PAGE 9
FEATURED EXHIBITIONS
PAGES 11-15
HIESTAND GALLERIES
PAGES 20-21
EVENTS AT A GLANCE
PAGES 22-23
Since our galleries close for a good chunk of the Summer, most people think we have a lot of downtime. It's actually quite the opposite-for both our Summer and Winter closures we are busy preparing for the next round of new exhibitions! It's hard to imagine what goes on behind the scenes so I enjoy capturing the activities of exhibition works coming down and being put away or returned, floors being waxed, walls being painted, works being framed, graphics being created, artworks being installed and about a hundred other tasks that go into the whole process. You should subscribe to updates from our Moments at the Art Museum blog and our eNews to read all about the “Behind the Scenes at RCCAM” this Summer and to get a feel for what it looks like during this transition. You also will be notified when new posts arrive!
I did make time for a Summer family vacation to Utah and Arizona where we visited the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon and Zion, and another dozen spectacular sights. When we travel we usually visit museums but there were few where we were. We did enjoy some fantastic and informative history, geology and natural history displays at visitor centers and enjoyed two lovely history tours in Kanab, UT where we stayed. There was a lot of Native American and early settler history specifically, as well as Western movie history. Taking in all of the beauty of the area I was reminded of the Georgia O'Keefe photography exhibition that I recently saw at the Cincinnati Art Museum and could understand why she was so inspired by the desert landscape photography as one of her creative outlets. We took thousands of pictures!
I returned from the trip to see that all three galleries were filled with new works for three new exhibitions now on view. Three very different and unique exhibitions with truly something for everyone to enjoy. New works by students in response to our world and the environment, local women artists from the turn of the century, and a deep dive into heritage with representations of so many cultures and history from our collection and on loan. We ALL look forward to seeing you at the museum this Fall!
From the Director
About the Art Museum
Recognition
Collection News: African Commission
Featured Docent: Amy LamborgXXX
McGuffey Moments
Exhibition: It's Our World
Exhibition: Heritage Exhibition: A Golden Time Ongoing Exhibitions
Visual Arts at Miami (VAAM) is a bi-annual publication of the Richard and Carole Cocks Art Museum showcasing visual arts and museums at Miami University for members and the community.
Distributed to the sustaining members of the Art Museum and placed in coffee shops and arts centers, Visual Arts at Miami is also available digitally through the companion blog at blogs.MiamiOH.edu/VisualArts.
Check the back cover for a detailed map, contact information and hours.
On the cover: Bessie Hoover Wessel (American, 1889-1973); Harbor Scene (St. Tropez), ca. 1920; Oil on board, 11 x 14 inches; Bequest of Thomas J. Cobbe, 2000.15
Sherri Krazl, Editor Marketing/Communications
We’re excited to share this edition of the Visual Arts at Miami magazine with you as we look forward to exciting exhibitions and public programs this Fall. Over the past several months, the Richard and Carole Cocks Art Museum (RCCAM) has been looking inwards and outwards. Looking inwards, we’ve been gathering more information about our visitors, including the students and the many classes we serve. We’ve seen an increase in visitorship by nearly 30% in the 2022-23 academic year, corresponding with our efforts to increase visibility and provide engaging exhibitions and public programs. Looking outwards, more specifically into the future, concept planning for a future renovation/ expansion of the Art Museum is in process, taking into account feedback from museum users, addressing critical needs, and most importantly drawing on our mission, vision, and values. We look forward to sharing updates in the future.
Exhibitions this past Spring were a great source of creativity, inspiration, and reflection. The Senior Capstone exhibition, Experiencing the Divine, allowed Art and Architecture History students to explore the complex interplay of objects from across the Abrahamic faiths. We also brought together faith leaders representing Islam, Judaism, and Christianity to talk about the commonalities and differences in their beliefs and traditions. Current Forms: Ohio Figurative Ceramics exhibition was a wonderfully creative project, displaying the work of 16 artists with Ohio connections. Kyle and Kelly Phelps presented on “Blue Collar Ceramics” - a thought provoking and personal exploration of their own lives growing up and the evolution of their creative process.
We have a lot to look forward to this Fall with exhibits including: A Golden Time: Turn of the Century Ohio Women Artists, the Student Response Exhibition entitled It’s Our World, which is in association with the Miami University FOCUS theme of Environmental Justice, and finally, Heritage: Shaping Past, Present, Future. The Heritage exhibition will also include a symposium which will be of interest to scholars and the public alike. We’re excited to share that several new acquisitions, including works by artists from Nigeria, Mexico, and the United States, will be part of our upcoming exhibitions. Themes of destruction, preservation, and change seem particularly poignant in terms of cultural heritage and the environment, and all three exhibits point to the importance and value of human creativity and ingenuity, often in the face of adversity.
This Fall we also celebrate the Art Museum’s 45th anniversary. We will be marking this landmark with a special Open House celebration on the evening of October 11, supported by Art Museum Members and the Art Museum Support Fund. All are welcome! Please consider ways to support us as we celebrate over 5,000 years of global artistic diversity - join us by becoming a member, or make an online gift to our Art Museum Support Fund. We look forward to seeing you soon at RCCAM - everyone is welcome!
John (Jack) D.M. Green
Jeffrey Horrell ‘75 and Rodney Rose Director and Chief Curator of the Richard and Carole Cocks Art Museum
The Richard and Carole Cocks Art Museum (RCCAM), completed in 1978 as the Miami University Art Museum, was designed by Walter Netsch of Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill in Chicago, and is situated on three acres of scenic sculpture park grounds. It houses five galleries of changing exhibitions and a growing permanent collection of more than 17,500 artworks. The museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) and is a proud member of the North American Reciprocal Museum Association (NARM).
