13th annual event celebrates Hispanic arts and culture

ArtSí Charlotte, an arts initiative that supports and connects Latino artists in the Charlotte area, has announced the featured artists for its signature event Con A de Arte. Artists featured this year include performers, visual artists, and writers who will present their works live at the Con A de Arte event taking place on Wednesday, June 8th at Mint Museum Uptown at Levine Center for the Arts, 500 South Tryon Street, Charlotte, at 6 p.m. The presentations and awards will be followed by a reception that will give the public the opportunity to interact with the featured artists and awardees. Appetizers will be served. Cash bar available.

FEATURED ARTISTS:

• Herrison Chicas – Spoken Word
• Maria Elena Ferran – Visual Arts
• Saul Flores – Photography – Documentary
• Everdith Landrau  –  Dance
• Lucas Torres – Music

AWARD RECIPIENTS:

• Banu Valladares  – Sarah Wolfe Lifetime Achievement Award
• Latin American Women’s Association (LAWA) – Lifetime Achievement Community Award
• Rocio Llusca – Emerging Artist Award

As part of the Con A de Arte celebration, the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library will host a Literary Night at the Morrison Regional Branch on Tuesday, June 7 at 6 p.m. The Morrison Library is located at 7015 Morrison Boulevard, Charlotte, NC 28211.SPECIAL PRESENTATION

Spoken word artist Herrison Chicas and photojournalist Saul Flores will present the documentary “Skin of the Natives: The Meaning of Life” at both events.

About the Speakers

Herrison Chicas is a renowned spoken word artist invited around the world to share his storytelling gift and his inspirational poetry to entertain, empower, and enlighten audiences. His work has been featured on major platforms such as National Public Radio, Public Radio International, and various TED talks, reaching more than 1.5 million people worldwide.

Saul Flores is a humanitarian, photojournalist, and activist who is nationally recognized for his 5,328 mile walk from Ecuador to the United States known as The Walk of the Immigrants. Flores’ photo storytelling project sparked a national awareness discussion of the human struggle related to immigration, social equity, human potential and public consciousness. His talks on this journey have been featured on Univision, TedxTalks, and National Public Radio.

ABOUT ARTSI

ArtSí is a community initiative that advances the Latino arts and culture in the Charlotte region and facilitates connections with the Charlotte arts community at large. ArtSí is run by volunteers, and it serves a membership base of over 200 individuals, from Latino artists to art supporters. Its work is backed by a group of well-known and respected local organizations that support its mission. Organizations supporting ArtSí include The Mint Museum, Queens University of Charlotte, and Levine Museum of the New South.

ABOUT THE CHARLOTTE MECKLENBURG LIBRARY:

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library began more than a century ago as a treasured repository of knowledge. Although people have evolved to read, explore and acquire knowledge in many new ways since then, one important feature has endured: Their services remains free to all who come to its premises with a desire to research, learn, and experience.

The Public Library serves hundreds of thousands of people while also responding to the needs of individual library visitors.

Claudia Soria

Director, Artsi Charlotte

Claudia@artsicharlotte.org

704.806.4236

The Young Affiliates of the Mint (the “YAMs”) will host an inaugural art show, 80×80, in the Level 5 expansion space of Mint Museum Uptown at Levine Center for the Arts, 500 South Tryon Street, from Friday, June 10 to Saturday, June 25, 2016. Opening night of the exhibit will feature a media hour from 5 to 6 p.m., and the opening reception from 6 to 10 p.m. 80×80 features 80 works in honor of Mint Museum’s 80th anniversary. The 80 works were selected from over 1100 entries, and span a variety of mediums including painting, sculpture, photography, mixed media, video and more. The panel of distinguished jurors includes Mary Edith Alexander, curator for Bank of America Corporate Art Program; Grace Cote, Senior Coordinator at Jerald Melberg Gallery; and Lori Kornegay, Curator of Art & Public Engagement at the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art.

80×80 features 80 works in honor of Mint Museum’s 80th anniversary, which will be celebrated with a series of community events to be held this October. The Mint Museum opened in its original location on Randolph Road as the state’s first art museum in October 1936; Mint Museum Uptown opened in 2010. 80×80 will open a dialogue between artists, unbridled from any overarching theme, content, medium, or geographic parameters, and the Charlotte community. There is a noted schism between the museum space, the gallery space and the studio space. Through 80×80, the YAMs hope to bridge that gap to give attendees and participants the medium through which to view this new space and start a new conversation. For those curious about collectorship, designated works in 80×80 will be available for purchase.

For more information about 80×80, visit: youngaffiliates.org/80×80

For questions regarding 80×80, email: 80x80show@gmail.com

ABOUT THE YOUNG AFFILIATES:

The Young Affiliates of the Mint Museum is the longest running young professional group and the premier social arts organization for young professionals in Charlotte, North Carolina. For 26 years the YAMs have supported the Mint Museum through a variety of social, cultural, leadership and fundraising activities and events. The YAMs have made substantial donations of tangible and intangible goods to the Mint Museum since 1990.

Featured Artists

Ayako Abe-Miller, Amna Asghar, Amy Bagwell, Andrew Blanchard, William Brown, Amanda Brown, Robert Bubp, Micah Cash, Jong-un Choi, Chris Clamp, Meredith Connelly, Deangalo Dia, Sharon Dowell, RJ Dygert, Johanna Evans-Colley, Anne Fiala, Mark Flowers, Corey Fowler, Brian Gillis, Jamey Gray, Julie Anne Greenberg, Joshua Dudley Greer, Tinashe Gwata, Garrett Hansen, Ian Henderson, Amy Herman, Glenn Holmstrom, Julie Jones, Craig Kaths, Mary Klacza, Kenn Kotara, Anne Lemanski, Betsy Lewis, Alexandra Loesser, Allison Luce, Katrina Majkut, April Marten, Andy McMillan, Nicholas Napoletano, Christopher Owen Nelson, Erik Nohalty, Isaac Payne, Jonathan Pellitteri, Miranda Pfeiffer, Michelle Podgorski, Stacy Rexrode, Ellie Richards, Lynne Riding, Barbara Schreiber, Lila Shull, Sandy Singletary, Clint Sleeper, Sydney Sogol, Matthew Steele, Margaret Strickland, Laura Sussman-Randall, Jaimee Todd, Felicia van Bork, Aric Verrastro, Linda Vista, Jason Watson, Annemarie Weekley, Charles Williams, Holly Wilson, Stephen Wilson, Doohyun Yoon, Liliya Zalevskaya, Xiwen Zhu

The public is invited to Levine Center for the Arts on May 21

Salsa dancing. Puppets. A portrait paint-off. Drums. Aerial dancing. Jazz. Food trucks. An Arts Guy. An outdoor symphony concert. And FREE museum access all day.

All this and more will be part of the inaugural #LongLiveArts Festival , the first event of its kind to be hosted by the four member institutions of Levine Center for the Arts – the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, Blumenthal Performing Arts’ Knight Theater, the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture, and Mint Museum Uptown. The public is invited to the 500 block of South Tryon Street between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. for the festival – and both before and after those hours to enjoy a free “plazacast” of Charlotte Symphony’s Romeo & Juliet, showing from a big screen in front of the Firebird statue at 7:30 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday evenings. The Bechtler and Mint will also offer special hours of free access on Friday May 20 in conjunction with the plazacast (the Bechtler will offer Bechtler by Night from 6-9 p.m., while the Mint will offer free general admission from 6-8 p.m.).

More fun for all ages begins Saturday morning at 10 a.m., with a main stage set up on Levine Avenue and emceed by Moira Quinn, Vice President of Charlotte Center City Partners. And about that Arts Guy? He’s part of a new marketing initiative jointly launched by Levine Center for the Arts institutions, and he will represent the Charlotteans and global visitors who want to learn more about the cultural offerings of the Queen City. Watch for him to give behind-the-scenes insights to Saturday’s audience.

Community artists are also invited to join a #LongLiveArts Festival Portrait Paint-Off, in which participants are invited to meet local oil painter Gordon James. He will first paint a live model from 10:15 to 11 a.m., and then at 11:30 and 1:45, audience members will be invited to grab some art supplies and paint volunteer models. The paint-off contest will give prizes including gifts from the three museum gift shops and free passes to return to the Levine Center for the Arts museums.

Other performers and activities scheduled as part of Saturday’s activities include the Charlotte Symphony’s Musical Petting Zoo; Caroline Calouche’s aerial dancers; Drums4Life; Africano Campbell; Blue Moon Puppets; an art class with Cathay Dawkins; Dancehall Groove; and a salsa dancing demonstration, as well as interactive art-making activities led by the education staffs of the three member museums. Docents from the three museums will lead free 30-minute “ArtBreak” tours inside each museum at noon, 1 p.m., and 2 p.m.

For a complete schedule, click here or see  facebook.com/levinecenterart .

WHAT: #LongLiveArts Community Festival

WHEN: Saturday, May 21

10 a.m.-6 p.m., followed by Charlotte Symphony “plazacast” of Romeo & Juliet

WHERE: Levine Center for the Arts, 500 block of South Tryon Street, including Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, Blumenthal Performing Arts’ Knight Theater, Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture, and Mint Museum Uptown

For further questions, please contact:

Leigh Dyer

Director of Public Relations, The Mint Museum

704.337.2009

Leigh.Dyer@mintmuseum.org

ABOUT LEVINE CENTER FOR THE ARTS

Levine Center for the Arts is one of Charlotte’s major cultural destinations, home to Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture, John S. and James L. Knight Theater, and Mint Museum Uptown. The Center was made possible through the support of the City of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, Campaign for Cultural Facilities, and The Leon Levine Foundation, one of the country’s largest and most impactful philanthropic organizations, along with the generosity of Bank of America Foundation, Wells Fargo Foundation, and Duke Energy Foundation, among many others.

A generous grant from the THRIVE Fund is enabling the four institutions to work more closely together than ever before to increase visibility and access to the unified center. The $250,000 award from the THRIVE Fund over two years is making possible the center’s first-ever joint marketing campaign, as well as free monthly lunchtime tours and a free community festival to be held on May 21, 2016. The THRIVE Fund was established in 2013 to provide financial stability for Charlotte’s cultural sector under the leadership of Hugh McColl, former Bank of America chairman and CEO, and is currently administered by the Foundation For The Carolinas. The Mint Museum spearheaded the grant and is managing the project in collaboration with the other institutions. More information at levinecenterarts.org.

Year of the Collection” continues with stylish new show

NOTE NEW CLOSING DATE: Whether you prefer simple sneakers or sexy stilettos, every visitor will find something to enjoy in the fashionable new exhibition Pumped: The Art & Craft of Shoemaking , which will be on view at Mint Museum Uptown from May 7 through August 28, 2016.

“Shoes are the finishing touch to your outfit, but they are also much more than that,” said Rebecca Elliot, Assistant Curator for Craft, Design, & Fashion at the Mint, who curated the exhibition. “Well-made shoes are a testament to the talents of many people, whether it’s the craftsperson who shaped the leather by hand to create a unique design or the inventor who developed a machine that made shoes more widely affordable.”

Drawn entirely from Mint’s renowned Fashion Collection, Pumped is the first exhibition to view this collection through the lens of craft. The ancient tradition of shoemaking has much in common with other crafts represented at the museum, such as ceramics, glass, and metalwork. Like them, shoemaking at the highest level of quality requires a thorough knowledge of one or more materials with unique characteristics—in this case mainly leather, but also fabric, plastics, and other substances. Such knowledge is obtained through many hours of practice, whether the techniques used are centuries old or twenty-first century.

As with other crafts, industrialization changed shoemaking, enabling mass production and introducing new materials. Yet the desire for bespoke (custom-made) footwear persisted, and so did traditional methods. Today, different shoemakers occupy different points on a continuum of approaches from the most hands-on to the most automated. Since the 1980s there has been a resurgence of interest in the craft from both hobbyists and entrepreneurs who work in a studio setting, using relatively few machines. In the twenty-first century, others have used innovative technologies such as CAD (computer-assisted design) and 3D printing to radically rethink the design process and end product. Pumped features footwear ranging in date from the early 1700s to 2015. In addition to over one hundred pairs of shoes and related materials, the exhibition includes a display of shoemaking tools.

This exhibition is organized by The Mint Museum and generously sponsored by The Founders’ Circle Ltd.

Special exhibition admission is required in order to view Pumped along with its companion exhibition drawn from the Mint’s permanent collection, Here & Now: 80 Years of Photography at the Mint. Admission is $24 for adults with discounts for students, seniors, and children, and Mint members always receive unlimited free admission.

The exhibition will be accompanied by a slate of public programming including a “Taste of the Mint” tour, a Sunday Fun Day, and workshops aimed at teen students ages 14-18 as part of the NexGen Mint program. Details on programming are available at mintmuseum.org/happenings .

Members of the media are invited to preview the exhibition at 10 a.m. May 4 at Mint Museum Uptown. RSVP to leigh.dyer@mintmuseum.org.

Above image:

Saks Fifth Avenue (retailer; New York, 1902–). Evening/Cocktail Shoes, circa 1965, silk grosgrain ribbon, kid leather, crystal rhinestones. Charles Mo Collection. 2004.8.16b. Collection of The Mint Museum, Charlotte, North Carolina.

Year of the Collection” continues with stylish new show

NOTE NEW CLOSING DATE: Whether you prefer simple sneakers or sexy stilettos, every visitor will find something to enjoy in the fashionable new exhibition Pumped: The Art & Craft of Shoemaking , which will be on view at Mint Museum Uptown from May 7 through August 28, 2016.

“Shoes are the finishing touch to your outfit, but they are also much more than that,” said Rebecca Elliot, Assistant Curator for Craft, Design, & Fashion at the Mint, who curated the exhibition. “Well-made shoes are a testament to the talents of many people, whether it’s the craftsperson who shaped the leather by hand to create a unique design or the inventor who developed a machine that made shoes more widely affordable.”

Drawn entirely from Mint’s renowned Fashion Collection, Pumped is the first exhibition to view this collection through the lens of craft. The ancient tradition of shoemaking has much in common with other crafts represented at the museum, such as ceramics, glass, and metalwork. Like them, shoemaking at the highest level of quality requires a thorough knowledge of one or more materials with unique characteristics—in this case mainly leather, but also fabric, plastics, and other substances. Such knowledge is obtained through many hours of practice, whether the techniques used are centuries old or twenty-first century.

As with other crafts, industrialization changed shoemaking, enabling mass production and introducing new materials. Yet the desire for bespoke (custom-made) footwear persisted, and so did traditional methods. Today, different shoemakers occupy different points on a continuum of approaches from the most hands-on to the most automated. Since the 1980s there has been a resurgence of interest in the craft from both hobbyists and entrepreneurs who work in a studio setting, using relatively few machines. In the twenty-first century, others have used innovative technologies such as CAD (computer-assisted design) and 3D printing to radically rethink the design process and end product. Pumped features footwear ranging in date from the early 1700s to 2015. In addition to over one hundred pairs of shoes and related materials, the exhibition includes a display of shoemaking tools.

This exhibition is organized by The Mint Museum and generously sponsored by The Founders’ Circle Ltd.

Special exhibition admission is required in order to view Pumped along with its companion exhibition drawn from the Mint’s permanent collection, Here & Now: 80 Years of Photography at the Mint. Admission is $24 for adults with discounts for students, seniors, and children, and Mint members always receive unlimited free admission.

The exhibition will be accompanied by a slate of public programming including a “Taste of the Mint” tour, a Sunday Fun Day, and workshops aimed at teen students ages 14-18 as part of the NexGen Mint program. Details on programming are available at mintmuseum.org/happenings .

