The Westmoreland to Present A Shared Legacy: Folk Art in America

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts:
Claire Ertl
Director of Marketing & Public Relations
724.837.1500 x128
certl@thewestmoreland.org

Charlene Bidula
Manager of Communications
724.837.1500 x133
cbidula@thewestmoreland.org

Barbara L. Jones
Chief Curator
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bljones@thewestmoreland.org

GREENSBURG, PA, Thursday, June 23, 2016 – The Westmoreland Museum of American Art will present A Shared Legacy: Folk Art in America, from Saturday, July 9 through Sunday, October 16, 2016. A free opening reception sponsored by Rivertowne Brewing will take place on Saturday, July 9 from 6:30 – 8:00pm with a members-only preview from 6:00 – 6:30pm at which museum members can meet collector Barbara L. Gordon.
This exhibition tells the story of the extraordinary work created by self-taught or minimally trained artists in New England, the Midwest, the Mid-Atlantic, and the South between 1800 and 1925 and is drawn from the private collection of Barbara L. Gordon. Made by artists in rural areas, these works did not always adhere to the academic models that established artistic taste in urban centers of the East Coast. Yet, because of the large number of professional and amateur artists who created folk art in the years following the Nation’s founding — and the sheer quantity of art they produced — folk art was the prevalent art form in the United States for more than a century.
The exhibition features more than 60 works by some of the most admired nineteenth century American artists, including rare and very fine portraits by such artists as Ammi Phillips and John Brewster, Jr.; vivid still lifes, allegorical scenes and landscapes, including a mature Peaceable Kingdom by Edward Hicks; whimsical trade signs and figure and animal sculptures; unique household objects and distinctive examples of furniture from the German American community. In total, they exemplify the breadth of American creative expression during a period of enormous political, social, and cultural change in the United States.
The exhibition is drawn from the Barbara L. Gordon Collection and is organized and circulated by Art Services International, Alexandria, VA. A Shared Legacy is supported by the Hillman Exhibition Fund of The Westmoreland Museum of American Art.
A Shared Legacy: Folk Art in America Events & Programs
Art Beat– From Liker to Lover to Owner: A Collector’s Journey
Saturday, July 9 > 1:00–2:00pm
Join Barbara L. Gordon, owner of the collection featured in A Shared Legacy, for a conversation about how we define folk art, the passion that transforms an admirer into a collector, and advice for anyone who aspires to own original works of art.
Opening Reception
Saturday, July 9 > 6:30–8:00pm (Members-Only Preview 6-6:30pm)
Celebrate the opening of A Shared Legacy with us at this free event! Enjoy live music, light bites provided by J. Corks and a cash bar. Plus, members of the Museum have the opportunity to attend a special preview hosted by the collector, Barbara L. Gordon. RSVPs are appreciated. Sponsored by Rivertowne Brewing.
Please Touch & Create Fun
Saturday, July 9 through Sunday, October 9
Satisfy both your curiosity and desire to touch before or after your visit to A Shared Legacy: Folk Art in America in the Cantilever Gallery (where we respectfully ask you to refrain from touching). Not only will you be able to have direct contact with the objects in this gallery but we encourage you to have fun and ‘touch’ your creative side by making a piece of your own from the supplies provided.
SmART Chat – Stories Told in Ballads and Scrolls
Wednesday, July 20 > 6:00–7:00pm
Join artist and folk singer Ellen Gozion as she performs folk songs filled with powerful storytelling imagery. Discover the magic of “crankies,” an old storytelling art form utilizing a long illustrated scroll wound onto two spools, which Ellen uses to add an extra layer of fancy to her ballads.
Art Beat – Quality vs. Quantity
Saturday, August 13 > 1:00–2:00pm
Meet Robert and Ada Brandegee, retired art dealers and collectors of antiques and folk art, as they share their insight into building collections of art. Learn from their personal stories about the objects they’ve amassed in their lifetime and how they balance the attraction of a beautiful item with its place in their overall plan.
SmART Chat with Barbara Jones
Wednesday, August 17 > 6:00–7:00pm
Join Chief Curator, Barbara Jones, for a gallery talk to learn about how everyday objects evolved into important historical artifacts. From practical cupboards and chests to whimsical carved animals, the nineteenth-century American home featured a wide variety of handmade objects that would rival the offerings of modern-day online retailers like Etsy.
Art Beat with Lisa Minardi
Saturday, September 10 > 1:00–2:00pm
Meet Lisa Minardi, Assistant Curator, Collections at Winterthur Museum and a specialist in Pennsylvania German art and culture, as she gives an illustrated presentation on Pennsylvania German fraktur (decorated manuscripts) and painted furniture that includes a close look at objects in A Shared Legacy.
For more information, please visit thewestmoreland.org/events.
About The Westmoreland Museum of American Art
The Westmoreland Museum of American Art, located at 221 N. Main Street in Greensburg, PA, recently completed a transformational renovation and expansion project, hosting a community grand reopening celebration in late October of 2015. A new LEED-certified addition adds over 13,000 square feet to the Museum and features a dynamic cantilevered design along with a stunning view of the City of Greensburg and the Laurel Highlands beyond. The Westmoreland’s permanent collection is comprised of works by major American artists from the 18^th century through the present, with a special emphasis on Southwestern Pennsylvania art and artists. The Museum also offers an impressive schedule of temporary exhibitions of American art – both nationally-travelling and those organized in house – as well as events and community-oriented educational programming for all ages.
More information is available at thewestmoreland.org.
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