Artview Spring 2014

ARTVIEW Journal of The Southern Vermont Arts Center

spring

2014

Permanent Collection Artists of Southern Vermont Year in Review Spring Calendar

ARTVIEW Journal of the Southern Vermont Arts Center SOUTHERN VERMONT ARTS CENTER

Spring 2014 The mission of the Southern Vermont Arts Center is to make both the visual and performing arts an integral part of the life of our community and region.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

John LaVecchia, President Robert McCafferty, 1st Vice President David Nichols, 2nd Vice President Kathryn Leech, Treasurer Penny Viscusi, Secretary Katherine Hoopes Georgine MacGarvey Holman Larry Kukacka Judi Talcott McCormick David Meiselman Linda Oskam Cheryl Parker O’Connor Carol Patterson Stan Stroup Buddy Teich Jennifer Weinstein Treat Williams A R T S C E N T E R S TA F F

Seline Skoug Executive Director, ext *20 Chester Kasnowski Gallery Director, ext *26 Helen Young Gallery Associate, ext *25 Deedee Goebel Business Manager, ext *35 Barbara Lundy Development and Communications Manager ext *14 Jennifer Grigsby Events and Special Programs Manager, ext *22 Anne Pearce Administrative Assistant, ext *18 Joel Pacher Facilities Manager, ext *17

S outhern V ermont A rts C enter West Road, Manchester Vermont 05254 802.362.1405 | SVAC.ORG Hours: Tuesday–Saturday: 10 am–5 pm Sunday: 12 pm–5 pm

Dear Friends of the Arts Center, I am pleased to welcome you to a new issue of ARTVIEW and another new season at SVAC. Following a year of new leadership and a renewed sense of optimism and community, we look forward to a strong season on our beautiful campus.

We will be presenting an expanded line-up of exhibitions, performances and art workshops, and through our new initiative to catalogue and assess all of the works of art in our Permanent Collection, we will be able to fully celebrate the long line of master artists who have called SVAC their home.

Major exhibitions in the Wilson Museum will present works by these artists, beginning with the founders and continuing through Luigi Lucioni, Ogden Pleissner and the late and well-loved Brian Sweetland.

They will be promoted by a new ad campaign titled The Artists of Southern Vermont that will attract collectors and art lovers to view both the work of legendary artists and original works for sale by current member artists.

We also added three new members on our board – Cheryl Parker O’Connor, Linda Oskam and Treat Williams – who will add energy, leadership and expertise. Please join me in welcoming them.

We look forward to seeing you on campus this season.

Sincerely,

John LaVecchia / President, SVAC Board of Trustees

Documenting Nine Decades of Fine Art at SVAC SVAC board members support a comprehensive

cataloguing of the Permanent Collection Part of the legacy of Southern Vermont Arts Center is the stewardship of its artistic history by its member artists and their patrons. Since the first gift of a painting from one of the founding members, over 800 works of art have been contributed to the Arts Center over the years. Including works by member artists as well as other important 19th and 20th century American artists, this body of work has often been the focus of exhibitions at the Yester House and the Elizabeth de C. Wilson Museum, which was dedicated in 2001 to protect and display the collection.

Curator Ruth Greene McNally stands in front of a few of the more than 800 works of art in the SVAC archives.

While the collection has been well celebrated in SVAC exhibitions and publications, the breadth and historical significance of the entire collection has yet to be completely documented. Thanks to generous gifts by board members Linda Oskam and Georgine MacGarvey Holman, the Arts Center is now undertaking a major effort to catalogue and value the collection.

The project will expand the reach and reputation of the Arts Center as the content of the collection is made available to art historians across the country through the Smithsonian Art Inventories database.

Curator Ruth Greene McNally has been retained to catalogue the work under the direction of Barbara Melhado and Georgine MacGarvey who have curated a number of exhibitions at SVAC. Each piece in the collection is being catalogued, photographed and assessed for its condition, value and importance to the Arts Center’s overall mission, with all information entered into a state of the art museum software database acquired for the project.

As a result of the work, a series of exhibitions are being planned over the next several years to expose the richness of the work produced by the Arts Center community, and to celebrate the generosity and vision of the many patrons who have created a remarkable legacy for future generations. The exhibitions will be supported in part by a major gift from the estate of longtime member Ida Galvanoni.

