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September 24, 2023

Talbot Spy

Nonpartisan Education-based News for Talbot County Community

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Arts Arts Notes

Academy Art Museum Announces the 26th Annual Craft Show

September 16, 2023 by Academy Art Museum Leave a Comment

This year’s 26th annual Academy Art Museum Craft Show, will be held on October 28 & 29 with a Preview Event on October 27. The show will feature over 75 juried exhibitors, including established artists, returning favorites from years past and more than 40 artists new to the show. Participating artists create work in all media including Basketry, Ceramics, Fiber – Decorative, Fiber – Wearable, Glass, Jewelry, Leather, Metal, Mixed Media, Sculpture and Wood.New this year is the Craft Show Marketplace on Saturday, October 28. Additional artist booths will be featured outside on South Street between the two show venues—the Academy Art Museum and the Waterfowl building. The street will be engaged with other activities including woodworking classes with Woodworks on Wheels, pasta-making demonstrations with Piazza Italian Market and glass blowing demonstrations with Valencia Glass.

Woodworks on Wheels, owned and operated by Mark Freibaum, is a hands-on, mobile studio that offers woodworking experiences for a variety of skills levels. Mark created his studio to share his love of woodworking with students of all ages. Patrons can register in advance for one of 4 classes offered on Saturday and Sunday to make a charcuterie board and learn basic woodworking skills in the process. Classes are $50 members and $60 for non-members and includes entry into the Craft Show all weekend.

Woodworks on Wheels will also be hosting the free Little Crafters session on Sunday, October 29 at 1-3pm. Crafters of all ages will create a pinewood derby car, then race it on the special derby track.

“We are so excited to share the Craft Show Marketplace with our patrons this year. We’ve added so many fun and new activities that just add another level of interest to the show,” says Jennifer Chrzanowski, Director of Communications and Audience Development.

Peters Valley School of Craft, which will be featured at this year’s show, has a strong mission to enrich lives through the learning, appreciation, and practice of fine crafts. They have been working towards this for over 50 years at their beautiful campus in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area in Layton, NJ. Offering classes in Blacksmithing, Basketry, Ceramics, Fibers and Textiles, Glass, Jewelry and Fine Metals, Printmaking, Book Arts, Woodworking and more; Peters Valley provides an inspiring natural setting, intensive instruction, the right tools, and a supportive environment to immerse oneself in making things by hand. A selection of artists will represent Peters Valley at the Craft Show: Lindsay Davis (Glass/Ceramics), Sean Fitzsimmons (Metal/Blacksmithing), Madie Maier (Jewelry), Kat Nash (Wood), Jacklyn Scott (Ceramics), and Emelia Stern (Fiber).

Craft Show Board Chair Diz Hormel states “We are delighted to have the students from Peters Valley at the Museum as it feels very in line with our mission. Art is for everyone and like Peters Valley, we encourage people who are getting started in art.”

The hours for the Craft Show are 10 am to 5 pm Saturday, October 28, and 10 am to 4 pm Sunday, October 29. Patrons will be able to vote for their favorite artist for the Craft Show People’s Choice Award which will be given on Sunday morning to the artist with the most votes. Live glass blowing demonstrations from Valencia Glass will be featured daily. Admission to the Craft Show is $10 per Museum member and $12 for non-members which includes a Craft Show tote bag.

Tickets for the Craft Show Preview Event, which will be held from 5:30 – 9:00 pm on Friday, October 27, will go on sale October 1. The party will feature Richmond-based artist Michael-Birch Pierce who will live stitch portraits using a standard home sewing machine. Pierce has embroidered portraits of celebrities such as John Malkovich and Leonardo DiCaprio and at celebrations hosted by Target, Hugo Boss, NBC, Visa, Delta and Airbnb. Food, libations and music will be offered throughout the show. The ticket price for the evening is $125 for Museum members and $150 for non-members. For a special portrait sitting with Michael-Birch Pierce, tickets are $175 for members and $200 for non-members. All Preview Event tickets include unlimited re-entry to the show on Saturday and Sunday.

For those interested in Sponsoring the Craft Show, please contact the Museum. All proceeds from fees, ticket sales and generous community sponsorships directly support the Museum’s mission of providing meaningful art experiences and education to the Mid-Shore.

To purchase tickets or register for Woodworks on Wheels classes, visit academyartmuseum.org.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Arts Notes

AAM: The 48-Hour Video Race in On

September 1, 2023 by Academy Art Museum

The video race is back for its second year! The Academy Art Museum is pleased to present the 48-Hour Video Race in partnership with the Ocean City Film Festival and organized by Francisco Salazar. This event is included in the AAM Summer Series programming and is free and open to the public.Filmmakers of all ages (either as a team or solo) will have the chance to create a one-to-seven-minute video that will be screened at the Academy Art Museum on Friday, September 22. Films must incorporate a word and theme that will be provided to competitors via email on Friday, September 15 at 5 pm. Budding and experienced filmmakers will have just 48 hours to shoot, edit, and submit a video by the deadline of Sunday, September 17 at 5 pm.

A panel of judges, including Founder and Creative Director of the Ocean City Film Festival B.L. Strang-Moya, will choose the Best in Show for two categories—Student/Family (at least 50% of the filmmaking team are under 18) and Adult—in addition to a People’s Choice Award selected on the evening of the film screening. All winners will be featured in the 2024 Ocean City Film Festival. By being featured in the OCFF, the filmmakers each receive a pass and a plus-one for the whole event. Cash prizes will also be awarded.

