Press Archives - Delaware Art Museum

There Is a Woman in Every Color Exhibition Arrives March 16, Final Stop of National Tour

The Delaware Art Museum presents “There Is a Woman in Every Color: Black Women in Art,” opening on Saturday, March 16, 2024, and running through Sunday, May 26, 2024. Admission for the exhibition, featured in the Fusco Gallery, is included in Museum admission.

“There is a Woman in Every Color” examines the representation of Black women in the United States over the past two centuries and makes visible the presence of Black women in American art history.

This major traveling exhibition features more than 40 works of art from the collection of the Bowdoin College Museum of Art (BMCA), to which the Delaware Art Museum has added objects from its collection. Curated by Elizabeth S. Humphrey (Ph.D. candidate at the University of Delaware and Bowdoin Class of 2014), “There Is a Woman in Every Color” opened at the BCMA in 2021 and is touring with support from the Art Bridges Foundation, which is dedicated to expanding access to American art across the country.

The traveling exhibition includes works by important 20th– and 21st-century artists Emma Amos, Elizabeth Catlett (whose 1975 work inspired the exhibition’s name), Alma Thomas, Carrie Mae Weems, Betye Saar, Faith Ringgold, Barbara Chase-Riboud, Kara Walker, Mickalene Thomas, LaToya Ruby Frazier, and Nyeema Morgan. These recent works are joined by a selection of 19th-century works of art—including a photograph of Sojourner Truth and a marble bust by Edmonia Lewis—that highlight the continuity of experiences of Black women in America.

Humphrey says, “I hope that this exhibition will encourage audiences to engage with artists often overlooked in the canon of American art, providing space for their works to stand on the equal footing they so deserve.”

In Delaware, the works from Bowdoin will be shown alongside paintings, sculptures, prints, photographs, and a quilt from DelArt’s collection, featuring artists such as Joyce Scott, Sonya Clark, Edward Loper Sr., and Deborah Willis. The added objects, dating from the 1940s through 2021, bring the total object count to 60.

DelArt’s Curator of American Art, Heather Campbell Coyle explains, “It’s thrilling to see works from our collection juxtaposed with Bowdoin’s wonderful examples. Elizabeth Humphrey has brought a fresh perspective to the interpretation of the Museum’s collection.”

Humphrey designed this exhibition to present dialogues between generations of Black women: “Curating ’There Is a Woman in Every Color’ provided an opportunity to place art by Black women in conversation with one another and showcase their exploration of personhood, issues of identity, and resistance to certain modes of representation or classiﬁcation. Presenting this exhibition at the Delaware Art Museum and including works from its collection allowed me to revisit and reimagine the show. Placing two museum collections in conversation with one another revealed exciting connections and narratives that were not as prominent before. Delaware viewers will view artworks familiar to them alongside those from the BCMA, and I look forward to seeing what connections and stories resonate.”

“There Is a Woman in Every Color” is organized thematically. The exhibition opens with representations of individual Black women, including portraits and nudes produced by photographers and printmakers, such as Elizabeth Catlett, William Witt and Mickalene Thomas. The second section focuses on issues of labor and resources, including powerful photographs of Black women in service to white families, as well as famous figures like Black activist Fannie Lou Hamer. Other sections focus on documentary photography, meditations on femininity, and contemporary artists intervening in historical narratives. The final section engages with Black women pushing the boundaries of artistic expression and the expectations of the art world.

Related Commission by Artist Shakira Hunt

Programming in support of the exhibition includes a commissioned installation by multimedia artist and Delaware native, Shakira Hunt, who will also coordinate a series of art events.

A direct response to the themes of the exhibition, Hunt’s art will be installed in the Orientation Hallway this spring and will continue past the exhibition’s closing. It will be an extension of her “Give Me My Flowers” and “Soft Petals” series, which explore themes of gender and femininity, particularly mother-daughter relationships and the intergenerational wounds (“mother wounds”) that pass between women.

Recognizing others, like herself, who haven’t historically felt seen or accepted in fine art institutions, Hunt says, “I always want access to be given to the folks that don’t really get to see themselves in spaces like this, who have not been exposed to institutions like this, who have never felt empowered.”

University Night Lecture with Artist Sonya Clark

The April 25 University Night, in partnership with the University of Delaware, will feature a talk by artist Sonya Clark, whose work is included in the exhibition, gallery tours, and other activities. She will discuss the themes of the exhibition and her own artwork. DelArt aims to engage students in art, museum studies, art history, and Africana studies from University of Delaware, Delaware State University and other regional schools, as well as interested community members.

The University Night Lecture will be preceded on April 25 by Evening for Educators. This event invites primary and secondary school teachers and administrators from nearby districts to browse the Museum galleries and discover upcoming programs to enhance their classroom teaching. This annual program is an opportunity for the educators to talk with Museum staff and learn what it might be like to bring students to the Museum.

For more information on the exhibition and supporting programming, visit our website.

There Is a Woman in Every Color: Black Women in Art is organized by Bowdoin College Museum of Art with generous support provided by Art Bridges. This exhibition is supported in Delaware by the Krahmer American Art Exhibition Fund, the TD Charitable Foundation and PNC Arts Alive. The Delaware Art Museum is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: “There Is a Woman in Every Color: Black Women in Art” Exhibition
WHEN: Saturday, March 16, 2024, and running through Sunday, May 26, 2024
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19806
COST: Included with Museum admission
INFO: delart.org

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Evening for Educators and University Night Lecture with Artist Sonya Clark
WHEN: Thursday, April 25, 2024
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19806
COST: Free; registration required
INFO: delart.org

Image: The Sunflower Quilting Bee at Arles, 1996, lithograph by Faith Ringgold. Gift of Julie L. McGee, Class of 1982, Bowdoin College Museum of Art. © 2021 Faith Ringgold / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York, Courtesy ACA Galleries, New York.

Celebrate the artistic life and legacy of James E. Newton—painter, printmaker, public intellectual, educator, and professor of African American history and art—with three exhibitions on view in locations throughout Delaware in early 2024. These exhibitions highlighting Newton’s legacy will be on display at the Delaware Art Museum, the University of Delaware’s Mechanical Hall Gallery and the University of Delaware’s Morris Library.

A beloved member of the Delaware arts community, Newton had a passion for teaching Black history, art and art history to students at the University of Delaware, local grade schools and in the community. He was integral to the establishment of UD’s Black American Studies program in the 1970s, known today as UD Africana Studies; helped found the Mitchell Center for African American Heritage in Wilmington; and served as a Wilmington leader on the boards of the YWCA and the Delaware Art Museum.

“It is an honor to join in the celebration of Dr. Newton’s legacy and the many ways his spirit shaped the artistic landscape of Delaware,” said Margaret Winslow, chief curator and curator of contemporary art at the Delaware Art Museum. “DelArt is thrilled to be closely collaborating with the University of Delaware to acknowledge this important artist.”

The exhibitions include:

The Artistic Legacy of James E. Newton: Poetic Roots

On view at the Delaware Art Museum in Wilmington, DE, from January 27 through May 19, 2024

Among James E. Newton’s many titles are artist, scholar, educator and the first African American to graduate with a Master of Fine Arts from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

In this exhibition, visitors will discover Newton’s early works, which range from his time as a graduate student at UNC Chapel Hill to his exploration of abstraction and emergence of figuration throughout the 1970s. His vibrant compositions explore social justice and American history and will prompt visitors to do the same.

The exhibition is co-curated by Delaware Art Museum’s Rachel Ciampoli, the 2023 Alfred Appel Jr. Curatorial Fellow, and Winslow. Ciampoli is a doctoral student in the Department of Art and Art History at UNC Chapel Hill.

The Artistic Legacy of James E. Newton: Heritage and Character Portraits

On view in Mechanical Hall Gallery at the University of Delaware in Newark, DE, from February 6 through May 16, 2024

Humor and history were key components to James E. Newton’s artistic process. While wit was important to his work, it never interrupted the artwork’s gravitas.

In this exhibition, visitors will get a closer look at Newton’s drawings, collages and prints to discover the many faces – from those of jazz musicians to animals to himself – he used to explore character and personality. Through these artworks, visitors will delve into the importance of African American heritage, community and culture in his work.

The exhibition is co-curated by Carolyn Hauk, graduate research assistant to the Museums and doctoral student in the Department of Art History at UD, and Amanda T. Zehnder, chief curator and head of Museums at the UD Library, Museums and Press.

The Artistic Legacy of James E. Newton: The Archival Record

On view in Morris Library at the University of Delaware in Newark, DE, from February 6 through August 23, 2024

James E. Newton believed that art, education, mentorship and community could change the world for the better.

In this exhibition, visitors will explore how Newton lived his life building communities and changing the lives of those around him. Through artwork, photographs, articles, ephemera and other materials in Newton’s papers at the UD Library, Museums and Press, visitors will gain insights into his artistic output, his work as an educator in the community and at the University, and his commitment to collecting and sharing Black history.

This exhibition is curated by Demetra McBrayer, a doctoral student in the Department of English at UD. McBrayer’s research and curatorial work was supported by the Paul R. Jones Initiative.

Related programming will be held at both the Delaware Art Museum and the University of Delaware’s Newark campus while the exhibitions are on view. Events will include talks with curators, scholarly lectures and poetry readings. These events are open to the public. More information will be shared on the Delaware Art Museum’s and the University of Delaware Library, Museums and Press’ websites in the coming weeks.

“It is an honor to be part of this broad effort to commemorate the legacy of James E. Newton,” said Zehnder. “It feels especially important to be celebrating James E. Newton’s career as an artist here at the University of Delaware, an institution where he had such a profound impact as the founding director of Black American Studies and as a mentor and inspiration to so many students and colleagues over the years.”

The Delaware Art Museum and the University of Delaware have long collaborated to enhance awareness of, and accessibility to, the visual arts and the creativity of artists. In spring 2023, both institutions signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding that outlines high-level mutually agreed upon principles for the Delaware Art Museum and the University of Delaware to further their discussions surrounding a deeper and more formalized collaboration to advance their missions. The collaboration, which is overseen by a committee of representatives from each organization, intends to increase student opportunities, expand exhibition and collection collaboration, deepen joint community engagement initiatives, and increase the public’s awareness of the Delaware Art Museum and the University of Delaware’s rich offerings.

For more information on the upcoming exhibitions, please contact Amelia Wiggins, director of advancement and external affairs at the Delaware Art Museum, at awiggins@delart.org or Allison Ebner, communication specialist at the UD Library, Museums and Press, at aebner@udel.edu.

IF YOU GO:

WHAT: The Artistic Legacy of James E. Newton: Poetic Roots
WHEN: January 27 – May 19, 2024
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum
COST: Free after admission; tickets available at delart.org
INFO: delart.org/event/james-e-newton/

WHAT: The Artistic Legacy of James E. Newton: Heritage and Character Portraits
WHEN: February 6 – May 16, 2024
WHERE: University of Delaware’s Mechanical Hall Gallery
COST: Free
INFO: https://exhibitions.lib.udel.edu/artistic-legacy-james-e-newton-heritage-character-portraits/

WHAT: The Artistic Legacy of James E. Newton: The Archival Record
WHEN: February 6 – August 23, 2024
WHERE: University of Delaware’s Morris Library
COST: Free
INFO: https://exhibitions.lib.udel.edu/artistic-legacy-james-e-newton-the-archival-record/

Homage to Frederick Douglass, 1972. James E. Newton (1941–2022). Collagraph, 30 x 22 inches. Private Collection. © Estate of James E. Newton.

With “The Rossettis” on view through January 28, DelArt commits to mount an exhibition of Pre-Raphaelite painter Simeon Solomon in 2027.

Thousands of visitors have traveled to Delaware in recent months to see “The Rossettis,” a major international exhibition organized in partnership with Tate Britain. The exhibition, which runs through January 28, 2024, showcases the work of the Rossettis, the extraordinarily creative family that includes artists Dante Gabriel Rossetti and Elizabeth Siddal, and poet Christina Rossetti. As “The Rossettis” nears its closing date, the Delaware Art Museum has announced its next major Pre-Raphaelite art exhibition on the artist Simeon Solomon (1840–1905).

Scheduled for spring 2027, this will be the first museum show in the United States to comprehensively focus on Solomon. The British artist’s life and career still astonish many today. For nearly fifteen years Solomon worked in the orbit of the Pre-Raphaelite and Aesthetic movements, receiving sustained critical attention. While fellow Pre-Raphaelite artists frequently illustrated scenes from the New Testament, Solomon drew on his Jewish faith, picturing stories from the Torah and Prophets, as well as scenes of Jewish cultural and liturgical practices. By the mid-1860s, he was exploring same-sex passion in his art, frequently depicting multi-figure compositions marked by overt homosocial intimacy. Following arrests for homosexual crimes in the early 1870s, Solomon was rejected by the art establishment in which he had previously thrived. For his three remaining decades, he lived precariously, suffering from alcoholism and homelessness, yet his artistic output remained prolific.

Delaware Art Museum’s exhibition will bring together works by Solomon in public and private collections worldwide. The show will argue that Solomon, as a queer, Jewish artist, occupied a far more conspicuous role in the Victorian art world than has previously been recognized. The exhibition will be co-curated by Dr. Sophie Lynford, DelArt’s Annette Woolard-Provine Curator of the Bancroft Pre-Raphaelite Collection, and Dr. Roberto C. Ferrari, Curator of Art Properties, Columbia University. A leading expert on Solomon, Ferrari founded and co-manages the online “Simeon Solomon Research Archive.”

Sophie Lynford explains the significance of a major show on Solomon: “In histories of Victorian art, Solomon’s robust oeuvre was consistently downplayed and, in many instances, entirely omitted. This has led to a gap in the appreciation and understanding of his work. DelArt’s exhibition redresses this lacuna, foregrounding his Judaism and his homosexuality as essential to his contributions to Victorian art.”

Art lovers have two more weeks to experience “The Rossettis,” which will not travel to additional venues. Also on display at the museum is a new installation in the permanent galleries devoted to a significant oil painting by Solomon, The Mother of Moses (1860), in Delaware Art Museum’s collection.

Executive Director Molly Giordano shares, “It is a tremendously exciting time for Victorian art at Delaware Art Museum. Partnering with Tate Britain to bring ‘The Rossettis’ to Wilmington has offered an unprecedented opportunity for enthusiasts of the Pre-Raphaelites to see so many stellar artworks in one location. With the 2027 Solomon show on the horizon, DelArt continues to lead the field on groundbreaking scholarship on this important art movement.”

For more information about “The Rossettis,” visit delart.org/rossettis.

The Rossettis was organized by the Delaware Art Museum in partnership with Tate Britain and is made possible through support from the Nathan Clark Foundation, the Amy P. Goldman Foundation, the Delaware Art Museum Council, and the Dr. Lee MacCormick Edwards Charitable Foundation. This exhibition is supported, in part, by the National Endowment for the Arts and by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

IF YOU GO:

WHAT: The Rossettis
WHEN: Now through January 28, 2024, Wednesdays through Sundays; guided tours at 1 pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19806
COST: $25; free for DelArt Plus members
INFO: delart.org

Image: The Mother of Moses (detail), 1860. Simeon Solomon (1840–1905). Oil on canvas, 24 x 19 7/8 in. Delaware Art Museum, Bequest of Robert Louis Isaacson, 1999.

Free Korean Festival and Día de los Muertos Observation Offer Performances and Activities

The Delaware Art Museum presents, for the eighth time, a fall Korean Festival, on Saturday, October 14, 2023, 11 a.m.—3 p.m., as well as the fourth annual Día de los Muertos: Walking Among the Ancestors event on Saturday, October 28, 2023, from 11 a.m.—4 p.m.

Both family-friendly outdoor events will feature music and cultural dances, and both cultures are known for placing an emphasis on honoring ancestors, particularly this time of year.

Community Engagement Specialist Iz Balleto says, “These events recognize the fact that our ancestors are with us. It’s important for us to reflect on those who came before and acknowledge their names and their spirits, and continue to celebrate them.”

Balleto adds, “We hear from a lot of guests at these cultural festivals that it’s an experience they’ve never had—seeing the culture come to life, and not just through a television screen. It’s especially amazing for those who take time to learn about others’ cultures.”

The Korean Festival invites guests to explore traditional and modern Korean culture with family-friendly activities and performances by Jinhee Oh’s Delaware Korean School, with TaeKwonDo gymnastics, chorus, and samulnori percussion; Selahart Institute and MIMIC K-pop Dance Group; Korean School of Southern New Jersey; Tiger Kicks and Master Choi demonstrating TaeKwonDo; KODAC, the university of Delaware K-pop club. Yegeun Song & Jung-young Park will host and Jonathan Park, Director of the Delaware Korean Association, will also be on site.

Día de los Muertos invites guests to experience a variety of activities, such as an Indigenous ceremony, labyrinth walk and contribute to ofrendas by bringing pictures of loved ones and food to leave at the altars. Jazmin Buke will host, and opening ceremonies will include Danza Azteca Anahuac, Seylin Abarca, Mr Capo 302, Ballet Folklorico Mexico Lindo, Esmeralda LaCor and Mariachi Arrieros. The very popular La Catrinamia, the skeletal embodiment of a well-to-do woman who has passed, makes her annual return to the Museum.

Korean food will be available for purchase at the Korean Festival, and Los Taquitos de Puebla will sell food at Día de los Muertos. Beverages will be available for sale, but alcohol will not be sold at these events.

The Festival coincides with the Korean holiday ChuSeok. In South Korea, it is the most celebrated traditional holiday, and often includes pilgrimages to the family’s hometown. It also celebrates the September harvest, with much of the attention placed on rice, a Korean staple.

Día de los Muertos is observed in Mexico and other countries in the days leading up to All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, and, therefore, is often conflated with Halloween traditions. However, the holiday combines the celebration of those who have passed with reverence for the act of mourning, and is neither scary nor prank-oriented.

Although these are both free events, each consistently reaches full capacity, therefore, registration is strongly encouraged. To register, or for more information on the event, visit our website. In the event of bad weather, the programs will be moved indoors.

The Korean Festival is presented in partnership with the Delaware Korean Association, Overseas Korean Service, the TD Charitable Foundation, and the Jessie Ball duPont Fund.

Día de los Muertos is presented in partnership with the Center for Interventional Pain & Spine, Nuestras Raices Delaware, Hoy en Delaware, the TD Charitable Foundation, the Jessie Ball duPont Fund, and Guerrilla Republik.

This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Korean Festival
WHEN: Saturday, October 14, 2023, 11 a.m.—3 p.m.
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, Del. 19806
COST: Free, Registration Strongly Recommended
INFO: delart.org

WHAT: Día de los Muertos: Walking Among the Ancestors
WHEN: Saturday, October 28, 2023, 11 a.m.—4 p.m.
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, Del. 19806
COST: Free, Registration Strongly Recommended
INFO: delart.org

Successful Inaugural Program Expanded for 2023-2024 with a Roster of Solo Pianists and More

The Delaware Art Museum has expanded its Jazz Series for 2023-2024 following a successful inaugural season in 2022. The current series debuts on Thursday, October 5, 2023, and features Dayramir González, who will play—on the Museum’s century-old Steinway Grand Piano—his favorite works, and tell stories from his life. The Jazz Series is hosted by Raye Jones Avery, an accomplished jazz vocalist and a Wilmington arts leader, who will engage each guest artist in “Chords and Conversations,” an artist chat with audience participation. Tickets are available at delart.org for $30, with a discount for Museum members. Refreshments will be available for purchase.

Each installment of the Jazz Series takes place on the first Thursday of the month from 7—9 p.m. and performances last approximately 1.5 hours, with the artist chat occurring mid-performance. Future dates are November 2, 2023; February 1, March 7, April 4, and, May 2, 2024. Additional artists for this season—nearly all pianists and some vocals—include Sumi Tonooka, V. Shayne Frederick, Cyrus Chestnut, and Brandi Younger, with one more to be announced.

Avery says, “The solo nature of the artists we’ve selected for the Jazz Series creates a sense of intimacy and individualism within the performances, and the Chords and Conversation chats—which are more than just interviews, but real audience interaction—have become a unique feature that appeals to the community. Plus, the acoustics in the Museum are wonderful, and the audience not only can, but does listen very intently.”

González is a Havana-born Yamaha artist who began his professional career as a pianist and composer with former Irakere member Oscar Valdes’ Afro-Cuban jazz ensemble, Diákara, at the age of 16. Since winning Havana’s JoJazz festival in 2004 and 2005, González has gone from winning three Cubadisco awards for his 2007 debut album “Dayramir & Habana enTRANCé” to becoming Berklee College of Music’s first Cuban national “Presidential Scholarship” recipient to perform in 15,000-seat stadiums. Performing with legends such as Chucho and Bebo Valdes and headlining Carnegie Hall, González represents the young generation of Afro-Cuban jazz.

Avery adds, “González is very skillful, but the animation and the joyfulness of his connection to the instrument, and his musical expression, are very uplifting. For people who are really interested in moving to the music, this is a great artist to experience.”

The series was curated by Jonathan Whitney, owner of Flux Creative Consulting, who has worked behind the scenes to help make the series happen. Whitney says, “I am excited to share these special artists with our community in such a beautiful and intimate setting.”

Saralyn Rosenfield, the Museum’s Director of Learning and Engagement, says, “Based on the success of last year’s two-part Fall Jazz Series, we’ve tripled the program and expanded it from October through May. The concerts are mesmerizing and the experience is congenial and social, plus you come away from the program having learned something. We love being able to bring jazz and art together in a multi-disciplinary space—art connects us.”

In addition to promoting the mission of the Museum to connect people with art and to each other, this expanded Jazz Series serves as a preview to an exciting Jazz Age Illustration exhibition the Museum presents next fall, which highlights illustrative art originating from the Jazz Age of American history.

For more information about the exhibition, visit our website.

This event is made possible through a grant provided by PNC Arts Alive and the TD Charitable Foundation. This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

About the Delaware Art Museum

IF YOU GO:

WHAT: Jazz Series with Raye Jones Avery featuring Dayramir González
WHEN: Thursday, October 5, 2023, 7 p.m.
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19806
COST: $30, with discount for members
INFO: delart.org

Delaware Art Museum Is the Only U.S. Location for Major Pre-Raphaelite Exhibition and Events

The Delaware Art Museum presents “The Rossettis,” a major international loan exhibition organized in partnership with Tate Britain, opening on Saturday, October 21, 2023, and running through Sunday, January 28, 2024. The exhibition features the art of the Rossettis, an iconic artist family that includes Dante Gabriel Rossetti, a founder of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, his wife, Elizabeth Siddal, and siblings, Christina, Maria, and William Michael Rossetti. Significant special programming, such as the Pre-Raphaelite Weekend and Pre-Raphaelite Promenade, have been developed in conjunction with this exhibition.

The Delaware Art Museum, which is home to the most comprehensive collection of Pre-Raphaelite art outside of the United Kingdom, will be the only museum in the United States to host this exhibition after it closes in London on September 24.

DelArt’s collections of paintings by Dante Gabriel will be contextualized alongside the family’s works from international public and private collections, exceeding 150 objects. Delaware has added many works to the display that were not on view at Tate. These include paintings, drawings, watercolors, and writings by Dante Gabriel, drawings by Siddal, and poetry and prose by Christina, Maria, and William Michael. Highlights include a trio of portraits of Siddal, reunited for the first time since their making in 1854.

Sophie Lynford, Annette Woolard-Provine Curator of the Bancroft Collection, explains the significance of bringing the three portraits together, “These drawings are records of the close friendships among women artists in the Pre-Raphaelite circle. Two were made by Barbara Leigh Smith Bodichon and Anna Mary Howitt. Dante Gabriel had asked the women to take Elizabeth on a trip that would lift her spirits. Partway through the women’s holiday, Dante Gabriel joined them. On May 8, 1854, Dante Gabriel, Barbara and Anna each made a portrait of Elizabeth, all from slightly different angles. These three drawings have never been displayed together since their making.”

The poets, writers, and painters of the prodigiously artistic Rossetti family blended their passion for social justice with their commitment to reforming outdated academic artistic traditions. Through this exhibition, visitors familiar with and new to the Pre-Raphaelites will experience fresh insights that address contemporary debates about romance, class, sex, and gender.

Executive Director Molly Giordano says, “Shortly after the Museum was founded, we were given an incredible gift: Samuel P. Bancroft, Jr.’s significant Pre-Raphaelite collection. Our holdings have since grown, and we’re home to critically important paintings and drawings by Dante Gabriel Rossetti, as well as rare works on paper by Elizabeth Siddal. Partnering with Tate Britain, and its extraordinary collection, makes this exhibition an unprecedented opportunity for enthusiasts of the Pre-Raphaelite movement to see so many rare objects in one location, and enjoy immersive programming.”

Lynford adds, “While Bancroft acquired art by many Pre-Raphaelites, he was drawn most intensely to Rossetti and would be delighted that this show reunites works that haven’t been displayed together for over 150 years.”

DelArt’s presentation of “The Rossettis” will be further enhanced by a range of programs and special events throughout the exhibition’s run, including: the Pre-Raphaelite Weekend, a multi-day celebration of Pre-Raphaelite art; the Pre-Raphaelite Promenade, an enchanting gala set in the Victorian world; guided tours of the show; and, special gallery talks on key works in the exhibition.

For more information about the exhibition, visit our website.

This exhibition was organized by the Delaware Art Museum in partnership with Tate Britain and is made possible through support from the Nathan Clark Foundation, the Amy P. Goldman Foundation, the Delaware Art Museum Council, and the Dr. Lee MacCormick Edwards Charitable Foundation. This organization is supported, in part, by the National Endowment for the Arts and by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

IF YOU GO:

WHAT: “The Rossettis”
WHEN: October 21, 2023 through January 28, 2024
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19806
COST: $25; free for DelArt Plus members
INFO: delart.org

WHAT: Guided Special Exhibition Tours
WHEN: Saturdays and Sundays, October 21, 2023 through January 28, 2024, 1 p.m.
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19806
COST: Free with exhibition admission; registration encouraged
INFO: delart.org

WHAT: Gallery Talks with Visiting Researcher Nicholas Dunn-McAfee
WHEN: Thursdays, November 2 and 30, 5 p.m.; Friday, November 17, 12 p.m.
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19806
COST: Free for select DelArt Plus members or with exhibition admission
INFO: delart.org

WHAT: Pre-Raphaelite Weekend
WHEN: Thursday, November 9 through Sunday, November 12, 2023
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19806
COST: $250
INFO: delart.org

WHAT: Pre-Raphaelite Promenade
WHEN: Saturday, November 11, 2023, 7–10 p.m.
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19806
COST: $150
INFO: delart.org

Top: La Ghirlandata (detail), 1873, Dante Gabriel Rossetti. Oil on canvas. Guildhall Art Gallery. Photo credit: City of London Corporation.

Explore the Creative World of Award-Winning Children’s Book Illustrator

During this summer season, the Delaware Art Museum took center stage as it proudly presented an exhibition spotlighting the creations of Christian Robinson, a prominent figure in the realm of children’s book illustration, writing, and animation. The enchanting artworks from well-loved children’s tales such as “Last Stop on Market Street” and “You Matter” grace the exhibition titled “What Might You Do? Christian Robinson.” Open just through September 10th, this family-oriented exhibition captivates audiences of all ages.

This exhibition proudly showcases a collection of 90 authentic art pieces crafted by Robinson himself. With a masterful blend of acrylic paint and collage techniques, these artworks adorn the pages of 17 children’s books, including notables like “Last Stop on Market Street,” “Milo Imagines the World,” and “Carmela Full of Wishes.”

Saralyn Rosenfield, the Director of Learning & Engagement, said, “This summer was filled with great joy having Christina Robinson’s Exhibition here at the museum, engaging families in and around our community with art and literature.” She welcomes area families and educators to visit before the exhibition closes.

In honor of the exhibition, the museum extends an invitation to children and their accompanying adults to engage in art-making activities during the exhibition’s closing days. This creative opportunity unfolds on a Stories & Studio session held Friday morning, September 8, and Family Second Sunday, on September 10. For additional information and registration, interested participants could access details on delart.org.

Christian Robinson has amassed a plethora of accolades, notably the Newberry Medal and the Caldecott Honor, both of which he earned for his exquisite illustrations in the book “Last Stop on Market Street.” His artistic style is a symphony of vivid colors and playful elements, acting as a triumphant ode to the tapestry of human experiences and offering readers a glimpse of his entire world. The doors are open to visitors of every age, welcoming them to immerse themselves in Robinson’s original artworks and literary creations within the confines of a repurposed city bus, now transformed into a cozy reading nook conveniently stationed within the art gallery.

IF YOU GO:

WHAT: “What Might You Do? Christian Robinson”
WHEN: July 1- September 10, 2023
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum
COST: Free after admission; tickets available at delart.org
INFO: delart.org/christian-robinson

WHAT: Stories & Studio
WHEN: September 8, 2023, 10:30 am to 11:30 pm
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum
COST: $5 Non-Members and Free for Members
INFO: delart.org

WHAT: Family Second Sunday
WHEN: September 10, 2023, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum
COST: $5 Non-Members and Free for Members
INFO: delart.org

This exhibition was organized by the National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature, Abilene, Texas. “What Might You Do?” is made possible in Delaware by the Jessie Ball duPont Fund, the Edgar A. Thronson Foundation Illustration Exhibition Fund, and M&T Bank. This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

The Artist and the Museum Bridge the Past and the Present in a Collaboration that Centers Local Community

The Delaware Art Museum has partnered with contemporary visual artist Charles Edward Williams and the Wilmington Alliance for an artist residency from July 31 through August 13, 2023. Members of the community are invited to contribute directly to Williams’s artwork for the residency by visiting the Art-O-Mat, particularly during Community Hours on August 4, 7, and 8, 2023. Much like Williams’s own art practice, which he describes as, “excavating history, taking the past and bringing it into the present,” this new residency builds on the Delaware Art Museum’s previous partnership with the artist and established commitment to uplifting local community voices in the arts.

Building on the Museum’s previous partnership with Williams, as well as the institution’s mission and vision, this new residency echoes his own artistic practice of “excavating history, taking the past and bringing it into the present.”

“We are thrilled to welcome Charles back to the Delaware Art Museum for this inaugural residency,” says Margaret Winslow, Chief Curator and Curator of Contemporary Art. “Charles excels at weaving history and social justice together to create powerful imagery.”

For this residency, Williams continues his excavation of history and undertakes one of his largest projects to date, using multicolored wax and black paint to reinterpret the famous 1940s photo “Negro Boys on Easter Morning,” shot by Russell Lee. The effect will mimic the “magic” scratch pads kids use to create rainbow art—the same that Williams used in his youth. “[The work] is designed to evoke the nostalgia of childhood, while taking inspiration from the local community he’s hoping to reach,” says Zoe Akoto, Education Initiatives Coordinator.

The residency includes a new partnership with the Wilmington Alliance’s Art-O-Mat location, which opened its doors at 7th and Washington Street in Wilmington just weeks ago. The Art-O-Mat will serve as Williams’s primary studio space.

Residents of the West Center City neighborhood where the Art-O-Mat is located, and museum community members more broadly, are invited to visit the community space and participate in creating the multicolored wax layer of the project. Williams hopes to have young members of the Wilmington community play an active part in creating the work: “My interest in having teens and kids involved in this residency stems from my own passion for teaching and inspiring students to pursue creative arts—not simply as a pastime, but as something you can build your life around.” Williams, who is a professor of drawing and painting at North Carolina Central University, emphasizes, “there are career paths in the arts, and I want to model that for them.”

Williams was commissioned by the Museum in 2021 for “I Sit and Sew: Tracing Alice Dunbar Nelson.” The exhibition explored the legacy of Dunbar Nelson, an important 17th century literary figure and Delaware activist. Williams interwove Dunbar Nelson’s poetry with paint and other unconventional materials like fishing line, sewn items, and etched glass in what Winslow deems “a stunning installation” and “an important acquisition for the collection.” In renewing the Museum’s successful collaboration with Williams and developing a new local partnership with the Art-O-Mat, this residency brings the Museum’s long-held commitment to connecting and supporting artists and underserved communities, at the local and regional level, into the present in new forms.

Williams is represented in numerous public collections including the Mississippi Museum of Art, 21c Museum Hotels, the North Carolina Museum of Art, and in the private holdings of Michael and Susan Hershfield and the Petrucci Family Collection of African American Art, among others. Between 2016 and 2019, Williams attended residencies at the Otis College of Art and Design and SOMA Mexico City. Additionally, he was an artist-in-residence at the Gibbes Museum of Art and the McColl Center of Art and Innovation. Williams has received numerous awards and grants for his work including a Mississippi Humanities Council Grant, a National Endowment for the Arts Grant, and the Griffith-Reyburn Lowcountry Artist of the Year Award. Solo exhibitions of Williams’ projects have been presented at the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts in Grand Rapids, the Polk Museum of Art at Florida Southern College, and the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art, among others. He has participated in group shows at the Knoxville Museum of Art, Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, and Allentown Art Museum, among other galleries and museums across the United States and abroad.

Williams holds a BFA from Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) in Georgia and an MFA from the University of North Carolina Greensboro (UNCG).

About the Delaware Art Museum

Photograph by Shannon Woodloe.

Experience a presentation of celebrating Black Cinema

The highly anticipated Dirty Popcorn Black Film Festival 2 returns to the Delaware Art Museum on Saturday, August 12, from 10 am to 4 pm. This year’s festival, themed “The Saga Continues,” will pay homage to the rich and diverse history of Black cinema while highlighting its ongoing evolution.

Attendees can expect an immersive experience, complete with a brand-new art exhibit and four engaging panel discussions on several topics related to Black film. The festival aims to create an inclusive environment where attendees can enjoy popcorn, food, and drinks while celebrating the artistry and talent within the black filmmaking community.

With 15 different screenings, Dirty Popcorn Black Film Festival 2 offers a wide selection of BIPOC filmmakers from multiple genres, including drama, comedy, and documentary. Audiences will have the opportunity to witness the most exciting and innovative work being produced in Black cinema today. Moreover, attendees will have the chance to engage in meaningful conversations with filmmakers and industry professionals about the art and business of filmmaking.

Highlighting the festival will be the presentation of the prestigious 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award to a legendary figure in Black cinema. The name of the recipient will be announced closer to the event. This award serves as a tribute to the remarkable contributions made by Black filmmakers and artists to the world of cinema, acknowledging the ongoing significance of their work.

Dirty Popcorn Black Film Festival 2 promises attendees an unforgettable day filled with celebration, education, and entertainment. Whether you are a seasoned film buff or simply seeking an introduction to the world of Black cinema, this event is a unique opportunity not to be missed.

This event is sponsored by the Center for Interventional Pain & Spine, Tuby Catering, and Prime Beverage Group. This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

IF YOU GO:
WHAT: 2nd Annual Jet Phynx Dirty Popcorn Black Film Festival
WHEN: August 12, 2023, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum Auditorium
COST: Free
INFO: delart.org/blackfilmfestival2023

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

Christian Robinson’s colorful & whimsical illustrations have sparked a summer of family fun!

This summer, the Delaware Art Museum hosts an exhibit featuring the work of Christian Robinson, the major children’s book illustrator, author, and animator. Illustrations from beloved children’s books like “Last Stop on Market Street” and “You Matter” will be on display in the exhibition “What Might You Do? Christian Robinson.” This family-themed exhibition opens July 1st and continues through September 10th.

The summer is filled with family-friendly programming in celebration of the exhibition. On July 13, DelArt Members are invited to a curator tour of the exhibition during Happy Hour. On the evening of July 27, audiences of all ages are invited to “Kidchella,” a family-friendly music festival. The Kidchella festival lineup includes Mister John’s Music, HFam, Seylin Abarca, and Beatles tribute band The Newspaper Taxis. And the Museum invites children and their grownups to make art throughout the summer on Family Second Sundays and during Stories & Studio on select Friday mornings. Details and registration are available at delart.org.

Saralyn Rosenfield, Director of Learning & Engagement, said, “We can’t wait to introduce families to the art of Christian Robinson. I look forward to seeing families celebrate art and music together at Kidchella. Our hope is that the evening will be just as fun for the grownups as it is for the kids.” The event will include cross-generational music and sweet treats provided by Kaffeina, Natalie’s Fine Foods, and El Rey’s Ice Cream in the inspiring outdoor setting of DelArt’s Copeland Sculpture Garden.

Christian Robinson’s numerous awards include the Newberry Medal and the Caldecott Honor for his illustrations in “Last Stop on Market Street.” His art is colorful, playful, and celebrates diversity of experience, presenting the entire world to readers. Visitors of all ages are invited to see Robinson’s original art and read his books inside a city-bus-turned-reading-nook, which is parked within the art gallery. The exhibition includes 90 original artworks that Robinson created using primarily acrylic paint and collage for 17 children’s books, including “Last Stop on Market Street,” “Milo Imagines the World,” and “Carmela Full of Wishes.”

Organizer and Sponsors: 

This exhibition was organized by the National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature, Abilene, Texas. What Might You Do? is made possible in Delaware by the Jessie Ball duPont Fund, the Edgar A. Thronson Foundation Illustration Exhibition Fund, and M&T Bank. This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: “What Might You Do? Christian Robinson”
WHEN: July 1- September 10, 2023
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum
COST: Free after admission; tickets available at delart.org
INFO: delart.org/christian-robinson

WHAT: Kidchella WHEN: Thursday, July 27, 2023, 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum’s Copeland Sculpture Garden
COST: Register at delart.org
INFO: delart.org

Large-Scale Imagery Installed in Public Spaces Represent Museum’s Pre-Raphaelite Collection

The Delaware Art Museum has partnered with Wilmington City Councilperson Nathan Field on a mural project, “Nature’s Palette,” with images and words inspired by nature. The works will be on view throughout City Council District 8 beginning in June through the remainder of 2023.

They will be installed throughout the built environment of District 8 in the following locations:

Gilpin Liquors
Luther Towers
BrewHaHa Trolley Square
The intersection of Delaware Avenue and Dupont Street
Lincoln Towers
Southeast Kitchen
Joseph E. Johnson Jr. School
The intersection of Pennsylvania and Greenhill Avenues outside the Marian Coffin Garden

The Museum is situated in the center of District 8, which begins at the western border of Wilmington that wraps around Rockford Park, and ends just east of Cool Spring Park, with its northern and southern borders defined by Brandywine Park and Wawaset Park, so the murals are all in the general Museum vicinity.

District 8 Councilperson Nathan Field says, “I’m incredibly excited to work with the Art Museum team to grow the City of Wilmington as an Artistic and Cultural destination not just in the First State of Delaware but throughout the extended Tri-State region. Walking around the neighborhood and seeing scenes from nature that are so culturally meaningful to Delawareans integrated into the streetscape is so thrilling.”

“Nature’s Palette” features enlarged intricate and vibrant details of paintings and drawings from DelArt’s Pre-Raphaelite collection, combined with quotations inspired by nature and poetry penned by Victorian-era writers.

Sophie Lynford, Annette Woolard-Provine Curator of the Bancroft Collection, says, “Pre-Raphaelite artists lamented that nineteenth-century industrialization was destroying both natural and historic landmarks. These concerns remain urgent today.”

The murals include Pre-Raphaelite works by artists Barbara Leigh Smith Bodichon, Walter Crane, Henry Farrer, George James Howard, John Everett Millais, and William Henry Millais. Paired with these are quotations from authors Emily Brontë, George Eliot, Felicia Hemans, Christina Rossetti, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, and John Ruskin.

Margaret Winslow, Chief Curator and Curator of Contemporary Art, says, “The Pre-Raphaelite collection is a much-loved core of the Delaware Art Museum. These works of art have inspired generations of artists and art lovers throughout the greater Wilmington community and across the United States.”

Throughout 2023, the Delaware Art Museum is celebrating the “Year of Pre-Raphaelites,” which began in late 2022 with the special loan exhibition, “A Marriage of Arts and Crafts: Evelyn and William De Morgan” and the collections show, “Forgotten Pre-Raphaelites.” The celebration continues in fall 2023, with DelArt hosting the only U.S. appearance of “The Rossettis,” a major international exhibition organized in partnership with Tate Britain, on view from October 21, 2023 through January 28, 2024. A “Pre-Raphaelite Weekend,” co-hosted by the Pre-Raphaelite Society, based in the U.K., will take place from November 9 through November 12, 2023.

“Nature’s Palette” is supported by Nathan Field, 8th District Council Member. This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

Top: November Landscape, 1883. Henry Farrer (1844–1903). Watercolor on paper, sheet: 6 5/8 × 10 7/8 inches. Delaware Art Museum, Gift of David A. Hanks in memory of Elizabeth Dixon Hanks, 2003.

Annual Events include a Fourth Celebration of Juneteenth and Year Two for Powwow and Black Film Festival

The Delaware Art Museum’s summer schedule has doubled down its commitment to celebrating ethnic cultures with the community. The fourth annual Juneteenth event, Beyond Juneteenth Ancestors Festival: AfrisymPOEMsium & Expo, takes place on Sunday, June 18, 2023, from 11 a.m.—4 p.m. inside the museum. The 2nd Annual Powwow of Arts and Culture takes place on Saturday, July 22, 2023, from 11 a.m.—4 p.m. in the in the Copeland Sculpture Garden. The 2nd Annual Jet Phynx Dirty Popcorn Black Film Festival takes place on Saturday, August 12 from 10 a,m.—4 p.m. in the Museum’s auditorium. While all these events are free, each traditionally reaches capacity, and guests are asked to register at delart.org.

The fourth annual Juneteenth observation at the Museum celebrates the ancestral traditions of people who were once enslaved and the accomplishments of their descendants. This year’s festival is an AfrisymPOEMsium and Expo, with its primary focus being the education, healing, protection and adaptation of the human spirit. The event has moved mostly indoors for 2023, with presenters stationed in conference rooms and open areas of the Museum.

Abundancechild, founder of the event, says, “AfrisymPOEMsium is a poem that will work hand-in-hand with a short film, opening up an artistic route toward having hard discussions. After the film, which includes the offerings and prayers one would expect from an ancestor-oriented Juneteenth observation, the guests—ideally people of all races and backgrounds—will have an opportunity to sit in breakout groups and talk about delicate topics and then reconvene as a larger group. The day will continue with music and both fun and functional learning opportunities, whether it be genealogy-tracing technology or African traditional religions.”

Nadj N Jea (Nadjah Nicole and Jea P. Street, Jr.) will serve as event hosts, and the day’s events will kick off with a rendition of “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” known as the Black national anthem, presented through dance by Pieces of a Dream, and a Juneteenth flag-raising ceremony. A shared libation and dance performance by Tonantzin Yaotecas follows. Ghetto Songbird, Hezekiah, Ebony Zuudia and Mystic Reggae Band will also perform. Twelve presenters are lined up for the symposium and expo.

Additional activities will include jump rope, hula hooping and a comic book art session with Jabaar Brown. Drop Squad Kitchen will be on hand with food.

Community Engagement Specialist Iz Balleto, who leads the Museum’s cultural festival efforts, describes the goals of the 2023 event, “This year, we are honoring Juneteenth by redirecting the activities toward learning and engagement. There will be music, but guests of all ages are invited to visit the different areas in the Museum to hear about subjects that affect the Afro-Indigenous community. To us, Juneteenth is not just about the past…it’s also about the future.”

Abundancechild explains why the educational opportunities carry this event “Beyond” Juneteenth, saying: “Oftentimes, with festivals and cultural events, we enjoy the music and food, but return home with little follow through of what we just learned. This year, we want Afro-Indigenous descendants to move Beyond Juneteenth and work with our ancestors to bring an end to generational oppression. Our goal is to provide information and resources, and effect not just words, but also deeds and solutions.”

The second annual Powwow of Arts and Culture, is a partnership with community advisors and the Nanticoke Indian Association, to celebrates indigenous culture. Keith Colston (Tuscarora and Lumbee) will emcee the event, and Will Mosley (Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape) is the Arena Director. Dancers and drummers include Head Lady Adrienne Harmon (Nanticoke), Head Male Louis Campbell (Lumbee) and a drum circle led by Red Blanket Singers (Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape). Visitors of all ages and backgrounds are welcome.

