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NOW AT THE GRAND RAPIDS ART MUSEUM Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Grand Rapids, MI 49503 Permit No. 126
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Grand Rapids Art Museum 101 Monroe Center Grand Rapids, MI 49503
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MUSEUM HOURS
GENERAL ADMISSION
TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY: 10 am – 5 pm 10 am – 9 pm THURSDAY: 10 am – 5 pm FRIDAY & SATURDAY: 12 noon – 5 pm SUNDAY: closed MONDAY:
Members: Adults: Seniors/Students (w/ID): Youth (6–17): Ages 5 and under:
GRAM is closed October 13 and 14, 2015 Thanksgiving, Christmas, & New Year's Day.
Special exhibition admission may apply. Call or check the website for details.
Handicap parking is available in ramps. Curbside drop-off and wheelchairs also available. Call GRAM Security at 616.242.5033.
TUESDAYS 10 am – 5 pm
Free $8 $7 $5 Free
Free general admission on Meijer Free Tuesdays.
THURSDAYS 5 pm – 9 pm Parking is easy and accessible
GENERAL INFORMATION
Free general admission on Meijer Free Thursday Nights.
. . . . . . . 616.831.1000
GROUPS Auditorium is equipped with assisted hearing
Group discounts apply to church groups, social clubs, and other gatherings of ten or more. For group visits, call 616.831.2919.
Now at the Grand Rapids Art Museum is a triannual publication featuring the programs and events of the Grand Rapids Art Museum. Programs and publications of GRAM are made possible in part with the support of the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Grand Rapids Art Museum Foundation Endowment. NOW at GRAM is printed on recycled paper.
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2014 – 2015 BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Jane Boyles Meilner President
Dear members, friends, and guests,
Tamara R. Bailey Vice President
What an exciting fall season we have planned for you at GRAM!
Tony S. Lawrence Secretary/Treasurer Patricia Betz Khary Bridgewater Marilyn Crawford Sam Cummings Rick DeVos Sydney DeVos Len Dyer Diane Griffin Kurt Hassberger Dirk Hoffius Robert Koenen Joyce Lee Tom Merchant Mary Nelson Lizbeth O’Shaughnessy Christopher Rosmarin Carol Sarosik Seth Starner Eddie T.L. Tadlock Joy Uddin Mark J. Wassink Mitchell Watt Meg Miller Willit
2014 – 2015 GRAM FOUNDATION BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Douglas Williams President Tony S. Lawrence Secretary/Treasurer Charles Anderson Meg Goebel Barbara Jackoboice Jane Boyles Meilner Laurie Murphy Douglas Padnos Mitchell Watt
HONORARY LIFE TRUSTEES
Margaret Bradshaw Anita Carter Pamella DeVos Marilyn Q. Drake David G. Frey Mary Ann Keeler Luci King Mary Loupee Kate Pew Wolters
As I write, preparations are in full swing for Reynold Weidenaar: A Retrospective, the culmination of four years of planning and research, which celebrates the centennial of the birth of this important Grand Rapids artist. You will be delighted by the artistry and imagination embedded within his paintings, watercolors, drawings, and prints on view at GRAM as well as at our collaborating institutions. Learn more about this important American artist by exploring the book GRAM is publishing which can be purchased in The Museum Store, as well as through a variety of interpretive programming including lectures, docent tours, iPad stations in the gallery, and a digital publication which will be available in the Apple iBooks store. There’s always something new to see in our Collection Galleries. We’re especially excited about recent acquisitions to our American Art collection as well as GRAM Selects ArtPrize Seven: Encore and the next installment of our Michigan Artist Series. ArtPrize Encore intersperses our favorites from the annual art competition from diverse venues across the city within the Museum’s unique spaces. The next feature of our Michigan Artist Series, Norwood Viviano: Global Cities comprises a group of hand-blown glass sculptures suspended from the ceiling, each of which represents an international city. Global Cities gives the viewer insight into urban and city life, and ties together the various cultural, social, and economic factors that have shaped the history and life of these urban centers. Beyond that, the Education Center and GRAMStudio will be busy with learning and hands-on activities for all ages, and our fall Sunday Classical Concert Series returns with an exciting program, and each is followed by a docent-guided tour. So come for the music, and stay for the art! I hope to see you at the Museum soon! Warm regards,
REYNOLD WEIDENAAR: A RETROSPECTIVE OCTOBER 25, 2015 – JANUARY 17, 2016
This retrospective exhibition of prints, watercolors, and oil paintings by Grand Rapids native Reynold Weidenaar (1915 – 1985) celebrates his varied and remarkable career on the 100th anniversary of his birth. Support for this exhibition is generously provided by: The Meijer Foundation
Nationally recognized and locally beloved, Weidenaar is one of West Michigan’s most acclaimed and talented artists. Weidenaar’s work is timeless, yet rooted in 20th century American Regionalism, a movement devoted to accurately representing small town and rural life. Reflecting on his career in a 1980 interview Weidenaar said, “I love to record the world around me, and that world is Michigan.” His work depicts West Michigan through a uniquely personal perspective and historical context, and his deep familiarity with the region’s people and places provided him with a wealth of subject matter to explore.