Timeline:
Now through September 15 – Sign-up to participate. REGISTER HERE
Friday, September 15, 5 pm – Film theme and word will be emailed to all teams
Saturday, September 17, 5pm – Film submission deadline
Friday, September 22, 6 pm – All films will screen at AAM, winners will be announced

AAM Summer Series Presents:
48-Hour Video Race
Registration: Now through September 15, 2023
Film Screening: Friday, September 22, 2023, 6pm

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Arts Notes

Academy Art Museum Announces New Board Members

August 28, 2023 by Academy Art Museum

AAM incoming Board of Trustee Members. Left to right: Director Sarah Jesse, Board Chair Nanny Trippe, Sue Bredekamp, Christina Acosta, Jazmine Paxon, Don Wooters and incoming Board Chair Donna Alpi. Not pictured: Sandy Cardin, Robert Fogarty, Joanne Lukens, Patricia Parkhurst, and Dan Weiss

The Academy Art Museum announces nine new trustees who have been appointed to the Board: Christina Acosta, Sue Bredekamp, Sandford Cardin, Robert Fogarty, Joanne Lukens, Patricia Parkhurst, Jazmine Paxon, Daniel Weiss, and Donald Wooters. Four trustees have completed their terms: Craig Fuller, Jeffrey Huvelle, Paige Tilghman, and Liz Underhill. Board Chair Nanny Trippe will also be leaving the board after serving six years as a board member and two as Chair. Donna Alpi will be the new Board Chair beginning September 1, 2023.

“It has been hugely gratifying to be the Chair of the Museum’s board–a wonderful, diverse group of people who are invested in the present as well as the future of the institution. I am excited for the transition to Donna. Her enthusiasm, experience, and critical thinking are coming at a wonderful time for the Museum and she’s going to be terrific,” Nanny Trippe comments.

Looking to the future, Donna Alpi shares, “As Chair, I want to support our dedicated Trustees in their roles as advocates for and ambassadors of the Museum and continue the great work the Board is doing to connect with broad audiences.”

“It has been a delight to work closely with Nanny over the last two years. The museum has benefited from her stewardship. We are fortunate to welcome a talented cohort of civic leaders to the team. Donna is a public-spirited and experienced board member who will be an incredible Chair for the Museum,” states Director Sarah Jesse.

AAM outgoing Board of Trustee Members. Left to right: Craig Fuller, Director Sarah Jesse, Board Chair Nanny Trippe and Jeffrey Huvelle. Not pictured: Liz Underhill and Paige Tilghman.

AAM Board Chair Donna Alpi

Donna Alpi has been a member of AAM’s Board of Directors for 5 years. During her time as a Trustee, she has served as Chair of the Long Range Planning Committee, as Vice Chair of the Board and has served on the Finance, Investment, Development and Nominating Committees. As Chair of the Long Range Planning Committee, Donna led AAM’s Strategic Planning process in 2021, led a review and revision of the AAM Bylaws and coordinated and organized the Board retreats in 2022 and 2023. Donna was a member of the Search Committee during the search for AAM’s new Director in 2020 and serves on the Talbot Lane special committee. Donna was co-chair of the AAM Gala with Jill Meyerhoff in 2021.

Donna currently serves as Chair of the Board of the Arlington Free Clinic in Arlington, Virginia. Her term ends in November 2023. She was a member of AFC’s Board of Directors from 2012-2017, served as AFC Gala Chair in 2011, and has served on many AFC Board and Gala Committees between 2005-2018, including as Chair of the Governance Committee and Chair of the Executive Director Search and Transition Committees.

Donna was a Girl Scout leader from 2007-2020. She was honored with the Jan Verhage Spirit of Leadership Award in 2020 and the Outstanding Leader Award, Service Unit 60-2 in 2011. She was the recipient of the Tred Avon Yacht Club Richard Norris Leadership Award in 2011 for her contributions to the TAYC junior sailing program.

Donna is a graduate of the Law School of the University of Pennsylvania and Penn State, where she graduated with distinction and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. She also has an LLM in Taxation from Georgetown University Law Center and an Executive Certificate in Nonprofit Management from The Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy. Before retiring, Donna practiced tax law with the firms Skadden Arps and Hogan & Hartson, where she was a partner.

Donna and her husband Jim split their time between their homes in Arlington, Virginia and Oxford, MD. When she is on the Shore, Donna enjoys working in her garden, having friends over for casual get togethers and attending as many lectures, book readings and artist talks as possible at AAM. She also enjoys spending time on the water with her husband Jim in their boat “Sweet.” Donna has two cherished children; Nicholas, who lives in Washington DC and Caroline, who lives in Manhattan, NY.

AAM New Trustees

Christina Acosta has 11 years of work experience in developing strategic content for brand advancement through press releases, social media, blogs, and project management. She graduated from the University of Texas with a B.A. in English and a concentration in Professional Writing. While in college, she studied abroad in London, England. Since August 2021, she has been the Communications Manager for the Talbot County Free Library. She has previously worked locally for Wye River Upper School, iFrog Marketing Solutions, and The Star Democrat. She also worked as a reporter for La Prensa San Antonio. Christina is a board member of the Chesapeake Multicultural Resource Center (ChesMRC) and is a member of Tidewater Toastmasters. Christina is fluently bilingual in Spanish and English.

