THE RETURN OF BOOKWORKS

In 2006 we had a popular show in our Works on Paper Gallery called "Bookworks: Exploring the Book as Art". Now, it's time for a sequel. This exhibition explores the broad spectrum of the book as art, beginning with the traditional book format as collaboration between the artist, craftsman and author. But it also presents examples in which the artist manipulates the book format without regard for text or content. The works are drawn primarily from the McFarlin Library Department of Special Collections at The University of Tulsa.

A PASSION TO GIVE

Docents are passionate people. And not just about art. The energy, time, and dedication our docents put into what they do extends out into the entire community. Here is a wonderful article/release from the Tulsa Public Schools website about one of these special people.

The passion of a late docent at the Philbrook Museum of Art is now housed at a district school so students can experience a celebrated historical period.

Docent Mary Lynn Cornwell, a native of Kansas, dedicated much of her time to furthering the public's appreciation of what the Philbrook offers.

“She was the quintessential teacher and the Renaissance was her love,” said Roselle Tyner, a Philbrook staffer acquainted with Cornwell for years.

The museum honored Cornwell by creating the Renaissance Resource Kit—a treasure trove for collectors containing costumes, books, puzzles and replicas of the Renaissance era. Officials decided to give the kit to Edison Preparatory Middle School since sixth-grade students studying the Renaissance take an annual field trip to the Philbrook to explore what life was like back then. A Philbrook program called Visual Voyage examines Renaissance art, architecture and dance.

“Edison is such a great school and comes every year so we elected to give it to them,” said Cindy Williams, the Philbrook’s museum educator.

“We bring over 300 students to the Philbrook each year so they knew we would use it and put it to great use,” said teacher Elizabeth Humphrey.

The kit will remain in Edison’s library, accessible to everyone.

“Now we will have more resources to use so we can get out of our textbooks and feel like we are a part of the Renaissance period. It will add to the students’ studies. It was such a blessing,” said Humphrey.

Stephanie Odegard @Philbrook

For our 3rd Thursday event in April, we are partnering with SR Hughes to present an evening with Stephanie Odegard.

An award-winning designer and sustainability activist, Stephanie Odegard has committed herself to the marriage of fine design and social consciousness. Discover her journey from serving in the Peace Corps, to exploring modern design and the support of traditional artisanal craftspeople. In celebration of the fortieth anniversary of Earth Day, learn about the process of Nepal’s hand-knotted rug industry through demonstrations of hand carding and spinning wool. And use your plant knowledge to identify plant dyes and maybe win a prize! Find out more about Stephanie Odegard, her process, products and philosophy at www.odegardinc.com.

Date: Thursday, April 15, 2010
Times: 5:30pm to 7:30pm
Free with museum admission
Room: Patti Johnson Wilson Hall

Look in the April issue of Tulsa People for an interview with Brian Hughes and a profile of Stephanie Odegard.

THE ART OF THE STEAL @PHILBROOK

We are partnering again with our friends at Circle Cinema for another great screening.

What happens when political and financial bigwigs covet the celebrated art collection of the Barnes Foundation? In the early twentieth century, Dr. Albert C. Barnes amassed the greatest collection of Impressionist, Post-impressionist, and early Modern artwork in America. His will stipulated that the works could never be loaned or sold – but that didn’t stop powers that be from scheming to take over the cultural institution. Follow the intrigue and struggle for control of the Barnes Foundation in this engrossing documentary.

Date: Thursday, April 08, 2010
Times: 7:00pm to 8:45pm
$5/Circle & Philbrook Members, $8.50/not-yet
Room: Patti Johnson Wilson Hall

ABSTRACT RULES!

Every so often we like to share with you some of the writings, scribblings and drawings from our gallery sketchbooks. This installment comes from our current exhibition, "Hans Hofmann: Circa 1950". There are a couple of interesting interpretations of Hofmann's works, a random portrait and of of our favorite lines, "Abstract Rules!". When you look at that phrase it could be taken so many ways, almost philosophically. But we love the enthusiasm.

SOMETHING DIFFERENT THIS WAY COMES

The woman who created this, Carolee Schneeman, will be our guest on Saturday April 17th.

And just so you know, this is one of the least strange pieces she's created. For event info, click HERE.

HOPPA @ HOFMANN

Jennifer Hoppa, the writer behind Tulsa People's arts blog "Gallery Hopper", recently visited us to see our current exhibition, "Hans Hofmann: Circa 1950". She makes some great observations and also took some great photos. You can read the entire article and see the photos HERE.
Here is an excerpt...

“I have devoted my whole life to the search of the Real in painting,” wrote Hans Hofmann. As an artist pivotal to the formation of abstract expressionism, Hofmann’s paintings may not seem very “real” to those viewers normally unimpressed by the abstract art forms.

I recently toured the exhibit at Philbrook and I must tell you that the color and energy conveyed through Hofmann’s canvases illicit emotions that are as “real” as they get. “Hans Hofmann Circa 1950″ will be at the museum through May 9, but why wait until then? Everyone I know is eagerly anticipating the onset of summer and Hofmann’s exuberant color palette definitely sets the mood for brighter, warmer days ahead.

