Delaware Art Museum & City of Wilmington's District 8 Mural Partnership

The content of this post comes from a press release from the Delaware Art Museum...

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 this month 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.”

See DelArt.org.

Artists Celebrate Latino Community Stories and Talents in Estampas De La Raza Exhibit

The Delaware Art Museum’s (DelArt's) current exhibition, Estampas De La Raza, is a collection of 61 prints made to represent the Chicano movement. American artists of Mexican and Latino heritage in the decades following the Chicano movement of the 1970s created vibrant and exciting prints. For the first time in 12 years, the museum is displaying the works for the public. The exhibit opened on April 1, 2023 and is on view until May 28, 2023. 

Cesar Viveros is a Chicano muralist working with DelArt for the exhibition. Cesar has transformed the museum’s entry hall into a bodega with a new mural and is working with local Latino community centers to screen-print posters to be displayed around Latino businesses in the city. 

The Museum is also working with fashion designer, Julieta Zavala, who will incorporate the posters into 11 different looks in a fashion show at the museum.

We connected with Cesar and Julieta to ask about their work and their thoughts on the exhibit. (The interviews are provided below in both English and Spanish.)

Cesar Viveros Interview
DAI: Your mural is quite striking. What was your inspiration for the piece?
(Tu mural es bastante llamativo. ¿Cuál fue tu inspiración para la pieza?)

CV: I wanted to create a space that could feel familiar for the Latino community, where this audience could identify this space as part of their own; where they could feel that the art is about them and at the same time, the general public also could have the opportunity to respond to this visual occupation. In reality, I am basically ‘owning’ the space for a time, converting a simple wall that otherwise would be ignored into an obligated stop for patrons to find out what happened to the space; especially regular museum visitors, who may feel intrigued by the imposing, eye-catching blinking LED lights, inviting them to pay attention.

I knew I was going to create a series of posters in response to the Estampas De La Raza exhibition, and I knew that I was going to get plenty of inspiration from community members telling me their stories, just as I do when painting murals. But the idea of the “tienda de la esquina” — or bodega, as we know the corner store — fit perfectly to display the posters the same way I would do in real life streets. The posters reflect personal and collective stories of the Wilmington community — immigrants from different countries of Latino America and the Caribbean.

CV: Quería crear un espacio que pudiera resultar familiar para la comunidad latina, donde esta audiencia pudiera identificar este espacio como parte de sí mismo; donde pudieran sentir que el arte es sobre ellos y al mismo tiempo, el público en general también pudiera tener la oportunidad de responder a esta ocupación visual. En realidad, básicamente soy “dueño” del espacio por un tiempo, convirtiendo una simple pared que de otro modo sería ignorada en una parada obligada para que los usuarios averigüen qué pasó con el espacio; especialmente los visitantes habituales del museo, que pueden sentirse intrigados por las imponentes y llamativas luces LED parpadeantes, que les invitan a prestar atención.

Sabía que iba a crear una serie de carteles en respuesta a la exposición ESTAMPAS DE LA RAZA, y sabía que iba a obtener mucha inspiración de los miembros de la comunidad que me contarían sus historias, tal como lo hago cuando pinto murales. Pero la idea de la “tienda de la esquina” —o bodega, como conocemos la tienda de la esquina— encajaba perfectamente para exhibir los carteles de la misma manera que lo haría en las calles de la vida real. Los carteles reflejan historias personales y colectivas de la comunidad de Wilmington, inmigrantes de diferentes países de América Latina y el Caribe.

DAI: Why did you choose to create a full-length wall installation over a multi-piece exhibit? (¿Por qué eligió crear una instalación de pared de cuerpo entero sobre una exhibición de varias piezas?)

CV: I thought that since I can always make paintings or posters to be hung up on walls, I should grab the rare opportunity of working in the museum, to come up with something fresh and fun, and to deliver more serious themes in the process. The themes that matter to the people on a daily basis, in their own words, honoring their stories; that’s what brought [inspiration to] my visual narrative. I decided that it would be more dramatic to use all the wall. That idea was playing in my head, given the nature of my work — I am constantly changing the spaces in the neighborhood. For me, it made sense to take advantage of the medium I know best and recreate scenarios that help to narrate the stories.

CV: Pensé que dado que siempre puedo hacer pinturas o carteles para colgar en las paredes, debería aprovechar la rara oportunidad de trabajar en el museo, para pensar en algo nuevo y divertido, y presentar temas más serios en el proceso. Los temas que le importan a la gente a diario, en sus propias palabras, haciendo honor a sus historias; eso es lo que trajo [inspiración a] mi narrativa visual. Decidí que sería más dramático usar toda la pared. Esa idea rondaba en mi cabeza, dada la naturaleza de mi trabajo, estoy cambiando constantemente los espacios del barrio. Para mí tenía sentido aprovechar el medio que mejor conozco y recrear escenarios que ayuden a narrar las historias.

DAI: What does this piece represent for you and the Latin community? What do you want viewers to "see" in this piece?
(¿Qué representa esta pieza para ti y la comunidad latina? ¿Qué quieres que los espectadores "vean" en esta pieza?)

CV: This piece aligns with my artistic practice: bringing to the spotlight vivid memories of community members or myself, creating a space not just for introspection but for conversation that can help us understand current issues affecting our daily lives. I want other people to know than in my process, I purposely intend to share my experiences — or, in this case, Latino Community experiences — with the audience that they otherwise may not be aware of: the impact caused by obsolete immigration laws; discriminatory policies; social numbness for other people’s lives, even when this could be the experience of the person who cooks our food, cleans our yard, drive us in Uber, or constructs our buildings. The art shows the beauty of people’s determination, moments of celebrations, and triumphs, but at the same time serves as a public denounce. I want the Latino Community to know that the Delaware Art Museum can be a place of acceptance.

