Archive Page 97

Sleeping with Art: Not in the Biblical Sense

A year ago, before the launch of DMA Friends, we were brainstorming unique and fun rewards to offer. One idea we all jumped on was to hold a DMA Overnight at the Museum. We decided that this would be the “big reward” for DMA Friends to redeem, worth 100,000 points!

Ten months later, ten DMA Friends had earned enough points to redeem the reward. So on Friday, November 1, we hosted our first DMA Overnight!

The Overnight Crew!

The Overnight Crew!

We started planning for the DMA Overnight late this summer, and the question that we kept asking ourselves was “what are we going to do with our guests this evening?” Could they roam free for hours on end, should we pack the evening with activities, would they even want to sleep at some point or test their endurance by staying awake the entire night?

After researching other museums’ overnight programs, which were mostly nature and science museums, we put together a schedule that included an hour of free time, a curator-led tour, three different gallery activities, a midnight snack, an optional early sleep time, watching a film or playing games, and finally a time for “lights out,” when everyone had to be in their sleeping bags for the night (which ended up being close to 4 a.m.).

Knowing this group had done a lot at the DMA (they did earn 100,000 points after all!), we wanted them to have a new experience in the galleries, so we created a game for the DMA Overnight called Roll with It! This competitive dice game took the guests throughout the Museum as they searched for a work of art that matched the roll of the dice. One die gave a gallery location, one gave a feature that the work needed to include (red, 3D, animals), and one gave an action for the guests to do (pose, sketch, make a sound) in response to their chosen work of art. The team that completed the most rolls in 30 minutes won the game.

DMA Overnight by the numbers:

1,000,000 – points earned by 10 DMA Friends to attend the Overnight

23 – Friends

108 – glow sticks worn

3 – hand-made dice

10 – “art babies” created during the Creativity Challenge

1 – ghost story

5 – Friends who got up early to do yoga in the galleries

4 – average number of hours Friends slept during the DMA Overnight

Lights Out at the DMA

We were also excited to have Luke Darby from the Dallas Observer join us for the DMA Overnight. You can read about his experience here.

Stacey Lizotte is head of adult programming and multimedia services at the DMA, and designated RA of DMA Overnight.

Accessible Teamwork

We love collaboration here at the DMA, and when it comes to teamwork, Texas Women’s University occupational therapy students are fantastic additions to our team! Since 2009, the DMA has held quarterly-occurring Autism Awareness Family Celebrations for children with autism and their families to enjoy activities in the Museum before it opens to the public. For the past two years, we have been lucky to partner with TWU’s occupational therapy students led by Dr. Tina Fletcher, OTR, EdD, MFA. The students host the TWU Sensory Room during every Autism Awareness Family Celebration and they transform our Tech Lab into a quiet space filled with weighted vests, therapy balls, tunnels, and resources for families.

Dr. Fletcher is an invaluable partner to the Museum’s Access Programs as she attends the Meaningful Moments program as well as every Autism Awareness Family Celebration and advises us on best practices. Dr. Fletcher is unique in that in addition to being a professor of occupational therapy, she is also an Autism Specialist as well as an artist – she brings many perspectives to our Access Programming! This year three of Dr. Fletcher’s students are working with us on research and evaluation related to our Autism Awareness Family Celebrations – their projects involve creating and testing social stories, creating and testing gallery guides written specifically for children with sensory issues, and researching the way that parents think about the Museum.

TWU Occupational Therapy student Ana Antonetti volunteering at our recent Autism Awareness Family Celebration

TWU Occupational Therapy student Ana Antonetti volunteering at our recent Autism Awareness Family Celebration

One of Dr. Fletcher’s students, Ana Antonetti, is conducting research about parents’ perceptions of the DMA. Ana has been a part of recent Autism Awareness Family Celebrations and we are excited to learn about her research results. We would love to have your assistance in helping us to improve on our programming for children with autism! Please see details below from Ana about how you can help:

The Dallas Museum of Art is collaborating with Texas Woman’s University to conduct a study comparing the perceptions of parents of children with and without autism spectrum disorders about participation in museum activities.

