Tag Archives: Todd Herman

The Art of Carroll Cloar at the Ark Arts Center

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Carroll Cloar, The Smiling Moon Cafe, 1965, casein tempera on Masonite, 25 in. x 36 in., Private Collection, ©Estate of Carroll Cloar

Carroll Cloar, The Smiling Moon Cafe, 1965, casein tempera on Masonite, 25 in. x 36 in., Private Collection, ©Estate of Carroll Cloar

The Crossroads of Memory: Carroll Cloar and the American South exhibit opens tomorrow and runs through June 1.  There is a member reception tonight.

The paintings of Carroll Cloar (1913-1993), rank among the most haunting and beautiful evocations ever made of the American South. Drawing upon family stories, photographs of ancestors, rural scenery, small town life, and memories of his childhood on an Arkansas farm, Cloar captured the quiet richness of a simpler world.

Marking the centenary of the artist’s birth, The Crossroads of Memory: Carroll Cloar and the American South will include approximately seventy paintings, ranging from early Realist masterpieces to the poignant pictures of his later career.

An exhibition organized by the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art and the Arkansas Arts Center curated by Stanton Thomas, Curator of European and Decorative Art at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, the exhibition will feature works from major public collections as well as rarely seen pictures still in private hands.

Presented in Arkansas by: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; Lisenne Rockefeller; Stella Boyle Smith Trust.

Sponsored in Arkansas by: Anonymous; Bailey Foundation; Sandra and Bob Connor; Terri and Chuck Erwin; Friday, Eldredge & Clark, LLP; Eileen and Ricardo Sotomora; John Tyson & Tyson Foods, Inc.; Arkansas Farm Bureau/Agriculture Council of Arkansas; Capital Hotel; Cindy and Greg Feltus; Munro Foundation; J.D. Simpson; Don Tilton; Gus and Ellis Walton.

The Thursday night lecture is sold out. You will have another chance to hear from the lecturer, Stanton Thomas, Ph.D., on Friday at noon during Feed Your Mind Friday in the galleries.

FREE Admission to ROTHKO exhibit at Ark Arts Center through Dec 31

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No. 8, 1949
Oil and mixed media on canvas
90 x 66 in.
The National Gallery of Art, Washington
Gift of The Mark Rothko Foundation, Inc., 1986.43.147
©1998 Kate Rothko Prizel & Christopher Rothko /Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Image courtesy of the National Gallery of Art, Washington

In the spirit of giving, the Arkansas Arts Center is offering FREE admission to Mark Rothko in the 1940s: The Decisive Decade through Tuesday, December 31.

Mark Rothko in the 1940s: The Decisive Decade is the first exhibition and catalogue to reevaluate Rothko’s work in the context of his thoughts about art from the period. The exhibition brings to light many works not seen before by scholars or the public and highlights a period of his career that is often overlooked.

The 1940s was a decade of tremendous change for the world, for Western art, for New York City’s place in the art world and for Mark Rothko (1903-1970). The most important result was the formation of what became known as The New York School, a collection of artists working in a nexus of artistic approaches, the best known of which were Gesturalism, or Abstract Expressionism and Color Field. What most members of this group shared was a faith in the power of art effectively to address the pressing historical problems of their era writ large in the movies, news reports, and photographs of the war and its uncertain aftermath.

One of the major members of the New York School was Mark Rothko, the most important of the School’s Color Field wing. For Rothko, like many of his colleagues, the 1940s was the critical decade for his development. Mark Rothko in the 1940s is an examination into the artistic maturation—a decade of searching and rapid evolution– of one of the most influential artists of the twentieth century that deserves not only closer attention but also a re-evaluation.

Mark Rothko in the 1940s will be the first exhibition and catalogue to reevaluate this work in the context of Rothko’s thoughts about art from the period. Mark Rothko in the 1940s will bring to light many works not seen before by scholars or the public and highlight a period of his career that is often overlooked.

Mark Rothko in the 1940s: The Decisive Decade is organized by the Arkansas Arts Center, the Columbia Museum of art, the Columbus Museum of Art and the Denver Art Museum, in conjunction with the National Gallery of Art, Washington. The exhibition is funded in part by the Dedalus Foundation and is supported by an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities. It is sponsored locally by Harriet and Warren Stephens; Chucki and Curt Bradbury; The Brown Foundation, Inc. of Houston; Mary Ellen and Jason Vangilder and the Capital Hotel.

