Off the Wall

Springfield Art Museum, Missouri. Art, research, and behind-the-scenes perspectives that you won't necessarily find on our gallery walls. Brought to you by the SAM staff. TWITTER | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE | HOMEPAGE

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Conservation Focus: Rose O’Neill

Five works on paper in the Museum’s permanent collection have recently returned after receiving conservation treatment. All five works are by Rose O’Neill and will be included in the upcoming exhibition Frolic of the Mind: The Illustrious Life of Rose O’Neill, opening on April 13 at 5:30 p.m. The funds to conserve these works were generously raised in 2016 at the Museum’s annual fundraiser – 99x: Bohemian Belle.

AFTER:

The conservation varied per object ranging from a light cleaning to mending tears and in-painting. The painting, The Bachelor, underwent extensive treatment. This work was published between 1896 and 1901, and was handled by magazine editors, art directors, printers, and shippers, before returning to O’Neill. At some point, a mat was attached to the face of the painting and various edges of the paper were trimmed, patched, or lost. The mat obscured a full inch of the left side of the painting, including most of the “bachelor’s” right shoulder.

BEFORE:

The conservator cleaned the entire painting, removed the acidic backing and mat board, mended all tears with thin Japanese paper mending strips, filled edge losses as well as in-painted small areas. They also uncovered a hand-written caption on the reverse of the work! This caption helps us to research in which publication the work was published and gives us deeper context for the illustration.

A before and after demonstrates the incredible difference. This work is now suitable for exhibition and will be on view in April in Frolic of the Mind: The Illustrious Life of Rose O’Neill. When the exhibit closes, this painting will return to our climate controlled storage vaults where it will be preserved for future generations to enjoy.

Our sincere thanks are extended to the 99x Planning Committee, sponsors, stylists, and many donors whose contributions made it possible to enhance, conserve, and preserve these incredible works. We hope you enjoy seeing all five newly conserved works in person in the exhibition!

-Sarah Buhr, Curator

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What is the cost of admission to the museum?

The Springfield Art Museum is free, there is no admission charge for exhibitions. 

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Art & Poetry

Our exhibits continue to inspire artists in our community in many ways. LaDonna Friesen, Professor of English at Evangel University, recently shared new poems written by students in her Creative Writing class after a visit to the Museum.

One such poem was inspired by William McNamara's painting, The Buffalo River, recently installed in the exhibit Water: The Artists' Essential Element.

Floating Arkansas

Rounded, infinite stones pressed up between pruning toes,   

the sweet crisp-bluegreen kiss of the hissing, rippled, blossoming river

whispers to water-logged ears.

The sun-soaked cerulean sky,

with its harsh blade edge up against the bushy tree top chin,

beats down on slow-cooking skin.

A cliff grows from the river face,

like a pimple hidden under all that chloroplast foliage,

with beautiful, ragged sides where he meets the grounded swells.

 A breath.

 Socks wrapped around unpruned toes,

all laced up behind fabric walls.

That hard-edged sun distanced with insulation,

replaced by the artificial fluorescent glow.

Standing before all those minute marks

long-since swept across a page,

a slim glass dimly reflecting me back:

 a portal,

 to that time of summer heat,

doting on rocks and waves, now

displaced and plastered on a wall.

 -James Heil, student at Evangel University

 Visit our galleries to see more poetry created by students from Evangel University. Thank you to LaDonna and her students for sharing these works!

-Springfield Art Museum

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Landscape paintings have been a popular genre with artists and art lovers for generations. Landscape paintings which include huts, houses, buildings or other structures usually evoke a different type of response or feeling.  Humans relate to structures in many ways, perhaps because they are familiar and suggest a memory, or maybe it is strange and creates questions in their minds. Have you ever looked at a painting with an old broken-down barn or house, and thought; that looks almost like my grandparent’s farm, or a place that I pass by often?  Maybe you wonder who lives there, where it is located, or if the building is still standing.  

“West Texas” artist Katie McKinney

“Construction 85.1″ artist Rob Erdle

Look closely at this beautiful painting of “The A. Clark Mine” by artist Rick Brogan. (pictured below) Do you wonder what product was being mined, where it is located and why it is abandoned?  Where are the people that used to work there?  Have you worked out a story of your own?  If a painting creates these questions or feelings, it has served a purpose making a connection with the viewer.

