Local Art Seen: Tweed Spotlights the Art of Russia

Earlier this fall the The Museum of Russian Art (TMORA) donated an exhibition of 34 paintings, sculptures, posters and decorative works to the Tweed Museum of Art here on the campus of UMD.  The show is titled Art In Conflict, featuring works from the last decades of the Soviet Union.

The "conflict" is philosophical in the sense that some of the art is state sanctioned realism and other works are non-conformist. The show was curated by Dr. Maria (Masha) Zavialova for the TMORA.  "Arranged as a dialogue of state-sanctioned and oppositional models of artistic production, Art in Conflict invites a creative interpretation of what it was to be an artist living in the Soviet era."

Having been a serious art student in the early 70s, it was especially interesting to see the contrast between what was taking place behind the Iron Curtain and in our own turbulent, but unrestricted, times. The art here was created from the time of the death of Stalin in 1953 through the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.

Detail from the "approved" style of painting.

It's interesting to consider how the arts began to flourish post-Stalin. That Khrushchev permitted Solzhenitsyn to publish A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich is a remarkable testament to the liberalization that was taking place across the board. It's apparent from this show that a sea change was underway.

During the Khrushchev and Brezhnev era (1960s to 1980s), "the unofficial, or nonconformist, art movement was unmatched in its inexhaustible scope of creativity, courage, and variety. Nonconformists claimed the right to explore topics outlawed by the Soviet ideological apparatus." According to the information accompanying the show, "Their chief concern was not purely artistic. Rather, unofficial art responded to, protested against, and commented on the rigid doctrines of official Soviet art."

By way of contrast, "Mafiya" by Alexander Zakharov, 1990

Honoring 25th anniversary of Yari Gagarin's 1961 flight. 1986
Poster by Vladimir Fekliaev

These statements led me to consider the ways in which American artists were "at war" with conventions. What made art good or significant in the U.S.? Andy Warhol's work took its own unflinching look at popular culture and put it right out there: "What is and isn't art?" And "who decides?"

In the Soviet Union official art conformed to realist principles and conveyed its messages that aligned with the proletariat vision. The unofficial underground art explored non-realist modern approaches.

According to the accompanying literature:
Official art was atheist, whereas unofficial art tackled the themes of religion, spirituality, and metaphysics with relish. Most official art was gravely serious, which unofficial art was often not, playfully subverting and mocking ideological clichés.

"The Mail Carrier" by Isaak Shifman.  Painting in the "approved" style.

There was one point in common though: both art movements were politicized. Government sanctioned Soviet art was an instrument at the service of the political apparatus and thus, profoundly, ideological. Nonconformist art stepped forward to oppose artistic non-freedom, and inevitably entered the political arena. Conflict was a deliberate stance: non-official artists of the late Soviet era had to dismantle the insidious visual language of the Soviet establishment to discover their own idiom and voice.

The Soviet art scene had its grey zone: the art that chose not to take sides, but rather pursue purely artistic concerns and timeless subjects. But, in the highly politicized atmosphere of a totalitarian state, wasn’t the choice to be apolitical also a political decision?

Here are several more pieces showing that some interesting work was taking place outside the official propaganda norm.

"Pilgrims" by Aleksandr Gazhur

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"Pilgrims" (Detail)

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"Mikhal Sergeich and Boris Nikolaich" by Dmitri Kantorow, 1991

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"Composition with Cards IIII" by Vladimir Memukhin  (1982)

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Yuri Gagarin one more time.

What kind of art were you making from 1970 to 1990? 

And whose rules were you following as you created your work?

Related Links
The Death of Stalin
Remembering Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn: A Profile in Courage
One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich

Local Art Seen: Sculpture Show @ the Tweed. Museum Director Ken Bloom Retires.

"Pair, Pear" by Isidro Blasco (detail)

The food was good. The music was good. The speakers were good. The afterparty was good. And the setting was great.