Members of the media are invited to preview the exhibition at 10 a.m. May 4 at Mint Museum Uptown. RSVP to leigh.dyer@mintmuseum.org.

Above image:

Saks Fifth Avenue (retailer; New York, 1902–). Evening/Cocktail Shoes, circa 1965, silk grosgrain ribbon, kid leather, crystal rhinestones. Charles Mo Collection. 2004.8.16b. Collection of The Mint Museum, Charlotte, North Carolina.

Bilingual Stories & Music program offers arts education to families at risk of homelessness

The Mint Museum will be taking its “Bilingual Stories and Music on Wheels” program to Camino Community Center on Saturday, April 23rd. This program combining bilingual storytelling, music, and fun games aimed at young children, will be brought to Camino as part of a partnership between both institutions with the goal of making art accessible to low-income families.

The program will take place four times a year. Each program will have a different theme, providing variety and showcasing different Latin American children’s songs and games. Bilingual Stories & Music on Wheels will be presented by talented storytellers from local group Criss Cross Mangosauce.

The Mint Museum launched the Gift of Membership campaign during the holiday season in 2015. For every gift membership purchased between November 27 and December 31, the Mint gave a free family membership to a family being served by Camino Community Center. Thanks to the support of Mint members a total of 72 family memberships will be given to Camino.

This campaign was an extension of a partnership between the Mint and Camino which grew out of the Mint’s Latino Initiative. The Mint provided scholarships to its summer camps to 12 Camino families last summer, and has brought Camino families to a previous Sunday Fun Day event.

“Bringing a well-established program such as Bilingual Stories & Music, which has been taking place at Mint Museum Randolph for several years, to Camino Community Center in its On-Wheels version, will provide an artistic experience to Camino young children, and I hope it will contribute to breaking the barriers that underserved families face when it comes to art”, said Claudia Soria, the Mint’s Latino Community Programs & Relations Manager.

This program is generously supported by Duke Energy and by Mint Museum members who bought a gift membership through the Gift of Membership Campaign.

Camino Community Center is a non-profit serving the needs of low-income families those at risk of homelessness. Their focus is to improve well-being and provide opportunities to contribute to better health, education, and social conditions. Each family who receives a complimentary Mint membership will be offered opportunities to attend special family-friendly arts educational opportunities at the museum during the coming year.

For more information, visit mintmuseum.org/join or call 704.337.2011.

Statement in response to HB2 adopted at April 11 meeting

On Monday April 11, The Mint Museum Board of Trustees adopted the following statement:

As The Mint Museum’s mission statement declares, “We are committed to engaging and inspiring ALL members of our global community.” In light of the recent passage of HB2, the Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act, we affirm our longstanding commitment to diversity and inclusiveness in all aspects of our work. In short, The Mint Museum promotes and embraces diversity, inclusion, and equality for ALL.

For further inquiries, please contact Hillary Cooper, Director of Advancement & Communications, at hillary.cooper@mintmuseum.org, or Leigh Dyer, Director of Public Relations & Publications, at leigh.dyer@mintmuseum.org.

Exhibition continues the Mint’s “year of the collection”

The first survey exhibition of photography drawn solely from the Mint’s permanent collection, Here & Now: 80 Years of Photography at the Mint , will open April 16 at Mint Museum Uptown, offering a fresh perspective on a growing area of strength for the museum.

“As a photohistorian, it has been a delight to comb through the museum’s photographic holdings, discovering treasures and unexpected surprises along the way,” said Dr. Kathleen V.  Jameson, President & CEO of the Mint, who personally curated the exhibition. “Here & Now will provide visitors the same exciting journey not only into the diverse landscape of photography but also with a focused view into the development of the Mint’s collection over the course of its history.”

Most of the works in the Mint’s collection were produced after the founding of the museum in 1936, 80 years ago. While relatively modest in scale, the Mint’s collection boasts exceptional photographs taken around this time by such noted masters as Berenice Abbott and Ansel Adams as well as those taken in the last few years by dynamic contemporary photographers. Global in scope, the Mint’s collection and this exhibition feature works by artists with local and regional roots, including William Eggleston, Sonia Handelman Meyer, and Linda Foard Roberts.

The photography collection ranges from conceptually-based works to those rooted in such genres as landscape, portraiture, and architectural photography. Underlying the infinite differences in style, method, and subject matter is a unity specific to photography—its overarching ability to capture a particular moment in time—to suspend the present in a way that allows us to understand meaning across great distances of time and space.

By its nature, photography has always been a medium rooted in the moment. It began around 1836, nearly the same time period as the founding of the first branch of the United States Mint in Charlotte – later transformed into The Mint Museum when it opened to the public on October 22, 1936.

“From photography’s roots to today, photographic images compel viewers like no other medium,” said Jameson. “As we are increasingly inundated with visual images, many of which are manipulated in some way, there has never been a better time to examine the power of photographic images. Here & Now speaks to concerns that have long been at the core of photographic practice, as well as its most recent developments, shining new light on the issues that are relevant to life in the here and now.”

The exhibition is generously sponsored by The Mint Museum of Art Board of Directors, with additional support provided by K&L Gates.

Following an invitation-only VIP celebration on April 14, the exhibition will be accompanied by a slate of public programming including a “Taste of the Mint” tour, a Sunday Fun Day, and workshops aimed at teen students ages 14-18 as part of the NexGen Mint program. Details on programming are available here .

Media note: Members of the media and special guests are invited to preview the exhibition at 10 a.m. on Thursday April 14. Email leigh.dyer@mintmuseum.org to RSVP or for any other inquiries.

Above image:

Oliver Wasow (American, 1960–). Dana and Fortune, 2013, pigment print. Gift of Dana Martin Davis. 2014.71. Collection of The Mint Museum, Charlotte, North Carolina. © Oliver Wasow, 2013

Exhibition continues the Mint’s “year of the collection”

The first survey exhibition of photography drawn solely from the Mint’s permanent collection, Here & Now: 80 Years of Photography at the Mint , will open April 16 at Mint Museum Uptown, offering a fresh perspective on a growing area of strength for the museum.

“As a photohistorian, it has been a delight to comb through the museum’s photographic holdings, discovering treasures and unexpected surprises along the way,” said Dr. Kathleen V.  Jameson, President & CEO of the Mint, who personally curated the exhibition. “Here & Now will provide visitors the same exciting journey not only into the diverse landscape of photography but also with a focused view into the development of the Mint’s collection over the course of its history.”

Most of the works in the Mint’s collection were produced after the founding of the museum in 1936, 80 years ago. While relatively modest in scale, the Mint’s collection boasts exceptional photographs taken around this time by such noted masters as Berenice Abbott and Ansel Adams as well as those taken in the last few years by dynamic contemporary photographers. Global in scope, the Mint’s collection and this exhibition feature works by artists with local and regional roots, including William Eggleston, Sonia Handelman Meyer, and Linda Foard Roberts.

The photography collection ranges from conceptually-based works to those rooted in such genres as landscape, portraiture, and architectural photography. Underlying the infinite differences in style, method, and subject matter is a unity specific to photography—its overarching ability to capture a particular moment in time—to suspend the present in a way that allows us to understand meaning across great distances of time and space.

By its nature, photography has always been a medium rooted in the moment. It began around 1836, nearly the same time period as the founding of the first branch of the United States Mint in Charlotte – later transformed into The Mint Museum when it opened to the public on October 22, 1936.

“From photography’s roots to today, photographic images compel viewers like no other medium,” said Jameson. “As we are increasingly inundated with visual images, many of which are manipulated in some way, there has never been a better time to examine the power of photographic images. Here & Now speaks to concerns that have long been at the core of photographic practice, as well as its most recent developments, shining new light on the issues that are relevant to life in the here and now.”

The exhibition is generously sponsored by The Mint Museum of Art Board of Directors, with additional support provided by K&L Gates.

Following an invitation-only VIP celebration on April 14, the exhibition will be accompanied by a slate of public programming including a “Taste of the Mint” tour, a Sunday Fun Day, and workshops aimed at teen students ages 14-18 as part of the NexGen Mint program. Details on programming are available here .

Media note: Members of the media and special guests are invited to preview the exhibition at 10 a.m. on Thursday April 14. Email leigh.dyer@mintmuseum.org to RSVP or for any other inquiries.

Above image:

Oliver Wasow (American, 1960–). Dana and Fortune, 2013, pigment print. Gift of Dana Martin Davis. 2014.71. Collection of The Mint Museum, Charlotte, North Carolina. © Oliver Wasow, 2013

The Mint Museum’s Third Annual Spring Fundraising Gala Celebrates the Mint’s Fashion Collection

The Mint Museum’s spring fundraising gala is moving in a new, fashion-forward direction. Beginning this year, the Gala’s permanent theme is Coveted Couture, a nod to the museum’s heralded and significant Fashion Collection . Charlotte is a very stylish and sophisticated city. By and large, Mint supporters love fashion and recognize its growing importance as part of the vibrant arts and cultural scene in our region. This annual spring tradition is a black-tie dinner dance for 300 of Charlotte’s most prominent civic leaders, chic elite, and museum patrons.

This special evening is being presented for the third time by Bank of America and Merrill Lynch, loyal and generous corporate supporters of the museum. Marianna and Trey Sheridan are serving as Gala Chairs this year. Marianna is the Archivist for Oscar de la Renta, an Auxiliary Board Member, and fashion liaison between the Auxiliary and The Mint Museum. Trey serves on the Mint’s Board of Trustees as Treasurer. We are thrilled to have them leading this charge and know they will plan a beautiful, chic, and festive experience for all of our guests.

Coveted Couture promises to be an elegant, glamorous, and fun celebration designed to raise critical funds for The Mint Museum. We look forward to seeing you on the runway! Please mark your calendars now and join us for the most coveted event of the year. —Hillary Cooper, Director of Advancement & Communications

WANT TO GO?

Saturday, April 30, 2016

Mint Museum Randolph | 6:30 p.m.

Tent on the Lawn

$500 for individual tickets; $400 for Crown Society members and 2015–2016 Room to Bloom patrons

More information: mintmuseum.org/gala

or call Jessica Schwartz at 704.337.2112.

This article appears in the Winter + Spring 2016 issue of The Mint Museum’s member magazine, Inspired. Want a copy? Join now , visit either museum location, or call 704.337.2009.

Feed your soul with a FREE docent-led tour

If you work, live, or visit uptown, or know someone who does, there will soon be a great new way to experience  Levine Center for the Arts : FREE “ArtBreak” lunchtime museum tours offered by docents of The Mint Museum, the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, and the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture.

Beginning on March 17—Saint Patrick’s Day—these 30-minute tours , free and open to the public, will be guiding visitors through the galleries every third Thursday of each month at noon.

Whether it’s an introductory experience for a first-time visitor or a deeper cultural experience for those already familiar with Levine Center for the Arts
institutions, the tours will provide a brief but focused encounter with art with people who have a limited amount of time—and will allow time to grab
lunch as well.

This collaborative effort, the first of its kind in Charlotte, originated with the Mint docents and is just one of several new initiatives underway to improve
public tours. Support is provided by the THRIVE Fund, established to provide financial stability to Charlotte’s cultural sector and currently administered by
Foundation For The Carolinas.

Visitors can choose one of the three museums for each date, and experience a tour structured around a common theme reflecting the nature
of permanent collections or special exhibitions on view. (Each theme lasts for three months—enough to experience all three institutions!)

Themes include:

“Trending Now,” March–May, will examine how contemporary issues may become an aspect of an artist’s work, the use of new materials
and processes in creating art, or simply what is new on view. At the Mint, works discussed will include Hoss Haley’s White Ripple, Susan
Point’s Salmon Spawning Run and Tom Joyce’s Thicket.

“Zoom In, Zoom Out,” June–August, will challenge tour participants to look at selected works of art in an unconventional manner.

“Labels: Do We Need Them?” in September–November will ask visitors to consider text and reference materials provided by curators as
well as issues of identity and labels in society today.

“Out of Place,” December–February 2017, rounds out the tour themes for the year and will focus on the quirky and unexpected in the
galleries.

Article by Renee Reese, a Docent of The Mint Museum since 1988, who was recently named Director at Large for the National Docent Symposium Council. This article originally appeared in “INSPIRED,” the member magazine of The Mint Museum. To receive a copy, call 704.337.2009. Click here to become a member today !

Media, business, and cultural leaders will preview the tours at a special March 10 event

Members of the media are invited to Levine Center for the Arts to have lunch, view a preview of spring cultural events and exhibitions, and experience a new kind of museum tour set to launch FREE to the public on March 17 .

Beginning at noon on Thursday, March 10, members of the media are invited to Wells Fargo Auditorium, accessible via Knight Theater, to join leaders from the business and cultural communities to preview the spring season at the four member institutions of Levine Center for the Arts: the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art; Blumenthal Performing Arts which operates Knight Theater; the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture; and The Mint Museum.

Afterward, attendees will enjoy a “sneak preview” of new “Art Breaks” museum tours which will launch to the public at noon March 17 at the three museums. Each third Thursday of the month, docents at all three museums will offer the public free 30-minute tours designed to be completed during lunchtime. The tours are tailored around a specific theme which will repeat for three months, allowing the public to experience each of the three museums in succession. The tours are the latest example of collaboration among Levine Center for the Arts institutions, which have also launched a common admission pass available at CarolinaTix.org and an upcoming community festival scheduled for May 21.

Other spring highlights at Levine Center for the Arts include:

At Bechtler Museum of Modern Art

The House that Modernism Built (Through September 11, 2016)

This exhibition pairs works from the Bechtler collection with design objects on loan from various institutions and individuals around the country. While the scope of the exhibition is international, it spotlights design innovations in the United States with a regional focus on production in North Carolina. The works date from 1920 through 1980, but the groundbreaking choices of material and manufacturing processes by makers such as Victor Vasarely, Zoltan Kemeny, Kenneth Noland, Roy Lichtenstein, Charles and Ray Eames, Alexander Girard, and Buckminster Fuller remain vital, revealing how these larger principles of modernism continue to resonate in our lives today.

All that Sparkles: 20th Century Artists’ Jewelry (July 1, 2016 – January 8, 2017)

Presenting an array of selected jewelry alongside examples of more conventional artwork, this exhibition celebrates the craftsmanship and creativity of artists who used this medium to explore texture and color while using various materials and techniques specific to jewelry-making to expand their reach into a broader, if still refined and urbane public. Artists from the Bechtler collection include Alberto Giacometti, Alicia Penalba, Rafael Benazzi, and Niki de Saint Phalle. More information on these and other exhibitions is available at .

At Blumenthal Performing Arts’ Knight Theater

Broadway Junior Theater Celebration, April 19-21, 2016

This program returning to Knight Theater offers an enthusiastic, educational environment for students and teachers to interact with hundreds of others who share their passion for musical theatre. It has been created and directed by iTheatrics, a premier creative consultant in educational musical theatre based in New York City, in association with the leading theatrical licensor Music Theatre International and the Blumenthal Performing Arts’ Education Department. During the celebration, each school group performs a selection of a musical before a distinguished panel of theatre professionals who provide them with valuable feedback about their creativity, engagement in the performance, understanding of the material, and connection to the lyrics and movement.

Charlotte Jazz Festival, April 21-23, 2016

Blumenthal Performing Arts and The Leon Levine Foundation are proud to present the second annual Charlotte Jazz Festival. A three-day event at Levine Center for the Arts, the festival features two main stage performances by the critically-acclaimed Jazz at Lincoln Center under the leadership of musical director Wynton Marsalis. Festival goers can catch intimate club performances featuring local and national talent throughout the weekend, as well as a jazz dinner and happy hours. Other events include a second line parade, youth jazz competition, and much more. Visit for a complete schedule.

At Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture

Dance Theatre of Harlem: 40 Years of Firsts (Through  June 26, 2016)

With its majestic exhibition of dazzling costumes, set pieces, and video excerpts, this exhibition has offered the Gantt Center an opportunity to highlight the art discipline of dance. In addition to weekly, dancing-room-only workshops featuring different genres – ballet, modern, West African, liturgical – the Center will present an exclusive guided tour of the exhibition on Saturday, March 19 with a former member of the company, Dr. Mel A. Tomlinson. On Thursday evening, April 28, the Gantt Center will host a panel of dance world luminaries: Philadanco founder Joyce Myers Brown, former Charlotte Ballet staff & Alvin Ailey dancer April Berry, and Dr. Tomlinson. The panel discussion, Catch the Dance: An Inspired Movement, will end with 1 Pound/4 Ounces: Humble Beginnings, a performance by tap artist Khalil Munir. This plus the other two current exhibitions at the Gantt Center – Art of a New Deal: African-American Artists in the WPA and 1960Now — will close out the center’s year-long theme, Art as Activism.

Shaping the Vessel: Cummings + Mascoll + Samuel (July 16, 2016 – January 16, 2017)

Local wood artist Charles Farrar serves as guest curator for this exhibition, which will open at the Center on Saturday, July 16. This exhibition of twenty-six exquisite works in wood celebrates three artists, Frank E. Cummings III, John Mascoll and Avelino Samuel. At the pinnacle of their craft, each uses the wood lathe, an ancient Egyptian tool, as a springboard to imagination, flights of fancy, and ingenuity. An African-American quilt exhibition and thirty new works by beloved folk artist Nellie Ashford will fill the remaining galleries. More information available at .

At Mint Museum Uptown

(April 16, 2016 – Sept. 18, 2016)

Here & Now marks the first survey exhibition of photography drawn from the Mint’s permanent collection and comprises approximately 100 photographs. Including recent acquisitions and many never-before-seen photographs alongside signature works, Here & Now offers a fresh perspective on a burgeoning area of strength within the Mint’s collection. It will feature exceptional photographs taken at the turn of the 20th century by such noted masters as Berenice Abbott, Ansel Adams, Dorothea Lange, and W. Eugene Smith, as well as those taken in the last few years by dynamic contemporary photographers including Vik Muniz. This will be the first exhibition at the Mint curated by the museum’s President & CEO, photohistorian Dr. Kathleen V. Jameson.

(May 7, 2016 – October 16, 2016)

This show explores both the cultural history and the meticulous craft of shoemaking, featuring distinctive shoe forms that are notable for their design and construction. Pumped traces the history of shoemaking from the handmade shoes of the eighteenth century, through the technical innovations of the Industrial Revolution, to contemporary shoes made with techniques both ancient and new ­– all from the Mint’s permanent collection. Venerable traditions such as leather-working are joined by the latest materials and technologies, including 3-D printing.

At Levine Center for the Arts

Levine Center for the Arts, named for local philanthropists Sandra and Leon Levine, was completed in 2010 through the support of the Campaign for Cultural Facilities (led by Bank of America Charitable Foundation; Sandra and Leon Levine/The Leon Levine Foundation; and the Wells Fargo Foundation); the City of Charlotte; and Mecklenburg County. A generous grant from the THRIVE Fund is enabling the four institutions to work more closely together than ever before to increase visibility and access to the unified center. The $250,000 award from the THRIVE Fund over two years is making possible the center’s first-ever joint marketing campaign, as well as the free lunch-hour tours and a free community festival to be held on May 21, 2016. The THRIVE Fund was established in 2013 to provide financial stability for Charlotte’s cultural sector under the leadership of Hugh McColl, former Bank of America chairman and CEO, and is currently administered by the Foundation For The Carolinas. The Mint Museum spearheaded the grant and is managing the project in collaboration with the other institutions. More information at .

Members of the media may RSVP to the March 10 event, which reserves a boxed lunch and a free museum tour, by contacting:

Leigh Dyer

Director of Public Relations, The Mint Museum

704.337.2009

Leigh.Dyer@mintmuseum.org

WHAT: Lunch, spring preview, and museum tours

WHO: Media; invited business and cultural leaders; and representatives of the four Levine Center for the Arts member institutions

WHEN: Thursday, March 10

Noon-12:30 p.m. Box lunches provided

12:30-1 p.m. Presentation inside Wells Fargo Auditorium

1-1:30 p.m. “Art Breaks” docent-led museum tours; media photography welcomed

WHERE: Wells Fargo Auditorium, 430 South Tryon Street. Enter through main Knight Theater entrance and proceed downstairs.

PLEASE NOTE: This is an invitation to members of the media. All others, please join the new public tours on March 17 or every third Thursday after that!

ABOUT LEVINE CENTER FOR THE ARTS
Levine Center for the Arts is one of Charlotte’s key cultural destinations, comprising Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture, John S. and James L. Knight Theater, and Mint Museum Uptown. The Center was made possible through the Campaign for Cultural Facilities, the support of the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, and the generosity of The Leon Levine Foundation, one of the country’s largest and most impactful philanthropic organizations, along with the leadership of Bank of America Foundation and The Wells Fargo Foundation.

ABOUT BECHTLER MUSEUM OF MODERN ART

The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art is dedicated to the exhibition of mid-20th-century modern art. It is named after the family of Andreas Bechtler, who assembled and inherited a collection created by seminal figures in modernism. The collection comprises more than 1,400 works. Some works are accompanied by books, photographs, and letters illustrating personal connections to the Bechtler family. For museum details visit bechtler.org.

ABOUT BLUMENTHAL PERFORMING ARTS + KNIGHT THEATER
Blumenthal Performing Arts serves the Carolinas as a leading cultural, entertainment and education provider. Blumenthal Performing Arts receives operating support from the Arts & Science Council and North Carolina Arts Council. Blumenthal Performing Arts is also supported by PNC Bank, sponsor of the PNC Broadway Lights. More information: blumenthalarts.org.

ABOUT HARVEY B. GANTT CENTER

Founded in 1974, Charlotte’s Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture (formerly the Afro-American Center) exists to present, preserve and celebrate the art, history and culture of African-Americans and people of the African Diaspora through dance, music, visual and literary arts, film, educational programs, theatre productions and community outreach. Named for Harvey Bernard Gantt, the prominent architect, community leader and former mayor of Charlotte, the Center is housed in an inspired and distinguished award-winning structure and is home to the nationally celebrated John and Vivian Hewitt Collection of African-American Art, which was generously donated by Bank of America. More information: ganttcenter.org.

ABOUT THE MINT MUSEUM

The Mint Museum is a leading, innovative museum of international art and design committed to engaging and inspiring all members of our global community. Established as the first art museum in North Carolina in 1936, The Mint Museum has grown to include two dynamic facilities, Mint Museum Uptown and Mint Museum Randolph, and currently boasts one of largest collections in the Southeast. Mint Museum Uptown houses an internationally renowned Craft + Design Collection, as well as collections of American and Modern & Contemporary Art. The five-story, 175,000 square-foot facility was designed by Machado and Silvetti Associates of Boston. Historic Mint Museum Randolph is located three miles to the south. More information: mintmuseum.org.

Enjoy a celebration of “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports” at Mint Museum Randolph

The Young Affiliates of the Mint (YAM), a group of diverse young professionals who promote and support The Mint Museum through social, educational, leadership, and fundraising activities, will host the 26th annual Derby Days event on Saturday, May 7 from 3 – 7 p.m. on the lawn of Mint Museum Randolph, 2730 Randolph Road in Charlotte.

Named the “Best Party for Young Professionals” by the Charlotte Observer and “Best Young Professional Party” by Society Charlotte magazine, Derby Days brings together more than 400 of Charlotte’s young professionals to enjoy a day of live music from the Time Sawyer band; lawn games; free wine and beer; food trucks; 50/50 raffle; and a large-screen viewing of the Kentucky Derby, dubbed “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports.”

Additional information about this year’s event will be made available on the YAM website, https://derbydays.splashthat.com. Tickets will be sold online, with Early Bird prices starting at $30 for YAM members and $45 for nonmembers. Those who wish to attend must purchase their tickets in advance. No tickets will be sold at the door. This event is for patrons 21 years of age or older.

Money raised from the event will go towards providing museum field trips to Charlotte-Mecklenburg students.

For more information about the 2016 Derby Days, visit https://derbydays.splashthat.com

ABOUT THE YOUNG AFFILIATES OF THE MINT

The Young Affiliates of the Mint is a group of diverse young professionals who promote and support The Mint Museum through social, educational, leadership and fundraising activities. Founded in 1990, the Young Affiliates is the premier social arts organization for young professionals in the Charlotte area. For more information about the Young Affiliates of the Mint, visit youngaffiliates.org. The Mint Museum is funded, in part, with operating support from the Arts & Science Council of Charlotte-Mecklenburg, Inc.; the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources; the City of Charlotte; and its members.

To be held March 9 at Mint Museum Uptown

The Young Affiliates of the Mint (“YAMs”) are excited to announce their second annual event entitled, Envision & Empower, hosted at Mint Uptown’s Level 5 Grand Room on March 9, 2016 from 6-9 p.m. Envision & Empower provides an opportunity for the Charlotte community to come together and celebrate the transformative power of arts education on children in our community.

For Envision & Empower, the YAMs partnered with Behailu Academy, an arts-based youth development program that empowers youth to find and use their voices through the arts, academics, and community service. Located in the North Davidson area, Behailu Academy offers a variety of classes including performing arts, music, and visual arts.   This coming spring, seven seniors will graduate from Behailu Academy; forever transformed by the incredible opportunity Behailu has given them to learn about themselves in a supportive environment, through the creation of art and music.

In preparation for this event, photographer and YAM board member Margaret Strickland had the unique pleasure of meeting and photographing the seven exiting seniors for Envision & Empower. Margaret quickly picked up on a symbiotic relationship between the students of Behailu Academy and the arts. Margaret captured the essence of this artistic engagement in photographs that will be on display at the event. In reflection of her meeting the seniors of Behailu, Margaret stated, “I was profoundly impacted by the stories of the students at Behailu. I met a musician, a marine, an illustrator, photographers, and designers. It is obvious that the drive, confidence and talent of these students are due in large part to the friendships and experiences made possible by Behailu Academy. These seniors have used their time at Behailu to support each other, define themselves, and dream big about their futures.”

Behailu Academy students that participated in this collaboration will be in attendance and will share their powerful stories with attendees.  Additionally, keynote speaker Senator Jeff Jackson will join the YAMs for this evening event. Guests will enjoy jazz musician, Buff Dillard, and a cash bar will be available with wine, beer and liquor for purchase. The art galleries will also be open for all guests to enjoy.

The YAMS cordially invite you to join us and help us raise awareness about the impact of art on youth in our community and to raise a glass to the big futures of Charlotte’s students impacted by the arts. Tickets are $25 for YAM members and $35 for non-members.

To purchase tickets for Envision & Empower, please visit: https://2016envisionempower.splashthat.com/

For questions regarding Envision & Empower, please email: Whitney.feld@gmail.com

ABOUT THE YOUNG AFFILIATES OF THE MINT

The Young Affiliates of the Mint Museum is the longest running young professional group and the premier social arts organization for young professionals in Charlotte, North Carolina.  For 26 years, the YAMs have supported the Mint Museum through a variety of social, cultural, leadership and fundraising activities and events. The YAMs have made substantial donations of tangible and intangible goods to the Mint Museum since 1990.

To be held March 9 at Mint Museum Uptown

The Young Affiliates of the Mint (“YAMs”) are excited to announce their second annual event entitled, Envision & Empower, hosted at Mint Uptown’s Level 5 Grand Room on March 9, 2016 from 6-9 p.m. Envision & Empower provides an opportunity for the Charlotte community to come together and celebrate the transformative power of arts education on children in our community.

For Envision & Empower, the YAMs partnered with Behailu Academy, an arts-based youth development program that empowers youth to find and use their voices through the arts, academics, and community service. Located in the North Davidson area, Behailu Academy offers a variety of classes including performing arts, music, and visual arts.   This coming spring, seven seniors will graduate from Behailu Academy; forever transformed by the incredible opportunity Behailu has given them to learn about themselves in a supportive environment, through the creation of art and music.

In preparation for this event, photographer and YAM board member Margaret Strickland had the unique pleasure of meeting and photographing the seven exiting seniors for Envision & Empower. Margaret quickly picked up on a symbiotic relationship between the students of Behailu Academy and the arts. Margaret captured the essence of this artistic engagement in photographs that will be on display at the event. In reflection of her meeting the seniors of Behailu, Margaret stated, “I was profoundly impacted by the stories of the students at Behailu. I met a musician, a marine, an illustrator, photographers, and designers. It is obvious that the drive, confidence and talent of these students are due in large part to the friendships and experiences made possible by Behailu Academy. These seniors have used their time at Behailu to support each other, define themselves, and dream big about their futures.”

Behailu Academy students that participated in this collaboration will be in attendance and will share their powerful stories with attendees.  Additionally, keynote speaker Senator Jeff Jackson will join the YAMs for this evening event. Guests will enjoy jazz musician, Buff Dillard, and a cash bar will be available with wine, beer and liquor for purchase. The art galleries will also be open for all guests to enjoy.

The YAMS cordially invite you to join us and help us raise awareness about the impact of art on youth in our community and to raise a glass to the big futures of Charlotte’s students impacted by the arts. Tickets are $25 for YAM members and $35 for non-members.

To purchase tickets for Envision & Empower, please visit: https://2016envisionempower.splashthat.com/

For questions regarding Envision & Empower, please email: Whitney.feld@gmail.com

ABOUT THE YOUNG AFFILIATES OF THE MINT

The Young Affiliates of the Mint Museum is the longest running young professional group and the premier social arts organization for young professionals in Charlotte, North Carolina.  For 26 years, the YAMs have supported the Mint Museum through a variety of social, cultural, leadership and fundraising activities and events. The YAMs have made substantial donations of tangible and intangible goods to the Mint Museum since 1990.

Registration open now!

Most art museum enthusiasts know that visual art experiences are valuable to a child’s growth and achievement, but do we really know why? Over the years, many studies have quantified the benefits of fine art experiences on a child’s development.

While we appreciate the scholarly research, we also like to go straight to the source for our information. For our Top Ten Reasons to Attend a Mint Summer Art Camp list below, we culled fascinating facts from recent studies, but also asked for input from the TRUE experts—kids and parents! –Leslie Strauss, Head of Family & Studio Programs

10. Art is motivating! Kids in art classes can actively engage in their experience, taking risks, and developing sustained attention and perseverance.

9. Art makes you smart! Studies have shown that kids who participate in art experiences tend to score higher in language arts and mathematics exams.

8. Think about it! Kids who learn to look closely at art, using reasoning skills to infer what they see, are able to transfer those essential reasoning skills to other fields including science.

7. Art makes good people. Making art leads to self-confidence and self-control, collaboration, empathy for others, and social tolerance.

6. I can do it! Learning new things can be challenging, and kids who are challenged to try new things develop a strong sense of accomplishment.

5. Art is messy! At the Mint, we welcome the creative disaster areas that arise when paint, clay, tape, glue, and glitter are truly activated. Why have the mess at home?

4. Drawing is awesome. As one of our kid-experts says, “If you draw something really awesome like a dragon, you can imagine it’s real!”

3. Freedom! Another kid-expert tells us “the best thing about art camp is that there’s not an exact certain way you have to do the project. You can adjust it to how you want it.” Individuality is encouraged in the arts, and kids love finding their own approaches and solutions.

2. Art is for everyone. There’s no right or wrong in art, art is noncompetitive, and we can all find a connection between ourselves and the art we see or make.

