The hot days of summer are waning, and I am already receiving Halloween and holiday catalogues in the mail! Before the fall is upon us, be sure to enjoy the beautiful vistas on view in American Landscapes, now in its final weeks! The stunning paintings will transport you to serene, timeless locales. The visual and eventful memories created over the past couple of months will carry us through the chilly season ahead.
Across Munson, summer has been especially busy with a plethora of notable occasions and projects. The annual Arts Festival, which we have hosted for more than 65 years, is a trademark event in which employees across Munson take great pride. We kicked it off with the 46th annual Munson Car Show and Fountain Elms Invitational. The following eight days were bustling with children’s crafts, demonstrations, live music, and lots of art viewing and activities. Due to our Genesee Street construction project (which is moving right along!), the Sidewalk Art Show was held indoors and its temporary(?) location received the overwhelming endorsement of visitors and participating artists.
Some of our community partners stopped by to share exhibits and demonstrations including the Mohawk Valley Bonsai Club, the Utica ZooMobile, and the Utica Children’s Museum Mobile Museum, and over 180 lively participants decorated Palmer Park during the Oneida County Youth Bureau Sidewalk Chalk Art Competition!
The fabulous Steamrollin' Prints Invitational and evening concerts with performances by the Clinton Symphony Orchestra Brass Quintet, SpeaKerBoXx, and the Rebirth Fellowship Chorale rounded out a high-energy week.
As we welcome the cozy days of fall, watch for the Munson season preview in your mailboxes. We have many upcoming events that will bring sunshine to the gray weather ahead and fill your eyes, ears, minds, and souls with meaningful and joyful art experiences. I look forward to sharing music, films, exhibitions, classes, and so much more with you in the months ahead.
Anna T. D'Ambrosio President and CEO
4 5
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Live from Laurel Canyon: Songs and Stories of American Folk Rock to perform on May 10.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Art Story with Utica Public Library
Thursday, Sept 5, 10:30 a.m.
Museum of Art | Art Odyssey Free
First Friday
Friday, Sept. 6, 5:30 p.m.
Museum of Art | Sculpture Grove
$5 General Admission | Free for Pratt Munson Students
Keyboard Conversations® with Jeffrey Siegel: Dances for the Ears
Saturday, Sept. 7, 7:30 p.m.
Museum of Art | Sinnott Family – Bank of Utica Auditorium
$24 Members | $30 General Public | $15 Students
Bus Trip to the Thomas Cole and Olana Historic Sites
Thursday, Sept. 12, 6:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
$150 Members | $175 General Public
Pratt Munson Family and Alumni Weekend
Friday-Sunday, Sept. 20-22
Pratt Munson
Pratt Munson Faculty Exhibition
Closing Reception
Friday, Sept. 20, 3-5 p.m.
Pratt Munson Gallery
Special Performance: Robin Spielberg
Saturday, Sept. 28, 7:30 p.m.
Museum of Art | Sinnott Family – Bank of Utica Auditorium Free
Art Story with Utica Public Library
Thursday, Oct. 3, 10:30 a.m.
Museum of Art | Art Odyssey Free
The Met: Live in HD: Les Contes D'Hoffmann by J. Offenbach
Saturday, Oct. 5, 1 p.m.
Museum of Art | Sinnott Family – Bank of Utica Auditorium
$24 Members | $30 General Public | $15 Students
Modern Women | Modern Vision: Photographs from the Bank of America Collection Members Preview
Thursday, Oct. 17, 5:30 p.m.
Museum of Art | Root Court Free for Members
The Met: Live in HD: Grounded by Jeanine Tesori, Libretto by George Brant
Saturday, Oct. 19, 1 p.m.
Museum of Art, Sinnott Family – Bank of Utica Auditorium
$24 Members | $30 General Public | $15 Students
Munson After Dark
Saturday, Oct. 19, 9 p.m.-midnight
Museum of Art, Root Court
$15 General Admission
Easton Pribble Lecture Series: Forest Young
Tuesday, Oct. 22, 11 a.m.
Museum of Art | Sinnott Family – Bank of Utica Auditorium Free
Gallery Talk: The Problem with Portraits, Mary Murray, Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art
Wednesday, Oct. 23, 11 a.m.