Hofmann studied modernism in Germany during his youth before then traveling to Paris, where he encountered artists such as Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse. Next, in his adult life, Hofmann relocated to the states and taught at his own school for more than four decades, making European modernism accessible to students from all over. Apart from his legacy of paintings Hofmann also left behind many essays in which he laid the groundwork of his own philosophy of art. His “push-pull” theory, the most enduring, outlines ideas for creating space, depth and movement on a canvas.

The famed art critic Clement Greenberg wrote that Hofmann is “in all probability the most important art teacher of our time.” Did anyone see the Clement Greenberg exhibit at Philbrook four or so years back? I loved it!

One thing that interests me at an exhibit is how the space is transformed to meet the needs of the current collection. Since I visit Philbrook regularly, it is easy for me to spot the transformations made to accommodate new art. The Hofmann exhibit, for example, is much smaller than the last exhibit I saw and the walls have been arranged differently to make the space more intimate. The bright blue walls are also totally stellar and really highlight the work.

The Feeling Is Mutual

We love to hear good things from the guests we bring in about their time with us and in Tulsa. Mary Beth Cryan, the acclaimed pop-up designer and paper engineer who joined us a few weeks ago, recently chimed in on her experience with us on her website, www.theprincessofpopups.com
"My trip to the Philbrook Museum of Art was very successful. I gave a presentation about pop-ups and toy design to 150 locals, met some wonderful people who work at the museum, got a fascinating tour of Tulsa, and sampled some local cuisine.
The event was part of the museum's family program. Here are some pictures from the presentation and the art project that followed.

Thank you Philbrook Museum of Art for the opportunity!"

A Hans Hofmann Happening

"Push and Pull: A Furniture Comedy for Hans Hofmann " (1963) was a participatory installation in which visitors arrange and re-arrange domestic objects and junk. The work was originally conceived as a parody of Allan Kaprow's painting teacher, Hans Hoffman, who often used the phrase "push and pull" to describe the dynamics involved in two dimensional composition. Kaprow expanded Hoffman's concept of compositional strategy, moving it beyond the canvas and into social space.

Participants in "Push and Pull" would plan and implement alterations to the gallery space, co-operating or competing with each other in an ever-evolving furniture dance. "Push and Pull" is a microcosm of the tensions involved in all spatial negotiations in urban environments.

Our current exhibition, Hans Hofmann: Circa 1950, runs through May 4.

ART MUSEUM TIME MACHINE

There's a ridiculous new movie coming out in which a hot tub is used for a time machine. We feel that our mode of time travel is much more appealing. Tonight you can come to Philbrook and be transported back to 1950. The time machine leaves at 6:00pm.

1950: POLISHED AND PRESSED

Men in 1950 were polished and pressed. Their hair could sustain hurricane-force winds and suits were mandatory even in the hottest days of summer. They looked sharp, but it took a lot of work to get that way.

Join us tomorrow at 6pm to hear more about this and other aspects of 1950.

1950: KEN NEAL/POLITICS

Ken Neal will be tackling the subject of "POLITICS" in our upcoming 3rd Thursday event about the year 1950. With the Korean War heating up and the Cold War (And Sen. Joseph McCarthy)getting colder by the minute, it was a time of nervous peace and prosperity in America.

Take a look at this great archival video about how to deal with propaganda.

1950: M. TERESA VALERO/ART

M. Teresa Valero of the University of Tulsa will be tackling the subject of "ART" in our upcoming 3rd Thursday event about the year 1950. 1950 was the height of the Abstract Expressionist movement, with artists such as Pollock, De Kooning and Rothko operating at their highest levels. They opened new doors for what the general public accepted as "art", while laying the groundwork for those who would soon follow (Johns, Rauschenberg, etc).

We will look into these artist's influence and the world that shaped them. We hope you can join us.

1950: JOHN WOOLEY/MUSIC

John Wooley will be tackling the subject of "Music" in our upcoming 3rd Thursday event about the year 1950. John is an author (Ghost Band), journalist (Tulsa World), radio personality (KWGS), and script writer. He is an expert on Western Swing, Bob Wills, horror movies and much, much more. Take a look at some examples of what he may or may not be talking about...

These songs were all TOP 10 hits in 1950.

1950: MARK BROWN/FOOD

Tackling the topic of "Food" in the year 1950 at our upcoming 3rd Thursday event will be Mark Brown. Mark Brown publishes the food-and-drink quarterly, Argentfork, from his home in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he’s lived his entire life but for college and one year in Saint-Chinian, Herault, France.

Though he is now the SPOT and Scene editor, he was previously the food writer – which is not the restaurant critic – at the Tulsa World. Though he will make restaurant recommendations when sufficiently badgered.

His culinary interests are boundless, borderless. A few of his favorite things: Leffe Blonde, Epoisses de Bourgogne, french fries, Dijon forte, Yirgacheffe, Talisker, Spanish ham, pain au chocolat, Martin Miller’s gin, aceto di Modena, the grilled sausages served outside of Fenway Park, Boston.

