Art | Dallas Museum of Art Uncrated

Posts Tagged 'Art'

Make This: Adventures in Casting

Published February 11, 2014 Creativity , DIY Tutorial Closed
Tags: Art, Center for Creative Connections, creativity, Dallas Museum of Art, sculpture

Jean Arp, Star in a Dream (Astre en Reve), 1958, Dallas Museum of Art, Foundation for the Arts Collection, gift of Mr. and Mrs. James H. Clark, (c) Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn

In talking with teens about what they’d like to do for upcoming classes, casting was a popular idea that I loved but had no idea how to execute. A metals casting class (see Star in a Dream, above) would be fantastic yet totally unfeasible, so I looked for alternative materials and methods that we could try. Over the past several months, I’ve been researching different techniques to meet the following needs: the project to be cost effective (i.e. cheap); the mold had to set within 45 minutes; the process had to be uncomplicated; and the results had to be pretty cool.

I finally settled on a pretty easy way of making silicone molds from inexpensive, household materials. There are many great online tutorials on how to do this, but I chose to adapt this one. Unfortunately, this silicone mold isn’t pourable, but it sets fast and is really easy to make. Alternatively, you could easily use a self-setting rubber medium like Sugru to make the mold if you’re not concerned about set time. I’m using Mod Melts as the casting material for this project to make things easier, but you could experiment with other things like resin, etc. As with any project, make sure your work area is well-ventilated and observe the safety precautions on the material labels.

What you need (this should yield 1-2 small, 2″-4″ castings):

Tube of 100% silicone caulk and caulk gun (VERY important that it’s 100% silicone)
Cornstarch
Latex gloves
Styrofoam cup
Disposable plastic tray
Non-stick cooking spray
Mod Melts and hot glue gun
A small object to mold (you could make your own using modelling clay, etc.) that will fit into the Styrofoam cup

Step 1:

Don your gloves and pour a generous amount of cornstarch along the bottom of your plastic tray. Cut the tip off of the tube of caulk and load it into the caulk gun.

Step 2:

Squeeze the entire tube of caulk into the tray full of cornstarch. Begin incorporating the cornstarch into the caulk until it starts to form a loose ball. I used two pieces of scrap cardboard to toss everything together until it became a paste, then used my hands. Add more cornstarch as needed. I ended up using about 12 oz. of cornstarch.

Step 3:

Continue kneading cornstarch into the silicone ball until it reaches a putty-like consistency and is no longer sticky to the touch.

Step 4:

Press the silicone firmly around your object to make your mold. For best results, use an object with a simple shape that doesn’t have a lot of holes where the silicone could get trapped. Press the mold with the object inside into the Styrofoam cup and leave it to set. (Notice that I’ve left a small hole at the top of the mold where I will pour in the Mod Melts.) I had enough material to cast my object and to make a small, secondary mold.

Step 5:

Check the mold after about 45 minutes–if it has completely set, you should be able to slide it out of the cup. Gently remove the object, taking care not to tear the mold. (You may need to carefully cut the silicone to make a two-part mold in order to do this.) You can see in my bigger mold some sections where I ran into trouble with air bubbles. To avoid that next time, I will have to press more firmly into those sections and give my mold a little more time to set.

Step 6:

Spray the inside of your mold with non-stick spray (optional) and put it back in the Styrofoam cup. Heat your glue gun and load it with the Mod Podge Melts. For the sake of time, I will only cast the smaller mold that I made but I’ll post images of the larger cast on our Flickr page!

Step 7:

When hot, squeeze the Mod Melts into the mold. Once you’ve filled it, give the mold a gentle tap to help any air bubbles settle. Leave it to set.

Once your casting is cool, take it out of the mold. Your results may vary, but don’t worry–if the mold is still intact, you could reuse it to make another casting. And the nice thing about Mod Melts is that afterwards, you can paint your project or draw on it with Sharpie markers, etc.

If you know of an interested teen, have them check out our March Urban Armor workshop–we’ll be doing a similar activity but casting in plastic!

Make and be happy!

