A Visit to the Brauer Museum Of
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THE TM 911 Franklin Street Weekly Newspaper Michigan City, IN 46360 Volume 20, Number 37 Thursday, September 23, 2004 A Visit to the Brauer Museum of Art by Paula McHugh Under the mentorship of Phil Brockington and Howard Reeve, The Beacher recently received a double-your-pleasure, front-and-center, and behind-the-scenes look at the collection of art- works at the Brauer Museum of Art on the campus of Valparaiso University. Docents Phil and Howard, both retired from their V.U. positions as law professor and library maintenance staff respectively, arranged a tour for us of the current exhibits upstairs as well as a visit to the vault room downstairs. And what Beacher readers might want to know before we proceed any further is that they, too can arrange a similar tour. All it takes is a phone call, which is provided at the end of this article. Phil and Howard led us to the “backstage” first. On our way down a back staircase, we came across paintings (prints, we assume) by Ed Paschke and Georgia O’Keefe, and others at each landing—a splash of culture in an oth- erwise drab, gray stairwell. This is not to say that the Brauer does not have a Paschke or O’Keefe in its perma- nent collection, because it does. And it has an Asher Durand, a Fredric Church, and several etchings by this writer’s former Galena neighbor, illustrator Art Geisert. On a level below the public gallery, we met museum Director/Curator Gregg Hertzlieb who proudly pointed out 16 recently acquired paintings given to the Brauer Museum by the estate of Bloomington art dealer Jack Finley. Finley, who collect- ed works of Indiana artists, specified that these works were to be divided and endowed to four galleries in Indiana: Museum Director/Curator Gregg Hertzlieb holds up a Frank Dudley winter dunes landscape, one of 16 paintings donated by V.U., IU-South Bend, DePauw, and Michigan City’s own the estate of Jack Finley. Finley was a Bloomington art dealer Lubeznik Center for the Arts. who bequeathed paintings to V.U., IU-South Bend, DePauw University and the Lubeznik Center for the Arts in Michigan City. Brauer Museum Continued on Page 2 THE Page 2 September 23, 2004 THE 911 Franklin Street • Michigan City, IN 46360 219/879-0088 • FAX 219/879-8070 In Case Of Emergency, Dial e-mail: News/Articles - [email protected] email: Classifieds - [email protected] http://www.bbpnet.com/ PRINTED WITH Published and Printed by TM Trademark of American Soybean Association THE BEACHER BUSINESS PRINTERS Delivered weekly, free of charge to Birch Tree Farms, Duneland Beach, Grand Beach, Hidden 911 Shores, Long Beach, Michiana Shores, Michiana MI and Shoreland Hills. The Beacher is also Subscription Rates delivered to public places in Michigan City, New Buffalo, LaPorte and Sheridan Beach. 1 year $28 6 months $16 3 months $10 1 month $5 Brauer Museum Continued from Page 1 The standout of the collection, we agreed, is a winter dunes scene paint- ed by Frank Dudley. Gregg also showed us a color photograph of Dudley’s land- scape, which the artist had taken as a study. Gregg then took a set of keys and unlocked the vault. As we stepped inside the windowless room, the cura- tor rolled out for us a grid filled with a treasure trove of other Dudley originals. For readers who might be unfamiliar with Dudley’s works, the artist chose dunes landscapes as his subject matter because, in his words, “it is without doubt the most important of the few remaining spots of primitive landscape in the Middle West.” Dudley spoke those words around 1920. When we were finished oohing and aahing over the Dudley’s, Gregg rolled out a panel filled with the portrait work of Junius R. Sloan. And this is Gregg then took a set of keys and unlocked the vault. As we stepped inside the windowless room, the curator rolled out for us a grid filled with where docents Phil and Howard demon- a treasure trove of other Dudley originals. strated their in-depth knowledge of the 19th century self-taught Great Lakes Region artist. The Sloan collection, they said, was given to the university near- ly half a century ago by the artist’s sur- viving son, Percy. According to the docents, the gift of Percy Sloan, which consisted of 276 of his father’s works, was first offered to Northwestern University. “Northwestern turned it down,” Phil said, explaining that the Illinois insti- tution did not consider the collection at that time to be important. O.B. Kretzmann, who was VU’s President at the time of the offer, saw the poten- tial for building a collection and gladly accepted Percy Sloan’s gift, which includ- ed an additional 107 American paintings plus a large monetary endowment for maintaining and expanding the