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BULLET IN
CONSTELLATIONS WORKS ON PAPER FROM THREE COLLECTIONS
JAN | FEB 2026
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Dear Munson Community, Happy New Year!
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Christian Heilmann, Chair Dietra Harvey, Vice-Chair Mark Levitt, Secretary Vige Barrie Rev. Sharon Baugh Andrew Britton Dr. Steven J. Brown William C. Craine Emma Golden David T. Griffith Robert Knight Betty Krulik F. X. Matt III Jackie Walters Laura Tansey Wetzel Anna T. D’Ambrosio President and CEO
Emily Mason. Soft the Sun, 1989. Color liftground and softground etching with aquatint, 27 1/4 × 22 1/4 in. (69.2 × 56.5 cm). Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art at Hamilton College, Clinton, NY. Gift of Philip W. Abell, Class of 1957. © 2025 Emily Mason & Alice Trumbull Mason Foundation / Licensed by VAGA at Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY. Image courtesy of the Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art at Hamilton College, Clinton, NY. Photo by Mark DiOrio.
Munson's programs are made possible, in part, by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
The snow has blanketed the grass and the beautiful flowers, especially the dahlias that graced the Munson campus, are now dormant for the season. Watching the changing seasons bring beauty to our new Genesee Street landscape has been a delight through 2025, and 2026 promises to be even more spectacular as plantings flourish and spread. In my New Year’s column last year, I encouraged members to spread their wings and try something new at Munson—a new art class (or maybe your first art class), a new type of musical performance or film, or exploring a type of artwork or exhibition out of your usual comfort zone. A number of you wrote to me to share your experiences, and your insights are always appreciated. Can I hold you to that same New Year’s resolution this year? Comments from visitors and Members like you make all the difference, from simple suggestions to expressions of appreciation. Some of the most meaningful comments describe transformative moments—encounters with art or music that move people to tears or to dancing, inspire spontaneous joy, or shift their perspective. It turns out that these experiences may be good for your health. A recent article published online in The Guardian (“Picture of Health: Going to Art Galleries Can Improve Wellbeing…”), cited research conducted at King's College London. The study measured physiological responses to viewing original painting masterpieces in a gallery setting. It was found that “art positively influences the immune, hormone, and nervous systems all at once – something never previously recorded. The findings suggest that seeing original art not only moves people emotionally, but also calms the body and promotes health and well-being.” As we welcome 2026, I encourage you to make Munson a regular part of your wellness routine. Whether you're drawn to the quiet contemplation of our galleries, the energy of a live performance, or the creative expression of a hands-on class, your engagement enriches your overall wellness and our community. I look forward to hearing about your discoveries in the year ahead and to crossing paths with you on our beautiful campus throughout the seasons. With warm wishes for a healthy and inspired New Year,
Anna Tobin D’Ambrosio President and CEO
CALENDAR OF EVENTS Art Story with Utica Public Library Thursday, Jan. 8, 10:30 a.m. Museum of Art | Art Odyssey Free
The Met: Live in HD: I Puritani, Vincenzo Bellini
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ART AND YOGA Saturdays 10:30 a.m.
