Michener Art Museum

Take a deep dive into the Michener’s collection with the first-ever Curator’s Class! Beginning March 24, work directly with our Curator of American Art, Laura Turner Igoe, Ph.D., and explore new dimensions surrounding the Pennsylvania Impressionists. Discuss hand-picked readings, weigh-in on plans for future research and interpretation, and hear from special surprise guest curators. The course concludes with a private, in-person tour and a Show-and-Share session in the Museum’s historic archives. Register now: http://bit.ly/3l5mvCI - Rae Sloan Bredin (1880-1933), "After the Rain," 1913. O/c. 30 x 40 in. Museum purchase funded by the Janus Society, the Beveridge Moore and Henry Morof Trust, and John C. Seegers.

One year ago today, we closed our doors to keep our staff and visitors safe. As we all adjusted to life during lockdown, we also documented our lives anew. In the fall of 2020, we asked members of our community to consider what work they considered essential in the previous nine months. Hundreds of photos were sent in, and the selection committee chose 25 images that capture poignant moments of hardship, strength, resilience, human connection, and even joy during an unprecedented year. These images will be on display in our upcoming special exhibition, Essential Work 2020: A Community Portrait, opening March 19.

The Bucks County Almshousethe long, brown building at the top of the hillperches above a bustling scene of human and animal activity in Warrington, PA. Publicly funded, almshouses offered room and board to those suffering from poverty, mental illness, or alcoholism. Frequently celebrated in visual culture as orderly and clean, with neatly maintained grounds, these buildings could be overcrowded sites of abuse, loneliness, and despair. Although not confirmed, it has been suggested that the self-taught artist of this painting also may have been an almshouse resident. - Unknown, "View of Almshouse," ca. 1900. Oil on canvas. 24 x 30.125 inches. James A. Michener Art Museum. Anonymous Gift.

On this International Womens Day, we celebrate Mari Sabusawa Michener. Mari spent her early years in a Japanese internment camp with her family, but she persisted. In her college years, she analyzed Japanese news and propaganda. Following this, she worked with the American Council on Race Relations, a race relations clearing house and lobbying group. Later in life, she met and married James A. Michener and directed the couple’s philanthropic efforts, making our Museum’s existence possible today. Michener Art Museum archives. #MichenerArtMuseum #ChoosetoChallenge #IWD2021 #InternationalWomensDay

Due to the inclement weather, the Michener will be closed Sunday, February 7. All pre-registered visitors will be contacted by staff. We apologize for the inconvenience, and hope to see you in our galleries soon! Edward Redfield (1869-1965), Trout Brook, c. 1916. Oil on canvas. 50 x 56 in. James A. Michener Art Museum. Gift of Marguerite and Gerry Lenfest.

We're open! The health and well-being of all visitors continues to be a top priority. Advance tickets are highly recommended and face masks are required for entry. Reserve your tickets: http://bit.ly/33i0Q3f - David Graham, "Best Company, Langhorne, Pennsylvania," 1981. Dye coupler print on paper. 18 3/8 x 23 inches.

Diane Levell produced painterly, textured images of the nude body by skillfully embracing unconventional techniques to create complex works. The resulting image expands our understanding of what a photograph is and can look like. Opening to the public tomorrow, #ThroughtheLens explores nearly 70 years of artistic experimentations by those working in the Delaware Valley region. Learn more: http://bit.ly/3qKNHIN - Diane Levell, "Reclining Female," 2002. Cyanotype, Gum Bichromate. 15 x 21 inches.

We're delighted to welcome the public back into our galleries this Friday, February 5. To celebrate, we will be counting down the days by sharing images from our upcoming exhibition "Through the Lens: Modern Photography in the Delaware Valley." Born in El Paso, Texas, and raised in Juárez, Mexico, Ada Trillo produces work that amplifies the voices of marginalized people, most recently focusing on the ongoing Black Lives Matter movement. Here, during a protest last summer, a mother strides forward with a child on her back carrying a sign demanding tangible change for current and future generations. Ada Trillo (b. 1975), "Do Better," 2020. Inkjet Print. 16 x 20 inches.