Where is the Art Museum on Campus?
For starters, you can’t miss the large, industrial red sculpture by Mark di Suvero on the front lawn. The Art Museum is also just a 7-minute walk from the Armstrong Student Center, diagonally across from Tappan Hall, at the intersection of S. Patterson Ave. and Chestnut St., right when you enter Oxford off of State Route 27.
What can the Art Museum do for Students?
Lots of things! The Art Museum is a great place to see diverse exhibitions and explore outstanding works of art. You can also work, intern, volunteer, join the Art Museum Student Organization (AMSO), and attend lectures and social events.
What can the Art Museum do for the Public?
The Art Museum and Sculpture Park are FREE & OPEN to ALL and is an excellent venue for exploring arts and culture from around the world. Membership in support of programs and exhibitions is available at varying levels. Each one offers a higher level of engagement with the museum via special-invitation-only events and special programs. More information on the member program is available on our website via the Members link.
Hours
Tuesday–Friday: 10 AM–5 PM Saturday: 12–5 PM
Second Wednesdays: 10 AM–8 PM
Closed: Sunday, Monday, national holidays, university closures, and during installation (more info on website.)
FREE & OPEN TO ALL!
Website
MiamiOH.edu/ArtMuseum
Location & Contact
Richard and Carole Cocks Art Museum at Miami University
801 S. Patterson Ave. Oxford, OH 45056 (513) 529-2232
ArtMuseum@MiamiOH.edu
Museum Staff Jack Green, Jeffrey Horrell ‘75 and Rodney Rose Director and Chief Curator
Hope Cook, Senior Program Assistant
David Dotson, Preparator/ Building Manager
Sherri Krazl, Marketing/ Communications
Jason E. Shaiman, Curator of Exhibitions
Elise Chevalier, Education Coordinator
Stevie Woolf, Administrative Assistant
Reciprocal members gain free/ discounted access to over 1,300 museums in North America
Memberships support programs, exhibitions, and member activities
Miami University has many museums, libraries and collections across all campuses (Oxford and Regionals) all are free resources for exploration, enjoyment and research.
MUSEUMS MIAMI is a collaboration of these collecting units.
Learn more at: www.tinyurl.com/
MuseumsMiami
The Richard and Carole Cocks Art Museum at Miami University is grateful to the Kiwanis Club of Oxford for a grant of $800 to support the purchase of art supplies and materials to carry out a program that supports local Girl Scouts troops obtaining their badges in painting and ceramics.
This program has already introduced dozens of Girl Scouts to painting and ceramics and includes an introduction to art on display in the Art Museum galleries. This enriches the creative skills and learning abilities of Girl Scouts. The program, which started in Spring and continues this Fall, is facilitated by Art Museum Volunteer Docents and coordinated with the support of local Girl Scouts troop leaders. The program is also supported by the Art Museum Support Fund.
Each year at the annual Art Museum Membership meeting and reception held in April, the museum staff recognizes the significant contributions of volunteers, students, faculty, and community partners who played key roles in the successes of the past year and beyond. Thank you and a huge congratulations goes out to the following recipients!
Our Faculty Leader of the Year award is presented to Dr. Andew Casper, Professor of Art and Architecture History at Miami University. Dr. Casper is a strong supporter of the Art Museum and our engagement with students in the Department of Art. In particular, he provides great support through the Capstone exhibition course, ART 498D, while also serving on our exhibitions committee. We are looking forward to continuing our work with Dr. Casper for many years into the future and thank him for his service in support of the Art Museum!
The Volunteer of the Year award was presented to Susan Joyce for significant contributions as Docents’ Co-President and in leading the initiative for Docent Drop-In Saturday tours at the Art Museum. Alongside co-president Sue Momeyer and other docents, Susan has worked tirelessly to make a difference, especially in helping us engage with new audiences.
The Community Partner of the Year was awarded to Mandi Reed of Union County High School. Mandi Reed, art educator at Union County High School in Indiana, with the support of Prof. Stepanie Danker and her ART 195 students, Art Museum Preparator and Building Manager David Dotson was instrumental in developing an innovative 3D printing pilot program with the creation of individual artworks by her students.
Student Leader awards were given to six individuals who have contributed significantly to the Art Museum in varied capacities over multiple years. All exhibit strong leadership in support of the arts and the Art Museum, and are now graduates of Miami University.
Jillian Bihl was a student assistant and social media strategist for the Art Museum. Jillian helped launch our TikTok account and was part of the digital content team, playing a key role in increasing our engagement on social media, and our video content viewership from less than 5,000 to close to 25,000.
Logan Bowers served as a collections intern, curatorial intern, Arts Management intern, as student representative of our steering committee, and as a student assistant in support of Visitor Services.
Olivia De Leon served as a Student Assistant in support of Visitor Services, as an Art Education Intern assisting with many programs and events, and as a member of the Art Museum’s DEA&I committee.
FACULTY LEADERS
Laila Haidar served as a curatorial intern, a collections intern, contributed to the current Capstone exhibition, and also served as a student assistant helping with exhibition installation and artwork preparation.
Zoë Neubig was a curatorial intern, contributed to the 2021-2022 Capstone exhibition and also served as a volunteer intern in exhibition preparation
Mary Visco served as a collections intern, a curatorial intern, worked on additional collections projects related to Atelier 17 artists, and contributed to the Art and Architecture History Capstone exhibition.