Saturday, Jan. 10, 1 p.m. Museum of Art | Sinnott Family–Bank of Utica Auditorium $26 Members | $32 General Public | $16 Students
Munson Book Club: Daytime Session: The Art Spy Tuesday, Jan. 20, 11 a.m. Pratt Munson Library Free | Registration required
The Met: Live in HD: The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, Mason Bates
Saturday, Jan. 24, 1 p.m. Museum of Art | Sinnott Family–Bank of Utica Auditorium $26 Members | $32 General Public | $16 Students
Curator Talk with Elizabeth Welch, Associate Curator of American Art Monuments Man: Lincoln Kirstein
Wednesday, Feb. 4, noon Museum of Art | Sinnott Family–Bank of Utica Auditorium Free
Art Story with Utica Public Library Thursday, Feb. 5, 10:30 a.m. Museum of Art | Art Odyssey Free
Jenie Gao: The Deer Garden Opening Reception Friday, Feb. 6, 3 to 5 p.m. Museum of Art | Pratt Munson Gallery Free
The Train Screening
Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2 p.m. Museum of Art | Sinnott Family–Bank of Utica Auditorium $5 Members | $8 General Public
Drop-in fee per class: $10 Members $15 Public
Easton Pribble Lecture Series: Anna Han
Thursday, Feb. 12, noon Museum of Art | Sinnott Family—Bank of Utica Auditorium Free
Rachel's Place: A Pop-Up Speakeasy Saturday, Feb. 14, 7 to 9 p.m. Fountain Elms | Terrace Café $52 Members | $60 General Public
Art Alive! Family Days with Milkshake
Tuesday, Feb. 17, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Performance: 11 a.m., Workshop: 1 p.m. Museum of Art | Sinnott Family–Bank of Utica Auditorium Free
Munson Book Club: Evening Session: The Art Spy Tuesday, Feb. 17, 6 p.m. Pratt Munson Library Free | Registration required
FILM SERIES
NEW 2026 FILM PASSES
Wednesdays and Fridays | 2 and 7:30 p.m.
Starting Jan. 1, new Film Series 10-ticket passbooks will be available for purchase:
$8 Members | $10 General Public | $6 Students Join us each week for new foreign, independent, and award-winning films. Film selections are announced a week before the first series of the month. Film tickets and descriptions: munson.art/films Student tickets: call 315-797-0055
$75 Members $95 General Public Visit munson.art/films for more information.
The series is sponsored by M&T Bank and by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature. M U NSO N B U L L E TIN
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ON VIEW MUSEUM OF ART The Finer Part of Our Nature: Helen Munson Williams and the Utica Art Association On view through fall 2026 Museum of Art | 1 South Gallery | Free
Frederic Edwin Church (American, 1826–1900), Sunset, 1856. Oil on canvas, with original frame. 24 x 36 in. Proctor Collection, PC. 21.
2026 marks the 200th anniversary of Frederic Church, America’s greatest landscape artist. Munson’s landscape by Church, Sunset (1856), once belonged to Helen Munson Williams. The Finer Part of Our Nature highlights Williams’s collection and her connection to the Utica Art Association, which brought major American artists, including Church, to Utica. Williams’s influence on the city was described as cultivating “the highest artistic and finer part of our natures.” See the results of her vision in this new installation, presented as part of the international celebration of Church’s 200th anniversary: Church 200.
Constellations: Works on Paper from Three Collections On view Feb. 19 through April 12 Museum of Art | Dr. William L. Boyle, Jr. Gallery | Free
Three collections—countless connections! Constellations brings together an intriguing mix of drawings, photographs, and graphic arts from three remarkable collections, creating unexpected dialogues between artworks. Curated by Hamilton College students, this exhibition showcases exceptional prints, drawings, and photographs from Munson’s impressive collection along with works from Hamilton’s Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art and the distinguished private collection of Michael and Lisa Shapiro. Ron Kleemann. Porsche, 1980. Color lithograph on Arches paper, 27 1/8 × 32 in. (68.9 × 81.3 cm). Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art at Hamilton College, Clinton, NY. Gift of John E. McConnaughy, Jr., P’78. © Estate of Ron Kleemann. Image courtesy of the Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art at Hamilton College, Clinton, NY. Photo by Dave Revette.
PRATT MUNSON GA LLERY
Jenie Gao: The Deer Garden
On view Feb. 6 to March 6 Opening Reception: Friday, Feb. 6, 3 to 5 p.m. The Deer Garden is an homage to the imagination of the oppressed who, in the face of many uncertainties, maintain a sense of home. In this exhibition, Jenie Gao presents two installations that investigate material culture and the tension of disappearance and displacement.
Artist-in-Residence Exhibition Quincey Spagnoletti: Home Studio
March 13 to April 3 Opening Reception: Friday, March 13, 3 to 5 p.m.
