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K-12 Education

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#MuseumFromHome: Mucha Coloring Pages

By | Art, K-12 Education, News, Traveling Exhibition, Uncategorized | No Comments

Today, TV and film actors use a wide variety of ways to promote their latest movie or product; but did you know that Alphonsa Mucha was the favorite artist of one of France’s leading ladies, highlighting her plays with vibrant posters? These ads ushered in a new artistic movement called Art Noveau.

Mucha was a world-famous painter, illustrator, jewelry designer and graphic artist. His signature style used twisting lines and subtle colors, flowing hair, halos and mosaic designs.

Thanks to The Mucha Foundation, you can use your own creativity to color in works of art. Then, come explore the real thing in our latest exhibition. Mucha is one of five masters presented in “L’Affichomania; The Passion for French Posters,” on view through Sunday, Jan. 3, 2021.

IMAGE RIGHT: Alphonse Mucha, “Princess Hyacinth,” 1911, color lithograph. Photograph by John Faier. © 2015 The Richard H. Driehaus Museum.

HEADER IMAGE: Alphonse Mucha, “Zodiac,” 1896, color lithograph on silk.Photograph by John Faier. © 2015 The Richard H. Driehaus Museum.

L’Affichomania: The Passion for French Posters was organized by The Richard H. Driehaus Museum and is toured by International Arts & Artists, Washington, DC.

An actress portrays Princess Hyacinth seated on her throne.
Bernice Sims - New York Heroes, 2001

#MuseumFromHome: Documenting Our Lives

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Bernice Sims - New York Heroes, 2001

Our #MuseumFromHome activity is inspired by our monthlong theme of diversity, inclusion and equity. Fitting, then, that we draw upon the work of Bernice Sims and the exhibition, “From Her Innermost Self: Visionary Art of Southern Women.”

Sims made art about important times in history that she experienced. In this work, she remembered the first responders during 9/11.

Like Bernice Sims, we can also make artwork about our experiences while we stay at home. Creating art can help you go through big feelings you may have or recognize people who change the world for the better. What is something that has happened in your lifetime?

What You’ll Need

Pencil

Paper

Eraser

Crayons, markers, colored pencils or other drawing material of your choice

Paper, pencil, eraser

Instructions

Before you begin, take a minute to think about some of the things you’ve seen or done that are really interesting to you. These can be things we are experiencing right now or another really important event in your life.

When you are finished, go ahead and use your pencil to sketch out your idea on paper. Bernice Sims’ style was very simple and clean, so try not to get too caught up in intricate details.

Finally, color in the picture.

Once you are done, share your work with others. Maybe even hang the work in your home or post to social media. We’d love to share your creation online @JCSMAuburn.

A sculpture constructed from wood beams, forming multiple X shapes.

#MuseumFromHome: Out of the Box

By | K-12 Education, News, Sculpture | No Comments

Practice safe social distancing and explore the museum grounds. There are large scale sculptures you can walk around (and even inside) in our juried outdoor sculpture exhibition, “Out of the Box!”

Our #MuseumFromHome family activity is inspired by “Basics #38 (for Brancusi)” and household materials. Join people all over the world on Saturday, April 25, 2020, as they celebrate International Sculpture Day. Take photos of your sculpture and tag #ISDay/@JCSMAuburn.

The artist, Mattias Neumann, draws upon what he learned and practices as an architect to create his work. He thinks about the way public art changes a location. The one he made for JCSM is made just for our grounds.

He installed the first version of this sculpture at the National Museum of Contemporary Art in Romania, and there have been other versions all over the country.

How does a sculpture or work of art change a public space? Does it make you stop and wonder in your everyday life, or do you just walk by?

A sculpture constructed from wood beams, forming multiple X shapes.

What You’ll Need

Popsicle Sticks

School Glue or Tacky Glue

Sheet of Paper

Pencil

Instructions

Using a pencil and a piece of paper, create a guide to lay your popsicle sticks on top of. Draw two X’s side by side, connecting the edges. It should look like this: XX.  To maintain the same pattern as you build, it is smart to label each line 1-4 like in the picture.