The second Annual Jet Phynx Dirty Popcorn Black Film Festival aims to discover, raise up and celebrate diverse new voices in and around Delaware through film, and preserve the work of local Black filmmakers. Festival events include short film screenings, meet-and-greets with filmmakers, a Q&A panel, and a 3 p.m. red carpet awards ceremony. Guests will vote on their favorite films—which may be narrative (drama / fiction), documentary, or experimental (music videos, animation, etc.)—created by local and regional Black and Indigenous filmmakers. Presenter Jet Phynx is a Delaware native and music artist-turned-film director.

Balleto adds, “The word ‘festival’ implies celebrations, and we continue to offer festive events, but aim to make them even richer. While it’s important for us to celebrate the culture, we want to be sure there are learning opportunities taking place.”

These events support the Museum’s mission, by offering an inclusive and essential community resource that generates creative energy that sustains, enriches, empowers and inspires.

The Juneteenth event is sponsored by Drop Squad Kitchen, Abundance Child Ministries and Guerrilla Republik, AfrisymPOEMsium and ReAfrikanization. Jet Phynx 2nd Annual Dirty Popcorn Black Film Festival is sponsored by the Center for Interventional Pain & Spine and Prime Beverage Group. These programs are supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

For more information, visit delart.org.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Beyond Juneteenth Ancestors Festival: AfrisymPOEMsium & Expo at the Delaware Art Museum
WHEN: Sunday, June 18, 2023, from 11 a.m.—4 p.m.
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19806
COST: Free; registration required
INFO: delart.org

WHAT: 2nd Annual Powwow of Arts and Culture
WHEN: Saturday, July 22, 2023, from 11 a.m.—4 p.m.
WHERE: Copeland Sculpture Garden, Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19806
COST: Free; registration required
INFO: delart.org

WHAT: 2nd Annual Jet Phynx Dirty Popcorn Black Film Festival
WHEN: Saturday, August 12 from 10 a,m.—4 p.m.
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19806
INFO: delart.org

Delaware Art Museum Is the Only U.S. Location for Major Pre-Raphaelite Exhibition

The Delaware Art Museum presents “The Rossettis,” a major international loan exhibition organized in partnership with Tate Britain, opening on Saturday, October 21, 2023, and running through Sunday, January 28, 2024. The Delaware Art Museum, which is home to the most comprehensive collection of Pre-Raphaelite paintings outside of the United Kingdom, will be the only museum in the United States to host this exhibition after it closes in London.

Sophie Lynford, Annette Woolard-Provine Curator of the Bancroft Collection, says, “The Delaware Art Museum is a natural fit for the show’s American venue. We house the most significant holdings of Rossettis in the United States thanks to Samuel P. Bancroft, Jr., who assembled the collection at the turn of the twentieth century. While he acquired art by many Pre-Raphaelites, Bancroft was drawn most intensely to Rossetti and would be delighted that this show reunites works long separated.”

The exhibition features the art of the Rossettis, the family that includes Dante Gabriel Rossetti, a founder of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, his wife, Elizabeth Siddal, and siblings, Christina, Maria, and William Michael Rossetti. The Pre-Raphaelites inspired generations of artists to blend realism with medieval revivalism, and the poets, writers, and painters of this prodigiously artistic family blended their passion for social justice with their commitment to reforming outdated academic artistic traditions.

Executive Director Molly Giordano says, “Shortly after the Museum was founded, we were given an incredible gift: Samuel Bancroft’s significant Pre-Raphaelite collection. Our holdings have since grown, and we’re home to critically important paintings and drawings by Dante Gabriel Rossetti, as well as rare works on paper by Elizabeth Siddal. Partnering with Tate Britain, and its extraordinary collection, makes this exhibition an unprecedented opportunity for enthusiasts of the Pre-Raphaelite movement to see so many superlative objects in one location.”

While Delaware audiences are intimately familiar with DelArt’s paintings by Rossetti, those works have never been contextualized alongside works from international public and private collections that this exhibition brings together. DelArt’s exhibition will exceed 150 objects—many beyond the paintings and drawings that made Rossetti famous. One highlight of the installation is a manuscript of “The Portrait,” a poem by Rossetti believed to have been exhumed from Elizabeth Siddal’s grave.

DelArt’s presentation of “The Rossettis” will be further enhanced by significant loans from the Mark Samuels Lasner Collection, University of Delaware Library, Museums, and Press, as well as rare archival material by the Rossettis in the Samuel and Mary R. Bancroft Pre-Raphaelite Manuscript Collection, Helen Farr Sloan Library & Archives, Delaware Art Museum.

For the first time, “The Rossettis” places Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s art within the larger context of the radical politics of his family, exiled to England due to their support for revolutionary Italian nationalism. Paintings, drawings, and watercolors by Dante Gabriel will be viewed alongside the drawings of Siddal, and the poetry and prose of Christina, Maria, and William Michael.

A major contribution of the exhibition is its examination of the relationship between Dante Gabriel and Siddal, who was a poet and artist in her own right. Her career was on the rise when she died at age 32 of a laudanum overdose following a stillbirth. Art historians have long situated Siddal’s output as derivative of her husband’s, but new research reveals that many of the themes they mutually explored were, in fact, initiated by her.

Lynford adds, “Siddal’s oeuvre is disappointingly slim due to her premature death. ‘The Rossettis’ assembles the largest display of her drawings in over three decades.”

The exhibition explores how the Rossettis led a progressive counterculture before, through, and beyond the Pre-Raphaelite years, drawing on the past to reinvent art, politics, and relationships for their fast-changing modern world. The public is still fascinated by myths of Dante Gabriel’s intense relationships with fellow Pre-Raphaelites William Holman Hunt and John Everett Millais, and his models Fanny Cornforth and Jane Morris. The exhibition will engage visitors both familiar with and new to the Pre-Raphaelites with fresh insights that address contemporary debates about romance, class, sex, and gender.

“The Rossettis” will be the final show of a larger DelArt initiative called, “Year of Pre-Raphaelites,” which began in late 2022 with the special loan exhibition, “A Marriage of Arts and Crafts: Evelyn and William De Morgan.” A “Pre-Raphaelite Weekend,” scheduled November 9–12, 2023, and co-hosted by the Pre-Raphaelite Society, based in the U.K., will allow visitors from near and far to share in the celebrations with behind-the-scenes experiences, musical performances, tours, high tea, and a Pre-Raphaelite Promenade.

For more information about the exhibition, visit our website.

This exhibition was organized by the Delaware Art Museum in partnership with Tate Britain and is made possible through support from the Nathan Clark Foundation, the Amy P. Goldman Foundation, the Delaware Art Museum Council, and the Dr. Lee MacCormick Edwards Charitable Foundation. This exhibition is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Top: La Ghirlandata (detail), 1873, Dante Gabriel Rossetti. Oil on canvas. Guildhall Art Gallery. Photo credit: City of London Corporation.

Diverse Areas of Expertise Will Bolster Museum’s Success in Growing Its Capacity to Serve

On May 11, Delaware Art Museum members voted in a slate of new trustees for three-year terms. Along with new trustees, the Museum is undergoing a change in board leadership, as Christine Moritz was elected to replace outgoing President David Pollack.

“It has been my great pleasure to embrace my role as Executive Director under David Pollack’s leadership as President,“ said Executive Director Molly Giordano. “Our Museum stewardship responsibilities began around the same time, and I look forward to learning from Christine Moritz as she takes on the mantle of board leadership.”

Pollack served as the Museum’s President since the spring of 2020, successfully navigating the Museum through the pandemic, and was an integral part of the Museum’s fundraising strategy during his term. He will remain on the board.

Moritz is a Director of Operations for Eastern States Group, a Wilmington-based real estate business, whose career has taken her from CPA at Ernst & Young to finance and operations at Louis Vuitton North America. She has served on the board of trustees since 2019. A Museum neighbor, Moritz recently led a successful fundraiser, Art of the Cocktail, the proceeds of which will support the Museum’s Kid’s Corner.

“As an arts lover who lives in walking distance of the Museum, this organization has been meaningful to me and my family for many years,” said Moritz. “I look forward to taking on this bigger role and to representing this important anchor institution in our community.”

The five trustees joining the Delaware Art Museum board this spring are:

Daniel Cole, Attorney with a passion for business law and international law; Associate, currently of Richards, Layton & Finger, transitioning to Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor in mid-June; former editor-in-chief of the Temple International Comparative Law Journal and former president of the Temple Law Student Bar Association
David Cullmann, Managing Director/COO and co-founder of Active Lifestyle Management, a concierge service company for active adults, following a lifelong career in finance
Richard P. Fitzgerald, Former head of three distinguished independent schools and one nationally-recognized charter school; former Associate Dean at University of Pennsylvania’s Weitzman School of Design; and former Vice President for Advancement at the College of Physicians/Mütter Museum
Kathleen (Kathy) S. Matt, PhD, Former dean of the University of Delaware College of Health Sciences (2009-2022), helped develop the Health Sciences Complex and the Tower on the Science, Technology and Advanced Research (STAR) Campus, a platform that facilitates collaborations engaging academia, businesses and the community with the intent of enhancing health outcomes and growing economic development
Phyllis Woolley Mobley is a past trustee of the Museum for African Art in NYC, and an award winning International Brand & Multicultural Marketing Executive for fortune 100 companies. She is currently an Educator in the Brandywine School District and a poet, writer, and storyteller whose work deeply reflects her Haitian American heritage and her global experiences in Africa, Europe, the Caribbean, Latin America and Oceania

These new trustees offer diverse areas of expertise from which the Museum will benefit. As the Museum continues into its newest chapter, these law, finance, fundraising and development, communications and marketing, health, senior services, and educational professionals will bolster the organization’s success in growing the Museum’s capacities to serve the public.

This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Experience the Tradition, Culture, and Memory before it leaves.

The Delaware Art Museum invites the public to come and experience the last weeks of Estampas de la Raza: Contemporary Prints from the Romo Collection on view. The exhibition will be open to the public until May 28th, 2023. The exhibition chronicles the unique heritage, history, and experience of Mexican Americans and Latinos between 1980 and 2010. It showcases 61 eye-catching screen prints and lithographs from the McNay Art Museum collection in San Antonio, TX. You certainly don’t want to miss this unique opportunity to see an exhibition of this kind in the area. You can also experience Estampas de la Raza with a guide-led tour in English or Spanish. Dates and times are available on the website. Check-in at the front desk 10 minutes before the beginning of the tour. Such a great chance to learn in more detail the history behind and the processes the artists use to exhibit as diverse and unique as Estampas.

Lifelong educators, Harriett and Ricardo Romo spent four decades supporting Latino artists and collecting their works. Inspired by the Chicano art movement of the 1960s and 1970s, many of these artists activate Pop Art aesthetics and powerful messages to explore the complex identities and struggles of Latinos living in the United States. The exhibition highlights Mexican icons, including Frida Kahlo and Che Guevara, and celebrates Latino cultural traditions.

Estampas de la Raza provides a comprehensive introduction to the Latino artists’ contribution to post-1960 American printmaking. The exhibition also raises awareness of three highly influential print shops—Self Help Graphics & Art (SHG) and Modern Multiples in Los Angeles, and Coronado Studio in Austin. Of the more than 60 prints in the exhibition, the vast majority came from one of these collaborative shops. These shops have not only introduced a previously underserved audience to printmaking but have also been central to the creativity and cultural awareness of their respective Chicano and Latino communities.

Works in the exhibition focus on five themes: Identity; Struggle; Tradition, Culture, Memory; Icons; and Other Voices. The 44 featured printmakers include Raul Caracoza, Sam Coronado, Richard Duardo, Germs (Jaime Zacarias), Ignacio Gomez, Ester Hernandez, Luis A. Jiménez Jr., Malaquias Montoya, Frank Romero, Patssi Valdez, and Ernesto Yerena.

You can also experience Estampas de la Raza with a guide-led tour in English or Spanish. Dates and times are available on the website. Check-in at the front desk 10 minutes before the beginning of the tour. Such a great chance to learn in more detail the history behind and the processes the artists use to exhibit as diverse and unique as Estampas.

Community Commissions To accompany Estampas de la Raza, the Delaware Art Museum commissioned two additional projects from local Mexican-born artists Julieta Zavala, a fashion designer, and Cesar Viveros, a muralist, painter, screen-printer, clay, and paper-mâché sculptor. “I’m proud that an important venue like DelArt chose to put on a culturally diverse exhibition like Estampas,” Zavala said. Viveros agrees, saying that the display of this type of art inside a museum excites him. Both artists created unique pieces inspired by their culture, heritage, and community.

Cesar Viveros is involved in many community projects in the Philadelphia area. His art is inspired by the stories and experiences shared by community members. Focused on sharing his culture, heritage, and history, he creates unique art pieces and spaces where those stories come alive, like Jardin Iglesias, where ancient traditions and contemporary art merge. Viveros transformed the Delaware Art Museum’s Orientation Hall with a mural and a series of screen prints inspired by his conversations with members of the Hispanic American Association of Delaware and Los Abuelos, a senior group from the Latin American Community Center.

Zavala, a graduate of the Art Institute of Philadelphia, is a fashion designer based in Newark, DE. She created a fashion collection inspired by the art in Estampas de la Raza and currently on display is a special piece in the museum gallery. “La Mera Mera,” this outfit and work of art combines references to the Virgin of Guadalupe and contemporary Latino culture.

On May 13th, “Julieta Zavala: Tradition, Cultura, Memory Fashion Show” the museum showcased more of Zavala’s designs, produced during her residency at DelArt this year. “The fashion show, brought light to the culture and the indigenous people of Mexico, expressing themselves through art and social justice to invoke that we are present even in the fabric that we wear. We will always be connected to our roots ” DelArt Community Engagement Specialist Iz Balleto says.

This exhibition is organized by the McNay Art Museum, San Antonio, Texas, with generous support provided by Art Bridges. Estampas de la Raza is also supported in Delaware by the Johannes R. and Betty P. Krahmer American Art Exhibition Fund. This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

Community commissions are organized by the Delaware Art Museum, with generous support provided by Art Bridges.

Media Contact: Amelia Wiggins, Director of Advancement & External Affairs | awiggins@delart.org

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances, or connect with us via social media.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Estampas de la Raza: Contemporary Prints from the Romo Collection
WHEN: April 1, 2023 – May 28, 2023
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum
COST: Free after admission; tickets available at delart.org 
INFO: delart.org/estampas

Top: Young Frida (Pink) (detail), 2006. Raul Caracoza. Screenprint, 26 1/8 x 26 1/8 inches (image). Collection of the McNay Art Museum, Gift of Harriett and Ricardo Romo, 2009.42. © Raul Caracoza.

Come and experience the Culture, Art, and Traditions!

The Delaware Art Museum invites the public to experience Julieta Zavala: Tradition, Cultura, Memory Fashion Show on May 13th, 2023, from 6 to 9 pm. Zavala’s fashion stems from social justice and takes inspiration from the exhibition “Estampas De La Raza: Contemporary Prints from the Romo Collection.” Experience culture, tradition, and share in the memory of the Chicano movement from the 1970s, with a special live performance by Hip Hop artist Audry Funk. After the show, enjoy a cocktail hour and explore the special exhibition with sounds from DJ Kaadi setting the vibe for the night.

Julieta is a Mexican-born fashion designer that has innovated in the local fashion world with designs based on her culture. Using environmentally friendly and unusually cool fabric designs she creates amazing fashions from dress ware to tote bags. Zavala is enjoying her residency at DelArt as a part of the spring exhibition “Estampas De La Raza.” Zavala, a graduate of the Art Institute of Philadelphia, is a fashion designer based in Newark, DE who believes this project is an opportunity to connect with Chicano and Latino artists to promote their cultural roots and social trends.

Iz Balleto Community Engagement Specialist at the Delaware Art Museum, said, “This fashion show will bring light to the culture and the Indigenous people of Mexico, expressing themselves through art and social justice to invoke that we are present even in the fabric that we wear. We will always be connected to our roots.”

Julieta Zavala’s residency at the Delaware Art Museum will culminate with the Fashion Show on May 13.

Sponsors

Julieta Zavala: Tradition, Cultura, Memory Fashion Show was commissioned by the Delaware Art Museum, with generous support provided by Art Bridges. Additional support provided by the Center for Interventional Pain & Spine, Dream Art Studio, and Nuestras Raices Delaware. This event is sponsored by Prime Beverage Group, Hoy en Delaware, and Made D!fferent. This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Julieta Zavala: Tradition, Cultura, Memory Fashion Show
WHEN: May 13, 2023
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19803
COST: Members $25, Non-Members $30, V.I.P. $50
INFO: delart.org

Major children’s book illustrator Christian Robinson inspires summer of family fun.

This summer, the Delaware Art Museum presents the art of nationally recognized and award-winning illustrator, author, and animator, Christian Robinson. Fresh off the heels of his collaboration with Target, Robinson’s illustrations from popular children’s books such as “Last Stop on Market Street” and “You Matter” will be celebrated in the exhibition “What Might You Do? Christian Robinson,” on view July 1 through September 10.

The exhibition will be complemented by creative family programs including “Kidchella,” a family music festival on July 27; monthly Family Second Sunday artmaking sessions; and Stories & Studio for early learners on select Friday mornings. Museum members are invited to a Curator Tour and Celebration on July 13.

Robinson, a New York Times best-selling author, is the winner of the Newbery Medal for distinguished contribution to American children’s literature, the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor, and the Caldecott Honor for his illustrations in “Last Stop on Market Street.” His colorful, playful illustrations center diversity of experience, presenting the whole world to his readers. In this summer’s exhibition, visitors of all ages are invited to experience Robinson’s original art and to read his books inside a city-bus-turned-reading-nook, boldly parked within the art gallery.

“DelArt is known for its renowned collections of historic American illustration,” says Curator of American Art Dr. Heather Campbell-Coyle. “I’m excited that we can bring that history into the present by sharing the artistry of one of the most compelling illustrators working today.” The exhibition will include 90 original artworks that Robinson created using primarily acrylic paint and collage. The display will feature illustrations for 17 children’s books, including “Last Stop on Market Street,” “Milo Imagines the World,” and “Carmela Full of Wishes.”

Saralyn Rosenfield, Director of Learning & Engagement, said, “We invite families to visit the exhibition all summer long and join us on July 27 for Kidchella, a kid-friendly happy hour for families in celebration of the Christian Robinson’s exhibition. Our hope is that the evening will be just as fun for the grownups as it is for the kids.” The event will include cross-generational music and sweet treats provided by Kaffeina, in the inspiring outdoor setting of DelArt’s Copeland Sculpture Garden.

Organizer and Sponsors

“What Might You Do? Christian Robinson” was organized by the National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature, Abilene, Texas. In Delaware, this exhibition is supported by the Jessie Ball DuPont Fund and the Edgar A. Thronson Foundation Illustration Exhibition Fund. This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: “What Might You Do? Christian Robinson”
WHEN: July 1-September 10, 2023
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum
COST: Free after admission; tickets available at delart.org
INFO: delart.org/christian-robinson

WHAT: Kidchella
WHEN: Thursday July 27, 2023, 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum’s Copeland Sculpture Garden
COST: Free; register at delart.org
RAIN DATE: Thursday August 3, 2023, 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm
INFO: delart.org

Media Contact: Amelia Wiggins, Director of Advancement & External Affairs, awiggins@delart.org

Delaware Art Museum Exhibition Combines Sculpture and Works on Paper

The Delaware Art Museum presents “Revision” by sculptor David Meyer, opening on Saturday, May 6, 2023, and running through Sunday, September 24, 2023. An artist gallery chat will take place on August 24 during a 5:30 p.m. Thursday Museum Happy Hour. The exhibition is included in the price of Museum admission.

“Revision” combines pieces from several of Meyer’s major series from the last decade, and will comprise ten objects, including two sculptures and eight works on paper.

Margaret Winslow, Chief Curator and Curator of Contemporary Art, says, “For this show, David is making two new pieces. ‘According to what’ is a hanging wall-based sculpture that will be assembled on-site, made with hand-formed chain links. This work is installation-specific and it’s different each time.”

Both the wall-based and the hanging sculptures are large-scale pieces, and the archival prints are based on photos the artist has taken of his sculptures. While the sculptures will hang in the East Court, the prints will hang in the adjacent upstairs hallway.

The Oklahoma-born Meyer sculpts various materials—aluminum, steel or ribbon—to form objects that elevate our senses. Meyer invites viewers to scrutinize their assessments of the world around them, such as expecting metal to be heavy and chains to be set. His “Air into breath” series uses delicate aluminum and ribbon sculptures as a way to explore the tension between what is seen and what is perceived.

The artist investigates systems, often creating sculptures that expand over time, and creating new works out of existing works.

Meyer frequently takes found photographic images and distorts them to create new, three-dimensional outlines vaguely reminiscent of the original, unidentified photos. Meyer then photographs his hanging sculptures to create his own works on paper. Each layer invites translation and interpretation, and Meyer perceives a person’s understanding of images as something that changes over time.

He says, “Because of the undefined nature of the imagery within the work, the subject matter can shift from one thought to another and only becomes real when we believe it, like a ghost.”

Meyer says, “Working in this realm helps me remain aware of nature’s relentless progression through the cycle of life, death and regeneration.”

Meyer’s connection to Delaware stems from his studies and career at the University of Delaware. After receiving his bachelor of fine art degree from Kansas City Art Institute in 1986, he earned a master of fine art degree from the University of Delaware in 1996, ultimately teaching there for more than 20 years. He retired in January 2023 and maintains an active studio practice at his home outside of Newark, Del.

He is an award-winning teacher and lecturer, and the recipient of multiple fellowships and commissions, including a Delaware Division of the Arts fellowship. Sculpture commissions include the City of Newark, Del. and the Delaware Community Foundation, and memorials for the Archdiocese of Oklahoma and the Oklahoma State Capitol.

Past exhibition highlights include participation in group shows at the Delaware Art Museum, The Delaware Contemporary, Art Museum of the Americas, United States Botanic Garden, Vox Populi (Philadelphia), Corcoran Gallery of Art, Towson University, Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington, Globe Dye Works, AREA 405 (Baltimore) and James Oliver Gallery (Philadelphia). Solo exhibitions of his work have been presented at venues throughout the United States including West Chester University, Tephra Institute of Contemporary Art, The Delaware Contemporary, Durbin Gallery at Birmingham-Southern College, Leedy-Voulkos Art Center (Kansas City), and the Visual Arts Center at San Antonio College.

For more information about the exhibition, visit our website. For more information about David Meyer, visit his website.

This exhibition is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

IF YOU GO
WHAT: “Revision” by Sculptor David Meyer
WHEN: May 6–September 24, 2023
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19806
COST: Included in Museum admission
INFO: delart.org

IF YOU GO
WHAT: Artist Gallery Chat with Sculptor David Meyer
WHEN: Thursday, August 24, 2023, 5:30–6:30 p.m.
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19806
COST: Free
INFO: delart.org

Top: According to what, 2023. Steel. Variable dimensions. Courtesy of the artist. © David Meyer.

The Delaware Art Museum is pleased to announce that it is a recipient of a Warhol Foundation Curatorial Research Fellowship to support the development of an upcoming historical exhibition honoring the art and artist employment opportunities produced by the 1973 Federal Comprehensive Employment and Training Act. Funding for this project was previously received from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Working in collaboration with New York’s City Lore and Artists Alliance, Inc., the Delaware Art Museum is planning a traveling exhibition honoring the Federal Comprehensive Employment and Training Act of 1973, which led to public employment of artists at a scale not seen since the Works Progress Administration of the 1930s.

The Federal Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA), signed into law by President Richard Nixon on December 28, 1973, provided federal funds in the form of block grants for states to train workers during a period of high unemployment. States in turn distributed the funds to different cities, allowing a localized approach. Some cities and states, such as San Francisco, Chicago, New York City, and Delaware, used CETA funds to hire artists to create public service art projects. From 1974 until its repeal by President Ronald Reagan in 1982, CETA led to the employment of ten thousand artists around the country.

From December 2021 through March 2022, City Lore and Artists Alliance Inc. presented the two-venue exhibition ART/WORK: How the Government-Funded CETA Jobs Program Put Artists to Work, curated by Molly Garfinkel and Jodi Waynberg. The highly acclaimed pilot exhibition chronicled CETA-funded arts programming in New York City, with a particular focus on the Cultural Council Foundation’s CETA Artists Project. Building upon the successful exhibition and associated programs, it’s exciting to move into this new phase of exhibition planning.

The next stage of development will focus on travel to other critical CETA sites throughout the United States. The project curators have identified locations where a wealth of information can be found including Baltimore, Washington DC, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Chicago, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. The curators will conduct meetings with prospective institutional partners and interview past CETA participants, administrators, and legacy organizations to examine primary source documents within public and private archives.

Margaret Winslow, chief curator and curator of contemporary art at the Delaware Art Museum, says, “we are excited to continue our efforts on this important topic with City Lore and Artists Alliance, Inc. In Delaware, CETA funding supported more than 50 artists and arts administrators who organized community performances, produced murals throughout Wilmington, and photographed people and events in Delaware during 1976 Bicentennial celebrations. CETA impacted the trajectory of arts and culture throughout the state, just as it did across the nation.”

CCF CETA artist Selvin Goldbourne drawing portraits at a Harlem block party; Photo by Blaise Tobia for the CCF CETA Arts Project,1978. © Blaise Tobia, 2023.

Molly Garfinkel, Co-Director of City Lore, Inc., says “City Lore is thrilled to renew our collaboration with Artists Alliance Inc., and the Delaware Art Museum on this timely and exciting initiative. The history and impact of CETA funding on artists, communities, and the arts ecology in the United States is woefully under-documented, but CETA provides valuable precedents and lessons for the current moment. CETA helped to demonstrate that artists and cultural workers deserve to be considered a critical part of the U.S. labor force. Moreover, artists applied to CETA-funded public service employment projects not just to stand in line for a check, but to do something meaningful with their time, skills, and resourcefulness. CETA funds enabled cultural workers to take risks, to grow, and to engage in new forms of collaboration—both with each other and with their communities. It helped many existing cultural organizations to establish a foothold and expand programming and capacity. Why does supporting culture matter? Culture should be supported because it is part of our daily lives, and it is an integral part of civic life. Expression of culture has much to do with how well we understand ourselves and each other, build relationships with and get along with one another. Being able to do this is as relevant now as ever.”

Jodi Waynberg, Director of Artists Alliance Inc., adds “There is hardly a more fitting moment to reflect on the benefits to our communities, individual arts workers, and cultural institutions when the United States invests in its labor force. We are thrilled that that the Warhol Foundation has afforded us the opportunity to amplify this extraordinary history and reimagine sustained investment in cultural workers.”

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

Top: Wilmington Parade, 1976. Norma Diskau (born 1942). Gelatin silver print, image: 6 5/8 × 10 inches, sheet: 10 7/8 × 14 inches. Delaware Art Museum, Gift of the artist, 2015. © Norma Diskau Calabro.

Delaware Art Museum invites the public to experience Estampas de la Raza: Contemporary Prints from the Romo Collection, on view from April 1 to May 28, 2023. The exhibition chronicles the unique heritage, history, and experience of Mexican Americans and Latinos between 1980 and 2010. It showcases 61 eye-catching screen prints and lithographs from the collection of the McNay Art Museum in San Antonio, TX.

Both lifelong educators, Harriett and Ricardo Romo spent four decades supporting Latino artists and collecting their works. Inspired by the Chicano art movement of the 1960s and 1970s, many of these artists activate Pop Art aesthetics and powerful messages to explore the complex identities and struggles of Latinos living in the United States. The exhibition highlights Mexican icons, including Frida Kahlo and Che Guevara, and celebrates Latino cultural traditions.

Estampas de la Raza provides a comprehensive introduction to the Latino artists’ contribution to post-1960 American printmaking. The exhibition also raises awareness of three highly influential print shops—Self Help Graphics & Art (SHG) and Modern Multiples in Los Angeles, and Coronado Studio in Austin. Of the more than 60 prints in the exhibition, the vast majority came from one of these collaborative shops. These shops have not only introduced a previously underserved audience to printmaking, but have also been central to the creativity and cultural awareness of their respective Chicano and Latino communities.

Community CommissionsTo accompany Estampas de la Raza, the Delaware Art Museum commissioned two additional projects from locally-based, Mexican-born artists Julieta Zavala, a fashion designer, and Cesar Viveros, a muralist, painter, screen-printer, clay, and papier-mâché sculptor. “I’m proud that an important venue like DelArt chose to put on a culturally diverse exhibition like Estampas.” Zavala said. Viveros agrees, saying that the display of this type of art inside a museum excites him. Both artists are creating unique pieces inspired by their culture, heritage, and community.

Cesar Viveros is involved in many community projects in the Philadelphia area. His art is inspired by the stories and experiences shared by community members. Focused on sharing his culture, heritage, and history, he creates unique art pieces and spaces where those stories come alive, like Jardin Iglesias, where ancient traditions and contemporary art merge. Viveros will be transforming DelArt’s Orientation Hall with a mural and a series of screen prints inspired by his conversations with members of the Hispanic American Association of Delaware and Los Abuelos, a senior group from the Latin American Community Center.

Zavala, a graduate of the Art Institute of Philadelphia, is a fashion designer based in Newark, DE. She is creating a fashion collection inspired by the art in Estampas de la Raza and will display a special piece in the museum gallery. Called “La Mera Mera,” the outfit combines references to the Virgin of Guadalupe and contemporary Latino culture. On May 13th, starting at 6 pm, a fashion show at the museum will showcase more of Zavala’s designs, produced during her residency at DelArt this winter. “This fashion show will bring light to the culture and the Indigenous people of Mexico, expressing themselves through art and social justice to invoke that we are present even in the fabric that we wear. We will always be connected to our roots,” DelArt Community Engagement Specialist Iz Balleto says.

On March 31st, members of the Delaware Art Museum can enjoy a preview party for the Estampas de la Raza: Contemporary Prints from the Romo Collection and Our Red Planet: Anna Bogatin Ott special exhibitions from 6 pm to 8 pm. Enjoy live music, small bites, and a cash bar. Register at delart.org.

This exhibition is organized by the McNay Art Museum, San Antonio, Texas, with generous support provided by Art Bridges. This exhibition is supported in Delaware by the Jessie Ball duPont Fund. Estampas de la Raza is also supported in Delaware by the Johannes R. and Betty P. Krahmer American Art Exhibition Fund. This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

Community commissions are organized by the Delaware Art Museum, with generous support provided by Art Bridges.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit www.delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

IF YOU GO:
WHAT: Estampas de la Raza: Contemporary Prints from the Romo Collection
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19803
WHEN: On view from April 1st to May 28th
INFO: delart.org

Image: Raul Caracoza, Young Frida (Pink) (detail), 2006. Screenprint, 26 1/8 x 26 1/8 in (image). Collection of the McNay Art Museum, Gift of Harriett and Ricardo Romo, 2009.42. © Raul Caracoza.

El Delaware Art Museum invita al público a experimentar Estampas de la Raza: Impresiones Contemporáneas de la Colección Romo, del 1 de abril al 28 de mayo de 2023. La exposición narra la herencia, la historia y las experiencias únicas de los mexicoamericanos y latinos entre 1980 y 2010. Muestra 61 llamativas serigrafías y litografías de la colección del McNay Art Museum en San Antonio, TX.

Ambos educadores de toda la vida, Harriett y Ricardo Romo, pasaron cuatro décadas apoyando a artistas latinos y coleccionando sus obras. Inspirados por el movimiento de arte chicano de las décadas de 1960 y 1970, muchos de estos artistas activan la estética del arte pop y los mensajes poderosos para explorar las complejas identidades y luchas de los latinos que viven en los Estados Unidos. La exposición destaca íconos mexicanos, incluidos Frida Kahlo y Che Guevara, y celebra las tradiciones culturales latinas.

Estampas de la Raza ofrece una introducción completa a la contribución de los artistas latinos al grabado estadounidense posterior a 1960. La exposición también crea conciencia sobre tres imprentas muy influyentes: Self Help Graphics & Art (SHG) y Modern Multiples en Los Ángeles, y Coronado Studio en Austin. De las más de 60 impresiones de la exposición, la gran mayoría procedía de alguna de estas imprentas colaborativas. Estas imprentas no solo han introducido a un público previamente desatendido al grabado, sino que también han sido fundamentales para la creatividad y la conciencia cultural de sus respectivas comunidades chicana y latina.

Las obras de la exposición se centran en cinco temas: Identidad; Lucha; Tradición, Cultura, Memoria; iconos; y otras voces. Los 44 grabadores destacados incluyen a Raúl Caracoza, Sam Coronado, Richard Duardo, Germs (Jaime Zacarias), Ignacio Gómez, Ester Hernández, Luis A. Jiménez Jr., Malaquias Montoya, Frank Romero, Patssi Valdez y Ernesto Yerena.

Comisiones de la Comunidad: para acompañar a Estampas de la Raza, el Delaware Art Museum encargó dos proyectos adicionales a artistas locales nacidos en México, Julieta Zavala, diseñadora de moda, y César Viveros, muralista, pintor, serígrafo, escultor de arcilla y papel maché. “Estoy orgullosa de que un lugar importante como DelArt haya elegido presentar una exhibición culturalmente diversa como Estampas”, dijo Zavala. Viveros está de acuerdo y dice que le emociona una exhibición de este tipo de arte dentro de un museo. Ambos artistas están creando piezas únicas inspiradas en su cultura, herencia y comunidad. Cesar Viveros está involucrado en muchos proyectos comunitarios en el área de Filadelfia. Su arte está inspirado en las historias y experiencias compartidas por los miembros de la comunidad. Enfocado en compartir su cultura, patrimonio e historia, crea piezas de arte únicas y espacios donde esas historias cobran vida, como el Jardín Iglesias, donde se fusionan las tradiciones antiguas y el arte contemporáneo. Viveros transformará el Salón de Orientación de DelArt con un mural y una serie de serigrafías inspiradas en sus conversaciones con miembros de la Asociación Hispanoamericana de Delaware y Los Abuelos, un grupo de adultos mayores del Centro Comunitario Latinoamericano.

Zavala, graduada del Instituto de Arte de Filadelfia, es una diseñadora de moda que reside en Newark, DE. Ella está creando una colección de moda inspirada en el arte de Estampas de la Raza y exhibirá una pieza especial en la galería del museo. Esta pieza llamada “La Mera Mera”, es un atuendo que combina las referencias a la Virgen de Guadalupe y la cultura latina contemporánea. El 13 de mayo, a partir de las 6 p. m., un desfile de modas en el museo exhibirá más diseños de Zavala, producidos durante su residencia en DelArt este invierno pasado. “Este desfile de moda, resaltara a la cultura y los pueblos indígenas de México, expresándose a través del arte y la justicia social para invocar que estamos presentes hasta en la tela que vestimos. Siempre estaremos conectados con nuestras raíces” dice Iz Balleto, Especialista en Compromiso con la Comunidad de DelArt.

El 31 de marzo, los miembros del Delaware Art Museum podrán disfrutar de una fiesta de preestreno de las exposiciones especiales Estampas de la Raza: Contemporary Prints from the Romo Collection y Our Red Planet: Anna Bogatin Ott de 6:00 p. m. a 8:00 p. m. Pudiendo disfrutar de música en vivo, pequeños bocados y una barra en efectivo. Debe registrarse en delart.org.

Esta exposición está organizada por el McNay Art Museum, San Antonio, Texas, con el generoso apoyo de Art Bridges. Esta exposición cuenta con el apoyo del Jessie Ball duPont Fund en Delaware. Estampas de la Raza también cuenta con el apoyo del Johannes R. and Betty P. Krahmer American Art Exhibition Fund en Delaware. Esta organización cuenta con el apoyo, en parte, de una subvención de la Delaware Division of the Arts, una agencia estatal, en asociación con el National Endowment for the Arts. La División promueve eventos artísticos de Delaware en www.delawarescene.com.

Las comisiones de la comunidad son organizadas por el Delaware Art Museum, con el generoso apoyo de Art Bridges.

Acerca del Delaware Art Museum

Durante más de 100 años, el museo ha servido como institución principal de arte y cultura en Delaware. El museo está vivo y animado con experiencias, descubrimientos y actividades para conectar a las personas con el arte y entre sí. Originalmente creado en 1912 para honrar al reconocido ilustrador y oriundo de Wilmington, Howard Pyle, la colección del museo ha crecido a más de 12,000 obras de arte en nuestro jardín de edificios y esculturas. También es reconocido por el arte prerrafaelita británico, el museo es el hogar de la colección prerrafaelita más completa que se exhibe fuera del Reino Unido, y una creciente y significativa colección de arte contemporáneo.

Bajo el liderazgo de nuestra Junta Directiva, el Delaware Art Museum está implementando un enfoque integral para la participación comunitaria y cívica. Esta nueva y emocionante dirección estratégica requiere que aumentemos nuestro valor y relevancia para todas las audiencias. Visite www.delart.org para obtener las últimas exposiciones, programas y actuaciones o conéctese con nosotros a través de las redes sociales.

SI VISITA:

Qué: Estampas de la Raza: impresiones contemporáneas de la colección Romo
Dónde: Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19803
Cuando: está a la vista del 1 de abril al 28 de mayo
Más Información: delart.org

Imagen: Raúl Caracoza, Joven Frida (Rosa) (detalle), 2006. Serigrafía, 26 1/8 x 26 1/8 in (imagen). Colección del McNay Art Museum, Donación de Harriett y Ricardo Romo, 2009.42. © Raúl Caracoza.

Art by Delaware Kids Ages 13 to 18 on Display in the Museum’s Galleries March through April

For the third time since 2012, the Delaware Art Museum clears the gallery walls to showcase the work of Delaware’s young artists for the 12 x 12 Youth Art Exhibition, March 4 – April 30, 2023. A free opening celebration is planned for Sunday, March 12, 2023, from 12 p.m.—2 p.m., coinciding with the Museum’s free Family 2nd Sunday.

Participating artists, who must be between the ages of 13 and 18 during the 2022-2023 school year, are asked to review the exhibition overview and guidelines, pre-register online, and drop off their art along with a printed submission form on Saturday, February 25 between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. The same pre-registration and submission process applies to teachers, who may also submit up to three student works on that date.

Saralyn Rosenfield, the Museum’s Director of Learning and Engagement, says, “The 12 x 12 Youth Art Exhibition is about sharing the creativity found among our young people in Delaware. Teachers, especially, love this opportunity for their students to see their work professionally hung in the Museum, sharing space with other great art in the Museum’s collection.”

Submissions must be accompanied by an artist statement and descriptive information such as dimensions (must be no larger than 12 inches high or wide) and medium(s). Each artist may submit one piece, in a wide range of mediums (restrictions apply), which will, in turn, be reviewed by a preparator, to ensure the piece meets the submission guidelines. Pieces will be returned to artists between May 3 and 7, 2023.

The Museum established the 12 x 12 Youth Art Exhibition in 2012, as part of the Museum’s centennial celebration, which included a juried exhibition, with the intention of staging it every five years. Although 2022 would have been the ten-year anniversary of the first exhibition, the Museum’s exhibition plans had shifted due to the pandemic.

Rosenfield adds, “Each 12 x 12 Exhibition captures a generation of young artists’ identities, interests and creative expression. It will be interesting to see how this generation makes those connections.”

For more information on eligibility, requirements, and submission instructions, 12 x 12 Youth Art Exhibition and Guidelines (delart.org)or contact Director of Learning and Engagement Saralyn Rosenfield at srosenfield@delart.org. To register to drop-off artwork, visit 12 x 12 Youth Art Exhibition Drop-off – Delaware Art Museum (delart.org).

IF YOU GO

WHAT: 12 x 12 Youth Art Exhibition Art Drop Off
WHEN: Saturday, February 25, 2023, 10 a.m.—1 p.m.
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, Del. 19806
COST: Free, registration required
INFO: delart.org

WHAT: 12 x 12 Youth Art Exhibition
WHEN: March 4 – April 30, 2023
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, Del. 19806
COST: Included with Museum admission
INFO: delart.org

WHAT: 12 x 12 Youth Art Exhibition Opening Celebration
WHEN: Sunday, March 12, 2023, 12 p.m.—2 p.m.
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, Del. 19806
COST: Free, registration required
CELEBRATION INFO: delart.org

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

“Our Red Planet: Anna Bogatin Ott” explores space imagery, the pandemic, and the war in Ukraine through the lens of art.

Opening February 18, the abstract art of Ukranian-born artist Anna Bogatin Ott is on display in a new exhibition at the Delaware Art Museum. Our Red Planet: Anna Bogatin Ott is informed by NASA images from Mars and the artist’s meditations on the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.

The title of the exhibition and the art explore the artist’s relationship with nature, space, and humanity. Anna Bogatin Ott created these new works of art in the midst of multiple political crises and natural disasters, including the war in Ukraine, which she calls, “a devastating a very personal tragedy.” In response, Bogatin Ott created a contemplative space for reflection and restoration. The artist will speak about her work in a public gallery talk on February 26, and celebrate the exhibition with Museum members on March 31.

“I strive to give the viewer an experience of serenity and calm, a safe, private space to contemplate, to heal, to connect to a greater whole,” explains Bogatin Ott, whose precise, quiet paintings are filled with subtly shifting, tranquil tones. Visitors are invited to follow the meditative path of a labyrinth created by the artist in the center of the exhibition. With Our Red Planet, Bogatin Ott has transformed the gallery into a sanctuary.

“Through works of art that explore both the wonder and tragedy of humanity, Anna Bogatin Ott’s art encourages us to reflect,” says Chief Curator and Curator of Contemporary Art Margaret Winslow. “I welcome Delaware Art Museum visitors to spend time in this exhibition breathing, looking, meditating, and contemplating our world and place in it.”

This exhibition is made possible by the Emily DuPont Exhibition Fund, with additional support provided by Heidi Nivling and Larry Becker of Larry Becker Contemporary Art. This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.delawarescene.com.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Art exhibition, Our Red Planet: Anna Bogatin Ott

WHERE: Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19803

WHEN: February 18 – July 16, 2023

COST: Free with Museum admission

INFO: delart.org

Photo by Shannon Woodloe.

A Marriage of Arts & Crafts: Evelyn & William De Morgan is just the first major exhibition of a year devoted to Pre-Raphaelite Art at the Delaware Art Museum.

Through February 19 only, the Delaware Art Museum showcases the paintings and ceramics of two underrecognized yet influential artists, Evelyn and William De Morgan. The visually stunning show kicked off DelArt’s Year of Pre-Raphaelites, a celebration of the Museum’s significant British Pre-Raphaelite art collection and special events and exhibitions that expand its story.

A Marriage of Arts & Crafts: Evelyn & William De Morgan, on view for the next two weeks, shares the richly symbolic Pre-Raphaelite paintings of Evelyn De Morgan and the brilliantly colored tiles, pots and plates of her husband, William. The exhibition has been heralded for “highlighting overlooked aspects of Pre-Raphaelite art and treading beyond typical gender hierarchies.” The show closes with “Paintings, Pots, and Patrons,” a talk by Curator Emerita Margaretta Frederick on February 19 at 2 p.m.

The Delaware Art Museum is home to the most comprehensive Pre-Raphaelite collection on display outside of the United Kingdom, a collection celebrated throughout 2023. “We’re calling this the Year of Pre-Raphaelites, and we can’t wait to share the masterpieces, exhibitions, and programs celebrating this rich period of art history,” shares Executive Director Molly Giordano.

DelArt’s Year of Pre-Raphaelites continues in the spring and summer with a series of talks before the debut of The Rossettis in October, a major exhibition organized in partnership with Tate Britain. Showcasing over 100 works from international public and private collections, the Delaware Art Museum is the only U.S. venue for The Rossettis, already named a “Must-See Exhibition of 2023.”

This exhibition was organized by the DeMorgan Foundation. This exhibition is made possible through support from the Nathan Clark Foundation, the Amy P. Goldman Foundation, and the Dr. Lee MacCormick Edwards Charitable Foundation. This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

IF YOU GO:
WHAT: A Marriage of Arts & Crafts: Evelyn & William De Morgan
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19803
WHEN: On view through February 19
INFO: delart.org

Image: Evelyn De Morgan, Flora (detail), 1894. Oil on canvas. De Morgan Collection, Courtesy of the De Morgan Foundation.