1. You’re hanging with the masters at the Mint. From the master potters of the Ancient Americas to African wood carvers to English landscape painters to contemporary craft artists, our young camp artists are among good company when they visit and sketch in the museum galleries. Engaging with authentic art from around the world is our parent-experts’ top reason for choosing the Mint, and makes the Mint summer camps truly stand out from the rest!

What did we miss? Let us know what you appreciate the most about art classes and camps. Join us this summer and help add to the list!

SUMMER ART CAMPS

June 14 – July 28

The Mint offers an exciting menu of creative camps for ages 3–18. Kids explore museum galleries, develop new skills, learn about fascinating cultures, and express themselves!

Visit mintmuseum.org/summercamps to reserve your space.

Members receive a 25 percent discount!

This article appears in the Winter + Spring 2016 issue of The Mint Museum’s member magazine, Inspired. Want a copy? Join now , visit either museum location, or call 704.337.2009.

Mint to host Johnson C. Smith University intern this spring

The Mint Museum is among 14 leading art museums chosen to participate in a national program launched by the United Negro College Fund and the Association of Art Museum Directors to foster diversity in the art museum field.

The initiative has placed 14 college juniors from private and public historically black colleges and universities in major American art museums for semester-long, paid internships to introduce them to the art museum field and help prepare them for leadership roles in the future. The pilot program also provides these students with career and job readiness coaching and professional development training. Support for this initiative has been provided by the National Endowment for the Arts; Christie’s; Susan and David Rockefeller, Jr.; David Rockefeller; and the members of AAMD.

In partnership with Johnson C. Smith University, Gabrielle Marshall has joined the Mint as an intern in its accounting department for the spring semester. Marshall, a junior at the university, is working at the museum four days per week through May.

“We are building on the success of the first phase of our pilot program and providing more students access to the professional networks, work experience, and mentorship that are critical for removing the barriers of entry for people of color or underrepresented individuals, or African Americans who are seeking careers in the art museum field,” said Larry Griffith, Senior Vice President of Programs and Student Services at UNCF. “We are thrilled to continue our work with AAMD and to sustain this program, which we believe will effect important changes in the composition of museum leadership over time and across the country.”

“The first phase of our partnership with UNCF has been tremendously successful as a foundation for building diversity in the field, and helping to ensure that our museums represent communities around the nation,” said Christine Anagnos, Executive Director of AAMD. “AAMD is committed to addressing the lack of diversity in senior management positions in the art museum field, and this second phase of this partnership continues our work in this area. We are excited to continue our collaboration with UNCF on this program and are grateful to all our new partners and funders who are supporting this effort.”

As a part of the program, selected AAMD member museums are providing stipends for 12 weeks of the spring 2016 semester, with Fellows working a minimum of 15 hours each week in a variety of museum departments and with the museum directors. The directors will also serve as mentors to these interns and offer support and advice as the Fellows progress through their education and careers.

Along with the Mint, participating museums are: Birmingham Museum of Art, Clark Atlanta University Art Galleries (Atlanta, GA), Columbia Museum of Art (Columbia, SC), Frist Center for the Visual Arts (Nashville), Hampton University Art Museum (Hampton, VA), High Museum of Art (Atlanta), Mississippi Museum of Art  (Jackson), National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution (Washington, D.C.), New Orleans Museum of Art, Spelman College Museum of Fine Art (Atlanta), The Phillips Collection (Washington, D.C.), Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (Richmond), and the Walters Art Museum (Baltimore).

UNCF, which has more than 20 years of experience in creating pipeline programs for students of color, is providing crucial leadership in management and implementation of this initiative. This includes recruitment of university and college partners, student outreach and recruitment, application management, and implementation of a career and job readiness component. Additionally, UNCF acts as the fiscal agent, administering the program funds and coordinating payments of stipends to the Fellows.

In addition to Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, other college and university partners include: Allen University (Columbia, SC), Clark Atlanta University (Atlanta), Dillard University  (New Orleans), Fisk University  (Nashville), Hampton University (Hampton, VA), Howard University (Washington, D.C.), Miles College  (Fairfield, AL), Morehouse College  (Atlanta), Morgan State University (Baltimore), Spelman College (Atlanta), Tougaloo College (Tougaloo, MS), University of the District of Columbia, and Virginia Union University (Richmond).

ABOUT UNCF

UNCF (United Negro College Fund) is the nation’s largest and most effective minority education organization. To serve youth, the community, and the nation, UNCF supports students’ education and development through scholarships and other programs, strengthens its 37 member colleges and universities, and advocates for the importance of minority education and college readiness. UNCF institutions and other historically black colleges and universities are highly effective, awarding 20 percent of African  American baccalaureate degrees. UNCF administers more than 400 programs, including scholarship, internship and fellowship, mentoring, summer enrichment, and curriculum and faculty development programs. Today, UNCF supports more than 60,000 students at over 900 colleges and universities across the country. Its logo features the UNCF torch of leadership in education and its widely recognized motto, “A mind is a terrible thing to waste.”® Learn more at UNCF.org .

ABOUT AAMD

The Association of Art Museum Directors, representing 238 art museum directors in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, promotes the vital role of art museums throughout North America and advances the profession by cultivating leadership and communicating standards of excellence in museum practice. Further information about AAMD’s professional practice guidelines and position papers is available at aamd.org .

Portals to the Past: British Ceramics 1675-1825 to open January 16, 2016 at Mint Museum Randolph

The Mint Museum, long regarded as holding one of the country’s most comprehensive collections of eighteenth-century British ceramics, is about to celebrate the first major reinstallation of that collection in nearly four decades with the opening of Portals to the Past: British Ceramics 1675-1825 at Mint Museum Randolph on January 16, 2016. The ongoing exhibition will stay on view for approximately two years, with additional objects rotating in over time. Members of the media are invited to preview the exhibition with a special tour at 10 a.m. on Thursday, January 14 at Mint Museum Randolph, 2730 Randolph Road.

“The Mint Museum’s collection of eighteenth-century British ceramics is one of its greatest strengths,” said Brian Gallagher, the Mint’s curator of decorative arts. “This exhibition presents the collection in a way that really highlights its breadth and, we hope, helps to make our visitors more aware of these great objects. Not only is the Mint’s collection noteworthy for its encyclopedic representation of British ceramics, but also because it contains a lot of very rare and even singular works of art.”

Portals to the Past is accompanied by a 270-page new scholarly publication, British Ceramics 1675-1825: The Mint Museum, published by the museum in collaboration with D. Giles Limited, London. It is available in the Mint Museum Shops for $79.95 hardcover and $54.95 softcover.

Both the exhibition and catalogue are made possibly by the Delhom Service League, ceramics affiliate of The Mint Museum. Additional exhibition support was generously provided by Moore & Van Allen.

As the Portals exhibition demonstrates, historical objects can reveal much about the people who once owned them and the culture in which they were produced: the popular foods and beverages of the day and how they were served; the prevailing styles of the period; even which public figures were especially admired. These and other aspects of life in eighteenth-century England are explored in this reinterpretation of the Mint’s collection of British pottery and porcelain, which presents more than 225 highlights, including many objects that have never before been on view, as well as contemporaneous works of art from the Mint’s holdings in British paintings, fashion, silver, and works on paper.

Both the catalogue and the installation honor the 50th anniversary of the museum’s purchase of the Delhom Collection of British and European ceramics, and the 40th anniversary of the incorporation of the Delhom Service League. “Ms. M. Mellanay Delhom, who assembled the majority of this collection and was fierce about her collection being kept intact, would be so proud of seeing it in its new location along with the many other historic pieces that have been in storage because of the lack of exhibition space,” said Bernie Bowen, president of the Delhom Service League.

Coinciding with Portals, the museum will also unveil Contemporary British Ceramics: The Grainer Collection at Mint Museum Randolph. This survey of contemporary British studio ceramics also goes on view January 16 and will remain as an ongoing installation. Focused on the collection of Diane and Marc Grainer, active members of the Mint affiliate the Founders’ Circle Ltd., it contains functional and sculptural objects made between the 1980s and today, by artists either born or residing in Great Britain. Represented are such “contemporary classics” as Gordon Baldwin and Rupert Spira along with cutting-edge ceramicists such as Julian Stair and Kate Malone.

The scholarly catalogue’s publication will be celebrated with an author signing at the Mint Museum UPTOWN Shop (500 South Tryon Street, Levine Center for the Arts) at 5 p.m. on December 16. Portals to the Past will also be accompanied by public tours and other programming; see mintmuseum.org/happenings for details on upcoming events.

Members of the media may RSVP to the January media preview by contacting leigh.dyer@mintmuseum.org. High resolution images are available upon request.

Above image: William Littler (British, 1724–1784). Sweetmeat Stand, circa 1765–1770, earthenware, lead glaze. West Pans, East Lothian, Scotland. Gift of the Mint Museum Auxiliary. 1971.3.16. Collection of The Mint Museum, Charlotte, North Carolina.

FREE teen Mint membership creates thriving peer-to-peer interaction

The auld lang syne of 2015’s many magnificent moments made possible by our visitors, members, and supporters.

The Mint Museum partners with Camino Community Center to offer arts education opportunities to families at risk of homelessness

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Kay Sage’s Ring of Iron, Ring of Wool is a key acquisition of the Mint’s ongoing Collections Initiative

The Mint Museum was the high bidder at Christie’s Impressionist and Modern Art evening sale Thursday for American Surrealist Kay Sage’s 1947 oil on canvas Ring of Iron, Ring of Wool.

The purchase was the third made possible by a Charlotte philanthropist who made a significant cash gift in 2013 as part of the museum’s ongoing Collections Initiative ; the funds were devoted specifically to the acquisition of 20^th century painting. Earlier that year, the same philanthropist’s foundation provided funds for the Mint to acquire the painting Trumpet Flowers by the American artist Stanton Macdonald-Wright (1890-1973). The painting is on view at Mint Museum Uptown. This year the museum purchased Alson Skinner Clark’s important canvas, In the Lock, Miraflores, one of the stars of its recent exhibition focusing on the centennial of the Panama Canal . In the Lock, Miraflores is currently on loan to the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco for an exhibition celebrating the centennial of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition, and will be back on view at the Mint in spring 2016.

Sage’s powerful work was last on view at the Mint for its groundbreaking 2012 exhibition Double Solitaire: The Surreal Worlds of Kay Sage and Yves Tanguy , co-curated by the Mint’s Senior Curator of American, Modern, and Contemporary Art Dr. Jonathan Stuhlman, who is one of the leading experts in the world on Sage’s art. That exhibition was the first major museum exhibition devoted to Sage since the 1970s.

The vast majority of Sage’s work was donated to museums upon her death; therefore, only the handful that sold during her lifetime now appear on the market. No others in private hands from this critical period of Sage’s career feature the same combination of scale, quality, and personal resonance found in Ring of Iron, Ring of Wool. “This is very likely the best painting by Sage that will ever appear on the market, particularly at this scale,” said Stuhlman.

Along with Dorothea Tanning, Joseph Cornell, and photographer Man Ray, Sage (1898-1963) was one of the leading American Surrealists, and perhaps the American painter most closely allied with the original group of French Surrealists given her marriage to Frenchman Yves Tanguy. Ring of Iron, Ring of Wool is a prime example of Sage’s signature style, which incorporates her interest in haunting, desolate landscapes, beautifully-rendered yet enigmatic forms, and sophisticated variations in tone and hue. It is also an early work in which she is has begun to explore ways to incorporate her unique “scaffolding” – a compositional element that scholars have argued set her work apart from that of her peers. The Mint’s Stuhlman was the first scholar to decode the work’s title, which he believes refers to the traditional anniversary gifts for a couple’s sixth and seventh anniversaries – 1947 was the seventh anniversary of the couple’s wedding and the sixth of their move from New York to Woodbury, Connecticut.

Ring of Iron, Ring of Wool is the second major American Surrealist painting to enter the museum’s collection, following the gift of Gordon Onslow Ford’s The Love Knot in 2013, which represents a very different take on Surrealism and has a very different aesthetic. “It is well in line with the museum’s desire to add significant works of art from the modern era to its collection, as well as its efforts to bolster its holdings of work by women artists,” said Dr. Kathleen V. Jameson, President & CEO of the Mint.

Staff reporter Kelly Crow of The Wall Street Journal noted the significance of the Mint’s purchase minutes after it occurred, tweeting out : “Kay Sage, the long-overlooked surrealist because she’s a she, gets a nice boost when her ‘Ring of Iron, Ring of Wool’ sells for $1 million, 10 times high estimate.”

Significant acquisitions to continue

“Not only will this gift enhance the experience of visiting the Mint for both Charlotte residents and our global visitors, but it will elevate the Mint’s role in cultural and economic development for the region,” said Jameson.

The prior acquisition, Trumpet Flowers, an oil on canvas created in 1919, is a rare example of Synchromism, a movement developed by Macdonald-Wright and his colleague Morgan Russell in Paris in 1913 that attempted to synthesize art and music through the use of color. It was acquired by the museum at Sotheby’s 2013 spring auction of American Art. The canvas by Clark had been on long-term loan to the museum from a private collector since the opening of Mint Museum Uptown in 2010. It is the first example of Clark’s paintings of the Canal to enter a museum collection.

In 2013, the museum announced the launch of its three-year Collections Initiative with the help of Bank of America, which donated Untitled (Seafirst) 1979 (38 x 19 feet) by California artist Sam Francis to the museum.

Other major gifts of works of art credited to the Initiative include the large abstract canvas Scotland (1960) by American artist Grace Hartigan, currently on view in the same gallery as Trumpet Flowers; and the video installation Orbit 12 by Jennifer Steinkamp, on view in the Level 4 Media Gallery, both given by the Mint Museum Auxiliary. Other announced gifts include Hoss Haley’s White Ripple, funded by the  Windgate Foundation, and Jens Praet’s Shredded Side Table, donated by the artist.

Above image:

Kay Sage (1898-1963)
Ring of Iron, Ring of Wool
signed and dated ‘Kay Sage ’47’ (lower right); signed and dated again, titled and inscribed ‘SAGE 1947 RING OF IRON RING OF WOOL WOODBURY CONN.’ (on the stretcher)
oil on canvas
54 x 37 7/8 in. (137 x 96.2 cm.)
Painted in 1947

CHRISTIE’S IMAGES LTD. 2015

“From New York to Nebo: The Artistic Journey of Eugene Thomason” to open November 21 at Mint Museum Uptown

When The Mint Museum opened its doors in 1936, North Carolina native Eugene Thomason was perhaps the most significant artist working in Charlotte, and one of the region’s strongest advocates for contemporary art. As a young man, Thomason’s art caught the eye of industrialist James B. Duke, who sponsored his studies at the Art Students League in New York.

For the next four decades, first in Charlotte and later in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Nebo (about 90 miles northwest of Charlotte), Thomason worked in the vigorous, rough-hewn style he had adopted in New York to depict subjects ranging from the local landscape to his friends and acquaintances. From New York to Nebo: The Artistic Journey of Eugene Thomason is organized by The Johnson Collection, one of the most comprehensive collections of Southern art in the world. Noted expert on Southern art Martha Severens selected approximately three dozen paintings spanning Thomason’s career for the show at Mint Museum Uptown, and will visit for a public event on January 27 at Mint Museum Uptown. The exhibition, which has toured three other Southern museums before concluding its run at the Mint, remains on view from November 21, 2015 through March 27, 2016. Members of the media are invited to preview the exhibition during a special tour at 9:45 a.m. on Thursday November 19 at Mint Museum Uptown at Levine Center for the Arts, 500 South Tryon Street.