CV: Esta pieza se alinea con mi práctica artística: sacar a la luz recuerdos vívidos de los miembros de la comunidad o de mí mismo, creando un espacio no solo para la introspección sino también para la conversación que puede ayudarnos a comprender los problemas actuales que afectan nuestra vida diaria. Quiero que otras personas sepan que en mi proceso, tengo la intención de compartir mis experiencias, o, en este caso, las experiencias de la comunidad latina, con la audiencia de la que de otra manera no estarían al tanto: el impacto causado por las leyes de inmigración obsoletas; políticas discriminatorias; entumecimiento social para la vida de otras personas, incluso cuando esta podría ser la experiencia de la persona que cocina nuestra comida, limpia nuestro jardín, nos lleva en Uber o construye nuestros edificios. El arte muestra la belleza de la determinación de las personas, momentos de celebración y triunfos, pero al mismo tiempo sirve como denuncia pública. Quiero que la comunidad latina sepa que el Museo de Arte de Delaware puede ser un lugar de aceptación.

DAI: How did you choose the other works (prints) to be included in the mural?
(¿Cómo elegiste las obras de los otros artistas (grabados) para incluirlas en el mural?)

CV: The posters are my designs; the only thing regret is not having time to do more! I love this medium. Posters were used to effectively message and to reach out to the masses. I think [the medium] is still functioning well today.

CV: Los carteles son mis diseños; ¡Lo único que lamento es no tener tiempo para hacer más! Me encanta este medio. Los carteles se utilizaron para enviar mensajes de manera efectiva y llegar a las masas. Creo que [el medio] todavía funciona bien hoy.

DAI: What is your favorite work in the Estampas De La Raza exhibit and why?
(¿Cuál es tu obra favorita de la exposición Estampas De La Raza y por qué?)

CV: My favorite piece is SUN-RAID by Ester Hernandez. It’s genius. This piece kind of set the direction for what I wanted to do with my installation — the alteration of words, the critical implications of my prints. But, I admit that the Hernandez piece pushed the accelerator all the way — crude and unapologetic right in your face — while I like to disguise things, letting the audience digest the subtle messages embedded in the posters and the signs.

CV: Mi pieza favorita es SUN-RAID de Ester Hernandez. es genial Esta pieza marcó la dirección de lo que quería hacer con mi instalación: la alteración de las palabras, las implicaciones críticas de mis grabados. Pero admito que el artículo de Hernández pisó el acelerador a fondo —crudo y sin disculpas justo en tu cara— mientras que a mí me gusta disfrazar las cosas, dejando que la audiencia digiera los mensajes sutiles incrustados en los carteles y los letreros.

DAI: Why do you feel this exhibit is so important now? What do you feel can audiences learn from these works as a whole?
(¿Por qué cree que esta exhibición es tan importante ahora? ¿Qué crees que puede aprender el público de estas obras en su conjunto?)

CV: It seems like the themes of the Estampas De La Raza exhibition have a parallel sense of urgency today, as in the past: Kids in cages, gentrification, displacement, intolerance, ageism, classism, mass incarceration, etc. It’s important to continue the conversation, even when these are not currently in the news.

CV: Parece que los temas de la exposición Estampas De La Raza tienen un sentido de urgencia paralelo hoy, como en el pasado: niños enjaulados, gentrificación, desplazamiento, intolerancia, discriminación por edad, clasismo, encarcelamiento masivo, etc. Es importante continuar la conversación. , incluso cuando estos no están actualmente en las noticias.

Julieta Zavala Interview
DAI: What drew you to becoming a fashion artist?
(¿Qué te llevó a convertirte en una artista de la moda?)

JZ: Since I was a child, I knew that I liked to make things like clothes for my dolls.

JZ: Desde que era niña supe que me gustaba hacer cosas como ropa a mis muñecas etc. 

DAI: Who are your artistic inspirations from the Latinx community?
(¿Quiénes son tus inspiraciones artísticas de la comunidad Latinx?)

JZ: I had the opportunity to meet many artists from the Philadelphia community in the "La Guagua 47" project, including Cesar Viveros, whose excellent work and great talent has inspired many, including me in the community.

JZ: Tuve la oportunidad de conocer muchos artistas de la comunidad de Philadelphia en el proyecto de "La Guagua 47" entre ellos Cesar Viveros el cual ha sido su excelente trabajo y gran talento ha inspirado a muchos incluyendome en la comunidad.

DAI: What do you want audiences to take away after viewing your work?
(¿Qué quieres que se lleve el público después de ver tu trabajo?)

JZ: I would like them to take a little bit of my culture with them, that they enjoy it and also that they have something to think about regarding our social problems.

JZ: Me gustaria que se llevaran un poquito de mi cultura con ellos que la disfruten y tambien que se queden con algo que pensar en cuanto a nuestros problemas sociales.

DAI: What is your favorite work in the Estampas De La Raza exhibit and why?
(¿Cuál es tu obra favorita de la exposición Estampas De La Raza y por qué?)

JZ: My favorite work is "The March of Lupe Liberty" since it uses two powerful women who are icons of the most recognized, which represents us as immigrants and also culturally with the Virgin of Guadalupe.

JZ: Mi obra favorita es "La Marcha de Lupe Liberty" ya que usa 2 mujeres poderosas que son iconos de los mas reconocidos ,que nos representa como inmigrantes y tambien culturalmente con la virgen de guadalupe.

DAI: Why do you feel this exhibit is so important now? What do you feel can audiences learn from these works as a whole?
(¿Por qué cree que esta exhibición es tan importante ahora? ¿Qué crees que puede aprender el público de estas obras en su conjunto?)