Annual Day of Service Focuses on Black Art and Volunteering

The Delaware Art Museum once again partners with the Wilmington community, starting with a free Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service on Monday, January 16, 2023 at 10 a.m. The holiday honors the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a national day of service that celebrates the civil rights leader’s life and legacy, and the Museum arranges participation opportunities on- and off-site with partners throughout the city.

After a 10:15 a.m. performance by the Wilmington Children’s Chorus and remarks by Andrea McCoy-Carty (Chair of the Judy Johnson Memorial Foundation) and Chandra Pitts (Founder, One Village Alliance), guests will support the community through service projects. From 10:40 a.m. to 1 p.m., guests will create a “Share Your Dreams” poster with artist K.O. Simms, and glaze a bowl for Empty Bowls, benefitting the food pantry at St. Stephens Lutheran Church.

At 11 a.m. and 12 p.m., tours of the museum, highlighting Black art, will take place.

After the Museum activities, guests are encouraged to take their posters to the MLK March organized by Westside Grows. The march begins at Noon and lines up at 1009 Sycamore Street.

Additional partner activities include the 10^th Annual Raising Kings Day of Service at the Freedom Center located at 31 West 31^st Street. Center activities take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Community Engagement Specialist Iz Balleto says, “The Museum continually works with the community on this annual day of service. In addition to encouraging volunteerism and activism, we are pleased to be creating new art along with K.O. Simms in honor of Dr. King. Museum guests will ultimately be presenting their poster art in King’s eponymous march and sending glazed bowls out to be used for alleviating hunger in the community.”

Partnering with community organizations on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day speaks to the Museum’s mission “to connect people to art, offering an inclusive and essential community resource that through its collections, exhibitions, and programs, generates creative energy that sustains, enriches, empowers, and inspires,” and its vision, which includes creating connections to the community.

For more information, visit our website.

This event is a partnership with One Village Alliance, Westside Grows, Wilmington Childrens Chorus. This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.delawarescene.com.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service Kickoff
WHEN: Monday, January 16, 2023, 10 a.m.—1 p.m.
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum, Fusco Hall
COST: Free
INFO: delart.org

Cocktail Event Inspired by the Lure of Murder Mystery

The Delaware Art Museum introduces a new interactive, mystery-themed event on Saturday, February 11, 2023, at 6 p.m. Inspired by Hulu’s hit whodunit series “Only Murders in the Building,” the murder mystery is an actor-led theatrical experience through the galleries of the Museum. This cocktail fundraiser will support DelArt’s community and education programs, and early bird pricing is available through January 1, with additional discounts for Members.

Guests will try to solve an artful murder mystery, organized in partnership with City Theater Company. The four-hour investigative portion of the event will include cocktails and heavy hors d’oeuvre. Following the investigation, the murderer will be revealed. With an upgraded ticket, guests can enjoy a 10 p.m.—midnight after-party with dancing, desserts, and an open bar.

Maggie Oda Lyon, the Museum’s Director of Advancement, says, “We think this fundraiser will have a broad appeal, and introduce new patrons to the Museum. The ‘murderinos’ in our community can live out their podcast dreams by investigating a contrived crime, while others can fulfill their Colonel Mustard and Professor Plum board game fantasies.”

As the event falls close to Valentine’s Day, this activity can make for an excellent date night, friend outing, or a solo diversion. Attendees will be divided into groups and have an opportunity to collaborate on their problem solving, if they so choose.

Suggested dress is cocktail attire, but black-tie clothing is encouraged in order to add to the theatrical atmosphere.

The event committee includes Hunter and William Clarke-Fields, Ashley and Andy Cloud, Darius and Ashley SK Davis, David Cullmann and Anthony LaTorella, Lindsey and Andrew DiSabatino, Michelle Kramer-Fitzgerald and G. Scott Fitzgerald, Rick Fitzgerald and Marilyn MacGregor, Lele and Brad Galer, Molly and Phil Giordano, Logan Herring and Shawn-Ere’ Jackson, Bianca Fraser-Johnson and Mike Johnson, Christine and Garrett Moritz, Christine Russell, Thom and Stephanie Shumosic, and Michelle and Jason Wall.

Members’ early bird tickets are $75, with an afterparty upgrade available for $105. Non-members’ early bird tickets are $90, with an afterparty upgrade available for $125. After January 1, the Member prices for the party and after-party increase to $90 and $125, respectively, and non-members to $105 and $145.

For more information, visit our website.

This event is sponsored by Incyte Corporation and Capital & Worth, doing business as H&R Block. This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.delawarescene.com.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: “Only Murders in the Museum” Cocktails and Murder Mystery Fundraiser
WHEN: Saturday, February 11, 2023, 6 p.m.
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, Del. 19806
COST: $75—145, Registration Required by February 3. Early bird pricing available through January 1
INFO: delart.org

December’s Indoor and Outdoor Arts Events Offer Seasonal Enrichment

The Delaware Art Museum continues its winter traditions, which include an outdoor Winter Arts Festival holiday shopping experience and Family 2nd Sunday, to engage children and their families with free, indoor art activities. “Celebrate! Pyxis at the Holidays” and a livestream from Wilmington Ballet and guests, “Global Movement,” highlight the Museum’s community collaborators from varied genres. In partnership with Cityfest Inc., Cartoon Christmas Trio returns with guests, the Wilmington Children’s Chorus.

Following are details on each activity:

On Thursday, December 1, 2022, 6 p.m., the Museum welcomes the Wilmington Ballet for “Global Movement,” a virtual celebration of arts and cultural dance traditions from around the world. The stream will feature performances by Treinta Y Tres, Pieces of A Dream Inc., Flamenco Y Mas, the Wilmington Children’s Chorus and more. Tickets are $25.

On Thursday, December 8, 2022, 8 p.m., “Celebrate! Pyxis at the Holidays” as the Pyxis trio marks the opening of its 14^th season as classical ensemble-in-residence at the Museum. Luigi Mazzocchi (violin), Jennifer Jie Jin (cello), and Hiroko Yamazaki (piano) will play in Fusco Hall. In conversation with the Museum’s groundbreaking exhibition, “Evelyn & William De Morgan: A Marriage of Arts & Crafts,” Pyxis will play works by another highly lauded husband-and-wife team, Robert and Clara Schumann. This joyous salute to the holidays also features seasonal offerings ranging from a traditional carol to popular mid-20^th century Hollywood holiday classics, including: Frank Loesser’s “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” Kim Gannon and Walter Kent’s “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas,” Dick Smith and Felix Bernard’s “Winter Wonderland,” and the traditional “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.” Guests may arrive early for a 7:30 p.m. talk, given by Margaretta Frederick, Curator Emerita who curated the De Morgan exhibition, prior to the concert. Tickets are $30 for Members and $35 for non-members.

On Saturday, December 10, 2022, 10 a.m.—4 p.m., the Museum offers shopping and seasonal festivities such as strolling carolers as part of its Winter Arts Festival, which is now an outdoor tradition. The Museum has established “kid-friendly” festival hours from 12—2 p.m., with activities such as a trackless train with a conductor offering rides for children. Guests can opt to take a 1 p.m. tour of the “A Marriage of Arts & Crafts: Evelyn & William De Morgan” exhibition by pre-registering. Food will be available by the Museum’s resident Kaffeina Café, and a cash bar will be open. In addition, the warm and welcoming Museum Store will offer literary and artistic gift ideas, with special festival discounts for Members and non-members. The festival is free for Members and $5 for non-members, and a ticket is required. Tickets include admission to the Museum on the day of the event. In the case of inclement weather, the full event may move inside.

Vendors as of the date of publication include:

Angela Colasanti of Life Artfully Told – Sterling Silver Jewelry and Pewter Keepsakes
The Fairy Potter – Stoneware Enchanted Cottages
Chez Evon – Handmade Bags and Totes
SunSobo LLC – All Natural Hibiscus and Ginger Tea
East Coast Sweets – Handcrafted Artisan Chocolates
Cinnamon Bun Exchange – Hand-rolled Buns, Baked with Love
Fusion Taster’s Choice – Ultra Premium Olive Oils, Balsamic Vinegars, Olives, Cruets and More
Anna Biggs Designs – Hand-carved Gold and Silver Jewelry
Holly Whitney – Tie Dye Apparel
Sassy Bee Honey – Raw and Infused Honey, Beeswax Candles, Natural Bath, Body and Beard Products
Heather Ossandon – Ceramics
Tat’s Yummies – Bakery Food, European Specialties
Eric Zippe Art – Photography on Wood and Laser-Engraved Wood
Linda Majewski, Paper Greenhouse – Paper Botanicals
Root and Rocks by Kiya Nicole – Functional and Sculptural Ceramics
Iris and Callisto’s Apiary – Local Honey and Hive Products
Brevity Book Space – Providing All Humans of Wilmington with Woke Words & Wisdom

Sunday, December 11, 2022, 10 a.m.— 1 p.m., the Museum welcomes children up to 12 years of age and their families to experience Family 2nd Sunday in the Children’s Studio. Each month, guests explore a new medium or technique from a professional teaching artist and create a work of art inspired by a piece in the Museum’s collection. While the event is free, registration (including for adults) is strongly recommended due to limited seating.

Tuesday, December 20, 2022, 7 p.m., in partnership with Cityfest Inc., the Museum hosts the famed Cartoon Christmas Trio with special guests, the Wilmington Children’s Chorus. The group celebrates over 25 years as the original interpreter of classic holiday cartoon jazz. The trio was started in 1995 by bassist Rob Swanson for the sole purpose of playing music from classic Christmas cartoons, especially the music of Vince Guaraldi, composer of the “Peanuts” soundtracks. Since its inception, the trio has played hundreds of shows including live appearances on NBC, ABC, Fox, and NPR. The trio was also honored to perform in Philadelphia’s premier music venue, The Kimmel Center. In addition, the trio is actively involved in musical outreach and education through an in-school assembly program. Tickets are $15, with a $5 discount extended for children and seniors.

This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.delawarescene.com.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Wilmington Ballet’s “Global Movement” Livestream
WHEN: On Thursday, December 1, 2022, 6 p.m.
WHERE: Virtual
COST: $25, Online Registration Required
INFO: delart.org

WHAT: “Celebrate! Pyxis at the Holiday”
WHEN: Thursday, December 8, 2022, 8 p.m., with a 7:30 p.m. curator talk
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, Del. 19806
COST: $30 for Members, $35 for Non-members
INFO: delart.org

WHAT: Winter Arts Festival
WHEN: Saturday, December 10, 2022, 10 a.m.—4 p.m.
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, Del. 19806
COST: Free for Members, $5 for Non-members, Registration Required
INFO: delart.org

WHAT: Family 2nd Sunday
WHEN: Sunday, December 11, 2022, 10 a.m.—1 p.m.
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, Del. 19806
COST: Free, Registration Required
INFO: delart.org

WHAT: Cartoon Christmas Trio with the Wilmington Children’s Chorus
WHEN: Tuesday, December 20, 2022, 7 p.m.
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, Del. 19806
COST: $15, with a $5 discount extended for children and seniors
INFO: delart.org

Image: Orifice II, 1983. Joe Moss (1933–2018). Painted steel, 112 × 129 3/4 × 27 inches. Delaware Art Museum, Purchased with funds provided by a grant from the Longwood and Crystal Foundations, 1983. © Estate of Joe Moss.

Free Día de los Muertos Event Offers Performances and Activities

The Delaware Art Museum presents the fifth annual Día de los Muertos: Desde la Raiz event on Saturday, October 29, 2022, from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Doors open at 10 a.m. Guests of all ages can experience a variety of free activities, such as performances by Danza Azteca del Anahuac, Ballet Folklorico Mexico, Mariachi Arrieros de Mexico, Eclipse Solar, Ms. Lili, and Seylin Abarca, a singer and middle school student from Cab Calloway School of the Arts. La Catrinamia, the skeletal embodiment of a well-to-do woman who has passed, will also be a presence at the outdoor event, and guests can participate in a labyrinth walk and contribute pictures of loved ones to ofrendas. New in 2022 will be a display of chromed bikes from Champions Lowriders Club.

Community Engagement Specialist Iz Balleto says, “Everything that’s being put together is from our roots—desde la raiz. We are incorporating folklore traditions in order to be as authentic as can be, from the people who are performing to the ceremony that kicks off the event.”

“We continue to be grateful that the Museum keeps open its doors to the Indigenous community so that we can properly educate people on traditions.” He adds, “The elements of Día de los Muertos are widely available in popular culture, and this season is a regular reminder of how important it is for us to demonstrate that Día de los Muertos is not just a party, it’s a ceremony.”

One of Delaware’s top influencers, Laura Leos, will emcee the activities, which commence at 11:11 a.m. with an Aztec fire ceremony.

Traditional arts and crafts activities and vendors will participate, including artwork by Cesar Viveros.

Indigenous food vendors, including Raspados Bayu and Tamalex Restaurant, will be on site, with options that include vegetarian dishes. Beverages will be available for sale, but alcohol will not be sold at this event.

Although this is a free event, it consistently reaches full capacity, therefore, registration is strongly encouraged. To register, or for more information on the event, visit our website. In the event of bad weather, the program will be moved indoors.

This program is supported through a grant from the TD Charitable Foundation. This event is sponsored by the Center for Interventional Pain and Spine, Nuestras Raices, Guerrilla Republik, and Hoy en Delaware. This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Día de los Muertos: Desde la Raiz
WHEN: Saturday, October 29, 2022, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Doors Open at 10 a.m.
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, Del. 19806
COST: Free, Registration Required
INFO: delart.org

Photograph by Shannon Woodloe.

Exhibitions of art by Evelyn and William De Morgan and forgotten Pre-Raphaelite artists debut this month at the Delaware Art Museum.

The Delaware Art Museum celebrates British Pre-Raphaelite art with two new exhibitions this fall. A Marriage of Arts & Crafts: Evelyn & William De Morgan makes its American debut at DelArt on October 22. The exhibition showcases Evelyn De Morgan’s symbolic Pre-Raphaelite paintings and her husband William’s Arts & Crafts-style ceramics. Recently opened, Forgotten Pre-Raphaelites displays artworks from DelArt’s collection rarely on view. A new art history course, lectures, tours, and a Member’s Preview Party are planned during the exhibitions’ run.

A Marriage of Arts and Crafts: Evelyn and William De Morgan is the first retrospective exhibition of Arts and Crafts pottery maker William De Morgan (1839-1917) and Pre-Raphaelite painter Evelyn De Morgan (1855-1919). As a power couple in Victorian England, the artists moved in influential cultural circles, shared an interest in spiritualism, and engaged with social issues of their day. Yet both artists have gone relatively unrecognized until now. This visually stunning exhibition brings together William’s brilliantly colored tiles, pots, and plates and Evelyn’s richly symbolic paintings.

The De Morgans weren’t the only artists in the Pre-Raphaelite circle who didn’t get their due. Forgotten Pre-Raphaelites displays over forty works by overlooked artists who experimented with Pre-Raphaelite themes and techniques, including art by the American Pre-Raphaelites and work by women artists. The Delaware Art Museum’s Pre-Raphaelite collection is the most comprehensive outside of the United Kingdom.

“This fall’s special exhibitions are an opportunity for visitors to fall in love with artists they might not yet know,” says Executive Director Molly Giordano. “We’re calling this The Year of Pre-Raphaelites, and we can’t wait to share the masterpieces, exhibitions, and educational programs celebrating this rich period of art history.”

DelArt will host a lecture on October 21 at 5 p.m. by Sarah Hardy, Curator of the De Morgan Collection, followed by a Member’s Preview Party from 6-8 p.m. Guided special exhibition tours are available weekly on Saturday afternoons. A Pre-Raphaelite art history course starts October 13, with virtual and in-person options. Dr. Margaretta Frederick, Delaware Art Museum’s Curator Emerita, will give a lecture on the closing day of the exhibition, February 19 at 2 p.m. Dr. Frederick also edited the show’s catalogue, which is for sale in the Museum Store and at delartstore.org.

Organizers and sponsors:

A Marriage of Arts & Crafts: Evelyn & William De Morgan was organized by the DeMorgan Foundation. This exhibition is made possible through support from the Nathan Clark Foundation and the Dr. Lee MacCormick Edwards Charitable Foundation. This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

IF YOU GO:

WHAT: A Marriage of Arts & Crafts: Evelyn & William De Morgan
WHEN: October 22, 2022 – February 19, 2023
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum
2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19803
COST: Free with admission
INFO: delart.org

Delaware Art Museum Exhibition Accompanied by Documentary Screening

The Delaware Art Museum presents “Wes Memeger: The Square and Other Concerns,” opening on Saturday, October 15, 2022. Programming surrounding the exhibition, which runs through Sunday, January 22, 2023, includes a November 6 documentary screening of “Dr. Wesley Memeger Jr.: Science into Art,” produced by Hagley Museum and Library. This exhibition, along with “A Marriage of Arts & Crafts: Evelyn and William De Morgan” will be celebrated with a Member Preview Party on Friday, October 21 at 5 p.m.

Wes Memeger, a long-time Delawarean, has explored the square for decades. In his early career as a chemist, he analyzed the skewed bonds in an almost-square carbon and hydrogen compound. As an artist, Memeger studied the works of abstract painters, reading and viewing their considerations of the basic and ubiquitous shape.

Memeger says, “From the 1970s to the 1990s, while I was still working as a chemist, I read intensely and thought about art matters focusing on abstractionist painters such as Kazimir Malevich, Josef Albers, Piet Mondrian, Johannes Itten, and Franz Kline.”

Drawing from these seemingly disparate backgrounds, Memeger uses the square as a building block, developing abstract compositions that layer form, color, and texture. The artist adds circles and arcs, gold leaf, and fluorescent colors, creating works that capture for him, “significant dynamism, but at the same time, surprising tranquility.”

Margaret Winslow, Chief Curator and Curator of Contemporary Art, says, ”Memeger has long contributed to and activated the contemporary art community in Wilmington. He, like this exhibition, pushes us to consider the subtle but impactful nature of art. The paintings in this exhibition are as much about the square as they are about our perceptions of supposedly rigid shapes in our world and their slightly, but constantly, shifting nature.”

Memeger is a multi-decade fixture at many Delaware arts organizations, whether as an exhibited artist or a board or committee member. Hagley’s website notes that when Memeger started at DuPont in 1964, he was only the fourth African American with a doctorate in chemistry to join the firm. Over the course of a 32-year career, he amassed fourteen patents and left his mark on some of DuPont’s most famous products, like Kevlar.

The exhibition at the Delaware Art Museum features 18 works on canvas and paper from the past 25 years. The selection showcases Memeger’s creativity with form and materials.

The Member Preview Party celebrates both the De Morgan and Memeger exhibitions at the Museum, with a cash bar, light bites and entertainment. It is open to the public with the purchase of a ticket; free for Members. The documentary screening of “Dr. Wesley Memeger Jr.: Science into Art,” produced by Hagley Museum and Library, and partially funded by a grant from Delaware Humanities, a state program of the National Endowment for the Humanities, will be held on Sunday, November 6, at 2 p.m., and is free to the public. Visit delart.org for information about these events and the exhibition.

This exhibition is made possible by David Pollack Vintage Posters and Lucinda and David Pollack. This exhibition is made possible through a grant from DuPont. This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Wes Memeger: The Square and Other Concerns
WHEN: October 15, 2022—January 22, 2023
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19806
COST: Included in Museum admission
INFO: delart.org

Member’s Preview Talk & Party
Wednesday, October 21, 2022, 5-8 p.m.
$20-$40; free for Members

Film Screening and Discussion of “Dr. Wesley Memeger Jr. : Science into Art”
Sunday, November 6 at 2 p.m.
Free after admission

Image: Ziptych with Solid Cylinder Plus 3 Open Cylinders, 2017. Wes Memeger (born 1939). Acrylic on shaped canvas with acrylic and Plexiglas, cylinders on board, 27 7/8 x 74 x 1 ½ inches. Courtesy of the artist. © Wes Memeger.

Intimate solo concerts and stories facilitated by Raye Jones Avery

The Delaware Art Museum will present two jazz piano powerhouses, Terry Klinefelter on Thursday October 13th at 8:00 p.m. and Suzzette Ortiz on Thursday November 17th at 8:00 p.m., in intimate solo concerts on the Museum’s Steinway Grand Piano. Performances will consist of the artists’ favorite works and stories from their lives. Each performance will include an artist chat led by Raye Jones Avery. The performances will take place in the stunning Fusco Grand Hall and guests will have access to a cash bar. Tickets are $20 for Members and $25 for non-members. Pre-registration is encouraged at www.delart.org.

The fall Jazz Series serves the mission of the Museum to connect people with art and to each other through the experience of it across disciplines. The unique and intimate program will allow audience members to get an up-close experience of masterful pianists and a look into their lives through the artist chat and stories woven throughout the performance. Raye Jones Avery, an accomplished jazz vocalist herself, will facilitate an engaging and interactive discussion around artistry and life as a musician.

Dr. Terry Klinefelter is a versatile artist, at home in jazz clubs as well as the classical concert stage. She has performed at the Kimmel Center, the Philadelphia Fringe Festival, the Chadds Ford Winery Jazz Festival, Jazz at the Springs, COTA Festival, Endless Mountain Music Festival, and Exuberance, among many others. Known for her lyrical style and beautiful sound, she has made several appearances on the Philadelphia Orchestra Chamber Music Series and also performed abroad in Mexico and Italy. She has collaborated with dance companies, serving as pianist with the Pennsylvania Ballet in the early nineties, and also more recently with the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet (Mozart’s “Twinkle” Variations, Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals, and annual performances of The Nutcracker).

Suzzette Ortiz, a passionate pianist, composer,choral conductor and educator, has been serving her communities with the gift of music from her humble beginnings in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, to her many recent successes as a Pennsauken, New Jersey native. A true advocate of education Ms. Ortiz earned her bachelor degree in piano performance at El Conservatorio de Musica de Puerto Rico, as well as a master degree in education and composition at Temple University of Philadelphia, PA. Since the completion of her collegiate studies, Suzzette has continually sought out workshops and learning opportunities in her constant quest to grow as a musician and educator.

These performances are supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com. Additional support provided by TD Charitable Foundation.

IF YOU GO:

What: Jazz Piano Series
When: October 13, 2022, 8 p.m. and November 17, 2022, 8 p.m.
Where: Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19803
Cost: $20 Members, $25 Non-Members
Info: delart.org

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

Media Contact: Amelia Wiggins, Director of Communications & Engagement | awiggins@delart.org

“A Marriage of Arts & Crafts: Evelyn & William De Morgan” showcases stunning Pre-Raphaelite paintings and Arts & Crafts ceramics.

This fall, the Delaware Art Museum (DelArt) will host the first retrospective exhibition of the work of Pre-Raphaelite painter Evelyn Pickering De Morgan (1855-1919) and her husband, the stained glass and pottery designer William Frend De Morgan (1839-1917). Making its American debut at DelArt, the exhibition tells the story of this extraordinary creative couple, who engaged with the artistic and social movements of their day. Over 75 works introduce visitors to William’s shimmering, lustreware ceramics and Evelyn’s richly symbolic paintings, inspired by her deep engagement with Italian Renaissance art.

“We’re delighted to introduce audiences to a pair of nineteenth-century artists who intentionally integrated their artistic practices with their social and political commitments,” shares Sophie Lynford, DelArt’s recently appointed Annette Woolard-Provine Curator of the Bancroft Collection. “Many of Evelyn’s painted allegories advocate women’s independence, powerfully addressing issues that remain at the forefront of contemporary dialogues.”

As artists, the De Morgans worked at the center of the Pre-Raphaelite, Arts and Crafts and Aesthetic Movements. Their political and social views also connected them with groups outside the art world including socialists, suffragists and pacifists. Yet the De Morgan name is not well known – William perhaps because he produced decorative arts, a genre which has historically been regarded as inferior to fine arts, and Evelyn because of her gender. Considering the two artists together allows for a comprehensive view of the expanded cultural milieu in which they functioned, not least regarding new attitudes towards Victorian marriage as a working partnership.

At DelArt, the exhibition will be accompanied by lectures during opening and closing weekends by Sarah Hardy, Curator of the De Morgan Foundation, and Dr. Margaretta Frederick, Curator Emerita at the Delaware Art Museum. Guided tours of the exhibition will be offered weekly on Saturdays at 1 p.m. On view concurrently, “The Forgotten Pre-Raphaelites” will explore work of lesser-known artists associated with the Pre-Raphaelite circle. A new Pre-Raphaelite art history course, with virtual and in-person options, will contextualize the era in which the De Morgans worked and highlight DelArt’s Bancroft collection, the largest Pre-Raphaelite holdings outside of the United Kingdom. “A Marriage of Arts & Crafts” sets the stage for another highly anticipated Pre-Raphaelite exhibition in Fall 2023: “The Rossettis,” organized in partnership with Tate Britain.

“We invite art lovers to join us at the Delaware Art Museum for this visually stunning exhibition,” welcomes DelArt Executive Director Molly Giordano. “We’re calling this The Year of Pre-Raphaelites, and we can’t wait to share the masterpieces, exhibitions, and programs celebrating this rich period of art history.”

Five years in the making, “A Marriage of Arts & Crafts: Evelyn & William De Morgan” is drawn from the collection of the De Morgan Foundation and is co-curated by Sarah Hardy, Curator, De Morgan Collection and Dr. Margaretta Frederick, Curator Emerita, Delaware Art Museum. Over 75 paintings, drawings and pots by this artist couple will be featured. The Mark Samuels Lasner Collection at the University of Delaware Library has also generously lent books and archival material for a special display within the exhibition highlighting William’s extraordinary transition from potter to successful novelist. The exhibition will subsequently travel to two further venues: the Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, CA (September 2023-January 2024) and the Museum of Fine Arts St Petersburg, FL (January 2024 – May 2024). A publication of essays will accompany the exhibition: Margaretta S. Frederick, ed. “Evelyn & William De Morgan: A Marriage of Arts & Crafts” (London and New Haven: Yale University Press, 2022). Copies of the catalog will be available at the Delaware Art Museum Store this fall.

IF YOU GO:
What: “A Marriage of Arts & Crafts: Evelyn & William De Morgan”
When: October 22, 2022 – February 19, 2023
Lecture and Exhibition Preview on Friday evening, October 21.
Where: Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19803
Cost: Free with Museum admission ($14 adults)
Info: delart.org

Sponsors: This exhibition was organized by the Delaware Art Museum. This exhibition is made possible through support from the Nathan Clark Foundation and the Dr. Lee MacCormick Edwards Charitable Foundation. This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com. The publication for this exhibition was made possible through a grant from Furthermore: a program of the J. M. Kaplan Fund.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

The Arsht-Cannon Fund Supports Latino Arts Education Outreach

The Delaware Art Museum is celebrating a $30,000 grant from the Arsht-Cannon Fund at the Delaware Community Foundation (DCF) to expand the reach of its Healing through the Arts program. The program delivers free art experiences through eight partners in greater Wilmington, with a focus on Latino-serving and cancer-serving organizations.

The idea for Healing through the Arts was sparked in 2017, when community members Vanesa Simon and Luisa Ortiz shared ideas about the role of creativity in healing. The Museum agreed that art helps people heal mentally, emotionally, and physically, and offered seed money to pilot three painting workshops and a community celebration for cancer patients.

Since then, the Delaware Art Museum and Simon’s company, Mariposa Arts, have expanded the program to serve not only people experiencing cancer, but also people experiencing environmental trauma, including gun violence, social conflict, and adverse childhood experiences. By reaching beyond the Museum’s walls to provide experiences with art to those who need it most, the partners use the practice of artmaking to catalyze healing and build community.

The Arsht-Cannon Fund grant is targeted toward the growth of community partnerships that will increase access to art experiences for the many Latinos who are confronting overwhelming levels of stress.

“We are excited to support the Delaware Art Museum’s efforts to engage our Latino families in learning, expressing, and developing creative ways to manage feelings associated with mounting life challenges,” stated Christine Cannon, the Executive Director of the Arsht-Cannon Fund. “With linguistically- and culturally-designed experiences, many will feel welcomed, and their participation can open many opportunities.”

“I find that looking at art, and talking about art, provides a different vehicle to reflect on your experiences,” says Vanesa Simon. “Participants come to the Museum, a place that doesn’t have anything to do with cancer. They look at beautiful art, or even challenging art, and see things in it they’ve never noticed before. They talk about their observations with a group of people that know what they are experiencing. Sometimes it isn’t about cancer, but they have space to talk about their lives through a different lens.”

Healing through the Arts workshop content changes to reflect the needs of each new audience. The program has added grief drumming, watercolor, clay workshops, gallery tours, and holds workshops in the Museum’s labyrinth.

In addition to the Arsht-Cannon Fund at DCF, this program is made possible by Incyte and Museum Council. This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

Partnerships with Brevity Bookspace and the National Book Foundation expand the Museum’s offerings for writers and book lovers throughout Delaware and beyond.

The Delaware Art Museum and Brevity Bookspace are teaming up to present a weekend of engaging literary programming this August, featuring the return of the virtual Wilmington Writers Conference as well as an in-person conversation and book signing in partnership with the National Book Foundation.

On Saturday, August 6th, The Wilmington Writers Conference, a signature summer staple, returns. This year’s virtual offering, which costs $10 to attend, will feature a keynote speech and writing workshop by Delaware author Ethan Joella, whose debut novel, A Little Hope, has been praised by The New York Times and The Today Show, among other outlets. Ethan will be joined by Saliym Cooper of Brevity Bookspace, who will also be teaching a special writing session.

On Sunday, August 7th, the Museum and Brevity are partnering with the National Book Foundation to host a free event welcoming National Book Award–honored authors Clint Smith (How the Word is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America) and Kali Fajardo-Anstine (Sabrina and Corina, Woman of Light) for “Rewriting American Memory,” a conversation about intergenerational histories amongst Black, Latinx and Indigenous peoples. The conversation will be followed by a book signing at the DelArt Store, where guests will have the opportunity to meet Smith and Fajardo-Anstine and purchase their books. Registration is open at delart.org.

The Store and the Foundation are also supporting a book drive for Brevity Bookspace, featuring NBA–honored titles. “The National Book Foundation is thrilled to visit Delaware for the first time through our NBF Presents national programming in partnership with Brevity Bookspace and the Delaware Art Museum,” said Natalie Green, Director of Public Programs at the National Book Foundation. “We are so excited to connect with Wilmington readers and celebrate two exceptional National Book Award–honored authors, Kali Fajardo-Anstine and Clint Smith.”

The three authors featured during this literary weekend write of hope, history and honoring ancestral roots, all of which align with the Museum’s vision of creating an inclusive community space that invites discourse and interaction between people and art. These literary events are vital to the community in many ways, offering free and low-cost opportunities for artistic practice and conversation while also highlighting the wealth of brilliant authors who live in Delaware and the surrounding region. “I am so honored to participate in the Wilmington Writers Conference this year and talk about the ups and downs of a writer’s journey and the need for hope, resilience, and a supportive writing community,” says Joella. “I am a big fan of The Delaware Art Museum Store and Brevity Bookspace and all they have done to enrich the culture and promote writing and reading in our beautiful state.”

The Museum Store and Brevity Bookspace have a long-standing history of successful partnerships that support Brevity’s mission to place more books in the hearts and homes of Delaware residents, particularly those who reside in Wilmington. What began with a pop-up at the third annual Wilmington Writers Conference has evolved to include national campaigns and partnerships. “It seems only natural to continue a partnership that has brought free books, significant smiles and literary sparkle to Wilmington,” says Saliym Cooper, owner of Brevity Bookspace. “This year we hope to usher in a new caliber of literary excellence through an experience designed to add more color, conversation and realness. If the top-tier authors slated to attend are any indication, we want all those who register to buckle up for an unforgettable literary weekend.”

Jessa Mendez, the Museum’s Lead Museum Associate and coordinator of the weekend’s events, is equally excited to bring the literary arts to Delaware once again. “This weekend is the result of many beautiful events and the Museum visitors who have supported our vision to be a community bookstore. We could not have asked for better partners than Brevity Bookspace and the National Book Foundation,” says Mendez. “Brevity and the Store have always made magic with our collaborations, and we are so excited that Ethan Joella, Clint Smith and Kali Fajardo-Anstine are joining us in our ongoing journey.”

IF YOU GO:

What: Wilmington Writers Conference
When: Saturday, August 6, 9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Where: Virtual; register at delart.org
Cost: $10

What: National Book Foundation Presents: Rewriting American Memory
When: Sunday, August 7, 1 p.m.
Where: Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, DE. Registration at delart.org
Cost: Free

Organizer and Sponsors:

The Wilmington Writers Conference is partially funded by a grant from Delaware Humanities, a state program of the National Endowment for the Humanities. This event is sponsored by The Happy Self-Publisher. “Rewriting American Memory” is presented in partnership with the National Book Foundation and made possible by the Mellon Foundation. These programs are supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

About the Delaware Art Museum

For over 100 years, the Museum has served as a primary arts and cultural institution in Delaware. It is alive with experiences, discoveries, and activities to connect people with art and with each other. Originally created in 1912 to honor the renowned illustrator and Wilmington-native, Howard Pyle, the Museum’s collection has grown to over 12,000 works of art in our building and sculpture garden. Also recognized for British Pre-Raphaelite art, the Museum is home to the most comprehensive Pre-Raphaelite collection on display outside of the United Kingdom, and a growing collection of significant contemporary art. Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

Press Contact:

Amelia Wiggins
Director of Communications & Engagement
awiggins@delart.org
302.351.8503

The photography exhibition “In Conversation: Will Wilson” will be paired with a pow wow and storytelling event.

Opening July 9 at the Delaware Art Museum, “In Conversation: Will Wilson” explores issues of Indigenous representation within the history of photography through the work of Diné (Navajo) photographer Will Wilson (b. 1969). A pow wow and storytelling event at the Museum are planned with the Lenape Indian Tribe of Delaware, Nanticoke Indian Association, and local Indigenous community members.

“Will Wilson’s photographs represent a meaningful shift in the way Indigenous communities are represented in museum spaces,” shares guest curator Kaila Schedeen. “Wilson’s work provides the platform for individuals to represent themselves as they want to be seen, while also shifting the conversation of contemporary Indigenous representation towards exchange, mutual respect, and relationship-building.”

Wilson’s work explores the legacy of historical photographs on the representation of Native peoples in North America. Through the artist’s ongoing Critical Indigenous Photographic Exchange (CIPX) project, Wilson combines historic wet plate (tintype) photography with 21st-century Augmented Reality (AR) technology in a convenient app to bring his “Talking Tintype” photographs to life. Through the CIPX images, Wilson facilitates new conversations about Indigeneity that emphasize a reciprocal relationship with the sitters. Wilson visited Delaware in May to photograph members of the Lenape Indian Tribe of Delaware and the Nanticoke Indian Association. Their portraits will be included in the exhibition at DelArt this summer and later at the Nanticoke Indian Museum.

“We are grateful to the committee of advisors who guided the presentation of this important exhibition and participated in the Critical Indigenous Photography Exchange,” says Community Engagement Specialist Iz Balleto. “We invite everyone to visit the exhibition at DelArt, celebrate Indigenous culture at the July 23 Pow Wow of Arts & Culture, and hear community members’ stories at the My Land, My Roots event on October 15.”

In Conversation: Will Wilson is complemented by an exhibit by local photographer Andre’ L. Wright, Jr., Indigenous Faces of Wilmington, in the Museum’s Orientation Hall. Both shows are on view through September 8. The national tour of In Conversation: Will Wilson is supported by the Art Bridges Foundation.

IF YOU GO:

What: In Conversation: Will Wilson photography exhibition
When: Exhibition on view July 9– September 11, 2022
Pow Wow of Arts & Culture on Saturday, July 23
>My Land, My Roots on Saturday, October 15, 10 am – 12 pm
Where: Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, Delaware 19806
Cost: Free with Museum admission
Info: delart.org

Organizers & Sponsors:

The exhibition was curated by Mindy Besaw, Curator of American Art/Director of Fellowships & Research from Crystal Bridges, and Ashley Holland, Associate Curator from the Art Bridges Foundation. In Conversation: Will Wilson is organized by Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. In Delaware, the exhibition is guest curated by Kaila T. Schedeen, PhD Candidate at the University of Texas at Austin.

Generous support provided by Art Bridges. Additional support provided by the Emily du Pont Exhibition Fund. The Museum is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

DelArt thanks the members of our advisory committee for their critical input in shaping this exhibition and its programs: Principal Chief Dennis Coker (Lenape Indian Tribe of Delaware); Chief Natosha Carmine (Nanticoke Indian Association of Delaware); India Colon Diaz (Taína of Boriken Nation of PR); Sherri Evans-Stanton; RuthAnn Purchase; Adrienne Lalli Hills, Independent Museum Consultant (Wyandotte Nation); Gabe Joseph Rosales; Jea Street, Jr.(Nanticoke); Victoria Sunnergren.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

Image: Will Wilson (born 1969). How the West is One, 2014, printed 2016. Archival pigment print from wet plate collodion scan, 24 × 36 inches. Collection of the artist. Artwork © Will Wilson Art & Photo, LLC.

Delaware Art Museum exhibition showcases distinguished artist’s work over five decades.

Opening June 25, “Stan Smokler: Steel in Flux” showcases the celebrated Brandywine Valley artist in an indoor-outdoor exhibition at the Delaware Art Museum. Five decades of Smokler’s steel sculptures and drawings will be displayed in the Museum’s galleries and outside in the Copeland Sculpture Garden.

Smokler assembles, reshapes, and resurfaces discarded steel objects, including cogs, springs, pipes and beams, into expressive works of art. The resulting sculptures span a range of references from geometric to organic, from the whimsical to the celestial. The artist often sketches his finished works to further understand volume in space. The upcoming exhibition brings together large- and small-scale sculpture and drawings from the late 1970s through 2020.

“Stan Smokler’s celebrated, steel sculptures continue the trajectory of modernist abstraction,” shares Curator of Contemporary Art Margaret Winslow. “This Distinguished Artist Series Exhibition showcases the breadth of Smokler’s experimentation in form and metal.”

The Distinguished Artist Series is a celebration of those artists who have impacted contemporary art in the greater Brandywine Valley through their artistic practices, teaching, and support of the community. With his commitment to exploring the possibilities of steel and mentoring students through his numerous Marshall Bridge workshops and years at the Delaware College of Art and Design, Stan Smokler has guided the trajectory of contemporary abstract sculpture.

Stan Smokler was born in New York City in 1944. He received his undergraduate degree in studio art at the University of Pittsburgh and his master of fine arts degree at Pratt Institute. Relocating to the Brandywine Valley in 1999, Smokler participated in the Delaware Division of the Arts’ Artist in Residence program from 1996 to 1999, served on the Board of the Delaware Contemporary, and taught at the Delaware College of Art and Design. Smokler’s extensive career includes groups shows at the Rizzoli International Gallery (New York), Salmagundi Club (New York), Everson Museum of Art (Syracuse, NY), Delaware Art Museum (Wilmington), and the Delaware Contemporary (Wilmington), and solo exhibitions at Kim Foster Gallery (New York), Blue Streak Gallery (Wilmington, DE), Albright College (Reading, PA), Dartmouth College (Hanover, NH), West Chester University (PA), and Winterthur Museum, Garden, and Library (DE). Smokler’s sculptures can be found in the collections of Albright College, Dansko (West Grove, PA), and the Delaware Art Museum. In 2004, Smokler established his Marshall Bridge Workshop, an immersive training opportunity for artists of all levels interested in working with welded steel.

Organizer and Sponsors: “Stan Smokler: Steel in Flux” was organized by the Delaware Art Museum. This program is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

IF YOU GO:
WHAT: “Stan Smokler: Steel in Flux” exhibition
WHEN: June 25 – Sept. 11, with outdoor sculptures extended through Oct. 30.
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19806
COST: Free with admission
INFO: delart.org

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

Image, left to right: Hieronymus Bosch: Garden of Earthly Delights, 2015. Stan Smokler (born 1944). Welded steel assemblage with found and fabricated objects, bronze, and paint, 49 × 29 × 28 inches. Courtesy of the artist. © Stan Smokler. Photograph by Terry Roberts. | Fibonacci, 2013. Stan Smokler (born 1944). Steel and paint, 20 x 19 x 13 inches. Courtesy of the artist. © Stan Smokler. Photograph by Terry Roberts.

Dr. Sophie Lynford has been appointed Annette Woolard-Provine Curator of the Bancroft Collection, and Margaret Winslow will lead the department as Chief Curator.

The Delaware Art Museum celebrates several staff transitions in the curatorial department this summer. Dr. Margaretta Frederick recently retired from her role as the Annette Woolard-Provine Curator. She has transitioned to Curator Emerita to work on independent research projects. Dr. Sophie Lynford has been appointed the incoming Annette Woolard-Provine Curator of the Bancroft Collection, beginning her work with DelArt’s famed Pre-Raphaelite collection in August. Dr. Heather Campbell Coyle will rotate out of the Chief Curator role to begin dedicated research on the Museum’s illustration collection, and Margaret Winslow will lead the department as Chief Curator and Curator of Contemporary Art.

“We congratulate Dr. Margaretta Frederick on her outstanding career and thank her for her dedicated work at the Delaware Art Museum. We welcome Dr. Sophie Lynford to the DelArt team and look forward to the rich ideas and deep knowledge she brings to the renowned Bancroft Collection,” says Molly Giordano, Executive Director. “I thank Dr. Heather Campbell Coyle for her leadership, especially her recent transformation of the Museum’s main floor galleries, and I look forward to seeing where her research leads us in the coming years. Finally, I look forward to Margaret Winslow’s leadership as Chief Curator. Winslow’s amplification of Wilmington’s local art history and culture, expansion of narratives to include unrecognized artists and sources of expertise, and her commitment to artists in our community as essential workers are ideals that align with DelArt’s vision and our role as a community-centered, 21st century Museum.”

Dr. Margaretta Frederick’s career at the Delaware Art Museum has been marked by several significant accomplishments. Dr. Frederick secured the endowment for the position of Annette Woolard-Provine Curator of the Bancroft Collection, ensuring long-term support for the pivotal role. She attracted funding for the Amy P. Goldman Fellowship in Pre-Raphaelite Studies, a joint program with the University of Delaware Library. Dr. Frederick co-managed the move of DelArt’s entire collections database to an online, publicly searchable platform, making them globally accessible. Over her decades-long career, Dr. Frederick’s work placed the Bancroft Collection at DelArt on an international footing, initiating and enabling national and international partnerships and relationships. This led to major exhibitions including “Poetry in Beauty: The Pre-Raphaelite Art of Marie Spartali Stillman” and loans with Tate Britain, the National Portrait Gallery, London, and the National Portrait Gallery, Washington. Dr. Frederick added over 75 works to Delaware Art Museum’s collection – broadening the scope of the Bancroft collection while remaining true to Bancroft’s aesthetic. Dr. Frederick served as Chief Curator from 2010 to 2016. She presided over two collection reinstallations, including last year’s opening of Picturing Beauty, the new suite of Pre-Raphaelite galleries.

Dr. Frederick’s latest achievement is the co-curatorship of this fall’s much-anticipated exhibition, “A Marriage of Arts & Crafts: Evelyn & William De Morgan,” which will make its U.S. debut at the Delaware Art Museum on October 22. She is also editor and contributing author of the accompanying catalogue. Dr. Frederick retired to Curator Emerita in May.

Dr. Sophie Lynford was previously the Rousseau Curatorial Fellow in European Art at the Harvard Art Museums. She is a specialist in British and American art of the nineteenth century and an expert on the Pre-Raphaelite movement and has published and lectured widely on the subject. In September, Princeton University Press will publish her book, “Painting Dissent: Art, Ethics, and the American Pre-Raphaelites,” which examines the Pre-Raphaelite movement in the United States and its passionate commitment to abolition and radical reform. Prior to joining the Harvard Art Museums, Lynford was the Douglass Foundation Fellow in American Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and a member of the curatorial departments at the New-York Historical Society and the Yale Center for British Art. She co-curated the 2018 exhibition, “Picturesque and Sublime: Thomas Cole’s Trans-Atlantic Inheritance” at the Thomas Cole National Historic Site and co-authored the accompanying catalogue.

