Archive for the 'works of art' Category

« Previous Entries
Next Entries »

Thematic Connections with Contemporary Art: Systems and Process

Published February 10, 2011 Art & Teaching , works of art Closed
Tags: , , ,

We constantly encounter and use systems in our everyday lives – roadways, electricity, mathematics, language, and so much more.   Although there are multiple definitions of a system, the one that seems to be the most universal is a grouping of interacting, interrelated, or interdependent items forming a unified whole.

An artist may employ a system in his or her creative process, in subject matter, or in concept.   During the first part of the Contemporary Teacher Workshop (at the Dallas Museum of Art) on Saturday, February 19, participants will explore the theme of systems in select artworks from the 1960s through today in the exhibitions Re-Seeing the Contemporary:  Selected from the Collection and Big New Field:  Artists in the Cowboys Stadium Art Program. With a focus on language and systems within an artist’s process, educators will engage in interactive and interdisciplinary experiences that are applicable and translatable for the classroom.  On Saturday, February 26, our conversation about the artist’s process will continue at The Rachofsky House as we view the current installation Process Imperfect.

There are a few spaces available for this two-part teacher workshop.  If interested, please register online.

Here are a few artworks that may be a part of the conversation on Saturday, February 19:

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

We look forward to seeing you at the workshop!

Until next time….

Jenny Marvel
Manager of Programs and Resources for Teachers

Images in slide show:
Richard Diebenkorn, Ocean Park No. 29, 1970, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of the Meadows Foundation, Inc.

Christopher Wool, Untitled, 1990, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of the Friends of Contemporary Art

Sol Lewitt, Wall Drawing #398, 1983 (drawn 1985), Dallas Museum of Art, gift of The 500, Inc., Mr. and Mrs. Michael J. Collins and Mr. and Mrs. James L. Stephenson, Jr.

Carl Andre, Pyramid (Square Plan), 1959 (destroyed) 1970 (remade), Dallas Museum of Art, General Acquisitions Fund and matching funds from The 500, Inc.

My Creative Process

Published January 26, 2011 Creativity , Museum Insight , works of art 1 Comment
Tags: , , ,

The Dallas Museum of Art is currently exhibiting a staff art show called Insourced. This exhibition includes works of arts by staff members from all over the museum, such as gallery attendants, visitor services representatives, exhibition designers and interns. I am an art enthusiast and really enjoy looking at works of art, whether it’s a masterpiece, a graphic design, or an advertisement. I also enjoy looking at nature, people, and places for inspiration. I find that looking at a broad range of artworks as well as the things around me: 

  1. Inspires and influences my own art.
  2. Gives me a boost of confidence to create art.
  3. Allows me to be free to explore different mediums.

My two works of art, Untitled (2007) and Generations (2001), were inspired by observing things around me. Generations was created using two inexpensive materials: paper and charcoal. One night,  I decided to draw my mother, who was sitting on the couch. I grabbed my drawing board, newspaper print, and a box of charcoal sticks. I sat in front of her for about forty-five minutes. I think the essence of my mother, my grandmother and great-grandmother shines through in this portrait.

Untitled was inspired by a box of chicken from a fast food restuarant. I was drawn to the image of the chicken on the front of the box. I thought about the box growing legs and running around. Strange, you might think, but it was the beginning steps to my creation. First, I sketched and decided on the materials. I knew I wanted to pair wood and metal because I thought they were good match. Once I drew my sketches and had an idea of what I wanted to make, I created the objects.  I made the wooden boxes by gluing and nailing wood panlels together and creating a hollow form. I also used a mechanical disc sander to even out and smooth the sides and edges of the box. 

The bottom portion of the scultpture took more time to make. I used iron rods to make the legs. I first cut the rods into shorter pieces and then reattached them using a torch. Cutting and reattaching the rods gave them a sense of movement. The feet, which are my favorite, are made of bronze. They were created using the lost wax casting process. Once I had all my pieces made, it was time to combine them by using a hammer and  torch. I first assembled the legs and the feet using the torch. I inserted the rods into the feet and melted the sides in order to bond the two metals. Then, I torched and hammered the top of the rods in order to flatten them. Once they were flattened, I was able to nail them to the bottom of the boxes. For me, this work of art is a constant reminder that anything can be an inspiration.

