Artist David Henderson speaks at Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art on Sept. 26

Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art, Auburn University will host Brooklyn-based artist David Henderson for a talk and opening reception of A Brief History of Aviation on Thursday, September 26 at 5:00 p.m. His art has been written about in ArtNews, The Boston Globe, The New York Times, and The New Yorker, among other publications, and has appeared in exhibitions across the United States and in Paris, France. The piece will be installed in the Grand Gallery, which presently showcases smaller sculptural works from the museum’s permanent collection. The sculptor’s invitation is a part of the museum’s fall sculpture exhibition schedule, including “Full Circle: The Sculptures of Jean Woodham,” on view through October 12, 2013, and “Out of the Box: A Juried Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition,” opening on October 4, 2013.



Dennis Harper, the museum’s curator of collections and exhibitions, said that the forms in Henderson’s work are constructed of fiberglass and Dacron fabric—the same materials used for ultra-light aircraft and reflects man’s longstanding fascination with flight. “The thing most interesting to me was that the entire piece is lighter than you would think.”

The museum’s Grand Gallery is the sixth venue to host this traveling exhibition; prior to delivering some materials in August, Henderson had only seen floor plans, measurements and photos of Auburn’s museum. Henderson said he used computer aided design programs, or CAD, to render what the sculpture will look like in the Grand Gallery. “In a CAD program, you have much more flexibility,” he said. “You can chop up your model and still keep the original. You can do a video walk through or build an entire space while making changes to your design.”

Henderson added that there are limits to possible configurations without completely redesigning the sculpture because the piece is based on an actual building: a 15th-century cathedral ceiling. This is why, he said, he made the piece modular. “The sculpture can grow in length or in height, but width-wise would be problematic from conceptual and practical viewpoints,” he said. “I have tried to engage the space in different ways.”

One of the museum staff members who will assist Henderson next week is Ty Smith, museum preparator and an adjunct instructor in the art department at Auburn. Smith said that the job of a preparator involves working alongside artists, curators, and designers to ready a museum space for exhibition, with duties ranging from the transportation, framing, placement, and lighting of art. “Henderson has delivered 20 total units. He has shipped some connecting units that are specific to the proportions of the Grand Gallery. Those are going to be custom to this particular installation. He plans to fully install it as one unit, and then we’ll assist under his direction in moving the modules to determine placement,” he said. “The piece is supposed to go very high, reaching the point where the curved ceiling of the museum slopes downward.”

Smith said he believes that guest artist lectures are significant because one gets an opportunity to expose another layer than just the work itself. “The work should come first, but the lecture is always so insightful, because in most cases you get a context for that person’s work and the way that it has progressed to that moment and from whence these ideas have evolved.” He said that this particular sculpture might strike a chord with viewers, not only because of the immediate physical connection with a piece that can be walked around and stepped through, but an experiential connection as well. “A lot of artists may struggle to find a way to make a quick connection to a viewer,” he said. “By using the word “aviation”, you have this specific, relatable place to start to interact with the work.”

Advanced registration is encouraged via the Eventbrite application of the museum’s web site. Auditorium seating is limited and ticket holders will be seated first. A reception will follow.

Visitors can see Henderson’s work through Jan. 4, 2014, Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with extended gallery and café hours until 8 p.m. on Thursdays. On Sundays, the museum is open from 1 to 4 p.m. Admission to the museum is free courtesy of the JCSM Business Partners.

FIRST SCULPTURE INSTALLATION REALIZES VISION 10 YEARS IN THE MAKING

The first of 10 large-scale outdoor sculptures has been sited on the grounds of Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art, Auburn University. The exhibition, “Out of the Box: A Juried Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition,” opens officially to the public with our community-wide ticketed 10^th anniversary celebration on Friday, October 4, 2013 at 6 p.m., featuring live music and a tasting tour reception. Over the course of the next few weeks in September, visiting artists and museum staff members will finish preparing the Lethander Art Path around the museum lake for the nine other sculpture installations. Guest jurors and artists, Carol Mickett and Robert Stackhouse will announce the first place, second place, and honorable mention awards that evening. The show will remain on exhibition on the museum grounds through early fall 2014.

Andy Tennant, the museum’s assistant director and co-curator of “Out of the Box”, said that the organizational vision to have sculpture permanently on the grounds dated back to the museum’s official opening to the public on October 3, 2003. “With this expansive landscape we have on South College, the plan for a sculpture garden was laid out from the beginning. Upon completion of the museum, the sculpture garden was, unfortunately, put on hold,” he said. “Undeterred, our staff decided to take a different approach and consider the idea of an outdoor sculpture competition that could potentially grow into a regular outdoor sculpture program at the museum.”

“Out of the Box” is the first time that the museum has presented large-scale outdoor sculpture in an exhibition. Jessica Hughes, curatorial assistant, said that this exhibition offers a unique opportunity for viewers to experience a range of contemporary sculpture. “As opposed to an exhibition featuring the work of a single artist, “Out of the Box” gives visitors the chance to get to know a wider variety of work from a diverse group of sculptors working today,” she said. “In many ways, this exhibition serves as an introduction to the possibilities of the medium, particularly, the possibilities for sculpture here at Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art." 

