Munson Bulletin November/December 2023

F. X. Matt III, Chair

Christian Heilmann, Vice-Chair

Dietra Harvey, Secretary

Vige Barrie

Rev. Sharon Baugh

Dr. Steven J. Brown

William C. Craine

Emma Golden

Robert Knight

Betty Krulik

Mark Levitt

C. Sonia Martinez

Laura Tansey Wetzel

Richard Griffith, Trustee Emeritus

John B. Stetson, Trustee Emeritus

Anna T. D’Ambrosio, President and CEO

Dear Munson Community,

As we settle into fall, we look forward to the winter holidays and time with family and friends. It is a time of reflection and anticipation. 2023 was a landmark year for Munson, highlighted by the celebration of our new brand and name, honoring our past and positioning us for a bright, energized future.

Our work is made most meaningful through the connections Munson creates for each of you with the arts and with one another. When I asked my colleagues here what program or event held the most meaning for them over these past 11 months, every single person noted something that resonated in the community — dancing with hundreds of music fans during a Concert in Court, seeing thousands of Utica School District children explore the Museum galleries, celebrating our largest Pratt Munson class, and helping children create art in our free kids summer classes or Art Alive! programs.

This is just a fraction of what the amazing team here accomplished this year, and we could only do it with the support of our members and the generous region in which we are located. You make what we do possible and meaningful. Thank you!

As I look ahead, 2024 will be equally transformational as Munson embarks on landscaping our Genesee Street facade, explores potential renovations elsewhere on campus, and offers a fabulous roster of exhibitions, performances, classes, and special events not duplicated elsewhere.

Join us over the winter holiday season and bring your family and friends to share the joy of self expression, learning, community, music, discussion, and the simple pleasure of appreciating great works of art.

With all best wishes for a joyous and healthy holiday season,

Anna T. D'Ambrosio President and CEO

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Generations Members Preview Reception

THURSDAY, NOV. 2 | 5:30 P.M.

Museum of Art

Free

Art Story with Utica Public Library

THURSDAY, NOV. 2 | 10:30 A.M.

Museum of Art | Art Odyssey

Free

Art Alive! Perry Ground:

Native American Storyteller

FRIDAY, NOV. 10 | 10 A.M. TO 2 P.M.

Museum of Art | Sinnott Family - Bank of Utica Auditorium

10 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Crafts

11 a.m. – Stories from the People of the Longhouse

1 p.m. – Re-Thinking Thanksgiving

Free

Opening Reception for Zach Hacmon Exhibition

Mi Sueño

FRIDAY, NOV. 10 | 3 TO 5 P.M.

Pratt Munson Gallery

Free

Generations Meet the Artist Gallery Talk

Carlie Miller Sherry

SUNDAY, NOV. 12 | 2 P.M.

Museum of Art

Free

Easton Pribble Lecture Series: Aaron Coleman

TUESDAY, NOV. 14 | 11 A.M.

Museum of Art | Sinnott Family - Bank of Utica Auditorium

Free

Holiday Felting Workshop

SATURDAY, NOV. 18 | 9 A.M. TO 12:30 P.M.

Museum of Art | Root Court

General Public $70 | $65 Members

Native American Heritage Month Art Exhibition and Sale We Have Always Been Here

SATURDAY, NOV. 18 | 11 A.M. TO 4 P.M.

Museum of Art | Root Court

Free

The Met: Live in HD: X: The Life and Time of Malcolm X

SATURDAY, NOV. 18 | 12:55 P.M.

Museum of Art | Sinnott Family - Bank of Utica Auditorium

General Public $28 | Members $24 | Students $15

Art Story with Utica Public Library

THURSDAY, DEC. 7 | 10:30 A.M.

Museum of Art | Art Odyssey

Free

Generations Meet the Artist Gallery Talk

Ken Marchione

SUNDAY, DEC. 3 | 2 P.M.

Museum of Art

Free

The Met: Live in HD: Florencia en el Amazonas

SATURDAY, DEC. 9 | 12:55 P.M.

