Archive Page 179

SLANT 45: Service Learning Adventures in North Texas

Published September 9, 2010 Art & Teaching , Creativity , People 2 Comments
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Volunteering and art make a great combination.  Add football and Super Bowl XLV to this combination and you get a power-packed project called SLANT 45.  In the football world, slant 45 references a specific play used by Daryl Johnston and Emmitt Smith when they played for the Dallas Cowboys.  Johnston, the North Texas Super Bowl XLV Host Committee, and Big Thought are giving slant new meaning in the Dallas-Fort Worth area with the SLANT 45 project, also known as Service Learning Adventures in North Texas. Sponsored by Bank of America and The Ted and Sharon Skokos Foundation, the project is an educational youth initiative promoting volunteer service in the community and providing participating youth with an opportunity to create unique artwork reflecting their service learning adventures.  It’s a great opportunity to encourage and recognize the champions of community service.  

The goal for the SLANT 45 community-wide service project is to involve at least 20,000 youth, logging in nearly 45,000 hours of volunteer work.  Wow!  After teams of youth complete their projects, the final step is the creation of a reflective artwork.  Selected works of art will be on view in the SLANT 45 Community Heroes Art Exhibition, which will be on display at various locations across North Texas before, during, and after Super Bowl XLV.

The Dallas Museum of Art is partnering with Big Thought and artists in the Dallas community to provide workshops for SLANT 45 participants.  A few North Texas youth participating in SLANT 45 visited the DMA recently to participate in a workshop with artist Sara Cardona.  Having recently completed their volunteer work at an animal shelter and a clothes closet, these boys and girls met with Sara to reflect on their projects and create works of art inspired by their service.  The youth created an artwork based on the idea of stained glass windows.  They drew words and images reflecting their community volunteer work on a transparent film, then backed the film with metallic paper, and then completed the work with a colorful frame.

More workshops are scheduled to occur at the DMA in September and October with artists Jill Foley, Adriana Martinez, Will Richey, and Ann Marie Newman.  Visit SLANT 45 for more information about how to register.

Nicole Stutzman
Director of Teaching Programs and Partnerships

Do you have a Teacher Membership?

Published September 8, 2010 People Closed
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As a special “thank you” to teachers, we are offering a unique opportunity to extend your membership!  Get a colleague or friend to join* the Museum, and you will receive one extra month of membership.  Get 10 colleagues to join and you will receive one full year FREE.  You will both receive a FREE gift when you stop by the membership desk.  Act now, offer ends October 31, 2010.  

Call 214-922-1247 to join and tell us who referred you or stop by in person.  We love meeting new members.

 *not valid on renewals

Wendi Kavanaugh
Member Outreach Manager

Ask a Curator Day in the Twittersphere

Published September 7, 2010 Behind-the-Scenes , Curatorial , Social Media 2 Comments

Wednesday, September 1, was the first ever “Ask a Curator” day on Twitter. The event was organized by Jim Richardson of Sumo, a design agency in England. Over 300 museums worldwide participated and the DMA was thrilled to be one of only three in Texas to sign-up. Our curators, from the areas of ancient to contemporary art, jumped into the Twittersphere to talk about their work. They answered questions from what to visit at the Museum if you only had one day (so hard to pick when we have over 24,000 works!), to their favorite work of art in the collections (Decorative Arts and Design curator Kevin W. Tucker says it is impossible, like picking your favorite child) and favorite city to see art (Anne Bromberg, who curates our ancient and Asian art collections, named Isfahan, Iran). A lot of people wanted to know what to study to become a curator (DMA curators studied Art History, Studio Art, and Anthropology to name a few). The biggest challenge of the day, other than avoiding all the spam that hit the world-trending topic midday, was figuring out how to answer all of the great questions in only 140 characters! If you still have a question, post it on Facebook and Twitter and we will do our best to track the curators down in the galleries.

#askacurator Day @ the DMA was a blast; below are some of our favorites:

@JoseSPiano #askacurator How often does a curator walk through the galleries and interact with the public once an exhibit has opened?
Roslyn Walker, Curator of the Arts of Africa, likes to walk through the gallery daily and to give talks and tours when she can.

@deadsunflower #askacurator What part of your job do you love the most?
Anne Bromberg, Curator of Ancient and Asian Art, says the best part of her job is thinking about art all day

@hoperobertson How do you decide what exhibitions to feature at your museum? Personal choice, or is it all pre-arranged? #askacurator #iloveart
Olivier Meslay, Curator of European and American Art, says, One of many factors is to see how it relates to the rest of the museum’s collections. #askacurator

@kayommm What did you study at schools and what career will be required to be a curator? #askacurator
Curator of Contemporary Art Charles Wylie studied American Studies and Art History. #askacurator

@hummeline @DallasMuseumArt What piece in your collections still stops you in your tracks when you see it?
Anne Bromberg, Curator of Ancient and Asian Art, answered, Brancusi’s “Beginning of the World http://bit.ly/9giNHD #askcurators

@artistMFReid @DallasMuseumArt What art would you love to add next to your collection? Dream big…
Olivier Meslay, Curator of European and American Art, would love to have a large painting of the Grand Canyon by Thomas Moran

Fall Top 10

Published September 7, 2010 Museum Insight Closed
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It’s September already!   If you’re like me, September is a month to look ahead and start filling the calendar with fall activities.  Below is a Top 10 list of dates to save and new and fun Museum initiatives to look forward to in the coming months. 

