Press Release

January Exhibitions Showcase the Growth of Woodmere Art Museum's Remarkable Collection of Works by Philadelphia Artists

Three related exhibitions, opening January 26, 2013, support the Museum's Online Collection, an ongoing project that makes local art globally accessible

PHILADELPHIA — In addition to its rotation of special exhibitions, Woodmere Art Museum in Chestnut Hill maintains a collection of more than 3,000 works of art that tell the story of the art and artists of Philadelphia. To share some of the newest additions to this assemblage of great treasures, Woodmere presents three exhibitions that focus on the growth of the collection: Just In: Recent Acquisitions in the Collection of Woodmere Art Museum (January 26-March 17, 2013), including works acquired by Woodmere over the last two years, by Pennsylvania Impressionists, Arthur B. Carles and his circle, and contemporary abstract painters; The Philip Jamison Collection (January 26-May 5, 2013), celebrating the Philadelphia collector’s dedication to artists of the region and his transformative promised gift to Woodmere; and Philip Jamison Watercolor: The Spirit of Chester County (January 26-May 5, 2013), an accompanying look at Jamison’s own majestic watercolors of rural Pennsylvania.

In addition, Woodmere invites audiences to view its Online Collection (www.woodmerecollection.org), a project launched in December 2011 that seeks to digitize the institution’s 3,000-plus artworks. The Online Collection, made possible through a two-year, $60,000 grant from philanthropist John H. McFadden in honor of Marguerite and Gerry Lenfest’s support of Woodmere, makes the Museum’s collection, including works that are not currently on view in the galleries, accessible to audiences from anywhere in the world. To date, almost 1,400 works of art — including paintings, drawings, sculptures and fine-art objects — have been photographed, catalogued and added to the website.

“In order to be connected with contemporary life, museums and their collections have to grow and evolve, and, nowadays, they must get their collections online,” says William R. Valerio, the Patricia Van Burgh Allison Director and CEO of Woodmere Art Museum. “Thanks to this generous gift, we will be able to bring our great treasures out of the archives and onto the web, so people can see them, become interested in them and visit the Museum to experience them in person.”

Woodmere Art Museum is located at 9201 Germantown Avenue. Admission to special exhibitions is $10 for adults, $7 for seniors, and FREE for students, children and Museum members; exhibitions in the Founder’s Gallery and Helen Millard Children’s Gallery are FREE. (Woodmere offers free admission on Sundays, including all special exhibitions, but excluding special events such as Classic Sundays.)Museum hours are: Tuesday through Thursday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.; Friday, 10 a.m.–8:45 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.; and Sunday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. For more information, visit woodmereartmuseum.orgor call 215-247-0476.

About the Exhibitions

Over the last two years, the Museum’s holdings have grown significantly. To that end, Just In: Recent Acquisitions in the Collection of Woodmere Art Museum focuses on several active areas of collecting and promised gifts, among them works by Pennsylvania Impressionists; Arthur B. Carles and his circle; and contemporary abstract painters. Artists represented in the show include Carles, Jan Batzell, Bernard Badura, William Breckenridge, Quita Brodhead, Amanda Bush, Albert Gold, Elaine Kurtz, Roy C. Nuse, Violet Oakley, Bill Scott, A.K. Stoddard and Francis Tucker.

Philip Jamison is not only an artist but also a passionate art collector, dedicated to artists of Philadelphia and the region. His interests include realism and narrative arts as well as the evolution of modernism. The exhibition The Philip Jamison Collection celebrates Jamison’s transformative promised gift of almost 100 works of art from his collection to Woodmere. Featured artists include William Baziotes, Harry Bertoia, Morris Blackburn, Moe Brooker, Arthur B. Carles, Larry Day, Bill Freeland, Earl Horter, Charles Jay, Leon Kelly, Angelo Pinto, Biagio Pinto, Horace Pippin, Abraham Rattner, Warren Rohrer, Benton Spruance and many others.

The accompanying exhibition of Jamison’s own work, Philip Jamison Watercolor: The Spirit of Chester County,captures the natural beauty and haunting majesty of rural Pennsylvania, where the artist was born and raised.

These exhibitions are accompanied by a related series of lectures (a full scheduled follows below), as well as the exhibition Antonelli Institute: Celebrating 75 Years of Artistic Excellence (January 13-February 24, 2013) in the Helen Millard Gallery.

About the Online Collection

In order to build an international online community of artists and audiences, Woodmere Art Museum’s Online Collection (www.woodmerecollection.org), launched in December 2011, seeks to fully digitize the institution’s 3,000-plus artworks, making the Museum’s collection, including works that are not currently on view in the galleries, accessible to audiences from anywhere in the world. To date, 800 pieces — including paintings, drawings, sculptures and fine-art objects — have been photographed, catalogued and added to the website, which also encourages visitors to leave comments about their favorite pieces. In addition, Woodmere staff members have compiled audio recommendations to accompany select works of art.

