Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Holiday Gift Shop!

Come visit the Woodmere Art Museum Holiday gift shop! Open now until December 26. We get new things in each week!

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

HAY MAZE!!


Hay Maze hours:
October 15 – early November
Fridays 5 - 8pm; Saturdays 10am - 8pm; Sundays 1 - 5pm

Fee: $8 per child
Families welcome; recommended for ages 4-11 with adult


Explore the witch's boot maze and enjoy these activities:
Flashlight tours (flashlights available $3)
Witch’s seek and find with clues:

Cider
Ghost stories
Art-making
Food and much more!
For more info call 215-247-0476

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Coming Soon! Woodmere Art Museum Hay Maze!

Just in time for Halloween, Woodmere will be putting up a hay maze! Here are some pictures of us unloading all the hay today on the front lawn. Woodmere also has events the will be coming up.

We will keep you posted. Be on the look out when you drive by the museum!






Thursday, September 16, 2010

Woodmere Art Museum News: The New Director

WILLIAM VALERIO IS NAMED THE PATRICIA VAN BURGH ALLISON DIRECTOR AND CEO OF WOODMERE ART MUSEUM

PHILADELPHIA (September 16, 2010) - Woodmere Art Museum is pleased to announce the appointment of William Valerio as the Patricia Van Burgh Allison Director and CEO.  Valerio is committed to continuing and building on Woodmere's strengths as Philadelphia's premier institution for interpreting the art and culture of Philadelphia. Valerio's leadership will ensure the continuity and growth of the institution.

Dianne A. Meyer, Board President, says, "Bill Valerio brings strong expertise in both art history and strategic planning to Woodmere at a time when the museum is preparing to move forward and become an even more vital institution with great opportunities for growth in many areas. With his experience and leadership, I believe that Woodmere will be able to further its mission and connect with audiences in exciting new ways."

Marguerite Lenfest, Board Vice President says, "Devoting my energy, along with many others, to the advancement of Woodmere has been a great passion of mine.  I am thrilled that we have such a talented and able leader who can bring new energy and experience to Woodmere.  We are on to a promising new era!"

Valerio is committed to Woodmere's partnership with the architects Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown, who have maintained a long-standing, positive relationship with the Museum. Among Valerio's first priorities is to create a long range plan for Woodmere that will assess deferred maintenance and the Museum's facility needs. Since 1958, Venturi, Scott Brown and Associates has helped to shape the course of contemporary architecture and planning.  From innovation in contextual design to the use of symbolism and iconography, VSBA's work has helped to expand concepts of what architecture can be. This focus makes them an ideal partner for Woodmere.

William Valerio says, "I am honored to become the Patricia Van Burgh Allison Director and CEO of Woodmere, which is a jewel among the many great cultural institutions of Philadelphia.  I am eager to partner with Woodmere's Board of Trustees, dedicated staff and volunteers, and broad community of supporters to build on the institution's many assets, including its wonderful collections, education programs, historic buildings, and mission to interpret Philadelphia's cultural heritage.  I believe in the importance of this mission because the story of art and culture in Philadelphia is deep, diverse, and rich, and it resonates across our region and beyond. I look forward to embarking on this new chapter in which Woodmere strengthens its relationships with the many communities it serves and becomes known as the pride of Chestnut Hill, Germantown, Mount Airy, and all of Philadelphia."

With almost 20 years experience in museums Valerio is an ideal candidate to fill this role at Woodmere Art Museum.  Most recently Valerio served as the Assistant Director for Administration for the Philadelphia Museum of Art where he was instrumental in government relations, advocacy, and public funding responsibilities, working with the Museum's Director, President, and Trustees to build relationships with elected officials of the City of Philadelphia, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the Federal Government.  Valerio was also integral in fund raising and grant writing to generate support for capital projects, operations and programming.  Gail Harrity, President and Chief Operating Officer of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, recognized Valerio's talents and recruited him to the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Harrity, says, "Bill possesses a unique combination of skills that will serve Woodmere extraordinarily well, ranging from expertise as an art historian to business and government affairs. His energy and warmth will be much missed at the Museum where he has made a great contribution over the last six years."

Valerio's educational degrees are prestigious: MBA in Marketing and Strategic Management from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School in 2004; Ph.D. in Art History, specializing in European Modernism, from Yale University in 1996; MA in History of Art with a 17th-century specialization from the University of Pennsylvania in 1987; Bachelor of Arts from Williams College in 1985.  He is also a fellow of the American Academy in Rome. Valerio curated his first exhibitions at the Yale University Art Gallery as a graduate student in 1988, and joined the Queens Museum of Art as Curator in 1997. He also taught at New York University, has written for Art in America, and worked as an Independent Curator and Consultant prior to joining the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Valerio is also an active community member sitting on the Host Committee for Powershift Philadelphia and is also a Co-Chair from 2009-present and Board of Directors, Philagrafika, 2006-present.