Numbered lines drawn on paper, forming two

Place your first popsicle stick (red in the picture) down on the line you have labeled “1.” Place a dot of glue in the center of the popsicle stick where your next stick will cross over it to create an X. Remember: the less glue the better! Using only a tiny dot of glue will help your sculpture to dry faster and not slip as you build.

Popsicle stick placed diagonally on the guide lines.

Position your second popsicle stick (yellow in the picture) down along the line you labeled “2.” This stick should cross over your first stick to create an ‘X’ shape. Place a dot of glue on the end of the stick.

Place your fourth stick over the dots of glue on sticks 3 and 1. This will create the XX shape we want!

Place a dot of glue on the center of stick 2 (yellow) and the end of stick 4 (blue).

It is time to repeat the process! Place a popsicle stick over the glue dots you created on sticks 2 and 4. Repeat the steps until your sculpture is the desired height.

Once you are done, share your work with others. Create your own sculpture garden using a variety of materials. Post to social media if you are able. We’d love to share your creation online @JCSMAuburn for a #MuseumFromHome.

Earth Day 2020: “Mother Earth as Art”

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In celebration of the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, JCSM explored the intersection of art and science with an online gallery talk for “Mother Earth as Art.”

Dr. Chandana Mitra, associate professor, Department of Geosciences, joined host Christy Barlow, curator of education for student and community programs, along with two graduate students who worked on the exhibition: Megha Shrestha, Department of Geosciences, Auburn University
and Nina Zamani Alavijeh, from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

“Alabama Political Reporter” featured an interview with Dr. Mitra and the digital exhibition as a part of its Earth Day 2020 coverage. Read the article.

#MuseumFromHome: Artful Abstraction

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For this week’s #MuseumFromHome family activity, we are inspired by the beauty in our backyards and the work of Blanche Lazzell.

Throughout her whole life and artistic career, Lazzel always learned something new about art. Artists considered modernist, Like Lazzell, sought to use different techniques and imagery to reflect the early 20th-century experience.

With abstraction, Lazzell didn’t try to paint the landscape exactly as it looked to her. Instead, she used shapes, colors and marks to create her picture.

This painting showcases well all of the methods she studied. Follow our step-by-step guide below so you can explore something new, too.

American Landscape, Woodstock Ca. 1917
Oil on canvas
Museum purchase with funds provided by Gerald and Emily Leischuck

What You’ll Need

Paper or Canvas

Markers, colored pencils, oil pastels, crayons OR Paint with Q-tips

Pencil

Flowers, plants, grass or trees in your yard to create a scene, or landscape

Reference photo (optional)

Paper, pencil and markers on display for an art project.

Instructions

Draw a rough sketch of what you want to show in your illustration. You can draw outside or look at a photograph. Remember: what you see on the paper doesn’t have to look exactly like what is in front of you.

Begin blocking in the colors of the place using simple shapes, lines and multiple colors. They do not have to be perfect. See how much you can simplify the landscape using shapes.

Rough sketch as landscape

When using markers, colored pencils, oil pastels, or crayons, color little circles, dots, lines rectangles or squares instead of fully coloring in the object.

Painters, dip your Q-tip in the paint and stamp it on your artwork. It may be easiest to make little dots and circles, but make unique marks as well. What new techniques will you discover?

Fill every corner of the page with colorful shapes. Once every spot is covered, you are done! Go show your friends or family your beautiful artwork. We’d love to see, too. Tag us @JCSMAuburn for a #MuseumFromHome.

A spider web connects to a glass porch light.

#MuseumFromHome: Look Closer

By | Art Experiences, K-12 Education, News | No Comments

Get to know and appreciate the world around you a bit more with a fun, engaging family activity. Post your finished artwork on social media and tag @JCSMAuburn to create a #MuseumFromHome.

Like the scientists at NASA, we will photograph Mother Earth as art. Explore the ordinary things around us that we don’t always notice: the little dandelion growing between the cracks of your porch; your cat taking an afternoon nap; the way light shines through bubbles in a glass in the sink—you name it.

For inspiration, browse our digital exhibition of “Mother Earth as Art,” and discover the ways that satellite imagery captures details that look like paintings.

What You’ll Need

Camera (Smartphone, digital camera, polaroid camera or tablet)

Subjects around the house or your yard

Photo editing app (optional)

Color printer with photo paper (optional)

Nature creates colorful patterns along the fingers of the Ord River in Australia.

