa G. Pedroche is Head of Family Experiences & Community Engagement at the Dallas Museum of Art.
This just in – today’s weather is going to be cloudy with a chance of . . . art?! When we think about visiting an art museum with our families, we may not think about the weather (except museums often have what feels like arctic air flowing through the galleries to keep the art “comfortable” – so bring a sweater!). We have some exciting plans for family fun on the horizon, and there is a 100% chance of WFAA’s meteorologist Greg Fields in the forecast!
Don’t miss our free WFAA Family First Day on Saturday, March 12, that will kick off a week-long fiesta of fun family-friendly activities for spring break.
Join us in the galleries as Greg Fields forecasts the weather in works of art. You will even have the chance to search for rough spots, popping storms, and gray skies in paintings to create a weather forecast of your own.
One work of art we think may be on Greg’s radar is Claude-Joseph Vernet’s painting Mountain Landscape with Approaching Storm, on view in the European Galleries. Skirt alert! Definitely umbrella weather – the atmosphere in this landscape is overcast, with strong whipping winds coming in from the west. Place your bets, because it looks like a drencher. Mother Nature is on the war path! The figures in this scene look like they are facing a giant blow dryer! Look closely as they scurry for cover before it begins to rain cats and dogs. Talk about atmospheric indigestion!
Claude-Joseph Vernet, Mountain Landscape with Approaching Storm, 1775
Greg may forecast flash flood warnings, wind advisories, or even a tornado watch! Visitors will be invited to make a sound symphony of the weather in this scene, pose like the people fleeing for cover, and talk about their own scary storm experiences. It will be a rip-roaring good time!
Extend your Museum fun throughout the week of spring break. From March 13 through March 18 at 5:00 p.m., the DMA is offering $5 admission and $5 parking. Check out the spring break schedule on our website for more information.
Amanda Blake is the Manager of Family Experiences and Access Programs at the Dallas Museum of Art
From the very beginning in February 2009, this exciting book project inspired by the DMA’s director, Bonnie Pitman, was a collaborative effort. And my responsibility was to serve as the publication’s gatekeeper, charged with trafficking the manuscript, compiling and incorporating the numerous edits and comments, and keeping track of all the details and loose ends. There were “those days” when I imagined masses and masses of rapidly proliferating Hydra heads—and, like a metaphorical Hercules, the faster I lopped them off (i.e., completed a task), the faster they seemed to regenerate.
To keep track of all the edits to the digital manuscript, we used the Microsoft Word feature known as Track Changes, where, like a board game, everyone gets a different color. With five or six people making rainbow-colored edits, the manuscript became a vivid, almost psychedelic, dazzle of clashing colors, from bright pink to pale brown. Since large chunks of text were moved around, Word could only track this by keeping the old, lined-out passages on the page, so I found myself on “fast forward” through whole paragraphs on occasion. Then when comments were added to the screen, a running series of squashed balloons of text crowded in along the right-hand margin. Pretty soon we were laughing about eye strain.
Our quest for a perfect set of images became the next challenge. We pored through hundreds of DMA images—sorting, juxtaposing, weighing, and discarding—for each of the 141 photographs finally chosen. So it was definitely an exciting moment when the book went to the printer in early October 2010. As I write this blog two years later, we have distributed the printed copies. While this project “had its moments,” it’s also been enormously rewarding. I’ve learned a lot about data analysis, the design and packaging of information, and the challenges and pitfalls of fact checking. Even at moments of relatively frazzled morale, our spirits were always kept up by the knowledge that we were presenting something new and important. This book was a labor of love for a large group of people, especially for the two authors.
Ending on a light note, Bonnie kept us entertained throughout the editing and production process by sending digital pictures of her two cats, Leda and Perseus. Owing to the late hours she usually keeps, Bonnie was frequently hard at work on this book at one or two o’clock in the morning, seated at her glass work-table, with Leda and Perseus lying on—or playing with—stacks of galleys, photo contact sheets, charts, layouts, and reports—all of which offered the cats an ideal playground. I still have the early photographs showing them stretched out on a hoard of papers and folders. The later pictures depict their puzzlement as the glass tabletop finally resurfaced and the papers receded. And there’s a final shot of the cats sitting wistful, but perhaps also slightly triumphant, on a table cleared of everything but a vase of flowers and a single copy of the printed book. I’m sure Leda and Perseus look forward to a sequel.
Eric Zeidler is Publications Coordinator at the Dallas Museum of Art.
Who’s that lady? Find out tonight at 7:30 p.m. when University of Oregon Art History professor Dr. Kathleen Nicholson discusses allegorical portraits in 18th-century France at the Museum’s annual Michael L. Rosenberg Lecture.
Nicolas de Largilliére, "Portrait of the Comtesse de Montsoreau and Sister as Diana and an Attendant," 1714, oil on canvas, lent by the Michael L. Rosenberg Foundation, 29.2004.11
Back in 2003, when the Museum was turning 100 years old, a team of staff members came up with the idea to keep the Museum open for 100 hours straight to celebrate the occasion. No closing of the doors, no sleep for staff, all hours access for our visitors.
Our 100 Hour Celebration saw over 45,000 visitors in the Museum, and they came at all hours. We were excited to see people in the galleries at 4:30 a.m. looking at works of art, or dancing in our Atrium to DJs at 1:00 a.m. This showed us that people would come to the Museum if we kept our doors open after “normal” operating hours. Throughout the rest of the year, we experimented with after-hour events called Impressionist Evenings, where we worked out the types of programs offered, the best day of the week to hold the event, and how late we should stay open.
After a year of experimenting, Late Nights were born in January 2004. Now, on the third Friday of every month (except December), the Museum is open until midnight, and visitors can explore our galleries, participate in family experiences, go on tours, enjoy concerts, meet artists, and so much more.
This Friday, January 21, will kick off the 8th year of Late Nights. To celebrate, I have put together Late Nights by the Numbers:
77 – Number of Late Nights since 2004
323,989 – Total attendance for all Late Nights
35,557 – Number of visitors at our best-attended Late Night, in June 2007, featuring a concert by Erykah Badu
2 – Number of Arturo puppets we have (one is dressed in PJs and bunny slippers for Late Nights)
203 – Number of tours given during Late Nights
4 – Number of Best of Dallas awards Late Nights have received from the Dallas Observer
298 – Number of cases of water we have supplied for performers
95 – Number of films we have screened during Late Nights
19 – Number of different DJs who have spun at a Late Night, some more than once
8 – Number of times our visitors have done the Chicken Dance during a Late Night, which is every time Brave Combo performs
Stacey Lizotte is Head of Adult Programming and Multimedia Services.