JZ: I think it is a super important opportunity for the Latinx community because the museum is opening its doors to this gallery that represents us. We need more events that represent us culturally and art is an incredible medium to inspire others and bring communities closer.

JZ: Creo que es una oportunidad para la comunidad Latinx super importante porque el museo esta abriendo sus puertas a esta galeria que nos representa .Necesitamos mas eventos que nos representen culturalme y el arte es un medio increible para inspirar a otros y acercar a las comunidades. 

Delaware Art Museum Launches Initiative to Preserve Public Art

Part of this post comes from a blog posting/release from Delaware Art Museum...

Creative Vision Factory Members in front of the Kalmar Nyckel Mural.
Photo courtesy of Michael Kalmbach.

Contrary to popular belief, not all galleries are indoors. Some don’t have four walls, security guards, or
a sign reading “please do not touch the art.” Some galleries are right outside your door. Wilmington’s outdoor gallery boasts artworks ranging from the 19th Century to the present. From memorials and sculptures to mosaics and murals, our environments are beautified by artists. Their creations enliven the cityscape, acting as tangible expressions of their city’s cultural heritage, and becoming beacons for civic engagement, public pride, and even attracting business investments. [READ THE FULL DELART BLOG ENTRY HERE>>>]

A new pilot program called Public Art Stewards — developed by the Delaware Art Museum and supported by the Delaware Division of the Arts and City of Wilmington American Rescue Plan Act funds — aims to train Wilmington residents to clean, conserve, and document 30 public artworks in downtown Wilmington and surrounding neighborhoods.

The Public Art Stewards program was officially launched with a press conference on Thursday, November 17, in front of one of the most visible displays of Wilmington's public art — the mosaic behind Christina Cultural Art Center at the corner of 7th and Shipley.

This highly anticipated workforce training and city beautification program is headed by Benét Burton, Registrar Assistant/Curatorial Project Manager at the Delaware Art Museum.

Benét Burton said of the program: "I’ve been able to speak with some artists of the pieces on our list and engage with residents who live near them. Everyone I have met while working on this project has shared their enthusiasm for it, and I’m excited to support the community and its artists in caring for the work they hold so dear."

We asked Burton more about the project and why it is so important for our City of Wilmington...

*What made the art museum want to take up the mantle for this city project?
The Delaware Art Museum is committed to our role as a regional anchor and aims to support identified needs in our community. By aligning our knowledge of public art with the city’s outdoor gallery, we’ve created an innovative project that will provide our participants with creative skills and support their workforce readiness.

*What will the project entail? What work will your team do on the public pieces?
The Public Art Stewards Training Program is a six-month “earn while you learn” program that employs six to eight Wilmington residents who will be taught transferable skills in conservation under the tutelage of Margalit Schindler of Pearl Preservation, our program conservator. Additionally, our Public Art Stewards will participate in workforce-readiness workshops such as interview practice, digital literacy, financial coaching, and resume building.

Every piece on our list is unique and will have different needs. The transferable skills in conservation our participants will learn while working on the public pieces include assessment and condition reporting; photographic and written documentation; cleaning; and essential maintenance of sculptures and murals.

*What are your goals for the first year of this project? Where is your first area of work based?
Some of our goals for the first year are:

• to have our participants graduating feeling confident in the skills they’ve learned in conservation;
• to have 30 works from Wilmington’s outdoor gallery properly maintained and documented so that we can create a living archive of our city’s public art;
• to connect our participants with local services and help provide them with continued support after graduating.

We are still working on our curriculum. However, I anticipate that the first area we’ll be working is the DelArt campus where One Way, 2008 by Chakaia Booker and Monumental Holistic No. VII, 1980 by Betty Gold live in our sculpture garden.

*Do you have a "favorite" piece of public art in the city? What is the name of the work and where can we see it?
I have many favorite pieces, to be honest, but I will limit myself to one mural and one sculpture.

A mural I’m currently obsessed with is The Divine Mind, 2016 by Terrance Vann on 7th and Windsor Streets. It’s so large and in charge, and the vibrant purple hue is almost like a beacon when you're a block away from it. Although I really love the crown, my favorite part is the way he styled the hair to be a cityscape. I sometimes add a few minutes onto my commute home from work just to drive by it.

My favorite sculpture right now is Shipyard Gateway, 1998 by Roldan West on 4th and Church Streets. It hangs on the overpass in the middle of the street so it’s hard to get a good look at it if you’re not on foot. I’ve always loved metalwork because the technique is so fascinating, and this piece is eye-catching. I really wish it was closer to the ground so that I could sit with it and take in each form.

*Who are some of your favorite Delaware artists?
I love Edward Loper, Jr. When I look at his work, it feels like I’m reminiscing on a dream. The bright colors in his paintings and how he layers them are the first to grab my attention and pull me in. Then I notice the interesting perspective, and I feel I could stare at them for hours and just fall in.

I also really like Geraldo Gonzalez (a.k.a. The King of Transit). I met him at the Creative Vision Factory when I was in undergrad at the University of Delaware. A lot of his work focuses on public transportation. I follow him on Instagram (@thekingoftransit), and I always find myself scrolling through his page and getting lost in all the vivid hues he uses on his pieces. I would love to see his work wrapped on some buses in Wilmington!

*What would you like people to take away from this project? Can other community members get involved?
From this project, I hope that people come to understand how integral public art is to our community and how important it is that we support our local artists and their creations. Wilmington is not just a city, but a canvas for many, and the public art that artists put their time, effort, and care into creating are a celebration of the city’s cultural heritage. Through the Public Art Stewards Program, the Delaware Art Museum aims to leverage its position as a cultural fixture and use its influence and connection to support Wilmington in upkeeping its outdoor gallery. We love these pieces, and we are committed to fighting for and finding resources that will help us and Wilmington residents maintain and archive them so that we can share them with generations after us.