Sue Bredekamp and her husband Joe divide their time between the DC area and their house on the Choptank River, which they have owned since 1983. She holds a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction and an M.A. in Early Childhood Education from the University of Maryland and is an Early Childhood Education Specialist. She serves as a speaker and consultant on curriculum, teaching, and professional development for national and state organizations, including the National Associations for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), where she was previously Director of Professional Development and Accreditation, the Council for Professional Recognition, the Office of Head Start, and Sesame Workshop. Sue is the author and editor of four editions of NAEYC’s best-selling, highly influential publication, Developmentally Appropriate Practices in Early Childhood Programs. Sue served as the Chair of the Avalon Foundation Board and successfully raised the funds to purchase the historic theater from the Town of Easton. Currently, Sue is Co-Chair of the National Academies of Sciences Committee on a New Vision for High Quality Pre-Kindergarten Curriculum, and she serves on the Advisory Panel of the Early Educator Investment Collaborative.

Sanford (Sandy) Cardin is an experienced and energetic leader in the fields of philanthropy and organizational development. Prior to his current role as a philanthropic advisor, he built a one office/one- person family foundation into a $2+ billion, multi-office, global enterprise staffed by a team of more than 60 philanthropic professionals known for its creativity and innovation. He holds a BA in American History from Harvard and a JD from UMD School of Law. His career experience includes being President and Senior Advisor of the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation and Director, Mid-Atlantic Region, for The Jerusalem Foundation, Inc. He presently acts as Senior Consultant, Philanthropy and Impact, for Cresset Capital. Sandy served as a Board Member for many organizations, including the Genesis Philanthropy Group, the Sharna and Irvin Frank Foundation, Leading Edge (for which he was also Chair, 2018-19). He also served as Chair of the Westbury Group, Founder and Chair of Tarrytown Group, and CEO of Our Common Destiny.

Robert Fogarty and his wife Maureen have lived in Easton, along with her teenage son, since December 2020 and enjoy visits from Robert’s four children, their spouses, and seven grandchildren. After 46 years in the automotive business, Robert retired and sold his family business to his sons, Robert Jr. and Gibbs. The business includes Chevrolet, Honda, and Cadillac dealerships in Silver Spring, MD. While living in the suburbs of DC, Robert was active in his community, including trustee roles for his regional auto trade association, several private schools, and more recently, the Tewaaraton Foundation. In Easton, Robert is an active member of Christ Church, the Easton Rotary, and Chesapeake Yacht Club. He has enjoyed supporting local nonprofits including AAM, Talbot Mentors, Talbot Hospice, Chesapeake Music, the Avalon Foundation, and River Keepers. Both Robert and Maureen are strong advocates for the local arts community. They enjoy being modest collectors of works by regional artists.

Joanne Lukens is originally from the Tidewater region of Virginia, spent 35 years in Alexandria working and raising her family, and now resides on the Eastern Shore with her husband, Walter. Joanne’s career includes time as a Capitol Hill press secretary, and more recently, as a senior public relations executive, where she created and implemented PR strategies and events for the National Zoo and Toys for Tots, among other clients. Joanne is a published author of children’s stories and has written copy for cultural clients, including The Art Institute of Chicago, The Seattle Art Museum, and The Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia. Joanne served on the Development Board of The Children and Family Network Center, a nonprofit preschool in Alexandria. There, she secured funding for an annual teacher’s salary and opened the door for future donations from a national corporation. In recent years, she has nurtured a passion for art. Aside from art, she enjoys pickleball, shooting, and fishing.

Patricia (Pat) Parkhurst is a retired art educator living in Centreville, MD, with her husband, Steve. She has taught art in both a Pre-K-8th grade school setting (Ruxton Country School, Kent School, The Country School), and home school art programs. She has served on the boards of KidSPOT, Chestertown RiverArts, Kent School, The Gunston School and two foundations. Her contemporary art collection includes works by Flora Yukhnovich, Jeff Koons, Alvin Armstrong, Jeffrey Cheung, and Clarence Heyward. She is pursuing a Masters in Art Education, holds a Certificate in Fundraising from George Washington University, and has a Bachelor’s Degree from Roanoke College.

Jazmine Paxon resides in Easton and is the 1-to-1 Mentoring Program Manager for Talbot Mentors, where she has worked since 2015. She was Campaign Manager for Friends of Jymil Thompson, School Board District 1, Producer for Foolproof Web Series, and Content Creator/Web Designer/Event Coordinator for The Race Thing. Her volunteer work includes Art Educator at Polaris Village Academy, Conversations on Race Facilitator for the Talbot Family Network, Protest Organizer for We Are Human, and Festival Organizer and Spectrum Organizer for Midshore Pride PFLAG, Chestertown. She is currently a Board President for the Talbot Family Network, a Towns Committee Member for Eastern Shore Land Conservancy, and a Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee Member for the Avalon Foundation.

Daniel Weiss is an art historian who served as President and CEO of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, one of the largest and most diverse art museums in the world. Earlier in his career, he was president and professor of art history at Haverford College, president of Lafayette College, and a professor, department chair and dean at Johns Hopkins University. He has published and lectured widely on a variety of topics, including the art of the Middle Ages and the Crusades, higher education, and American culture, and is the author of six books and numerous articles. His scholarship has been recognized in many ways including fellowships from Harvard University and the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Van Courtland Elliott Award from the Medieval Academy of America.

Donald (Don) Wooters is an Eastern Shore native who attended the Maryland Art Institute and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine arts. He has always had an interest in the arts, fashion antiques and design, with a focus on interior design. He began interior design work in the early 70’s in Maryland. In 1981, he moved to Chadds Ford, PA, where he continued interior design work and engaged in the Philadelphia, Chadds Ford, and Wilmington arts scenes. In 1993, Don moved to NYC to work with the interior design studio of ABC Carpet & Home for the next four years. When he left NYC, he moved to Oxford, where he lived and worked for 20 years in the mid-Atlantic area with his spouse. Don was the Chairman for the Designer Show House in 2007 for the Talbot County Historical Society. He opened Dwelling & Design with his business partner in 2007 and retired from the firm in 2017 to continue his interior design career. He was a Board Member for the Avalon Foundation from 2016-18. He stepped down from the Board in 2018 to lead the design and restoration of the Avalon Theatre.