The first exhibition in the series, titled The Artists of Southern Vermont: A Fresh Look will open the Elizabeth de C. Wilson Museum with a public reception on May 3rd.

Opposite: Brian Sweetland / Mettowee Valley Pasture Right: Luigi Lucioni / Within the Birch Grove

Spring@SVAC

Elizabeth de C. Wilson Museum

The Yester House Galleries

Arkell Pavilion

World-class exhibitions and the Permanent Collection

Ten galleries of art for sale by Vermont’s leading artists

Live performances in a beautiful mountain setting

The Artists of Southern Vermont A Fresh Look A major installation of important 19th and 20th century works from the SVAC Permanent Collection May 3–July 20

Mud Season Group exhibition inspired by scenes of life between the seasons Through March 23

Live Performances An eclectic and entertaining line-up of productions for all audiences

Brian Sweetland’s Nature A Vermont Artist’s Journey A retrospective exhibition of Vermont’s beloved master of the Plein Air landscape August 2–October 26

Art from the Schools All galleries of the Yester House are filled with work by local students March 27–April 10

Legacy Gallery Rare and important works by legendary artists for sale in the Museum Store Ongoing

March Solo Exhibitions Gerard Natale and Barbara Harshman Through March 23

Sky Group exhibition inspired by the heavens above May 3–June 8 May Solo Exhibitions Angela Arkway, Caryn King and Robert Sydorowich May 3–June 8 Collectors Gallery New original works by SVAC’s most successful artists Ongoing–Opens May 3

Leslie Parke / China In The River (detail)

Summer Solo Exhibitions Alan Nyiri, Barbara Pafume, Leslie Parke, Leslie Peck, Bonnie Rapaport, Cynthia Rosen, Elaine Witten June 14–July 20 Upcoming Exhibitions 85th Summer Members Exhibition July 26–September 7 National Fall Open September 13–October 26 Group Exhibition: Water November 1–November 30 Solo Exhibitions November 1–November 30 Winter Members Exhibition December 6–January 11

Fly Fishing Film Festival An Orvis production, featuring extreme fishing and gorgeous landscapes May 24 Manchester Music Festival Thursday evening performances July 3–August 14 Neil Berg’s 102 Years of Broadway A popular revue of Broadway classics performed by original cast members July 12 Northshire Performing Arts Featuring The Canadian Brass July 15 A Night of Ragtime Virtuoso pianist and educator Bob Milne returns to the Arkell to both inform and delight the audience August 23 Laugh in Peace Comedy Tour A hilarious evening with comics Rabbi Bob Alper, Palestinian Mohammed Amer, and Rev. Jen Monroe-Nathans September 6

Hay Madeira Education Center

Community Notebook

Workshops and art camps by the region’s finest instructors

A listing of events and other goings-on around campus

Youth Art Camps Week-long art instruction and performance camps for children. Beginning this summer, camp hours have been extended to 8:30 to 3:00 pm / Ages 6–12 April Vacation Art Camp April 14–18 Ceramics Camp June 23–27 Art Camp July 7–11 Hip-Hop Dance Camp July 14–18 Art and Nature Camp July 21–25 Drama/Play Camp August 4–8 Special note: A limited number of camp scholarships are available for this season. Please contact Jen Grigsby at extension *22 for information on how to apply.

Art Workshops Art instruction by nationally-recognized professional artists Robert Carsten Abstract Landscape / April 11–13 Impressionist Landscape / June 24–26 Color and Light / July 29–August 2 Waterfalls and Streams / September 25–27 Exciting Still Life / November 15–16 Robert O’Brien Flowers in Watercolor / May 17–18 Windows and Doors in Watercolor July 12–13 Intro to Landscape in Watercolor July 30–August 2 Chester Kasnowski Foundations of Western Art / June 21 Barbara Pafume Painting Your Way / Tuesdays for four or eight weeks / July 8–August 26 Elaine Witten Elements in 3d Clay / July 8–11 Robert Sydorowich Water Soluble Oils / July 19–20 Elizabeth Torak Still Life in Oils / August 7–9

Arthur Jones / Pawlet Farm

Mallory Rich Pastel Landscape from Photos / Aug 16–17 Ned Reade Plein Air Painting / August 22–24 Tim Cunningham Portraits / September 5–7 Walter Pasko Plein Air Painting/ October 4–5