Museum of Art | 2 East Gallery Free
ONGOING
American Landscapes Guided Tours
Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays through Sept. 15, 1 and 2 p.m.
Docent greeters will be available for information and questions.
Friday and Saturday, Sept. 20 and 21, 11 a.m.–3 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 22, 2–4 p.m.
To schedule docent-led private tours, call Myah Darby at 315-797-0000 ext. 2170.
Art and Yoga
Saturdays | 10:30 a.m. | Museum of Art
Museum of Art
Drop-in Fee per Class: $10 Members | $ 15 General Public
No class Sept. 21.
ON VIEW
EXHIBITIONS
Final Weeks!
American Landscapes from the New-York Historical Society Through Sept. 22
2 East Gallery | Free for Members | $15 General Public
Final weeks to experience the resplendent vistas of the Hudson River and the Catskill, Adirondack, and White mountains in this summer’s exquisite exhibition American Landscapes, featuring the artists who came to be known as the Hudson River School for their shared artistic focus on our region’s natural spaces.
Presenting Sponsor: Gilroy Kernan & Gilroy; Lead Sponsors: Andrew Britton and David Grey; Christian and Cheryl Heilmann; Elizabeth R. Lemieux, Ph.D.; Family of F. X. Matt II; Hon. Beverly Tobin (ret.), in memory of Edwin J. Tobin; Sponsors: Joseph A. Abraham; John Brown; Coldwell Banker Faith Properties; Ricky and Leiter Doolittle; MJ and Colleen Gaetano; Cheryl and Fred Haritatos; Melany and Chris Welch; Laura and Todd Wetzel, MD
Views of New York: Wilderness and Waters
1 West Gallery
Drawn from the Munson collection, this fascinating exhibition combines historical and contemporary art depicting New York State’s famous river landscapes.
Stilled Waters | Still Here
1 North and Cardamone Galleries
Enjoy the 19th-century art inspired by Trenton Falls as well as contemporary works by Pratt Munson faculty and Haudenosaunee artists, Native New Yorkers who knew the falls first as Tetwaˀsʌthaˀkó.
Sponsors: Peggy and Brian O’Shea in memory of Joan and William O’Shea and James and Alice Pender O’Shea; Kate Adams; Randy Beranek; Ann Clarke; Virginia and Christopher Kelly; Marietta von Bernuth
Modern Women | Modern Vision: Photographs from the Bank of America Collection
Oct. 19–Jan. 12, 2025
2 East Gallery
This remarkable collection includes iconic images and delightful surprises. Witness American history, immerse yourself in make-believe, and see the world through a woman's lens.
This exhibition has been loaned through the Bank of America Art in our Communities® program.
Gallery Talk: The Problem with Portraits
Mary Murray, Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art
Wednesday, Oct. 23, 11 a.m. | Free
Mary Murray will highlight a selection of photographs by Dorothea Lange, Cindy Sherman, Carrie Mae Weems, and others in this discussion about the sticky nature of authentic representation.
This traveling exhibition includes dynamic historical and contemporary photographs, educational and archival video, engaging multimedia interactives, and historical objects like campaign souvenirs, voter memorabilia, and protest material.
CURATOR'S CORNER
A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD: SURREALISM HAS A BIRTHDAY
The modern thought movement called Surrealism, often associated with the work of Spanish artist Salvador Dalí (1904–1989), officially turns 100 this year. It was in October 1924 that French writer and poet André Breton (1896–1966) published his first Manifesto of Surrealism. Breton proclaimed the primacy of intuition, dream-like states, and the subconscious in fulfilling the quest for living truthfully over meaningless, bourgeois lifestyles. As a result, he gained many followers in the worlds of literature, politics, music, photography, and film, in addition to art and design. Writers and artists in the Surrealist circle of that time, and continuing to the present, welcomed the freedom of expression that irrational thought and automatic gestures might reveal.
Surrealism opened the mind to creative impulse and played a key role in the development of post-World War II painting in the United States known as Abstract Expressionism—the era of Jackson Pollock, Lee Krasner, and Norman Lewis (all of whom are represented by great works in the Munson collection). Munson will observe Surrealism’s anniversary with an installation of paintings and works on paper by Surrealist artists Salvador Dalí and Federico Castellón (1914–1971) in the second floor modern and contemporary gallery beginning this fall.