Wege Foundation Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation Mrs. David Hunting Jr.
Dana Friis-Hansen Director and CEO
Cate and Sid Jansma, Jr. Jim and Donna Brooks Sam and Janene Cummings Additional funding is provided by GRAM's Exhibition Society:
Talented, ambitious, and restlessly creative, Weidenaar repeatedly challenged himself to improve his skills and master new artistic techniques. He was known for his technical virtuosity as draftsman and printmaker, and became successful in the 1940s exhibiting and selling his etchings.
James and Mary Nelson Greg and Meg Willit SPONSORSHIP LISTING AS OF PRINT DATE
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Though the technique was not widely practiced in the twentieth century, Weidenaar began creating mezzotint prints in the 1950s. These were especially well received, and his work in mezzotint helped to spur a renewed appreciation and awareness of this unique form of printmaking. In 1954 he took up watercolor painting, and within ten years had created 1,300 watercolors of West Michigan subjects— delightful landscapes and industrial scenes that burst with life. Not content with having mastered etching, mezzotint, and watercolor, Weidenaar also applied himself to painting in oil, and to rediscovering the techniques of the Dutch and Flemish Old Masters.
GRAM joins three other Grand Rapids cultural institutions in celebrating Weidenaar’s centenary year. In spring of 2015, the Grand Rapids Public Museum presented Through the Eyes of Weidenaar, which focused on his self-designated role of chronicler of his community. Concurrent with GRAM’s retrospective are exhibitions at Calvin College’s Center Art Gallery and Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University. Calvin’s exhibition examines the artist’s working methods, including multiple states of individual prints, while Kendall College of Art and Design provides an overview of the artist’s work in drawing and watercolor.
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Member Preview Party Friday, October 23, 2015
Beyond Familiar Ground: The Artistic Journey of Reynold Weidenaar
7:00 – 9:00 pm
Saturday, October 24, 2015
Free, members only
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
GRAM Member Preview Parties feature complimentary hors d'oeuvres, a cash bar, and tours from GRAM docents stationed throughout the galleries. This is the perfect opportunity to view Reynold Weidenaar: A Retrospective before the exhibition is open to the public and to connect with fellow art lovers.
Free with admission, free for GRAM members
Cindy Buckner, GRAM Associate Curator and co-author of Reynold Weidenaar: A Retrospective, will present a lecture detailing Weidenaar's artistic odyssey. Ms. Buckner will take you on a journey from his experiences as a young art student where he developed into an avid and innovative printmaker, to his experimentation with fantastical prints and paintings, and his contentious relationship with the modern art of the 1950s and 1960s.
EXCLUSIVE MEMBER EVENT
Reynold Weidenaar in his studio working on the preparatory drawing for Locomotive Shops, 1947. Photograph courtesy of the Grand Rapids Public Museum.
ABOVE LEFT: Reynold H. Weidenaar (American, 1915–1985). Detail, Marketplace II, 1940. Etching on paper. 9 7/8 x 6 1/4 in. Grand Rapids Art Museum, Gift of Mabel H. Perkins, 1956.2.23. Art © Weidenaar Portfolio, Inc.
