An August Painting: Mark Tobey
I know we’re no longer on the “edge of August,” but this painting’s title gives me an excuse to showcase the work of one of the less-hyped New York School artists. Like many of ...
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Curator's Corner
Keep Summer Going with Color: Theodore Earl Butler
Although I guess technically August is the last full month of summer, once August rolls around New Englanders are prone to saying, “well, summer’s over!” The only way an art historia ...
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Curator's Corner
Saying Goodbye to World Watercolor Month 2023
Watercolor can be a very unforgiving medium—boy, don’t I know it! I started out studying for an MFA in painting using gouache and watercolor, but my professors suggested that what I was tr ...
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Curator's Corner
Do Not Deface! Historic Sites to Visit Respectfully
As an art historian and artist, I am appalled by recent incidents of tourists defacing the Colosseum (72–80 CE) in Rome and Toshodai-ji (founded 759 CE) in Nara, Japan, with their initials. It i ...
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Curator's Corner
The Psychedelic Poster
This fabulous poster advertised a rock show at the Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco that occurred on this date in 1966. The Fillmore was a “temple” to rock music at the time. It is con ...
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Curator's Corner
Gem of the Month: Morgan Russell
As I did with Charles Willson Peale (1741–1827) last week, I'm presenting another American original today: Morgan Russell. Russell was one of the first American artists to exhibit nono ...
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Curator's Corner
An American Original: Charles Willson Peale
In England’s American colonies, it was natural for colonial artists who were eager for a vital school of painting of their own to look to British art for inspiration. By the time of the American ...
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Curator's Corner
Summer's Here: Mary Petty
It always seems a long time coming—and then it’s over before we know it—but summer is here! Let’s mark the occasion with a truly gifted illustrator of books and magazines, Mary ...
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Curator's Corner
Celebrating Juneteenth: Norman Lewis
In celebration of Juneteenth, or Freedom Day, let’s honor Harlem Renaissance (ca. 1920s–1930s) (and beyond) artist Norman Lewis, one of the earliest African American artists to embrace abs ...
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Curator's Corner
Gem for Pride Month 2023: Anne Ryan
Our Gem for this Pride Month is Anne Ryan, an artist who was one of the first women who dedicated a large portion of her body of work to collage. She was one of the many gay artists who were active ar ...
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