ELLEN PRICE (2018) PEPPER STETLER (2019) SCOTT SANDER (2020)
MICHAEL HATCH (2021)
STEPHANIE DANKER (2022) ANDREW CASPER (2023)
STUDENT LEADERS
CAROLINE BASTIAN (2018)
BERENICE ACEVADO & ETHAN CLEARFIELD (2019) BREANNA COLE & DIANE KATE KARSANOW (2020)
GRACE BIHL & FAITH WALKER (2021)
KATRINA SHAFOR & MITCH MIEKLE (2022)
JILLIAN BIHL, LOGAN BOWERS, OLIVIA DE LEON, LAILA HAIDAR, ZOË NEUBIG & MARY VISCO (2023)
VOLUNTEER LEADER
LUCY OSBORNE (2022) SUSAN JOYCE (2023)
COMMUNITY PARTNER
OXFORD LANE LIBRARY (2021)
OXFORD COMMUNITY ARTS CENTER (2022)
MANDI REED/UNION COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL (2023)
A volunteer docent at the Art Museum since 2021, Amy Lamborg’s love of art reaches back to her childhood and memories of her grandfather’s art - she was surrounded by it in her home, and in books and newspapers. She has always enjoyed visiting museums and always knew at some point she would serve as a museum docent. Fast forward to 2021 when she saw a Facebook post by one of the Art Museum docents, Sue Jones, calling for new docents and she signed up.
Amy was born in Boston, Massachusetts, then moved with her family to Yellow Springs, Ohio, when she was eight years old. She went on to earn a degree in geology from Earlham College and a master's in geology from the University of Cincinnati. She worked in the field for many years in Chicago and Australia. After a year-long around-the-world trip, she moved back to Yellow Springs where she got married and had a daughter. She moved to Oxford when her then-husband took a job here. A life-long learner with a love of writing, she earned yet another master’s degree at Miami in technical writing, and also had a son. She first joined Miami staff as a grant writer on the Regional Campuses from 2004-14, and then rejoined Miami staff as a grant writer in the College of Education, Health, and Society in 2017.
What she loves most about the Art Museum here on campus is “the building, our collections, and the museum’s perfect size. On a single visit you can see everything, but displays change regularly so in each visit you’ll see something new. You’ll always find something you like, and it’s free!”
What she loves about writing, which is also true for being a docent, is learning something so she can tell a story. “If you have to explain something to someone, it forces you to learn in a deeper way. Then you choose which story will be most interesting to your audience.”
Amy wasn’t able to pick just one favorite from the Art Museum’s collection because she likes it all! She loves learning alongside her docent colleagues each semester about new works that are featured in the exhibitions, and when they tour other museums and personal collections.
“Being a docent, I feel fortunate to get to learn from the experts and do some of my own research. It motivates me to visit often because I am engaged with the exhibitions, staff and patrons of the museum when I help with drop-in tours.”
Interested in becoming a volunteer docent?
We welcome volunteers to assist with our programs and activities and to help strengthen ties with the local community and partners. Our volunteer docents are gallery guides and educators who regularly help the Art Museum, give tours, and assist with events and outreach.
For more information, please write to: ArtMuseum@MiamiOH.edu
A lifelong learner, Amy Lamborg always wanted to be a docent
The past year provided an opportunity for a distinctive new commission for the Richard and Carole Cocks Art Museum (RCCAM): a Nkanda masquerade made from ukara cloth by local artist, Chief Ekpenyong Bassey Nsa. Chief Bassey Nsa, from Calabar, Nigeria, is a third-generation multimedia artist hailing from the Efik culture. The Ekpe secret society is a longstanding institution based in ancestor veneration that once served as the government for many cultures in southeast Nigeria and West Cameroon. Ukara cloth serves as a primary symbol of Ekpe and only members may wear the cloth during ceremony and occasion. The motifs on ukara cloth result from a process whereby motifs are stitched with raffia threads, which serve as the resist when the cotton cloth is dyed in indigo pits. The raffia cord is then cut out to reveal the white motifs known as nsibidi, the esoteric body of knowledge of the Ekpe secret society that members learn as they progress and advance into the Ekpe society.
The sacred Nkanda performance signals transition and provides stability during an uncertain time following the death of a leader, such as a local king or Ekpe lodge head. Nkanda, in bearing nsibidi signs on its body, summarizes how art and knowledge are united. The meaning helps us understand why this masquerade is one of the Ekpe’s most sacred and anticipated masquerades in Ekpe society.
This acquisition enhances RCCAM’s African Art collection in significant ways. The museum now has three contemporary masquerades from Nigeria thanks to a unique relationship based on trust and reciprocity established between Dr. Jordan Fenton, Associate Professor of Art and Architecture History at Miami University, and Chief Bassey Nsa of the Ekpe Society, Nigeria. This has led to the ethical commission of several masquerades from Chief Bassey Nsa for Western museum collections, including RCCAM.
The Nkanda masquerade is featured in RCCAM’s Heritage exhibition this fall (see pgs. 12-13) and Jordan Fenton will present more about the Nkanda masquerade as part of the October Heritage symposium. This artist commission would not have been possible without the support of the Orpha Webster Art Fund, the Office of the Provost, and the College of Creative Arts at Miami University, in addition to Art Museum supporters Ralph and Barbara Drake Bresler, and Willam Brenner.
To find out more about the Nkanda masquerade, read the article online on the Moments @ the Art Museum blog.
Photos courtesy of J. Fenton.