Architectural shapes also add a different dimension and scale to the composition.  Along with components of atmospheric perspective, they move the viewer’s eye around the image, not just to the visual anchor which is the center of interest, but to all supporting elements within the painting. The structure can be the main feature, or merely a small distant shape.  Look for relationship clues within the painting to find scale.  How tall is a tree in comparison to the building? How small are the distant mountains or other structures in the composition?  

“Sunscape” artist Janet Poppe

We invite you to view the 24 watercolor landscapes currently on view ranging from a bleak, wintry vista to a bright patchwork of summer colors.  Take time to pause and reflect upon a moment, memory, or story that these paintings evoke in you. November 11, 2017 - March 25, 2018 

Cindy Quayle / Exhibitions Manager

“The Empty Barn” artist Charles H. Wallis

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Veterans’ Family Tree

When organizing our current exhibition, Veterans’ Views, with Tom Russo and Rebecca Miller from Drury University, we felt strongly that to highlight the human aspect of military service, we needed to restrict our entries to photographs taken only by living veterans. This allows the photographs to speak to the specific veteran’s point of view, which of course we have discovered is often representative in some way of the universal aspects of military life, such as the sharing of meals and the receipt of letters from home.

However, we also knew that this would cut out any historic photos from deceased veterans. In order to address this, we felt it was important to create a space where friends, family members, and other veterans could bring in their photos to share their unique stories. Military service does not just affect the enlisted service man or woman but their families and friends as well. And for many, the remembrance of a deceased veteran’s service is important to the family’s identity.

And so, we created the Veterans’ Family Tree. This space is open for any visitor to bring in a photo, medal, or other memento, make a photocopy, and post the photo to our “tree.” All materials for photocopying are provided in the gallery and gallery attendants are on-hand to assist if any help is needed.

We have been so excited to watch this tree grow with photos! This hands-on component truly allows us to expand the narrative surrounding veterans’ experiences, through the addition of YOUR stories. It displays the extent to which military service affects our community.

The exhibit will be up through November 26, 2017. We hope that you will share your family’s story with us through the Veterans’ Family Tree. A huge THANK YOU to those that have shared their memories with us!

Sarah Buhr, Curator

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Water: the Artists' Essential Element

Water mixed with a soluble colored pigment is one of the most basic types of painting medium, yet one of the most difficult to master.  Painting water seems like a logical subject when using watercolor, but again, one of the most difficult subjects to paint well.  Considering these challenges to the watercolor artist, one must admire the results depicted in these wonderful, diverse works of art. 

I selected pieces for this exhibit based not only on the theme, but also the varied techniques and range of styles.  When comparing pieces within the exhibit, it is immediately apparent that each artist approaches the subject of water quite differently.  Some paintings are tightly executed using small brushwork and many details while others are loose and have a splashy feel to them.  Some address the subject of water alone by enhancing the motion and color, making water the primary focus.  Others incorporate bridges, buildings, boats and other interesting land features pushing the water into a secondary focus.

One of the crowning jewels included in this exhibit is Joseph Mallord William Turner's watercolor and graphite painting, "Locking Up" created circa 1800.  Although it is small, measuring only 5.75 x 8.75", it is a powerful example of the master's technical ability to render a scene, most likely on location, using only pencil and light watercolor washes. 

Five of the works selected for this exhibit needed framing as they had been in flat file storage for many years.  It was important to me that these pieces be shown because they were beautifully preserved and had not been viewed by the public for at least ten years and possibly longer.  It may be interesting to note that many of these pieces were acquired from our annual Watercolor U.S.A. exhibition and through generous gifts by our many patrons. 

Please visit the Springfield Art Museum and enjoy this refreshing waterscape exhibit through October 29, 2017.

Cindy Quayle Exhibitions Manager 

Painting credits from top: Harrison Hartley - Shoreline Eliot O'Hara - Sea & Surf Joseph Mallord Wiliam Turner - Locking Up Richard Shell - View from Brooklyn Bridge

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Meet the Intern: Vinita Williams

We have all been to and admired fantastic exhibits at museums, including the Springfield Art Museum. Although interested in art my whole life, I rarely considered how a few paintings or sculptures became an exhibition or how much research and hard work goes on behind the scenes. As far as I knew, a bunch of artworks got together to party and magically appeared as a polished display. However, as a curatorial intern at the museum this summer, I have learned firsthand that those exhibitions do not simply materialize.  

