Flora in Winter Thank you!

2023

Thank you to all who helped make Flora in Winter 2023 a success!

Flora in Winter Chairs: Kim Cutler, Kathy Michie, and Sarah Ribeiro

Committee Members: Sally Jablonski and Julie Lapham

Sponsored by:

Did you know?

Every exhibition and program at WAM is only possible through the generosity of people who care about the Museum and the topic being presented.

Individual donors, along with foundations and corporations, are vital. If you would like to learn more or offer your personal support for one of WAM’s extraordinary exhibitions or programs, please contact Karmen Bogdesic at KarmenBogdesic@worcesterart.org or 508.793.4326.

Central Massachusetts Artist Initiative

Sidney and Rosalie Rose Gallery

Brittany Severance Through May 7, 2023

Brittany Severance’s ongoing photographic series, Blind/Blend, and her film, Illuminated, challenge our expectations of how a photograph or video should look. The Worcester-based multimedia artist explores the relationship between vision and understanding, manipulating the camera to capture the world as she sees it. An assistant professor at Worcester State University, Severance has a degenerative vision impairment that informs and shapes her creative practice. The artist simulates her uncorrected severe near-sightedness by photographing her daily life using a soft focus and a shallow depth of field. She says she invites viewers “to consider alternative ways of seeing the world…and to build an understanding and connection between full-sighted individuals (including those who may use corrective lenses) and people who have low vision.” In her work, Severance asks: is identifying an image’s source material important or “can we accept it as something unique and beautiful on its own?”

Rachelle Beaudoin

May 10 – November 5, 2023

Rachelle Beaudoin is an artist who uses video, wearables, and performance to explore feminist identity within popular culture. For her CMAI installation, Beaudoin presents a suite of video-based performances exploring society’s conceptions and expectations around motherhood. Centered on her own body and experiences, Beaudoin’s often satirical videos are insightful takes on pregnancy and childrearing. Beaudoin attended the College of the Holy Cross and holds a Masters of Fine Arts degree in Digital + Media from Rhode Island School of Design. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally. In addition, she has been awarded numerous residencies, including a 2014 Fulbright Core Scholar residency at quartier21 and an arts and culture creative space in Vienna, Austria. She currently teaches in the Visual Arts Department at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA.

Shipwrecked Mother and Child finally has a home

After eight decades in storage and a multi-year restoration, Shipwrecked Mother and Child by Edward Augustus Brackett (1818–1908) is now in its permanent home in the Morgan Gallery, part of the second-floor European Galleries. Completed in 1851, this life-sized marble statue depicts a nude mother cradling her young child, both with eyes closed and torsos twisted. Although created by an American artist, Shipwrecked Mother and Child is displayed among European artworks. Brackett was strongly influenced by European art, as evidenced in his portrayal of the nude, an artistic subject that was uncommon—even taboo—in America and New England at the time.

Thanks to generous funding from the Henry Luce Foundation, the 1½ ton sculpture underwent an extensive conservation treatment beginning in December 2019. Visitors were given the opportunity to follow along through the glass doors of the Museum's Jeppson Idea Lab as Senior Objects Conservator Paula Artal-Isbrand meticulously cleaned and repaired the figures. One hundred and fifty years of dirt and grime were dissolved and removed using gel-based agents, while missing fingers and toes were 3D printed and replaced in collaboration with scientists at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). Now restored to its original splendor, Brackett's masterpiece has at long last returned to WAM’s galleries where it can be enjoyed by all who visit.

This project is generously supported by the Henry Luce Foundation.

David “Dave” and Barbara Krashes began collecting American folk art in 1965 after purchasing an empty 18th-century farmhouse in Central Massachusetts. With limited funds to furnish their new home, the Krashes attended an auction and bought an antique two-dresser maple blanket chest at an astonishingly low price. That began their lifelong passion for collecting early Americana, reflecting their attraction to the strong forms, rich colors, and diverse textures of the works, as well as regional craftsmanship that operated outside of fine art schools.

