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Taft Museum of Art Calendar of Events—April 2011 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” Tour 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. April 6          – Pierre Courteys, Standing Dish with the Month of April April 13 – Jozef Israëls, Pick-a-Back April 20 – Léonard Limosin, Crucifixion April 27 – Rouleau Vase with Kingfisher among Lotus, China FREE with Museum admission or café/shop purchase, no reservations taken. For information call (513) 684-4515 Sponsor: Mike and Digi Schueler Saturday, April 2, 1–4 p.m. Lectures: Being Green in Cincinnati Even if you don’t have a yard (and especially if you do), there are ways to add some green to your life in the city. Local experts share their knowledge about great public city parks, edible landscaping, and container gardening. Stay after or arrive early to enjoy the Taft’s early spring garden and the exhibition The American Impressionists in the Garden. Sunday, April 3, 2–4 p.m., Northside Art in the Afternoon: Carmen Bowen Bush, painter 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 In 1984, after earning a degree in social work from the University of Cincinnati, raising a family, and living abroad, Cincinnati native Carmen Bowen Bush returned full-time to her hometown and to her childhood love of painting. Working primarily abstractly, with an eye for the emotional potential of color, she cites as her influences travel, music, fashion, and family. Bowen Bush exhibits her work in and around Cincinnati. 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 Thursday, April 7, 1:30 p.m. Gallery Talk: American Impressionism from Cincinnati Collections Michele and Randy Sandler, owners of Cincinnati Art Galleries and lenders to the exhibition, will talk about the images and artists. FREE with Museum admission Reservations required: (513) 684-4515 or www.taftmuseum.org ArtsWave Partner: Duke Energy Saturday, April 9, 1–4 p.m. Workshops and Studios: In Living Color: Floral Watercolor Studio Anissa Lewis, Adjunct Faculty, Art Academy of Cincinnati After viewing the exhibition The American Impressionists in the Garden for inspiration, come into the studio to experience firsthand color and light with the eyes of an Impressionist. We’ll render floral imagery using various watercolor media including paints, pencils, and crayons. Lewis holds an MFA in painting/printmaking from Yale University. All materials provided; for ages 16 to adult. $30 Members & Students. $45 Public Advance paid registration required: (513) 684-4515 or www.taftmuseum.org Friday, April 15, 1:30 p.m. Gallery Talk: The American Impressionists in the Garden Chief Curator Lynne Ambrosini leads tours through this beautiful garden of paintings. Free with exhibition admission Reservations required: (513) 684-4515 or www.taftmuseum.org ArtsWave Partner: Duke Energy Sunday, April 17, 3 p.m. Lecture: Who is Having Lunch at Renoir’s Boating Party? by Richard Brettell, Ph.D., Chair of Art and Aesthetics, University of Texas at Dallas Dr. Brettell will focus on Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s iconic Luncheon of the Boating Party to open a window into understanding the changing character of late 19th-century French society. Why and for whom was this painting created? What are its hidden meanings? Brettell is one of the world’s foremost authorities on French Impressionism and holds a Ph.D. from Yale University. The Woman’s Art Club of Cincinnati Foundation, sponsor of this program, hosts a pre-lecture “Soirée de Printemps” to introduce Dr. Brettell on Saturday, April 16, 6–8 p.m., at The Barn in Mariemont. $10 Members. $12 Public (includes admission to the exhibition The American Impressionists in the Garden) Reservations: (513) 684-4515 or www.taftmuseum.org $30 Soirée de Printemps Reservations: (513) 272-3700 Sponsor: Woman’s Art Club of Cincinnati Foundation Thursday, April 21, 7 p.m. Lecture: Fine Painting as Inspiration for Garden Design by Gordon Hayward, nationally recognized garden designer, writer, and lecturer By juxtaposing a painting and a garden image, Hayward explores the many levels of relationship between how the painter and garden designer compose their images, including visual itinerary, depth, foreground and background, light and shadow, color, mass, and positive and negative space. His book Art and the Gardener: Fine Painting as Inspiration for Garden Design will be available for purchase and signing. The exhibition The American Impressionists in the Garden will be open until 7 p.m. Free Members & Students. $10 Public (includes exhibition admission) Reservations: (513) 684-4515 or www.taftmuseum.org Sponsor: Stanley and Frances D. Cohen Lecture Series
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.