Japanese ceramics enjoy a long and distinguished history, and the Japanese aesthetic of elegant simplicity, along with their approach to materials, has influenced ceramic artists around the world for centuries. Women in Japan have been involved in the production of ceramics for thousands of years, but with few exceptions, their names have remained…

During the Great Depression, following the stock market crash of 1929, the nation's greatest financial crisis, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's administration created the Public Works of Art Project. It was the first federal government program designed to support the arts by putting artists back to work. The program's purpose was to alleviate…

This article profiles Romare Bearden (1911-1988), one of the most talented American artists and well-known and influential African-American artists of the 20th century. An acknowledged master in many media, Bearden was especially innovative and preeminent in the medium of collage and printmaking. A native of North Carolina, he grew up in Harlem…

This article profiles Patrick Dougherty and features his installation at the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts. With the help of 100 volunteers and a time span of just three weeks, sculptor Patrick Dougherty harvested the materials and constructed the installation entitled "Lookin' Good! Lookin' Good!" on a lawn adjacent to the entrance of…

In this article, the author profiles Robert Motherwell (1915-1991) who is universally regarded as one of the most important painters and printmakers of the mid-20th century, and was a prominent figure in the movement known as Abstract Expressionism. The author also discusses the exhibition, "Lost in Form, Found in Line: An Exhibition of Works by…

Clay is one of the oldest materials known to humanity and has been used for utilitarian purposes and creative expression since prehistoric times. As civilizations evolved, ceramic materials, techniques, purposes and design all became more sophisticated and expressive. With the addition of different minerals and firing methods, clay was used to…

A new traveling exhibition and catalogue produced by the Smithsonian's American Art Museum features works by 31 artists from the United States who came to maturity in the mid-20th century. These artists have become the most significant and influential artists over the past 50 years as their works adorn the modern galleries of hundreds of museums.…

Norman Rockwell was the quintessential painter of American life. His images reflect the history of America as told through the eyes of this idealistic and patriotic artist who sought to show America at its best, and to present the lives, hopes and dreams of the average American in the middle-20th century. Few artists have produced so many images…

Provides background information on the life and career of Gerald Brockhurst, an artist known for his etchings. Includes information on his etchings. Describes the travelling exhibition of Brockhurst's etchings "Gerald Leslie Brockhurst: Etchings from the William P. Brumfield Memorial Collection." (CMK)

Presents background information on the artist Ginny Ruffner who was a "flameworker." Includes information on the exhibition entitled "Creativity: The Flowering Tornado, Art by Ginny Ruffner" and the accompanying art pop-up book. Provides photographs of some of her artwork. (CMK)

Explores the life and work of the artist, Winslow Homer, a 19th century painter and illustrator. Focuses on the exhibition, "Winslow Homer the Illustrator: His Wood Engravings, 1857-1888." Includes the itinerary for the exhibition and examples of his illustrations. (CMK)

Provides background information on the life and career of Charles Rogers Grooms, better known as Red Grooms. Describes the art exhibit, "Red Grooms: Selections from the Graphic Work," presented by the Tennessee State Museum (Nashville, Tennessee). (CMK)

Focuses on the life and career of Fairfield Porter who was a painter working in the style of Intimist inspired Realist. Provides background information on Porter and examples of his artwork. Describes the exhibit "Fairfield Porter: A Life in Art, 1907 1975." (CMK)

Reviews the work and life of Maxfield Parrish, an illustrator and painter. Considers "Maxfield Parrish, 1870-1966," an exhibition featuring more than 170 works, including easel paintings, mural studies, drawings, and prints. Provides examples of his artwork and an itinerary for the exhibition. (CMK)

Highlights "Celebrating the Creative Spirit," a traveling exhibition featuring the work of 25 furniture-makers from nine southern states who use furniture as a means of personal artistic expression. Provides background on five different artists and an example artwork from each. (CMK)