“I was thrilled to learn that The Johnson Collection was organizing this exhibition and that we are able to host it at The Mint Museum,” said Dr. Jonathan Stuhlman, the Mint’s senior curator of American, modern, and contemporary art, who contributed a foreword to the exhibition publication. “The timing was felicitous, given that we will soon be celebrating our 80th anniversary and Thomason was one of the most active artists in Charlotte when the Mint opened its doors and one of the first to show his work here.  Our visitors are sure to be inspired and delighted by his vibrant, energetically painted canvases that document the one-of-a-kind people and places of our state.”

The exhibition is presented in Charlotte by the Duke Energy Foundation. It is accompanied by a fully illustrated publication authored by Severens and co-published by the University of South Carolina Press and The Johnson Collection. It is available in the Mint Museum Shops for $34.95.

Also on November 21 at Mint Museum Uptown, the Mint will celebrate its permanent collection of European art with Modern Musings: European Works on Paper , on view alongside From New York to Nebo through March 27, 2016.

The Mint Museum owns more than 1,000 works on paper created by European artists. Approximately 30 highlights from this collection, all created between roughly 1850 and 1950, will be featured. During this period, European art underwent a series of dramatic changes as artists shifted their focus from an emphasis on naturalism and academic techniques to works characterized by a more subjective response to the natural world. Artists represented include Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Amedeo Modigliani, Käthe Kollwitz, Giorgio de Chirico, and Edvard Munch.

The new exhibition and installation will be accompanied by a full slate of special activities for museum members; tours by curators and docents; Sunday Fun Days; Taste of the Mint culinary experiences; visiting guest speakers; NexGen events for ages 14-18; and more. See mintmuseum.org/happenings for details on public events. Admission to From New York to Nebo is subject to additional special exhibition fees, which also grant admission to the special exhibition VIVA MOSCHINO! at Mint Museum Uptown.

New opening date for Portals to the Past: British Ceramics 1675-1825

The Mint Museum, long regarded as holding one of the country’s most comprehensive collections of eighteenth-century British ceramics, is about to celebrate the first major reinstallation of that collection in nearly four decades with the opening of Portals to the Past: British Ceramics 1675-1825 at Mint Museum Randolph on January 16, 2016. The ongoing exhibition will stay on view for approximately two years, with additional objects rotating in over time. Members of the media are invited to preview the exhibition with a special tour at 10 a.m. on Thursday, January 14.

“The Mint Museum’s collection of eighteenth-century British ceramics is one of its greatest strengths,” said Brian Gallagher, the Mint’s curator of decorative arts. “This exhibition presents the collection in a way that really highlights its breadth and, we hope, helps to make our visitors more aware of these great objects. Not only is the Mint’s collection noteworthy for its encyclopedic representation of British ceramics, but also because it contains a lot of very rare and even singular works of art.”

Portals to the Past is accompanied by a 270-page new scholarly publication, British Ceramics 1675-1825: The Mint Museum, published by the museum in collaboration with D. Giles Limited, London. It will be available mid-December in the Mint Museum Shops for $79.95 hardcover and $54.95 softcover.

Both the exhibition and catalogue are made possibly by the Delhom Service League, ceramics affiliate of The Mint Museum. Additional exhibition support was generously provided by Moore & Van Allen.

As the Portals exhibition demonstrates, historical objects can reveal much about the people who once owned them and the culture in which they were produced: the popular foods and beverages of the day and how they were served; the prevailing styles of the period; even which public figures were especially admired. These and other aspects of life in eighteenth-century England are explored in this reinterpretation of the Mint’s collection of British pottery and porcelain, which presents more than 225 highlights, including many objects that have never before been on view, as well as contemporaneous works of art from the Mint’s holdings in British paintings, fashion, silver, and works on paper.

Both the catalogue and the installation honor the 50th anniversary of the museum’s purchase of the Delhom Collection of British and European ceramics, and the 40th anniversary of the incorporation of the Delhom Service League. “Ms. M. Mellanay Delhom, who assembled the majority of this collection and was fierce about her collection being kept intact, would be so proud of seeing it in its new location along with the many other historic pieces that have been in storage because of the lack of exhibition space,” said Bernie Bowen, president of the Delhom Service League.

Coinciding with Portals, the museum will also unveil Contemporary British Ceramics: The Grainer Collection at Mint Museum Randolph. This survey of contemporary British studio ceramics also goes on view January 16 and will remain as an ongoing installation. Focused on the collection of Diane and Marc Grainer, active members of the Mint affiliate the Founders’ Circle Ltd., it contains functional and sculptural objects made between the 1980s and today, by artists either born or residing in Great Britain. Represented are such “contemporary classics” as Gordon Baldwin and Rupert Spira along with cutting-edge ceramicists such as Julian Stair and Kate Malone.

Members of the media may RSVP to either the November or January media previews by contacting leigh.dyer@mintmuseum.org. Nebo curator Martha Severens will be onsite and available for in-person interviews on Monday, November 23, if desired. High resolution images available upon request.

Above image: Eugene Healan Thomason (American, 1895-1972). Three Red Roses, 1968, oil on masonite. The Johnson Collection, Spartanburg, South Carolina.

Bre’Anna Washington credits the Mint’s program with leading her to serve others

The Mint is embarking on a year dedicated to celebrating our own treasures in the collection of the state’s first art museum.

Founder of iconic brand to be subject of exhibition VIVA MOSCHINO!

Known for relentlessly mocking the fashion system while at the same time profiting from it, Franco Moschino (1950-1994) used fashion as a platform for theatrical presentations filled with humor, irony, and surrealism. Many of the iconic garments that made him a fashion legend will now be on view in the first American retrospective of his work, VIVA MOSCHINO! The exhibition will open October 31, 2015 at Mint Museum Uptown and remain on view through April 3, 2016. A media preview is scheduled for 10 a.m. on October 29, with a VIP invitation-only opening reception that evening.

Drawn largely from two Chicago-area private collections as well as institutional loans and the Mint’s own Fashion Collection , the exhibition will focus on the Italian designer’s work between 1983 and 1994, when his designs were worn by rock stars, actors, and other celebrities including Tina Turner . Today, Franco Moschino’s fashions continue to be admired by musicians and performers ranging from Sting to Rihanna , and continues to inspire the designs of the fashion house that bears his name. The exhibition will feature many of the designer’s best known creations, such as the Be Simple! Little Black Dress, Smiley and Domani è un altro giorno jackets, a variety of works from his Cartoon Couture Collection, and a leopard and velvet couture coat from Fall/Winter 1993/1994 of the same design worn recently by Rihanna, along with approximately 40 other full Moschino ensembles and fashion accessories.

“Franco Moschino’s fashion designs represent his knowledge and fondness for historic couture, especially the classic designs of Coco Chanel, as well as his deep interest in surrealism,” said exhibition curator Annie Carlano, the Mint’s senior curator of craft, design, & fashion. “The Mint’s exhibition will show the range of sartorial achievement and social commentary in Moschino’s oeuvre, a tremendous variety in such a short time span.”

Born in Abbiategrasso, Italy in 1950, Franco Moschino studied painting at the Accademia di Belle Arti, Milan, where he supplemented his income with work as a fashion illustrator. In 1971, he began work as an illustrator for Italian designer Gianni Versace. Following his time at Versace, Moschino went on to work for the fashion house Cadette in 1977 alongside Karl Lagerfeld. In 1983, Moschino launched Moschino Couture!, and created a sensation by dressing model Pat Cleveland in a silk evening dress, sneakers, and a grocery bag. The first Moschino men’s show debuted in 1986, followed by the Fall 1987 men’s collection, which was modeled by women. In 1990 Princess Diana wore a houndstooth Moschino suit to the christening of her niece, Princess Eugenie.

Moschino once declared, “I’m not a fashion designer. I’m a painter, a decorator.” He was in fact a voracious fashion designer, creating his Moschino Couture! line, as well as Cheap n Chic, Moschino Jeans, and  accessories. Although he was well-known for the use of ironic and thought-provoking phrases in his designs, such as embroidering “Waist of Money” on a jacket in place of a belt, he was also a master tailor, using fine fabrics in meticulous constructions. He was sometimes accused of being a rebel without a cause, but Moschino often used his ads to campaign for social issues including activism against drugs, violence, and cruelty to animals, and advocacy for environmentalism in fashion production.

In 1991, Moschino deemed fashion shows passé and abandoned them in favor of private presentations. Prior to this decision, Moschino produced outrageous shows, memorably leaving tomatoes and flowers on editors’ chairs so they could express their displeasure or happiness with his collection. In Moschino’s final collection, labeled “Nature Friendly Garment,” the designer introduced an Ecocouture line made with environmentally responsible materials.

Franco Moschino died in September 1994 due to complications from AIDS. In remembrance of the designer’s social consciousness, a portion of Moschino profits now fund the Moschino Foundation, a charity founded to assist HIV-positive children.

In the twenty-first century, the MOSCHINO brand has been reinvigorated and the genius of Franco Moschino has resurfaced in the current designs. Pop stars including Kylie Minogue and Madonna donned Moschino designs throughout world tours and burlesque star Dita Von Teese modeled for the fashion house. During the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, placard holders at the opening and closing ceremonies wore Moschino designs. In 2009, First Lady Michelle Obama selected a Moschino ensemble for her visit to the Vatican.

Today, Jeremy Scott is Creative Director of the Moschino brand, which encompasses labels including Moschino Couture, Boutique Moschino, and Love Moschino, as well as a wide range of accessories, jewelry, perfume, and cosmetics. Recording artist Katy Perry is the current face of the brand. Christina Binkley of The Wall Street Journal recently described Scott’s approach: “He is bent on restoring the flippant energy of the label’s founder, Franco Moschino, who loved to parody fashion icons.”

The legacy of Franco Moschino lives on.

SPECIAL PROGRAMMING

Following the invitation-only VIP celebration on October 29, the public is invited to take part in a variety of educational programming during the exhibition (more details on each event available at mintmuseum.org/happenings ):

• NexGen Mint: Hangout for members ages 14-18 on November 4, free with pre-registration required at nexgenmint.org .
• Member Night at the Museum: VIVA MOSCHINO! On November 5; free for Mint members only .
• Spotlight gallery tours on November 11, November 19, December 10, and January 14, free after museum admission.
• Couture Collector Talk: Desperately Seeking Fashion with Sandy Schreier, followed by a champagne reception, November 11, $30 or $25 for Mint members .
• Sunday Fun Day : Funny Fashion & Art on November 15, $6 for non-member adults and free for all kids under 18.
• Taste of the Mint , offering special food and beverage pairings from culinary partners Halcyon, Flavors from the Earth and Mimosa Grill followed by a special gallery tour, on November 18, tickets $50 or $35 for Mint members .

SPONSORS

VIVA MOSCHINO! is organized by The Mint Museum and presented by Novant Health , with additional sponsorship support from the Mint Museum Auxiliary and Neiman Marcus.

MEDIA PARTNER

Charlotte Magazine

IMAGE

Above image of Rihanna in Moschino Couture, Fall/Winter 93/94, in early 2014: Devone Byrd, Pacific Coast News

MEDIA CONTACT 

For more information, to RSVP to the October 29 media preview, or for high-res images, contact:

Leigh Dyer, Director of Public Relations, The Mint Museum

704.337.2009 or Leigh.Dyer@mintmuseum.org

RELATED HAPPENINGS

Media Contact 

For more information, to RSVP to the October 29 media preview, or for high-res images, contact:

Leigh Dyer, Director of Public Relations, The Mint Museum

704.337.2009 or Leigh.Dyer@mintmuseum.org

Style trendsetter headlines Fall EnrichMINT Forum October 14

Style trendsetter Jonathan Adler will headline The Mint Museum Auxiliary’s Annual Fall EnrichMINT Forum on Wednesday, 0ctober 14, from 6 – 8:30 p.m. at Mint Museum Uptown at Levine Center for the Arts, 500 South Tryon Street in Charlotte.

Adler is a renowned potter, interior designer, author, and entrepreneur. His mission is to bring style, craft, and joy to the consumer. Iconic and irreverent, his collection takes inspiration from mid-century style, art, global pop culture, and luxe lifestyles, offering consumers a refreshing approach to modern American glamour.

From his obsession with ceramics as a child growing up in New Jersey, Adler attended Brown University to study semiotics and art history but spent most of his time at the Rhode Island School of Design making pots.

He then taught pottery in New York City, eventually selling his concept for unique ceramic décor pieces to Barneys New York. His entrepreneurial career and design brand development had just begun. In 1998 he opened his first retail store and now has 26 Jonathan Adler stores worldwide. He also has numerous wholesale relationships with major high end retailers, and a website, all featuring his signature pottery, furniture, lighting, décor, bed, bath, tabletop, area rugs, and handbag product lines.

Adler has authored My Prescription for Anti-Depressive Living, 100 Ways to Happy Chic Your Life, On Happy Chic – Colors, and On Happy Chic – Accessorizing. He was also head judge on Top Designer, a reality series on the Bravo network.

An entertaining, humorous, and inspiring speaker, Adler’s presentation will be followed by a book signing. Proceeds benefit The Mint Museum.

“The Mint Museum Auxiliary is thrilled to welcome Jonathan Adler to Charlotte as the keynote speaker for the Fall EnrichMINT Forum, our premier kick-off event of the 2015-16 Room To Bloom Celebration. We’re sure our guests will be delighted by Jonathan’s outrageous humor and wit as he speaks about his humble beginnings, believing and achieving the American dream, the creative process, his design philosophy and personal mission to bring style, craft, and joy to your life – one accessory at a time! We expect this event to sell out,” said Mint Museum Auxiliary President Rocky Trenkelbach.

“In gratitude, we extend a special thank you to our Fall Celebration Partner, Wells Fargo, and to all of our sponsors, benefactors, and patrons for their significant contributions to make this event possible. We also want to thank Event Co-Chairs Kathryn Dixon and Carrie Miller for their ingenuity and hard work.”

Tickets for the event are $150. Seating is limited. Funds raised will be used to support inspiring educational offerings for the community and significant acquisitions for the permanent collection of The Mint Museum.

In addition to the Fall Celebration Partner Wells Fargo, the Auxiliary salutes its other generous sponsors: Presenting – InterCon and Veranda; Signature – ADAC; Select – Beacon Partners and Triad Foundation. Corporate – Belk, Carolina CAT, Doyle New York, Moore & Van Allen, Rinehart Wealth Management, SteelFab and Whitlock Builders; Mint Medley – Paper Twist, The Sporting Gent and Woo; Business – Autrey Kemp Nurseries, Barrie Benson Interior Design, Couture Knots, Dickens Mitchener, E. Frank Smith Residential Design, The English Room, Gerrard Builders, Gray Walker Interiors, Hidell Brooks Gallery, Hilliard Studio Method, Joyner Benfield Distinctive Land & Waterscapes, Mark Phelps Interiors, Meyer Greeson Paullin Benson, Morgan Landscape Group, Pursley Dixon Architecture, Ruard Veltman Architecture, Tiny and Vargi & Vargi; In Kind – Classic Party Rentals, Peachy the Magazine and The Scout Guide.

For more about the Mint Museum Auxiliary, how to join The Mint Museum, and ticket sales, visit mintmuseumauxiliary.org . For questions, email Nancy Smith at smith.nancyt@gmail.com or call 917.855.4443.

Above image: Photo by Todd Tankersley.

Amid Charlotte’s vibrant diversity, the growing population of newcomers from all corners of Latin America has led the Mint in recent years to undertake some of its most exciting multicultural projects.

Agency will lead first-ever LCA marketing campaign

Following a competitive selection process, the four member cultural institutions of Levine Center for the Arts have selected Orbital Socket as their creative agency of record. Orbital Socket is tasked with proposing and implementing a plan, including advertising, marketing, and PR initiatives, to build public awareness around exhibitions, programming, performances, events, and resources available at Levine Center for the Arts. A coordinated and strategic marketing plan for Levine Center for the Arts will benefit the institutions and the larger community by bolstering this critical cultural sector.

