Amon Carter Museum Showcases a Special Documentary Photography Exhibition

admin — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 19:21:13 +0000

Release date:

July 26, 2010

FORT WORTH, Texas— On October 2, the Amon Carter Museum of American Art presents American Modern: Abbott, Evans, Bourke-White. This special exhibition explores the work of three of the foremost photographers of the twentieth-century and the golden age of documentary photography in America. American Modern will be on view through January 2, 2011; admission is free.

Featuring more than 140 photographs by Berenice Abbott (1898–1991), Margaret Bourke-White (1906–1971) and Walker Evans (1903–1975), American Modern was co-organized by the Amon Carter Museum of American Art and the Colby College Museum of Art in Waterville, Maine. The exhibition is the result of a unique partnership between three curators: Jessica May and Sharon Corwin of the Carter and Colby, respectively, and Terri Weissman, assistant professor of art history at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Together, the three curators present the works of these three artists as case studies of documentary photography during the Great Depression and demonstrate how three factors supported the development of documentary photography during this important period in American history: first, the expansion of mass media; second, a new attitude toward and acceptance of modern art in America; and third, government support for photography during the 1930s.

“This exhibition considers the work of three of the best-loved American photographers in a new light, which is very exciting,” says curator Jessica May. “Abbott, Evans, and Bourke-White are undisputed masters of the medium of photography, but they have never been shown in relation to one another. This exhibition offers viewers an opportunity to see works together that have not been shown as such since the 1930s.”

In addition to vintage photographs from over 20 public and private collections, the exhibition also features rare first-edition copies of select books and periodicals from the 1930s. American Modern, May says, “reminds us that documentary photography was very much a public genre—this was the first generation of photographers that truly anticipated that their work would be seen by a vast audience through magazines and books.”

A scholarly catalogue, published by the University of California Press, accompanies the exhibition. The museum has also prepared a mobile tour of the exhibition, which will be available on the museum’s website or on preloaded iTouch devices available for free loan from the Carter’s Information Desk.

American Modern: Abbott, Evans, Bourke-White and its accompanying publication have been made possible in part by The National Endowment for the Arts, The Mr. and Mrs. Raymond J. Horowitz Foundation for the Arts, and the Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation.

The Fort Worth presentation is supported in part by RBC Wealth Management. Promotional support is provided by Star-Telegram, WFAA, and American Airlines.

In conjunction with American Modern: Abbott, Evans, Bourke-White, the Carter will host the following free public programs:

Saturday, October 2, 10:30 a.m.–3 p.m.
Modern Documents: Photography in 1930s America
Amon Carter Museum of American Art Lectures on American Photography
This scholarly symposium featuring six panelists will reflect on the legacy of 1930s documentary photography in conversations about the exhibition American Modern: Abbott, Evans, Bourke-White.

This symposium on American art, culture, and society by distinguished individuals is made possible by a generous gift from the late Anne Burnett Tandy.

Reservations are required. Boxed lunches are available to preorder for $8. Call 817.989.5030 or email education [at] cartermuseum [dot] org to register.

Sunday, November 14, 1–4 p.m.
Picture This
Family Funday
Explore photography with your family by discussing artworks in the galleries and taking photographs!

Family Fundays are sponsored by The Junior League of Fort Worth, Inc., and Alcon.

Thursday, November 18, 6 p.m.
Evans in Film
Film Screening and Discussion
Discuss the role of early documentary film in the career of Walker Evans, and view film shorts by Evans and his friends Helen Levitt and Jay Leyda.

Because seating is limited, reservations are required. Call 817.989.5030 or email education [at] cartermuseum [dot] org to register.

Amon Carter Museum Receives $118,000 in Education Grants

admin — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 16:05:40 +0000

Release date:

April 30, 2010

FORT WORTH, Texas—The Amon Carter Museum announces that it has received grants totaling $118,000 from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), The Junior League of Fort Worth, Inc. and Alcon Laboratories, helping to further advance the museum’s educational programs.

With a $75,000 Picturing America School Collaboration Project Grant from the NEH, the Carter will provide a summer professional development conference, educating area teachers about American art and how it can be used in the classroom to build the essential traits of creativity and leadership. The Picturing American Creativity and Leadership Conference will be held in July for area K–12 public, private and homeschool educators who own a Picturing America poster set from the NEH. The conference will focus on the themes of creativity and leadership, using images from Picturing America and the museum’s collection. Teachers will receive Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credits for attending the institute, a $250 stipend from the NEH, plus free classroom resources like digital images of artworks, posters and lesson plans tied to state and national teaching standards. Conference participants will also receive funding for a free interactive student videoconference from the museum or reimbursement of transportation expenses for an onsite school tour related to the conference theme at the museum.

“Bringing American art into the classroom is a priority for our education department,” says Sara Klein, teacher and school programs manager. “The NEH grant allows us to serve more local teachers and provide high-quality, educational resources that use American art to tell America’s story.”

For more information about attending the conference, please contact Head of Education Stacy Fuller at 817.989.5032 or stacy [dot] fuller [at] cartermuseum [dot] org.

The museum’s upcoming Family Fundays on August 8 and November 14, 2010, are generously supported by Junior League of Fort Worth and Alcon. The Junior League has given the Carter a $28,000 grant and will provide volunteers; in addition, Alcon has pledged $15,000 and volunteers. The grant money will go toward art-making supplies for children’s activities, children’s books and refreshments for families. Additionally, the money will help to underwrite staff time. Family Fundays bring together families from across North Texas and engage them in fun, free, quality educational activities that connect them to the Carter’s collection of American art.

“Fundays provide amazing opportunities for families to experience American art, culture and history together in a fun and informal environment — for no cost,” says Fuller. “With the help of our sponsors, we are able to engage and educate thousands of families through innovative activities about American art and ensure that visitors always feel welcome at the Carter.”

The Amon Carter Museum must independently raise up to $2 million each year to underwrite the costs of its free special exhibitions and free public and education programs for students, teachers, families and adults.

For more information about the Carter’s education programs, please visit cartermuseum.org.

Amon Carter Museum Announces New Assistant Facilities Manager

admin — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 16:45:55 +0000

Release date:

April 26, 2010

FORT WORTH, Texas (April 21, 2010)—The Amon Carter Museum is pleased to announce that Ron LaPosa has joined its staff as the assistant facilities manager. In his new position, LaPosa will assist with the oversight of the museum’s daily operations, including janitorial, engineering and general maintenance.

“The museum was designed by Philip Johnson as a vibrant and elegant structure that would be capable of not only housing thousands of works of American art, but functioning as a work space for staff and gathering place for visitors,” says Ron Tyler, director of the Amon Carter Museum. “It takes hard work and attention to detail in order to maintain the high standards set forth by Amon G. Carter, and we believe Ron’s expertise will help us ensure that the Carter continues to function in such a manner.”

LaPosa comes to the Carter with a wide range of experience. In his previous position as facility manager for the Cook Children’s Health Care System, he maintained a safe environment for both patients and staff. He also worked for National Semiconductor for more than 17 years, serving as a photolithography equipment engineer and photo technician. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering Technology from Purdue University.

“I am greatly looking forward to supporting the needs of the staff and visitors of the Amon Carter Museum,” LaPosa says. “I am honored to be part of the facility management team tasked with caring for the building and grounds, which are works of art in their own right.”

Amon Carter Museum Exhibits Ansel Adams Photographs

admin — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 16:43:53 +0000

Release date:

April 26, 2010

FORT WORTH, Texas—Works by one of the world’s most widely recognized and celebrated photographers will go on view this spring at the Amon Carter Museum. Ansel Adams: Eloquent Light features 40 photographs by the artist and runs from May 29 through November 7, 2010. Admission to the Carter is free.

“Ansel Adams was the last major artist to subscribe to the romantic tradition of American landscape, an artistic lineage that included Albert Bierstadt, Thomas Cole, William Henry Jackson and Carleton Watkins,” says John Rohrbach, senior curator of photographs. “This exhibition, comprised of prints from the museum’s holdings and a private collection, spans 50 years of Adams’ spectacular career and gives museum visitors insight into his vision of inspiring beauty.”

Adams’ uplifting images have helped define landscape photography, fulfilling an ideal of a glorious American West before tourism and development marked the land. A hallmark use of light coupled with an affinity for grand gestures yielded his trademark oversized prints. This exhibition, however, also showcases his lesser-known, non-landscape work and his initial devotion to Pictorialism, a photographic movement (in vogue from around 1885 to the early years of the 20th century) that subscribed to the idea that art photography should emulate — through soft focus, exotic printing techniques, and other methods — the more established art mediums of the time, particularly painting and etching.

Early in his career, Adams aimed to reveal the character of a landscape through the balance of light and dark. By limiting his photographs to contact size (the size of the originating negative) and printing them on matte-finish papers, he made works that delivered the intimacy of fine etchings. The exhibition shows how, in his later years, Adams sought to broaden his audience by publishing finely crafted portfolios of original prints that, along with his signature landscapes, included portraits, close-ups and even industrial photographs.

“A trained pianist, Adams often used musical analogy to explain his artistic practice — calling each negative a composer’s score and each print a unique performance,” Rohrbach says. “He visualized his results at the time he made each negative in order to better reflect his psychological experience of his subjects.”

An educator and a leader among West Coast artists, Ansel Adams (1902–1984) led photography workshops for years around Yosemite National Park. A strong advocate of environmental causes, he served on the board of the Sierra Club from 1937 to 1971. Among his many honors, he won three John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation fellowships, was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and in 1980 was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Adams was a consummate and ardent admirer of the natural world, and he traveled the country from the national parks of Yosemite and Big Bend to the Taos Pueblo in New Mexico. From Mount McKinley (Ala.) to Death Valley (Calif.), he searched high and low, sharing his vision through exquisitely rendered prints bound in hand-crafted books and portfolios. His longstanding goal — “to rekindle an appreciation of the marvelous” — is evidenced here in this exhibition.