Artists are inspired by people, places and things. So the next time you are walking, sitting, or standing, stop and observed the things around you. It could be the sky, a smile, or a box of chicken that could inspire you to create a work of art.
Karen A. Colbert
Teaching Programs Intern

Teaching with Modern American Art

Published January 20, 2011 Museum Insight , works of art Closed
Tags: , , , , , ,

Last week, Amy W. blogged about a training session on Colonial American art that she and Jenny led for our docents.  Melissa and I recently led a follow-up session for the docents on teaching with Modern American art.  

Arts of the Americas and Colonial to Modern American Art are two of the most popular topics for docent-guided visits at the DMA.  Melissa and I deliberately selected artworks from the first half of the 20th century that docents don’t typically use on their tours.  It was our hope that by learning more about these paintings and artists, docents will have even more flexibility in selecting stops for their tours.

I started off training by looking at two American artists who were influenced by the Dutch artist Piet Mondrian: Leon Polk Smith and Ilya Bolotowsky. 

  • We discussed what “Boogie Woogie” means and how boogie woogie music might sound.  I even played a short clip of boogie woogie music for the docents and had them dancing in the galleries!
  • Leon Polk Smith’s painting Homage to Victory Boogie Woogie #1 is a direct reference to Mondrian’s final painting (Victory Boogie Woogie). There is an Homage to Victory Boogie Woogie #2, which is in the collection of the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth.
  • Ilya Bolotowsky knew Piet Mondrian.  They were both members of American Abstract Artists, which was founded in New York City in 1936.  In fact, Bolotowsky was one of the founding members of the group.

Melissa invited the docents to complete a Venn Diagram comparing and contrasting two still life paintings: Survival of the Fittest by Fred Darge and On the Ranch by Jerry Bywaters.

  • This is an easy exercise to do in the Museum or in your classroom.  Encourage your students to look closely at images of these paintings and make notes about what they see in a Venn Diagram.  This resulted in a great conversation with our docents, and we think the same thing can happen in your classroom.
  • There are many similarities in the lives of Fred Darge and Jerry Bywaters as well.  Both artists lived and worked in Dallas most of their lives.  They also both took sketching trips to West Texas, where they were inspired by the vast landscape.
  • Jerry Bywaters was actually the director of the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts when Fred Darge’s Survival of the Fittest came into the collection in 1944.

We hope you’ll visit the Museum this spring to see these paintings in person.

Shannon Karol
Manager of Docent Programs and Gallery Teaching

Engaging Opportunities with Art, Artists, and Animals

Published January 11, 2011 Art & Teaching , works of art Closed
Tags: , , , ,

As the new year begins, I encourage you to think about ways you can connect with with artists, artworks, and other K-12 colleagues  at the Dallas Museum of Art.  Here are two events that might prove to be inspirational, relaxing, or simply rejuvenating.

  • Join us for our annual Late Night Birthday Celebration as the Museum turns 108 on Friday, January 21 from 6:00 p.m. to midnight!   To celebrate the beginning of the Spring Semester, we invite you to bring your educator ID to receive FREE Museum admission.  Come with your colleagues, family, and friends to experience traditional African music, polka with Brave Combo, participate in Twitter Treasure Hunts, and engage in conversations with artists in the Center for Creative Connections.  In addition, visit the Educator Resource Table from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. to meet DMA education staff, register for door prizes, and sign up for upcoming teacher programs.     

 

  • Join us for an exciting teacher workshop Animals from Africa at the Dallas Zoo and the Dallas Museum of Art on Saturday, January 29!  Spend the morning at the Dallas Museum of Art, experiencing African Masks: The Art of Disguise and then journey to the Dallas Zoo for an afternoon of exploration in the Giants of the Savanna!  This special workshop includes a gallery tour, a special behind-the-scenes experience at the zoo, and lessons from experienced art and zoo educators that you can take back to your classroom.  Participants will also receive six CPE hours.  Cost is $50 for this workshop and includes admission and parking at both institutions.  To register, please complete the registration form and return to the Dallas Zoo Education Department via fax, email, or mail.

We look forward to seeing you at one or more of these events!   Don’t forget, bring your educator ID on  Thursday evenings to receive FREE admission to the Museum.

Until next time….