If anyone is interested in getting involved in the project, they can contact me at bburton@delart.org or 302.351.8507.

Program Conservator Margalit Schindler adds: "I am grateful to be able to share my preservation knowledge with my Wilmington neighbors and to collaborate to care for our city. While the program focuses on supporting Wilmington artwork, I am equally excited to support the personal and professional goals of the Wilmington locals who participate in the program."

Celebrating 12 Years of Film Brothers' Festival of Shorts

Delaware Arts Info reviewer Charles "Ebbie" Alfree III held a video chat with Gordon DelGiorno of Film Brothers about the upcoming 12th Annual Film Brothers Festival of Shorts.

Films from around the world will be shown at this sold-out event, but if you contact Gordon (Gordon@filmbrothers.com or 302.559.2324), and mention Ebbie or Delaware Arts Info, you might win two tickets! 

The Festival is on Saturday, April 30, 7:00pm, at the Delaware Art Museum. For more information visit, www.filmbrothers.com.

Not Your Grandmother’s Nutcracker: Wilmington Ballet Announces Virtual Nutcracker Experience

Information in this post comes from a press release from The Wilmington Ballet Academy of the Dance.

While COVID-19 and socially distant restrictions have shut down the majority of arts organizations around the world, the Wilmington Ballet have been pirouetting full force into the new – a new philosophy, new staff, and a new way to bring the holiday tradition of The Nutcracker to families across Delaware for the 53th year. 

From December 7-12, sugarplums will dazzle, mice and soldiers will battle, and snowflakes will swirl as the Wilmington Ballet presents their completely virtual Nutcracker Experience. This five-night, online event will feature a mix of pre-recorded and live videos. The ballet will be performed in venues across the Greater Wilmington area, including The Delaware Art Museum and The Playhouse on Rodney Square.

Viewers can expect to be blown away by this year’s guest stars:
• Akua Parker - Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Academy of the Dance alumna
• Georgina Pazcoguin - New York City Ballet Soloist
• Lateef Williams – Royal Ballet of Flanders, Wilm Ballet Alumni
• Amanda Smith - Dance Theater of Harlem
• Anthony Santos – Dance Theater of Harlem
• The Voloshky Ukranian Dance Ensemble

“We really had to test our creativity this year and expand the performance to fit the current times we find ourselves in,” said Benjamin Cannon, Wilmington Ballet’s new Executive and Artistic Director. “It was important to us to keep this tradition alive for our community. Now more than ever, a sense of ‘normal’ and familiarity is so needed, and our hope is that by presenting The Nutcracker in a new and innovative way, we can help families hang on to a holiday tradition they may have otherwise had to forego.” 

This year’s ballet will be presented virtually on new virtual events platform Markee – created locally in Downtown Wilmington. Since quietly launching in June 2020, Markee has hosted more than 100 events, including the New Castle County Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner, EasterSeals Delaware and Maryland’s Easter Shore Annual Caregiver Conference, and an event for The Future Party.

Other local organizations involved in this year’s production include:
• DelawareArt Museum
• Pieces of a Dream Academy of Dance
• McAlleer-Paulson School of Irish Dance
• Stage Lights Dance Academy
• The Playhouse on Rodney Square

“Including and becoming more a part of our local community was imperative to us,” said Christopher Davis, the ballet’s Associate Artistic Director. “We were floored when we were introduced to Markee and could not sign up fast enough when we learned it was built just a mile from our studio! The Delaware Art Museum has been an incredible partner, and we fully intend to include as many community organizations as possible in our programming going forward.”

Cannon and Davis, both with impressive backgrounds featuring Broadway and professional dance companies, are hoping to use this year’s performance as an introduction to the new Wilmington Ballet and Academy of the Dance. The long-term plans for the dance company include adding more diverse class options, community programming, extensive building updates, and an exciting rebranding project with local branding agency BrandSwan.

The Tuttleman Foundation Presents: The Nutcracker Experience
• Monday, Dec. 7 – Wednesday, Dec 9: 7pm
• Thursday, Dec. 10: 8:30pm (Special presentation in conjunction with Delaware Art Museum)
• Friday, Dec. 11: 7pm
• Saturday, Dec. 12: 2pm (Special matinee with guest stars from the historic Playhouse on Rodney Square)

Tickets ($75 per single household) are on sale now at https://events.wilmingtonballet.org/the-nutcracker-experience.

(The Wilmington Ballet asks that viewers continue to follow the Delaware State of Emergency guidelines that have been put in place. They have priced tickets per household to encourage social distancing. Once purchased, ticket links are unique and cannot be shared.)

About The Wilmington Ballet at the Academy of the Dance
Founded in 1956, as the Academy of the Dance, Wilmington Ballet has the longest-standing tradition of excellence in dance training in the region. Wilmington Ballet’s professional faculty is dedicated to providing exceptional ballet training to students of all ages. Wilmington Ballet students have advanced to the world’s top companies, including American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Martha Graham Company, Royal Ballet Flanders, Boston Ballet, Dance Theatre of Harlem, as well as Broadway and more. Since 1967, the annual performance of The Nutcracker at the Playhouse on Rodney Square has provided our students the opportunity to perform with world-class professional artists and live orchestra. Wilmington Ballet is conveniently located in the Trolley Square neighborhood at 1709 Gilpin Avenue. The Wilmington Ballet is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.  More Information: www.wilmingtonballet.org.

Art Museum Announces Major Reinstallation of Permanent Collection

The content of this post comes from a Delaware Art Museum press release...