  My first day consisted of helping take down an exhibit, which included pulling nails and patching holes. Who knew there was even something as vital as nails involved and who knew those holes did not magically repair them selves over night? After some basic training in handling art, I helped staff move paintings from the vault to the galleries to set up for the Watercolor USA exhibit. Not one of those eighty-five paintings had legs. We used carts to move every one of them. Once arranged in the galleries, Museum Assistant Brian Fickett showed me how to hang the paintings. Brian and Exhibitions Manager Cindy Quayle did all the work, but it took them a couple of days to install all the artwork. Of course, the finished product looks wonderful and effortless.

I learned how much research goes on behind the scenes. That has been one of my primary duties in order to write labels for works in the permanent collection, but I also participated in taking down the American Impressionism exhibit. As an intern, I could not touch the works, but I did get to drag boxes, wrapping material, and tape about, ask questions, and hang around staff while they packed away some splendid art.

While not directly involved, I have listened to the team talk about upcoming exhibits and how many trips they will make to pick up collections for the Wonder Rooms exhibit this fall. They have discussed how many new partial walls they have to build and what color they are going to paint them. Those stunning exhibits do not create themselves. They are products of a lot of time, effort, and teamwork.

I have received such valuable and interesting experience while interning this summer. Curator Sarah Buhr is open and eager to teach, the curatorial team has been great and willing to answer all my questions, and remaining personnel is welcoming and wonderful to work with.

Vinita Williams

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Framing Transformation

Proper framing is an integral part of any picture, and in some cases part of the artist's vision as well.  In the best case scenario, picture framing, including all of its components, protects and enhances the piece of art.  In the worst case scenario, the components can damage the art and decrease its overall visual appeal.  An archival framer will consider all of these elements when framing works of art in order to protect and enhance the piece without compromising the artistic vision.   

When the museum acquires works into its permanent collection, our curatorial team evaluates each piece for condition issues that may affect its appearance many years into the future.  Any issues can usually be corrected by changing the mounting, components and frame to archival materials and specifications.

The piece that is featured in this blog is one that the Springfield Art Museum acquired after it was entered into the annual Watercolor U.S.A 2016 exhibition. 

The title "Lost in the Fire" by artist Blake Willis Tiggemann, pretty much sums up the reason for the materials used in this artwork.  Using only what was available to him after a devastating fire, this piece is composed of images, painted on brown paper shopping bags mounted onto an old spray -painted cork board.

The piece had been assembled and mounted, using only masking tape (highly acidic) and double-sided foam tape, mounted on a cork board painted frame.  The masking tape had already started to peel away from the bags and the mountings had started to fail.  Again, keep in mind that these were salvaged materials and not the usual choice for the artist.  After contacting the artist, and getting his blessing on changing the mounting, framing and backing, we proceeded to carefully de-construct the mountings.

Originally, the bags had been assembled and taped together before the images were painted onto the surface.  Instead of separating them completely by removing the masking tape all at once, and possibly affecting the alignment, we replaced each section, as it was removed, with acid free archival tape.  Since paper grocery bags are highly acidic as well, the piece was treated with a special deacidification spray. The entire piece was then mounted, as one unit, to a piece of museum rag mat that had been backed with a piece of acid free foamcore creating a sturdy substrate and backing.     

Most works on paper require glazing of glass or acrylic for protection.  We chose UV protected glass for the clarity and protective value of the glass to minimize any potential fading of the artwork.  Since the piece is somewhat textural with natural ripples and folds, it was necessary to space the glass a fair distance away from the artwork.  This was accomplished with the use of custom spacers inside of a deep shadow box frame.  Lastly, the artwork was secured into the frame and hanging hardware was added. 

You can clearly see in the "before" picture (shown below) how constrained the piece was in the original mount.  In the "after" picture, the artwork has its own space.  The simple neutral backing paired with the soft semi-distressed frame serves to let the viewer appreciate the artwork without being overwhelmed.  The distressed frame moulding plays off of the unusual materials used to create the artwork.

Cindy Quayle - Exhibitions Manager

Above photo: before re-mounting

Below photo: after re-mounting and framing.

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Art & Poetry

We believe strongly that art has the power to inspire creativity in all fields. But there is a particularly special relationship between poetry and fine art.

Recently, LaDonna Friesen, Professor of English at Evangel University, reached out to share with us some recent student projects from her Creative Writing course. For the past two years, Friesen has brought her students to the Museum to write ekphrastic poems. An ekphrastic poem is a "literary expression provoked by an art work." Examples of this type of writing go back to Homer's description of Achilles's shield in The Iliad and include John Keats's "Ode on a Grecian Urn" and William Blake's Songs of Innocence and Experience.

