Category

Uncategorized

We want to hear from you. Submit a question for Nick Cave.

By | Uncategorized | No Comments

Artist Nick Cave joins us for a conversation at The Jule on Thursday, Sept. 9, 2021, from 6 to 8 p.m. His special engagement is presented in conjunction with “Crafting America,” organized by the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas. The galleries are open from 10 a.m to 8 p.m. on Thursdays, with a light reception at 6 p.m. on the Terrace. The program begins at 6:30 p.m.

Participants are welcome and encouraged to pose questions in advance.

Advance registration is required, with auditorium seating on a first-come, first-serve basis. Auburn University requires the use of face coverings indoors.

Neat piles of handmade masks

Share Your Craft Story: Crafting During COVID

By | Share Your Craft Story, Uncategorized | No Comments

I’ve been a crafter my whole life. If it can be made, I’ve tried to make it. Pottery, furniture, baskets, quilts, yarn, cloth… you name it. However, when the pandemic hit in the spring of 2020, making things for pleasure fell to the wayside. I got out my sewing machine and started sewing masks.

Nearly 800 hand-crafted masks were mailed out, donated to local efforts, or put on my porch for folks to pick up. My goal was to protect everyone I knew, and anyone else, through crafting. Crafting is folk engineering- it’s taking materials and using them in creative ways to solve problems! Of all my crafts, the masks I made to protect people make me feel the most proud.

Neat piles of handmade masks

Crafting is folk engineering. It's taking materials and using them in creative ways to solve problems!

Chris Schnittka
A rough and well-loved wooden footstool with the name Amy Cates carved on the top.

Share Your Craft Story: “Memorial”

By | News, Share Your Craft Story, Uncategorized | No Comments

Amy Cates

My Uncle Travis made and engraved this wooden stool as a gift for my second birthday. He died in Vietnam two months before my third birthday. As a little girl, I set it across my knees and used it as a lunch table while I watched cartoons, but I also found its great versatility as a stage for my Barbies’ performances and a step stool to reach high places like kitchen cabinets and bathroom mirror.

Over the years, the grooves of the lettering softened, and the stool’s utility expanded to serve as a small bookshelf, a lunch table for my own kids to fight over, and a thing to tuck away, out of sight. It had aged to the point of being a fragile memorial best kept under a bed or on a high shelf in a closet. In recent years, I determined a memorial is best seen and shared, not preserved between old quilts and forgotten cardboard boxes. This sturdy little thing now resides in my home office, and some days, it finds its way under my desk, where I put it to work as a footstool.

A rough and well-loved wooden footstool with the name Amy Cates carved on the top.

A memorial is best seen and shared, not preserved between old quilts and forgotten cardboard boxes.

Amy Cates

Art is Pride: A Look At the Lives of Maud Hunt Squire and Ethel Mars

By | Art, News, Spotlight, Uncategorized | No Comments

Maud Hunt Squire: Illustrator, Painter, PrintmakerMaud Hunt Squire, 1920

The daughter of a musician, Maud Hunt Squire was born in Ohio in 1873. She was second in her class at the Art Academy of Cincinnati, where she studied under Lewis Henry Meakin and Frank Duveneck. Her intaglio prints and her work in colored pastels gained her international notice in the art community. While still a student, Maud began working as an illustrator (along with Ethel Mars), and by 1907 she was exhibiting and selling her works in Paris and America.

Le panier de poissons, eau-forte en couleur (1910), Maud Hunt Squire

Not only an accomplished artist, Maud was also a talented musician and spoke multiple languages. Her works are shown in multiple museums, including The Jule.

 

 

 

Ethel Mars, 1924 (passport photo)

Ethel Mars: Bohemian Artist and Teacher.


Ethel Mars, born in Springfield, Illinois in 1876, was a talented artist from childhood. The daughter of a railroad clerk, her childhood works won her prizes at the Illinois State Fair. After grade school, she gained a scholarship to the Art Academy of Cincinnati, where she learned drawing, illustrating, and painting under Meakin and Duveneck.

 Ethel Mars, Woman with a Monkey, by 1909 - May be self portrait
An ambulance driver at the beginning of WWI, Ethel lived a rather bohemian lifestyle, often dying her hair purple and wearing orange lipstick. Her work, like her partner’s, is a part of collections all over the world.

 

 

 

Ethel and Maud: Miss Furr and Miss Skeene

Ethel Mars and Maud Hunt Squire began their lifelong relationship after meeting at the Art Academy of Cincinnati, where they began working together as illustrators. After their graduation, they were immediately hired by publisher R.H. Russell, and their illustrations were shown in a joint exhibition in the Cincinnati Art Museum in 1903.

In 1906 the couple moved to France and began traveling through Europe.
Their careers excelled throughout their lives, and both women exhibited their works in Paris and the United States. During their visit to Munich, Ethel learned about color woodcut prints and began teaching the techniques to other American artists in Paris.