Quincey Spagnoletti, Straight Lines, detail, 2023. Archival inkjet print. 2
Photographer Quincey Spagnoletti explores inherited traits through staged scenes that revisit the spaces, objects, and rituals of her upbringing. Drawing from memory and conversations with maternal figures, she transforms symbols of control into sites of questioning and self-definition.
CURATOR'S CORNER
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TRENTON FALLS PAINTING RETURNS TO UTICA Last year, I organized an exhibition exploring Trenton Falls, our local artistic hotspot. Later, Joyce Day Homan, a descendant of the Moore family, the 19th-century owners of the falls and its storied hotel, told me that walking into the gallery felt like a family reunion. By the time Homan visited her grandparents in the Barneveld area as a child, the family had moved away from the hotel business. She still grew up loving the landscape and prizing a few paintings, photographs, and drawings that remained with her family, including an unusual view of the falls by artist Henry Cleenewerck. I was thrilled when Homan offered this beautiful painting of the falls to Munson. Cleenewerck's oblique, late afternoon view depicts the hillside and forest in silhouette, and his bright white brushstrokes lend the streaming water extra liquidity. It is also moving that this compelling local view by such a welltraveled artist stayed with the Moore family until now. Throughout the mid-1800s, the Belgian-born artist Henry Cleenewerck caught the flow of commerce to destinations as far-flung as Cuba and Central New York. Eventually, he attained American citizenship and settled in San Francisco before returning to his birth country at the end of his life. In the 1850s, Trenton Falls was a standard stop along the most popular travel route in the United States, the path from New York City to Niagara Falls. Cleenewerck became one of many artists who joined the tourists enjoying the falls.
Henry Cleenewerck (American, born Belgium, 1818–1901), View Down the Ravine from the Western Edge of High Falls, 1854. Oil on canvas. 18 3/4 x 25 1/4 in. Gift of Joyce Day Homan in Memory of the Moore Family, 2025.8.
Michael Moore built his luxury resort at Trenton Falls, 15 miles north of Utica, to attract genteel visitors. He hired the writer Nathaniel Parker Willis to describe the falls and hotel with poetic flair. Moore also partnered with area businessmen to arrange stage coaches and a dedicated rail spur to the falls. Art was clearly key to Moore’s vision. He hung paintings, drawings, and prints, including View Down the Ravine, throughout his hotel. – Elizabeth Welch, Ph.D., Associate Curator of American Art
CALL FOR PARTICIPANTS MUSEUM INSIGHTERS Does American art and history fascinate you? If so, join Munson’s Museum InSighters! This new group will help Munson’s curators highlight the most interesting stories and spectacular works in fresh, accessible ways. Participants will join a series of discussions exploring the Museum’s art made before 1920. Museum InSighters will look closely at art with Munson’s curators and discuss everything from colonial portraiture to the development of art museums. Contact Elizabeth Welch, Associate Curator of American Art, at ewelch@munson.art with any questions or to join.
Thomas Cole (American, born England, 1801–1848), The Voyage of Life: Youth, 1840. Oil on canvas. 52 1/2 x 78 1/2 in. Museum Purchase, 55.106.
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PERFORMING ARTS The Met: Live in HD I Puritani by V. Bellini
Saturday, Jan. 10 | 1 p.m. For gorgeous melody, spellbinding coloratura, and virtuoso vocal fireworks, I Puritani has few equals. Its depiction of madness—both in individuals and in communities—is extraordinary: the opera suggests that the veneer of sanity can slip away at any moment, that madness can plunge a person into a destructive abyss.
The Met: Live in HD The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay By M. Bates, based on the novel by Michael Chabon Saturday, Jan. 24 | 1 p.m.