Museum of Art | Sinnott Family - Bank of Utica Auditorium

General Public $28 | Members $24 | Students $15

Half Moon Orchestra: Classical Holiday Concert

SATURDAY, DEC. 16 | 7 P.M.

Museum of Art | Sinnott Family - Bank of Utica Auditorium

General Public $10 | Free for Members

Special Event: Holiday Spirits

THURSDAY, DEC. 21 | 7 P.M.

Museum of Art | Root Court

General Public $50 | $45 Members

Art Alive! Jack Frost: Snow Kidding

THURSDAY, DEC. 28 | 10 A.M. TO 2 P.M.

Museum of Art | Sinnott Family - Bank of Utica Auditorium

10 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Crafts

11 a.m. – Performance

1 p.m. – Clowning Workshop

Free

ON GOING

Art and Yoga

SATURDAYS | 10:30 A.M.

Museum of Art

General Public $15 | $10 Members

Victorian Yuletide: Winter Wonderland

Guided Tours

SATURDAYS, NOV. 24 TO DEC. 31 | 2 P.M.

Museum of Art | Fountain Elms

Free

Art Alive! Jack Frost: Snow Kidding

PERFORMING ARTS

THE MET: LIVE IN HD ART ALIVE!

The Met: Live in HD is the Metropolitan Opera’s Peabody Award and Emmy Award-winning series of performances transmitted live from the stage of the Met into movie theaters worldwide.

General Public $28 | Members $24 | Students $15

For ticket information, visit munson.art or call 315-797-0055 or 800-754-0797

Met: Live in HD broadcasts are sponsored by Elizabeth R. Lemieux, Ph.D.

X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X - By Anthony Davis

Saturday, Nov. 18, 12:55 p.m.

Florencia en el Amazonas - By Daniel Catán

Saturday, Dec. 9, 12:55 p.m.

Nabucco - By Giuseppe Verdi

Saturday, Jan. 6, 12:55 p.m.

Carmen - By Georges Bizet

Saturday, Jan. 27, 12:55 p.m.

La Forza del Destino - By Giuseppe Verdi

Saturday, March 9, noon

Roméo et Juliette - By Charles Gounod

Saturday, March 23, 12:55 p.m.

La Rondine - By Giacomo Puccini

Saturday, April 20, 12:55 p.m.

Madam Butterfly - By Giacomo Puccini

Saturday, May 11, 12:55 p.m.

FILM SERIES

Enjoy new foreign, independent, and award-winning films each week.

Art Alive! Family Days at Munson include art-making activities, free performances and workshops, special guests, and a family-friendly menu at the Terrace Café. Art Alive! happens during school breaks. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Free for kids and families!

Funding for Art Alive! is provided by the MetLife Foundation, and by Rona Lucas, in memory of Roslyn and Irving Levine.

Perry Ground: Native American Storyteller

Friday, Nov. 10

11 a.m. Stories from the People of the Longhouse

1 p.m. Re-Thinking Thanksgiving

Jack Frost: Snow Kidding

Thursday, Dec. 28

11 a.m. Performance

1 p.m. Clowning Workshop

Hot Peas n’ Butter: Multicultural Family Pop

Thursday, Feb. 22

11 a.m. Performance

1 p.m. Music Workshop

The Secret Agency: Hip Hop

Thursday, April 25

11 a.m. Performance

1 p.m. Songwriting Workshop

Wednesdays and Fridays | 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Museum of Art | Sinnott Family – Bank of Utica Auditorium

General Public $9 | Members $7

Discounted multi-film passes are available

The Film Series is generously sponsored by

Perry Ground: Native American Storyteller

X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X

ON VIEW

EXHIBITIONS

MUSEUM OF ART

Generations: Artists of Central New York

Nov. 3 to Jan. 7 | Museum of Art

Article on page 6

COMING UP

Between Worlds: Stories of Artists and Migration

Feb. 17 to May 5 | Museum of Art

Powerful artworks offer new perspectives on migration stories in Between Worlds. The exhibition features artists working in the United States who have emigrated from other countries, experienced the Great Migration, or whose African or Indigenous ancestors were forced to move from their homelands.