The Delaware Art Museum is excited to announce the reinstallation and reinterpretation of eight main-floor galleries housing its permanent collection. This project encompasses the Museum’s spaces dedicated to American art and illustration, Howard Pyle, John Sloan, and the Bancroft Collection of Pre-Raphaelite Art. Between April and November 2020, over 8,000 square feet of exhibition space will be renovated and rehung. Working with community and professional input, gallery layout and interpretation have been completely reimagined to connect better with today’s visitors and conserve the collections for future generations.

According to Chief Curator and Curator of American Art Heather Campbell Coyle, “This isn’t just fresh paint! We’ve been working behind the scenes for over two years. There are new works to show and new stories to tell. Entire collections are being relocated to improve visitor experience.”

This will be the first comprehensive rehanging since the Museum opened its renovated building in 2005. Since then, thanks to significant study and audience feedback, the collections have grown to include key pieces by women and artists of color that introduce new narratives and tell a more inclusive story of the visual arts. 

These new works, including a bust of Frederick Douglass by Isaac Scott Hathaway, and Botticelli’s Studio, a painting by Eleanor Fortescue Brickdale on loan to the Museum, will join masterpieces by Edward Burne-Jones, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Raphaelle Peale, Frederic E. Church, George Inness, John Sloan, Howard Pyle, N.C. Wyeth, Violet Oakley, and Frank E. Schoonover. This reinstallation will also bring focus to the role of local artists and collectors in the narrative of national art.

As part of the Museum’s strategic vision for community engagement, the Museum embarked on this project with an inclusive and visitor-centered approach. Community collaborators who participated in focus groups and left responses in our galleries have been integral to helping design a better Delaware Art Museum.

“Our local community’s input at every step was critical to this project,” says Amelia Wiggins, Assistant Director of Learning and Engagement, who worked closely with curators on gallery reinterpretation strategies. “We are grateful to those who helped guide us in early focus groups, as well as to visitors who responded to the prototyping of new ideas in our galleries. Direct feedback from our audiences helped us create bridges between the collection and the contemporary experiences of Delawareans. We look forward to learning what fresh connections our visitors make with the art as galleries reopen later this year.”

The Museum will remain open during these changes, with galleries closing and reopening on a rolling basis. Starting in early April and running through mid-July, a limited selection of works by Howard Pyle and his students will be on view; these galleries will be closed entirely from July through late November. Galleries dedicated to American art before 1900 will be closed from April 20 through the end of June. The Pre-Raphaelite Collection will be off view from July 6 through mid-August. Please check delart.org for details and updates.

The Museum’s reinstallation is fully funded by generous foundations including an anonymous donor, the Starrett Foundation, the Richard C. Von Hess Foundation, and the Sansom Foundation. To transform the galleries, the Museum is working with exhibition designer Keith Ragone Studio and local and regional fabricators.

See www.delart.org. 

National Portrait Gallery to Feature Selected Works from Pre-Raphaelite Collection

The content of this post comes from a previous press release from the Delaware Art Museum...

Found by Dante Gabriel Rossetti.
File courtesy of Delaware Art Museum. 

A major new exhibition in London showcasing the women who shaped the Pre-Raphaelite movement will include four pieces from the Delaware Art Museum. 

In the 1880s, American textile mill owner Samuel Bancroft, Jr. was “shocked with delight” upon viewing a painting by Dante Gabriel Rossetti. The Wilmington industrialist purchased his first Rossetti oil painting, Water Willow, around 10 years later. By the time of his death in 1915, Bancroft had amassed what is now the largest and most significant Pre-Raphaelite collection outside the United Kingdom.

In 1935, Bancroft’s family donated his entire collection to what is now the Delaware Art Museum, along with 11 acres of land on Kentmere Parkway to construct a museum.

See www.delart.org. 

Museum Purchases Work by Hank Willis Thomas & Chakaia Booker

The content of this post comes from a previous press release from The Delaware Art Museum...

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. 

Hank Willis Thomas' Black Survival Guide,
or How to Live Through a Police Riot (2018)

"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.

See www.delart.org. 

DuPont Donates 1 Million to Free Sundays at Delaware Art Museum

The content of this post comes from a Delaware Art Muesum press release...

Photo courtesy of the Delaware Art Museum.

E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (DuPont) generously fulfilled their $1 million dollar pledge made to the Delaware Art Museum late last year. This gift, which honors the Delaware-based company's priorities and corporate giving philosophy to invest in its communities, underwrites the Museum's Free Sundays program.

As funding for the arts diminish, DuPont's investment in the Museum's strategic vision to be a welcoming and inclusive hub emphasizes the company's commitment to our region by making art accessible to a diverse range of audiences. 

The community is invited to partake in "Free Sundays Presented by DuPont." The Delaware Art Museum is also free on Thursday evenings between 4:00-8:00pm thanks to the support of generous individuals.

For over 100 years, the Delaware Art Museum has served as a primary arts and cultural institution in the state. It is alive with experiences, discoveries, and activities to connect people with art and with each other through the visual and the performing arts. 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 significant Pre-Raphaelite collection outside of the United Kingdom. 

See www.delart.org. 

Major Acquisition & Installation in Art Museum's Copeland Sculpture Garden

Artist Chakaia Booker's sculpture, One Way.

The content of this post comes from a Delaware Art Museum press release...

At the Juried Craft Exhibition Members Preview on Friday, October 19, 2018, the Delaware Art Museum will celebrate its most recent large-scale sculpture acquisition in the Copeland Sculpture Garden — Chakaia Booker's One Way (2008). Made of recycled tires and stainless steel, the work of art was recently part of Booker's solo exhibition in Chicago's Boeing Galleries at Millennium Park.