Chief Ekpenyong Bassey Nsa and Dr. Jordan Fenton posing together with a piece of the unfinished Nkanda masquerade, Calabar, Nigeria, 2022
Chief Ekpenyong Bassey Nsa (Nigerian, b. 1973)
Idem Nkanda Ensemble of the Ekpe Society, 2022 Mixed media textiles with raffia, 84 x 28 x 24 inches. Museum commission through the Orpha Webster Art Fund with support of the Provost’s Office and the College of Creative Arts at Miami University, Ralph and Barbara Drake Bresler, and Willam Brenner. 2022.16
Idem Nkanda performed, By Chief Ekpenyong Bassey Nsa, Calabar, Nigeria, 2022
McGuffey House & Museum
401 E. Spring St. Oxford, OH 45056 (513) 529-8380
Thursday-Saturday 1-5 PM
McGuffeyMuseum@ MiamiOH.edu
MiamiOH.edu/ McGuffey-Museum
BY STEVE GORDON, ADMINISTRATORIn 1862, President Abraham Lincoln, in a message to Congress, wrote “Fellow citizens, we cannot escape history.” Three quarters of a century later, the writer John Steinbeck asked “How will we know it’s us without our past?” History, it seems, has a way of reminding each generation that in not knowing the past, we risk erasing the past, and robbing our memories and cultural identity.
McGuffey House and Museum offers us a place where people can explore many of our pasts. Visitors learn about the legacy of William Holmes McGuffey and his Readers, the richly fascinating history of Miami University, and what life was like in this learning community named Oxford. Through objects, architecture and material culture, history becomes tangible, a form of immersive visual literacy. Museum collections contain myriad stories; most notably the house itself, nearly two centuries old, conveys a deep sense of time and place. William Seale noted how one can sense past times and human experiences through objects. Since bygone people are no longer here to speak for themselves, it is largely through their artifacts that we rediscover the past.
When interpreting McGuffey’s legacy, his contributions to forging a national identity warrant discussion and debate. Is his pedagogy still relevant, and if so, why? At the time his Readers were published, learning was unavailable to many Americans, largely because of one’s occupation, gender or economic status.
The print revolution of the early 19th century, foreshadowing today’s IT advances, literally placed the ability and access to reading in the hands of the masses. Rather than dependance on others to decode language, the Readers empowered individuals to communicate, exchange information, and participate in their communities. So it is today with the internet, mobile phones and digital imagery.
By studying, curating - and yes - at times confronting our collective pasts, museums provide accessible spaces that are equipped to interpret the present and prepare for the future. The Yale historian John Lewis Gaddis has observed, “We know the future only by the past we project into it.” McGuffey House and Museum, a public place open to all people, invites everyone to connect with the places and pasts we share. “History is not dead,” William Faulkner reminded us, “it is not even past.”
Miami University students have a voice, whether it be personal or collective. Through the Student Response Exhibition (SRE) series, students have a venue for that voice and a platform for creatively exploring diverse topics. For this eighth iteration of the SRE, It’s Our World, students were asked to respond to the world around them. More specifically, students received the prompt of observing, understanding, representing, and drawing attention to environmental issues that face the individual and society in this one world we share. Of the 55 works submitted, 31 were selected to be featured in our Douglass Gallery.
As with previous SREs, this juried call for student art is open to all Miami students. Interpretations are subject to the student's personal perspective, major/minor, year of study, culture, age, and experiences. It is widely known that there is a climate crisis and the planet is facing unprecedented challenges, largely due to human impact. This exhibition is developed in connection with Miami University’s 2023-2024 Focus theme of Environmental Justice.
It’s Our World is sponsored by the Art Museum’s Membership Committee. Join us on November 8, 5-7 PM, for a reception and awards ceremony, when the top three works selected by voting in the gallery will be presented and celebrated.
Awards for entries are supported by the Art Museum Members Association. RCCAM is also grateful for additional support from the FOCUS program at Miami University.
FEATURED STUDENT
ARTISTS: SABRINA
BARILONE | KAYLA
BECKER | MACEY
CHAMBERLIN | CAITLIN
CURRAN | CLAIRE
FARROW | KATHERINE
HAMILTON | ISHITA
ISLAM | EMMA JEFFERS
|
VICTORIA MARX |
MAGGIE MCLAUGHLIN
|
SAMMI MEYERS |
MALLORY MILLER |
LIBBY MORGAN | LINH
NGUYEN | KELSEY NOLIN
|
ISABELLA OBRADOVICH |
REILLY POWERS | DANIEL ROBBEN | DAVID
SHUPPERT | RYAN SINGH |
MAGGIE SNEE | BRIAN VOGT
Representations of the past, whether real or imagined, have long been the focus of artists and craftspeople through the ages. Heritage, by definition, is something that is transmitted, passed down, or acquired from a preceding person or society. In such, the exhibition Heritage explores how traditions have been reinvented, reimagined, and reinterpreted over time.
The exhibition explores the concept of heritage through four lenses: mythologizing, romanticizing, preserving/dismantling, and future pasts. Heritage features contextual contributions from Miami University faculty and external scholars who have responded to select works relevant to the themes of the exhibition and their academic disciplines.
Primarily based on the Art Museum’s collection, this exhibition of art and material culture spans more than 3,000 years. Loans include works by several contemporary artists, from private collections, archival materials of Miami University’s architectural history, and book illustrations that link the past and present.
Exhibition and Programs made possible with support of Miami University: The Humanities Center; Department of History, College of Creative Arts Dean’s Fund, Department of Art, Department of Architecture and Interior Design, Department of Emerging Technology and Business in Design, the Miriam W. Howard Art Museum Fund.