Experiencing an artwork is often very private so it can be difficult to know how our collection or exhibits affect our visitors. It becomes quite exciting when our visitors share their experiences with us.

We wanted to post these poems here, in particular as some of the works are no longer on view. The poems inspired by Roger Shimomura and Frank Owen will also be posted in the galleries.

A huge thank you to LaDonna and her students for finding inspiration in these works and for sharing them with us!  

- Sarah Buhr, Curator

Untangled       

 -ekphrastic free verse inspired by Loosened #3 by Anne Austin Pearce

Tangled in darkness

At the bottom of the sea

No light reaches the depths.

But suddenly, a burst of hope

Rising from within the soul

Brings life and color

In a rush of freedom.

The burst, so strong,

Propels her to th esurface

Where light awaits,

Her white rescue.

- Lauren Rogers

Turning the Corner

- ekphrastic free verse inspired by An American Enemy by Roger Shimomura

I found you, old friend.

Held back by tight twists of symmetrical torture

Your once rambunctious romp is now

Bound to clean lines, perfection at a glance.

Ironed straw sacks fitted to your precise frame.

Honor, brotherhood, sacrifice, duty -

Words that mean so little on the dry tongue.

Your eyes once overflowed with genuity, joy, freedom

Have blackened.

Your calloused fingers graze

Your sick-colored straw cap.

Honor, brotherhood, sacrifice, duty.

Is there even a flicker behind the eye?

Perhaps a signal, a cry for help.

Come back to me, dear friend.

Honor, brotherhood, sacrifice, duty.

Oh, what it is to be a man.

- Kara DeVito

Little One

-ekphrastic free verse inspired by We Need a Hero by Holly Wilson

Stand your ground, little one,

no matter what they tell you.

Keep writing; keep fighting

with your chest out, your fists clenched.

No matter what they tell you,

send your truth into the world

with your chest out, your fists clenched.

Brace yourself for their ideas.

Send your truth into the world.

Stay alert: the world’s ideas are highly explosive.

Brace yourself for their ideas;

don’t let the fight discourage you.

Stay alert: the world’s ideas are highly explosive.

Keep writing; keep fighting.

Don’t let the fight discourage you.

Stand your ground, little one.

- Meredith Lockhart

                                              Origami Messengers

                              Alone he stands with no cape or crown

                                              to defend his world.

                                          He is not trained or skilled.

                                                 His only weapons

                                             are origami messengers.

                                     Paper folded, formed, and thrown

                                      into a fray of oncoming enemies

                              Each carries his hopes, dreams, and desires

                                   flapping their wings into his world.

                                                 Some will survive.

                                                 Some will get lost.

                                             Some will be destroyed.

                                     The fleet of metal menaces rain,

                                      bombarding youth and courage

                                            with pain and remark,

                                 seeking to destroy the fragile fibers

                                        of his constructed curriers,

                                    to reduce his aspirations to ashes,

                                  and incinerate his inevitable impact.

                                         For the boy stands alone

                                            aloft his origami army

                                              as an unlikely hero

                                               to defend his world.

                                               - Nathan Bussard

Jifu Pao

-ekphrastic free verse inspired by Chinese Jifu Robe 

Orange dragons

Frilled in white clouds

Across the blue fabric

To stitch the clouds

To stitch the waves

To stitch the battling dragons

Their lithe bodies of power

Fly from sleeve to sleeve,

From neck to stomach

In their ancient dance

Chengse long wu

(orange dragons dance)

-Elizabeth Ware

Flash of Time

~ekphrastic free verse inspired by Timing by Frank Owen

The flash

            Of years

and memories

           Past

Replays in  

         Rapid

Speed—

         The fiery

Explosions

         Of love

Of passion

        Of anger

Of pain—

        The bolts of memories,

Lost with a spark.

The

Deep

Depths

Of blue

Tell a story when intertwined

With each memory.

Oh, time—

The chaos, the beauty.

Good or bad,

Time is only a flash.

Brilliant for but a moment,

Forever lost in space

But remembered in memory.

- Lauren Rogers

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Conservation Focus: "The French Fries"

You may have noticed in late August and early September that we were experimenting with a few new 'looks' for our most iconic work in the collection - John Henry's Sun Target II. Affectionately called "The French Fries," the sculpture is recognizable to most Springfieldians and serves as a public landmark.