Final Two Days for The Engine That Thought It Could at AAC Children’s Theatre

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Take a break from holiday shopping and events and return to a simpler time.

Today and tomorrow are the final performances of the Arkansas Arts Center Children’s Theatre production of The Engine That Thought It Could.  This play takes the audience on an exciting journey in this classic tale of determination when it’s left up to the little engine to save the day. The little engine learns that hard work pays off even when faced with adversity. The Engine That Thought It Could is written by Alan Keith Smith and is based on the 1906 story by Reverend Charles S. Wing.

The cast for The Engine That Thought It Could includes:

  • Veronica Lowry, of Charlottesville, Va., as Fast Fanny
  • Jeremy Matthey, of Little Rock, as Mister Moon/Big Electric Bill/Yard Hand
  • Aleigha Garstka, of Little Rock, as Big Momma Engine
  • Sissy Anne Quaranta, of Denver, Colo., as Miss Phoebe Sunshine
  • Ben Fish, of Little Rock, as Uncle Big Reggie Engine/Yard Hand
  • Erin Fowler, of Little Rock, as Yard Hand/Choreographer
  • Mark Hansen, of Little Rock, as Conductor Mike/Big Don Diesel
  • Madison Stolzer, of Little Rock, Little Millie Engine

The production is directed by John Isner, artistic direction by Bradley Anderson, choreography by Erin Fowler, costumes are designed by Erin Larkin, technical direction by Drew Posey, lighting design by Penelope Poppers, musical direction by Lori Isner, properties by Miranda Young, scenic design by Mary Alyce Hare and Rivka Kuperman is the stage manager.

Presenting sponsors are Landers FIAT in Benton, Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield, JPMS Cox and Centennial Bank.  This production also sponsored by All Aboard Restaurant.

Recognized by The Drama League as one of the best regional theatre companies in America, the Arkansas Arts Center Children’s Theatre is the only professional company in Arkansas that produces children’s literary works for the stage. Since 1979, Children’s Theatre has been creating unique experiences for family audiences. During the 2012-13 season, nearly 43,000 children and families enjoyed Arkansas Arts Center Children’s Theatre productions which included more than 200 schools across Arkansas.

For more information, visit arkansasartscenter.org or call (501)372-4000. “Like” the Arkansas Arts Center on Facebook for the most up-to-date information on exhibitions, events and educational offerings.

GENERAL INFORMATION
Contact: (501)372-4000
Arkansas Arts Center Children’s Theatre – 9th and Commerce, Little Rock, AR 72202
Cost: General Admission Tickets are $12.50 for children and adults & $10 for AAC members.

Performance Times:
Saturday at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Sunday at 2 p.m.
Arkansas Arts Center programs are supported in part by: the City of Little Rock; The Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau; The City of North Little Rock and the Arkansas Arts Council, an agency of the Department of Arkansas Heritage and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Arkansas Arts Center presents the 45th Collectors Show and Sale

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Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, (French, Paris, France, 1796 – 1875, Paris, France), Vue de Paris prise d’Arcueil (View of Paris from the North-East), circa 1830-1835, graphite, watercolor and gouache, pencil on paper, Arkansas Arts Center Foundation Collection: Purchase, Tabriz Fund and Collectors Group Fund. 2013.003

“Art enthusiasts, new collectors, and seasoned buyers will be delighted to see what we have in store for this year’s sale that features a range of unique works,” said Arkansas Arts Center executive director Todd Herman. “This is an excellent opportunity for new and veteran collectors to add a treasure that was hand-selected with great consideration by the Arkansas Arts Center curators and myself.”

The annual Collectors Show and Sale is an Arkansas Arts Center tradition that brings the New York gallery scene to Little Rock. Arkansas Arts Center Executive Director Todd Herman and curators select the best in drawings and contemporary craft from New York galleries. All works are for sale and vary in price from $400 to in excess of $80,000. The exhibition includes works-on-paper such as drawings, prints, and photographs, as well as examples of contemporary craft in wood and ceramic.

Celebrating its forty-fifth year, the Collectors Show and Sale remains one of the longest running and most popular exhibitions organized by the Arkansas Arts Center. This past September, Arts Center curators and members of the Collectors Group ventured to New York City to select the work for the exhibition. Over the course of three days, the group visited over a dozen galleries and viewed about 1,000 works of art – ultimately narrowing the selection to the 150 or so works in the exhibition.