Instructions

Ask an adult if they can help you use a camera, and look together around the house or outside to spy things you wouldn’t usually notice as you go about your daily life.

Once you find something, try placing the camera in different places for different angles—near, far, with the object on the right or on the left of the frame.

A spider web connects to a glass porch light.

Look at your photographs. Did they come out how you wanted? How can you experiment with where you place the camera? Does light or shadow change your photograph?

You may want to edit your photo or add special effects. Commonsense.org recommends some photo editing apps for students. Always ask a grownup first!

Once you are done, share your work with others to show them the beauty in everyday life. Maybe even print some out or post to social media if you are able. We’d love to share your creation online @JCSMAuburn.

Student worker Jean Gannett poses with one-half of "Self-Portrait as Bathers."

Behind-the-Scenes: Jean Gannett

By | Building Community, K-12 Education, News, Supporting Auburn | No Comments

Jean Gannett is one of our student staffers. She assists with all aspects of education programming, which includes prototyping art projects and working with K12, family, and community outreach groups. She also serves as a face of the museum by greeting visitors at the front desk. 

Student worker Jean Gannett poses with one-half of

My time here at Jule Collins has been such an amazing experience. Most days it doesn’t even feel like a job. The staff are all nothing but kind and welcoming, especially the people I work with the most, the wonderful ladies in the education department.

I have learned a variety of real-world and industry skills that I will carry with me to my next job, as well as really interesting behind-the-scenes museum things, like how they wash the bunny men! Other things that really impacted me working here have been the opportunity to truly learn about and connect with Auburn’s community, create real change in people’s lives, as well as spread the joy of art with others. I would not trade this experience for the world.

Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art, Auburn University

Holiday Hours at JCSM for 2017

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Museum Hours of Operation

Spend your holidays here at Auburn’s art museum with our special holiday hours. Galleries and the Museum Shop will be open for you and your family to enjoy. The Lethander Art Path and Museum Grounds also offer nearly 20 pieces of sculpture to walk and explore.

The Museum Cafe will close at 2pm on Thursday, December 14.

The museum will be closed for the Christmas holiday from Sunday, Dec. 24- Tuesday, Dec 26.

We will reopen on Wednesday, Dec 27 from 10-4:30 pm.

We will also be closed for New Years from Sunday, Dec 31 – Tuesday, Jan 2
We will reopen on Wednesday, Jan. 3 from 10-4:30 pm.

Metal artists pour iron into molds

Register for JCSM’s Teen Metal Arts Workshop with Sloss Furnaces of Birmingham

By | K-12 Education | No Comments

High School students are invited to register to experience an iron pour with Sloss Furnaces at the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art on October 6th from 4:00pm-5:45pm. Each student will be able to carve their own scratch block to be created into a piece of metal art (Sloss artists will explain the process at the event). Space is limited. Students who would like to attend must register by October 2nd. There is no cost for the program, but teens must have a parent or guardian sign a form to participate. Direct questions to 334-844-8792.

  • Sloss Furnaces at JCSM October 6th 4:00-5:45pm

    Please sign-up to attend the teen art workshop here! We will contact you to confirm your space and send additional forms and information. Parent/Guardian permission is required. Teens are allowed to attend on their own. Please note space is limited, registration and wait lists will be open until October 2nd.
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Forth of July Magnet Art Activity post image

DIY 4th of July inspired magnet activity

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Use the template to help measure the length of your stripes. Glue your stripes and the blue rectangle with stars onto your magnets with a glue stick. When dry, cut out your magnets. You can also use colorful foam pieces and other materials in your art supplies to create magnets! (Note: You may need hot glue to adhere some materials to a magnet backing). When finished, assemble your artwork onto a magnetic surface, such as a cookie sheet or a refrigerator.
The flag magnet can help you and your child practice visual literacy with shapes. Start a conversation about how shapes create everything around you…What shapes can you find outside in flowers? Trees? Buildings? After you practice with the magnet and search for shapes in objects around you, create drawings using only shapes like squares, rectangles, and circles. You can also use the flag as a math connection to practice counting in art! Count the stripes and stars together, and then have a safe and fun Fourth of July!

Welcome to the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art

We welcome you to explore, experience and engage with the visual arts.