19 Jun 2013

A Journey Down River: Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the Great River Road

By Lynn Bartenhagen

The Muscatine Art Center will open its latest exhibition, "A Journey Down River: Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the Great River Road" on Sunday, June 30th as part of the Friends of the Muscatine Art Center's Annual Ice Cream Social. The exhibition will be on display in the Stanley Gallery through October 27, 2013.

The Mississippi River has always served as a muse for artists, songwriters and authors. "Old Man" River has been described as mighty, muddy and wicked, but the word "spectacular" describes both the river itself and the Muscatine Art Center's collection of works depicting the river. The collection includes paintings, drawings, prints and maps which historically and aesthetically document the river and the communities built along its banks.

The Great River Road, which travels the length of both sides of the Mississippi River, is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. In 1938, the Mississippi River Parkway Commission (MRPC) was established for the purpose of collectively preserving, promoting and enhancing the scenic, historic and recreational resources of the Mississippi River.

The Muscatine Art Center exhibition will follow the Great River Road as part of the anniversary celebration. Highlights from the River Collection include a variety of works by Henry Lewis, an oil on pressed wood by Sally MacMillan, a painting by Muscatine's own William Bunn, a lithograph by John Page, a view of "Bloomington" (Muscatine) by John Casper Wild, prints by Karl Bodmer, hand colored engravings by Herrmann Meyer and a pen and ink drawing by Rudolf Cronau.

As a compliment to the River Collection, the Art Center has on display the speedboat racing trophies of Charles (Chap) Hanley. Hanley was born in Muscatine in 1878 and raced his first boat in 1904, eventually becoming a national champion. He set the world's speed record in 1923 and won trophy after trophy with the boats that he often designed and built himself.

The Muscatine Art Center is located at 1314 Mulberry Avenue in Muscatine, Iowa. Hours are Tuesday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Thursday evenings until 7:00 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. Admission is free. Donations are appreciated.

"View of the Mississippi from Wyoming Hill" by William Bunn, 1946 Collection of the Muscatine Art Center, Gift of the Raymond Titus Estate.jpg

21 May 2013

Carol Ehlers presents lecture on the art of French artist Raoul Dufy

By Lynn Bartenhagen

The public is invited to join the Muscatine Art Center in welcoming Carol Ehlers, art history speaker, as she presents a 45 minute lecture on the art of French artist Raoul Dufy. The lecture will take place Thursday May 23 at 5:30 pm in the Muscatine Art Center's Music Room. Admission is free.

Raoul Dufy was a French painter who made his mark on the 20th Century as he helped to create a modern visual sensibility and perception. His cheerful oils and watercolors depict events of the time period, including yachting scenes, sparkling views of the French Riviera, chic parties, and musical events.

Born in Le Havre near Normandy, France in June 1877, Dufy soon showed some rare talent for drawing. To make money for his family, he left school at the age of fourteen to work in a coffee-importing company, but took art classes in the evening. At the age of 18, he started taking evening classes in art at Le Havre's municipal art school. During this period, Dufy painted mostly Norman landscapes in watercolors after being influenced by the Impressionists such as Claude Monet and Camille Pissarro.

From 1904-1905, fascinated by a painting by Henri Matisse, Dufy turned to Fauvism. The Fauves emphasized bright color and bold contours in their work. He then discovered the work of Paul Cézanne which led him to adopt a somewhat subtler technique. Still he only adhered to the Fauve movement during three years until 1909 after finding that he needed to instill more austerity and soberness in his works, thus his movement into Cubism. His true personality started to blossom though the public was not immediately receptive to his works.

In 1913, his painting Le Jardin abandonné (The abandoned garden) contained the early signs of what made Dufy's work so original: the dissociation of color and drawing. Dufy felt that colors had their own lives, going beyond the object, giving structure to his paintings. By 1950, his hands were struck with rheumatoid arthritis and his ability to paint diminished. Dufy died in France, in March 1953, and was buried near Matisse in Cimiez, France.

