Volume III, Issue IV, November 2010 Agrarian Art Newsletter Volume III, Issue IV November 2010 Board of Directors: Anna Nolan Covault Mark L. Moseman Our mission is to be the National Center Calendar of Events: Curator’s Note: Allen Covault for preserving, viewing, and learning Michael L. Moravec Leonard Steinauer: Folk Art “I know the price of success: dedication, hard work and an unre- Ryan Cameron about exceptional Agrarian Art. Paintings and Sculpture mitting devotion to the things you want to see happen.” Carol Moseman Sept. 1- Nov. 21, 2010 – Frank Lloyd Wright Paul Perske In less than three years of following this advice, we’ve Agrarian- pertaining to lands, fields, or their tenure Matthew Jacobson: become the National Center for Agrarian Art. At our October Wisconsin Workhorses annual dinner, we were inspired by seeing an architectural Dec. 1, 2010 - Feb. 27, 2011 preview of a bigger and better museum. Keynote speaker Reception: Saturday, Feb. 26, 5-7pm Michael Duty, Director, Art of the West, Heritage Auction Galleries, Dallas, Texas, urged us on with his speech, “Ten Steps to Becoming a Great Museum”. Volunteer Christmas Party After visiting with Michael in Oklahoma City a couple of years ago, I learned Dec. 9, 2010, 4pm about his experience in starting both the Rockwell and Eiteljorg museums, and later asked him be our featured speaker. He didn’t disappoint us. He showed us Coffee with the Curators how museums similar to ours are successful in achieving their missions. We’re January 20, 2011, 10am now refocused on the above words of Frank Lloyd Wright. Great Art Collections are the heart of great museums. Our Collection has Artist Workshop with M. Jacobson recently been significantly improved. We have new loans of paintings by major Saturday, February 26, 2011 American artists. William D. Smith, Lincoln, Nebraska, kindly loaned a paint- ing and a print by American Impressionist Birger Sandzen. Sandzen’s paintings are compared to those of Vincent Van Gogh. The Bluffs Arts Council loaned a painting panel done by Grant Wood for a 1926 mural in the Hotel Chieftain in Museum Hours: Council Bluffs, Iowa. John Dewhirst, Edmonds, Washington, donated “Vermont Wed- Sat 10am-4pm, Sunday 1pm-4pm Winter Morning”, a painting by Archibald Fleming. Joining these artworks are Appointments and tours available exceptional works by contemporary artists, including a loaned Pop Art sculpture Free admission created by Sheila Genteman, an acquired textile painting created by Karen Krull Robart, and a loaned painting created by Matthew Jacobson, as well as 575 E Street, David City, NE 68632 other loaned and gifted paintings, drawings and prints. 402.367.4488 Our selections for Featured Exhibitions continue to be very exciting. Most www.bonecreek.org recently, I was privileged to select a Bone Creek Museum of Agrarian Art Exhi- bition Award, and present it to Don Weller at the “26th Annual American Plains

Artists (APA) Juried Exhibit” at Great Plains Art Museum in Lincoln, Nebraska. REQUESTED SERVICE ADDRESS

We look forward to showing Don’s exquisite watercolor paintings of contempo- www.bonecreek.org rary ranch work near his home in Oakley, Utah. 402.367.4488

After traveling to New Visions Gallery in Marshfield, Wisconsin to see Mat- 68632 NE City, David

thew Jacobson’s work in the annual “Culture & Agriculture” national juried Street E 575

exhibition; I visited his Wisconsin studio and invited him to have a Featured Artist exhibition at Bone Creek. Because Matthew owns and works his own 3 No. Permit

draft horses; you’ll see great paintings unlike those of any other painter. This is City David PAID

