The 2011 Student Art Exhibition has ended. It’s time to install a new exhibition from the Woodson Art Museum’s collection. I eagerly anticipate each change, which brings a new wall color, different artworks, and an entirely new feel to the galleries.
With the opening of each collection exhibition I repeatedly am asked two questions.
Louise Peterson, Chickadee, 2005, bronze |
· What inspired the theme that pulls the artworks together?
· How did you choose the paint color?
In most instances the two are tied together.
Birds and Beasts is both the title and the theme of the upcoming installation. This idea was sparked by Almost Alice: New Illustrations of Wonderland by Maggie Taylor, on view April 9 through June 19, and featuring rabbits, hedgehogs, birds, fish and other creatures that are woven into the tale that inspired it – Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. I consider it a plus if I can tie the traveling exhibition to an exhibition from the Museum’s collection. In this case, animals seemed to be a natural choice. The Museum collection includes dozens of paintings, graphics, and sculptures of wild and domestic animals.
A major concern of museums is preservation of the artwork in their care. So it’s critical that the works chosen for Birds and Beasts have had at least two years “at rest.” Light, even dimmed and diffused gallery light, can deteriorate paintings over time. Resting them ensures they will remain in pristine condition.
Sue Westin, Wakan Niya, 1995, acrylic on hardboard |
Bob Kuhn, Before the Big Sleep, 1989, acrylic on hardboard |
B. Hugh McPeck, Startled, 2008, bronze |
David Shepherd, Elephants and Egrets, 1987, oil on canvas |
sure like the piece by Hugh Mc Peck
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