– Mary Murray, Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art
Salvador Dali (Spanish, 1904–1989), Cardinal! Cardinal! (1934). Tempura and oil on panel. 6 1/4 x 8 3/4 in. Museum Purchase, 54.156.
MUNSON ACQUIRES RARE PAINTING BY ROBERT DUNCANSON NEW TO THE COLLECTION
Earlier this summer, the Munson Museum of Art added its first major painting by the celebrated African American artist Robert Seldon Duncanson (1821–1872), capping several years of pursuit and quite a bit of careful negotiation. The work is a spectacular new gem in the Museum’s strong collection of paintings from the mid-1800s, exhibiting all the technical polish, intellectual heft, and visual appeal viewers expect of the period.
The imaginary landscape setting derives from a passage in Irish poet Thomas Moore’s epic tale, Lalla Rookh (1817). This popular poetry collection tells of a princess’s forced journey across the Indian subcontinent and her romance with a prince disguised as a musician. Duncanson’s fantasy invites viewers to imagine boating across the sweet-smelling lake and drinking from the palace’s waterfall fountain.
Duncanson builds on Moore’s allegory of love and free choice, using the striking backdrop of a mountain-ringed lake. Picturing the moment when the blissful setting overwhelms the captive princess, the artist makes sensual beauty and vigorous social commentary coexist in unexpected and rewarding ways. The dreamy, perfumed vale (valley) bears no trace of the ongoing violence of the Civil War, but its relationship to American politics is likely more complex.
Duncanson was born in Seneca County, N.Y., to a family of free African Americans brought to the region by their Virginian enslavers. Praised by critics and art enthusiasts in his day, he became a major figure in the American landscape movement with the support of abolitionists.
Duncanson spent most of his career in Cincinnati, the “Athens of the West,” popular with Black freedom seekers. There, he worked with photographer James Presley Ball and shared a studio with painter William Louis Sonntag. He also would have seen the second version of Thomas Cole’s Voyage of Life, painted soon after the Munson originals and exhibited in Cincinnati beginning around 1846 (now in the collection of the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.).
By the 1860s, Duncanson was known locally and regionally, but he continued to pursue international recognition. Perhaps fearing invading Confederate forces, he traveled to Canada in 1863, where he completed Vale of Kashmir in 1864. In Montreal, Duncanson found collaborators and patrons, and he also mentored younger artists as a teacher, helping establish a growing Canadian landscape painting tradition.
What a fascinating story! In the midst of the U.S. Civil War, the country’s best-known African American artist painted an Irish fantasy of South Asian freedom and love—in Montreal, Canada. Munson will be able to demonstrate the complexity of American art history in its global context. As with all great works, the more I study it, the more I am convinced of its potential to invoke a past yet unknown. After minor conservation and the addition of a period-appropriate frame, expect to see Vale of Kashmir in the Museum of Art’s first floor Thomas Cole gallery this winter.
– Elizabeth Welch, Ph.D., Assistant Curator of American Art
Robert Seldon Duncanson (American, 1821–1872), Vale of Kashmir, 1864. Oil on canvas. 18 x 30 1/8 in. Museum Purchase, Helen Munson Williams Fund, 2024.5.
PRATT MUNSON
SUZANNE SNYDER NAMED DEAN OF PRATT MUNSON COLLEGE ART AND DESIGN
After a five-month national search, Suzanne Snyder has been named dean of Pratt Munson College of Art and Design, Munson’s 24-year affiliation with Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, N.Y. Snyder will provide executive leadership for Pratt Munson, an extension campus of Pratt Institute that provides first- and second-year instruction in fine arts, communications design, photography, and art and design education for the culmination of a BFA at Pratt. Snyder will also lead Munson’s Community Arts program, which has offered non-credit art instruction to children, teens, and adults since 1941.
Munson President Anna D’Ambrosio said, “We are delighted to welcome Suzanne Snyder to the Munson executive team as dean of our Pratt Munson College of Art and Design. Her professional background combined with exceptional academic leadership and experience will strengthen our success in training the next generation of creatives. Suzanne is a dedicated, thoughtful professional with an impressive track record.”
