Year: 2016

Eva Hesse: review of the documentary

While travelling recently, I had a chance to attend a screening of the documentary film Eva Hesse, directed by Marcie Begleiter.  The film draws from the large collection of diary entries and letters written by Hesse, now housed at the Allen Memorial Art Museum in Oberlin, Ohio, and makes generous use of archival photographs and…Continue Reading Eva Hesse: review of the documentary

Collection Spotlight: Maria Ascarra papers

Maria Ascarra was an actress who performed in multiple productions around the United States. The principal material in this collection was collected during her prime performing years in New York City and elsewhere. The collection includes clippings, correspondence, ephemera, documents, programs, publicity, published works, scripts and 3 dimensional objects (primarily theatre props) relating to theatre,…Continue Reading Collection Spotlight: Maria Ascarra papers

Georgia O’Keeffe: The Palo Duro Canyon and Santa Fe connection

In May, my husband and I took a road trip to celebrate our 25th anniversary. The first stop on the trip was the Palo Duro Canyon in the panhandle of Texas for a some hiking. While hiking, we were in awe of the beauty that nature composed through the use of the many colors of…Continue Reading Georgia O’Keeffe: The Palo Duro Canyon and Santa Fe connection

Semiconductors & Symbolism: Thomas Stell’s Ceramic Murals for Texas Instruments

At the recent annual meeting of the Center for the Advancement and Study of Early Texas Art (CASETA) in Dallas this past May, Linda East received an award for her recent thesis on the ceramic works of Thomas M. Stell, Jr. In addition to teaching, Stell was a member of the Dallas Nine, who were regionalist…Continue Reading Semiconductors & Symbolism: Thomas Stell’s Ceramic Murals for Texas Instruments

CUL Digital Collections Update: May 2016

In May 2016, SMU’s Central University Libraries uploaded 200 items into CUL Digital Collections. CUL now has 52,319 published items. Highlights include: 167 items from the George W. Cook Dallas/Texas Image Collection as part of the TexTreasures FY2016 grant program, sponsored by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission and funded by the Institute of…Continue Reading CUL Digital Collections Update: May 2016

Leaving the Cocoon: Art Road Trips in Texas in May

Travelling recently to Houston for a family event, I had the opportunity to consider the differences between the Houston art scene and that with which I am more familiar, Dallas/Fort Worth. Unlike the art districts in Dallas and Fort Worth, the museums and galleries of Houston are a bit more scattered. When you are in…Continue Reading Leaving the Cocoon: Art Road Trips in Texas in May

Martha Graham and Isamu Noguchi: A multi-decade collaboration

This spring’s Meadows at the Winspear event included a performance by the Meadows Dance Ensemble and Meadows Symphony Orchestra of Martha Graham’s Appalachian Spring, one of the best known choreographic works of Graham’s repertoire, which premiered in 1944. For the production of this dance, Graham enlisted the collaboration of Aaron Copland, who won a Pulitzer Prize for…Continue Reading Martha Graham and Isamu Noguchi: A multi-decade collaboration

Collection Spotlight: Mary Frances Doyle art work and papers

Mary Doyle (1904 – 2000), a Texas native, devoted her adult life to the art education of Dallas children and to the printmaking profession. She participated in many of the exhibitions organized by the women’s printmaking group the Texas Printmakers, formerly the Printmakers Guild, and remained active in art education organizations and other art groups:…Continue Reading Collection Spotlight: Mary Frances Doyle art work and papers

Get in formation: a Lemonade syllabus

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okGJ-Fto36Q Many of us have been on an emotional rollercoaster since Beyoncé gifted us with her visual album Lemonade on April 23. Putting aside our concern for Bey and Jay’s marriage, the album itself is aurally and visually stunning and has received high critical acclaim. Lemonade premiered on HBO, and being especially proud of the part they played in its…Continue Reading Get in formation: a Lemonade syllabus