ArtPourri

Studio Tours Planned--The Sedona (AZ) Visual Artists' Coalition's Open Studios 2005 tour will take place May 14 and 15 from 10am 5pm. This 3rd annual event features free, self-guided tours of artists' studios throughout West Sedona, Uptown and the Village of Oak Creek. Easy to use tour maps are available. Call (928) 282-0776 or visit www.sedonaartistscoalition.org.

New Stamp/Sketchbook Available--The U.S. Postal Service has issued the Nature of America: Northeast Deciduous Forest commemorative souvenir stamp sheet and Artist's Sketchbook. Family members can use the stamp sheet as an educational flash card to quiz each other, as the sheet's reverse side provides the common and scientific names of the 27 animals and plants pictured on the front. The 24-page Artist's Sketchbook, with stamp sheet included, is a must-have field guide that can be used while exploring the beauty of America's northeastern forests. Artist John D. Dawson's artwork shows the transformation of sketches into stamp art that is enveloped into a larger portrait of the forest realm.

Drawings Donated--Roy Lichtenstein's widow and sons and the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation have donated to the National Gallery of Art 13 drawings that are directly related to 11 of the artist's paintings in the Robert and Jane Meyherhoff Collection. Given in memory of art collector and philanthropist Jane Meyerhoff, the entire Collection of late 20th Century art has been promised to the NGA. The rarely exhibited drawings will be on view through July 24th.

Outdoor Exhibition Scheduled--The Madison Square Park Conservancy has announced that artist Sol LeWitt has created two major concrete-block pieces for the park for the 2005 season. The 6.2 acre park is located along Fifth Avenue between 23rd and 26th Sts. The sculptures will be open to park users through Fall 2005 for sitting, touching, and admiring.

Artwork Returns--The High Museum of Art, Atlanta, GA, has reinstalled "Retracings" by Deanna Sirlin in the atrium windows of the Museum. The work is comprised of monumentally scaled images of an abstract painting that, when installed in the multi-paned windows, produce the effect of stained glass. Through June 20.

Prize Awarded--Thom Mayne, who founded the firm Morphosis, has been chosen as the 2005 Laureate of the Pritzker Architecture Prize. The 61 year old architect is the first American Laureate in 14 years and is the recipient of myriad awards and honors from around the world. The formal award ceremony will be held on May 31 in Chicago's Millennium Park in the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, where a $100,000 grant and a bronze medallion will be bestowed.

Arts Contribute to Well-Being--A preliminary report of a 4-year study initiated and funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts, "Creativity and Aging," says that professionally conducted arts programming makes older adults happier and healthier. Participants who are actively involved in high quality arts programs report better overall health, more energy and increased involvement in social activities, as well as higher morale and better vision. For more, see www.nea.gov/about/NEARTS/Aging.html.

Photographic Collection Acquired--The Metropolitan Museum of Art (NY) and The Howard Gilman Foundation have announced that the Museum has acquired the Gilman Paper Company Collection, widely regarded as the world's finest collection of photographs in private hands. Containing more than 8,500 photos, the collection includes exceptional examples of 19th century French, British and American photos, as well as masterpieces from the turn-of-the-century and modernist periods.

Exhibitions:

Napa, CA -- COPIA -- Icing on the Cake II, a biennial exhibition of extravagant confections, showcases the creativity and consuming passion of five of America's finest cake designers. Amazing food sculptures are inspired by architecture, art, animation, pop culture, and the creators' fantastic imaginations. Through July 4.

Washington, D.C. -- National Gallery of Art -- Gilbert Stuart features nearly 100 exceptional works by the most successful portraitist of the early American republic. Stuart's natural talent and wit in the representation of likeness and character is evident in his portraits of some of the most famous men and women of this era in America, including George Washington and John Adams. Through July 31.

Indianapolis, IN -- Downtown -- Tom Otterness in Indianapolis features 17 sculptures displayed in downtown Indianapolis by this renowned New York sculptor. The artist's most recent exhibition was this same highly successful show that spanned five miles of New York City's Broadway. Through July 31.

New York, NY -- Metropolitan Museum of Art -- CHANEL, the Costume Institute's major spring exhibition, will examine the history of the house of Chanel both thematically and chronologically and will reveal ideas, techniques and elements of biography as they were expressed in Chanel's work. Featured will be designs and accessories from the Museum's Costume Institute collection, the Chanel Archives and other international institutions. Opens May 5 through August 7.

Arlington, VA -- Arlington National Cemetery, Women in Military Services to America Memorial -- Faces of the Fallen features more than 1,300 portraits of servicemen and women who have died in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Painted by 200 different artists, the portraits were done from photos taken in Iraq/Afghanistan or from enlistment photos taken by the services. Through Sept. 5.

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Copyright ARTtalk Vol. 15 No. 7 -- May 2005