In conjunction with Ansel Adams: Eloquent Light, the Carter will host a free public program with Ansel Adams’ son, Dr. Michael Adams, on June 10.

June 10, 6 p.m.
Ansel Adams: A Son’s Perspective
Lecture

Dr. Michael Adams offers an intimate look at his father’s work in conjunction with the exhibition Ansel Adams: Eloquent Light. Admission is free, but because seating is limited, reservations are required. Call 817.989.5030 to register. We apologize for the inconvenience, but this program is currently full.

Amon Carter Museum Announces New Exhibition Coordinator

admin — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 16:29:23 +0000

Release date:

April 8, 2010

FORT WORTH, Texas—The Amon Carter Museum is pleased to announce that Marci Driggers Caslin has joined its staff as the exhibition coordinator. In her new position, Caslin is responsible for coordinating permanent collection and traveling exhibitions presented at the museum.

“Marci brings to the Carter vast experience in organizing museum art exhibitions,” says Director Ron Tyler. “We feel fortunate to have found someone with her expertise and experience, and are looking forward to working with her to present exhibitions that continue the Carter’s great tradition of showing important exhibitions of American art.”
Previous to the Carter, Caslin worked as the registrar for loans and exhibitions at the Dallas Museum of Art for nearly five years. While there, she was responsible for the coordination of more than 10 exhibitions and organized traveling exhibitions, installation of works from the permanent collection and outgoing loans. Caslin also has experience at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, where she served as an associate registrar, and working at the Galería de Arte Isabel Aninat in Santiago, Chile. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art History from the University of North Texas.

“To work at such a premiere museum is an amazing opportunity,” Caslin says. “I look forward to helping the Carter fulfill its mission of exhibiting the finest examples of American art.”

Amon Carter Museum features North and South American Abstract Art in Groundbreaking Exhibition

admin — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 16:50:45 +0000

Release date:

April 8, 2010

FORT WORTH, Texas—On June 26, the Amon Carter Museum presents Constructive Spirit: Abstract Art in South and North America, 1920s–50s. This groundbreaking exhibition is the first to bring together South American and U.S. geometric abstraction and includes a range of paintings, sculptures, prints, photographs, drawings and films. Constructive Spirit will be on view through September 5; admission is free.

Featuring 85 works by more than 65 abstract artists from Argentina, Brazil, the United States, Uruguay and Venezuela, this special exhibition organized by the Newark Museum (Newark, N.J.) provides a fresh and innovative look at modernism in the Americas during a dynamic and cosmopolitan period. The exhibition begins with the arrival of Joaquín Torres-García in New York City in 1920 and culminates in the 1950s, as North and South American abstract artists converged in international exhibition venues such as the Bienal de São Paulo.

Constructive Spirit includes works by renowned artists including Joaquín Torres-García, Arshile Gorky, Gyula Kosice and Jesús Rafael Soto, as well as artists who deserve much wider recognition, such as Geraldo de Barros, Lidy Prati and Charmion von Wiegand. Largely drawn from the Newark Museum’s superb collection of U.S. geometric abstraction, the exhibition also includes major works on loan from acclaimed private and public collections across both continents, such as Colección Patricia Phelps de Cisneros, Malba-Costantini Foundation (Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires), Philadelphia Museum of Art, Pinacoteca do Estado de São Paulo and Whitney Museum of American Art.

“By bringing together artists that are typically separated from one another in historical accounts, the exhibition suggests both conceptual and aesthetic parallels that cut across time, national borders and media,” says Mary Kate O’Hare, associate curator of American art at the Newark Museum and the exhibition’s curator. “Artists in both South and North America worked with a pictorial and sculptural vocabulary of simplified shapes that make little or no reference to the natural world. Together, their work demonstrates the flexibility of the geometric language, revealing its capacity for both systemic and intuitive approaches to abstraction as well as a broad range of goals spanning the spiritual to the political.”

According to Rebecca Lawton, curator of paintings and sculpture at the Amon Carter Museum, the exhibition also provides thought-provoking parallels to the Carter’s collection. “Since Constructive Spirit includes works by artists such as Alexander Calder, Stuart Davis and Louise Nevelson, among others who are represented in our permanent collection, the exhibition expands our understanding of their work. We see how the artists, who adopted the hard-edge lines and geometric forms of constructive abstract art, operated on an international playing field.”

In conjunction with the exhibition, four short, avant-garde films by Mary Ellen Bute and Dwinell Grant will be shown in the museum’s auditorium every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 3 p.m. (except July 4, July 10 and August 8). Groups may schedule private screenings by contacting 817.989.5030 or education [at] cartermuseum [dot] org. Public tours for the special exhibition occur at 3:30 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. No reservations are required.

This exhibition was organized by the Newark Museum with major support by the Henry Luce Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, Johnson & Johnson and the Consulate General of Brazil in New York. The local presentation is supported in part by the Arts Council of Fort Worth and Tarrant County. Promotional support is provided by Star-Telegram, WFAA and American Airlines.

Public Programs: Admission is free.

Saturday, July 10, 1–4 p.m.
My Kid Could Do That: Demystifying Abstract Art
Adult Workshop
Sara Klein, Teacher and School Programs Manager, Amon Carter Museum

Think your kid could do that? Think again! While exploring abstract art, gain an understanding of how to view and discuss nonobjective art and why it is significant. This adult workshop features two presenters, a guided look at the exhibition Constructive Spirit: Abstract Art in South and North America, 1920s–50s, an art activity and light refreshments.

Admission is free, but because seating is limited, reservations are required. Call 817.989.5030 or e-mail education [at] cartermuseum [dot] org to register.

Thursday, July 29, 6 p.m.
The Maker, Not the Muse
Gallery Talk
Rebecca Lawton, Curator of Paintings and Sculpture

Discover the female artists in the exhibition Constructive Spirit: Abstract Art in South and North America, 1920s–50s. During this in-gallery discussion, the Carter’s curator of paintings and sculpture will discuss the artists’ contributions to Geometric Abstraction in the Americas. No reservations are required.

Sunday, August 8, 1–4 p.m.
International Adventure
Family Funday

Families can discover international art at an American art museum! Travel across South and North America as you navigate the galleries, explore abstract artworks, and learn Spanish and Portuguese vocabulary. Special performances, art-making activities, storytime and refreshments round out the afternoon of exciting activities the whole family can enjoy. Family Fundays are made possible by The Junior League of Fort Worth, Inc. and Alcon. No reservations are required.

Thursday, August 26, 6 p.m.
Abstraction, Avant-Garde and the Silver Screen
Film Screening and Discussion

Discover how abstraction is captured in avant-garde film and on the silver screen. This program offers a special look at four short, avant-garde films by Mary Ellen Bute and Dwinell Grant from the exhibition Constructive Spirit: Abstract Art in South and North America, 1920–50s followed by a screening of Busby Berkeley’s feature film Dames (1934), known for its abstract choreography.

Admission is free, but because seating is limited, reservations are required. Call 817.989.5030 or e-mail education [at] certermuseum [dot] org to register.

Museo Amon Carter exhibe arte abstracto de Norte y Sudamérica en una exposición revolucionaria

admin — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 20:06:25 +0000

Release date:

April 8, 2010

FORT WORTH, Texas—El 26 de junio, el Museo Amon Carter presenta Espíritu Constructivo: Arte Abstracto en América del Sur y del Norte, 1920s–50s. Esta exhibición es la primera en juntar arte abstracto geométrico de Sud América y los Estados Unidos e incluye una serie de pinturas, esculturas, grabados, fotografías, dibujos y películas. Espíritu Constructivo será exhibida hasta el 5 de septiembre; la entrada es gratuita.

Con 85 obras de más de 65 artistas abstractos de Argentina, Brasil, Estados Unidos, Uruguay y Venezuela, esta exposición especial organizada por el Newark Museum (Newark, N.J.) ofrece una visión fresca e innovadora del modernismo en las Américas durante un período dinámico y cosmopólita. La exposición comienza con la llegada del artista Joaquín Torres-García en Nueva York en 1920 y culmina en la década de los ‘50, cuando artistas abstractos de Norte y Sud América convergieron en exposiciones internacionales como la Bienal de São Paul0.

Espíritu Constructivo incluye obras de artistas reconocidos como Joaquín Torres-García, Arshile Gorky, Gyula Kosice y Jesús Rafael Soto, así como artistas que ameritan un reconocimiento mucho más amplio, como Geraldo de Barros, Lidy Prati y Charmion von Wiegand. La mayoría de la exhibición es de la colección magnífica de arte abstracto geométrico estadounidense del Newark Museum. La exposición también incluye obras importantes de colecciones privadas y públicas de ambos continentes, como la Colección Patricia Phelps de Cisneros, la Fundación Malba-Costantini (Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires), Philadelphia Museum of Art, Pinacoteca do Estado de São Paulo y el Whitney Museum of American Art.

“Al juntar a artistas que están típicamente separados unos de otros en las versiones históricas, Espíritu Constructivo demuestra las similitudes conceptuales y estéticas que unieron a artistas de un extremo al otro en América,” dice Mary Kate O’Hare, curadora asociada de arte Americano del Newark Museum y de la exposición. “Cada uno de estos artistas trabajó con un vocabulario pictórico y escultórico de formas simplificadas que poca o ninguna referencia hacen al mundo natural. Sus obras demuestran la flexibilidad del lenguaje geométrico, mostrando su capacidad para aproximarse sistemática e intuitivamente a la abstracción, como también una amplia gama de objectivos que van de lo espiritual a lo político.”

