Website for the South Bend Museum of Art, South Bend, IN

August 23 – November 16, 2014 | Jerome J. Crowley Community Gallery

Reception | Friday, October 3 | 5:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Please join us for a free, family-friendly evening of fun! Meet artist Christi Ziebarth and work together to make your own colorful buttons. She’ll also be available to discuss her work and abolitionART. Meet artists. Make art. Discover fun!

Inspired by true-life tales of present day children in the fishing industry of Lake Volta, Ghana, West Africa, this exhibition celebrates freedom one child at a time. Mother/daughter artist team, Dianna Williams and Christi Ziebarth bring a collection of hand-crafted textile and hand-cut acrylic-mosaic in colorful and rhythm-rich variety as a visual voice for the voiceless.

Over the past four years, the artists and their work have traveled to galleries, schools, churches, conferences, and community events raising educational awareness for present day abolition efforts around the world. Their message raises high the value of the “ripple effect” set in motion by care and compassion.

Dianna Williams, of Warsaw, Indiana, received Fine Art and Business degrees from Saint Cloud State University with a minor in Weaving Arts. A business owner of “Finery—Fine Sewing for Special Occasions”, Dianna extends creative talents into every aspect of life including the fine arts arena. “My current work is not quiet—using unlikely tactile media in unexpected ways to develop energy and evoke a response from the viewer. I splice together materials which conform to my designs, rather than limiting my ideas to what a single media can deliver. The topics and titles of the artwork in this series are meant to generate questions and raise awareness about desperate circumstances of children who have no voices…and ultimately to celebrate their hope and freedom.”

Christi Ziebarth attributes her stylization to years of teaching art where she found creative curiosity was illuminated when students were submerged in color-play or fitting shapes together. She took these two elements into the studio and developed her signature mosaic style in response. “Each piece has its place and purpose. There is a life-breathing value when each part belongs to one another. Everyone can relate to this journey of finding a place to call home.” Her works trace themes of family-bonds, cultural distinctives, visual narratives of biblical truths, and social justice. Recent commissions titled “Collaborative Community Art” include large-scale public works where community takes part in the creation of the acrylic color blends while the final work is pieced together in studio. Her most recent work for the Limitless Park of Winona involved 400 children in the creation process.

images: top: Dianna Williams, Caught in the Moment, 2013, multi-fabrics, machine appliqued bag wall-hanging 33″ x 52″
above, right: Christi Ziebarth, Liberation Viniette, 2013,  hand-cut acrylic mosaic, 42″ x 42″

Learn more about the topic of child slavery in this New York Times article and this one from The Guardian.

September 27, 2014 – January 4, 2015 | Art League Gallery
Artist Talk: Sunday, December 7, 2:30 p.m.

Read the review in the South Bend Tribune.

Jason Cytacki’s work focuses a critical eye on the much-romanticized period of the American Frontier and its continued place in the popular imagination. Epic western landscapes of the 19th century fed audiences’ desires for hope of an American Utopia, just as the heroic cowboys riding in to the sunset from 1950s cinema lured a new audience into longing for a simpler time. While inaccurate and inflated, these iconic images have become deeply entwined with the American perception of self.

From the artist’s statement:

“My interest lies in the tension between western art’s representation as both myth and reality, reflected in its often-ambiguous relationship with authenticity. By striving to both affirm and subvert our belief in these larger than life constructs I hope to redraw the mythic contours of our national identity to accommodate a more complete, truthful and tragic portrait.

…For portrait pieces I appropriate nostalgic images of cowboys from old western movies, and transform them through divergent painting techniques. Dripping expressionistic brushwork becomes tight detailed passages, which in turn dissolve back into loose, abstracted marks; in this way, the images of these iconic figures are simultaneously elevated and destroyed. Through this process, I suggest the mythic as well as tragic, fragile nature of these seemingly invincible heroes. Beneath the surface of these portraits lay doubt, remorse, and vulnerability, exposing the cowboy as an imperfect symbol for an imperfect time.

With landscape pieces, I aim to subtly subvert the traditional realism of the genre by emphasizing the artificiality of the constructed image. These paintings are derived from miniature dioramas made mostly of cardboard, which I have created and assembled to depict scenes directly referencing the utopian imagery of traditional western landscapes. By meticulously rendering the minute details of these cardboard assemblies with oil paint, I highlight the fabricated nature of these culturally constructed images. This body of work stems from my interest in the tension between western art’s representation as both myth and reality, reflected in its often-ambiguous relationship with authenticity.”