In 1992 the Muscatine Art Center's collections were significantly enriched by a gift of twenty-seven works of art by Toulouse-Lautrec, Matisse, Degas, Boudin, Chagall, Renoir, and other European artists. The collection was a gift from the estate of Mary Musser Gilmore in honor of her parents, Richard Drew Musser and Sarah Walker Musser. The paintings are on permanent display in the Laura Musser Mansion.
03 May 2013

Behind the scenes tour

By Lynn Bartenhagen

FOR RELEASE: MAY 2, 2013

The Muscatine Art Center holds tens of thousands of objects in its collection. Like many museums, only a small percentage - as little as one percent - of the collection is on view at any given time.

On Thursday, May 9, 2013, the Muscatine Art Center will offer behind-the-scenes tours for those interested in seeing the storage area and learning how the staff documents, cares for and manages the collection. Two rounds of tours will be offered. The first tour is from 4 to 5:15 p.m., and the second from 5:30 to 6:45 p.m. Space is limited to 12 people per tour, and registration is taken on first come, first served basis.

Don't miss this opportunity to see stored treasures from the Art Center's permanent collection. Join a tour group for a truly unique experience as you hear about how the museum operates from the inside out and have your individual questions answered by staff.

HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Rarely seen "cool stuff" from the Art Center - art objects and artifacts that tell fascinating stories about Muscatine and/or the region.
  • Main collection storage areas and hidden storage areas in the Musser Museum.
  • Textile and print storage.
  • The original Musser Carriage House and Musser Museum basement.
  • Explanation of how museums keep track of collections.

BOOKING INFORMATION:

  • Tours are limited to a maximum of 12 people. Please indicate the tour time you would like to be a part of.
  • Tours are for adults and children over 12 years of age (12-16 year olds need to be accompanied by an adult).
  • Tour duration is approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes.
  • As a courtesy to other participants, please be on time.
  • Physical accessibility is somewhat limited with the full behind-the-scenes tour including narrow stairs. Please notify us at the time of booking of any special requirements.
  • For security reasons, you may not take mobile phones, cameras, videos, other electrical equipment, bags, food or drinks on the tour. All personal items must be checked before the tour departs.

Call NOW to reserve a place in the Muscatine Art Center's Behind-the-Scenesexperience!

EVENT DETAILS:

What: Muscatine Art Center's Behind-the-Scenes Tour

Who: Hosted by MAC staff

When: Thursday, May 9, 2013

Times: 4:00-5:15 and 5:30-6:45 PM

Where: The Muscatine Art Center

Admission to these tours is FREE.

Please contact Katy Doherty, Program Coordinator, with any questions or concerns at

563-263-8282 or by email at kdoherty@muscatineiowa.gov.

The Muscatine Art Center is located at 1314 Mulberry Avenue in Muscatine, Iowa. Hours are Tuesday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Thursday evenings until 7:00 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. Admission is free. Donations are appreciated. Go to www.muscatineartcenter.org for more information about programs and events and to download a class brochure.

 

 

 

29 Apr 2013

Jon Fasanelli-Cawelti Exhibition opening

By Lynn Bartenhagen
The Muscatine Art Center will feature one of Muscatine's own in the upcoming exhibition, "Jon Fasanelli-Cawelti: A Retrospective." The exhibition of the printmaker's works will open on May 5 and run through June 9, 2013.

As a twenty-one year resident of Muscatine, Fasanelli-Cawelti is known to many local residents through his artwork, trumpet playing in groups such as the Muscatine Symphony Orchestra and the Mad Creek Mudcats, as a former instructor at Muscatine Community College, through his involvement in the Kosovo Project in 2005 and 2008 and through simple encounters in everyday life.

