Inspired – Spring/Summer 2022

SPRING/SUMMER 2022

Full STEAM Ahead!

Discover the magical intersection of art and science in the new installation Craft in the Laboratory: The Science of Making Things

PLUS Rothko paintings from the National Gallery debut at Mint Museum Uptown

MAKE YOUR BIG DAY A WORK OF ART 704.337.2000 | mintmuseum.org/rent-the-museum © 2021 Chantelle Jordan Photography

FROM THE PRESIDENT & CEO As we move into spring and warmer months ahead, I am reminded of a quote by Pablo Neruda that sums up the difficulties of the past year and the optimism of what is ahead: “You can cut all the flowers, but you cannot keep spring from coming.” Every day at the Mint is an opportunity for art exploration, inspiration, and the small joys that offer a feeling of revitalization.

The World of Anna Sui continues to enliven the galleries and inspire visitors at Mint Museum Randolph. Make sure to see this exhilarating exhibition before it closes May 1.

Speaking of Anna Sui, she will be the special guest at the Mint’s Coveted Couture Gala happening April 30 on the lawn at Mint Museum Randolph. This is our largest annual fundraiser, co-chaired this year by Weston and Marty Andress. We encourage you to purchase tickets for the black-tie event and show your support for the museum.

On March 26, Coined in the South: 2022 opens at Mint Museum Uptown. The biennial juried exhibition, organized by the Young Affiliates of the Mint, highlighting artists working the Southeast has been a breakout hit in the past with themes that resonate with visitors. We also continue to broaden the collection and bring new work to our spaces with acquisitions by important artists from diverse backgrounds and perspectives.

All that is accomplished at the Mint is thanks to our talented staff and we are proud to welcome new team members that share in the museum’s commitment to serve the public through education, beauty, and inspiration. The talented curatorial and installations teams have reimagined, redesigned, and reinstalled the Level 3 galleries that house the Craft + Design Collection. Under the title Craft in the Laboratory: The Science of Making Things, the installation is the first in the Southeast to delve into the materials and experimentation that are integral to both science and art.

Look for the accompanying catalogue in the gift shop this April! Also be sure to visit the fascinating exhibition The Cole Family: A Dynasty of North Carolina Potters opening on view in May at Mint Museum Randolph.

Last, but certainly not least, we are thrilled to have not one, but two paintings by celebrated abstract artist Mark Rothko on long-term loan from the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. Join us for Wednesday Night Live April 13 at Mint Museum Uptown for a public program with Harry Cooper, senior curator and head of the department of modern and contemporary art at the National Gallery of Art, who will explore Rothko’s career.

Look for programs and events throughout the spring and summer that link to each of these wonderful exhibitions and installations. As always, I thank you for believing in the importance of art.

Sincerely,

Todd A. Herman, PhD, president and CEO

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OUR TEAM

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EDITOR Michele Huggins CREATIVE DIRECTION & GRAPHIC DESIGN Stephanie Lepore CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Annie Carlano Hillary Cooper

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Jen Sudul Edwards Rebecca Elliot Brian Gallagher Julia Kraft Page Leggett

Table of Contents 5 | MATERIAL GOODS Spark a conversation at your next dinner party with these artisan items available at The Mint Museum Store.

10 | ON THE DAILY Follow along 24 hours in the life of Irisol Gonzalez whose installation Unearthing Jade is on view at Mint Museum Randolph.

12 | DON’T-MISS EVENTS Mark your calendar for not-to-miss Mint events.

14 | NOTEWORTHY Notable mentions, awards, and recognition of Mint people, projects, and programs.

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15 | 12 REASONS TO LOVE THE MINT RIGHT NOW

Kaitlyn McElwee Caroline Portillo Ellen Show Joel Smeltzer Leslie Strauss

From the Coveted Couture Gala to Wednesday Night Live, there’s a lot to love about the Mint.

23 | STAFF SPOTLIGHT Get to know Assistant Curator of Craft, Design, and Fashion Rebecca Elliot.

40 | AFFILIATES IN ACTION A review of the Mint’s affiliate groups’ events and activities.

ON THE COVER Nacho Carbonell (Spanish, 1980–), Diversity 17 (Wood Branches), 2012, oak, willow sticks.

Gift of Rossana Orlandi Gallery and Nacho Carbonell and Museum Purchase: Funds provided by the Collections Board of the MMCDF. 2020.37

42 | EVENTS AT THE MINT Snapshots from recent events, exhibition openings, and more.

46 | CROWN SOCIETY PATRONS

OPPOSITE: Nick Cave (American, 1959–), Soundsuit (detail), 2007, metal, beads, sequins, metal Victorian flowers. Museum Purchase: Founders’ Circle Annual Cause.

2009.19.1A-OOOOO

Features 24 | CRAFT IN THE LABORATORY: THE SCIENCE OF MAKING THINGS An in-depth look at the redesign of the Mint’s Craft + Design galleries.

28 | RENDEZVOUS WITH ROTHKO Two Rothko paintings are on view at Mint Museum Uptown — a first in the museum’s history.

29 | A TRIBUTE TO THE FOUNDERS’ CIRCLE The pillar affiliate group behind the Mint’s Craft + Design Collection.

32 | SOUTHBOUND A preview of works in the second biennial Coined in the South exhibition.

36 | KEHINDE WILEY ACQUISITION CAPS OFF ROSTER OF NEW PURCHASES Growing the collection with works by artists that represent a diverse array of backgrounds and experiences.

38 | THE COLE FAMILY: A DYNASTY OF NORTH CAROLINA POTTERS Generations of potters featured in an upcoming installation at Mint Museum Randolph.

39 | DIEDRICK BRACKENS: ARK OF BULRUSHES The retelling of African American stories through powerful textile arts.

41 | MEMBER SPOTLIGHT A chat with dedicated Mint member and ambassador Jo Ann Peer.

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THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS The World of Anna Sui is generously presented

by PNC Bank, Deidre and Clay Grubb, the Fashion Task Force, and friends of fashion.

Craft in the Laboratory: The Science of Making Things is generously presented by Müller Corporation and the Craft & Trade Academy. Generous individual support provided by Beth and Drew Quartapella, Mary Anne (M.A.) Rogers, Ann and Michael Tarwater, and Rocky and Curtis Trenkelbach.

Craft in the Laboratory is also supported by the National Endowment for the Arts. The exhibition catalogue is supported by the John and Robyn Horn Foundation. Special thanks to STARworks Ceramics for hand crafting materials to help enhance this Mint Museumorganized exhibition.

Foragers is generously presented by Wells Fargo Private Bank with additional individual support from Laura and Mike Grace, MaríaJosé Mage and Frank Müller, Kati and Chris Small, and Rocky and Curtis Trenkelbach.

The Mint Museum’s Coveted Couture Gala is generously presented by PNC Bank.

Free Wednesday evenings are generously sponsored by Bank of America, Publix Super Market Charities, and the Mint Museum Auxiliary.

The Grier Heights Program is financially supported by Fifth Third Bank, the CharlotteMecklenburg Community Foundation, and the Mint Museum Auxiliary.

The Mint Museum’s FREE Party in the Park is generously presented by Principal Foundation.

The STAR (Student Artist) gallery at Mint Museum Uptown is generously sponsored

by Duke Energy–Piedmont Natural Gas. Constellation CLT is generously supported by Fifth Third Bank and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Support for Student Tours is provided by the Mint Museum Auxiliary.

Covid-19 Relief Support funding has been generously provided by the Windgate Foundation, Foundation For The Carolinas, Charlotte-Mecklenburg CARES for the Arts grant program and THRIVE Fund, National Endowment for the Arts, Bank of America, Wells Fargo Private Bank, Terra Foundation for American Art, and the North Carolina Department of Commerce. Additional significant support provided by all members of The Mint Museum’s Board of Trustees and Advisory Board.

The Mint Museum is supported, in part, by the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources, and the Arts & Science Council.

Coined in the South is generously supported

by Atrium Health Foundation. Generous individual support provided by members of Young Affiliates of the Mint (YAMs).

The Mint Museum is supported, in part, by the Infusion Fund and its generous donors: Multimillion Dollar Commitment City of Charlotte $1.5 million and above Bank of America C.D. Spangler Foundation/ National Gypsum Company John S. and James L. Knight Foundation Trane Technologies

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$600,000-$1 million

$300,000-$600,000

Up to $300,000

Albemarle Foundation Atrium Health Barings Duke Energy Honeywell JELD-WEN, Inc. LendingTree Foundation Lowe’s Companies, Inc. Novant Health Red Ventures Truist

Ally Financial The Centene Charitable Foundation Childress Klein Properties Coca-Cola Consolidated Deloitte EY The Gambrell Foundation Moore & Van Allen PwC Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson, P.A. Rodgers Builders Wells Fargo

Fifth Third Bank Foundation For The Carolinas Deidre and Clay Grubb Leslie and Michael Marsicano Jane and Hugh McColl Nucor Corporation PNC Bank Premier, Inc. Jane and Nelson Schwab

Material goods Craft in the Laboratory: The Science of Making Things celebrates a reinstallation of the Mint’s renowned Craft + Design collection — the first in 10 years! After checking out the new installation, visit The Mint Museum Store to shop items made from the materials used by the artists.

CASEY HENDRICKSON PHOTOGRAPHY

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Pedal to the metal The art of turning metal into jewelry is called metalsmithing. Start a conversation at your next dinner party with a bold metal statement piece.

1. Flock Ring by Audrey Laine $125 2. Stag Beetle Ring by Audrey Laine $170 3. Stag Beetle Pendant

by Audrey Laine $172 4. Aluminum and Net Tube Bracelet by Christina Brampti $128 5. Rubber Ring

by Christina Brampti $68 6. Double Lace Black Earrings by Laura Wood $240 7. Blue Cube Ring by Christina Brampti $52 8. Damselfly Pendant by Audrey Laine $148 9. Japanese Beetle Ring by Audrey Laine $85 10. Torque Circle Necklace by Laura Wood $550 11. Bronze & Suede Cuff by Fotini Liami $152

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Light my fire Whether you’re setting the table for a sushi dinner, decorating your house or choosing jewelry for a night on the town, we have the ceramic for you. Fire away.

1. Molecule by John Ransmeier $680 2. Five-piece sushi set (two pieces shown) by Erin Janow $210 3. Statement Cuff with Pottery Stones by Jennie Keatts $420 4. Pomegranate Offering Bowl by Ben Owen III $126 5. Artemis the Huntress Pin by Jennie Keatts $250 6. Extra Small Pomegranate Vessel by Ben Owen III $68 7. Chandelier Earrings by Jennie Keatts $156 8. Labradorite and Pottery Necklace by Jennie Keatts $338 9. Sushi Tray by John Ransmeier $132 10. Pumpkin Vase by Turtle Island Pottery $70 11. Peachbloom and Chinese Blue Pottery Stone Necklace by Jennie Keatts $170 mintmuseum.org

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Raise a glass Did you know that glass is actually made from sand? And adding certain minerals can change its color. Whether you’re partial to clear or looking for the “wow” factor, we have candles, cups, vases, and more.

1. Orange Large Glass Vase by STARworks Glass $145 2. Aperture of Song by Thoryn Ziemba $2,200 3. Moravian Stars by STARworks Glass $78 (each) 4. Orange Cloud Cups by STARworks Glass $45 (each) 5. Handblown Glass Peach by STARworks Glass $48 6. Lafco Candles $62

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Knock on wood The first artistic medium was actually wood in the form of charcoal. In our neck of the woods, you can find handcrafted pencils and a variety of other wooden products, including jewelry, puzzles, and decorative pieces.