“I am excited to join Pratt Munson as dean,” Snyder said. “Pratt Munson fosters an environment where students thrive academically and creatively, supported by a close-knit group of practicing artists and designers. The beautiful campus and Munson’s rich exhibition opportunities create an intimate yet connected environment, linking students not only to their future in Brooklyn but also to the larger global arts community. I look forward to collaborating with students and faculty to create meaningful opportunities and to further the vibrant and inclusive community that connects Utica and Brooklyn.”
Prior to joining Pratt Munson, Snyder served for 13 years as the program director in the Graphic Design and Visual Communications Department at Champlain College in Burlington, Vt. Her many endeavors at Champlain included launching and directing successful and innovative new programs and classes in addition to teaching graphic design beginning in 2008 and reaching full professorship in 2021.
Before working at Champlain College, Snyder taught at Towson University and Maryland Institute College of Art and worked as a senior designer and information design strategist at Zurich Financial Services. Snyder has also worked as a freelancer and consultant since 1992 and has compiled an impressive portfolio of clients in that time, including the Maryland State Department of Education, World Health Organization, and the Make-a-Wish Foundation.
Snyder is the site evaluator and chair for the National Association of Schools of Art and Design and previously served
“I am excited to join Pratt Munson as dean. Pratt Munson fosters an environment where students thrive academically and creatively, supported by a close-knit group of practicing artists and designers.”
– Suzanne Snyder, dean
as the chair of education for the American Institute of Graphic Arts in Burlington. She has won awards for her graphic design work and has had it published in juried publications. She has also presented professionally and served on panels at several conferences.
Snyder earned a master of fine arts in graphic design from Towson University in Towson, Md., and a bachelor of fine arts in graphic design from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia.
MUNSON IN THE COMMUNITY
WE LOVE OUR COMMUNITY!
Whether we are welcoming neighbors to Munson events like Art Alive!, the Arts Festival, and exhibitions, or reaching out at Juneteenth, Utica Pride, Utica Zoo’s Brewfest, and the Boilermaker, Munson staff and volunteers enjoy taking part in the vibrant cultural community of the Mohawk Valley.
Look for us at upcoming events — Clinton’s Art and Music Festival, Harvest on the Hill, and the Mohawk Valley Latino Festival to name a few!
Community Clean-up Day
The Employee Engagement Committee, in collaboration with Green Utica, organized a community cleanup event on July 11 in the neighborhood immediately surrounding Munson. Senior Accountant Anna-Mary Adelman, Technical Manager Connor Dunckel, Financial Aid Director Brenda Taylor, and more than 20 Munson employees participated in this initiative.
Boilermaker Expo
Munson participated in the Boilermaker Expo and welcomed thousands of runners to the area! Boilermaker runners could bring their bib in to receive free admission to the summer exhibition, American Landscapes from the New-York Historical Society!
Congratulations to Munson staff who ran the Boilermaker: Audrey Taylor, Ken Marchione, and Jon Taylor (5K), and Carlie Sherry, Faris Omeragic, and Tara LaBruzzo (15K).
Stephen Harrison, Museum Director and Cheif Curator on 97.9 KISS-FM talking about American Landscapes
Neighborhood kids free lunch and art program
Munson at Utica Blue Sox
On July 8, Munson employees enjoyed complimentary tickets to a Utica Blue Sox game. Director of Performing Arts Bob Mortis sang the National Anthem and Campus Safety Officer Corwin Weathers threw out the first pitch of the game!
Thea Bowman House
Miss Belmira's pre-k class received final copies of their OWN illustrated book titled “Portraits of Amazing Adventures Inside the Yellow Class”! Each page is filled with the creativity and imagination of each child in the class, a true testament to the magic that happens when kids inspire kids. Munson, which hosts the class monthly through Art Story, was honored to be a part of this inspiring journey.
Streamrollin' Prints exhibition, Big Prints, on view at 4 Elements Studios Satellite exhibition in downtown Utica
Munson attended the Pride Festival Celebration at Mohawk Valley Community College.
PERFORMING ARTS 2024-25 SEASON PREVIEW
KEYBOARD CONVERSATIONS®
Dances for the Ears
Saturday, Sept. 7 | 7:30 p.m.
A Few of Our Favorite Things
Saturday, April 5 | 2 p.m.
