Posts Tagged 'Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth'

Museum Forum for Teachers 2017

Published July 21, 2017 Art & Teaching , Teaching for Creativity Closed
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The art education-extravaganza that is Museum Forum for Teachers holds the distinction of being one of my favorite weeks of the summer. Each year, The Warehouse, Nasher Sculpture Center, Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, Kimbell Art Museum, and the Dallas Museum of Art work together to coordinate a week-long workshop dedicated to helping classroom teachers deepen their understanding of modern and contemporary art and develop strategies to teach, interpret, and use works of art in the classroom and in museum galleries. Best of all, each institution hosts one day of the week giving participants and fellow museum educators the opportunity to explore a variety of special exhibitions, collections, and experience different teaching styles. It’s well worth braving traffic across the Metroplex to experience the richness of DFW’s museum community!

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Discussing Doug Aitken: Electric Earth at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth.

This year, twenty-three educators embarked on a week of museum experiences, gallery discussions, and studio projects for CPE credit. Not every educator who participated has a background studying art, and the variety of perspectives enriched the quality of our discussions. In the spirit of highlighting different approaches, the museum educators brought back the “Educator Exchange” from last year and each led a session at one of the other institutions. I always find that I come away from the week inspired and energized for the upcoming school year. Check out some of our highlights from this year:

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And what do our participants have to say about their experience at Museum Forum for Teachers?

This week has felt like a vacation. It’s as though I have been on guided tours on location by Rick Steves every day. I’d love to attend next year…Well planned. Well done.

This was my favorite year so far…I don’t know how all of you manage every year to make this event a week of so much learning and fun. I can’t wait to get to each museum each day. Absolutely my favorite thing I do all year! Thank you!

This was my first year and I hope to be back! Art camp for teachers is how I will explain it when I am asked about the highlight of my summer.

I feel inspired, charged up again, and optimistic about the new ideas I’ll bring to my students. Thanks!

Once again, this Forum has completely exceeded my expectations. The content was rich, insightful, and relative, the projects were fun and accessible, and everyone on staff is an absolute joy to work with. This Forum is not only the cornerstone of my upperclassman content, but a week for me to reconnect with art and truly be myself. Thank you all so much for what you do!

Sign up to receive our emails and check the box for Information for Teachers, so you can stay connected to exciting professional development opportunities here at the DMA and join us for Museum Forum for Teachers next year!

Lindsay O’Connor
Manager of Docent and Teacher Programs

2016 Museum Forum for Teachers

Published August 9, 2016 Art & Teaching , Creativity 2 Comments
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This summer I had the opportunity to participate in my first Museum Forum for Teachers, a week-long teacher workshop coordinated by The Warehouse, Nasher Sculpture Center, Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, Kimbell Art Museum, and the Dallas Museum of Art. Each day, twenty-four dedicated North Texas educators braved traffic across the DFW metroplex to participate in a full day of museum experiences, discussions, and projects for CPE credit centered around modern and contemporary art. Part of the fun of Museum Forum is that each institution hosts one day of the week, so we rotate and spend time exploring different collections. What could be better than the chance to catch up on current exhibitions and collaborate with a fabulous group of teachers and museum educators!

This year marked the ten-year anniversary of Museum Forum. To celebrate, we tried out a daily “Educator Exchange” and led a session at one of the other institutions (we also consumed many, many cupcakes). I shared A Work in Progress: Plaster in the Nasher Collection, and we practiced an exercise called Drawers and Describers in pairs.

Nasher stop motion app

Discussing the Joel Shapiro exhibition at the Nasher Sculpture Center before creating stop-motion video shorts.

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Here at the DMA, we tried out a collaborative poetry exercise in Passages in Modern Art: 1946 – 1996. We divided into groups of five, and each group was assigned a work of art in the exhibition. After taking some time to quietly sketch and make notes, each participant wrote down one sentence on a slip of paper from the point of view of the work of art. From there, each group worked together to arrange their responses together into a narrative. Check out their outstanding work!