 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Arts Notes

AAM Announces a New Atrium Commission by Marty Two Bulls, Jr

August 20, 2023 by Academy Art Museum

Detail from the installation Dominion, 2023, beer bottles, found trash can, wire, plywood, Courtesy of the Artist

The Academy Art Museum is pleased to announce its new exhibition Marty Two Bulls, Jr.: Dominion. South Dakota-based Oglala Sioux artist Marty Two Bulls, Jr. will transform the Museum’s Saul Atrium Gallery with a site-specific installation. His work critiques consumption culture, using the metaphor of the American Bison, one of the first American resources consumed almost to extinction. The amorphic Bisons emerge from a mess of detritus: paper and Tyvek cutouts, soda cans, milk jugs, and more. Two Bulls, Jr. reflects on consumerism by creating a wasteland resulting from a disconnection with nature and ancestral forms of knowledge.

“We are looking forward to welcoming visitors to Two Bulls, Jr.’s Atrium commission, which serves as a layered acknowledgment of the oppression Native American people have endured in their homelands as well as a critique of consumer culture. The breadth of Two Bulls, Jr.’s practice is incredible: from the immersive, floor-to-ceiling hand-cut prints he amasses on top of one another for his wall-mounted work, to monumental sculptures made from found objects such as bottles and trash cans, Two Bulls, Jr. conjures a mimesis of a crucial sociopolitical reality. We are excited for the interactive dimension of the exhibition, which will allow visitors to scan QR codes to learn the histories of some of the elements Two Bulls, Jr. incorporates into his work, such as barbed wire and the American bison,” states Curator Mehves Lelic.

“Bison were a vital resource for many Native American people until the arrival of European settlers who hunted it to the verge of extinction. Two Bulls, Jr.’s work provides significant fodder for generative discussions about the legacies of colonization and the mistreatment of Indigenous people in this country, as well as our relationship to consumption and capitalism today. We’re thrilled to show our audiences such thought-provoking work and for rich dialogue to emerge,” adds Director Sarah Jesse.

The 2022-2023 Atrium Commission is generously supported by Ca

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Arts Lead, Arts Portal Lead

Academy Art Museum Announces New Exhibitions

July 21, 2023 by Academy Art Museum

The Academy Art Museum is pleased to announce three new exhibitions: Spatial Reckoning: Morandi, Picasso and Villon, 2023 Artist in Residence Laura Letinsky, and Amy Boone-McCreesh: Visual Currency. An opening reception for all three exhibitions and an artist talk with Letinksy will be held on Thursday, August 3 at 5:30 pm.

“Our latest slate of exhibitions—thoughtfully conceived and organized by curator Mehves Lelic—showcase diverse forms of creative expression, from the quiet still life paintings of modernist master Giorgio Morandi to the maximalist mixed media works of contemporary artist Amy Boone-McCreesh. At any given time at the Museum, we want our visitors to experience a wide range of artworks across art history, get inspired, and encounter new ideas—the new shows deliver on our goal,” commented Director Sarah Jesse.

“Our Artist-in-Residence Program is now in its fifth year, and it has given us incredible opportunities to bring artists here to the Eastern Shore to produce work at the Museum and engage with our community. Laura Letinsky’s seminal work questions what a photograph is through intricate yet quiet still lifes. This question resonates deeply with many of us due to the ubiquity of images and cameras in today’s world. We are looking forward to our visitors reflecting on this question through Letinsky’s moving work,” notes Curator Mehves Lelic.

“Letinsky will also produce a limited-edition print for our Emerging Collectors Circle members,” Lelic continues. “This group of art appreciators come together throughout the year for studio visits and fair trips, and their dues support free public programming at the Museum. I am excited to see the piece Letinsky will make here in her studio at the Museum!”

Spatial Reckoning: Morandi, Picasso and Villon
August 1 – October 22, 2023

This exhibition charts the myriad ways in which three prolific European artists used space and perspective as gateways to modern abstraction in the 20th century. Building on—and later breaking canonical rules of—perspective, spatial composition, and ratio, Jacques Villon (French, 1875 – 1963), Giorgio Morandi (Italian, 1890 – 1964), and Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 1881 – 1973), created works that evoked spirituality and emotion and slowly frayed the knot between reality and artistic representation. The resulting depictions of figures and still lifes helped define these artists as pioneers of a trailblazing aesthetic and inspired new frontiers in art, from Modernism and Cubism to Expressionism.

AAM is grateful to the Cincinnati Art Museum, National Gallery of Art, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, the Christian Keesee Art Collection, and Conrad Graeber Fine Art for their generous loans of artwork.

Giorgio Morandi (Italian, 1890-1964), Still Life, c. 1955, oil on canvas, National Gallery of Art, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Lenart in honor of Rusty and Nancy Powell, 1997.112.1

2023 Artist in Residence Laura Letinsky
August 1 – October 22, 2023

Laura Letinsky (Canadian, b. 1962, lives and works in Chicago) is a lens-based artist whose still lifes have transformed the medium in the 20th century. Inserting the aftermath and the human presence into her layered, symbolically-charged still lifes, Letinsky interrogates both the meaning of domestic space and women’s role in it, and the indexical and representational power of photographs. Letinsky is a Guggenheim Fellow, and her work is held in the collections of the Guggenheim Museum; the Getty Museum; the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago; and the Winnipeg Art Gallery, and has been exhibited internationally.