At the Harvard Art Museums, Lynford worked extensively with the Grenville Winthrop Collection of paintings, drawings, prints, and sculpture by the British Pre-Raphaelites and their followers. Recently, she curated and co-curated “Framed: the Victorians” and “The Art + Science Pathway.” She was a member of Harvard Art Museums’ ReFrame project, a museum-wide initiative to reinterpret the institution’s permanent collections, reckon with difficult histories, and elevate the contributions of underrepresented artists and makers.

Lynford received her B.A. in art history from Brown University and her M.A. and Ph.D. in art history from Yale University.

Dr. Heather Campbell Coyle’s leadership as Chief Curator led to the redesign of DelArt’s main-floor permanent galleries, which reopened in 2021 with an expanded focus on the stories of women and people of color. During her time as Chief Curator, she organized exhibitions including “The Montgomery Bus Boycott: Drawings by Harvey Dinnerstein and Burton Silverman,” “No Jury, No Prizes: The Society of Independent Artists,” and “An American Journey: The Art of John Sloan,” for which she edited the exhibition catalogue. She supervised the donation and conservation of works from the Hotel du Pont and championed strategic art acquisitions that allow the Museum to present a more inclusive history of American art and illustration. With the establishment in 2018 of the Lynn Herrick Sharp Curatorial Fellowship, Coyle has collaborated deeply with doctoral candidates from the University of Delaware, where she received her Ph.D.

Dr. Coyle rotates out of the Chief Curator position to devote her time to dedicated research in American art and illustration. Dr. Coyle is working on several upcoming exhibitions, including the 2024 show “Jazz Age Illustration.”

Margaret Winslow’s work as Curator of Contemporary Art brought a new focus to local art history and culture. Winslow curated the groundbreaking 2015 exhibition “Dream Streets: Art in Wilmington 1970–1990.” In 2018, Winslow led a city-wide effort to mark the 50th anniversary of the 1968 Wilmington uprisings and commissioned Hank Willis Thomas’s “Black Survival Guide, or How to Live Through a Police Riot.” Her launch of the Distinguished Artist Series in 2019 offers the opportunity to celebrate those artists who have impacted art in the greater Brandywine Valley for decades. This past fall, she again showcased erased local history in the reprisal of “Afro-American Images 1971: The Vision of Percy Ricks,” an exhibition co-presented with Aesthetic Dynamics.

As Chief Curator, Winslow will lead a department of nine while managing several upcoming projects aligned with the Museum’s strategic plan. This fall, Winslow pilots a new program to train workers to conserve public works of art throughout the city of Wilmington. Winslow is researching art and cultural programs funded by the 1973 Federal Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA) in preparation for a 2026 exhibition that will highlight CETA’s impact on artists in Delaware and nationally.

“I look forward to leading the curatorial department, which Dr. Coyle has stewarded so well since 2017. This summer and fall bring an exciting slate of exhibitions that celebrate the art and people inspiring our community,” shares Winslow.

Museum members and the public are invited to meet Dr. Lynford at the August 25 Sculpture Garden Happy Hour. Several events are in the planning for the fall, including curator tours and a new art history course taught by Dr. Lynford.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

Photography by Shannon Woodloe.

Experience Music, Dance, Food Trucks and Traditions at this Ancestral Celebration

The Delaware Art Museum will host a third annual Juneteenth event on Saturday, June 18, 2022, from 10 a.m.—4 p.m. in the Copeland Sculpture Garden and Labyrinth. The Beyond Juneteenth Egungun Festival is an opportunity to not only celebrate a historic holiday, but also honor ancestors in order to build community. Guests can register for the free event at delart.org.

The day’s activities kick off with a performance of “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” known as the Black national anthem, sung by Nadjah Nicole and Jea Street, Jr., just after a shared libation and Juneteenth flag raising ceremony.

The festivities continue with live performances from Sa-Roc Sol Messiah, Richard Raw, Nitro Nitra, GhettoSongBird, Jea Street, Nadjah Nicole, Ebony Zuudia, Hezekiah, Stiggs Stigalo, Jahiti and Tonantzin Yaotecas, with Laurel Mustafa hosting the event. Guests can enjoy vendors and food trucks. There will be kid-friendly arts and crafts stations, African drumming and more.

Community Engagement Specialist Iz Balleto welcomes all to the event. “Together, we celebrate our ancestors and our freedom through arts and culture. Juneteenth is always a peaceful day of celebration and ceremony here at the Delaware Art Museum.”

Juneteenth is also known as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day and Emancipation Day. It marks June 19, 1865, when the 1862 Emancipation Proclamation was read to the people of Galveston, Texas. This final, remote state defied the already three-year old law by continuing to allow slavery, and the public reading, backed by Union troops for enforcement, ceremoniously freed people who had been enslaved or bonded.

The Beyond Juneteenth Egungun Festival is part of 156 years of celebrations that commemorate this special date. It also honors the people who are the Egungun (a Yoruban concept of spiritual visitation with ancestors) of today’s Black, Indigenous and people of color.

Abundancechild, founder of the event, explains why the annual event aspires to reach “Beyond” Juneteenth:

“Anybody can Google Juneteenth; this is something a little bit more. Not one person in the country was unaffected by slavery and we all have some evolving to do. I want to see everybody, no matter what race and creed. We are showing up for each other, and we can hear each other’s prayers so we know what to pray for each other for. This event is a day of celebration of each other’s ancestors, and for our ancestors to see what we’ve done.”

Guests of the festival can also experience the “Indigenous Faces of Delaware” exhibition, which runs through September 11, inside the Museum.

Registration for this free event is encouraged. Some seating is available, but guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets, as well as cash or credit card for food purchases. Masks are optional outdoors and encouraged indoors.

This event supports the Museum’s mission of connecting people through art as an inclusive and essential community resource.

This event is sponsored by FUJIFILM, the Center for Interventional Pain and Spine, Abundance Child Ministries Inc, DropSquad Kitchen, 302GunsDown, Luxe Moss, and Guerrilla Republik. This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

For more information, visit delart.org

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Beyond Juneteenth: Egungun Festival at the Delaware Art Museum
WHEN: Saturday, June 18, 2022, 10 a.m.—4 p.m.
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19806
COST: Free; registration encouraged
INFO: delart.org

Music, Food, Beverages and Fun on Delaware Art Museum Grounds Every Thursday

Sculpture Garden Happy Hours return to the Delaware Art Museum’s Terrace on Thursday, May 26, 2022. Weather permitting, Sculpture Garden Happy Hours take place every Thursday from 5–7:30 p.m., a time which overlaps with the Museum’s free Thursday evening hours. The popular, free series offers guests an opportunity to relax and unwind with live music, seasonal beverages, lawn games, rotating local food trucks, and snacks from the Museum’s own boutique café, Kaffeina. Museum tours and monthly Member theme nights have been added to the festivities.

The Sculpture Garden Happy Hours schedule is as follows:

May 26 – Edgewater Avenue (Bluegrass, Folk, Americana), Food: Koi
June 2 – The Seedlings (Rock, Blues), Food: The Flying Deutschman
June 9 – Boysie Lowery Living Jazz Residency (Jazz), Food: Los Taquitos de Puebla
June 16 – Thirsty Members Night with Edgewater Avenue (Bluegrass, Folk, Americana), Food: Koi
June 23 – Skinner & Spadola (Acoustic Duo), Food: Natalie’s Fine Food
June 30 – Joseph Whitney (Steel Drums), Food: Los Taquitos de Puebla
July 7 –Pristine Reign (Soul, Funk, Jazz, Motown/Philly), Food: The Flying Deutschman
July 14 – Members Ice Cream Night with Sharon & Shawn (Jazz), Food: Natalie’s Fine Food
July 21 – The Seedlings (Rock, Blues), Food: Koi
July 28 – Skinner & Spadola (Acoustic Duo), Food: Los Taquitos de Puebla
August 4 – Sharon & Shawn (Jazz), Food: The Flying Deutschman
August 11 – Genesis Z and The Black Mambas, Food: Natalie’s Fine Food
August 18 – Willie Wilmington & Stevie J Dance (Salsa DJ and Dance), Food: Koi
August 25 – Members Fiesta Night with The Honey Badgers (Folk), Food: Los Taquits de Puebla
September 1 – Special Peoples Fest Night with Spokey Speaky (Reggae), Food: TBD
September 8 – Joseph Whitney (Steel Drum), Food: The Flying Deutschman

Guests at the May 26 and June 2 Sculpture Garden Happy Hours can catch the “Louis Comfort Tiffany: Treasures from the Driehaus Collection” exhibition, which features more than 60 glass art objects, before it closes on June 5.

Heather Morrissey, Delaware Art Museum’s Director of Operations, says, “Each summer, we provide a series of fun and art-themed evenings for guests. Our open-air Sculpture Garden Happy Hours in 2020 and 2021 were wildly popular, and we look forward to offering this after-hours cultural experience to our community again this year.”

No registration is required for the Sculpture Garden Happy Hours, which are free; donations are encouraged. Some seating is available, but guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets, as well as cash or card for bar and food purchases. Sculpture Garden Happy Hours may be moved inside or cancelled due to inclement weather. Please watch the Museum website for updates.

Click here for a full schedule of Sculpture Garden Happy Hours musicians and food trucks.

These events are sponsored by the AARP Delaware Office. This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

IF YOU GO
WHAT: Delaware Art Museum Sculpture Garden Happy Hours
WHEN: Thursdays, May 26 through September 8, 2022, 5-7:30 p.m.
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum Terrace and Copeland Sculpture Garden, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19806
COST: Free
INFO: delart.org

New Exhibit by Andre’ L. Wright. Jr. First in Series of Events Honoring Indigenous Culture.

This month, the Delaware Art Museum (DelArt) opens Indigenous Faces of Wilmington, the first in a series of 2022 events honoring indigenous culture. The powerful portrait-style exhibit showcases diverse Wilmingtonians captured by local Nanticoke photographer Andre’ L. Wright Jr of Color of Life Branding.

“Indigenous Faces of Wilmington shares the faces and tells the stories of diverse indigenous people who live in our city and represent rich cultures and roots. My hope is that this exhibition will open a dialogue to re-introduce, re-discover, and re-educate individuals about the many cultures represented here in Wilmington today,” says Iz Balleto, the DelArt Community Engagement Specialist who conceived of the project. Balleto’s connection to the project is personal – he is a Peruvian native of the Quechua Indians of the central Andes who are direct descendants of the Incas. “I look forward to this powerful exhibit, which will bring light to many who reside and live among us today.”

Indigenous Faces of Wilmington aligns with DelArt’s major summer exhibition, In Conversation: Will Wilson. Diné (Navajo) photographer Will Wilson’s art explores the legacy of historical representations of Native people. The exhibit will include photographs Wilson takes in Delaware this spring, of Lenape and Nanticoke community members, through his Critical Indigenous Photography Exchange. The exhibition is guided by an Advisory Committee made up of indigenous and community leaders. Associated programming includes a Pow Wow of Arts and Culture on July 23 and a storytelling program titled “My Land, My Roots” on September 8.

“For many years we, Indigenous People, have carried stereotypes, carried hurt, and carried fear. It’s time to change the narrative and share the beauty,” states Balleto.

Andre’ L. Wright Jr.’s photographs embody the essence and heart of indigenous people in Wilmington. This exhibit is his tribute to culture and indigenous ancestors. The representation of diverse indigenous individuals in art can help break barriers, bring forth unity, and open mindfulness.  

Participants of the Indigenous Faces of Wilmington exhibit include India Colon Diaz (Taína of Boriken Nation of Puerto Rico), Rosa Ruiz (Aztec), El Indio (Boricua Taino), Jose Avila Macias and Susana Amador Hernandez (Chichimeca), Olakunle Oludina (Seminole and Cherokee), Abundance Child (Cherokee, Lumbee, Muscogee/Creek), Andre’ L. Wright, Sr. (Cherokee) Sharon L Street Wright (Nanticoke), Jea Street (Nanticoke), Jonathan Whitney (Afro-Indigenous), and Ashanti Morales (Arawak Taína of Boriken).

Organizer and Sponsors: Photographer: Andre’ L. Wright Jr. of Color of Life Branding. Creative Director: Sara A. Crawford of The Original Coloure Collective. Support provided by Art Bridges and the Museum Council. This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

IF YOU GO:

What: Indigenous Faces of Wilmington art exhibit
When: May 26 – September 8, 2022
Where: Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, Delaware 19806
Cost: Free with Museum admission
Info: delart.org

Press Contacts:

Amelia Wiggins
Director of Communications & Engagement
Delaware Art Museum
awiggins@delart.org
302-351—8503

Sara A. Crawford
Creative Director
The Original Coloure Collective
originalcoloure@gmail.com

Image: India Colon Diaz, Boricua Taina by Andre’ L. Wright Jr., 2022.

Enjoy Brunch, Brushes, and Blooms in the Sculpture Garden and Tented Terrace

The Delaware Art Museum has replanted its al fresco fundraiser on Saturday, May 14, 2022, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. “Brunch at Tiffany’s” celebrates spring by offering brunch bites and morning cocktails in the Copeland Sculpture Garden. The rain-or-shine “Brunch, Brushes and Blooms” sequel will connect people to art outdoors through the pairing of floral designs with the Museum’s outdoor sculptures. Local painters, dancers and other artists will create and perform live onsite, and guests can purchase art via a silent auction. Proceeds benefit the Museum.

Artists and floral designers were encouraged to take inspiration from the Museum’s current “Louis Comfort Tiffany: Treasures from the Driehaus Collection” exhibition and guests are invited to don “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”-inspired, “garden party chic” attire.

Confirmed artists to date include painter Mary Page Evans, painter/sculptor Rick Hidalgo, ceramicist/sculptor Gail Husch, watercolorist Kara Hinson, graffiti artist Francesco Iacono, mixed media artist Regina Katz, visual artists Thomas Del Porte, Rayna DeReus, John Gibbons, Linda Majewski, Aaron Terry, and Shannon Woodloe, and the Original Coloure Collective, as well as dancers from the Wilmington Ballet. Floral designers to date include Flowers by Yukie, Nanci Hersh and Carla Pastore.

Maggie Oda Lyon, Director of Advancement for the Museum, says, “Last year’s Brunch, Brushes, and Blooms was just a wonderful day, and one of our first opportunities to welcome people back to the Museum. Being outside with other people, enjoying the live artists’ work in such a pretty setting, and talking to them about their processes are the keys to making this a cherished perennial event.”

The Terrace will be tented, and some activities may be moved indoors in the event of inclement weather. The Museum will adhere to any outdoor Covid-19 guidelines in place on the date of the event.

Tickets must be purchased in advance at delart.org. The cost is $95 for Members and $115 for Non-Members. The event features fine food and beverages by Jamestown Catering.

Visit ddelart.org for additional information or contact info@delart.org with further questions.

Sponsors: FranksWine and Jamestown Catering. This event is sponsored by Delaware Today and Incyte Corporation. This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

IF YOU GO
WHAT: “Brunch at Tiffany’s” garden fundraiser
WHEN: Saturday, May 14, 2022, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, Del. 19806
COST: $95-$115
INFO: delart.org

Exhibition Series Celebrates Contemporary Artists’ Impact in Greater Brandywine Valley

The Delaware Art Museum celebrates the career of e. jean lanyon with a Distinguished Artist exhibition, “e. jean lanyon: The Magic Language.” The exhibition includes nearly 70 objects attributed to the Delaware artist, dating from the 1950s through 2021. Each illustration, painting, print, book, and more, utilizes that essential element of art—the line—to deftly convey a story. The celebration kicks off with an exhibition opening and poetry reading on Saturday, April 9, 2022, at 1 p.m. and the exhibition will remain on view in the Ammon Galleries at the Delaware Art Museum through Sunday, August 7, 2022. Both the opening and the exhibition are included with Museum admission.

lanyon is well known for her work as a visual artist and poet, and she has woven these two creative impulses together throughout her life. She has deep ties to the visual and literary arts in Delaware and has committed to sharing her knowledge with students. Her legacy is rooted in the artistic communities of Delaware and surrounding states.

“e. jean is in, and of, the literary and visual arts community,” says Margaret Winslow, Curator of Contemporary Art. “She was part of that avant garde movement both in Wilmington and Newark that took off in the 1970s, and throughout her career, has explored poetry and art simultaneously, weaving them together.”

Two topics are often the focus of lanyon’s written works and illustrations—nature and the human experience.

“As a city child, small expeditions into parks of countryside were wonderful experiences,” lanyon says. “Even then I wanted so much to bring my visual adventures to life on paper or canvas for others to see and somehow share.”

Educated at Goddard College and Chouinard Art Institute, lanyon went on to be appointed Poet Laureate of the State of Delaware in 1979. In her 22 years serving in this role, she worked to encourage the broad appreciation of poetry across the state. The Biggs Museum of American Art presented the retrospective, “As the Poet Paints,” in 2012, broadly surveying her published works and plein air watercolors.

Winslow adds, “e. jean has a love for the Museum and our collections. As a young person, seeing the work of Howard Pyle was very influential and she would make study drawings from our Bancroft Pre-Raphaelite collection. She wanted to be an illustrator, and, of course, to be an artist, and studying illustrators such as Pyle proved influential on her dual paths in the literary and visual arts.”

The Distinguished Artist Series is a celebration of those artists who have impacted contemporary art in the greater Brandywine Valley through their artistic practices, teaching, and support of the community and its various institutions. Through unique exhibitions, this series surveys artists’ legacies as they relate to local, national, and international trends.

To ensure compliance with current COVID-19 policies at any time, visit our website.

For more information about the exhibition, visit delart.org.

“e. jean lanyon: The Magic Language” was organized by the Delaware Art Museum. This exhibition is made possible by the Edgar A. Thronson Foundation Illustration Exhibition Fund. Additional support was provided, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: e. jean lanyon: The Magic Language
WHEN: April 9 – August 7, 2022
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19806
COST: Included with Admission
INFO: delart.org

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

Image: Cover (detail), 1972, for Viewpoint 2, no. 2 (November 1972). e. jean lanyon (born 1935). Ink on paper, composition: 13 3/4 × 9 7/8 inches, sheet: 16 × 11 inches. Courtesy of the artist. © e. jean lanyon.

Black History Month performance presented in partnership with Freire Charter School’s Blackout Experience

The Delaware Art Museum presents a new performance by Richard Raw and the Word Warrior Band on Thursday, March 10th at 5:00 p.m. at The Queen in downtown Wilmington (500 N. Market St.). The work premieres as part of Shades of Excellence: The Blackout Experience, Freire Charter School’s annual event celebrating Black History Month that honors the cultural contributions, past and present, of people of the African diaspora. Students will blend Afro-Caribbean, Afro-Indigenous, and Black American culture to honor African Heritage, and the event will be headlined by Richard Raw’s new work.

Raw’s performance will tell the story of a boy returning to Africa after 400 years of separation, greeting his ancestors and indigenous heritage. The performance will feature poetry, storytelling and African dancing with appearances by Ile Igoke Temple and stage design by The Stylistics. Raw will premiere songs from his forthcoming album Orisa Soul Music.

“We welcome the Wilmington community to join us at The Queen for this much-anticipated new performance,” says Saralyn Rosenfield, Director of Learning and Engagement at the Delaware Art Museum. “Richard Raw’s commission aligns with the Museum’s work to connect people with art and to highlight the strength and legacy of artists working in our city.” Shades of Excellence continues DelArt’s series of commissions supporting the creation of new art and performance by national and local artists of color over the past 5 years.

Richard Raw combines soul with hip-hop and invigorating, thought-provoking lyrics. He works as a community activist, using his lyrics and performances as tools to inspire and educate the next generation. Raw was awarded a 2021 Established Artist grant by the Delaware Division of the Arts for his music. Once Iz Balleto, Community Engagement Specialist at the Delaware Art Museum, heard about the student-centered Blackout Experience, he identified the opportunity to bring in Richard Raw and the Word Warrior Band to amplify Black excellence. This format supports the Museum’s mission, creates a new partnership between Freire and DelArt, and aligns with Richard Raw’s artistic practice.

“Freire Schools is thrilled to be extending the reach of our annual event honoring Black History Month by partnering with the Delaware Art Museum,” said Freire Charter Wilmington Co-Head of School Nate Durant, ” Every day we are preparing our students for college and beyond, and that happens both inside and outside of the classroom. When students are afforded opportunities like this Blackout Experience to elevate their voice, celebrate their history, and join with their community to advocate for what they believe in, it is transformative, not just for our school but for our whole community. We look forward to welcoming Richard Raw and the Word Warrior Band and celebrating the many “Shades of Excellence” that shine daily at Freire Wilmington and in our city.”

Tickets for this March 10, 5 p.m. show are available to the general public at $15.00 and can be purchased at www.delart.org.

This performance is made possible through a grant from the TD Bank Charitable Foundation. This performance is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts. This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit www.delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

Media Contact: Amelia Wiggins, Director of Communications & Engagement | awiggins@delart.org

“Louis Comfort Tiffany: Treasures from the Driehaus Collection” spans 30 years of glass art and is accompanied by special events throughout the spring.

On March 12, a glittering display of glass art opens at the Delaware Art Museum. “Louis Comfort Tiffany: Treasures from the Driehaus Collection” features more than 60 objects, spanning over 30 years of Tiffany’s prolific career. Special Tiffany events scheduled throughout the spring offer opportunities to celebrate beauty.

The exhibition showcases Louis Comfort Tiffany’s world-renowned artistry in blown, folded, colored, and faceted glass objects. The stunning windows, famous lamps, and elegant vases from Chicago’s distinguished Richard H. Driehaus collection demonstrate Tiffany’s innovative approach to the material.

“This exhibition invites visitors to imagine elegant Gilded Age interiors of the past while enjoying the glorious color and exquisite craftsmanship of Tiffany objects on display at the Museum,” says Dr. Heather Campbell Coyle, Chief Curator and Curator of American Art. “We invite the public to admire the beauty of glass art and learn more about the techniques and artisans that created it.”

Museum programs offer opportunities to look closer at Tiffany works and their makers. Visitors can enjoy intimate Tiffany tours and family programming during opening weekend. Spring Happy Hour Previews with live music are planned for the evenings of March 24 and April 29. Also on April 29, Metropolitan Museum of Art Curator Alice Cooney Frelinghuysen will give a lecture on Tiffany glass. Finally, the public is invited to Brunch at Tiffany’s, a garden party benefit for the Museum on May 14 featuring local artists.

A free audio tour accompanies the exhibition, and a catalogue is available for purchase. Art lovers are encouraged to extend their visit to the Museum with stops in the new boutique café, Kaffeina, and the Museum Store to browse Tiffany-inspired merchandise

IF YOU GO:

WHAT: “Louis Comfort Tiffany: Treasures from the Driehaus Collection”
WHEN: March 12 – June 5, 2022

Special Exhibition Tours Sundays at 2:15 p.m.
Family Day Sunday, March 13, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Spring Happy Hour Previews Thursday evening, March 24 & Friday evening, April 29
Tiffany Talk Friday, April 29, 5 p.m.
Brunch at Tiffany’s Saturday, May 14, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

WHERE: Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Pkwy, Wilmington, DE 19806
COST: Free with Museum admission
INFO: delart.org

Please visit delart.org for full information, including COVID-19 policies and program registration.

Press Contact: Amelia Wiggins, Director of Communications & Engagement, awiggins@delart.org or 302-351-8503.

Louis Comfort Tiffany: Treasures from the Driehaus Collection was organized by the Richard H. Driehaus Museum and is toured by International Arts & Artists, Washington, DC. This exhibition is made possible through the generosity of Sewell C. Biggs and foundations including the Choptank Foundation. This exhibition is sponsored by M&T Bank and made possible in Delaware by the Hallie Tybout Exhibition Fund for American Art and the Johannes R. and Betty P. Krahmer American Art Exhibition Fund. This exhibition is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

The Philadelphia-based figurative artist vibrantly interprets the life of Pre-Raphaelite Elizabeth Siddal in upcoming show at the Delaware Art Museum.

Opening February 26 at the Delaware Art Museum, ‘I Wake Again’: Holly Trostle Brigham on Elizabeth Siddal showcases a contemporary painter’s efforts to champion a female artist of the past. Holly Trostle Brigham’s art investigates the life of under-recognized Pre-Raphaelite artist Elizabeth Siddal. Siddal’s works are also on display at the Museum.

Brigham’s elaborate artist’s book is a highlight of the exhibition, combining drawings, poetry, and rich decoration. The exhibition also includes watercolor, Arts & Crafts-style tiles, a printed textile, and a decorated screen. These mixed media works evoke the time and life of Elizabeth Siddal. Siddal is best known as a muse to the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, but she was an artist and writer herself.

“Lizzy’s story immediately inspired me,” says exhibition artist and co-curator Holly Trostle Brigham. “She had a short but active career as an artist at a time when women had no pathways to artistic careers, yet she is remembered only as a model. I wanted to recover her true identity as a creator and trailblazer.” Brigham drew upon the works by Siddal in the Delaware Art Museum’s permanent collection for inspiration.

“Holly Trostle Brigham brilliantly combines rich symbolism, historical detail, and vibrant imagination to re-present this largely forgotten female artist,” says Margaretta Frederick, Annette Woolard-Provine Curator of the Bancroft Collection. “This exhibition rewards looking closely and looking again. We can’t wait to share it with our visitors.”

‘I Wake Again’ continues a series of recent exhibitions featuring contemporary artists looking back on historical figures, part of the Delaware Art Museum’s wider work to expand and diversify the stories told with art.

Visitors can view ‘I Wake Again’ through May 29, and learn more from the artist during several programs planned this spring, both at the Museum and online. Holly Trostle Brigham will give artist talks in the gallery on February 27 and April 10 at 2 p.m., host a Virtual Art Chat on March 3 at Noon, and teach artists of all levels to design textiles on March 26. Audiences can find full details and registration at delart.org.

Holly Trostle Brigham’s art will also be on view in a concurrent exhibit at the Somerville Manning Gallery from March 4 through March 26. Full details at somervillemanning.com.

IF YOU GO:

WHAT: ‘I Wake Again’: Holly Trostle Brigham on Elizabeth Siddal
WHEN: February 26 – May 29, 2022
Artist Talks on Sunday, February 27, 2 p.m., and Sunday, April 10, 1 p.m.
Virtual Art Chat on Thursday, March 3, Noon
Create Your Own Textile Pattern with the Artist, Saturday, March 26.
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Pkwy, Wilmington, DE 19806
COST: Free with Museum admission
INFO: delart.org

Proof of COVID-19 vaccination required. Full information and registration at delart.org.

‘I Wake Again’: Holly Trostle Brigham on Elizabeth Siddal is curated by Brigham and Margaretta Frederick, Annette Woolard-Provine Curator of the Bancroft Pre-Raphaelite Collection. This exhibition was organized by the Delaware Art Museum. This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

Press Contact: Amelia Wiggins, Director of Communications & Engagement, awiggins@delart.org or 302-351-8503.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

Image: “Elizabeth Siddal as Mariana,” 2021. Holly Trostle Brigham (born 1965). Watercolor on Arches paper. Courtesy of the artist. © Holly Trostle Brigham.

Opening January 22 at the Delaware Art Museum, the exhibition features portraits of 160 outstanding women from across the state.

A special exhibition featuring 160 members of the Delaware Women’s Hall of Fame opens January 22 at the Delaware Art Museum. To mark the 40th anniversary of the prestigious award, the Office of Women’s Advancement and Advocacy commissioned Delaware artist Theresa Walton to create portraits of every woman inducted. The exhibition celebrates the tremendous achievement of women from across the state in a variety of professional fields.

Portraits of Hall of Fame inductees include, former Governor Ruth Ann Minner, U.S. Representative Lisa Blunt-Rochester, Delaware Children’s Theatre founder Marie Swajeski, educators Dr. Jill Biden and Dr. Reba Hollingsworth, and community leader Maria Matos, among others.

“The Delaware Women’s Hall of Fame and this exhibition both celebrate and teach visitors about women’s contributions to our state, while inspiring the next generation of Delawareans to positively impact our society as artists, athletes, community advocates, military personnel, public servants, scientists, teachers and more,“ says Melanie Ross Levin, Delaware’s Director of the Office of Women’s Advancement & Advocacy.

“We are thrilled to celebrate these brilliant women and partner with the Office of Women’s Advancement & Advocacy on their important work,” says DelArt Executive Director Molly Giordano. “This exhibition strengthens the Museum’s efforts to expand and diversify the stories we tell with art.”. The Delaware Art Museum has long collected women artists, but recently reinstalled its galleries to put more work by women on display.

The public is invited to view the portraits of women in the Delaware Women’s Hall of Fame from January 22 through March 20 at Museum. In conjunction with the exhibit, the Office of Women’s Advancement & Advocacy has also launched a website that features all 160 portraits and accompanying biographical information.

Applications for the 2022 Delaware Women’s Hall of Fame are now open and can be found at de.gov/women.

Sponsors: ‘Delaware Women’s Hall of Fame: Celebrating 40 Years’ was organized by the Office of Women’s Advancement & Advocacy and the Delaware Art Museum. The exhibition is supported by the Delaware Department of Human Resources and the Delaware Women’s Hall of Fame Committee. Additional support is provided, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

IF YOU GO
WHAT: ‘Delaware Women’s Hall of Fame: Celebrating 40 Years’
WHEN: January 22 – March 20 during Museum open hours, Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum, Orientation Hall
COST: Free after Museum admission.
INFO: delart.org

Proof of vaccination and masks required inside the Museum; full info at delart.org.

Left to right: Muriel E. Gilman, 2005. Chandra Pitts, 2016. Val Whiting, 2007. Theresa Walton.

Annual Day of Service Focuses on Community Clean-ups and Youth Support

The Delaware Art Museum once again partners with the Wilmington community, starting with a free Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service Kickoff on Monday, January 17, 2022 at 9:30 a.m. The holiday honors the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a national day of service that celebrates the civil rights leader’s life and legacy, and the Museum arranges volunteer opportunities with partners throughout the city.

Community Engagement Specialist Iz Balleto says, “The Museum’s participation in this day of service matters. We choose to be a part of a solution when it comes to being a part of a community that needs healing.”

Planned activities include an outdoor kickoff celebration at the Museum from 9:30—10:30 a.m. with performances by Jea Street, Jr. and the Wilmington Children’s Chorus, as well as remarks by State Senator Elizabeth Lockman and State Representative Sherry Dorsey. Participants may then depart the Museum destined for volunteer sites, where work will take place from 11 a.m to 1 p.m. The volunteer sites include:

Westside Grows Together (8th Street Bridge at Adams Street, Wilmington, Del.) – Outdoor community clean-up along the United Way Bridge. West Side Grows Together is the coalition of residents, businesses, churches, and local leadership from the Cool Spring, Hilltop, Little Italy and The Flats neighborhoods which organizes this annual cleanup event and march.

Teen Warehouse (1121 Thatcher St., Wilmington, Del.) – Outdoor community street clean-up. Teen Warehouse is a dynamic space in Northeast Wilmington designed for teens by teens that provides city youth with the tools and opportunities needed to become confident, courageous, and contributing young adults who will make a positive difference in our world.

One Village Alliance (31 W. 31st St., Wilmington, Del.) – Community service projects and mentorship program for Raising Kings Week. One Village Alliance’s mission is to grow historically marginalized youth into their true greatness through education, economic development and the arts.

Participants may also visit the Museum and Afro-American Images 1971: The Vision of Percy Ricks. The Museum is open free of charge, 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on January 17. Proof of vaccination and masks are required inside the Museum.

Registration is required for participants of all ages, and participants are urged to dress for outdoor activities and cleanup.

This event is a partnership with One Village Alliance, Westside Grows, The Teen Warehouse, 302gunsdown, and Guerrilla Republik. This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

For more information, visit our website or contact Amelia Wiggins, Director of Communications and Engagement, at awiggins@delart.org or 302-351-8503.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service Kickoff
WHEN: Monday, January 17, 2022, 9:30 a.m.
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum, Fusco Hall
COST: Free
INFO: delart.org

“Afro-American Images 1971: The Vision of Percy Ricks” on view at the Delaware Art Museum with interactive programming through January 23

On view only through January 23, 2022, “Afro-American Images 1971: The Vision of Percy Ricks” honors the 50th anniversary of a groundbreaking exhibition of Black art that celebrates the legacy of Wilmington artist and educator Percy Ricks. Ricks founded the Wilmington-based artist collective Aesthetic Dynamics, Inc. and mounted “Afro-American Images 1971” to emphasize the influence of African American artists in Wilmington.

Presented by the Delaware Art Museum and Aesthetic Dynamics, Inc., the restaging of “Afro-American Images 1971″ brings back together nearly 100 works of art by nationally-known artists like Romare Bearden, Sam Gilliam, Alma Thomas, and Faith Ringgold, as well as local luminaries Edward Loper, Sr. and Edward Loper, Jr.

To commemorate the last month of the show, Delaware Art Museum will present rich programming celebrating African American culture, including:

Virtual Inside Look Discussion of Ernest Crichlow’s Waiting
Friday, January 14, Noon & Saturday, January 15, 1 p.m., on Zoom. Free.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service Kickoff
Monday, January 17, 9:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. Outdoors. Free.

Virtual Panel Discussion: The Vision of Percy Ricks, Presented by PNC Arts Alive
Sunday, January 23, 2 p.m., on Zoom. Free.

Pre-Registration is required for all programs, and full details are available at delart.org/whats-on.

On Monday, January 17, all are invited to a Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service Kickoff at the Museum. In the morning, remarks and performances will take place outdoors at the Museum. Volunteers will then embark to service projects in the community. The Museum and the special exhibition are open with free admission for all on MLK Day.

“One of the most significant shows in the state of Delaware was Percy Ricks’ Afro-American Images 1971,” says Dr. James E. Newton, University of Delaware Professor Emeritus and an Aesthetic Dynamics member. Contemporary Art Curator Margaret Winslow shares, “Aesthetic Dynamics Inc. and the Delaware Art Museum embarked on this project to ensure that Percy Ricks, his legacy, the work that he has done to support the art community in Wilmington is thoroughly documented.” Ricks’ lasting impact on Wilmington’s culture will be the subject of a virtual panel discussion by community leaders on Sunday, January 23, the closing day of the exhibition.

“I think it’s so important that 50 years later, there’s a whole new audience to see this wonderful work, to see this large exhibition that Percy Ricks brought to Wilmington,” shares Marilyn Whittington, Director Emerita of Delaware Humanities and advisor to the exhibition.

“Afro-American Images 1971: The Vision of Percy Ricks” represents a multi-year collaboration between the Delaware Art Museum and members of the community, signifying an important moment in the Museum’s ongoing process of re-establishing itself as an inclusive artistic hub for the city of Wilmington. The Advisory Committee for this exhibition consists of humanities scholars, community leaders, and members of Aesthetic Dynamics, Inc. with strong understanding of art history, American history, social justice, and the creativity of Black artists. Members include Beatrice (Bebe) Coker, James E. Newton, Jeanne Nutter, Marilyn Whittington, Arnold Hurtt, Julie McGee, Rita Volkens, Colette Gaiter, Kelli Morgan, Harmon Carey, and Raye Jones-Avery. Organizers and Sponsors: This exhibition was organized by the Delaware Art Museum and Aesthetic Dynamics, Inc. This exhibition is made possible by the Johannes R. and Betty P. Krahmer American Art Exhibition Fund and the Emily DuPont Exhibition Fund. This exhibition and its related programming are made possible through grants from the Jessie Ball duPont Fund, PNC Arts Alive, DuPont, Corteva Agriscience, Bank of America Charitable Foundation, and the TD Charitable Foundation. This exhibition is sponsored by AARP and M&T Bank. Additional support provided by The News Journal. This project is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

Press Contact: Amelia Wiggins, Director of Communications & Engagement, awiggins@delart.org or 302-351-8503.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

Waiting, 1968. Ernest Crichlow (1914–2005). Lithograph, composition: 12 × 11 1/2 inches, sheet: 18 1/2 × 13 3/4 inches. Delaware Art Museum, Acquisition Fund, 2019. © Estate of Ernest Crichlow.

December’s Indoor and Outdoor Arts Events Offer Holiday Inspiration

The Delaware Art Museum’s December calendar is brimming with rich activities for people of every age. The annual Winter Arts Festival brings regional artisans together in an al fresco market. Visitors are invited to enjoy the performance “Celebrate! Pyxis at the Holidays” inside the Museum, and to watch a livestream of highlights of Wilmington Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” from home. Family 2nd Sunday engages children and their families with free artmaking in the studios.

On Tuesday, December 7, 2021, 8:30 p.m., the Museum will livestream portions of “The Nutcracker” for subscribers and other viewers for a cost of $5. Ahead of its December 17, 2021 opening at The Playhouse on Rodney Square, the Wilmington Ballet and guests will perform a half hour preview of the beloved seasonal ballet. Performing with the backdrop of the Delaware Art Museum’s Fusco Hall will help Wilmington Ballet build excitement for the company’s 53rd year of performing this winter classic. For information and tickets, visit Wilmington Ballet’s website.

On Thursday, December 9, 2021, 8 p.m., DelArt presents “Celebrate! Pyxis at the Holidays” with the Museum’s classical ensemble-in-residence. Luigi Mazzocchi (violin), Jennifer Jie Jin (cello), and Hiroko Yamazaki (piano) will play as a trio in Fusco Hall, exploring a wealth of classical and contemporary piano trio literature, including instrumental versions of Gustav Holst’s “In the Bleak Midwinter,” Mel Torme’s “The Christmas Song,” Paul Schoenfeld’s “Café Music” and Astor Piazzolla’s “Cuatro Estacionas Porteñas” (also known as “The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires”). Guests may arrive early for a 7:30 p.m. curator talk prior to the 8 p.m. concert. Tickets are $30 for Members and $35 for Non-Members.

On Saturday, December 11, 2021, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., the Museum offers shopping and seasonal festivities such as strolling carolers, for its Winter Arts Festival, which once again takes place outdoors in the Copeland Sculpture Garden. For the first time, a trackless train and conductor will glide through the festival grounds, providing rides for children. Regional artisans and quality jewelers will offer gifts for sale. Gourmet food sponsored by ShopRite, as well as hot and cold soft drinks and cocktails, will be available for purchase. In addition, the warm and welcoming Museum Store will offer literary and artistic gift ideas, with special festival discounts.

Vendors as of the date of publication include:

Classic Elegance – Quality Hand-made Leather Gifts and Seating
Sassy Bee Honey – Raw and Infused Honey, Natural Bath, Body and Beard Products, Beeswax Candles and Bee Hotels
Olga Ganoudis Designs – Jewelry
East Coast Sweets – Handcrafted Artisan Chocolates
Fusions Taster’s Choice – Ultra Premium Olive Oils and Balsamic Vinegars
Linda Majewski, Paper Greenhouse – Paper Botanicals
Luxe Charcuterie – Custom-made Charcuterie Boxes and Boards
Evon Brumberger – Tote Bags
Kelly Martin – Paper Hibiscus – Paper Quilling & Paper Clay
Anna Biggs Designs – Hand Carved Gold and Silver Jewelry
Angela Colasanti of Life Artfully Told – Sterling Silver Jewelry and Pewter Keepsakes
Samara Weaver – Ceramics, Porcelain Jewelry and Fine Art
Hope’s Caramels – Soft, Artisan Caramels and Other Caramel Products
Blue Jar Studio – Photography, Visual Arts
Nodajs Touch – Soaps, Bath Bombs, Scrubs, Beauty Products
SunSobo LLC – All Natural Hibiscus and Ginger Tea
HEOS Ceramics – Ceramics
Meaghan Paige – A Women’s and Kids Clothing Brand

The festival is free for Members and $5 for Non-Members, with limited reserved timed tickets available. Admission to the festival includes entry to the Museum the day of the event. In case of inclement weather, festival activities will move inside.

Sunday, December 12, 2021, 10 a.m. — 1 p.m., the Museum welcomes children up to 12 years of age and their families to experience Family 2nd Sunday in the Children’s Studio. Each month, guests explore a new medium or technique from a professional teaching artist. Guests create a work of art inspired by a piece in the Museum’s collection. While the event is free, registration (including for adults) is strongly recommended due to limited seating.

On-site event capacity is limited, and either registration for every event is required. Register at delart.org.

Adults will be asked to provide proof of vaccination to visit indoors; all children ages 2-17, regardless of vaccination status, must wear face coverings inside the Museum and studios. Social distancing of 3 feet should be maintained between parties. Masks should be worn by all guests during group gallery tours and indoor family and youth programs. The Museum’s full COVID-19 policies are listed here.

The Winter Arts Festival is sponsored by Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware, Shoprite, and Delmarva Power. This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Wilmington Ballet “The Nutcracker” Livestream
WHEN: Tuesday, December 7, 2021, 8:30 p.m.
WHERE: Online
COST: $5
INFO: delart.org

WHAT: “Celebrate! Pyxis at the Holidays”
WHEN: Thursday, December 9, 2021, 8 p.m., with a 7:30 p.m. curator tour
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum, Fusco Hall
COST: $30 for Members, $35 for Non-Members
INFO: “delart.org”

WHAT: Winter Arts Festival
WHEN: Saturday, December 11, 2021, 10 a.m. — 4 p.m.
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum grounds
COST: Free for Members, $5 for Non-Members, timed tickets required
INFO: delart.org

WHAT: Family 2nd Sunday
WHEN: Sunday, December 12, 2021, 10 a.m. — 1 p.m.
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum Children’s Studio
COST: Free, registration required
INFO: delart.org

November Event Activities Draw Inspiration from Afro-American Images Exhibition

The Delaware Art Museum’s November Family 2nd Sunday turns its attention to “Afro-American Images 1971: The Vision of Percy Ricks” with free art activities, performances, and family tours on November 14, 2021, 12-3:30 p.m. The November event is presented by PNC Arts Alive.

This monthly series allows children up to 12 years of age and their families to experience an activity that explores a new medium or technique from a professional teaching artist. Guests create a work of art inspired by that month’s theme.

The November Family 2nd Sunday features art activities inspired by the vibrant and dynamic artwork featured in “Afro-American Images 1971.” Guests will enjoy an African dance and drumming performance by Kamau O. Ngom at 1:30 p.m. and a magic show with Gregory Graham at 2:15 p.m., both members of artist collective Aesthetic Dynamics, Inc. All performances will be livestreamed on the Museum’s social media pages.

Rayna DeReus, the Museum’s Studio and Youth Programs Coordinator, says, “We hope families will be inspired by pieces in the exhibition. We cannot wait to see the works of art the children create through colorful mixed media collage.”

The mixed media collage activity will focus on the art of Romare Bearden, Faith Ringgold and Alma Thomas, three of the artists from the exhibition.

Percy Ricks was the founder of Aesthetic Dynamics, Inc., which, in 1971 presented its first major undertaking: the exhibition of over 130 works of art—drawings, prints, photographs, paintings, and sculpture—by 66 African American artists. Numerous factors led to artist Ricks’ founding of Aesthetic Dynamics and the organization’s ambitious inaugural exhibition, most notably the trauma suffered from the 1968 assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the subsequent nine-month National Guard occupation of Wilmington. Ricks set out to emphasize the influence of African American artists in Wilmington.

For its 50th anniversary, Aesthetic Dynamics, Inc. and the Delaware Art Museum revisit this momentous historic exhibition with a new exhibition, which opened October 23 and runs through January 23, 2022.

Registration for each attendee (including adults) is encouraged as seating is limited in the auditorium and studio. Register at delart.org.

Adults will be asked to provide proof of vaccination to be indoors; all persons ages 2 and older are required to wear masks indoors for this event. The Museum’s COVID-19 policies are listed here.

