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Taft Museum of Art Calendar of Events —March 2011 Special Exhibitions Through May 15, 2011 The American Impressionists in the Garden Spring begins a bit early in 2011, withThe American Impressionists in the Garden. Bringing together brilliantly colored paintings of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the exhibition features 40 pictures of European and American gardens created by American Impressionists and four bronze sculptures for gardens by American sculptors. This exhibition explores the importance of gardens in American art and society in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. During that time, American impressionist painters turned their attention to the garden, finding it an ideal subject for the study of light and color in landscape, and they were not alone.  Some celebrated American artists included in the exhibition are John Singer Sargent, Childe Hassam, Gari Melchers, Ernest Lawson, and Frederick Frieseke. The relationships between the gardening movement and the fine arts of painting and sculpture is the focus of this exhibition, which is organized by the Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art in Nashville, Tenn. Admission to this exhibition is $13 for adults, $10 for seniors and students, and free to those under 18. On Sunday, admission to the exhibition is $5, with free admission to the historic house and collections. Sponsors: Nancy and Ed Rosenthal; Robert W. Baird & Co. in Honor of Paul G. Sittenfeld Exhibitions Support Provided by Ellen and George Rieveschl Endowment Media Partner: Local 12/WKRC TV Operating support provided by ArtsWave: Ohio Arts Council Through April 25, 2011  American Impressionism from Cincinnati Collections Thanks to the generosity of private lenders, the Taft Museum of Art presents a selection of some outstanding late 19th- and early 20th-century paintings. All are examples of American Impressionism, a term that refers to subjects of contemporary life and landscape rendered in a freely brushed style. By the 1880s and ‘90s, Impressionism had spread from its beginnings in Paris to become an international style.  Unlike the French Impressionists, most American artists adopted the new style with some reservations. Many preserved a more finished, carefully drawn style for the human figure, not letting it dissolve into the welter of strokes used for outdoor elements of their compositions. This trait distinguished many American Impressionists from their European counterparts. Viewed all together, these colorful, boldly brushed canvases amplify the themes of the exhibition The American Impressionists in the Garden on view in Fifth Third Gallery. Presenting sponsors: Fifth Third Bank Foundation: Fifth Third Private Bank Sponsors: Chellgren Family Endowment Fund Cincinnati Horticultural Society Exhibitions Support Provided by Ellen and George Rieveschl Endowment Media Partner: Local 12/WKRC TV Operating support provided by ArtsWave: Ohio Arts Council Programs & Events Highlights of the Taft Sundays, 1:30 p.m. After lunch or before a concert on Sunday afternoons, join a Taft docent for a tour of the highlights of the Museum’s world-renowned collection. Free with Museum admission. No reservations are taken. For information call (513) 684-4515. Drop-in Tours: The American Impressionists in the Garden Saturdays, 1:30 p.m. A Taft docent will lead a tour through the special exhibition Wednesdays, 12:45 and 1:15 p.m. Taft in 10 Come for lunch—stay for a quick (sound) bite in the galleries. Enjoy an informal ten-minute conversation every Wednesday as we serve up some of the Museum’s many masterpieces as well as some lesser-known nibbles. Free with Museum admission or lunch in the café. March 2 – Léonard Limosin, The Children of Mars March 9 – Adriaen van Ostade, Interior of an Inn with Three Men and a Boy March 16 – Robert S. Duncanson, Abandoned Mill Scene March 23 – Jan Steen, The Doctor’s Visit March 30 – Style of Corneille de Lyon, Jean d’Albon de Saint-André FREE with Museum admission or café/shop purchase, no reservations taken. For information call (513) 684-4515 Sponsor: Mike and Digi Schueler Sunday, March 13, 2 p.m. Chamber Music Series: Frank Proto, double bass, and Tim Berens, guitar Local favorites with national reputations, Proto and Berens will put together a program that mixes jazz and classical music—with some surprises. A member of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO) for three decades, Proto is both musician and gifted composer. Guitarist for the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, Berens is an orchestral guitarist, orchestrator, and avid and active jazz guitarist. Sponsor: The Wohlgemuth Herschede Foundation ArtsWave Partner: American Financial Group and Related Entities Sunday, March 20, 1–4 p.m. Third Sunday Funday: Flower Power Bring the whole family to the Taft on the third Sunday of