JC Bigornia
C3 Program Coordinator

Get Immersed in Contemporary Art

Published January 28, 2014 Art & Teaching Closed
Tags: Art, Contemporary Art, Dallas Museum of Art, Pop-Up Art Spot, senses, Tyler Rutledge, works of art

Have you ever wondered how it would feel to create a painting over eight feet tall and almost seven feet wide? If so, stop by our newest Pop-up Art Spot in the Contemporary gallery and get immersed in Richard Diebenkorn‘s Ocean Park No. 29. Visitors of all ages are invited to assemble a life-size puzzle of this painting with large pieces of felt. Just be ready to get physical as you bend over, stretch, and reach as far as you can to put it together!

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This Pop-up Art Spot engages other senses, too: use your sense of touch (unusual in an art museum!) as you explore the texture of oil paint on small canvas samples or pair different scents with the colorful paintings around you.

Below is our upcoming schedule for the Pop-up Art Spot. We change locations from week to week, so be sure to visit us between February 11-16 to engage your senses!

February 11-16: first floor, Contemporary gallery

P.S. – This Pop-up Art Spot was created by our wonderful intern Tyler Rutledge, who was featured in a blog post last month.

Melissa Gonzales
C3 Gallery Manager

Give Thanks

Published November 28, 2013 People , works of art Closed
Tags: Art, Dallas Museum of Art, Thankful

At this time of year, many people begin to take stock of moments and experiences they are thankful for. The act of sharing this gratitude with others, and reviewing those things that may have been taken for granted, can actually increase an individual’s well-being. According to Cicero, “Gratitude is not only the greatest of the virtues but the parent of all others.” In an effort to spread this sense of well-being to our Canvas blog readers, I asked my colleagues in the Education Division to share a work of art from the DMA’s permanent collection or special exhibitions that they are thankful for—whether it is a work they enjoy visiting in a moment of free time; or perhaps one they regularly use in a program; or even a work of art they would like to learn more about. Enjoy their responses below and of course, feel free to share your own! 🙂

Amanda Batson – C3 Program Coordinator. I am thankful for The Halberdier by Ferdinand Hodler, located in our European collection. This massive work of art confronts you as you exit the blue elevators in an inescapable way. At first glance, the soldier seems fierce and almost living up to his reputation as the ultimate protector of Switzerland. I am incredibly thankful for this work of art by Hodler because no matter how fierce or stoic it may seem—it has a bit of whimsy. If you look closely you will notice that the mustache of the Swiss soldier goes up towards his cheek on one side and down towards his chin on the other. I am not sure what the intention of the artist was but I cannot help but laugh about this every time I see it! Some days you just really need a laugh!

Amelia Wood – McDermott Intern for Family and Access Teaching. When Jim Hodges: Give More Than YouTake opened in October, I immediately felt a connection with the artwork.I was especially struck by Diary of Flowers (When We Met). My interest in diaries was sparked when I saw Day After Day: The Diaristic Impulse at the University Art Museum in Albany, NY, last spring.Artists involved in this show were focused on recording their daily lives, including personal rituals, narratives, and experiences. I’ve never been great at keeping a diary, and I was moved by the way in which the process of keeping a diary forces you to slow down and appreciate day-to-day life. Hodges Diary of Flowers has evoked a similar response in me, and I’ve enjoyed revisiting the artwork when I need a reminder to slow down and, well, smell the flowers.

Rhiannon Martin – Volunteer Coordinator. I am thankful for the sculpture garden as a whole, because it is a nice place to escape from the busy work day for a bit and enjoy the weather when it’s nice out. The sculptures throughout the lawn are a beautiful backdrop and help to create a wonderful space to sit and relax.

Amy Elms – McDermott Intern for Visitor Engagement. I’m thankful for Family Portrait 1963 because it helped me to become oriented with the DMA’s weekend Studio Creations when my internship first began. Martin Delabano’s sculpture is filled with so much hidden meaning and is also made from a variety of found objects. While helping with Studio Creations in September, I really enjoyed learning about ways that visitors of all ages can become engaged with a work of art.