The information gathered will be used to help the DMA with program development and accessibility.

To be able to participate in this study you must be a parent of a child that has participated in activities at the DMA in the past OR a parent who is interested in having their child participate in Museum activities. Your child must be age 18 or younger.

Please follow this link to complete the questionnaire: https://www.psychdata.com/s.asp?SID=156983

Thank you!

Amanda Blake
Head of Family, Access, and School Experiences

Artist Astrology: Scorpio

There must be something in the water, LITERALLY, since many of the most recognized artists of the 19th and 20th century are born under the sign of the Scorpio–whose zodiac element also happens to be water! The birthdays of Pablo Picasso, Claude Monet, Roy Lichtenstein, and Georgia O’Keefe, just to name a few, all fall between October 24 and November 23. So what is it exactly that makes these Scorpios so artistically inclined?

Scorpios are considered one of the most fierce and determined zodiac symbols. Their strength and independence commands attention and they are known to possess the ability to manipulate and hypnotize. The intensity of the Scorpio spirit is often misunderstood as insincerity, but beneath their cool exterior their emotional side runs deep. In relationships, Scorpios set high expectations of themselves and expect the same commitment in return. This loyalty and passion carries into all aspects of their lives and, at times, their desire for perfection can make them obsessive, demanding, and obstinate. While these characteristics might deter others, Scorpio’s thrive on a challenge and will see a task through no matter the obstacles–often to great success. Scorpio’s live life to the extreme and banality is never an option!

Using this description as a guide, it is no wonder that these savvy Scorpios developed and practiced a style all their own! Backed by their passion and determination, they explored new mediums, scientific developments, styles of representation, and ideas.

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Pablo Picasso – October 25

Because of Pablo Picasso’s innovations and contributions to the history of art, he has become one of the most recognizable artists in the world. This status is not unjustified as his work truly defined an era, changing art and artistry forever. Together, Picasso and Georges Braque developed Cubism, a style that radically re-structured the practice of painting. In both his life and his work, Picasso exhibited many of the signature traits of a Scorpio: he was intellectually rigorous, indulgent (both personally and artistically), and often obsessive. Later in life, this obsession manifested into a superstition in which he believed he could prolong death through artistic production. The all-knowing eyes of The Guitarist, above, also has connotations with Scorpio astrology. Eyes are a Scorpio’s most powerful physical trait and have been said to have the ability to hypnotize. This characteristic was not missed by Picasso, whose friend stated that he observed “the eyes of the canvases, by the way they had of staring into ours from deep inside those painted heads…never ceased asking us questions…We would look at the canvases straight in the eyes.”

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Roy Lichtenstein – October 27

Roy Lichtenstein’s Bull Heads series directly challenges and satirizes the art historical practice of Cubism. The emblem of Pablo Picasso’s Spanish roots–the bull–becomes increasingly unrecognizable as the prints progress into further simplified geometric shapes. Lichtenstein frequently consulted art historical tradition to inform and direct his works. He is largely recognized for his appropriation of the style and content of comic strips, a focus that again derived from his interest in how subject matter is not only depicted, but digested. This acuity reveals Lichtenstein’s interest in the past as a vehicle to explore new ideas and concepts.

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Auguste Rodin – November 12

Rodin realized his passion for art at a young age, and his talent was highly regarded during his adolescent years. He faced a humiliating defeat, however, when he was declined admission to the Ecole des Beaux-Arts three consecutive times. In order to make a living, Rodin worked for 20 years as a craftsmen and ornamenter. Throughout this time, he remained determined to further develop his passions and talents, attending classes, shadowing artists, and renting small studios in order to produce large figures. Now hailed for the materiality and dignity of his works, Rodin’s Scorpio characteristics of self-determination, willfulness, and originality pushed him to overcome obstacles and become one of the most recognizable and popular sculptors of the modern era.