  1. New DMA blog, Uncrated.  Colleagues from all departments of the Museum are contributing to this new blog, which already has lots of great behind-the-scenes photos and insight.
  2. Reinstallation of European galleries.  Curators Olivier Meslay and Heather MacDonald recently reinstalled the 15th-18th century European galleries on our 2nd floor.  Look for new objects, new loans, and old favorites. 
  3. New bite-sized tours. This summer, the Museum unveiled bite-sized tours; self-guided adventures that are a perfect way to discover something new in the galleries.  Current tours include: All That Glitters, Superheros, and Seeing Red. 
  4. Encountering Space in The Center for Creative Connections.  The C3 will re-open on Saturday, September 25th with a new exhibition that explores how artists manipulate space and how visitors engage with it.  Opening day coincides with Museum Day, a Smithsonian Magazine-sponsored annual event that provides free museum admission with a pre-printed ticket.
  5. Free days for teachers and families.  September and October are chock-full of free days for teachers and families!
  6. Visiting Artist John Bramblitt. Painter John Bramblitt will be the C3 Visiting Artist in October, which is Art Beyond Sight Awareness Month.  Bramblitt recently shared his process, artworks, and experiences as a blind artist with our summer art campers.  Check our website for more information about experiences he will lead in October.
  7. Thinking Creatively Workshops. Starting in October, creativity expert Dr. Magdalena Grohman will team up with our C3 visiting artist to lead a monthly Thursday evening workshop.  The experience will begin with creative thinking exercises and conclude with a making activity that builds on ideas generated during the exercises. 
  8. Arts & Letters Live/C3 program on Innovation.  On Tuesday, October 19th author Steven Johnson will discuss his forthcoming book, Where Good Ideas Come From: The Natural History of Innovation.  Also this fall, the Museum will offer an incredible array of lectures.
  9. Texas Space.  With the Texas Space component to the new C3 exhibition, we’ll be displaying visitor artworks in the galleries.  To submit a photo, visit our Flickr site.
  10. The Butter Sculpture at the State Fair of Texas.  Speaking of Texas-related things!  This always makes my not-to-miss list for the fall. 

Amy Copeland
Coordinator of Go van Gogh Outreach

Big Yellow Bus

Published September 3, 2010 Education , Go van Gogh Closed

School is officially back in session. As the big, yellow buses begin to pull up on Harwood Street later this month, a flurry of young feet will file out, pass by a large fountain, and ultimately find themselves standing before the likes of Jackson Pollock’s Cathedral, Frederic Church’s The Icebergs, or a huge sculpture of the Mixtec rain god Tlaloc. These works of art and thousands of others become the stuff museum memories are made of for over 60,000 students in grades K-12 who visit the Dallas Museum of Art each year. Another 17,000 students annually experience the Museum’s treasures through our Go van Gogh® classroom outreach programs and through an after-school program created in partnership with Thriving Minds and managed by the nonprofit Big Thought.

During the 2010-2011 school year, hundreds of teachers will participate in professional development sessions, visit the Educator Blog, access online resources, and partner with DMA museum educators to create unique, in-depth experiences for their students.

And our galleries will soon fill with the buzz of young minds and voices actively learning. This is how my colleagues and I who work in the Department of Teaching Programs and Partnerships like it. We are a passionate team of seven staff memers, two interns, and nearly two hundred volunteers, and we welcome students and teachers with the belief that art is essential to all of our lives. The Dallas Museum of Art is a place to imagine, to explore, and to form personal connections with works of art from around the world and throughout time.

Nicole Stutzman is the Director of Teaching Programs and Partnerships.

Friday Photo Post: Art for Asthma

Published September 3, 2010 Creativity , Friday Photos Closed
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It’s time for the second annual Art for Asthma contest.  This fantastic contest, sponsored by Martha Foster Lung Care Center at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas, invites children and teens to express through art how it feels to live with asthma.  Students in grades 1-12 are welcome to participate.  Contest guidelines can be accessed here.  Entries will be accepted now through October 8, 2010, and the awards ceremony will be held at the Dallas Museum of Art in early November.    View a few images below from the 2009 Art for Asthma contest.