This Family 2nd Sunday is presented by PNC Arts Alive. This program was made possible by the Delaware Community Foundation. This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

IF YOU GO
WHAT: Afro-American Images 1971 Family Day, presented by PNC Arts Alive
WHEN: Sunday, November 14, 2021, 12-3:30 p.m.
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19806
COST: Free
INFO: delart.org

MBDance showcases new work “Desire: A Sankofa Dream”

The Delaware Art Museum presents MBDance and the original performative work “Desire: A Sankofa Dream,” created and directed by celebrated choreographer Maria Bauman-Morales. There will be two show times, both presented at the Delaware College of Art and Design (600 N. Market St.) on Saturday November 13th at 7:30 and Sunday November 14th at 6:00 p.m.

“Desire” is a site responsive and interactive work designed as a healing performance-ritual built around Black Queer survival techniques developed long before the current pandemic but wholly relevant as individuals try to survive and thrive in this time of sickness, anger, isolation and insistence on improved ways of life.

“Imagination and choice-making are at the crux of this duet. Coming into the next phase of the pandemic, and always, it is imperative that we all get in touch with what we want, how to enact that, and how the boundaries and catalysts of other folks’ desires interact with our own wants. We are excited to bring this in-person, masked, immersive duet version of “Desire: A Sankofa Dream” to Wilmington so that we can practice choice-making together within the transcendent framework of art,” says Maria Bauman-Morales, executive and artistic director of MBDance.

“This performance piece will immerse attendees into the show itself. The audience (called witness/participant) will be seated throughout the performance space, which is itself an installation of lines and angles as two masked dancers weave in and out of the audience. “Desire” continues the tradition of the Delaware Art Museum to present new, dynamic works of art in multiple mediums.” says Dr. Jamē McCray, 2021 Delaware Division of the Arts Fellowship recipient in dance, and thought provocateur for this performance. Dr. McCray will lead a 30-minute discussion about the creative process behind “Desire” with MBDance Artistic Director Maria Baumann-Morales following Saturday’s performance.

For the safety of all audience members, those attending the performance must wear a mask and complete DCAD’s health screening form for contact tracing purposes upon arrival for the performance each evening.

This performance is made possible through a grant from the TD Charitable Foundation. This performance is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts. This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

About MBDance

Maria Bauman-Morales founded MBDance in 2009. MBDance creates honest and bold art from a sense of physical and emotional power, an insistence on equity, and a fascination with intimacy and relationship. In particular, MBDance centers the non-linear and linear stories and bodies of queer people of color onstage, using dance as the wheel whose spokes are multiple other genres including visual art, text, and song. www.desire.mbdance.net

About the Delaware College of Art and Design

In 1997, Pratt Institute and the Corcoran College of Art and Design came together in an innovative partnership that formed the bedrock of DCAD. With the support of two of America’s oldest and most distinguished arts colleges, DCAD blossomed into a lively institution offering students a cutting-edge spin on a prestigious art education. Now operating as an independent institution, DCAD provides one of the richest opportunities available in American art and design education today.

The vibrant history of Downtown Wilmington is deeply rooted in DCAD’s identity. The main building — which houses classrooms, administrative offices, and the Toni and Stuart B. Young Gallery — still boasts the original Art Deco detailing from its construction in 1932. The building, which once housed the Delmarva Power headquarters, features original metal detailing and unique facades. Preserving this piece of history is a testament to DCAD’s appreciation for fine arts, and it remains one of the most striking features of tbe campus. DCAD’s main building has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1985.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: “Desire: A Sankofa Dream” performance by MBDance
WHEN: Saturday November 13th at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday November 14th at 6:00 p.m.
WHERE: Delaware College of Art and Design, 600 N. Market Street, Wilmington, DE
COST: $15 per night, $25 both nights, Students: Free
INFO: delart.org

Media Contact: Amelia Wiggins, Director of Communications & Engagement | awiggins@delart.org

Historic Wilmington-based artist collective returns, featuring Jazz performances by Arnold Hurtt and the Funk Factory Band, Wayne Morgan Band

The Delaware Art Museum presents a pair of jazz shows this fall during the upcoming exhibition Afro-American Images: The Vision of Percy Ricks highlighting the multi-disciplinary diversity of Aesthetic Dynamics’ membership. Arnold Hurtt, the current vice president of Aesthetic Dynamics, will take the stage at the Delaware Art Museum on Sunday, November 7, at 1:30 p.m. with his group, Arnold Hurtt and the Funk Factory Band. On Sunday, December 5 the Museum will present the Wayne Morgan Band–a quartet that features Wayne Morgan on drums with its sound anchored by Hammond B3 organ. These jazz performances play homage to the many artistic disciplines brought together under Percy Rick’s vision.

Arnold Hurtt and the Funk Factory Band has been singing and playing rhythm and blues together since childhood. Hurtt will lead the 5-piece ensemble, on trumpet. The Wayne Morgan Quartet is a mix of jazz, rhythm and blues that pays tribute to Wilmington’s history as an organ jazz town. Both bands will play live music for in-person guests at the Museum, with a virtual livestream option for audiences at home.

Afro-American Images: The Vision of Percy Ricks looks back on the moment in Wilmington’s history, February 1961, when African American artist collective Aesthetic Dynamics presented its first major undertaking: an exhibition of over 130 works of art by 66 African American artists. This exhibition will include most of the artists who participated in the 1971 show, many known locally, and pair the exhibition with dynamic jazz performances. “Ricks loved music. He loved all kinds of music like jazz and rhythm & blues. That’s how we paired up,” remembers Aesthetic Dynamics member and jazz performer Arnold Hurtt.

These performances are made possible by support provided through the PNC Arts Alive initiative that is funded by the PNC Foundation. The livestreaming of these performances is sponsored by AARP. This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

IF YOU GO:

WHAT: Arnold Hurtt & The Funk Factory Band
WHEN: Sunday, November 7, 2021, 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
INFO: delart.org

WHAT: Wayne Morgan Quartet
WHEN: Sunday, December 5, 2021, 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
INFO: delart.org

WHERE: Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Pkwy, Wilmington, DE 19806
COST: Tickets to each performance are $10 Members, $15 Non-Members, $10 Virtual

Press Contact: Amelia Wiggins, Director of Communications & Engagement, awiggins@delart.org or 302-351-8503.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Free Día de los Muertos Event Offers Performances and Activities

The Delaware Art Museum presents the fourth annual Día de los Muertos: Walking Among the Ancestors event on Saturday, October 30, 2021, from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Guests of all ages can experience a variety of activities, such as an Indigenous ceremony, labyrinth walk and contribute to ofrendas by bringing pictures of loved ones and food to leave at the altars.

Community Engagement Specialist Iz Balleto says, “We are grateful that the Museum continues to open doors to the Indigenous community and properly educate people on traditions.” He adds, “There has been an explosion of knowledge and now more people than ever are aware of some of the elements of Día de los Muertos. It’s important for us to demonstrate that it’s not just a party, it’s a ceremony.”

Día de los Muertos is observed in Mexico and other countries in the days leading up to All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, and, therefore, is often conflated with a Halloween traditions. However, the holiday combines the celebration of those who have passed with reverence for the act of mourning, and is neither scary nor prank oriented.

This year’s event honors ancestors and pays respect to people lost through gun violence in Wilmington. The Museum has engaged Catrinamia, the skeletal embodiment of a well-to-do woman who has passed, as host of the ceremony planned for 11 a.m., with emcee India Colón.

Balleto says, “It’s magical to see Catrinamia performing in front of you, especially for the children. Catrinamia is a symbol that lets people know that death doesn’t miss a house, and that it’s all how you honor death. You see the beauty and not the fear.”

Dance performances by “Campantlanezi” Danza Azteca del Anahuac and Nanticoke Jingle Dancers will honor Indigenous culture and represent different tribes, with more performances by Ballet Mexico Lindo, Seylin Abarca, Mariachi Arrieros and the Black Diamond Dance Collective. In the auditorium, the Museum is screening “CatrinaMia” by Irving Viveros, a short film which documents Rosa Ruiz’ artistry. Arts and crafts tables will be available and La Payasita Ranita will be on site to entertain children.

Food by Los Gallos Mexican Taqueria and Los Taquitos de Puebla and beverages will be available for sale.

Most of the event takes place outdoors, however, proof of vaccination is required to explore the Museum galleries. The Museum’s COVID-19 policies are listed here.

Although this is a free event, registration is strongly encouraged. To register, or for more information on the event, delart.org. In the event of bad weather, the program will either be delayed or canceled.

Sponsored by the Center for Interventional Pain & Spine, Hoy en Delaware, Nuestras Raices Delaware, Salon Ruby, the Latin American Community Center, Black Diamonds Dance Collective, Guerrilla Republik, and 302GUNSDOWN. This program is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

IF YOU GO
WHAT: Día de los Muertos: Walking Among the Ancestors
WHEN: Saturday, October 30, 2021, 11 a.m.—4 p.m.
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19806
COST: Free; registration required.
INFO: delart.org

“Afro-American Images 1971: The Vision of Percy Ricks” opens at the Delaware Art Museum on October 23.

Opening October 23, 2021, “Afro-American Images 1971: The Vision of Percy Ricks” honors the 50th anniversary of a groundbreaking exhibition of Black art. Presented by the Delaware Art Museum and Aesthetic Dynamics, Inc., the show will be accompanied by rich programming celebrating African American culture.

Visitors to the Delaware Art Museum will view a restaging of the historic exhibition “Afro-American Images 1971.” Nearly 100 works of art by nationally-known artists like Romare Bearden, Sam Gilliam, Alma Thomas, and Faith Ringgold, as well as local luminaries Edward Loper, Sr. and Edward Loper, Jr., will be on display. The show is accompanied by robust programming including performances, gallery talks, and a family day.

The exhibition celebrates the legacy of Wilmington artist and educator Percy Ricks. Ricks founded the Wilmington-based artist collective Aesthetic Dynamics, Inc. and mounted “Afro-American Images 1971” to emphasize the influence of African American artists in Wilmington. “Aesthetic Dynamics Inc. and the Delaware Art Museum embarked on this project to ensure that Percy Ricks, his legacy, the work that he has done to support the art community in Wilmington is thoroughly documented,” states Margaret Winslow, Curator of Contemporary Art. “We look forward to celebrating Ricks’ vision with visitors this fall through the many exciting events planned at the Museum.”

Performances will feature live and online music by Aesthetic Dynamics members: Arnold Hurt & Funk Factory on November 7 and Wayne Morgan Band on December 5, both at 1:30 p.m. On November 6, artist Oliver Patrick Scott will lead a gallery talk, and the public is invited to participate in a Wikipedia Edit-A-Thon to support the documentation of artists in the exhibition. A Family Day on November 14 and the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service at the Museum will further connect visitors with Black artists and performers.

“This fall, we look forward to sharing the dynamic artists, past and present, who shape our city,” says Saralyn Rosenfield, Director of Learning & Engagement. “There are opportunities for visitors of every age to experience this powerful exhibition.”

Organizers and Sponsors: This exhibition was organized by the Delaware Art Museum and Aesthetic Dynamics, Inc. This exhibition is made possible by the Johannes R. and Betty P. Krahmer American Art Exhibition Fund and the Emily DuPont Exhibition Fund. This exhibition and its related programming are made possible through grants from the Jessie Ball duPont Fund, PNC Arts Alive, DuPont, Corteva Agriscience, Bank of America Charitable Foundation, and the TD Bank Charitable Foundation. This exhibition is sponsored by AARP and M&T Bank. Additional support provided by The News Journal. This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts. This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

If you go:
WHAT: “Afro-American Images 1971: The Vision of Percy Ricks”
WHEN: October 23 – January 23, 2021
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Pkwy, Wilmington, DE 19806
INFO: delart.org

Exhibition Programs: Presented by PNC Arts Alive. Registration and details at delart.org/whats-on.
Artist Talk with Oliver Patrick Scott – Saturday, Nov 6, 1 pm
Wikipedia Edit-a-Thon: African American Artists – Saturday, Nov 6, 11 am
Arnold Hurtt & Funk Factory – Sunday, Nov 7, 1:30 pm
Wayne Morgan Band – Sunday, Dec 5, 1:30 pm
Afro-American Images 1971 Family Day – Sunday, Nov 14, 12 pm – 3:30 pm
Inside Look Gallery Discussion – Sunday, Dec 5, 12:30 pm & Friday, Dec 10, Noon. A collaboration with the University of Delaware.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service – Monday, Jan 17, 2022

Press Contact: Amelia Wiggins, Director of Communications & Engagement, awiggins@delart.org or 302-351-8503.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

Image: Waiting, (detail) 1968. Ernest Crichlow (1914–2005). Lithograph, composition: 12 × 11 1/2 inches, sheet: 18 1/2 × 13 3/4 inches. Delaware Art Museum, Acquisition Fund, 2019. © Estate of Ernest Crichlow.

Enjoy Art through a New Dimension at Fundraiser in the Sculpture Garden

The Delaware Art Museum debuts a new al fresco fundraiser on Saturday, October 2, 2021, 3-5 pm. Sips and Sculptures celebrates the changing seasons with live jazz, individual charcuterie plates and 24 wines selected by FranksWine. The event will connect people to art outdoors and feature wines paired with the Museum’s outdoor sculptures. Proceeds benefit the Museum. Rain date is October 3.

“The Museum continues to find ways to engage the community in outdoor events, and this is a unique opportunity to see our sculpture garden in a new light – with wine pairings!” says Maggie Oda Lyon, Director of Advancement for the Museum. “Guests can roam at their leisure and chat with wine experts and Museum guides at each of the six sculptures we’ve included in the pairings.”

Oenophiles and aesthetes will appreciate the unique characteristics of the three-dimensional art identified to match the grapes, terroir and other features of the wines.

“FranksWine was thrilled to be offered the challenge of pairing wines with sculptures,” says Frank Pagliaro, Owner of FranksWine. “We engaged many of our favorite industry peeps to help us further elevate both art forms—the art of vinification and the fine art of sculpture.”

Pagliaro began by reaching out to Scott Phillips of Bouchaine Wines to create pairings with Crying Giant by Tom Otterness. This piece is the focal point of the Copeland Sculpture Garden, so named after Gerret and Tatiana Copeland, owners of Bouchaine Vineyards in Napa Valley, Calif.

Another example of a wine coupling includes Protecting the Future by Domenico Mortellito, paired with organic, sustainable and natural wines selected by Pagliaro and John Toler of Dreadnought Wines.

Attire is “fall casual” chic. Guests may bring chairs and blankets, and some will also be available on site. Guests take home their individual cheese boards and souvenir wine glasses.

Tickets must be purchased in advance at delart.org. The cost is $55 for Members and $65 for Non-Members. Guests must be at least 21 years of age. Featuring fine food and beverages by Jamestown Catering.

For more information about the event, visit delart.org.

To ensure compliance with current COVID-19 policies, visit our website.

This event is presented by FranksWine. This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

IF YOU GO
WHAT: Sips and Sculptures
WHEN: Saturday, October 2, 2021, 3-5 pm
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, De 19806
COST: $55 Members, $65 Non-Members
INFO: delart.org

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

Charles Edward Williams Commemorates Literary Giant Alice Dunbar-Nelson

The Delaware Art Museum has commissioned Charles Edward Williams for a series of works, I Sit and Sew: Tracing Alice Dunbar-Nelson. The exhibition of Williams’ twelve pieces opens Saturday, October 2, 2021, running through February 6, 2022. The exhibition, which will be installed in the newly-renovated Picturing America gallery focusing on early American art, is included with Museum admission.

Dunbar-Nelson (1875–1935) was an important American literary figure with a Delaware story. The poet and political activist spent most of her career writing and lecturing in Wilmington and taught at Wilmington’s Howard High School from the early 1900s to 1920.

Williams, born in 1984 in Georgetown, South Carolina, draws on historical photography of the Civil Rights Movement to inspire his work. Pairing vibrant colors with distinct portraits, Williams establishes an emotional connection between the image and the viewer.

“The Museum has been looking at Williams’ work for some time,” says Margaret Winslow, Curator of Contemporary Art. “This commission presented a beautiful opportunity to engage with Williams and align his work with a significant Wilmington story, and the pieces will create opportunities for meaningful conversations while they occupy an exhibition space alongside our permanent gallery of historical portraits.”

When exploring Alice Dunbar-Nelson’s life, Williams began by surveying Dunbar-Nelson’s diaries, photographs, and published works. Throughout her poetry and personal writing, Dunbar-Nelson reflected on key social and cultural moments, such as the ratification of the women’s right to vote in 1920. Williams was drawn to Dunbar-Nelson’s frustration with the hindrances of a male-dominated world and her determination to actively respond to the first World War.

“As an American visionary, writer, and political activist, Alice Dunbar-Nelson sought after the truth of the human spirit and the vast wonders of togetherness,” says Williams. “In her challenging circumstances, she remained faithful to self-discovery and shared those tender truths for helping us, humans, find our way. In a world where she felt alone, she shared in her writings what it felt to be connected.”

Williams’ pieces are multimedia explorations of Dunbar-Nelson’s work and life. Paint is integrated with fishing line, sewn items, etched glass, and more, with some lines of Dunbar-Nelson’s poetry incorporated into the works. The exhibition is named after one of Dunbar-Nelson’s poems.

“Beyond simply interpreting Dunbar-Nelson’s words, Williams has followed her travels and leisure time, such as fishing,” Winslow says. “He uses these intimate and less formal observations to make the literary giant approachable.”

This commission aligns with the research of David Kim, a Whiting Foundation fellow and English professor at the University of Delaware, where the Alice Dunbar-Nelson Papers reside. Kim’s community engagement project, “Alice Dunbar-Nelson: A Vision for Wilmington,” celebrates Dunbar-Nelson’s contributions to the city’s history and inspired the commission.

To ensure compliance with current COVID-19 policies at any time, visit our website.

For more information about the exhibition, visit delart.org.

Organizers and Sponsors: This exhibition has been funded, in part, by the Whiting Foundation. This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

IF YOU GO:
WHAT: I Sit and Sew: Tracing Alice Dunbar-Nelson
WHEN: October 2, 2021 – February 6, 2022
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Pkwy, Wilmington, DE 19806
COST: Free with Museum admission
INFO: delart.org

Press Contact: Amelia Wiggins, Director of Communications & Engagement, awiggins@delart.org or 302-351-8503.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

Delaware Korean Festival Offers Free Performances and Activities Outdoors

The Delaware Art Museum presents the seventh annual Delaware Korean Festival on Friday, September 24, 2021, from 5 pm – 8 pm in the Copeland Sculpture Garden and North Terrace. Guests will explore traditional and modern Korean culture with family-friendly activities and performances. The event is free; registration is required.

“Since 2015, the Korean community has organized with the Delaware Art Museum to share Korean culture with communities in Delaware,” says Jin Twilley, President of the Delaware Korean Association.

The Festival coincides with the Korean holiday ChuSeok, which is comparable to American Thanksgiving. It celebrates the arrival of a Korean staple, rice, which is harvested in September.

Festival activities include Korean-inspired crafts and a traditional game, jegichagi, which challenges players to keep a shuttlecock-like paper implement in the air with their feet. Guests will be able to pose for selfies with Korean cultural items, learn to write their names in Korean and guess at Korean trivia. Korean food and beverages will be available for sale.

In addition to traditional and modern music and dancers, Tiger Kicks Martial Arts will be on hand to perform Tae Kwan Do and demonstrate moves for guests to try.

“We are pleased to return to the Delaware Art Museum after holding our 2020 festival virtually,” says Twilley. “We have nearly 100 volunteers, including students from the Delaware Korean School, who will be on hand to show pride in their culture.”

Masks are required to use the restrooms indoors. The Museum’s COVID-19 policies are listed here. The Festival’s rain date is Saturday, September 25.

To register, or for more information on the event, visit our website.

Organizers and Sponsors: This program is presented in partnership with the Delaware Korean Association. Additional sponsorship for this event provided to the Delaware Korean Association by Overseas Koreans Foundation. This program is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

IF YOU GO:
WHAT: Delaware Korean Festival
WHEN: Friday, September 24, 2021, 5 pm – 8 pm
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum Copeland Sculpture Garden and North Terrace, 2301 Kentmere Pkwy, Wilmington, DE 19806
COST: Free
INFO: delart.org

Press Contact: Amelia Wiggins, Director of Communications & Engagement, awiggins@delart.org or 302-351-8503.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

Collecting and Connecting: Recent Acquisitions, 2010-2020 will be on view through September 12.

DelArt visitors have a last chance to satisfy their curiosity about the 1,000+ objects the Museum has acquired in the past decade. A selection of these artworks is showcased in the exhibition Collecting and Connecting: Recent Acquisitions, 2010-2020, on view just through September 12.

The Museum’s recent acquisitions spanning centuries, styles, cultures, and mediums now call the Delaware Art Museum home. The exhibition gives a behind-the-scenes look at how and why the museum collects.

Throughout the exhibition’s run, visitors have made connections between works of art across the Museum’s five collections (American Illustration, British Pre-Raphaelites, American Art to 1960, Contemporary Art, and the Helen Farr Sloan Library and Archives). The new acquisitions have also expanded the stories the Museum tells with art, adding depth and diversity through significant acquisitions by Black and women artists.

“Adding to collections allows the Museum to continue to tell engaging, complex stories – many that have been historically marginalized – through the works of art in the galleries. By collecting, we write and preserve history through artwork so that future generations will be able re-examine and re-contextualize it as well,” writes Margaretta Frederick, Annette Woolard-Provine Curator of the Bancroft Pre-Raphaelite Collection.

“What happens when you place two unrelated works of art from different continents, centuries, movements, and artistic backgrounds next to one another on a gallery wall? Something magical,” says Caroline Giddis, 2020 Delaware Art Museum Appel Curatorial Fellow who co-curated the exhibition with Frederick. Giddis will encourage visitors to draw their own connections during gallery talks over the exhibition’s closing weekend.

Gallery talks: Friday, September 10, Noon and Saturday, September 11, 1 pm. Registration and info at delart.org.

Additional recent acquisitions are installed and highlighted throughout the Museum and will remain on view, including in the reimagined first floor galleries which have reopened throughout the summer.

Acknowledgement of Support

This exhibition was organized by the Delaware Art Museum and is made possible by the Hallie Tybout Exhibit Fund. This organization is supported is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

Please contact Amelia Wiggins, Director of Communications and Engagement, at awiggins@delart.org or 302-351-8503.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Image: Dream, 2010. Gretchen Moyer (1956–2015). Pastel and acrylic on paper, 22 × 29 inches. Delaware Art Museum, Gift of David Moyer, 2016. © Estate of the artist.

Reimagined galleries celebrate the legacy of Howard Pyle and the power of American illustration.

On Saturday, September 11, the Delaware Art Museum will unveil its reimagined galleries of American illustration, completing a series of gallery renovations throughout the Museum’s main floor. Shaped by feedback from over 100 Delawareans, “Illustration: America’s Imagination” explores the legacy of Howard Pyle and the power of illustration.

DelArt was founded to preserve the art and legacy of Howard Pyle. The reinstallation relocates the work of Pyle and his students to the spacious Peggy Woolard Gallery at the heart of the Museum. Images and objects from Pyle’s studio introduce visitors to the legacy of this Wilmington artist, who influenced generations of illustrators. Visitors to the new space will explore Pyle’s rich career and view his most significant works, including the five-foot-tall stained-glass window he designed for Tiffany.

The new display spotlights the power of illustration in American culture. Reproduced illustrations in books and magazines hang near the originals rendered in oil paint, demonstrating how these images became part of the fabric of popular life. “Illustrations were like Instagram 100 years ago – they were everywhere, and they shaped American visual culture,” says Chief Curator and Curator of American Art Heather Campbell Coyle. “Even today, these illustrations have tremendous power to spark imagination, take us back in time, and transport us to far-off places.”

The reimagined galleries also bring a critical lens to the values on display in the collection, guided by the feedback of visitors and of illustrators of color. In a new interpretive video, local leaders and contemporary illustrators respond to representations of race, sexuality, and gender in historic American illustration. The new galleries highlight the work of women and African American illustrators, a collecting focus of the Delaware Art Museum for the past five years and an area of recent conservation.

DelArt’s new display of Howard Pyle and American illustration marks the final and largest section of a reinstallation project that has transformed the Museum’s main floor over the past year. In addition to highlighting American Illustration, these stunning new displays showcase the Museum’s collections of the British Pre-Raphaelites, American Art through 1900, and John Sloan and the Eight.

One hundred Delawareans shaped the project by participating in focus groups and responding to prototyping. Community voices are also integrated into a new permanent collection audio tour available to visitors. “We are grateful to the community members who guided this project and look forward to sharing their voices with visitors this fall,” said Amelia Wiggins, Director of Communications & Engagement.

Illustration: America’s Imagination opens on Saturday, September 11. Free guided tours of the Museum are available most Sundays at 1 pm, with information and registration available at delart.org.

Sponsors: The Museum’s reinstallation is made possible by the generosity of Sewell C. Biggs and foundations including the Choptank Foundation, the Starrett Foundation, the Richard C. Von Hess Foundation, and the Sansom Foundation. This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

Press Contact: Amelia Wiggins, Director of Communications & Engagement, awiggins@delart.org or 302-351-8503.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

Image: So the Treasure Was Divided, from “The Fate of a Treasure Town,” by Howard Pyle, in Harper’s Monthly Magazine, December 1905. Howard Pyle (1853–1911). Oil on canvas, 19 1/2 x 29 1/2 inches. Delaware Art Museum, Museum Purchase, 1912.

This fall, the Delaware Art Museum will debut Fantasy and the Medieval Past, on view September 25, 2021 through January 2, 2022 in the Ammon Galleries on the upper level. The exhibition draws on the Museum’s significant collection of Howard Pyle illustrations, connecting them with the contemporary Young Adult fantasy illustrations of Tony DiTerlizzi, Leo and Diane Dillon, and Ian Schoenherr.

Emily Shartrand, University of Delaware instructor and lecturer at Muhlenberg College, conceived the exhibition when she was a Museum fellow. She says, “It looks at how the American concept of fantasy in the medieval past has changed in the last century. The concept has adapted with our own, more inclusive narrative of what it meant to be medieval.”

Pyle wrote and illustrated his own versions of the King Arthur and Robin Hood legends, as well as other stories and novels that bring to life mythical quests of the Middle Ages.

Shartrand adds, “Pyle was essentially writing Young Adult books in the 19th century. He was thinking of something parents and kids could read together.”

Fantasy fiction themes often include medieval knighthood, and Pyle’s work depicts the White, male, and western perspective that was dominant in a time that is considered the golden age of illustration. Contemporary authors continue to repurpose topics such as knights while questioning the White perspective and ushering in a new era of diverse literary characters.

Heather Campbell Coyle, the Museum’s Chief Curator and Curator of American Art, says, “I’m always excited when contemporary artists engage with historical art. Howard Pyle is one of those artists that illustrators and filmmakers keep returning to, and he was always looking to the past in his own work.”

The exhibition invites visitors to compare King Arthur of Britain, an illustration Pyle made for “The Story of King Arthur and His Knights” with the real-life Black monarch artistically rendered in Mansa Musa: the Lion of Mali, written by Khephra Burns and illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon.

Contemporary fantasy often represents female characters as sword-carrying adventurers, as opposed to the damsels-in-distress of classical literature. Even the perception of architecture has evolved, with contemporary books’ medieval cities and castle complexes denoting African and other non-European design and placement.

One element remains consistent: creatures such as gargoyles, dragons and unicorns continue to be mainstays in the beautifully-illustrated genre.

Contemporary America’s changing understanding of gender equality, cultural identity, disability, and difference are reflected in works such as the cover of The Ironwood Tree, The Spiderwick Chronicles Book 4, by Holly Black and co-creator/illustrator Tony DiTerlizzi. It is displayed alongside Stories and Lies, Ian Schoenherr’s illustration for Bitterblue, Graceline Realm Book 3, by Kristin Cashore.

Fantasy and the Medieval Past runs through January 2, 2022. It includes 28 works of art and six books that will transport visitors to fantastic, and diverse, medieval realms. While visiting the exhibition, illustration enthusiasts will also have the opportunity to visit new Museum galleries devoted to Howard Pyle and American Illustration, set to reopen on September 11 in the Peggy Woolard Gallery. For more information, visit delart.org.

Shartrand will lead special exhibition gallery talks on October 16 at 11:30 am and 1 pm. Register at delart.org.

Press Contact: Amelia Wiggins, Director of Communications & Engagement, awiggins@delart.org or 302-351-8503.

IF YOU GO:

WHAT: Delaware Art Museum’s Fantasy and the Medieval Past Exhibition
WHEN: Saturday, September 25, 2021 – Sunday, January 2, 2022
WHERE: 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19806
COST: Free with Museum admission
INFO: delart.org

Acknowledgement of Support:

Fantasy and the Medieval Past was organized by the Delaware Art Museum and Emily Shartrand through the support of the University of Delaware’s Lynn Herrick Sharp Curatorial Fellowship. This exhibition is made possible by the Edgar A. Thronson Foundation Illustration Exhibition Fund. Additional support is provided, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

Image: Stories and Lies, 2012. Illustration for Bitterblue, Graceling Realm Book 3, by Kristin Cashore, (Dial Books for Young Readers, 2012). Ian Schoenherr (born 1966). Ink on paper, composition: 8 3/4 x 11 1/2 inches, sheet: 9 3/4 x 12 inches. Courtesy of the artist. © Ian Schoenherr.

Wilmington native returns to the city to perform August 8.

The Museum will present dancer Raphael Xavier’s work The Musician & The Mover on the final day of the City of Wilmington’s 34th Annual Clifford Brown Jazz Festival. The performance is an exploration of freestyle and improvisation in two forms: break dancing and Jazz music. The performance will follow a full day of dance featuring local performers. This festival is free and open to the public.

Xavier, a Wilmington native, has gone on to achieve national success for his artistic achievements: a 2013 Pew Fellowship, a 2014 MacDowell Fellowship, a 2016 Guggenheim Fellowship, and a 2018/19 Caroline Hearst choreographic residency. Formerly a member of Rennie Harris Puremovement, he now lectures on dance at Princeton’s Lewis Center. Not only a consummate choreographer, Xavier is a talented artist of spoken word.

XAVIER’s: The Musician & The Mover continues a 2021 DelArt series featuring Black performance artists. In November, DelArt will present Desire: A Sankofa Dream by MBDance. This past July, the Museum premiered a commissioned work of choreography by Dara Meredith, who is also scheduled to perform before Xavier at Clifford Jazz Festival.

In addition to his performance on August 8, Xavier will lead a variety of community engagement activities prior to the Sunday Dance Festival:

July 20, 4:30 pm – 6 pm, Spoken Word Workshop with Richard Raw @ Wilmington Public Library
July 28, 7 pm – 8:30 pm, Open Mic Event @ Delaware Art Museum
July 29, 7 pm, Dance Workshop @ Christina Cultural Arts Center
Aug 6, 10 pm – 1 am, Jam Session @ TBD location

Sponsors: This event is made possible through a partnership between the Delaware Art Museum, Cityfest, Inc and the City of Wilmington. These organizations are supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com. The presentation of Raphael Xavier was made possible by the New England Foundation for the Arts’ National Dance Project, with lead funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Press Contact: Amelia Wiggins, Assistant Director of Learning & Engagement, awiggins@delart.org or 302-351-8503.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Reimagined galleries celebrate collection highlights and diversify stories told with art

On Saturday, July 31, the Delaware Art Museum will unveil its reimagined galleries of British Pre-Raphaelite art, continuing a series of gallery reopenings throughout the summer. Shaped by feedback from over 100 Delawareans, “Radical Beauty” explores the artists who rebelled against the Victorian art world to forge new ways of artmaking.

DelArt’s Pre-Raphaelite art collection is one of the largest outside of Great Britain, an attraction that draws art lovers far and wide to Wilmington. The reinstallation moves the collection to prominent main floor galleries at the Museum’s entrance.

The Museum’s collection of Pre-Raphaelite art was developed through the gift of Wilmington mill owner Samuel Bancroft. In recent years, the collection has been expanded with new acquisitions and interpretation. “The reimagined galleries celebrate not only the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, but also the women artists in their circle and the diverse models they painted,” says Margaretta Frederick, Annette Woolard-Provine Curator of the Bancroft Collection. A new Museum audio tour features the story of Jamaican Pre-Raphaelite model Fanny Eaton, told by her great grandson. The Museum also recently acquired an academic study of an unknown Black model, by Victorian artist William Wise. Frederick hopes to uncover the model’s story through research and share it with visitors in the future.

The new gallery design vibrantly showcases a variety of art forms. “The Pre-Raphaelites were radical in ignoring divisions between art genre,” says Frederick. “They created paintings, wrote poetry, and sometimes merged the two.” The new galleries will integrate rich displays of decorative art, part of the Arts and Crafts Movement fostered by William Morris and Pre-Raphaelite artists. One showstopper is a newly acquired stained glass window of Noah, by Edward Burne-Jones.

Visitors to the galleries will also find fresh context for old favorites, developed in response to community members’ questions and interests. Audiences are invited to consider how the Pre-Raphaelites responded to industrial pollution and to explore the barriers female artists faced in Victorian England. “We are grateful to the community members who guided this project. We look forward to sharing their voices with visitors when the new galleries open,” said Amelia Wiggins, Assistant Director of Learning and Engagement.

Radical Beauty opens on Saturday, July 31, and guided tours are available in August, at delart.org. Reimagined main floor galleries will continue to open throughout the summer, and the Museum will remain open during these changes. Please check delart.org for details and updates.

Full Schedule of Closures and Reopenings:
On view now: New gallery of John Sloan and The Eight
On view now: Picturing America (American Art through 1900)
Through September 8: Howard Pyle and American Illustration Closed
Saturday, July 31: Radical Beauty (British Pre-Raphaelites) Opens
Saturday, September 11: Howard Pyle and American Illustration Opens; main floor galleries are fully reopened.

Press Contact: Amelia Wiggins, Assistant Director of Learning & Engagement, awiggins@delart.org or 302-351-8503.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

Top: And their ears were dull of hearing, 1877. James Smetham (1821 – 1889). Oil on canvas, 27 3/4 x 18 1/2 inches, frame: 29 1/4 x 36 3/4 x 1 3/4 inches. Private Collection. The Council Chamber, 1872-1892. Edward Burne-Jones (1833–1898). Oil on canvas, 49 1/4 × 105 5/8 inches, frame: 75 x 126 inches. Delaware Art Museum, Samuel and Mary R. Bancroft Memorial, 1935. Hymenaeus, 1869. Edward Burne-Jones (1833–1898). Oil paint over gold leaf on panel, 32 1/4 × 21 1/2 inches, frame: 36 x 49 1/2 inches. Delaware Art Museum, Samuel and Mary R. Bancroft Memorial, 1935. Within the Beguinage, 1905. Aelfred Fahey (active 1902–1909). Oil on wood panel, 11 1/2 × 13 1/2 inches, frame: 21 x 18 inches. Delaware Art Museum, Samuel and Mary R. Bancroft Memorial, 1935. Romeo and Juliet, 1869-1870. Ford Madox Brown (1821–1893). Oil on canvas, 53 3/8 × 37 inches, frame: 62 1/2 x 44 1/2 inches. Delaware Art Museum, Samuel and Mary R. Bancroft Memorial, 1935.

DelArt, City Lore, Inc. and Artists Alliance, Inc. are researching the art created by a 1970s government program for an upcoming traveling exhibition.

The Delaware Art Museum is pleased to announce that it is a recipient of a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities in support of an upcoming historical exhibition honoring the art produced by the 1973 Federal Comprehensive Employment and Training Act.

Working in collaboration with New York’s City Lore, Inc. and Artists Alliance, Inc., the Delaware Art Museum is planning a traveling exhibition honoring the Federal Comprehensive Employment and Training Act of 1973, which led to public employment of artists at a scale not seen since the Works Progress Administration of the 1930s.

Margaret Winslow, curator of contemporary art at the Delaware Art Museum, says, “we are excited to embark on this important research project with City Lore and Artists Alliance, Inc. In Delaware, CETA funding supported more than 50 artists and arts administrators who organized community performances, produced murals throughout Wilmington, and photographed people and events in Delaware during 1976 Bicentennial celebrations. CETA impacted the trajectory of arts and culture throughout the state, just as it did across the nation.”

CETA artist Selvin Goldbourne drawing a portrait; © Blaise Tobia, 1978.

Molly Garfinkel, Managing Director of City Lore, Inc., says “City Lore is thrilled to collaborate with Artists Alliance Inc., and the Delaware Art Museum on this timely and exciting initiative. The history and impact of CETA funding on artists, communities, and the arts ecology in the United States is woefully under-documented, but CETA provides valuable precedents and lessons for the current moment. CETA helped to demonstrate that artists and cultural workers deserve to be considered a critical part of the U.S. labor force. Moreover, artists applied to CETA-funded public service employment projects not just to stand in line for a check, but to do something meaningful with their time, skills, and resourcefulness. CETA funds enabled cultural workers to take risks, to grow, and to engage in new forms of collaboration—both with each other and with their communities. It helped many existing cultural organizations to establish a foothold and expand programming and capacity. Why does supporting culture matter? Culture should be supported because it is part of our daily lives, and it is an integral part of civic life. Expression of culture has much to do with how well we understand ourselves and each other, build relationships with and get along with one another. Being able to do this is as relevant now as ever.”

“We are so looking forward to hosting this collaboration at our Cuchifritos Gallery + Project Space in the heart of the Lower East Side this fall,” added Jodi Waynberg, Director of Artists Al-liance Inc. “There is hardly a more fitting moment to reflect on the benefits to our communities, individual arts workers, and cultural institutions when the United States invests in its labor force. We are thrilled that that NEH has afforded us the opportunity to amplify this extraordinary history and reimagine sustained recovery that could extend beyond this moment of insecurity in order to truly rebuild.”

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

Top: Wilmington Parade, 1976. Norma Diskau (born 1942). Gelatin silver print, image: 6 5/8 × 10 inches, sheet: 10 7/8 × 14 inches. Delaware Art Museum, Gift of the artist, 2015. © Norma Diskau Calabro.

Free Virtual Writers Workshop with Keynote from Delaware Poet Chet’la Sebree

The Delaware Art Museum Store presents a free virtual edition of its fifth annual Wilmington Writers Conference on Saturday, July 24, 2021, from 10 am — 1 pm. The Museum’s signature literary event serves to inspire writers at all stages of their creative journey.

The keynote speaker is award-winning poet Chet’la Sebree, who will read from her just-released second book, Field Study, and lead a workshop for writers. Sebree is the winner of the 2020 James Laughlin Award from the Academy of American Poets. She is also the author of Mistress, selected by Cathy Park Hong as the winner of the 2018 New Issues Poetry Prize and nominated for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work-Poetry (2020). She is the Director of the Stadler Center for Poetry & Literary Arts and an Assistant Professor at Bucknell University.

Sebree summarized plans for the multi-genre workshop, saying, “We never write in isolation. We’re always, whether we know it or not, in conversation with history, culture, art, family, etc. I’ll give a short craft lecture where we’ll walk through work that makes this multi-layered conversation transparent and discuss how we can apply some of those strategies to our own work. We’ll then do some generative writing exercises that prompt us to write ekphrastic poetry (poems that respond to art) or braided essays that make links between popular culture and our lives.”

Jessa Mendez, Lead Museum Associate, says, “I’m so excited that Chet’la is our keynote speaker and workshop presenter this year! She is a brilliant writer, and it is a gift to have her back at the conference. The Museum Store is so proud to be presenting this event. I know it will be a fun, engaging day for local writers as well as those who don’t live in the area but can now join us in a virtual space.”

Poetry, in particular, is a democratic art form that can strengthen an institution’s connections to the community, making this conference a good fit for the Museum’s mission and vision. The event is free and virtual for broad accessibility.

The Museum and Sebree have a history: she was the 2019 conference’s coordinator, and has contributed wall text to a current exhibit, Collecting and Connecting: Recent Acquisitions, 2010-2020. Between her keynote speech and workshop, she will participate in a chat with Museum employee and Brevity Bookspace owner Saliym Cooper.

Signed copies of Sebree’s books, Field Study and Mistress, will be for sale at the Museum Store and its website, delartstore.org.

Workshop registration is required, and can be made on our website.

More information about Sebree can be found on the Museum’s blog. For more information on the event, visit our website.

This event is sponsored by Happy Self Publisher. This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

IF YOU GO:
WHAT: Delaware Art Museum’s Wilmington Writers Conference
WHEN: Saturday, July 24, 2021, 10 am — 1 pm
WHERE: Virtual
COST: Free
INFO: delart.org

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

Delaware Art Museum’s new galleries of American Art from 1757–1900 open June 19.

On Saturday, June 19, the Delaware Art Museum will unveil its reimagined American art galleries, kicking off a series of gallery reopenings throughout the summer. Shaped by feedback from over 100 Delawareans, “Picturing America” expands the American stories told with art.

Developed largely through gifts from local donors, the Museum’s collection reflects art produced and collected in Delaware and the Brandywine Valley. “The new galleries offer a chance to reinterpret historic American artworks to share a more inclusive history,” says Chief Curator Heather Campbell Coyle. “New acquisitions by women and Black artists have added depth and diversity to the collection.”

New design showcases the collection vibrantly. A highlight of the new American galleries is a large salon-style display, wrapping walls from floor to ceiling with Gilded Age artworks. Recent acquisitions on view include a bust of Frederick Douglass by Isaac Scott Hathaway, landscapes by 19th-century African American artists Robert Duncanson and Edward Mitchell Bannister, and a new painting by Mary Macomber.

Visitors to the galleries will also find fresh context for old favorites, inviting audiences to consider how the nation’s history of enslavement and violence toward Native Americans impacted the people pictured in the paintings. Community leaders, including representatives of Delaware’s Lenape and Nanticoke tribes, consulted on the new interpretation. “We are grateful to the community members who guided this project. We look forward to sharing their voices with visitors when the new galleries open,” said Amelia Wiggins, Assistant Director of Learning and Engagement.

Picturing America opens on June 19, a day when the Museum welcomes community members to gather at the Museum to celebrate during the 2nd annual Beyond Juneteenth: Egungun Festival. The Festival, which commemorates the emancipation of Americans who had been enslaved, is hosted by Abundancechild, Dr.G and Rachelle Wilson and is free, with registration at delart.org.

Reimagined main floor galleries will continue to open throughout the summer, and public tours are available at delart.org. The Museum will remain open during these changes. Please check delart.org for details and updates.

FULL SCHEDULE OF CLOSURES AND REOPENINGS:

Saturday, June 19: Picturing America (American Art through 1900) Opens
British Pre-Raphaelites Closed through July 30; Howard Pyle and American Illustration Closed through Sept. 8.
Saturday, July 31: Radical Beauty (British Pre-Raphaelites) Opens
Saturday, September 11: Howard Pyle and American Illustration Opens; main floor galleries are fully reopened.

Press Contact: Please contact Amelia Wiggins, Assistant Director of Learning & Engagement, awiggins@delart.org

About the Delaware Art Museum

For over 100 years, the Museum has served as a primary arts and cultural institution in Delaware. It is alive with experiences, discoveries, and activities to connect people with art and with each other. Originally created in 1912 to honor the renowned illustrator and Wilmington-native, Howard Pyle, the Museum’s collection has grown to over 12,000 works of art in our building and sculpture garden. Also recognized for British Pre-Raphaelite art, the Museum is home to the largest and most important Pre-Raphaelite collection outside of the United Kingdom and a growing collection of significant contemporary art. Embracing all disciplines, the Museum’s Performance Series ranges from concerts by Pyxis Piano Quartet, resident ensemble of over ten years, to cutting-edge, multi-disciplinary artists committed to social justice and pushing the boundaries of artistic practice.

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

7 new trustees’ diverse areas of expertise will solidify key partnerships and expand art audiences.

On May 13, Delaware Art Museum members voted in a slate of new trustees that reflects the exciting future envisioned for the 109-year-old art institution. Aligning with the values that will carry the Museum into its next chapter, the new board members bring expertise in community development, creative entrepreneurship, and art collections. Under the leadership of the young, dynamic Executive Director Molly Giordano, the Museum is poised to solidify its standing as an anchor institution in its community.