Chakaia Booker is best known for her sculptures made of discarded materials which are most often recycled tires.  Her work explores race, globalization, feminism, and ecology. Booker received a bachelor's degree in sociology from Rutgers University, her master of fine arts degree from City College of New York, and has been included in countless group exhibitions beginning with the Whitney Biennial in 2000.

Her work is in the public collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Storm King Art Center, and the Studio Museum in Harlem. In 2012, the National Museum of Women in the Arts installed four of her large-scale sculptures along New York Avenue adjacent to the museum, and in 2014, Towson University presented a survey of recent sculpture. That solo exhibition travelled to the Leonard Pearlstein Gallery at Drexel University in 2015. A large-scale wall sculpture by the artist is also featured in the Heritage Hall of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture.

The Delaware Art Museum is committed to acquiring works of art by women and historically underrepresented minorities. Chakaia Booker is the first African-American artist to be represented in the Museum's Copeland Sculpture Garden.

The artist explains that One Way conveys her concerns about diversity, mobility, and hope. The sculpture's interconnecting circles are meant to resemble movement and perceptual cycles. This significant addition further supports the Museum's ability to showcase the diversity in process, materials, and interests occupying contemporary art today.

Chakaia Booker installs her work at the Delaware Art Museum.

About Chakaia Booker

Chakaia Booker received a bachelor's degree in sociology from Rutgers University, her master of fine arts degree from City College of New York, and has been included in countless group exhibitions beginning with the Whitney Biennial in 2000. In 2012, the National Museum of Women in the Arts installed four of her large-scale sculptures along New York Avenue adjacent to the museum, and in 2014, Towson University presented a survey of recent sculpture. That solo exhibition travelled to the Leonard Pearlstein Gallery at Drexel University in 2015.

Concerts on Kentmere: 10 Years IN & Stronger Than Ever

This post appears courtesy of inWilmDE.com...
By Christine Facciolo

The Delaware Art Museum INvites you to join in celebrating the 10th anniversary season of its’ Concerts on Kentmere series, featuring performances by Pyxis, Wilmington’s premier piano quartet.

The ensemble — Luigi Mazzocchi (violin), Amy Leonard (viola), Jennifer Jie Jin (cello) and Hiroko Yamazaki (piano) — will perform three concerts during the 2018-19 season, the final event featuring a commissioned work by David Schelat.

Commissions are playing a greater role in the Museum’s offerings. “That’s something the Museum is doing across all programs, trying to respond in the moment to art and to current times,” said Jonathan Whitney, performance & community engagement manager at the Museum. “So we’re bringing Pyxis in on that because they’re one of our ensembles.”

The milestone season will also see a closer relationship between Pyxis’ repertoire and the exhibits.

“We met with all the curators last spring before we planned our season because we wanted to see what we had to work with,” said Leonard.

The first concert which takes place on September 27 provides the musical response to the work of conceptual artist Hank Willis Thomas. The commissioned exhibit — “Black Survival Guide, or How to Live Through a Police Riot” — tells the lesser-known stories of the 1968 riots and occupation of Wilmington through a series of fourteen retro-reflective prints drawn from the photographic archives of the Delaware Historical Society and The News Journal. Viewers become “activists” when they apply light to the prints revealing hidden images.

Pyxis will complement the exhibit with a performance of Alfred Schnittke’s Prelude in Memoriam Dmitri Shostakovich. “There are many layers involved and secret meanings and things that aren’t immediately apparent,” said Leonard. “And we’ll be performing it in a very kinetic way, spreading ourselves out in the space.” The program will also feature a performance of Debussy’s cello sonata, a work written as the composer struggled under the physical and psychological oppression of terminal cancer.

The artistic accomplishments of women will be the focus when Pyxis performs on January 10, 2019. “The Feminine Mystique” honors the work of pre-Raphaelite artist and mid-19th Century feminist and women’s rights activist Barbara Bodichon. Leonard and company will offer a musical response with works by such trailblazing composers as Germaine Tailleferre, Rebecca Clarke, Dora Pejacevic and Gwyneth Walker whose “Letters to the World” reflects on the poetry of Emily Dickinson.

“Tailleferre was the only female member of the group known as Les Six and Rebecca Clarke was one of the first women to play in a symphony orchestra,” said Leonard.

Pyxis’ final concert on May 2 will explore the relationship between color and sound. The ensemble will perform vibrant works by Brahms (Piano Quintet in F minor featuring guest violinist Dara Morales of the Philadelphia Orchestra) and Beethoven (the String Quartet in E-Flat Major nicknamed the “Harp” for its use of pizzicato).

The concert will also feature a newly commissioned work by David Schelat. Leonard doesn’t know much about it yet but hopes it’s challenging. “I hope it’s really hard and that he gives us plenty of ‘crunchy’ harmonies.”

Concert dates: Thursdays, September 27, January 10, (Snow date Sunday, January 13), May 2. Prior to each concert, the museum's curator will offer a brief personal insight.

Curator talks begin at 7:30 p.m. Performances begin at 8:00 p.m.

NEA Announces Grants to Support Delaware Arts

This post content comes from a press release from the Delaware Division of the Arts...

As the only funder in the country to support arts activities in all 50 states and five U.S. jurisdictions, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) announced that three Delaware organizations, including the Division of the Arts, will receive $729,100 in federal grants.

“The variety and quality of these projects speaks to the wealth of creativity and diversity in our country,” said NEA Chairman Jane Chu. “From Atlanta, Georgia to Sparks, Nevada, NEA funding reaches thousands of communities, assisting local organizations and providing access to the arts to all.”

The Delaware Division of the Arts will receive a Partnership (State & Regional) grant in the amount of $689,100 to support activities associated with carrying out its NEA-approved State strategic plan.