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1. Carved wooden spoons by Caryl Brt $28 (each) 2. Boxcar Bangle and Classic Bangle by MapleXO $28–$32 3. Black walnut turned wood from Chowan County, North Carolina by Jason Van Duyn, $720 4. Wooden penguin puzzle by Peter Chapman $194 5. Ornamental pencil set, $38 6. Woodline eucalyptus burl bowl by Steve Noggle $ 560 7. Makaya short necklace $52 mintmuseum.org

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ON THE DAILY 24 HOURS IN THE LIFE OF IRISOL GONZALEZ

BY PAGE LEGGETT

For Charlotte artist and muralist Irisol Gonzalez, no two days are ever the same. A perfect day for Gonzalez is one almost entirely spent in her studio, but the indemand muralist has many days on location. Having studied psychology, she is inspired by people and their everyday behavior, as well as nature and strolls through antique stores.

Happy to call Charlotte home, she feels enveloped in her community. “The amazing support that we have for artists in this city is outstanding. The love is real, and the opportunities we share among ourselves and the way that we talk about each other — I think it’s quite beautiful.” Gonzalez talks us through her typical weekday. — As told to Page Leggett. Lightly edited for brevity and clarity.

Her life prior to becoming a full-time artist doesn’t resemble her life today in the least. She used to trade funds for Vanguard, and she also worked for U.S. Senator John Warner on Capitol Hill. Now working as a full-time artist, work comes to her. She doesn’t spend much time marketing herself, but that was never the goal.

Gonzalez and her family moved to the United States from Costa Rica when she was 10. Leaving behind traditional gatherings, family customs, heirlooms, and trinkets, she left her geographic roots, but she references her ancestral traditions in works of art she creates. In her Unearthing Jade installation, part of the Interventions series on view at Mint Museum Randolph, she reflects on her native culture and its celebration of “machismo” or masculine strength, and how it has affected — and continues to affect — generations of women, including members of her own family.

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Photos courtesy of Irisol Gonzalez

“When I started out, my main goal was being a better artist.

I felt that if my art is good, then everything else comes as a result,” she says. “I spent a lot of time researching and reading books and trying to understand art history. And then, I met my mentor, Juan Logan, who could not have been more perfect. He would address my questions in a way that got directly to what I needed to know.”

6–7 AM When I first wake up, I take time to be grateful for a few things. Then I check my phone and make a to-do list. I am big into lists. I have a paper agenda and my to-do list is on paper. I’m a visual person and like to be able to see it all laid out.

Each morning I make a water drink — I call it Gatorade — with water, lime, turmeric, sea salt, and honey. That gets me going. I drink a big jug of it, usually at room temperature.

8–10 AM Meetings. If I’m going to have meetings, I have them in the morning so I can have the rest of the day to do creative things. If I have a meeting at 2 PM, I don’t have enough time to warm up and get in the flow to paint. I like to have big chunks of time to work when I’m painting.

7–9 PM I head home by the time my eyes start to get dry.

I don’t do much at night other than shower and maybe some light reading, scroll through Instagram a little bit, or maybe some online shopping.

10 PM If I can go to bed before 10 PM, I am the happiest person in the world. It is hard because my boyfriend likes to be out at night, and I like to go to bed with the chickens. irisolgonzalez.com.

Page Leggett’s writing regularly appears in The Charlotte Observer, Business North Carolina, and SouthPark magazine.

11 AM–7 PM If I’m lucky, it will be a studio day. I go into

my studio at Hart Witzen, clean up a little, and then get to work. I like to go in as early as I can and then paint for eight hours straight. Sometimes, I miss lunch because I’m just that into it. The good thing is I have a bunch of loving people around me who know this about me and facilitate food a lot. mintmuseum.org

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UPCOMING EVENTS MARCH

APRIL

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Coined in the South: 2022 members-only celebration

Wednesday Night Live: Rothko Becoming Rothko

Mint Museum Uptown 7–9 PM | Free

Presented by Bank of America Mint Museum Uptown 5–9 PM, 6:30 PM talk | Free

Enjoy a first look at the exhibition Coined in the South: 2022 with cocktails, and light bites, music by DJ Fannie Mae, and a cash bar followed by a jury panel discussion and presentation of $10,000 Atrium Health Foundation prize and $5,000 Young Affiliates of the Mint prize.

27 SUNDAY The World of Anna Sui members-only, curator-led tour Mint Museum Randolph 2–3 PM | Free Join Senior Curator Annie Carlano for a members-only tour of the exhibition The World of Anna Sui. Registration required and capped at 30 people. Register online at mintmuseum.org/events.

30 WEDNESDAY Mint to be Royal: Queen Charlotte and Me Mint Museum Randolph 6:30–8:30 PM | Free Meet at Queen Charlotte’s coronation portrait, hear of her life, snap to local women poets, and embrace your inner royalty.

To celebrate the two Rothko paintings on view, Senior Curator and Head of Modern and Contemporary Art at the National Gallery of Art Harry Cooper presents a lecture about the life and works of Mark Rothko at Mint Museum Upto wn as part of the Wednesday Night Live Series presented by Bank of America.

15 FRIDAY Mint 2 Move Mint Museum Uptown 8–11 PM | $10.50 members, $14 nonmembers Dance the night away to live AfroLatin and Latino sounds, plus dance lessons and live painting, with galleries open until 9 PM.

23 SATURDAY Bilingual Stories and Music Mint Museum Randolph 11–11:40 AM | Free Children ages 6 and younger, and their families, are invited to join for music and stories that celebrate culture and diversity.

27 WEDNESDAY Mindful Looking: Continuing Conversations Mint Museum Uptown 6:30–7:15 PM | Free Join a Mint docent for a 45-minute mindfulness session and discussion about a select work in the collection at Mint Museum Uptown. Register online at mintmuseum.org/events.

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30 SATURDAY Coveted Couture Gala and closing celebration of The World of Anna Sui Mint Museum Randolph Starts at 6:30 PM | $650 per ticket for Crown Society members, $750 for nonCrown Society members Socialize, dine, and dance the night away with some of Charlotte’s top leaders while supporting the Mint at our premier fundraising gala.

The 2022 Coveted Couture Gala is presented by PNC Bank.

MAY 4 WEDNESDAY Wednesday Night Live: Poet Jay Ward Presented by Bank of America Mint Museum Uptown 5–9 PM | Free Enjoy spoken word by dynamic awardwinning poet Jay Ward in response to select works in the collection.

7 SATURDAY Young Affiliates of the Mint’s Derby Days Private residence 3–7 PM | $45 Mint members, $55 nonmember Enjoy a day of live music, lawn games, signature cocktails including the classic mint julep, food trucks, Kentucky Derby raffle, and a viewing of the Kentucky Derby. Purchase tickets at mintmuseum.org/events.

11 WEDNESDAY Dances of India Mint Museum Uptown 6:30–7:30 PM | Free

JUNE 1 WEDNESDAY

Enjoy our annual celebration of Asian Heritage Month with dances, costumes, and customs of Indian.

Wednesday Night Live: Coined in the South awards presentation and panel discussion

14–15 SATURDAY AND SUNDAY

Presented by Bank of America Mint Museum Uptown 5–9 PM, 6:30 PM discussion | Free

Charlotte Garden Club Art in the Garden Tour Various gardens Saturday 10 AM–4 PM; Sunday 1–4 PM $20 Mint and Charlotte Garden Club members, $30 nonmembers Enjoy the annual public tour of six residential gardens. Ticket holders are invited to attend the After-Tour Party and Art Show 4–6 PM May 15 at Mint Museum Randolph.

19 THURSDAY Craft in the Laboratory: The Science of Making Things members-only reception Mint Museum Uptown 7–9 PM | Free Enjoy a members-only tour and reception of the reinstallation of the Craft + Design collection.

21 SATURDAY Craft in the Laboratory opening celebration and artists discussion Mint Museum Uptown 11 AM–6 PM, 2–3 PM artists discussion | Free Hear from Joseph Walsh, artist and designer, and Hideo Mabuchi, Stanford University physicist and artist, as they discuss how art and the preciseness of science, technology, engineering, and math combine in their designs.

A presentation of the $5,000 Young Affiliates of the Mint member-awarded prize, and a $1,000 “People’s Choice” prize, followed by an artist discussion.

JULY 6 WEDNESDAY Wednesday Night Live: Claudio Ortiz Presented by Bank of America Mint Museum Uptown 5–9 PM, 6:30 PM talk | Free Claudio Ortiz presents AfroCaribbean rhythms from Cuba and Puerto Rico, plus electronic samples.

16 SATURDAY Diedrick Brackens: ark of bulrushes opening celebration Mint Museum Randolph 11 AM–6 PM | Free Celebrate the opening of Diedrick Brackens: ark of bulrushes with African drumming and​dancing followed by a conversation with artist Diedrick Brackens and Lauren O’Connell, curator of contemporary art at Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art.

YOGA AT THE MINT Seasoned yogis or interested firsttimers are invited to join for a onehour yoga class 6 PM each Tuesday at Mint Museum Uptown, and 10 AM select Saturdays on the lawn at Mint Museum Randolph. The classes are taught by seasoned instructors from Dancing Lotus Yoga + Art. Classes are free for Mint members, $15 for nonmembers. Find the full schedule online at mintmuseum.org/events.

PARTY IN THE PARK Spend the last Sunday of each month in the park 1–5 PM at Mint Museum Randolph. Enjoy free admission to the museum, food trucks, and live music and a cash bar on the front terrace (weather permitting). Generously presented by Principal Foundation.

FREE MINI ART KITS Help yourself to a fun and easy art project from the art cart parked on the terrace at Mint Museum Randolph the first Wednesday through the first Saturday of each month during museum hours (or until kits are gone). Each kit is inspired by a work of art and includes instructions, supplies, and details about the work.

Free Mini Art Kits are supported by the Mint Museum Auxiliary.

All events are subject to change. For our full calendar and most up-to-date information, visit mintmuseum.org/ events or call 704.337.2000.

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NOTEWORTHY AWARDS, ACCOLADES, AND NOTABLE MENTIONS

y In the fall of 2021, the Mint’s outstanding exhibition John Leslie Breck: American Impressionist was featured in American Fine Art Magazine and American Art Review, two prominent art publications. y Classic Black: The Basalt Sculpture of Wedgwood and His Contemporaries catalogue, which accompanied the 2020 exhibition by the same name, took the 2021 American Ceramic Circle Book Award, beating six other notable publications from around the country. y Speaking of Classic Black, the in-gallery video “Classic Black at the Mint,” produced by Kelso Communications, won an Emmy! The film, which tells the story of the inspiration and collaboration behind the exhibition, took honors for Excellence in Non-Broadcast Production at the Nashville/Southeast Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences awards ceremony. y And speaking of Emmy’s, the short film “Foragers,” featuring four women musicians from the Charlotte Symphony playing in front the four-story work of art in the Robert Haywood Morrison Atrium, won in the competitive Arts and Entertainment category at the Nashville/Southeast Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Emmy Awards.