March to explore, create, and play. Activities are free and ongoing, so drop in when you can and stay as long as you like. Make a day of it by arriving early to enjoy lunch in the Taft’s Lindner Family Café, which features a children’s menu. Use the family guide to explore the special exhibition The American Impressionists in the Garden (admission charged for nonmember adults) or take a child’s-eye view of “Feathers and Flowers” in the Taft Museum of Art collections. Use building blocks to experiment with garden design. Experience the puppet show “The Spring Hare,” presented by the early childhood faculty of the Cincinnati Waldorf School. Get a bud or bug painted on your face. Make a flower fairy or gnome to take home. FREE. No reservations taken. Information: (513) 684-4515 or www.taftmuseum.org Sponsor: Charles H. Dater Foundation ArtsWave Partner: Enquirer Media Thursday, March 24, 7 p.m. Lecture: From Paris to Cincinnati: Impressionism Comes to the Queen City by Julie Aronson, Ph.D., Curator of American Paintings, Sculpture, and Drawings, Cincinnati Art Museum It is hard for us to imagine today that the merits of Impressionism were once hotly debated. Cincinnati critics and collectors took decades to warm up to the “new painting.” Julie Aronson looks at the contributions of Cincinnati artists Frank Duveneck, John Henry Twachtman, Lewis Henry Meakin and others to the development of American Impressionism. The exhibitions The American Impressionist in the Garden and American Impressionism from Cincinnati Collections will be open until the lecture begins. FREE Members & Students. $10 Public (includes exhibition admission) Reservations: (513) 684-4515 or www.taftmuseum.org Sponsor: Docents of the Taft Museum of Art ArtsWave Partner: Duke Energy Sunday, March 27, 2–4 p.m., North Avondale Art in the Afternoon: Barbara Henshaw, collector Now in its ninth season, this series of four Sunday afternoon salons features local artists offering insights into their careers and work as they share their passions with their audience. Addresses and directions to specific venues will be provided upon registration. Recently retired vice president and officer in charge at the Cincinnati branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, Henshaw has been collecting art for more than 20 years. With husband Daniel Barth, Henshaw will share with guests her collection of paintings, sculpture, and prints by regional contemporary artists along with African masks, sculpture, and textiles. Series: $30 Members. $40 Public Individual sessions: $12 Members. $15 Public Advance paid registration required: (513) 684-4516 or www.taftmuseum.org Sponsor: Daniel and Susan Pfau Foundation ArtsWave Partner: PNC Presented by the Robert S. Duncanson Society
The Taft Museum of Art is at 316 Pike St., in downtown Cincinnati. The Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $8 for adults, $6 for students and seniors and free for children under 18. The museum is free to all on Sundays. Call 513-241-0343 or visit the website at www.taftmuseum.org for additional information. ###### The Taft Museum of Art is supported in part by the generosity of individuals and businesses that give annually to ArtsWave. The Ohio Arts Council helps fund the Museum with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence, and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. The Taft Museum of Art is accredited by the American Association of Museums and is affiliated with the Association of Midwest Museums and the Ohio Museums Association. Mission Statement The Taft Museum of Art welcomes people of every background to experience a world-renowned collection in a beautiful historic house. Through its intimate presentation of the Tafts' treasures and its engaging exhibitions, programs, and activities, the Museum creates enjoyment and learning opportunities for all. Diversity Statement The Taft Museum of Art respects the dignity of all people and values what each member of our team brings to the organization. Accordingly, the Museum is committed to building an inclusive environment that welcomes and values diversity. This includes our staff, board of directors, volunteers and visitors. As an organization we recognize the importance of attracting and retaining talented people of different backgrounds. We understand how a diverse work team of staff, board of directors and volunteers benefits our organization by enabling us to draw upon a richness of resources. We want all our team members to feel appreciated for their uniqueness, so we work to foster an environment that provides everyone equal access to information and opportunities. This ensures that each person learns, grows, excels and maximizes his or her personal contributions. The Museum will thus be able to tap into a greater wealth of knowledge, perspectives, and experiences to develop and deliver programs and services to an increasingly diverse audience.