WOODMERE ART MUSEUM is located on Germantown Avenue in historic Chestnut Hill. The building, grounds and the nucleus of the permanent collection of Woodmere Art Museum are the benefactions of Charles Knox Smith (1845 - 1916) whose wish it was to create "a very lively art center...to awaken the spirit of, the appreciation of, and the knowledge of art . . . in the City of Philadelphia and surrounding territory."

Accredited by the American Association of Museums, Woodmere celebrates the richness of the Philadelphia region's artistic legacy through its permanent collection, exhibitions, and educational programs. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sundays, 1 to 5 p.m. Call 215-247-0476 or visit www.woodmereartmuseum.org for more information.
 
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Media Contact:
Christa Guidi, Cashman & Associates

Friday, May 28, 2010

Paul Dusold painting portraits at Artists at Work


Woodmere hosted close to 1000 visitors for it's three day event Artists at Work.  Geared toward second graders, it introduces young museum visitors to artist and their work.  Lots of fun.

James Rosenthal's Get Off My Lawn!

James Rosenthal has a wonderful piece on view at Woodmere called,  Get Off My Lawn!

Destiny Doorman by Chakaia Booker, Rubber tires and steel

Woodmere has a wonderful new sculpture show on the lawn. Constructed Visions features the following artists: Chakaia Booker,Paul Hubbard, Virginia Maksymowicz, Creighton Michael, Joe Mooney, James Rosenthal, Christoph Spath, and Scot White.  This exhibit is curated by Paul Hubbard.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Constructed Visions:



May 15-August 22
Reception: Saturday, June 12, 5-7pm

Constructed Visions, highlighting the work of a number of regional artists, is intended to encourage critical debate regarding the position of sculpture, its function and production. Curated by Paul Hubbard, the artists selected have in common the choice to build works as a way of directly expressing their interests, ideas and concepts. At a time when sculpture has the ability to encompass a diverse range of activities and is constantly reinventing itself, this exhibit seeks to embrace the challenging.

Artists: Virginia Macksymowicz , Joe Mooney, Scot White , James Rosenthal, Chakaia Booker , Paul Hubbard, Creighton Michael , and Christoph Spath

Friday, April 30, 2010

On Display:
Shelley Thorstensen Counterpoint - The Leap from Vision to Print

April 3-July 31


Shelley 
Thorstensen


Shelley Thorstensen
A Mother’s Heart, 2002
Etching, relief, and screen print, 7 ¾ x 9 ¾ in.
Woodmere Art Museum, Philadelphia
Purchase, Charles Knox Smith Fund, 2003


Our eyes are tactile organs. We trace form, the feel of what we see; we see and remember. Thorstensen’s work takes an unmediated leap from vision to print. Traditional printmaking - intaglio, lithography and silkscreen - marry seamlessly in layer upon layer, attesting to external and internal reflections, to the duality of body and mind. Ultimately, Thorstensen uses printmaking technology as a tool, not unlike a brush on canvas, to create work that records the splendor around us as well as the uncertainty of our existence.

On Display:
Philadelphia Story

April 10-August 1
Reception: Saturday, May 8, 5-7pm

Shelley Thorstensen

In the last 30 years, interest in figurative painting has returned worldwide. Philadelphia’s own rich native tradition of image-based painting has grown as the city’s artists have followed pluralistic and often idiosyncratic paths. Offering a range of approaches to imagery, meaning, and metaphor in contemporary painting, this exhibition, curated by Sarah Roche, offers a unique Philadelphia vision of figurative and narrative painting.
This exhibition features the works of 17 exceptional Philadelphia artists: Anne Canfield, Mike Cole, Sidney Goodman, Frank Hyder, Jane Irish, Kate Javens, Rob Matthews, Pamela McCabe, Sarah McEneaney, Susan Moore, Jen Packer, Sarah Roche, Hiro Sakaguchi, Bob Scheib, Charles Schmidt, Mark Shetabi, and Ira Upin.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Coming up...

