Originally given as the keynote speech at the Catholic Creatives Virtual Summit, #fwmoa VP & COO Amanda Shepard reflects on the idea of "good taste" and where it comes from. Is it intrinsic? Or developed over time and through exposure to "good art"?
What We’re Reading: ArtCurious by Jennifer Dasal
Are you an "art-is-boring" person? Don't worry, some of us museum people were too! Let Jennifer Dasal's book, ArtCurious, introduce stories of the unexpected, slightly odd, and strangely wonderful in the art world.
In the News: Happy (Belated) Birthday Wayne Thiebaud!
His art brings pleasure much the same way a slice of pie or bowl of ice cream does, and Wayne Thiebaud knows the best ways to serve up those delights for our eyes: “I like when people look at my work and smile." #fwmoa is celebrating Thiebaud's centennial birthday this month by looking back at his life and work.
In the News: Selling Art to Pay the Bills, the Practice of Deaccessioning
What does it mean when a museum deaccessions works from its collection to sell at auction? #FWMoA President & CEO Charles Shepard traces the formal process of deaccessioning through museum history, and how it has evolved again in light of the pandemic.
Perspectives: Government Funding for Art Museums
To fund or not to fund, that is the question in this installment of "Perspectives", where two writers go head-to-head discussing whether or not government funding for art museums is favorable or not.
Reality Check: Public Trust and the Essential Encounter
As businesses were forced to close nationwide in response to the coronavirus pandemic, many, including museums, were deemed nonessential. In this essay, Amanda Shepard describes the essential contribution of art museums to society: the life-changing encounter with wonderful things.
In the News: International Museum Day
The global pandemic has forced museums to close their physical doors and open their digital ones, begging the question: do we still need a physical museum space? As we celebrate International Museum day, we reflect on this question, asserting that the digital, while now an integral expansion of the museum experience, will not replace the physical, instead enhancing it.
National Poetry Month: The Next Generation of Great American Poets
April is National Poetry Month! Enjoy this sampling of works written by our 2020 Scholastic Writing Award recipients in the category of, you guessed it, Poetry!
National Poetry Month: Celebrating our Scholastic Art & Writing Awards National Medalists in Poetry
Happy National Poetry Month! To celebrate, we're highlighting our regional Gold Key poets who were awarded National Medals in the 2020 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.
National Poetry Month: American Voices Nominees
April is National Poetry Month! Celebrate with FWMoA as we start things off with our poetry American Voices nominees: Annabeth Bretz and Elizabeth Newsom.