W The Mint’s Director of Community Relations, Rubie R. Britt-Height (left), was recognized as an Icon of the Latino community by Comité de Fiestas Patrias y Tradiciones de Charlotte (CFPTC) for her contribution to culture and the preservation of the Hispanic heritage. y Throughout 2021, 12,000+ mini art kits were created and distributed by the Learning and Engagement team to the Charlotte community, with 6,000 going to community organizations that serve children, students, and families. y 17 new staff have joined The Mint Museum team since August 2021! y The Windgate Foundation, a longtime generous supporter of the arts, awarded the Mint two $1 million endowments. One of the endowments will be used to purchase works by living craft artists, and the other for operating expenses to further the museum’s mission of engaging the community in a lifelong relationship with art. y The Henry Luce Foundation awarded a $100,000 grant for the upcoming traveling loan exhibition and catalogue Southern/Modern: Art in the South, 1913–1955, the first project to provide a comprehensive survey of progressive art created in the American South during the first half of the 20th century.

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12 REASONS TO LOVE THE MINT RIGHT NOW mintmuseum.org

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WE ARE DUSTING OFF OUR DANCING SHOES FOR THE 2022 COVETED COUTURE GALA The Mint Museum’s Coveted Couture Gala returns inperson April 30. The black-tie dinner, held on the lawn of Mint Museum Randolph, will celebrate the closing of the exhibition The World of Anna Sui and give guests a glimpse of headline-grabbing exhibitions coming to the Mint.

By bringing together key museum stakeholders, including major donors, corporate leadership, civic and community leaders, museum patrons and members, artists, and designers, the event celebrates the Mint’s significant role in the community and region. Most importantly, this event is the largest annual fundraiser for the Mint Annual

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Fund, which supports compelling and diverse exhibitions, educational outreach, community engagement, and the preservation of the Mint’s treasured permanent collection. The event will feature a signature cocktail hour, seated dinner, paddle raise, and dancing to famed Broadway musical artist Allison Seemes and Big Swing and the Ballroom Blasters. The Coveted Couture Gala and The World of Anna Sui are generously presented by PNC Bank. Special thanks to our fabulous and fashionable Gala chairs Marty and Weston Andress. —Hillary Cooper, chief advancement officer

WE GO LIVE ON WEDNESDAYS From fashion runway shows, spoken word, film screenings, and live music performances, Wednesday Night Live, presented by Bank of America, is bringing experiential performances front and center at Mint Museum Uptown. The weekly event series between The Mint Museum, Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture, and the Knight Theater includes free admission to the three museums between 5–9 PM every Wednesday, as well as live programming at one of the four institutions each week. —Michele Huggins, interim director of marketing and communications

JIMMIE JOHNSON’S FIRE SUIT DEBUTS AS A WORK OF ART Daytona Vortex by New York-based artist E.V. Day made its public debut December 23, 2021, at Mint Museum Uptown. On loan from Jimmie and Chandra Johnson, the sculpture is made from the fire suit Jimmie Johnson wore when he took the win at the 2006 Daytona 500.

Made from the fire suit, monofilament, and hardware with a mirrored stainless steel base, Jimmie Johnson commissioned Day to create the sculpture that stands more than 12 feet tall. For decades, Day has constructed sculptures that question social structures and perceptions around gender and sexuality, as seen in her Exploded Couture series that includes Transporter, on view in the Mint’s permanent collection galleries on Level 4 at Mint Museum Uptown.

See it for yourself through June 5 in the Gorelick Gallery on Level 3 at Mint Museum Uptown. —MH E .V. Day (American, 1967–). Daytona Vortex 2020 (detail), neoprene, filament, metal.

On loan from Jimmie and Chandra Johnson.

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WE LIKE TO PARTY ... IN THE PARK Bring your family and friends for the first Party in the Park of 2022 from 1–5 PM March 27 at Mint Museum Randolph.

In its second year, the event series includes live music on the front terrace, food trucks, a cash bar, and complimentary museum admission the last Sunday of each month. Live performers have included the Mike Strauss Band and Pre Vox Trio. The series, presented by Principal Foundation and supported by the Mint Museum Auxiliary, is ongoing through November 2022. —MH

WE HAVE A LEGACY OF SUPPORTING REGIONAL ART AND ARTISTS The Piedmont Purchase Award Exhibitions were a major source of support for regional artists from 1959 to 1990.

The names of the exhibitions may have changed over the years, but their purpose did not. To showcase local and regional artists, The Mint Museum sponsored competitive exhibitions and other organizations, including Belk Stores or North Carolina National Bank, often co-sponsored them.

Museum directors, curators, artists, and art educators from around the United States judged the competitions to select pieces for purchase awards presented by the Mint and their co-sponsors. The Mint Museum Auxiliary also frequently provided funds for the museum’s purchase awards. Through these purchases, the museum expanded its permanent art collection. In addition to awarding cash prizes and providing recognition, the Mint also invited winning artists to display

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their work in month-long solo exhibitions in the Browse, Borrow, and Buy Gallery during the 1960s and 1970s. To further support these artists, the museum facilitated the sale of pieces entered in the Piedmont exhibitions and displayed in the Browse, Borrow, and Buy Gallery. To learn more, visit the archives installation Legacy: The Piedmont Purchase Award Exhibitions at Mint Museum Randolph.

—Ellen Show, director of library and archives

FROM LEFT: Jane Peiser (American, 1932–). Mount Rushmore, 1971, china paint, porcelain. Museum Purchase from the 8th Annual Piedmont Crafts Exhibition. 1971.9A-B. Kate Collie (American, 1954–). Soldier in a Shooting Gallery, 1988, oil on canvas. Museum Purchase from 1990 Mint Museum Biennial: Collector’s Circle Fund. 1990.27

WORKS BY LOCAL ARTISTS CONTINUE TO ENLIVEN OPEN SPACES AT THE MUSEUM Works by local artists continue to add life to the walls in the open spaces at Mint Museum Uptown through the Constellation CLT series, presented by Fifth Third Bank. Installations rotate three times per year and can be seen in six places at Mint Museum Uptown: in the entrance; at the foot of the Robert Haywood Morrison Atrium escalator; and on the landings of the Mezzanine, Level 3 and Level 4, and The Mint Museum Store. Andrew Leventis: Contemporary Vanities, on view through May 8, features oil paintings by UNC Charlotte assistant professor and oil painter Andrew Leventis.

His works call attention to excess — including the contents of personal refrigerators — opulence, feminine and masculine spaces, and consumer culture that can often be overlooked in daily life.

Next up in the series are works by Charlotte artist and UNC Charlotte professor of art and ceramics Lydia Thompson. Join Thompson at the opening celebration the evening of May 13 as she discusses her inspiration and works. —MH FROM LEFT: Andrew Leventis (American, 1980–). Industrial Refrigerator, 2021, oil on linen. On loan from the artist. Andrew Leventis (American, 1980–). Refrigerator with Pig’s Head, 2021, oil on linen. On loan from the artist.

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WE STRIVE TO INSPIRE TOMORROW’S ARTISTS Throughout 2021, the Learning and Engagement team partnered with Communities In Schools (CIS) Charlotte to put 6,000 free mini art kits into the hands of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools elementary and middle school scholars. A new batch of creative projects were shared with CIS site coordinators each month. Kits included materials, tools, basic instructions, and an art print featuring an object from the museum’s collection, as well as conversation prompts. Whether used during small group social and emotional learning time, as a creative enrichment activity, or sent home as a reward

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for achieving perfect attendance, the kits proved to be a valuable resource that each CIS site was able to use in the way that best supported its students.

The Mint is proud to contribute to the mission of Communities In Schools “to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life” and will continue to provide free mini art kits to CIS sites throughout the 2021–2022 school year. ­—Leslie Strauss, head of family and studio program

Mindfulness encourages meaningful contemplation and can reduce stress, increase self-awareness, and encourage empathy toward others. Led by Mint docent Diane Lowry, Mindful Looking at the Mint invites visitors to take a restorative pause in their day and deeply engage with works of art from the museum’s collection and special exhibitions. Join in the next Mindful Looking program happening April 27 at Mint Museum Uptown. —Joel Smeltzer, head of school and gallery programs

WE POP-UP AT PARTNER SPACES FOR NEW ART EXPERIENCES In fall 2021, the Learning and Engagement Team partnered with educators at Stevens Creek Nature Center in Mint Hill to present two fabulous family friendly events with exhibition-themed experiences. Each program was held outdoors at the newly opened Stevens Creek Nature Center and highlighted the connections between art, creativity, and the natural world.

At the October event, participants created their own “Impressionist Autumn Forest Lantern,” inspired by John Leslie Breck’s painting Indian Summer, that was used on a night hike on the nature trail. In November, Mint educators led families in an “Upcycled Fabric Art: T-Shirt Yarn” project to celebrate National Recycling Day. Participants learned how to turn an old T-shirt into a ball of yarn and create colorful upcycled weavings inspired by works in the exhibition The World of Anna Sui. Watch the museum calendar for future collaborations with Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation and mark your calendars for the return of the popular Wild Wednesday family nights at Mint Museum Randolph scheduled for June 29, July 13, and July 27. —LS

LEARNING ABOUT ART NEVER GETS OLD ART 101: A Global Adventure kicked off in February. The art history survey course dives into art history without homework, exams or stress. During the eight-week session, classes taught by art professors and curators from throughout the region move chronologically through art history, from cave paintings to ancient Europe and contemporary works. Classes are held twice a month at Mint Museum Uptown with one Super Saturday each session that digs deeper into a particular time period, style, or culture. The program is presented by the Mint in partnership with Sphere Series. Be on the lookout for information on how to register for the next eight-week series. More information at mintmuseum.org/art-101. —MH

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OUR FASHION COLLECTION IS BEING ‘REIMAGINED’ In preparation for the upcoming exhibition Fashion Reimagined: Themes and Variations 1770– NOW, a team of Mint curators, conservators, and registrars have combed through the Mint’s more than 10,000 fashion-related items — some never before on view — to reveal the most alluring hidden gems. Through careful cleaning and conservation treatment, the garments are being restored while maintaining their history and current condition.

The restoration sometimes involves delicately reworking previous alterations to reveal the original design and silhouette of a garment. From initial research to condition assessments, to precise and sometimes painstaking treatments, these projects take months, even years, to complete. The final reveal will be worth the wait when Fashion Reimagined opens in December 2022. —Julia Kraft, assistant registrar 22

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HANDS-ON FUN FOR FAMILIES IS BACK Beginning March 16, visitors of all ages can once again play, explore, and learn about the museum collection in the Lewis Family Gallery. The hands-on space provides a creative environment for creating art, engaging in building and puzzle challenges, posing for pictures, creating a giant doodle, and stepping into a Romare Bearden collage! The gallery opens with limited hours — 5–9 PM Wednesdays, 11 AM–3 PM Saturdays, and 1–5 PM Sundays — with vigorous cleaning protocols in place. —LS

STAFF SPOTLIGHT

REBECCA ELLIOT Rebecca Elliot is one of the creative minds behind the new exhibition Craft in the Laboratory: The Science of Making Things (featured on page 24), and lead author of the catalogue by the same name. Elliot’s journey with art has taken her around the globe, from her student days studying abroad in London and frequenting the British Museum, to her jobs at the Cranbrook Art Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and finally to the Mint in 2012, where she’s currently the assistant curator of craft, design and fashion. Here, Elliot shares a glimpse into her life inside the museum, from the glamorous (handling 18th-century men’s suits and thrifting with iconic fashion designer Anna Sui) to the decidedly unglamorous (copy editing and emails). — As told to Caroline Portillo. Lightly edited for brevity and clarity.