Victorian Yuletide: Winter Wonderland

Nov. 24 to Dec. 31 | Museum of Art

Step into a winter wonderland with the annual Victorian Yuletide exhibition opening Nov. 24 at Fountain Elms. Through exquisitely adorned historical settings from the late 1800s filled with glittering decorations, traditional toys, and elegant crystal and silver, Victorian Yuletide offers visitors an opportunity to explore authentic Victorian-era Christmas customs. This year the dining room, parlor, and library period settings will be appointed for a fashionable evening party called a “kettledrum.” At this type of affair, the dining table was set with a buffet of cold entrées, salads, fruit, cakes, and other sweets. Guests were served eggnog, tea, coffee, wine, and claret or champagne.

Relive a tradition you enjoyed as a child, and introduce your children and grandchildren to one of the region’s most authentic and stunning holiday displays. Step into the Victorian Era and celebrate the holiday season with a trip to Fountain Elms.

American Landscapes from the New-York Historical Society

June 14 to Sept. 22 | Museum of Art

The resplendent vistas of the Hudson River and Catskill, Adirondack, and White mountains come alive in this exhibition. Investigate the ties that bound the 19th-century artists who would come to be known as the Hudson River School for their shared exploration of our region’s natural spaces.

PRATT MUNSON GALLERY

Zac Hacmon: Mi Sueño

Nov. 10 through Dec. 31

Opening reception: Friday, Nov. 10, 3 to 5 p.m.

Pratt Munson Gallery

Mi Sueno is sponsored by Artis.

Zac Hacmon. Mia, 2022. Sound Installation. 24 x 16 x 9 ft.

Photo credit: Zachary Balber

Lynette K. Stephenson. Bloom #3 What a Wonderful World, 2023. Oil on linen. 48 x 42 in.

CURATOR'S CORNER

A JAZZ AGE JEWEL

As one fascinated by art and design from the 1920s, imagine my delight in discovering Munson’s exquisite sculpture by American modernist John Storrs, Study in Pure Form. Like many of his peers, Storrs (1885–1956) explored the connections between architecture and sculpture. Geometry, perspective, and color were motifs of skyscraping buildings that he translated into sculptural models celebrating form over function. His works from the 1920s use various metals such as stainless steel, copper, and brass not only to help convey differing volumes but also remind the viewer of the play of light and shadow on buildings at multiple heights and at various times of the day — especially those moments at dusk when the sun bathes only the upper levels in golden hues.

The Museum’s work may be smaller or even less overtly “skyscraper-y” than others such as the example at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, but it powerfully conveys the “poise and

simplicity” that Storrs described in his work. It might also be tempting to suggest that he was drawn to architectural forms because of his father, who was an architect in Chicago, but that would underestimate the profound impact that urban life and its accompanying freedoms made on a society perpetually obsessed with breaking from the past. For his generation, the 1920s city represented the crucible of modern culture where music, literature, art, and architecture all melded together to reflect the possibilities of the future.

These ideals can also be found in his drawings and woodcuts from this period, including the Museum’s fantastic graphite and ink study from 1923. However, his architectural sculptures are rare, as Storrs only completed about twenty, and represent the pinnacle of his work — so much so, that nearly all are owned by museums today, including Munson!

– Stephen Harrison, Director and Chief Curator of Museum of Art

John Storrs (American, 1885-1956). Study in Pure Form, 1924. Stainless steel, brass, copper. 12 1/4 x 3 x 1 1/2 in. Museum Purchase, 83.9.

MUSEUM WELCOMES A VISITING MASTERPIECE

A monumental early color field painting by Mark Rothko, one of the most influential and renowned artists of the 20th century, is now on view in the Cardamone Gallery at the Museum as a generous loan from his son, Christopher Rothko. A glorious expanse of green, gold, and orange, Untitled was completed in 1954. Rothko described his paintings as “intimate and intense,” inviting viewers to feel embraced within them. Curator Mary Murray has said, “The breadth of these luminous color fields gives one a direct, immersive, emotional experience equivalent to music’s effect on the soul.”

