The Paintings of Anthony Benton Gude
The Midwest Museum of American Art is pleased to present an exhibition of paintings entitled, “From The Heart of a Regionalist” by Kansas artist, Anthony Benton Gude to open on June 29 and continue through October 7 . The exhibiton will feature over 30 paintings by the painter along with a special exhibit entitled, “Thomas Hart Benton: Lithographs, 1930-1970” . The comparative examples of Benton’s most well known images from the Great Depression up to his 1973 self portrait are striking connections to his grandson’s colorful paintings.
Anthony Benton Gude continues the legacy of his grandfather, Regionalist master, Thomas Hart Benton. In 1993, his work appeared alongside 50 others in an exhibit entitled “Under the Influence: The Students of Thomas Hart Benton”. Although never officially one of Benton’s students, Gude spent his childhood summers with his grandparents, Tom and Rita Benton, in their home on Martha’s Vineyard. During these days in his grandfather’s studio Gude discovered that a talent for painting flowed in his blood as well. As the artist states, “I guess I must have aborbed a lot growing up around my grandfather and his paintings. Many years later when I attended art school, my instructors would refer to Thomas Hart Benton’s work while looking at my drawings not knowing of my relationship to him. I kept it a secret to avoid any apecial treatment or comparison.”
Educated at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and the Art Student’s League in New York City, Anthony Benton Gude later used his grandparent’s farm home and surrounding lands for inspiration. Today Gude lives on the old Benton farm in Kansas and continues to paint those scenes most familiar to him – some of the same themes that were familiar to his grandfather.
This exhibition is graciously sponsored by National City Bank.
Join us for a Special Reception to meet the Artist ANTHONY BENTON GUDE on Saturday Afternoon, July 8th from 1-4 PM.
BUS TRIP to MILWAUKEE – Wednesday, July 25th
The Midwest Museum offers an educational excursion to the Milwaukee Art Museum to view the museum’s new expansion and renovation which combines art, dramatic architecture and landscape design. The first Santiago Calatrava-designed building in the United States, features a 90-foot high glass-walled reception hall enclosed by the Burke Brise Soleil, a sunscreen that can be raised or lowered creating a unique moving sculpture. The major exhibition, PISSARO: Creating the Impressionist Landscape , will explore the remarkable transformation of Camille Pissaro’s landscape paintings over the course of an important decade in his career, from 1864 to 1874. During this time, Pissaro moved from being a student of the Barbizon school to becoming one of the leaders of the emerging Impressionist movement. American Artist, Adolph Gottlieb, is featured in another exciting exhibit also.
Depart: 7:00AM (Marian street side of MMAA). Arrive back in Elkhart: 8:00PM – FEE $75. (*Includes box lunch). Payment due upon reservation. Call 293-6660.
THOMAS HART BENTON – Lithographs, 1930-1970
The lithographs of Thomas Hart Benton (1889-1975) were printed by George Miller & Son, lithographers, in New York City from the 1930’s through the end of his life and are an important chapter in the history of printmaking in America. Many of these early images were circulated through the Associated American Artists program which sought to standardize editions to 250, signed by the artist, and delivered to the American home for twenty-five dollars or less. Today, these lithographs are highly prized by museums and art collectors. The exhibition of fourteen works which form the exhibit at the Midwest Museum of American Art is due to the cooperation of Kiechel Fine Art Gallery in Lincoln, Nebraska, in conjunction with the “Anthony Benton Gude: From The Heart of a Regionalist”.
Docent of the year…
The Docent of the Year will be honored at the Annual Luncheon on July 16th. Docents are voluteers who help people learn in the museum envirnment. Anyone interested in becoming a Docent can contact museum staff at 293-6660.
The leader for both 5-day Art Camps will be Bonnie Elder , Art Educator from Elkhart. The Art Camp II will be held at the Midwest Museum beginning Monday, July 9th, through Friday, July 13th .
Art Camp III will be held at MMAA beginning, Monday, July 30th, through Friday, August 3rd .