I grew up in central Ohio in a town called Delaware, Ohio, about 30 or 40 miles north of Columbus. I loved

to read fiction and liked writing. I loved art, especially drawing. My sister and I — she’s three years older than me — would have coloring contests. I even tried to design clothes. I would play with my Barbies and have them do fashion shows. For me, it was more about Barbie having a job, a career, and wearing stylish outfits.

For undergrad, I went to Smith College, a women’s

college in western Massachusetts. I took art history during my sophomore year, and then I spent my junior year studying abroad at University College London, where I took a lot of art history classes. UCL was close to the British Museum and I would often go after school. In London, I also visited the National Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery, the Victoria & Albert Museum, and the Tate Gallery. It was really cool actually seeing the scale of the paintings and what the texture looked like, knowing what it felt like to stand in front of it, and noticing what other people did when they were there. That’s when I first started thinking about working with museums. The interface between the art and the public was interesting to me.

Here’s a snapshot of a recent day in my life. First, I

helped Annie [Carlano, the Mint’s senior curator for craft, design, and fashion] lay out the jackets from two 18thcentury gentlemen’s suits for a Zoom call with a curator from the V&A in London. Because I’m the copyeditor for all the Mint’s exhibition texts, my afternoon was spent answering emails and reviewing exhibition label proofs.

I spent the evening on one of my hobbies: ushering for a show at Actor’s Theater. I enjoy theater, and ushering is a great way to help out and see a show for free.

I love thrifting and actually got to join fashion icon Anna Sui on a thrifting expedition. Anna was

in Charlotte in November last year for the opening of The World of Anna Sui at Mint Museum Randolph. After lunch, we ventured to Sleepy Poet Antique Mall. I have admired Anna Sui’s style ever since her clothes started appearing in my favorite ’90s teen magazine, Sassy. I was thrilled when I got to join her entourage and go thrifting in Charlotte. I walked around with Anna and Vogue’s Senior Fashion News Editor Steff Yotka, observing which items they gravitated to and occasionally commenting about things that reminded me of Anna’s style. I was with them as Anna found and inspected a tablecloth — the three of us unfolded it together — and decided it was worth the $20 price. It’s fun to know that I was there when she found a small souvenir to take back and enjoy in her home.

Speaking of Sleepy Poet, I made a point to go there just before they moved out of their old location, knowing there would be bargains. Sure enough, I found a HeywoodWakefield wood headboard and footboard, possibly mid-century modern, for $25. Whenever I’m thrifting or antiquing, I look for interesting mid-century modern items. I like old stuff, decorative stuff, fashion, and art.

When I’m visiting a museum, I nerd out. I look at the

objects and the labels — how are they written? Would I do it the same way? I look at what objects are next to each other, how they play off each other. I look at what’s in the room, how the wall colors are, the pathway.

I love working at a museum because museums give people so many different kinds of experiences.

Art can be a source of joy for people, and I like to make those experiences happen. Art can also be something that makes people uncomfortable, that makes them question and think about things they may not have before. We are facing many difficult issues, everything from the environment to social justice to politics. The work I do matters in those areas. We’re not trying to be political, but we are trying to make society better. mintmuseum.org

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CRAFT IN THE LABORATORY: THE SCIENCE OF MAKING THINGS A CELEBRATION OF THE REINSTALLATION OF THE MINT’S CRAFT + DESIGN COLLECTION

BY REBECCA ELLIOT

As I write this, a mirror 21 feet in diameter made from 18 panels of gold-plated beryllium (a metallic element) has just unfolded itself in outer space. It is part of the James Webb Space Telescope — the world’s largest space telescope — which will soon reach its final orbit 1 million miles from earth and begin capturing cosmic history ranging from our own solar system to the first galaxies in the early universe. The telescope is a marvel of science and engineering. A joint effort of NASA and the European and Canadian space agencies, it required decades of thinking, designing, testing, and exceptional craftsmanship by thousands of individuals in multiple countries.

comprises a reinstallation of the museum’s permanent collection of craft and design — the first since the opening of Mint Museum Uptown in 2010 — and a 96page catalogue, the first in-depth publication about the collection since 1999. The reinstallation and book present new research on how the objects were made. Craft in the Laboratory is based on a tour of the craft and design galleries created several years ago by Joel Smeltzer, head of school and gallery programs at The Mint Museum, to provide STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) content for upper elementary, middle, and high school students.

Making the objects in The Mint Museum’s Craft + Design Collection was not as complex, but the artists, designers, and craftspeople responsible for these objects made from glass, ceramics, wood, fiber, metal, polymers, and other materials have much in common with scientists and engineers. All engage in inquiry, a process of exploring the natural or material world by asking questions, making discoveries, and testing them to gain a greater understanding. As with the telescope, making craft and design objects requires a great deal of technical knowledge and trial and error.

Visitors enter the craft and design galleries through the Susan and Loy McKeithen Gallery, which introduces the collection through works including Danny Lane’s monumental glass installation Threshold. In this work, Lane exploits the reflective and refractive properties of glass to create a dynamic experience for the viewer. Also in this gallery is a major new acquisition: She Holds the Key, a wall hanging by Canadian artist Simone Elizabeth Saunders. This wall hanging depicts tennis champion Serena Williams in a confident pose and reflects the artist’s desire to elevate Black women through her art.

Saunders draws her compositions on large pieces of fabric (up to 65 by 65 inches) and uses a punch needle and a rug tufting gun to insert yarn in vibrant colors and patterns.

Craft in the Laboratory: The Science of Making Things is the first project in the Southeast to highlight the parallels between craft and design, science, and engineering. It 24

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Following the McKeithen Gallery, objects are grouped by medium. When the building opened in 2010, this arrangement was chosen because glass, ceramics, wood, fiber, and metals are all distinct subfields of craft and design with their own histories and techniques. This also made sense for the Craft in the Laboratory theme because several of these fields are specialties in materials science. Studying each medium separately illuminates its distinctive characteristics. The reinstallation also includes a design gallery with a focus on plastics and other humanmade materials, including Patrick Norguet’s Rainbow Chair that is made from acrylic fused using ultrasound. It is one of several new acquisitions found throughout the galleries.

In each gallery, a text panel discusses each material’s special properties and how humans throughout history have used it to make the kinds of objects on view. Each text panel includes touchable samples of different kinds of glass, wood, plastics, metals, ceramics, and textiles that help visitors connect with the materials and imagine the kind of tactile knowledge gained by makers using the materials. All the samples, except plastics and textiles, were made by Starworks in Star, North Carolina.

New object labels describe how the makers used scientific knowledge and methods in the techniques and processes to create the work. Several labels include QR codes that direct visitors to images and/or videos of the making process.

Whenever possible, labels include photos of the makers to help visitors envision the artist or designer making aesthetic and practical decisions while exploring a material.

Supporting the updated content in the galleries is a refreshed design. Many of the previously gray walls are now painted white, and several walls are painted with rich colors that accentuate the objects. The text panels and object labels have been graphically designed for easier readability and to underline the Craft in the Laboratory theme with a C-shaped microscope icon. There also are two seating areas where visitors can reflect on the objects and reinstallation and browse the catalogue. In addition, one area has a wall where visitors can share their thoughts about the objects and reinstallation. We welcome your comments, which will help us plan future projects.

The Craft in the Laboratory catalogue complements the reinstallation with four essays, a graphic-novelstyle illustration by Smeltzer, and large color photos of 49 of the objects. In an essay by Annie Carlano, senior curator of craft, design, and fashion, she discusses the science behind the 10 works in the Project Ten Ten Ten series of commissions, as well as other selected works in ABOVE: Hoss Haley (American, 1961–). White Ripple (detail), 2013, metal, 89 x 149 inches. Museum Purchase: Funds provided by Windgate Charitable Foundation. 2013.59. © Hoss Haley 2013

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When Smeltzer developed the STEAM-themed tour that inspired Craft in the Laboratory, he recognized the incredible opportunity that the craft and design collection presents. Some of the most common questions that visitors ask docents and staff about this collection are “What is this made from?” and “How was it made?” By 26

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looking closely at objects and discussing these questions, museum audiences and educators engage in a process of inquiry similar to that of artists and STEM professionals.

Craft and design objects can serve as entry points for understanding scientific concepts as well as for interpreting art. By making connections between artistic and scientific approaches to the material world, we hope to dissolve the perceived barriers between these fields and inspire audiences to use inquiry in their daily lives.

Rebecca Elliot is assistant curator of craft, design, and fashion at The Mint Museum.

Photos by Brandon Scott

the museum’s collection. Zoe Laughlin, PhD, a director of the Center of Making at University College London, comments on the importance of collaboration and interdisciplinary thinking in innovation. Hideo Mabuchi, PhD, a physicist at Stanford University and a potter and weaver, reflects on how all these pursuits relate. In my essay, I elaborate on the making of 10 objects in the Mint’s collection to show how inquiry works in craft and design.

CREATING SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY THROUGH WORKS OF ART

BY JOEL SMELTZER

Seeing an original work of art in a museum gallery space engages multiple senses, encourages inquiry and the process of exploring the material world and asking questions: What might this work be about? What might its significance be? How was it made? These openended questions integrate STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics) disciplines, and encourage interpretation, or meaning-making.

During the 2019-2020 academic year, the Mint offered a unique teacher fellowship program that explored works of art from the Mint’s renowned Craft + Design Collection.

The fellowship provided a professional development opportunity for teachers to work with museum staff to create student- and visitor-centered gallery activities that focused on works of art from the newly installed Craft in the Laboratory: The Science of Making Things.

Eight teacher fellows representing STEAM disciplines from five local schools participated, including Abbie Hess and Kristen Ward from Independence High School; Lisa Snead and Jennifer Ford from Mallard Creek High School; Megan Bechtold and Rupi Young from West Mecklenburg High School and J.T. Williams Montessori; and Jackie Royce and Brandt Boidy from Charlotte Lab School.

A team of museum professionals, including myself, Rebecca Elliot, assistant curator of craft, design, and fashion; Gena Stanley, former assistant head of school and gallery programs at The Mint Museum; and Mary Beth Ausman, independent evaluator, worked with the teacher fellows

interpreting select works of art and proposed activities for students and other museum visitors that encourage close examination of works and an understanding of STEAM disciplines involved in the creative process.

Teacher fellows interpreted works of art made from metal, wood, and polymers, including Wendy McAllister’s Grand Bois, Brent Kington’s Weathervane, David Ellsworth’s Untitled Vessel, Donald Fortescue’s Pike Basking, and Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec’s Vegetal Chair.

An example of guided inquiries during the program is the interpretation of the Vegetal Chair by The Charlotte Lab School team that challenges viewers to think about the inspiration for the chair’s dynamic, geometric, branching open-work, and how it contributes to functionality.

The open-work back and seating, inspired by growth patterns in nature, helped solve the problem of creating a lightweight but durable and stackable chair.

In addition to helping Mint staff create gallery activities for students and other visitors, teacher fellows expressed a desire to use The Mint Museum as a beneficial resource and saw clearer connections between their subject(s) and the museum collection. Fellows also showed increased propensity for using art objects in their instruction, as well as design thinking and the scientific method, and their connections to making art.

Joel Smeltzer is head of school and gallery programs at The Mint Museum. mintmuseum.org

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SEE TWO EXTRAORDINARY PAINTINGS BY ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONIST MARK ROTHKO AT MINT MUSEUM UPTOWN For the first time in its 85-year history, The Mint Museum has not one, but two, Mark Rothko paintings on view.

Through a long-term loan with the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., two paintings by the Abstract Expressionist painter Mark Rothko are on view in the Modern Contemporary Galleries at Mint Museum Uptown.