Jasper Johns, Device, 1961-1962, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of The Art Museum League, Margaret J. and George V. Charlton, Mr. and Mrs. James B. Francis, Dr. and Mrs. Ralph Greenlee, Jr., Mr. and Mrs. James H. W. Jacks, Mr. and Mrs. Irvin L. Levy, Mrs. John W. O’Boyle, and Dr. Joanne Stroud in honor of Mrs. Eugene McDermott
Collaborative poem inspired by Jasper Johns.
Dorothea Rockburne, Locus Series #6, 1972, Dallas Museum of Art, Mr. and Mrs. Jake L. Hamon Fund.
Collaborative poem inspired by Dorothea Rockburne.
Tracy Hicks, Clear Cut, 1985–1986, Dallas Museum of Art, Museum League Purchase Fund.
Collaborative poem inspired by Tracy Hicks.
Jim Dine, Self-Portrait Next to A Colored Window, 1964, Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas Art Association Purchase, Contemporary Arts Council Fund.
Collaborative poem inspired by Jim Dine.
Yayoi Kusama, Accumulation,1962–1964, The Rachofsky Collection and the Dallas Museum of Art through the DMA/amfAR Benefit Auction Fund.
Collaborative poem inspired by Yayoi Kusama.

Speaking for myself, the week was inspiring, immersive, and left me excited to revisit some of the exercises and ideas we explored in upcoming Teacher Programs. Our participants enjoyed Museum Forum almost as much as museum staff!

I love the forum, all of the museum staff involved, and everything you guys do. Thank you so much! I’ll be back next year.

 

I was impressed with EVERY aspect of this. It was the most rewarding (personally & professionally) training I have attended in…forever!!!

 

This is by far the most fun and most challenging teacher conference I have ever attended!! The level of critical thinking necessary blows away anything I’ve done as a teacher in a very long time. Thank you so much!!!

Interested in joining us for Museum Forum for Teachers next summer? Sign up to receive our emails and check the box for Information for Teachers, so you can stay connected to exciting professional development opportunities here at the DMA!

Lindsay O’Connor
Manager of Docent and Teacher Programs

State of the Arts: Contemporary Artists

Published September 10, 2014 Arts District , Dallas , DFW , Education , Guest Blog Post Closed
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We’re kicking off our fall season with our first State of the Arts program, our collaboration with Art&Seek and KERA. Join us Thursday night at 7:00 p.m. for a discussion with three DFW artists: Devon Nowlin, Arthur Peña, and Darryl Ratcliff.
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Uncrated was able to ask them a few questions beforehand:
1. What is the most appealing aspect of being a working artist in Dallas?
Devon Nowlin (artist; founding member, Homecoming Committee): As an artist who also works full-time, I have had good employment opportunities in my field and see some good job prospects for artists in both Dallas and Fort Worth. Along with exhibitions, teaching opportunities, and other work-work, one can construct a patchwork of professional activities for one’s self here.
Arthur Peña (artist; founder and Director, WARE:WOLF:HAUS and VICE PALACE): The two very prominent aspects I can think of are pragmatic ones. First, it is extremely affordable to be a working artist in Dallas. It’s not unheard of to have an apartment and a studio for under $600. I don’t know what other major cities can offer that and also boast world-class museums and an established art scene. Second, the accessibility to the Dallas art world is shockingly overlooked. If one wanted, they could meet and shake hands with other artists, gallery directors, collectors, and museum directors at one gathering. And they would be cordial and welcoming. Try that in NYC and see what happens!
Darryl Ratcliff (artist; Community Engagement Associate, National Center for Arts Research & Initiative on Arts+Urbanism): Affordability and opportunity. The access one has to cheap space is truly unique in Dallas, and the general cost of living is far cheaper than in other major cities. Also, there is significant upward mobility in the art scene. There is a willingness to experiment and embrace new ideas and artists.

2. What is something you are thankful for in your art community/peers/scene and how it/they have contributed to your practice?
DN: I am very thankful for the Education Department of the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth. I have benefited greatly from their programs both as a participant and audience member over the years, and as an artist-instructor in their programs. They give professional, and yet experimental and creative, teaching opportunities to artists in the area, and I have cherished my experiences there. So that is one of the many things in my community that I am very thankful for.
AP: Quick story: The recently retired WARE:WOLF:HAUS operated on limited funds for every show and especially the last fall season. Because of its location, security was needed on top of insurance for liability purposes. Not once did I pay out of pocket for any of that. WWH was able to operate and host shows strictly through donations from my fellow artists and supporters. People would toss whatever they had into the donation bucket, or specific people in the art community donated large funds to keep the door open and allow shows to happen. Considering that WWH was not a nonprofit art space and people were throwing down hard cash, I find this willingness to support the artists and work as a truly collaborative effort inspiring.
DR: It is cliché but I am very thankful for my fellow creatives in this city. My work is collaborative by nature, so I couldn’t have had any success without the constant support and cooperation of literally hundreds of creatives and lovers of creativity over the last five years.

