SPRING & SUMMER 2019
Museums provide expanded perspectives of past and present experiences, connect community and foster empathy, and provide a forum for people to experience the full range of human emotion. Museums are needed now more than ever. That’s why we’ve eliminated our admission fee.
Director’s Welcome Spring is a time of rebirth and renewal, and The Westmoreland Museum of American Art is pleased to share our renewed vision for the future, including this new Museum publication. In the fall of 2018, the entire staff participated in a visioning workshop to develop our statement of purpose and generate ideas for the future, resulting in the new mission and vision statement. Mission: The Westmoreland Museum of American Art offers a place to share compelling and meaningful cultural experiences that open the door to new ideas, perspectives, and possibilities. Vision: We imagine a world in which everyone feels valued and represented. Over the past several months, we have developed a three-year plan that outlines how we will fulfill our mission and strive towards our vision. One step towards that effort is our featured spring exhibition Mingled Visions: The Photographs of Edward S. Curtis and Will Wilson. Will Wilson, a contemporary photographer and member of the Navajo Nation, photographs indigenous artists, arts professionals, and tribal leaders in direct response to the photographs by Edward Curtis, who was documenting Native American tribes at the turn of the 20th century. Wilson’s photographs acknowledge the beauty and artistry of Curtis, while directly challenging the assumption that Native American culture is static and frozen in the past. As an American art museum, we have the unique opportunity to probe at what it really means to be an American and, through our exhibitions and programs, present a diversity of perspectives. In addition, this spring we have a variety of new amenities and programs to make your visit to The Westmoreland an exceptional experience, including:
> On March 29, we will have our first Members Exclusive Wine Reception to celebrate the opening of Mingled Visions: The Photographs of Edward S. Curtis and Will
Wilson for members that are Best Friend level and higher. The inside back cover has more information. Join, renew or upgrade your membership today!
> On March 30, our new Café Marchand will open! We
have partnered with French Express in Latrobe to offer a variety of sandwiches, salads, soups, quiches, cheeses and pastries, as well as a variety of local craft beers and wines. Learn more about the talented chefs Christophe Fichet and Nicolas Grunewald on page 10.
> Also beginning March 30, we will have NEW HOURS! To be more accessible to everyone, we will be open Wednesday–Friday, 11am to 7pm and Saturday–Sunday, 10am–5pm. We will be closed Monday and Tuesday (except for school groups and partner programs). The café will be open during public hours, so join us after work for a light bite and happy hour. > Beginning in April, the first Sunday of every month will
be our new Community Day. These days are fun for all ages and connect performance, hands-onstudio and gallery activities, and other interactive experiences with our collection and temporary exhibitions. Visit page 11 to discover this upcoming series.
> Our April and May Art on Tap will be extended to include longer hours and different experiences every month. We launch our new Art on Tap concept with the 1491s, a sketch comedy group that are self described as a “gaggle of Indians chock full of cynicism and splashed with a good dose of indigenous satire.” As we move into summer, Art on Tap will take a break, and we will launch Summer Saturdays, a new series of free inter-generational outdoor events that will include music, movies, and more. Read more about it on page 11.
We hope these changes will provide all our guests with a variety of opportunities to engage with The Westmoreland. I look forward to seeing you at the Museum!
Anne Kraybill The Richard M. Scaife Director/CEO thewestmoreland.org / 1
Connecting Smaller Communities to Great Works of Art Launched in 2017 with the goal of generating nationwide collection-sharing networks, the Art Bridges +Terra Foundation Initiative is a joint grant program of Art Bridges and the Terra Foundation for American Art. This initiative supports multi-year, multi-institutional partnerships, pairing a large metropolitan museum with smaller museums that traditionally lack the opportunity or resources to work together. The purpose of these partnerships is to engage local communities with outstanding works of American art. Partners collaborate by sharing collections and resources to create a series of content-rich exhibitions of art combined with in-depth educational and interpretive materials to reach a broad spectrum of audience interests. In addition, the Initiative fosters professional development and exchanges among partners. For Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia Museum of Art serves as the catalyst museum partnering with a consortium of eight museums across the Commonwealth. 2 / Spring & Sumer 2019
The Westmoreland was invited to be a part of this initiative in 2017. The other partners are Allentown Art Museum, The Demuth Museum, Erie Art Museum, James A. Michener Art Museum, Palmer Art Museum, Reading Public Museum, and The Trout Gallery. Coming together as a consortium offers the exceptional opportunity to share collections, exhibitions, ideas and professional expertise with our audiences. The Westmoreland’s first focus exhibition to include loans from the partnership is The Outsider’s Gaze. On loan from the Philadelphia Museum of Art are Penn’s Treaty with the Indians by Edward Hicks (above) and Indian Encampment by Ralph Blakelock. (Read about this exhibition on page 6.) We are excited to bring these artworks to our community!