Recorded live earlier this season, the exhilarating operatic adaptation of Michael Chabon’s Pulitzer Prize–winning novel follows two Jewish cousins who create a comic-book superhero, hoping to recruit America into the fight against Nazism. $26 Members | $32 General Public | $16 Students Museum of Art | Sinnott Family–Bank of Utica Auditorium The Met: Live in HD is sponsored at Munson by Elizabeth R. Lemieux, Ph.D.
Art Alive! Free Family Days
Museum of Art | Sinnott Family–Bank of Utica Auditorium
Milkshake
FREE
Thursday, Feb. 17 | 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Performance: 11 a.m. | Workshop 1 p.m.
Kids Crafts and Activities: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Milkshake is a Grammy-nominated children’s music band that rocks the stage with infectious energy, catchy tunes, and kid-friendly lyrics that celebrate childhood. Funding for Art Alive! is provided by the MetLife Foundation, Preferred Mutual Insurance Company, Sheila and Ron Cuccaro, and Rona Lucas, in memory of Roslyn and Irving Levine.
For tickets, visit munson.art, call 315-797-0055, or stop by the Museum welcome desk.
RACHEL’S PLACE A POP-UP SPEAKEASY SATURDAY, FEB. 14 7 TO 9PM
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NEW!
Fountain Elms | Terrace Café $52 Members | $60 General Public Pre-register by Friday, Feb. 6.
Got the password? You’ll need it for Utica’s hottest new speakeasy—Rachel’s Place, honoring Rachel Proctor of Munson’s founding family. For one night only: Roaring Twenties cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, live music, and rare collection highlights. Dress the part!
Register: munson.art/rachels-place
Rachel's Place is sponsored by Carol W. Steele.
JAN | F E B 2 02 6
FOOD + ART UNITE AT MUNSON Oscar®-Nominated Short Films Weekend
Food + Art Unite
Experience the year's most spectacular short films at Munson! Nominee categories include Live Action, Animation, and Documentary. Each compilation will be shown separately over the course of the weekend with time in between for discussion and refreshments.
Celebrate the rich global palette and cultural cuisine enjoyed in Utica at a food tasting and multicultural event at Munson. Sample dishes from area restaurants and enjoy music and live performances at this event for all ages.
More details available after the nominations are announced.
More details available at munson.art/food-art
Saturday, March 7 through Sunday, March 8
Sunday, March 22, noon to 3 p.m. Tickets available starting Feb. 3
Co-hosted by Munson and 92.7 FM The Drive/El Zorro.
Funding provided by Baird Financial Management
BOOK CLUB + ART TALKS Munson Book Club: The Art Spy
Daytime Session: Tuesday, Jan. 20, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Evening Session: Tuesday, Feb. 17, 6 to 8 p.m. Pratt Munson Library | Free (Registration required)
Join fellow art and literature enthusiasts for the launch of the Munson Book Club, featuring engaging discussions on books that explore the art world and its intersections with history, culture, and creativity. Our first selection will be The Art Spy by Michelle Young, which tells the fascinating story of Rose Valland, a daring curator-turned-spy working at the Jeu de Paume art museum during the Nazi occupation of Paris. Visit munson.art/book-club for all the latest information.
Curator Talk with Elizabeth Welch, Associate Curator of American Art Monuments Man: Lincoln Kirstein Wednesday, Feb. 4, noon
Museum of Art | Sinnott Family–Bank of Utica Auditorium | Free In this talk, Associate Curator of American Art Elizabeth Welch will share her insights about Lincoln Kirstein, the co-founder of New York City Ballet and a major art patron. He was also one of the famed Monuments Men, who helped locate and return looted art during World War II. The subject of this program complements Munson’s current Book Club selection. All are welcome to attend.