the kind of extraordinary Agrarian Artist that we encourage with Bone Creek Postage Non- Profit ORG ORG Profit Non- Dale Nichols, When Day is Done, 1951, Gold Seal Puzzle, Featured Artist exhibitions. Private Collection Loan - Mark L. Moseman, Curator Matthew Jacobson: Wisconsin Workhorses NEWS from the field Upcoming Projects- A collabora- Chairman; with Curator Mark L. ARTIST WORKSHOP tive project is in the beginning stages Moseman. with the Boston Studio Project, also of Volunteer Appreciation- Bone with Matthew Jacobson David City, to create a traveling Creek could not remain open without Join us for: photography exhibit available for art the dedication of our volunteers. Volun- “Content and centers and galleries in the region. teers make an important contribution to Compositional Children’s Folk Art- The Educa- our mission and we are so thankful for Choices”. A tional committee has put together some each one. Our volunteers of the season workshop with great activites for school students, for 2010 are spring- Susan Bongers, Wisconsin artist, including making folk art with found summer- Shirley Peters, fall- Vivian Matthew Jacob- “Wisconsin Workhorses” is an appro- Even a tall man is dwarfed by the being revived and renewed throughout objects inspired by Leonard Steinauer. Trowbridge, and winter- Jack Eberly. son. Jacobson will present a workshop priate title to describe the powerful height of this large breed of Belgians. our nation. More and more people are National Artists Visit- Recently We invite all of our volunteers to join us about his techniques to carefully draft horses that fill the large canvases One painting in the exhibit is over restoring and utilizing horse drawn over 20 artists from the American for a Christmas party on Thursday consider subject matter to create a by Matthew Jacobson. Jacobson could seven feet wide. Hanging on the wall, farm mechanization. These animals Plains Artists Association toured the afternoon, Dec. 9 at 4pm. defining moment. The workshop will also be affectionately described as a viewers will truly get the sense of the and implements were vital to the museum as part of their 26th annual include a one hour painting demonstra- workhorse. He works diligently at size of these beautiful workhorses. development of our lands in the late juried exhibit weekend. Pictured below COLLECTION tion, artist lecture and Q&A. The work- breeding Belgian draft horses, main- These gentle giants are amazingly nineteenth to early twentieth century. are artists Fritzi Heron, APA Board shop will be held Saturday, Feb. 26, taining a 38-acre farm often with horse strong. I recently attended the annual Jacobson and his wife are setting an member; Judy McElroy, APA Show The Collection Gallery has an addi- 2-5pm. Cost is $20 or $25 at the door. driven mechanization, running Matt’s Draft Horse Classic in my hometown of example in their state for stewardship tion of art by one of the artists on our Seating is limited. For more informa- Custom Framing and art supply store in Grass Valley, California. In the light- of the land, respect for nature, and wish list. For the last several months, tion, go to www.bonecreek.org. downtown Rhinelander, and making weight pull competition a pair of preservation of family values. work by Kansas artist Birger Sandzen time for painting images of his agrarian Brabant Belgians weighing 3295 lbs. (1871-1954) has been on the What’s On Grow with Us! livelihood. pulled 3050lbs. The winning team for View is Up to You display. Mr. William We welcome our growing readership Raised in northern Wisconsin, Jacob- the heavyweight pull, Percheron horses Images- Above: Field Preparation, D. Smith has graciously lent us a and new museum patrons. Thank you son was not interested in farming or Donnie and Sheila weighed 3700lbs. oil, 60x22”, On loan from the artist. Sandzen watercolor and a woodblock to all of our donors for supporting horses as a young boy. He did attend and pulled an amazing 4500lbs. which Below: Man with Three Horses, oil, print. We are pleased to showcase these another year of great art and educa- church camp where he was exposed to is the equivalent of a midsized car with 40x24”, On loan from the artist. in our Collection Gallery. tional programs. We invite you to stay the animals. To get through college at no convenient wheels to get things involved and renew your support. the University of Wisconsin- Stevens rolling. This is very impressive to Charting the Future at the Annual Banquet Point, Jacobson again found himself led watch from the grandstands and it is December 1- to horses. Making horseshoes was a downright intimidating when standing DALE NICHOLS Current and future Bone Creek mem- of the museum. unusual occupation for a young art on their level. February 27 bers were enlightened and encouraged Top: Rendering of future museum build- CORNER student. More closely connected to his The love for these animals and the to learn of the next steps the museum is ing designed by Ryan Cameron. training is a long resume of sports and role they play in our country’s history is preparing to take. Guest speaker Bottom: Michael Duty with Bone Creek Dale Nichols has been the focus of athletic illustrations. With an art educa- Michael Duty of Heritage Auctions team courtesy of The Banner-Press. much attention and research here at tion degree and a new wife, Jacobson joined us on October 9 to share ten Bone Creek. In part this is in prepara- left college behind for a life centered on steps to becoming a great museum. tion for the upcoming Nichols exhibi- God, family, and the land. What has Other talks were on 'Stewardship' by tion, May 2011. His work is part of a followed is this unique body of work. Associate Curator Amanda Mobley, larger resurgence in America to revive Jacobson has become recognized for 'Funding' by Board Treasurer Michael appreciation for regional art. Many a signature style and subject matter. L. Moravec, and the 'State of the untold stories and hidden treasures Jacobson’s work is particularly striking Museum' by Curator Mark L. Mose- have been overlooked in mainstream and iconographic because of the man. art. With colleagues across the country, consideration he gives to place, motion, Board member and Bone Creek joins the conversation to and mood. Paintings like Man with architectural consul- strengthen rural communities, encour- Three Horses embody the close bond tant Ryan Cameron age healthy living, and uphold great between man and his horse. He inten- presented an architec- artistic achievements. tionally paints in large scale with care- tural concept for the ful attention to proportion communicat- Bone Creek quarterly newsletter is written and possible future home designed by A. Mobley, Associate Curator ing the enormous size of these animals.