Leah Hanson – Manager of Early Learning I’m grateful for Henri Matisse’s Ivy in Flower primarily because it just makes me happy. I like the bold, clean shapes, the colors, and the order of it. Matisse was a favorite of mine in the art history classes I took, and I wrote a paper about his cut paper collages in particular. I liked that he found a way to create even at a time when it could have been easy to give up or lose hope. When I finally got to see this in person, I was so amazed at how large it is…you can never tell that in a reproduction or a print. I loved when it was hanging in the Concourse just outside C3 because I saw it every day.

JC Bigornia – C3 Program Coordinator. I’m impacted to this day by the 2007 special exhibition Phil Collins: The World Won’t Listen . It’s one of my top five all-time favorite DMA exhibitions, and I can still feel the energy and sheer joy of being in that space. It’s hard to describe the appeal of watching people sing karaoke, and I certainly hadn’t listened to much of The Smiths before that show. I think what resonated for me was the absolute love and passion that each person brought to their performance; you could totally empathize with that person’s sense of happiness, loss, etc. I used to spend part of every day in that exhibition because no matter how down I felt, I always came out of there feeling charged up…there’s really no other word to describe it except infectious. I was always thankful to have that kind of place to escape to and I think the lessons I took away from each of the participant’s performances—bravery, honesty, compassion—will always stay with me.
Jessica Fuentes – C3 Gallery Coordinator. I’m thankful for HI-C Avenger by John Hernandez. I love that this piece is so bright and energetic. It catches the attention of visitors of all ages, and as it is currently installed at the entrance of the Center for Creative Connections, an interactive educational space for all ages, it is a perfect fit! I also love telling visitors that this is a piece by a Texas based artist who used to live in Oak Cliff and graduated from UNT. Having work by local artists can be so inspiring to young artists.

Hayley Prihoda – McDermott Intern for Gallery and Community Teaching. Picturing that Day stood out to me on my first tour of the Jim Hodges: Give More Than You Take exhibition and, after innumerable visits, has remained one of my favorite works in the show. Having performed in choir in high school, the imagery of the sheet music immediately reminded me of my adolescence. Upon closer examination, I was excited to discover that the piece also features two of my favorite songs – “Landslide” and “Climb Every Mountain”. My mom is a beautiful singer and my sister and I grew up listening to Fleetwood Mac and watching the Sound of Music. Now that I am 1000 miles away from my family, I am very grateful to have this connection to home on view at the DMA.
Amanda Blake – Head of Family, Access, and School Experiences. I am thankful for Isaac Soyer’s Art Beauty Shoppe in the American galleries. In graduate school I focused on American art from the 1920s and 1930s and wrote my thesis on two artists from the Fourteenth Street School. Every time I see this painting it is like visiting a familiar friend and traveling back in time to 14^th street in New York City! I love teaching with this artwork because of its narrative aspects and sensory possibilities. I think this painting is a great one to use to teach about the social and cultural changes taking place in the early twentieth century and I enjoy using it with all ages.

Isaac Soyer, Art Beauty Shoppe, 1934

Exploring the senses with Art Beauty Shoppe

Peep-themed Art Beauty Shoppe

Works of art shown:

Ferdinand Hodler, The Halberdier, 1895, Dallas Museum of Art, Foundation for the Arts Collection, Mrs. John B. O’Hara Fund and gift of Nona and Richard Barrett
Jim Hodges, Diary of Flowers (When We Met), 1994, Barbara and Michael Gamson
Ellsworth Kelly, Untitled, 1982-1983, Dallas Museum of Art, commission made possible through funds donated by Michael J. Collins and matching grants from The 500, Inc., and the 1982 Tiffany & Company benefit opening
Martin Delabano, Family Portrait 1963, 2001, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Mr. and Mrs. Bryant M. Hanley, Jr., Lorine and David H. Gibson, and Sonny Burt and Bob Butler
Henri Matisse, Ivy in Flower, 1953, Dallas Museum of Art, Foundation for the Arts Collection, gift of the Albert and Mary Lasker Foundation
Phil Collins, dunia tak akan mendengar, 2007
John Hernandez, HI-C Avenger, 1992, acrylic on wood, Dallas Museum of Art, Texas Artists Fund
Jim Hodges, Picturing That Day, 2002, The Art Institute of Chicago
Isaac Soyer, Art Beauty Shoppe, 1934, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of the Public Works of Art Project

I’d like to say how thankful I am to all of you who shared some of your favorite works of art!