Originally a student of history, Fasanelli-Cawelti studied briefly at the Art Institute of Chicago before acting on his father's suggestion of studying art at the University of Iowa where he learned from Virginia Myers and obtained his BFA in 1983. Fasanelli-Cawelti received his MFA from the University of Iowa in 1985 and was a student of Mauricio Lasansky, who was once referred to by Time Magazine as "the nation's most influential printmaker." Fasanelli-Cawelti was personal assistant and printer for Lasansky from 1985 to 1998. His relationship to the Lasansky family continues. Fasanelli-Cawelti printed works for Tomas Lasansky's monograph, Icons and Muses, in 2008 and exhibited prints alongside Richie Lasansky. Tomas is Lasansky's
son, and Richie is his grandson.

Fasanelli-Cawelti is an accomplished printmaker and artist in his own right and his work often features the people, places and objects, especially musical instruments, which are woven into his daily routines. His technique of intaglio printing dates back to the 1400s but Fasanelli-Cawelti has found innovative ways to present a traditional technique. Viewers to the exhibition will see the progression of his work from early prints that are objective and in black and white to recent pieces that are abstract and sometimes feature vibrant color and woven strips of paper.

Fasanelli-Cawelti's printmaking has evolved since having discovered seven years ago that he has a progressive, motor-neuron disorder. In a way, he credits the disorder with "liberating" his work from being "strictly objective." Having accepted that he may not be able to physically achieve the same level of precision, some of Fasanelli-Cawelti's recent prints have built-in allowances such as printing on woven paper which is then re-aligned to create a different image.

Fasanelli-Cawelti is pushing boundaries - the boundaries of traditional printmaking, the boundaries of his own style and the boundaries of his physical capabilities. The process of creating a plate, preparing materials for printing - Fasanelli-Cawelti makes his own ink, and physically running the print is demanding. Yet Fasanelli-Cawelti did not shy away from creating a seven-foot tall print of Diana Calzaretta, his wife of 30 years. This print, which was created in January 2013, will be on public view for the first time during the retrospective at the Muscatine Art Center.

The exhibition, "Jon Fasanelli-Cawelti: A Retrospective," offers a look at the technique of printmaking and the evolution of a printmaker. The opening on May 5th will feature Fasanelli-Cawelti's other passion, playing trumpet, with a performance by the Mad Creek Mudcats from 1 to 2:30 p.m. The reception will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. The public is invited to attend. Admission is free.

The Muscatine Art Center is located at 1314 Mulberry Avenue in Muscatine, Iowa. Hours are Tuesday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Thursday evenings until 7:00 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. Admission is free. Donations are appreciated.
22 Apr 2013

Carol Ehlers speaking at the Muscatine Art Center

By Lynn Bartenhagen
APRIL 22, 2013

The public is invited to join the Muscatine Art Center in welcoming Carol Ehlers, art history speaker, as she presents a 45 minute lecture on the art of French Neo-Impressionist Paul Signac. The lecture will take place Thursday, April 25 at 5:30 pm in the Muscatine Art Center's Music Room. Admission is free.

Paul Signac was born in Paris on November 11, 1863 to a well to do family and grew up in the cultural district of Montmartre. By the age of 18, Signac studied architecture before deciding to pursue a career as a painter after attending an exhibit of Claude Monet's work. He chose to be an Impressionist painter because of his liking for Monet, the outdoors, originality, and independence.  He had no formal art instruction but devoted himself to the study of the works of Manet, Monet, Degas, and Caillebotte.

In 1884 Signac met Georges Seurat at the first Société des Artistes Indépendants and was struck by Seurat's meticulous methods. By 1885, under Seurat's influence, he abandoned the short brushstrokes of impressionism to experiment with scientifically juxtaposed small dots of pure color based on the laws of color theory established by the chemist Eugène Chevreul. These dots were intended to combine and in the viewer's eye, the defining feature of pointillism, a branch of Neo-Impressionism that Seurat and Signac successfully coined.

By 1892, he moved from Paris to St Tropez, and he was painting almost entirely in his studio from sketches and watercolors originally made in front of the scenes he found in the course of his travels. As an avid sailor, he went on a number of cruises, which took him to various ports in France, Italy, Holland and Constantinople.

