the suzanne h. arnold art gallery • lebanon val l e y c o l l e g e
friends of the gallery
Newsletter W I N T E R 2 012
Dick Charles Shares Memories from the Gallery’s Early Days Dick Charles, chair of the Gallery Advisory Council, recently shared some of his memories of the early history of the Gallery. Charles began his career at LVC in 1988, the same year as President John Synodinos, and served as vice president for advancement from 1988–1997. Both Synodinos and Charles believed that a professionally directed art gallery at the College could attract “museum quality” exhibits, which would, in turn, attract people to the institution itself. Shortly after arriving at LVC, Charles and President Synodinos explored the Collegeowned church on the corner of North White Oak and Church streets and thought it would pro-
In this photo from 1990, Dick Charles (left) and President Synodinos (right) meet with artist Doug Osa as he works on his painting in the space in the Suzanne H. Arnold Gallery that would later become Zimmerman Recital Hall.
vide an excellent location for such an art gallery. Charles explained that the College had a permanent art collection long before there was an actual building to house it. He learned from the Rev. Christopher Frye ’90, then an intern in the Advancement Office, that it was stored in a room on the second floor of the library. Conditions in that location were poor, and it was decided that the works needed to be catalogued and moved to a safer environment. The church was put forth as a possible location. As discussions about converting the church into a gallery progressed, benefactor Suzanne H. Arnold made the initial gift that enabled the College to replace the church’s leaking roof in 1991. With additional gifts provided by Arnold, and Richard and Nancy Zimmerman, the transformation of the building continued. To celebrate LVC’s 125th anniversary in 1991, artist-inresidence Dan Massad suggested commissioning a heroic-sized painting to be displayed in the Humanities Building and proposed that artist Doug Osa paint a scene of the Lebanon Valley. The space in the church that would become Zimmerman Recital Hall provided an excellent location for Osa to work on his nearly nine- by eight-foot painting. The artist took up residence at LVC and began painting.
Dick Charles currently chairs the Gallery Advisory Council.
Charles recalled that he frequently stopped by to check on the painting. On one occasion, he noticed that Osa had removed an image of a train previously painted into the work. The artist thought that the train might be too industrial to include in such a bucolic setting. Charles convinced him to put the train back in, as the rail line that runs through Annville had always been a pivotal part of both the College community and the Lebanon Valley. In the early to mid-1990s as part of the Toward 2001 Capital Campaign, additional gifts from Arnold, the Zimmermans, and other donors allowed the final renovations of the Gallery to be completed. Charles has served as chair of the Gallery Advisory Council since 1997 and his dedicated service is much appreciated. Managing principal of The Franklin Consulting Group and an Annville Township commissioner, Charles resides with his wife, Pauline, in Annville. In 1997, they established the Richard and Pauline Charles endowment fund, which provides acquisition funds for the Gallery on a yearly basis. 1
Writer, artist, and Woodrow Wilson scholar Robert Shetterly poses next to his portrait of artist Sue Coe, which was on view in the Gallery along with her prints.
Coe Prints Present a Powerful Exhibition The drama of nature and human events caused by Hurricane Sandy during the week of the opening provided a backdrop for the tragedies that Sue Coe revealed in this powerful exhibition. Producing some of the most important sociopolitical artwork today, Coe explores humankind’s relationship to the natural environment, death and destruction caused by war, cruelty to animals, and corporate greed and indifference brought about by power and wealth. Her evocative prints are both stylistically and emotionally reminiscent of the work of Francisco Goya and Kathë Kollwitz. On loan from the permanent collection of the Rose Lehrman Art Gallery, HACC, Unnatural Disorder was sponsored by contributing members of the Friends of the Gallery. A special addition to this exhtion was Robert Shetterly’s portrait of Coe on loan from his “Americans Who Tell the Truth Project,” an inspiring series of portraits of courageous Americans who, by raising the consciousness of society, display a profound sense of citizen2
ship. Shetterly, a writer, artist, and Woodrow Wilson scholar, spent a week on the LVC campus during the run of the exhibition. Other events held in conjunction with the exhition included a lecture hosted by Coe; a monoprinting workshop led by Nancy Williams, LVC adjunct instructor of art; and a children’s printmaking workshop organized by Gallery intern Katlyn Landes ’12. LVC students Marissa Ingeno ’14 and Lea Laslow ’13 assisted with the workshops.
Advisory Council Welcomes New Members We welcome two new members to the Advisory Council this year. Dorothy Thayne, wife of newly appointed LVC Pres. Lewis E. Thayne, is a practicing artist and iconographer who received her B.F.A. in painting at the Rhode Island School of Design and her M.F.A. in studio art from Rutgers University. She has served as a visiting scholar of art at Franklin and Marshall College and as the artistin-residence and gallery curator of the Keystone Art and Culture Center in Lancaster. “The Gallery is a great asset to the College—a ‘gem’ in a beautiful setting,” she said. “I look forward to helping with the ‘polishing’ of it in the future as it
continues to support the mission of the College.” David Yasenchak, a senior art and art history major and the Gallery’s spring 2013 intern, is serving on the Acquisitions Committee. As a member of the committee, he will be able to assist in the planning of future exhibitions and community events as well as developing and building the Gallery’s permanent collection. After attending his first meeting, Yasenchak noted, “I feel certain that I am gaining valuable experience and a more thorough understanding of the logistics involved in managing a museumquality art gallery.”