Counter-clockwise from top left: Unknown Artist (Southern Italy from Taras), Antefix with Gorgoneion; Mónica Arreola (Mexico, b. 1976), Valle San Pedro series; Ekpenyong Bassey Nsa, (Nigerian, b. 1973), Ekpe Idem Nkanda Masquerade Costume; Nayarit, Mexico (Ixtlan del Rio style), Mesoamerican Tomb Guardian; Rick Yager (American, 1909-1995), Buck Rogers in the 21st Century; Giovanni Battista Piranesi (Italian, 1720-1778), Avanzi del Tempio del Dio Canoponella Villa Adriana, in Tivoli; Dread Scott (American, b. 1965), Slave Rebellion Reenactment Performance Still 1; Annette Covington (American, 1872-1964), Japanese Bowl and Doll; Scott Shoemaker (Myaamia, Native American), Mahkisina "Moccasins"; Daniel R. Small (American, b. 1984), Myth of the Divine; Antonio Frilli (Italian, 1860-1902), Bacchus; R. Buckminster Fuller (American, 1895-1983), Undersea Island-Submarisle; Ferdinando Galli da Bibiena (Italian, 1657-1743), Temple of Faustina; Charles F. Cellarius (American, 1891-1973), Stoddard Hall, Miami University (Oxford Campus).
THU, OCT 5
1:30 PM: REGISTRATION AND EXHIBITION VIEWING
2:30 PM: INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW
2:45 PM: MYTH AND REDISCOVERY
Kathleen Lynch (University of Cincinnati, Department of Classics) ~ The Heritage of Storytelling and Mythmaking: Connecting Past to Present
Jeb Card (Miami University, Department of Anthropology) ~ Myth, Disruption and Heritage in Mesoamerica
Andrew Casper (Miami University, Department of Art) ~ Ancient Heritage Remembered: Representations of the Ruins of Rome
4:30 PM: KEYNOTE - Monumental Change: Recent Responses to Controversial Sculptures in America
Erin L. Thompson (John Jay College, City University of New York) in discussion with Mary Rogero (Miami University Department of Architecture and Interior Design)
FOLLOWED BY RECEPTION
FRI, OCT 6
8:30 AM: REGISTRATION AND EXHIBITION VIEWING
9:30 AM: WELCOMING REMARKS
9:40 AM: MIAMI UNIVERSITY & WESTERN COLLEGE
HERITAGE ~ Jacqueline Johnson (Miami University, University Archivist and Principal Librarian) and Robert Keller (Retired, former Miami University Architect); History of the Freedom Summer Memorial on Western Campus; Charles Cellarius – Miami’s Architect
10:30 AM: REVITALIZING HERITAGE
Jordan Fenton (Miami University, Department of Art)
Performing Heritage in Nigeria: The Artistic Philosophy of the Ekpe Nkanda Masquerade
Jared Nally (Miami Tribe of Oklahoma and Myaamia Center at Miami University) ~ Culture as Living Memory: Picking up the Threads of Myaamia Weaving
11:30 PM: FUTURE PASTS
Daniel R. Small (Artist / Filmmaker, Los Angeles)
Future Pasts - The Radical Openness of AI in an Expanded Field
12:15 PM: CLOSING REMARKS
To find out more about the symposium please visit our website. Spaces are limited - if you are interested in attending, please write to ArtMuseum@MiamiOH.edu to sign up for updates and to reserve your place.
The late 19th and early 20th centuries were a golden time for artists across Ohio. Doors were opening, opportunities were made and taken, and growth of women in the arts were soaring. Many women with Ohio connections, including artists Elizabeth Nourse, Alice Schille, and Maria Longworth Nichols Storer (founder of Rookwood Pottery) helped propel the state to national and international attention. A Golden Time recognizes and celebrates the work of Ohio women artists during the period of roughly 1875-1925, with an emphasis on those in the Cincinnati region.
It was a remarkable time for women who obtained much respect and recognition for their own artistic merits, received increasing artistic education and training, and moved beyond the stereotypes of needlework and decorating domestic settings. Women became successful painters, ceramists, sculptors, printmakers, and woodworkers, here and abroad. Most of their success was self-achieved. In some instances, the progressive philosophy of several male art educators made it increasingly possible for women to rise.
In addition to the rise of women artists in Ohio, many important art clubs, art institutes and museums were founded to promote educational opportunities and venues for public appreciation of the arts. Some of these institutions were founded or supported by women, further demonstrating the shifting attitudes towards women and the arts.
Miami Presents: A Golden Time - Ohio Women Artists and the Turn of the 20th Century
THU, SEP 7 | NOON [VIRTUAL]
Join us for an interdisciplinary conversation with Kimberly Hamlin, Ph.D. and Curator of Exhibitions, Jason E. Shaiman, about some of Ohio’s most notable women artists and the world around them at the turn of the 20th century connected with the exhibition. [https://alumlc.org/miamioh/30926]
Historical Perspectives on a "Golden Time": Ohio Women Artists in the early 1900s
WED, SEP 13 | 5-7:30 PM
5 PM: Lecture by Kimberly Hamlin (James and Beth Lewis Professor of History at Miami University) This interactive lecture will provide important historical context for the Museum's exhibition A Golden Time: Turn of the Century Ohio Women Artists, allowing viewers to engage more fully with the art and artists on display. Dr. Hamlin will focus on women's changing roles in Ohio and beyond in the early 1900s. In addition to women and the arts, themes will include women and the vote, women and politics/reform, women and education, and women and family life.
6 PM: Gallery Talk by Christine Fowler Shearer (Former Executive Director of the Massillon Museum of Ohio and CEO of Fowler Artistic) Women artists of the late 19th century and early 20th century were not a orded the same education and opportunities as their male contemporaries. Becoming a professional artist was harder for women for many reasons, including professional training, exhibit availability, and societal expectations. Ohio artists Alice Schille and Elizabeth Nourse provide a narrative of two artists whose careers were similar in some ways, but very di erent in others. They provide an opportunity to explore the many issues women artists faced and the ways in which they could be overcome.
Reception to follow. This program is supported by a grant from the MIAMI Women Giving Circle.