Signac was president of the Société des Artistes Indépendants from 1908 until his death at age seventy-two in 1935. He encouraged the next generation of young artists by exhibiting their controversial works. He inspired Henri Matisse and André Derain in particular, thus playing a decisive role in the evolution of the Fauvist movement.

In 1992 the Muscatine Art Center's collections were significantly enriched by a gift of twenty-seven works of art by Toulouse-Lautrec, Matisse, Degas, Boudin, Chagall, Renoir, and other European artists. The collection was a gift from the estate of Mary Musser Gilmore in honor of her parents, Richard Drew Musser and Sarah Walker Musser. The paintings are on permanent display in the Laura Musser Mansion.

 

EVENT DETAILS:

Lecture: Paul Signac: Scientific Theory and Pointillism

Who: Carol Ehlers

When: Thursday, April 25 2013

Time: 5:30 PM

Where: The Muscatine Art Center's Music Room

Admission to this program is FREE.

 

Please contact Katy Doherty, Program Coordinator, with any questions or concerns at

563-263-8282 or by email at kdoherty@muscatineiowa.gov.

 

The Muscatine Art Center is open to the public Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 AM to 5 PM, Thursday from 10 AM to 7 PM and Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 5 PM Admission is FREE.

22 Apr 2013

Picasso and Chicago Bus Trip

By Lynn Bartenhagen
April 19, 2013

The Friends of the Muscatine Art Center invites the public on a bus trip to the Art Institute of Chicago for the Picasso and Chicago exhibition.

The Art Institute of Chicago has a special connection to Picasso and it was the first art museum in the United States to exhibit the young artist's work at the 1913 Armory Show. The Picasso and Chicago exhibition celebrates the 100-year relationship between the artist and Chicago by bringing together over 250 of the finest examples of the Picasso's paintings, sculpture, prints, drawings, and ceramics. Included in the exhibition are pieces from the Art Institute's collection as well as loans from private collections to create the first large-scale Picasso exhibition organized by the museum in almost 30 years.

The Friends' trip is set for Thursday, May 9th with boarding at 6:45 a.m. from the soccer complex on Houser Street and arriving back in Muscatine at 7:00 p.m. The cost for the trip is $85 for non-members and $75 for members of Friends of the Muscatine Art Center. Cost includes round trip transportation and a ticket to the exhibition. The bus is to arrive in Chicago at 10:30 a.m., and the group is free to visit the museum and exhibition and lunch on their own. The bus departs Chicago at 3:30 p.m.

Reservations must be made and paid by Tuesday, April 23, 2013. For reservations call 563-263-8282. Please make checks payable to Friends of the Muscatine Art Center.
26 Mar 2013

Panel Discussion - Muscatine/China Connection

By Lynn Bartenhagen

March 26, 2013

As part of the temporary exhibition, "The Other Side of the Earth" by Chun Arthur Wang, the Muscatine Art Center is hosting a panel discussion about the relationship between Muscatine and China. Mayor DeWayne Hopkins will serve as moderator for the discussion on Thursday, April 4th from 5:15 to 6:30 p.m. in the Muscatine Art Center's Music Room.

Mayor Hopkins will share photographs from his recent delegation trip to Hebei Province and will lead a session that explores the past, present, and future of building a relationship between Muscatine and China. Several panelists were part of the Mayor's delegation while others are "old friends" who hosted Xi Jinping, now the President of the People's Republic of China.

Panelists include members of the Mayor's Muscatine China Initiatives Committee such Tony Joseph, President of the Initiatives Committee and President of Joseph Industries; Sarah Lande, one of Xi Jinping's Old Friends, former Executive Director of Iowa Sister States and also a member of its first Board of Directors; Albert Liu of Musco Sports Lighting; Deb Hutton, President of Muscatine Sister Cities; and Bob Allbee, President of Muscatine Community College.

The panelists will explore topics related to the establishment of the friendship between Hebei and Iowa in the early 1980s, Sister States/Sister Cities past and present initiatives, the purpose of the Mayor's committee, Muscatine companies with operations in China, the 100,000 Strong Initiative, and other efforts to prepare current community and business leaders as well as future generations for working in China and with Chinese leaders.

