Dennis Nechvatal (American, b. 1948), Garden Edge, 2009, acrylic on panel, 36 x 24 in. Image courtesy of Tory Folliard Gallery, Milwaukee
The Chazen Museum of Art is hosting a preview reception for the exhibition “Dennis Nechvatal Landscapes” from 5:30 p.m. until 7 p.m. on Friday, August 6th. The reception will feature music by Green Means Go, refreshments, and a cash bar. The event is free and open to the public.
Nechvatal lives and works in Madison. According to the Chazen Museum of Art website, “Using a primitive stylistic language developed over 30 years of painting, Nechvatal infuses what he calls “verve” into his landscapes. Inspired by the Native American belief that the earth is a living being and we are responsible as its stewards to protect it, Nechvatal paints as a contemplative spiritual act and aspires to create works that will invoke an ideal communal vision of the natural world.”
Left: Carl Corey, 1969–Toledo, OH, 2007; Right: Lisa Koch, Sailing Through, 2009
New side-by-side solo exhibitions open this week at the Wisconsin Academy’s James Watrous Gallery in the Overture Center for the Arts, 201 State Street.
They will feature large-scale photographs from Carol Cerey’s Habitat portfolio work by Madison artist Lisa Koch uses glass to reflect the passage of time and the movement of water as it travels around the earth.
There will be a reception from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Friday, June 25th in conjunction with the opening. Both artists will talk about their work at 6:30 p.m. This event is free and open to the public.
According to the Center’s website, “The exhibit, organized by the Finlandia Young Women’s Caucus (YWC), is titled “The Apron Show.” It is centered on the idea that aprons have a long history of association with women. The YWC and the Center hope the exhibit will prompt viewers to reflect on their own personal history and memories associated with aprons – and the women in their lives who wore them.”
Admission to the exhibition is free, but opening hours are somewhat limited: 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesdays.
The Center for Research on Gender and Women is located on the first floor of Ingraham Hall on the UW-Madison campus at 1155 Observatory Drive.
If you are unable to visit the exhibition, you may wish to view the collection of photos of it on the Young Women’s Caucus online Picassa gallery.
The Chazen Museum of Art will host a reception for the exhibition “The Magic of John Wilde” from 5:30 p.m. until 7 p.m. on Friday, June 4th. The event is free and open to the public. There will be refreshments and a cash bar.
According to the museum, “This exhibition of artwork by Wisconsin native John Wilde is taken from the Chazen Museum of Art’s collection and focuses on Wilde’s magic realist paintings and drawings from the 1940s to 1990s.”
Wilde, who was associated with the Magic Realism movement in the United States, taught drawing at the University of Wisconsin-Madison from 1948 until his retirement in 1982. He occasionally collaborated with Warrington Colescott, whose work is the subject of an exhibition opening next week at the Milwaukee Museum of Art.
The gallery is hosting an opening reception from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 15th. This event and the ongoing exhibition are free and open to the public.
According to Pizer, “As an urban photographer, I do not head off on my explorations in search of specific images. What I find most fascinating are the designs, shapes and shadows created by objects others may consider urban blight.”
“It is in this journey of discovery that I lose all sense of time and place. Nothing else seems to matter except what is framed within the viewfinder of my camera. This is when my heart starts pounding and I am forever lost in my own world of abstract designs.”
One section of Sharon Kilfoy’s three-part Williamson Street mural on the side of the Social Justice Center
Celebrate Willy St in the 70’s when “Toward Revolution – 1970’s Vision,” the mural created by Sharon Kilfoy, is dedicated. Festivities start at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, May 7th at the Social Justice Center,1202 Williamson Street.
The event will feature the music of Peter and Lou Berryman; Michael Bonesteel and David Bicknase “Harmony of the Spheres;” and Kronic Jones.
For additional information, visit the Mural Dedication Facebook page or take a look at the article about the mural written by Lindsay Christians and published in 77 Square.
