Snoopy by Air or by Sea

February 2010 | BY Sara Baker | Issue 71, Spring 2010 | NO COMMENTS

: Peanuts characters were especially popular subjects for sailor art painted on the steel walls of the USS Intrepid. Credit: Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum

Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz’s beloved beagle Snoopy is taking to the air—and the open waves, at the first stop of the touring exhibition “Snoopy as the World War I Flying Ace.”

On view at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York City through April 30, the exhibition features 40 prints from Schulz’s original drawings of Snoopy’s imagined adventures through the skies of Europe. Accompanying these treasures is original artwork created by sailors aboard the USS Intrepid. Peanuts characters were popular subjects for the crewmembers, who painted their artwork right on the ship’s steel walls.

Organized by the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center in Santa Rosa, Calif., the exhibition will spend the next five years on the road, at destinations from Mississippi to Alaska. Visit www.schulzmuseum.org for a list of Snoopy’s upcoming stops.

Top Names in Craft

February 2010 | BY admin | Issue 71, Spring 2010 | NO COMMENTS

: USA fellows Delores Lewis Garcia and Emma Lewis Mitchell crafted “Jar with Thunderbirds” in 2006.

The artists’ advocacy organization United States Artists struck again Dec. 14, honoring 50 artists with unrestricted $50,000 grants in a ceremony at The Broad Stage in Santa Monica, Calif. The organization annually recognizes artists from across the country in eight creative disciplines. The crafts and traditional arts category recognized seven top artists:

New Mexico artist Mary Shaffer, a founding artist of the American Studio Glass Movement, developed a technique called “mid-air slumping” in the 1970s, which allows her to soften plate glass into a form. Her glass-and-metal sculptures range from small objects to room-size installations.

Longtime teacher and Montana resident Beth Lo explores her Asian-American identity and issues of family in clay and collages. She employs traditional techniques like calligraphy and origami and sometimes borrows from material culture like souvenirs and toys to communicate her message.

New Mexico potters Delores Lewis Garcia and Emma Lewis Mitchell learned their craft from their mother, pueblo potter Lucy Lewis. They continue to work together to produce traditional hand-built pots with authentic Acoma patterns.

Alaskan Perry Eaton continues a long tradition of carving Sugpiaq Alutiiq masks. He started studying the techniques in the 1990s, and also teaches at youth camps and cultural organizations.

Wisconsin basket maker Dona Look has developed a singular look in her work by sewing birch bark with silk thread. The resulting minimalist style focuses on surface texture, volume and implied simplicity.

Pennsylvania ceramist Kukuli Velarde borrows from pre-Columbian traditions to craft clay sculptures that provide commentary on topics like gender and identity issues.

For the full list of winners, visit www.unitedstatesartists.org.

Outdoor Art in Beantown

February 2010 | BY Sara Baker | Issue 71, Spring 2010 | NO COMMENTS

: Alix Porras participated in last year’s Fresh Paint event.

If you’re out and about in Boston on April 25, there’s a good chance you’ll run into more than one of the 90 artists who will have set up their easels in the city’s most popular outdoor spots. The Copley Society of Art’s 22nd annual Fresh Paint fundraiser is asking artists to focus on green spaces in Boston.

After the artists have spent the day painting areas like the Esplanade, the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway and the Public Garden, they’ll bring their completed works back to the gallery for a week of public display and silent bids. Fresh Paint will culminate May 8 with the “Green Splash” gala, an evening of food and drinks, live jazz, and silent and live auctions of the works.

Money raised from Fresh Paint is used to support the Copley Society’s exhibitions, lectures, scholarships, residencies and outreach programs. To learn more, visit www.copleysociety.org.

Istanbul Named Top 2010 European Capital

February 2010 | BY admin | Issue 71, Spring 2010 | NO COMMENTS

: The Ortaköy neighborhood is rich with art galleries, cafes and restaurants. Credit: Turkish Culture and Tourist Office in New York/Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture

It’s no small honor to be named a 2010 European Capital of Culture. Designated by the European Union to both member and non-member countries, the goal of the program is to have a positive socio-economic impact on the chosen city.