The works are the only paintings by Rothko on view in North Carolina.

Rothko’s serene floating blocks of color, typical of his mature work in the 1950s and 1960s, are considered a pivotal moment in the move from figural painting to Abstract Expressionism, says Todd A. Herman, president and CEO. “Influenced by the tragedies of World War II, Rothko felt that painting needed to reach deeper into our shared subconscious where humanity can be connected through emotional responses to color and shape. He worked in a vertical format to reflect the human form and encouraged people to stand just a few feet in front so that the work could fill their vision and maximize the effect.”

To celebrate the two Rothko paintings on view, Harry Cooper, senior curator and head of modern and contemporary art at the National Gallery of Art, presents a lecture about the life and works of Mark Rothko April 13 at Mint Museum Uptown as part of the Wednesday Night Live Series presented by Bank of America.

The Rothko paintings will be on view through March 2023 in the Modern Contemporary galleries at Mint Museum Uptown.

Read more about Rothko in the catalogue Mark Rothko: The Decisive Decade: 19401950 with contributions by the Mint’s President and CEO Todd Herman.

FROM LEFT: Mark Rothko (American, born Russia, 1903–70). No. 17 [or] No. 15 1949, oil on canvas, 51 7/8 x 29 1/8 inches. Gift of The Mark Rothko Foundation, Inc. National Gallery of Art, Washington 1986.43.142. Mark Rothko (American, born Russia, 1903–70). Untitled 1951, oil on canvas, 44 1/4 x 37 3/8 inches. Gift of The Mark Rothko Foundation, Inc. National Gallery of Art, Washington 1986.43.157.

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Photos courtesy of National Gallery of Art, Washington

RENDEZVOUS WITH ROTHKO

A TRIBUTE TO THE FOUNDERS’ CIRCLE

HOW THE AFFILIATE GROUP TURNED THE MINT MUSEUM OF CRAFT + DESIGN INTO ONE OF THE MOST RECOGNIZABLE CRAFT COLLECTIONS IN THE UNITED STATES

BY ANNIE CARLANO

The Mint Museum of Craft + Design is acknowledged as one of the most important collections of international craft and design in the world, including exhibitions, publications, and programs that have enriched and expanded the field of contemporary craft and design.

While the Mint had been collecting craft for decades, it was not until 1997 when the museum received a gift of the historic Montaldo’s department store from Nation’s Bank (now Bank of America) to The Mint Museum of Art. The $10.5 million gift enabled the museum to realize its dream of opening a new branch to house its already extensive craft holdings and to collect contemporary craft and design more vigorously. Under the visionary leadership of Mark Richard Leach, The Mint Museum of Craft + Design (MMC+D) opened January 10, 1999.

Soon thereafter, the idea of forming a national group to support The Mint Museum of Craft + Design emerged.

The Founders’ Circle was created as a nonprofit to help provide financial resources for staff, technology, acquisitions, and exhibitions to The Mint Museum of Craft + Design and is credited for its early success.

Signaling the arrival of The Mint Museum as a driving force in the craft world, An Inaugural Gift: The Founders’

Circle Collection exhibition and publication debuted on February 26, 2000, and featured outstanding objects gifted to the museum by members of the Founders’ Circle, including founding member, board member, and former executive director Lorne Lassiter.

Being the founding president of the Founders’ Circle was fun, challenging, and rewarding, and made easy by both Charlotte members and others around the country.

—Barbara Berlin, Founders’ Circle president, 2001–2003

“My engagement with the Founders’ Circle began at the first Founders’ Circle weekend in 2000 when Gary (Ferraro) and I offered a ride to this cute couple who were standing looking lonely in the parking lot,” Lassiter mintmuseum.org

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says. “Turns out it was Jane and Arthur Mason who immediately became our fast friends, introduced us to the group from the Renwick, and mentored our entrance into the world of craft.”

Not only did they enter the international craft and design scene, Lorne Lassiter and Gary Ferraro — along with other Founders’ Circle founding members — helped to create

With the Founders’ Circle I learned about, met, and supported some very talented artists in the American craft movement. I developed some great friendships working with other Founders’ Circle members and collectively we made some precious contributions to help build the The Mint Museum of Craft + Design.

—Gary Rautenstrauch, Founders’ Circle president, 2017–2019

the extraordinary Craft + Design Collection at the Mint.

Cornerstones of the Craft + Design Collection include the Czech glass sculptures acquired through the generous gifts of Lisa and Dr. Dudley Anderson and others; the masterwork and signature object of the museum, Relations,

by Stanislav Libensky and Jaroslava Brychtova; the Fleur and Charles Bresler collection of American quilts; the Jane and Arthur Mason collection of turned wood; the international studio jewelry pieces from Susan Beech; the Diane and Marc Grainer British Studio ceramics; as well as many objects acquired through individual members of the group like Blue Mint Spiral by Dale Chihuly.

Founders’ Circle members also have passionately pursued craft though their travels to art fairs, museums and galleries, and artist studios. Over the years, the group maintained an extensive travel program, visiting Chicago, Washington, Australia, Prague, Santa Fe, and elsewhere.

“The inspiration for my largest scale commission, the Danny Lane table (2016), was the Founders’ Circle trip to Paris and London, and visit to Danny’s studio in 2011,” says founding member Fleur Bresler.

Whether in each other’s homes or farther afield, enjoyable and educational social events have yielded brilliant ideas in support of the museum’s ambitious agenda. Energetic and enthusiastic, the group raised the bar in fundraising when they established the Mint Condition Gala, an annual event held 2001–2011. Legendary in craft circles, the galas included a silent auction, a live auction, and the highlight of the evening — “The Cause.” Working closely with Mint staff, a significant artwork by a leading artist on the museum’s wish list was identified each year as “The Cause.” The artist who created the work was invited

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Members of the Founders’ Circle gathered at a 2002 event.

to Charlotte for the gala auction and weekend events. In this convivial context, some of the most beloved objects in the collection were acquired, including Soundsuit by Nick Cave, “The Cause” 2008.

Susan McKeithen, president of the Founders’ Circle in 2008, as well as chair of the newly formed Mint Museum Craft + Design board of directors (now Mint Museum Craft, Design, and Fashion Collections Board), was closely involved with 10 commissions known as Project Ten Ten Ten that celebrated the opening of Mint Museum Uptown and the new home for The Mint Museum of Craft + Design in October 2010. Through a model collaboration of The Mint Museum of Craft + Design Board and the Founders’ Circle, Threshold by Danny Lane and Mr. and Mrs. Tutti Atomic by Kate Malone were acquired. The Founders’ Circle also funded Israeli artist Ayala Serfaty’s Joy of Transition and contributed to the acquisition of Enignum by Irish artist Joseph Walsh and Preludios y Partidas by Cristina Cordova.

In 2021 the Founders’ Circle board of directors voted to dissolve the group. Though short-lived, the Founders’ Circle shown bright, playing a pivotal role in the foundation of the Mint’s world-class Craft and Design Collection and will be remembered in helping to forever transform The Mint Museum.

Annie Carlano is senior curator of craft, design, and fashion at The Mint Museum.

Building a world-class collection The Founders’ Circle formed as the national support group of The Mint Museum of Craft + Design to build the collection with superb examples by leading artists of our time, to guarantee that craft and design would be front and center at the Mint through dynamic exhibitions and programs, and to provide resources to achieve this grand vision. Over more than two decades, they have accomplished their goals, and in doing so inspired others, and transformed the institution into the leading craft and design museum in the United States.

We thank every member of the Founders’ Circle, and recognize and honor these past presidents: Tricia Boyer, acting president, 2021

Victoria Howell, 2011–2012

Greg Hill, 2020

Susan McKeithen, 2007–2009

Gary Rautenstrauch, 2017–2019

Barbara Laughlin, 2004–2006, 2010

Richard McCracken, 2014–2017

Barbara Berlin, 2001–2003

Christa Faut , 2013 IMAGES: (Opposite, page 29) Cristina Córdova (Puerto Rican, 1977–). Preludios y Partidas (detail), 2012, ceramic, concrete, steel (alloy), resin (organic material), 129.5 x 180 x 36 inches. Project Ten Ten Ten Commission. Museum Purchase: Funds provided by Laura and Michael Grace, Donna and Al De Molina, Lorne Lassiter and Gary Ferraro, and Yvonne and Richard McCracken. © Cristina Cordova, All Rights Reserved, 2012. (Above) Dale Patrick Chihuly (American, 1941–). Royal Blue Mint Chandelier (detail), 1998, handblown glass, steel, 116.5 x 120 x 96 inches. Museum Purchase: Funds provided

by Bank of America and various individual donors.1998.131. Collection of The Mint Museum. © Dale Chihuly 1998.

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SOUTHBOUND COINED IN THE SOUTH: 2022 SPOTLIGHTS THOUGHT-PROVOKING WORKS BY REGIONAL ARTISTS LIVING IN THE SOUTHEAST

BY KAITLYN MCELWEE

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Coined in the South: 2022 — the second installment of the juried biennial exhibition created in collaboration with Young Affiliates of the Mint — opens March 26 at Mint Museum Uptown. The exhibition features innovative works created by artists working in the Southeast, and serves to bridge the gap between museums, galleries, and artist studios.

Drawing on cultural inspiration from African art, Masela Nkolo brings to light “unseen individuals’ worlds” through his mixed-media installations. Through ceramic sculptures, Donté Hayes reflects on the past, stirs discussion of the present, and explores possible futures interconnected to the African diaspora.

A panel of jurors selected 41 artists from 375 submissions whose works will be installed in the exhibition. An array of mediums, some less conventional than others, make up the collective body of work that converges to become a mellifluent symphony of styles, perspectives, and approaches in the exhibition.

The craft of furniture-making via metal sculptures is elevated through works by artist Sophie Glenn. Artist Anna Dean’s works explore unexpected visual and conceptual connections that occur when layers of information build, intersect, accumulate, and erode. And King Nobuyoshi Godwin imbues significance to the meaning of colors and numbers in his paintings.

A $10,000 grand prize presented by Atrium Health Foundation and $5,000 YAMs Choice Award will be awarded at the opening of the exhibition. A $1,000 People’s Choice Award will be announced at the conclusion of the exhibition after the viewing public has an opportunity to cast their ballots.

Featured artists in Coined in the South: 2022 Many of the works selected for Coined in the South: 2022 reflect on personal narratives and cultural myths, power structures and pressures of society, including mixed-media sculptures by Hannah Shaban and ceramic sculptures by Elizabeth Alexander.

Emmanuelle Chammah explores themes of sensation, the human body, and cultural multiplicity via her mixed-media and textile works. Race, gender, and cultural identity are addressed in paintings by Saba Taj and photography by Malik Norman. Natalie Chanel uses textile and mixedmedia to address racial uprisings and cultural discourse in our communities. Tameca Cole’s mixed-media collage work is an outlet to express the cruelty of her incarceration, injustices, and experiences with racism.

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Coined in the South: 2022 is on view March 26–July 3 at Mint Museum Uptown.

Kaitlyn McElwee is the Young Affiliates of the Mint chair for Coined in the South: 2022.

Special thanks to Coined in the South: 2022 jurors Hallie Ringle, curator of contemporary art at the Birmingham Museum of Art. Lydia Thompson, ceramic artist and professor of art, ceramics at UNC Charlotte.

Ken West , photographer, digital experience

designer, and winner of the inaugural Coined in the South People’s Choice Award.