Jenny Marvel
Manager of Programs and Resources for Teachers   

Big New Field, Brand New Audience

Published January 6, 2011 Community Connection , People , works of art Closed
Tags: , ,

Annette Lawrence, "Coin Toss," 2009, stranded cable, The Art Program at Cowboys Stadium

There’s a lot to be excited about with the new Cowboys Stadium (the architecture, the mega-TVs, the sheer size of the place and its many luxuries).  What gives all of us at the Museum goosebumps is the number of people the stadium seats, and by extension, the number of those people who will have the opportunity to experience extraordinary contemporary art while at the stadium.  It’s like the featured artists and their artworks are getting an Oprah’s Book Club level of exposure.  Not bad at all!

Next Thursday, the Museum is hosting another State of the Arts lecture, perfect for those interested in learning more about the Cowboys Stadium Art program.  The evening will feature major players in the program: Annette Lawrence, visual artist featured at the stadium; Bryan K. Trubey, architect and Principal/Director of HKS Sports & Entertainment Group; and Charles Wylie, The Lupe Murchison Curator of Contemporary Art at the Dallas Museum of Art and member of the Cowboys Stadium Art Council.  Lawrence’s work can also be seen in Big New Field.

If you’re curious to explore the stadium before next Thursday’s talk, check out the newly-released iPhone app, The Art at Cowboys Stadium.  The app features a mobile tour, interviews with the Joneses, the Cowboys Stadium Art Council, and featured artists, as well as documentation of artwork installations.

Amy Copeland
Coordinator of Go van Gogh Outreach

We'll Take A Cup O' Kindness Yet, For Auld Lang Syne

Published December 30, 2010 Friday Photos , works of art Closed
Tags: , , ,

May your cups runneth over with joy and cheer in 2011!  The DMA Teaching Programs staff wishes you all the best for a happy new year.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Nicole Stutzman
Director of Teaching Programs and Partnerships

Sculpture in Black and White

Published December 28, 2010 Friday Photos , works of art Closed
Tags: , , , , , ,

Recently, the European galleries on the second floor were reinstalled to present anew some of the greatest works in the Museum’s collection.  A cluster of beautiful sculptures commands a corner in the midst of the modern area.  Works by Constantin Brancusi, Barbara Hepworth, and Emile-Antoine Bourdelle appear in the foreground, while works by Auguste Rodin and Aristide Maillol can be seen just beyond the window.

Nicole Stutzman
Director of Teaching Programs and Partnerships

All I Want for X-Mas

Published December 23, 2010 Museum Insight , People , works of art 2 Comments
Tags:

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

I recently asked colleagues which artwork from the DMA they would most like to take home and why they like it so much.  Below are their responses.

Melissa Nelson:
If I could take home any work of art from the Museum, I would choose Phil Collins’ the world won’t listen.  This is a three-part video installation showing ordinary people from Colombia, Indonesia, and Turkey singing their favorite songs from The Smiths’ album of the same title.  As an art-lover, it’s amazing to see the global devotion to a British band that spans three non-English speaking countries, expressed through genuinely heartfelt and uninhibited singing and dancing, shown simultaneously on large screens in a pitch-black room.  As an avid Smiths fan, it’s impossible for me to view this work of art without wanting to perform the songs myself.

Amy Wolf:
I would like to take home Aria After the Ballet, by Edgar Degas. I wrote about Degas monotypes in my graduate studies, so having this in the collection is wonderful! I like the cool build-up of pastel colors on the figures contrasting against the flat stage backdrop.

Ashley Bruckbauer:
Farm Near Duivendrecht, in the Evening, Piet Mondrian, c. 1916 (Reprise of a compositional Series from 1905-1908).  I absolutely love the juxtaposition of positive and negative space in this work and the overall painterly style.  It appears at once realistic and abstract, with blocks of warm oranges sharply contrasted by neighboring blocks of cool blues and purples.  Also, I love seeing this example of Mondrian, which is so different from the body of work for which he is most famous.  I wouldn’t mind if it appeared in my Christmas stocking this year!

Shannon Karol:
I have had such a hard time deciding which artwork I want to take home with me!  As of right now, my choice is Carousel Club by Wayne Gonzales (currently in Big New Field).  I love the ruby red background and the Kennedy connection.  Plus it will fit in my apartment much easier than Robert Rauschenberg’s Skyway (my 2nd choice).