Here are a few examples of what he may or may not be talking about...

1950: JOHN SPRINGER/FILM & TV

As part of our upcoming 3rd Thursday event, five guest speakers will each tackle one topic in relation to the year 1950. Over the next few days we will talk about those guests, their topic and give you some examples.

Dr. John Springer, our film expert from the University of Central Oklahoma, will be speaking about film and television in the year 1950. Dr. Springer's principal areas of research are film history and theory, 19th and early 20th century American literature, and the broad, interdisciplinary field known as Cultural Studies. He wrote the introduction to Raymond Williams in the well-known anthologyLiterary Criticism and Theory: Greeks to the Present as well as numerous articles and reviews for journals such as Genre, Iris, andLiterature/Film Quarterly. Most recently, Dr. Springer has published his first book: Hollywood Fictions: The Dream Factory in American Literature (University of Oklahoma Press, 2000).

The winner for Best Picture at the 1950 Academy Awards was the Bette Davis vehicle, All About Eve. See the trailer here...

TALKING ABOUT SINGULAR IMPRESSIONS

Join us tomorrow at noon for a talk with Nicole de Armendi, Visiting Asst. Professor of Art History at the University of Tulsa, explore the masterful and highly varied prints from the 20th century in the Gussman collection. This is a great show in our Works on Paper gallery featuring works by Picasso, Renoir and more.

GROW TO GIVE 2.0

We are so happy to announce that we we will partnering for the second straight year with the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma for our Grow To Give project. We will be planting a wide variety of fruits and vegetables in our South Formal Garden.

Over the course of last summer and fall, more than 1,800 pounds of fresh corn, cucumbers, okra, tomatoes, eggplants, basil, peppers, squash, cantaloupe and other fresh produce was accumulated. As a result, we have decided to do it again this year.

“The garden staff at Philbrook loved working on this project last year and looks forward to collaborating with the Food Bank again,” said Melinda McMillan, garden manager at Philbrook. “This season we’ll be growing more vegetable plants in the gardens and incorporating containers to house herbs. We learned so much in growing our garden last year that we feel more prepared and skilled at tackling the seasonal problems and issues that make vegetable gardening such a rewarding challenge.”

Food Bank volunteers assist our staff in weeding, tending plants, harvesting the produce and delivering it to the Food Bank. The Food Bank then distributes the fresh produce to its 460 partner programs in 24 counties of eastern Oklahoma.

“Fresh produce is one of the most sought-after commodities at the Food Bank,” said Sara Waggoner, executive director of the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma. “We are so grateful to be able to offer our partner programs again this year such nutritious food that is grown locally and picked that very day. Philbrook is certainly setting a good example for all us backyard gardeners to follow.”

A volunteer orientation session has been scheduled for April 1 at the museum, 2727 S. Rockford Road. For more information, Kate Pelizzoni, director of volunteer services at the Food Bank, may be contacted at kpelizzoni@cfbeo.org or 918-585-2800, ext. 112.

1950: THE YEAR OF "AUTUMN RHYTHM (NUMBER 30)"

There are few artists that define the atmosphere of the art world in 1950 better than Jackson Pollock. And few of his pieces were as celebrated as "Autumn Rhythm (Number 30)" which he created in October of that year. Not only was the piece painted in the middle of the season for which it's named, but it's colors also evoke that time of year.

Noted also for it's size, (H. 105, W. 207 in. (266.7 x 525.8 cm), the piece takes up a well-deserved piece of real estate in the Met. If you haven't seen it in person, put this on your t0-do list the next time you're in New York.

1950: A Public Service Announcement

Like what you see? If so, join us on Thursday, March 16 for a great 3rd Thursday event.

1950: A PRIMER

With our upcoming 3rd Thursday event focusing on the year 1950, we want to spend a little time getting you into the world that was. There are many different views of that time in our history, but this may be the most cliched version. We will also be exploring the darker sides of that time, but we must first begin with the myth before we look any deeper.

3rd Thursday: 1950

You’ve heard of speed dating, now there are speed lectures. The concept is simple: five brilliant minds have just five minutes to get their ideas across in lightning-fast speed lectures. The topic? 1950. Not only was this a hugely significant year for artist Hans Hofmann, but it was a fascinating time in art, culture, film, music and politics too.



Join Mark Brown, Rich Fisher, Ken Neal, John Springer, Teresa Valero and John Wooley for this lively event as they attempt to capture the zeitgeist of 1950 at breakneck pace. This event is FREE with museum admission.

Thursday, March 16th 6pm-8pm

"PAINT" LIKE HANS HOFMANN

When you are done seeing our new exhibition, "Hans Hofmann: Circa 1950", make sure you take part in the ridiculously fun activity just to the side of the gallery entrance.

What kind of combination will you make?

1. Read the directions.

2. Pick your sheets/colors.

3. Arrange your "painting".

4. Put it on the wall.