“Representing 17% of the Division’s budget, NEA funding is critical in supporting arts programming that directly reaches more than 30 communities throughout Delaware, serving more than 1 million youth and adults annually,” says Paul Weagraff, director of the Delaware Division of the Arts. “This investment in Delaware’s creative sector contributes positively to vibrant communities, comprehensive educational opportunities, and robust economic activity.”

The Delaware Art Museum will receive an Art Works - Presenting & Multidisciplinary Works grant in the amount of $25,000 to support its Bridging Perspectives series of multidisciplinary performances addressing the history of the Civil Rights Movement and contemporary issues related to social justice and equity.

“The NEA and Art Works grants support the arts and its ability to change lives and impact communities,” says Delaware Art Museum Executive Director and CEO, Sam Sweet. “Bridging Perspectives is a new initiative at the Museum reflecting our vision to engage our community, promote conversation, and foster understanding. We are so pleased that this initiative has earned support that will enable the Museum to better serve our community.”

The Grand Opera House will receive an Art Works - Presenting & Multidisciplinary Works grant in the amount of $15,000 to support its sensory-friendly family performances series which welcomes children of all ages with autism or other sensory, social or learning disabilities to experience live entertainment. These performances have been made possible by Next Generation North of the Delaware Community Foundation, DFRC and in partnership with Autism Delaware and Easterseals.

“The Grand is proud to continue our new sensory friendly programming thanks to this generous gift from the NEA. Our mission urges us to be accessible to all residents of the Brandywine Valley, and this gift, our second NEA grant in two years, allows us to further develop this valuable and much-needed program, says Mark Fields, executive director of the Grand Opera House.

The full NEA grant descriptions:

State and Regional Partnership AgreementsThrough partnership agreements, the NEA translates national leadership into local and regional benefit. States and U.S. jurisdictions have their own arts agency that together receive 40 percent of the NEA’s grantmaking funds each year to support their programs and leverage state funding. In addition to these 55 agencies, six regional arts organizations are funded to manage programs across state, national, and international borders and across all arts disciplines.

Art Works II

Art Works is the NEA’s largest category and focuses on funding the creation of art that meets the highest standards of excellence, public engagement with art, lifelong learning in the arts, and strengthening of communities through the arts.

About the National Endowment for the ArtsEstablished by Congress in 1965, the NEA is the independent federal agency whose funding and support gives Americans the opportunity to participate in the arts, exercise their imaginations, and develop their creative capacities. Through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector, the NEA supports arts learning, affirms and celebrates America’s rich and diverse cultural heritage, and extends its work to promote equal access to the arts in every community across America. For more information, visit www.arts.gov.

About the Delaware Division of the ArtsThe Delaware Division of the Arts is an agency of the State of Delaware. Together with its advisory body, the Delaware State Arts Council, the Division administers grants and programs that support arts programming, educate the public, increase awareness of the arts, and integrate the arts into all facets of Delaware life. Funding for Division programs is provided by annual appropriations from the Delaware General Assembly and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. For more information about the Delaware Division of the Arts, visit arts.delaware.gov or call 302-577-8278.

Wilmington 1968: New Website Empowers Community Reflection

This post content comes from a press release from the Delaware Art Museum...

Twenty area organizations collaborated to launch the Wilmington 1968 website, a tool for community reflection. Via www.wilmington1968.org, Delawareans can access community resources that teach about the local Civil Rights Movement through words and pictures, and address present-day racial and social justice issues. Additionally, the community can share memories of their own to contribute to cross-generational conversations about this historic event. These oral histories will be archived for future generations. The Wilmington 1968 website will also serve as a hub for information about related exhibitions, performances, events, and forums. It will be available to the community through January 2019.

Following the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Wilmington high school students converged on Rodney Square. Subsequent to these protests, looting and fires prompted a request for the National Guard to restore peace. Although other American cities experienced the same level of uprising after April 4, 1968, Wilmington, Delaware experienced the longest peace-time occupation in modern times. Wilmington remained under martial law for nine and a half months. This extensive patrol of Wilmington by the National Guard drastically changed the city from the inside out. Residents went about their days and nights watched, restricted, angry, and fearful. Numerous businesses along Market Street closed.

If it is true that we are destined to repeat the lessons we haven't learned, today's youth are adamant that we will not get left back. Youth-led movements such as #NeverAgain-nationwide protests stemming from the latest school shootings-are taking center stage in our social consciousness and awaking a new generation of activists. 

In 2017, Simone Austin (2017 Alfred Appel, Jr. Curatorial Fellow with the Delaware Art Museum; current graduate student, University of Delaware, History Department), was instrumental in bringing this shared history to the forefront as the primary contemporary researcher on these events for the Delaware Art Museum's summer exhibition series. 

The community-wide reflection beginning this spring will bring "both answers and questions," says Austin. "People of my generation and those who are not from Wilmington will start to understand what happened, why Wilmington looks the way it does today, and why people have certain perceptions of the City of Wilmington and of Delaware. I also think in terms of questions because the work that I've done is not the end. There are so many stories that just aren't found in traditional sources and I'm hoping that more people will come forward and share their experiences."

The Wilmington 1968 partners see the upcoming events, performances, and forums as ways to constructively process the physical and emotional toll on our city stemming the uprising and its aftermath. Our community needs to know that we, representatives of the arts & culture community, are not oblivious and unaffected by this quest for healing, and support all Wilmingtonians as they contribute to these necessary cross-generational conversations about race and reconciliation.Drawing inspiration from the protest art of the 1960s, Squatch Creative — the design firm that created the Wilmington 1968 website — blends technology and art to empower activism. Marcus Price, the site designer, shared, "While creating the aesthetic for the Wilmington 1968 remembrance, I wanted to do justice to the people who lived through this experience. It's different than creating a website for a product or a brand. It was an entire movement and people. I wanted to be sure that I honored that and the spirit involved." 