The Train Screening
Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2 p.m. Museum of Art | Sinnott Family–Bank of Utica Auditorium $5 Members | $8 General Public In The Train (1964), Resistance fighters race to save French art looted by the Nazis. The story is loosely based on a book by Rose Valland, whose story is told in The Art Spy, Munson’s Book Club selection for January and February. M U NSO N B U L L E TIN
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Constellations Works on Paper from Three Collections
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Feb. 20–April 12, 2026 Museum of Art Dr. William J. Boyle, Jr. Gallery
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Munson Museum of Art Wellin Museum of Art at Hamilton College Michael and Lisa Shapiro
Images left to right: (1) Ron Kleemann. Porsche, 1980. Color lithograph on Arches paper, 27 1/8 × 32 in. Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art at Hamilton College, Clinton, NY. Gift of John E. McConnaughy, Jr., P’78. © Estate of Ron Kleemann. Photo by Dave Revette. (2) Silvia Saunders. Untitled (Tree), possibly from the Clinton Scenes series, c.1931-37. Gelatin silver print, 9 1/4 × 13 7/16 in. Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art at Hamilton College, Clinton, NY. Gift of Mrs. Edward W. Root, W1905, P1944, H1952. © Estate of Silvia Saunders. Photo by Dave Revette. (3) Robert Mapplethorpe. Untitled #4, from the Ken Moody Portfolio, 1985. Photogravure with watercolor additions, 29 9/16 × 24 13/16 in. Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art at Hamilton College, Clinton, NY. Gift of Martina Hamilton, P1995, GP2022. © Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation. Photo by John Bentham. (4) Edward Ruscha (American, born 1937), Cheese Mold Standard Olive (Enberg 31), 1969. 20 1/2 x 38 in. From the private collection of Michael and Lisa Shapiro. (5) Allan D'Arcangelo (American, 1930–1998), Gulf Series, 1969. Serigraph on paper. 23 3/8 x 25 7/16 in. Munson Museum of Art. Museum Purchase, 70.29.
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An exciting exhibition organized by students at Hamilton College will open Feb. 20 in the Dr. William J. Boyle, Jr. Gallery on the second floor of the Museum of Art. Constellations is the culmination of a year-long collaboration between Hamilton College and Munson, orbiting around the College’s art history course, “From Collecting to Curating,” taught by Munson Trustee and Professor of Photography at Hamilton, Robert Knight; and Michael Shapiro, retired Director of the High Museum in Atlanta and Hamilton College alumnus. Sixteen students whose majors ranged from art and art history to economics and physics explored the complex methods of organizing an art exhibition from gathering the works to making sense of their associations and meanings. This term is the second iteration of the curatorial class offered by Professors Knight and Shapiro. The first was held five years ago, when the students created a virtual exhibition. For the current project, Knight successfully applied for a grant from the Daniel W. Dietrich ’64 Fund for Innovation in the Arts at Hamilton College so that the students could create an inperson exhibition as well as recommend an acquisition to both Munson Museum of Art and the Wellin Museum at Hamilton.
During the fall term, the group visited the three participating collections to examine the pieces in person. The students developed the theme of their show, Constellations, by organizing artworks by Imogen Cunningham, Robert Mapplethorpe, Julie Mehretu, Gerhard Richter, Ed Ruscha, and others around themes such as Car Culture, The Language of Abstraction, and Portraiture and Power. They then worked in teams to write interpretive text, develop an interactive space for museum visitors, design the gallery layout, and complete other important functions of exhibition planning. In addition to organizing the exhibition, the students took a whirlwind trip to New York City with Knight and Shapiro to meet museum professionals and visit art foundations, galleries, and a printmaking studio. Each stop introduced the class to a different facet of visual arts professions. Most exciting was the opportunity to confer with gallerists to select a range of works on paper to present to the museums for their collections. Working in small groups, the students researched an artist and drawing, photograph, or print under consideration and presented four recommendations each to Wellin and Munson curatorial staff. From the four, the museums were able to choose one work. Munson looks forward to announcing its choice soon.
The Museum is pleased to engage with community partners for important educational experiences such as Constellations. This project is supported by the Daniel W. Dietrich ’64 Fund for Innovation in the Arts, Hamilton College, Clinton, N.Y.