Spring Exhibition Openings The Artists of Southern Vermont: A Fresh Look Elizabeth de C. Wilson Museum May 3 Sky Exhibition and Solo Shows Yester House Galleries May 3 Solo Exhibitions Yester House Galleries June 14 Call for Exhibition Submissions Sky Juried exhibition open to all artists Submission Deadline: April 26 Summer Exhibition Open to Southern Vermont Arts Center member artists only Submission Deadline: July 19 SVAC Fall Open Juried National Exhibition Submission Deadline: September 21 Community Events Manchester Music Festival Chamber Concerts in the Yester House Generations / March 22 Picasso Pizza Party / April 2 Open house celebration for students exhibiting in Art from the Schools

Alan Nyiri HD Photography / To be announced

The Art of Bridge / To be announced Join the Mad Hatter for another fun tournament to benefit SVAC

Please go to svac.org/learn for details and updates to the workshop calendar

Art on the Hill / September 20 A day of arts and crafts, games, food and fun for kids of all ages!

Year in Review Executive Director Seline Skoug gives a recap of 2013 and provides her perspective on the opportunities facing the Arts Center as she nears the end of her first year on the job.

By all accounts, 2013 was a satisfying year with many accomplishments and a rewarding show of support from the community. We are grateful for the way the public has responded to our efforts to provide high quality and relevant visual and performing arts programming

helping prepare the campus for the season to those who cheerfully welcome visitors to exhibitions and perform countless other valuable tasks. We cannot thank them enough.

Last year's programming was excellent.

Exhibitions in the Wilson Museum attracted both large numbers of visitors and strong critical acclaim in the press.

We owe a note of thanks to artists Pat Musick, Jerry Carr and Kate Gridley as well as Barbara Melhado and Georgine MacGarvey who curated the permanent

but I am pleased to report that SVAC is achieving a healthy financial position.

Support for Arts Education

A number of initiatives increased access to arts education on campus in 2013. In addition to our Art from the Schools, Art on the Hill and Holidays on the Hill, our vacation and summer art camps were filled to capacity and eight different school groups visited the Kate Gridley exhibition where they engaged in a dialogue about the experience of growing up in Vermont.

The Wilson Museum was transformed into an elegant stage set for Doctor Josh Sherman’s Broadway song and dance series.

Kate Gridley’s interactive exploration of emerging adults attracted art classes from schools throughout the region. Students met with the artist and discussed the experience of passing through adolescence.

They also posed for photo portraits that later became a part of the exhibition. Photo by Bob Eddy.

on our beautiful campus. Seeing that response has made me keenly aware of the importance of SVAC as it promotes the arts throughout the region.

collection and memorial exhibitions.

Under the direction of the visual arts committee headed by Penny Viscusi and Chester Kasnowski, the Yester House saw a full season of group exhibitions Highlights of 2013 punctuated by large crowds at opening Last year, we hosted over 8,500 visitors receptions. With many new members and welcomed 32 new artists to our membership while welcoming back many presenting, there was a renewed spirit of friendship and community in place. returning families and friends. More importantly, we saw an increasing degree During the year, we also worked hard behind the scenes to evaluate and of optimism and engagement as many artist members returned to exhibit and improve our operational and financial participate in the openings. efficiencies and establish a sound footing for the future. Through some hard This spirit was especially evident in the dozens of dedicated volunteers who gave decisions and a curtailed budget, we freely of their time, energy and creativity were able to bring expenses in line with to make each event such a success. From revenue and lay a foundation for future growth. There is still work to be done, valuable committee members to teams

During the spring and fall, we played host to groups of developmentally challenged students from the capital region program Living Resources. Many of them budding artists, they were enthusiastic and very appreciative of the experience.

Finally, at our biennial winter ball benefit, we raised a large enough scholarship fund to allow 70 underprivileged children to attend Summer Art Camps this year.

Creative Projects on Campus

Other creative projects were also taking place on campus during the year.

In early spring, the members of the Manchester Garden Club marched up the drive with nippers in hand to restore the Boswell Botany Trail and beautify the beds surrounding the drive. Through Sue

Robinson’s leadership, the help of a crew of Burr & Burton students, and support from an anonymous donor, the team was able to remove invasive vines and replace educational placards along the trail.