After 15 years, that fellow from Brooklyn, the one who some thought would never stay, seemed like he'd never leave. And actually, the big surprise might be that he isn't really leaving. That is, he's not leaving Duluth, he's only stepping down from his position as museum director.

For Ken Bloom it will be a new chapter, not the end of the story.

He's not the first East Coast or West Coast artist to have move here and fallen in love with the region. Bloom's passion is photography, and his aim will be to stay, with wife Danielle, and have Duluth his continued "base of operations."

When it comes to the economics of retirement, you can own 40 acres here or 40 square feet in Manhattan, so why go back? (For my fact checkers, this is hyperbole, but not by much.)

UMD catered the food, Blackwoods the bar, with short farewell remarks by Jim Klueg (an art prof at UMD's School of Fine Arts), Rick Smith (director of the American Indian Learning Resource Center), Annie Dugan, and Ken himself, the highlight being Ken's screeching mike. (Just kidding, again.) These were followed by musical performances by Soprano Alice Pierce and pianist Jacqueline Foley.

The talks began with Jim Klueg welcoming us, then introducing Rick Smith, who thanked Ken for being respectful of the sacred items in the collection including repatriated spirit bags and birchbark scrolls.

"Time Bomb" by Karess Pastore

Klueg then introduced Annie Dugan, former director of the Duluth Art Institute, among other roles here in the region. Annie was in school when he first learned of Ken Bloom's selection to be Tweed Director. The person who informed her said, "He's not going to last long at all. He's from Brooklyn and doesn't even try to hide it."

Dugan said that while she was at the DAI "Ken came to openings, but also came back to look at the work." This is what impressed her. He cared about the art and took time to engage it. She spoke briefly about the importance museums like the Tweed offer "in service to the art, the cultural context, people and the stories."

"Cubic Herd" by Leslie Bohnenkamp

Always eloquent, she spoke about the challenges art museums face today, citing a New York Times article "Can Museums Find A Way Forward?"

Ken Bloom was then introduced and he began by indicating that all he did was "under the watchful eye of George and Alice Tweed." He talked about the mission of the Tweed, that it was an elevating opportunity for the whole community. The Tweeds gave their collection the the University so that it would be shared.

Ken Bloom awaiting introduction. 

"This museum is unique," Bloom said. "It is about us, our collective history. All exhibition s and acquisitions are paid for by you, the community. UMD pays for overhead and staff, but this is your museum."

Though he's lived in New York, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Japan and elsewhere, he is retiring here "because the lake got me. And my wife Danielle got me,..."

He noted that this was his first real opportunity to craft a collection. And at this moment the current show of art by Minnesota's Native Americans provided a visual endorsement of his description of our region as "the Ojibwa Riviera."

He closed with this takeaway: "Art is our way of expressing our community and our time here on earth."

EdNote: Except for the photo of Ken above, all photos here are from the sculpture exhibit upstairs featuring works currently in the Tweed collection.

"Untitled" by Isidro Blasco

"Figure Fragment #AV" by Orazio Fumagalli

Related Links
Powerful Images & Native Stories Fill Main Hall at the Tweed
Museums Confront Their Crowded Basements

Meantime, art goes on al around you. Get into it.

Local Art Scene: February Happenings and "Whew! We Survived a Cold One"

Savannah After Dark. Photo by the author.

If' you're reading these words, that means you survived the nasty cold weather we had this week. Most of my time here in Minnesota the weather folk called it an "Alberta Clipper" so I find he new lingo amusing. "Polar Vortex." I'm not sure if this sounds scarier than Albert Clipper because they both feel frosty. It is fun to try to guess how cold it is outside based on the various squeaking noises when we walk up the frozen driveway to the garage.

We received numerous phone calls and emails inquiring if we were OK. It's nice to know people care.

On these occasions when we experience extreme cold it frequently brings to mind Jack London's story "To Build A Fire," a classic man vs. nature epic. This week, however, the story that came to mind was about a cargo transporter in Alaska who was tasked with the assignment of delivering a frozen body of a dead man from some remote area to another because the ground was too frozen to busy him. I don't recall the details except that, if I recall correctly, he gets killed himself along the way and some other kind soul goes on to make the delivery, not knowing that he's transporting a dead body. London handles it with a lighter touch. It's not as gruesome as it sounds.