Mother Fool’s Coffeehouse, is hosting an opening reception from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. on Sunday, April 4th for “Shadow Hunter,” a collection of photographs by Cybergabi, who made her first visit to Madison last summer to meet in person photographers she’d met online via Flickr.
Join master printmaker Warrington Colescott and Mary Weaver Chapin, associate curator of prints and drawings at the Milwaukee Art Museum, at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 10th UW-Madison at Main Lounge in the Memorial Union, 800 Langdon Street, for a combined discussion, exhibit, book signing, and reception to welcome the publication of The Prints of Warrington Colescott: A Catalogue Raisonne, 1948-2008.
Colescott and Chapin will discuss the career and artistic process of the self-described “research printmaker and mad-dog attack artist,” who who taught at the UW-Madison from 1949-1986.
Colescott prints from the Wisconsin Union’s permanent collection of the Wisconsin Union will be on display at the event.
The Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters is hosting a a free public reception for the exhibition “Stitched Ground: Four Artists Embroider the Land” from 5:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. on Friday, February 26th at the James Watrous Gallery in the Overture Center for the Arts, 201 State Street. During the event, there will be a gallery talk led by guest curator Jody Clowes at 6:30 p.m. The exhibition artists will also be present. Hors d’oeuvres and refreshments will be served in the Wisconsin Studio on the third floor, near the gallery.
“Stitched Ground: Four Artists Embroider the Land,” which runs from February 23rd–April 11th at the James Watrous Gallery, is a collaborative endeavor with the UW–Madison Design Gallery. Clowes conceived “Stitched Ground” as an exploration of landscape through the painstaking and richly textured medium of fabric and embroidery.
According to the Wisconsin Academy press material, “Each of the four artists in the show—Terese Agnew of LaFarge and Chris Niver of Milwaukee, and Madison-area artists Leah Evans and Sarah Gagnon—use needle and thread to create work that, while unabashedly beautiful, remains detached from the conventions of both landscape painting and pictorial embroidery.”
The Chazen Museum of Art, 800 University Avenue, will host an opening reception for its exhibition, “Automata: Contemporary Mechanical Sculpture,” from 6:30 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Friday, January 22nd in the Paige Court. There will be music by the Stellanovas, hors d’oeuvre, and a cash bar.
Prior to the reception, there will be a lecture by exhibition curator Cassie Wilkins from 5:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. in Room L160 on the lower level of the museum.
According to the Chazen, “Traditionally, the term ‘automaton’ (pl. ‘automata’) referred to a mechanized device constructed to perform actions as if by its own motive power.” This exhibition features more than 25 hand-cranked artist-designed automata, most loaned from the private collection of University of Arizona art professor emeritus Michael Croft:
“Meticulously crafted to perform complex, surprising, and often comic movements, these mechanical sculptures tell quick fanciful tales of nature, myth and magic, the creative process, and sheer make-believe.”
Both the exhibition, which runs from January 16th to March 14th, 2010, and the reception are free and open to the public.
There will be a reception from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Friday, December 18th in conjunction with the opening. Both artists, who are inspired by indigenous textile, folk art, and storytelling traditions from different parts of the world, will talk about their work at 6:30 p.m. This event is free and open to the public.
Even if you won’t be traveling to see Season’s Greetings, an exhibition from the Archives of American Art that features holiday cards made by artists, many of whose works are in the collection of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, you can send friends, relatives, co-workers, and neighbors a free Holiday eCard from the Archives of American Art.
There are nine choices, including an Alexander Calder holiday card and the “Demi and Arturo Rodríguez holiday card to Helen L. Kohe” card we’ve used to illustrate this post. Fans of Vincent Van Gogh will recognize the image on the Rodríguez card as a witty parody of “Image La chambre de Van Gogh à Arles (Van Gogh’s Room at Arles),” an oil painting now owned by Musée d’Orsay, Paris.