Partner Organizations in Wilmington 1968 project:

• 302 Guns Down
• Christina Cultural Arts Center
• Delaware Art Museum
• Delaware Division of the Arts
• Delaware Historical Society
• Delaware Humanities Forum
• Delaware Scene
• Episcopal Church of Saints Andrew and Matthew
• Guerilla Republik
• MLK Day Contest
• Mother African Union Church
• Network Delaware
• One Village Alliance
• Quaker Hill Historic Preservation Foundation
• Squatch Creative
• The Delaware Contemporary
• The Grand Opera House
• University of Delaware Interdisciplinary Humanities Research Center
• University of Delaware Partnership for Arts and Culture
• YWCA Delaware

See www.wilmington1968.org. 

Eighth Blackbird Soars in Museum's Performance Series

By Christine Facciolo
Let’s get right to the point: eighth blackbird is the best contemporary classical chamber ensemble on earth. Maybe even in the universe.

Need proof? Since its formation by six Oberlin Conservatory students 20 years ago, it’s captured four Grammy Awards, issued seven acclaimed recordings and successfully commissioned and performed new works by composers such as David Lang, Steven Mackey, Missy Mazzoli and Steve Reich. The blackbirds also received the MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions in 2016.

Eighth Blackbird contemporary classical chamber ensemble.
Photo from eighthblackbird.com.

The musicians are products of some of the country’s most prestigious music schools, including Oberlin Conservatory, the Juilliard School, the Curtis Institute, Northwestern University and the University of Cincinnati-College of Music. The current roster is made up of Nathalie Joachim,  flutes; Nick Photinos, cello; Michael Maccaferri, clarinets; Matthew Duvall, percussion; Yvonne Lam, violin and Lisa Kaplan, piano.

The blackbirds didn’t need to present any credentials to please the audience at the Delaware Art Museum on Saturday, though, where they offered a program of six pieces complementing the Museum’s collection and current exhibition Eye on Nature: Andrew Wyeth and John Ruskin.

Listening to these selections was a bit like walking through a museum: In fact, many of the pieces were composed by members of the Sleeping Giant musical collective, the works having been inspired by the art featured in the Maxine and Stuart Frankel Foundation for Art. Eighth Blackbird applied the aural landscapes to the works of Wyeth and Ruskin.

Timo Andres’ Checkered Shade (2015) showed how tiny fragments of repeated material resolve into a larger pattern, in this case, an expressive chorale. Similarly, Jacob Cooper’s Cast (2015) built an aural analogue to an artistic process of absence with nostalgic gestures that trail off into a sonic encasement of Messianic-like piano chords, scratchy violin phrases and a repetitive vibraphone riff

John Luther Adams’ The Light Within (2007) offered an alluring sensory experience of the interplay of light and color through luxurious layers of sound and whimsical harmonies.

Furthering the nature connection, Duvall communicated with a tree in Matthew Burtner’s Song for Low Tree (2011). This was by far the most interesting piece on the program as evidenced by the number of concertgoers who gathered around Duvall to ask questions at intermission. Scored for a kit of wood blocks, log drum, low drum and bass drum, the piece uses interactive software to process the voice of the performer and the percussion sounds, merging these signals with tree exhalation ecoacoustics.

Robert Honstein explored the merger of the human body with the computational process in Pulse (2015) (from Conduit). Expansive lines in the flute and cello move through a cloud of asynchronous repeated notes, taking the listener right into the unseen world of the computer itself.

Duvall and Photinos gave a nod to acclaimed composer Steve Reich with a rendering of Clapping Music (1972) which sounded as fresh and unpredictable as it did when it was composed almost 50 years ago.

See www.delart.org.

See www.eighthblackbird.org.

Art Museum Kicks Off Summer with Thursday Happy Hours

This post comes from a release courtesy of Delaware Art Museum...

To kick off summer, the Delaware Art Museum is hosting Happy Hours every Thursday --- June 29 through September 14 --- from 5:00-7:00pm on the Museum's back terrace in the Copeland Sculpture Garden or in the Thronson Café during inclement weather. Drinks and food specials will be provided by Toscana, the Museum's exclusive caterer. 

Special themed Happy Hours will take place on select dates throughout the summer. On June 29, July 6, and July 13, guests will enjoy local musician Seth Tillman on vocals and acoustic guitar. On July 27, the Museum will host a special Game Night featuring bean bag toss, Jenga, and other outdoor games. On August 31, visitors are invited to bring their four-legged friends for Doggy Day Happy Hour, with special dog treats included. All dogs must be leashed during the event.

Visitors are also invited to enjoy the special exhibition The Original Mad Man: Illustrations by Mac Conner (on view June 24-September 17) and retro-inspired cocktails Thursday evenings. This comprehensive and lively installation explores the work of one of America's original "Mad Men." McCauley ("Mac") Conner (born 1913) created advertising campaigns for a variety of products during the decade when the advertising industry was at its height and centered on Madison Avenue.

Mac Conner's illustrations for leading women's magazines such as Redbook and McCall's animated a wide range of popular literature, from romantic fiction and detective stories, to topics of import such as Cold War anxiety and juvenile delinquency. His work is a "time capsule" of an era when commercial artists helped to redefine American style and culture.

Always on view are the Museum's renowned collection of British Pre-Raphaelite art and the spectacular collection of American art and Illustration.

The Thronson Café is open Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m., Thursdays, 11:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m., and Sundays, 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. 

See www.delart.org.