Students will be involved with the FUNdamentals of art, learning about line, shape & textures while creating their own exciting compositions! DAY 1:still life drawing – DAY 2: landscape – DAY 3: portrait drawing – DAY 4: 3-dimensional – DAY 5: fun with abstract art.
Times for specific age groups are as follows:
AGES 5-7 years meet from 12:30pm to 2:00pm.
AGES 8-12 years meet from 2:30pm to 4:30pm
FEES: $50./student for the week. Call 293-6660.
FAMILY FREE DAY
The Midwest Museum of American Art would like to thank Bob & Peggy Weed for continuing their sponsorship of FREE Family Sundays. The Museum is open year-round with 52 weeks of Sundays which provide a means of entertainment, togetherness, and education in a nice environment. Thanks to Bob & Peggy Weed the museum can continue its mission to bring art and culture to Elkhart citizens and residents of Northern Indiana.
Recent Gifts to the Permanent Collection
The Midwest Museum has received several donations of art in the past months. These works, used as objects of learning, join a continually growing collection that is used to fulfill the mission of education by the only public trust for American Art in Indiana.
The works recently donated include (4) oils and one pastel drawing by Harriett Monteith (1903-1975) along with a watercolor by Frances Pestow (1908-1983) from The Four Arts Club of Elkhart. In addition The Four Arts Club donated two vintage landscape oils by Indiana artists, W. Karl Steele (1910-1982) and Robert M. Root (1863-1937).
Two works by famous Elkhart artist, Ted Drake (1908-2000) were donated by John Oliver Rush & Family of Littleton, Colorado. The watercolor done in the mid 1990s features a steam locomotive sitting at the Elkhart Depot donated in Honor of the late Howard Rush and his wife Rosemary Rush. Jon and Sherry Housand of Elkhart have donated a commissioned work by Ted Drake. In 1988, they asked the artist to create a large sailboat painting inspired by the many lakes of Michigan and INdiana.
Two works by California artists join the collection. The large-scale ceramic sculpture by Tony Natsoulas was a recent gift of Ross & Pauls Truk of Elkhart formerly of Palo Alto, California. Done in 2005, the humorously narrative sculpture now on display in the Main Gallery, fills out the survey of 175 years of American Art History. The other work, a painting sone in 1967 by George Kettrl, Professor of Art at UC Bakersfield, was given by Mr. & Mrs. J. Robert Kreider of Goshen.
Finally, Dr. Steve Conant of INdianapolis, a major patron, recently delivered 20 works of art to the museum bringing his total number of gifts to over 300 in the last fourteen years. Many thanks to all these collectors for helping the MMAA collection grow.
The Midwest Museum of American Art gratefully acknowledges gifts in honor or in memory of special friends. Notes of acknowledgement are sent by the Museum to those honored or to the families of those momorialized. Recent memorials include:
In Memory Of
JEANNE BATTEN (*by Rosemary Rush)
ROBERT BOYER (*by Marguerite & Sydney Boyer)
G.ED COMPTON (*by Dr. WIlliam & Claire Luther)
VIOLET FIELDS (*by Wendell & Marty Culp)
MILDRED HUNTER FILBERT (*by Elkhart High School Class of “41”)
DR. MAX L. GERBER (* by Byron Brady, Jane Burns, Dr. Rick & Cindy Burns, and Dr. WIlliam & Claire Luther)
BETTY JANE MARTIN LAVRICH (*by E.H.S. Class of “41”, and Tom & Nancy Curtis)
CARRIE M. PALMER (* by E.H.S. Class of “41”)
MARY A. PETERSEN (*by Paul & Betty Thomas)
JOHN VON der HEIDE (* by Brian & Lisa Byrn)
RAYMOND B. WALARSKE (*by Paull & Betty Thomas)
IN HONOR OF LIZ BRYANT BIRTHDAY(*by Cindy Burns, and Jane Burns)
IN HONOR OF DR. RICK BURNS, JR. BIRTHDAY (*by Janes Burns, and Brian & Lisa Byrn)
IN HONOR OF CHARLES, JR. & CHERYL OWENS 80TH BIRTHDAYS (*by Dr. WIlliam & Claire Luther)
(D.R.)