Danielle Schulz
Teaching Specialist

UA Maker Club

Published November 5, 2013 Art & Teaching , Creativity 1 Comment
Tags: Art, fun, Technology, teens, Urban Armor, Workshops

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 🙂

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

A second shot showing her LEDs

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

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!

JC Bigornia
C3 Program Coordinator

Get Schooled at the DMA

Published October 1, 2013 Art & Teaching , Resources Closed
Tags: Art, CPE hours, Dallas Holocaust Museum, Educator Block Party, Hodges, Hopper, Old Red Museum, Perot Museum, Provocative Comparisons, Sixth Floor Museum, teacher workshops

Want to explore the DMA’s collection or special exhibitions before the Museum is open to the public all while earning CPE hours? Our Teacher Workshops give you an opportunity to do just that. Held on select Saturdays from 9:00 am—12:30 pm, K-12 teachers of all disciplines are invited to join us for conversations and interactive gallery experiences. We are hosting three workshops this fall, and the links below take you directly to registration information.

Provocative Comparisons: A New Approach to Teaching with Artworks
Saturday, October 12

Discover new and unexpected connections across the Museum. Teachers will contemplate thought-provoking cross-cultural comparisons in the DMA’s encyclopedic collection. This workshop presents a new way to frame conversations about artworks, and teachers will gain access to resources and tools they can use in their classroom.

Jim Hodges, Untitled (Gate), 1991, copyright Jim Hodges

Jim Hodges, Untitled (Gate), 1991, © Jim Hodges

Jim Hodges: Give More Than You Take
Saturday, November 2

Contemporary artist Jim Hodges excels at poetic gestures of conceptual art using materials that range from the everyday to the precious. Teachers will have the unique opportunity to explore the ephemeral nature of Hodges’ work. We will also investigate themes of relationships, beauty, and transformation throughout Hodges’ career.

Edward Hopper, Study for Nighthawks, 1942, Whitney Museum of American Art, copyright Heirs of Josephine N. Hopper, licensed by the Whitney Museum of American Art. Digital Image, copyright Whitney Museum of American Art, NY

Edward Hopper, Study for Nighthawks, 1942, Whitney Museum of American Art, © Heirs of Josephine N. Hopper, licensed by the Whitney Museum of American Art. Digital Image, © Whitney Museum of American Art, NY

Hopper Drawing: A Painter’s Process
Saturday, December 7

Discover the creative process of American artist Edward Hopper. Teachers will participate in gallery dialogues and hands-on art experiences as we explore drawings, watercolors, prints, and paintings from across Hopper’s career. We will also trace the evolution from sketch to finished painting.

The DMA is also participating in a brand new Educator Block Party, being held in the West End this Thursday, October 3rd, from 4:00-8:00 p.m. Teachers of all disciplines are invited to stop by The Sixth Floor Museum, The Old Red Museum, the Dallas Holocaust Museum, and the Perot Museum of Nature and Science to learn more about the different cultural organizations in Dallas county. Each organization will have a booth where you can learn about field trips, outreach programs, and even more teacher workshops. Admission to enter the Educator Block party is FREE, but you must bring a school ID with you to be able to participate. We hope you’ll stop by and say hello!

Shannon Karol
Manager of Docent and Teacher Programs

What Does Fun Look Like at the DMA?

Published September 5, 2013 Art & Teaching 1 Comment
Tags: Art, docents, experiences, fun, goal, tours

I have written posts in the past about our goals for docent-guided tours at the DMA. Our current goal statement was written five years ago, and I think it’s in need of a few updates. It states that we want students to feel comfortable at the Museum, as well as to begin to see their world in a fresh way. What does that mean, and how can we measure whether that happens on our tours?

