Sunday, September 9, 2012

The Transcendental Landscape Art Panel and Discussion

 Landscape holds a special place in the hearts of many New Englanders, and as such, has often found its way into the art, poetry and literature of this region as a defining spirit. Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau and the transcendentalists found a spiritual home in the great outdoors. In much the same way that nature spoke to them, landscape has taken on new possibilities of meaning for contemporary artists as an inspiration for responsive, site specific, monumental sculpture.

The panel discussion will be hosted by Dr. Mike Volmar, Curator of Fruitlands Museum and moderated by the architect and artist William Turville. Notable speakers include Donna Hassler, Director of Chesterwood; Sharon Bates, Director of Art and Culture program at Albany International Airport; Charlet Hird Davenport, artist, Curator of SculptureFest, Director of Exhibitions, King Farm Woodstock, Vt.; and Debbie Hagan, New England art critic and former editor-in-chief at Art New England. New England artists Dillon Bustin, Amy Ragus, Donna Dodson and Andy Moerlein will round out the discussion with their experiences.

Among the many questions being asked during this lively and informative discussion will be: beyond these private venues, where art appreciators congregate, what does the public demand from a public art program such as the Albany International airport? How does the natural experience change the artist and/or art studio practice? How does the placement of art in non-traditional settings change the work and inspire an audience? How is the historic King Farm in rural Vermont enhanced by a public contemporary sculpture program? How do you include the public in this conversation?

Brief Panelists’ Bios:
  • Sharon Bates - Director of Art & Culture Program, Albany International Airport
  • Dillon Bustin - Folklorist, singer, song writer, filmmaker and playwright with a lifelong passion for Ralph Waldo Emerson’s work
  • Charlet Hird Davenport - Artist, Director and Curator of SculptureFest, Co-Founder and Director of Exhibitions, King Farm Woodstock, Vt.
  • Donna Dodson - International sculptor, arts journalist, participant - Verbier 3D Foundation Switzerland, blogger
  • Debbie Hagan - Director of Marketing Danforth Museum of Art, arts journalist for three decades. Former editor-in-chief of both Preview and Art New England.
  • Donna Hassler - Director of Chesterwood, a Site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and former country home, studio and gardens of Daniel Chester French
  • Andy Moerlein - Artist in Residence at Fruitlands Museum, international sculptor, Derryfield School Arts educator, participant - Verbier 3D Foundation Switzerland
  • Amy Ragus - Photographer, collage artist, educator, with particular interest in Henry David Thoreau's Walden and the Transcendental movement
Sun, 09/16/2012 - 1:00pm
FRUITLANDS MUSEUM | 102 Prospect Hill Road, Harvard, Massachusetts 01451  
http://www.fruitlands.org 

Prior to the start of the panel discussion, Moerlein will lead guided tour of his installations about the Fruitlands landscape at 11:00 a.m. Guests on his tour will see these large scale sculptures up close and hear the stories of their conception.

This event is open to the public and FREE with museum admission.

For more information about "Art and The Transcendental Landscape," call (978) 456-3924 ext. 292

Update: Wicked Local, in Harvard Mass, covered this event. To read the article click here.http://www.wickedlocal.com/harvard/news/x1402244680/FRUITLANDS-Art-and-the-Transcendental-Landscape#axzz26vLvWiEw

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