Discover the vibrant tapestry of Native American cultures through the immersive exhibition “Roots and Reverence: Exploring Indigenous Perspectives on Art, Culture, and Identity.” This showcase celebrates the artistic legacy and profound narratives of tribes across North America. Highlights of the exhibition include Tlingit glass artist Preston Singletary, Osage photographer Ryan RedCorn, and Puebloan pottery artist Maria Martinez. Highlighting living traditions that have been passed down through generations, visitors will experience the intricate craftsmanship of basketry, the symbolic power of pottery, and the timeless beauty of beadwork. Each piece in the exhibition tells a story of resilience, heritage, and connection to the land.

Experience the beauty and significance of Indigenous artistry, where every stroke, weave, and carve embodies a profound connection to ancestral roots and a reverence for timeless traditions. Join us in celebrating the enduring spirit and creativity of Native American peoples, and explore the stories that continue to shape their cultures today.

Image credits for top image: Ryan RedCorn, Courtney & Brittany Neff, Sublimated Fabric, 10’x8′, July 2021

Step into a mesmerizing journey through the ever-evolving art world, where creativity knows no bounds. Just as artists have transformed their visions across the decades, the materials they employ have undergone a thrilling metamorphosis. From the timeless canvas to the enduring marble and the enduring bronze, the artistic palette has expanded into boundless horizons. But,  prepare to be transported into a realm where nostalgia meets innovation. Our exhibition delves into the captivating universe of artists who wield toys and toy-related objects as artistic instruments. These visionaries craft inventive masterpieces that beckon to “the child within us all.” These aren’t just artworks; they are portals to a world where play is an art form, and memories are the brushstrokes that paint the canvas of our lives.

As you step closer to these enchanting creations, you’ll find yourself engulfed in a whirlwind of emotions, inviting you to rekindle the boundless imagination of your youth. Whether you’re a seasoned explorer of the art world or a curious newcomer, these engaging works will ignite your senses and transport you to a place where the boundary between reality and reverie dissolves.

So, join us on this exhilarating adventure as we explore how these artists breathe life into the toys and memories of our childhood, urging us to rediscover the magic of play and the infinite possibilities of our imagination. This exhibition isn’t just about art; it’s an invitation to rediscover the kid in all of us.

This exhibition, set up like someone’s home invites you to step into the intriguing world of Flow Blue, a captivating style of porcelain and white earthenware whose origins, some argue, can be traced back to a serendipitous event in 1820s England. The general time period of collectible flow blue spans from the early time period of creation from the 1820s to the 1920s. 

Imagine the allure of blurred blue glaze boldly contrasting with the radiant white background of earthenware, a visual spectacle that ignites the passion of antique collectors. This unique expression of artistry emerged from the skilled hands of the Staffordshire potters, etching an enduring legacy through its intricate patterns.

In the 1800s, with Chinese porcelain captivating hearts, English potters aspired to emulate its charm. Enter the innovation of a salt glaze on earthenware, casting a dazzling white spell upon firing. The quest for the elusive porcelain secret, kaolin, led to a mosaic of techniques, catering to the refined tastes of the upper echelons who avidly collected these exquisite pieces.

Delve into the creation of historical plates, where the enchanting process of transferware unfolded—a meticulous dance involving copper plates, chemical glaze, and stencils applied to pristine white canvases, such as bowls and plates. These masterpieces underwent a transformative journey in the kiln, where a firing process magically transferred the stenciled image, breathing life into three-dimensional works of art.

Legend has it that the inception of “flow” blue china was a fortuitous accident—an abundance of chemical or glaze that caused the blue to bleed and blur onto the surrounding white canvas. And so, with this unintentional stroke of brilliance, a craze was born, forever cementing Flow Blue as a distinctive chapter in the annals of porcelain craftsmanship.

This Exhibition is open from January 26 – May 11, 2024 and is in the Rebecca Cole Gallery. The work is from the collection of Vivian Kromer.

The Pearl Fincher Museum of Fine Arts is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and admission is free. For more information visit pearlmfa.org.

In France’s late 19th-century artistic landscape, the radical movements of Impressionism and its subsequent evolution into Post-Impressionism marked a profound departure from traditional artistic norms. Rejecting the constraints of state-controlled academies and salons, the Impressionists inaugurated a new era with their inaugural independent exhibition in 1874.

These avant-garde artists, captivated by the pulse of contemporary life, particularly the leisurely pursuits of the bourgeoisie, spurned the reliance on historical or mythological themes. Instead, they sought to encapsulate ephemeral moments, meticulously observing the interplay of light, atmosphere, and movement. In a departure from illusionism, a legacy of the Realists, the Impressionists foregrounded the physicality of paint on the canvas. They deliberately flattened perspectives, eschewed tonal modeling, and experimented with daring cropped viewpoints inspired by the aesthetics of Japanese prints.

The subsequent emergence of Post-Impressionism in the 1880s heralded a reaction led by luminaries such as Paul Cézanne, Paul Gauguin, Vincent van Gogh, and Georges Seurat. This movement rejected the Impressionists’ preoccupation with naturalistic depictions of light and color in favor of a more symbolic, formally structured approach. While sharing a commitment to the artificiality of the artistic creation with their predecessors, the Post-Impressionists introduced a new dimension by asserting the autonomy of color. For them, color transcended mere visual representation, becoming a potent carrier of emotional and aesthetic significance, divorced from the constraints of form and composition. This artistic rebellion not only transformed the canvas but also challenged the very essence of artistic expression in late 19th-century France.

This Exhibition is open from January 26 – May 11, 2024 and is in the Main Gallery. The work is from an anonymous collector while eight paintings were donated to the Pearl Fincher Museum by the Martin Family.

The Pearl Fincher Museum of Fine Arts is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and admission is free. For more information visit pearlmfa.org.