Another behind-the-scenes creative project saw the Wilson Museum playing stage set for a musical video production by talented physician and actor Dr. Joshua Sherman. At the age of 12, Sherman performed on the Arkell stage and credits the experience as the reason he chose to practice medicine in Vermont at Southwestern Vermont Health Center. The video is part of an online series titled Joshua Sherman Presents featuring Broadway actors dancing in elegant settings around Bennington County. You can see it at www.joshuashermanpresents.com.

Support from friends of SVAC

The Arts Center has benefited from long term support from its members and supporters of the arts. This year was no exception as we received generous gifts, grants and bequests to support our work.

Thanks to a grant matched by an anonymous donor, we were able to convert the Yester House’s oil burning system to a high efficiency gas boiler. A snow belt will be installed in 2014.

We are successfully developing sponsorships for performances in the Arkell Pavilion, with a gift from The Svetlova Trust for dance, and additional funding in 2014 from Marguerite “Peggy” Nichols.

In addition, a significant bequest of $596,000 from the estate of longtime supporter Ida Galvanoni will underwrite the long-term protection and celebration of the extensive collection of works by Luigi Lucioni in the Permanent Collection. The first of several exhibitions in the Wilson Museum this summer will be supported in part by this bequest.

A View of the Future

As we approach our 100th year as an organization, we intend to lay a foundation that will make the next century at SVAC even more robust and dynamic than the first. But doing this is no simple task.

No one questions that our world is in transition – generationally, technologically, societally and artistically. How we understand and respond to that change will shape the legacy we leave to our children.

As an artistic community, we must evolve creatively. As an institution charged with the task of promoting the arts throughout our region, we must maintain our focus on sustainable programming, education and access to the arts.

I am certain that as we work together in a spirit of collaboration and mutual respect, embracing new ideas, welcoming new friends, and finding creative solutions to our challenges, the Arts Center will grow and flourish.

No single one of us has a blueprint for that outcome, nor does it lie in memories of the past. It will only come from the work we do together as we move forward.

We invite you to join the journey.

Seline Skoug, Executive Director ........................... s u p p o r t

s vac

Please consider supporting SVAC with a gift to our annual fund, or by joining or renewing as a member.

To discuss options for giving, please call Barbara Lundy at 802.362.1405 or donate online at: s vac

.org/donate

...........................

Ian Marion / Monument Valley (detail)

ARTVIEW

NONPROFIT ORG PRSRT STD US POSTAGE

PAID MANCHESTER, VT PERMIT NO. 1

The Artists of Southern Vermont Elizabeth de C. Wilson Museum Yester House Galleries The storied tradition of fine art on the SVAC campus will be the underlying theme of the 2014 season. For over 90 years, hundreds of artists, collectors and patrons have made the Arts Center what it is today through their talent, vision, generosity and friendship, all unfolding on a beautiful campus overlooking the Battenkill.

Major exhibitions in both the Wilson Museum and the Yester House Galleries will celebrate this legacy, starting with the first in a series of important exhibitions made possible by the cataloguing of the Permanent Collection. Focusing on the important artists of Southern Vermont, the show will be complemented by the opening of a Collector’s Gallery in the Yester House that will showcase the work of Vermont’s finest artists practicing today.

Later in the summer, a retrospective exhibition of the beloved and talented Brian Sweetland will fill the Wilson Museum, celebrating his importance as an artist and underscoring the ties that bind a community that has found inspiration, friendship and success at SVAC. The Artists of Southern Vermont: A Fresh Look May 3 – July 17 Collector’s Gallery: Works for sale by leading SVAC artists Ongoing–Opens May 3 S outhern V ermont A rts C enter West Road, Manchester Vermont 05254 802.362.1405 |

SVAC. O RG

Hours: Tuesday–Saturday: 10 am–5 pm Sunday: 12 pm–5 pm

Brian Sweetland’s Nature: A Vermont Artist’s Journey August 2 – October 26 Legacy Gallery: Rare works for sale by late SVAC artists Ongoing On the Cover: A detail from early SVAC member Ogden Pleissner’s The White Heron is an homage to Spring when flocks of all nature return to their summer homes in Vermont.