“The team at Orbital Socket is committed to bold, brave ideas. Their capabilities in advertising and digital media make them uniquely equipped to bring innovative, integrated solutions,” said Hillary Cooper, Director of Advancement & Communications at The Mint Museum, the lead institution for the effort. “Their passion for the arts, highly skilled team of creative strategists, and ability to bring the true personality of this incredible cultural campus to life sold our team immediately. They have mastered the art of innovative storytelling in the most compelling way and we have quite a story to tell.”

“We are very excited to be partnering with the Levine Center for the Arts and telling the exciting story of all the great things going on through this impressive cultural destination,” says Greg Johnson, Orbital Socket founder and managing director.  “We started Orbital Socket to bring fresh new marketing ideas to the marketplace and feel that this partnership with LCA will be a dynamic opportunity to showcase this gem within our city through some innovative marketing communications.”

Orbital Socket is a marketing innovations and brand engagement company that leverages the science behind customer development and the art of storytelling to build distinctive communication ecosystems for companies and organizations.  The company is located in the PORTAL building on the campus of UNC Charlotte and is part of the support ecosystem of Ventureprise, an innovations-driven entrepreneurial hub.

October 1, 2015, marks the fifth anniversary of the opening of Mint Museum Uptown and the completion of Levine Center for the Arts. In an effort to significantly increase visitation and revenue to the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture, John S. and James L. Knight Theater, and Mint Museum Uptown, the organizations will collectively embark on this marketing campaign. “Our goal is to make more members of the Charlotte and surrounding communities aware of how Levine Center for the Arts can strengthen the human connection and offer them an opportunity to take a break and simply enjoy the culture and arts,” said Cooper.

Levine Center for the Arts was made possible through the Campaign for Cultural Facilities, the support of the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, and the generosity of The Leon Levine Foundation, one of the country’s largest and most impactful philanthropic organizations.

The marketing campaign is made possible by a grant from the THRIVE Fund, which was established in 2013 to provide financial stability for Charlotte’s cultural sector under the leadership of Hugh McColl, former Bank of America chairman and CEO, and is currently administered by the Foundation For The Carolinas. Dr. Kathleen V. Jameson, President & CEO of The Mint Museum, announced the selection of Orbital Socket at a media event Monday morning held in Wells Fargo Auditorium at Levine Center for the Arts.

Media Contacts:

Leigh Dyer

The Mint Museum

704.337.2009

Leigh.Dyer@mintmuseum.org

Greg Johnson

Orbital Socket

503.703.7749

Greg@orbitalsocket.com

ABOUT ORBITAL SOCKET

Orbital Socket is a marketing innovations and brand engagement company. Our goal is to communicate ideas in innovative ways that deeply resonate in the marketplace. Within this, we have various approaches to ensure precision in how we help companies and organizations enter, grow, engage, define and activate their marketplace. The company comprises industry leading expertise in all of the following disciplines: advertising; public relations; branding and identity, direct, digital, promotion and relationship marketing; consulting, research and analytics capabilities; branded content and entertainment; and specialist communications. Orbital Socket is committed to providing great marketing services to companies in the Charlotte and surrounding markets. For more information, visit orbitalsocket.com, or follow us on Twitter at @Orbitalsocket.

ABOUT LEVINE CENTER FOR THE ARTS

Levine Center for the Arts is one of Charlotte’s key cultural destinations, comprising Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture, John S. and James L. Knight Theater, and Mint Museum Uptown. The Center was made possible through the Campaign for Cultural Facilities, the support of the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, and the generosity of The Leon Levine Foundation, one of the country’s largest and most impactful philanthropic organizations. Learn more at levinecenterarts.org or follow us at @LevineCenterArt .

Institutions are broadening access to Charlotte’s cultural treasures

For the first time since the completion of Levine Center for the Arts in uptown Charlotte five years ago, the presidents of the four member cultural institutions will appear in a joint public discussion to introduce their institutions’ future plans and collaborative strategies to the larger community.

On Monday, September 28 at 10 a.m., members of the media are invited to hear from Charlotte’s cultural leaders, each of them president and CEO of their respective institutions: John Boyer of the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art ; Tom Gabbard of Blumenthal Performing Arts which oversees the center’s Knight Theater ; David Taylor of the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture ; and Dr. Kathleen V. Jameson of The Mint Museum. The discussion, to be held at Wells Fargo Auditorium at Levine Center for the Arts, is the first time the four leaders have spoken together to the media. It marks a new phase of collaboration among the partners, following in the footsteps of such established arts centers as the Lincoln Center for Performing Arts in New York City and the Woodruff Arts Center in Atlanta.

Levine Center for the Arts, named for local philanthropists Sandra and Leon Levine, was completed in 2010 through the support of the Campaign for Cultural Facilities, the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, and the generosity of The Leon Levine Foundation, one of the country’s largest and most impactful philanthropic organizations. Each of its member institutions has elevated its own visibility on the local and national stage, but now a generous grant from the THRIVE Fund is enabling the four institutions to work more closely together than ever before to increase visibility and access to the unified center. The $250,000 award from the THRIVE Fund over two years will make possible the center’s first-ever joint marketing campaign, as well as a free community festival to be held in May 2016 and free docent-led museum tours to be offered during lunch hours monthly beginning in early 2016. The THRIVE Fund was established in 2013 to provide financial stability for Charlotte’s cultural sector under the leadership of Hugh McColl, former Bank of America chairman and CEO, and is currently administered by the Foundation For The Carolinas.

The Mint Museum spearheaded the grant and is managing the project in collaboration with the other institutions. It is one of two collaborative grants awarded this year – the second, led by the Bechtler, is enabling the three museums’ staffs to train together for enhanced membership development efforts and database management. “This grant is providing, for the first time, the funds needed to effectively launch a creative and strategic marketing campaign for this incredible community asset. Increased collaboration and communication across the campus will build visitation, membership, and support while also realizing valuable efficiencies for each organization,” said Hillary Cooper, the Mint’s Director of Advancement & Communications.

Representatives of the four institutions conducted a competitive process over the summer to select a marketing firm to create and administer the joint campaign. The selected firm will be announced at the September 28 media event. Representatives of each museum’s volunteer docent program will also be available to give interviews about the upcoming plans for free public tours. “This is the first time the docents of the three museums have collaborated on a public tour program,” said Laura Hamelau, a Mint Museum docent who is helping to lead the effort. “All three museums want to find new ways to engage the tens of thousands of uptown workers and residents who gather in and near Levine Center for the Arts, so we are thrilled this grant is enabling us to offer free lunch-hour tours to serve as the perfect introduction to the museums’ offerings for a wide audience.”

Following the discussion, members of the media are invited to schedule one-on-one interviews or gallery tours at each institution.

In addition to discussing their collaborative efforts, the four cultural institution presidents plan to offer media and the public a preview of their upcoming offerings this fall and winter. Among the highlights:

At Bechtler Museum of Modern Art

Sam Francis was a peripatetic artist, moving swiftly through geographies, cultures, and artistic circles. His monumental canvases coupled with his ebullient enthusiasm inspired artists and audiences around the world. The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art exhibition Sam Francis: Rapid Fluid Indivisible Vision, on view September 18, 2015, through March 7, 2016, will not only present the distinctive art Francis created, but will position him among the various artists whom he celebrated and influenced. The anchor of the show is the 1¢ Life portfolio that Francis edited with the poet/painter Walasse Ting in 1964. Collapsing geographical borders and stylistic differences, Francis and Ting assembled artists as varied as Joan Mitchell, Roy Lichtenstein, Asger Jorn, Robert Indiana, Karel Appel, Andy Warhol, Jean-Paul Riopelle, and Jim Dine to illustrate Ting’s poetry in this portfolio.

On view will be selections from Francis’s diverse output: mid-1950s abstraction, experiments in printmaking, and his various series including Edge paintings and Mandalas. Whether working in oil, acrylic, watercolor or lithograph, Francis exploited his media to service his unique treatment of composition and color.

Meanwhile, on view through January 18, 2016 is Portraying the Patron: Andy Warhol and the Bechtlers. On June 3, 1968, the militant feminist writer Valerie Solanas shot Andy Warhol at The Factory, his famous studio/club house in New York City. Although two bullets missed Warhol, the third went through his spleen, liver, stomach, and esophagus. He almost died during the five-hour surgery that followed, and remained bedridden for three months afterward. While at home, he painted small portraits of Mrs. Nelson Rockefeller, marking his return to portraiture, a theme that had preoccupied him since the 1950s and dominated his output for the remainder of his life. Through commissioned portraits, Warhol could control his public interactions and reliably earn a living.

The Bechtler family were serious collectors who filled their homes and offices with art, making personal connections with artists whenever possible. Although the Bechtlers and Warhol did not have a friendship, they intersected at a pivotal moment in Warhol’s life: a time of great vulnerability and uncertainty as Warhol sought to recover perspective and equilibrium. This exhibition celebrates that personal interaction between Warhol and the Bechtlers. Andy Warhol’s silkscreen portraits of the family hang alongside corresponding Polaroid photos, along with ephemera contextualizing that time in Warhol’s career.

At Blumenthal Performing Arts’ Knight Theater at Levine Center for the Arts

This fall, Blumenthal Performing Arts brings one of the most anticipated events yet to Knight Theater. Breakin’ Convention – An International Festival of Hip Hop Dance Theatre, created by London’s Sadler’s Wells, comes to Charlotte October 9-10. This two-day event is sponsored by Sprite and will feature the best hip hop artists from around the world, as well as artists from Charlotte and the surrounding region.

Dance Theatre of Harlem takes the Knight Theater stage for incredible performances January 22-24, 2016, as part of a multi-event collaboration between Blumenthal Performing Arts, the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American Arts+Culture, and Wells Fargo. All performance tickets will also include admission to the five month long exhibition on the history of the world-renowned dance company opening January 2016 at the Gantt Center.

Blumenthal Performing Arts also brings PNC Broadway Lights and Broadway Extras shows to Knight Theater. This season, Broadway productions at Knight Theater will include the Tony Award® winner for best book and best musical score, Ragtime; the explosive and inventive percussion sensation, Stomp; and the stunning new Tony Award-winning Broadway musical The Bridges of Madison County.

Blumenthal Performing Arts’ Knight Theater is also home to the Charlotte Symphony, which brings KnightSounds, the Symphony’s most innovative series, offering unexpected collaborations and post-concert parties to Levine Center for the Arts.  And many of Charlotte Ballet’s masterworks led by internationally acclaimed President and Artistic Director Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux come alive at Knight Theater each year. Charlotte Ballet is known for its strong dancers and versatile repertoire, ranging from classical ballet to bold, contemporary works.

At Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture

Activism — exercised through art and culture — is the yearlong programming theme of the Harvey B. Gantt Center. Four exhibitions illustrate the long lasting legacies that use the visual arts as a tool for activism and social change. The first, AfriCOBRA Now: An Aesthetic Reflection, on view through December 31, consists of two parts. The first section, AfriCOBRA: Art for the People, contains work from various AfriCOBRA members who joined in 1968 — when the group was founded in Chicago — to year 2000. AfriCOBRA Now  looks at work by the current membership, revealing the shifting aesthetic of the influential group over their 40-plus year existence.

Charlotte Collects Elizabeth Catlett: A Centennial Celebration, on view through December 31, commemorates renowned visual artist Elizabeth Catlett’s life and work. The exhibition includes examples of her two-dimensional and three-dimensional works (including some loans from the Mint’s collection), as well as photographs of Catlett. The narrative also highlights the show coming from, and reflecting, Charlotteans’ appreciation and collection of her work.

I’m Walkin’ For My Freedom: The Selma March and Voting Rights opens October 9 and remains on view through December 31. The exhibition of images captured by photojournalist Matt Herron depicts moments of the march as the protesters traveled across Alabama. Based in Mississippi in the early 1960s, Herron covered the Civil Rights struggle for Life Magazine, Look Magazine, Time Magazine, Newsweek Magazine, and the Saturday Evening Post. He also provided photographs and support for the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee. This exhibition is presented by Bank of America.

And the collaborative effort with the Blumenthal, Dance Theatre of Harlem: 40 Years of Firsts opens January 22, 2016 and runs through June 26. This majestic exhibition of dazzling costumes, set pieces, and video excerpts celebrates the iconic company and its corps who defied prejudice, and gravity itself, in pursuit of their talent. In the process, the company made history and shattered barriers for future generations of aspiring performers. Dance Theatre of Harlem is a celebration of courage, and of the magic and uplifting power of the performing arts. The cultural collaboration is presented to the community by Wells Fargo.

At Mint Museum Uptown

Thursday, October 1 marks the fifth anniversary of the opening of Mint Museum Uptown – and the completion of Levine Center for the Arts. Mint supporters will gather for an invitation-only VIP celebration on the evening of October 1, and then the community is invited to commemorate the anniversary at a FREE weekend celebration October 3 and 4 during regular museum hours. Visitors will receive both free general admission and free special exhibition admission to America the Beautiful: Works on Paper from The Mint Museum, as well as enjoying free hands-on art activities, music, and other special offerings.

The centerpiece of the celebration will be the unveiling of a new public sculpture by internationally renowned artist Tom Joyce, titled Thicket. It is being installed during the week of September 28 on the Sally and Bill Van Allen Terrace, where it will be visible to the public from the plaza in front of the museum as well as from South Tryon Street and Levine Avenue of the Arts. The sculpture, generously funded by the Mint Museum Auxiliary, represents the completion of the Mint’s Project Ten Ten Ten – a series of commissions of ten major works by leading international artists and designers in honor of the museum’s opening in the tenth month of 2010.

Thicket is a seven-and-a-half-foot square block composed of stainless steel rods passing through cast iron hammer heads, based on the hammer that Joyce, a trained blacksmith based in Santa Fe and Brussels, Belgium, uses most frequently. Its cast iron is from a unique alloy that includes filings from most of Joyce’s previous projects, including his commission for the National September 11 Memorial & Museum to forge steel from the World Trade Center into letters spelling out a phrase from Virgil’s Aeneid: “No day shall erase you from the memory of time.” Joyce will be available for one-on-one interviews following the media event.

On October 31, the Mint will open VIVA MOSCHINO! which is the first U.S. retrospective of celebrated Italian designer Franco Moschino’s work between 1983-1994. The brand is currently well-known thanks to its current Creative Director Jeremy Scott, whose designs have appeared at Katy Perry’s Super Bowl performance, Madonna’s latest videos, and the MTV Video Music Awards, but this exhibition, on view through April 3, 2016, will be the first to comprehensively explore the work of the man who launched the brand and first made it an international sensation. The exhibition is organized by the Mint and  presented by Novant Health and has received additional sponsorship support from the Mint Museum Auxiliary and Neiman Marcus.

And on November 21, the museum will complete its fall lineup with the opening of From New York to Nebo: The Artistic Journey of Eugene Thomason, a retrospective of the North Carolina native’s work organized by The Johnson Collection, one of the most comprehensive collections in the South. It remains on view through March 27, 2016.

For additional exhibitions and events taking place this fall at Mint Museum Randolph, check mintmuseum.org.

Special partnership: Local news website Charlotte Five is joining in the Mint’s anniversary celebration with an exclusive C5 Underground event on Friday, October 2. Participants will be among the first in Charlotte to mingle on the terrace with Thicket during a reception with beer and bites from 5:30-7 p.m. A $5 admission fee will support the Mint’s Annual Fund. Participants can register to attend at Eventbrite. (or use bit.ly/C5UndergroundMint).