above: Edward Hicks (1780–1849), Penn’s Treaty with the Indians, c. 1830–1835 (detail); Oil on canvas, 17.5 x 23.5 inches; Collection of Philadelphia Museum of Art, 125th Anniversary Acquisition. Gift of the McNeil Americana Collection, 2007-65-7. This collaboration with the Philadelphia Museum of Art is made possible through the Art Bridges + Terra Foundation Initiative to share works of American Art. opposite: Edward S. Curtis (1868–1952), Bear Bull—Blackfoot, 1926 (detail); Photogravure on Dutch Van Gelder paper, plate 640, 22 x 17.75 inches; Collection of the Dubuque Museum of Art, Dubuque, Iowa. Gift of Dubuque Cultural Preservation Committee, an Iowa general partnership, consisting of Dr. Darryl K. Mozena, Jeffrey P. Mozena, Mark Falb, Timothy J. Conlon, and Dr. Randy Lengeling, 2009.640
Mingled Visions This spring, The Westmoreland features two exhibitions that explore the role of artists in creating and reinforcing stereotypes of Native Americans. Mingled Visions: The Photographs of Edward S. Curtis and Will Wilson, pairs two photographers who share a vision to produce a permanent record of Native peoples. Edward S. Curtis (1868–1952), a European American, made it his life’s mission to create “a comprehensive record of all the important tribes in the United States and Alaska who still retained a considerable degree of their customs and traditions.” He accomplished this through years of arduous fieldwork, at great personal cost and hardship, with the publication of The North American Indian. This ambitious project, conducted from 1907 to 1930, resulted in 20 volumes of text and 723 photogravure prints that document over 80 tribes the photographer interacted with over the course of 32 years. thewestmoreland.org / 3
As evidenced in his extensive descriptions in each volume, Curtis closely studied customs, legends, folklore, traditions, music, home life, belief systems, and sacred ceremonies. He recorded them in pictures and sound, making between 40,000 and 50,000 photographs and 10,000 wax recordings, as well as film in the field, so that North American Indian culture would be preserved for the future. He felt an urgency to do this, because by the time that he began his project, all of the tribes that he photographed had already been forcibly removed from their land and were living on reservations. He feared that they were destined to be assimilated into European American culture and truly believed he was documenting a “vanishing race.” Complicating Curtis’ documentary project was, of course, his outsider’s gaze. Through such editorial choices as how he posed the sitters and staged the shots, the props and (sometimes inaccurate) clothing he included, and the specific people and scenes he captured, Curtis imposed his own, European American perspective of how Native Americans should be seen, not as they were in reality. The title “vanishing race” also signals a static culture, where Native Americans are fixed in the past. This is directly challenged by Will Wilson, a Diné photographer, who initiated the Critical Indigenous Photographic Exchange (CIPX) in 2012. The Westmoreland’s Public Programs Coordinator Mona Wiley spoke with Will Wilson to learn more about his project and motivation for creating the series.
top and opposite, left: Will Wilson (b. 1969), Sandra Lamouche, First Nations citizen of the Big Stone Cree Nation, Dancer, 2012 and How the West is One, 2012; both Inkjet prints, 50 x 40 inches; Collection of the artist above and right: Edward S. Curtis (1868–1952), The Bowman, 1915 and Chaíwa—Tewa, 1921; both Photogravure on Dutch Van Gelder paper, plate 365 and 414, 22 x 18.125 inches and 22 x 17.875 inches; Collection of the Dubuque Museum of Art, Dubuque, Iowa. Gift of Dubuque Cultural Preservation Committee, an Iowa general partnership, consisting of Dr. Darryl K. Mozena, Jeffrey P. Mozena, Mark Falb, Timothy J. Conlon, and Dr. Randy Lengeling, 2009.365 and 2009.414
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MW: Curtis conducted these ethnographic surveys, but the images tend to romanticize the indigenous populations he was photographing. Can we talk a little bit about why that is problematic? WW: I think the problematic aspect was that he was kind of fixing people in a time that wasn’t real. If anything, those images for me are a testament to the kind of resiliency of those people who were being photographed, because they’ve gone through some really intense times. I also think about that. I’m glad those images exist as a testament to the people who survived genocide basically. Mona Wiley: Can you provide an overview of the process of There’s something about the romance and the kind of nostalgic nature of the images. Conversely, when he went creating the Critical Indigenous Photographic Exchange to photograph Osage, it was the summer in Oklahoma, Series (CIPX) and how it differs from Curtis’ work? and they were all vacationing in Colorado, because they Will Wilson: One of the ways it differs is that the project were some of the richest people in the world because isn’t actually just of Native Americans, but it’s by a Native of their oil wells, but he didn’t want to photograph American photographer. But the people—the subjects— that reality. don’t have to be native. So when I think about these MW: Curtis has been identified as staging these scenes in images, I think they’re all indigenous images, because I make them. I framed it in relation to Curtis, because he’s his photographs, and he provided props to his subjects to tell a story. How does that differ from your subjects being always the elephant in room when it comes to images of invited to bring their own props to tell their story? Native Americans, just because his work was so prolific and well-known, and it’s enjoyed a sort of a revival since WW: Hopefully this project is a little more open, and its rediscovery in the ’70s. And so, in a sense, it’s strategic. it’s really about people choosing how to represent I evoke his name, because I know that institutions have themselves. I definitely don’t stage people. Most of my these collections, and they want to show them, and then subjects are shot straight on. They’re kind of engaging people have kind of gotten “woke.” They realize they the lens in a way that’s saying, “Here, this is who I am.” can’t just show this stuff un-contextualized. I was also MW: In an article in National Geographic, you said that interested in doing portraiture and was interested in the you never got tired of this process. At that point you had historical process. created 2000+ images. Do you still experience that feeling? MW: For those who are not familiar with the historical WW: I do. One of the cool things is I get to bring people tintypes process can you provide a little overview? into my dark room. They get to watch this. So