At the same time, both of the Museum’s landmark paintings by Rothko have safely traveled to Paris where they are being seen alongside others from major museums around the world in Mark Rothko, a retrospective exhibition of the artist’s work at the Louis Vuitton Foundation in Paris on view until April 2024.

Correction: The September/October Bulletin incorrectly stated the location of the exhibition in Paris. Mark Rothko is on view at the Fondation Louis Vuitton.

Untitled, 1954. Mark Rothko (American, born Latvia, 1903- 1970). Oil on canvas. 91 1/8 x 59 1/2 inches. Collection of Christopher

Rothko. Copyright © 1998 by Kate Rothko Prizel and Christopher Rothko.

All members receive 10% off at the Museum Shop and discounted rates on all Community Arts classes and Performance tickets.

Gift cards can be purchased online at munson.art/giftcard, by calling 315-797-0000, or stop by the Museum.

SATURDAY, DEC. 9, 6 A.M.

Tickets: 315-797-0055 or munson.art

Payment is nonrefundable after Nov. 25 unless the trip is canceled due to insufficient registration. Arrive and depart at the bustling Bryant Park holiday market, and enjoy shopping, museums, Broadway shows, restaurants, and more.

General Public $105 | Members $99

GENERATIONS

ARTISTS OF CENTRAL NEW YORK

ON VIEW NOV. 3 THROUGH JAN. 7

Celebrating the vibrant visual arts in the region, Generations features seven artists whose lives span the last 60 years and whose art has made meaningful connections across the decades.

These works of art reveal new viewpoints on what is both current and timeless — the environment, relationships, desire, beauty, and the thrill of new experiences.

Munson’s exhibition series is sponsored by Christian and Cheryl Heilmann, Elizabeth R. Lemieux, Ph.D., and the Family of F. X. Matt II

GREGORY LAWLER

Originally from Philadelphia, Lawler is now a professor of painting and drawing at Pratt Munson and has been actively working and exhibiting for more than 30 years.

“My current paintings combine contemporary forms that I’ve collected from daily life with unusual pictorial symbols. These combinations are meant to be quirky and playful, sometimes alluding to classic pearls of wisdom or open-ended stories.”

Gregory Lawler. Leftovers, 2018. Oil on canvas on wood. 9 x 14 in.

MARY GAYLORD LOY

Gaylord Loy has worked as an artist for more than 70 years, teaching drawing, painting, and design. She serves on the Exhibition Committee of the Kirkland Art Center.

“I try to achieve my objective through conscious and subconscious processes. It is difficult for me to find the words to clarify the ‘why’ for much of this work. Some images are obvious; others have strayed from the initial intention and have become an enigma, even to me.”

Mary Gaylord Loy. Resurrection, 2023. Oil on Masonite. 83 1/2 x 52 1/2 in.

JOHN LOY

Loy joined the faculty of the then Munson-Williams-Proctor Institute School of Art in 1960, where he worked as a painting and drawing instructor until his retirement in 1991.

“My ideas are frequently derived from the technique of collage, which I use as a point of departure. I am fascinated by the manipulation and juxtaposition of fragmented shapes and images. I use these fragments for their visual quality, not their symbolism.”

John Loy. Cryptic Diptych. Oil on canvas. 30 x 48 in.

KEN MARCHIONE

Marchione is an artist and educator, currently serving as a professor of drawing and painting at Pratt Munson, following a previous stop as Director of Art for the Stamford Museum and Nature Center.

“My work in this exhibition is the work made in the last two months in response to my recent and first trip to Europe . . . The faces, places, and museums I visited, feeling both familiar and unfamiliar, confronting me directly and relentlessly, creating new contexts and fresh interpretations.”

Ken Marchione. The Gate, 2023. Acrylic on canvas. 65 x 30 in.