 

 

"Wealth" from Children of Our Town, 1902, written by Carolyn Wells and illustrated by Ethel Mars and Maud Hunt SquireThey became a part of Gertrude Stein’s circle, making friends with Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse.  Stein immortalized the pair in her poem “Miss Furr and Miss Skeene,” believed to be the first work of literature to use the word “gay” as a descriptor of same-sex relationships.

As the outbreak of World War I put more pressure on the couple, Ethel and Maud relocated to Provincetown, Massachusetts. It was here that Maud created her first and only woodblock prints, using modulated colors to depict the scenes in Provincetown. The women became part of a group of artists known for their white line woodcuts, called the Provincetown prints.  The seaside town’s bohemian art community soon became internationally known, possibly thanks to the Squire and Mars’ reputation.

Image: Provincetown print Example

After the war, they were able to move permanently back to Vence, France, except for a brief time in Grenoble during World War II. While Maud stopped her artistic endeavors in the 30s, Ethel drew portraits and landscapes well after the war. The two lived and thrived in France until their deaths. They are currently buried with one another in the cemetery of Saint-Paul-du-Vence.

Throughout their lives, these women adapted and molded their own artistic talents and voices. Still, one thing remained constant. Their relationship with each other and their artistic collaboration helped shape their work and impact in the art community. With color techniques that have contributed to modern color prints, and illustrations that still serve as an example of capturing a child’s spirit, Maud and Ethel’s works continue to resonate in today’s art community.

Ethel and Maud at The Jule

Ethel Mars’ and Maud Hunt Squire’s works grew and shifted as the women traveled through Europe and America. Their subject matter and their technique seem to have changed with their location and their experiences. These works are a part of the collection at The Jule.

Mars, Ethel 1876-1959 Untitled (Storefront) DATE: ca. 1916-19

Mars, Ethel 1876-1959 Untitled (Storefront) DATE: ca. 1916-19


ARTIST Squire, Maud Hunt 1873-1934 Untitled (Clam diggers, Provincetown) DATE: ca. 1915

ARTIST Squire, Maud Hunt 1873-1934 Untitled (Clam diggers, Provincetown) DATE: ca. 1915

These works were both done during the couple’s time in Provincetown. What similarities do you see? What differences?

 

The artists’ styles changed as they traveled the world. How do these works differ from other works seen throughout the article?

 

In Stein’s poem, “Miss Furr and Miss Skeene,” Squire is Miss Georgine Skeene, who loves to travel. Mars is represented by Miss Helen Furr, who likes to stay in one place. Can you see those personalities in these two paintings?

 

 

References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maud_Hunt_Squire

https://maryryangallery.com/artists/maud-hunt-squire/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethel_Mars_(artist)

https://maryryangallery.com/artists/ethel-mars/

https://www.juliehellergallery.com/ethel-mars

 

 

 

Museum staff install an artwork.

Behind-the-Scenes of Exhibition Changeout

By | News, Uncategorized | No Comments

Closed for Exhibitions Changeout:

June 1, 2021-June 28, 2021
Museum Grounds Remain Open

Contact Museum Staff

The Jule’s museum professionals are getting an exciting new slate of exhibitions ready for you.

After an exhibition closes, considerable conservation and construction work takes place. A gallery changeout can take anywhere from a few days to three weeks depending on the scale of the exhibition and gallery size. Artwork is removed, walls are repaired and temporary displays are constructed by the preparators. The registrar and curatorial assistant document conditions, handle the artwork for transport and work closely with lenders and cultural institutions on agreements. Designers, educators and curators finalize gallery resources and interpretation. Pieces are loaded in, carefully hung and finishing touches applied. Now, it’s showtime!

It takes a skilled team to produce high-quality exhibitions like the ones you see on your visit. It’s our pleasure each and every time you explore, experience and engage.

Exhibition Extras: Masterful Collaboration in The Summer

By | Uncategorized | No Comments

The Summer” showcases the work of two masters in the Bernini and the Roman Baroque: Masterpieces from Palazzo Chigi in Ariccia Exhibit. 

Nuzzi and Maratta: Noted Italian Masters


Mario Nuzzi, or Mario de Fiori, was known for his floral still life work. The son of a landowner in Penna in Teverina, Nuzzi apprenticed under his uncle, Tommaso Salini. After becoming established, he spent his life painting commissions from highly noted art patrons, including Pope Clement IX and Giancarlo Medici. His works spread throughout Tuscany and influenced numerous Baroque era artists.

Carlo Maratta, or Maratti, was primarily in Rome and known for his classic portrait style. An apprentice of Andrea Sacchi, Maratta’s work also gained him the attention of wealthy patrons. He established the most prominent art studio in the city and became the lead artist in Rome after the death of Bernini. 