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Georgia O’Keeffe – November 15

Georgia O’Keeffe is not only hailed for her work as an artist but also for her feminist and self-reliant character. O’Keeffe unapologetically pursued her artwork and her life as she pleased. She is quoted to have said, “I have but one desire as a painter:  that is to paint what I see, as I see it, in my own way, without regard for the desires or taste of the professional dealer or the professional collector.” O’Keeffe’s vision is evidenced in her abstracted, yet acutely attentive representations of singular elements, such as her iconic paintings of flowers and desert-bleached skulls. She depicted her unique worldview in paintings of both natural and urban landscapes.

Here's where we will stay, 1995, JH1995-016

Jim Hodges – November 19

The work of Jim Hodges exemplifies the passion and loyalty of the Scorpio spirit. Our current exhibition, Jim Hodges: Give More Than You Take, speaks to Hodges’ commitment and generosity as an artist, a friend, a son, and a partner. Most of the works in the exhibition make direct or indirect reference to his interactions with loved ones, including Here’s where we will stay. This piece alludes to Jim’s mother and great-grandmother, who taught him how to sew and cultivated his understanding and patience for craft arts. Jim sewed each of the scarves together by hand, purposefully elongating the experience to allow time for meditation and reflection.

For more splendid Scorpios, check out the work of Johannes Vermeer (October 31), Robert Mapplethorpe (November 4), Paul Signac (November 11), Claude Monet (November 14), and Rene Magritte (November 22)! And don’t forget to tune in next month for some of our favorite Sagittarius artists!

Artworks Shown:

  • Pablo Picasso, The Guitarist, 1965, Dallas Museum of Art, The Art Museum League Fund
  • Roy Lichtenstein, Bull Heads I, 1973, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of The 500, Inc.
  • Roy Lichtenstein, Bull Heads III, 1973, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of The 500, Inc.
  • Auguste Rodin, The Shade, or Adam from “The Gates of Hell”, 1880, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Mr. and Mrs. Eugene McDermott
  • Georgia O’Keeffe, Grey Blue & Black—Pink Circle, 1929, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of The Georgia O’Keeffe Foundation
  • Jim Hodges, Here’s where we will stay, 1995

Hayley Prihoda
McDermott Intern for Gallery and Community Teaching

A Colorful Anniversary

Josef Albers "The Interaction of Color" Plate XI

Josef Albers, The Interaction of Color, Plate XI

In 1963, the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts celebrated the publication of Josef Albers’ The Interaction of Color with an exhibition of the portfolio and 22 Albers paintings from the Sidney Janis Gallery in New York. Albers attended the opening of the exhibition and gave a lecture on his theories of color.

Invitation to Josef Albers lecture at the DMFA,

Invitation to Josef Albers’ lecture “The Logic and Magic of Color” at the DMFA on April 30, 1963

According to Albers, the portfolio “shows a new way of teaching color, of studying color . . . to make our eyes sensitive to the wonders of color interaction.”

Josef Albers "The Interaction of Color" Plate VII

Josef Albers, The Interaction of Color, Plate VII

The Interaction of Color has never gone out of print and remains influential among teachers, artists, and designers. Yale University Press has even developed a popular app, available here.

The Mayer Library at the DMA has in its collection the portfolio, which Albers presented in 1963, inscribed “with my special greetings to the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts.”

Inscription to the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts  from Josef Albers in "Interaction of Color"

Several silkscreen color plates from the portfolio are currently on display in the Mayer Library.

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Selected plates from The Interaction of Color on view in the Mayer Library

Mary Leonard is the librarian at the Dallas Museum of Art.

UA Maker Club

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What do you get when you put art and technology together? The UA Maker Club! A mash up between led workshop and open studio, the Maker Club combines traditional art supplies with tech-based materials and asks participants to explore the resulting possibilities. It’s a place for people to experiment, make mistakes, and have fun through tinkering. The Maker Club is also a place where collaboration rules: everyone can share their knowledge and learn from each other–students and staff alike! Because we (the staff) are not experts ourselves, it’s a great opportunity for us all to exchange ideas and gain new skills.