Greg Stanson The Gallery lost a dear friend this past year. Greg Stanson, Lebanon Valley College vice president emeritus, passed away in May. Stanson was a long-time member of the LVC family, beginning in 1959 when he was a freshman at LVC, and he enjoyed a 40-year career at the College before retiring in 2007. Greg and his wife, Doris, served as greeters at Gallery openings for several years and were always a welcoming introduction to the Gallery for visitors. His warm smile and enthusiasm will be missed.
Suzanne H. Arnold Art Gallery Located at the corner of North White Oak and Church streets Lebanon Valley College, 101 N. College Avenue, Annville, Pa. 17003 717-867-6445 • www.lvc.edu/gallery Hours:
Wednesday Thursday – Friday Saturday – Sunday
5–8 p.m. 1–4:30 p.m. 11 a.m.–5 p.m.
Closed Monday –Tuesday and College holidays Admission to the Gallery is FREE (donations are accepted).
Several Works Are Added to Permanent Collection A graphite drawing, a gelatin silver print photograph, a “charcoal painting,” and two oil paintings are the newest additions to the College’s permanent art collection. This fall, a drawing of the LVC campus in the 1940s or 1950s by Florence Starr Taylor (1904–1991) was given to the College by community and Gallery member Gerald Collins in memory of Eli Sidler. Sidler, our youngest member who frequently visited the Gallery with his parents, Bret and Susan, passed away this summer at the age of 16 after a long battle with cancer. The drawing, which depicts the College campus in an earlier time, serves as a poignant reminder of the history of LVC as well as of a very special member. Taylor, who began her career as a newspaper staff artist, became a decades-long fixture in the visual arts culture of Lancaster County. She is probably best known for
Frank Mura (American, 1861–1913), Landscape Study, n.d., charcoal on paper, 16 x 21 inches unframed
Aaron Siskind (American, 1903–1991), Chicago, 1952, gelatin silver print, 17 1⁄3 inches x 22 1⁄2 inches
her illustrations of Amish life, but underpinning all her work was an extraordinarily deft ability to capture the reality of the observable world with lively gestural marks. With support from the Pauline and Richard Charles Endowment Fund, the Gallery purchased Chicago, a gelatin silver print from 1952 by the American photographer Aaron Siskind (1903–1991). The photograph is a prime example of the influence of the New York School on Siskind’s hybrid approach to photography. The painterly, abstract qualities of the image almost overwhelm the hardfocused details and textures of architectural surfaces. The Gallery also purchased an untitled “charcoal painting” by the American artist Frank Mura, who was born in Alsace in 1861. Living the kind of international life shared by many artists of his era, Mura is best known today for his highly experimental blurring of the line between painting and
drawing. From a distance, our Mura is a perfectly readable landscape, a charged atmosphere of light and shadow, but up close it dissolves into a surface of graceful washes of charcoal, enlivened by erasure marks and subtle traces of the artist’s fingertips. Both Siskind’s Chicago and Mura’s landscape will be featured in the Gallery’s upcoming exhibition, Intersection: Painting, Drawing, and Photography. The Art Association of Harrisburg generously donated two oil paintings by Li Hidley (1921– 2003), Obsolete Visa, c. 1970, and Kabuki, from the 1980s. Hidley famously taught and curated at the association from 1979 until his death. Color, shape, texture, and gesture dominate his work, but he was also well known for constructing dreamlike spaces that invite viewer interpretation, a testimony to the artist’s lifelong fascination with Carl Jung.
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A Feast for the Eyes Is Resounding Success
Intern Katlyn Landes ’12 (center) leads a Gallery tour for alumni during Oktoberfest Weekend.
Meet the Gallery Intern Katlyn Landes Gallery intern Katlyn Landes ’12, an LVC senior majoring in art and art history, has been a welcoming presence and valuable asset to the Gallery and its programming this fall. She assisted with the installation of both fall exhibitions. During the run of A Feast for the Eyes, she acted as docent for several tours, including one held as part of LVC’s Oktoberfest and Alumni Weekend. Landes’ interest in museum education and community outreach led her to organize a visit for local art students from the Annville-Cleona High School, which included a tour, a scavenger hunt, and a follow-up visit to the high school. These experiences working in the Gallery have provided Landes with a well-rounded introduction to museum practices. “I have the opportunity to work on projects about which I am truly passionate and to which I can contribute my best efforts,” she said. “My hope is that, through this internship, I have been able to engage as much of the LVC and surrounding communities as possible with the Gallery and the programs it has to offer.” 4
The opening reception for our first exhibition of the season, A Feast for the Eyes, was an event not to be missed. Graciously hosted by LVC Pres. Lewis E. Thayne and his wife, Dorothy, the opening featured treats for all the senses. LVC musicians—Logan Kurtek ’14 on saxophone, John DiCocco ’15 on guitar, and Tyler Garret ’13 on bass— provided hot jazz. An array of mouth-watering hors d’oeuvres was as colorful as the art on view, while the collection of food-themed works examined ideas, art styles, and historical changes from the sixteenth to the twenty-first century. The catalog for the exhibition featured a thought-provoking introduction written by LVC philosophy professor Dr. Robert Valgenti, who has taught and written on food and philosophy. Financial support was provided by Suzanne and Ronald Schrotberger, the LVC Colloquium, and the Friends of the Gallery. During the opening, Suzanne Arnold Schrotberger made a surprise announcement that she would match with a
donation all memberships pledged that evening. Program highlights for this exhibition included a lecture, titled “Food and Wine, Sex and Death,” by John Varriano, distinguished professor emeritus from Mount Holyoke College, and a workshop on painting pastries and confections conducted by York artist Pat Wertz. Lucky participants were able to eat what they had painted at the end of the day.