I’m really WW: Basically I’m making my own 8 x 10-inch negative, kind of amazed by the magic that happens, and then I get in my case on a black metal plate. You make your own to feed off of other people’s excitement. It’s fascinating to emulsion, and it’s wet and gooey. You take the photograph, watch people react to it, too. So the answer is yes. I still and then you’ve got to immediately develop it. So you get totally jazzed. have to have a dark room with you wherever you go. There’s something about the wet plate process that’s The North American Indian Photogravures by Edward S. Curtis a little fickle. Kind of all this hovering and intervening, is a traveling exhibition organized by the Dubuque Museum of Art, Iowa. but there’s certain things about the process that are a Will Wilson’s photographs are courtesy of the artist. little bit out of your control, and sometimes it’s magical, The Outsider’s Gaze (see next page) is one in a series of and sometimes it’s frustrating. It’s just cool to have a hands-on, handmade, do-it-yourself kind of photography American art exhibitions created through a multi-year, multiinstitutional partnership formed by the Philadelphia Museum that’s much slower in a digital age. I also get to share that of Art as part of the Art Bridges +Terra Foundation initiative. process. That’s part of the project. I get to show people how photography used to be, and there’s something Support for both exhibitions has been provided by the Hillman about that alchemy that’s pretty fascinating and kind of Exhibition Fund of The Westmoreland Museum of American Art. inspires me, when I get tired, to keep going. People just This project was completed in partnership with the Rivers of love to watch this magic happen. I mean, I really think it Steel Heritage Area. Funding was provided in part by a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and is magic. It’s totally chemical, but somehow people have Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation, figured out there’s magic, and you kind of put it in a box, Environmental Stewardship Fund, administered by the Rivers of Steel Heritage Corp. and it’s really fun to share that with people. thewestmoreland.org / 5
Outsider’s Gaze An accompanying exhibition, The Outsider’s Gaze, brings together ten European American artists working in the mid-19th and early 20th centuries. Their paintings and sculpture explore the subject of Native Americans from different levels of authenticity. Their depictions range from overly staged and romanticized scenes, to caricatures. A few of the artists had direct contact with Native Americans, in some cases even living with tribes, and tried to remain true to individual and tribal identity. Others painted derivative scenes, where the figures and clothing were generic and more symbolic. Though some of the artworks stereotype Native Americans as “noble savage,” many of the artists in this exhibition were genuinely concerned about the fate of Native American culture as a result of discriminatory federal policies and western expansion. Works in the exhibition include Indian Encampment by Ralph Blakelock (opposite), on loan from the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and Taos Family, N.D. by Joseph Sharp, on loan from the Erie Art Museum.
above: Jesse Talbot (1806–1879), Indian Hunter, c. 1840s (detail); Oil on canvas, 19.5 x19.5 inches; Bequest of Richard M. Scaife, 2015.92 right: Artist unknown, Cigar Store Indian, c. 1860 (detail); Painted wood, 64 x 23 x 16 inches; Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Euwer, Greensburg in memory of Thomas Lynch, 1977.19
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Native American History in Southwestern PA There’s no denying that Southwestern Pennsylvania is steeped in history. From The Whiskey Rebellion to Frank Lloyd Wright, the region has it all. Just saying “Pittsburgh” conjures images of steel mills, coal barges, blue collar workers and immigrants. Men with names like Mellon, Frick, Carnegie, Heinz and Westinghouse established themselves and left their legacies on the banks of the Ohio, Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers. However, long before the steel mills and the titans of banking and industry claimed Pittsburgh, this region was home to several Native American tribes. While Mound Building cultures were much more prevalent in modern day Ohio, evidence shows those same cultures were also in Southwestern Pennsylvania. The Adena, followed by the Hopewell, left evidence of their respective cultures in mounds such as the one found in McKees Rocks. The Monongahela, the last of the Mound Building cultures in the region, were present until the mid to late 16th century. While their fate remains a mystery, it is believed they succumbed to European diseases or left the region due to trade pressure. Following the Mound Building cultures, Western Pennsylvania was left uninhabited for a number of years before European settlements gradually forced Native Americans from their traditional lands to the region. The Lenni Lenape (commonly known as the Delaware), Shawnee, and Seneca-Cayuga came from the east,
south and north respectively. Additionally, there was also a strong presence from the Wyandotte Nation. Southwestern Pennsylvania in the mid to late 18th century was marred by conflict for both Europeans and Native Americans. The French and Indian War began in 1754, and its conclusion immediately followed by Pontiac’s Rebellion in 1763. Pennsylvania and Virginia militias defeated the Shawnee, Delaware and SenecaCayuga in a conflict known as Lord Dunmore’s War, which started in 1774. Following the American Revolution, Native Americans exerted significant resistance as European Americans continued to expand west into the Ohio country. By the turn of the 19th century, Pennsylvania’s Native American population was mostly non-existent. The tribes that once called Pennsylvania home were displaced through broken promises, fraudulent treaties and conflict. The Westmoreland wants to acknowledge the indigenous communities that were displaced from this land, and has created a land statement. When you visit you will see and hear the following: The Westmoreland Museum of American Art would like to acknowledge that we currently gather on the traditional lands of the Adena, Hopewell, Monongahela, Delaware, Shawnee and Seneca-Cayuga peoples. We hope this inspires our community to learn about our region’s past and indigenous culture. Ralph A. Blakelock (1847–1919), Indian Encampment, c. 1890; Oil on canvas, 16 x 24 inches; Collection: Philadelphia Museum of Art, The Alex Simpson, Jr., Collection, 1928, 1928-63-2. This collaboration with the Philadelphia Museum of Art is made possible through the Art Bridges + Terra Foundation Initiative to share works of American Art.