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WELCOME NEW MUNSON BOARD MEMBERS JACKIE WALTERS
BENEDIKT SANDER
When Jackie Walters moved to Clinton with her family in 2014, Munson was one of the first places they visited together. Eleven years later, she hopes to help Munson be an inspiration to others in the community like it was for her.
R. Benedikt Sander, a native of Germany, and his family have been involved with Munson since relocating to the Utica area and, in February 2025, Sander joined the Munson Board Finance Committee.
“We were so happy to find an active, family-friendly arts organization right here in the Utica area,” Walters says. “Exploring the galleries and attending events with our kids made us feel instantly connected to the community.”
“Art has always been an important part of our lives,” Sander says. “Since moving here, our family has enjoyed so many aspects of Munson— from its exhibitions and concerts to the jewelry-making classes my wife Erika loves and the welcoming social events that make it such a vibrant part of Utica’s cultural life.”
When Walters was a child, her family fled Laos and found a new home in the Syracuse area. She graduated from Clarkson University with a degree in Civil Engineering. Her career and family life took her to Boston, London, and New York City, before returning to Central New York. She currently serves as Vice President of Planning and Operations at M3 Placement and Partnership. Before joining M3, she was executive director of the Clinton Chamber of Commerce, where she led several high-impact community projects including securing the 2018 Kraft Hockeyville title for the Village of Clinton and helping establish the Clinton Kirkland Improvement Corporation, which earned a $10 million state grant for downtown revitalization. She is deeply engaged in the Mohawk Valley and Central New York communities, serving on a multitude of regional boards and committees, and her contributions have earned her the New York State Robert J. Uplinger Distinguished Service Award and recognition as a 40 Over 40 honoree.
In 2021, Sander became the President and CEO of Preferred Mutual Insurance Company after serving as the executive vice president of insurance operations. His career spans more than 20 years in the insurance industry, including senior leadership roles with national carriers, where he gained deep expertise in strategy, agency management, product development, and underwriting. He also holds professional designations as a Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) and an Accredited Adviser in Insurance (AAI). “I brought my company’s board to Munson for a strategic planning offsite meeting, and I remember how being surrounded by art encouraged creative and expansive thinking,” Sander noted. “Places like Munson can inspire not only individuals but entire communities to see the world in new ways. I’m excited to join the Board to help support Munson’s mission and to contribute to the community that has already made us feel so much at home.”
NEW EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE The new year also brings changes to the Munson Board leadership. After serving a full term as Board Chair, F. X. Matt III has stepped down from his leadership role. Christian Heilmann is the new Chair, having served most recently as Vice Chair and as Chair of the Finance Committee. Dietra Harvey will move from her role as Board
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Secretary to that of Vice Chair. Harvey also serves on the Finance Committee and chairs the Governance Committee. Mark Levitt, who has served on the Munson board since 2010 (with a one-year required hiatus), will become Board Secretary.
SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
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Each year, Munson presents hundreds of events, from small gatherings to major performances, drawing audiences from the Mohawk Valley and beyond. Sponsors don’t just provide funding; they make these exceptional experiences possible. As you explore this Bulletin and our event announcements, notice who's making these events possible. Your name could be associated with one of these programs in the future! Perhaps you could sponsor one of the following:
Charles Burchfield, American (1893–1967), Decorative Landscape, Hot Morning Sunlight (detail), 1916. Transparent and opaque watercolor with graphite on paper. 13 7/8 x 19 7/8 in. Edward W. Root Bequest, 57.94.
Poetic Passages: Charles Burchfield and Edward Root in Art and Letters On view May 14–Sept. 6, 2026 Presenting Sponsor: $25,000 to $50,000 Lead Sponsor: $10,000
Pratt Munson Sophomore Exhibition On view April 17–May 16, 2026 Opening reception, April 25: $2,500
Summer Art Kits for Kids Sponsor: $5,000
Sponsor: $5,000
FOUNTAIN ELMS SOCIETY
UPCOMIN G EXCLUSIV E EVENTS
UPCOMING EVENTS
Art Insider's Trip to NYC
Art in Bloom Sunday Brunch
Treat yourself to a luxurious art-insider overnight in Manhattan with Munson staff, featuring a personalized Frick tour, a private collection visit, dinner at the private Century Association, and four-star lodging with breakfast overlooking Central Park.