Contemporary Painting: Focus on Figuration
$70 non-member ($35 members)Mondays, May 10, 17, 24
11am-noon
 
This three-part series looks at contemporary painting with a focus on figuration.  Beginning with the traditions established by the French Academy, we’ll examine the way modern painters such as Cezanne, Matisse, Paula Modersohn-Becker, Rodin and others have stepped away from the academic to find new and modern ways of presenting the figure. Our discussion will then move onto contemporary artists who continue to work in and push the boundaries of the figurative tradition: John Currin, Jenny Saville, and Elizabeth Peyton. The series will close with an interview and discussion with the Philadelphia painter, Michael Bartmann, who will share his thoughts and personal inquiries into contemporary painting today. There will be plenty of time for audience questions and discussion.

Gallery Talks:
Thursday, April 15, 2pm
Shelley Thorstensen, artist, tours Counterpoint: The Leap from Vision to Print

Thursday, May 13, 2pm
Sarah Roche, artist and curator

Monday, March 29, 2010

Art Aesthetics: Observations and Insights for Art Enthusiasts

Wednesdays, April, 21, 28, May 5, 12; 12:30-2:30 p.m.
4 sessions: $85 members ($120 nonmembers) 
Get out and explore today's vibrant and diverse art scene with Instructor MaryAnn Katowitz. Students will examine issues of aesthetics, criticism and contemporary art and design. We will look at issues such as perception, meaning, and representation through a variety of art forms, via lectures, guided discussions, as well as gallery and museum trips. This course is designed to stimulate thought and raise questions about the multi-dimensional experiences visual arts provide and its instrumental place in the world.
 
Gallery & Museum excursions include:
1. PMA:
Picasso and the Avant-Garde in Paris2. ICA, U of Penn: Maira Kalman: Vari
ous Illuminations (Of a Crazy World)3. SEI Investments Company, Oaks, Pennsylvania, West Collection Tour

 
Registration deadline: April 14.
 Call the Education Department at 215-247-0948

Monday, March 15, 2010

Philadelphia Museum of Art: Picasso

Here is a great video of Curator Michael Taylor discussing Cubism.




Visit this link for more PMA videos about Picasso and the Avant-Garde in Paris - now through April 25, 2010

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Sound Bite

Bonnie Brown presents:
Walter Elmer Schofield
Thursday, March 4, 2 p.m.

 
This month's Sound Bite is on Walter Elmer Schofield.
Woodmere's Permanent Collection is the focus of these 20-minute gallery conversations led by Woodmere curators and docents. Each illuminating discussion highlights selected artworks or artists.  
Free  

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Woodmere Art History

The End of Painting 
$110 non-member ($75 members)
 
Fridays, March 5, 12, 19, 26 
2-3:30 p.m.

Lecturer: Pamela Birmingham,
The Robert L. Mc Neil, Jr. Curator of Education 
In the wake of Abstract Expressionism, a number of painters developed strategies that both extended the life of painting while at the same time pointed to its possible demise. This class will look at a number of those artists including: Jasper Johns and his paintings of flags and targets; Robert Rauschenberg who fused Duchamp's readymades with notions of abstraction; and Frank Stella who created paintings with programmatic arrangements of lines that radiated outward to determine the overall shape of the canvas. 
Art History Course Registration Form:
http://woodmereartmuseum.org/form2.html
 
Please contact the Education Department at
215-247-0948 for more information.

For a complete list of programs, please visit
http://www.woodmereartmuseum.org/education1.html

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Woodmere Art Museum Director Steps Down

WOODMERE ART MUSEUM DIRECTOR ANNOUNCES HE 
WILL STEP DOWN AT END OF YEAR

One of Longest-Serving Museum Directors in Region Helped Transform Museum From Volunteer 
Art Center To Fine Art Museum Featuring Works by Philadelphia Artists

Michael Schantz Leaves Museum Poised To Expand, With New Wing Designed by 
Architects Venturi, Scott Brown Associates.

Philadelphia, PA (September 1, 2009) --- After 28 years of distinguished service, Dr. Michael W. Schantz, Director and Chief Executive Officer of Woodmere Art Museum, has announced he will step down from his position, effective December 31, 2009.

The Board of Trustees will begin a search for his successor.

Under Dr. Schantz’s leadership – one of the longest of any museum director in the region – the Woodmere Art Museum transformed itself from a largely volunteer-run art center into a professionally managed, vital, community-based fine art museum. During Dr. Schantz’s tenure, Woodmere emerged as the region’s only museum dedicated exclusively to Philadelphia artists.

“Michael has done a fabulous job for Woodmere, and, in many ways, Woodmere is Michael Schantz,” said Board president Dianne Meyer. “We will miss him.”