“This extraordinary new slate of DelArt trustees reflects the institutional values we share and the strategic vision for the Museum’s future,” said Delaware Art Museum Board President David Pollack. The seven trustees joining the Delaware Art Museum board this spring are:

Fatimah Conley, Interim Chief Diversity Officer, University of Delaware
Jeanana Lloyd, Director of Talent Optimization and Planning, ChristianaCare
Yvette Santiago, State Director of Delaware Valley Government Relations, Nemours Children’s Health System
Christopher Savage, Podiatrist and Founder of Brandywine Podiatry
Eric Smith, Director of Operations at Carvertise
Susan Thomas, Founder, IAM for Social Good
Ronald Varney, Principal at Ronald Varney Fine Art Advisors.

The seven new members join twenty returning trustees with valuable experiences, knowledge, and a commitment to the Museum’s mission of connecting people with art.

The new trustees’ diverse backgrounds will allow the Museum to cultivate new partnerships, working collaboratively with keystone organizations throughout greater Wilmington. Fatimah Conley, Jeanana Lloyd, and Yvette Santiago will help the Museum build on existing collaborative relationships with the University of Delaware, Christiana Care, and Nemours, and offer experience engaging new audiences. The community development experience of Susan Thomas, founder of IAM for Social Good, will further deepen the Museum’s ability to connect local communities with art.

Entrepreneurs Eric Smith and Christopher Savage bring experience that aligns with the Museum’s investment in growing Wilmington’s creative economy. Ronald Varney will help the Museum share its art beyond the region, building national relationships between art audiences and DelArt’s unique collections.

Molly Giordano, a longtime DelArt leader who was named Executive Director by the Board of Directors this past February, believes the expanded and diversified board will be key to the Museum’s plans for its next chapter. Giordano states, “I envision a Museum that works collaboratively with organizations throughout our region to develop Wilmington’s creative economy and ensure access to the arts for all.” Giordano is now working with staff, trustees, and volunteers on a strategic planning effort that will outline the steps necessary to realize that vision. DelArt’s strategic plan will be shared publicly this fall.

Experience Music, Dance, Food Trucks and Traditions at this Ancestral Celebration

The Delaware Art Museum will host a second annual Juneteenth event on Saturday, June 19, 2021, from 10 am – 4 pm in the Copeland Sculpture Garden and Labyrinth. The free Beyond Juneteenth: Egungun Festival, is an opportunity to not only celebrate a historic holiday, but also to look forward and build community.

The day begins with a libation followed by a Juneteenth flag raising ceremony with Baba Hamin El. Nadjah Nicole and Jea Street, Jr., will perform “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” known as the Black national anthem. The festivities continue with live performances from The Sankofa African dancers, Ghetto Songbird, Hezekiah, Egungun lle Igoke, Ebony Zuudia, Stiggz Stigalo, Tonantzin Yaotecas Aztec Dancers, Egungun Oloba, Robert Muhammad and the 2020 winner of the inaugural National Miss Juneteenth Pageant, Saniya Gray. Guests can enjoy vendors and food trucks. There will be kid-friendly arts and crafts stations with Kyma, such as paper drum making and art therapy with 7God in the Labyrinth, and a drum circle.

The hosts of the event are Abundancechild, venture culturalist and Ifa priestess; Dr. G, holistic, spiritual and metaphysical life coach; and Rachelle Wilson, founder of the Make Some Intelligent Noise criminal justice and prison reform movement.

Abundancechild, founder of the event, said, “We call this ‘Beyond Juneteenth: Egungun Festival’ because it’s more than a celebration of a Black holiday. It’s a veneration and tribute to our community’s collective ancestors. We take the opportunity of a well-known tradition and build upon it to learn, connect, and be empowered, so we can acknowledge the ancestral legacy we have yet to grow into.”

She added, “Honoring our ancestors means honoring ourselves, our parents, our children, and treating people how they want to be treated. It’s showing up for each other—something our ancestors have always done. Whether you’re Moorish, or an aboriginal American or believe your ancestors came from Africa, and even if your tribe comes together to celebrate in kilts or with gyros, we need to start having an Egungun energy. We all recognize that someone got freed that day. If we come together, our ancestors will bless us together.”

Juneteenth is a portmanteau of June and nineteenth; it recognizes June 19, 1865, the date that the September 1862 Emancipation Proclamation was read to the people of Galveston, Texas. This event signaled that Union troops would be enforcing the Proclamation in Texas, affecting the practical manifestation of the three-year old law. The reading ceremoniously freed people who had been enslaved or bonded in the final, most remote state that still defied the law by allowing slavery.

Community Engagement Specialist Iz Balleto, who co-organized the event, said, “What matters to us is for all people to know the purpose of Juneteenth and the meaning behind it. That is why, here at the Delaware Art Museum, we value the cultural aspect of Beyond Juneteenth.”

The Smithsonian Institution describes “Egungun,” a word from the Yoruban language, as “a visible manifestation of the spirits of departed ancestors who periodically revisit the human community for remembrance, celebration, and blessings.”

The Beyond Juneteenth: Egungun Festival is part of 155 years of celebrations that commemorate a special date, alternately known as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, Liberation Day and Emancipation Day, and honor the people who are the Egungun of today’s Black, Indigenous and people of color.

Registration is required for the free event, as the event is expected to sell out early. Some seating is available, but guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets, as well as cash or card for food purchases. Face coverings are required inside the Delaware Art Museum for individuals aged kindergarten and up not fully vaccinated from the COVID-19 virus. Fully vaccinated guests may remove their masks indoors and out, except in crowded settings. Social distancing of three feet should be maintained between parties.

Sponsored by Abundance Child Ministries Inc, Delaware Juneteenth Organizing Movement, Ile Igoke, 302GunsDown, The Afrakan Independence Day Organizing Committee and Guerrilla Republik. This program is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Beyond Juneteenth: Egungun Festival at the Delaware Art Museum
WHEN: Saturday, June 19, 2021, 10 am – 4 pm
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19806
COST: Free
INFO: delart.org

Delaware Art Museum announces new performance The Bridge of Our Roots by choreographer Dara Meredith.

WHAT: Premiere Dance Performance, The Bridge of Our Roots
WHO: Dara Meredith, Dancer in Residence at Delaware Art Museum
WHERE: On-site and Virtual Event
WHEN: Thursday, July 1 at 8 pm

On Thursday, July 1 at 8 pm, Dara Meredith’s virtual dance residency at the Delaware Art Museum will culminate with the premiere of The Bridge of Our Roots. The commissioned dance is inspired by the painting Southern Souvenir No. II created by African American modern artist Eldzier Cortor in 1948. Cortor’s painting depicts the disembodied figures of Black women, torn apart physically and stripped of their identities. Meredith’s dance residency has focused on Cortor’s artwork, on loan from the Art Bridges Foundation and on display at the Delaware Art Museum through July.

“The work will delve into the idea that Black bodies, and Black women specifically, have been ostracized, dismantled, separated, and abused; all the while being the backbone and the foundation of continuity for American culture,” said Meredith, describing the dance. “The work showcases the complexity of what Black women in the south have experienced while having to hold the nation on its breast so that it may live and live on.”

The pre-recorded performance will be filmed in Fusco Hall at night with the painting in the background while six dancers, including Meredith, distill the themes and emotional energy of Cortor’s artwork into choreography.

“They will show in movement what you see and feel through the piece,” said Jonathan Whitney of Flux Creative Consulting, which is producing the event. “Meredith’s performance speaks to the experiences of people of color, especially in the wake of police shootings of unarmed Black women. So it only makes sense to elevate this Black female choreographer to respond to artwork that is about Black female bodies.”

Tickets are now available for the dance premiere, which can be viewed on-site or virtually. A limited number of tickets are available to view the pre-recorded 50-minute performance on-site at the Museum with Dara Meredith, at 8 p.m. on July 1. On-site ticketholders will have access to a special gallery talk in front of Southern Souvenir No. II beforehand, and a live discussion with the choreographer following the performance premiere. Alternatively, virtual tickets may be purchased for watching at home via an exclusive link. All ticketholders will have unlimited virtual access to the recorded performance through July 10.

Prior to the performance, Meredith will host an outdoor dance workshop on Saturday, June 12, 2021 at 2 pm in the Museum’s Copeland Sculpture Garden.Meredith will teach an excerpt of the commissioned dance she is creating for the Museum. All levels welcome; dancers will wear masks and maintain social distancing.

Sponsors: Support provided by Art Bridges. This program is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

Music, Food, Beverages and Fun on the Museum Grounds Every Thursday

Happy Hours return to the Delaware Art Museum’s Terrace and Copeland Sculpture Garden on Thursday, May 27. The popular, free series offers guests an opportunity to relax and unwind with live music, local brews, wine, cocktails, and rotating food vendors, surrounded by art. Weather permitting, Happy Hours take place every Thursday from 5 pm – 7:30 pm, a time which overlaps with the Museum’s free Thursday evening hours.

The Happy Hours schedule is as follows:

May 27: Joseph Whitney (Steel Drum) and Natalie’s Fine Food Truck
Jun 3: Pristine Raeign (Soul, Funk, Jazz, Motown and the Philly Sound) and Los Taquitos De Puebla
Jun 10: Edgewater Avenue (Americana, Bluegrass) and Toscana Catering
Jun 17: Jea Street (Soul) and Los Taquitos De Puebla
Jun 24: Skinner & Spadola (Acoustic Duo) and Natalie’s Fine Food Truck
Jul 1: The Seedlings (Rock, Blues and Originals) and Los Taquitos De Puebla
Jul 8: Betty & the Bullet (Americana) and Toscana Catering
Jul 15: Pristine Raeign (Soul, Funk, Jazz, Motown and the Philly Sound) and Los Taquitos De Puebla
Jul 22: Betty & the Bullet (Americana) and Natalie’s Fine Food Truck
Jul 29: Edgewater Avenue (Americana, Bluegrass) and Los Taquitos De Puebla
Aug 5: Sharon & Shawn (Jazz) and Toscana Catering
Aug 12: Jea Street (Soul) and Los Taquitos De Puebla
Aug 19: The Seedlings (Rock, Blues and Originals) and Natalie’s Fine Food Truck
Aug 26: Joseph Whitney (Steel Drum) and Los Taquitos De Puebla
Sep 2: DJ Willie Wilmington (Salsa DJ & Dance) and Toscana Catering
Sep 9: Skinner & Spadola (Acoustic Duo) and Los Taquitos De Puebla
Sep 16: Sharon & Shawn (Jazz) and Natalie’s Fine Food Truck

Lauren McMahon, Delaware Art Museum’s Event and Rentals Manager, said, “Our open-air happy hours exploded in popularity in 2020, no doubt because people were seeking outdoor entertainment alternatives due to COVID-19. We are elated that we can continue to increase our value to the community in this way and be part of a vibrant, culturally significant Wilmington. And we hope our outdoor visitors take in some of the indoor arts experience, since Thursday nights are both our free night and our late night.”

No registration is required for the happy hours. Some seating is available, but guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets, as well as cash or card for bar and food purchases.

Until state guidelines change, guests are asked to wear masks unless seated and eating or drinking.

IF YOU GO:

WHAT: Delaware Art Museum Happy Hours
WHEN: Thursdays, starting May 27, 2021, 5 pm — 7:30 pm
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum Terrace and Copeland Sculpture Garden, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19806
COST: Free
INFO: delart.org

Sponsors

Happy Hours are sponsored by Gordon, Fournaris & Mammarella, P.A. and Total Wine & More. This program is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

Aesthetic Dynamics, Inc. will co-present the exhibition 50 years after its original showing.

Opening October 23, 2021, Afro-American Images 1971: The Vision of Percy Ricks honors the 50th anniversary of a groundbreaking exhibition at the Wilmington Armory that history once ignored.

In 1971, the Wilmington-based artist collective Aesthetic Dynamics, Inc., led by artist and educator Percy Ricks, mounted Afro-American Images 1971. Comprising over 100 works of painting, sculpture, photography, prints, and drawings from nationally-known artists like Sam Gilliam, Alma Thomas, and Faith Ringgold as well as local luminaries Edward Loper, Sr. and Edward Loper, Jr., Afro-American Images 1971 represented the creation of a space for Black artists who were largely excluded from major artistic institutions. The original 1971 show has been restaged almost in its entirety, giving audiences an opportunity to re-experience history as well as the unique approach undertaken by Aesthetic Dynamics, Inc.

“Percy Ricks’ prescience in organizing this 1971 exhibition was remarkable. He chose artists who not only had talent and vision but many who would go on to have long and broadly visible art careers,” says Colette Gaiter, a member of the Advisory Committee and an Associate Professor, Africana Studies and Art & Design, University of Delaware. “This collection of works embodies post-1968 energy that was part of the national Black Arts movement, one of the most important 20th-century liberation movements.” Despite the caliber of the historic exhibition, it has not been widely written about or publicly researched and documented before now. This project calls that omission into question.

Speaking of the exclusion of Black art from the larger story of American Art, independent curator and advisory committee member Dr. Kelli Morgan notes: “There’s always been a critical mass—of people, art historians, collectors, writers, galleries—that have been protectors or guardians that keep [this work]. They’re the communities in which the work resides, and a lot of times those communities are ‘off the beaten path’ or out of major institutions. This show does a lot to demonstrate that we have our own frameworks. We have our own spaces outside of—or even adjacent to—the major Black institution. The show visualizes how other Black arts professionals have kept the work and the history alive […] to illuminate the broader story and activity of so many other Black artists, historians, and curators.”

Crucially, Afro-American Images 1971: The Vision of Percy Ricks represents a multi-year collaboration between the Delaware Art Museum and members of the community, signifying a crucial moment in the Museum’s ongoing process of re-establishing itself as an inclusive artistic hub for the city of Wilmington. The Advisory Committee for this exhibition consists of humanities scholars, community leaders, and members of Aesthetic Dynamics, Inc. with strong understanding of art history, American history, social justice, and the creativity of Black artists. Members include Beatrice (Bebe) Coker,  James E. Newton, Jeanne Nutter, Marilyn Whittington, Arnold Hurtt, Julie McGee, Rita Volkens, Colette Gaiter, Kelli Morgan, Harmon Carey, and Raye Jones-Avery.

“Percy Ricks served as a major advocate for the arts in general, in particular for African American artists,” says Dr. Newton of Aesthetic Dynamics, Inc. “His legacy continues with this historic exhibition.”

Organizers and Sponsors

This exhibition was organized by the Delaware Art Museum and Aesthetic Dynamics, Inc. This exhibition is made possible by the Johannes R. and Betty P. Krahmer American Art Exhibition Fund and the Emily DuPont Exhibition Fund. This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

Image: Waiting, (detail) 1968. Ernest Crichlow (1914–2005). Lithograph, composition: 12 × 11 1/2 inches, sheet: 18 1/2 × 13 3/4 inches. Delaware Art Museum, Acquisition Fund, 2019. © Estate of Ernest Crichlow.>/p>

“What’s Past is Prologue” at the Delaware Art Museum

On April 29, Pyxis Piano Quartet, Delaware Art Museum’s resident classical ensemble, returns “home” to the galleries where they played their very first concert over a decade ago. “What’s Past is Prologue,” premiering in a ticketed virtual concert, will feature the group playing amid the Museum’s renowned collection British Pre-Raphaelite Art.

Founded as the Museum’s resident ensemble and the anchor of Concerts on Kentmere, Pyxis programs its offerings in conversation with the art on view. In the Pre-Raphaelite galleries, they play British works – Two Intermezzi for String Trio by C.H.H. Parry and Gordon Jacob’s Six Shakespearian Sketches – along with Richard Strauss’ blazingly virtuosic Piano Quartet in C minor, Op. 13.

Jacob’s 1946 suite is a musical exploration of Shakespeare’s works, also an inspiration for artist Dante Gabriel Rossetti and the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. Parry and Strauss wrote their pieces in 1884, during the era encompassing the creation of The Council Chamber by Edward Burne-Jones, the monumental painting framing the ensemble as they play this concert.

This 12th-season concert is especially meaningful – it is the final time the ensemble will play in the galleries where their artistic journey began. On June 21, the Museum’s renowned collection will close as the Museum reimagines the stories it tells with art. Radical Beauty, new permanent galleries of Pre-Raphaelite art, will open on July 31.

The concert’s title, “What’s Past is Prologue,” is taken from The Tempest, a Shakespeare play cited in the Jacob work. Chosen to epitomize the ensemble’s arc allowing the past to shape their future, it also honors these 19th century artists who looked back to the time of Raphael for the impetus that propelled them forward.

“There are no words to describe how inspiring it is to perform the Museum’s galleries,” says ensemble pianist Hiroko Yamazaki. “We are so grateful that this has been our home since 2009. It’s such an intimate and exquisite setting, perfect for our chamber music!”

Pyxis Piano Quartet includes Luigi Mazzocchi (violin); founding members Jennifer Jie Jin (cello) and Hiroko Yamazaki (piano); and for this concert, guest artist Hannah Rose Nicholas (viola). Tickets, priced at $20 per household for Museum Members and $25 for Non-Members, are now available. Ticket holders for the virtual online premiere (Thursday, April 29 at 7 pm) can join the event via an exclusive link that includes a post-performance “meet the artists” discussion and unlimited viewing through May 5.

Sponsors: This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

DelArt Cinema Screenings Moved to Select Fridays

On the heels of its successful sold-out fall run of drive-in movies, the Delaware Art Museum has again partnered with DelArt Cinema to screen flicks on the Museum’s grounds in the Copeland Sculpture Garden. Film buffs can enjoy socially-distant, crowd-pleasing classics – The Birdcage, All About Eve and The Cotton Club – each projecting a peek into the life of a fictional performer and his or her circle of influence. The events take place on select Fridays from April 16 to May 7, 2021, with more to be announced. Parking begins at 7:15 p.m. and each movie starts at dusk.

Dates and synopses for each film:

The Birdcage, April 16. This 1996 film stars Robin Williams and Nathan Lane as the two very “out” dads – one a drag performer and the other a nightclub owner – of a man worriedly introducing them to his fiancée’s conservative mom and dad. Rated R.

All About Eve, April 23. This award-smashing 1950 film centers on the never-ending cycle of aging stars, in this case Bette Davis’ Margo, and ambitious ingénues, Anne Baxter’s Eve, as well as Marilyn Monroe’s Miss Caswell. Not rated.

The Cotton Club, May 7. This mob-themed Coppola film is a fictional 1984 take on a real Harlem jazz club in the 1930s, starring Richard Gere is the protagonist jazz musician, supported by Gregory Hines, Diane Lane, Gwen Verdon, Fred Gwynne and Maurice Hines. Rated R.

Marion Jackson, Director of Operations for DelArt Cinema, described the film selection process, “We are revisiting The Birdcage, which was rained out last fall. All About Eve and The Cotton Club couldn’t be more different in genres, but each offers an escape from the worries of 2021, with beautiful actors, elegant costuming, and dramatic showbiz storylines.”

Lauren McMahon, Delaware Art Museum’s Event and Rentals Manager, said, “The Museum continues to welcome visitors for the indoor arts experience during COVID-19, but our ability to return to outdoor, after-hours events is really exciting. We are committed to balancing relevance in the community and sustainability, and the increased capacity open-air events offer is invaluable. Our campus is both beautiful and sizable for social distancing, and our parking lot has a terrific layout for drive-in movies.”

Admission is $19 per person and includes popcorn and soda, with a discount extended to Museum members. Children ages 6 and under are free. Admission is by advanced purchase only.

Popcorn and sodas are handed to you upon arrival. Additional concessions are available on site. Museum restrooms will be available in the studio wing, and masks are required for interaction with staff and restroom visits. FM radio transmission is required to hear the movies.

Moviegoers are asked to arrive no later than 20 minutes before show time; late arrivals will be parked at the Museum’s discretion. Rain dates will be scheduled as needed.

This program is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

IF YOU GO:

WHAT: Delaware Art Museum and DelArt Cinema Present Drive-in The Birdcage
WHEN: Friday, Apr. 16, 2021, approximately 8 pm, gates open 7:15 pm
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum Copeland Sculpture Garden, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19806
COST: $17—$19 (discount for Members)
INFO: delart.org

WHAT: Delaware Art Museum and DelArt Cinema Present Drive-in All About Eve
WHEN: Friday, Apr. 23, 2021, approximately 8 pm, gates open 7:15 pm
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum Copeland Sculpture Garden, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19806
COST: $17—$19 (discount for Members)
INFO: delart.org

WHAT: Delaware Art Museum and DelArt Cinema Present Drive-in The Cotton Club
WHEN: Friday, May 7, 2021, approximately 8 pm, gates open 7:15 pm
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum Copeland Sculpture Garden, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19806
COST: $17—$19 (discount for Members)
INFO: delart.org

Enjoy Brunch, Brushes, and Blooms in the Sculpture Garden and Tented Terrace

The Delaware Art Museum has sown a new al fresco fundraiser on Sunday, May 16, 11 am – 2 pm. “Brunch, Brushes, and Blooms” celebrates spring by offering brunch bites and morning cocktails. The rain-or-shine event will connect people to art outdoors with floral designs paired with the Museum’s outdoor sculptures, along with local painters, dancers and other artists creating and performing, and a silent art auction. Proceeds benefit the Museum.

Confirmed artists to date include painters Mary Page Evans, Ekaterina “Kat” Popova, Jonathan Schoff and painter/sculptor Rick Hidalgo, cyanotype artist Emie Hughes, graffiti artist Francesco Iacono, ceramicist Samara Weaver and dancers from the Wilmington Ballet. Floral designers to date include Flowers by Yukie, Barbara Goetz, Nanci Hersh and Carla Pastore.

Maggie Oda Lyon, Director of Advancement for the Museum, said, “We are so excited to start welcoming people back to the Museum in a safe way! Brunch, Brushes, and Blooms will bring guests into the artist’s world. The beautiful floral arrangements – and getting out of the house – will be a welcome start to this spring Sunday. It all supports the work the Museum does throughout the community.”

Attire is “garden party” chic and both the Terrace and parts of the Sculpture Garden will be tented. The Museum will adhere to any outdoor Covid-19 guidelines in place on the date of the event.

Tickets must be purchased in advance at delart.org. The cost is $95 for Members and $115 for Non-Members, with early bird pricing available until April 1. Featuring fine food and beverages by Jamestown Catering.

Visit delart.org for additional information or contact info@delart.org with further questions.

Press Contact: Amelia Wiggins, Assistant Director of Learning & Engagement, awiggins@delart.org or 302-351-8503.

Sponsors: Jamestown Catering. This event is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Collecting and Connecting: Recent Acquisitions, 2010-2020 will open on March 13.

This month, visitors to the Delaware Art Museum will have the chance to see some of the most exciting art acquired by the Museum over the past decade, brought together in a special exhibition. Collecting and Connecting: Recent Acquisitions, 2010-2020, will be on view from March 13 – September 12.

The recent acquisitions span centuries, styles, cultures, and mediums, and now call the Delaware Art Museum home. Through this exhibition, visitors are invited to sample some of the 1000+ recent additions to the collection and learn how and why the museum collects.

Collecting and Connecting also encourages connections between works of art that might not normally share a space together. The exhibition mixes art from different times and places, encouraging fresh comparisons.

The cascading drapery in a pencil drawing by Edward Burne-Jones is placed next to an abstracted waterfall by Walter Pach; the falling water echoing the folds of the flowing drapery. Pach’s waterfall in turn speaks to a double photograph of a young Black man in profile against a riveted metal backdrop. The abstract patterning in the photograph echoes the fragments of color emanating from the waterfall hanging nearby. This grouping of unrelated work moves from realist to abstract; 19th to 20th century; England to America in a seamless flow emphasizing unanticipated visual relationships.

“It has been a fascinating exercise to look across the museum’s recent acquisitions and see how much a work from 1857 and one from 2005 can tell the same story,” says Caroline Giddis, 2020 Delaware Art Museum Appel Curatorial Fellow. “What happens when you place two unrelated works of art from different continents, centuries, movements, and artistic backgrounds next to one another on a gallery wall? Something magical.”

Collecting and Connecting: Recent Acquisitions, 2010-2020 opens on March 13 and runs through September 12, 2021, in the Anthony N. and Catherine A. Fusco Gallery, with additional recent acquisitions installed and highlighted throughout the Museum and Copeland Sculpture Garden.

Press Contact: Amelia Wiggins, Assistant Director of Learning & Engagement, awiggins@delart.org or 302-351-8503.

Acknowledgement of Support: This exhibition was organized by the Delaware Art Museum and is made possible by the Hallie Tybout Exhibit Fund. The Delaware Art Museum is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Installation image of Collecting and Connecting: Recent Acquisitions, 2011 – 2020. Artwork (left to right): Pear, not dated. Barbara Leigh Smith Bodichon (1827-1891). Watercolor and graphite on wove paper, 9 13/16 × 6 3/4 inches, frame: 16 x 20 inches. Delaware Art Museum, Acquisition Fund, 2017; Study for “A Bather“, c. 1891. Albert Joseph Moore (1841–1893). Colored chalks on buff paper, sheet: 18 × 8 5/8 inches, frame: 25 7/8 x 15 ¾ inches. Delaware Art Museum, Acquisition Fund, 2017; Torso, c. 1972. Bernard Felch (1925–2008). Maple, 34 × 19 × 12 inches. Delaware Art Museum, Gift of Edward and Joy Schweizer, 2013.© Estate of Bernard Jackson Felch; Hymen, the Goddess of Marriage Holding a Harp, and A Married Couple Being Blessed, 1876. Edward Burne Jones (1833–1898). Graphite on paper, compositions: 12 3/4 × 6 1/4 inches and 13 × 6 1/2 inches, frame: 22 3/8 x 24 3/8 inches. Delaware Art Museum, F. V. du Pont Acquisition Fund, 2019.

Longtime DelArt Leader Poised to Steer Museum into its Next Chapter

The Delaware Art Museum’s Board of Trustees announced today that Molly Giordano will serve as its next Executive Director.

Giordano, with her 10-year tenure at DelArt, steps into the directorship as the Museum rebuilds from the impact of COVID-19. In addition to rebuilding visitation and in-person programming, Giordano will oversee a major gallery reinstallation, capital improvements to strengthen the core facility, and numerous upcoming exhibitions, including one celebrating African American art.

“Molly demonstrated great leadership in a very challenging period while our Interim Executive Director over the past 13 months,” said David Pollack, President of the Board of Trustees. “The Board has full confidence in her as DelArt returns to fully serving its community. Molly’s deep relationships within the greater Wilmington community, and years of service to that community, position the Museum to realize its vision of becoming an essential resource for its city and region.”

Giordano joined the Museum in 2010 to ramp up DelArt’s centennial celebration. Soon after, she led the “Art is Everywhere” campaign, bringing reproductions of masterworks from the collection to cities throughout Delaware. Her work in successive leadership roles at the Museum contributed to the completion of an institutional rebranding, diversification of audiences, and increased fundraising. In 2017, she led the Museum’s strategic planning process, helping DelArt create a vision to become a more inclusive, vital resource for its community.

“I’m honored to lead the Museum into its next chapter,” remarked Giordano. “I consider art to be a public service, and it has been my great pleasure to help deliver that service to Delawareans – especially this year, when creativity, inspiration, and human connection are so needed.”

In addition to her work at the Museum, Giordano serves as Vice President of the Delaware Arts Alliance and Chair of the Governance Committee of the Delaware Fund for Women. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Journalism from the University of Delaware; a master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Pennsylvania; and will complete her master’s degree in Creative Writing from Rosemont College this spring. Giordano writes fiction and lives in Wilmington with her husband, attorney Phillip Giordano, and their two young children.

Sponsors: The Delaware Art Museum is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

Delawareans helped shape what the reinstalled galleries will look like when they reopen in June, July, and August.

After asking over 100 Delawareans what they think about their museum, the Delaware Art Museum is reimagining its eight main floor art galleries. The existing galleries of American art and illustration and the Bancroft Collection of Pre-Raphaelite Art will close this spring. When they reopen in summer 2021, the art will tell new stories shaped by community members’ feedback.

“There are new works to show and new stories to tell,” says Chief Curator Heather Campbell Coyle. “Entire collections are being relocated to improve visitor experience, and artworks have been conserved for future generations.”

This will be the first comprehensive Museum rehanging since 2005. Since then, thanks to new research and audience input, the collections have grown to include significant pieces by women and Black artists that tell a more inclusive story of the visual arts. Newly acquired works include a bust of Frederick Douglass by Isaac Scott Hathaway, paintings by 19th century African American artists Robert Duncanson and Edward Mitchell Bannister, and Botticelli’s Studio, a painting by Eleanor Fortescue Brickdale on long-term loan to the Museum. The reinstallation will also bring focus to the role of local artists and collectors in the history of art.

The series of gallery reopenings kicked off this past fall, when art by John Sloan was rehung on the main floor of the Museum. That gallery now tells the story of Sloan’s life as a working artist and displays the work of the rebellious painter friends known as The Eight. Visitors are also engaged with considering the role of artists as activists in society.

Throughout the planning process, staff reached out to community members for help designing a better Delaware Art Museum. “Thank you to all the visitors who participated in focus groups and gave us feedback,” says Amelia Wiggins, Assistant Director of Learning and Engagement. “You helped us create bridges between the collections and the everyday lives of Delawareans. We look forward to seeing what fresh connections visitors make with art as galleries reopen later this year.”

The Museum will remain open during these changes, with galleries closing and reopening on a rolling basis from March into September. Visit delart.org for details and updates.

Full Schedule of Closures and Reopenings:

On view now: New Gallery of John Sloan and the Eight
March 22–Sept. 8: Howard Pyle and American Illustration Closed
March 22 – May 23: American Art 1757–1900 Limited selection on view
May 26 – June 16: American Art 1757–1900 Closed
June 21 – July 21: British Pre-Raphaelites Closed
Saturday, June 19: Picturing America (American Art through 1900) Opens
Saturday, July 31: Radical Beauty (British Pre-Raphaelites) Opens
Saturday, September 11: Howard Pyle and American Illustration Opens; main floor galleries are fully reopened.

Press Contact: Amelia Wiggins, Assistant Director of Learning & Engagement, awiggins@delart.org

About the Delaware Art Museum

For over 100 years, the Museum has served as a primary arts and cultural institution in Delaware. It is alive with experiences, discoveries, and activities to connect people with art and with each other. Originally created in 1912 to honor the renowned illustrator and Wilmington-native, Howard Pyle, the Museum’s collection has grown to over 12,000 works of art in our building and sculpture garden. Also recognized for British Pre-Raphaelite art, the Museum is home to the largest and most important Pre-Raphaelite collection outside of the United Kingdom and a growing collection of significant contemporary art. Embracing all disciplines, the Museum’s Performance Series ranges from concerts by Pyxis Piano Quartet, resident ensemble of over ten years, to cutting-edge, multi-disciplinary artists committed to social justice and pushing the boundaries of artistic practice.

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

Image: Old Brittany Farm Houses, 1902. Robert Henri (1865–1929). Oil on canvas, 25 1/2 x 32 1/16 inches, frame: 33 x 39 1/2 inches. Delaware Art Museum, Gift of Mrs. Janet J. Le Clair, 1986. Installation image of the the Sue Ann and John L. Weinberg Gallery, “John Sloan and The Eight.” 2021, Photograph by Carson Zullinger. © Delaware Art Museum.

Hanlin Chinese Culture Association and Chinese American Community Center Share Cultural Traditions

The Delaware Art Museum once again partners with the Hanlin Chinese Culture Association and Chinese American Community Center for Chinese New Year – this year, celebrating the Year of the Ox. Beginning Saturday, February 20 and available through February 28, 2021, the public can celebrate the new beginnings of a lunar new year with free videos and art activities.

This virtual program will kick off with footage from lion and folk dance performances, Chinese yo-yo demonstrations, and art activities. A new addition to the celebration for 2021 is dumpling making, which includes an ingredient list and instructions shared in advance and an online cooking demonstration.

Families are encouraged to register online for free art activity supplies, which may be picked up at the Front Desk from February 13 through 21 during regular admission hours. The first 30 families that register will receive a lantern kit (limit one lantern per family). One registrant will be selected at random to receive a print to commemorate the Year of the Ox.

A link to the YouTube playlist of performances and demonstrations will be shared at delart.org on February 20. Families can view the recorded program at their convenience through February 28. This is the fifteenth year the Museum has partnered with community organizations to share Chinese traditions and art.

Taini Hsu, Founder and President of Hanlin Chinese Cultural Association, said, “The connection with the Museum started when I was a docent in 1997. We wanted to bring the Chinese and Asian Americans living in the community to the Museum to explore the art, and at the same time, enable the Museum’s American audience to appreciate our Chinese culture.”

Hsu added, “The lion and folk dances are performed by the young kids in programs at the Chinese American Community Center, but other performances have included visiting artists. I’m originally from Taiwan, and the reason we are able to bring artists in most years is thanks to the Culture Center of Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the U.S. They sponsor the event and every year they give away the lantern kits.”

The mission of the Hanlin Chinese Culture Association is to promote Chinese art and culture to the public. The Chinese American Community Center promotes the exchange and integration of Chinese and American cultures by coordinating activities and events throughout the year and by providing a location for various community organizations and clubs to meet.

Partnering with community organizations on Chinese New Year speaks to the Museum’s mission “to connect people to art, offering an inclusive and essential community resource that through its collections, exhibitions, and programs, generates creative energy that sustains, enriches, empowers, and inspires.”

This program is in partnership with Hanlin Chinese Culture Association. Lanterns provided by Culture Center of Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the U.S.

Media contact: Amelia Wiggins, Assistant Director of Learning and Engagement, awiggins@delart.org.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Delaware Art Museum announces virtual dance residency inspired by Cortor’s artwork.

On Thursday, February 18, at Noon, Dara Meredith’s virtual dance residency at the Delaware Art Museum will kick off with an Art Chat exploring the painting that inspires her, Southern Souvenir No. II by African American modern artist Eldzier Cortor. Scholar Dr. Tiffany Barber, assistant professor in Africana Studies and Art History at the University of Delaware, and Dara Meredith, artistic director at Eleone Dance Theatre and adjunct professor at Temple University, will explore the images of Black femininity in Cortor’s art and discuss his legacy and influence. Meredith’s residency at the Museum will include a series of talks and workshops and culminate in a dance she will choreograph later this year.

“The work will delve into the idea that Black bodies, and Black women specifically, have been ostracized, dismantled, separated, and abused; all the while being the backbone and the foundation of continuity for American culture,” said Meredith, describing the dance she will choreograph at the Museum. “The work showcases the complexity of what Black women in the south have experienced while having to hold the nation on its breast so that it may live and live on.”

The Art Chat and Meredith’s virtual dance residency will center on Cortor’s artwork, on loan from the Art Bridges Foundation through July 2021 and on display at the Delaware Art Museum.

Modern painter Eldzier Cortor was born in Virginia in 1916, but at just one year old his family moved north to Chicago, along with millions of other African American families during the Great Migration. Cortor later attended the Art Institute of Chicago and gained international recognition for his paintings of Black women.

“The Black Woman represents the Black Race,” Cortor said. “She is the Black Spirit; she conveys a feeling of eternity, and the continuum of life.”

The Art Chat virtual event is free to members and $7 to non-members by registration at delart.org.

Sponsors: Support provided by Art Bridges. This program is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

Collecting and Connecting: Recent Acquisitions, 2010-2020 will be on display March 13 – September 12.

Curious about the 1,000+ objects the Delaware Art Museum has acquired in the past decade? A selection of these artworks will be showcased in the exhibition Collecting and Connecting: Recent Acquisitions, 2010-2020, on view March 13 – September 12.

The Museum’s recent acquisitions span centuries, styles, cultures, and mediums, and now call the Delaware Art Museum home. Through this exhibition, visitors are invited to sample the last ten years’ additions to the collection and gain a behind-the-scenes look at how and why the museum collects. Collecting and Connecting encourages visitors to draw connections between diverse works of art from across collections and time periods.

For each of its five main collections (American Illustration, British Pre-Raphaelites, American Art to 1960, Contemporary Art, and the Helen Farr Sloan Library and Archives), potential acquisitions are considered based on many factors, including the work’s relationship to existing art in the collection and its ability to expand the scope of Museum holdings and tell missing or overlooked stories. When a new object is added, it recontextualizes the existing collection and opens up new interpretations and ideas.

“It has been a fascinating exercise to look across the museum’s recent acquisitions and see how much a work from 1857 and one from 2005 can tell the same story,” says Caroline Giddis, 2020 Delaware Art Museum Appel Curatorial Fellow. Giddis and Frederick co-curated the exhibition to spur visitors to make creative comparisons between artworks. “What happens when you place two unrelated works of art from different continents, centuries, movements, and artistic backgrounds next to one another on a gallery wall? Something magical.”

Collecting and Connecting: Recent Acquisitions, 2010-2020 will run from March 13 to September 12, 2021, in the Anthony N. and Catherine A. Fusco Gallery, with additional recent acquisitions installed and highlighted throughout the Museum and Copeland Sculpture Garden.

Acknowledgement of Support

This exhibition was organized by the Delaware Art Museum and is made possible by the Hallie Tybout Exhibit Fund. This organization is supported is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

Please contact Amelia Wiggins, Assistant Director of Learning and Engagement, at awiggins@delart.org or 302-351-8503.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Image: Dream, 2010. Gretchen Moyer (1956–2015). Pastel and acrylic on paper, 22 × 29 inches. Delaware Art Museum, Gift of David Moyer, 2016. © Estate of the artist.

Community Cleanups and a Parade Encourage the Public to Serve

The Delaware Art Museum once again partners with the Wilmington community for Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service. Monday, January 18, 2021 honors the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a national day of service that celebrates the civil rights leader’s life and legacy, and the Museum invites the community to volunteer for One Village Alliance and West Side Grows outdoor cleanups in the morning and early afternoon, via pre-registration, and to participate in the Peace March beginning at 2 p.m.

One Village Alliance, whose mission is to grow historically marginalized youth into their true greatness through education, economic development, and the arts, is a frequent partner of the Museum. The Alliance has moved into a new Freedom Center at 31st and Market Streets and has asked the community to help make the new space beautiful on this annual day of service. Individuals, pods, or household groups will work outside, socially distanced, to paint walls, maintain landscaping, create chalk messages of peace, and help with exterior cleanup.

Participants are asked to pre-register for a timeslot between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. The outdoor event at 31 West 31st Street requires participants to wear a mask. In lieu of or in addition to volunteering, donations are also encouraged. During the cleanup, vocal artists will perform, starting at 11 a.m.

Museum Audience Engagement Specialist Iz Balleto, who helped organize the partnership with One Village Alliance, said, “It is important the Delaware Art Museum backs up the community, especially on MLK Day. It is a day of activism, and one in which we take a moment to listen to the people on the ground. What better way to begin to heal than to work together, physically restoring our own community?”

West Side Grows Together is a coalition of residents, businesses, churches, and local leadership from the Cool Spring, Hilltop, Little Italy and The Flats neighborhoods. During an annual Community Clean Up and Peace March, participants will clean and beautify the exterior of the Teen Warehouse, 1121 Thatcher Street, as well as Be Ready CDC, 1411 W. 4th Street, and Helen Chambers Playground, 600 North Madison Street. Volunteers will clean the Peace March route, which runs along 4th Street, under I-95, and near the Adams Four Shopping Center.

Cleanup of the Teen Warehouse will begin at 10 a.m., the Be Ready CDC and Helen Chambers Playground begins at 11 a.m. The Peace March will begin at 2 p.m. at the Hicks Anderson Center, 501 North Madison Street. Parking is available onsite.

Pre-registration is required for the cleanups, but not the march. Face masks are required for any in-person events.

Balleto added, “Through the partnerships we have built over the years with One Village Alliance and West Side Grows, it’s only right to extend our hand and to foster those who have made the sacrifice to assist others through community service…and applying artivism at the same time,” referencing the term for activism through art.

The Museum recommends other ways to serve for those who cannot volunteer: donating school supplies or purchasing a Museum Art Kit for a family. The public is welcome to drop off new or like-new supplies at the Delaware Art Museum before January 18, during open hours, for One Village Alliance to distribute to students in need. A $20 donation provides an art kit, full of fun art supplies and a project inspired by the Museum’s collection, to a family in need.

This event is a partnership with One Village Alliance, Guerrilla Republik, Center for Interventional Pain & Spine, and 302 Guns Down. This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

Please contact Amelia Wiggins, Assistant Director of Learning and Engagement, at awiggins@delart.org or 302-351-8503.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Changes for 2020 Include Outdoor Setting, Masks, and Added Food and Beverage Options

Reenergizing a beloved annual event, the Delaware Art Museum will continue its tradition of a Winter Festival, this year situating it al fresco. DelArt invites the community to celebrate the season during a family-friendly market and entertainment event on the Museum grounds on Saturday, December 12 from 10 am to 4 pm.

The event is free for Members and $5 for nonmembers. To comply with social distancing guidelines, capacity is limited; therefore, reserved and timed tickets are required. Guests will be asked to wear masks unless seated and eating or drinking. A ticket also entitles the bearer to Museum admission that day.

Guests can shop from regional artisans and local fine food and beverage purveyors, and listen to festive music performed by traveling carolers. In addition to the unique, high-quality wares DelArt has always presented, guests can shop for consumable fine foods and local beverages. Vendor registration is not yet complete, but vendors to date include:

Anna Biggs Designs – Handcarved Gold and Silver Jewelry
Angela Colasanti of VIELA Jewelry – Jewelry, Keepsakes, and Greetings
Flowers by Yukie – Wreaths, Boxwood Trees, Holiday Plants, and Ornaments
SunSobo LLC – All Natural Hibiscus and Ginger Tea
John A. Styer – Turned Wood
Works of Art – Custom Pens and Fishing Rods
Sassy Bee Honey – Raw & Infused Honey, Natural Bath, Body & Beard Products, Beeswax Candles & More
Hope’s Caramels – Soft, Artsian Caramels and other Caramel Products
Crooked Hammock Brewery – Beer Samples and Takeaways
Fusions Taster’s Choice – Olive Oils, Vinegars, and Olives
Paper Greenhouse – Paper Botanicals
The Fairy Potter – Hand Built White Clay/Porcelain Fairy Cottages
Meaghan Paige – Original Handmade Designs and Accessories
Classic Elegance – Quality Leather Goods and Seating
Heather Ossandon, HEOS Ceramics – Ceramics
Wilmington Brew Works – Locally Crafted Beer
Visuelleculture – Knitwear

Director of Operations Heather Morrissey said, “This event has evolved from prior years to accommodate COVID safety guidelines. The biggest change is moving it outdoors, an idea we’ve toyed with for the past few years, and which has become a necessity. We are aiming for a more ‘vintage holiday market’ feel than just pop-up shopping.”

There will be outdoor heaters, but guests are also welcome to enter the Museum to warm up and visit the galleries and Museum Store for more unique gifts.

Should weather interfere with the event, Sunday, December 13 has been selected as the makeup date. DelArt’s weekend hours are 10 am to 4 pm. For more information, visit delart.org.

Press Contact

Please contact Cynthia Smith, Marketing Manager, at csmith@delart.org or 302-351-8514.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Photographs of Local Heroes on View Starting November 11

The Delaware Art Museum will present a celebration of essential workers throughout Wilmington with a photography exhibition launching on November 11, 2020, in the Museum’s Orientation Hallway.

COVID-19 and the response to stop the spread of the virus reminded nearly the whole world just how much it relies on essential workers. The initial focus was on thanking first responders such as doctors, nurses, and emergency personnel. But it quickly became evident that so many other kinds of workers—bus drivers, grocery cashiers, farmers, dry cleaners, and more—are essential to supporting our communities.

This photography project, Essential Workers Photography Campaign, created by Operation Technician Iz Balleto and Teaching Artist and Curator in Residence JaQuanne LeRoy, shows the faces and voices of the many people who have kept our Wilmington community going since the start of the current health crisis. It will combine portraits with personal stories of working on the front lines, exploring what essential work entails and honoring those individuals who continue to dedicate their lives to their work every day.