Anyways, the worst (of the cold weather) is behind us, so 

let's talk about art.

FIRST, BIG THANKS AGAIN to Esther Piszczek for assembling as much as she is aware of on her Twin Ports Art blog. Here is The Link. You will find art happenings, classes and more.

My blog posted here will only cover a part of the February list because I want to make sure you know about Two Events today. First Lakeside Gallery is hosting a opening reception for Sue Rauschenfels, the gallery's featured artist for February. This even is from 1-3 p.m. and you can READ ABOUT IT HERE.

Second, also from 1-3 p.m. this afternoon The Tweed Museum of Art is hosting a Family Day related to the Intersections exhibit featuring many of Minnesota's Native American artists. Alison Aune and Wendy Savage will be your hosts. "The Tweed Museum of Art invites families to meet and make art with Alison Aune and Wendy Savage, both seasoned art educators. This is the first Family Day developed in conjunction with Intersections, an exhibition of contemporary Native art by Minnesota-based artists. Families will have the opportunity to participate in a variety of art activities throughout the museum, which are all based on works by artists on display in the exhibition. For example, participants may be interested in creating recycled toy sculptures, practice quill straw weaving, create a watercolor and more. Light refreshments will be served after the event. The next Family Day is scheduled for July 13."

LAST NIGHT was the opening reception for Wild Paintings by Alexa Carson and photography by Riah Beth. If you missed it, the work will be on display all month at the Duluth Folk School, 1917 W. Superior Street. This collaborative exhibit shows two perspectives on the raw perfection of nature. 

Mondays, February 4, 11, 18, 25, 5:30 p.m.
Tangling Mondays, Mount Royal Library, 105 Mount Royal Shopping Circle
This group meets in the the old Yarn Harbor space, which was taken over by the library awhile back (on the left when you walk in.) It is open to anyone, but primarily focused on pattern drawing. Bring your supplies and something you want to finish or start. No instruction, no fee, no organization. It's wonderful to tangle together, if schedules align, and lovely to tangle alone. If you find yourself alone, no worries, another Monday is right around the corner. Enjoy!

Tuesdays, February 5, 12, 19, 26, 12:30-3 p.m.

Kris Nelson piece in the Great Hall of the Depot
Be sure to stop and see the Member Show,
Biennial and Vern Northrup's photography.

Open Studio at the Duluth Depot, 506 W. Michigan Street
The Duluth Art Institute offers a regular Tuesday open art-studio session at the Depot. People of all abilities practicing all artistic mediums are invited to bring their own supplies and join the weekly group. Cost: $5 plus a DAI membership (first session is free).

Tuesday, February 5, 6:30-8 p.m.
Tweevening: Out of the Shadows: Annie Traquair Lang & Helen M. Turner, Court Gallery, Tweed Museum of Art, 1201 Ordean Court
Dr. Jennifer Webb's Tweevening art talk will provide insights into a portion of the current exhibit upstairs titled Quiet Simplicity. Two women artists, Helen M. Turner and Annie Traquair Lang, will be the focus of Dr. Webb's remarks. These women were highly praised in their lifetimes but have since received little scholarly attention. Their contributions to American painting are overshadowed by their connection with their teacher, mentor, and travel companion, William Merritt Chase, a leader in American Impressionism. Free and open to the public."

Wednesday, February 6, 6:30-9:00 p.m.
Zentangle (R) & Wine with Esther Piszczek, CZT, Master Framing Gallery, 1431 London Road
Come experience the fun and relaxation of drawing simple, repetitive line patterns with pen and ink and pencil shading. No previous drawing experience necessary. Class Cost: $35; Supplies: $10 (or use supplies provided without additional cost). RSVP to episzczek@gmail.com. Seats are limited.