CARLIE MILLER SHERRY

A Syracuse University graduate, Sherry runs an interdisciplinary art practice with a focus on art video in New Hartford, as well as working as a visiting assistant professor at Pratt Munson.

“Utilizing self-portraiture, I express displacement of both identity and time. The use of overlap in each drawing depicts the body in a state of constant motion, creating a feeling of unease and unrest. The same feeling that comes with caregiving for a parent and two young children.”

Carlie Miller Sherry. Am I Sick Too? 2023. Pastel on paper. Triptych 14 1/2 x 18 in.

LYNETTE STEPHENSON

An accomplished artist with more than 40 years of experience, Stephenson is currently a professor of studio art at Colgate University.

“As a painter, I aim to capture the viewer's attention towards the physical paint on the surface and the connection between color variations and brushstrokes. My paintings embrace intense color and its application, regardless of the subject matter.”

Left: Lynette Stephenson. Bloom #7, 2023. Oil on linen. 42 x 48 in.

Right: Lynette Stephenson. Bloom #8, 2023. Oil on linen. 42 x 48 in.

ANITA WELYCH

Welych taught in the studio art program at Cazenovia College for more than 30 years and is currently the executive director of the Kirkland Art Center in Clinton.

“I began my research in 2010 with an exhaustive study of North American extinct bird species, attempting to understand the nature of loss through the loss of nature … As we face the increasing threats of global environmental degradation, Dwindle serves as either a colorful call to action … or an elegy for what we have lost and will continue to lose.”

Anita Welych. Dwindle, 2019-20. Installation - silkscreen on paper, vinyl screening, and framed collages.

MEET THE ARTIST GALLERY TALK

PLEASE JOIN US IN CELEBRATING THE OPENING OF GENERATIONS: ARTISTS OF CENTRAL NEW YORK

THURSDAY, NOV. 2

5:30 TO 7:30 PM

FESTIVE FOOD AND A FULL CASH BAR

SUNDAYS AT 2 P.M. | LIGHT REFRESHMENTS FOLLOW

CARLIE MILLER SHERRY | NOV. 12

Artist and Visiting Assistant Professor, Pratt Munson

KEN MARCHIONE | DEC. 3

Artist and Professor of Painting and Drawing, Pratt Munson

MUSEUM EDUCATION

Holiday Felting Workshop

SATURDAY, NOV. 18, 9 A.M. TO 12:30 P.M.

ERIN GARDNER, GREY FOX FELTING

General Public $70 | Members $65

Experience the magical process of needle felting as you create your own felted holiday fox completely out of wool. This workshop will introduce you to the felting materials and techniques as you are guided step-by-step in making your own unique fox with a bit of holly behind its ear. A materials kit is provided in this beginner-friendly workshop, and is yours to keep. Instructor Erin Gardner is a fiber artist, founder and co-owner of Grey Fox Felting, and creates nature-inspired sculptural and two-dimensional pieces. Erin loves sharing the increasingly popular art of needle felting.

COMMUNITY ARTS

WORKSHOP HIGHLIGHTS

Weekend Workshop

Woodshop for Beginners

NOV. 11–12 AND NOV. 18–19

SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS | 9 A.M. TO 4 P.M.

As an introduction to working with wood, students learn their way around an academic woodshop within the process of completing a project. Walk through step-by-step instructions with the instructor and create a tool-box, a desk organizer, and a step stool.

Native American Heritage Month Art Exhibition and Sale We Have Always Been Here

SATURDAY, NOV. 18, 11 A.M. TO 4 P.M.

Meet four Haudenosaunee artists who will present their creations and make them available for purchase; a rare opportunity for the broader Central New York Community to connect with the art and makers whose inspiration is the same land that is now, and always was, home to the Haudenosaunee people.

Danielle Schenandoah, an Oneida Wolf Clan Member of the Haudenosaunee Six Nations Confederacy, designs traditional and contemporary beaded artwork pieces using cut glass beads and a range of natural materials such as seeds, porcupine quills, and bone. Her beading styles include Iroquois raised beadwork, peyote stitch, loom work, lazy stitch, appliqué, and two needle flat stitch. Currently, Danielle is serving as the Cultural Liaison for Munson.