Letinsky will present a masterclass during her residency in August 2023 on how the camera shapes our understanding of the world.

The Artist in Residence program is generously supported by Mary Ann Schindler.

Laura Letinsky (Canadian, b. 1962), Untitled #9a (diptych), from the series To Say It Isn’t So, 2006, chromogenic print, courtesy of the Artist and Yancey Richardson Gallery

Amy Boone-McCreesh: Visual Currency
July 28 – November 5, 2023

Baltimore-based artist Amy Boone-McCreesh works in sculpture, collage, and mixed media to present colorful, maximalist takes on luxury and access. Critiquing preconceived notions of adornment and decoration, especially as they relate to interior space, and reconstructing imagined interiors in a brightly colored and explosive manner, Boone-McCreesh points to the arbitrariness of taste and opens a door to imagining how else our collective understanding of exclusivity and poshness might manifest. Her brand of luxury speaks the language of abundance and is derived from distinctly unrarefied materials: wall paint, acrylic, paper, and beads are just some examples. The result is a blossoming world of excitement that flaunts the language of high fashion and design of our time.

Boone-McCreesh received her MFA from Towson University in Maryland and shortly thereafter was awarded a two-year Hamiltonian Artist Fellowship in Washington, DC. Her work has been included in exhibitions across the country and she is a two-time recipient of the Maryland State Arts Council Individual Artist Award.

Amy Boone-McCreesh (American, b. 1985), Access to Beauty II, 2021, mixed media and collage on paper, courtesy of the Artist

About the Academy Art Museum

As the premier art museum on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, the Academy Art Museum presents high-quality exhibitions and a full range of art classes for visitors of all ages. Past exhibitions have featured artists such as James Turrell, Robert Rauschenberg, Mark Rothko, Pat Steir and Richard Diebenkorn. The permanent collection focuses on works on paper by American and European artists from four centuries including recent acquisitions by Graciela Iturbide and Zanele Muholi. Arts educational programs range from life drawing lessons to digital art instruction, and include lunchtime and cocktail hour concerts, lectures and special art events, as well as a Fall Craft Show celebrating 26 years. AAM also provides arts education to school children from the region and is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. To continue the institutional movement of offering free public programming and to give barrier-free access to art, AAM eliminated admission fees in 2023.

Location: 106 South Street, Easton, Maryland
Hours: Tuesday-Wednesday 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, Thursday-Friday 10:00 am to 7:00 pm, and Saturday-Sunday 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Closed Mondays and Federal holidays.
Admission: Free

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Filed Under: Arts Notes Tagged With: Academy Art Museum, Arts, local news

Academy Art Museum Announce Three New Exhibitions

July 20, 2023 by Academy Art Museum

The Academy Art Museum is pleased to announce three new exhibitions: Spatial Reckoning: Morandi, Picasso and Villon, 2023 Artist in Residence Laura Letinsky, and Amy Boone-McCreesh: Visual Currency. An opening reception for all three exhibitions and an artist talk with Letinksy will be held on Thursday, August 3 at 5:30 pm.

Giorgio Morandi (Italian, 1890-1964), Still Life, c. 1955

“Our latest slate of exhibitions—thoughtfully conceived and organized by curator Mehves Lelic—showcase diverse forms of creative expression, from the quiet still life paintings of modernist master Giorgio Morandi to the maximalist mixed media works of contemporary artist Amy Boone-McCreesh. At any given time at the Museum, we want our visitors to experience a wide range of artworks across art history, get inspired, and encounter new ideas—the new shows deliver on our goal,” commented Director Sarah Jesse.

“Our Artist-in-Residence Program is now in its fifth year, and it has given us incredible opportunities to bring artists here to the Eastern Shore to produce work at the Museum and engage with our community. Laura Letinsky’s seminal work questions what a photograph is through intricate yet quiet still lifes. This question resonates deeply with many of us due to the ubiquity of images and cameras in today’s world. We are looking forward to our visitors reflecting on this question through Letinsky’s moving work,” notes Curator Mehves Lelic.

“Letinsky will also produce a limited-edition print for our Emerging Collectors Circle members,” Lelic continues. “This group of art appreciators come together throughout the year for studio visits and fair trips, and their dues support free public programming at the Museum. I am excited to see the piece Letinsky will make here in her studio at the Museum!”

Spatial Reckoning: Morandi, Picasso and Villon
August 1 – October 22, 2023

This exhibition charts the myriad ways in which three prolific European artists used space and perspective as gateways to modern abstraction in the 20th century. Building on—and later breaking canonical rules of—perspective, spatial composition, and ratio, Jacques Villon (French, 1875 – 1963), Giorgio Morandi (Italian, 1890 – 1964), and Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 1881 – 1973), created works that evoked spirituality and emotion and slowly frayed the knot between reality and artistic representation. The resulting depictions of figures and still lifes helped define these artists as pioneers of a trailblazing aesthetic and inspired new frontiers in art, from Modernism and Cubism to Expressionism.

AAM is grateful to the Cincinnati Art Museum, National Gallery of Art, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, the Christian Keesee Art Collection, and Conrad Graeber Fine Art for their generous loans of artwork.