One of the selected finalists, Florida-based sculptor Claudia Jean Klein, worked alongside Tennant, Hughes, and museum preparator Ty Smith Monday to install her work, “Shanti.” Klein said that the title comes from a Hindu word meaning peace. “The sculpture was a journey for me in creating a state of slowing down confusion and chaos in my own mind by meditating and controlling the pieces around so that they remain still and calm,” she said. “As a result, I could create a sense of peace and a sense of stillness within myself but also outside myself in response to the chaos and confusion that is often in the world. There is a meditative figure there at the top of the chaos at the points where the tubing twists around. The structure is made of the same material to communicate the connection to our outside world.” Over the course of her career, Klein has worked in clay sculpture and ceramics, but said she has most recently focused on metal and fiberglass sculpture because that has allowed her to fully express herself. “While there’s always different medias to explore, sculpting is how I can communicate what is inside. Art through the visualation of it, the interaction of it, and the creation of it does helps us focus and become aware of other aspects of our own inner self that are already there. We can use this information to see things from a different space.”

Hughes said that regardless of one's familiarity with sculpture, jurors Mickett and Stackhouse's selections form an exciting and interactive grouping. Mickett said that when judging a sculpture competition, she is not a casual viewer but rather takes on the responsibility to tell a story about sculpture that can be gathered from looking at submissions. “I looked at how the piece of sculpture fits into the history of sculpture yet addresses it in a unique way,” said Mickett. “Being an artist myself, I took each submission seriously since I do understand how much it takes to not only do one’s work but also to present one’s work to the public.” Mickett and Stackhouse will deliver an artist talk on Thursday, October 3, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. at the museum covering their exhibition “Breath of Identity,” on view through January 4, 2014.        

Tickets to the October 4^th anniversary festivities are $45 per person and $25 for Auburn University students with a valid Auburn I.D. Individuals may purchase tickets online at www.jcsm.auburn.edu/outofthebox as well as print free tickets to the Birthday Party and Family Day on October 5 via the Eventbrite application. Prices include all taxes and fees and are non-refundable and non tax-deductible.

“Out of the Box: A Juried Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition” is sponsored by Julian Roberts Haynes in memory of Dr. Lucile McGehee Haynes and Grace K. and David E. Johnson. The Susan Phillips Educational Gift Fund provided additional funding. For more information, go to www.jcsm.auburn.edu or call 334-844-1484. 

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Contributed by Charlotte Hendrix

Museum to exhibit lithographs from top American artists and printers of last 50 years

AUBURN UNIVERSITY – The lithography exhibition “Tamarind Touchstones: Fabulous at 50 – Celebrating Excellence in Fine Art Lithography” is on view through August 17, 2013 at the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art at Auburn University.

The exhibition features 61 prints from many of the most significant American artists and printers of the last 50 years, including Josef Albers, Willie Cole, Roy De Forest, Richard Diebenkorn and Kiki Smith.

The museum has invited the director of Tamarind Institute, Marjorie Devon, to deliver her lecture “Pressing Ideas: Mastering the Art of Collaboration at Tamarind” on Thursday, May 30, at 6 p.m. in the Martin-Perricone Auditorium. The event is for student and museum members with extended gallery hours and a reception to follow.

Dennis Harper, the museum’s curator for collections and exhibitions, said for the exhibition to come to Auburn is very relevant to the university’s artistic legacy because of Auburn’s long and rich tradition of printmaking. He said Maltby Sykes, whose career with the art department at Auburn University spanned more than three decades until his retirement in 1979, is an important part of that tradition.

“Maltby Sykes, in a way, is the father of the program, but many fine works have come out of the faculty and student body here over the years,” Harper said.

He noted that prints are also a significant part of the museum’s permanent collection.

Describing the exhibition, Harper said, “The exhibition demonstrates not only the wide technical possibilities available through lithography, but it also illustrates the changing face of contemporary art over the last half-century.”

The Tamarind Institute is a center for research, education and creativity in fine art lithography with the College of Fine Arts at the University of New Mexico.

“Hundreds of Tamarind-trained printers have established workshops around the world, and lithography plays an important role in many contemporary artists’ processes,” Devon said. “The popularity of digital media has both augmented and threatened hand processes, but many artists still long for ‘the touch of the hand’ that the sensuous process of lithography offers.”

Devon said that she hoped that visitors to this exhibition would see the difference between an original print and a photographic reproduction of a pre-existing image.

“All of the images in Tamarind Touchstones were created by the artists specifically for this medium,” she said. “An artist chooses a medium, whether painting, sculpture, or any of the various print media, based on its inherent vocabulary of marks.”

With the collaborative nature of lithographic printing, she felt as though working with another professional gives artists an advantage. “Learning a new ‘language’ is often creative fodder for artists.”