PAGE 1: Reynold H. Weidenaar (American, 1915–1985). Detail, Locomotive Shops, 1947. Etching and aquatint on paper. 13 x 16 7/8 in. Private Collection
OPPOSITE: Reynold H. Weidenaar (American, 1915–1985). Detail, Chief Hazy Cloud Park (Ada), 1959. Watercolor on paper. 15 x 22 in. Collection of Weidenaar Portfolio, Inc.
NOW AT THE GRAND RAPIDS ART MUSEUM
EXCLUSIVE MEMBER EVENT
Please RSVP online at registration.kintera.org/ memberpreview or by calling 616.831.2909
COVER: Reynold H. Weidenaar (American, 1915–1985). Detail with photo and graphic treatment, Dawn the Awakening City, 1951. Etching on paper. 2 1/2 x 3 in. Collection of Weidenaar Portfolio, Inc.
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You Won't Want to Miss These Upcoming Events!
All Weidenaar art: © Weidenaar Portfolio, Inc.
Member Day
PANEL DISCUSSION
Saturday, October 24, 2015
Weidenaar Centennial Exhibitions Panel Discussion
10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Thursday, November 19, 2015
Free, members only
7:00 pm – 8:30 pm, free
Drop into GRAM with friends and family for an exclusive peek at Reynold Weidenaar: A Retrospective before it opens to the public! GRAM members and their guests can enjoy complimentary snacks and beverages, docent led tours, and a special guest lecture about the exhibition.
Join us for a panel discussion featuring curators Cindy Buckner from GRAM, Joel Zwart from Calvin College Art Gallery, Sara Idziak from Kendall College of Art and Design, and Alex Forist from the Grand Rapids Public Museum. Learn how the exhibitions at each institution evolved and how each curator approached the art of Reynold Weidenaar from a different perspective.
For more information, please contact membership@artmuseumgr.org or 616.831.2912
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ABOVE: Claude Lorrain (French, 1604–1682). Detail, Departure for the Fields, 1638-1641. Etching on paper. Gift of Mabel H. Perkins, 1964.2.6
GRAM Selects ArtPrize Seven: Encore will showcase some of the strongest works exhibited across Grand Rapids during the annual art competition. GRAM curators will be selecting works originally shown in various ArtPrize venues to be part of an exclusive extension of the ArtPrize experience at GRAM. Chosen for their artistic strength and resonance with the Museum’s collection, works from ArtPrize Seven will be displayed among works in GRAM’s
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Shared Sensibilities places Reynold Weidenaar’s prints alongside those of his predecessors and contemporaries, from seventeenth-century French and Dutch artists to his teacher and fellow regionalist, Thomas Hart Benton. Organized to complement Reynold Weidenaar: A Retrospective, this exhibition of works from GRAM’s collection presents the art of Reynold Weidenaar within the context of both modern and traditional American and European printmaking, showing where he drew inspiration in developing his skill and distinctive style.
November 27, 2015 – August 14, 2016
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October 25, 2015 – January 17, 2016
GRAM Selects ArtPrize Seven: Encore
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Shared Sensibilities: Weidenaar Among his Contemporaries and Predecessors
collection spanning many centuries, on all three floors of the Museum. Displaying contemporary works of art in and among the Museum's permanent collection will encourage guests to explore the unique and surprising connections between them. Chosen works will be announced at the conclusion of ArtPrize Seven, and will be on view by Thanksgiving weekend.
COMING THIS WINTER!
Michigan Artist Series Norwood Viviano: Global Cities
ABOVE: Norwood Viviano (American b. 1972). Detail, Cities: Departure and Deviation, 2011. Variable dimensions. Blown glass and vinyl cut drawings. Photo: Cathy Carver
Women, Art, and Social Change: The Newcomb Pottery Enterprise
November 19, 2015 – February 7, 2016
January 31, 2016 – April 17, 2016
Since the 19th century, artists have made city and urban life a frequent subject of their work. A visual artist and educator with a deep interest in the social sciences, Norwood Viviano creates mixed media installations of sculpture, text, and graphic elements. Global Cities comprises a group of hand-blown glass sculptures, suspended from the ceiling, each of which represents an international city, such as Grand Rapids, Rome, or Beijing. The size and shape of these glass objects is determined by the city's age and population growth. The information on display throughout the installation ties together various cultural, social, and economic factors that have shaped the history and life of these urban centers.
