Join the Tucson Museum of Art for the TMALearn! Docent Council’s series of lectures examining art and artists that have influenced the world. Art Talks take place every Wednesday from January through March at 1:30 p.m. in the Stonewall Community Room of the Alice Chaiten Baker Center for Art Education. Art Talks are free for members or with paid admission.
January 5, 1:30 p.m.
Presented by Patricia Waddell
Utilizing strategies such a magnification, brilliant color, organic shapes and floating imagery, O’Keeffe often expressed feelings on canvas that she found hard to articulate. These expressions helped her artwork transcend the subject matter. She was championed by photographer Alfred Stieglitz.
January 12, 1:30 p.m.
Presented by Charles Tampio
Images of horses are among the very earliest art works. Almost every culture, every art form, and every era contain wonderful portraits of man’s most significant ally — the horse.
January 19, 1:30 p.m.
Presented by Mary Jo McMullen
This is a review of one of the largest private collections of southwest art which includes oils, watercolors ,and bronze sculptures by 20th century western artists, as well as Native American artists working in pottery, basketry, painting, sculpture and jewelry. This talk will be focusing on “cowboy art.”
January 27, 1:30 p.m.
Presented by Harry & Alinda Hakanson
By exploring the history of the Harlem Renaissance, we will examine the fight for dignity, self-expression, and equality by African Americans through the arts. In doing so, we will discuss the dominant American values of freedom, equality, racism, and group superiority.
February 2, 1:30 p.m.
Presented by Jaye-Lynn Trapp
Throughout history, flowers and gardens have been favorite subjects of artists. Join us on a tour as we visit the homes and gardens of ten artists whose floral expressions are as varied as the artists themselves. This talk will help us appreciate each artist’s relationship with nature and remind us of how gardens provide us with a sense of joy.
February 9, 1:30 p.m.
Presented by Linda Friedman
We will learn about the art of the Namingha family. Dan Namingha and sons Arlo and Michael are three highly respected Santa Fe contemporary artists whose work reflects their Hopi heritage and the world of today.
February 16, 1:30 p.m.
Presented by Martin Randall
Around the turn of the 20th century, the tiny village of Worpswede in north Germany became home to a thriving community of artists who longed to escape the stuffy confines of the art academies and find solace and inspiration in the sweeping landscapes and picturesque villages of the north German moors and the hard lives of the crofters who eked out a living there.
February 23, 1:30 p.m.
Presented by Linda Valdez
Alfred Stieglitz, Dorothea Lange, and Gordon Parks created iconic images that endure as fine art. But in the early 20th century, photography faced a very hostile environment in the art world. We’ll look at how the artist-photographers won acceptance, with a focus on works in the TMA collection, and the role of women and people of color.
March 2, 1:30 p.m.
Presented by Kem Blanchard
Let’s explore how cats were portrayed artistically by a variety of artists, with special focus on artists who loved cats. Sharing a home helps an artist to gain intimate knowledge of feline anatomy and to understand their behaviors. Cats have been portrayed in art to honor the souls of departed loved ones, to present their portraits in the arms of humans, and for some artists, to capture a feline-human companionship in a painting.
March 9, 1:30 p.m.
Presented by Kit Kimball
The Tucson Museum of Art recently opened an entire wing to celebrate Mesoamerican art. To learn how to appreciate some of these amazing artistic objects, you might find this talk helpful. It will provide a basic understanding of the three largest Mesoamerican civilizations, where and when they lived. By understanding the unique styles attributed to each civilization attributed to each civilization, you will be able to identify the origin of pieces you see and understand their significance.
March 16, 1:30 p.m.
Presented by Gigi Kammeyer
Auguste Rodin (1840-1817), the renown French sculptor of the human figure, was only 5’3” in stature, but larger than life in personality and oeuvre. His life, work, and muses exhibit the traits of the Romanticism Movement. He had a profound knowledge of the human body. His sculpture The Thinker, is probably the best known in the world. The Gates of Hell was his greatest life-time achievement, and generated such famous works as the Kiss, Adam, and Eve.
March 23, 1:30 p.m.
Presented by Susie Heintz
Join us for a virtual tour of the Metropolitan Museum of Art which will include traditional European masterpieces (e.g., El Greco, Monet, and Picasso) as well as art from a variety of other cultures. The tour will encourage us to appreciate art from new perspectives and possibly stretch our concept of what is considered an art masterpiece–an enjoyable rebirth or reawakening in viewing art.