Come for brunch and stay for the extraordinary floral arrangements adorning the galleries on the last day of this springtime weekend. Vote for your favorites, including choosing the Fountain Elms Award winner to be announced at 3 p.m.
Tuesday to Wednesday, Feb. 24 to 25
Price ranges from $1,200 to $1,400 per person. Learn more: munson.art/insider-trip Register: Contact Barbara Pratt, 315-797-0000 ext. 2158 RSVP by Jan. 16. Payment is nonrefundable.
April 12, 10 a.m.–noon
Register: events@munson.art or 315-927-8517 Interested in becoming a Fountain Elms Member? Contact Elizabeth Gustafson, 315-797-0000 ext. 2104 M U NSO N B U L L E TIN
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MUNSON FALL EVENTS AT A GLANCE
Art Alive! (Veteran's Day)
Munson Art Night with the Utica Comets
Keyboard Conversation with Jeffrey Siegel
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Lunch & Listen
Roberto Lugo Artist Talk
Munson After Dark
Fountain Elms Society dahlia demonstration with grounds supervisor Danny Beever
RETIREMENT
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APRIL OSWALD After a dynamic and successful 24-year tenure as Museum of Art education director, April Oswald retired at the end of 2025. Her time at Munson has been marked by innovative education experiences—a legacy that will live on for many years to come. Along with her dedicated colleagues and team of docents, Oswald professionalized the Museum of Art's emerging education department, including reinterpreting and reformulating the hundreds of school tours Munson offers annually, allowing for thousands of students from across the tri-county region to come to the Museum. Oswald also expanded the Museum's educational offerings to include opportunities for students and families to learn experientially such as the Exploring Museum Careers High School Program, Museum Renegades, Art on Stage, Art Alive! Family Days, Art Story, and internships. She was the catalyst behind the Museum’s innovative Art Odyssey interactive gallery, guiding the project from conception to creation. Perhaps the most enduring legacy that Oswald brought to Munson has been her devotion to accessibility for our visitors. She produced the Museum's first audio tours and digital labels throughout the galleries and has worked to make the galleries more inclusive for people of all backgrounds and languages. Her commitment to Utica's diverse population was a guiding force in the Museum's shift to a more community-based approach to its collections and exhibitions. Oswald has raised the bar for learning and engagement at Munson and has been a much-loved member of the Munson family—educator, department head, colleague, leader, and friend. As she looks forward to nurturing her growing family, Munson wishes her well on her next chapter.
CALL FOR 2026 ART IN BLOOM FLORAL DESIGNERS Application Deadline: Jan. 31, 2026 Do you have a way with flowers? Floral designers, garden club members, horticulturists, master gardeners, and artists are invited to apply! Submit an application with three images of your work for a chance to design for Munson’s next annual Art in Bloom, on view April 10–12. Selected participants will interpret an artwork in flowers; designs will be displayed beside the artworks during this popular three-day event.
Application: munson.art/spring-weekend For more information, contact: Barbara Pratt, Museum Education Department 315-797-0000 ext. 2158
SPRING WEEKEND AT MUNSON APRIL 10–12, 2026
Celebrating 25 Years of Pratt Munson! On Oct. 30, New York State Senator Joseph Griffo presented Anna D’Ambrosio with a Senate proclamation marking the 25th anniversary of the partnership between Pratt Munson and Pratt Institute. The proclamation celebrates Pratt Munson’s profound impact on Utica’s creative community—bringing emerging artists from around the world to Central New York and enriching our region’s vibrant cultural landscape. Here’s to 25 years of art, education, and community! From left to right: Utica Mayor Michael Galime, Munson President and CEO Anna D'Ambrosio, and Senator Joseph Griffo
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COMMUNITY ARTS SPRING CLASS HIGHLIGHTS MINI-COURSE
The Art of Useful Woodworking
Joe Koronowski | Beginners–Intermediate | 18+ Thursdays, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. | March 12 to April 16 Learn basic woodworking skills as you design and build a functional piece for your home such as a beginner's project of a serving tray or an intermediate's project of a small bench or keepsake box. WORKSHOP
Nuno Felted Shawl
Mallory Zondag | All Levels | 16+ Saturday, March 14, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Felt your own beautiful wearable piece of art during this workshop. Learn how to apply merino wool roving, silks, silk fibers, yarns, and other materials, fusing all the elements into a cohesive textile.