Wednesday, February 6, 7-9 p.m.
Adam Swanson Opening Reception, Pizza Luce, 11 E. Superior Street
Popular and prolific, acrylic painter Adam Swanson presents 35 paintings, comprised of mostly new work.

Wednesday, February 6, 7:30-9 p.m.
Life House Youth Variety Show, Teatro Zuccone, 222 E. Superior Street
"An evening of entertainment celebrating the talents of young local artists, musicians, dancers, poets and much more. Free admission; donations accepted."

Thursday, February 7, 21, 4-7 p.m.
Winter Farmer's Market, Duluth Folk School, 1917 W. Superior Street
"Community Action Duluth’s Seeds of Success program is partnering with the Duluth Folk School to host the Lincoln Park Winter Farmer’s Market. Come down on the first and third Thursday of the month, from November through March!"

Saturday, February 9, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Nice Girls of the North 2nd Saturday Marketplace, Lakeside Lester Park Community Center (the former Lakeside Library), 106 N. 54th Ave. East
"Free coffee, cookies, and a friendly atmosphere await while you browse a collection of handcrafted clothing and bags, pottery, jewelry, stained glass, photography, personal care products, baby items and much more. One central checkout, most major credit cards accepted."

Saturday, February 9, 2-4 p.m.
Valentine's Day Crafts for Kids, Green Room, Main Library, Duluth Public Library, 520 W. Superior Street "Get ready for Valentine's Day! Drop in anytime between 2 - 4 pm to create your own valentines! Make a valentine for a veteran or for a friend. For children in Kindergarten through 5th grade. Children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult."

Saturday, February 9, 5-9 p.m.
Selling Artwork Online Workshop, Zeitgeist Cafe, Private Board Dining Room, 222 E. Superior Street
A primer for anyone wanting to sell artwork online. ​In this workshop you will learn what it takes to start or improve your selling online. See link for a list of topics covered. Zeitgeist will validate 3 hours of your parking in the Sheraton Lot. Bring a sample your artwork, under 24". Cost: $200. Contact Tony Ferguson ASAP if you would like to attend. FB Page Sunday,

Sarah Brokke will open at
Duluth Pottery on the 10th

February 10, 4-6 p.m.
Sarah Brokke: Sacred Selves Exhibition Opening, Duluth Pottery, 1924 W. Superior Street "Painter Sarah M. Brokke shows her new work. On view: February 10-March 31."

Sunday, February 10, 7-9 p.m.
Gag Me With A Spoon - A Community Storyshare, Teatro Zuccone, 222 East Superior Street Adeline Wright hosts this evening of storytelling and open mic journal sharing in the style of the Moth and Mortified podcasts. There will be featured storytellers and a musical guest. Member of the audience are also welcome to sign-up on the night for an 8 minute open mic journal-sharing segment. Suggested Donation: $5 at the door.

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STAY IN THE LOOP. 

Bookmark TWIN PORTS ART: https://twinportsart.blogspot.com/

Exceptionally Ordinary at the DAI Explores Religious Themes Via Unique Forms

Patrick Luber approaches his art with an awareness of its irony. It seemed to take centuries to expunge religion from the arts, which were once intentionally tied to telling Biblical stories with Christian iconography. After Modernism wiped the slate clean as regards what art should and should not be, anything became possible again. In various ways artists have begun exploring faith and its rituals once more. That is what Exceptionally Ordinary is about.

"My work participates in, and extends historic artistic traditions between arts and religion, yet does so through a visual language which reflects the complex relationship between faith and contemporary culture," Luber writes in his artist statement.

The pieces loom large. Some give the appearance of being 

assembled like early airplanes with polished metal and pop rivets.

A, E, I, O, U  ($2100)

The images of Christ and George Washington appear within the lungs.

Art is always about interpretation. Here the artist imagines an image
expressing the concept, "From Tears of Sorrow to Living Waters."

Patrick Luber's work will be on display in the Morrison Gallery 

through the end of December.