Según Rebecca Lawton, curadora de pinturas y esculturas del Museo Amon Carter, la exposición también ofrece paralelos a la colección permanente del Carter. “Porque Espíritu Constructivo incluye obras de artistas como Alexander Calder, Stuart Davis y Louise Nevelson, entre otros, que están representados en nuestra colección permanente, la exposición amplía nuestra comprensión de su trabajo. Vemos cómo los artistas, que adoptaron líneas fuertes y las formas geométricas del arte abstracto, operaron en forma internacional.”

Junto con la exposición, cuatro películas cortas vanguardistas de Mary Ellen Bute y Dwinell Grant se mostrarán en el auditorio todos los viernes, sábados y domingos de 1 p.m. a 3 p.m. (excepto el 4 y 10 de julio, y el 8 de agosto). Llame al 817.989.5030 o por correo electrónico education [at] cartermuseum [dot] org para programar proyecciones privadas. Visitas públicas guiadas para esta exhibición especial comienzan a las 3:30 p.m. de jueves a domingo. No se requiere reservación. Visitas y películas serán presentadas en Inglés.

Esta exposición fue organizada por el Newark Museum con extenso apoyo de la Henry Luce Foundation, el National Endowment for the Arts, Johnson & Johnson y el Consulado General de Brasil en Nueva York. La presentación local se apoya en parte por el Consejo de las Artes de Fort Worth y el Condado de Tarrant. Apoyo local fue proporcionado por Star-Telegram, WFAA y American Airlines.

Programas Publicos: Entrada gratuita.

Sábado, 10 de julio, 1–4 p.m.
Mi Hijo Podría Hacer Eso: Desmitificando el Arte Abstracto
Taller para Adultos
Sara Klein, Maestra y Administradora de Programas de Escuelas, Museo Amon Carter

¿Cree que su hijo podría hacer eso? ¡Pienselo de nuevo! Mientras usted explora el arte abstracto, aprenda cómo ver y discutir sobre arte abstracto y por qué es notable. Este taller para adultos tiene dos presentadores, una visita guiada a la exposición Espíritu Constructivo: Arte Abstracto en América del Sur y del Norte, 1920s–50s, y una actividad artística con refrescos. Presentación en Inglés.

La entrada es gratuita, pero como el cupo es limitado, se requiere hacer reservación. Llame al 817.989.5030 o por correo electrónico education [at] cartermuseum [dot] org para registrarse.

Jueves, 29 de julio, 6 p.m.
El Fabricante, No la Musa
Discusión en las Galerías
Rebecca Lawton, Curadora de Pinturas y Esculturas

Descubre las artistas femeninas en la exposición Espíritu Constructivo: Arte Abstracto en América del Sur y del Norte, 1920s–50s. Durante esta discusión en la galería, la curadora de pinturas y esculturas del Carter discutirá las contribuciones de los artistas al movimiento de abstracción geométrica en las Américas. No se requieren reservaciones. Presentación en Inglés.

Domingo, 8 de agosto, 1–4 p.m.
Aventura Internacional
Día de Diversión Familiar

¡Las familias pueden descubrir el arte internacional en un museo de arte Americano! Viaje por América del Sur y del Norte al navegar las galerías, explore obras de arte abstracto, y aprenda vocabulario en Español y Portugués. Presentaciones especiales, actividades de arte, cuentos y refrescos llenan el día de actividades entretenidas que toda la familia puede disfrutar. Días de Diversión Familiar son posibles gracias al Junior League de Fort Worth, Inc. y Alcon. No se requieren reservaciones.

Jueves, 26 de agosto, 6 p.m.
La Abstracción, la Vanguardia y el Cine
Exhibición de Cine y Discusión

Descubra cómo la abstracción fue capturada en el cine de vanguardia y en la pantalla. Este programa ofrece una vista especial a cuatro películas cortas vanguardistas de Mary Ellen Bute y Dwinell Grant que forman parte de la exposición Espíritu Constructivo: Arte Abstracto en América del Sur y del Norte, 1920s–50s seguida con la presentación de Damas (1934) de Busby Berkeley, conocido por su coreografía abstracta. Presentado en Inglés.

La entrada es gratuita, pero como el cupo es limitado, se requiere reservación. Llame al 817.989.5030 o por correo electrónico education [at] cartermuseum [dot] org para registrarse.

Amon Carter Museum Acquires Rediscovered Painting from Indian Series by George de Forest Brush

admin — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 16:14:56 +0000

Release date:

January 25, 2010

FORT WORTH, Texas— The Amon Carter Museum has acquired a rediscovered painting by American artist George de Forest Brush. The Potter, painted in 1889, had been in private hands since 1946, when it was sold from the collection of the Galveston financier William L. Moody III.

“The acquisition of one of Brush’s ‘lost’ Indian pictures is a major addition to our collection of material relating to the American West,” says Dr. Ron Tyler, director of the Amon Carter Museum. “Now, our visitors will have the opportunity to view Brush’s exacting but highly nuanced depiction of an Indian within the context of other representations of indigenous people, such as those presented by painters George Catlin and Frederic Remington and photographer Edward S. Curtis, whose entire multivolume portfolio, The North American Indian, was also recently acquired by the museum.”

The Carter’s newly acquired painting is among the final works in Brush’s Indian series and exemplifies the artist’s rigorous academic training. Exceedingly spare, the painting depicts a single, isolated figure within an indeterminate darkened interior. Unlike earlier works in the series, which center on themes of conflict, native customs or engagement with the natural world, The Potter portrays the seated figure of a native artisan intently focused on the task of glazing a hand-crafted vessel. The meticulous precision with which Brush drew and painted the human body is matched by his pictorial mastery of color and texture in the few carefully placed decorative elements within the composition.

“Brush’s academic training was grounded in the French tradition, which focused on the idealized human body and prized paintings with allusions to classical art,” says Dr. Rick Stewart, the Carter’s senior curator of western painting and sculpture. “By using the Indian theme, Brush could apply his technical expertise and extensive knowledge of ancient art and Old Master painting to a thoroughly American subject with its own tradition of pictorial representation.”

Brush began the series of paintings of Indian subjects in 1882, while living first in Wyoming at Fort Washakie and later in Montana at the Crow Agency, sketching members of the Arapahoe, Shoshone and Crow peoples. He continued to work on the series throughout the 1880s, traveling widely to study native cultures in eastern Canada and Mexico and along coastal northeastern Florida. Along the way he assembled a collection of indigenous artifacts for use as studio props. The Indian paintings, though initially based on the artist’s firsthand experiences among native people, have little basis in the reality of contemporary American Indian life.

“One of the more intriguing aspects of the Indian paintings is that, despite the high degree of realism Brush brought to these pictures, he was not concerned with a cogent narrative or with historical or ethnographic accuracy,” says Stewart. “Regardless, and interestingly also because of this, the paintings brought the artist both critical and commercial success.”

The Indian pictures evolved from compositions with multi-figured narratives set within the landscape to compositions that feature a solitary individual engaged in the manual creation of art, as seen in The Potter. The paintings present a carefully calibrated, fictitious, pre-industrial world where idealized Indians lived in a timeless environment undisturbed by the advent of modernism. For Brush, the Indian became a metaphor, a way to express personal concerns, including his skepticism over industrialization and the mechanization of labor. Ultimately, Brush conceived the Indian series as a progressive meditation on the theme of human creativity.

“It’s always thrilling when notable works of art resurface in pristine condition and are able to be shared with the public,” says Tyler, who also notes that The Potter was exhibited in 1889 at the National Academy of Design, along with Frederic Remington’s Dash for the Timber, one of Amon G. Carter’s most important acquisitions.

The Potter is on view in the museum’s upstairs painting and sculpture galleries beginning January 29, 2010.

About George de Forest Brush

Born in Shelbyville, Tenn., in 1854 or 1855, George de Forest Brush was raised in Danbury, Conn. After studying art in New York City at the National Academy of Design from 1870 to 1873, Brush continued his education in Paris, enrolling in classes at the highly competitive École des Beaux-Arts. There, his skills in depicting the human figure were measured against an international cadre of young art students. He also gained admittance, as Thomas Eakins had before him, into the atelier of Jean-Léon Gérôme, one of the school’s foremost teachers. Brush taught at The Cooper Union and at The Art Students League, and he exhibited and was a member of the National Academy of Design. After completing his series of paintings of Indians, Brush turned to the theme of the “mother and child” for which he is best known. He was elected to the Society of American Artists, National Academy of Design, and the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Brush died in Hanover, N.H. in 1941.

Amon Carter Museum presents American Moderns on Paper: Masterworks from the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art

admin — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 21:57:29 +0000

Release date:

January 7, 2010

FORT WORTH, Texas—On February 27, 2010, the Amon Carter Museum presents American Moderns on Paper: Masterworks from the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art. The exhibition, from the country’s oldest public art museum, is on view through May 30, 2010, and showcases a selection of the finest watercolors, pastels and drawings by avant-garde American artists working from 1910 to 1960. Admission is free.

“The exhibition features major works by some of the leading artists of the early twentieth century, including Charles Demuth, Edward Hopper, John Marin and Georgia O’Keeffe, and it supports the premise that some of their finest and most innovative work was executed on paper, rather than on canvas,” says Jane Myers, senior curator of prints and drawings at the Amon Carter Museum.

Organized by the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art in Hartford, Conn., this exhibition includes nearly 100 works on paper, bringing to the local audience works by artists seldom featured at the Carter, such as Arshile Gorky, Hans Hofmann and Ellsworth Kelly. It is the first major display of the Wadsworth Atheneum’s American works on paper from the early twentieth century.

The exhibition also spotlights the Neo-Romantics and surrealists who came to America in the 1930s. Featuring a diversity of styles from the early twentieth century, it juxtaposes modernism and anti-modernism and explores the tension between the two movements.

The Carter is the first venue for American Moderns on Paper before it travels to the Portland Museum of Art in Maine and then home to be on view at the Wadsworth Atheneum.