Over six decades, the Krashes surrounded themselves with objects of New England’s past, creating inviting interiors in their farmhouse through a kaleidoscope of color and texture. Theirs became one of the most important private collections of folk art in the country, representing the most significant and notable names in the genre from the post-revolutionary period—including such artists as Sturtevant Hamblin, Edwin Plummer, Rufus Porter, and William Matthew Prior.

Dave’s interest in and study of the paintings they acquired led him to publish several articles on Central Massachusetts folk portrait painters that were featured in Folk Art, Maine Antique Digest, and The Clarion.

A portion of the Krashes’ collection was featured in the 2015 WAM exhibition, American Folk Art: Lovingly Collected. In 2022, the couple donated to the Museum more than 40 works, including 20 paintings, 11 works on paper, five sculptures, four pieces of furniture, and one textile. The Krashes Collection includes superb examples of early Americana and folk art from New England and significantly enhances the Museum’s holdings of American art. It also serves as an excellent study of folk art collecting in the 20th century.

Dave passed away on September 30, 2022 at the age of 97. Along with Barbara, he was a longtime Salisbury Giving Society Patron and Museum supporter. We are so very grateful for their generosity over the years and for the historic legacy they have left the Worcester Art Museum.

A new Worcester Art Museum internship honors the memory of Sandra Rapp, a former employee, longtime Member, and supporter of the Museum. Established in 2022 by a gift from her family, the Sandra D. Rapp Internship reflects Sandra’s devotion to her family, passion for the arts, and lifelong pursuit of learning. The position also allows the Museum to offer an equitable, paid professional development opportunity for undergraduate or graduate students.

Sandra joined WAM as its Membership Manager in 1991 after graduating from Wellesley College. She met her future husband, Worcester native Carl Rapp, while working at the annual gala in 1993. Following their marriage four years later, the couple moved to Philadelphia where they raised their two daughters, Emma and Charlotte. During her professional career, Sandra worked in development for a variety of non-profit organizations, including the Wharton School at Penn, Princeton Day School, Heritage Land Conservancy, Art Sphere, the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness, and Angel Flight East, and, during the final months of her life, volunteered for the Appalachian Trail Club. Inspired by her daughters, Sandra returned to school twice. She earned a paralegal degree in 2011, and in 2018 received a Master's in Art History and Arts Administration from Temple University. Sandra passed away on December 20, 2021 at the age of 52.

The Sandra D. Rapp Internship provides an exceptional opportunity for undergraduate or graduate students to gain practical work experience while helping the Museum fulfill its mission to connect with new audiences. The first to serve in this internship is Clark University junior Eleanor Rueffler. Since August 2022, she has been working closely with a team of Worcester Polytechnic Institute students, who are developing a mobile app that will provide a guided tour for people with limited vision or who are blind. As part of the team, Eleanor is creating content for the app, including identifying art objects in the collection to be included in the tour, collecting curatorial information about the works, and drafting audio descriptions. When completed, the app will allow visually-impaired visitors to experience, in a completely new way, many of the art treasures in the Worcester Art Museum collection.

We are grateful to the Rapp family for their generous gift that not only beautifully honors Sandra’s memory, but also allows students to gain valuable experience as they embark on their professional careers.

Tours and programs

Guided tours

Our expert team of volunteer docents host guided public tours of the Museum's collection on a wide array of topics, both in the galleries and online.

Visit worcesterart.org/events/tours for the latest tour schedule and find out how you can learn more with WAM.

Onsite tours begin in the Lancaster Welcome Center.

Private Tours

To schedule an onsite adult or youth/student group tour, contact grouptours@worcesterart.org. Visit worcesterart.org/events/grouptours to learn more.

Programs & events

Spring Community Day

Sunday, May 7

Join us as we celebrate the Worcester Art Museum’s 125th birthday. Enjoy a day of live performances, art making, storytelling, face painting, and more!

Free admission.