Over the summer, I met with small groups of docents to begin redefining our goal for tours. These docents were asked “What are your motivations and desires when planning a tour for the DMA’s visitors?” Their answers were thoughtful and really demonstrate their passion for the work that they do at the DMA.

My hope is that they will learn how to “look” in a museum setting and that they will want to return or visit other museums.
My biggest goal is to get the students to want to come back and to leave with vivid memories of what they saw.
My biggest hope is that even one child sees an object that excites them and makes them want to see more.
I want them to leave with more questions than they had when they came in so that they will be eager to come back and enjoy what this museum has to offer.
I want the students to feel comfortable, be inspired and amazed, learn a few things, and have fun!
My motivation is to share objects that are special to me so that I can bring genuine excitement to them.

I plugged the docents’ responses into Wordle in order to easily see what words popped up repeatedly. In a word cloud, the size of a word corresponds with the number of times it was entered into Wordle. From this word cloud, it’s obvious that a “fun experience” is the top motivation for our docents when planning tours.

As a group, the docents and I are now trying to unpack the word “fun.” Just what does a fun experience at the DMA look like? How do we know that students are having fun in our galleries? Do sketching and inventing stories about a work of art lead to a fun experience? Is laughter our best indicator that students are enjoying their tour? These are just some of the questions that we are pondering as we begin our new training year.

StudentVisits_ShannonKarol_02_27_2009_072

These kiddos certainly appear to be having fun on their tour

Now it’s your turn to weigh in. I would love to have your insight as we move forward with revising our goal for docent-guided tours. How do you know that your students (or children) are having fun at the DMA? What have been some of their favorite experiences here? If you’re a teacher, I am also curious to know what your motivations are when you schedule a field trip to the DMA. It will be interesting to see how your motivations overlap with those of our docents.

Please add your comments below or feel free to email me. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on having fun at the DMA!

Shannon Karol
Manager of Docent and Teacher Programs

Friday Photos: Back to School

Published August 23, 2013 Friday Photos , works of art Closed
Tags: Art, collections, Dallas Museum of Art

The start of the new school year is upon us! It’s an exciting time for kids, adults and educators alike, so what better way to commemorate this time of year than by highlighting works of art from the DMA’s collection that have a scholastic connection. Peruse these works of art and think about how they relate to your memories of school. Do they inspire excitement? Dread? Nostalgia? Click on the images to learn more.

Travis was both a painter and an art teacher. He co-founded of the Dallas Art Institute in 1926, acting as director until 1941. Several of his murals are in schools and businesses in the Dallas area.

Thoth was the Ancient Egyptian god of wisdom and knowledge. Honored as the inventor of writing and the founder of disciplines such as art, astronomy, medicine, law, and magic, he was the patron god of scribes.

Winningham is a Texas-based photographer and faculty member of the department of Art & Art History at Rice University in Houston. The first ten years of Winningham’s photography all dealt with subjects either unique to or characteristic of Texas: rodeos, livestock shows, professional wrestling, and high school football games. Winningham is drawn to the observation of ritual, and his photographs record our participation in some of these sustaining rites, providing pictures that are remarkable for their clarity and kindness.

Move over plywood desks and tables! This Egyptian revival style library table is so beautiful that the kids will be begging to do their homework. The ox-hoof feet, bronze plaques, and winglike decoration all derive from ancient sources and indicate the influence of Egyptian motifs in decorative furnishings during the nineteenth century. This table is also innovatively designed, with its unusual placement of drawers that pull out diagonally from each corner. The table top was covered in fabric as well, to minimize damage to books.

This lithograph articulates the foreboding feeling the first day of school brings. The staircase leads to utter darkness, where anything might await, while the stern face of the mistress offers no comfort or tenderness. By answering the door with switch in hand, she becomes the disciplinarian rather than the nurturer, and clearly shows the consequences for misbehavior.

While the shapes and patterns in this drawing suggest natural forms, they have a schematic feeling that is reminiscent of scientific and mathematical diagrams. The dark centers of the almond shapes recess like black holes, and the curved lines emanating from them resemble waves of energy. Larry Brown’s work is influenced by the worlds of science and nature, particularly those fields that seek to map and understand space.