The story of the Newcomb Pottery Enterprise began just after the Civil War; a time when the American South struggled to reinvent itself and American women were beginning the long road toward suffrage and self-determination. In the decades that followed, the Newcomb Pottery enterprise emerged as a quietly radical experiment, offering Southern women the unprecedented opportunity to train as artists and support themselves financially. Working as a collective, the women of Newcomb Pottery produced a rich body of work inspired by the flora and fauna of the Gulf South. Featuring world-renowned pottery, metalwork, textiles, bookbinding, jewelry, and other handicrafts, this exhibition offers insight into the lives of these extraordinary women who made a lasting impression on American art and industry.
LECTURE
Global Cities: Departure and Deviation
Support for this exhibition is generously provided by:
Saturday, November 21, 2015
Steelcase Inc.
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Porter Foundation
Free with general admission, free for GRAM members
The Jury Foundation
Funding for the Grand Rapids presentation of this exhibition is provided by the annual exhibition supporters:
SPONSORSHIP LISTING AS OF PRINT DATE
James and Mary Nelson
Norwood Viviano will discuss the creation of his work, which gives visual form to the growth and decline of international cities, and how this can help us understand these dramatic changes and the future of the urban environment.
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Greg and Meg Willit
ABOVE: Platter, c. 1942–1948. Gulf Stream. Sarah A. E. “Sadie” Irvine with Kenneth Smith or Francis Ford. Newcomb Art Collection, Tulane University.
Women, Art, and Social Change: The Newcomb Pottery Enterprise is an exhibition created by Newcomb Art Gallery, Tulane University, organized for travel by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES), and made possible in part through the generous support of Henry Luce Foundation and an award from the National Endowment for the Arts, Art Works.
SPONSORSHIP LISTING AS OF PRINT DATE
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PR O G R AMS
PR O G R AMS
Saturday Family Fun in GRAMStudio
For the Young, and Young at Heart Sooper Art Contest 2015 – 2016
OCTOBER: Cosmic Comic Wheels Families can join in the fun of Comic-Con and embark on a drawing quest starting in GRAMStudio. Narrate your expedition through the Museum by creating a cyclical comic wheel. Conquer the crusade with innovative illustration techniques and modern drawing methods. NOVEMBER: Cutting-Edge Landforms Play with shape, form, and implied textures by using simple printmaking techniques, puzzle, and place fragments to build unified landforms. Take on the role of an archaeologist and discover these new landscapes through the creation of a mixed media artwork. DECEMBER: Greetings from GRAMStudio
GRAMStudio Drop-In Family Saturdays Saturdays 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Join us as we create sustainable holiday decorations this winter! Learn about the process of paper-making through this fun activity that is perfect for the whole family. Using design skills, we will help you create a small set of greeting cards to send to your friends and family.
Free with admission, free for GRAM members
The next time you visit the Museum on a Saturday, be sure to drop in to GRAMStudio and enjoy hands-on art making and gallery activities. Drop-in Family Saturdays is a great all-ages opportunity for the whole family to enjoy. We are able to offer this program at no additional cost to our visitors thanks to generous sponsorship from Amway.
JANUARY: Contour Connections Twist and connect to explore form and shape in new ways. Learn to bend and wrap wire to create a contour portrait of yourself, your city, or a special person in your life. Learn how a variety of lines form our three dimensional world and apply this knowledge to your original wire sculpture. Sponsored by
For more information, please contact the GRAMStudio team at gramstudio@artmuseumgr.org or 616.831.2927.
Connect with Your Kids in GRAMStudio Parent and Child Workshop: Continuous Landscapes
Winter Art Camp: Installation Exploration
Saturday, November 21, 2015
December 29, 2015 – December 30, 2015
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
10:00 am – 1:00 pm
$10 per child for members, $15 per child for non-members
$30 members, $40 non-members, ages 6+
$5 per parent for members, $8 for parent for non-members
Your child has an exciting opportunity to collaborate with local artists in this unique winter art camp that will guide them through the art-making process, from two-dimensional brainstorming and sketching to three-dimensional planning and installation. This two-day workshop will feature activities in GRAM’s galleries where your child can explore the landscape prints of Reynold Weidenaar and the unique sculptures of Norwood Viviano. Camp will culminate in the creation of a collaborative landscape installation on December 30, at 12:30 pm in the Education Center. Parent participation is both welcomed and encouraged during this live, art-making process.