collec- Docents Phil Brockington and Howard Reeve pointed out the relationships of Junius Sloan to tion. Percy’s gift today translates into 250 his portrait subjects—among them, his farmer neighbor Platt Spencer, who introduced times its original worth, according to Spencerian penmanship, and Platt’s daughter Sara, who became Junius’ wife. Phil is pointing Phil and Howard. to a self-portrait of Sloan. THE September 23, 2004 Page 3 Open ‘til 7 p.m. Evenings www.littlehousefashions.comElegant Apparel for the [email protected] Conscious Woman Women’s Apparel Style that shines, even on rainy days! Mycra Pak's trav- el- ready swing coat arrives in its own shoulder bag; unfurled it's a sweeping hood- ed style that Six of the16 recently acquired paintings given to the Brauer Museum by the estate of Bloomington art dealer Jack Finley. We were fortunate reverses from enough to be given special permission to take photos of bronze to leopard. many paintings in the Brauer collection. Keep dry in this fetching coat with Under the directorship of Professor Richard D. a matching Brauer, now retired, the Sloan collection was expand- reversible bag as ed to what presently consists of some 400 paintings an easy carry-all. and documents. In Leopard print, In the vault, Gregg rolled out a panel of Junius Sloan’s reversible to solid oil portraits. Phil and Howard were quick to point out Iridescent Bronze, the relationships of the painter to his subjects: his farmer double button clo- neighbor Platt Spencer, who introduced Spencerian sure at neck and penmanship, and Platt’s daughter Sara, who became waist. Crinkled Junius’ wife. The portrait paintings paid Sloan a liv- hood can either ing as an itinerant artist and later a resident portraitist be worn scrunched around while he nurtured a yearning to paint landscapes. neck or as a Brauer Museum Continued on Page 4 hood. Gathered cuffs with single button and made of waterproof nylon. Includes a matching reversible bag that holds the rain coat. Washable. $210. SUMMER CLEARANCE Up to 80% Off! TENT SALE Up to 90% Off!!! Meet Us For Lunch And A Style Show THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 30 - ROSKOE’S, LAPORTE THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7 - TIPPECANOE PLACE, SOUTH BEND Custom Monogramming Available 409409 Alexander StreetStreet, LaPorte, IN 326-8602 On Hwy 35 - 5 Blocks South of Lincolnway Down in the backstage area of the museum, matter and framer Adam TurnTurn Rightright on AlexanderAlexander Heet works quietly behind the scenes. When not working at the Brauer, Monday-FridayMonday - Friday10 am 9:30to 6 pmto 7 Saturday Saturday 9:30 9:30 am to to5 5 pm Adam works in his chosen medium, clay THE Page 4 September 23, 2004 Brauer Museum Continued from Page 3 Sloan was among the city’s early landscapists when he moved to Chicago in the mid-1860’s and later became Vice President of the Chicago Academy of Design. Retired museum director Richard Brauer has compiled years of research and study about Junius Sloan, and the booklet, “In Quest of Beauty,” assists viewers to better understand the artist and his work. Visitors to the gallery can view selected works of Sloan’s landscapes on a solo trip to the museum or as part of a docent-guided tour. The advantage of a guided tour allows visitors the opportunity to learn about the social context of the paintings’ time peri- od. Until October 10th, the exhibit, “Indiana Painters from the Lilly Endowment Collection”, featuring works of TC Steele, Adams, and Forsyth, are on dis- play in an adjacent gallery room; and a Charles E. Burchfield exhibit occupies another exhibit room. Visitors will also want to view the museum’s recent acquisition of a Dale Chihuly glass sculpture, which currently occupies its very own exhibit room. Weekday hours at the art museum are Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesdays the museum is open until 8:30 pm and weekend hours are 12-5 pm. Group tours and individual tours can be arranged by calling the Docent Coordinator at Blazing orange with a turquoise lip. Those are the colors of the 219.465-7926. More information can be found on the Dale Chihuly blown glass piece that occupies its own museum website at www.valpo.edu/artmuseum. gallery room at the 7-room museum. TAILGATE TIME Take along our ìGame Dayî basket for your host or your friends. Or order chicken and subs from our deli. Whatever you need, we have it, to make your experience complete! Because of the beer included, must be 21 or older to order - proof of age required. 24 hrs. advance notice needed for baskets. KARWICK PLAZA OPEN DAILY 7-9 PHONE 879-4671 FAX 873-7728 THE September 23, 2004 Page 5 Everything beachfront property Entertain on 5 decks in these has to offer at an affordable price.