This year Istanbul, Turkey, shines brightly as an epicenter of culture. Istanbul has put great efforts into restoring its landmarks, opening new museums and cultural centers, and developing a yearlong list of exhibitions, events and performances centered on the theme “A City of Four Elements.”

The first quarter, which runs through March 20, follows the theme “Earth,” showcasing archeological excavations alongside exhibits detailing the city’s long history. Spring brings the theme of “Air,” which will focus on multicultural and religious events of all kinds.

Summer focuses on the city’s inseparable connection to “Water,” with the legendary Bosphorus strait taking center stage as the focus of two week-long presentations of art, music and cuisine at Istanbul’s waterfront districts. The year is rounded out by “Fire,” which celebrates the city’s bright future with “Lives and Works in Istanbul,” an exhibit featuring 10 international artists and 100 Turkish artists.

Other notable events include the Istanbul Fashion, Textile and Apparel Conference and Exhibition in May, which showcases the works of world-famous fashion designers; “Portable Art,” a series of fall exhibitions that touch on every medium; and 10 documentaries featuring the lives and works of local master craftsmen, which will premiere internationally in December. Visit www.istanbul2010.org or www.goturkey.com to plan your trip.

Omaha’s Art for the People

February 2010 | BY Sara Baker | Issue 71, Spring 2010 | NO COMMENTS

: Meg Saligman’s “Fertile Ground” mural is a staggering 32,500 square feet. Credit: Oxide Design/© 2009 Meg Saligman, Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts

There are plenty of reasons why Omaha, Neb.’s new “Fertile Ground” is not your typical public mural. For starters, measuring in at 32,500 square feet, it is the nation’s largest singly funded mural. Then there’s artist Meg Saligman’s unique approach to showing the passage of time in the painting from back to front, not with the typical left-to-right composition. To tell the story of Omaha’s past, present and future in “Fertile Ground,” Saligman, a Philadelphia artist, spent hundreds of hours in 2007 gathering historical photos and data and interviewing residents. The mural features nearly 50 Omahans who were photographed at locations across the city. Saligman and a team of assisting artists spent six months in 2008 and 2009 completing the mural, which is located on the Energy Systems building at 13th and Webster streets. The title of the project is meant to reflect Omaha’s depth of character and deep roots. It was funded by the Peter Kiewit Foundation, which worked with the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts to see the mural to completion.

Exploring Art in the Garden

February 2010 | BY admin | Issue 71, Spring 2010 | NO COMMENTS

: Wendy M. Ross’s “Haiku II” is part of the “Sculpture on the Grounds” exhibit at The Kreeger Museum in Washington, D.C. Credit: J.P. Beirne

When spring hits, the urge to get outside is irresistible. That’s why we’ve previewed a selection of exhibitions in outdoor spaces across the country.

“Yayoi Kusama at the Fairchild” presents three large-scale multi-part works on the 83 acres of the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Coral Gables, Miami, Fla., through May 30. The octogenarian created the floating work “Guidepost to the New Space” specifically for one of the garden’s 11 lakes, installing 10 round “humps” in bright colors with white dots. The second installation is “Flowers that Bloom at Midnight,” four magnificently tall cast flowers painted in eye-opening patterns. Three of her classic “Pumpkins” are also on display. Visit www.fairchildgarden.org to learn more.

Washington, D.C.’s Kreeger Museum and the Washington Sculptors Group established a new program, “Sculpture on the Grounds at The Kreeger Museum: A Collaboration with the Washington Sculptors Group” in June. Museum director Judy A. Greenberg and public art consultant Françoise Yohalem selected two artists to feature in its first biennial. Wendy M. Ross’s “Haiku II” and Foon Sham’s “Revolve” will be displayed on the museum’s east lawn indefinitely. Visit www.kreegermuseum.org for details.