Although we had a few concerned patrons call to express their dismay at the change in color - it was actually short-lived. We weren't toying with a new color, but simply completing restoration work on the sculpture and in the process, it went through a number of transformations.

The sculpture was acquired by the Museum in 1980 from the artist directly with the assistance of the Missouri Arts Council and the Ola E. McAdoo Bequest. Initially, the sculpture was installed much closer to the Museum's building - on the east grounds where the Musgrave Wing now stands. In 1994, it was moved to its current location when construction began on the Musgrave Wing. At that time, it was cleaned and repainted and given new concrete plinths to rest on.

Over the years, it has deteriorated due to both sun damage (fading) and general wear and tear (rust, flaking paint). Knowing that the work was in dire need of repainting, the Museum launched a crowd-funding campaign in May 2016 through the Give Ozarks Day platform - #SavetheFrenchFries.

Thanks to the tremendous generosity of Springfield residents, the Museum was able to raise enough money through these private donations to clean and repaint Sun Target II as well as two additional sculptures that were also in dire need of refresh - Ernest Trova's AV/T.S.C. and Abstract Variation, both located on the Museum's south grounds.

Before embarking upon the repaint, the Museum sent a work proposal to the artist to receive permission to clean and repaint. Fortunately, the Museum keeps lengthy files on the works in the collection so we had copies of the prior restoration work completed in 1994 as well as the proper paint color on file. After receiving the artist's permission to move forward with the project, we scheduled the work.

The work began on August 29 with a power washing on all three sculptures. The power washing, surprisingly, took the last bits of paint off of Sun Target II leaving us with the original unpainted steel surface. Then, a power grinder was used to smooth the surface and remove any rust.

Next, the painters applied an initial primer - for Sun Target II the first primer was white - a second primer, tinted yellow, was applied after that.

The last step was to apply two coats of the designated color to each work - restoring each sculpture to it's original rich finish. For the "French Fries" that meant a return to its original golden yellow hue.  

The transformation was no less dramatic on the two Trova sculptures.

After about three weeks, the work was complete and we are now in the process of adding new signage to all of the sculptures on our grounds in addition to exterior lights for Sun Target II.

Thank you Springfield for helping us to maintain and preserve these works for future generations!

Sarah Buhr, Curator

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NOW ON VIEW: Elizabeth "Grandma" Layton

Cinderella, 1986, lithograph

The Museum recently rotated new works on paper into the Creating an American Identity exhibit. One work of particular note is by fellow Midwesterner, Elizabeth Layton, known to many as "Grandma Layton."

Layton was born in the small town of Wellsville, Kansas in 1909. Her father, Asa Converse, was publisher and owner of the local newspaper The Wellsville Globe. Her mother, May Frink Converse was the paper's featured columnist and poet whose standing column "Convers-ations" featured personal ruminations about everything from her dinner plans, to favorite novels to detailed tales about her daughter Elizabeth.

After a tumultuous marriage and five children, Layton eventually left her husband and, after the death of her father in 1942, became managing editor of the Globe. Although she was a steady and successful businesswoman she suffered severely from manic depression, and underwent electroshock therapy on thirteen separate occasions in an attempt to cure her violent mood swings. She continued to suffer bouts of extreme depression throughout the 1960s and 1970s.

In 1976, at age 68, she enrolled in a drawing class, at the urging of her sister, taught by Pal Wright.  Soon after, she began to create intimate self-portraits and drawings that touched on sensitive issues such as aging, women’s rights, AIDS, depression, nuclear threat and marriage, among others. Layton rejected the stereotypical image of a grandmother and engaged in a practice that served as a form of therapy, allowing her to release long suppressed emotions through the act of blind contour drawing. Layton once noted that through this process, where the artist looks at the subject rather than at the page, “Things pour into them [the drawings] which you get not by thinking but by feeling.”

In "Cinderella," Layton portrays herself as the title figurine, an aging Cinderella, and her second husband, Glen, as prince.  Layton said “Fairy tales end. Cinderella and her prince get married and live happily ever after. Not necessarily so. He sits there, glued to the television set. She pouts, feeling neglected. She consoles herself with chocolates, romance novels, and the thought that she is a pretty little thing whose tiny pink foot slips easily into the treasured glass slipper.”