Assessment Program Provides Plans for Future The Gallery took part in the Conservation Assessment Program (CAP) sponsored by Heritage Preservation—The National Institute for Conservation this summer. With a grant awarded by this organization, John Hartmann of Hartmann Fine Art Conservation Services was hired to conduct the assessment. He spent two days in July touring our facilities and meeting with Gallery staff and several departments and administrators. By addressing conservation concerns, this assessment helped See ASSESSMENT on p. 6
LVC President Lewis E. Thayne and Suzanne Arnold Schrotberger joined guests at the opening reception for A Feast for the Eyes.
Calendar of Events
www.lvc.edu/gallery
January
February
May
18 FRIDAY
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9
Gordon Parks: Crossroads (January 18–March 17) Opening Reception, 5–7 p.m.
Lecture: A Personal View of Gordon Parks by Adger Cowans Zimmerman Recital Hall, 5 p.m.
THURSDAY
THURSDAY
Clyde McGeary: Perspectives from an Artist-Educator (May 3–June 23) Opening Reception, 5–7 p.m.
16 SATURDAY Photography Workshop: Photographing Our Times: The Lyrical and the Banal Carl Socolow, professional photographer 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
April 5 American Gothic, Washington D.C., 1942, silver gelatin print, 16 x 20 inches. Photo copyright Gordon Parks. Image courtesy of the Gordon Parks Foundation and Howard Greenberg Gallery.
FRIDAY
42nd Annual Juried Arts Exhibition (April 5–21) Opening Reception and Awards Ceremony, 5–7 p.m.
Friends of the Gallery Membership Form Please complete the attached membership form and return along with your check made payable to Lebanon Valley College, Friends of the Gallery. Thank you for supporting the Suzanne H. Arnold Art Gallery! NAME (as you would like it to appear in Gallery publications)
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ADDRESS CITY
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Please indicate membership category below: q Benefactor
$5000 or more
q Sponsor
$250 – $499
q Individual
$35 – $59
q Director
$1000 – $4999
q Sustainer
$100 –$249
q Student
$15
q Patron
$500 – $999
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$500
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Please mail your membership form and check to: Friends of the Gallery, Suzanne H. Arnold Art Gallery, Lebanon Valley College, 101 North College Avenue, Annville, Pa. 17003-1400
Friends of the Gallery Suzanne H. Arnold Art Gallery Lebanon Valley College 101 North College Avenue Annville, Pa. 17003-1400
Photos by Gordon Parks on View Spring Semester The groundbreaking work of African-American photographer, writer, and director, Gordon Parks, will be on view from January 18–March 17. The Gallery is the very last stop for this powerful traveling exhibition. Witness to vast social changes over his life-
Gordon Parks, Emerging Man, Harlem, NY, 1943, silver gelatin print, 16 x 20 inches. Photo copyright Gordon Parks. Image courtesy of the Gordon Parks Foundation and Howard Greenberg Gallery.
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time, Park’s images provide a survey of those seminal moments. Best known for his photo-journalistic essays, Parks was one of the first African-American photographers to break the color barrier at a major magazine. He went to work for Life magazine in 1949, and during his time there, he completed photo essays for over 300 assignments on such topics as gang warfare, Rio slums, and a poverty stricken family in Harlem. Parks also covered the worlds of fashion and celebrity. This exhibition will be held in conjunction with Black History month events at the College. Gordon Parks: Crossroads is sponsored by McNees Wallace & Nurick, the LVC Office of Multicultural Affairs, a Darrell Woomer Diversity Program Endowment grant, and contributing members of the Friends of the Gallery. This show is organized by art2art Circulating Exhibitions.
ASSESSMENT from p. 4
to identify a number of short and long-term goals and priorities to be addressed in the coming year, including implementing new security upgrades, redrafting the Gallery’s mission statement, and developing an emergency plan for the permanent collection. Hartmann noted that he found the Gallery’s overall policies and facilities to be both safe and professional and its collections well managed and preserved. Through the CAP assessment, we have gained valuable insight on how to implement Hartmann’s recommendations for collection care as well as develop a plan for future conservation efforts.