A scholarly catalogue, published by Yale University Press, accompanies the exhibition and presents new research on the relevance of watercolors, drawings and pastels on paper to the history of modern art in America. The exhibition was curated by Elizabeth Mankin Kornhauser, Chief Curator and Krieble Curator of American Painting and Sculpture at the Wadsworth.

This exhibition was organized by the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Hartford, Connecticut, and made possible by the National Endowment for the Arts as part of American Masterpieces: Three Centuries of Artistic Genius and the Henry Luce Foundation.

Generous support for the Fort Worth presentation of this exhibition is provided the Leo Potishman Foundation, JPMorgan Chase, N.A., Trustee, Garvey Texas Foundation, and Humanities Texas, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Promotional support is provided by the Star-Telegram, WFAA, and American Airlines.

Public Programs: Admission is free.

Sunday, April 11, 2010, 1–4 p.m.
Get Modern
Family Funday
The whole family will get modern with activities inspired by modern art. Family Fundays are made possible by the Junior League of Fort Worth.

Thursday, April 22, 2010, 6 p.m.
Surveying Sheeler
Gallery Talk
Rebecca Lawton, Curator of Painting and Sculpture
Jane Myers, Senior Curator of Prints and Drawings
Jessica May, Assistant Curator of Photographs
Works by Charles Sheeler will come out from the Carter’s vaults for one special evening to offer an expansive view of the collection and Sheeler’s uses of various media.

Saturday, May 22, 2010, 10:30 a.m.
Dynamic Modern: Color, Line, and Movement in John Marin’s Watercolors
Lecture
Cyntia Karnes, Senior Paper Conservator, Library of Congress
Gain insight into the technical examination of John Marin’s watercolors and consider how significant shifts in his use of color and movement may have been influenced by developments in optical science and color theory. Because seating is limited, reservations are required. Call 817.989.5030 to register.

2010: The Carter Gets Modern

admin — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 19:29:52 +0000

Release date:

December 8, 2009

FORT WORTH, Texas—Amon Carter Museum Director Ron Tyler announced today the museum’s 2010 exhibition schedule. Comprised of three special exhibitions that celebrate modern art, each will focus on different American modern art movements spanning the years 1902 to 1962 in a variety of media including works on paper, paintings, sculpture and photographs.

“We have a stellar line-up of special exhibitions in 2010, which complement our own modernist holdings,” Tyler says. “This is a great opportunity for us to further educate our visitors about America’s top artists of the early to mid-1900s. We look forward to a terrific year of modern art.”

Exhibition Schedule

American Moderns on Paper: Masterworks from the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art
February 27–May 30, 2010

The finest watercolors, pastels and drawings by leading avant-garde American artists of the early 20th century will be on view this February. These rarely seen artworks from America’s oldest public art museum will travel to the Carter in the exhibition American Moderns on Paper: Masterworks from the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art. Artists represented include Stuart Davis, Edward Hopper, Georgia O’Keeffe and Andrew Wyeth.

This exhibition was organized by the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Hartford, Conn., and made possible by the National Endowment for the Arts as part of American Masterpieces: Three Centuries of Artistic Genius, and the Henry Luce Foundation. Local support is provided by the Leo Potishman Foundation, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Trustee, and Humanities Texas, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Promotional support is provided by Star-Telegram, WFAA and American Airlines.

Constructive Spirit: Abstract Art in South and North America, 1920s–1950s
June 26–September 5, 2010

The geometrical abstract art movements of Argentina, Brazil, the United States, Uruguay and Venezuela from the 1920s to 1950s are investigated in this special exhibition from the Newark Museum, Newark, N.J. Featuring approximately 80 paintings, sculptures, prints, photographs, drawings and films, Constructive Spirit: Abstract Art in South and North America, 1920s–1950s juxtaposes the work of South and North American artists during the movement’s formative decades. The exhibition includes several works by artists represented in the Amon Carter Museum’s collection, including Alexander Calder, Stuart Davis and Louise Nevelson, and is a first-time opportunity for Carter visitors to see how American modernists influenced and were influenced by artists from South America.

This exhibition was organized by the Newark Museum of Art with major support by the Henry Luce Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts and Johnson & Johnson. Promotional support is provided by Star-Telegram, WFAA and American Airlines.

American Modern: Abbott, Evans, Bourke-White
October 2, 2010–January 2, 2011

This special exhibition demonstrates how documentary photography transformed modern art in America through an examination of the work of photographers Berenice Abbott, Margaret Bourke-White, and Walker Evans. In the 1930s, American photographers pushed the genre of documentary photography to the forefront of public culture in the United States and onto the walls of newly opened museums and art galleries. Together, the careers of Abbott, Bourke-White, and Evans chronicle the fortunes of the medium during this important decade.

American Modern: Abbott, Evans, Bourke-White has been co-organized by the Amon Carter Museum and the Colby College Museum of Art in Waterville, Maine. The exhibition and accompanying publication have been made possible in part by The National Endowment for the Arts, The Mr. and Mrs. Raymond J. Horowitz Foundation for the Arts, and the Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation. Promotional support is provided by Star-Telegram, WFAA and American Airlines.

For more information, visit cartermuseum.org/exhibitions.

Carter’s Head of Education Named Outstanding Museum Art Educator of Texas

admin — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:10:04 +0000

Release date:

November 11, 2009

FORT WORTH, Texas—The Texas Art Education Association (TAEA) recently named Stacy Fuller, Amon Carter Museum head of education, as its 2009 Outstanding Museum Division Art Educator. The award will be presented Friday, November 13, at TAEA’s annual conference in Dallas.

The Texas Art Education Association’s mission is to raise the standards of art education throughout the state, to promote art as an integral part of the curriculum and to represent the art educators of Texas.

Fuller joined the Amon Carter Museum in 2004. As head of education, she oversees the museum’s extensive and varied education programs, which include school tours, public programs, educator training and workshops, teaching resource center initiatives and distance learning broadcasts. In addition, she has developed and successfully implemented the museum’s highly regarded Sharing the Past Through Art and Connect to Art accessible programs. This year, she was selected as vice president of the Museum Education Roundtable, a national organization dedicated to furthering museum education.

Fuller has led presentations at annual conferences of the Texas Association of Museums, National Art Education Association, Texas Art Education Association, American Association of Museums, and Leadership Exchange in Arts and Disability, and has lectured at Humanities Texas summer teaching institutes.

“I am incredibly honored to receive this award,” says Fuller. “I feel passionately about sharing the Carter and our education programs and love extending our collection to as many audiences as possible.

“Receiving this award would not be possible without support from the entire museum and board of trustees and the dedicated education team that daily brings art to life for so many visitors.”

Masterpieces from the Met on View at the Carter

admin — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 16:24:32 +0000

Release date:

November 3, 2009

For a limited time, visitors to the Amon Carter Museum can see two American masterpieces from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, The Artist’s Wife and His Setter Dog (1884–89) by Thomas Eakins and Lydia Crocheting in the Garden at Marly (1880) by Mary Cassatt.

“Both are intimate portraits of the artists’ loved ones, although the artists approached their subjects quite differently,” says Rebecca Lawton, curator of paintings and sculpture at the Amon Carter Museum. “Eakins depicts his wife and setter Harry with an uncompromising realism, while Cassatt portrays her ailing sister Lydia with the delicacy and directness of the Impressionists’ brushstroke.”

While these two paintings are in Fort Worth, the Carter has in return loaned two of its own masterpieces to the Met, Swimming (1895) by Thomas Eakins and Idle Hours (ca. 1894) by William Merritt Chase. Both paintings are in the Met’s exhibition American Stories: Paintings of Everyday Life, 1765–1915.

The paintings are on view at the Amon Carter Museum through January 18, 2010.

And, the Amon Carter Museum is hosting a free gallery talk about these two loans on November 12 at 6 p.m. at the museum.

Amon Carter Museum Receives Grants from Texas Commission on the Arts

admin — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:56:26 +0000

Release date:

October 30, 2009

FORT WORTH, Texas—The Amon Carter Museum announces that it has been awarded two grants from the Texas Commission on the Arts (TCA). The museum will receive a two-year $48,000 Arts Create grant and a $2,500 Arts Respond Project-Education grant.

“We are both honored and grateful for receiving these generous grants from the Texas Commission on the Arts,” says Amon Carter Museum Director Ron Tyler. “Admission to the Carter is free, and though we receive support from the Amon G. Carter Foundation, we must still raise between $1.5 and $2 million a year to cover the costs of our education programs, special exhibitions, free-admission policy and other initiatives. Both of these grants will help us achieve that fundraising goal.”

The Arts Create and Arts Repond grants are two new categories for TCA, which recently restructured its grant programs. The Carter’s Arts Create award is the second-highest given in the state. These funds go toward the museum’s operating budget, supporting staff salaries and other general expenses. TCA established Arts Create to advance the creative economy of Texas by investing in arts organizations.

Arts Respond was established to support projects that use art to promote innovations in K-12 education and to provide project assistance grants on a short-term basis. The Carter’s award will be applied to the museum’s award-winning Distance Learning program, which reached more than 14,000 students from around the country during the 2008–2009 school year through live interactive videoconferences.

For more information about the Carter’s programs, please visit cartermuseum.org.

New Amon Carter Museum Galleries, Web Site Spotlight Remington and Russell

admin — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 20:31:04 +0000

Release date:

October 15, 2009

FORT WORTH, Texas—An interpretative gallery space dedicated to the works of Frederic Remington and Charles M. Russell recently opened at the Amon Carter Museum. Located on the mezzanine level of the museum, the nearly 2,000-square-foot network of galleries serves to educate visitors about the works of American artists Remington and Russell. Admission to the gallery is free.

“When the museum expanded in 2001, we gained additional space to exhibit our renowned collection,” says Rick Stewart, senior curator of western paintings and sculpture. “What we found was that our visitors wanted to know even more about Remington and Russell and their techniques. We hope these galleries better acquaint the public with the life and works of these two great American artists.”