In 1992, Layton's work toured the United States through an exhibit organized by the Smithsonian's National Museum of American Art. The Springfield Art Museum hosted an exhibit of her work in 1996 titled, Elizabeth Layton: Drawing on Life.

See this work in our Musgrave Wing through November 2016.

Sarah Buhr, Curator

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Unexpected treasure beneath

Sometimes, when evaluating a piece of artwork for one reason, you end up discovering another issue that had gone undetected in the past.  This was the case with one of our permanent collection watercolor pieces titled "Still Life with Lemons" by artist Robert DeVoe.  This watercolor piece was observed closely one day by our Museum Assistant after he noticed possible debris inside under the glazing.  Upon disassembly of the piece, which included removing the glazing, it was noticed that, when held off of the artwork, the acrylic was white and hazy.  The reason the acrylic was this color is unclear as the piece had been framed long ago and may have come to the museum like this. 

This piece of artwork has always been one of my favorites because of the exquisite attention to detail and realistic technique; however, I had always wondered about the soft faded appearance which lacked the usual crisp detail and vibrant color of a watercolor such as this.  Included above is a photo of what this piece looked like with the acrylic partially removed.  The beauty of this painting hidden underneath that acrylic was astounding!  Needless to say, that old acrylic was replaced with conservation clear glass and this wonderful artwork is back on display in Armstrong Gallery for the remainder of the exhibit in its original color and glory.  Visit this piece and others before the close of the Still Life Exhibit on July 10, 2016.

Cindy Quayle  - Exhibitions Manager

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New Acquisition: Roberta Stoneman Baker

Through the generosity of a local donor, the Museum has recently added a number of new works to the permanent collection. One of these is particularly exciting in its unique ability to enhance the Museum's collection and its local art history - a plaster maquette of the figure of Eve by Springfield artist Roberta Stoneman Baker. 

The maquette depicts a nude Eve, from the Old Testament story of Adam and Eve, in the throes of temptation, just about to take a bite from that infamous apple as the serpent slithers up her leg.

A maquette is essentially a working model, often associated with sculpture but also used in architecture and any other application that requires the creation of smaller 3-d models before the construction of a final product. For the artist, the maquette is useful for determining scale, form and composition and is nearly always created out of inexpensive materials. In this case, artist Roberta Stoneman Baker used plaster to create the form. While the body of the figure is quite detailed, other portions of the model are less so - there are very little surface details on the face and the serpent.

Detail: Maquette of Eve by Roberta Stoneman Baker

We are particularly excited about this acquisition because the Museum already has Baker's completed sculpture of Eve, created in its final form in mahogany, in the collection. This work received a purchase award in the Museum's 17th Annual Exhibition in 1947.

Roberta Baker in the lower image, on the right with Eve. (from the Springfield-News Leader, April 1947) 

Adding the maquette to the collection allows us to analyze Baker's working methods. It is interesting to note that the maquette is much larger than the final sculpture, either due to cost (mahogany is more expensive) or due to the artistic decision to scale-down the figure. The final sculpture is of course more refined with a fully rendered face and further details delineating the scales of the serpent. There is a more extreme bend to the figure's neck, drawing further attention to the serpent below. Comparing these two objects gives us a visual glimpse into the artist's working process.

Maquette of Eve on the left; finished sculpture on the right.

Baker was a local Springfield artist who taught art at Springfield High School. She created a number of outdoor sculptures in the region including large scale work for Shepherd of the Hills and a famously vandalized sculpture at Phelps Grove Park.

The Museum is excited to have this new addition to the collection. And we are happy to note that the mahogany sculpture of Eve will soon be on exhibit, on loan to the History Museum on the Square in their summer exhibit From Paintbrushes to Pincushions: Women's Artistry in the Ozarks.

- Sarah Buhr, Curator

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A Jacquard woven coverlet is now on exhibit in the recently re-opened Musgrave wing. This coverlet was likely made in Ohio, around 1860, possibly by the weaver Daniel Pursell.

Made of natural colored cotton, and blue and red wool, it measures 88" x 80" and was woven in two panels, joined by a center seam running the length of the coverlet. It is a double weave construction, meaning there are two complete sets of warps and wefts present.

In America's early days, professional weavers attached the Jacquard head to their looms which allowed them to program intricate patterns by a series of punch cards that controlled the harnesses of the loom. These patterns were more complicated than what a home weaver could produce, so bedcovers like this one were special products that people would purchase from a weaver. The weaver likely punched his own cards, and the purchaser of a blanket could pick and choose which patterns suited their fancy.

