What do whistling teakettles, swan-topped hotels, advanced wheel chairs, a cube-shaped house, and Indiana have in common? The answer, of course, is architect Michael Graves, an Indiana native son.
Long before J. Ottis Adams, William Forsyth, Otto Stark, T. C. Steele, and Richard Gruelle were dubbed the Hoosier Group, they were a band of unknown but earnest young artists strapped for cash and eager for any opportunity to replenish the funds they had spent on years of rigorous art training in Germany. Teaching was one option for gainful employment. Learn more about the beginnings of art in Fort Wayne in this "Historical Highlight"!
Its summertime and that can only mean one thing at FWMoA – lots of glass on display! Through August 4th we have two stunning exhibits of glassworks by artists Tim Tate and Marlene Rose. Now on view are also several new dazzling glass sculptures that join our more permanent glass pieces, including a collection of American Brilliant Cut Glass. Read on to learn how FWMoA acquired this magnificent collection now on view.
Ever gone to Middle Waves? What about Rib Fest? Or maybe German Fest? Or gone ice skating in the winter months? Headwaters Park is a mainstay in Fort Wayne events, big and small! Collection Information Specialist Suzanne Slick highlights the architect behind this beloved green space, Eric Kuhne. Read on to learn more about this local park.
What do museums collect? Suzanne Slick discusses a rather unusual artwork in our collection, our Prancer Carousel Horse.
Curious about influential Fort Wayne natives? Read on as FWMoA Collection Information Specialist Sue Slick uncovers the woman behind one of the Arts United Awards.
Our current exhibit, 1026 West Berry Street, shines a light on the Fort Wayne Art School and when we return from the holidays we will begin working towards the 2019 Scholastic Art and Writing Awards and exhibit. This post remembers Fort Wayne native Bill Blass — king of fashion, handsome heartthrob, most available bachelor, darling of the fashion press — all words written about this icon of high fashion who had ties to both the Art School and to the Scholastic Awards.
Did you know that there was a proposal to put the Fort Wayne Art School and Museum in Foster Park? Read on to follow Sue Slick on her journey to discover the multiple places we almost had our Art Museum located!
When the name Hamilton is mentioned in the context of Fort Wayne history, we tend to think of the famous female cousins – Agnes, Edith, Alice, Norah, and sometimes Jesse, but most are less acquainted with their cousin, James Montgomery Hamilton. James (1876-1941) was the son of Allen and Cecilia (Frank) Hamilton. Though his name is not as familiar, and details of his life are less known, his generosity and devotion to his boyhood home left a lasting mark on Fort Wayne and on our Museum.
Surprising things often turn up in our archives, and the story of the first Director of the Fort Wayne Art School & Museum is one of those. When Theodore Thieme, president of the Wayne Knitting Mills, gave his home on Berry Street to the Fort Wayne Art School in 1921, he mandated some conditions before the transfer of his property could occur. One condition was that the Museum would become a formal part of the institution, others described the new board, constitution, and memberships, and, finally, it was agreed that the school would have a Director. Until then, the Board of Control had recruited an array of instructors, but had not appointed an executive. Now, with the added responsibilities of the Museum, a large endowment, and growing enrollment, it was necessary that the school and museum have a leader.
