From the Fort Wayne Museum of Art
Looking at, Talking about, and Appreciating Art
What inspires artists to make their art? Exhibitions Content Manager Elizabeth Goings explores the retelling of a Norse myth by printmaker Dennis McNett and how legends and mythology influences his work.
Not all treasures from the vault are works of art from our historical past! Matika Wilbur began her ongoing photography project in 2012. Documenting contemporary Native American tribes and cultures, Wilbur hopes to dispel the often inaccurate and stereotypical visuals of Native Americans pervasive in books, movies, and TV. Lauren Wolfer, Associate Curator of Special Collections & Archives, highlights our most recent acquisition from her project, now on view in A Year of Making Meaning.
In this installment of Treasures from the Vault, Director of Children's Education Alyssa Dumire examines a silkscreen with a message. What can art tell us about its time period? And what can it reveal about the artist who made it?
Before the Internet, artists had to seek each other out to learn new techniques and discover new art forms. Follow Sachi as she traces the life of Evelynne Bernloehr Mess, a Brown County artist who, unlike her fellow oil painters, wanted to make an etching.
This week, our Treasure from the Vault and Art Term Tuesday come in one unique post! Learn about the importance of iconography in art as Elizabeth Goings uses one vault treasure and one work currently on display to break down this "stuffy" art term.
When curators are researching artists, they often stumble across other artists. Our Curator of Prints and Drawings, Sachi, tells the story of how she stumbled across Felrath Hines, a fine art conservator and painter!
Throughout history, there have been families so rich in artistic talent it is as if it is in their blood. Some powerhouse names may come to mind, like Peale and Wyeth. For the Fort Wayne Museum of Art, however, it is the Moran family.
A common misconception about working in museums is that you get to touch the stuff, whether artworks or artifacts. When I lead a tour a common question is: “What is the coolest piece of art you’ve gotten to handle?” As an educator, I have to explain, I’m not allowed to touch the stuff either! While my job requires handling of reproductions, I rarely get to to into the vault and see, or write about, the various treasures we have. Read on to see which treasure from the vault caught the eye of our writer!
The temperature is dropping and the leaves are finally changing; it’s a favorite time of year for many! The hot and muggy days of summer are gone, and it’s finally sweater weather, which all of my coworkers know I’m very excited about. But, more importantly, it’s hot tea and coffee weather, too! I know, I know, you can enjoy delicious, hot drinks throughout the year, but, let’s be honest, they’re best when it’s crisp and cool outside. In honor of this season of change, our treasure from the vault this week is an exquisite tea and coffee set.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, so I decided to select a work by Hollis Sigler in loving memory of her and in honor of the multitude of breast cancer survivors and those who are no longer with us. This disease has become far too familiar for many of us, whether it has been faced firsthand or experienced through the care of family members or friends. Read on to see how Sigler confronted her illness in her artwork and helped further the conversation around breast cancer research.