Coined in the South: 2022 Artists ELIZABETH ALEXANDER WINSTON SALEM, NC

TAMECA COLE BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA

DONTE HAYES KENNESAW, GEORGIA

RANDY SIMMONS PADUCAH, KENTUCKY

SUKENYA BEST RICHMOND, VIRGINIA

CARLA CONTRERAS SANDY SPRINGS, GEORGIA

EMILY JAHR DAWSONVILLE, GEORGIA

LIZ RUNDORF SMITH TRAVELERS REST, SC

KAMAU BOSTIC TUPELO, MISSISSIPPI

MARGARET CURTIS TRYON, NC

CHLOE KAYLOR MOUNT HOLLY, NC

ANNE STAGG TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA

S. ROSS BROWNE RICHMOND, VIRGINIA

LINDSY DAVIS NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

BRIANNA LITCHFIELD CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE

LEIGH SUGGS RICHMOND, VIRGINIA

ANNA BUCKNER BANNER ELK, NC

ANNA DEAN FORT MILL, SC

CHIEKO MURASUGI CHAPEL HILL, NC

SABA TAJ DURHAM, NC

J.B. BURKE CHARLOTTE, NC

BRENT DEDAS COLUMBIA, SC

MASELA NKOLA DULUTH, GEORGIA

CORNELL WATSON DURHAM, NC

LIZ BUTTS BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA

ERIN ETHRIDGE FLEETWOOD, NC

MALIK NORMAN WAXHAW, NC

AJANE WILLIAMS CHARLOTTE, NC

CORNELIUS CAKELY COLUMBIA, SC

HOLLY FISHER RALEIGH, NC

SERENA PERRONE ATLANTA, GEORGIA

APRIL WRIGHT GERMANTOWN, TENNESSEE

EMMANUELLE CHAMMAH ATLANTA, GEORGIA

CYNTHIA FRANK CHARLOTTE, NC

KRISTIN ROTHROCK CHARLOTTE, NC

NATALIE CHANEL ROCK HILL, SC

SOPHIE GLENN STARKVILLE, MISSISSIPPI

HANNAH SHABAN CHARLOTTE, NC

CORINNE COLARUSSO ATLANTA, GEORGIA

KING GODWIN RALEIGH, NC

SHARON SHAPIRO CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA

IMAGES: (Opposite, from top left across) S. Ross Browne (Richmond, VA). The Surrender of Lee (Reverse Mandala), 2021, oil and acrylic on canvas, 60 x 50 inches. Courtesy of the artist. J.B. Burke (Charlotte, NC). Panem et Circenses (Bread and Circuses), 2019, colored pencil on Canford Imperial paper (Bubblegum), 20 x 28 inches. Courtesy of the artist. Cynthia Frank (Charlotte, NC). R$st, 2020, oil on canvas, 36 x 36 x 1 1/2 inches. Courtesy of the artist. Chloe Kaylor (Mount Holly, NC). Untitled: Denim, 2020, denim, thread, sawdust, 96 x 36 x 96 inches. Courtesy of the artist. Elizabeth Alexander (Winston-Salem, NC). All Things Bright and Beautiful (detail), 2020, cast paper on 8ply matboard and wood; cast paper, extracted wallpaper pattern on 8ply matboard and wood, 95 x 124 x 30 inches. Courtesy of the artist. King Godwin (Raleigh, NC). The Camel is having a good day because it’s with the seal and the water ‘99 (detail), 2021, acrylic and ink on canvas, 72 x 60 x 3 inches. Courtesy of the artist.

(Above, from left) Natalie Chanel (Rock Hill, SC). In the Beginning, 2021, Moss, fungi, eucalyptus, and cone-like material, 48 x 36 inches. Courtesy of the artist. Herve Masela (Duluth, GA). Proletariat, metal and glass. Courtesy of the artist. Donte Hayes (Kennesaw, GA). Weave, 2019, ceramic, 10 x 7.5 x 5.5 inches. Courtesy of the artist. Hannah Shaban (Charlotte, NC). Imaginary Orient (detail), 2021, ceramic, mixed media, wood, sand, 65 x 66 x 32 inches. Courtesy of the artist.

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KEHINDE WILEY ACQUISITION CAPS OFF A ROSTER OF ACQUIRED WORKS

BY CULTURALLY DIVERSE ARTISTS

BY MICHELE HUGGINS

The Mint Museum is proud to announce major additions to its collection. Internationally renowned artist Kehinde Wiley’s Philip the Fair is now part of The Mint Museum’s permanent collection. Having been on loan to the museum for a number of years, it has become an audience favorite.

Wiley, a California native, is best known for painting President Barack Obama’s portrait. Philip the Fair is an example of Wiley’s majestic representation of urban Black men recast in place of those populating European old-master paintings, and asking the question ‘who gets represented?’ Philip the Fair references a 15th-century stained-glass image of Philip the IV of France who was known as Philip the Fair.

“The Mint Museum continues to grow and refine its collection through purchases and gifts with stellar examples from artists that represent a diverse array of backgrounds and experiences,” says Todd Herman, president and CEO at the Mint. “We are grateful to our generous donors, and especially to the artists, for allowing us to share these beautiful and inspirational works with our audience.”

Works by other Black artists include Willie Cole’s Silex, on view in the Mint’s Continuing Conversations exhibition, and Elizabeth Talford Scott’s quilted and appliqued mixed-

media piece Untitled (Shield), part of the Mint’s Craft + Design Collection, both of which transcend time with stories tied to race and cultural experiences.

Expanding the museum’s collection by artists from outside the United States are works by Japanese designer Yohji Yamamoto, Indian fashion designer Anamika Khanna, Canadian artist Simone Saunders, British photographer Sam Taylor-Johnson, Dutch artist Iris van Herpen, Belgium artist Berlinde de Bruyckere, and Spanish artist Nacho Carbonell.

In addition to works acquired by artists from around the world are notable works by Charlotte-based artists, including Nellie Ashford, MyLoan Dinh, de’Angelo Dia, and Julio Gonzales. Their works each reflect the individual artist’s cultural heritage, ancestry, and community.

“We are particularly proud of the diversity represented in our acquisitions over the last couple of years. Not only are the makers of all profiles — international, regional, men, women, nonbinary, young, late career — but the media spans the gamut,” says Jen Sudul Edwards, chief curator and curator of contemporary art. “These new acquisitions reinforce The Mint Museum’s commitment to all forms and all makers as long as the work is thoughtful, ambitious, and excellent.”

FAR LEFT: MyLoan Dinh (Vietnamese-American, 1972–).

Off White, 2019, boxing gloves, eggshells, acrylic, 18 x 13 x 5 inches. Museum purchase made possible by the Charles W. Beam Endowment Fund. LEFT: Simone Elizabeth Saunders (Canada, 1983–), She Holds the Key, 2019, cotton and linen ground cloth; wool threads. 62 x 60 inches.

Collection of The Mint Museum.

Museum Purchase with funds from the Charlotte Debutante Club. 2021.14.

OPPOSITE: Kehinde Wiley (American, 1977–). Philip the Fair, 2006, oil on canvas. Museum purchase with funds provided by the Mint Museum Auxiliary, the Katherine and Thomas Belk Acquisition Fund, and Kelle and Len Botkin.

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Photo by Brandon Scott

THE COLE FAMILY: A DYNASTY OF NORTH CAROLINA POTTERS

BY BRIAN GALLAGHER

From crocks, jars, and jugs to pitchers, candleholders, and vases, “turning pots” is one of the oldest and richest craft traditions in North Carolina. One reason for its long-term success is that making pottery has so often been a family tradition in the state. Fathers taught the art of forming, glazing, and firing clay objects to their sons (and in later generations also to daughters), who in turn taught their children, and so on through the decades. These family dynasties not only helped to keep the craft alive, but ensured continuity in techniques and craftsmanship, as well as introduced artistic innovation in succeeding generations.

One of the most enduring and prolific potting dynasties is the Cole family, who have been potting in central North Carolina — Randolph, Moore, Lee, and Montgomery Counties — for more than 200 years. Six generations of Coles, and no fewer than 18 individuals, are represented in The Mint Museum’s permanent collection. More than 60 of their wares are featured in the upcoming installation The Cole Family: A Dynasty of North Carolina Potters opening in May in the Robicsek Gallery at Mint Museum Randolph.

It is thought that the Cole family arrived in North Carolina in the mid-18th century, but the first Cole to be documented as a potter is Raphard Cole (1799–1862). Known as Rafe, he and his family lived in a log house in Whynot, North Carolina, where he had his own groundhog kiln and made utilitarian vessels in lead-glazed earthenware and saltglazed stoneware. A well-proportioned spittoon made by him will be on view in the gallery.

Rafe’s three sons also became potters, as did his seven grandsons. They all began by making storage jars and other functional vessels necessary in an agrarian economy, but some eventually realized that the state’s burgeoning tourist trade was creating a steady market for well-formed, colorfully glazed wares suitable for the domestic sphere. Jason B. Cole (1869–1943), one of Rafe’s grandsons, opened his own shop around 1922, and within 10 years was utilizing more than a dozen glaze colors on flower vases and other decorative wares.

This shift in production accelerated with the next few generations of potters in the Cole family, who uniformly specialized in attractive forms for the home. Brothers Charles C. Cole (1887–1967) and Arthur R. Cole (1892– 1974) each ran a successful pottery shop for many years, with Arthur’s kiln openings famous for selling out so quickly and Charles’ business driven by large contracts with regional wholesalers. Both brothers taught their children how to pot. Arthur Cole’s daughters Celia Cole Womack (1924–2015) and Neolia Cole Bass (1927–2016), and Charles Cole’s daughter Dorothy Cole Auman (1927– 1991) eventually joined the family business and became highly respected potters. Dorothy and her husband, Walter Auman — also from a long line of potters — distinguished themselves further by assembling a large, highly regarded collection of North Carolina pottery that now forms the nucleus of the Mint’s own holdings.

Brian Gallagher is senior curator of decorative arts at The Mint Museum.

FROM LEFT: Arthur Ray Cole (American, 1892–1974). Vase, circa 1955, glazed earthenware. Daisy Wade Bridges Collection. H1978.153. Jason B. Cole (American, 1869–1943). Urn, circa 1942, glazed earthenware. Gift of the Wake County Commission. H1979.256.3. Arthur Ray Cole (American, 1892–1974).

Three-Handled Vase, circa 1955, glazed earthenware. Gift of the Mint Museum Auxiliary and Daisy Wade Bridges from the Collection of Walter and Dorothy Auman. H1983.190.1266

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DIEDRICK BRACKENS: RETELLING AFRICAN AMERICAN STORIES THROUGH POWERFUL TEXTILE ARTS Los Angeles-based artist Diedrick Brackens is elevating the evolution of large-scale textile weavings. Known for making colorful textiles about African American and queer histories, Brackens has developed a process of combining the tactility of yarn with the ethos of storytelling. His weavings tell timeless narratives about emancipation and remediation through pattern, body, and the power of craft.

His solo exhibition Diedrick Brackens: ark of bulrushes, opening July 16 at Mint Museum Randolph, includes his signature large-scale weavings, as well as the artist’s first woven sculptures.

Brackens’ deeply colored weavings pull imagery from 19th-century Freedom Quilts, which were used by enslaved people to communicate while traveling along the Underground Railroad, and star constellations that have been used to navigate the external world and internal psyche for thousands of years.

The central focus of Brackens’ artwork always returns to the Black body represented in form or implied in absence.