Philadelphia Museum of Art (PMA) Board of Trustees member John H. McFadden made the two-year, $60,000 Online Collection grant in honor of philanthropist and former PMA Board Chair H.L.“Gerry” Lenfest, who was instrumental in advancing the process of digitizing the PMA’s vast collection. “Gerry lit a torch at the Philadelphia Museum of Art,” says McFadden. “His leadership there inspired us to move these digital initiatives forward at Woodmere. No doubt his inspiration will be felt elsewhere.”

The grant also honors Marguerite Lenfest, a longtime member of Woodmere Art Museum’s board who has been a major supporter of the museum for many years.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Exhibitions:
Just In: Recent Acquisitions in the Collection of Woodmere Art Museum
January 26-March 17, 2013
Antonelli Galleries

The Philip Jamison Collection
January 26-May 5, 2013
Catherine Kuch Gallery and Dorothy J. Del Bueno Balcony Gallery

Philip Jamison Watercolor: The Spirit of Chester County
January 26-May 5, 2013
Ethel M. Schnader Gallery

Open House: Saturday, January 26, 1-4 p.m., FREE

Exhibition:
Antonelli Institute: Celebrating 75 Years of Artistic Excellence
January 13-February 24, 2013
Helen Millard Gallery

Open House: Sunday, January 13, 2-4 p.m.

Lecture: The Artist as Collector
Saturday, February 2, 3-4 p.m., $15 ($10 for members)
Local artist Bill Scott discusses his private collection and how he began the process of acquiring myriad artworks, offering insights into collecting modern and contemporary works.

Lecture: The Rewards and Pitfalls of Collecting Original Prints

Saturday, February 9, 3-4 p.m., $15 ($10 for members)

Peter Paone shares important information for the collector including a step-by-step description of printmaking processes and techniques, the language of print symbols and terminology, conservation, restoration, and the expectations of the primary and resale markets.

Lecture: The Psychology of Collecting
Saturday, February 16, 3-4 p.m., $15 ($10 for members)
Private collector Dorothy del Bueno explores the psychology of acquiring fine art and shares her extraordinary private collection of paintings as well as anecdotes from her collecting journey.

Lecture: Approaching the Auction House
Saturday, February 23, 3-4 p.m., $15 ($10 for members)
How do auctions work? How do you approach an auction? Are there secrets to bidding? David Weiss shares tips on how to prepare for an auction, what to expect, and strategies for achieving the best outcome.

Preregistration to all Woodmere lectures is suggested, as space is limited. A wine and cheese reception follows all lectures and gallery talks. For more information, visit woodmereartmuseum.org/lectures.

About the client:

Housed in a 19th-century stone Victorian mansion on six acres in the Chestnut Hill section of Philadelphia, Woodmere first opened its doors to the public in 1940. The building, grounds and the nucleus of the Permanent Collection are the benefactions of Charles Knox Smith (1845 – 1916), who wished “to awaken the spirit of, the appreciation of, and the knowledge of art … in the City of Philadelphia and surrounding territory.” Today, the Permanent Collection consists of more than 3,000 works of art, celebrating the art and artists of Philadelphia.

Woodmere’s core collection includes important paintings by renowned artists such as Edward Redfield, Daniel Garber, Walter E. Schofield, Benjamin West, Frederic Edwin Church, Violet Oakley, Arthur B. Carles and many more. Woodmere’s nine galleries and salons, including a grand rotunda and a uniquely designated Helen Millard Children’s Gallery, provide space for exhibitions and programs that serve the entire family. In the George D. Widener Studio, a converted carriage house, a year-round roster of classes provides outstanding art training to children and adults. The recent addition of the Children’s Garden provides participants of Woodmere’s Summer Arts Community Program with outdoor space to display and enjoy works of art. The Helen Millard Children’s Gallery also showcases exhibitions of student artwork from local schools.

Visitor Information

Woodmere Art Museum
9201 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19118
Corner of Germantown Avenue and Bells Mill Road in Chestnut Hill

Museum Hours:

Beginning Sept. 8, Woodmere offers free admission on Sundays, including all special exhibitions, but excluding special events such as Classic Sundays music series.

Tuesday-Thursday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Friday, 10 a.m.-8:45 p.m.
Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Admission: Special exhibitions are $10 for adults, $7 for seniors, FREE for students, children and members. Related programs and events are FREE, unless otherwise noted.

Information: (215) 247-0476 or visit www.woodmereartmuseum.org

Accessible by public transportation: From Center City Philadelphia, take the R8 Chestnut Hill West regional rail train to the end of the line. Turn left on Germantown Avenue and walk for .8 miles to Woodmere. For detailed driving directions, click HERE.