Michele Oka Doner will examine the unique synergy of sculpture and horticulture in the exhibition “Spirit and Form: Michele Oka Doner and the Natural World” at the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids, Mich., through May 9. The show coincides with the official completion of Doner’s 13,000-square-foot bronze-and-terrazo floor, “Beneath the Leafy Crown,” which is installed in the museum’s scenic corridor. Also look for 1,500 ceramic soul catchers in a site-specific installation, along with eight colossal relief prints and functional objects in the galleries. Go to www.meijergardens.org for more information.

The Potters’ Place

February 2010 | BY Angelo Lynn | Issue 71, Spring 2010 | NO COMMENTS

: Creativity is a family affair for, from left to right, Lee, Sparky, Peggy, Charlotte and Grace Potter. Credit: Angelo Lynn

Tucked into woods on a steep mountainside in the idyllic ski town of Waitsfield, Vt., is a compound of work sheds and a three-story residence that take their inspiration from J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. It’s where wood carver and custom-sign maker Sparky Potter and his wife Peggy, whose handpainted bowls are exhibited nationally, have built their home and business, and raised three artists of their own: Charlotte, a glass blower, Grace, a budding rock star, and Lee, a poet.

On the outside, the structures have a common Tudor style—that drippy, thatched-roofed look of Old World architecture with heavy doors etched with carvings of fairies and wizards. Sunken horizontal windows capture an English-style cottage, and a German-inspired tower is muted by large decks overlooking the Green Mountains. Inside, an eclectic array of styles reflects the organic manner in which the Potter family thrives.

“The outside of the building maintains a strong, medieval Tolkien character,” says Sparky, a lifelong skier who, at age 61, still wakes before dawn on powder days to catch fresh tracks at nearby Mad River Glen. “But the inside of each room is a different story. Each room can take on its own personality.”

Web Exclusive: View more images of the Potters’ home:

: Credit: Angelo Lynn

The Potters spend most of the summer on the front porch of their Waitsfield, Vt., home, even sleeping in an outdoor bed.

: Credit: Angelo Lynn

The former site of the Potters’ sign shop, Wood & Wood, is now their daughter Grace’s music studio, and a popular hang-out spot.

: Credit: Angelo Lynn

A corner of Grace Potter’s music studio.

: Credit: Angelo Lynn

The Potters drew from a number of influences to create their handcrafted home. This porch support detail was inspired by a monastery in Albuquerque, N.M.

: Credit: Angelo Lynn

Stained glass windows add a colorful detail to the four-story tower in the Potters’ home.

: Credit: Angelo Lynn

Handmade details find their way into the upstairs bathroom. The glass antlers and wall art are by the Potters’ daughter Charlotte. The soap dish is by Michael McKenna.

: Credit: Angelo Lynn

Sparky Potter is pictured at his custom-sign business, Wood & Wood.

: Credit: Angelo Lynn

Peggy Potter is pictured in her studio with her handpainted maple bowls.

For more of “The Potters’ Place,” pick up the Spring 2010 issue of AmericanStyle today! Subscribe now and never miss an article!

Happily Ever After

February 2010 | BY Melanie Radzicki McManus | Issue 71, Spring 2010 | 1 COMMENT

: Barbara Joosse and her former husband built a third addition onto the Storybook House, which was constructed in 1845, after they purchased it in 1992. The passage from the original house is pictured here. Credit: Jerry Luterman

The sun sits low in the clear, blue sky. A cool breeze swirls playfully through the prairie surrounding a 165-year-old limestone cottage in Cedarburg, Wis., causing the coreopsis blooms to bob their heads, and the slender moor grass to rustle softly.

Although the air is beginning to take on nighttime’s chill, inside the snug home everything is warm and tranquil. Two fuzzy goldendoodles lay back-to-back on the living room rug, their snoozing bodies forming artistically arced mirror images. Late afternoon sunlight streams through the windows, lending a rich hue to the goldenrod walls. And the two artists sitting next to each other in the living room exude deep contentment.