To send eCards from the exhibit, select one from the nine available images on the Archives of American Art website, click on the image, fill in the “Recipient and Greeting Message” fields, preview, the card, and send. The recipient will receive an e-mail link to a copy of the card and your message. The image they’ll see when they click on the link is much larger than the one on the website. It will also have a small image of a postage stamp in the upper right hand corner.
There is no limit on the number of cards you may send, but the offer will undoubtedly vanish after the New Year, so hop to it! It’s free and easy and may help you to send all the Christmas cards and holiday greetings on your good intentions list.
This is another busy weekend in the Madison area. If you’ve never attended the annual Glass Lab Open House, we suggest you attempt to fit it into your schedule. It will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, December 5th and Sunday, December 6th at the Arts Lofts.
There will be glassblowing demonstrations on both days.
In addition, if you're looking for one of a kind, hand-made glass pieces at an affordable price, there will be student art work on sale, too. While there are no guarantees, you may be buying early career work of artists destined for great things. Renowned glass artist Dale Chihuly is an alumus of the University of Wisconsin's hot glass program, the first of its kind in the United States, established by Studio Glass movement founder Harvey K. Littleton.
Parking for the event : Because of events at the Kohl Center, Lot 91 will be closed on Saturday, December 5, but will be available on Sunday, December 6 from 10:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. The best alternative parking locations are Lot 83 under the Fluno Center, or municipal parking ramps on Lake Street or Frances Street, north of University Avenue. Once parked, just go to Frances Street, and walk south past the Kohl Center. Look for signs.
Will Williams (De Forest), Army Staff Sergeant, 25th Infantry Division, 1966–67; photograph by James Gill
On Wednesday, November 11th (Veterans Day), the Chazen Museum of Art, 800 University Avenue, will host a free panel discussion and reception to explore and celebrate one of its current exhibitions: “Back in the World: Portraits of Wisconsin Vietnam Veterans,” which is on display in the Mayer Gallery through January 3, 2010.
The exhibition features large-format color portrait photographs by James Gill.
According to the Chazen, “As part of its Wisconsin Stories project, Wisconsin Public Television has produced documentaries about Wisconsin veterans’ experiences in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. During production of the Vietnam project (to air in 2010), photographer James Gill took portraits of the veterans who participated in the documentary as a tribute to their service. These photographs provide insight into the veterans’ memories and experiences, which they carry long after the war ends. The scale and presence of the images, combined with brief excerpts of interviews with their subjects, place them in a long tradition of art that delivers a powerful social message.”
Wednesday’s panel discussion will begin at 6:00 p.m. and feature opening remarks by photographer James Gill, followed by a panel discussion with Vietnam veterans George Banda (Milwaukee) combat medic, 101st Airborne Div.; Bruce Jensen (West Allis), gunners mate, USS Stone County, Mobile Riverine Force; James Kurtz (Middleton), platoon leader, 1st Infantry Div.; Rev. Ray Stubbe (Wauwatosa), Navy chaplain, Siege of Khe Sanh; Willie Williams (De Forest), staff sergeant, 25th Infantry Div. Mik Derks, a producer, Wisconsin Public Television will be the moderator.
Following the panel discussion, there will be a reception with refreshments and a cash bar.
For additional information, contact the Chazen Museum at (608) 263-2246.
After stopping by the Madison Children’s Museum at 100 State Street to register and pick up name tags, participants will visit the James Watrous Gallery (in the Overture Center for the Arts, 201 State Street) to take a guided tour of “The Fine Art of Children’s Book Illustration” exhibit. The focus of the tour will be on how authors and illustrators come up with ideas.
Participants will then return to Madison Children’s Museum and draw up on inspiration from the exhibit to create their own unique 3D diorama to tell a story. There will be a variety of materials on hand to create the dioramas.
There is a $5 per child fee for participation and children must be accompanied by an adult. This program is recommended for children ages 5 and up.