Balleto, who lost a cousin to COVID-19, was inspired by his own experience as an essential worker at the Delaware Art Museum to create the campaign. Even a closed museum has critical operational needs.

“I was looking at empty walls in the Museum. I was essential, and still report every day. Apart from that, I thought about everybody else who was going to work. Not everyone had the opportunity to work from home: we had to get up no matter what.”

Balleto added, “What’s essential to a community is different than the definition of first responders. I wanted to highlight the people out here in Wilmington, the heroes in our community, who are more than just doctors and nurses. There are people who take care of children and the elderly; people who make sure we have food, from the bodega to the grocery to the bakery – they all matter. This is a love and a sacrifice.”

LeRoy was selected to curate the campaign, tapping photographer Luna Visions to shoot the subjects, and creating a questionnaire for the subjects as a way to collect information for the captions. Luna Visions’ work can be found on Instagram under @lunavisions.

LeRoy said, “Corner store bodegas represented an area of essential work that stood out for me. Growing up in Wilmington, the bodega was a staple, meeting your immediate needs without having to go to a grocery store.”

He added, “Understanding most of those are small businesses run by families and the risk they undertook to be open for the community, I thought that was very special and was happy to see as a part of this campaign. Those decisions where you might have to groom someone else to step up and be more involved when elderly people are at risk changes that family dynamic.”

Like Balleto, LeRoy experienced the effects of COVID-19 in his family. His uncle works for the Wilmington Port Authority, where fresh fruits and food supplies come into the community, and upon learning his uncle was in the hospital with the coronavirus, LeRoy’s perspective on who an essential worker was changed.

Molly Giordano, Interim Executive Director, said, “So many people have supported us in 2020, ensuring that our needs are met and our families remain healthy and cared for. We believe art is an essential resource, and by utilizing the arts, we connect and celebrate our community.”

The exhibition is set to open on Veterans Day. The Museum is open every Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with hours extended to 8 p.m. on Thursdays.

Press Contact

Please contact Cynthia Smith, Marketing Manager, at csmith@delart.org or 302-351-8514.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

The Delaware Art Museum (DelArt) has received a $20,000 grant from Bank of America to support the arts in our community. This generous contribution will help the Museum connect people with the arts and each other through virtual and hybrid programs.

This fall, DelArt plans to continue providing safe arts engagement to our community. Programs like virtual school tours and art activity kits will provide standards-based arts education for youth in Wilmington. Other programs like our Healing through the Arts help participants heal from trauma through virtual slow art tours. In addition, we are extending our popular Happy Hours into the fall season and showing drive-in movies with DelArt Cinema. These and more innovative programs can be found on our website: delart.org.

Bank of America’s gift along with donations from DuPont and the National Endowment for the Arts’ CARES Act are supporting DelArt as we provide invaluable, community-centered programs during this pandemic. “Bank of America has been advancing the arts in our community for over 20 years,” says Molly Giordano, Interim Executive Director at DelArt. “We really appreciate Bank of America’s continued support–especially during this difficult year.”

“The coronavirus pandemic has put a strain on many cultural organizations, and it is important to provide our support to ensure their continued viability,” said Chip Rossi, Delaware market president for Bank of America. “The Delaware Art Museum plays a significant role in our community and we are committed to assisting their mission of connecting people to culturally enriching experiences.”

This enduring partnership helps make Wilmington a more vibrant place to live. The 2017 Arts & Economic Prosperity 5 report for the state of Delaware from the Americans for the Arts calculates economic impact of arts institutions. According to this study, each year DelArt creates 160 full-time equivalent jobs, $4,508,167 in resident household income, $67,096 in local government revenue, and $338,248 in state government revenue.

The grant is part of Bank of America’s philanthropic giving efforts in local communities. Awardees were selected for their commitment to addressing basic needs, medical response, and workforce development for individuals and families, in particular during the coronavirus pandemic.

Sponsors

This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts. This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Visit delart.org for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

About Bank of America

At Bank of America, we’re guided by a common purpose to help make financial lives better, through the power of every connection. We’re delivering on this through responsible growth with a focus on our environmental, social and governance (ESG) leadership. ESG is embedded across our eight lines of business and reflects how we help fuel the global economy, build trust and credibility, and represent a company that people want to work for, invest in and do business with. It’s demonstrated in the inclusive and supportive workplace we create for our employees, the responsible products and services we offer our clients, and the impact we make around the world in helping local economies thrive. An important part of this work is forming strong partnerships with nonprofits and advocacy groups, such as community, consumer and environmental organizations, to bring together our collective networks and expertise to achieve greater impact.

Learn more at about.bankofamerica.com, and connect with us on Twitter (@BofA_News).

For more Bank of America news, including dividend announcements and other important information, visit the Bank of America newsroom and register for news email alerts. www.bankofamerica.com

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A Museum is more than what’s inside its walls and from September through November, the Delaware Art Museum will connect people to art both outdoors and online.

Happy Hour on the Museum Terrace takes place every Thursday from 5–7:30 pm through October 15 (weather permitting). These free events feature cool beverages from the cash bar and live music and performances such as Joseph Whitney on steel drums (September 24), Toni “Big Cat” Smith Quartet (October 1) and Dance Works in Progress (October 15). Food provided by Los Taquitos De Puebla, with a menu that includes several kinds of tacos and vegetarian offerings. Following Happy Hour on September 24, Spokey Speaky reggae concert will perform a free concert at 7 pm which will also be live streamed.

On September 26 and 27, Delaware Shakespeare will present Shakespeare in the Garden; theatrical selections performed in the Copeland Sculpture Garden. At 4:30pm and 6pm each night, Delaware Shakespeare actors will perform in front of six sculptures during a 60-minute walking tour of the Copeland Sculpture Garden. Tickets are $25 for Non-Members. Beer and wine will be available for purchase.

Alternating Thursdays in September and October also invite movie lovers to drive-in for classic films presented in partnership with DelArt Cinema: The Maltese Falcon, September 17, The Birdcage, October 1, North by Northwest, October 15, and Frankenstein, October 29. Rain dates are on subsequent Friday nights. Start times vary from 8–8:45 pm. Tickets begin at $17 and include popcorn and soft drinks, with upgrades available. Advanced purchase only.

Marking the change of season, the community is invited to take a special meditative walk through the Museum’s labyrinth at the Anthony N. Fusco Reservoir on the annual Fall Equinox Labyrinth Walk, September 22 from 10–11 am.

On Family 2^nd Sunday, October 11, families are invited to enjoy a Story Walk in the Copeland Sculpture Garden. The children’s story Tar Beach by Faith Ringgold will be installed along the Museum’s outdoor pathways for families to discover.

To honor ancestors and lives lost to COVID-19, the Museum is hosting a free outdoor Día de los Muertos event on Saturday, October 31 from 1–4pm. We will observe the holiday with a ceremony and labyrinth walk, ofrenda installations for guests to contribute pictures and quotes to, Azteca dancers, vendors, and food by Los Taquitos de Puebla.

While outdoor events are mostly taking place on evenings and weekends, online events offer opportunities to foster creativity throughout the week.

Every third Thursday at Noon, Art Chats take place on the video platform Zoom. The topic of Plant LIFE in the City is planned for September 17. Environmental Social Scientist Dr. Jame McCray and JaQuanne LeRoy, Teaching Artist and Curator in Residence for the Delaware Art Museum, Delaware College of Art and Design, and Chris White Gallery will discuss an art-science exploration that engaged local artists in the subject of environmental justice. Additional Art Chats are planned with curators and other special guests on October 15 and beyond. Art Chats are free for Members, and $7 for non-Members.

The Museum’s monthly slow art tour goes virtual, and adds a meditative artmaking experience. Healing Through the Arts: Virtual Slow Art and Artful Meditation takes place September 20. Registration is free, and participants will receive a Zoom link upon registration.

Experience the Delaware Korean Festival from the comfort of your home starting October 2. The Museum will virtually co-host this year’s free festival through on our website and social media. The 30-minute program includes how to make Japchae (Korean noodles), Korean martial arts, an introduction to the Korean language, and a short film about a second generation Korean-American’s life. This program is produced by the Delaware Korean Association with support from the Korean government.

Other opportunities to take a deep dive into art, virtually, include Art is Tasty on the first Friday of the month at Noon and two Inside Look discussions in November. The October 2 Art is Tasty will discuss the Museum’s Labyrinth over a 30-minute Zoom chat. Free for Members; $7 for Non-Members.

Inside Look: Parade de Paysans takes place virtually on Friday, November 20, Noon, and Sunday, November 22, 2 pm. This free, in-depth dialogue will focus on Loïs Mailou Jones’ painting, led by University of Delaware Art History graduate student Kristin Nassif.

Even free events may require registration, so visit each event’s page on delart.org for further details. Events may have capacity limits and Zoom events require registration in order for participants to receive their Zoom links.

Acknowledgement of Support

Press Contact

Please contact Cynthia Smith, Marketing Manager, at csmith@delart.org or 302-351-8514.

About the Delaware Art Museum

For over 100 years, the Museum has served as a primary arts and cultural institution in Delaware. It is alive with experiences, discoveries, and activities to connect people with art and with each other. Originally created in 1912 to honor the renowned illustrator and Wilmington-native, Howard Pyle, the Museum’s collection has grown to over 12,000 works of art in our building and sculpture garden. Also recognized for British Pre-Raphaelite art, the Museum is home to the most comprehensive collection of Pre-Raphaelite art on display outside of the United Kingdom and a growing collection of significant contemporary art. Embracing all disciplines, the Museum’s Performance Series ranges from concerts by Pyxis Piano Quartet, resident ensemble of over ten years, to cutting-edge, multi-disciplinary artists committed to social justice and pushing the boundaries of artistic practice.

Event on October 1 features an in-person panel with a professional film crew

WILMINGTON, Del. — Since 2018, the Conversations with Women Making a Difference series has brought audiences to the Delaware Art Museum for vibrant discussions among women leading change and breaking boundaries. The Museum is one of the recipients of funds raised by this event.

The Delaware Art Museum is committed to expanding their collection of art by female artists and to increasing solo exhibitions by female artists. This reflects the Museums mission to address race, gender, and diversity gaps within the museum field and to represent more fully the range of individuals that shape the history of art.

For the first time, on Thursday, October 1, 2020, Blue Blaze Associates will present a virtual conversation. Carol Arnott-Robbins, founder of series sponsor NEWS4Women,will moderate the in-person panel and discussion will be streamed live on Zoom by a professional film crew at The Mill.

Virtual attendees will enjoy a live discussion and Q&A session followed by networking opportunities with the panelists. Tickets are $25, and all 2020 proceeds benefit the Delaware Art Museum and Fund for Women. Visit www.BlueBlaze.org for tickets and event details.

“We have received rave reviews for the unscripted and candid conversations we’ve hosted in the past,” comments Wendy Scott, co-founder of Blue Blaze Associates. “Our priority in moving to a live stream environment is to preserve the authenticity of these events. With the panelists and facilitator together in real life, we’re looking forward to the same engaging and thought-provoking experience our audiences have come to appreciate.”

The three panelists for October 1 will be:

Colleen Perry Keith – President of Goldey-Beacom College

Colleen Perry Keith is the new president of Goldey-Beacom College and the first woman to hold the position in the school’s 133-year history. In addition, she was the first woman president at the last two colleges where she worked.

Before coming to Delaware, Colleen served as president at Pfeiffer University in North Carolina and as president of Spartanburg Methodist College in South Carolina. Under her leadership, Pfeiffer significantly increased enrollment, created the Office of Digital Transformation and Technology, launched two graduate health science programs, and moved the University from NCAA Division II to Division III athletics. Her strong financial management also led the institution to substantial debt reduction and significant support from USDA for capital projects and debt refinancing.

Colleen holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from State University of New York, University Center at Binghamton; Master of Education Degree, Education Counseling from University of Pittsburgh; and a Doctorate of Philosophy in Higher Education Administration and Student Affairs from The Ohio State University. She is also a breast cancer survivor.

Melody Phillips – Director of Operations for The Warehouse

Melody Phillips is the director for a new teen center being developed in northeast Wilmington. Run for teens and by teens, The Warehouse will offer comprehensive after-school opportunities for up to 700 teens in one of the city’s most underserved neighborhoods. Teens are empowered to lead, prototype, and design programming that they believe will have the greatest impact on their success as they transition from adolescence to adulthood.

The Warehouse is part of a multi-million dollar community revitalization project planned by REACH Riverside. In addition to her DOO role at The Warehouse, Melody serves as Chair of the Workforce Development Committee for REACH Riverside.

Melody is also the Co-Founder and Board Chairwoman of I Am My Sister’s Keeper, an organization that provides rites of passage curriculum, leadership development, and social-emotional skills training to girls 12 to 18 years old.

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Saint Joseph’s University and a Masters of Arts in Forensic Psychology from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. In 2019, Delaware Today honored Melody with a Women in Business award.

Latifa Ihsan Ali – CEO and Head Designer of LiaWear Action

Latifa Ihsan Ali is a Muslimah American fashion designer and entrepreneur who is passionate about helping women get active and keep modest. Her company, LiaWear Action, was born out of the desire to empower Muslim women to pursue the activities they love. The hijab solutions she designs allow women to strengthen themselves through exercise, travel, and adventure. She launched her line of modest swimsuits and sportswear in 2011 and has been encouraging women to get out and run, jog, kick, bike, hike, swim, splash, dive, and dance their way to fitness.

Latifa’s designs are inspired by her travels abroad, including Middle Eastern countries, as well as popular American trends in athletic wear. Her creations were showcased in the Haute and Modesty Fashion Show of DC Fashion Week, the Faith and Fashion Forum held at F.I.T. in New York, the International Sisters Network Annual Fashion Show in Maryland, and the Annual UMM Sisters Fashion Show in Philadelphia. She was awarded the Golden Minaret Award for Best in Fashion from the Academy of Muslim Achievement in 2017.

Latifa is from Wilmington and graduated from John Dickinson High School. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Apparel Design from the University of Delaware.

Conversations with Women Making a Difference in Delaware is a series presented by Blue Blaze Associates and sponsored by NEWS4Women. Each event features a different panel of inspiring women discussing a variety of topics including career highlights, life lessons, and hard-earned wisdom. Proceeds are donated to nonprofits.

For additional updates, find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ConversationswithWomenDE/.

Presenter: Blue Blaze Associates is a full-service marketing & design agency. We’re a certified Women-owned Business Enterprise (WBE) serving a variety of clients in the for-profit, nonprofit, and government sectors. We’re passionate about building distinctive brands that are authentic, relevant, and memorable.

Panel Facilitator & Series Sponsor: Carol Arnott-Robbins is the founder of NEWS4Women (Network to Encourage Women’s Support 4 Women), an initiative to build collaborative community and economic opportunities for women, and to support local nonprofit organizations. She is also a realtor with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach.

2020 Partners & Beneficiaries: Delaware Art Museum, Fund for Women Delaware, and Spur Impact

2020 Media Sponsors: Delaware Today, Delaware Business Times, and Delaware Business Now

Wilmington, DE — In a continuing effort to connect people to the arts during COVID-19, the Delaware Art Museum has partnered with DelArt Cinema to offer biweekly drive-in movies on the Museum’s grounds in the Copeland Sculpture Garden. Film buffs can enjoy socially-distant, crowd-pleasing classics in genres ranging from noir to spy to comedy to vintage horror. The movies, which take place every other Thursday (with subsequent Friday evenings dedicated to rain dates), are scheduled through October 29, weather permitting. Admission is $19 per person and includes food and beverage, with a discount extended to Museum members; admission by advanced purchase only.

The September selections are Pulp Fiction and The Maltese Falcon, and the movies begin at approximately 8:45 p.m. October selections are The Birdcage, North by Northwest, and Frankenstein, and begin at approximately 8:30 p.m. After check-in, guests select food and drinks, which are handed to them in their vehicles. Moviegoers are asked to arrive no later than 20 minutes before show time; late arrivals will be parked at the Museum’s discretion. Gates open at 7:45 p.m. for all shows. FM radio transmission is required to hear the movies, and masks are required for interaction with staff and restroom visits.

Marion Jackson, Director of Operations for DelArt Cinema, described the film selection process, “With so much of the world in disarray, it makes the current day feel morbid. We wanted to offer a selection of films that allows our guests to break out of that headspace. We tried to pick stories that are strong enough to make the world around them melt away, if only for an hour or two.”

Lauren McMahon, Delaware Art Museum’s Event and Rentals Manager, said, “While the Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday for visitors, these outdoor, after-hours events align with the Museum’s commitment to balancing relevance and sustainability. We are offering our beautiful campus in a safe way to community members for whom film is a source of enjoyment and bonding.”

Dates and synopses for each film:

Pulp Fiction, September 3. This 1994 neo-noir black comedy features innumerable stars, most notably, Samuel L. Jackson, John Travolta, and Uma Thurman. It won the Palme D’Or at Cannes and took Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay Oscars, landing it on the National Film Registry. The source for scores of humorous memes and an iconic dance routine, the movie also prophetically introduced the realities of opioid use into the common American vernacular. Rated R.

The Maltese Falcon, September 17. Continuing the noir theme, this 1941 film showcases Humphrey Bogart as a private eye, with John Huston at the directorial helm. Bogart’s Sam Spade navigates the criminal underworld in search of a bejeweled bird. It was one of the first 25 films on the National Film Registry, and is considered by some to be the first major film noir. The studio asked for Bogart’s lines to be delivered faster, thus setting the stage for the noir genre’s signature “rat-a-tat” speaking pace. Said blinged out bird was sold to a movie memorabilia collector for $4 million in 2013. Not rated.

The Birdcage, October 1. While by no means noir, this 1996 film, starring Robin Williams and Nathan Lane, nonetheless relies on secret identities to drive its plot: boy’s two “out” dads meet girl’s conservative mom and dad. The introduction of gay and drag culture into conservative settings as a punchline may strike some as dated in 2020, but in 1996, as in 1983 when La Cage aux Folles became a Broadway hit, it was groundbreaking. Mainstream films that delved into the humanity of gay couples were few and far between, as were drag performers portrayed through something other than the man-in-a-dress gag. The Screen Actors Guild awarded the cast an Outstanding Performance award. Rated R.

North by Northwest, October 15. Sure, this 1959 Hitchcock spy thriller hits all the genre’s important buttons: mistaken identity, a conflicted femme fatale, smuggling a microfilm (a “MacGuffin”) of government secrets on a moving train, kidnapping, and murder. But it’s a don’t-miss for another reason: Cary Grant and James Mason may have two of the most recognizable voices in movie history. Another National Film Registry pick and number 40 on American Film Institute’s 100 greatest movies of all time, it’s the first movie to feature extensive kinetic typography in its opening credits and has a 99% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. GQ magazine named Grant’s movie costume the best suit in film history and the most influential on men’s style. Not rated.

Frankenstein, October 29. This 1931 film features Boris Karloff as Dr. Frankenstein’s monster. It is on the National Film Registry and sits at number 87 on the American Film Institute’s 100 greatest movies of all time. While the film’s subject is widely known and its horror may seem tame to modern viewers, Kansas censors requested as many 32 scenes cut from the reel due to accusations of blasphemy. Rated PG.

Reflecting on previous Delaware Art Museum drive-in movies, Jackson added, “We have gotten some great feedback from our guests. A couple that came to see Some Like It Hot gleefully remarked that, in their younger years, their first date was a drive-in. We’ve had parents, excited to relive a piece of their childhood, introducing their own kids to drive-in films for the first time. Evoking those kinds of feelings and bringing some light into these dark times was exactly what we hoped for when we chose our films.”

Every paid ticket entitles the guest to a popcorn and a soda or water. Ticket upgrades include candy or snacks such as chocolate bars, gummies, pretzels, nuts, cookies, crackers, or chips, as well as beer or wine.

No sitter? While not all of the movie topics are family fare, kids ages 6 and under are free, so they could, theoretically, snooze in the back seat. Museum restrooms will be available in the studio wing.

IF YOU GO:

WHAT: Delaware Art Museum and DelArt Cinema Present Drive-in Pulp Fiction
WHEN: Thursday, Sept. 3, 2020 (rain date Friday, Sept. 4), approximately 8:45 p.m., gates open 7:45 p.m.
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum Copeland Sculpture Garden, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19806
COST: Free—$19 (food upgrades available; discount for members)
INFO: delart.org

WHAT: Delaware Art Museum and DelArt Cinema Present Drive-in The Maltese Falcon
WHEN: Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020 (rain date Friday, Sept. 18), approximately 8:45 p.m., gates open 7:45 p.m.
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum Copeland Sculpture Garden, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19806
COST: Free—$19 (food upgrades available; discount for members)
INFO: delart.org

WHAT: Delaware Art Museum and DelArt Cinema Present Drive-in The Birdcage
WHEN: Thursday, Oct. 1, 2020 (rain date Friday, Oct. 2), approximately 8:30 p.m., gates open 7:45 p.m.
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum Copeland Sculpture Garden, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19806
COST: Free—$19 (food upgrades available; discount for members)
INFO: delart.org

WHAT: Delaware Art Museum and DelArt Cinema Present Drive-in North by Northwest
WHEN: Thursday, Oct. 15, 2020 (rain date Friday, Oct. 16), approximately 8:30 p.m., gates open 7:45 p.m.
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum Copeland Sculpture Garden, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19806
COST: Free—$19 (food upgrades available; discount for members)
INFO: delart.org

WHAT: Delaware Art Museum and DelArt Cinema Present Drive-in Frankenstein
WHEN: Thursday, Oct. 29, 2020 (rain date Friday, Oct. 30), approximately 8:30 p.m., gates open 7:45 p.m.
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum Copeland Sculpture Garden, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19806
COST: Free—$19 (food upgrades available; discount for members)
INFO: delart.org

The Delaware Art Museum is pleased to announce the Creative Spacers Youth Art Contest, a continuation of the Creative Spacers project. Delaware residents between the ages of 6-19 can submit works of original art that creatively convey a theme of hope, love, social distancing, or pandemic safety. The contest, which will be open from July 20 to August 10, is intended to spread awareness of safety practices as well as encourage, engage, and celebrate young artists during the current COVID-19 pandemic.

“All submissions must be original, 12 x 12 square 2D works.” The five works in each age category (6-13 and 14-19) that are most effective and creative at conveying the themes will be compensated with a gift card to a local art supply store. Scans of the artwork will be displayed at the Museum in late August. The originals will be retained by the Museum for use in the 12 x 12 Student Exhibition in 2021.

The Creative Spacers Youth Art Contest aligns with the Museum’s commitment to civic engagement through community outreach and participation. “Aside from commissioning a diverse group of local adult artists for the Creative Spacers project, we wanted to include a younger generation of aspiring artists during a time when many are stuck at home,” says Lillia Schmidt, Community Engagement Intern, who is working closely with Jonathan Whitney, the Museum’s Manager of Performance Programs and Community Engagement, on the contest.

For more information on eligibility, requirements, and submission instructions, click here.

Please contact Cynthia Smith, Marketing Manager, at csmith@delart.org or 302-351-8514.

Scheduled for late March, the opening of Layered Abstraction: Helen Mason and Margo Allman was delayed due to Covid-19 and the Museum’s subsequent closure. Now, with our recent reopening, Layered Abstraction is on view for the public.

For more than 50 years, Margo Allman and Helen Mason have challenged traditional expectations for contemporary art in the greater Wilmington area. The Delaware Art Museum celebrates these two pioneering artists with a Distinguished Artist Series retrospective in its premier exhibition gallery space through January 17, 2021.

Both Allman and Mason have dedicated their artistic careers to exploring the infinite possibilities of abstraction. Margo Allman’s work was first exhibited at the Museum during its 43rd Annual Delaware Show in 1956. Since then, Allman has participated in countless juried and curated shows at the Museum and throughout the region. Her prints, paintings, and sculptures, which are inspired by nature, bring form to the invisible. Layered Abstraction will feature more than 50 of Allman’s works of art, including her early 1950s avant-garde prints; her sculptures in marble, wood, concrete, and synthetic fiber from the 70s and 80s; her signature series of ovoidal paintings; and her graphic drawings dating from 2004 to 2019.

Helen Mason, who arrived in Delaware in 1967, has exhibited at the Delaware Art Museum and played an active role on the Delaware State Arts Council—all while teaching generations of students at the Tatnall School in Wilmington. Materiality is a consistent inspiration for Mason, as is Minimal art and the Japanese techniques of layering, bundling, gathering, knotting, and folding. Layered Abstraction will feature more than 80 works of art by Mason, including her jewelry, paintings, and ceramics from the 1970s through today, and selections from her 1988 Delaware Art Museum./

About Margo Allman

Margo Allman is an abstract artist who works in painting, printmaking, and sculpture. She attended Moore College of Art and Design in Philadelphia where she studied with the abstract expressionist artist Leonard Nelson. She also pursued further study with Hans Hofmann. Since 1954, Allman has participated in countless solo and group exhibitions in the United States and abroad, including at the Delaware Art Museum, the Biggs Museum of American Art, and the West Chester University Art Gallery. Her work is also featured in many regional collections, including the Delaware Art Museum and the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

“My life in art and its driving preoccupation is to both explore and form my emotions, my yearnings and the mysteries of nature,” says Allman. “My never-ending goal is to enrich others with the quality of my true and unique talents.”

About Helen Mason

Helen Mason received her MFA from the University of Delaware and her BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design/Brown University. Among her many honors are a National Endowment for the Arts/Delaware State Arts Council Individual Artist Fellowship, a Gulbenkian Foundation Grant, and a Delaware Art Museum Purchase Award. She was appointed by the Governor to the Board of the Delaware State Arts Council serving two terms, served on the Board of the Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts, and directed the Art Program as Chairman at the Tatnall School in Wilmington. Mason’s work has been exhibited nationally and internationally at the American Craft Museum (MAD) in NY, the National Museum of Women in the Arts in DC, the Biggs Museum in DE, the Delaware Art Museum, the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, the Vonderau Museum in Germany, Takashimya Gallery in Japan, and the Aaron Faber Gallery in NY. Her work is in the permanent collections of the Delaware Art Museum, the Hercules Powder Co in DE, the Kalamazoo Institute of Art in MI, and the High Museum.

“As a sculptor, I see myself constructing shapes that are self-contained, uncompromising, and singular, often thinking in different scales to explore an idea,” says Mason. “My inspiration is drawn from Minimalism and the stability and refinement of geometric forms. The color black is always a constant, incorporating a strong influence of the East, symbolizing mystery, serenity, and elegance. My motivation is a search for innovative ways to test convention, always with the desire to break the boundaries between art and craft.”

Press Contact

Media interviews with both artists are available upon request. Please contact Cynthia Smith, Marketing Manager, at csmith@delart.org or 302.351.8514 To to request and interview.

Acknowledgement of Support

Layered Abstraction: Margo Allman & Helen Mason was organized by the Delaware Art Museum. This exhibition is made possible by the Emily du Pont Memorial Exhibition Fund and is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

In 2018, the Museum partnered with 19 organizations throughout the city of Wilmington to mark 50 years since the powerful and community-changing public response that followed the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on April 4, 1968. The civil disturbances in Wilmington, which were followed by a nine-month occupation by the Delaware National Guard, left an indelible mark on the community.

Artist Hank Willis Thomas was commissioned by the Museum to respond to the events of 1968 through the creation of a new work of art that shed light on this complicated moment in the city’s history. Following the 2018 exhibition, the Museum acquired Black Survival Guide, or How to Live Through a Police Riot from Thomas for the benefit of the communities we serve.

Two years later, Black Survival Guide, or How to Live Through a Police Riot has been reinstalled and is on view now through September 27. The work is a series of 13 retroreflective screen prints based on photographs from The News Journal and a booklet in the collection of the Delaware Historical Society that is titled Black Survival Guide, or How to Live Through a Police Riot.

The Delaware Art Museum rehung this poignant work of art in the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests happening in Wilmington and around the world. The Museum is committed to supporting its community as it grapples with the emotional anxiety and strain of the violent murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and many others as a result of systemic racism. As is laid out in its strategic vision, the Museum will continue to work with its partners to address critical social issues affecting its communities through civic discourse and creative expression.

The Delaware Art Museum reopened on Wednesday, July 1, 2020. Museum Members received two weeks of exclusive access before opening to the general public on Wednesday, July 15, 2020. The Museum will be free to the public from July 15-August 1.

To keep guests safe, Plexiglas shields have been installed at the front desk and in the Museum Store and all transactions are cashless, so visitors are encouraged to remember their credit cards. Guests are required to wear face masks and practice social distancing. The Thronson Café is be closed until further notice. Maps and brochures are only available electronically for the time being.

The Museum has returned to its regular operating hours, which are as follows: Monday and Tuesday: closed; Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday: 10 am – 4 pm; Thursday: 10 am – 8 pm.

Acknowledgment of Support

This exhibition is organized by the Delaware Art Museum. This exhibition t is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

Press Contact

To request an interview, please contact Cynthia Smith, Marketing Manager, at csmith@delart.org or 302-351-8514.

Top: How to Live through a Police Riot [Black Survival Guide, or How to Live Through a Police Riot] (detail), 2018, Hank Willis Thomas (born 1976), Screen print on retroreflective vinyl with aluminum backing, 62 x 48 inches. Delaware Art Museum, F. V. du Pont Acquisition Fund, 2019. Commissioned by the Delaware Art Museum. Photograph of Wilmington Riots and National Guard Occupation by Frank Fahey, 1968. Courtesy of The News Journal. Text from Northeast Conservation Association, Black Survival Guide, or How to Live Through a Police Riot, c. 1960s. Daniels Collection, courtesy of the Delaware Historical Society. © Hank Willis Thomas.

Award-winning, best-selling author Erin Entrada Kelly to give virtual keynote address

The Delaware Art Museum is hosting its fourth annual Wilmington Writers Conference, but this year all events will be offered online. The theme of Untold Stories will be explored through the virtual keynote address, a full slate of craft sessions via Zoom, and online networking opportunities.

“The Wilmington Writers Conference has been popular in the past, but this year, since everything will be offered online, we are looking forward to broadening our audience and including participants of all experience levels and backgrounds from Delaware and beyond,” said Eliza Jarvis, Manager of Youth Learning and Creative Partnerships and Conference Chair.

The virtual conference will kick off at 7 pm on Friday, July 17 with a virtual keynote address by acclaimed author Erin Entrada Kelly, who received the 2018 Newbery Medal for Hello, Universe, the 2017 APALA Award for The Land of Forgotten Girls, and the 2016 Golden Kite Honor Award for Blackbird Fly, among other honors. She is a New York Times bestselling author whose work has been translated into several languages. Her fifth book and first fantasy, Lalani of the Distant Sea, received six starred reviews and was named one of the best books of the year by the New York Public Library, The Horn Book, Booklist, BookPage, and others. All of Erin Entrada Kelly’s books are Junior Library Guild Selections. In 2018, Hello, Universe and You Go First were both acquired for adaptation. Hello, Universe is being adapted by Netflix, and You Go First is being adapted for the stage. Kelly’s keynote address on Friday, July 17 will be free and open to the public, but requires pre-registration. Signed copies of Erin’s books, including We Dream of Space, will be available for sale at the Museum Store.

Writers and aspiring writers of all backgrounds are welcome to register for up to two craft sessions on Saturday, July 18 at the rate of $15 for Members of the Delaware Art Museum, $20 for Non-Members, and $10 for students.

The craft sessions on Saturday, July 18 feature a diverse range of offerings:

Lois Hoffman, The Happy Self Publisher—Write! Publish! Sell!
Cass Lewis—Fighting Fear Through Voice
Gary Zenker—Jumpstart Your Creativity Using Flash Fiction
Carol Maurer—Using a Labyrinth as a Creative Tool
Caroline N. Simpson—Exercising the Mind’s Eye
J. Bryan Tuk, Esq.—Copyright Law: The Artist’s Best Friend
Dennis Lawson—Turning Lemons into (Fictional) Lemonade
Maria J. Keane—Mary Magdalene: Sinner and/or Saint—Let’s Get it Right!
Jacinta S. Fontenelle—A Perspective on Immigration in the United States: Untold Stories
Margaret Montet—The Charms of Travel Writing

The conference will conclude at 5 pm on Saturday, July 18 with an all-conference share-back, a series of breakout groups in which participants will be invited to share stories from the day, read pieces of new writing, and network. Bring a drink and a snack and make it a virtual happy hour!

For more information about the Wilmington Writers Conference, including artist biographies, session descriptions, and registration, please visit delart.org.

This program is sponsored by the Art Bridges Foundation and The Happy Self Publisher. This project is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

Grant to support 2021 restaging of the 1971 exhibition “Afro-American Images”

National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Mary Anne Carter has approved an Art Works award of $25,000 to the Delaware Art Museum for the 2021 restaging of Afro-American Images 1971. This is one of 1,015 grants nationwide that the agency has approved in this category.

The exhibition, on view October 23, 2021 through January 23, 2022, will reunite 130 works of art in various media by 66 artists of color from an exhibition that took place in 1971 in the Armory in Wilmington. This restaging marks the 50th anniversary of the original exhibition, organized by the local arts organization known as Aesthetic Dynamics. The Museum’s Curator of Contemporary Art, Margaret Winslow, and Aesthetic Dynamics’ Vice President, Arnold Hurtt, have organized the exhibition with support from an extensive community advisory committee.

The exhibition explores the Black Arts Movement in the 1960s and 1970s, focusing on major influencers such as James A. Porter, Percy Ricks, and Aesthetic Dynamics. Visitors can expect to examine different definitions of Black art through a critical lens and to learn about local contributions to the national Black Arts Movement. Accompanying the visual art is a digital humanities project that aims to collect oral histories from community members. The Museum encourages anyone interested in sharing their knowledge or experience concerning the original 1971 exhibition, the Black Arts Movement, or Wilmington’s artistic history to contact our Curator of Contemporary Art at mwinslow@delart.org or at 302-351-8539.

“Through this restaging, we are combatting historical amnesia and doing everything that we can to ensure that the archival record is as complete as possible,” says Winslow. “With the 2021 presentation of Afro-American Images, we have a remarkable opportunity to look back at how Wilmington played a role in the Black Arts Movement. What were the reasons for Ricks’ exhibition then and what stories does it tell today? Why was the Delaware Art Museum not an active partner with Aesthetic Dynamics in 1971? Today, the Delaware Art Museum seeks to bring art into the lives of the community in ways that support myriad interests and involves authentic civic engagement. Restaging the original exhibition, 50 years later, addresses numerous historic gaps such as the biased archival record and lack of local institutional support. By collaborating with Aesthetic Dynamics members 50 years later the Delaware Art Museum is afforded the opportunity to investigate its engagement with the Black community. As we certainly see in the Museum’s own renewed focus on acquiring work specifically of women and artists of color, this is still such an important aspect of the curatorial work that we do at this museum.”

The lack of research about this historic exhibition relative to its artistic merit is one reason the Museum is embarking on this exhibition. This restaging will reunite works by nationally established artists such as Romare Bearden, Sam Gilliam, Loïs Mailou Jones, Faith Ringgold, Raymond Saunders, Alma Thomas, and Hale Woodruff. This exhibition is not to be missed.

Acknowledgement of Support

Afro-American Images 1971: The Vision of Percy Ricks was organized by the Delaware Art Museum and Aesthetic Dynamics, Inc. This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts. The Delaware Art Museum is sponsored by DuPont, by Bank of America, by Corteva, and by M&T Bank. This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

For more information on this National Endowment for the Arts grant announcement, visit arts.gov/news.

Press Contact

Please contact Cynthia Smith, Marketing Manager, at csmith@delart.org or 302-351-8514.

About the Delaware Art Museum</>

For over 100 years, the Museum has served as a primary arts and cultural institution in Delaware. It is alive with experiences, discoveries, and activities to connect people with art and with each other. Originally created in 1912 to honor the renowned illustrator and Wilmington-native, Howard Pyle, the Museum’s collection has grown to over 12,000 works of art in our building and sculpture garden. Also recognized for British Pre-Raphaelite art, the Museum is home to the most comprehensive collection of Pre-Raphaelite art on display outside of the United Kingdom and a growing collection of significant contemporary art. Embracing all disciplines, the Museum’s Performance Series ranges from concerts by Pyxis Piano Quartet, resident ensemble of over ten years, to cutting-edge, multi-disciplinary artists committed to social justice and pushing the boundaries of artistic practice.

The Delaware Art Museum is thrilled to announce that it will reopen on Wednesday, July 1, 2020. Museum Members will receive two weeks of exclusive access before opening to the general public on Wednesday, July 15, 2020.

To keep guests safe, Plexiglas shields will be installed at the front desk and in the Museum Store and all transactions will be cashless, so visitors are encouraged to remember their credit cards. Guests will also be required to wear face masks and practice social distancing. The Thronson Café will be closed until further notice. Maps and brochures will only be available electronically for the time being.

The Museum will return to its regular operating hours, which are as follows: Monday and Tuesday: closed; Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.; Thursday: 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. The Museum will be closed on Saturday, July 4 in honor of Independence Day.

The Museum has extended its two spring exhibitions through the remainder of the year, including Layered Abstraction: Margo Allman and Helen Mason, on view until January 17, 2021, and Julio daCunha: Modernizing Myths, on view until November 1, 2020.

“These exhibitions examine and celebrate the artists and histories unique to the greater Wilmington area but applicable to the nation and abroad,” says Margaret Winslow, Curator of Contemporary Art, who curates the Distinguished Artist Series. “Years in the making, these two Distinguished Artist shows are the result of intensive research and collaboration, and it is a joy to be able to share these three artists’ prolific careers with our audience.”

The Museum is also reinstalling Hank Willis Thomas’s commissioned piece, Black Survival Guide, or How to Live Through a Police Riot, in Gallery 9, where it was originally exhibited as part of the Wilmington 1968 series of exhibitions in 2018.

“Two years later, we share this poignant work of art as we grapple with the emotional anxiety and the strain of the violent murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and many others as a result of systemic racism. Parts of this series have been on view in the contemporary gallery, but this is the first time since the Museum acquired the work that it will be on view in its entirety,” says Winslow.

Happy Hours will also be returning to the Museum. The Museum’s first Happy Hour on Thursday, July 9, 2020 will be for Museum Members; the next Happy Hour on July 16, 2020 and Happy Hours thereafter will be for the general public. All Thursday evening Happy Hours will take place from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The Museum has already begun offering the public opportunities to engage with the building and grounds. The Museum Store has been offering curbside pickup since mid-May. The Museum’s first drive-in movie event will take place on Thursday, June 18, 2020, with a rain date of Friday, June 19, 2020.

“Our staff have worked hard to provide many virtual offerings during our three-month shutdown, including emails spotlighting our collection, musical performances, a spoken-word open mic event, artist talks, art workshops, and a virtual bookstore,” says Molly Giordano, the Museum’s Interim Executive Director. “Now, with Governor Carney easing restrictions, we are excited to return to our core mission: connecting people with art in person.”

Individuals who wish to become a Member prior to the July 1, 2020 Members-only opening date may do so via the Museum’s website, delart.org, or by calling the Museum during open hours prior to their visit. Memberships will not be processed at the front desk. Visitors can show their membership confirmation on their phones at the front desk.

The Delaware Art Museum is sponsored by DuPont, by Bank of America, by Corteva, and by M&T Bank. This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

Please contact Cynthia Smith, Marketing Manager, at csmith@delart.org or 302-351-8514.

For over 100 years, the Museum has served as a primary arts and cultural institution in Delaware. It is alive with experiences, discoveries, and activities to connect people with art and with each other. Originally created in 1912 to honor the renowned illustrator and Wilmington-native, Howard Pyle, the Museum’s collection has grown to over 12,000 works of art in our building and sculpture garden. Also recognized for British Pre-Raphaelite art, the Museum is home to the largest and most important Pre-Raphaelite collection outside of the United Kingdom and a growing collection of significant contemporary art. Embracing all disciplines, the Museum’s Performance Series ranges from concerts by Pyxis Piano Quartet, resident ensemble of over ten years, to cutting-edge, multi-disciplinary artists committed to social justice and pushing the boundaries of artistic practice.

The Delaware Art Museum is pleased to announce Creative Spacers, a project that encourages social distancing through art, in the coming months. The Museum has commissioned local artists to each create a series of five works of art, which are then converted into vinyl decals and installed in spaces where social distancing is required. The intent of this project is to bring beauty into the everyday lives of residents, support local artists, and artistically encourage social distancing amid the current COVID-19 pandemic. “The Creative Spacers project grew out of a conversation with Charlie Vincent, executive director of Spur Impact, concerning ways to support artists and inspire the community at a time when COVID-19 was the focus of the national narrative,” says Jonathan Whitney, the Museum’s Manager of Performance Programs and Community Engagement.

Local visual artist Jo Redbird and Wilmington-based abstract artist JaQuanne LeRoy are the first two artists commissioned for Creative Spacers. Their work will be installed outside of food banks, restaurants, and cultural institutions that are integral to Wilmington’s infrastructure. The use of the urban environment, local artists, and local organizations continues the Museum’s mission to redefine public space, reach more diverse, local audiences, and become a civically engaged institution that plays an active and relevant role in Wilmington. “Knowing my art skills are able to positively impact the circumstances with effective visual communication brings me great joy and fulfillment as an artist,” says Redbird. “I was happy to contribute to this project,” says LeRoy. “It’s given me a chance to spread hope in this time.”

The Museum has partnered with the Creative Vision Factory to aid in the installation process. The pilot has been installed at Green Box Kitchen on Market Street and West End Neighborhood House, with an upcoming pilot installation at the Latin American Community Center (LACC). Spacer decals will also be installed throughout the Delaware Art Museum.

The Creative Spacers Project pilot was made possible with support from Spur Impact. This project is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

Please contact Cynthia Smith, Marketing Manager, at csmith@delart.org or 302-351-8514.

For over 100 years, the Museum has served as a primary arts and cultural institution in Delaware. It is alive with experiences, discoveries, and activities to connect people with art and with each other. Originally created in 1912 to honor the renowned illustrator and Wilmington-native, Howard Pyle, the Museum’s collection has grown to over 12,000 works of art in our building and sculpture garden. Also recognized for British Pre-Raphaelite art, the Museum is home to the largest and most important Pre-Raphaelite collection outside of the United Kingdom and a growing collection of significant contemporary art. Embracing all disciplines, the Museum’s Performance Series ranges from concerts by Pyxis Piano Quartet, resident ensemble of over ten years, to cutting-edge, multi-disciplinary artists committed to social justice and pushing the boundaries of artistic practice.

Anyone who has visited the Delaware Art Museum Store over the past two years has noticed the store’s evolution from a traditional gift shop to a vibrant community bookstore, selling a variety of books for children and adults right alongside a unique selection of gifts, stationery, work from local artists, and other ephemera. With the Museum’s temporary closure, the Museum’s retail operation was faced with an immense challenge: how does the store continue to serve the community? Fortunately, the Museum Store had recently signed up to be an affiliate with Bookshop, an online platform dedicated to supporting independent bookstores through a partnership with the American Booksellers Association. Store Supervisor Jeanie Robino was optimistic about the opportunities Bookshop provided before the Museum’s temporary closure due to the COVID-19 crisis, but she realizes this new platform has become more of a necessity than ever. “I am excited to create new shopping experiences with our members and staff and to partner with the community,” Robino says.

The Museum Store Bookshop page (https://bookshop.org/shop/delartstore) was designed to emulate the selection and personality Museum visitors have come to expect from the store. The page features much of the Museum Store’s book inventory, including art books and catalogs from recent exhibitions, literary fiction, stories of all genres Museum supporters are sure to love, and a limited selection of stationery and art supplies. You will also find some of the store’s signature items in sections such as “Witchy Wisdom,” featuring beautifully designed tarot and oracle cards, and “Local Stories,” a celebration of local authors such as Chet’la Sebree, David Teague, Marisa de los Santos, Erin Entrada Kelly, and Julianna Baggott. The Museum Store staff and store collaborators such as Rachael DiEleuterio, the Museum’s Librarian and Archivist, lend their bookish expertise and explore their unique passions through their staff lists, while those looking to tell their own stories will find guidance and tools in “Inspired by the Wilmington Writers Conference: Writing Guides and Stationery.”