Create a masterpiece with your child this fall at GRAMStudio! Explore the intricate landscape prints featured in Reynold Weidenaar: A Retrospective and play with color, line, and shape through a continuous landscape painting. Add details, highlights, and shadows through the use of acrylic painting techniques and multiple canvases. For more information, please contact the GRAMStudio team at gramstudio@artmuseumgr.org or 616.831.2927. Register online at pcworkshop.kintera.org today!
Purposeful Play + Artful Learning All day, everyday Free for members, free with admission
Stop by the Guest Services desk and check out our newly re-designed Abstract Adventures Discovery Packs for GRAM visitors five years old and younger! Now these young guests have several packs to choose from that are easily transportable around all of our galleries. Designed for different age groups, these packs can transform the young visitor's Museum experience with self-guided gallery tours and activities that highlight GRAM's collection. Visitors can sign out a Discovery Pack at the Guest Services desk at any time during regular operating hours.
Call for entries! Teachers and parents are invited to submit their student or child's artwork through April 30, 2015. This 6th annual children's art contest is inspired by Sooper Yooper: Environmental Defender, a children's book about the ongoing struggles to protect the Great Lakes, written by Mark Newman and illustrated by the late artist Mark Heckman. An awards ceremony will be held for winners from each age category on Saturday, May 14, 2016 in GRAM’s Cook Auditorium from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm. Entries can be submitted by bringing them to GRAMStudio during regular Museum hours. The Wege Foundation makes this program possible through its generous sponsorship. For contest rules and guidelines, please visit sooperyooper.com. For more information, please contact the GRAMStudio team at gramstudio@artmuseumgr.org or 616.831.2927.
Creativity Uncorked: DIY Altered Books Friday, November 13, 2015 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm, doors open at 6:15 pm $25 members, $30 non-members, ages 21+
Join us for a lively and unforgettable night at the Museum! After GRAM shuts its doors to the public, we invite you and your friends to socialize and make your own original work of art. Explore the world of mixed media and collage by creating an altered book in GRAMStudio. Learn to use layering techniques, oil pastels, cutout methods, and design skills. No experience is necessary, just an open and willing attitude. Due to the “intoxicating” nature of the fun, participation is limited to ages 21+. For more information, please contact the GRAMStudio team at gramstudio@artmuseumgr.org or 616.831.2927. Register online at uncorked.kintera.org today!
Adult Workshop: Natural Pattern Block Printing Saturday, December 12, 2015 10:00 am – 12:00 pm $10 members, $15 non-members, ages 18+
Take a closer look at the world around you with GRAMStudio this winter! Explore the repetitive patterns of nature through mark making and block printing. Referencing the landscape printmaking of Grand Rapids native, Reynold Weidenaar, we invite you to work with us to create an original textile to take home with you. For more information, please contact the GRAMStudio team at gramstudio@artmuseumgr.org or 616.831.2927. Register online at adultworkshop.kintera.org today!
For more information, please contact the GRAMStudio team at gramstudio@artmuseumgr.org or 616.831.2927. Register online at wintercamp.kintera.org today!
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World-class Concerts in GRAM's Lobby Sundays, October 25 through December 27, 2015 Sundays, January 17 through March 20, 2016
Through its grant-making to thousands of nonprofits each year, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) promotes opportunities for people in communities across America to experience the arts and exercise their creativity. Earlier this year, the NEA announced its intention to support GRAM's arts and literacy program, Language Artists: Creature Connections.
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm Free for members, free with admission
Enjoy live classical music performances every Sunday, set amidst the beautiful architecture of GRAM. PNC Bank and the Edith Blodgett Legacy Fund of The Brookby Foundation make this program possible through their generous sponsorship.
NEA Chairman Jane Chu said, “The NEA is committed to
Visit artmuseumgr.org/calendar/sccs for full concert schedule. E
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National Endowment for the Arts Recognizes Language Artists
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Learn More About the Art Around You: Take a Tour! Drop-in Tours 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm Free for members, free with admission
Explore the galleries with one of GRAM’s dedicated docents to learn more about GRAM’s collection and exhibitions.