The Collectors Group, an auxiliary membership of the Arkansas Arts Center, offers its members exclusive programs and events to increase their appreciation of art and the field of collecting. Equally important, the group supports the collecting activities of the Arts Center. At their “Sneak Peek” reception before the exhibition opening, members of the Collectors Group will be able to cast their vote for a work to be acquired in their name for the Arts Center’s collection.

Through the Collectors Show and Sale, the Arkansas Arts Center affords veteran collectors the opportunity to add new works to their collections while inspiring new collectors to enter the field. For more information about the Collectors Group or to join, please visit www.arkansasartscenter.org or call Sharon Howell at (501) 396-0303.

LITTLE ENGINE running at Arts Center Children’s Theatre

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As the state’s premiere center for visual and performing arts with a renowned collection of international art, the Arkansas Arts Center Children’s Theatre will present The Engine That Thought It Could November 29 – December 22.

“We are thrilled to bring this wonderful children’s book to life with the excitement and magic that only live theater can,” said Arkansas Arts Center executive director Todd Herman. “Generations will enjoy the style and spirit of a story they know and love.”

The Arkansas Arts Center Children’s Theatre will take the audience on an exciting journey in this classic tale of determination when it’s left up to the little engine to save the day. The little engine learns that hard work pays off even when faced with adversity. The Engine That Thought It Could is written by Alan Keith Smith and is based on the 1906 story by Reverend Charles S. Wing.

The cast for The Engine That Thought It Could includes:

  • Veronica Lowry, of Charlottesville, Va., as Fast Fanny
  • Jeremy Matthey, of Little Rock, as Mister Moon/Big Electric Bill/Yard Hand
  • Aleigha Garstka, of Little Rock, as Big Momma Engine
  • Sissy Anne Quaranta, of Denver, Colo., as Miss Phoebe Sunshine
  • Ben Fish, of Little Rock, as Uncle Big Reggie Engine/Yard Hand
  • Erin Fowler, of Little Rock, as Yard Hand/Choreographer
  • Mark Hansen, of Little Rock, as Conductor Mike/Big Don Diesel
  • Madison Stolzer, of Little Rock, Little Millie Engine

The production is directed by John Isner, artistic direction by Bradley Anderson, choreography by Erin Fowler, costumes are designed by Erin Larkin, technical direction by Drew Posey, lighting design by Penelope Poppers, musical direction by Lori Isner, properties by Miranda Young, scenic design by Mary Alyce Hare and Rivka Kuperman is the stage manager.

Presenting sponsors are Landers FIAT in Benton, Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield, JPMS Cox and Centennial Bank.  This production also sponsored by All Aboard Restaurant.

Recognized by The Drama League as one of the best regional theatre companies in America, the Arkansas Arts Center Children’s Theatre is the only professional company in Arkansas that produces children’s literary works for the stage. Since 1979, Children’s Theatre has been creating unique experiences for family audiences. During the 2012-13 season, nearly 43,000 children and families enjoyed Arkansas Arts Center Children’s Theatre productions which included more than 200 schools across Arkansas.

For more information, visit arkansasartscenter.org or call (501)372-4000. “Like” the Arkansas Arts Center on Facebook for the most up-to-date information on exhibitions, events and educational offerings.

GENERAL INFORMATION
Contact: (501)372-4000
Arkansas Arts Center Children’s Theatre – 9th and Commerce, Little Rock, AR 72202
Cost: General Admission Tickets are $12.50 for children and adults & $10 for AAC members.

Performance Times: Friday at 7 p.m.
Saturday at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Sunday at 2 p.m.
Arkansas Arts Center programs are supported in part by: the City of Little Rock; The Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau; The City of North Little Rock and the Arkansas Arts Council, an agency of the Department of Arkansas Heritage and the National Endowment for the Arts.

SORCERER’S APPRENTICE at Children’s Theater

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As the state’s premiere center for visual and performing arts with a renowned collection of international art, the Arkansas Arts Center Children’s Theatre will present The Sorcerer’s Apprentice October 25 – November 10.

The audience will love this fun-filled, popular rendition of a thoroughly modern young girl on a magical journey when she meets a mysterious medieval sorcerer’s apprentice. The production is written by Alan Keith Smith and is based on a poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

“This Children’s Theatre production brings to life an exciting magical world while reminding us that our actions have consequences,” said Arkansas Arts Center executive director Todd Herman. “This tale of morality is a wonderful experience for the whole family to share and the relatable characters give the story an entirely new dimension on stage.”

