The 2010 mixed media collage, which was part of Randolph’s 100^th Annual Exhibition of Contemporary Art: The Vision Endures held at the Maier Museum of Art at Randolph College in the fall of 2011, was purchased to commemorate the extraordinary anniversary of the College’s annual exhibition. Thirteen alumnae made donations toward the purchase.

“This is an important work from a significant American artist, and its acquisition will enhance Randolph’s collection and add to the educational opportunities we are able to offer our students,” said John E. Klein, president. “The College’s interest in contemporary art, art education and growing its collection continues, and we are proud of the first-rate exhibitions, classes, and internships that the College is able to offer at the Maier.”

Nevermore was chosen after extensive discussion and input from a variety of College constituents, including art faculty members, Maier staff, alumnae, and others. Two of the College’s trustees, Katharine “Kitty” Stark Caldwell ’74 and Anne Tucker ’67, led the fundraising efforts. 

 As a mixed media collage on handmade paper, Nevermore is a multi-layered piece, literally and symbolically, and is considered an epic work for the artist, who typically works in smaller scale both in sculpture and collage. In Nevermore, the collage is affixed to a tombstone-shaped surface of handmade paper. Two crows suspend a thin layer of antique lace in the shape of a dress in front of the paper tombstone. A pattern seen through the center of the dress appears to be a second layer of lace. However, on closer look, the pattern reveals rows of black bodies in a supine position and an illustrated plan for slave stowage on the infamous slaver, the Brookes. In addition to its artistic significance, the work will also allow for interdisciplinary study, especially in literature. The title itself references Edgar Allen Poe’s poem, “The Raven.”

Saar is one of the most significant contemporary African-American female artists active today, and this piece will be the first of her works to be represented in Randolph’s art collection. Now in her 80s, Saar established her reputation as an important American artist in the early 1970s. During her 40-year career, she has become known for her consistently beautiful, challenging, and topical artwork, and she continues to contribute to the lexicon of American art.

“The weight of Saar’s influence on American art is represented by this piece,” said Martha Johnson, interim director of the Maier. “It is brilliant, beautiful, and unfolds to interpretation gradually and hauntingly.”

Studio art majors Derrick Woods-Morrow, Sylvia Tropp, Jessica Cline and Lauren Shelton, will open their student exhibition with a reception from 4 to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, April 25th.

Art history majors Cathy Desilvey, Meghan Luksic and Laura Shearer will present their senior papers beginning at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 26. Reception to follow.

As a contemporary Realist using the medium of either oil on canvas or pastel on paper, Alice Dalton Brown achieves beautifully detailed scenes of airy domestic views, breezy porch settings and dappled seascapes which inspire a meditative, romantic mood. Her light-filled interiors and fresh landscapes contain strong graphic compositions and confuse the boundaries between interior and exterior spaces. Brown’s October Doorway is currently on view in the student-curated exhibition Mirror of a Passing World: Ephemeral Places, Vanishing Spaces.

Usually devoid of human subjects, her work is about the various manifestations of what may be referred to as a “sense of place” and the contemplative, peaceful associations this can inspire.

This event is free and open to the public. A reception will follow the lecture. The Maier Museum of Art at Randolph College is located at One Quinlan Street.

Students planning to submit should carefully read the conditions of entry.

The intent of the award is to recognize excellence in writing that responds to or interprets works of art in the Maier Museum collection. Each year, Randolph students are invited to submit creative or academic compositions of any type to be considered for this award. The award was established in memory of Helen Owen Calvert, by her family. Mrs. Calvert was a graduate of Randolph-Macon Woman’s College and the mother of one of the Maier Museum’s former curators of education, Doni Guggenheimer.

Please note that poems submitted for the Calvert Award that are written about works in the Museum’s permanent collection with images represented in the Museum’s online catalog will also be automatically considered for publication on our online Ekphrastic Poetry Journal.

Love at the Maier

a two-part celebration of art and artists, centered around the mood and aesthetics of Valentine’s Day

Friday, February 10, 5:30 to 7 p.m.

Love at the Maier: Remembering Love

Join the student docent club FRAME as they explore the theme of “lost love” found in the life stories of artists represented in the permanent collection. Students will give 5-minute presentations about the artistic contributions and nostalgic romances of selected artists, in conjunction with the exhibition, Mirror of a Passing World: Ephemeral Places, Vanishing Spaces.

Enjoy hors d’oeuvres and wine at a cash bar. Museum members $5; non-members $10.

Sunday, February 12, drop-in
between 2 and 4 p.m.

Love at the Maier Family Program:
Vintage Valentines

Remember when valentines were works of art? Kids ages 5-12 (with an adult) are invited to make “antique” valentines inspired by the special exhibition Mirror of a Passing World: Ephemeral Places, Vanishing Spaces.

Use a variety of material to create truly unique, one-of-a-kind valentines with the beauty and charm of days gone by.

Kids of museum members $4; non-members $5. Adults FREE!

Mirror of a Passing World:
Ephemeral Spaces, Vanishing Places

The Maier is proud to host its first-ever student group-curated exhibition. Six students supervised by Randolph professor Leanne Zalewski have created, designed, and executed their own exhibition. Every aspect of the planning process, from selecting works to installation decisions, has been a collaborative effort among the members of the class.

Each work in Mirror of a Passing World: Ephemeral Places, Vanishing Spaces conveys a sense of nostalgia for sentiments and memories of the past. This exhibition encourages viewers to pause and indulge in a moment of stillness inspired by the works, which represent an array of ephemeral subject matter.

4-7 p.m.  OPENING CELEBRATION

4 p.m. FRAMEworthy Faculty Lecture by
Leanne Zalewski,
assistant professor of art

5 p.m. Comments by student curators

A reception will follow.

is now available for online ordering at the
Randolph College Campus Store website.

With a century-long focus on contemporary American art, the collection includes works by highly-regarded artists, many of them acquired from the artists themselves during their lifetime. What better way to celebrate a century of innovative exhibitions than with a visual history?

Our full-color illustrated timeline documents the College’s sustained continuum of attention to the talent and promise of American artists, both established and emerging. It is evidence of forward-thinking art professors and museum directors who shared a vision and commitment to both American art and to students of this College over the decades. Students, in fact, are responsible for this publication in a very real sense. Laura Shearer ’12 began researching and compiling information for the timeline in January 2010. Her hard work was picked up by Kathleen Conti ’11, then by Rhiannon Knol ’11 and finally by Sylvia Tropp ’12. All four students devoted many hours to conscientious research and document organization. Museum staff has enjoyed sharing in their discoveries and revelations as so much history was assembled in one volume.

This publication was made possible by the generous support of Randolph College Trustee Katharine Stark Caldwell ’74.

Happy Thanksgiving!