The Museum Store also has placed a special focus on recent exhibitions honoring contemporary artists, including Angela Fraleigh, Julio daCunha, Margo Allman, and Helen Mason. These collections, which include books, stationery, and puzzles, were designed to allow readers to gain a deeper understanding of these artists and what drives them to create. “The thoughtful selections from the Museum Store through Bookshop give our community exciting and interesting ways to connect with the Museum’s current exhibitions,” says Curator of Contemporary Art Margaret Winslow, who curated the exhibitions featuring the aforementioned artists. “You can learn more about the artists’ styles, read books by the authors who inspire them, and find beautiful stationery to use for your own artistic musings.” Of course, you’ll also find books by and about artists in the Museum’s permanent collection, including Pre-Raphaelite artists, Howard Pyle and John Sloan.

The store is also continuing to support virtual literary endeavors at the Museum. You can find all children’s books related to family programming, including the recent run of virtual Glory of Stories events, in the Kid Lit section: https://bookshop.org/lists/kid-lit. Anyone wanting to attend Zoom meetings of the Museum’s popular book club, the DelArt Readers, can shop for the club’s books in the DelArt Readers 2020 Selections list: https://bookshop.org/lists/delart-readers-2020-selections. (For book club times and dates, go to the DelArt Readers event page: https://delart.org/event/delart-readers/. Contact Eliza Jarvis, the Museum’s Manager of Youth Learning and Creative Partnerships, if you would like to join a meeting: ejarvis@delart.org.)

“We love being able to curate a selection in the store based on the art around us, the stories our staff loves, great new releases, and the many programs at the Museum,” says Jessa Mendez, Lead Museum Associate, who assists Robino with merchandising the store. “Thanks to Bookshop, we are able to continue to offer this to our community. We’re so grateful for the support we’re receiving as we navigate this strange time. I miss the store so much, but I’m so grateful Bookshop is giving us a way to connect with people.”

Head to the Delaware Art Museum Store’s Bookshop to get started: https://bookshop.org/shop/delartstore.

For book reviews, inside looks at the Museum Store Bookshop page, and more, follow the Museum Store on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/delartstore/.

For information on the Museum’s virtual programming, check out the Museum’s Online Resource Portal: https://delart.org/connectwithartfromhome/.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF SUPPORT

PRESS CONTACT

Please contact Cynthia Smith, Marketing Manager, at csmith@delart.org or 302-351-8514.

ABOUT THE DELAWARE ART MUSEUM

For over 100 years, the Museum has served as a primary arts and cultural institution in Delaware. It is alive with experiences, discoveries, and activities to connect people with art and with each other. Originally created in 1912 to honor the renowned illustrator and Wilmington-native, Howard Pyle, the Museum’s collection has grown to over 12,000 works of art in our building and sculpture garden. Also recognized for British Pre-Raphaelite art, the Museum is home to the largest and most important Pre-Raphaelite collection outside of the United Kingdom and a growing collection of significant contemporary art. Embracing all disciplines, the Museum’s Performance Series ranges from concerts by Pyxis Piano Quartet, resident ensemble of over ten years, to cutting-edge, multi-disciplinary artists committed to social justice and pushing the boundaries of artistic practice.

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

The Delaware Art Museum is proud to present a robust slate of virtual programming, much of it free and family friendly, to support people of all ages during the Museum’s temporary closure. The Museum has always been a place where people can enjoy art and connect with others, so the Learning and Engagement team found ways to continue programming that Delawareans have come to love. Their tenacity and hard work have resulted in online resources that truly offer something for everyone.

“Museums around the world are adapting their onsite programs and using online platforms to serve their communities,” says Saralyn Rosenfeld, Director of Learning and Engagement. “Our virtual programs highlight our unique collection, feature local artists, and offer an educational, creative, and entertaining experience.”

Families missing Glory of Stories, the Museum’s popular storytelling program that incorporates works of art from the Museum’s collection, an art activity, and an exciting array of children’s literature, can head to the Museum’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/delawareartmuseum) for lots of kid-friendly art fun! Four recorded sessions of Glory of Stories are available here until June 1, 2020. The sessions, led by Assistant Director of Learning and Engagement, Amelia Wiggins, have featured works of art such as “The Mermaid” by Howard Pyle, accompanied by classic children’s book Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister, and “March” by Charles Burchfield, paired with Worm Weather by Jean Taft. Wiggins has also created a further modified version of Glory of Stories; while this version won’t feature video content, the Museum will still post a work of art accompanied by a fun art activity and a book suggestion. “Creative outlets are more important than ever during this time of dramatic change in families’ lives,” says Wiggins. “We hope these resources help kids and their grownups explore art and create together at home.” Upcoming art and book pairings include “An Attack on Galleon” by Howard Pyle with Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty, the sculpture “Rain Forest Column XX” by Louise Nevelson paired with Beautiful Oops by Barney Saltzberg, and Edward Burne-Jones’s fairy tale masterpiece “The Council Chamber” paired with Goldilocks and the Three Bears by Jan Brett. These books are all available to purchase via the Museum Store’s Bookshop page: https://bookshop.org/shop/delartstore.

The Museum will also be releasing a special Art Museum Babies video—a popular monthly activity for parents and infants that usually takes place during the Museum’s Family Second Sundays program. This is a great opportunity for parents and caregivers to bond with children under the age of two.

Those of you who are missing the Museum’s studio art classes or have always wanted to try your hand at creating with the Museum’s instructors, Studio Programs Manager Rebecca Howell has a treat for you! She is currently coordinating a video series of art projects and tutorials featuring a stellar lineup of art instructors. Howell says, “We really miss our art students and I know they miss us. Instructors are eager to connect with students virtually and help feed their creative life while at home so they’ve provided inspiration by giving project ideas, assignments, and demos, or even just showing a peek of what they are working on in their own studio!” One series will be led by beloved Artwise instructors Sam Mylin and Kate Mylin. These videos, around 5-10 minutes in length, will show kids and adults how to use whatever they have around the house, from old credit cards to junk mail, to create original works of art!

When it comes to continuing the Performance Series, Jonathan Whitney, the Museum’s Manager of Performance Programs and Community Engagement, had to get creative. The result of his massive coordination efforts is a series of 20-minute videos showcasing an exciting roster of performance artists and musicians, including singer-songwriter Jea Street, Jr., and Jeff Knoettner, pianist from the Cartoon Christmas Trio. The Museum is celebrating these performances and encouraging community connections by hosting virtual watch parties on Friday nights for each video’s release on the Museum Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/delawareartmuseum. See below for the full lineup and schedule. “Through this series of virtual performances, or watch parties as we are calling them, we are able to highlight some of the amazing musicians in our region and support them as they adapt to a more virtual existence,” says Whitney. On May 21, the Pyxis Piano Quartet, the Museum’s ensemble in residence, will present a 50 minute watch party of solos. As per the Museum’s values, all artists are being paid for the performances they present. Donations are being accepted to offset this cost to the Museum.

FULL LINEUP FOR WATCH PARTIES

All parties begin at 6:30 pm

Shawn Qaissaunee (guitar) – April 24, 2020
Rob Swanson (bass guitar) – May 1, 2020
William Fields (algorithmic improvisation) – May 8, 2020
Jea Street, Jr. (singer-songwriter) – May 15, 2020
Jeff Knoettner (pianist) – May 22, 2020

More online programming is on its way. For the latest updates and links to this content and much more, head to the Museum’s online resource portal: https://delart.org/connectwithartfromhome/.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF SUPPORT

This project is sponsored by the Amphion Foundation. This project is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com. The Museum would like to thank the following individual donors for their support of the Pyxis Piano Quartet performances:

Anonymous
Dr. and Mrs. Stuart Fleming
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas F. Bayard, IV
Mr. and Mrs. K. Peter Hurd
Dr. and Mrs. R. Bertrum Diemer, Jr.
Mrs. Nancy G. Frederick
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Lonie
Ms. Virginia S. Mayforth
Mr. and Mrs. P. Coleman Townsend, Jr.
Dr. Suzanne Collins
Dr. Margaretta S. Frederick and Mr. Michael Martin
Ms. Gwen Fuller and Mr. Ralph Fuller
Mrs. Mary C. Goodrick
Ms. Jan Jessup
Mrs. Barbara N. Reilly
Mrs. Roberta Y. Smith
Dr. Noble L. Thompson, Jr.

PRESS CONTACT

Please contact Cynthia Smith, Marketing Manager, at csmith@delart.org or 302-351-8514.

ABOUT THE DELAWARE ART MUSEUM

For over 100 years, the Museum has served as a primary arts and cultural institution in Delaware. It is alive with experiences, discoveries, and activities to connect people with art and with each other. Originally created in 1912 to honor the renowned illustrator and Wilmington-native, Howard Pyle, the Museum’s collection has grown to over 12,000 works of art in our building and sculpture garden. Also recognized for British Pre-Raphaelite art, the Museum is home to the largest and most important Pre-Raphaelite collection outside of the United Kingdom and a growing collection of significant contemporary art. Embracing all disciplines, the Museum’s Performance Series ranges from concerts by Pyxis Piano Quartet, resident ensemble of over ten years, to cutting-edge, multi-disciplinary artists committed to social justice and pushing the boundaries of artistic practice.

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

The Delaware Art Museum may be closed, but you can still visit the Museum and its collection of over 12,000 works of art through a variety of innovative tours across email and social media.

The Museum recently launched “The View from DelArt,” an email highlights tour of the collection, in which staff, members and friends of the Museum share their favorite works of art. The tour kicked off with member Steve Gregg’s meditation on “Water Willow” by Dante Gabriel Rossetti, a popular painting from the Museum’s extensive Pre-Raphaelite collection. Gregg expressed his love for the painting and dropped this fun fact: “The view is of Kelmscott Manor, in the 1870s, a retreat in England where Jane Morris lived with her husband William, but more importantly the site of Rossetti’s liaison with Jane Morris, which adds intrigue and a bit of scandal to the painting.” The emails have also featured an illustration by John Sloan, glass art by Dale Chihuly, and a sculpture by Domenico Mortellito.

Meanwhile, the staff is taking over the Museum’s social media feeds with their favorite works of art, offering insight into the people who make the Museum a vital hub for the community. Lead Museum Jessa Mendez shared her love for “The Spring Witch,” George Wilson’s Pre-Raphaelite masterpiece. Meanwhile, Chief Curator and Curator of American Art Heather Campbell Coyle highlighted the bright blossoms featured in Howard Pyle’s murals because “they capture spring in this area so perfectly.”

The Museum is also celebrating what would have been the opening of the exhibition, Layered Abstraction: Margo Allman & Helen Mason, with a virtual tour. “So many individuals have worked together over the past several years to create this exhibition in celebration of the careers of Margo Allman and Helen Mason,” says Margaret Winslow, Curator of Contemporary Art, who curated Layered Abstraction. “One of the joys of being a curator is seeing the response visitors have when they enter the gallery and see the results of such a large project. I’m eager for that moment but excited to share a sneak peek through our virtual tour of the gallery.” Head to https://delart.org/ for this video and other online resources. For snippets of the Layered Abstraction virtual tour, follow us on social media:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/delartmuseum/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/delawareartmuseum
Twitter: https://twitter.com/delartmuseum

The Museum continues to be a place where people can come together, enjoy art, and find community. Whether our doors are open or closed, we are always here for you. Sign up for our newsletter for all the latest information from the Museum: https://delart.org/about/e-news/

Acknowledgement of Support

This project is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on https://www.delawarescene.com/.

Press Contact

Please contact Cynthia Smith, Marketing Manager, at csmith@delart.org or 302-351-8514.

About the Delaware Art Museum

For over 100 years, the Museum has served as a primary arts and cultural institution in Delaware. It is alive with experiences, discoveries, and activities to connect people with art and with each other. Originally created in 1912 to honor the renowned illustrator and Wilmington-native, Howard Pyle, the Museum’s collection has grown to over 12,000 works of art in our building and sculpture garden. Also recognized for British Pre-Raphaelite art, the Museum is home to the largest and most important Pre-Raphaelite collection outside of the United Kingdom and a growing collection of significant contemporary art. Embracing all disciplines, the Museum’s Performance Series ranges from concerts by Pyxis Piano Quartet, resident ensemble of over ten years, to cutting-edge, multi-disciplinary artists committed to social justice and pushing the boundaries of artistic practice.

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

Wilmington, DE (March 2, 2020) — Music and dance have always been closely linked, but what if your body became the music? This is the thrilling concept behind Drumfolk, the latest work from dance company Step Afrika! The Delaware Art Museum, as part of its Performance Series, is hosting Step Afrika! the week of March 29, 2020 for a residency in which the company will visit several sites in New Castle and Kent Counties for workshops, performances, and lectures.

The weeklong suite of events, which culminates in an April 3 performance of Drumfolk at the Grand Opera House in Wilmington, provides an opportunity for as many Delawareans as possible to get to know Step Afrika! and this vital piece of American history. After the smash success of Step Afrika’s 2018 residency with the Delaware Art Museum, Jonathan Whitney, Manager of Performance Programs and Community Engagement, was eager to bring the company back for what is sure to be another brilliant series. “This year’s residency by Step Afrika! is a continuation of our mission to use art, in this case dance, to bring about change in our community,” says Whitney.

In Drumfolk, Step Afrika! focuses on the historical significance of rhythm, including how the forced removal of drums inspired people to use their bodies to create music as means to survive oppression. Drumfolk explores the Stono Rebellion of 1739, a revolt that took place in South Carolina, and the aftermath of that event, particularly the Negro Act of 1740, in which drums were outlawed for Africans. This birthed forms of dance in which the body became an instrument and is seen today in dances such as stepping. In fact, Drumfolk includes multiple stepping pieces, as well as other forms of dance including the Ring Shout, a centuries-old style of dance, and a new exploration of African masquerade traditions..

A particularly exciting aspect of this residency is the level of youth involvement. “Students from across New Castle and Kent Counties will experience stepping taught by members of the company,” says Whitney. “The community event in Wilmington is being planned by teens through a partnership between the Museum, Jack and Jill, Inc. New Castle County Chapter, and the Warehouse (a new space for teens by teens), giving them invaluable leadership and project management experience.”

For more information on student events and to sign up, visit https://delart.org/education/school-teacher-programs/stepafrika/. For information on the Riverside Rhythm event for teens on April 1, please visit, https://delart.org/event/riverside-rhythm-with-step-afrika/?instance_id=17883.

Step Afrika! is also heralding the return of the Museum’s extended Thursday hours with a demo performance and a spring happy hour. Heather Morrissey, the Museum’s Director of Advancement and Operations, is thrilled to welcome Step Afrika! back with this special happy hour. “What a perfect opportunity to bring everyone together to celebrate! The Museum will host a special indoor happy hour with live music and a pop-up performance by Step Afrika! Be sure to join us for this entertaining evening.” However, this goes beyond entertainment. Whitney is excited that “through this work, the Museum will continue to strengthen its role as an anchor in our community.”

The Delaware Art Museum would like to thank the many partners that have been vital to creating this residency: The Grand Opera House, Delaware Institute for Arts in Education, The Warehouse, REACH Riverside, Jack and Jill, Inc., and the New Castle County Chapter Men of Color Alliance from Delaware State University.

FULL RESIDENCY EVENT SCHEDULE

Monday and Tuesday, March 29-30, 2020 – Dancers from Step Afrika! visit 20 to 30 schools for “stepping workshops” in partnership with the Delaware Institute for Arts in Education: This was a highlight from 2018’s visit. The company will be split into groups of two and three dancers to visit schools throughout New Castle and Kent Counties to give immersive stepping workshops to students.

Monday evening, March 29, 2020, 7pm – Step Afrika! performs as part of the DSU pageant, in partnership with Men of Color Alliance (MOCA)

Wednesday evening, April 1, 2020, 6 pm – Community Event “Riverside Rhythm” at The Warehouse, Wilmington, DE: This event has been planned by teens for teens. The Museum brought together teens from Jack and Jill, Inc. New Castle Chapter and The Warehouse to plan and present a community event as part of Step Afrika’s residency. Riverside Rhythm will highlight the ways the rhythm survived in Wilmington. It will include performances by local drill teams, tap dancers, and drummers followed a performance by Step Afrika! After the performances, there will be a 30-minute Q&A with Step Afrika! around life after high school, attending and applying to HBCUs, and life after college. All of the dancers in Step Afrika! are college graduates and the teens saw this as an opportunity to learn from men and women not far removed from where they are now. This will be the first major event at the Warehouse.

Thursday, April 2, 2020 – Lecture and Demonstration with excerpts from Drumfolk performances for Students at The Grand Opera House, Wilmington, DE (9:30 am and 12:30 pm): This program, which will serve approximately 2,400 students, will include excerpts from Drumfolk, combined with Step Afrika’s award-winning lecture-demonstration on the African-American percussive dance style of stepping.

Thursday, April 2, 2020 at 6 pm – Step Afrika! Happy Hour at the Delaware Art Museum: Experience Step Afrika! up close, and celebrate the Museum’s return to extended Thursday night hours with a special spring edition of our popular happy hour!

Friday, April 3, 2020 at 8 pm – Public performance of Drumfolk at the Grand Opera House, Wilmington, DE: Back by Popular demand, Step Afrika! returns to Wilmington with its blend of the percussive tradition of stepping with African and contemporary dance. The Company’s newest creation, Drumfolk, inspired by the Stono Rebellion of 1739, explores this little-known event in American history that forever transformed African-American life and culture. When Africans lost the right to use their drums, their rhythms found their way into the body of the people, the Drumfolk. New percussive forms took root leading to the development of some of our country’s most distinct performance traditions like the ring shout, tap, and stepping.

PRESS CONTACT

Please contact Cynthia Smith, Marketing Manager, at csmith@delart.org or 302-351-8514.

ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE SERIES

The Delaware Art Museum’s Performance Series features bold, adventurous works from a variety of art forms. With a focus on social justice and cutting edge performance, this series brings artists to Delaware who push creative boundaries and respond to present day-events in innovative ways. Performances will take place on the Museum’s campus and out in the community.

ABOUT THE DELAWARE ART MUSEUM

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

The Delaware Art Museum is proud to continue spotlighting impactful local artists with its latest exhibition, Julio daCunha: Modernizing Myths, which opens Saturday, February 29, 2020 and runs until Sunday, May 10, 2020. DaCunha, who originally hails from Bogotá, Colombia, has a storied history in Delaware, teaching at the University of Delaware for nearly 40 years and exhibiting at several local and regional institutions, including the Delaware Art Museum.

Julio daCunha: Modernizing Myths, located in the Ammon Galleries and comprised of 40 works of art, including paintings, prints, and drawings, promises to be an exciting retrospective of a prolific, innovative artist and community leader whose work spans different styles. The 2019 Alfred Appel, Jr. Curatorial Fellow Olivia Armandroff, who organized this exhibition, says in her essay accompanying the exhibition, “Coming of age in the mid-20^th century, in a period when artists were so often described as figurative or not, daCunha refused to be essentialized,” noting later that, “[a]lthough never devoting himself entirely to one style or the other, the majority of his work, mid-career was figural while his later artistic production was primarily devoted to abstraction.”

It is no surprise, then, to learn that daCunha worked in many mediums, including acrylic paint, oil paint, and graphite, and that his influences are wide-ranging, featuring a number of artistic luminaries. He counts Spanish artists such as Francisco de Goya as stylistic influences, while writers such as Charles Baudelaire and Edgar Allan Poe, along with femme fatale films, theater, music, and mythology—both classic and ones of his own making—largely inspired him thematically. In fact, daCunha was surrounded by art as a child. His mother was a musician, and his father was a diplomat, artist, and theater manager. It was through his father that he got to know the poet Pablo Neruda and famed artists Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. In a 1984 interview in The Review, a University of Delaware publication, daCunha says, “I made a little drawing for [Rivera]…and he gave me a drawing of a clown’s head which is now one of my most valuable possessions.”

Armandroff is deeply grateful for daCunha’s influence on Delaware and hopeful that he will continue to be a part of the lives of Delawareans. Julio daCunha helped shape the University of Delaware’s art department, and his teaching left an indelible mark on generations of students who went through that program.

“After arriving at the University of Delaware, he immediately involved himself in teaching students by instituting a very active exhibition schedule that brought traveling exhibitions to the university,” says Armandroff. “I was fascinated by daCunha’s investment in the American tradition, despite the fact that he had not grown up with it. I loved stories about his involvement with the local theater groups on campus and his dramatic flair. Most rewarding was hearing from his students, and after I began reaching out and contacting some, word on the exhibit quickly spread. People began to contact me, eager to share their own memories of Julio and his generosity as a mentor. Such narratives helped me begin to see the huge impact he had on the Delaware art community.”

Those who want to know more about daCunha and his work can hear more from Armandroff on Sunday, March 1 at 2:00 p.m. for a gallery talk. This event is free to attend. The exhibition is also accompanied by a free mini catalog featuring the aforementioned essay by Armandroff and full-color illustrations, available both at the exhibition gallery and in the Museum Store. The Museum Store will also be selling a selection of books by some of daCunha’s influences, including Charles Baudelaire and Edgar Allan Poe, as well as two exclusive cards featuring works of art from the exhibition.

About Julio daCunha

Julio daCunha was born in 1929 in Bogotá, Colombia. Following the completion of his master of fine arts degree at Cranbrook Academy of Art, daCunha arrived in Delaware in 1956 to teach at the University of Delaware. The artist places himself within the Spanish tradition and cites the influences of Arshile Gorky, Paul Klee, Pablo Picasso, Roberto Matta, and Francisco de Goya. While at the University, daCunha served as department chair from 1966 to 1969 and taught until his retirement in 1994.

PRESS CONTACT

Please contact Cynthia Smith, Marketing Manager, at csmith@delart.org or 302-351-8514.

ABOUT THE Distinguished Artist Series

The Distinguished Artist Series is a celebration of those artists who have impacted contemporary art in the greater Wilmington area through their artistic practices, teaching, and support of the community and its various institutions. Through unique exhibitions, the series will present exhibitions of these artists, surveying their legacies as they relate to local, national, and international trends.

ABOUT THE DELAWARE ART MUSEUM

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

The Delaware Art Museum is thrilled to welcome Joel Ross Good Vibes as part of its celebrated Performance Series lineup this Thursday, February 13 at 8 p.m. Joel Ross Good Vibes is a jazz quintet led by Chicago native Joel Ross, a musician who has received accolades from noted organizations such as the Thelonious Monk Institute and performed with jazz icons, including Herbie Hancock.

Jonathan Whitney, Manager of Performance Programs and Community Engagement, can’t wait for Delawareans to meet this contemporary jazz band and its leader: “Joel is touring and recording with who’s who of the next generation of jazz legends,” says Whitney. “This is an awesome opportunity to catch a special player, who is maturing quickly, in an intimate setting before he is only able to play larger venues.”

Tickets are selling fast! Prices are $30 for Members, $35 for Non-Members, and $25 for Students with a valid I.D. For a sneak peek, check out the Joel Ross Good Vibes Event Page: https://delart.org/event/performance-joel-ross-good-vibes/.

PRESS CONTACT

Please contact Cynthia Smith, Marketing Manager, at csmith@delart.org or 302-351-8514.

ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE SERIES

The Delaware Art Museum’s performance series features bold, adventurous works from a variety of art forms. With a focus on social justice and cutting edge performance, this series brings artists to Delaware who push creative boundaries and respond to present day events in innovative ways. Performances will take place on the Museum’s campus and out in the community.

ABOUT THE DELAWARE ART MUSEUM

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

In February 1971, the newly formed Delaware organization, Aesthetic Dynamics, Inc., presented its first major undertaking: the exhibition of over 130 works of art—drawings, prints, photographs, paintings, and sculptures—by 66 African American artists. Numerous factors led to artist Percy Ricks’ founding of Aesthetic Dynamics and their ambitious inaugural exhibition, most notably the trauma suffered from the 1968 assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the subsequent nine-month National Guard occupation of Wilmington and Ricks’ desire to emphasize the influence of African American artists in Wilmington.

Now, on the eve of its 50^th anniversary, Aesthetic Dynamics, Inc., the Delaware Art Museum, and current cultural leaders from Wilmington institutions are returning to this conversation with a restaging of the 1971 exhibition. Afro-American Images 1971, which will be on view at the Museum from March to June, 2021, will include most of the over 130 original works of art exhibited in the 1971 show at the Wilmington Armory (the space used by the National Guard in 1968).

Many of the works of art for the 2021 exhibition are being borrowed from museum collections, while others will be lent by individuals and artist estates. By trying to rehang the show as accurately as possible, the partnering organizations hope to examine the exhibition’s role in the Black Arts Movements 50 years ago, as well as question why was this seemingly successful event was neglected by historians in the decades that followed.

“Through this restaging, we are combatting historical amnesia and doing everything that we can to ensure that the archival record is as complete as possible,” says Margaret Winslow, the Museum’s Curator of Contemporary Art. “With the 2021 presentation of Afro-American Images, we have a remarkable opportunity to look back at how Wilmington played a role in the Black Arts Movement. What were the reasons for Ricks’ exhibition then and what stories does it tell today? Why was the Delaware Art Museum not an active partner with Aesthetic Dynamics in 1971? Today, the Delaware Art Museum seeks to bring art into the lives of the community in ways that support myriad interests and involves authentic civic engagement. Restaging the original exhibition, 50 years later, addresses numerous historic gaps such as the biased archival record and lack of local institutional support. By collaborating with Aesthetic Dynamics members 50 years later the Delaware Art Museum is afforded the opportunity to investigate its engagement with the Black community. As we certainly see in the Museum’s own renewed focus on acquiring work specifically of women and artists of color, this is still such an important aspect of the curatorial work that we do at this museum.”

In an effort to accurately represent and fully involve all voices in its gallery spaces, the Museum—in addition to partnering with current institutional leaders—is seeking community members with memories of the 1971 exhibition or particular research interests in the restaging. Interested parties are encouraged to connect with Margaret Winslow at mwinslow@delart.org or 302-351-8539.

Helping coordinate the exhibition and its presentation are members of an exhibition Advisory Committee co-led by Arnold S. Hurtt, who has served as an officer of Aesthetic Dynamics since the organization’s inception in 1971, and Dr. James E. Newton, Emeritus Professor of Africana Studies at the University of Delaware and the director of the Black American Studies program for over two decades.

“Percy Ricks served as a major advocate for the arts in general, in particular for African American artists,” says Dr. Newton. “His legacy continues with this historic exhibition.”

Hurtt agrees with the importance of preserving and promoting Ricks’ legacy: “Percy was an artist, educator, and advocate,” says Hurtt. “He saw the soul in creative expression and believed art links to humanities and culture.”

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

For more than 50 years, Margo Allman and Helen Mason have challenged traditional expectations for contemporary art in the greater Wilmington area. The Delaware Art Museum is celebrating these two pioneering artists with Layered Abstraction: Margo Allman & Helen Mason, a Distinguished Artist Series retrospective in its premier exhibition gallery space from March 21 through September 6, 2020.

Both Allman and Mason have dedicated their artistic careers to exploring the infinite possibilities of abstraction. Margo Allman’s work was first exhibited at the Museum during its 43rd Annual Delaware Show in 1956. Since then, Allman has participated in countless juried and curated shows at the Museum and throughout the region. Her prints, paintings, and sculptures, which are inspired by nature, bring form to the invisible. Layered Abstraction will feature more than 50 of Allman’s works of art, including her early 1950s avant-garde prints; her sculptures in marble, wood, concrete, and synthetic fiber from the 70s and 80s; her signature series of ovoidal paintings; and her graphic drawings dating from 2004 to 2019.

About Margo Allman

About Helen Mason

Media interviews with both artists are available upon request. Please contact Cynthia Smith at csmith@delart.org or 302-351-8514 to request an interview.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

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Image: Drawing #1, 2016, Margo Allman, Ink on clay board, 6 × 6 inches, frame: 7 1/2 × 7 1/2 inches, Courtesy of the artist. © Margo Allman.

On January 6, a Delaware native and his gorgeous painting by American illustrator Frank Schoonover were featured on PBS’s Antiques Roadshow, which was filmed at Winterthur last year. The painting, originally published with the caption “At a Hail from the Boat He Went to the Rail,” is an illustration from the 1923 book Privateers of ’76, a tale of Massachusetts boy Stephen Claghorn and his adventures at sea during the American Revolution. The painting pictures the moment toward the end of the story when Claghorn, alone and adrift aboard a derelict ship, is rescued, improbably, by his Salem schoolmaster. The Delaware Art Museum is thrilled to announce that it will display the painting in its American illustration gallery for the next six months.

The owner’s family purchased the painting directly from the artist for $300 in June 1960. During the Antiques Roadshow segment, the owner described his father’s love of illustrated books, and how his mother saved for two years to purchase a work from Schoonover’s Rodney Street studio in Wilmington.

When the owner was told on air that his beloved family painting was worth approximately $125,000, he teared up and said: “My father would be so thrilled to know that people were being turned on to illustrations, and my mother would be really thrilled with what you just said.”

John Schoonover, grandson of the artist and proprietor of Schoonover Studios, agreed: “I was very pleased to see my grandfather’s illustration on Antiques Roadshow, and glad [Roadshow expert and art dealer] Debra Force acknowledged the increasing interest in American book and magazine illustration.”

The Museum has a robust collection of illustrations by Frank Schoonover (1877-1972). Schoonover, a prominent artist of the Brandywine School, studied with Howard Pyle in the late 1800s, even receiving a coveted scholarship to study with him in Chadds Ford, PA, in the summer of 1899. He later moved from his native Philadelphia to Wilmington to set up his studio, where he also conducted classes.

Schoonover was renowned for his illustrations of stories featuring pirates, cowboys, historical heroes, and other romantic adventurers. He produced covers and illustrations for classics of young people’s literature, notably Kidnapped, Robinson Crusoe, Heidi, Hans Brinker, and Swiss Family Robinson. Schoonover also produced images of coal miners and other laborers, especially in industrial northeastern Pennsylvania.

Schoonover was one of the founders of the Wilmington Society of the Fine Arts (the predecessor of the Delaware Art Museum) and remained closely involved with the Museum and its teaching studios throughout his life. At his death in Wilmington in 1972, after a career of over 60 years, he had produced about 2,200 illustrations for over 130 books and numerous magazines, including The Saturday Evening Post, Harper’s Magazine, Scribner’s Magazine, Outing, American Boy, The Ladies’ Home Journal, and Collier’s.

In addition to this loaned painting, the Museum currently has seven Schoonover illustrations on view.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media

STEP AFRIKA! DEBUTS NEWLY COMMISSIONED WORK ON NATIONAL TOUR BEGINNING JANUARY 2020

Drumfolk premieres in arts centers across the United States with performances in Pennsylvania, Illinois, California, New York, Delaware, Washington, Massachusetts, Iowa, Maryland and the District of Columbia

Washington, D.C. – Step Afrika! continues the celebration of its 25^th anniversary into 2020 with an expansive national tour that highlights a newly commissioned work, Drumfolk. The piece, which is based on historical events that took place during the 1700s in the Deep South, debuts in selected arts centers and college campuses from January through November 2020. The tour also features the company’s highly anticipated return to New York City’s beloved Theater District and summer performances in venues across the Washington, D.C. area, Step Afrika!’s home base.

“Drumfolk is the second work by Step Afrika! that celebrates and chronicles the African American experience in America,” shared C. Brian Williams, Founder and Executive Director. “This new production is grounded in extensive research and over 25 years of Step Afrika!’s percussive practice and investigation into the tradition of stepping. We’re thrilled to be sharing it with our audiences.”

A seminal addition to Step Afrika!’s dance canon, Drumfolk is inspired by the Stono Rebellion of 1739 – an uprising of 20 enslaved Africans from Angola, who used their drums to start a revolt in South Carolina. Although the rebellion was suppressed, this little-known event in American history forever changed African American life and culture. When Africans lost the right to use their drums through The Negro Act of 1740, they began to use their bodies as percussive instruments in response. This act of survival and activism earned them the name of “Drumfolk,” as coined by famed folklorist Bessie Jones, and their percussive movement gave rise to some of the country’s most distinctive art forms, including the ring shout, tap, hambone and stepping. Step Afrika!’s Drumfolk explores this pivotal moment in history and honors the succeeding cultural evolution.

Drumfolk takes audiences on a journey from the 17^th century, when the African drum found itself in the then-colony of South Carolina, to present-day America, where the instrument has shaped new art forms like hip hop and African American social dance. Highlights include: Step Afrika!’s first presentation of dance and drumming traditions from Angola; an exploration of the ring shout, which is a 200+ year-old African American dance rarely seen on our country’s stages; and a contemporary routine of stepping and vocal percussion to demonstrate the drum’s influence on other mediums.

Drumfolk debuts in Eisenhower Auditorium at Penn State’s Center for the Performing Arts on January 31, 2020. The tour then travels to: Krannert Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign from February 6-7, 2020; The Soraya at California State University Northridge (Los Angeles) on February 23, 2020; the New Victory Theater in New York City from February 28-March 15, 2020; the Delaware Art Museum on April 3, 2020; Meany Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Washington from May 7-9, 2020; ArtsEmerson at Emerson College from July 22-August 1, 2020; and Hancher Auditorium at the University of Iowa from September 14-20, 2020. Step Afrika!’s residency in each venue will include feature-length performances for the general public, as well as student matinees, master classes and workshops leading up to the aforementioned dates. The summer 2020 performances in Maryland and Washington, D.C. will be announced at a later date at www.stepafrika.org.

STEP AFRIKA! DRUMFOLK 2020 NATIONAL TOUR

Center for the Performing Arts at Penn State/January 27-31, 2020
102 Eisenhower Road, University Park, PA 16802
https://cpa.psu.edu/events/step-afrika

Krannert Center for the Performing Arts/Urbana, IL/February 4-9, 2020
500 S. Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
https://krannertcenter.com/events/step-afrika-drumfolk

The Soraya at California State University Northridge/Los Angeles, CA/ February 19-24, 2020
18111 Nordhoff Street, Northridge, CA 91330-8448
https://www.thesoraya.org/calendar/details/step-afrika-drumfolk

The New Victory Theater/February 28-March 15, 2020
229 W 42^nd Street, New York, NY 10036
https://newvictory.org/

Delaware Art Museum/Wilmington, DE/March 29-April 5, 2020
818 North Market Street, Wilmington, DE 19801
https://www.thegrandwilmington.org/productions/6492-step-afrika:drumfolk

Meany Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Washington/Seattle, WA/May 7-9, 2020
4040 George Washington Lane NE, Seattle, WA 98105
https://meanycenter.org/tickets/2020-05/production/step-afrika

ArtsEmerson/Boston, MA/July 22-August 1, 2020
219 Tremont Street, Boston, MA 02116
https://artsemerson.org

Hancher Auditorium at the University of Iowa/Iowa City, IA/September 14-20, 2020
141 East Park Road, Iowa City, IA 52242
https://hancher.uiowa.edu/

Funding Credits

Drumfolk was made possible by the New England Foundation for the Arts’ National Dance Project with lead funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Lead Commissioning Support provided by ArtsEmerson, Hancher Auditorium, Eugene Lang Foundation and the Strathmore Performing Arts Center. Additional support provided by Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, The New Victory Theater, Delaware Art Museum, Meany Center for the Performing Arts, The Soraya and the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities.

About Step Afrika!

Founded in 1994 by C. Brian Williams, Step Afrika! is the world’s first professional company dedicated to the tradition of stepping—a polyrhythmic, percussive dance form that uses the body as an instrument. Step Afrika! promotes stepping as a contemporary dance genre through critically-acclaimed performances and arts education programs. Creatively engaging audiences in this nascent art form, the Company creates new full-length productions that expand on stepping’s unique American history.

With 14 full-time dancers and administrative team of 6, Step Afrika! is one of the top 10 U.S. African American dance companies. The Company reaches thousands each year through a 50-city tour of American colleges and theaters and performs globally as an official U.S. Cultural Ambassador. New work, such as The Migration: Reflections on Jacob Lawrence and Drumfolk, tour to major U.S. cities. Step Afrika! is featured at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History & Culture with the world’s first interactive stepping exhibit.

Media relations for Step Afrika!

Camille Cintrón Devlin/Bucklesweet
camille@bucklesweet.com
571-317-9317

Amanda Sweet/Bucklesweet
amanda@bucklesweet.com
347-564-3371

Black Iris Project’s solo ballet centers around one mother coping from the loss of her child to a racially motivated murder

The Delaware Art Museum is pleased to announce that it will host A Mother’s Rite, the Black Iris Project’s groundbreaking solo ballet, on Thursday, January 23 at 6:00 p.m. Founded in 2016 by choreographer Jeremy McQueen, The Black Iris Project is a ballet collaborative and education vehicle that creates new classical and contemporary ballet works that celebrate diversity and Black history. A Mother’s Rite, which is set to Igor Stravinsky’s iconic composition Rite of Spring, is a moving 38-minute solo performance about how a mother copes with the loss of her child to a racially-motivated murder by police.

Jeremy McQueen, artistic director and choreographer for the Black Iris Project, says about the inspiration of A Mother’s Rite, “I was first inspired to create A Mother’s Rite when I attended a Solange concert at Radio City Music Hall. Solange was performing a song called ‘Mad’ and started to increasingly appear physically and emotionally distressed. As I was watching this almost ritualistic shedding of pain, I started to think about what I and Black Americans have the right to be mad about and I started to think more and more about the senseless killings of Black men and women across our country. A Mother’s Rite is choreographed to illustrate a side of the story that is often kept very private, one that the public is not often exposed to.”

The Museum is offering A Mother’s Rite in conjunction with their participation in One Village Alliance’s Raising Kings 2020, a week of events (January 20 – 25) around Wilmington focused on empowering young Black men and their families. In addition to the January 23 Black Iris performance, the Museum will host a Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service on Monday, January 20.

“MLK Day of Service is a time for us to celebrate our many accomplishments around building equity in our city, but also for us to reflect on the work that still needs to be done,” says Jonathan Whitney, the Museum’s Manager of Performance Programs & Community Engagement. “We are inviting the community to join us on MLK day to make chess sets for youth, knit caps for infants, and drop off winter coats for the homeless, while also hearing flash talks about voting rights, the importance of census participation, the school to prison pipeline, and infant mortality. We hope people will then come back that Thursday for A Mother’s Rite to reflect with us on the effects of racially motivated violence on families and communities of color.”

Keeping in line with its vision to collaborate with local organizations, the Museum is also partnering with Pieces of a Dream, Inc., Christiana Cultural Arts Center, and Cab Calloway School for the Arts around A Mother’s Rite.

Leading up to the public performance, Pieces of a Dream, Inc. will offer a free ballet master class for dancers with the soloist from A Mother’s Rite on Wednesday, January 22 from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. at their Lancaster Avenue dance studio. Interested participants should pre-register at Delart.org.

During the first half of the public performance on January 23, ensembles of local dancers from both Pieces of a Dream, Inc. and the Christina Cultural Arts Center will perform. This will be followed by a brief intermission, then Black Iris Project’s 38-minute solo piece A Mother’s Rite. A Q & A between director Jeremy McQueen and the creative mind behind Raising Kings Week, Chandra Pitts from One village Alliance, will immediately follow the performance.

“The opportunity for the Black Iris Project to visit Delaware for performances and workshops is fundamentally important to the social and cultural development of our state,” says Ashley S.K. Davis, Executive and Artistic Director at Pieces of a Dream, Inc. “While there is no shortage of ballet companies in the region, there is a poignant lack of African-American bodies on these illustrious stages. For aspiring young Black ballerinas and ballerinos to see themselves represented in this genre can be inspiring and life-changing. It is also important for the community at large, dancers and non-dancers alike, to see this classical dance form centered on Black bodies and focused on Black stories.”

Both the MLK Day of Service in conjunction with Raising Kings and the Black Iris Project performance are part of the Museum’s ongoing effort to present forward-thinking artists who are addressing topics relevant to its local community.

The MLK Day of Service will take place on Monday, January 20, 2020, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The event is free, but donations are encouraged. A Mother’s Rite starts at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 23, 2020. Tickets, which can be purchased at Delart.org or at the door, are $10 for students with a valid ID, $20 for Museum Members, and $25 for Non-Members.

Sponsors: This engagement of the Black Iris Project is made possible through the Special Presenter Initiatives program of the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation. Additional support was provided, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

New acquisitions represent the Museum’s focus on collecting work by women and artists of color

The Delaware Art Museum is delighted to announce recent purchases of art by women artists and artists of color. This spring, the Museum purchased a series of prints by Hank Willis Thomas, an 1871 oil painting by Robert Duncanson, and a 1940 poster by Robert Pious.

These three recent purchases reflect the Museum’s continued effort to collect more art by women artists and artists of color. In 2018, the Museum purchased 24 works of art, of which one-third were created by women and one-third were created by African American artists. In total, 74 percent of acquisition funds spent in 2018 went toward acquiring works by women artists and artists of color.

“It is particularly exciting to acquire as we plan for the reinstallation of several permanent collection galleries in 2020,” explains Heather Campbell Coyle, Chief Curator and Curator of American Art. “These works will allow us to share a more inclusive and exciting story of art and artists with our community.”

Hank Willis Thomas’ Black Survival Guide, or How to Live Through a Police Riot (2018) is the Museum’s first major purchase of 2019. Commissioned by the Museum and on view during the summer of 2018, the work is a series of 13 retroreflective screen prints based on photographs from The News Journal and a booklet in the collection of the Delaware Historical Society. Black Survival Guide, or How to Live Through a Police Riot became a catalyst for dialogue during the city-wide reflection on the 1968 occupation of Wilmington by the National Guard.

“Museum visitors overwhelmingly shared their enthusiasm for the project and love of the screen prints,” shares Margaret Winslow, Curator of Contemporary Art. “We are thrilled that this series will remain in the city.” Once installed, these prints will be added to the Museum’s new Social Justice in Art Tour for local students.

In October, 2018, the Delaware Art Museum acquired Chakaia Booker’s One Way (2008) for its contemporary collection. The large-scale sculpture was installed in the Museum’s Copeland Sculpture Garden to align with the mid-October opening of the Juried Craft Exhibition. Made of recycled tires and stainless steel, One Way is the first artwork by an African American artist added to the Museum’s sculpture garden. Chakaia Booker is best known for sculptures made of discarded materials–most often recycled tires. Her art explores race, globalization, feminism, and ecology. The interconnecting circles in One Way depict movement and perpetual cycles, and the sculpture conveys her concerns about diversity, mobility, and hope. This significant addition also supports the Museum’s ability to showcase the diversity in process, materials, and interests occupying contemporary art today. The contemporary collection also welcomed gifts of work by Charles Burwell and Curlee Raven Holton.

As well as adding to the contemporary collections, the Delaware Art Museum continued the strategic expansion of its collection of modern art by African American artists with purchases of work by Loïs Mailou Jones, Hughie Lee-Smith, William Majors, and James A. Porter. These works add strength to a collection that already features paintings and prints by Beauford Delaney, Aaron Douglas, Jacob Lawrence, and Norman Lewis. Produced between the 1940s and the 1960s, these works provide context for the early career of beloved local painter Edward Loper, Sr., which is well represented in the Wilmington region. Paintings by Loper, Sr., and his son Edward Loper, Jr., launched the Museum’s Distinguished Artists Series this spring.

In addition to these works by artists of color, the Museum has focused on acquiring more art by women. Recent exhibitions on British Pre-Raphaelite artists Marie Spartali Stillman and Barbara Bodichon have benefitted from key purchases in years past. In 2018, the Museum added collections of work by American illustrators Laura Coombs Hills and Rose O’Neill via purchase and gift. O’Neill, who previously had just one work of art in the Museum’s collection, was a successful book and magazine illustrator, best known as the inventor of the Kewpies, cupid-like characters who started life in a 1909 cartoon in the Ladies’ Home Journal and soon launched into popular culture as dolls, books, and other licensed merchandise. The Kewpie enterprise, which only began to wane toward the end of the 1930s, made O’Neill an independently wealthy woman. Illustration was an important career path for women and this is central to the story of the Delaware Art Museum.

About the Delaware Art Museum

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.