Art Museum of Southeast Texas 500 Main Fall 2020 CURRENT EXHIBITION October 3, 2020 - February 28, 2021 Drive-Thru Family Arts Day, Saturday, February 20, 2021 | 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. From the Vault: Tyler members of the “Dallas Nine” Museum of Art features group. Other widely exhibited a selection of early Texas and notable artists included are paintings and works on paper David Adickes, Kelly Fearing, from the permanent collection Joseph Glasco, Ancel Nunn, of the Tyler Museum of Art and Valton Tyler. (TMA), with a spotlight on From the Vault is an exhibition early Texas artist and educator series which enhances the Coreen Mary Spellman (1905- relationship between AMSET 1978). Of particular interest to and TMA. The exhibition is this exhibition are Spellman’s partially funded by a Texas advances in printmaking Commission on the Arts and techniques and her originality. the National Endowment From the Vault also includes for the Arts grants. From the a notable selection of female Vault: Art Museum of Southeast artists whose work, until Texas is currently on view at recently, has largely been the Tyler Museum of Art from omitted from the history September 13-November 29 books. The Tyler Museum of and features contemporary Rosalie Speed, Old Man River, Vicksburg, c.1938, oil on Masonite, 25¼ x 28½ Art is credited with collecting Texas paintings and works in. Tyler Museum of Art, 2005.06, Gift of the 2005 Collectors’ Circle works by Cecilia Steinfeldt, on paper from AMSET’s Rosalie Speed, Lucie Harris permanent collection. Locke, and Clyde Connell. Numerous artists included in this exhibition are widely exhibited, collected and To find out more about how National Endowment for the Arts studied, such as Jerry Bywaters grants impact individuals and communities, and William Lester, who were visit www.arts.gov. This exhibition is generously funded in part by an award from the Texas Commission on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts, the City of Beaumont, the Wesley W. Washburn, M.D. and Lulu L. Smith, M.D. Endowment Fund, the C. Homer and Edith Fuller Chambers Charitable Foundation, and the members of the Art Museum of Southeast Texas. Special thanks to the Tyler Museum of Art. CURRENT EXHIBITION CONT. October 3, 2020 - February 28, 2021 Drive-Thru Family Arts Day, Saturday, February 20, 2021 | 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. This exhibition is generously funded in part by LeeAnn & Terry Garth, Stan Price, an award from the Texas Commission on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts, the City of Beaumont, the Wesley W. Washburn, M.D. and Lulu L. Smith, M.D. Endowment Fund, the C. Homer and Edith Fuller Chambers Charitable Foundation, and the members of the Art Museum of Southeast Texas. grown from 200 to nearly 2,000 objects, with a focus on collecting contemporary Texas artists and regional folk art. Each year, we proudly present an exhibition of works solely from the permanent collection, giving Southeast Texas audiences the opportunity to see the works that are now a part of their museum. Christopher Troutman, Two Downtowns: SE TX and S. Kyushu, 2017, oil paint A yearly focus exhibition on the permanent on unstretched canvas, 64 x 51 in., Museum purchase, PC 2019.10 collection is made possible through the generous donations of our museum patrons, Perspectives: Recent Acquisitions & Selections collectors and artists. It is through your from the Permanent Collection features a selection support that we are able to fulfill our of recent acquisitions to the permanent collection, institutional mission and to provide education, as well as a spotlight on works from the John inspiration and creative vision throughout Gaston Fairey collection of Mexican Folk Art. Southeast Texas through our unique Over the years, AMSET’s permanent collection has collections, exhibitions and public programs. Conn Gallery Over, Under and Through: Mexican Weaving On view through February 2021 T he Conn Gallery currently instructions for weaving a friendship features a selection woven textiles bracelet, which is a derivative of back including rugs, belts and sashes, on strap weaving shown in the gallery. loan from the estate of John Gaston Funding for this exhibition is Fairey. This exhibition, designed for generously provided by the C. Homer children and their families, explores and Edith Fuller Chambers Charitable two different kinds of weaving found Trust, the Texas Commission on the in Mexico. Examples for weaving Arts and the National Endowment from the back strap loom and the foot for the Arts, the City of Beaumont pedal loom are on view, as well as an and members of the Art Museum of actual physical example of each type Southeast Texas. of loom. Visitors are encouraged to pick up a hands-on art activity packet that goes with the