To become a museum member and attend the May 30 opening, go towww.jcsm.auburn.edu/jointo see levels and benefits. Memberships for Auburn University students are free, and membership levels start at $45 for individuals. Admission to the exhibition is free courtesy of the museum’s business partners.

Museum Art Clubs Engage Youth Over the Summer Months

Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art, Auburn University will offer three different youth art programs from the end of May to the beginning of August, with a break in classes for Independence Day on July 5 and 6. “State of Create” is geared towards rising seventh through 12th grade students and meets Fridays beginning May 24 through August 9 from 1 p.m. to 2:30 pm; “ArtyPants” is designed for rising kindergarten through second graders beginning May 25 through August 10 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.; and “stART!” caters to rising third through sixth graders from May 25 through August 10 from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. A City of Auburn K-12 Arts Education Outreach Grant and museum members support these free education programs.

Andrew Henley, the museum’s curator of education for K-12, oversees the museum’s regular Art Clubs during the academic year and these expanded summer programs. He said spending time at the museum is one way to keep youth academically involved over the summer months while also having fun. “Children of all ages are always engaged in something. Some students are voracious readers; others enjoy TV, sports or spending time with friends. At ‘State of Create,’ ‘ArtyPants,’ and ‘stART,’ students are challenged and engaged by their own creative drive,” he said. “When the summer months can be wildly unstructured and potentially unsupportive of cognitive growth, the museum offers a place for the application of creative thinking skills.”

Not all of the programs are strictly just hands-on art activities, according to Henley. “Some of the sessions have additional educational components that relate to the works of art on view at the museum, and each project has an historical background that I like to include,” he said. “Sometimes, that’s as simple as including an image of WPA murals or a print by Albrecht Durer using a grid method. Sometimes the art history instruction comes from a reaction to a student’s work of art that is reminiscent of a particular artist or artistic style.”

“These drop in studios are divided into age groups to help both students and educators work at the level of each student,” said Henley. “Students can come for any of the sessions. Of course, students will get the most benefit if they come to all of them but it is not a requirement,” he said. “Each session is edifying on its own.”

Class sizes are limited, so advance registration is strongly encouraged via the museum’s website, www.jcsm.auburn.edu/programs. Parents are encouraged to stay for the session and should only register the number of youth attending the program for tickets. For assistance, contact the museum at 334.844.3486.

(Contributed by Charlotte Hendrix)

Museum Partners with Third-Generation Wood Turner for Auburn Oaks Project

AUBURN UNIVERSITY – A portion of the recently removed Auburn Oaks at Toomer’s Corner will be turned into a contemporary work of art for the Jule Collins Smith Museum by Matt Moulthrop, a third-generation wood turner. Moulthrop’s work has been displayed in museums throughout the United States, including the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American Art in Washington, D.C., and the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh.

About two years ago after hearing about the poisoning of the Auburn Oaks. Moulthrop, an Atlanta resident, contacted Auburn University alumni, Jim Gorrie through a mutual friend.  Mr. Gorrie went to Grant Davis, Secretary of the university’s Board of Trustees who brought museum director Marilyn Laufer into the conversation which has resulted in the museum’s partnering with the artist to create an artwork from Auburn Oaks wood that will be part of the museum’s permanent collection.

“When you consider the legacy and contributions of the entire Moulthrop family to wood turning, I would equate this in art history terms to having Pablo Picasso call you up to talk about creating a painting for the museum,” Laufer said. “We are very grateful for this opportunity.”

A portion of the wood from the oaks will be delivered to the artist from which he will create a wood bowl about 30 inches in diameter. The entire transformation process, which includes drying, turning and treating the wood, is expected to take approximately one year.

The history of the Moulthrop family name in the wood turning field began with Matt’s grandfather, Ed Moulthrop, who was an architect by trade and started turning wood after reading an article in Popular Mechanics. “Ed Moulthrop designed his own custom lathe and the tools necessary to work with large-scale pieces,” said Laufer. “He is credited with elevating wood turning to a highly regarded art form and is known for large-scale wood vessels from trees that primarily grow in the Southeast.”

“Ed’s son, Philip, worked alongside his father to further customize the tools, techniques and treatment solutions,” she said. “He also created a way of using branches to create a new mosaic effect in his work. Matt apprenticed with both his grandfather and father and carries on the tradition with the way he can read a piece of wood and reveal the story of the wood in shape and color. He continues to honor the legacy and make his own mark through further innovation and technical expertise.

Laufer said plans to unveil the bowl at a later date are in process and will depend on final delivery of the bowl and the upcoming exhibition schedule.

“So much of the Moulthrops’ unique technique calls for the artist to use art, geometry, horticulture, chemistry, engineering and even history to create the finished product. Using those skills, all of which are part of our academic tradition, to create a memorial artwork from the Auburn Oaks for the university’s art museum is a fitting tribute. Long after the last roll, this piece will serve as a reminder of the trees, and our celebrated traditions, as well as a beautiful work of art by a renowned artist that transforms the normal into the extraordinary,” Laufer said.

For more on the museum, visit www.jcsm.auburn.edu.

(Contributed by Charlotte Hendrix)