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Exhibitions
clockwise from top left: John Van Hamersveld (b. 1941), Various album covers designed while at Capitol Records Tom Persinger, Margie Dagnal, 2014 Nicole Czapinski, Phantom Limb, 2018 John French Sloan (1871–1951), Night Windows, 1910; Etching on paper, 5.125 x 6.75 inches; Gift of the Estate of Helen Farr Sloan, Courtesy of the Delaware Art Museum, 2008.278 Brenda Stumpf, Vessure, 2016 Peter Max (1937), Neo Man, n.d.; Serigraph on paper, 40 x 30 inches; Gift of David Hirsch, 1991.206
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Cantilever Gallery
Mingled Visions: The Photographs of Edward S. Curtis & Will Wilson March 30–June 30, 2019 An intriguing comparison of two photographers capturing Native American life.
The Outsider’s Gaze March 30–June 30, 2019 A small focus exhibition that sets the stage and provides context for the work in Mingled Visions. Coming in July!
Era of Cool: The Art of John Van Hamersveld July 20–October 20, 2019 Van Hamersveld has created influential and instantly recognizable work from a career in graphic design that found him immersed in the world of rock and roll as Art Director for Capitol Records.
Robertshaw Gallery
Tom Persinger: The New American Farmer March 8–June 9, 2019 Opening Reception: Friday, March 8 > 5–7pm with Art on Tap An exploration of the changing face and practice of farming and local food in Southwestern Pennsylvania. This exhibition is held in conjunction with Sherrie Levine’s After Russell Lee, 1-60, on loan from Art Bridges and on view in the Post-1950s Gallery.
Brenda Stumpf: Cavomyrt June 15–July 14, 2019 Opening Reception: Saturday, June 22 > 5–7pm with Summer Saturday Cavomyrt, derived from the phrase “cave of my heart,” is a series of elaborate wall assemblages that function as enchanted reliquaries to love, innocence and intimacy.
Nicole Czapinski: An Illusory Pain in a Nonexistent Hand July 20–August 25, 2019 Opening Reception: Saturday, July 20 > 5–7pm with Summer Saturday Czapinski investigates illusions within perception and the complexities of consciousness, transforming something that first reads as a flat surface into something with volume and depth.
Carol R. Brown Gallery
John French Sloan’s New York Through March, 2019 Drawings and prints by an artist best known for his depictions of gritty urban scenes.
Face to Face April–June, 2019 Celebrating how artists see themselves and others with a range of expressive possibilities.
For more information on our exhibitions, visit thewestmoreland.org/exhibitions. thewestmoreland.org / 9
Café Marchand Coming This Spring! The Westmoreland is pleased to announce our new café! Named after our visionary founder Mary Marchand Woods, Café Marchand offers a variety of savory and sweet treats. Our culinary partner is the renowned French Express, with Chef Christophe Fichet and Executive Sous Chef Nicolas Grunewald. Café Marchand will feature walk-up coffee, wine and beer service along with a variety of other craft beverages. The rotating seasonal menu will feature hot soups, quiches, freshly prepared foods, pastries and snacks with locally sourced farm-to-table ingredients. Guests can find seating throughout our entire first floor and, weather permitting, on the Museum’s terrace with spectacular views of downtown Greensburg. Christophe Fichet’s career began as Executive Chef for the royal family of Qatar, serving at the palace of Her Highness Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned. After leading a team at an exclusive hotel/restaurant on the shores of Lac Leman in Switzerland, Christophe realized
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his dream of obtaining his Green Card and immigrating to the United States, where he eventually became a citizen in 2006. Nicolas Grunewald worked under the tutelage of Meilleur Ouvrier de France (Best Craftsman in France) 2000 winner Phillipe Jego. Nicolas helped him open the restaurant in a 5-star hotel. In 2008, Nicolas realized his dream of coming to the United States. Christophe and Nicolas met at the St. Louis Club, a private city club in Missouri, where Christophe was the Executive Sous Chef. Hours of operation are during new Museum hours (starting March 30): 11am–7pm on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and 10am–5pm on Saturday and Sunday. Are you planning a group visit to the Museum? Café Marchand offers pre-arranged boxed lunches for small groups. For more information or to host a private event, please contact our events department at eventrentals@ thewestmoreland.org or call 724.837.1500 x136.
Events & Programs Get Amped-up One of the great changes that is occurring with the Museum’s programs is that there will be MORE of them! In addition, there will be much more variety to appeal to different interests and provide a diversity of experiences. The two annual Family Days held in fall and spring are increasing to become new monthly Community Days. These Community Days provide activities for everyone who wants to experience the Museum in a fast-paced and fun-filled way. The galleries and Museum spaces will be filled with everything from art-making, live music and surprise pop-up happenings to an outdoor petting zoo, dance performances and more. Every month will be a different, but always lively, experience. On select Wednesday evenings, the popular adult art classes called Pop-Up Studios will continue, featuring a different project each month and always a happy hour with wine, beer and food to keep your creativity fueled. Check out thewestmoreland.org/events to find out about
other weeknight evening programs and experiences popping up each month. Another event receiving some amplification is the well-known series Art on Tap, which becomes Art on Tap 2.0, held October through May, still on the second Friday of the month. New extended hours of 5–9pm will take effect come April, as well as added elements of entertainment and activities, from performances by the acclaimed comedy troupe the 1491s in April to salsa dancing lessons in May. Save the dates for the second Fridays in September and October to experience the Greensburg-wide MusicFest and the return of Art on Tap featuring an Octoberfest extravaganza. Lastly, when Art on Tap goes on summer break for the months of June through September, Summer Saturdays begin! On June 22, July 20 and August 17, 7–10pm, the Museum transforms into an outdoor movie venue at dusk with lots of pre-movie fun, including live music, a cash bar and food trucks.