Artworks shown:

Olin Herman Travis, Country School House, n.d., Dallas Museum of Art, gift of A. H. Belo Corporation and The Dallas Morning News
Thoth, God of Learning and Patron of Scribes, Egyptian, 663-525 B.C., Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Elsa von Seggern
Geoff Winningham, High School Prom, 1973, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Prestonwood National Bank
Pottier & Stymus Manufacturing Company, Library Table, 1865, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of the 1992 Silver Supper and an anonymous donor in honor of Charles L. Venable
Howard Baer, My First Day at School, n.d., Dallas Museum of Art, Foundation for the Arts, The Alfred and Juanita Bromberg Collection, bequest of Juanita K. Bromberg
Larry Brown, Untitled #8, 1986, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Mr. and Mrs. I. C. Deal

Danielle Schulz
Teaching Specialist

Art Babies

Published August 6, 2013 Art & Teaching , Family Fun 2 Comments
Tags: Art, child development, infants

Do you think your baby is too young to bring to the DMA? Think again! We are currently testing a potential program for infants (3-23 months) and their parents or caregivers called Art Babies, based on research by Dr. Katerina Danko-McGhee, Director of Education at the Toledo Museum of Art.

Creating a stimulating environment contributes to a baby’s brain development. Visiting the Museum is one way to provide a stimulating environment for your child. Looking at art promotes early neuron connections while talking about art helps early language development.

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Now that you know the Museum is a great place for your baby’s development, what kind of art should you look at during your visit? Art that is high in contrast or uses bright bold colors captures a baby’s attention best. Babies like both abstract and representational art; however infants 13-18 months particularly prefer representational art.

Several babies from our first test group were captivated by the contrasting colors of The Divers by Fernand Leger. Portraits also work well, especially faces with big eyes (think of Dora the Explorer) or depictions of babies. Also look for artworks that feature familiar objects such as animals or plants.

You might be wondering, “How can I tell if my baby is interested in a work of art?” Babies communicate their aesthetic preference through body language. They might visually fixate, smile, laugh, or reach toward the object that interests them. When looking at art with your baby, it is best to hold them or have them in a front carrier at a safe distance from the artwork. This allows the baby to physically react to the art they prefer.

The Divers, Fernand Leger, 1942, oil on canvas, Dallas Museum of Art, Foundation for the Arts Collection, gift of the James H. and Lillian Clark Foundation

Fernand Leger, The Divers, 1942, Dallas Museum of Art, Foundation for the Arts Collection, gift of the James H. and Lillian Clark Foundation

While viewing art with your baby, it’s important to validate the child’s response by being supportive and interactive. When your child reaches toward a particular painting, talk about colors, shapes, or familiar objects in the artwork. This will aid in language development and help them create meaning from familiar objects.

Our first test for Art Babies received positive feedback and parents were amazed at their babies’ reactions to the artworks. Follow the DMA on Facebook or Twitter for future information on this program.

Holly York
McDermott Intern for Family Experiences

More than Meets the Eye

Published July 9, 2013 Creativity , Technology , works of art 1 Comment
Tags: Art, Center for Creative Connections, photographs

rosependantCROP2

Sometimes we associate certain objects with specific people, places, or memories. A seemingly ordinary object can hold very personal meanings. When I was young, my grandmother gave me a rose pendant. It consisted of three layers, each with small images carved into the surface. I wore it throughout my childhood and adolescence and remember frequently running my fingers over the textured surfaces when I felt anxious. To anyone else this rose pendant may seem to be a simple trinket, but to me it holds significance and reminds me of my grandmother.

2001_358_A_F PortraitofPapacrop

Similarly, there is often more to a work of art than meets the eye. In Family Portrait 1963 by Martin Delabano, the artist has depicted his mother sitting in a red chair. To most viewers, this may simply seem to reflect the reality that she was sitting in a red chair; but in fact, this chair is significant to both the artist and his family. The chair is a family heirloom that also appears in a painting by Barney Delabano, Martin’s father. In Portrait of Papa, Barney paints his own father sitting in the same red chair.