Today is the first day of Black History Month. If you are looking for artwork by people of color, the Michener is honored to showcase "Syd Carpenter: Portraits of Our Places," open through February 28. This showing of sculptor and ceramicist Syd Carpenter investigates issues of identity, memory, and ownership of land through sculpted portraits of African American gardens and farms. Combining botanical imagery and vernacular forms like clothes pins, tools, fences and sheds, Carpenter’s sculptures offer an evocative statement of creativity and resilience by representing the importance of African American stewardship of land in sculpture. - Syd Carpenter (b. 1953), "Williams Muscadine Vineyard," 2014. Clay and steel. 48 x 26 x 20 inches. Collection of Syd

"People used to think me [weird] when I was a little girl because I saw deep purples and reds and violets in a field of snow. I used to be hurt over it until I gave up trying to understand people and concentrated on my love and understanding of landscapes. Then it didn't make any difference. In 1920, Fern Coppedge bought a house and studio in Lumberville, Pennsylvania, and painted the surrounding Bucks County landscape in bold shapes and vibrant colors. Coppedge is especially celebrated for her snow landscapes, her most common subject. See four of her beautiful winter paintings in "Fern Coppedge: New Discoveries," on view now. - Fern I. Coppedge (1883-1951), "Winter Landscape Near New Hope," n.d. Oil on canvas. 25 x 30 inches. Gift of David and Nancy Barclay.

When creating her large-scale, gestural paintings, Janet Filomeno re-enacts the movement of water through the pouring, flinging, and throwing of paint onto a stretched canvas. In her "As the Sea RisesBlue Crystals Revisited" series, brilliant blue paint streaks across each canvas, creating dynamic, abstracted compositions that visualize troubled waters and convey the artist's concern for the rapidly changing climate. See #RisingTides on view through January 10, 2021. Purchase tickets here: https://bit.ly/33i0Q3f - Janet Filomeno, "As the Sea RisesBlue Crystals Revisited no. 7," 2018. Ink, acrylic paint on canvas. 72 x 72 inches. Copyright courtesy of Walter Wickiser Gallery, New York, New York.

Happy birthday to Robert Spencer, who was #bornonthisday in 1879. After moving to New Hope, Pennsylvania, in the early twentieth century, Spencer studied with Daniel Garber and developed a sophisticated painting style. Although he was heavily influenced by Garber, Spencer opted for a more somber mood and palette, often painting people busy at work in construction, millwork, or other daily activities. - Robert Spencer (1879-1931), "Summertime," ca. 1915-1920. Oil on canvas. 25.25 x 30 inches. James A. Michener Art Museum. Gift of Marguerite and Gerry Lenfest.

Giving Tuesday is a global day of generosity, and this year is more important than ever. We know that much of our countryand worldis struggling with physical, mental, and economic hardship. We are committed to being here for our community in these trying times and remain steadfast in our mission to edify and enrich lives through our artwork, programs, and classes. Every giftlarge or smallmakes a difference. Donate today: https://bit.ly/36pBvG5

Wishing everyone a safe, happy Thanksgiving. Kenneth R. Nunamaker (1890-1957), "Back in the Country," n.d. Oil on canvas. 16 x 18 inches. James A. Michener Art Museum. Gift of Margaret M. Ahlum.

Enjoy a "spooktacular" virtual performance by Academy of Vocal Arts this Sunday, November 1. The artists will present a collection of arias and songs brimming with intrigue, mystery, and the supernatural, but it won’t all be shadows and scares! The performance will also explore the hopeful sunrise that accompanies every dark night with melodies to propel and uplift us all through uncertain times. Register now: https://bit.ly/3oIIiSr - Music at the Michener is presented by NJM Insurance Group.

Need a break from the holidays? Sign up for an in-person or virtual art class hosted by the Michener. Discover the essential techniques you need to paint confidently with acrylics in our Virtual Still Life Acrylic Painting class Take a DecemBREAK and spend an evening crafting during our Ladies Night In workshop Children are invited to create a winter-themed craft as part of our Virtual Holiday Gift Workshop... For more information & registration, visit our website: https://bit.ly/2ZsfBxM

Final week to see "Paint Dtown", our FREE outdoor art exhibition in Doylestown. We've painted the town with reproductions from our permanent collection, so be sure to check out all sixteen locations while you're strolling through the borough. Plus, you can win one of our Paint Dtown reproductions after the exhibition comes down. The first person to take a selfie with a Paint Dtown artwork of their choosing and tag us @MichenerArt on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter will be able to take it home! Visit our website to see all of the locations: https://bit.ly/3jYbhim - #MichenerArt #Doylestownpa #DiscoverDoylestown

Daniel Garber was introduced to Bucks County by fellow Pennsylvania Impressionist William Lathrop. Finding the perfect tranquil environment for his creative endeavors, Garber settled in Lumberville with his wife in 1907. - Daniel Garber (1880-1958), "Over at Byram", 1940. Oil on canvas mounted on Masonite. 30 x 30 inches. James A. Michener Art Museum. Gift of Oliver Pearson. - #fallvibes #pennsylvaniafall #buckscounty

The Arctic is warming several times faster than the rest of the planet. - Rising Tides artist Paula Winokur created the porcelain sculpture Global Warnings after seeing withdrawing glaciers in Alaska and Iceland. Together, the globes form a grid, and each individual globe features a message about the negative impact humans have had on the environment. See more of Paula Winokur’s work in Rising Tides: Contemporary Art and the Ecology of Water. - Paula Winokur (1936-2018), Global Warnings, 2005. Porcelain, corner installation. 5 inch diameter (each). Loan courtesy Michael Winokur.