$24 Members | $30 General Public | $15 Students
Join acclaimed concert pianist Jeffrey Siegel in September as he guides the audience through the lively, rhythmic music of Bach, Chopin, and Spanish composers Enrique Granados and Manuel de Falla, and again in April, when he will perform beloved masterpieces by Chopin, Rachmaninoff, Debussy, and Brahms.
Sponsored by Dr. Cynthia Parlato, Dr. Douglas Hurd, and Dr. Lorna W. Grant
SPECIAL EVENT LOVE ON THE ROCKS
Victorian Love Stories and Cocktails
Thursday, Feb. 13 | 7 p.m.
$52 Members | $65 General Public
Treat yourself to an evening of enchantment and indulgence with “Love on the Rocks,” where Victorian love stories spring to life on stage while you taste themed cocktails and enjoy charcuterie. From lighthearted tales to heart-wrenching dramas, these captivating performances, including readings of the original love letters and poetry of Munson founders, Helen and James Williams, will sweep you off your feet! Exquisite charcuterie and premium chocolates add the finishing touch to an unforgettable night of romance.
SPECIAL PERFORMANCE ROBIN SPIELBERG
Music and Mental Health
Saturday, Sept. 28 | 7:30 p.m.
Free Admission
Discover the soothing power of music with acclaimed pianist Robin Spielberg in her transformative concert program dedicated to wellness and anxiety relief in which she performs a thoughtfully curated selection of compositions. Interwoven with her mesmerizing performance, she offers practical tips that audience members can incorporate into their own lives.
Sponsored by Excellus BlueCross BlueShield Promotion for workshops is underwritten by B Sharp Musical Club
CONCERT IN THE COURT DANÚ
Traditional Irish Ensemble
Thursday, March 6 | 7:30 p.m.
$28 Members | $35 General Public | $15 Students
Emerging from the storied landscape of County Waterford, Danú stands as one of today’s foremost traditional Irish ensembles. Their electrifying, sold-out concerts across Ireland are legendary, showcasing high-energy performances that seamlessly blend ancient Irish melodies with vibrant new compositions. For over two decades, Danú’s virtuoso players on flute, tin whistle, fiddle, button accordion, bouzouki, and vocals have captivated audiences worldwide.
TICKETS
ON SALE NOW!
SPECIAL PERFORMANCE HALF MOON ORCHESTRA: HOLIDAY CONCERT
Classical Orchestra
Saturday, Dec. 21 | 7 p.m.
Free for Members | $15 General Public
Following their sold-out performance in 2023, the Half Moon Orchestra returns to Munson for another enchanting classical holiday concert. This time, they will grace the stage with the full orchestra, filling the stage of the Root Court, promising an even more magnificent musical experience.
315-797-0055 MUNSON.ART
STOP BY THE WELCOME DESK
CONCERT IN THE COURT ANTONIO SÁNCHEZ: BIRDMAN LIVE
Percussionist
Saturday, Feb. 1 | 7:30 p.m.
$28 Members | $35 General Public | $15 Students
Celebrate the 10th anniversary of Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) with Grammy-winning composer Antonio Sánchez. Sánchez’s largely improvisational Birdman performances, in which he performs live alongside a screening of the film, have been regarded by The Guardian as “[injecting] a vitality that maps out the emotions of the film’s characters with precision… .”
SPECIAL PERFORMANCE AN EVENING WITH JOHN WATERS
Filmmaker and Cultural Icon
Thursday, April 10 | 7:30 p.m.
Performance: $44 Members | $55 General Public
Performance + Q&A: $68 Members | $85 General Public
In this all-new, fast-moving, part-confessional, part-inquisitional comic spoken word show, Waters salutes the new gender-guerilla generation of today for doing the impossible – actually making him nervous. Together, he demands, we must seize back the sexual revolution from the self-righteousness of the left and the intolerance of the right. A new middle-of-the-road madness that uses humor as terrorism, wit as ammunition.
CONCERT IN THE COURT LIVE FROM LAUREL CANYON: SONGS AND STORIES OF AMERICAN FOLK ROCK
Folk Rock Ensemble
Saturday, May 10 | 7:30 p.m.