For our very first meet up last Thursday, students explored simple circuits through the use of mini LEDs. Through a series of challenges, teens learned how to light up their LEDs using a variety of conductive materials: copper tape, wire, foil, graphite, and conductive tape. They then had to come up with various ways of making their lights turn on and off by constructing a switch. Finally, they were to create a work of art that incorporated LEDs in some way. We had a great group of teens with a wide range of interests–art, science, even robotics. As you can see, all of the creations were unique and varied:

Take two: Jared made this incredible switch for his LED after shorting out his first one 🙂

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A shot of Pamela’s elaborately constructed diorama–in progress

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A second shot showing her LEDs

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Holy Light-Brite, Batman! Rosa’s fantastic globe

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Preparing to add some twinkling lights to Lugosi’s sculpture

The UA Maker Club meets every month and is open to anyone between the ages of 13-19. No prior experience is necessary and all materials are provided. Drop in to this month’s workshop on November 21 to make glow-in-the-dark clothing and accessories using electroluminescent wire and screen printing ink!

Glow_Stix__Does_a_body_good_by_realdaguru

JC Bigornia
C3 Program Coordinator

#DMAGiveMore

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The Center for Creative Connections (C3) has taken the Jim Hodges exhibition title, Give More Than You Take, as a call to action. Hodges gave the exhibition this title after reflecting on what it means to be an artist and have a voice in our community. Inspired by this idea of the power of our individual voices, we are offering visitors a chance to consider how they might use their voices in creative and positive ways.

Throughout the run of the exhibition Jim Hodges: Give More Than You Take, we are hosting a Community Exchange in C3. You can make a button with a personal, positive motto that you want to share with the community. Then leave the button you create on our Community Exchange wall and take someone else’s button from the wall.

Wear the button you take out into the community to share a positive message. Document your button’s journey by tagging photos with #DMAGiveMore (check out our #DMAGiveMore on the DMA’s Instagram).

Want to truly give more than you take? Make a positive gesture by giving your new button away to someone else.
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Jessica Fuentes is the C3 gallery coordinator at the DMA.

DMA Park Rangers

It’s hard to believe one whole year has passed since our neighbor Klyde Warren Park  opened its gates. In honor of the first anniversary, we created a Park Rangers guide to the DMA.

The role of a ranger is to care for and protect the flora and fauna of the park and to educate visitors about them. As a former park ranger, I can personally attest that the jobs that we do here at the DMA aren’t entirely different! We just focus on works of art instead of nature. And, there is actually quite a bit of nature to be investigated within the Museum’s walls.

Come to the DMA and explore nature on the Park Rangers self-guided tour. Print it at home before your visit or ask a friendly gallery attendant—the DMA’s own version of a park ranger—for one when you arrive.

George Inness, Summer Foliage, 1883, oil on canvas, Dallas Museum of Art, bequest of Joel T. Howard

George Inness, Summer Foliage, 1883, oil on canvas, Dallas Museum of Art, bequest of Joel T. Howard

One tour stop is George Inness’s Summer Foliage, which shows the artist’s unique ability to bring to life a traditional landscape scene. After your Museum visit, saunter over to Klyde Warren Park to experience nature firsthand, right in the middle of the Dallas Arts District!Practice capturing your own landscape with a camera or a phone. Don’t forget to tag your photo #DMAParkRanger.

Andrea Vargas Severin is the interpretation specialist at the DMA.

Feliz Dia de los Muertos!

One of Mexico’s most important holidays is upon us–Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead! This popular holiday began centuries ago, and, although a celebration based on skulls and skeletons may appear a tad morbid, Dia de los Muertos is actually quite a festive and joyous time. Many of the Mesoamerican civilizations that flourished hundreds of years ago (like the Olmecs, Mayans, and Aztecs), believed strongly in the cyclical nature of life and death. This ancient belief resulted in a celebration of death, rather than a fear of itDeath is viewed as simply a continuation of life, and holidays like Dia de los Muertos are observed in order to celebrate and honor those who have passed away.

Máximo Pacheco, The Zocalo, 1929-1936

Máximo Pacheco, The Zocalo, 1929-1936

There are many things you can do to join in on the celebration this weekend.