Through an enhanced curriculum, unique classroom activities, engaging Museum experiences, relevant test preparation, and robust visual and language arts lessons, students develop strong writing skills, along with creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication. The program reaches over 2,300 students each year, of whom approximately 75% are from low-income households.
advancing learning, fueling creativity, and celebrating the arts
"Language Artists is one of the most remarkable learning
in cities and towns across the United States. Funding these
experiences inside and outside the classroom weaving together
new projects like the one from the Grand Rapids Art Museum
art and literacy,” shared Teresa Weatherall Neal, GRPS
represents an investment in both local communities
Superintendent. “We have actually used Language Artists as
and our nation's creative vitality.”
a model for how we should transform our field trip experiences to ensure more meaningful teaching and learning. Hats off and
Language Artists is a strategic partnership with Grand Rapids Public Schools (GRPS) and seven other area school districts. This nationally recognized arts and literacy program combines the powerful role of art with a year-long unit of study. Language Artists promotes student achievement through active learning and direct engagement with the Museum's collections, exhibitions, docents, and staff.
thank you to our friends at GRAM for securing the NEA grant and ensuring that this program will continue in the future."
GRAM’s Collection • Tuesday, October 20, 2015
GRAM Welcomes Neil Bremer to the Team!
• Tuesday, January 19, 2016
Reynold Weidenaar: A Retrospective • Sunday, October 25, 2015
• Tuesday, December 15, 2015
• Saturday, November 14, 2015
• Tuesday, December 29, 2015
• Tuesday, November 17, 2015
• Saturday, January 9, 2016
• Friday, November 27, 2015
• Saturday, January 16, 2016
• Saturday, December 12, 2015
Sunday Classical Concert Series Drop-in Tours 3:00 – 4:00 pm Free for members, free with admission
Come for the music, stay for the art! After the Sunday Classical Concert, explore the galleries with one of GRAM's dedicated docents to learn more about the Museum's collection and exhibitions. Reynold Weidenaar: A Retrospective • Sunday, November 1, 2015 • Sunday, November 15, 2015 • Sunday, December 6, 2015 • Sunday, December 20, 2015 • Sunday, January 17, 2016 LEFT: Reynold H. Weidenaar (American, 1915–1985). Detail, Bridge Builders, Mackinac Straits, 1956. Mezzotint on paper. 13 x 7 in. Grand Rapids Art Museum, Gift of the Artist, 1957.2.6
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D. Neil Bremer is a Michigan native with more than thirty years of nonprofit and for-profit arts experience. Bremer's museum career began in 1981 at the Art Institute of Chicago, where over the course of fifteen years he began the country's first Visitor Services D. Neil Bremer department at a major art museum focused on the visitor experience and improving accessibility for audiences. During his time at the Art Institute, Bremer managed operations for some of the country's largest special exhibitions, including Claude Monet: 1840 – 1926, the most complete retrospective of the artist's work in the world. He went on to serve as Executive Director of the Elmhurst Art Museum from 1999 through 2009, where he was responsible for all planning and operations and led board efforts to begin a $10 million campaign to restore McCormick House, expand museum facilities, and strengthen their endowment.
Bremer brings with him an impressive record as an arts administrator and consultant with skills in museum operations, financial administration, facilities management, business development, strategic planning, staff and volunteer engagement, as well as a unique depth in visitor services with major museums throughout the United States. “GRAM’s vision and strategic plan are on the leading edge of how all arts organizations must rethink themselves for the 21st century,” says Bremer. “GRAM knows that they have a key role to play in the expanding success of Grand Rapids. I have enjoyed working with many of the cultural and civic organizations in Kalamazoo, and I look forward to playing a new role with new partners in Grand Rapids."
Bremer’s experience in the arts goes well beyond just the visual. He has been active as an actor and musician on many stages across the Midwest. He received his undergraduate degree from Western Michigan University in 1978 with a major in Theatre, concentrations in Performance and Directing, and a minor in Dance and completed graduate work at The School of The Art Institute of Chicago's Master of Arts program in Arts Administration.