The cast for The Sorcerer’s Apprentice includes: John Isner, Tanner Barry, Mark Hansen, Jeremy Matthey, Moriah Patterson, Veronica Lowry, Sissy Quaranta, Sarah Nicholson, Huner Wood, Sophie Wacaster, Margaret Lowry, Brooke Melton, Mattingly Bartole, Savanna Fischer, Erin Fowler, Ben Fish, Montana Bartole and Kate Kelly.

Keith Smith is the director, playwright and scene designer for the production. Artistic direction by Bradley Anderson, choreography by Moriah Patterson, costumes are designed by Nikki Webster, technical direction by Drew Posey, lighting design by Penelope Poppers, musical direction by Lori Isner, properties by Miranda Young, children’s acting coach is Aleigha Morton and Sarah Gasser is the stage manager.

Presenting sponsors for the event are Landers Fiat and Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield. The production is also sponsored by Centennial Bank, JPMS Cox, PLLC with in-kind support provided by Boulevard Bread Company.

Recognized by The Drama League as one of the best regional theatre companies in America, the Arkansas Arts Center Children’s Theatre is the only professional company in Arkansas that produces children’s literary works for the stage. Since 1979, Children’s Theatre has been creating unique experiences for family audiences. During the 2012-13 season, nearly 43,000 children and families enjoyed Arkansas Arts Center Children’s Theatre productions which included more than 200 schools across Arkansas.

Mark Rothko in the 1940s – focus of new exhibit at Ark Arts Center

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No. 8, 1949 Oil and mixed media on canvas 90 x 66 in. The National Gallery of Art, Washington Gift of The Mark Rothko Foundation, Inc., 1986.43.147 ©1998 Kate Rothko Prizel & Christopher Rothko /Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Image courtesy of the National Gallery of Art, Washington

No. 8, 1949
Oil and mixed media on canvas
90 x 66 in.
The National Gallery of Art, Washington
Gift of The Mark Rothko Foundation, Inc., 1986.43.147
©1998 Kate Rothko Prizel & Christopher Rothko /Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Image courtesy of the National Gallery of Art, Washington

The Arkansas Arts Center, the state’s premiere center for visual and performing arts with a renowned collection of international art, presents the Mark Rothko in the 1940s: The Decisive Decade exhibition, on view October 25 – February 9, in the Winthrop Rockefeller Gallery.

“When I began organizing the Mark Rothko exhibition back in 2009, it came together very quickly and grew from a dozen pieces to nearly 40. It was an honor and a privilege to see the exhibition come to fruition from its humble beginnings to a touring collection,” said Arkansas Arts Center executive director Todd Herman. “We are delighted to afford Arkansans the opportunity to view the thoughtfully rich works of a master in modern American art.”

Herman developed the Rothko exhibition while he was the chief curator and curator of European art at the Columbia Museum of Art in Columbia, S.C. Herman approached the National Gallery of Art in Washington about a collaboration to bring to the forefront a thought-provoking depiction of the famed late artists’ works.

The show began its run at the Columbia Museum of Art in Columbia, S.C., in September 2012, the Denver Art Museum in Denver, Colo. and will arrive at the Arkansas Arts Center in October. Herman also wrote the forward and introduction in the book, Mark Rothko: The Decisive Decade 1940-1950, which was listed at #6 on Huffington Post’s top art books in 2012.

Regarded as one of the leading American artists of the 20th century, Mark Rothko (1903-1970) forever changed the landscape of modern American art. Rothko was a member of The New York School, a collection of artists working in a nexus of artistic approaches, the best known of which were Gesturalism, or Abstract Expressionism and Color Field. What most members of this group shared was a faith in using the power of art effectively to address the pressing historical problems of their era though channels such as the movies, news reports and photographs of the war.

Rothko was the most important artist of the School’s Color Field wing and like many of his colleagues, the 1940s was the critical decade for his development. This exhibition is an examination into the artistic maturation, a decade of searching and rapid evolution, of one of the most influential artists of the twentieth century that deserves not only closer attention, but also a re-evaluation. Included in the exhibition are works by Rothko’s colleagues such as Jackson Pollock, Adolph Gottlieb and Clyfford Still developing along a very similar vein at the same time.