Tomorrow Evening   

INTERSECTIONS

Opening Reception @ the Tweed

Thursday, November 15

6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Intersections, a new exhibition derived from the Museum’s collection, features a selection of contemporary artworks by 19 Minnesota-based Native artists, including George Morrison, Jim Denomie, Patrick DesJarlait, Carl Gawboy, Dyani White Hawk, and Andrea Carlson, among others whose artworks have continued to influence each other in recent decades. The exhibition is organized in consultation with Anishinaabe artist Jim Denomie and includes Manifest'o, a multi-media installation by Jonathan Thunder.

Meantime, art goes on all around you. Get into it.

Local Art Seen: Current Action @ the Tweed

Anne Labovitz -- 122 Conversations

With Anne Labovitz's opening reception coming up this Thursday it seemed like a good weekend to slip over to the Tweed and see what else has been on display. Here is a little of what you will find.

Anne Labovitz
122 Conversations: Person to Person, Art Beyond Borders
I've heard a lot of conversation about this show, the result of six years of labor, created by Anne Labovitz with citizens of Thunder Bay, Canada; Rania, Iraqi Kurdistan; Växjö, Sweden; Petrozavodsk, Russia; and Ohara Isumi-City, Japan. O122 Conversations was conceived as an outreach with the people of Duluth's Sister Cities. There will be handouts and plenty of details at the reception Thursday, October 25.

Andrea Carlson (Grand Portage Ojibwe)

Intersections
The main gallery is filled with an exhibition comprised of Native art by Minnesota-based artists., some of it quite impressive.

Alden Lebsack's Utterance can be found on the far end of the balcony where the last faculty show had been displayed.

Quiet Simplicity -- Classics from the Tweed Collection and Treasures from Home -- An Anthology of Gifts from Collectors can be found in the upstairs interior gallery space, strong examples from the 11,000 works in the Tweed collection.

In Solidarity -- Revolutionary Women of Print was a featured show this summer, a portion of which can still be seen on the balcony level.

Kathy McTavish's Chance is still on display if you have not experienced it.

Jonathan Thunder's massive animation on the second floor is a "must see" if you are anywhere need the Tweed this season. There are three segments, each a simple story. (1) Supernaut Becomes the Tiger Lily. (2) The Mishu Bizhiw Awakens. (3) Goldfinch Counts Leaves. Yes, it's fun...  Jonathan Thunder's previous exhibition at the DAI featured small-scale animations, tipping his hand to show his new area of interest after establishing self as a respectable painter. The animation work weds the symbolism and whimsicality that has been developing in his previous work. It's fun.

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FRIDAY EVENING IS THE
DOWNTOWN DULUTH ART WALK

and next Monday an art and poetry event at the Zeitgeist.

Meantime, art goes on all around you. Get into it.

It's Never Boring Here. October Arts Happenings at the DAI, Tweed and Goin' Postal

"Art, Music and Nature"

Wow, it's definitely autumn. Autumn colors are showing up everywhere. Now if only we can get a little sunshine to make those trees radiate.

This coming 
Saturday, October 6

There's a book signing at Lakeside Gallery from 1-3 p.m. I misread the announcement in a humorous manner. "Local author Kathleen M. Corgill will be signing copies of her new book: Refreshments Provided. I missed it that the book's title was higher up at the top of the invitation: Letters from Lucia.

Also from 1 to 3 on Saturday is a family event at the Tweed showcasing new work by Anne Labovitz. The actual title of the event is 122 CONVERSATIONS: Family Day at Tweed Museum.

The Tweed announcement reads like this:

The Tweed Museum of Art invites families to join in the fun to meet and make art with Anne Labovitz, artist, Alison Aune, Art Education professor in the School of Fine Arts at UMD, and thirteen students enrolled in Art in Elementary Education.