2023 Artist in Residence Laura Letinsky
August 1 – October 22, 2023

Laura Letinsky (Canadian, b. 1962, lives and works in Chicago) is a lens-based artist whose still lifes have transformed the medium in the 20th century. Inserting the aftermath and the human presence into her layered, symbolically-charged still lifes, Letinsky interrogates both the meaning of domestic space and women’s role in it, and the indexical and representational power of photographs. Letinsky is a Guggenheim Fellow, and her work is held in the collections of the Guggenheim Museum; the Getty Museum; the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago; and the Winnipeg Art Gallery, and has been exhibited internationally.

Letinsky will present a masterclass during her residency in August 2023 on how the camera shapes our understanding of the world.

The Artist in Residence program is generously supported by Mary Ann Schindler.

Amy Boone-McCreesh: Visual Currency
July 28 – November 5, 2023

Baltimore-based artist Amy Boone-McCreesh works in sculpture, collage, and mixed media to present colorful, maximalist takes on luxury and access. Critiquing preconceived notions of adornment and decoration, especially as they relate to interior space, and reconstructing imagined interiors in a brightly colored and explosive manner, Boone-McCreesh points to the arbitrariness of taste and opens a door to imagining how else our collective understanding of exclusivity and poshness might manifest. Her brand of luxury speaks the language of abundance and is derived from distinctly unrarefied materials: wall paint, acrylic, paper, and beads are just some examples. The result is a blossoming world of excitement that flaunts the language of high fashion and design of our time.

Boone-McCreesh received her MFA from Towson University in Maryland and shortly thereafter was awarded a two-year Hamiltonian Artist Fellowship in Washington, DC. Her work has been included in exhibitions across the country and she is a two-time recipient of the Maryland State Arts Council Individual Artist Award.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Arts Notes

Adkins Arboretum Receives AAD Grant for Shade Structure

July 20, 2023 by Academy Art Museum

Adkins Arboretum has been awarded a Shade Structure Grant from the American Academy of Dermatology. The grant enabled construction of a permanent shade sail over the Arboretum’s multiuse Visitor’s Center patio that will protect more than 2,300 children and 30,000 visitors annually from harmful ultraviolet exposure, even during the sunniest summer months.

“The Arboretum is grateful for this critical funding from the American Academy of Dermatology,” said Executive Director Ginna Tiernan. “While the Arboretum’s woodland paths and covered pavilion provide shade, the Visitor’s Center holds particular appeal as a programming and gathering space. A shade structure in this high-traffic area benefits a significant number of students and visitors.”

Adkins Arboretum received funding from the American Academy of Dermatologists to install a permanent shade sail on its multiuse Visitor’s Center patio.

Shore Industries of Preston designed and manufactured the shade sail and installed the structure in late spring, just in time to welcome nearly 300 guests and 26 musicians to Forest Music and dozens of children to the Arboretum’s Summer Nature Camps. As an Arboretum sponsor, Shore Industries also provided in-kind services that allowed the project to stay within the parameters of the grant award.

With a membership of more than 20,000 physicians worldwide, the AAD is committed to diagnosis and treatment; advocating high standards in clinical practice, education and research in dermatology; and supporting and enhancing patient care for a lifetime of healthier skin, hair and nails. Since its launch in 2000, the AAD’s Shade Structure Grant Program has awarded funding for more than 450 shade structures that provide shade for more than 3.5 million individuals each day.

Adkins Arboretum, a 400-acre native garden and preserve at the headwaters of the Tuckahoe Creek in Caroline County, provides exceptional experiences in nature to promote environmental stewardship. For more information, visit adkinsarboretum.org.

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Filed Under: Food and Garden Notes Tagged With: Adkins Arboretum, local news

Adkins Mystery Monday: What Native Pollinator Powerhouse Plant is Growing?

July 17, 2023 by Academy Art Museum

Happy Mystery Monday! What native pollinator powerhouse plant is growing in the Parking Lot Alive! gardens?

Last week, we asked you about pokeweed (Phytolacca americana)! Pokeweed can grow up to ten feet tall and has equally impressive taproots growing almost one foot deep and 4 inches thick! While all parts of this plant are poisonous, people have historically prepared the young spring shoots for food (after many rounds of boiling) and have used the berries as a dye. While many may consider this a weed, we recommended leaving this plant for the wildlife as it offers an important food source for birds, insects, and is a host plant for the giant leopard moth.
#adkinsarboretum #mysterymonday #nativeplant #mysteryplant #pollinatorpowerhouse #ethnobotany #hostplant

Adkins Mystery Monday is sponsored by the Spy Newspapers and Adkins Arboretum. For more information go here.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Food and Garden Notes Tagged With: Adkins Arboretum

AAM Summer Series: Exchange: A Pop-up Art Show

July 12, 2023 by Academy Art Museum

The Academy Art Museum, in collaboration with Brea Soul, presents Exchange: A Pop-up Art Show. In its second year, Exchange will host ten artisans and creative entrepreneurs from around the region at the museum on Saturday, August 5 from 12-5 pm. The pop-up will include a variety of artworks, industry experts, a food truck, a community photo booth, youth giveaways, and adult beverages. From paintings and photography to fashion design and ceramics, there is plenty of art for the community to browse through and take home. Exchange celebrates artists, and takes on many characteristics associated with the idea of “community” – exchange of ideas, craft, and support!

RSVP for Exchange here.

Gentry Pack

Featured Artists

Returning as a Fan Favorite, Gentry Pack, (a.k.a G. Pack) is an artist, illustrator, animator, graphic designer and clothing designer for his company, For Glory. From Baltimore, MD, Pack received his BA in Studio Art & Design from the University of Maryland. With a strong influence from the early Venetian, Baroque, and Renaissance periods, G.Pack focuses on combines classical compositions and techniques with modern-day figures, and symbolism deriving from contemporary Black culture.