Creating an Ofrenda – These small, personal altars honor loved ones who are no longer with us. They are decorated with flowers, candles, food, drinks, photos, and personal mementos of the person being remembered. Luckily the DMA store has many items that can beautify any ofrenda.

Decorating Gravesites – The activity of cleaning and decorating the graves of deceased loved ones has become a festive tradition, with family members congregating to adorn the sites with photographs and flowers as well as the person’s favorite food and drink. Many artists are captivated with the beauty of Mexican cemeteries and have included them in their artwork over time.

Sharing Stories about the Deceased: Part of honoring the dead is sharing stories about their life, particularly funny anecdotes. It is believed that the dead do not want to be thought of in a sad or somber way, but instead remembered and celebrated. So in this light, I wanted to celebrate and shed some light on the artist Frida Kahlo. Kahlo is most well known for her self-portraits. But of her 143 paintings, did you know that 55 are self-portraits that feature her treasured animals? After her life-changing traffic accident, Kahlo channeled her energy and emotions into her artworks and her many pets–monkeys, dogs, birds and a fawn–which lived at her home, in Coyoacán, Mexico City. To celebrate her love of animals, I placed a representation of my cat next to a bust of Kahlo.

Whether as a personal experience, family event, or social gathering, I hope that you are inspired this weekend to celebrate your loved ones as part of the Dia de los Muertos holiday!

Artworks shown:

  • Máximo Pacheco, The Zócalo, 1929-1936, Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas Art Association Purchase
  • Dean Ellis, Aspect of a Mexican Cemetary, 1950, Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas Art Association Purchase
  • Jerry Bywaters, Mexican Graveyard, 1939, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of A. H. Belo Corporation and The Dallas Morning News
  • Frida Kahlo, Itzcuintli Dog with Me, 1938, Private Collection

Danielle Schulz
Teaching Specialist

A Rainy DMA Day

As a native Texan, it is ingrained in me to celebrate the rain whenever it decides to appear. As a child, I thought rainy days should be treated like snow days – with a day off from school!If you are like me and struggle with being productive on those rare rainy days in Dallas, I encourage you to play hooky and view the DMA’s collection in a new (darker and stormier) light. Below are my two favorite places at the DMA to celebrate Mother Nature’s greatest performance in Texas – a fall shower!
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The Level 4 landing outside the Ancient American Art Galleries is the #1 spot in my opinion. You can observe a storm rolling in through the large window framed by our Dale Chihuly glass sculpture, Hart Window, or sit down in the corner windows with a friend and watch the raindrops fall on the trees.
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This location is perfect because it is next to the head of the rain god Tlaloc. Among the cultures of Central Mexico during the 14th to 16th century, Tlaloc controlled rain, lightning, and thunder. According to DMA legend, every time Tlaloc is disturbed, rain will follow. It’s only fitting that the best seat in the house to watch a rainstorm would be right next to him! Find out more about Tlaloc and his rain powers on the DMA’s smartphone tour.
tlaloc

kelly
Another great spot to watch the rain is by the DMA’s Sculpture Garden. If you are prepared for the weather, walking around the garden during a light drizzle is quite lovely. But if you’d like to stay dry, I suggest sitting underneath Daniel Buren’s Sanction of the Museum, outside the Hoffman Galleries in the Concourse.
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Perching here gives you a beautiful view of Ellsworth Kelly’s stainless steel piece Untitled as the water runs down its sides. Plus, with all the raindrops on the window you can pretend you’re outside instead of warm and cozy and surrounded by contemporary art!
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If you’ve been lucky enough to catch a rainstorm here at the DMA, leave a comment and tell us your favorite rainy day art spots.

Madeleine Fitzgerald is the McDermott Education Intern for Adult Programming and Arts & Letters Live at the DMA.

Hocus Pocus

Halloween is just around the corner and it has us seeing haunting references in works at the DMA and treats throughout the Museum’s galleries. Tell us which works cause you to have a hair-raising Museum visit.


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