This is a free community event that offers families the opportunity to join in hands-on artmaking and community building related to 122 Conversations: Person to Person, Art Beyond Borders, a new exhibition by Anne Labovitz that seeks to promote peace and understanding across cultures. The artist conducted 60 Skype interviews with citizens and mayors from each of the Duluth Sister Cities International Organization, namely Thunder Bay, Canada; Rania, Iraqi Kurdistan; Växjö, Sweden; Petrozavodsk, Russia; and Ohara Isumi-City, Japan. Participants will be able to view the works created in each of the cities and, in turn, create artwork inspired by this project.

When I first heard the title of Anne Labovitz's 122 Conversations I thought of Hemingway's Old Man and the Sea, which I've read a few times over the years. At one point the old man is out there in the sea, alone in his skiff talking to himself. After he catches himself talking to himself he asks himself "When did you start talking to yourself?"

Conversation with others is good. Everyone has a story inside them, and by engaging with others in dialogue, in conversation, especially people with perspectives and experiences different from our own, we can better understand the world we live in and our own place in the human experience.

If you catch me talking to myself  while standing in front of one of Anne's pieces, just pinch me. Gently, please.

TWEEVENING: QUIET SIMPLICITY: THE PAINTINGS OF DAVID ERICSON WITH PETER SPOONER
October 16, 2018 6:30-8:00 pm
Tweed Museum of Art
Free and open to the public

Peter Spooner will join us to lead participants through the upstairs Court Gallery to present the five David Ericson paintings currently on view in the exhibition Quiet Simplicity: Life in 19th and 20th Century America. Spooner is well-versed in the art of David Ericson, as he curated an exhibition of works by the artist at Tweed and contributed to the development of the exhibition’s catalog entitled David Ericson Always Returning: The Life and Work of a Duluth Cultural Icon, published in 2005.

Spooner will share his knowledge on the artist and paintings on view, namely: Salting the Sheep, 1889; Morning of Life, 1907; Etaples, France, n.d.; Woman at Dressing Table, ca. 1930-1939; and Untitled (Plowing), n.d.

Peter Spooner is a freelance curator, writer, and art appraiser who currently teaches at the College of St. Scholastica and Lake Superior College in Duluth, MN and former curator of the Tweed.

Here are a pair of announcements from the Duluth Art Institute:

Northpoint Writers:
Duluth Arts Writing Cohort

The Duluth arts writing cohort, formerly known as Ambient Intelligence, is excited to start its second year this Fall at the the Duluth Art Institute. Cohort participants will meet monthly from October 2018 to May 2019 to learn with and from one another. This cohort will be smaller, will consider approaches to writing about the arts for the region, and produce writing for a Northpoint Arts publication and blog. The blog can be found on the Duluth Art Institute website: www.duluthartinstitute.org/Blog. By spring, the participants will work with master writers in the arts to improve their practice through broadening frameworks for approaching arts writing.
For more information and to sign up for the cohort contact Christina Woods at 218-733-7562. There are only 10 seats available.

DAI 2018 Masquerade Gala
Saturday, November 3rd, 5PM

Join us for the visual art event of the year! The Duluth Art Institute's Masquerade Gala celebrates contemporary art, artists, and the community. Your evening includes a three course meal with a local artist who recently exhibited at the DAI and a gift personally selected by the artist. Dinner catered by Blackwoods Catering.

New this year is a fund-a-need opportunity to provide scholarships for classes and workshops. Available for purchase will be original artwork, silent auction items, and tickets for beer, wine, and spirits baskets. Stay for a post-gala DJ dance party!

Tickets are $100 and can be purchased at duluthartinstitute.org through Oct. 26.

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LAST BUT NOT LEAST DEPT.

AND Finally....

Here is a reminder to mark your calendars. October 12 is the 8th Annual Goin' Postal Art & Music Show... This year it will be bigger than ever, with 7 venues, 9 bands and over 100 artists. (I have not counted them up personally, but I have been assured that it would not be on our poster if it weren't true.)

This SUPERIOR Event is a kickoff for the annual 2-Day Festival known as North End Days.
North End Days is a 2-Day Event that includes a Saturday Parade, Pumpkin Patch, Car Show & Street Dance. Friday evening its Art and Music.