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Creating an Arts Legacy GRAM's Keeler Legacy Society allows our supporters to make a difference in the visual arts for generations to come.
The legacy of Dr. and Mrs. Halick also includes over 500 works of art that they gave to build the Museum's collection during their lifetime.
Legacy giving takes many forms, through either bequests of financial planning vehicles or an established named endowment fund. Keeler Legacy Society members benefit from many opportunities that deepen their relationship with the Grand Rapids Art Museum. A generous gift from the Estate of John and Muriel Halick recently established the Halick Endowment Fund. This $900,000 endowment will help support key programs at the Museum, such as Gazing at GRAM, Language Artists, and others that reach underserved populations in West Michigan. The generosity and support of John and Muriel Halick is a fantastic example of legacy giving that will allow the Museum to strengthen our existing programs and services. Other forms of legacy giving can include naming GRAM as a beneficiary of an individual's retirement plan or life insurance policy, or pledging a future gifted work of art to the Museum.
PICTURED: John & Muriel Halick, with Francoise Gilot
Legacy giving like the Halicks’ strengthens GRAM’s endowment, providing essential financial support to the Museum, to the growth of our wonderful collection, and to our nationally recognized educational programs. Keeler Legacy Society members have a unique opportunity to invest in priorities that are important to them, while giving others the opportunity to follow their stewardship and leadership in growing cultural enrichment not only at the Museum, but in the West Michigan community as a whole. For more information on the Keeler Legacy Society, please contact Elly Barnette-Dawson at elly@artmuseumgr.org or 616.831.2906.
Support Your Museum We rely on the generosity of individuals for our Annual Fund, which supports over 40% of the Museum’s operations. These gifts provide crucial funding above and beyond membership dues, and have a direct impact on every facet of our daily operations, including the galleries, the Education Center, and in our community. Annual Fund For over a century, the Grand Rapids Art Museum has welcomed generations of families through its doors. Relationships here last a lifetime. A child’s engagement with the arts today inspires a legacy that they can share as they bring their own children to the Museum to explore, play, and learn. None of this would be possible without the support of valued friends like you, and we thank you.
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The Grand Rapids Art Museum is your museum, a place where all can come to learn, enjoy, and share a love of the arts with others! You can make your tax-deductible gift today by returning the enclosed envelope, by visiting our website at artmuseumgr.org/donate to make a secure online donation, or by contacting the Advancement Office at 616.831.2907. Thank you for your generosity!
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Marsden Hartley Painting Donated by Martin and Enid Packard One of GRAM's notable recent acquisitions is Marsden Hartley's Maine Landscape, which was a generous donation from Keeler Legacy Society members, Martin and Enid Packard. Marsden Hartley was one of the most important American artists of the 20th century. Well traveled and well versed in art history, Hartley was deeply connected to the rugged coast and mountains of Maine, his home state. This small early Maine landscape bears the vibrant energy for which Hartley is celebrated, and conveys his conviction that humanity and nature were spiritually connected. Gifts like these contribute to the growth and prosperity of arts and cultural institutions like our Museum for generations to come. RIGHT: Marsden Hartley (American, 1877–1943). Detail, Maine Landscape, 1908. Oil on panel. 11 1/2 x 9 in. Gift of Martin and Enid Packard.
A Gentle Soul Remembered Our dear friend and colleague, Kathleen Ferres, passed away on June 23, 2015. During her 25 years as Registrar, she was instrumental in the development and digitization of permanent collection documentation, in the orchestration of the move of the 5,000 objects in the Museum's collection from the Old Federal Building to our new home at 101 Monroe Center, and the coordination of dozens of loans and exhibitions. In the quarter century that spanned her service to the Grand Rapids Art Museum, her dedication never wavered and even extended beyond her official retirement in 2013.