Intertwined with the patterns are dynamic human figures mimicking animals associated with constellations.

This positioning aligns the body within the cosmic proportions of the universe, inferring empowerment of the individual and of a people.

The premiere of his first woven sculptures include sculptural basket boats that take different forms that reference the human body in communion with nature.

The ark is Brackens’ sculptural prototype of a boat that he hopes to float on the Mississippi River. Made with enough room for a passenger to sit upright or lie down, the body and boat can float and bob down the river as one.

The floating of reed basket boats is significant in legends of deliverance, including the biblical story of the exodus of the Israelites where an “ark of bulrushes” carried the infant Moses up the Nile River.

Taking its name from this story, ark of bulrushes gestures to craft itself as a form of mythology — the passing on of tradition, technique, and narrative. Brackens practices textile craft with unique vision and perspective, spinning new definitions of what it means to live today.

This exhibition originally appeared at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, organized by Lauren O’Connell, curator of contemporary art at SMoCA. The Mint Museum iteration will include two additional components: woven objects and quilts from the Mint’s permanent collection and weavings made by contemporary North Carolina artists.

ABOVE: Diedrick Brackens (American, 1989–). bring watergrass, carefully prepared (detail), 2021, archival pigment print, 24 x 36 inches. Courtesy of the artist, Jack Shainman Gallery, New York, and Various Small Fires, Los Angeles/Seoul. © Diedrick Brackens.

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AFFILIATES IN ACTION Charlotte Garden Club The Charlotte Garden Club is excited for its 2022 Art in the Garden Tour. The Charlotte Garden Club’s showcase of six stunning private gardens with plein air painters will take place May 14–15. Ticket holders also are invited to attend the After-Tour Party and Art Show May 15 at Mint Museum Randolph. Advance purchase is $20 for Mint and Charlotte Garden Club members, $30 for the public. Tour day purchase is $25 for Mint and Charlotte Garden Club members, $35 for the public. Tickets can be purchased online beginning April 1 at charlottegardenclub.com.

The Docent corps also is excited to celebrate 65 years this fall! Stay tuned for more information to come about a celebration to recognize this milestone.

Friends of the Mint Meredith Connelly, a multidisciplinary artist who draws inspiration from nature, science and technology, is the featured speaker at the March program at Mint Museum Randolph. Connelly’s illuminated installations such as the “I Heart Rail Trail” in the South End and “Lights” at the U.S. National Whitewater Center have fascinated area viewers.

She was recently commissioned to create a permanent public work for Charlotte to debut in 2023, Meredith also creates two-dimensional cut paper works that are reflective of microcosms and biological forms. Connecting art and home, Connelly also is the co-founder of Ash and Ochre which features small batch craft and wares. She is a graduate of the University of Wilmington with a degree in Studio Art who is committed to expanding community and culture through the arts. A reception will be held at 6 PM and the presentation begins at 6:30 PM March 16 at Mint Museum Randolph.

Mint Museum Auxiliary Guests enjoy a stroll through the gardens during the 2021 Art in the Garden Tour. This year’s Art in the Garden Tour takes place May 14–15.

Delhom Service League The return of the Potters Market in September 2021 was a great success. The show included 58 potters with 2,000 visitors attending the weekend event held under the big tent on the lawn at Mint Museum Randolph. It was the first year the potters were chosen through juried selection. New awards also were introduced, including the $1,000 Mellanay Delhom Award that went to potter Josh Copus from Marshall, North Carolina. Other awards include the $750 Wade Bridges Award and $500 Best New Exhibitor Award.

Mark your calendar for the 2022 Potters Market September 24 on the lawn at Mint Museum Randolph.

Docents of the Mint Docents continue to offer virtual adult tours to local and national groups. New virtual tours include Asian Aesthetics Meet Southern Sensibilities and John Leslie Breck: American Impressionist. Contact molly.humphries@mintmuseum.org for more information.

ArtBreak tours at the Levine Center for the Arts. Quarterly themes for the first half of 2022 include “Not Just a Pretty Face” and “What’s New Here?”

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In February, the Mint Museum Auxiliary welcomed Ken Pursley, a principal and partner at a Charlotte, NC-based Pursley, Dixon Architecture, an architecture and interior design firm that specializes in boutique residential work, and author of “Finding Home: The Houses of Pursley Dixon” to its Winter Membership Meeting. The Auxiliary’s Spring Symposium featuring renowned interior designer Ashley Whittaker takes place April 6 at Charlotte Country Club.

Whittaker will talk about her first book “The Well-Loved House: Creating Homes with Color, Comfort and Drama.”

Young Affiliates of the Mint Coined in the South: 2022, the YAMs second installation of the juried exhibition featuring artists from the Southeast United States, opens March 24 at Mint Museum Uptown.

Join in the members-only opening celebration 7–9 PM March 24 at Mint Museum Uptown.

The YAMs annual signature event Derby Days 2022 takes place May 7, and brings together Charlotte’s young professionals to enjoy a day of live music, lawn games, signature cocktails including the classic mint julep, Kentucky Derby raffle, and a viewing of the Kentucky Derby.

All proceeds from the event are committed to supporting the YAM Annual Fund, which helps offset the cost of free school tours of the Mint Museum for local school-aged children. Find more details about Derby Days and other events at youngaffiliates.org.

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Photo courtesy of Jo Ann Peer

JO ANN PEER

Devoted Mint member Jo Ann Peer has been involved with the museum community for 25 years. She has served as the Mint Board of Trustees chair, as well as on the board numerous times. She was a founder of the Crown Society, is on the finance committee, and chairs the Mint’s Advisory Board. She also is a Leadership Charlotte graduate, was one of the first 100 founding members of the Women’s Impact Fund, and has been involved in many community organizations, including The United Way and Carolina Breast Friends Pink House. A North Carolina native, who graduated from Meredith College in Raleigh before diving into a successful career in management with IBM, Peer continues to be a dedicated member and ambassador of the Mint. She shares below more about her path with the museum and the joys of retirement. — As told to Michele Huggins. Lightly edited for brevity and clarity.

I fell in love with art when I took an art history course

as a sophomore in college. My husband, Joddy, is an architect who also loves art. Art museums have been a big part of our travels throughout the years, and also where we lived and worked, such as San Francisco, Boston, and Newport. I love Monet, so Paris is a standout.

We have two daughters, sons-in-law, and two grandsons who live in Manhattan and Southampton,

so we try to spend as much time as we can with them in New York City. I love all the museums there, but to be able to have the Mint right here in our front yard, and pull so many people from North and South Carolina, that is good for the community at large.

Since retiring, we have become destination walkers.

Living in Myers Park, we walk to the grocery store, drug store, and coffee shop like you do in New York. Our dog Cody always needs a walk, so we make a purpose out of those walks.

I joined the Mint board of trustees 25 years ago. I was

off and on the board twice before being asked to become chair. My first year as chair, I declared it to be the “year of the donor.” I think our supporters, the people who give so much, both financially and of their time and enthusiasm, are to be congratulated and thanked. The next year was declared “year of the collection.” Our collection is so beautiful, I was happy to turn our attention to our own collection. After I went off the board of trustees, I was asked to launch a new advisory board. I have thoroughly been excited and enjoyed this role. It is not a large group, but we are very enthusiastic about the growth of the museum. I cannot say enough about these great ambassadors.

The staff who work at the Mint are the very best, and

the leadership team is outstanding. I love the passion of the volunteers and the passion of the affiliate groups and boards and all they do, and how hard they work. It is just unbelievable to see people jump in and do so many things.

It is hard to say what my favorite work is. The Chihuly is just fabulous and Danny Lane’s Threshold is a favorite.

When we have out-of-town guests visiting, there is so much to show, but I make sure they take note of those two things, as well as the Romare Bearden installation.

If I were to share three things with someone who had never been to the Mint, it would be the diversity of

collections — the Craft + Design galleries, contemporary, decorative arts, fashion. I love the fact that we have two locations. Mint Museum Uptown’s location is like the Museum of Modern Art in New York City because it is right in the middle of the city. Mint Museum Randolph is our Metropolitan (Museum of Art). You go there and you have a different feel with the lawn and park setting.

The third thing is that the museum is simply good ‘olefashioned FUN.

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EVENTS AT THE MINT BRECKFEST OPENING CELEBRATION To celebrate the opening of John Leslie Breck: American Impressionist, members enjoyed a VIP “Breckfest” in September 2021 before the public opening of the exhibition.

Lindy Coggeshall (left) and Caroline Coggeshall (right), descendants of artist John Leslie Breck, with Natalie Frazier Allen, chair of the Mint Board of Trustees.

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DIAMOND CIRCLE DINNER Diamond Circle members from the Crown Society enjoyed an evening dining in the galleries during the exhibition In Vivid Color: Pushing the Boundaries of Perception in Contemporary Art. Artist Diedrick Brackens was in attendance.

Los Angeles-based artist Diedrick Brackens (second from left) was a guest at the Diamond Circle Dinner.

FROM LEFT: Matt Moore, Fairfax Cooper, Amy Moore, and Hillary Cooper.

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THE WORLD OF ANNA SUI VIP OPENING CELEBRATION Mint Museum Randolph was all abuzz during the VIP opening celebration of The World of Anna Sui. Guests had the opportunity to meet designer Anna Sui and get a sneak peek of the exhibition before its public opening November 20, 2021.

Designer Anna Sui (front, center) with friends and guests at the VIP celebration and preview of The World of Anna Sui.

Krystle Batts and Hade Robinson Jr. FROM LEFT: Liam Stokes; Keith Cradle, PhD; Betsy Rosen; Gavin Edwards; and Jen Sudul Edwards, PhD, chief curator at the Mint.

FROM LEFT: DJ Dammit Wesley, Will Jenkins, and Hasan Dirton.

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Mint Board of Trustee members Posey Mealey (far left) and Lucy Hardison (far right) with guests Bronwyn Ford and Day Palmer.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT LIVE: FOLLOW YOUR HeART GUIDED GALLERY TOUR The “Queen of the Queen City” Buff Faye (top right) led gallery tours and DJ Selah Say (top left) provided the sounds for the February Wednesday Night Live, presented by Bank of America.

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A group of Crown Society members traveled to Provence, France in fall of 2021 as part of the Crown Society Travel Program. The group toured many places, including Abbaye Sainte Marie de Pierredon in St. Remy in Provence, France.

THANK YOU TO OUR CROWN SOCIETY PATRONS Crown Society Co-Chairs, Mrs. Mary Beaver and Mrs. Posey Mealy SAPPHIRE CIRCLE

ASHLEY AND SCOTT MATTEI

BEVERLY AND MARK LADLEY

LAURA AND MIKE GRACE

MR. AND MRS. NEILL G. MCBRYDE

STEPHANIE S. LYNCH

MARY AND DICK PAYNE

MR. AND MRS. WILLIAM B. MCGUIRE, JR.