In addition to the exhibition of paintings by Chun Arthur Wang, the Art Center has on display several cases of items on loan from Joan Axel, an Old Friend of Xi Jinping, and Mayor Hopkins. Among the items are gifts from Xi Jinping including a China Red tea set and two porcelain Chinese Gift Tea containers. Several photo books, scarves, and scrolls are also on display.

The Muscatine Art Center is located at 1314 Mulberry Avenue in Muscatine, Iowa. Hours are Tuesday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Thursday evenings until 7:00 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. Admission is free. Donations are appreciated.

 

 

 


22 Mar 2013

Carol Ehlers, Art History Speaker

By Lynn Bartenhagen

The public is invited to join the Muscatine Art Center in welcoming Carol Ehlers, art history speaker, as she presents a 45 minute lecture on Edgar Degas's influence on Pablo Picasso. The lecture will take place Thursday, March 28 at 5:30 pm in the Muscatine Art Center's Music Room. Admission is free.

When Pablo Picasso moved to the Montmartre district in Paris in 1904, he lived and worked in the same neighborhood as Edgar Degas. The pair had several friends in common, used the same models and shared Ambrose Vollard as their art dealer, but it is unlikely that the two ever met. Degas was from an earlier era (he was 47 years older than Picasso) and was classically educated and from a well-off family, but was famously aloof. Picasso on the other hand was struggling, impoverished and frequented the brothels, cafes and nightclubs so commonly seen in both of their works.

Despite their differences in age, temperament and background, Picasso had an enduring fascination with Degas. Throughout his long career, Picasso would produce works of art in response to what his artistic predecessors created, often "quoting" their compositions. Picasso is said to have observed that "good artists copy; great artists steal." Thus was his relationship with Degas. Picasso's early compositions were wrought with scenes of cabarets and cafes, portraits, women bathing, and ballet dancers; the same subjects that had come to define Degas's iconic works.

Pablo Picasso Looks at Edgar Degas explores Picasso's lifelong fascination with Degas's art and personality, while also shedding light on the development of twentieth-century modernism.

In 1992 the Muscatine Art Center's collections were significantly enriched by a gift of twenty-seven works of art from the estate of Mary Musser Gilmore in honor of her parents, Richard Drew Musser and Sarah Walker Musser. Represented in this collection are works by Toulouse-Lautrec, Matisse, Degas, Boudin, Chagall, Renoir, and other European artists. These pieces are on permanent display in the Laura Musser Mansion.

14 Mar 2013

Muscatine's Golden Key

By Lynn Bartenhagen

"Muscatine's Golden Key" is the title of a new painting which is making its public debut in the exhibition, "The Other Side of the Earth" by Chun Arthur Wang. The painting depicts Xi Jinping, soon to be announced or newly announced (press note: this depends on the timing of the story) President of the People's Republic of China. In the foreground is a portrait of then Vice President Xi during his 2012 visit to Muscatine while the background features Xi receiving the key to the City of Muscatine during his 1985 visit. Xi Jinping is believed to be the only person to hold the honor of receiving two keys to the City of Muscatine - one in 1985 and the other in 2012.

Artist Chun Arthur Wang states, "Most Chinese had never heard of 'Muscatine' until the Chinese and global press reported on Xi Jinping's return visit to this Iowa town in 2012. People were touched by the story that Mr. Xi did not forget the local family that hosted him for three days during his visit in 1985. The profound friendship between Mr. Xi and ordinary American people impressed many Chinese people, including me."

Wang was preparing for his exhibition at the Muscatine Art Center when his family and friends encouraged him to create a painting about Xi Jinping's connection to Muscatine. Xi is depicted twice in the painting - once as a younger man and once as the new leader of China today. Wang describes his depiction of then Vice President Xi: "Mr. Xi looks high-spirited and vigorous as the dignified and confident new leader. He holds the second key to the City of Muscatine in his left hand while using his right hand to wave to his old friends in Muscatine. From his mild eyes we find his joyfulness in reuniting with his old friends. And from his smile we seem to hear an emotional voice from his heart, 'Muscatine, I am back after twenty-seven years'."