Jason Cytacki is an Assistant Professor of Painting at the University of Oklahoma. Jason earned MFA from the University of Notre Dame in 2011, and now lives and works in Norman, Oklahoma. His paintings examine the American character and its construction through history, popular culture and mythology. Utilizing characters and images drawn from popular culture, he explores the way Americans view themselves and their country.

His recent work has dealt extensively with exploring Frontier mythology, in particular its continued importance in the popular imagination. He has been exhibited regularly and is represented in a variety of collections.

Images: above: Weminuche, 2013, Oil on panel, 36 x 48 inches; below: Bear Lake, 2013, Oil on panel, 24 x 18 inches

THE PHELAN COLLECTION
Organized by
Exhibits Development Group, USA

October 18, 2014 – January 11, 2015  Warner Gallery

Window on the West, a collection of Arthur J. Phelan, is an extraordinary examination of Western American art. The exhibition features 64 paintings and drawings by artists who were some of the first non-indigenous people to cast an eye over the western frontier. Artists represented in this spectacular exhibition include some of the greatest, most prominent American landscape and genre painters of the 19th and early 20th centuries, including:  John James Audubon, Albert Bierstadt, Frederick Remington, John F. Kensett, and Peter Moran, among others.

Text accompanying the exhibition states:

The works here offer a unique view of western development that differs from many of the more mythic interpretations that have ingrained themselves into America’s popular imagination. This is the West presented not as the stuff of legend so often displayed on the silver screen, but rather as a newly minted frontier seen through the eyes of those artists who personally explored the West and recorded on paper and canvas what they discovered. 

Loosely divided into three themes, the exhibition explores the ways in which America’s ideas of national identity became intertwined with, and expressed through, our visual conception of the western frontier. The section entitled “Natural Beauty, Natural Wonder” consists of landscapes sometimes painted to lure potential settlers with depictions of the wide open spaces, mountainous skylines, and geological formations foreign to the native scenery of the East Coast. Similarly, views depicting “Western Settlement and Development” attempted to convince potential settlers that frontier life, while still exotic, offered luxuries and security comparable to what they were leaving behind. A third section, “Images and Icons,” documents the people who came before and after settlement began to alter the raw natural beauty of the landscape.

This diverse visual anthology of westward expansion and settlement illustrates how certain art works are products of their social, political and economic contexts. Window on the West reminds us to think critically about westward migration in America and how much truth is actually reflected in a typical John Wayne Saturday matinee.

Images: Top:  Albert Bierstadt, Nebraska Territory Wasatch Mountains, 1859, oil on canvas;
Above, Thomas Hill, Giant Geyser, Yellowstone, oil on paper

The American Series is an annual event which shares, with our regional audience, the rich art history and culture of our nation. Represented in these exhibitions are many of the key artists and artistic movements responsible for creating an American art legacy. This will be the 8^th year we have offered this series and it continues to gain momentum and respect in the community for the rich visual perspectives it offers on American art.

The South Bend Museum of Art’s 2013-2014 Exhibition Program is made possible, in part, with support from the Community Foundation of St. Joseph County’s ArtsEverywhere Initiative.

With Support from:

Summit Sponsors

 Peak Sponsors

Horizon Sponsors

InKind Donors

Individual Contributions

MAJESTIC

Jan & J.C. Freiden
L. Brown & Mary L. Sanders
Lynda B. & Charles S. Simon

VISTA

Mr. & Mrs. Bruce Bancroft
Lynn & Scott Blue
Jan Richard & Mary Reineke
Teri & Bud Stout

SIGHTLINE

Richard Dennen
Marcia Rickard & Dennis Doordan
Anne Feferman
Gerber Family Fund
Jackie MacKenzie
Northern Indiana Artists
Studebaker National Museum (in memory of Bob Shields)
Carole Walton
Harold & Doreen Zisla

ADVENTURER

Judith Bock
Dayle Brown & David Piser
The Carriage House Dining Room
Joe & Joyce Dunfee
Robert and Peg Laven
M/E Design Services
Sam & Sherill Mirkin
Elizabeth Overmyer
Charlene Plasschaert
John & Nancy Pycik
Mr. & Mrs. Donald A. Siberell
Meg Auth & Jerry Thoma
John Voorde
Tim & Jackie Welsh

TRAILBLAZER

George & Ramona Beamer
Mary Jane Buzolich
Judy Chase
Audrey M. Davis
Dagny M. Diamond
Sharon Donlon
Roy & Joy Grove
Harriet Hamer & Abram Bergen
Mary M. Jackson
Linda Sue Phillips
Ernest Reed
Mary Jo Tompos
William C. Whitman