The galleries feature the self-taught artists’ oil paintings, watercolors and drawings. Nearly 100 artworks are on view, and the museum plans to periodically rotate some of the works. Several interactive features comprise the galleries, including pull-out drawers with large works on paper and a computer workstation. Museum visitors may also watch a short animation that depicts the lost-wax bronze casting process utilized by Remington and Russell. Additional works by Remington can be viewed in the second-level paintings and sculpture galleries.

In addition to the interpretative galleries, the museum has launched www.cartermuseum.org/remington-and-russell, the definitive online resource for any scholar or layperson interested in Remington, Russell and their art. Every work by the two artists in the museum’s collection (about 400 objects) is viewable online. Exhaustive timelines are provided for each artist as well, complete with hundreds of period photographs and noteworthy events and dates in their lives. The site also includes: biographies of the two artists; comprehensive bibliographies; videos of the lost-wax process of making sculpture and of curator Rick Stewart discussing several of the artists’ works; and extensive teaching resources, making the site a destination for educators everywhere.

Teachers of any grade level can integrate the online lesson plans into their classroom. The materials, designed in cooperation with administrators and teachers, meet Texas and national teaching standards in a variety of disciplines including U.S. history, language arts and visual arts. In addition to lesson plans, the site provides educators access to bibliographies, Web links and materials from the Carter’s Teaching Resource Center.

“By making the teaching resources available through the Web site, teachers will have free access to the many interdisciplinary ways of sharing Remington and Russell with their students,” says Head of Education Stacy Fuller. “Today’s children will be tomorrow’s adults, and we want them to understand the lasting legacy of our American heritage.”

The Remington and Russell interpretative galleries, Web site and education programs were made possible by a generous grant from the Jane and John Justin Foundation.

About Frederic Remington (1861–1909)

Frederic Remington, one of the most important and influential artists to portray the American West, was largely self-taught. He was born on October 4, 1861, in Canton, New York. After stints in two military schools, Remington enrolled in the Yale School of Fine Arts in 1878. Following the death of his father, he dropped out of Yale after only three semesters and moved back in with his family. In 1881 he took his first trip west to the Montana Territory, where he made some sketches. His first illustration was published in Harper’s Weekly the following year.

In 1883 Remington moved to Kansas, where he attempted careers as a sheep rancher and saloon owner while pursuing his interest in art. Newly married and encouraged by the sale of some of his works, he relocated to New York City where, over the next few years, his reputation as an artist and illustrator of the American West was firmly established. Remington traveled extensively, often at the behest of Harper’s Weekly, making sketches and gathering information in a broad swath of the West that included Canada and northern Mexico. He became the most prolific and certainly the most influential artist-correspondent of the period. In 1895 he created his first bronze sculpture, which proved very popular. By 1900 he was not only successful as an illustrator but was enjoying a growing reputation as a serious artist whose works were winning critical praise. His untimely death from a ruptured appendix on Christmas Day, 1909, cut short his career.

About Charles M. Russell (1864–1926)

Charles Marion Russell was born on March 19, 1864, in St. Louis, Missouri, the son of a successful manufacturer and businessman. In 1880, after briefly attending military school in New Jersey, Russell talked his parents into letting him travel to the Montana Territory to work on a ranch. The following year he began a two-year apprenticeship with a professional hunter and trapper; after this he obtained employment as a night herder, working for various ranches in the growing Montana open-range cattle industry. Throughout this period, Russell evolved as a self-taught artist. He sketched, modeled and painted, achieving a regional reputation as “The Cowboy Artist” and selling examples of his work. He exhibited his first oil painting in St. Louis in 1886, and his first published illustration followed in the pages of Harper’s Weekly two years later.

In 1893 Russell left range work to pursue art full time, and in 1896 he married Nancy Cooper (1878–1940), who dedicated her life to managing her husband’s art. Russell made his first visit to New York City in 1903, the same year his log-cabin studio was erected in Great Falls. Over the next twenty years, he executed a number of illustrations on commission and published a number of his stories. Since boyhood, he had modeled sculptures in painted wax and plaster; in 1904 while on a trip to New York, he created his first work in bronze. Solo exhibitions of his work in a number of cities, beginning in 1911, secured his reputation as a major artist of the American West. In the 1920s his regular visits to California had a considerable influence on the rapidly growing film industry. Russell died of heart failure in Great Falls on October 24, 1926.

Amon Carter Museum Announces New Public Programs Manager

admin — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 19:57:31 +0000

Release date:

October 7, 2009

FORT WORTH, Texas (October 7, 2009)—The Amon Carter Museum is pleased to announce that Brady Nichols Sloane has joined its staff in the newly created position of Public Programs Manager.
Sloane is responsible for developing and implementing a broad range of programs and resources designed to assist visitors of all ages and abilities, including adults, children and families, in experiencing and understanding the Carter’s collections and special exhibitions.

“The Carter’s new position of Public Programs Manager will allow us to continue popular existing programs and further expand initiatives that connect a variety of audiences to our outstanding collection of American art,” says Stacy Fuller, head of education. “I am eager to see the Carter’s public programs grow under Brady’s leadership and creativity and look forward to our exciting lineup of upcoming programs.”

Previous to the Carter, Sloane was curator of exhibits at the Center for Contemporary Arts in Abilene, Texas. While there, she conceptualized and implemented more than 25 in-house rotating exhibitions a year including six national and international photography exhibits. Sloane developed various programs to coincide with special exhibitions, including a partnership with the Alliance for Women and Children (formerly the YMCA). Sloane served as coordinator for Abilene’s ArtWalk (a downtown monthly celebration of the arts) for more than a year, and taught art outreach programs and summer art camps. She has also worked as an independent curator for several art organizations including the National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature and the 2009 Texas Association of Schools of Art annual competition. Sloane will receive her master’s degree in museum studies from the University of Oklahoma in December 2009. She has a bachelor of fine arts degree from McMurry University in Abilene.

“I am thrilled to join the Amon Carter Museum as Public Programs Manager,” Sloane says. “I look forward to continuing the success of current programming, in addition to implementing new programs and serving the needs of the Fort Worth community.”

Landmark Sheeler Painting Acquired by Amon Carter Museum

admin — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 19:55:12 +0000

Release date:

October 7, 2009

FORT WORTH, Texas—The Amon Carter Museum announces that it has acquired a major American painting by the artist Charles Sheeler: Conversation—Sky and Earth, painted in 1940.

“This superb example of Sheeler’s work is a vital addition to our holdings of this important and versatile artist, who until now has been represented in our collection by one drawing, five prints, and six photographs,” says Dr. Ron Tyler, director.

Sheeler, long recognized as a founder of American modernism, was inspired and influenced by the country’s changing industrialism in the first half of the 20th century, nowhere more notably than in the Carter’s new acquisition. With its crisp rendering and cropping and its absence of any allusion to movement, the painting juxtaposes transmission towers and wires against the backdrop of the Hoover Dam, which had been completed only four years before and was both the world’s largest hydroelectric power plant and tallest concrete structure. A crystalline sky looms over two-thirds of the painting, which is rendered with extraordinarily controlled brushwork.

“The acquisition of this famous landmark painting strengthens the museum’s collection in important ways,” says Rebecca Lawton, curator of paintings and sculpture. “It is beautifully executed, daring in its conception, and highly provocative in its evocation of a photographic source.”

It was prior to completing Conversation—Sky and Earth that the artist made a professional shift from photography to painting. His highly successful works, including a commissioned series of photographs of Ford Motor Company’s River Rouge plant (1927), served as the foundation for a series of later paintings.

In 1938, Fortune magazine commissioned Sheeler to produce a pictorial essay that celebrated America’s industrial power. To prepare for the series, Sheeler photographed power stations across the nation and chose subjects to reflect the power theme—a water wheel (Primitive Power, 1939), a steam turbine (Steam Turbine, 1939), the railroad (Rolling Power, 1939), a hydroelectric turbine (Suspended Power, 1939), an airplane (Yankee Clipper, 1939) and a dam (Conversation—Sky and Earth). These paintings, collectively known as “Power,” were reproduced in color in a portfolio supplement to the December 1940 issue of Fortune. They now reside in the permanent collections of the Dallas Museum of Art (Suspended Power); Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence (Yankee Clipper); The Butler Institute of American Art, Youngstown, Ohio (Steam Turbine); Curtis Galleries, Minneapolis (Primitive Power); and Smith College Museum of Art, Northhampton, Mass. (Rolling Power).

According to Lawton, the Carter’s Sheeler epitomizes the aesthetics of Precisionism, a style that until now had been under-represented in the museum’s paintings collection. Sheeler effectively invented this crisp, clean and hard-edged style. Lawton notes that Conversation—Sky and Earth will resonate well with the museum’s Chimney and Water Tower, 1931, by Charles Demuth. Both are on view in the upstairs paintings and sculpture galleries.

About Charles Sheeler

Born in Philadelphia on July 16, 1883, Charles Sheeler studied at the School of Industrial Art and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, where he was a pupil of painter William Merritt Chase. Sheeler became friends with a fellow student, Morton Schamberg, and toured Europe with Schamberg in the early 1900s. In Paris, Sheeler was introduced to the then-new Cubist style of Georges Braque and Pablo Picasso, and it would strongly influence his work.

Sheeler established a studio in Philadelphia, where he supported himself as a commercial photographer. Though he felt that his paintings were more aesthetically important, Sheeler’s photography was highly regarded. The clean lines of light and shadow in his photos would carry over into his paintings, which are known for their precise, geometric quality.