The Mississippi River and the Muscatine Bridge are also featured in the painting. The friendship between America and China is symbolized by the Mississippi River both of which "will never be interrupted", as described by Wang. Behind the clouds, Wang has painted two traditional Chinese vermillion red gates which are open in the middle. These gates are intended to symbolize the opening of friendship between the two countries and also the blending of two different cultures.

The painting, "Muscatine's Golden Key," along with 18 other works of art by Chun Arthur Wang will be on view at the Muscatine Art Center through April 21, 2013. Wang will be in Muscatine from March 17th through 19th. An Artist Reception will be held on Sunday, March 17th from 1 to 5 p.m. Wang will speak at 1:30 p.m. The reception is open to the public, and admission is free. On March 18th and 19th, Wang will visit local classrooms and meet with community leaders.

The Muscatine Art Center is located at 1314 Mulberry Avenue in Muscatine, Iowa. Hours are Tuesday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Thursday evenings until 7:00 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. Admission is free. Donations are appreciated.

Muscatine's Golden Key.jpg

15 Feb 2013

Carol Ehlers Spring Lectures

By Lynn Bartenhagen

Muscatine Art Center's collections were significantly enriched by a gift of twenty-seven works of art by Toulouse-Lautrec, Matisse, Degas, Boudin, Chagall, Renoir, and other European artists. The collection was a gift in 1992 from the estate of Mary Musser Gilmore in honor of her parents, Richard Drew Musser and Sarah Walker Musser.

This spring, the Muscatine Art Center welcomes Carol Ehlers, art history speaker, to present lectures on featured artists from the Mary Musser Gilmore Collection. The series is called "Artists Inspirations" and features artists Pablo Picasso, Paul Signac, and Raoul Dufy, and the artists that influenced each of them. The lectures will be held on the fourth Thursdays of the month beginning in March, and will be begin promptly at 5:30 pm. These lectures are FREE and open to the public.

Thursday, March 28: Pablo Picasso Looks at Edgar Degas

Pablo Picasso is said to have remarked that "good artists copy; great artists steal." Throughout his long and prolific career, Picasso often made works of art in response to his predecessors, quoting famous compositions by other artists. The subjects that had come to define Degas' works- cabarets and cafes, portraits, women bathing, and ballet dancers- can be seen in a variety of pieces from Picasso's early periods. Picasso's interest in Degas even inspired a series of etchings, made late in his career, in which Picasso depicted Degas himself.

Thursday, April 25: Paul Signac and the Utilization of Scientific Theory and Pointillism

Neo-Impressionist Paul Signac adopted the scientific theory of color and light refraction published by Eugene Chevreul and the model of pointillism he developed with his contemporary Georges Seurat to create a new phase of Post-Impressionism: Pointillism. See how these theories of color and phenomena of perception influenced Signac's art.

Thursday, May 23: Raoul Dufy Looks at Pissarro, Matisse and Braque

Like the Camille Pissarro and the Impressionists at the time, Raoul Dufy's cheerful paintings depict events of the time, including views of the French Riviera, and musical events. However, Impressionism was simply a step artistically- he then fell under the influence of the Fauves after being mesmerized by Henri Matisse. Later, he found that he needed to instill more austerity and soberness in his works, and Cubism fit the bill. Dufy preferred Georges Braque's neutral, fractured paintings to the wild and painterly Fauvist style. He later gained a reputation for being a commercial artist after a lifetime of borrowing from different artistic movements.

EVENT DETAILS:

What: "Artists Inspire" Lecture Series

Who: Carol Ehlers

When: Fourth Thursdays starting in March, 2013

Time: 5:30 PM

Where: The Muscatine Art Center's Music Room

Admission to these programs is FREE.

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