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Youth Programs
Community Events
Young Artists Class
Community Day
Art in a Lid
Earth Month
Saturday, April 6, 10am–noon
Sunday, April 7, 11am–4pm
Not all art is paint, paper, and clay. Come and discover what you can do with a box lid and a bunch of doodads! For children 7–10 years old $15 members/$20 non-members
Take part in a fun-filled celebration of the arts, community and planet earth. Meet with the Greensburg Garden Center and leave with a flower or some seeds to plant in your own garden. Performance by Stage Right as well as upcycled art activities for all ages. Purchase a reusable tote and screen print it yourself in our studio. Stay and enjoy the landscape in the Museum garden and those in the galleries. FREE
Young Artists Class
What Is Your Viewpoint? Saturday, May 4, 10am–noon If we all draw the same object, why does it look so different? Is it who we are, where we are, or where we have been? This class will use observation skills to create art from different viewpoints. For children 7–10 years old $15 members/$20 non-members
Art Camp
All About Animals June 17–21, 9am–3pm Camperswill look at animals in art throughout the Museum andexplore a variety of media and techniques to create animal-inspired art.Plus, they’ll welcome a special visitor fromthe Humane Animal Rescue. For children 7–9 years old $135 members/$155 non-members
Art Camp
Back to the “Good Old Days” June 24–28, 9am–3pm How did people spend leisure time without TV, computers, soccer or dance class? Campers will learn about interesting techniques, fun styles and some unusual materials used by folk artists. Have fun creating with wax, clay, paint and more! For children 10–12 years old $135 members/$155 non-members
For more information on all 2019 camps, visit thewestmoreland.org/artcamps. 12 / Spring & Sumer 2019
Greensburg ArtsWalk Saturday, April 27, 10am–5pm Take a walk on the Arts side on this day of discovering all that Greensburg has to offer in visual and performing art. Join The Westmoreland, Westmoreland Cultural Trust and Seton Hill University on this self-guided walking tour. Enjoy performances, art activities, food trucks and lots more as our arts community comes together for this annual event. FREE
Community Day
Celebrating Native American Culture Sunday, May 5, 11am–4pm Join The Westmoreland and the Council of the Three Rivers Native American Center for a celebration of Native American culture in our community. Enjoy Native American dance performances, music, storytelling, art activities and food. FREE Generous support for this project provided by
Community Day
Goodbye Pie Town Sunday, June 2, 11am–4pm A farewell celebration to Sherrie Levine’s After Russell Lee: 1-60. The day includes food trucks, mechanical bull riding, a petting zoo, Blue Grass music and dancing. Enjoy pie samples from local bakers and purchase pies to take home! FREE Generous support for this project provided by
Chef Sean Sherman
Adult Studio Programs
Culinary Experiences
Pop-Up Studio
Dinner with Chef Sean Sherman: Reclaiming Native American Food
Bag Painting with Chris Crites
Wednesday, April 10, 6–8pm Crites, an internationally-shown artist from Seattle, gained acclaim in the art world by exploring tough subject matter through color theory in his paintings. Join us for a unique studio experience and create your own paper bag painting. $20 members/$25 non-members
Pop-Up Studio
Gelli Plate with Wendy Milne
Wednesday, May 8, 6–8pm Add some dimension to your day by building layers of color and texture and printing from a “Gelli” plate. Your beautiful printed paper will then be transformed into a collage. $20 members/$25 non-members
Pop-Up Studio
Ikebana Flower Arranging with Mickey Corb
Wednesday, June 5, 6–8pm Corb will introduce Ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arranging. Each participant will create their own beautiful arrangement, which they can take home to enjoy. $20 members/$25 non-members
Saturday, June 1, Reception: 6–7pm; Dinner: 7–9pm Enjoy a dinner and discussion focusing on Native American cuisinesourced and foraged from local farmers and land. The Sioux Chef team, Anishinaabe, Mdewakanton Dakota, Navajo, Northern Cheyenne, Oglala Lakota, and Wahpeton Sisseton Dakota members, have been committed to revitalizing Native American Cuisine. Chef Sherman, Oglala Lakota and Founder of The Sioux Chef, will discuss Native American farming techniques, wild food usage and harvesting, cooking techniques and native cultural history. This event is presented in partnership with Adelphoi Village, Repair the World and 412 Food Rescue. $50 members/$60 non-members (advanced registration required)
Generous support for this project provided by
Mother’s Day Brunch Sunday, May 12, 11:30am Enjoy a Mother’s Day brunch by Elegant Catering followed by a tour of selections from our permanent collection all featuring images of mother and child. Chief Curator Barbara Jones and Director of Education Joan McGarry will take you on a tour that celebrates the joy and trials of motherhood, including artworks by Mary Cassatt, Charles H. “Teenie” Harris and Samuel Rosenberg, and a few treasures from the vault. $30 members/$35 non-members (advanced registration required)
To register or purchase tickets for these events, visit thewestmoreland.org/events or call 888.718.4253.