Nicole Stutzman
Director of Teaching Programs and Partnerships

Artwork by Brenda Costilla, Grade 7

Artwork by Cooper Safford, Grade 11

Artwork by Audrey MBA, Grade 1

September Programs for Teachers

Published September 2, 2010 Art & Teaching Closed
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I hope you had a fun and relaxing summer break!   The school year has just begun, and we are looking forward to seeing you and your students here at the Museum.  This will be an exceptional year for exhibitions as we celebrate Mexico’s bicentennial, investigate the meanings and functions of masks from several Sub-Saharan African countries, and explore French medieval sculptures from the tomb of John the Fearless.

Because we value you as educators, we are offering FREE admission with your educator ID on the following days this month:  September 4, 5, 25, and 26.   Below are additional opportunities to participate in programming designed for K-12 educators during September:

  

Arts of Mexico Teacher Workshop
Saturday, September 11, 9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Explore the arts of Mexico in the Museum’s collections and the historical significance of artworks and artists in the exhibitions José Guadalupe Posada: The Birth of Mexican Modernism and Tierra y Gente: Modern Mexican Works on Paper. 

  

Late Night at the Dallas Museum of Art
Friday, September 17, 6:00 p.m. – midnight

Show your educator ID and get in FREE.  Visit the Educator Resource table to register for door prizes and sign up for upcoming teacher programs.

 

African Masks: The Art of Disguise Teacher Workshop
Saturday, September 25, 9:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

Experience the power and wonder of African Masks: The Art of Disguise. Investigate the functions and meanings of African masks and consider how they are used today. 

Until next time….

Jenny Marvel
Manager of Programs and Resources for Teachers

The Small Objects Collection Is Movin’ on Up!

Published August 31, 2010 Behind-the-Scenes , Collections Closed
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With funding provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Dallas Museum of Art is currently undertaking its Museum Storage Improvement Project, which involves updating and enhancing proper storage for the Museum’s collections. A large part of this project is dedicated to the renovation of the Small Objects storage space. Small objects are works of art that are three-dimensional and small enough to fit in cabinet shelving. Our improvement project includes moving the works of art into new storage equipment and also retrofitting the older cabinets.

When we began, the Project Team decided to do an inventory of the 8,000 objects in this space. Small Objects includes works from all of the Museum’s curatorial departments–from ancient fertility figures and African beads to silver place settings and fine china. When we’re done, the new Small Objects space will have increased storage capabilities and improved environmental controls, allowing Museum staff to better care for these works of art.

Museum Storage Improvement Coordinator Danielle Flores works on the inventory by double-checking object labels.

Danielle works with Collections Technicians Robert Hoot (center, standing) , Consuelo Gutierrez (center, seated), and Registrar Sarah Evans (right) to inventory objects from the Decorative Arts collection.

Head Preparator Vince Jones moves an older Small Objects cabinet that has been emptied.  The new Small Objects space will use retrofitted old cabinets along with newly purchased cabinets.

Preparator Mary Nicolett carefully fills up a cart.

Our staff always works with gloves to protect the pieces in the collection.

Here is a sneak peek at the almost-completed Small Obejcts space. Improved lighting and new areas for study will make it easier for Museum staff and visiting scholars to access the collections.

Members Celebrate African Masks

Published August 27, 2010 African Art , Exhibitions , Members Closed
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Last Friday we posted to our blog that it takes several weeks to install an exhibition, and they are planned many months (if not years) in advance. Once the Museum’s membership department knows when exhibitions will open, we start scheduling our preview events.

This past weekend was busy; we hosted three previews! Over 1,000 DMA members took the opportunity to tour African Masks: The Art of Disguise before opening day.

In addition to greeting members at the exhibition and assisting them with the new smARTphone tour, we hosted the first Members Lounge at Late Nights. Some of you may remember that when the we presented the King Tut exhibition, DMA members were able to take a break from the crowds in a separate lounge area. We decided to bring the concept back during Late Nights. If you are a member and plan to visit during the September Late Night, stop by the Members Lounge at Late Nights for a snack and some additional fun. And please be sure to say hello!

Relax, Recharge, Retreat!

Published August 27, 2010 Friday Photos 5 Comments
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Earlier this week, we set aside a few hours for a staff retreat.  Though one goal was to discuss work-related topics, we also wanted to get outside of the Museum and spend time doing something different. 

Luckily, our retreat coincided perfectly with the opening of Oil and Cotton.  Business and creative partners Shannon Driscoll and Kayli House graciously opened their doors to us, despite the fact that they had just moved into their new space days before.  During the first half of our retreat, Shannon and Kayli helped us personalize small books by screenprinting the cover with designs of our choice.

Some of us brought designs to use for their covers, while others drew their cover designs.  First, we traced our designs onto a piece of mesh fabric held taut by an embroidery loop.  Next, we painted all areas of our design that we did not want to print with regular school glue.  The glue was mixed with blue paint so we could see which areas had been covered. Last, we used a small piece of matboard to push acrylic paint through the areas of fabric not coated with glue.

[slideshow]

Melissa Nelson
Manager of Teaching in the Community 

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