Sheeler was part of the early 20th-century New York avant-garde art world that included Demuth, Louis Lozowick and Joseph Stella. Unlike many of his contemporaries, he focused on American subjects and not European subjects. Sheeler’s favorite subjects tended to be urban or industrial structures, rural architecture or aspects of nature. His paintings and photographs are not emotional or sentimental, and his paintings rarely involved people.

He died in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., in 1965.

Amon Carter Museum Schedule of Upcoming Photography Exhibitions

admin — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 14:24:14 +0000

Release date:

August 19, 2009

Circle of Friends: Portraits of Artists
Through November 29, 2009

For much of the history of figurative art, artists have made self-portraits and portraits of their patrons, but with the advent of modernism they began making portraits of one another with increasing regularity. Although the practice of artist portraiture was widespread in painting, printmaking, sculpture and photography through much of the 20th century, photographers were especially perceptive of a need to document their circles of artist-peers and friends.

As part of the process, photographers created works that embody their artistic and personal ambitions, from the glamorous femme fatale of Hollywood to the purposeful self-consciousness of the Stieglitz Circle painters, each of whom faced the camera in turn. Circle of Friends, drawn from the Amon Carter Museum’s collection of photographs, examines these historical moments via portraits of their key participants.

Masterworks of American Photography: Moments in Time
Through January 3, 2010

Journey through photography’s history in an exhibition of works from the medium’s early years to the present day. Taken together, these images from the Carter’s permanent collection reflect the diversity and richness of an American visual tradition and explore photography’s unique relationship to time.

The exhibition includes a number of recent acquisitions that relate to the passing of time in works that range from enduring still lifes to fleeting moments captured by the camera. This display of Masterworks of American Photography is supported by Canon U.S.A. and Fort Worth Camera.

Edward S. Curtis: The North American Indian
December 12, 2009–May 16, 2010

In 1900, Edward S. Curtis undertook the momentous task of documenting American Indian cultures across the United States. Over the next 30 years, he took over 40,000 photographs and collected information about more than 80 tribes, ranging from the Inuit people of the far north to the Hopi people of the Southwest. He assembled this material into 20 lavishly illustrated text volumes, each accompanied by a folio of approximately 38 exquisitely printed, hand-pulled photogravures. Today, The North American Indian is widely heralded as a masterpiece of unparalleled scope and beauty, revered by many as a key artistic and historical resource. The Amon Carter Museum will display a selection of works from this compelling new acquisition.

National Organizations Recognize Amon Carter Museum’s Distance Learning Program

elizabeth — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 18:09:24 +0000

Release date:

August 12, 2009

FORT WORTH, Texas (August 12, 2009)—The Amon Carter Museum’s distance learning program recently received national recognition from the Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration (CILC) and the Berrien Regional Education Services Agency (RESA).

The CILC offers access to educational videoconferences to school classrooms across the nation. The Carter is one of approximately 150 CILC videoconference providers and received an honorable mention in the CILC’s annual Pinnacle Awards, which recognize outstanding videoconference content. The awards, which honored 39 organizations, are based on teacher feedback.

The Carter also participates in the Berrien RESA’s national database of more than 200 museums and zoos that offer educational videoconferences. In the annual Teachers’ Choice Awards, the museum received an honorable mention for its distance learning content. Winners were selected from teacher evaluations, and 48 national organizations received awards.

“We are honored to be recognized by both organizations for our distance learning program,” says Stacy Fuller, head of education. “These awards validate our commitment to allowing everyone to connect to American art.”

The museum’s distance learning program brings works from the collection into classrooms across the country. The live, interactive broadcasts, which align with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and national standards, are led by Nancy Strickland, distance learning and docent program manager.

“Through videoconferencing, we provide the opportunity for students and educators across the country to see the Amon Carter Museum and engage in discussions with our staff—all from their classrooms,” says Strickland. “We explore art, history, culture, language arts and science, and reach about 16,000 individuals each year.”

For more information, visit www.cartermuseum.org/teaching/distance-learning.

Amon Carter Museum Announces Teacher and School Programs Manager

elizabeth — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 20:06:18 +0000

Release date:

July 24, 2009

FORT WORTH, Texas (July 24, 2009)—The Amon Carter Museum is pleased to announce that Sara Klein has joined its staff as the Teacher and School Programs Manager.

Klein is responsible for developing and implementing a broad range of programs designed to assist educators and students of all grade levels and disciplines to explore and understand the Carter’s collections and special exhibitions.

“Sara’s experience designing school tour programs and educator trainings will bring fresh insights to the Carter’s well-established, successful programs, elevating them to a higher level and allowing us to better serve the tens of thousands of teachers and students we reach each year,” says Stacy Fuller, the museum’s head of education.

Previous to the Carter, Klein was the education curator for tours and school programs at the Gilcrease Museum in Tulsa, Okla. While there, she helped to develop, implement and assess K-12 collection-based curriculum and programs. She also coordinated and scheduled all tours and school programs for the museum. Klein has a bachelor’s degree in art history and French from Augustana College (Rock Island, Ill.) and a master’s degree in art history from Florida State University (Tallahassee, Fla.).

“I am very excited about joining the staff at the Carter,” says Klein. “The museum is a wonderful institution, and I look forward to working closely with the gallery teachers and other education department members.”

Amon Carter Museum Receives Grants from King Foundation and Erwin E. Smith Foundation

elizabeth — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 18:14:48 +0000

Release date:

July 16, 2009

FORT WORTH, Texas—The Amon Carter Museum announces that it has recently received generous grants from The Carl B. and Florence E. King Foundation and the Erwin E. Smith Foundation.

With a $25,000 grant, the King Foundation is supporting the museum’s educator programs, which include interactive workshops that explore the museum’s collection and special exhibitions, training sessions tailored to individual districts, programs for pre-service teachers, and materials related to American art available for free loan to educators through the Teaching Resource Center.

“Supporting education is one of the foundation’s top priorities,” says Michelle D. Monse, president of the King Foundation. “We are proud to help fund the Amon Carter Museum’s extensive education programs, as they magnify the impact of the museum’s collection and enrich the community.”

“Last year, the Amon Carter Museum reached more than 4,500 educators,” says Stacy Fuller, head of education at the Carter. “The King Foundation grant will allow the museum to not only increase the number of local teachers served but also provide additional classroom resources.”

The Erwin E. Smith Foundation grant of $10,000 will allow the museum to broadcast Cowboy Close-Up, an interactive student videoconference. With the grant, the museum can provide a free broadcast for 40 schools, as well as provide participating schools with copies of the children’s book Cowboy with a Camera: Erwin E. Smith, Cowboy Photographer and other classroom resources.

The Erwin E. Smith Foundation, which works to foster an appreciation for Smith’s photography and advance the understanding of the history of the open-range cattle industry in the Southwest, has been a generous supporter of the Amon Carter Museum for several years. The Foundation previously funded the development of the Cowboy Close-Up videoconference, as well as online collection and teaching guides. Approximately 7,500 students have been reached through the Erwin Smith-focused videoconferences since 2008, according to Fuller.

For more information about the Carter’s education programs, please visit www.cartermuseum.org.

Amon Carter Museum presents Views and Visions: Prints of the American West, 1820–1970

elizabeth — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 18:11:02 +0000

Release date:

July 14, 2009

FORT WORTH, Texas—On September 19, 2009, the Amon Carter Museum presents Views and Visions: Prints of the American West, 1820–1970. The exhibition, on view through January 10, 2010, showcases approximately 120 prints and illustrated books from the museum’s permanent collection. Admission is free.

American artists saw and experienced the western frontier in different ways and with varied perspectives. This exhibition features prints from the past two centuries, representing a myriad views and visions of the American West.

“While the works will be arranged by subjects familiar to the viewer—nature, wildlife, native peoples and non-native settlement—they will reflect broader aspects,” says Rick Stewart, the Carter’s senior curator of western paintings and sculpture and curator of Views and Visions.

“One of the most interesting features in the exhibition will be the juxtaposition of particular works,” Stewart continues, “sometimes made more than a century apart, that will show curious similarities or intriguing differences in artistic vision.”

Included in the exhibition are the first eyewitness renderings of Yosemite Valley, the summit of the Sierra Nevada and the iconic Mountain of the Holy Cross. From these early landscapes and portraits of western denizens, the show progresses deep into the 20th century with works by Leonard Baskin, Thomas Hart Benton, John Steuart Curry and Grant Wood.

“As this exhibition will show, some American artists viewed the West in its mythic enlargement,” says Stewart, “while others attempted to infuse their mythic visions with a harsher reality. Yet even today, the appeal of the mythic vision of the American West remains widespread.”

Public Programs: Admission is free.

October 1, 6 p.m.
Printing the West
Gallery Talk

Dr. Rick Stewart, curator of western paintings and sculpture, and Dr. Ron Tyler, director, Amon Carter Museum

Picture the American West through the eyes of legendary artists like Leonard Baskin, Thomas Hart Benton, George Catlin, and Grant Wood, and investigate the themes that unite the works featured in the exhibition Views and Visions: Prints of the American West, 1820–1970.

November 8, 1–4 p.m.
Way Out West
Family Funday

Saddle up for fun with art! Artworks of the American West by artists such as Frederic Remington and Charles M. Russell will come to life for families of all ages through engaging activities and exciting stories.

Family Fundays are made possible by Alcon.

Amon Carter Museum Acquires Rare 20-volume Photography Book and Portfolio Set

elizabeth — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 18:08:18 +0000

Release date:

July 8, 2009

FORT WORTH, Texas—July 8, 2009—The Amon Carter Museum announces it has acquired a rare, complete set of Edward Sheriff Curtis’ The North American Indian (1907–1930), one of the most comprehensive records of American Indian life.

The set includes 20 volumes of illustrated books, each accompanied by a portfolio of approximately 36 large hand-pulled photogravures of American Indians that Curtis made between 1903 and 1928. In total, the books comprise more than 1,500 photogravures in addition to the 722 large photogravures in the portfolios. (A photogravure is an image produced from a photographic negative transferred to a metal plate and etched in. The printing plate is then used to make beautifully rich reproductions of the original image. Each print is hand-inked and pulled.)