Contributions in Memory of Robert C. Shields

1st Source Bank
Mr. & Mrs. Stephen A. Anella
Bambers Superette
Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Brunner
John Charles Bryant
Janette Burkhart-Miller
Tom Casteel
Melayna Clark
Mr. & Mrs. James Cooke
Mr. & Mrs. Frank Cunningham
Angela Dennig
Dr. Eleanor Eggers
Mr. & Mrs. Ron Emanoil
John Ester
Mr. & Mrs. Bruce Gobdel
Cecilia Gobdel
Mr. & Mrs. Bruce Greenberg
Carolyn Hardman
Mr. & Mrs. Dennis Hulth
Indiana Trust & Investment Company
Dr. & Mrs. Jon Kintner
Natalie & Paul Klein
Corrie Klimek
Marme Kopp
Mr. & Mrs. Hubert Kuzmich
Mr. & Mrs. Brian Lake
Mr. & Mrs. Ray Larson
Cheryl Little
Claudia A. Maslowski
Anne D. McGraw
Mr. & Mrs. Michael McKinnis
Mr. & Mrs. Daryl Nakonezny
Mr. & Mrs. Daniel O’Donnell
Frank Perri
Mr. & Mrs. John Phair
Mr. & Mrs. Paul Price
Charles & Lucy E. Quaintance
Mrs. William Racine
Dr. & Mrs. J.R. Reineke
Dr. David & Mitzi B. Sabato
Mr. & Mrs. William J. Schmuhl
Mr. & Mrs. William Seybold
Mr. & Mrs. Harry S. Shaffer
Jean Whittemore Sharp
Tracy & Gretchen Shellabarger
Gregory Simpson
Brian Sittley
John Smarrella
Donna Snyder
John Steinmetz
Mr. & Mrs. Richard Stifel
Ms. Sigrid Thanos
Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Turnock
University of Notre Dame
Susan Visser  & Bron Janulis
Mr. & Mrs. Tsung Yeh

January 24 – April 4, 2015 | Art League Gallery
Reception: Friday, March 6, 2015 | 5:00 – 9:00 p.m.; Gallery Talk (click here to view if you missed it!)

Sticky Situation, 2013; stoneware, earthenware, paper, wire, 17″x11″x5″

By using ceramics to represent preciousness, raw materials, and history, the various mutated natural forms are meant to ask the viewer to look more closely at the world around them. The animals and flora are the innocents not quite understanding the changes that are happening to them and around them. Much like how we are presented information through mass media, the true message is not always obvious. The uncertainty is if it is ultimately good or bad. -Lesley Baker

Lesley Baker is an Associate Professor at the Herron School of Art and Design in Indianapolis and has also taught at UC Berkeley and the California College of the Arts. She earned her MFA at the Rhode Island School of Design in 2000. She has participated in numerous artist residencies, including the Archie Bray Foundation, the John Michael Kohler Arts/Industry Residency, the Guldagergaard International Ceramic Research Center in Denmark, and the Pottery Workshop in Jingdezhen, China. Her work has also been published in numerous books including The Yixing Effect and The Best of 500 Ceramics and the newest editions of Ceramics and Print.

January 31 – February 28, 2015
Warner and Jerome J. Crowley Community Galleries

Congratulations to the 2015 Scholastic Art Award Recipients!

View (pdf) a list of award winners.

Meet Me in the Gallery Opening Reception: Friday, February 6, 2015 5:30 – 9:00 p.m. | Warner Gallery

Awards Ceremony: Sunday, February 8, 2015 | Bendix Theatre, Century Center
1:30 p.m.: Junior High  |  2:30 p.m.: Senior High

Presented by

The NW Indiana & Lower SW Michigan Region of the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers
South Bend Museum of Art and Friends of Scholastic Art Awards

Learn more about the Scholastic Art Awards!

Thank You to The Supporters of the Scholastic Art Awards Competition and Exhibition:

CONTRIBUTORS, 2014/15 (As of Jan. 22, 2015)

FOUNDATIONS AND MAJOR CONTRIBUTORS

Arts Everywhere Initiative,
Community Foundation of St. Joseph County

June H. Edwards

Florence V. Carroll Charitable Trust Foundation

Macys

ORGANIZATIONS, CORPORATIONS & AWARDS SPONSORS

Café Navarre
Mr. & Mrs. Jim Cooke
Docent Group of the South Bend Museum of Art & the Snite Museum of Art
Indiana Michigan Power
Indiana Women’s Caucus for Art
Kappa Kappa Kappa, Inc.
Kil Architecture & Planning
Lehman & Lehman, Inc.
Northern Indiana Pastel Society
Northern Indiana Public Service Co.
South Bend Hoosier Art Patrons
St. Joe Valley Watercolor Society
Walmart