above, right: Charles H. “Teenie” Harris (1908–1998), Elsa Harris and Two Sons, Lionel and Vann at Presque Isle, PA, c. 1948 (detail); Gelatin silver print, 11 x 14 inches; Gift of Lionel Harris (artist’s son), 2013.2.H left: Sherrie Levine (b. 1947), After Russell Lee I-60, 2016 (detail), Giclee prints, 20 x 16 inches; on loan from Art Bridges
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Mickalene Thomas
Chef Sean Sherman
Conversations
Talk & Book Signing with Dr. Patricia DeMarco
In Conversation: Will Wilson & Jami Powell
Sunday, April 14, 2–3:30pm
Sunday, May 19, 2–3:30pm
As part of our Earth Month celebrations, DeMarco discusses “The Universal Rights of Mother Earth.” She’ll also be signing copies of her book Pathways to Our Sustainable Future: A Global Perspective from Pittsburgh. FREE
Poetry Reading with Jacob Bacharach Wednesday, April 17, 6–7pm Celebrate National Poetry Month with a reading of Jacob Bacharach’s poem, Ohr Ein Sof–Light Without End. Jacob’s poem is the current literary work featured on artist Janet Zweig’s Analog Scroll on the N. Main Street bridge. FREE
A True Indian: The Art, Artifice, & Politics of Edward S. Curtis’ North American Indian Sunday, April 28, 2–3:30pm Dr. Shannon Egan, Director of Schmucker Art Gallery at Gettysburg College, will discuss Curtis’ work in relationship to varying perceptions and politics of the artist’s Native American subject, as well as to photography’s inseparable and fraught connection with truth. Egan will provide a broader understanding of how carefully manipulated depictions of Native Americans nonetheless pictured a “real” cultural truth. FREE
Tintype Demonstration & Photoshoot with Will Wilson Saturday, May 18, 10am–5pm Using a large-format camera and the historic wet plate collodion process, Wilson engages the public in the ritual interchange that is the photographic studio portrait. Attendees must pre-register to be a portrait participant. FREE Generous support for this project provided by
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Jami Powell is a citizen of the Osage Nation and the Associate Curator of Native American Art at the Hood Museum of Art. She will sit down with Will Wilson to discuss the motivation for his Critical IndigenousPhotographic Exchange (CIPX) and the photographic process behind these tintype portraits. $8 members/$10 non-members Generous support for this project provided by
In Conversation: Mickalene Thomas & Jose Diaz Wednesday, May 29, 7:30–9pm The Westmoreland, in partnership with The Andy Warhol Museum, presents a conversation exploring the artistic practices and thematic and stylistic similarities between the work of Thomas and Andy Warhol. Diaz, Chief Curator at The Warhol, and Thomas will discuss her and Warhol’s use of imagery appropriated from popular culture and art history as well as her Shug Kisses Celie, one of the newest works to enter The Westmoreland’s collection. $8 members/$10 non-members Generous support for this project provided by
The (R)evolution of Indigenous Food Systems of North America with Chef Sean Sherman Friday, May 31, 7–9:30pm at August Wilson Cultural Center The Westmoreland, in partnership with the August Wilson Cultural Center, presents a talk by Sherman, Oglala Lakota from the Pine Ridge reservation and the founder of The Sioux Chef. Chef Sean is committed to revitalizing Native American cuisine. He is renowned nationally and internationally as a leader of a movement to completely redefine North American cuisine through the understanding and utilization of indigenous food knowledge. $30 members/$38.75 non-members Generous support for this project provided by
1491s
Social Gatherings Art on Tap 2.0
Comedy Night with the 1491s
Friday, April 12, 5–9pm Experience Art on Tap in a whole new way! This revamped program includes two free drink tickets (cash bar after), music, scavenger hunts and light bites from Elegant Catering. Grab an adult sippy cup and experience entertainment throughout the galleries. $10 members/$15 non-members
Upgrade your Art on Tap ticket to include exclusive access to a sketch comedy show by the 1491s! Their comedy sketches depict contemporary Native American life in the United States, using humor and satire to explore issues such as stereotypes and racism (internal and external), tribal politics, and the conflict between tradition and modernity. Seating is limited! $20 members/$30 non-members (includes your Art on Tap ticket) This Month’s Sponsor: Milanscape Featured Organization: Hospaws
The Museum Turns 60! Wednesday, May 29, 11am–7pm Stop by to celebrate The Westmoreland’s 60th Anniversary on the actual anniversary date of our official public opening in 1959. Cupcakes and punch will be served, and please leave a note sharing a favorite Museum memory. FREE
NEW! Summer Saturdays Saturday, June 22, 7–10pm Art on Tap takes a hiatus June through September, and Summer Saturdays are rolling in. Be there for the kick-off of these FREE, once-a-month events with live music, fun outdoor and in-Museum activities and a movie outside beginning at dusk. Get ready for the June featured movie— Jaws—by exploring nautical scenes found in the Museum. FREE The fun will go on rain or shine. In the instance of rainy weather, we will move activities inside and the movie showing to the Community Room.
Generous support for this project provided by
Art on Tap 2.0
Salsa Night
Friday, May 10, 5–9pm
To register or purchase tickets for these events, visit thewestmoreland.org/events or call 888.718.4253.
Join Los Sabrosos Dance Co. as we salsa the night away in conjunction with the Great American Music Series. Latin American Rhythm band Gava’s Beat is a group of friends who share a passion for music and their Latin American roots creating a sound that invites people to have fun and enjoy. Your Art on Tap ticket includes two free drinks (cash bar after), delectable bites, dance lessons, and more! $10 members/$15 non-members This Month’s Sponsor: Standard Bank Featured Organization: Greensburg Community Development Corporation opposite, top left: Edward S. Curtis (1868–1952), Noatak Kaiaks, 1928 (detail); Photogravure on Dutch Van Gelder paper, plate 718, 17.75 x 22 inches; Collection of the Dubuque Museum of Art, Dubuque, Iowa. Gift of Dubuque Cultural Preservation Committee, an Iowa general partnership, consisting of Dr. Darryl K. Mozena, Jeffrey P. Mozena, Mark Falb, Timothy J. Conlon, and Dr. Randy Lengeling, 2009.718
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Barbara enjoying Art on Tap with fellow attendees
Donor Profile:
Barbara Ferrier The Westmoreland could not be successful without the support of the community! In every Perspectives, a supporter will be featured to pay tribute to all the work they do for the Museum. For this issue, we recognize Barbara Ferrier and sat down with her to ask a few questions.