During July and August, the DMA is asking you to discover the stories behind works of art in our collection and then share your own stories about significant objects in your life. DMA Friends who complete all three activities below can earn the More Than Meets the Eye Badge with codes gathered upon the completion of each activity.

See
Discover stories behind other works of art in our collection by completing the More Than Meets The Eye smART phone tour. Bring your web-enabled device and pick up a list of the suggested stops on this tour in the Center for Creative Connections (C3).

Make
Stop by the C3 Art Spot to re-create an object from your home that holds a special meaning for you. Fill out a label for your creation and tell us why this object is meaningful.

mirrorCROP Do
Contribute your photographs of objects that hold a special meaning or personal story to the C3 wall of monitors. Simply join our Flickr group and share your images. For more information on how to participate click here.

Can’t make it to the DMA today? No worries! You can start participating right now from your computer at home. Look around you, what objects do you see nearby that are special to you? Grab your camera (or smartphone), take a picture, upload it to Flickr, and add it to our group. One step down, two to go!

Artworks Shown:

Martin Delabano, Family Portrait 1963, 2001, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Mr. and Mrs. Bryant M. Hanley, Jr., Lorine and David H. Gibson, and Sonny Burt and Bob Butler.
Barney Delabano, Portrait of Papa, 1972-73, Dallas Museum of Art, Barney Delabano Memorial Fund and gift of the Delabano family.
Wreath, Greek, 4th century B.C., Dallas Museum of Art, Museum League Purchase Funds, The Eugene and Margaret McDermott Art Fund, Inc., and Cecil H. and Ida M. Green in honor of Virginia Lucas Nick.

Jessica Fuentes
C3 Gallery Coordinator

Friday Photos: From Sea to Shining Sea

Published July 5, 2013 Friday Photos Closed
Tags: 4th of July, America, Art, DMA, works of art

In the spirit of the 4th of July holiday, this Friday photo post is highlighting pieces from the DMA’s collection that have some patriotic flare! The works of art included below contain elements that call to mind the iconic poem “America the Beautiful” by Katharine Lee Bates. Can you think of any other works of art that could align with the poem?

O beautiful for spacious skies,

For amber waves of grain,

For purple mountain majesties Above the fruited plain!

America! America! God shed His grace on thee,

And crown thy good with brotherhood

From sea to shining sea!

Artworks Shown (left to right):

Row 1

Alfred Jacob Miller, The Lake Her Lone Bosom Expands to the Sky, 1850, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of C.R. Smith
Vincent van Gogh, Sheaves of Wheat, 1890, Dallas Museum of Art, The Wendy and Emery Reves Collection

Row 2

Ernest Blumenschein, Mountains Near Taos, 1926-1934, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Helen Blumenschein
Hiram Powers, America, 1860, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Eleanor and C.Thomas May, Jr.

Row 3

Eastman Johnson, Five Boys on a Wall, 1875-1880, Dallas Museum of Art, Foundation for the Arts Collection, gift of Roland S. Bond, Mrs. Alfred L. Bromberg, and Margaret J. and George V. Charlton
Gerhard Richter, Ocean (Seelandschaft), 1971, Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas Museum of Art League Fund, Roberta Coke Camp Fund, General Acquisitions Fund, DMA/amfAR Benefit Auction Fund, and the Contemporary Art Fund: Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Vernon E. Faulconer, Mr. and Mrs. Bryant M. Hanley, Jr., Marguerite and Robert K. Hoffman, Howard E. Rachofsky, Deedie and Rusty Rose, Gayle and Paul Stoffel, and two anonymous donors

Danielle Schulz
Teaching Specialist

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Dallas Museum of Art Uncrated

Posts Tagged 'Art'

Make This: Adventures in Casting

Get Immersed in Contemporary Art

Give Thanks

UA Maker Club

Get Schooled at the DMA

What Does Fun Look Like at the DMA?

Friday Photos: Back to School

Art Babies

More than Meets the Eye

Friday Photos: From Sea to Shining Sea

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