K.JEAN is a visual artist based in southern Maryland that specializes in drawing, painting, murals, fashion design, and accessories. Her painting style combines multiple art movements, such as abstract, surrealism, mixed-media, and expressionism. She uses unconventional materials and embraces non-binary identities in fashion, extending beyond traditional boundaries. She hopes to inspire others to do the same through her unique vision.

Yusuf Kazmi is a multi-medium artist specializing in cinematography, photography, and visual arts. Yusuf’s passion for visual arts is delivered through CCKASE, the artist’s brand approach to visual storytelling in producing captivating videos and designing unique clothing pieces.

Kait McNeil is an abstract painter from Canada and is now based in Maryland. Her creative process flows strongly through worship music and is inspired by nature, timeless designs, and architecture. McNeil desires to evoke inspiring and uplifting emotions and joy through her artistry with earthy tones, textures, and unique color palettes with soft, moody undertones.

Originally finding his voice through music, Kassim is a Nigerian-American self-taught digital artist from the DMV. Although known for his rap style and performances in the community, he began to teach himself digital art-making techniques using A.I. and code in 2023. Instead of fearing change and the unknown, he embraces it with the goal of pioneering the intersection of tech and hip-hop.

Black Squirrel Company

Featured Makers

Black Squirrel Company – Returns as a Fan Favorite! Based out of Washington, DC, Renata Philippe opened the doors of Black Squirrel Company as a creative outlet in 2014. Philippe creates improvisational sewn quilts and functional art (personal & home accessories). After earning a BS in Apparel Design from the University of Delaware, she worked as a commercial retail merchandiser/store planner and communications engineer for organizations including IKEA, Restoration Hardware, and the U.S. FDA.

Hilary Bruns is a ceramist and began taking pottery lessons in New York City in 1979. Her career as a TV news producer became all-consuming, so she returned to clay as a creative medium once retiring in Easton, MD, and discovering the Academy Art Museum in 2004. Burns has received awards and continues to showcase her artwork at local shows and from her home studio.

Nomen (which means “NAME”) –  Was founded in 2016 out of Tomisin’s (also known as “Tomiboxers”) profound desire to share and explore stories about culture and identity. The brand is a medium to express himself and create art centered on African culture, drawing inspiration from his Nigerian heritage. Being interested in fashion from a young age, Tomisin recognized a streetwear brand as the perfect outlet to amplify his artistic voice. Each Nomen piece and collection is grounded in shedding light on the past as we continue to live and create stories for the future.

Khadija Brand – Pulling from her South Asian roots, Khadija creates wearable, hand-painted art using traditional textile techniques.Giving a classic yet modern twist to textile arts, she started her brand to revive and introduce people to an ancient art form in the U.S. Khadija often collaborates with women artists from her native home country to continue passing this art form on to future generations.  Based in Northern Virginia, her work varies from different textures to different color schemes.

CreTAYtive Customs – Based in Easton, MD, Taylor Wheatly started CreaTAYtive Customs to provide creative solutions for her local community. Specializing in realism and expressionism, Taylor Wheatly’s mission is to grow the brand into an all-purpose creative service.

Brea Soul

About Organizer/Event Curator, Brea Soul

Brea Soul is a digital native who has been bringing visibility to arts and culture for over a decade. She received a B.A. in Fine Arts and an M.S. in Strategic Communications from the University of Maryland, College Park. Originally, from Trappe, MD, and now residing in Miami, FL, Brea serves as Perez Art Museum – Miami’s Marketing Manager. Through Soul Studios Gallery, Brea curates artful experiences dedicated to creating opportunities for emerging creatives and among communities with opportunity disparities.

About AAM Summer Series

The Academy Art Museum enlisted local creatives to design and execute summer programs at the museum from June through September. AAM’s Community Programmers include Kerry Folan, Francisco Salazar and Brea Soul.

Programs and Dates:
June 22, July 13, & August 10: Summer Book Club with Shore Lit
August 5: Exchange: A Pop-Up Art Show
September 22: 48-Hour Video Race

About the Academy Art Museum

As the premier art museum on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, the Academy Art Museum presents high-quality exhibitions and a full range of art classes for visitors of all ages. Past exhibitions have featured artists such as James Turrell, Robert Rauschenberg, Mark Rothko, Pat Steir and Richard Diebenkorn. The permanent collection focuses on works on paper by American and European artists from four centuries including recent acquisitions by Graciela Iturbide and Zanele Muholi. Arts educational programs range from life drawing lessons to digital art instruction, and include lunchtime and cocktail hour concerts, lectures and special art events, as well as a Fall Craft Show celebrating 26 years. AAM also provides arts education to school children from the region and is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. To continue the institutional movement of offering free public programming and to give barrier-free access to art, AAM eliminated admission fees in 2023.

Location: 106 South Street, Easton, Maryland
Hours: Tuesday-Wednesday 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, Thursday-Friday 10:00 am to 7:00 pm, and Saturday-Sunday 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Closed Mondays and Federal holidays.
Admission: Free

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Arts Notes Tagged With: Academy Art Museum, Arts, local news

AAM Announces Its 12th Annual Juneteenth Celebration

June 4, 2023 by Academy Art Museum

The Academy Art Museum is pleased to announce the 12th Annual Juneteenth Celebration on Saturday, June 17 from noon – 3 pm, presented by AAM, Building African American Minds (BAAM), the Frederick Douglass Honor Society, the Talbot County Free Library and Play in Color. This free outdoor block party features musical and spoken word performances, a hands-on art project for families, vendors selling hand made goods, a basketball half-court with a free throw competition, and delicious food vendors, as well as an exhibition of woodcuts by Baltimore-based artist LaToya Hobbs in the Museum’s galleries.

