February Events and Programs at Tacoma Art Museum
SPECIAL OFFERS
Museums on Us
Saturday and
Sunday, February 7 and 8
All
Bank of America bankcard holders and employees receive free
admission to Tacoma Art Museum the first weekend of every month
as part of Bank of America’s national Museums on Us
inaugural program in the Pacific Northwest. Visit
www.BankofAmerica.com/museums for details.
Members’ Only Hours
Sunday, February 8
5–7 pm
Members have an opportunity to explore the museum without the
crowds. During these special hours, all of the galleries will be
open for private viewing. Northwest artists whose works are on
view will be available to visit with members, and refreshments
will be served.
PROGRAMS
Many Ways to
Make a Book
Saturday, February 7
1–3 pm
Visitors learn three unique book-making techniques and take home
their creations: a double-layered accordion concertina book; a
small display book for photos, drawings, and postcards; and a
sketchbook/journal. Cost for the workshop is $50; $40 for
members. Price includes admission for one child age 9 and older
with one adult companion. Participants over 14 need not be
accompanied. Pre- registration required as all supplies are
provided. Register via e-mail at
education@TacomaArtMuseum.org or phone at 253.722.2455.
Second Tuesday
David Macaulay: Making an Exhibition about the Way He Works
Tuesday, February 10
10:30 am
Margaret Bullock, Curator of Collections and Special Exhibitions, and Paula McArdle, Director of Education and Public Programs, will discuss how they worked together with artist David Macaulay on the presentation of his current exhibition.
FOR EDUCATORS:
Educator Evening
Thursday, February 19
5:30–8 pm
Educators learn how the museum’s current exhibitions support classroom curricula in art, social studies, language arts, and other subjects at this special event just for teachers. The evening features complimentary wine and hors d’oeuvres, full gallery access, hands-on demonstrations, and opportunities to mingle with colleagues and museum staff. The cost is free, but RSVPs are required via teacher@TacomaArtMuseum.org or 253.272.4258 x3038.
Free Third Thursday
Creative Fun with Color
Thursday, February 19
7 pm
As part of Educator Evening, the public is invited to participate in a hands-on demonstration about the many creative ways to use colored pens, markers, and crayons.
Free Third Thursdays are generously sponsored by The Boeing Company and Columbia Bank.
FOR EDUCATORS:
Reading and Writing Art
Saturday, February 28
9:30 am–3:30
pm
How do artists and writers develop characters, sequence and pace
events, and create dramatic tension in their work? Discover
authentic connections between verbal literacy and visual art
with Beverly Harding Buehler, arts education consultant,
mixed-media artist, and former Manager of Youth and Family
Programs at Seattle Art Museum. The cost is $65; $50 for
members. Advanced registration is required. RSVP to
teacher@TacomaArtMuseum.org or 253.272.4258 x3038.
Tacoma Art Museum’s Teacher Development Programs are generously supported by the William W. Kilworth Foundation.
Taking Pictures through Multiple Lenses: Photography in The Biennial
Saturday, February 28
11 am–4 pm
This half-day program features four Biennial artists who
work in photography, but each in very different and innovative
ways. Michael Kenna, Doug Keyes, Isaac Layman, and Susan Seubert
will present overviews of their work and come together for a
moderated panel discussion. For a detailed schedule of the day,
visit
www.TacomaArtMuseum.org. Cost is $10 and includes museum
admission; $5 for members. Advanced registration is recommended
via e-mail at
programs@TacomaArtMuseum.org or phone at 253.722.2455.
EXHIBITIONS
The Surrealist Impulse: New Acquisitions from the Tacoma Art Museum Collection
Through May 10, 2009
This selection of recent acquisitions to the museum’s collection explores the influence of surrealism in modern and contemporary art. Surrealism was a cultural and philosophical movement that originated in 1920s Europe. Surrealists sought to capture the essence of pure thought, unbound by reason or order. Since the early 1930s, artists have continued to mine surrealism by creating artwork based on dream imagery, non-sequiturs, and free association. Highlights include a 1936 painting by Morris Graves and a 1971 portfolio of prints by Salvador Dali. The broad range of media in the exhibition—glass, video, jewelry, ceramics, prints, and painting—reflects the museum’s collecting goals and its strong interest in the accomplishments of Northwest artists.
This exhibition organized by Tacoma Art Museum and generously sponsored by City Arts Tacoma and AA Party Rentals.
The 9th Northwest Biennial
Through May 25, 2009
The 9th Northwest Biennial features compelling work by some of the most exciting artists in the region. From 543 entries, 24 artists were selected to participate in this exhibition that explores the current aesthetic and conceptual concerns addressed by Northwest artists. Juried and curated collaboratively by Rock Hushka, Tacoma Art Museum’s Curator of Contemporary and Northwest Art, and Alison de Lima Greene, Curator of Contemporary Art and Special Projects at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, the exhibition is structured to prompt dialogue about the Northwest’s artistic strengths, trends, and potential.
This exhibition is organized by Tacoma Art Museum with generous sponsorship provided by Union Bank of California and Safeco Insurance Foundation.
David
Macaulay: The Way He Works
Through June 14, 2009
Original work
by David Macaulay, author of The Way Things Work and the
new book The Way We Work, will be featured in this
exhibition. For more than thirty years, Macaulay’s books have
illustrated and explained the how and why of things, from
airplanes to the circulatory system. In this exhibition,
the spotlight turns on the artist himself, following his
creative process from sketch to finished book. Also included are
some of the detours and wrong turns along the way, giving
visitors real insight into the creative process. The exhibition
features sketches, working drawings, page layouts, and completed
illustrations from such books as Cathedral, Mosque,
Black and White, Motel of the Mysteries, and The
New Way Things Work, as well as his newly published book,
The Way We Work.
Macaulay’s books have sold more than three million copies in the United States alone, and his work has been translated into a dozen languages. His show-and-tell style of illustration makes such complex topics as physics, biology, engineering, and architecture accessible to readers. PBS created two series based on Macaulay’s building books. The Way Things Work was on the New York Times bestseller list for fifty weeks. His many awards include a Caldecott Medal and a MacArthur Fellowship.
This exhibition is organized by Tacoma Art Museum with generous sponsorship provided by Sound Family Medicine, Business Internet Services, and Propel Insurance.
Speaking Parts: Conversations between Works in the Collection
Through November 2010
How do museums decide what artworks to choose for the permanent collection? The process is complex, but at its most basic, the works in the collection need to relate to each other in a variety of ways. Speaking Parts explores this concept through a selection of works from the museum’s collection organized around a mixed-media construction by Northwest artist Dennis Evans. All other artworks in the gallery relate to this work in at least one way. They are grouped under three broad topics: What is a Painting? Materials and Process, and Texts and Symbols. Visitors are encouraged to look for other connections within and between the groups, exploring how artworks can play different roles depending on the context in which they are placed. A notebook in the gallery offers visitors the opportunity to create their own written “conversations” between the works on view.
HOURS
– Tuesdays – Saturdays 10 am – 5 pm, Third Thursdays 10 am – 8
pm, Sundays 12 – 5 pm.
ADMISSION – Adult $7.50, Student/Military/Senior (65+)
$6.50, Family $25 (2 adults and up to 4 children under 18).
Children 5 and under free. Third Thursdays free. Members always
free.
CONTACT – 253.272.4258, www.TacomaArtMuseum.org, info@TacomaArtMuseum.org