Mother’s Day Tea

Sunday, May 17

Enjoy a docent-led tour of the exhibition, Frontiers of Impressionism, followed by a special tea service with sweet treats.

Painting in the Park

Sunday, August 13, 10am-2pm

Institute Park

Bring your art supplies next door to Institute Park for a day of watercolor painting in the beautiful natural surroundings of one of Worcester’s most picturesque parks. Join other artists and art lovers who are inspired by and enjoy painting en plein air.

Arms and Armor Presentations

Discover different kinds of arms and armor used by Roman soldiers, medieval knights, and more at these fun, interactive programs.

Art Carts: Family Fun in the Galleries

Art Carts are a great way to explore different themes in art and deepen your WAM experience. Have fun learning with creative hands-on activities throughout the galleries. Check our website calendar for dates, times, and locations. Visit worcesterart.org/events for an up-todate schedule of Arms and Armor Presentations, Art Carts, and more. All programs are free with Museum admission unless otherwise noted. Admission is free on the first Sunday of each month. Information subject to change; please visit worcesterart.org for scheduling updates prior to coming to WAM.

Studio art classes and workshops

Whether you are an experienced artist or just beginning to explore your creativity, we have a class for you! Visit worcesterart.org/classes for course descriptions, schedules, and registrations. Members enjoy discounted class tuition.

Adult Classes

Hone your skills or learn new ones in inspiring art classes and workshops in a variety of media, such as photography, printmaking, painting, drawing, calligraphy, and more. Classes typically meet weekly and are offered on weekdays in the morning, afternoon, and evening, and on weekends in the morning and afternoon. Special intensive summer classes are offered in a week-long format. The adult summer session runs from May to August, with new and returning classes on the schedule.

Youth Classes

Our summer program is designed with kids and families in mind. Week-long programs run from 9am to 3pm and include art classes, themed experiences, social breaks, and more—all in a safe, fun environment infused with creativity! Classes are offered for students 3-13 years old and cover a range of media, from painting to digital art, on topics ranging from ocean art to drawing in perspective. Extended day is available to fit your family’s schedule.

Teen Classes

Art classes for teens range from experiences for beginning artists to portfolio reviews for aspiring art college entrants. Week-long programs run from 9am to 3pm. Our instructors, whether teaching oil painting, life drawing, etching, mixed media, or other options, will provide guidance and direction in a relaxed, comfortable atmosphere.

WAM Teen Council

Do you know a teen with a passion for the arts and a dedication to community building? We’d like to meet them! Teens interested in helping to develop programs for teens can reach out to us at teens@ worcesterart.org to get involved.

Teen Apprentice Program

We are pleased to offer limited paid apprenticeships for teens interested in pursuing art, art education, or museum education. Teen apprentices will experience a variety of facets of museum education, from research and inventory to public relations and art class assistance. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis throughout the year. Learn more at worcesterart.org/classes/teenclasses.

Teen Arts at WAM is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts. Youth and teen studio class programs are supported in part by United Way of Central Massachusetts.

SPOTLIG h T SE r IES

The Worcester Art Museum’s Spotlight Series features in-depth presentations by art scholars, providing insights and stories about works in the Museum’s collection or on view in special exhibitions. Visit worcesterart.org/events/talks to learn more.

Bringing Arms and Armor to Life

April 16, 2pm

Speaker: Jonathan Tavares, Curator of Applied Arts of Europe, Art Institute of Chicago

As WAM works to plan its new Arms and Armor Gallery, join Jonathan Tavares as he shares his work to bring arms and armor to life at the Art Institute of Chicago. Tavares will also share stories from the creation of the 2017 Nova episode, “Secrets of the Shining Knight.”

Redefining Graffiti

May 21, 2pm

Speaker: Sneha Shrestha, an artist, educator, and social entrepreneur Sneha Shrestha, also known as IMAGINE in the art world, has established herself as a Nepali street artist, meshing the Nepali alphabet and the Boston graffiti scene. Her work marries the beauty of an elegant script with the mindful mantras