3. How would you improve the Dallas art community/scene ?
DN: In Fort Worth, we are also in need of the facilities and funding that Darryl would like to bring to Dallas. What we don’t have that would really help elevate the local Forth Worth scene is more critical attention in both print and online publications. If artists here could get some press, I think it could help push the dialogue in Fort Worth in ways that I see happening in Dallas. I am encouraged by a level of interaction that is happening among artists between Dallas and Fort Worth, though it tends to be a one-way street with artists going from Fort Worth to Dallas. I’d like to see us mix things up a little more!
AP: Besides the obvious need for an influx of funds either through more grants or private donors, I’m not sure how one could improve the community other than more involvement from the community at large. There needs to be a cultural and psychic shift here in Dallas, and Texas as a whole, when it comes to the arts. Without a steady stream of interest starting at the city’s top level, the city at large will continue to view the arts as pure entrainment rather than as an agent for change and critical thought. We need more artists—not just those who make but those who have the discipline and vision to want to transform this city. I don’t think it’s about improving, rather it should be about energizing, invigorating, and giving everyone a swift kick in the a**.
DR: I would create at least 500 units of subsidized studio/living space for creatives in five geographically diverse parts of Dallas, award at least two million dollars per year in small grant funding to individual artists/projects/collectives, and create an international curator-in-residence program to help top curators become familiar with Dallas-based talent.

Be sure to join us tomorrow night to hear more from these artists.

Liz Menz is the Manager of Adult Programming at the DMA.

Sign Up Now: Museum Forum for Teachers

Published March 1, 2012 Art & Teaching , Resources 2 Comments
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Each summer, the DMA hosts a week-long program called Museum Forum for Teachers: Modern and Contemporary Art.  Over the course of the week, teachers spend a full day at five different art museums: The Rachofsky House (a private contemporary art collection located in Dallas), the Nasher Sculpture Center, the Kimbell Art Museum, the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, and the Dallas Museum of Art.   This year, the Forum will be held from July 23-27.

Melissa discusses the Silence and Time exhibition during Museum Forum 2011

As its title suggests, the focus of Museum Forum is modern and contemporary art.   The DMA day this summer will focus on the exhibition Flower of the Prairie: George Grosz’s Impressions of Dallas, 1952, as well as selected works from our contemporary collection.  This will be my fourth year to lead the Museum Forum, and for me the week is always an opportunity to feel refreshed and rejuvenated.  It’s rare that I have an opportunity to spend five consecutive days in the galleries, and I love the conversations and ideas that emerge over the course of the week.  I also feel like I walk away from the Forum learning just as much from the teachers as they do from me.

Teachers examine a painting during Museum Forum

If you want to feel reinvigorated by modern and contemporary art, I encourage you to apply for this year’s Museum Forum for Teachers.  The Forum is open to middle school and high school teachers of all disciplines, and enrollment is limited to twenty-five participants.  We are currently accepting applications, and a 10% discount will be given to all teachers who apply by our early application deadline of March 30.  The regular application deadline is May 25, and all teachers will be notified of their acceptance by June 8.  I hope you’ll consider joining us!

Talking about On Kawara during a past Museum Forum

Shannon Karol
Manager of Docent Programs and Gallery Teaching

Friday Photos: Jumping in Fort Worth Museums

Published December 16, 2011 Friday Photos 4 Comments
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Last Friday, our McDermott Interns took their annual trip to Fort Worth to get acquainted with our neighboring art institutions and explore all the wonderful exhibitions they currently have on view. We enjoyed John Marin at the Carter, Caravaggio at the Kimbell, and said hello to the DMA’s own Diebenkorn at The Modern. It was an exhausting artful day!

Inspired by our previous post and Jumping in Art Museums, we decided to do a little jumping of our own in Fort Worth. Enjoy!

In front of the Amon Carter Museum of American Art

In front of the Kimbell Art Museum

In front of the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth

Sarah Coffey
Assistant to the Chair of Learning Initiatives

Community Connection: Why Is This Art?