“The North American Indian is one of the most important objects in the history of photography and a work of incredible beauty,” says John Rohrbach, senior curator of photographs. “Ownership of this complete original subscription set further solidifies the museum’s standing as a major resource for American art and culture.”

Convinced that American Indian cultures across the United States were on the verge of vanishing, in 1899 Curtis undertook the momentous task of collecting anthropological information on more than 80 American Indian tribes across the West. Through extensive texts, audio recordings and photographs, he documented the appearance, history and practices of tribes ranging from the Inuit people of the far north to the Hopi people of the Southwest. He took more than 40,000 photographs over the course of his decades-long research, and with financial assistance from J. Pierpont Morgan and the support of President Theodore Roosevelt, Curtis assembled these images and accompanying information into The North American Indian, a lavish presentation that became one of the most expensive undertakings in the history of book production. “The result is a masterwork of visual anthropology,” Rohrbach says.

“This acquisition complements the Amon Carter Museum’s holdings of great western artists, from Karl Bodmer to Frederic Remington,” Director Ron Tyler says. “Additionally, it provides a key bridge between our important mid-19th-century photographic portraits of American Indians and works by 2oth-century photographers, like Laura Gilpin’s extensive depictions of the Navajo.”

Although 500 sets of The North American Indian were planned, the project halted at the onset of the Great Depression. Curtis finished only 222 sets before he went bankrupt, and historians estimate that far fewer than this number exist today. The project was largely forgotten until the 1970s when a renewed interest in the history of photography encouraged scholars to take a new look at the work.

“Today, The North American Indian is widely heralded as a masterpiece production of unparalleled scope and splendor,” Tyler says. “We are privileged to own it and look forward to sharing it with our visitors.”

The museum will open an exhibition of The North American Indian in mid-December 2009.

Amon Carter Museum Exhibits Prints by Renowned Mexican Artist Rufino Tamayo

elizabeth — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 18:05:58 +0000

Release date:

June 23, 2009

FORT WORTH, Texas—Works by famed Mexican artist Rufino Tamayo (1899–1991) are currently on view at the Amon Carter Museum in a small exhibition from the museum’s permanent collection. The exhibition, titled Rufino Tamayo: Tamarind Lithography Workshop, features 16 prints created by the artist at the Tamarind Lithography Workshop in Los Angeles in 1964.

The exhibition runs through November 1, and admission is free.

“When Tamayo made these prints, he was already an established painter in Paris, New York, and Mexico,” says Jane Myers, senior curator of prints and drawings. “The images he created at Tamarind embody his humanitarian concerns. During the fellowship in Los Angeles, he discussed the threat of nuclear war, saying: ‘As soon as we heard of the development of the atom bomb, I became preoccupied with this awesome situation, and my work has more and more reflected the urgency of man’s relationship to the sky and the planets and to space.’”

The Tamarind Lithography Workshop opened in Los Angeles in 1960. At a time when lithography as an art form was in decline, the workshop sought to enhance the prestige of the medium by offering artists the opportunity to explore lithography in innovative collaborations with a pool of master printers. In 1970 the workshop moved to the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, where it operates today as the Tamarind Institute. The Amon Carter Museum has extensive holdings of lithographs made at Tamarind during its first decade of operation.

Amon Carter Museum Receives Alcon, NEA Grants

elizabeth — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 18:02:55 +0000

Release date:

June 4, 2009

FORT WORTH, Texas (June 4, 2009)—The Amon Carter Museum announces that it has recently received grants totaling more than $150,000 from The Alcon Foundation — the philanthropic interest of Alcon Inc. (NYSE: ACL) — and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).

The Alcon Foundation is generously sponsoring the museum’s popular quarterly Family Fundays. These free events offer parents and children hands-on art projects, book readings and interactive tours, connecting them with artworks at the Amon Carter Museum.

“At Alcon, we believe programs such as the Carter’s Family Fundays provide a great educational experience for the whole family and make our community a more vibrant place to live,” says Sara Woodward, director, corporate humanitarian and community services and president of The Alcon Foundation.

The next Family Funday is scheduled for Sunday, August 9, with the theme What a Wonderful World. Artworks by African-American artists in The Harmon and Harriet Kelley Collection of African-American Art: Works on Paper exhibition and the Carter’s permanent collection will be featured. In addition, the NEA has awarded the museum two grants: an Access to Artistic Excellence grant, which will support the museum’s strategic plan to digitally document its entire collection, and an American Masterpieces: Visual Arts Touring grant that will help support the upcoming touring exhibition American Modern: Abbott, Evans, Bourke-White and its accompanying catalog and education programs. The exhibition, which opens at the Carter in the fall of 2010, will demonstrate how American photographers in the 1930s reinvented the documentary genre.

Antiques Roadshow Discovery on View at Amon Carter Museum

elizabeth — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 18:00:52 +0000

Release date:

May 20, 2009

FORT WORTH, Texas—When The Illustrious Guest (1847) appeared on the PBS program Antiques Roadshow earlier this year, appraiser Alan Fausel of the Bonhams auction house said the painting “could hang in a museum.” Now it is.

“I was intrigued by the painting when I saw it on the program,” says Rebecca Lawton, curator of paintings and sculpture at the Amon Carter Museum. “I called Alan and asked him to pass along my contact information to the owner because I wanted to see it in person. I’m so thankful the guest had already contacted Alan, making it possible for him to connect us, because now we have the privilege of displaying this wonderful painting in our museum.”

The 19th-century painting by James Henry Beard depicts legendary Kentucky statesman Henry Clay (1777–1852) as a guest at a country tavern while on the campaign trail. The work is on long-term loan to the Amon Carter Museum.

The Dallas owner, who remains anonymous, brought the painting to a Dallas taping of Antiques Roadshow last summer. On the episode that aired in January, she revealed that the painting had been in her family for more than six generations, and that they likely acquired it shortly after it was painted.

“It is a terrific genre subject that combines fact with fiction,” Lawton says. “The setting is accurate, as Clay, a veteran campaigner, certainly would have stopped at country taverns to solicit votes during the 1844 presidential election. Beard likely imagined the painting’s cast of characters, some of whom marvel at Clay’s elegant attire, while others eye him warily after identifying him from the guest register. This is a perfect picture of life in antebellum America and a wonderful rediscovery.”

About James Henry Beard

James Henry Beard (1811–1893) was born in Buffalo, N.Y., and at the age of 11 moved with his family to Painesville, Ohio. A self-taught artist, Beard worked for several years as a traveling portrait painter in Cincinnati, Louisville, New Orleans and Pittsburgh. He was an honorary member of the National Academy of Design from 1848 to 1860 and a full member until his death in 1872.

Beard’s genre paintings, or scenes of everyday life, of the 1840s are less well-known than his later satirical pictures and portraits of domestic pets. Like his younger brother, artist William Holbrook Beard (1824–1900), the elder Beard’s reputation now rests primarily on his paintings of animals.

Select Galleries Closed Temporarily for Maintenance

elizabeth — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 17:58:34 +0000

Release date:

April 21, 2009

Part of the museum’s first floor will be closed from May 19 through June 2 for floor resurfacing. During this time, the Museum Store and Auditorium will be closed. The Library will be open by appointment only. To access the museum’s second floor, patrons may use the stairs or elevator near the main entrance.

Amon Carter Museum Exhibits Esteemed Private Collection of African-American Art

elizabeth — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 17:57:44 +0000

Release date:

March 2, 2009

FORT WORTH, Texas—The works of more than 50 African-American artists from the late 1800s to the early years of this century will be on view at the Amon Carter Museum from June 6 through August 23, 2009, in the special exhibition The Harmon and Harriet Kelley Collection of African-American Art: Works on Paper. The Kelley collection is one of the most esteemed private collections of African-American art, and the special exhibition features more than 90 works on paper by artists such as Elizabeth Catlett, William H. Johnson, Alison Saar and Charles White.

Admission to all special exhibitions at the Amon Carter Museum is free.

Two significant eras are represented in the exhibition: the 1930s and 1940s, a period which saw the birth of African-American regionalism, and the 1960s and 1970s, which saw the rise of politically motivated and African-inspired themes; subjects range from racism and its related hardships to family, music and religion.

“An array of fascinating, vivid imagery makes this exhibition particularly compelling,” Myers says. “Virtually every work clearly emanates from the artists’ own powerful, personal narrative.”

The Kelleys have been collecting art since the mid-1980s, when they saw the exhibition Hidden Heritage: Afro-American Art, 1800–1950 at the San Antonio Museum of Art. Realizing they did not recognize any of the artists’ names, they vowed to educate themselves about this aspect of their heritage and built a collection to advance the legacy of African-American art.

“We are delighted the Amon Carter Museum has chosen to host this exhibition,” Harmon Kelley says. “Placing our drawings and prints in the context of the museum’s rich holdings of American art is a wonderful and unique opportunity.”

Concurrent to this exhibition, the one-gallery exhibition African-American Art: Selections from the Amon Carter Museum’s Collection is on view. This exhibition showcases some of the museum’s landmark prints and drawings from the same era as those in the Kelley show. Artists featured include Charles Alston, Grafton Tyler Brown, Elizabeth Catlett, William H. Johnson, Jacob Lawrence, William E. Smith, Dox Thrash, Charles White and John Wilson.

The Harmon and Harriet Kelley Collection of African-American Art: Works on Paper was organized by Landau Traveling Exhibitions, Los Angeles, California. African-American Art: Selections from the Amon Carter Museum’s Collection was organized by the Amon Carter Museum.

Public Programs: Admission is free.