Fashion Sewing for Beginners
Niki English | Beginners | 16+ Mondays, 6 to 9 p.m. | Jan. 26 to April 20 (no class Feb. 16) Discover the basics of operating a sewing machine, how to read a paper pattern, and to properly prepare and cut fabric. Learn basic construction techniques for garments such as hem finishes, darts, and more. Full class schedule: munson.art/community-arts Register: munson.art/community-arts or 315-797-8260
PRATT MUNSON STUDENT HIGHLIGHT TAARENA RATHORE ’28 Major: Graphic Design Hometown: Dallas, Texas Taarena Rathore loves the community Pratt Munson offers and the freedom her education has allowed her in finding her own voice as an artist. Working as a social media representative for °1824 - Universal Music Group in her spare time, Rathore is getting a headstart on preparing for a professional career, learning how to balance clients’ needs with her own creativity.
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How have your experiences at Pratt Munson and in your work changed you as an artist? I draw inspiration from my coworkers, artists, professors, and my research at Pratt Munson, which has made my work more experimental and allowed me to combine my love of music and art in both school projects and real-world experiences. What do you hope to achieve once you graduate? I plan to work in the creative field of the music industry full-time after graduation, either through graphic design, photography, or film. One of my goals is to go on tour as a concert photographer. I also hope to expand my photography into other industries, such as film, as well as personal projects.
INFORMATION AND HOURS
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Museum of Art, including Museum Shop Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Fountain Elms Closed beginning Jan. 5 and reopening Tuesday, Feb. 3
MUNSON MUSEUM SHOP Discover curated collections of handcrafted jewelry, unique home decor, and artistic wonders that will make a wonderful gift this holiday season. All Members receive 10% off at the Museum Shop. Consignment items are excluded. Learn more at munson.art/museum-shop
Performing Arts Tickets Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Doors open one hour before performances and 30 minutes before films. Tickets: 315-797-0055, 1-800-754-0797, or munson.art Pratt Munson and Community Arts Offices Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Art Research Library Monday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, noon to 5 p.m., Sunday 3 to 5 p.m. The following areas are accessible to the physically challenged: Museum of Art galleries, Fountain Elms, Sinnott Family–Bank of Utica Auditorium, Root Court, Art Odyssey: Interactive Gallery, Museum Shop, Art Library, Performing Arts Office, School of Art Gallery, Studio D, Pottery Studio, the Academic Building, and Student Center.
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MUNSON
JAN | F E B 2 02 6
310 Genesee St. Utica, N.Y. 13502 315-797-0000 munson.art
CONCERT IN THE COURT
LIVE FROM LAUREL CANYON: JAMES & JONI: THEIR STORIES, THEIR SONGS SATURDAY, MARCH 14
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7:30PM
$30 Members | $38 General Public | $16 Students Gold Sponsor: Preferred Mutual Insurance Company | Silver Sponsor: PJ Green, Inc.
Returning after last year’s sold-out performance, Live from Laurel Canyon presents a brand-new show: James & Joni: Their Stories, Their Songs. This heartfelt concert chronicles the remarkable careers of two songwriting legends, James Taylor and Joni Mitchell. Tickets at munson.art/live-laurel-26 M U NSO N B U L L E TIN
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