Jocelyn Jones will present her work in body art, permanent tattooing, and apparel design. Her skills include Hodinöhšyo:nih dance performances, health and wellness, holistic healing, and Seneca language and culture instruction.

Diane Schenandoah’s artistry is immersed in the traditions of her family and her ancestors before her, particularly in the Native connections with nature. A sculptor for close to 40 years, she works in stone, clay, wood, antler, and bronze.

Brandon Lazore, a member of the Snipe Clan from the Onondaga Nation, began collaborating with graffiti artists in the ‘90s. His unique style, which he dubbed “Traditional Graffiti,” blends technical graffiti with traditional Haudenosaunee cultural elements.

Weekend Workshop

We Weld!

JAN. 20–21 AND JAN. 27–28

SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS | 9 A.M. TO 4 P.M.

Discover the joys of welding and using metalworking equipment in a safe, friendly, and supportive environment. Diversity and inclusion are at the forefront of all ideas, approaches, and abilities while learning in the Munson metal shop.

PRATT MUNSON AT A GLANCE

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT DANNI XU

Danni Xu wants her students to be able to easily talk about their work and feel comfortable public speaking. That’s why one of the first assignments the visiting assistant professor of jewelry has given her class is to create a ring that expresses childhood memories. One student, Hayden Holmes, shows off a metal ring resembling a Cheez-It and gushes about Danni as a teacher. “She’s always checking in on us and sitting down with us,” she says. “We’ve all looked her up and her stuff is really cool. She never shows off her work, though.”

A recent show by Danni, a Chinese-born artist who holds an MFA in Jewelry and Metalsmithing from the Rhode Island School of Design, featured jewelry pieces representing precious objects that brought some sort of comfort of those dislocated from home during the pandemic — brooches of a pillow brought from a friend’s home in South Korea, a pillbox with Chinese medicine advertised to cure COVID-19 cast in silver and gold-plated. “Jewelry as a medium is really inclusive and accessible and has that intimacy,” she says.

Danni says she wanted to work at Pratt Munson after hearing about the school from a mentor at RISD who is an alum. “I know this is a really amazing program,” she says. “I always wanted to be an educator and [at Pratt Munson]

I can spend more time with individual students than at a larger school.” One of the highlights of teaching, she says, is “to be able to witness that spark moment when you see students get it. It’s my privilege to be able to witness that.”

Pratt Munson Campus Café Ribbon Cutting

Pratt Munson Alumni Exhibition Vestige Tania Alvarez and Sydney Ellison

Pratt Munson Family and Alumni Weekend Dinner

2023 MUNSON FALL EVENTS AT A GLANCE

Slambovian: Circus of Dreams Concert in the Court

Community Arts Kids Classes

Community Arts Ceramics Class

Community Arts Kids Classes

Big Prints Exhibition Artist Reception

Fierce Fashionistas: A Fashion Show Celebrating Women in Sports

Artist-in-Residence Talk: Felipe Lopez Fierce Fashionistas: A Fashion Show Celebrating Women in Sports

HOST YOUR NEXT EVENT AT MUNSON

Our facilities offer unique settings and opportunities for your next event, whether it's a business meeting or bridal shower.

Lunch Tues. through Sat., 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Sandwiches | Salads | Desserts

Reservations are welcome. 315-797-0000 ext. 2212

Closed January through March

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT

THE SINNOTT FAMILY AND BANK OF UTICA

The greatest asset in any community is its residents and Utica is no different. It’s an observation made by both Tom Sinnott, Bank of Utica president and CEO, and Barry Sinnott, Bank of Utica senior vice president.

Bank of Utica and the Sinnott family have long contributed to Munson, serving as a title sponsor for Munson’s Sidewalk Art Show. The Museum auditorium bears the family name and business moniker, the Sinnott Family - Bank of Utica Auditorium.