Mark Rothko in the 1940s will be the first exhibition and catalogue to reevaluate this work in the context of Rothko’s thoughts about art from the period. The exhibition will bring to light many works not seen before by scholars or the public and highlight a period of his career that is often overlooked.

The paintings, drawings and watercolors by Mark Rothko in this exhibition are on loan from the National Gallery in Washington. The exhibition was organized by the Arkansas Arts Center, the Columbia Museum of Art, the Columbus Museum of Art and the Denver Art Museum in conjunction with the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. The exhibition is funded in part by the Dedalus Foundation. Local support is provided by Harriet and Warren Stephens, Chucki and Curt Bradbury, The Brown Foundation, Inc., of Houston, Mary Ellen and Jason Vangilder and the Capital Hotel.

Arkansas Arts Center members are invited to a member reception for Mark Rothko in the 1940s: The Decisive Decade, Face to Face: Artists’ Self-Portraits from the collection of Jackye and Curtis Finch, Jr. and Portraiture Now: Drawing on the Edge exhibitions to be held on Thursday, October 24, from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Dr. Bradford R. Collins, University of South Carolina associate professor of art history and catalogue editor of Mark Rothko, The Decisive Decade: 1940-1950, will present the lecture, “Rothko’s Dilemma: Beauty and Tragedy,” at 6 p.m. in the lecture hall, sponsored by the Fine Arts Club. Members and guests will enjoy music, cocktails and light hors d’oeuvres. Tickets are required to attend and are free for members. Non-members may purchase a ticket for $15 which includes access to the lecture, exhibitions and reception.

Additional events associated with the Mark Rothko in the 1940s: The Decisive Decade exhibition include;

Museum School Workshop: Artist Catherine Rodgers will lead a workshop, Paint like Rothko – Color: Complement, Shade, Tone and Tint, on Saturday, October 26, from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. and on Sunday, October 27, from noon to 4 p.m. Admission to the workshop will be $92 for members and $115 for non-members. Those interested can register through the Museum School, arkansasartscenter.org or by contacting (501) 372-4000.

Dance: A special performance titled Color Play, an original choreographed interpretation of the work of Mark Rothko featuring Stephanie Thibeault and the UALR dance department, will be held on Saturday, December 7, at 2 p.m. in the Winthrop Rockefeller Gallery. Admission will be free with ticket purchase to exhibition. Guests may sign up at Stephens Inc. Visitors Center. Space is limited.

Feed Your Mind Fridays:

·         Artist Gallery Talk with Virmarie DePoyster will be held on Friday, November 8, at noon in the Winthrop Rockefeller Gallery. Admission will be free with ticket purchase to exhibition. Guests may sign up at the Stephens Inc. Visitors Center. Space is limited.

·         The film The Rothko Chapel (68 minutes) will be shown on Friday, November 29, at noon in the lecture hall.

·         The film Rothko’s Rooms (60 minutes) will be shown on Friday, December 13, at noon in the lecture hall.

·         The film Motherwell & the New York School: Storming the Citadel (55 minutes) will be shown on Friday, February 7, 2014, at noon in the lecture hall.

Lecture: Christopher Rothko, son of artist Mark Rothko, will be on hand for questions Thursday, January 16, 2014, at 6 p.m. for the lecture, “Conversations with Christopher Rothko and Todd Herman”, in the lecture hall presented by the Fine Arts Club. The Arkansas Arts Center will have extended hours through 9:00 p.m.

Family Festival: Rothko’s Colors and Perfect Portraits, a family festival, will be held on Saturday, January 18, 2014, from 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Admission will be free for members, $5 per person and $20 per family.

Music: Haskell Small will present an original composition inspired by Mark Rothko and his paintings on Sunday, February 2, 2014, at 2 p.m. in the Winthrop Rockefeller Gallery. Admission will be free with ticket purchase to exhibition. Guests may sign up at the Stephens Inc. Visitors Center. Space is limited.

Drop-In Tours Museum docents will be giving 1-hour tours of Mark Rothko in the 1940s: The Decisive Decade. Tour times are as follows: Tuesday – Friday at 1 p.m., Saturdays at 11 am. and 1 p.m. and Sundays at 1p.m. Free with ticket. Space is limited to 20. Please sign in at the Stephens Inc. Visitors Center. First come, first served.

 

For more information, visit arkansasartscenter.org or call (501)372-4000.