Left, top to bottom:
Anna Marie Bookprinter (American, 1862-1947), Dark Green Vase with Incised Violets; Nancy Ford Cones (American, 1869-1962), Tulip Bed, LeBlond Gardens, Cincinnati, OH; Clockwise, above:
Annette Covington (American, 1872-1964), Head of a Model from Twachtman's Class; Maria Chardavoyie (American, 19th century), Cross Stitch Sampler; Elizabeth Nourse (American, 18591938), A l'abri (Mère et bébé) or Shelter (Mother and Baby)
A glimpse into the evolution of Western art from the 15th to 20th centuries. Selected works from the Art Museum’s collection represent prominent art movements with examples of Renaissance, Baroque, Neoclassicism, Romanticism, Impressionism, Expressionism, Abstract Expressionism, Surrealism, Pop Art, and Contemporary works. Art movements exist through multiple conversations relevant to their respective cultures and times. Some of the most significant movements were founded through artists’ reacting to societal changes, religion, science and technology, war and politics, their rejection or appropriation of previous art styles, and taste established by patrons or prominent art schools.
Global Perspectives weaves together nearly 5,000 years of cultural, religious, political, social, economic and communication systems from seventeen world cultures. From diverse regions, nations, and time periods, these cultures comprise only a fraction of a larger, complex world united by core practices used in the creation of or adoption of art and material culture. Whether original to a culture or assimilated during times of conquest, the creative endeavors explored by people around the world speaks volumes about the fundamental need to express individual and collective identities.
Between 1970 and 1978, Charles M. Messer of Cincinnati's Messer Construction Company donated his personal collection of German produced Leica brand cameras. Totaling more than 1,200 pieces, this is the largest privately assembled collection of Leica cameras, accessories and literature in the US. A small sample of the collection is displayed highlighting innovations in photographic technology from the mid-1920s through the late 1970s.
The Art Museum’s collection of public sculpture evokes many of the movements in art that characterized the 20th century, and examples of geometry, materials, and expressionism are found in all the pieces located on over three acres of scenic Sculpture Park grounds. Key works include Star-Crossed by Nancy Holt (1979), Hybrid Construction by RIchard Hunt (1983), For Kepler by Mark di Suvero (1995), and A Tribe Named Miami, A Surveyor’s Stake, A Town Named Oxford by Eugene Brown (2008). The Sculpture Park is open to all, and can be experienced all year round. As well as being a place of natural beauty and quiet reflection, the park includes a popular disc golf course on Miami University’s campus.
Jan 30-Jun 8, 2024
In collaboration with the Myaamia Center here at Miami University and members of the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, this community-curated exhibition explores new research and the revitalization of the painted hides tradition. Minohsaya is organized as one part of a larger project in collaboration with members of the Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma and the University of Illinois. Supported by a grant from University of Illinois Humanities Without Walls.
This 13th annual Capstone exhibition, led by Assistant Professor of Art & Architecture History Michael Hatch, centers on the topic of the landscape in art. Students in the fall 2023 seminar will curate the exhibition from the Art Museum's collection with guidance from museum staff. This celebrated exhibition series will offer students the rare opportunity to research and collectively curate an original exhibition.
The World In Which We Live will present an exploration of contemporary art created as a rallying cry for awareness and action regarding our fragile changing environment. In conjunction with Miami University's 2023-2024 FOCUS theme of Environmental Justice, this exhibition highlights how artists are engaging in social action through activism, education and an understanding of environmental science.
A special program for Enthusiast Members and above ~ Coffee with the Curators: Understanding our Past, Preserv ing the Future will be taking place at the Art Museum on Sept 21. Join conservator Michael Ruzga and Curator of Exhibitions Jason Shaiman for a discussion of the importance of artwork conservation and a closer look at a recently conserved 18th century painting of the Temple of Faustina, Rome, by Ferdinando Galli da Bibiena on view in the Heritage exhibition. Please contact ArtMuseum@MiamiOH.edu if you are interested in attending.
Michael Ruzga is a nationally recognized paintings conservator and Head of Conservation at Fine Arts Conservation, Inc, based in Cincinnati. He was formerly chief conservator of the Taft Museum of Art, and has treated numerous paintings over the past 30 years, including works by Rembrandt, Renoir, Bouguereau and others. Ruzga has also conserved the Thomas Hart Benton murals at Indiana University and murals for the University of Cincinnati's Engineering Library.
To learn more about supporting the museum through membership, please visit www.tinyurl.com/rccammember.
In addition to becoming a Member of the Richard and Carole Cocks Art Museum, there are various ways you can financially support the Art Museum, whether it’s a one-time or sustaining gift.
The easiest way to give is to make an unrestricted gift to the recently launched Art Museum Support Fund. We are especially seeking support for education staffing and programs at the Art Museum, and your gift could make a real impact.
You can make a check payable to “Miami University” along with your contact information and indicate "Art Museum Support Fund" in the memo. All gifts are tax-deductible.
For further information about support for the Art Museum please contact Jack Green, Jeffrey Horrell ‘75 and Rodney Rose Director and Chief Curator: Jack.Green@MiamiOH.edu
400 S Patterson Oxford, OH
SEP 2-30 | Geoff Riggle
OCT 1-31 | Art Educators
NOV 16-DEC 1 | Annie Dell’Aria/ Grad show
NOV 16-DEC 1 | Saturday Art
DEC 2-30 | Jon Yamashiro
THRU SEP 1 | Middletown and Hamilton Campuses: Student Work
Don't Miss a Moment!
2023-24 Season
Learn about A+ID programs and Cage Gallery exhibits by visiting tinyurl.com/ eventsmuaid
OCT 4-18 | The Ghana Architecture Studio presentation
The CCA Combines Classic Art Foundations with Emerging Technology to Create the #ThrivingArtists of Tomorrow!