I myself have produced some new work that I will be showing at Goin' Postal, but all seven event locations will have art and photography on display that you will want to see.

MEANTIME, ART GOES ON ALL AROUND YOU. GET INTO IT.

February Tweevenings: Bill Shipley Shares Stories About Art Collectors

February's Tweevenings speaker was Bill Shipley, Tweed Museum docent and lifelong artist who spent most of his career in the Big Apple, occasionally rubbing shoulders with some of the most famous artists of the past fifty years. His topic had to do with collecting art.

After being introduced by museum director Ken Bloom, Shipley prefaced his remarks with a little background on how the Tweed Museum came about.

George P. Tweed and his wife Alice were themselves art collectors. For three decades they collected art until he died 1946. In the 1950s Mrs. Tweed opened her home on Sundays to share the collection with the community. Eventually she developed the funding to build the museum, which opened in 1958, making the collection more accessible still.

In its early years Bill Boice guided the museum and began adding to the collection. The Sax brothers purchased work and added still more. Over time others contributed and today the Tweed maintains an extensive body of work.

By means of storytelling Shipley introduced us to different kinds of collectors.

Four Kinds of Collectors

1. Eugene Victor Thaw

"Lincoln in Dalivision" -- Dali

Born in 1927, Eugene Victor Thaw died just last month. Thaw was a major collector and art dealer. Every museum in country has a portion of their collection that passed through this man's hands. His master drawings went to the Morgan. After meeting Lee Krasner he eventually became the man who wrote the catalog on Jackson Pollock.

Thaw collected bronzes, French ceramics and was a major force in collecting world. When Georgia O'Keefe died he went to Southwest to evaluate her work, but then began collecting Native American work. He was on cusp of everything that was happening.

Though he started with little money he managed to amass a fortune, then gave it all away to the Fenimore Museum.

Shipley noted, "You don't need a lot of money to be a collector." The three things necessary to be a collector, he said, are an Eye, Education and Experience.

2. Dorothy & Herbert Vogel

The Vogels bought minimalist art. Tiny things, small, portable. Tthey talked to artists and collected artists who were working small. (In contrast to the massive Motherwells at the MoMA.) They were so into collecting that they got rid of all their furniture so they could have more room for art. They lived like monks.

Herbert died in 2012. When he died, it took five moving trucks to carry it all away, donated to the National Gallery in D.C. This gift was a work of art in itself because of the way they amassed it and kept it. Bill noted that he got to know them through his late partner.

3. Judith Rothschild

"Cervantes" -- Etching by Salvador Dali

Nanette and Herbert Rothschild were her parents. They built an amazing collection of European works. When the parents died she inherited it.

She liked to hang paintings in her apartment without identifying the artists. Her collection included Mondrian, Milton Avery, Brancusi sculptures…

Judith got zoning for a large glass structure atop her building. She never advertised her collection. An artist, too, she had a studio above Carnegie Hall. Metropolitan wanted her collection so badly, they gave her a show of her own paintings, with a lavish dinner opening… the best champagne, and all the rest. They pulled out all the stops. But the next day the NYTimes called it a scandal.

Judith used some of her money to set up a foundation to help under-recognized artists.

4. Hudson Walker 

"Three Angels Entertained by Abraham"
Marc Chagall

Walker separated himself from his grandfather, and collected American modernists. He gave his work to the University Gallery, which later became the Weisman (U of MN).

Shipley told a story about a controversial event involving a large Motherwell in his collection. Katherine Ordway bought the Motherwell and hung in the Kirby Center at UMD. Evidently it was too modern for some peoples' 1957 tastes because the students protested and were not going to attend graduation unless the Motherwell was taken down. (Student protests evidently didn't begin with the Viet Nam War.)

Hudson Walker modeled his collection after the Frick Collection. The Walker fortune came from lumber industry. An interesting trivia bit: some of the Walker collection was left hanging in his home even after it became a rental home.

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Art displayed on this page is from the Tweed show "Treasure From Home."

Do you collect art? There is plenty to go around. Enjoy it.