We will remember her as a key part of GRAM’s history, a seasoned museum professional, a warm mentor, and a gentle, kind-hearted soul. She will be deeply missed. Kathleen Ferres
artmuseumgr.org/joinandgive/
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Grand Rapids Art Museum Partners with AM Yoga Yoga at GRAM
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Reynold Weidenaar: A Retrospective in The Museum Store
Thursday Evenings 5:45 – 6:45 pm
Join us on Thursday evenings for exceptional Vinyasa-style yoga classes with instructors Ashley Yost and Mali Jane. All levels welcome. Yoga is the art of connecting mind with body through movement, breath, and meditation. Art and yoga have complementary and intrinsically valuable benefits. Art provides us with a deeper understanding of the world around us, a greater empathy for others, and heightened powers of observation. Those who practice yoga regularly can achieve an increased sense of self-awareness, mindfulness, and ability to be present in their daily activities. Experienced together, art and yoga can offer new ways of seeing the world and experiencing the self. REGISTRATION: Admission to GRAM is free on Thursday nights. The cost to participate is Pay What You Please and goes directly to support AM Yoga. Register at artmuseumgr.org/yoga/
Reynold Weidenaar: A Retrospective, the catalog accompanying GRAM's exhibition of this Grand Rapids' artist's work, is now available in The Museum Store! The publication celebrates his artistic journey, and includes images of Weidenaar’s celebrated mezzotints, etchings, watercolor and oil paintings, and drawings. Please call The Museum Store for more information: 616.831.2920 WHERE: Check in at the Guest Services Desk WHAT TO BRING: Towel, mat, water PARKING: Convenient parking at Monroe Center Parking Ramp, entrance located off of Ionia Street. The first hour is free before 6 pm, $1 each 30 minutes after.
GoSite Helps Welcome Veterans Home
Join the Fun at GRAM and Become a Volunteer! New Volunteer Orientation Saturday, October 31, 2015 Saturday, January 23, 2016 10:00 am – 12:00 pm Free, RSVP required
Connect with us and learn about the many areas of the Museum where volunteers can have an impact. Our volunteer program is open to anyone 16 and older, and students as young as 14 can volunteer with a parent or guardian. We have many opportunities available every day of the week, including evenings and weekends! RSVP today by contacting Kris Shannon at volunteer@artmuseumgr.org. For more information, visit artmuseumgr.org/support/volunteer
Book Your Holiday Celebration at GRAM Today! Events at GRAM GRAM plays host to a variety of events and weddings throughout the year. The simple lines and understated beauty of GRAM’s architecture can provide a unique backdrop for your wedding, corporate, or holiday event. Let our professional and attentive staff assist you in making your event unforgettable! For more information, or for a tour of our facility contact Karen Carpenter at kcarpenter@artmuseumgr.org or 616.831.2916.
What does it mean when people say the GoSite is a “21st century welcome center?” That may depend on how you look at it. Or rather, where your imagination takes you when you visit the new downtown information sharing space. Designed specifically for flexibility, community engagement, and creative conversations, the space presents opportunities for collaboration in imaginative ways.
that combining this space with the GoSite created the perfect reception spot for their upcoming networking mixer. A few conversations later between McBride, GoSite, and GRAM, and the event was on.
Wheels start to turn once people step inside and have a look around. Yes, it’s a dynamic information center, but what if…? That’s the question Brandi McBride, Veterans Services Manager at Goodwill Industries of Greater Grand Rapids, posed as she studied the warmly lit room with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the city center. Comfortable and spacious, with plenty of areas to settle in for a bit of conversation, she started to realize the potential of what this innovative welcome center could really be.
Sponsored by Herman Miller and the GoSite, the West Michigan Veterans Coalition and the Veterans Employment Working Group from TALENT 2025 came together to create an event that was a little different from other veteran job fairs in the region. The June 10, 2015 networking reception provided a casual yet purposeful atmosphere, facilitating communication among veterans and hiring personnel to share ideas about job opportunities, transferable skills, and matching interests.
When McBride walked in she saw the perfect opportunity to not only warmly welcome veterans home to Grand Rapids, but to help them take that next step in their transition to civilian life and a new career. Adjacent to the GoSite, in the upper walkway that leads to The Museum Store and out to the terrace, is a beautiful wood bar and catering area. McBride imagined
This is Grand Rapids. This is our welcoming and collaborative community. This was McBride’s vision of what a 21st century welcome center could be. What’s yours? Stop in to the GoSite and let your imagination take hold.
Learn more at artmuseumgr.org/about/facility-reservation
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NOW AT THE GRAND RAPIDS ART MUSEUM
NOW AT THE GRAND RAPIDS ART MUSEUM
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