SUSAN AND LOY MCKEITHEN

BETH AND DREW QUARTAPELLA

POSEY AND MARK MEALY

EMILY AND BILL OLIVER

MARY ANNE (M.A.) ROGERS

AMY AND MATT MOORE

JO ANN AND JODDY PEER

LEIGH-ANN AND MARTIN SPROCK

MARÍA-JOSÉ MAGE AND FRANK MÜLLER

SALLIE SCARBOROUGH

ANN AND MICHAEL TARWATER

CELENE AND MARC OKEN

CAROL J. SMITH

CURTIS AND ROCKY TRENKELBACH

PATRICIA A. RODGERS

EDITH AND LANDON WYATT

TREY SHERIDAN

JOAN H. ZIMMERMAN

DIAMOND CIRCLE MR. AND MRS. WESTON M. ANDRESS KELLE AND LEN BOTKIN BETSY AND ALFRED BRAND HILLARY AND W. FAIRFAX COOPER SARAH G. COOPER SUSAN AND DAVID DOOLEY MR. AND MRS. JAY FAISON MR. AND MRS. WILLIAM J. FOX MOZELLE DEPASS GRIFFITH BEVERLY AND JIM HANCE LUCY AND HOOPER HARDISON CHANDRA AND JIMMIE JOHNSON

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POPE AND PEGGY SHUFORD KATI AND CHRIS SMALL

PLATINUM CIRCLE

MAUREEN STOCKTON

NATALIE AND HUGH ALLEN

CHERYL A. PALMER AND FRANK TUCKER

ANONYMOUS

CHARLOTTE AND JOHN WICKHAM

SARAH AND TIM BELK JOHN AND KIM BELK

PLATINUM PLUS CIRCLE

MR. AND MRS. HOWARD BISSELL III ALLEN BLEVINS AND ARMANDO AISPURO

JENNIFER AND ALEX BAUER

JAN AND ED BROWN

MARY AND WALTER BEAVER

MRS. JANE CONLAN

MARY ANNE DICKSON

AMY AND ALFRED DAWSON

MR. AND MRS. ALEX FUNDERBURG

JAY EVERETTE AND BRIAN SPEAS

LISE AND TRAVIS HAIN

DEIDRE AND CLAY GRUBB

LAUREN HARKEY SEAN AND JACQUELINE JONES JILL AND MARK KELLY TONI AND ALFRED KENDRICK JOE AND KATY KINDRED KATHRYN AND LUKE KISSAM SAMMY AND MELINDA KOENIGSBERG FRANCIE AND JOHN MANGAN ANDY MERMANS AND ROBIN PERRIGO-MERMANS PATRICIA R. MORTON ANNE AND CLARK NEILSON SHANNON AND KARL NEWLIN DANY AND CHIP NISBET AMY AND JOE PITT MILTON AND MARSHELETTE PRIME MANUEL RODRIGUEZ BETSY ROSEN AND LIAM STOKES PARKER AND STEPHEN SHUFORD NORA AND MICHAEL SMITH EMILY AND ZACH SMITH MELINDA AND DAVID SNYDER LORIE M. SPRATLEY BETSY AND BRIAN WILDER PAT AND BILL WILLIAMSON

GOLD CIRCLE HOWARD P. ADAMS AND CAROL B. MCPHEE MR. AND MRS. JAMES G. BABB, JR. MR. AND MRS. WILLIAM IRWIN BELK MARY AND CHARLES BOWMAN

TODD A. HERMAN, PHD AND HARRY GERARD AMY AND JOHN HINES BETH AND BILL HOBBS DR. DIANE D. JACOBSEN CALLIE AND WIN KELLY MARCIE AND MARTY KELSO VIRGINIA M. KEMP MR. ANDREW S. KING AND MR. KELLY S. KING

SILVER CIRCLE ANONYMOUS HON. JOHN S. ARROWOOD HARRIET BARNHARDT SARA BAYSINGER AND JERRY LEE MRS. KATHERINE BELK-COOK KATY AND JOHN BELTZ MEGAN BLANKEMEYER DEBBIE AND GARY BLANKEMEYER

KNIGHT ANGELS

BETSY AND BILL BLUE

BARBARA L. LAUGHLIN

AMY AND PHILIP BLUMENTHAL

CHELSEA LAWSON

DR. LARRY BRADY AND MR. ROMAN MATSO

MERRILL BARRINGER LIGHT AARON AND MARIE LIGON VINCE LONG AND CAMERON FURR SUSAN AND ALEX MCALISTER LINDSAY AND STANTON MCCULLOUGH RICHARD I. MCHENRY AND CYNTHIA L. CALDWELL MARY AND JERALD MELBERG VICKY AND BILL MITCHENER DR. KIM NIXON WINDY AND BLAKE O’CONNOR MARIA AND JEFF OWEN ROSE AND BAILEY PATRICK, JR. ANNE AND SCOTT PERPER PAULA AND CHRIS PINK MR. AND MRS. WALKER L. POOLE STEFANIE REED GEORGE AND LINDA FOARD ROBERTS RUTH AND TREVOR RUNBERG THE SCHWARTZ FAMILY

J. FRANK AND KATHY BRAGG LAUREN AND PEIFFER BRANDT ANGELA AND RALPH BREEDEN MR. AND MRS. WILLIAM BRITTON, JR. KATHIE AND TERRY BRODERICK HILARY BURT AND PETER BOVE PAMELA L. ROBERTS AND ROBERT P. CALDWELL MARY-IRVING CAMPBELL DERICK AND SALLIE CLOSE MELISSA CORNWELL AND BRAD CHRISTMANN MR. AND MRS. JOHN JULIAN CULBERTSON DEEDEE AND ED DALRYMPLE GWIN BARNWELL DALTON PONTEA AND JONATHAN DIXON NELIA AND WILL DOLAN LEIGH DYER ANDRES AND SIDNEY LOGAN ECHEVARRIA

SID SEKHAR

DR. JEN SUDUL EDWARDS AND MR. GAVIN EDWARDS

BOBBIE AND THAD SHARRETT

KATHY AND TOM EWING

JANE AND CARL SHOWALTER

LIZ AND LANE FAISON

MATTYE AND MARC SILVERMAN

CHRISTA AND BOB FAUT

MRS. ROBIN COCHRAN

TIFFANY AND SCOTT SMITH

WHITNEY AND MITCHELL FELD

JOHN AND GINNY COLLETT

MARGARET AND JOHN SWITZER

SANDY AND GEORGE FISHER

MR. AND MRS. JESSE CURETON, JR.

MEREDITH AND JIM THOMPSON

SARAH AND WILL FISHER

DOUGLAS W. DAVIS

MR. AND MRS. WILLIAM B. TIMMERMAN

OLIVIA AND JOHN FORTSON

LISA AND CARLOS EVANS

PATTI TRACEY AND CHRIS HUDSON

TONI FREEMAN

VALERIE AND LARRY GOLDSMITH, JR.

NELIA AND MICHAEL VERANO

LIBBA AND MIKE GAITHER

KATHERINE G. HALL

FRANCES AND DUBOSE WILLIAMSON

LISA AND TED GARDNER

BILL AND ROBIN BRANSTROM DAVID AND TERESA CARROLL E. COLBY AND LYNNE W. CATHEY MONICA M. GALI AND ARMANDO L. CHARDIET

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DIANE AND MARC GRAINER SUSIE AND TED GROSS SPENCER GUTHERY LARRY AND HEATHER GWALTNEY SUSAN M. HAMILTON MR. AND MRS. WATTS HAMRICK III JONTE HARRELL MR. AND MRS. JOHN W. HARRIS III MR. AND MRS. DONALD L. HARRISON ANDREW AND JOANNA HAYNES CLAUDIA AND ANDY HEATH LIZ HILLIARD MR. AND MRS. WILLIAM T. HOUSER CHIP AND VICTORIA HOWELL LANIER AND DOUG HOY MARIA AND JOHN HUSON MR. AND MRS. JAMES E. S. HYNES DR. MARIE-CLAIRE MARROUM-KARDOUS AND MR. KAL KARDOUS JOAN KIRSCHNER ADAM AND SHELLY LANDAU LORNE E. LASSITER AND GARY P. FERRARO, PHD LIZ AND HAYNES LEA

DAVID K. LINNAN AND CYNTHIA LEE MORENO STEPHANIE AND SAM MUHS JANET AND LOWELL NELSON

PAM AND HARDING STOWE ANN AND WELLFORD TABOR REBECCA AND RUFFIN TANNER

JENNIFER AND ARTIE NEWCOMBE

JOHN A. THOMPSON AND LEE R. ROCAMORA

MARIAN M. NISBET

KRISTY AND BILL THOMPSON

PATTY AND TOMMY NORMAN

BEN AND SANDI THORMAN

SONYA PFEIFFER AND DAVID RUDOLF

MELISSA AND PAUL TOLMIE

JOSEPH AND AMANDA PILIGIAN

JUDITH AND GARY TOMAN

LARRY AND DALE POLSKY

TOSHKOVA FINE ART ADVISORY

HOLLY AND LEWIS QUINN

MARGARET AND CHRIS ULLRICH

MR. AND MRS. SAMUEL B. RANKIN

SALLY S. VAN ALLEN

DEBORAH HALLIDAY AND GARY RAUTENSTRAUCH

CAROLYN AND MATT VANDERBERG

PATSY M. REAMES ASHLEY AND KERR ROBERTSON MICHAEL A. RODRIGUEZ SARA GARCÉS ROSELLI AND DANIEL J. ROSELLI PAULA AND DALT RUFFIN WILLIAM L. AND JANE O. SALTER WAYNE SMITH AND INDUN PATRICK CINDY SMITH

PATRICIA COX VISER JENNIFER AND AL WAUGH JOYCE WEAVER BETSY FLEMING AND ED WEISIGER, JR. DOROTHEA FAIRWEATHER WEST RICHARD “STICK” AND TERESA WILLIAMS ROSE AND DAVIS WITTIG THESHA WOODLEY DANA AND JOE WOODY

MRS. JOHN A. STEWMAN III

JANET M. LECLAIR AND JOHN C. BRAGG, JR. DR. A. DAVIS LIGON, JR. DRS. SIU CHALLONS-LIPTON AND JORDAN LIPTON NAN AND BILL LOFTIN MARY AND BOB LONG ROGER AND DEBORAH LOVELETT MOSES AND LORI COLLINS LUSKI NANCY AND JOHN MALONEY PATRICIA AND DAVID MARUNA KAREN AND J.P. MCBRYDE SAMANTHA AND MARK MCCALL ANNA AND JOHN MCCOY KAITLYN MCELWEE DEE DEE MCKAY SALLY MITCHENER ARRINGTON AND BURCH MIXON KIMBERLY AND GEOFFREY MIZE LAURA AND RANDY MOORE On location at Art Basel in Miami, November 2021.

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CURATOR'S PICK

It may be difficult to guess what Synthesis X is made of at first glance.

Tom Price made this illuminated wall sculpture by injecting tar into hot resin as it cooled. This generated an exothermic reaction as the tar forced its way into cracks in the resin, creating crystal-like internal formations and colors ranging from pink and lavender to gold, green, and black. Price later cut the resin into geometric, faceted chunks, which were then polished and arranged into the final sculpture.

Price speaks of the creation of his series of Synthesis sculptures in metaphorical terms, calling it “the study of a dialogue between two contrasting materials … and their negotiation for space and identity when forced to become a single unified entity.” Synthesis X is on view at Mint Museum Uptown.

Tom Price (British, 1973–). Synthesis X, 2016, resin, tar, steel, and LEDs. Gift of Laura B. and Michael F. Grace. 2016.52a-d

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Mint Museum Uptown

at Levine Center for the Arts 500 South Tryon Street Charlotte, NC 28202

Mint Museum Randolph 2730 Randolph Road Charlotte, NC 28207 mintmuseum.org 704.337.2000

Free museum admission 5–9 PM every Wednesday and rotating programming at The Mint Museum, Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture, and the Knight Theater. Learn more at mintmuseum.org/wednesday-night-live.