$28 Members | $35 General Public | $15 Students
“Live from Laurel Canyon” pays homage to the legendary songwriters of Laurel Canyon, a haven for artists who redefined American pop music in the ’60s and ’70s with their innovative sounds and groundbreaking creativity, including The Mamas and The Papas, James Taylor, Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Jackson Brown, and the Eagles. This immersive journey blends live performances with stories behind the songs.
FILM SERIES
Wednesdays and Fridays | 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Join us each week for new foreign, independent, and award-winning films. Film selections are announced a week before the first series of the month.
$7 Members | $9 General Public | $5 Students
Discounted multi-film passes are available. Student tickets: call 315-797-0055. Film tickets and descriptions: munson.art/film
Munson Film Series is sponsored by M&T Bank and by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature.
ART ALIVE! FAMILY DAYS
Free for kids and families! Art Alive! Family Days include art-making activities, performances, and workshops. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
BAM PERCUSSION! THE BLUE BARREL SHOW!
Monday, Nov. 11, Veterans Day 11 a.m. The Blue Barrel Show! 1 p.m. Workshop
DOKTOR KABOOM!
Thursday, Jan. 2, Winter Break 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Look Out! Science is Coming!
Thursday, April 24, Spring Break 11 a.m. Performance 1 p.m. Clowning Workshop
Sponsored by the MetLife Foundation, and by Rona Lucas, in memory of Roslyn and Irving Levine
The Metropolitan Opera’s award-winning series of live performance transmissions continues at Munson Museum of Art for the 2024-25 season.
Oct. 5 – Les Contes d’Hoffmann
Oct. 19 – Grounded
Nov. 23 – Tosca
Dec. 7 – The Magic Flute (Encore)
Jan. 25 – Aida
March 15 – Fidelio
April 26 – Le Nozze di Figaro
May 17 – Salome
May 31 – Il Barbiere di Siviglia
Tickets available at munson.art/metlive.
The Met: Live in HD at Munson is sponsored by Elizabeth R. Lemieux, Ph.D.
The Met: Live in HD series is made possible by a generous grant from its founding sponsor Neubauer Family Foundation. Digital support is provided by Bloomberg Philanthropies. The Met: Live in HD series is supported by Rolex.
DONOR SPOTLIGHT
BILL AND EMILY MURDOCK
Bill and Emily Murdock have spent most of their lives in Utica not far from Munson. Much of Bill’s professional life was spent as a customer engineer; Emily’s in education and healthcare. When they returned to Utica after years in Virginia, they purchased and rehabilitated homes in the Mohawk Valley, improving then renting them. Bill doesn’t present himself as an artist, but his skill and craftsmanship are readily apparent in these homes. He clearly has an artist’s eye for detail and form.
Bill has always had an artistic spirit. He might have made his livelihood creating, but instead he chose another route after high school, considering a career in an industry more prudent. Many years later, that choice has inspired Bill and Emily offer young men and women the opportunity to choose the path Bill did not. They have established a scholarship endowment now, and they will eventually augment that scholarship fund through their estate.
Leaving a legacy – or celebrating someone else by setting up a legacy fund in their name – is easy and offers a powerful way to support Munson. The Murdocks' scholarship is a legacy that will last for many generations, benefiting hundreds of students over time.
We all have the opportunity to leave our mark on the places we love. If you have something in mind for Munson, please reach out to John Murphy to discuss your options and how Munson can bring them to life. You can reach John at jdmurphy@munson.art or 315-927-8523.
GROWING OUR CREATIVE COMMUNITY
As a valued Member, you already know the incredible benefits of being part of Munson. Now, you have the opportunity to share these benefits with your friends and family. Here’s how it works:
Invite friends and family to join Munson.
Make sure they mention your name when they sign up for a membership in person or over the phone, or by adding your name in the "How did you hear about us" online membership form. Enjoy your 20% off one item at the Museum Shop as a thank-you for helping us grow; new members will also receive this discount.
By expanding our community, we can continue to support and inspire each other through the arts, imaginative exploration, and shared experiences.
Thank you for being an essential part of Munson. Together, we can make our creative community even stronger!
YOU NAME IT!