Designs present in this coverlet are: "Birds of Paradise," "Penelope's Flower Pot," and "Boston Town."

The late 1800's would see the Industrial Revolution sweep the country, and factory production of bed coverings made small weaving shops like the one where this coverlet was produced a thing of the past.

To see a video of a Jacquard loom attachment click here.

To see a Daniel Pursell coverlet in the collection of the National Museum of American History click here.

Greta Russell, Registrar

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NEW UPGRADES!

For the last two months, the Musgrave Wing has been closed for the completion of some exciting new changes - a transition to LED lights!!

We are very excited about this as it enables us to provide brighter, clearer lighting while supporting better conditions for the continued preservation and care of the artwork. The LED bulbs emit zero UV rays -  one of the primary harmful effects of our older incandescent and halogen bulbs.

Additionally, these bulbs do not produce heat which also helps our delicately balanced climate control system to maintain proper temperatures in the galleries. The energy savings are another bonus.

One final feature that has us excited - some of the bulbs are dimmable which gives us more finite control over the light levels directed on specific works of art. Light exposure of any kind is still harmful to art, even with LED bulbs, so our staff must still maintain controls over the level of light emitted. With the new dimmable feature, we can now precisely set the light levels on more sensitive artworks.

The galleries will be re-open April 1 with a number of new works on view from the permanent collection. We hope you'll stop in to check out the new and improved Musgrave Wing!

Sarah Buhr, Curator

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William Jerry Teed and Harriet C L Street Teed were a Springfield couple married on September 15th, 1864. The Springfield Art Museum is home to the archives of Albert Street, Harriet’s brother and William’s close friend. Included in these archives are letters between the three of them. In an early letter, Albert tells William he should “call upon” his little sister Hattie. Well, it appears he did, and a few years later they were married, much to Albert’s pleasure. In 1863 he writes to William: “I feel that you will be all (and more) to dear little Hattie”

A month before their marriage, William was travelling and Hattie writes “ How unceasingly have I thought of you dearest, and oh how I’ve longed to know how you are” as well as telling him stories of sleeping with his letters under her pillow, and her friends guessing at their engagement. 

Going on display in our upcoming String Theory exhibit is Harriet’s wedding dress of blue silk, their marriage licence, and a small prayer book carried by Harriet at their wedding.

Hattie and William had one daughter, also named Harriet, and in a quick note in 1866 William informs Hattie that, unfortunately, the cat has eaten her pet canaries, but signs off with “Kiss the baby and yourself for me.”

Sadly, Hattie died only three years after they wed from an unknown disease and is buried in Hazelwood cemetery in Springfield. But through housing and taking good care of these archives, we can get a glimpse into the lives of these families and friends, and help their stories live on.

Come to the museum between April 30th and October 16th to see Hattie’s wedding dress, and learn more about textiles from Springfield and around the world.

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Richard Hunt, Triangulum, 1974, cor-ten steel, welded. Collection of the Springfield Art Museum.

Collection Highlight

Many who visit the Museum may have seen this sculpture located on the north side of the amphitheater. This work is titled Triangulum and was created by Chicago-based sculptor Richard Hunt.

Hunt grew up in Chicago and was encouraged by his parents in his artistic pursuits from an early age, enrolling in a summer program at age fifteen at the Junior School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He eventually received his bachelor's degree there where he won a number of scholarships and awards for his work.

Hunt opened his own workshop in 1953 where he began producing sculpture that was essentially figural, reflecting classical themes. His Hybrid Figures series, made in a range of materials from copper and iron to aluminum and steel, refer to the natural, living forms of plants, animals and humans.

A major commission in 1967, Play, marked a turning point in Hunt's career. The proposed sculpture was so large that his studio could not physically accommodate it, so for the first time he began working with the aid of assistants and machines in a metal fabrication shop. This began what Hunt considers as his "second career" - that of a public sculptor.

While studio sculptures evoke the spontaneous hand of the artist and tend to be more introspective, Hunt's fabricated sculptures made for public spaces allow the artist to conceive of his work in terms of broad spatial, material and interactive possibilities, frequently taking on a life of their own as they twist upwards and outwards. His public works necessarily respond to the dynamics and vernacular of the particular community for which it was created. "Artists no longer must imitate nature, but are free to interpret it," he has said. "Sometimes I try to develop forms nature might create if only heat and steel were available to her."

Sarah Buhr, Curator