Published September 27, 2011 Uncategorized 2 Comments
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Over the past five years, the DMA has collaborated with area arts institutions in a weeklong program called Museum Forum for Teachers: Modern and Contemporary Art.  Participants spend an entire day at a different institution throughout the week, including the Kimbell Art Museum, Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, Nasher Sculpture Center, and The Rachofsky House.  In the process, they become familiar with the Modern and Contemporary art currently on view in these spaces, as well as the programs, resources, and Education staff at each institution.  I had the pleasure of leading the discussions and activities at the DMA this past summer, which was also my first opportunity to work with Erin Starr White from the Modern (you may recognize her from an earlier blog post).

Describe your role at the Modern.

I am one of three Assistant Curators of Education.  My role is to work with the academic community.  My youngest audience is 3-4th graders, but I predominantly work with middle school and high school students as well as graduate students.  I also work with all the educators for those populations by leading workshops, speaking at career days, and speaking to teacher groups.

Erin working with educators in the galleries during this year’s Museum Forum for Teachers

What are some advantages to working in a museum that only collects Modern and Contemporary art?

It’s what I love;  it’s what I studied in grad school.  I focused on really Conceptual art from the late 60’s and early 70’s with a focus on New York artists.  I’m interested in the pluralism that occurs in Contemporary art – art is no longer just one thing; it takes a multitude of different shapes. Talking about the ideas and forms of Modern and Contemporary Art with students and teachers can bring about the very simple question, “Why is this art?”  This question often opens up a really great dialogue: “The Museum says it is; why do you think it is or is not art?”

Trace how you got to your current position at the Modern.

I studied Art History as an undergraduate student at University of Texas at Arlington. During my time there, I worked as an intern at the Dallas Contemporary.  I took over a position there as Program Coordinator for a little over a year to gain hands-on experience before going to graduate  school, and to determine if working in a museum setting was really what I wanted to do.  I then studied Art History in graduate school at Texas Christian University, while I worked as a part-time Curatorial Research Assistant at the Modern, tracking down paintings, talking to galleries, and securing loans.

After a year as a full-time Curatorial Research Assistant, I decided I wanted to do something more involved with people, more hands-on, and more fulfilling for me personally.  I wanted to work more with the public and with the art.  This job came up a little over two years ago, and it’s worked out really well so far.  I had a limited background working with kids, and I hadn’t worked with teachers at all, but it’s been a nice fit getting to work with educators of all levels and students of all ages.  Since my background is in Art History, I hire artists to come in and lead studio art projects.  I hire about twenty artists a year to come in and work with different groups, so I go on studio visits and get to know local artists to see if their work would fit well with certain exhibition.  For example, I am currently working with Michelle Mackey, an abstract painter heavily influenced by Richard Diebenkorn in conjunction with Richard Diebenkorn: The Ocean Park Series.

Erin working with educators in the galleries during this year’s Museum Forum for Teachers

What has been the most inspirational artist or exhibition for you?

We have a great lecture series called Tuesday Evenings at the Modern; for me, the most fulfilling lecture was by Lawrence Weiner.  I’ve always been a really big fan of his work – he was one of the
pioneers of Conceptual art – and he was here at the Modern!”

Also, Declaring Space: Mark Rothko, Barnett Newman, Lucio Fontana, Yves Klein (September 2007–January 2008) was one of the most fulfilling exhibitions for me.  It was wonderful to see works that don’t travel very often, all in one place.  This show was one I revisited as often as I could, taking in a room full of Rothkos hung the way he wanted, lit the way he wanted them to be lit; instances of Newman’s sculptures along with his paintings; roomfuls of Fontana’s work – canvases that have been slashed, metals that have been slashed; and  Klein’s enormous monochromatic blue  paintings.

What is your favorite work of art at the Modern, and why?

I can’t choose one favorite, but there is a gallery installed right now that is breathtaking.  It has three of Agnes Martin’s paintings and a little suite of her prints.  What I appreciate about her work, and about these in particular, is that they show her process.  They show her solution for artmaking – the grid – and all the different permutations that takes.  These works have a handmade “look” and have such expressivity and feeling.   Initially, you don’t get that sense; you have to look closely to pick it up.  These works are installed with our permanent collection and are nice to compare and contrast with other Abstract Expressionists on  view, as she considered herself an Abstract Expressionist.

Melissa Nelson
Manager of Teaching in the Community

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