Sponsors are vital partners for Munson performances and exhibitions, and they also provide a great way for individuals or businesses to demonstrate their commitment to the arts. We hope you will consider joining our growing community of sponsors and add your name to one of the following:
Concerts in the Court Series
$2,500 individual performance sponsorship
$5,000 series sponsorship
First Fridays and Munson After Dark
$2,500 individual event sponsorship
$5,000 series sponsorship
Museum of Art Exhibitions
$5,000 individual exhibition sponsorship
$10,000 exhibition series sponsorship
$25,000 and up constitutes a presenting sponsorship
Community Arts
$25,000 sponsors free kids’ art instruction in Summer 2025
For more information, contact John Murphy at jdmurphy@munson.art or 315-927-8523.
WELCOME NEW ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE ABOUT THE PROGRAM
TINA MITCHELL
Munson is thrilled to welcome 2024-25 Artist-in-Residence Tina Mitchell! Mitchell has just completed her MFA at the School of Visual Arts, New York City, and holds a BFA in Studio Arts from Syracuse University.
Mitchell’s artistic practice is inspired by her passion for art education and experiences teaching art to many ages and at numerous institutions. Her artwork manipulates representations of space in order to explore their possibilities for expressing joy, excitement, or fear. There is an emphasis on the combination of sculpture and painting that blurs pictorial space with physical space and rejects predetermined structures through painting and application of color. Mitchell is greatly influenced by the teachings of painter and art theorist Wassily Kandinsky at the Bauhaus school, and she is developing a community arts class that breaks down Abstraction into a series of experiments and critical thinking.
Learn more about Mitchell at tinamitchell.org.
MOST RECENT ALUMNI
Felipe Lopez – Drawing and Painting | Bogotá, Columbia
Dehmie Dehmlow – Ceramics | Denver, Colo.
Amy Bruning – Animation | Edinburgh, Scotland
Michael Hicks – Photography | Syracuse, N.Y.
Janet Loren Hill – Drawing and Painting | Boston, Mass.
EASTON PRIBBLE LECTURE SERIES
FOREST YOUNG
Oct. 22, 11 a.m.
Bank of Utica –Sinnott Family Auditorium
Forest Young and Jeremy Mickel
Redaction Typeface: Multiplicity of Typographic, Legal, and Human Histories
ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE
The Artist-in-Residence (AIR) program is designed for artists or recent visual arts master of fine arts graduates interested in working in art education, community arts, and college curricula while receiving support to develop a vibrant, self-directed studio practice.
Programming for the AiR includes presenting a public lecture, teaching community arts education classes, holding a public open-studio event, and designing and implementing accessible community projects with various departments on campus. Artists receive financial support, housing, meals, studio, and an exhibition in the Museum of Art.
If you are interested in supporting future Artists-in-Residence, please reach out to John Murphy at jdmurphy@munson.art or 315-927-8523.
The 2024-25 Munson Artist-in-Residence Program is made possible with the generous support of Sunithi S. Bajekal.
ELANA HERZOG
Nov. 13, 11 a.m.
Bank of Utica –Sinnott Family Auditorium
Elana Herzog. Embedded Sampler, 2020. Textile, metal staples in panel, 30 x 27 in.
COMMUNITY ARTS
REGISTRATION OPEN FOR FALL CLASSES
For adults, teens, and kids
This fall, Munson Community Arts will once again offer a selection of classes to inspire art enthusiasts of all ages and abilities.
Pursue art on Pratt Munson's college campus, with instruction by talented professionals in their field. The Community Arts program grows with students, offering courses designed to challenge them at their ability level as they develop new skills. Explore new passions, reconnect with old talents, and learn lifelong skills through courses centered on you.
FALL CLASSES HIGHLIGHT
Introduction to Mulitmedia Abstract
Expressionism with Tina Mitchell
Tuesdays, 5:30–8:30 p.m., Sept. 17–Dec. 10
A limited edition painting and drawing class that guides students to experiment with abstract painting and drawing two dimensionally. Don’t miss the opportunity to learn from Munson’s inspiring Artist-in-Residence Tina Mitchell!
Intro to Throwing with Ron Miller
MINI COURSE
Wednesdays, 6–9 p.m., Nov. 6–Dec. 18 (No class Nov. 27)
Explore the potter’s wheel as a tool of the ceramic-forming process as you are introduced to throwing techniques and the fundamental process of firing and glazing.