Open today: "Syd Carpenter: Portraits of Our Places" - This exhibition highlights ceramicist Syd Carpenter's connection between sculpture and the art of gardening. In 2012, after visiting several properties in Georgia, South Carolina, and the Gullah Islands, Carpenter returned to her studio to produce a series of sculptures. Each of these works are named for the garden and farm owners in order to assert and honor their individuality in the face of historical erasure, offering... an evocative statement of creativity and resilience by representing the importance of African American stewardship of the land. - To learn more and reserve timed tickets, please visit our website: https://bit.ly/33i0Q3f - Syd Carpenter (b. 1953), "Ella Mae Edwards", 2009. Ceramic, acrylic, graphite, wood. 24 x 20 x 6 inches. James A. Michener Art Museum. Gift of the Artist. See more

Join us this Saturday evening for Virtual Jazz Night with John Colianni. Noted for a virtuosic, hard swinging piano style, Colianni’s resume includes long-term stints and collaborations with many jazz and pop music giants, including Lionel Hampton, Mel Torme, Les Paul, and Larry Coryell. Now, Colianni shares his gifts as a composer, arranger, and band leader and is making waves with the jazz community with modern jazz that really swings! This unique virtual music experience will feature a set inside our breathtaking gallery space followed by an exclusive green room conversation with the artist. Register now: https://bit.ly/2Iqf6Pr

This Thursday, join "Rising Tides" artists Diane Burko and Marguerita Hagan with exhibition curator Laura Turner Igoe, Ph.D., for a conversation exploring the future of art and climate activism. The artists will discuss how their own practices are influenced by youth-fueled climate justice movements and how the next generation is shaping the relationship between art and earth. Register now: https://bit.ly/3jRjdl7 - Diane Burko, "Sphere 4", 2019. Mixed media on canvas. 20 x 20 inches. Courtesy of the Artist. Marguerita Hagan, "Frustule Flower", 2018. Ceramic. 4 x 7 x 6 inches. Loan courtesy of the artist, Marguerita Hagan.

Huge thank you to James McGinnis for featuring us in "Art in a Time of Pandemic Painters, Poets, Sculptors and Musicians Tackle Events of 2020." See how some of our "Rising Tides" artists and musical guests are responding to current events.

Opening Friday, October 16: "Syd Carpenter: Portraits of Our Places" - This showing of sculptor and ceramicist Syd Carpenter investigates issues of identity, memory and ownership of land through sculpted portraits of African American gardens and farms. In 2012, after identifying several locations recommended to her by the Southern African American Organic Farmers Network, Carpenter visited properties in Georgia, South Carolina, and the Gullah Islands. After talking with the ...farmers and observing and photographing details of their farms and gardens, she returned to her Philadelphia studio to produce a series of sculptures. Each of these works are named for the garden and farm owners in order to assert and honor their individuality in the face of historical erasure. Combining botanical imagery and vernacular forms like clothes pins, tools, fences and sheds, Carpenter’s sculptures offer an evocative statement of creativity and resilience by representing in sculpture the importance of African American stewardship of the land. - Syd Carpenter (b. 1953), "Pearl Fryar", 2014. Clay, steel, graphite. 46 inches. Courtesy of the artist. See more

Warm up inside this fall with a virtual art class at the Michener! From Kindergarten Art to Acrylic Painting for teens, students ages 3 to adult can enjoy Museum-inspired lessons and art activities. Please visit our website for more information and registration: https://bit.ly/2ZsfBxM

Don't forget: our new hours are now in effect. We are closed Tuesday-Wednesday for our Private Eyes initiative and open late on Thursdays for After Dark. For more information and tickets, please visit our website: https://bit.ly/33i0Q3f - Marguerita Hagan with video projection, sound, and animation by Richard W. Gretzinger, "Interdependence", 2020. Ceramic and video projection. 15 x 33 feet. Loan courtesy of the artist, Marguerita Hagan. Mind Your Design