The Summer: A Painting of Love

 

In 1658, Cardinal Flavio Chigi commissioned Nuzzi to work on a series of paintings for the palace, entitled “Four Seasons,” which would feature Nuzzi’s floral expertise. The genre, which enjoyed success in the furnishing of noble residences, evolved to collaborations between still-life and figure painters such as Maratta.

The allegorical painting of The Summer is part of this famous series. Personifying the season, Summer—wearing sprigs of wheat in her hair—sees her reflection in the mirror, symbolizing the origins of love.

“Bernini & The Roman Baroque: Masterpieces from Palazzo Chigi in Ariccia” will be on display until May 30

“The Summer” at The Jule


“The Summer” hangs in the “History Paintings: Between Classicism and Realism” section of the exhibit.

This painting is an allegorical piece, where the artists use the subjects to convey difficult concepts. In this case, it is love. What parts of the painting do you see that represent “love?”

Maratti believed in using fewer figures to convey a theme. Does he accomplish that here? 

This work combines the expertise of two artists, who each specialize in two separate dramas. Can you see differences, subtle or obvious, in the technique of each?


“The Summer” is the inspiration for the mask and scarf set, exclusively at The Jule. After seeing the painting, stop by The Museum Shop and take home a memory. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mario_Nuzzi

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlo_Maratta

Exhibition Extras: “Portrait of Gian Lorenzo Bernini”

By | News, Uncategorized | No Comments

This engraving is the earliest verified and reliable depiction of Bernini, first appearing as the frontispiece for a biography about him. In this work, the young artist wears the Portuguese Order of the Cross of Christ, a coveted decoration conferred on him by Pope Gregory XV in 1622. Unlike later depictions, he is portrayed with short hair.

“Bernini and the Roman Baroque: Masterpieces from Palazzo Chigi in Ariccia” is organized by Glocal Project Consulting and is toured by International Arts & Artists, Washington, DC.

Giovan Battista Gaulli, called “Il Baciccio” and Arnold Van Westerhout
Portrait of Gian Lorenzo Bernini, c. 1680
Burin on paper
Palazzo Chigi, Ariccia

A logo for International Arts and Artists
A man in rich papal robes reclines in a chair, looking to his right

Exhibition Extras: “Portrait of Cardinal Flavio Chigi”

By | News, Uncategorized | No Comments

How would you pose to say to the world that you are in command and powerful? Look closely at the subject.

Ferdinand Voet’s painting is sophisticated in its pictorial fluency and vitality—as shown by the angle of the face, which gazes to the left and away, beyond the frame of the picture. Its 1998 restoration established the artist’s use of tempera paint for both the red curtain and the background as well as light, diluted brushstrokes to emphasize the figure in the foreground. The piece, which exists in several copies, epitomizes the official image of Alexander VII’s “cardinal nepote,” or cardinal nephew. Flavio Chigi, together with his cousin Agostino, were Voet’s most important patrons.

“Bernini and the Roman Baroque: Masterpieces from Palazzo Chigi in Ariccia” is organized by Glocal Project Consulting and is toured by International Arts & Artists, Washington, DC.

A Catholic cardinal reclines in an ornate chair.

Ferdinand Voet
“Portrait of Cardinal Flavio Chigi,” 1670
Oil on canvas
Palazzo Chigi, Ariccia

A logo for International Arts and Artists
A Black girl leans on her hand, with paper doll dimensions written on her dress.

Recent High-Profile Acquisition Set to Tour

By | News, Uncategorized | No Comments

A high-profile acquisition funded by “Ten Seventy-Two — A Campaign for Collecting and Conserving Art” is already slated for a monumental survey in 2021.

In January, curators will exhibit “Dream Girl with Woven Camisole” by Emma Amos at the Georgia Museum of Art in Athens in an important new exhibition. From there, “Emma Amos: Color Odyssey” will travel to the Munson-Williams Proctor Art Institute in Utica, New York, and then to the Philadelphia Museum of Art in Pennsylvania. Curators are producing a major research publication to accompany the tour, which includes approximately 60 works produced over the last 60 years.

A Black girl leans on her hand, with paper doll dimensions written on her dress.

“[Amos] used figurative painting, textiles and print media…to represent the complexity of her identity as an African-American woman and to push back on the ways that Black life has been treated in white Western art.”

Jillian Steinhauer“2 Art Gallery Shows to See Right Now”, "The New York Times," Oct. 21, 2020

By making a year-end gift towards collecting and conserving art, you support a purposeful initiative to increase representation in the museum’s collections and increase these touring opportunities. Additionally, campaign funds raised to date will also help acquire works by Lavett Ballard, Delita Martin, Faith Ringgold and Carrie Mae Weems.

There are other significant museum purchases available in this focus; however, charitable giving is essential to secure these works for exhibition and study.

Will you further enhance this collection strength and create a space for critical conversations? Make a gift today.

Share your enthusiasm for museum education. Contact Ellen Killough, development officer, at 334.844.7032 or ellen.killough@auburn.edu.

Welcome to the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art

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