This self-directed studio is the perfect opportunity for artists of all levels who have previously taken a painting or drawing class at Munson to hone their skills, explore their creativity, and work in a supportive group setting. Free for Munson Members! (Registration required)
REGISTRATION
Classes begin the week of Sept. 16 munson.art/communityarts 315-797-8260 communityclasses@munson.art
Need-based scholarships covering partial or full tuition are available for all ages.
Kelli Samson. 2019. Bringing Nature In. Alkyds on canvas.
MUNSON SUMMER EVENTS AT A GLANCE
Arts Festival: Fountain Elms Invitational
American Landscapes Members Preview
Munson hosted 100.7FM - Talk of the Town
Summer Community Arts classes
Arts Festival: Steamrollin' Prints Invitational
Arts Festival: Sidewalk Art Show
SEPT. 7 | 7:30PM
DANCES FOR THE EARS
Sponsored by Dr. Cynthia Parlato, Dr. Douglas Hurd, and Dr. Lorna W. Grant
FIRST FRIDAY
Friday, Sept. 6, 5:30 p.m.
Museum of Art | Root Court
$5 General Admission Free for Pratt Munson Students
NEW AT THE MUSEUM SHOP
Stop by the Museum Shop for keepsakes and gifts!
In addition to art-inspired Munson gifts, the Museum Shop carries a collection of jewelry, creative toys, art books, and gifts that can’t be found anywhere else in our area and that will please a wide range of tastes. We source our items locally and globally to offer unique and memorable options.
Members receive 10% off!
Non-consignment merchandise
20% OFF ONE ITEM SPECIAL EVENT OCT. 17
Members receive a 20% discount on ONE item (non-consignment) during the Modern Women | Modern Vision: Photographs from the Bank of America Collection Members Preview, Oct. 17, 5:30 p.m. to close.
NEW YORK CITY BUS TRIP
SPEND THE DAY EXPLORING THE BIG APPLE!
SATURDAY, DEC. 7, 6AM
Tickets: 315-797-0055 or munson.art
Payment is nonrefundable after Nov. 23 unless the trip is canceled. Arrive and depart at the bustling Bryant Park holiday market, and enjoy shopping, museums, Broadway shows, restaurants, and more.
$99 Members | $105 General Public
MUNSON AFTER DARK
SATURDAY, OCT. 19 | 9PM TO MIDNIGHT
INFORMATION AND HOURS
Museum of Art including Fountain Elms
Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.
Performing Arts Ticket Office
Monday to 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
Pratt Munson and Community Arts Offices
Monday to Friday, 8:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.
Art Research Library
Monday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. , Sunday 3 to 5 p.m.
The following areas are accessible to the physically challenged: Museum of Art Galleries, Fountain Elms, Sinnott Family – Bank of Utica Auditorium, and Root Court, Art Odyssey: Interactive Gallery, Museum Shop, Art Library, Performing Arts Office, School of Art Gallery, Studio D, and the Pottery Studio, the Academic Center, and Student Center.
Tues. to Sat. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Located in Fountain Elms 315-797-0000 ext. 2212
USE CODE PARTNER
MUNSON
310 Genesee Street
Utica, NY 13502
315-797-0000
munson.art
“This exhibition took my breath away!”
“Just beautiful!”
FINAL WEEKS!
GUIDED TOURS
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday 1 and 2 p.m. (through Sept. 15)
DOCENT GREETERS IN THE GALLERIES
Friday and Saturday Sept. 20 and 21,11 a.m.–3 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 22, 2–4 p.m.
Presenting Sponsor: Gilroy Kernan & Gilroy; Lead Sponsors: Andrew Britton and David Grey; Christian and Cheryl Heilmann; Elizabeth R. Lemieux, Ph.D.; Family of F. X. Matt II; Hon. Beverly Tobin (ret.), in memory of Edwin J. Tobin; Sponsors: Joseph A. Abraham; John Brown; Coldwell Banker Faith Properties; Ricky and Leiter Doolittle; MJ and Colleen Gaetano; Cheryl and Fred Haritatos; Melany and Chris Welch; Laura and Todd Wetzel, MD
Louis Rémy Mignot (1831–1870), The Harvest Moon, 1860. Oil on canvas. New-York Historical Society, The Robert L. Stuart Collection, the gift of his widow Mrs. Mary Stuart, S-160
This exhibition has been organized by the New-York Historical Society.