When the family moved to Cottage Place during his childhood, Tom Sinnott would visit the Museum as a child, borrowing records like “Peter and the Wolf” from the music library. After the family moved to South Utica, he would bicycle to an Oneida Square pharmacy, buy a comic book, and read it in the Museum.

“I used to just exult in being in that room with those Thomas Cole paintings and read my comics,” Tom Sinnott said. The Museum’s collection played a role in Barry Sinnott’s life, too. He was able to convince his now-wife to move to Utica in part because of the impressive names among the works on display — Salvador Dali, Pablo Picasso, and more.

Investing in the future of Munson helps make Utica a more appealing place to live, the Sinnotts said. This in turn helps retain young talent, attract new employers, and continue the city’s economic development momentum.

“It’s one of the most important quality-of-life institutions that we have here,” Barry Sinnott said. “Having Munson here will help attract families and people.”

YEAR-END OPPORTUNITIES

ANNUAL FUND

Munson’s 2023-2024 Annual Fund is underway! Munson relies on unrestricted support, through memberships and Annual Fund contributions, to meet its annual budget. Your Annual Fund gift supports every program at Munson, from vibrant exhibitions to outstanding Performing Arts programs, Community Arts offerings, Museum Education programs and much more. Please consider contributing to Munson’s Annual Fund before year-end.

GIVING THROUGH AN IRA

Have you considered contributing to Munson through your IRA? If you are 72 or over and hold a traditional IRA, giving through a “qualified charitable contribution” is both simple and tax-efficient. Your gift counts toward your required minimum distribution for the year, and by directing it to Munson you avoid the need to pay taxes on the contributed amount. Contact your tax advisor or IRA manager for details.

YEAR-END CHECKLIST

Give a year’s membership to everyone on your holiday shopping list! It’s fast, easy and comes with access to hundreds of programs, discounts on classes and merchandise, and unlimited free admission to all Museum of Art exhibitions.

Make an Annual Fund gift. Your support is the fuel that enables every program we offer.

Buy gift certificates for friends and family, to use toward class registrations, purchases at the Museum Store, Munson Film Series, Performing Arts events, and much more.

Visit us! Take a tour through the galleries, see Fountain Elms dressed for the season, and enjoy a wonderful lunch at the Terrace Café.

HALF MOON ORCHESTRA: CLASSICAL HOLIDAY CONCERT

SATURDAY, DEC. 16 | 7 P.M.

Make your holidays merry and bright with the Half Moon Orchestra, which is based in Oriskany, N.Y. and showcases talented local string musicians. Enjoy the uplifting sounds of holiday favorites and other classical selections in this special December concert in the Sinnott Family - Bank of Utica Auditorium.

General Public $10 | Free for Members

For ticket information, visit munson.art or call 315-797-0055 or 800-754-0797.

Museum of Art including Fountain Elms

Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.

Performing Arts Ticket Office

Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Doors open one hour before performances and 30 minutes before films.

Tickets: 315-797-0055, 1-800-754-0797 or munson.art

School of Art Offices

Monday through Friday, 8:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.

Art Research Library

Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The following areas are accessible to the physically challenged:

MUNSON

310 Genesee Street

Utica, NY 13502

315-797-0000

munson.art

2024 CALL FOR ART IN BLOOM ARTISTS

Application Deadline is Jan. 31

Are you a florist, garden club member, master gardener, artist, or designer with floral design experience? Submit your background and experience along with three images of your floral projects, and you may be selected to design for the annual Art in Bloom exhibition on view April 5 to 7, 2024. Participating designers are assigned an artwork in the Munson collection to interpret in flowers. Floral designs are displayed next to the masterpiece during the three-day public event. Deadline to apply is Jan. 31.

The application is available online at munson.art. Contact Barb Kane at 315-797-0000, ext. 2158 for more information. Space is limited.

Save the Date: Art in Bloom , April 5 to 7, 2024

Amanda Mackey, Professional Floral Artist, Whitesboro, New York