20th Century Works
from the Dr. Steven Conant Collection
donated to the Midwest Museum of American Art
~Permanent Collection~
The Midwest Museum will present a selection of over 45 works never-before-seen from it’s permanent collection of 20th century works of art donated by Elkhart native, Dr. Steven G. Conant. The temporary exhibit of these paintings, drawings, lithographs and other works on paper will open on Friday, July 18 and continue through the rest of the summer until Sunday, August 31. This event is unique in allowing the museum to outfit all of it’s 9 galleries with works from a permanent collection now numbering over 1750 pieces.
Between 1993 and 1998, Steven Conant, a resident od Indianapolis and one of the top collectors in the state, donated 150 works of art to the Midwest Museum. During the same time, Dr. Conant was donating works to the Indianapolis Museum of Art for which they named a gallery in his honor. Dr. Conant has been instrumental in helping to build major collections for the state and particularly in his former home town. In some cases, Dr. Conant procured works especially for MMAA in an effort to allow the museum to fulfill a broader spectrum of important historical examples of American Art.
In this upcoming exhibit, an exciting story of challenging changes in the American fabric of life unfolds, reflected in the art created in the 20th Century. Beginning with American Scene works created by Indiana artist George Jo Mess just before Worlf War II, the exhibit springs into the post-war era emphasizing the contributions of the Abstract Expressionists. Following the 1950’s, works by Robert Rauschenberg, Helen Frankenthaler and Anni Albersillustrate the coming of age for POP Art, Post Painterly Abstractionists, and Hard Edge painters. Minimalism is represented with the work of Ellsworth Kelly and Donald Judd, while in more recent times (1980’s-90’s) examples of Neo-Expressionism and New Realismare offered in the work of Philip Pearlstein and Elizabeth Murray. Influences of Surrealismand the School of Paris aesthetic are found throughout the exhibition.
These cultural assets attest to the richness of intellectual and creative life in America throughout the 20th Century. The Midwest Museum is pleased to be able to present these works of art as a special exhibit with the partial sponsorship of the GENESIS Program os the City of Elkhart.
Docent News:
Some Docents from the Midwest Museum will be attending the 12th National Docent Symposium in Chicago this Fall. Hosted by the Docents of the Art Institute of Chicago, this year’s symposium promises to bring exciting new keynote speakers, workshops and panel discussions to light as Docents from around the country meet to enhance their knowledge and skills in handling the millions of annual visitors to America’s museums.
Closer to home, Midwest Museum Docents will gear-up for the annual Docent Luncheon in July at which time one will be awarded Docent of the year for service to the MMAA Tour Program.
*Anyone interested in becomming a museum Docent can contact staff at 293-6660.
The leader for the 5-day Art Camp will be Mrs. Betsy Braun, Art Educator from OxBow Elementary School. Art Camp is heald at the Midwest Museum beginning Monday,July 28-through Friday, July 11th. Students will be involved in drawing, watercolor and printmaking. Times for specific age groups are as follows: *Ages 5-7 years meet from 1:00pm to 2:15pm. *Ages 8-12 years meet from 2:30pm to 4:30pm. FEES: $50./student for the week. Call 293-6660 today!
The leader for the second 5-day Art Camp will be Mr. Tom Grove, Art Educator from Central High School. Art Camp is held at the Midwest Museum beginning Monday, July 28th through Friday, August 1st. Students will be involved with the FUNdamentals of art-learning about line, shape and textures while creating their own exciting compositions! Times for specific age groups are as follows: *Ages 5-7 years meet from 10:30am to 12:00 Noon *Ages 8-12 years meet from 1:00pm to 2:30pm. FEES: $50./student for the week. Call 293-6660 today!
The leader for the 5-day Art Camp will be Patrice Bovo, award winning artist and Art Educator from South Bend. This Art Camp is held at the Midwest Museum beginning Monday, August 4th through Friday, August 8th. Students will be involved in creative mixed media projects. *Ages 13-17 yrs. meet from 2:30pm to 4:30pm FEES: $50./student for the week. Call 293-6660 today!