Donating time is just as important if not more important than money. I see what the volunteers have been able to do and admire each and every one of them. I also think those who attend the various events are donors, and the Museum staff has certainly made it a “fun� way to donate this way.
How did you get involved with The Westmoreland? I got directly involved with The Westmoreland when Joan McGarry, Director of Education & Visitor Engagement, and I had the chance to discuss a program incorporating the visual arts, music, dance, literature and science that I had long wanted to implement. This resulted in a team effort, which culminated when students from the Hempfield Area School District visited The Westmoreland and Joan incorporated music, dance and writing into the program as the students engaged in the visual arts. It was a dream come true for me. To show my support, I donated funds during the capital campaign to the Center for Creative Connections. It is important to get young people connected to the arts.
How has being a donor impacted your life? I was raised to believe that we must give back, and I have continued what my parents taught me. I would encourage everyone, no matter what they can give, whether it is money, time or other types of support, to become or continue to be donors.
What is it like to be a donor? I feel an ownership in this community treasure. I appreciate what those who have contributed in the past have enabled The Westmoreland to accomplish, and I want to insure the Museum is there for the future. While I certainly cannot donate what others do, I feel that, if we each donate what we can, the whole community benefits. 16 / Spring & Sumer 2019
What does The Westmoreland bring to the community? I think The Westmoreland provides the public a place to enjoy and learn to appreciate art through numerous and varied opportunities. I enjoy the exhibits and lectures where I can learn from the artists themselves. I enjoy meeting folks at Art on Tap and participating in PopUp Studios. I can’t thank the Board, Richard M. Scaife Director/CEO, staff and volunteers enough for providing this gem in our community, and The Westmoreland can only expand with our support. To make a donation to The Westmoreland, contact the Advancement Department at 724.837.1500 x130 or visit thewestmoreland.org/donate.
Clyde B Jones III
ART as FASHION A Behind-the-Scenes View of the Met Gala and the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Anna Wintour Costume Center sponsored by The Committee for The Westmoreland
Friday, May 24, 2019 > 6:30pm You’re invited to a Red Carpet Cocktail Party, beginning with elegant hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, music and creations by Seton Hill art and fashion students. Next, move into the Community Room for a presentation by Clyde B. Jones III, the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s President for Institutional Advancement and organizer of the Met Gala. Get the behind-the-scenes scoop on the Gala and learn about the Anna Wintour Costume Center. Afterward, guests will have an opportunity to meet Mr. Jones while enjoying music and dessert. $150 Charles Courtney Curran (1861–1942), By the Lily Pond, 1908 (detail); Oil on canvas, 17 x 10 inches; Bequest of Richard M. Scaife, 2015.51
The black-tie evening is limited to 125 guests. Mark your calendars now! For more information, visit thewestmoreland.org/artasfashion. thewestmoreland.org / 17
The Westmoreland Welcomes Rhonda Madden! In January, The Westmoreland staff welcomed Rhonda Madden as the Museum’s new Director of Advancement. Rhonda comes to the position well prepared with extensive experience, including six years at the Pittsburgh non-profit Riverlife in the areas of both development and strategic initiatives. Rhonda has also held leadership positions in fundraising/development at the Allegheny Land Trust (Sewickley, PA), The Trust for Public Land (New York, NY) and the Academy of Natural Sciences (Philadelphia, PA). Throughout the course of her career, she has directly raised over $50 million in private and public contributions. In her spare time, Rhonda enjoys gardening and is a member of the Garden Club of Allegheny County. Additionally, she serves as a board member for Landforce, an organization dedicated to environmental workforce development. We are thrilled Rhonda has joined The Westmoreland family.
Inspiration Now and for the Future Since 1959, when Mary Marchand Woods made the Museum’s first bequest, The Westmoreland Museum of American Art has received support from thoughtful individuals who, through including The Westmoreland in their will and estate planning, have helped ensure the Museum’s ability to inspire and engage visitors for generations to come.
Inspire the next generation with your own legacy gift for The Westmoreland! For more information, please call the Office of Advancement at 724.837.1500 x130. 18 / Spring & Sumer 2019
Don’t miss the next destination in our travel program! May 1–3, 2019 Join Anne Kraybill and Westmoreland Chief Curator Barbara L. Jones as we journey east to the Brandywine River Museum of Art in Chadd’s Ford, Pennsylvania. In addition to viewing the Museum’s permanent collection and the studios of N.C. Wyeth and Andrew Wyeth, guests can experience Brandywine’s latest exhibition, American Beauty: Highlights from the Richard M. Scaife Bequest, with a tour led by Jones and Brandywine Curator Audrey Lewis. Additionally, this two-night excursion will include a tour of Winterthur, Henry Francis DuPont’s boyhood home, now a preeminent museum of American decorative arts. Its latest exhibition, Costuming THE CROWN, features 40 costumes from the hit Netflix series. We’ll also tour the dazzling Longwood Gardens. $625 per person for double occupancy $725 for single occupancy
Registration Deadline: March 20, 2019 For more information or to reserve your spot, please contact Patrick Bochy, Executive Administrator and Manager of Special Projects, at pbochy@ thewestmoreland.org or call 724.837.1500 x131.