Archeologists from The Ottery Group will also present artifacts unearthed from a recent archeological study commissioned by AAM on land once owned by James and Henny Freeman, the earliest documented free Black landowning family in Easton, MD, and now the site of a future Museum annex.

AAM would like to thank Lead Sponsor Morgan Stanley: Lisa Hunter and Shane Hatfield at Morgan Stanley for supporting this year’s celebration. Additional support for this event is provided by Bay Imprint, Easton Utilities, Granville Fund of MSCF, Bette S. Kenzie, Maryland Public Television, Catherine Collins McCoy, Talbot Arts, and Beverly and Richard Tilghman.

Performance

Devon Beck

Devon Beck, Juneteenth’s MC will perform a spoken word piece for the event. Beck is a leader, builder, and connector who has held leadership roles in education, community development, and the music business. After receiving his undergraduate degree from University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Devon began working in the school system, mentoring and leading young students with those very lessons. Currently, he is the Facilitator of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for Talbot County Board of Education and guides leaders and organizations to remove barriers to inclusion. As Co-Founder with Shelton Hawkins of Play In Color, an organization that uses basketball to build community, Beck continues to make strides to leave a positive impact on the community.

Ruby Fisher is a freshman at Saint Michaels High School. Fisher has had seven years of voice lessons and four years of choir and has performed in many musicals.

Munit and Z Lovebugs are an adorable family band featuring vocalist Munit (Mama) on ukulele and drums, Gabriel (son) on bass, vocalist Meezan (daughter) on ukulele and trumpet, and singer Ayana (the youngest and the firecracker of the band)! They love playing songs of love, peace, positivity, and joy from around the world that make us feel good. Strangers turn into friends and a community is born as they perform and get the audience singing along to their originals and to classic and funky songs that many know and love.

Tavair Tapp first took the stage as The Sagacious Traveler in late 2021 in his hometown of Columbia, Missouri. A singer-songwriter, he has an eclectic lyrical range, from whimsically fun to reflectively somber. Now a resident of Maryland’s Eastern Shore, he performs acoustic versions of originals and covers at local music venues, coffee shops, bars, and festivals throughout MD, DE, and VA. He has two singles available on all streaming platforms: “Neapolitan Ice Cream” (2021) and “Sincerely, Your Dearest Friend” (2022).

 

Art

Arkansas-born, Baltimore-based painter and printmaker LaToya Hobbs creates beautiful portraits of Black women to explore themes of family, beauty, adornment, cultural identity, and sisterhood.

Hobbs holds a BA in Painting from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and an MFA in Printmaking from Purdue University. Her work is housed in the collections of the Harvard Art Museum, the Getty Research Institute, and the Baltimore Museum of Art. She is also a professor at the Maryland Institute College of Art.

Basketball

Drawing inspiration from the book The Black Fives: The Epic Story of Basketball’s Forgotten Era by Claude Johnson, which chronicles the early basketball teams formed by African American churches, athletic and social clubs pre-racial integration, Play in Color is hosting a free throw competition at the Juneteenth Celebration. A limited-editioned Juneteenth basketball, designed by Play in Color co-founder Shelton Hawkins, will be on sale at the event. Proceeds will help fund future Juneteenth Celebrations at AAM.

Archeology

Archeologists Lyle Torp and Dr. Matthew Palus will share initial findings and artifacts from an archaeological study of land once owned by James and Henny Freeman, the earliest documented free Black landowning family in Easton, MD, who lived on the site from 1787- 1828. The site is part of the Hill community, an early free Black settlement in the nation. AAM commissioned the study in advance of developing the property into a Museum annex.

Food and Vendors

Juneteenth fan favorites Chubb’s BBQ and Danielle’s Pit Stop will be back to serve their delicious food again this year. Other food vendors include Spanky’s Soul Food and Creative Creation BBQ. Juneteenth food vendors will share a space with the neighboring Delmarva Pride Festival on the corner of Harrison and South Streets.

The celebration will also include fourteen non-profit booths and a number of local vendors with handmade goods for sale including macramé and fiber art objects by Double Rainbow Designs, ceramic art pieces made by Down2Earth Pottery, Kenneth Fisher’s hand-painted mailboxes, and Antiguan and Barbudan seed work jewelry and other goods by Botanique.

About the Academy Art Museum

As the premier art museum on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, the Academy Art Museum presents high-quality exhibitions and a full range of art classes for visitors of all ages. Past exhibitions have featured artists such as James Turrell, Robert Rauschenberg, Mark Rothko, Pat Steir and Richard Diebenkorn. The permanent collection focuses on works on paper by American and European artists from four centuries including recent acquisitions by Graciela Iturbide and Zanele Muholi. Arts educational programs range from life drawing lessons to digital art instruction, and include lunchtime and cocktail hour concerts, lectures and special art events, as well as a Fall Craft Show celebrating 26 years. AAM also provides arts education to school children from the region and is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. To continue the institutional movement of offering free public programming and to give barrier-free access to art, AAM eliminated admission fees in 2023.

Location: 106 South Street, Easton, Maryland
Hours: Tuesday-Wednesday 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, Thursday-Friday 10:00 am to 7:00 pm, and Saturday-Sunday 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Closed Mondays and Federal holidays.
Admission: Free

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Arts Notes, News Notes Tagged With: Academy Art Museum, Arts, local news

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