exhibit at the front Maria Luisa Vasquez de Mendoza, desk. The packet includes materials and Multi-Colored Striped Rug (detail) CHANGES IN Curatorial AMSET has had some and researcher, a 2018 school, he worked in TCU’s new developments in the Masters graduate from library art collection and curatorial department. Sadly, Texas Christian University has since worked for an Mariah Rockefeller has with a degree in art history, art transportation and art resigned from her position specializing in modern and conservation company. of curator of exhibitions contemporary art. We are and collections at the art fortunate to have her already museum. We were sorry to living here in Beaumont. We see her go, but wish her all the have eliminated the registrar best. With her resignation, position and have hired a we have also made some curator of collections, Dario internal structural staffing Bucheli. Dario is originally changes. We have promoted from Monterrey, Mexico, a very talented and capable and just graduated from Caitlin Clay, from registrar Texas Christian University to curator of exhibitions. this spring with a Masters Caitlin is an excellent writer degree in fine art. While in A LOOK AT THE WEST HALL’S RECENT LOAN Cajun Roots his fall, AMSET is proud to and mysterious Louisiana wetlands. We ‘Acadiana’ is the official name of the Tdisplay a selection of landscapes may never be able to pinpoint an exact French Louisiana region that became and seascapes from the permanent tree that George was painting, but the home to these men and women. In collection in the West Hall. The mini- title of this canvas, Evangeline Oak at fact, the word “Cajun” comes from exhibition was curated by Mariah Dawn, reveals Rodrigue’s fascination the pronunciation of the French word Rockefeller and includes nine paintings with Cajun myth and legend. “acadians” (pronounced a-kay-juns). and works on paper by artists such as “Evangeline Oak at Dawn” is a literary In her article “A History of Evangeline John Hanna, Wolf Kahn, Frank Reaugh reference to Henry Wadsworth in Rodrigue Paintings”, Wendy and Betty Mobley. Rodrigue Manus The exhibition writes that the tragic was organized to legend inspired many compliment the most artists and Louisiana recent loan to the citizens, so much museum, Evangeline so that the towns of Oak at Dawn by New Iberia and St. George Rodrigue Martinville “disputed (1944-2013). the location of Born and raised the ‘Evangeline in New Iberia, Oak’, purportedly Louisiana, Rodrigue the place where is most well-known [Evangeline] wept for his Blue Dog and ‘stood like one Series, based on the entranced’”. In 1920, French-Cajun loup- both cities claimed garou legend of the the landmark tree Cajun werewolf dog. being located in George Rodrigue, Evangeline Oak at Dawn, 1972, oil on canvas, 26.7 x 36.5, On loan from the their respective Rodrigue’s painting, family of the late Marcia and Dr. Frank Giglio Evangeline Oak at boundaries. Dawn (dated 1972 and on loan to Longfellow’s poem, Evangeline: A Tale George Rodrigue was so intrigued AMSET till 2021) is a moody, dark of Arcadia (1847). The poem focuses by Evangeline’s story that he created landscape that evokes the mystery and on the fictitious and tragic love story of hundreds of paintings depicting majesty of Louisiana’s bayous during Evangeline Bellefontaine and Gabriel Evangeline amongst the Louisiana the early morning hours. Over the Lajeunesse, who lived in Acadian Nova oak trees. Though Evangeline is not course of his career, Rodrigue often Scotia and were betrothed. The couple physically depicted in this painting, the painted the wide, ancient oak tree as is separated when the British invade viewer takes her place. When you stand a symbol of his beloved Louisiana. Nova Scotia in the Expulsion of the in front of the painting, you become Wendy Rodrigue Magnus, George’s Acadians. Evangeline spends her life Evangeline, filled with haunting widow, writes in her article “Early Oak searching for Gabriel throughout the loneliness and expectation, hoping Trees and a Regrettable Self-Portrait”, United States, finally locating him in that the morning light will reveal your that “[George] never painted an oak Philadelphia on his death bed. Part of beloved beneath the weighty branches tree from a photograph in his life – nor Evangeline’s search led her through the of the oak tree. has he ever painted one particular tree”. swamps and oak trees of Louisiana, a George never intended to paint specific fictitious account that mirrors reality. trees because the oak tree was a symbol In the early 1800’s, nearly 4,000 for him – a symbol of bygone years, Acadians arrived from Canada and of unspoken secrets, of the wondrous Nova Scotia to settle in Louisiana. AMSET would like to thank Suzanne Peiler, who loaned Evangeline Oak at Dawn to the museum on behalf of the late Marcia and Dr.