It’s hard to believe that just a few years before, children’s picture book author Barbara Joosse’s cherished home was a mere shell, devoid of the color, art and warmth that characterize it today. Joosse (pronounced JOH see) and her former husband purchased the house in 1992, after Joosse had admired it for years. Never mind they’d have to jam a family of five into its 900 square feet, or that its flowery motif didn’t suit Joosse’s taste. The minute she stepped inside, she knew she was home.

Web Exclusive: View more images of the Storybook House and its gardens.

Barbara Joosse and c.t. Whitehouse’s 165-year-old limestone cottage is surrounded by prairie land in Cedarburg, Wis. “Triad,” a collaboration between Whitehouse and Leo Osborne, sits in the front yard.

Children’s book author Barbara Joosse. Credit: Jerry Luterman

Sculptor c.t. Whitehouse works on a patina outdoors.

Among Joosse and Whitehouse’s outdoor sculpture is this bronze bust by Shirley Thomson-Smith.

Whitehouse gave this “Sun & Moon” fountain to Joosse as a wedding gift.

“Mother’s Embrace” is a plaster sculpture that Whitehouse created as a gift to his mother.

This glass sculpture is by Wisconsin artist Stephanie Trenchard.

Whitehouse has transformed an old barn on the property into his studio space. Credit: Jerry Luterman

A glass bowl by Scott Amrhein sits in a deep windowsill overlooking Cedar Creek.

For more of “Happily Ever After,” pick up the Spring 2010 issue of AmericanStyle today!

ART & DESIGN 2010: Artists’ Spaces

February 2010 | BY The AmericanStyle Staff | Issue 71, Spring 2010 | NO COMMENTS

: “Roman Bath” by c.t. Whitehouse.

Why are we all so endlessly fascinated with the private spaces artists keep? We love to peek into their workrooms on studio tours, catching glimpses of where mounds of clay or chunks of wood take shape. Visits to artists’ homes are an even rarer treat, providing tantalizing hints at how these highly creative people unwind, relax and rejuvenate.

In this year’s Art & Design edition, AmericanStyle takes you inside the homes and studios of more than a dozen artists. We start with a 165-year-old limestone cottage tucked into colorful gardens and prairie land in Cedarburg, Wis. It is here that children’s book author Barbara Joosse and her husband, sculptor c.t. Whitehouse, have fashioned a safe cocoon for their creative expression. Then it’s off to Vermont, where woodworker Sparky Potter and his wife Peggy have raised three artist-children in a compound they handcrafted from the ground up. Finally, we offer a series of portraits that photographer Donna Granata, founder of the Focus on the Masters program in Ventura County, Calif., has taken of artists in their studios. Each one is a tiny snapshot of an artist’s moment in time, and a mile marker in an ever-evolving career.

Monumental Watch List

February 2010 | BY Sara Baker | Issue 71, Spring 2010 | NO COMMENTS

: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West in Scottsdale, Ariz., is on the World Monuments Fund’s 2010 Watch list. Credit: World Monuments Fund

The World Monuments Fund has released its 2010 World Monuments Watch list. More than 90 at-risk sites are included, representing 47 countries. The monuments, ranging from prehistoric to contemporary and including churches, roadways, castles and cave art, are threatened by the effects of war, natural disasters, urban sprawl and neglect.

Nine U.S. sites made the list, including Frank Lloyd Wright’s iconic Taliesin and Taliesin West residencies in Spring Green, Wis., and Scottsdale, Ariz., respectively, as well as the Taos Pueblo in New Mexico. Other monuments on the list include the ancient petroglyphs in Pakistan, Antoni Gaudi’s Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família in Spain and Santuario Histórico Machu Picchu in Peru.

“The 2010 Watch makes it clear that cultural heritage efforts in the 21st century must recognize the critical importance of sustainable stewardship,” says Bonnie Burnham, president of the World Monuments Fund. To see the full list, visit www.wmf.org.