Press Release

Woodmere Art Museum celebrates Philadelphia’s tradition of printmaking with On Paper: The Gift of Ann and Don McPhail

On view November 16 through March 2, exhibition spans three decades of local art-making, showcasing one of the city’s great collections of prints and drawings

PHILADELPHIA — October 22, 2013 — Honoring the generosity of two local philanthropists and fine-art collectors, Woodmere Art Museum presents On Paper: The Gift of Ann and Don McPhail, an exhibition showcasing one of the city’s great collections of locally made prints and drawings. The McPhails have carefully and judiciously built this assemblage of works on paper; the exhibition, featuring works created by 29 Philadelphia artists between 1967 and 1996, celebrates the city’s tradition of printmaking through a range of mediums including woodblock monotypes, woodcut prints, etchings, lithographs and more. The McPhails, both longtime Philadelphians, have been deeply engaged with the city’s art and cultural institutions for many years; their gift demonstrates their shared passion for and commitment to the arts in Philadelphia. On Paper: The Gift of Ann and Don McPhail is on view from November 16 through March 2.

In addition to the exhibition, Woodmere will host two related lectures: Diverse Approaches: Philadelphia’s Printmakers in the Ann and Don McPhail Collection (Jan. 11) and Printmaking in Philadelphia (Feb. 8).

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.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Exhibition: On Paper: The Gift of Ann and Don McPhail
November 16, 2013, through March 2, 2014

Lecture: Diverse Approaches: Philadelphia’s Printmakers in the Ann and Don McPhail Collection
Saturday, January 11, 3-4 p.m.
Ron Rumford will give a presentation on the methods and meanings evident in the prints and artwork represented in the Ann and Don McPhail Collection. As a printmaker, Rumford will share his knowledge of the variety of processes and materials printmakers employ to create their work. Ron Rumford has been the Director of the Dolan/Maxwell Gallery since 1991. Wine and cheese reception follows. For more information or to register, visit woodmereartmuseum.org/lectures.

Lecture: Printmaking in Philadelphia
Saturday, February 8, 3-4 p.m.
Join John Caperton, the Jensen Bryan Curator of The Print Center, for an exploration of the rich history of printmaking in Philadelphia. Caperton will speak on the history of The Print Center, its role in supporting and shaping the printmaking tradition in the region, and on highlights of the McPhail gift. Wine and cheese reception follows. For more information or to register, visit woodmereartmuseum.org/lectures.

ABOUT ANN AND DON MCPHAIL
Ann and Don McPhail are natives of Massachusetts who moved to Philadelphia (Don in 1949 and Ann in 1951) when Don accepted a position with the Atlantic Refining Company. They have lived in Center City since 1961.

Ann attended the Barnes Foundation, completing the Art and Horticulture programs. In 1963, she became a Museum Guide and this year she celebrated her 50th year as a guide. She concentrates on Asian art and has made more than 30 trips to Asia to expand her knowledge; her travels enabled her to become active in the Geographical Society of Philadelphia, where she became the Society’s first female president. She was instrumental in designing and maintaining the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s Society Hill 18th-century garden; and she also assumed responsibilities for restoring Fairmount Park’s Japanese Garden.

Don was employed by Atlantic Richfield for 37 years, retiring in 1986. Among his positions were Vice President of Finance and Vice President of Manufacturing in the Arco Chemical Co. division and a Vice President of the Atlantic Richfield Foundation. After retiring, he was General Manager of the Pennsylvania Ballet from 1987-88 and Vice President of Finance and Administration at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts from 1989-90. He served as President of the Print Club for many years and is an Emeritus Trustee at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

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.