A maximum of 25 children can participate, so pre-registration is highly recommended. For additional information or to register, call McKenzie Glynn at (608) 256-6445 (extention 18)
Slain outlaw and his girl associate; Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow
After work Friday, head Downtown to the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art (MMoCA) at 227 State Street to join in the fun at this month’s First Fridays cultural soirée. The Nob Hill Boys will round out the rooftop season with their award-winning “high-lonesome” brand of bluegrass.
In the galleries, don’t miss “Signs of the Times: Robert Rauschenberg’s America,” a retrospective of the artist’s prints from the tumultuous late 1960s. At 6:30 p.m., UW-Madison Professor Jeff Smith will talk in the galleries about Rauschenberg’s print series Reels (B+C), which draws heavily from Arhtur Penn’s classic film “Bonnie and Clyde.”
Admission to First Fridays events is $5. MMoCA members, students, and anyone dressed as Bonnie or Clyde will be admitted free.
An opening reception for “Northern Exposure: A Ceramic Survey Curated by Peter Held” will be held from 4:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 15th, at the BioPharmaceutical Technology Center (BTC), 5445 East Cheryl Parkway in Fitchburg.
The architecture of the BTC is itself a work of art: In addition to a variety of gallery space in its public areas, the BTC has a pleasant outdoor “rooftop” seating area with a view of the surrounding restored prairie.
In the past, opening receptions for exhibits at the BTC have included the kind of large “you’ll never know who you might see” crowds that make these events enjoyable, plus live music and bountiful buffets.
If you are unable to attend the opening reception, you may view the “Northern Exposure” exhibit from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. on weekdays, through December 1, 2009. For additional information, call (608) 298-4865.
Art gallery and art exhibit receptions may not be the best way to see an artist’s work (think crowds), but they can be a great way to meet the artist, learn more about the work on exhibit, meet interesting people, and nibble on some free food.
Refreshments at gallery and exhibit receptions vary from modest trays of cheese and crackers to huge, varied repasts that can easily make dinner unnecessary. But, of course, you’re there to see the art…
There are a slew of openings and receptions in the Madison are this weekend, and you may want to consider a visit to some of them. Here are our top three choices:
The Chazen Museum of Art, in conjunction with its current exhibit, “Delight in Design: Indian Silver for the Raj,” is presenting a lecture by exhibition curator Vidya Dehijia title “Whose Taste? Indian Silver for the Raj” at 5:30 p.m., Friday, September 11th. It will be followed by a public reception from 6:30 p.m. until 8 p.m. It will feature music by carnatic classical saxophonist Sumanth Swaminathan and Indian classical vocalist Vanitha Suresh, as well as refreshments and cash bar. Dobrá Tea will provide tea. The Chazen Museum of Art is located at 800 University Avenue in Madison.
The Tasting Room of Monona (“Retailers of fine wine and cigars”) will host a reception (with wine and cheese) during which “over ten different artists will show off their Cigar Box Art creations” from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, September 11th. The Tasting Room of Monona is located at 6000 Monona Drive, Suite 103, in Monona.
Watch Keanu Reeves seek to learn the answer to the question, “What is the Matrix?” at 9 p.m. Monday, August 10th on the Memorial Union Terrace, 800 Langdon Street.
The free screening of “The Matrix” is part of the UW Credit Union’s Summer Stage on the Terrace series.
If it rains, the action will move inside to der Rathskeller.
Consider arriving early — not just to claim a good seat, but to give yourself time to enjoy the four art exhibits currently on display inside the Wisconsn Union: “Flux: Images of Transience” Exhibition by Vesna Jovanovic; “Invitational Print Exchange: Home Sweet Home” Exhibition curated by Julia F. Taylor; “New Acquisitions and Old Favorites” Exhibition by Robert Burkert; and “PROMISELAND” Exhibition by BA Harrington and Chele Isaac.
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We post deals as we find them, but schedules sometimes change and everything has an expiration date. Prices and promotions are always subject to change without notice. It's always wise to call ahead and make certain a bargain is still available or an event has not been canceled.