MEDIA: To RSVP to the September 28 media event, request interviews or tours, or for more information, contact:

Leigh Dyer

Director of Public Relations, The Mint Museum

704.337.2009

Leigh.Dyer@mintmuseum.org

ABOUT LEVINE CENTER FOR THE ARTS

Levine Center for the Arts is one of Charlotte’s key cultural destinations, comprising Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture, John S. and James L. Knight Theater, and Mint Museum Uptown. The Center was made possible through the Campaign for Cultural Facilities, the support of the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, and the generosity of The Leon Levine Foundation, one of the country’s largest and most impactful philanthropic organizations.

ABOUT BECHTLER MUSEUM OF MODERN ART

The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art is dedicated to the exhibition of mid-20th-century modern art. It is named after the family of Andreas Bechtler who assembled and inherited a collection created by seminal figures in modernism. More information: www.bechtler.org.

ABOUT BLUMENTHAL PERFORMING ARTS

Blumenthal Performing Arts serves the Carolinas as a leading cultural, entertainment and education provider. Blumenthal Performing Arts receives operating support from the Arts & Science Council and North Carolina Arts Council. Blumenthal Performing Arts is also supported by PNC Bank, sponsor of the PNC Broadway Lights. More information: blumenthalarts.org.

ABOUT HARVEY B. GANTT CENTER

Founded in 1974, Charlotte’s Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture (formerly the Afro-American Center) exists to present, preserve and celebrate the art, history and culture of African-Americans and people of the African Diaspora through dance, music, visual and literary arts, film, educational programs, theatre productions and community outreach. Named for Harvey Bernard Gantt, the prominent architect, community leader and former mayor of Charlotte, the Center is housed in an inspired and distinguished award-winning structure and is home to the nationally celebrated John and Vivian Hewitt Collection of African-American Art, which was generously donated by Bank of America. More information: ganttcenter.org.

ABOUT THE MINT MUSEUM

The Mint Museum is a leading, innovative museum of international art and design committed to engaging and inspiring all members of our global community. Established as the first art museum in North Carolina in 1936, The Mint Museum has grown to include two dynamic facilities, Mint Museum Uptown and Mint Museum Randolph, and currently boasts one of largest collections in the Southeast. Mint Museum Uptown houses an internationally renowned Craft + Design Collection, as well as collections of American and Modern & Contemporary Art. The five-story, 175,000 square-foot facility was designed by Machado and Silvetti Associates of Boston. Historic Mint Museum Randolph is located three miles to the south. More information: mintmuseum.org.

Progress reports on Mint Museum Uptown’s new neighbor: A 43-story luxury apartment tower

With an anticipated completion date of Fall 2016, we at The Mint Museum are growing excited to welcome as many as 700 new residents to a new 43-story luxury apartment tower taking shape on our roof.

As construction proceeds, we may be subject to temporary disruptions such as noise or changes in traffic flow. We are doing our best to keep updated information posted here and on our Facebook and Twitter feeds as it becomes available. We thank our visitors for their patience as we occasionally experience factors outside our control. If any visitors have questions, please contact the Mint at 704.337.2000 or info@mintmuseum.org ; media inquiries may be directed to leigh.dyer@mintmuseum.org

The apartment tower is being built by Childress Klein , and the tower (originally condos) was part of the original vision for Levine Center for the Arts since its inception.  Childress Klein owns the air rights above the Mint, and Batsoon Cook Contractors is the General Contractor for this project. The infrastructure for the tower was put in place inside Mint Museum Uptown as it was constructed in 2009-2010.

LATEST UPDATES

Updated July 30

Pump up the jam! That’s right – concrete pumping is underway. The entire first floor has already been completed and the second is on its way. The hours started out primarily in the evenings from 4:30-9:30 p.m. but the General Contractor has discussed moving them to different times of day and will seek to avoid disrupting Mint special events.

Remember how we told you a few weeks ago to expect some screening to cloak the side of our building and be visible from our windows? Batson-Cook has figured out another solution to keep concrete from spilling on the building from the roof level, so no views from galleries or classrooms will be obscured by screening.

Headsup: Traffic on Church Street near Mint Museum Uptown will be disrupted by construction from 9 a.m. tomorrow (Friday) thorugh Sunday at 7 p.m., but this one’s not our project – they are closing the street to assemble a construction crane for the nearby 300 South Tryon Street development. Please plan to avoid Church on your way to visit us!

Check out new views from the roof below and on Facebook !

UPDATED July 16

View from the top.

Visibility alert:

Another highly visible aspect of the tower construction is about to start. General Contractor Batson Cook will install a protective screen on the side of the Mint Museum Uptown building facing Levine Avenue of the Arts, from the roof down to the newly constructed platform. It will not be visible through the Mint’s atrium windows, but visitors will be able to see it from the classrooms and the gallery windows on that side of the building. As concrete pumping begins, the purpose of the screening is to protect the side of the building from any spillage.

Next milestone:

Concrete pumping is still anticipated to begin July 22. Vibration monitors will be ready!

Safety tip:

Your favorite route to cross Church Street behind the Mint’s building may now be obstructed by the construction. BUT PLEASE DON’T JAYWALK! Please continue to use sidewalks and crosswalks for your own safety, because Church Street drivers have lots of potential distractions in the area!

Did you know? The new platform across Levine Avenue for the Arts is equipped with its own dry sprinkler system and lighting under the platform. Lights will remain on at night to help keep pedestrians safe.

New images:

Please visit the Mint’s Facebook page  for a new set of “views from the top.”

UPDATED July 10

Crane Installation:

We are pleased to announce that the initial crane erection is complete! The crane will be jumped twice during the remaining construction of the project as the height of the building continues to increase.

Platform Installation:

The Platform on Levine Avenue of the Arts is near completion. This platform will provide protection for the sidewalks around the project including direct access to the entry of Levant and Starbucks.

Concrete Pours:

The first concrete pour for the columns on level twelve and shear walls is complete. The first slab pour will begin on Wednesday, July 22nd. The company plans to pour approximately one floor of concrete per week.

NOISE:

What’s that noise you’re hearing? At this time, the drilling and other noise is mostly coming from the removal of blocks for access, installing temporary supports for the power lines, and setting plates for the staircase installation. As time goes on, this noise will minimize but then be replaced by the sound of concrete pumping. Pumping is anticipated to concentrate from approximately 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for four days each week.

As time goes on, the “activity noise” will get further away as the tower rises – but the concrete pumping itself will be occurring on the Levine Avenue platform.

ANY VIBRATIONS?

Vibration monitoring is ongoing throughout the museum to ensure the safety of visitors and works of art, and not once has the vibration reached the minimal monitoring threshold.

New images:

Please visit the Mint’s  Facebook page  for a new set of “views from the top.”

Improvements continue to revitalize the state’s first art museum

Mint Museum Randolph’s revitalization continues!

As the museum builds up to its 80th anniversary in 2016 (did you know the Mint was  North Carolina’s first art museum , and it still holds one of the the largest permanent collections in the Southeast?), improvements are continuing to bring a “refreshed” experience to our visitors! Among the recent changes:

• Installation of new energy-efficient LED lighting was completed in the spring with the support of the City of Charlotte.
• Planters on the terrace were refurbished with the help of the Charlotte Garden Club,  a Mint Museum affiliate .
• There’s a new floor in the Ivey Forum, home of the STAR (Student Art) Gallery and one of the spaces available for public special events rentals ;
• The Ivey also has improved hard-wired data ports and conference phone lines.
• Landscaping improvements are helping drivers have a better line of sight at the Randolph Road entrance.

This is just the beginning – check back here for more updates on improvements to YOUR community art museum!

From February 16, 2015:

From now through mid-April, visitors to Mint Museum Randolph will experience changes aimed at giving the museum a brighter future.

The Mint Museum is working with the City of Charlotte, which owns the property at Randolph, along with Duke Energy to replace aging light fixtures with new LED fixtures. The new fixtures are more energy-efficient, yet have a more historically appropriate design than the previous 30-year-old lighting in the parking lot and on the terrace in front of the museum. They will reduce the light usage from 360 watts to 165 watts per pole – saving approximately 18,000 kilowatt hours per year, or roughly the same amount of energy consumed by 45 full-sized refrigerators.

The lighting project will be visible to visitors due to the removal of approximately 16-18 trees, in consultation with the City Arborist. The tree removal will benefit the health of the remaining trees, as well as maximizing the efficiency of the new lighting. Temporary lighting will be used in front of the museum while new poles are installed.

The target completion date for the project is April 19 – in time for the museum to celebrate its “Rock & Royal Spring Gala” on April 25. For more information, see mintmuseum.org/gala.

11th annual Mint Museum Potters Market Invitational set for Saturday, September 12

Once again, collectors and pottery lovers will have access to the latest works by leaders in the rich tradition of North Carolina pottery when potters from across North Carolina and surrounding areas return to Mint Museum Randolph for the 11th annual Mint Museum Potters Market Invitational on Saturday, September 12, 2015.

Fifty outstanding North Carolina potters and one South Carolina potter have been invited to participate in this year’s event presented by the Delhom Service League, the ceramics affiliate of The Mint Museum, promoting ceramic arts and education. The addition of Jim Connell, professor of ceramics at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C., to the lineup of potters broadens the regional focus while keeping the spotlight squarely on North Carolina pottery traditions. Other well-known participating potters include Donna Craven, Alex Matisse, Ben Owen III, and Eric Serritella. Every year, hundreds of pottery enthusiasts line up hours in advance of the opening to gain access to the day’s best treasures.

The potters will showcase and sell their creations including functional, decorative, and sculptural works – a veritable tour of the wide range of clay creations produced in North Carolina. Attendees have the opportunity to get to know the potters as well as their works. Additionally, there will be live pottery making demonstrations, talks about collecting ceramics and gardening in a pot, live music, and food to make for a fun-filled day.

“There is no other experience like the Potters Market Invitational!” said Janet Nelson, chair of this year’s event. “The 2015 PMI provides a feast for all the senses: wondrous objects to see and buy, music playing, stimulating lectures and demonstrations, cool conversations with the potters, and great food and drink.  Come join us this year and enjoy a magical day in Charlotte under the big tent at Mint Museum Randolph!”

The Delhom Service League is proud to honor collectors this year by naming Caroline Gray and Betty Holland as Honorary Chairs of the Potters Market Invitational. Longtime members of the Delhom Service League and avid collectors of North Carolina pottery, both Gray and Holland traveled extensively to see and learn the tradition of North Carolina pottery, making many potter friends along the way. As a way to share the excitement and tradition, they originated the idea for the first Potters Market for the Mint in 2005. Since that time, this important annual happening has grown, generating awareness and appreciation of pottery in our state.

The $10 admission fee includes access to the event from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. as well as free admission to the Mint’s galleries. Children 12 and under are admitted free when accompanied by an adult. Individual sponsorships of $100 include special parking, continental breakfast, and admission to the pre-sale at 9:15 a.m. For $150, sponsors can also attend the Meet the Potters Party on Friday, September 11 from 6:30-9 p.m. Sponsors will enjoy dinner, music, and an opportunity to mingle with the potters and other pottery enthusiasts. Funds raised by Potters Market help support ceramic acquisitions and ceramic education at the Mint.

As a special benefit for all attendees of Potters Market Invitational, attendees will also receive coupons valid for free special exhibition admission to   America the Beautiful: Works on Paper from The Mint Museum at Mint Museum Uptown on September 12 and 13.

Potters Market Invitational online admission begins August 1 at mintmuseum.org/happenings . Admission is also available at the door. For questions, please email delhomserviceleague@gmail.com, or for sponsor information, call 704.366.2504. Find Potters Market Invitational on Facebook.

On view for pottery enthusiasts at Mint Museum Randolph is North Carolina Pottery: Then and Now , an ongoing exhibition drawn from the best examples of N.C. pottery in the museum’s extensive collection. And, during PMI, installation will be underway for the Mint’s first new exhibition of historic British ceramics in nearly four decades. Portals to the Past: British Ceramics 1675-1825 will open at Mint Museum Randolph on November 21 and will be accompanied by a major scholarly publication which was generously funded by the Delhom Service League. Additionally, the Mint is at work installing a new comprehensive survey of contemporary British ceramics drawn from the collection of Diane and Marc Grainer, members of the Mint’s Founders’ Circle affiliate. See more information at mintmuseum.org/art .

Gary Blankemeyer is new Chief Financial Officer; Cynthia Moreno promoted to Director of Learning & Engagement

The Mint Museum has hired its first-ever Chief Financial Officer, and has promoted another staffer to become its new Director of Learning & Engagement. Gary Blankemeyer, who was most recently the Senior Vice President, Finance for the nonprofit Child Care Resources Inc., joins the Mint effective today, June 29, as the first person to hold the title of CFO. Cynthia Moreno, formerly Assistant Director of Lifelong Learning at the Mint for the past three years, is now Director of Learning & Engagement. She replaces Cheryl Palmer, who retired last year after more than 35 years leading the Mint’s educational programs.

“We are excited to welcome Gary on board as our museum’s first Chief Financial Officer, a role we have strengthened in recognition of our continued emphasis on growth and future sustainability,” said Dr. Kathleen V. Jameson, President & CEO of the Mint. “His depth of experience will serve us well as we continue building a solid foundation to serve the community for many decades to come.”

Blankemeyer has over 20 years of accounting and finance experience. Prior to joining Child Care Resources, where he held responsibility for all financial activity, he spent 20 years at Bosch Rexroth Corp. in various senior financial and general management positions where he developed overall strategic, sales, and operational plans for various divisions of the manufacturing giant.

“The Mint Museum is such a significant member of our community, and is world-renowned in art and design. It truly is a great opportunity to be its CFO,” said Blankemeyer. “I am honored to join the Mint’s leadership and am really looking forward to this new, exciting chapter of my career.”

For the first time, the Mint worked with Charlotte-based executive search firm Search Solution Group to recruit and hire Blankemeyer. “Our contact Ashlyn Verot at Search Solution Group was a strong partner for this search process,” said Toni Freeman, the Mint’s Chief Operating Officer who led the CFO search. “The team used their extensive business network to identify and assess appropriate candidates for this position.” Added Blankemeyer: “I’m impressed with SSG’s growth, reputation in the community, and people.”

“The team at Search Solution Group is elated to work with a nonprofit organization as distinguished as The Mint Museum,” said Jeremy Gnozzo, founder and CEO. “It is a thrill to see everyone’s efforts result in the connection of a great candidate to a great institution. We look forward to growing our relationship with The Mint Museum, as well as their new CFO.”

New Learning & Engagement Director

Prior to joining the Mint in 2012, Moreno spent 18 years as Director of Education at the Speed Art Museum in Louisville, which is Kentucky’s oldest and largest art museum. “During our years as co-workers, I had the pleasure of working with Cynthia on multiple exhibitions and gallery interpretation projects,” said Scott Erbes, chief curator for the Speed Museum. “Throughout, Cynthia and her team always found thoughtful, clever ways of engaging audiences of all ages. The Mint and its visitors will enjoy the energy and excitement Cynthia will bring to the galleries!”

Moreno’s promotion followed an extensive search process. “Cynthia emerged as the frontrunner among a strong pool of candidates. Her expertise, standing in the field, stakeholder engagement, and commitment to her team and the Mint will serve as a strong foundation for our next chapter,” said Jameson.

Other national leaders in the museum education field praised Moreno’s selection for the new role. “Cynthia will help raise the local, regional, and national profile of the Mint,” said Marianna Adams, president of Audience Focus, a museum visitor studies and research firm. Added Gwendolyn Kelly, who is part of the Leadership Louisville Connectors project: “The Mint and Charlotte families have received a gem of a gift in Cynthia Moreno.”