“Architectural River Cruise”
The Midwest Museum will offer it’s second educational bus trip of the year to Chicago on Tuesday, July 22nd. We will travel to the Chicago Cultural Center and to the North Pier for the popular Chicago Architectural River Cruise. Lunch will be on your own in between stops. FEE: $40 per person; fees are due by July 14th. This is a limited capacity trip; call for reservations at 293-6660 today. *Departure: 8:30am (Marion Street side of museum) *Arrive back: 6:00pm (Midwest Museum)
The Midwest Museum of American Art is pleased to offer an afternoon of chamber music preformed by four of the area’s most talkented musicians. The Musica ‘a 4 Ensemble consists of Juliana Lockman, piano; Aleksandra Kemble, flute; James Nagano, oboe and Chris Lockman, french horn. This event is free for museum members and invited guests on Sunday, August 3rd beginning at 2:00pm in the Main Gallery. The group will play works by George Frideric Handel, Albert Franz Doppler, Frances Duvernoy and Johann friedrich Fasch. *No reservations are needed, but there will be limited seating.
LOOKING AHEAD TO FALL… The Midwest Museum of American Art will participate in a major event for area museums this September and October as a part of the Michiana Museum Consortium. Eight institutions, including the Snite Museum, the South Bend Regional Museum of Art, Goshen College’s Hershberger Art Gallery, the Northern Indiana Center for History, and Saint Mary’s will join forces to deliver a rolling series of exhibits, lectures and educational programs with the theme of “IDENTITY”. MMAA will present two concurrent exhibits entitled, “American Portraits from the Permanent Collection” and “GENETIC PASSAGES: The Genotype/Phenotype Portraits by Helen Donis-Keller”, opening September 5th.
TRIBUTES:
The Midwest Museum of American Art gratefully acknowledges gifts in honor or in memory of special friends. Notes of acknowledgment are sent by the Museum to those honored or to the families of those memorialized. Recent memorials include:
~IN MEMORY OF~
JANETH BALL (by Mr. & Mrs. Paul Thomas)
THOMAS BLACKBURN (by Jane Burns, Mr & Mrs. Thomas Corson and Mr. & Mrs. George White)
CAROLINE BOLENBAUGH (by Jane Burns)
SARA BOYLAND (by Mr. & Mrs. Philip Brinson)
ELIZABETH ANN COMER (by Jane Burns, Dr. Rick & Cindy Burns, Mr. & Mrs. Brian Byrn, Mr. & Mrs. Wendell Culp, Mr. & Mrs. David Solow and Mr. & Mrs. Paul Thomas)
PATRICK LERNER (by Mr. & Mrs. Paul Thomas)
LOIS McLAUGHLIN (by Mr. & Mrs. Paul Thomas)
LEE MARTIN (by Mr. & Mrs. Russell Ashbaugh Jr., Mr. & Mrs. Brian Brady, Mr. & Mrs. Byron Brady, Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Corson, Dr. G. Beach & Ruth Gattman, Mr. & Mrs. Marly Rydson, Sunbelt Marketing Investment Company, Jean Vander Reyden, Bradley S. Vite, Mr. & Mrs. E. Blair Warner and Mrs. Walter O. Wells)
MARY JO MILLER (by Alice Holtz)
HELEN PURKHISER (by Jane Burns)
WILLOGENE RICE (by Christiana Smith Graham)
STUART STATLER (by Ken & Eleanore Koppin)
GARY TEPE (by Jane Burns and Mr. & Mrs. George White)
~EVA COLE MEMORIAL EDUCATION FUND~
IN MEMORY OF JOSEPH COBLENTZ (by Mr. & Mrs. Paul Thomas and Christiana Smith Graham)
IN MEMORY OF RICHARD F. FESSLER (by Jane Burns and Christiana Smith Graham)
IN MEMORY OF LEE MARTIN (by Christiana Smith Graham)
IN MEMORY OF THE FOLLOWING DECEASED GRADUATES OF EHS-CLASS OF 1941
(by Dr. Howard L. Smith)
BETTY SWARTZ BOLTON
CAROLYN TRAUTMAN HOLDEMAN
CLARENCE MILLER
GLADYS GARDNER MORINO
DORIS STEWART ROE
KATHY ZIMMERMAN RUPLE
JENNY JENKINKS SHANTZ
MARGARET DECKER SHREINER
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