March 28 – May 10, 2015 | Jerome J. Crowley Community Gallery
Reception: Friday, May 1, 2015 | 5:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Maclovio Cantu, The Performance, Linoleum print;  Kelly Stombaugh, The Dead Tree, Aquatint print encased in resin

In the summer of 2014, the SBMA hosted, for its eleventh year, a program that provided studio space and critical interpretation to area university art students. This year, the program focused on two residents working with curatorial and education staff as well as a residency mentor. As part of this program, the students and mentor each contributed five volunteer hours per week (over a twelve week period) and gained valuable experience through their work with the museum’s summer programming. This exhibition features the work of Maclovio Cantú IV and Kelly L. Stombaugh (both of Indiana University, South Bend), as well as residency mentor M.T. Searle (Artist, Educator and Administrator). The work in this exhibition is representative of both the residency and work created upon their return to their respective institutions.

Cantú will graduate in May 2015 from Indiana University, South Bend with a B.F.A. in Printmaking. Stombaugh graduated from Indiana University, South Bend with a B.F.A. in Printmaking in 2014.
M.T. Searle works between South Bend, IN and Chicago, IL.

The Summer Arts Fellowship Program offers a unique opportunity of self-direction for fine arts majors enrolled in area Indiana university or college art programs. The program offers studio space, as well as a series of critiques, workshops, and volunteer opportunities to local college students. College residents work with members of our curatorial and educational staff. Additionally, a residency mentor provides focused conversation in a challenging environment. Residencies last during the summer months of June, July, and August. At the completion of the residency, participating students and residency mentor are awarded an exhibition in our Community Gallery the following February.

April 18 – June 28, 2015 | Art League Gallery
Reception: Friday, May 1, 2015 | Gallery Talk at 6:30 p.m.

Jack Kapsa, Farewell to Amber Bees, 2014, Digital print , 13 x 19 inches

Jack Kapsa, The Crossing Guard, 2013 , Digital print , 19 x 13 inches

Artist Statement:

The photographs are meant to be visionary, where reality has been transformed through the experimentation of alternate image making processes and the distortion of space, color and value. They serve one goal: to convey a poetic vision.

A carnival plywood figure with a cutout area for the customers face to appear through becomes a crossing guard for an imaginary train crossing. Small groups of people are waving in acknowledgement to bees captured long ago in amber. Even a seemingly straight photograph of a man reading on deck of a ship appears in distorted space.

Over the past nine years I have been exploring ways to bend or alter reality in my photographs. The resulting images are meant to convey the ability to travel to places where only the mind can take us.

I wish to thank the Lilly Endowment Inc. for the 2014 Teacher Creativity Fellowship grant that provided funds to help complete my recent work.

Jack Kapsa’s mixed media approach to his work incorporates photography and painting, using traditional and non-traditional dark room processes with digital image making to create surreal images. He earned his MFA at the University of Notre Dame and has participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions regionally and nationally. Kapsa is a photography instructor at St. Joseph High School in South Bend and was a recipient of a Lilly Endowment Inc.Teacher Creativity Fellowship grant in 2014.

May 23rd – August 9, 2015 | Jerome J. Crowley Community Gallery

photos by William Healy

Fire Arts, a 3-D studio dedicated to the creation and appreciation of the three dimensional arts of sculpture, pottery, and jewelry, was founded in 2004 by a group of artists led by sculptors Lane Laffoon and Tuck Langland. In search of space to accommodate a small foundry, metal working, ceramics and a gallery area, they found a perfect fit in an abandoned building on the east bank of the St. Joseph River in downtown South Bend. It was owned by the City of South Bend, and on a list to be demolished. Instead, the City deeded the building to the group of 13 artists, who pooled their resources and sweat equity to renovate the building into a vibrant work and gallery space. Today, 40 artists are members of the not-for-profit cooperative.

In this anniversary exhibition, 18 are represented: Wayne Andrews, Doug Barton, Beau Bilenki, Jackie Carlson, Barry Davis, Yvonne Desrosiers, Kiva Ford, John Hagen, William Healy, Tom Henry, Elfa Jonsdottir, Doug Kile, Bob Kuntz, Tuck Langland, Kyoko Magari-Ball, Julie Neises, Dick Trench, and Emma Wang.

From ceramics and blown glass, to bronze and wood, the passion flows through these beautiful creations.