OCT 19–NOV 3
SHAPING FORETHOUGHT
SEP 6-OCT 6
2023 MIAMI UNIVERSITY YOUNG SCULPTORS COMPETITION FOR THE $10,000 WILLIAM AND DOROTHY YECK AWARD
2023 Juror: Terry Berlier has exhibited in solo and group shows in North America, Europe, Asia, South America, and Australia including at the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco, Contemporary Art and Spirits in Osaka, Japan, Marc Chagall National Museum in Nice, France, and Museum of Old and New Art in Hobart, Tasmania. She has received numerous residencies and grants including the Creative Work Fund, California Council for Humanities Grant, Center for Cultural Innovation Grant, the Zellerbach Foundation, Clayman Fellowship, and the Arts Council Silicon Valley Artist Fellowship. Her work has been reviewed in the Art in America, BBC News Magazine, San Francisco Chronicle, is published in the books "Seeing Gertrude Stein" by University of California Press, and "Slant Step Book: The Mysterious Object and The Artworks it Inspired". She received an MFA, in Studio Art from University of California, Davis and a BFA from Miami. Berlier is an Associate Professor of Art, Director of Undergraduate Studies in Art Practice, and Director of the Sculpture Lab in the Department of Art and Art History at Stanford University where she has taught since 2007. She serves as an advisory board member for Recology’s Artist-in-Residence Program in San Francisco [terryberlier.com]
Through the generous gift from William ('36) and Dorothy Yeck of Dayton, Ohio, Miami University has a unique opportunity to provide students and the community at large to develop a critical understanding of sculpture in the 21st century. The competition winner will be awarded the $10,000 William and Dorothy Yeck Award and the sculpture will become part of Miami University’s permanent collection.
highlights the malleable world that is the experience of the second and third year MFA students in the Department of Art at Miami University. "As our studies advance, our daily occurrences as graduate students prove to influence and lead our artwork in unexpected ways. This shapes our future practice, understanding, and ways of thinking in a manner that further anticipates new ideas." Exhibiting Artists: Sabrina J. Barilone, Kelley Booze, Ishita Islam, Ryan Kerr, Libby Morgan, Kelsey Nolin, Brooke Owens, and Sarah-Faith Strait.
OCT 23 | ARTISTS RECEPTION | 4:30 PM
THU, SEP 14 | JUROR LECTURE | TERRY BERLIER (ART 100) 5:50 PM
FRI, SEP 15 | RECEPTION FOR THE ARTISTS
4:30–5:30 PM, AWARD CEREMONY: 5 PM
NOV 17–DEC 6
BFA CAPSTONE EXHIBITION
Department of Art senior studio majors participating in the semester long Capstone course feature their latest visual investigations in ceramics, printmaking, painting, metals and jewelry, photography, sculpture and digital media.
TUE, NOV 28, | ARTISTS RECEPTION | 4:30 PM
Gallery Hours: Mon-Fri, 9 AM-4:30 PM, Hours may vary with restrictions; other hours available by appointment. (513) 529-1883
All receptions are in the lobby of Hiestand Galleries | Galleries located on 1st level.
SEP 5-OCT 5
PETER MALONE | FICTIONS
Artist statement: The exhibition will be a selection of paintings from a series I began in 2017 titled, Fictions that remains an ongoing project. The fiction I’m referring to can be found in the narrative fragments expressed in text and applied to a region of canvas, typically below the painted image. In most instances, this dedicated region is left unpainted to distinguish it from the traditional idea of a painting as a picture. They are something like picture and caption, but fused in a way that allows more poetic license by tightening the correlation of the two.
A few of the later pictures do not utilize words but are visually consistent with the general theme of dislocation or disruption. Some are Covid inspired, but the series predates the pandemic by several years. I try in the series to avoid references to specific political or social situations. I prefer to focus on the human experience of those caught up in difficult circumstances. One exception to this generic approach is the painting, “Once Upon a Time…”, a canvas I composed with the Trump phenomenon in mind. Strangely, it was completed months before the events of January 6. [petermalone.com]
THU, SEP 28 | RECEPTION FOR THE ARTIST: 4:15 –5:15, HIESTAND GALLERIES; ARTIST TALK: 5:50 PM, ART 100
OCT 16–NOV 3
STEVE SNELL | ADVENTURE ART ON THE MIGHTY MO’ Adventure Art on the Mighty Mo’ is a video and painting series about art, adventure, and life along the Missouri River told through the act of painting, storytelling, and paddling all 2,341 miles of it, from Three Forks, Montana to St. Louis, Missouri. In this video series, each episode takes place at a different site, in which a watercolor painting is created. Painting is the vessel through which larger questions are asked, observations made, and river stories told. The intention of this work is to create an updated portrait of the river, challenge some of the stereotypes associated with it, and inspire broader public engagement and appreciation for our local water resources. [steve-snell.com]
THU OR FRI, OCT 26 | RECEPTION FOR THE ARTIST: 4:15–5:15 PM, HIESTAND GALLERIES; ARTIST TALK: 5:50 PM (ART 100)
NOV 13 – DEC
BROOKE OWENS | MFA THESIS EXHIBITION
The works in this exhibition are evidence of Brooke Owens' invested exploration into the experience of inhabiting skin. She considers the physical body through its transformations in aging, intimacy, and injury while maintaining an active conversation with the traditions of abstract painting.
RECEPTION FOR THE ARTIST: TBD
Hiestand Hall | 401 Maple St., Oxford, OH 45056
Miamioh.edu/hiestand-galleries
ANN TAULBEE, DIRECTOR
(513) 529-1883 | taulbeae@miamioh.edu
Galleries will be closed: During exhibition installation and Sep 4, Oct 13, Nov 21-24, Dec 7-31.