Saturday, June 6, 11 a.m.
Changing the Rules: A Conversation with Harmon and Harriet Kelley and Bob Ray Sanders
Dialogue

Join the discussion as seasoned Fort Worth Star-Telegram columnist Bob Ray Sanders interviews Harmon and Harriet Kelley about their esteemed collection of African-American art.

Reservations are required as seating is limited. Please call 817.989.5030 to register; confirmation will be sent.

Sunday, July 12, 2 p.m.
Many Voices, Many Visions
Performance
Of Many Colors, Fort Worth music ensemble

Connect to the exhibition The Harmon and Harriet Kelley Collection of African-American Art: Works on Paper and the Carter’s permanent collection during this inspiring vocal concert by one of Fort Worth’s favorite music ensembles. The performance features music from the late 1800s into the 20th century and works of art by more than 50 African-American artists.

Reservations are required as seating is limited. Please call 817.989.5030 to register; confirmation will be sent.

Sunday, August 9, 1–4 p.m.
What a Wonderful World
Family Funday

Through looking and art-making activities, discover how artworks share stories, connect communities, and inspire our imaginations. Artworks by African-American artists in The Harmon and Harriet Kelley Collection of African-American Art: Works on Paper exhibition and the Carter’s permanent collection will be featured during this fun-filled family day.

Family Fundays are generously supported by Alcon.

Tours
Free public tours for this special exhibition occur at 3:30 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. No reservations are required.

Amon Carter Museum Schedule of Exhibitions: January through Spring 2009

elizabeth — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 17:25:27 +0000

Release date:

January 5, 2009

Focus on Photographs: Generations
Through February 8, 2009

The Amon Carter Museum photography collection includes the archives of three of the artists represented in this exhibition: Carlotta Corpron, Laura Gilpin and Karl Struss. Their archives contain prints, negatives and manuscripts, along with items such as photographs by other artists who played an important role in their lives and professional development. Through these archives and related material collected by the museum, viewers can learn about the traditions of photographic practice that extend through successive generations.

Mary Lucier: The Plains of Sweet Regret
Through February 15, 2009

A hauntingly beautiful world of landscape and loss, this video installation brings into view, through music and imagery, the rapid depopulation of the northern plains. Laced with both melancholy and loveliness, this work by video artist Mary Lucier examines the seismic changes that have swept away family farms and ranches, small towns and rural schools.

Mary Lucier: The Plains of Sweet Regret was commissioned by the North Dakota Museum of Art with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts. Production has been funded by the Creative Capital and the Rockefeller Foundation. Curated by Laurel Reuter, director, North Dakota Museum of Art.

An American Original: George Bellows, His Lithographs, and the 1936 Texas Centennial
Through April 19, 2009

The fascinating and diverse lithographs of famed American painter and printmaker George Bellows are featured in this special exhibition from the Carter’s permanent collection. The show reassembles Bellows’ 32 lithographs from the 1936 Texas Centennial Exposition in Dallas. Bellows was known for his ability to capture the truth of American life through his varied subject matter, which includes scenes of urban life, boxing, popular religion, portraits, female nudes and magazine illustrations.

First Look: Masterworks of American Photography
Through June 7, 2009

This is the first time these works — all part of the Amon Carter Museum photography collection — have been exhibited at the museum. Taken together, they reflect the diversity and richness of an American visual tradition.

Barbara Crane: Challenging Vision
February 14–May 10, 2009

For more than 60 years, Crane has been stretching the boundaries of photography. Through single images, sequences, grids and scrolls that range from intimate to grand, her photographs are dynamic, bold and abstract; they are vibrant depictions of the rural and urban, the familiar and esoteric. This exhibition — featuring nearly 200 photographs from Crane’s internationally heralded early studies of human form through her chronicle of Chicago city life to her recent explorations of nature — is the first major retrospective in more than 25 years of the photographer’s work. Organized by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, this exhibition was guest curated by Kenneth C. Burkhart.

High Modernism: Alfred Stieglitz and His Legacy
March 7–June 28, 2009

Modern art photography is widely recognized as having been born in the 1910s from the work of Alfred Stieglitz and his hand-picked group of artists. Blending sharp focus, fine printing and overtly structured composition, these artists did not merely document life, they used the camera as a means to express intense emotional connection to the world. This exhibition follows the pathway set by Stieglitz and his colleagues through the work of his philosophical successor Minor White and photographers working today who subscribe to Stieglitz’s profound attachment to beauty and uplift.

The Harmon and Harriet Kelley Collection of African-American Art: Works on Paper
June 6–August 23, 2009

The works of more than 50 African-American artists from the late 1800s to the early years of this century are on view in this special exhibition. Drawn from the Harmon and Harriet Kelley Collection — an esteemed private collection of works by African-American artists — the exhibition features more than 90 works on paper by artists such as Elizabeth Catlett, William H. Johnson, Alison Saar and Charles White. The exhibition was organized by Landau Traveling Exhibitions, Los Angeles, California.

Concurrent to this exhibition, the Carter will mount the one-gallery exhibition African-American Art: Selections from the Amon Carter Museum’s Collection. Showcasing some of the museum’s landmark prints and drawings from the same era as those in the Kelley exhibition, this exhibition’s featured artists include Charles Alton, Grafton Tyler Brown, Elizabeth Catlett, William H. Johnson, Jacob Lawrence, William E. Smith, Dox Thrash, Charles White and John Wilson.

Amon Carter Museum Publishes Gift Book Charles M. Russell’s Illustrated Letters

elizabeth — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 21:03:20 +0000

Release date:

December 15, 2008

FORT WORTH, Texas—A new book published by the Amon Carter Museum reveals a different side of famed cowboy artist Charles M. Russell — humorist and illustrator.

Russell produced thousands of paintings and sculptures over his 33-year career, but beyond these works, he generated more than 400 pieces of correspondence, most of which he illustrated. The 100 Best Illustrated Letters of Charles M. Russell, edited by Russell authority Brian Dippie and published by the Carter, brings together for the first time the 100 most beloved of these letters.

“The letters in this beautiful book were drawn from both private and public collections around the country and a number have never been reproduced before now,” says Amon Carter Museum Director Ron Tyler. “One of my favorites is Charlie’s illustrated homage to the ‘canyon mule.’ Both Russell enthusiasts and those new to his work will find great enjoyment in this book.”

The 9½ x 11 inch, 216-page book includes 193 color reproductions of Russell’s letters, a removable “to scale” letter and envelope replica, and a foreword — written in 1925 — by the Cowboy Artist himself. The book retails for $50 and is available at the Amon Carter Museum Store and online at cartermuseum.org/store. For more information, call 800.573.1933.

Amon Carter Museum Presents Barbara Crane: Challenging Vision

elizabeth — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 18:22:54 +0000

Release date:

November 24, 2008

FORT WORTH, Texas—On February 14, 2009, the Amon Carter Museum will present Barbara Crane: Challenging Vision, the first major retrospective in more than 25 years of the photographer’s work. This exhibition features nearly 200 photographs, from Crane’s internationally heralded early studies of human form through her chronicle of Chicago city life to her recent explorations of nature. The exhibition will be on view through May 10, 2009, before moving on to the organizer’s venue, the Chicago Cultural Center.

Admission to all special exhibitions at the Amon Carter Museum is free.

“Barbara Crane has long been one of America’s most influential teachers and respected artists,” says the Carter’s Senior Curator of Photographs John Rohrbach. “Her highly experimental and tremendously varied photographs animatedly challenge photography’s very character as a descriptive tool. This show exudes her infectious energy and imagination. Anyone who sees it will never look at photographs the same way again.”

For more than 60 years, Crane (b. 1928) has been stretching the boundaries of photography. Through single images, sequences, grids and scrolls that range in size from intimate to grand, her photographs are dynamic, bold and abstract; they are vibrant depictions of the rural and urban, the familiar and esoteric.

Crane herself has explained the sources of her art:

“I’ve always been drawn to avant-garde, cutting edge art forms and have tried to find my inspiration in mediums other than photography,” she says. “As an art history student, I became interested in Asian art and was heavily influenced by Japanese scrolls, screens, prints and calligraphy. I was inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright’s and Corbusier’s daring ‘modern’ architecture, by the innovative aesthetic of the German Bauhaus, by the custom-defying independence of modern dance, and by the music of John Cage.

“To this day, I carry a small spiral notebook when attending a concert or visiting a museum to record what I find exciting for my future use—such as the pattern of musical rhythms, the dynamic of color combinations and spatial relationships, and adjacencies of color in Renaissance and Medieval paintings. I translate these influences into the endless options offered by photography.”

Crane has been the recipient of many grants, awards and fellowships, including National Endowment for the Arts grants in 1975 and 1988, a John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Fellowship in Photography in 1979, and an Illinois Arts Council Artists Fellowship Award in Photography in 2001. Her work is represented in major collections around the country, including the George Eastman House in Rochester, N.Y.; the Art Institute of Chicago; the Center for Creative Photography in Tucson, Ariz.; and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Barbara Crane: Challenging Vision is accompanied by a fully illustrated 250-page publication with essays by Abigail Foerstner, of the Medill School of Journalism Northwestern University, and Amon Carter Museum Senior Curator of Photographs John Rohrbach.

Organized by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, this exhibition was guest curated by Kenneth C. Burkhart.

Public Programs: Admission is free.

Saturday, February 14, 11 a.m.
Preoccupied with Making Art
Amon Carter Museum Lectures on American Photography
Underwriting provided by the Anne Burnett Tandy Endowment
Barbara Crane, artist

There is no perfect moment to make art, no one rule about how or where to make it. It is, instead, about a lifelong preoccupation. Renowned photographer Barbara Crane discusses the rewarding discomfort that is the artistic process — the restlessness of the mind, the discipline of habit, and the tapping into the unconscious.

Reservations are required; seating is limited. Please call 817.989.5057 by February 11 to register; confirmation will be sent.