“Having spent nearly three decades at the Woodmere, the decision to step down was not one made lightly,” Dr. Schantz said. “But with the groundwork laid and the Museum poised to begin an important new chapter, this is an opportune time to pass the reins to the Museum’s next leader. The Museum is in capable hands with the stewardship of the Board and the professionalism of the employees.”

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Call for Entries in Philadelphia

There are many talented artists that work and visit Woodmere Art Museum. We would like to extend information about art shows and Call for Entries that are in and around the Philadelphia area. Click on the links for more information.

The Samuel S. Fleisher Art Memorial:
2010-2011
Wind Challenge Exhibitions at Fleisher:
Call for Entries
Deadline for entries: 5:00 PM on March 1, 2010

The Plastic Club:
Black and White
This exhibition is open to all artists. All media including photography. No film or video. Each artist may submit two pieces.
247 South Camac Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 545‐9324 or plasticclub@att.net

 

*If you have more Call for Entries information, email us and we will add it to our blog!*

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

The End of Painting

Yves Klein, seen in the photograph, is pushing the boundaries of art by painting with fire, with a fireman and hose at the ready. Join Pamela Birmingham in this fun look at the changing role of painting in the twentieth century.   Fridays in March.

Gallery Talks

Join Chuck Schmidt this Thursday, February 18 at 2pm for a tour of the Annual Juried Exhibition.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

The Philadelphia Connection Series



 

This series explores the history of art in Philadelphia, from the Gilded Age to the present. Each lecture will focus on a specific topic of Philadelphia-based art: the transatlantic enterprise of the Gilded Age, the immediacy of the “Charcoal Club” led by Robert Henri ca. 1900, and the thriving artistic scene in Philadelphia today.

The Lectures:
Matthew Palczynski, Staff Lecturer for Western Art, Philadelphia Museum of Art; Ph.D. candidate, Art History, Tyler School of Art, Temple University

Galvanizing an Era: The Gilded Age and Philadelphia Artists –
Monday, February 1, 11am

Immediate Reports: Philadelphia and the Illustrative Tradition –
Monday, February 8, 11am

Philadelphia’s Phoenix: Reawakening an Artistic Epicenter –
Monday, February 22, 11am

Admission: 3 sessions: $45, $15 for individual lecture (Members: $30, $10)
Space limited, reservations recommended; call 215-247-0948 for tickets.


Images: Thomas Eakins The Agnew Clinic (1889), John Sloan McSorley’s (1912)

Visit the Woodmere Art Museum gift shop!

 

The Museum Store features an array of items by local artists including distinctive jewelry, functional ceramics, and textiles.

The Museum Store is open during regular museum hours:
Tuesday - Saturday,
10 am -5 pm;
Sunday,
1 - 5 pm.

Members receive a 10%-15% discount on store purchases.

 

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Art of the Story: Narrative Paintings


January 23-February 21

Narrative paintings tell stories drawn from history, mythology, literature, allegory, and everyday life. Narrative paintings are as old as art itself and often involve complex figurative arrangements that make apparent to the viewer the particular story to be told or virtue to be illustrated. Come see and investigate narrative works from Woodmere’s permanent collection in this modest tribute to some masters of storytelling. Some of the artists included are: Benjamin West, N.C. and Wyeth, Frederick James.

Contemporary Voices: 70th Annual Juried Exhibition

January 23-March 14, 2010

Woodmere Art Museum’s mission to support the arts of Philadelphia is realized, in part, through its annual Juried Exhibition. This, our 70th juried show, highlights a wide variety of contemporary artists in Philadelphia. Our juror, Michael Schantz, the out-going CEO and Director of Woodmere, selected 125 works by 112 artists out of a pool of over 400. A juror, selected as an expert in the arts, reviews all the submissions and decides who is in the exhibit and who is not. Michael has a strong passion for the arts. He has spent decades viewing art, mounting contemporary exhibitions, and immersing himself in the Philadelphia arts community.

Artists have not always been eager to have their work seen and evaluated either by a professional jury or by the public. For several centuries, artists were primarily concerned with pleasing their patrons. Exhibitions, so common an occurrence in today’s world, are actually a fairly new phenomenon and juried exhibitions, even more so. The first juried exhibition was held at the French Academy in the 1730s. Judged by academics, only a select few works were allowed in. The public had a...

Welcome to the Woodmere Art Museum Blog!

Woodmere Art Museum is happy to present its new blog to the public!

Welcome to Woodmere Art Museum where we celebrate the importance and richness of the art of the Philadelphia region. Visit often and become inspired by works in our permanent collection, exceptional exhibits, and educational programs.