Karen Colbert:
That Gentleman, Andrew Wyeth, 1960; I love this artwork because it exudes serenity. I am always wanting to get a glimpse of the man’s face in the artwork, and although it’s not seen by the viewer, I think the colors, the composition, and subject matter give you snapshot of the type of gentleman he was.

Nicole Stutzman:
Choosing just one work of art is so HARD!  But, I would love to share one of my favorite works from Indonesia.

Wall panel with figure of a slain shaman, Indonesia, Taileleu Village, c. 1900. Wood, paint, shell inlay, and cloth.

Why is it one of my favorites? 
1)      I love the way the maker emphasized the hands of the carved figure.  They seem a little too large and slightly out of proportion, and the texture of the hands seems really rough.  You can see gouging marks around the fingers from the tools used by the maker to create such a deep relief.  I love the physical qualities of the size and texture of the figure’s hands.

2)      I also love the stories behind this object.  The panel was carved following a headhunting ritual, which was part of festivities surrounding the creation of a new clan house, or uma.  It served as a memorial to the headhunting victim and was placed in the front room of the uma.  Seen by visitors who entered the house, the panel proved the courage and abilities of the house’s owners.  The culture that created this lived on the Mentawai Islands, and they believed that everything around them had a soul – the people, the trees, the houses they inhabited, and more.  I think this is a wonderfully powerful perspective to have about the world around you.  Part of the beliefs surrounding the creation of the panel focus on the Mentawaian people’s efforts to maintain harmony between all of the spirits and souls in the world.  Through this panel they honored the spirit of the slain victim and the materials used to make the panel, as well as the new house and its soul.

Jenny Marvel:
The “Dimension” tea and coffee set; I would love to have this coffee and tea service to have as a conversation piece while entertaining guests during the holidays! 

Amy Copeland:
My answer to this question changes all the time, but right now I would most like to take home one of the sketchbooks we have from artist Otis Dozier.  Drawings are my favorite media, and I love the bright colors, pale washes, and gestural lines Dozier uses to capture the places he traveled.  I’ve seen single pages of his sketchbooks on view before, but they’ve been enclosed in vitrines, so I would welcome the opportunity to turn the pages!

I hope the next time you visit the DMA, you’ll find a favorite artwork.

From all of us here at the DMA, warm wishes for a merry and bright holiday.

Amy Copeland
Coordinator of Go van Gogh Outreach

Andrew Wyeth, That Gentleman

Published December 21, 2010 Museum Insight , works of art 12 Comments
Tags: , ,

 

That Gentleman is one of my favorite artworks at the Dallas Museum of Art. This painting, which is located on the 4th floor in the American galleries, was painted by Andrew Wyeth in 1960. 

That Gentlemen portrays an elderly African-American man named Tom Clark, who was the neighbor of Mr. Wyeth. Although his face is hidden from the viewer, I’m compelled to further explore this composition with fresh eyes, looking for clues that express his personality. Mr. Wyeth wrote about Mr. Clark, stating: “His voice is gentle, his wit is keen, and his wisdom enormous.” This portrait is a constant reminder of how we should sometimes stop and take notice of the quiet, unsung heroes in our life.

Karen A. Colbert
Teaching Programs Intern

Friday Photo Post

Published December 17, 2010 Friday Photos , works of art Closed
Tags: ,

For this week’s Friday Photo Post, I focused on works of art in the collection made of silver and gold. I decided to do this after singing Silver and Gold from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer on the way to work. All objects can be found on the third floor of the Museum.

Amy Wolf
Coordinator of Gallery Teaching

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Archives

Flickr Photo Stream

O'Keeffe may be her name, but this artist's work has been long eclipsed by that of her famous sister. Now #IdaOKeeffe's distinct creative identity is getting the spotlight it deserves in "Ida O'Keeffe: Escaping Georgia's Shadow". Opening TODAY, discover uA remarkable performance by @dallasblackdance in our American Art Gallery with choreography inspired by artist Dorothy Austin’s “Slow Shuffle”. See more #DMANights highlights in our story! . . #MyDMA #DallasMuseumofArt #AmericanArt #Dance #DancePerformanc
More Photos

Categories