AUG 22-DEC 16
It's Our World: A Student Response Exhibition; A Golden Time: Turn of the Century Ohio Women Artists; Heritage: Shaping Past, Present, Future
ART MUSEUM
AUG 22-DEC 16
Art History at Glance; Global Perspectives The Charles M. Messer Leica Camera Collection
ART MUSEUM
THRU SEP 1
Middletown and Hamilton Campuses: Student Work
ART LOBBY
SEP 2-30 | Geoff Riggle
ART LOBBY
SEP 5-OCT 5
Peter Malone | Fictions
HIESTAND
SEP 6-OCT 6
Young Sculptors Competition for the $10,000 William and Dorothy Yeck Award
HIESTAND
SEP 7, NOON: A Golden Time webinar with Kimberly Hamlin and Jason Shaiman. In partnership with the Alumni Association.
VIRTUAL
SEP 9 | NOON-5 PM:
Exhibitions Open House with Refreshments & Activities
ART MUSEUM
OCT 1-31 | Art Educators
ART LOBBY
OCT 5 | 2:30-5:30 PM
Heritage exhibition symposium Day 1, featuring guest speakers and keynote by Erin L. Thompson
ART MUSEUM
OCT 6 | 9:30 AM-12:30 PM
Heritage exhibition
Symposium Day 2, featuring guest speakers including artist Daniel R. Small.
ART MUSEUM
SEP 13, 5-7 PM: A Golden Time reception, gallery talk, and lecture. Guest speakers
Kimberly Hamlin & Christine Fowler Shearer
ART MUSEUM
SEP 14 | 5:50 PM
Young Sculptors Juror Lecture | Terry Berlier
ART 100
SEP 15 | 4:30-5:30 PM
Young Sculptors Reception & Awards for the Artists
HIESTAND
SEP 28 | 4:15-5:15 PM
Peter Malone | Fictions Artist Reception
HIESTAND
SEP 28 | 5:50 PM
Peter Malone Talk
ART 100
OCT 11, 5-8 PM
Exhibitions Open House reception celebrating the Art Museum's 45th Anniversary
ART MUSEUM
OCT 4-18
The Ghana Architecture Studio presentation
CAGE
OCT 16–NOV 3
Steve Snell | Adventure Art on the Mighty Mo’
HIESTAND
OCT 26 | 4:15–5:15 PM
Steve Snell Artist Reception
HIESTAND
OCT 26 | 5:50 PM
Steve Snell Artist Talk
ART 100
OCT 19–NOV 3
Shaping Forethought
HIESTAND
OCT 23 | 4:30 PM
Shaping ForethoughtMFA Artist Reception
HIESTAND
NOV 8, 5-7 PM
It’s Our World Student Response Exhibition Reception & Awards. Environmental Justice FOCUS theme event.
ART MUSEUM
NOV 16-DEC 1
Annie Dell’Aria/Grad show
ART LOBBY
NOV 16-DEC 1
Saturday Art
ART LOBBY
NOV 17–DEC 6
BFA Capstone Exhibition
HIESTAND
NOV 28, | 4:30 PM
BFA Capstone Artists
Reception
HIESTAND
NOV 13–DEC 6
Brooke Owens | MFA Thesis Exhibition
HIESTAND
DEC 2-30
Jon Yamashiro
ART LOBBY
DEC 5, 3-4:30 PM
The Heritage of McGuffey House and Museum: Reflections in its Architecture, History and Collections
ART MUSEUM
DEC 16, 2-4 PM
Final Saturday Reception, Refreshments, Tours and Activities.
ART MUSEUM
Join us for extended evening gallery hours and special programs:
SEP 13 | 10 AM-8 PM
OCT 11 | 10 AM-8 PM
NOV 8 | 10 AM-8 PM
DEC 13 | 10 AM-8 PM
For more information visit: miamioh.edu/cca/events
A free program with story time led by the Lane Public Library, paired with a related craft. Ages 3-5, accompanied by an adult. THU, SEP 28, OCT 26, NOV 16
Register online at the Lane.
Join student musicians in an informal afternoon of music in the galleries. In partnership with the Department of Music at Miami University.
Third Saturdays SAT, SEP 16, OCT 21, NOV 18, 1-2 PM
Enjoy and learn about the artworks on exhibit! Join one of our Volunteer Docent tours of current and ongoing exhibitions. First & Third Saturdays from 2-4 PM
Brownies and Girl Scouts take part in a creative arts program on Second Saturdays 1-2:30 PM & 3-4:30 PM
Richard and Carole Cocks Art Museum
801 S. Patterson Ave., Oxford, OH 45056 (513) 529-2232
ArtMuseum@MiamiOH.edu
MiamiOH.edu/ArtMuseum
Gallery hours:
Tuesday–Friday: 10 AM–5 PM
Saturday: Noon-5 PM
Second Wednesdays: 10 AM-8 PM
Hiestand Galleries
401 Maple St., Oxford, OH 45056 (513) 529-1883
sfagallery@MiamiOH.edu
MiamiOH.edu/HiestandGalleries
Gallery hours:
Mon-Fri, 9 AM-4:30 PM
McGuffey House & Museum
401 E. Spring St., Oxford, OH 45056 (513) 529-8380
McGuffeyMuseum@MiamiOH.edu
MiamiOH.edu/McGuffey-Museum
Museum hours:
Thursday–Saturday: 1–5 PM
Cage Gallery
101 Alumni Hall, Oxford, OH 45056 (513) 529-7210
archid@MiamiOH.edu
Arts.MiamiOH.edu/architecture-interior-design
Art Building (Lobby Gallery)
400 S Patterson Oxford, OH45056
More Museums & Collections
For more Museums and Collections on campus check out www.tinyurl.com/museumsmiami