The Museum Shop Has Mother’s Day Covered From jewelry and handbags to scarfs and ceramics, the Museum Shop has the perfect Mother’s Day gifts for everyone on your list. Our shop is now featuring more variety than ever, and there is always something new. So stop in soon. Members save 10% on all regular price items. thewestmoreland.org / 19
The Westmoreland Society Members Select Two Works of Art The Westmoreland actively acquires works of art by new artists to expand the Museum’s collections and the stories we can share. In order to do this, we rely on the support of The Westmoreland Society membership program. Founded in 1986, the Society is dedicated to the collection, preservation and advancement of American Art, meeting annually to select, vote on, and purchase a work of art for the collection. The December 2018 Westmoreland Society Dinner featured two very different paintings for possible acquisition—Sudden Sun by Abstract Expressionist Mary Abbott and Alpha Red and Orange Alternates by Op artist Francis Celentano. In the early 1940s, Mary Abbott took classes at Subjects of the Artist School, founded by Robert Motherwell, and soon after she made towering canvases characterized by sweeping brushstrokes that often merged into dense swarms of torrid, sensuous color. Part of the Abstract Expressionist movement, Abbott rejected representational art in favor of gesture which communicated her emotional state. Sudden Sun (c. 1958) is a subtly recognizable still life subject that has been abstracted to convey the artist’s pure joy of color and impasto pigment. Francis Celentano gained fame with his inclusion in the Museum of Modern Art’s 1965 exhibition The Responsive Eye which included artworks that emphasized the viewer experience of perception. He and his fellow Op artists focus on the audience rather than self was 17 //Spring 20 Spring&&Sumer Sumer2019 2019
considered a rejection of Abstract Expressionism. In Alpha Red and Orange Alternates (1969), the red and orange solid stripes seem to float in front of a misty atmosphere of sprayed color ranging from green at the bottom to purple at the top. The gradient color thins at the center so the white gessoed canvas glows through giving the work additional luminosity. In December, The Westmoreland Society members enjoyed a private gallery viewing of the works for consideration, followed by dinner and a vote for which painting would enter the collection. The winner was Mary Abbott, however contributions received that evening in excess of $13,000 enabled the members to vote on acquiring BOTH paintings. Fortunately, the vote was unanimous, and we are pleased to now own the two paintings, which are on view in our Post-1950s gallery!
If you want to be a part of this exciting annual event and help the Museum continue to build its collection of American art, please join The Westmoreland Society today! For more information, contact our membership department at membership@thewestmoreland.org or call 724.837.1500 x127. left: Mary Abbott (b. 1921), Sudden Sun, c. 1958; Oil on canvas, 30x 20 inches; Gift of the Westmoreland Society, 2018, 2019.1 Francis Celentano (1928–2016), Alpha Red and Orange Alternates, 1969; Acrylic on canvas, 35 x 48 inches; Gift of the Westmoreland Society, 2018, with additional funds from Mr. and Mrs. John Eichley, Scott and Pam Kroh, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Nickoloff, Dr. and Mrs. Michael Nieland, Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Wiester, 2019.2
Discover More as a Member! Membership keeps you up to date on all that is happening at The Westmoreland, with behind-the-scenes access to exhibitions and invitations to exclusive member events. Members receive:
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access to member prices for all events and programs, including Art on Tap, Children’s Art Classes and Pop-Up Studios, among others! member discounts in our Museum Shop behind-the-scenes tours 10% off at the Museum’s Café Marchand Most importantly, your membership is philanthropic and supports Free Admission for All. Join Today as a Best Friend-level member and receive an invitation to the Exhibition Preview for Mingled Visions: The Photographs of Edward S. Curtis & Will Wilson on Friday, March 29, 6:30–8pm. For more information on The Westmoreland’s Membership Program, visit thewestmoreland.org/membership. Go Green with a Digital Membership: The Westmoreland is now proud to offer an environmentally friendly digital membership option to our members. With a digital membership, your “card” is sent via email and is stored on your smartphone. Having a digital membership card is convenient, because as long as you have your phone, you have your membership card. All messaging, including renewals and notifications about member events, are sent directly to you through notifications. Plus, going digital reduces our need for paper letters and plastic cards! Switching to a digital membership is as easy as checking the option on our membership brochure or on our online membership form.
For more information about our digital membership program, contact our Membership Department at 724.837.1500 x117.
221 North Main Street, Greensburg, PA 15601 724.837.1500 thewestmoreland.org info@thewestmoreland.org Hours (starting March 30): Wednesday–Friday: 11am–7pm Saturday–Sunday: 10am–5pm Closed Monday and Tuesday Follow us on:
Want to stay informed with the latest news, exhibitions and events? Visit thewestmoreland.org and subscribe to our email list. The Westmoreland Museum of American Art receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.
front cover, top left and bottom right and below: Edward S. Curtis (1868–1952), Hónovi—Walpi Snake Priest, with Totókya Day Painting, 1921 and Chief Joseph Nez Percé, 1903 and Cañon de Chelly—Navaho, 1904; Collection of the Dubuque Museum of Art, Dubuque, Iowa. Gift of Dubuque Cultural Preservation Committee, an Iowa general partnership, consisting of Dr. Darryl K. Mozena, Jeffrey P. Mozena, Mark Falb, Timothy J. Conlon, and Dr. Randy Lengeling, 2009.408 and 2009.256 front cover, top right and bottom left: Will Wilson (b. 1969), Insurgent Hopi Maiden, Talking Tintype, Critical Indigenous Photographic Exchange, 2015 and Chairman John Shotton, 2016; both Inkjet prints; Collection of the artist
Mingled Visions The Photographs of Edward S. Curtis & Will Wilson An intriguing comparison of two photographers capturing Native American life.
March 30 –June 30, 2019