Moreno said she is looking forward to her new role. “I’m thrilled to lead the Mint’s Learning & Engagement team during this dynamic time in the museum’s development,” she said. “The Mint Museum is a truly amazing place. I’m excited have this rich opportunity to work with its world-class art collection, passionate volunteers, and team of creative colleagues.”

Exhibition presents a comprehensive look at American art, culture, and diversity

Paper is a delicate, yet enduring medium – ­­it can be destroyed in an instant, or with great care, can be preserved for centuries. Throughout history, this fragile medium has been a great repository for American works of art. The new exhibition America the Beautiful: Works on Paper from The Mint Museum has assembled an amazing breadth of works on paper, encompassing over 150 years of America’s illustrious history. Because works on paper are extremely light-sensitive and can only be on view for brief periods of time, the Mint is particularly excited to share with its visitors this exhibition of rarely seen works. The exhibition extends a rare and welcome chance to view works from some of America’s finest and most important artists.

America the Beautiful, on view July 2 through October 4 at Mint Museum Uptown at Levine Center for the Arts, 500 South Tryon Street in Charlotte, will feature nearly 200 works on paper, including various styles of prints, drawings, watercolors, pastels, and more. From quick on-site sketches and highly finished academic drawings to expressionistic portraits and abstracted landscapes, these works truly embody the extensiveness of the museum’s collection of American art. While some of the objects in the exhibition have recently been on view in the museum’s permanent collection galleries, many others have not been seen for several years, or have only just entered the collection.

“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to present this important part of our American collection in such a holistic manner,” said exhibition curator Dr. Jonathan Stuhlman. “I am certain that our visitors will enjoy exploring these diverse, engaging works of art as much as I did in the process of organizing the show. The range of media subject matter is so broad that there truly is something for everyone.”

America the Beautiful is a visual embodiment of one of America’s most prevailing qualities, its diversity. While all works of art are from the American art collection, many of the artists on display have far-reaching roots, such as Diego Rivera who is Latin American, Kurt Seligmann who is Swiss-American, and Clare Leighton, who is British-American. The exhibition also displays works by artists with local and regional connections, such as Elliot Daingerfield and Will Henry Stevens. America the Beautiful’s fusion of art and culture is reflected not just in the artists themselves, but in the diversity of their work. These works document the widespread changes that occurred in American art over the course of nearly 150 years. Highlights from the exhibition include numerous foreign scenes depicting subjects in France, Italy, England, and beyond.

The museum’s commitment to building its collection of works by African American artists is evident in the inclusion of such artists as Romare Bearden, Henry Ossawa Tanner, Hale Woodruff, Loïs Mailou Jones, and Elizabeth Catlett. Catlett’s work will not only be on view at the Mint this summer, but also at a neighboring museum in the Levine Center for the Arts, the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture, where Catlett’s life and work will be commemorated in an exhibition called Charlotte Collects Elizabeth Catlett: A Centennial Celebration on view July 18 through December 31. The Mint has loaned five of its Catlett prints to the Gantt’s exhibition.

As with prior special exhibitions at the Mint, visitors must pay special exhibition admission fees on top of general museum admission. Adults pay $24; college students and seniors $18; children 5-17 $6; children under 5 and museum members are FREE. During Wednesday evenings from 5-9 p.m. when general admission to the museum is free, special exhibition fees are $12 adults or $9 for college students and seniors, and admission is free to everyone under 18. (Special exhibition admission also includes the concurrent Mint-organized exhibition Body Embellishment, which remains on view through September 6.)

Special opening promotion for Charlotte Knights fans

The opening of America the Beautiful: Works on Paper from The Mint Museum coincides with another all-American pastime: Home games for the Charlotte Knights AAA baseball team at nearby BB&T Ballpark, just around the corner from Mint Museum Uptown. Fans headed to the July 2 and July 3 Knights games can show their game tickets at the Mint’s Guest Services desk to receive a $2 discount on special exhibition admission during the opening days, through Sunday July 5. And all museum visitors on July 2 and 3 can enter a drawing for two FREE sets of two tickets to the sold-out July 4 USA vs. Cuba game, which will be followed by the WBT Skyshow fireworks at BB&T Ballpark (note: The Mint Museum will be closed on July 4).

Other special exhibition programming includes:

• Taste of the Mint: America the Beautiful . Two small plate and beverage pairings complemented with a dessert at Halcyon, Flavors from the Earth restaurant and followed by an exhibition tour. 4-6 p.m. July 15; $40 or $30 for museum members. Registration available at mintmuseum.org/happenings.
• Sunday Fun Day: America the Beautiful . Family-friendly activities and hands-on art projects. $6 for adults and FREE for kids under 18. Special exhibition admission fees will be waived. 1-4 p.m. July 19.

This exhibition is organized by The Mint Museum, and WTVI is the exhibition media partner. All members of the media are invited to visit the exhibition during opening week and one-on-one interviews are available with Dr. Stuhlman. Email leigh.dyer@mintmuseum.org or call 704.337.2009 to RSVP.

.Above image: Will Henry Stevens (American, 1881-1949). Untitled, 1944, pastel on paper. Gift of the Janet Stevens McDowell Trust. 2006.12.5. Collection of The Mint Museum, Charlotte, North Carolina. © Mint Museum of Art, Inc.

NEW DATE IS JUNE 25TH – We asked Charlotte their top 10 reasons for attending this year’s Party in the Park and you won’t believe what they came up with.

10. Its FREE – duh!

9. Attire is t-shirts, shorts, and flip flops. Cool and comfy is the name of the game.

And yes, you can have TWO popsicles if you want!

8. Family fun with music, food trucks, games, and a movie.

A dark and quiet movie theater is so BORING compared to this!

7. Due to inclement weather, the Mint had to reschedule this event twice in the

last month, so you need to come so we don’t cry.

6. Who doesn’t love The Sandlot?

5. George Clooney might be there – you never know.

4. You can bring your own picnic and blanket – plus,  once you sit down – you never

have to get up again. And bonus, no carpet cleaning if you spill your wine!

3. The park at the Mint is one of the most beautiful settings in Charlotte – furry friends are welcome too. 

2. Your presence will help support the Mint Museum Annual Fund.

1. No one likes a party pooper – so please come party with us! You’ll be glad you did. 

Oh, and this dancing kitty!

Artists to Perform/Present Live at 12th Annual Event Celebrating Hispanic Arts and Culture

ArtSí Charlotte, an arts initiative that supports and connects Latino artists in the Charlotte area, today announced the featured artists for its signature event Con A de Arte 2015. Artists featured this year include performers, visual artists, and writers who will present their works live at the Con A de Arte event taking place on Wednesday, June 10th at Mint Museum Uptown at Levine Center for the Arts, 500 South Tryon Street, uptown Charlotte, at 6:30 p.m.. The presentations will be followed by a reception that will give the public the opportunity to interact with the featured artists. Appetizers will be served. Cash bar available.

The featured artists were chosen by a group of professionals from institutions that include The Mint Museum, the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, and Queens University of Charlotte. The artists to be featured at Con A de Arte 2015 are:

FEATURED ARTISTS:

• Luis Ardila – Visual Arts
• Carlos Cruz – Multidiscipline Performance
• Rocio González – Multidiscipline Performance
• Zaire Kacz – Visual Arts
• Ivan Toth Depeña – Visual Arts
• Al Torres – Visual Arts

As part of the Con A de Arte celebration the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library will host a Literary Night at the Beatties Ford Road Regional Branch on Tuesday, June 9^th from 6:30 to 8 p.m. The Beatties Ford Road Library is located on 2412 Beatties Ford Road, Charlotte, NC 28216. Appetizers and soft drinks will be served.

The keynote speaker at both events is Mexican-American Photographer and Pulitzer Prize Winner Journalist José Galvez.

ABOUT JOSE GALVEZ

For over 40 years, José Galvez has used black and white film to create a powerful and unparalleled historical record of the Latino experience in America. His compelling work, done with respect, pride and no pretense, captures the beauty of daily life.

His photographs have been exhibited in museums and galleries here and abroad, including the Smithsonian. But more often, you’ll find him toting portable exhibits to schools, libraries, fiestas, low-rider shows, and rodeos.

Galvez moved on to the Los Angeles Times, becoming the first Mexican-American photographer on staff. In 1984, he was on a team of reporters and photographers that won a Pulitzer Prize for a series on Latino life in southern California: the first Chicanos to win the Prize. He left the Times in 1992 after winning many other awards for his photographs.

Galvez was an editor of and contributor to Americanos. He’s collaborated with writers such as Luis Alberto Urrea and Patricia Martin. His own stories illustrated with pictures he’s shot through the years is told in Shine Boy. His current work focuses on Latino communities of the American South, naturalization ceremonies, and documenting the many communities he visits every year.

ABOUT ARTSI:

ArtSí is a community initiative that advances the Latino arts and culture in the Charlotte region and that facilitates connections with the Charlotte arts community at large. ArtSí is run by volunteers, and it serves a membership base of over 200 individuals, from Latino artists to art supporters, and its work is backed by a group of well-known and respected local organizations that support its mission. Organizations supporting ArtSi include: the Mint Museum, Queens University of Charlotte, Levine Museum of the New South, McColl Center for Visual Art and Innovation, and the Latin American Contemporary Art Gallery (LaCa Projects).

ABOUT THE CHARLOTTE MECKLENBURG LIBRARY:

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library began more than a century ago as a treasured repository of knowledge. Although people have evolved to read, explore and acquire knowledge in many new ways since then, one important feature has endured: Their services remains free to all who come to its premises with a desire to research, learn and experience.

The Public Library serves hundreds of thousands of people while also responding to the needs of individual library visitors.

First-of-its-kind collaboration between Levine Center for the Arts institutions

From Qcitymetro.com:

Food. Drink. Entertainment. Put them all together then add the Levine Center for the Arts in uptown Charlotte and you’ve got “The Amazing Taste,” a first-of-its kind collaboration between the Gantt Center, Mint Museum Uptown, and Blumenthal’s Knight Theater.

Qcitymetro spoke with Leigh Dyer, the Mint’s director of public relations, to find out what all the hoopla is about. Here’s how it went. (Editor’s Note: Qcitymetro is a media sponsor of “The Amazing Taste.)

Q. What’s so special about this event?

Dyer: Who doesn’t like the idea of a “progressive dinner” that gives you the chance to visit three cultural attractions at once? It’s a chance for both foodies and arts lovers to enjoy a truly unique combination – a menu inspired in part by current cultural offerings at the Gantt Center, Mint Museum Uptown, and Blumenthal’s Knight Theater, as well as a chance to experience the art that inspired the menu. And, importantly, it’s a new phase of collaboration at the Levine Center for the Arts – the first time since the campus opened five years ago that multiple nonprofits have collaborated on a fundraiser event. Proceeds from this dinner will be split three ways among the participating institutions, so all the participants can have the satisfaction of knowing they are helping three nonprofits at the same time they’re having fun!

Q. What’s the idea behind it?

Dyer: Two years ago, Jill Marcus at Something Classic Catering approached the Mint with the idea of hosting a multiple-course dinner fundraiser tied to a food-themed exhibition the Mint had on view at the time, and it was a sellout. Last year, the Mint repeated the concept with a floral-themed menu and art exhibition pairing. This year, with the Levine Center for the Arts approaching its fifth anniversary, it seemed logical to expand the concept to include multiple institutions. The idea has strong support from the business community, notably Bank of America, which was one of the original supporters of the Levine Center for the Arts and is now a sponsor of this event. And “progressive dinners” are a hot trend in the restaurant and foodie community right now, so Jill was interested in experimenting with that.

Q. What’s on the food menu?

Dyer: At the Gantt Center, the appetizers have a lot of spice and are inspired by African cuisine – West African Chicken Shish Kebobs, Spicy Beef Meatballs with Peanut Sauce, Yam Pancakes, and more, all inspired by their exhibition “Venturing Out of the Heart of Darkness.” At the Mint, there will be two salad choices, and the menu takes another multicultural twist in celebration of the Mint’s “Body Embellishment” exhibition – Bang Bang Beef Short Ribs and Squid Ink Fettuccini with Peppadew Pesto and Seared Scallops are the entrée choices. At the Knight Theater, the dessert course is a celebration of performing arts capped off by “edible confetti.” We’ve also got wine from Shelton Vineyards, beer from two great local microbreweries – Birdsong Brewing Company and Lenny Boy Brewing – and some custom cocktails created by the mixologist at Halcyon, Flavors from the Earth restaurant. (You can see the full menu here: https://mintmuseumold.wpengine.com/happenings/779/the-amazing-taste-a-progressive-dinner-at-levine-center-for-the-arts)

Q. What about the entertainment menu?

Dyer: As I mentioned, participants will have the chance to tour two of the headlining exhibitions at the Gantt Center and the Mint. “Venturing Out of the Heart of Darkness” at the Gantt is an examination of the impact of colonialism on black culture in America. At the Mint, “Body Embellishment” explores 21st-century forms of body augmentation including tattoos, nail art, jewelry, and body-altering fashion. And at the Knight Theater, Sean Mason, prized local jazz pianist, will perform during the entire dessert course. We also have a surprise in store when it’s time to “lead the procession” from venue to venue – some very special local musicians will be playing a part in that. FYI – here’s a little more info about Sean: www.blumenthalartsblog.org/2014/10/14/winner-finalists-named-in-loonis-mcglohon-young-jazz-artists-competition

Q. Any tickets left?

Dyer: Yes, we have some tickets left – we know how Charlotteans sometimes wait until the last minute to buy tickets to things, so we’ve put a cushion in the headcount, but anyone who’s interested should hurry before they’re gone! (And a reminder: If you’re a member of any of the participating institutions, you qualify for a discount on the ticket price!)

Click here to learn more about “The Amazing Taste” from this WBTV News report!

And here’s more from Time Warner Cable’s News Channel 14.

And a dining note from Helen Schwab of The Charlotte Observer.

ABOVE IMAGE BY GEOFFREY SCOTT QUEEN: From left: Tara Spil of Blumenthal Performing Arts; Sharon Holm of the Gantt Center; Leigh Dyer of The Mint Museum

Kristen Watts appointed new director of exhibitions and design at SLAM

Kristen Watts has been appointed director of exhibitions and design at the Saint Louis Art Museum, where she will plan and supervise all aspects of the museum’s robust exhibition schedule. She starts at the museum in June.

“Kristen has a successful record of thinking creatively about exhibition and design administration from her work as curator, registrar and exhibition director, which positions her well in shaping exhibitions and publications at the Saint Louis Art Museum,” said Jason T. Busch, the museum’s deputy director for curatorial affairs and museum programs.

Watts currently is director of collections and exhibitions at The Mint Museum in Charlotte, N.C., where she served as project manager of several noteworthy exhibitions and catalogues, including Connecting the World: The Panama Canal at 100, Artist in Residence: Sheila Hicks, Romare Bearden: Southern Recollections, and Double Solitaire: The Surreal Worlds of Kay Sage and Yves Tanguy. Watts also was project manager for the Mint’s 2010 expansion and development of its new 146,000-square-foot facility in uptown Charlotte.

Watts previously worked at the McKissick Museum in Columbia, S.C. and at Kilpin Hall, a 17th-century manor house in North Yorkshire, England. She received master’s degrees in applied history and library and information science from the University of South Carolina, and a bachelor’s degree in ancient cultures and civilizations from the College of Charleston.

Watts succeeds Linda Thomas, who retired in 2014 after managing the collections and exhibitions endeavors at the Saint Louis Art Museum for more than 13 years.

Event brings together Opera Carolina, The Mint Museum, and ArtSí

Opera Carolina, The Mint Museum, and ArtSí are joining forces to present “Arte * Poesía * Música,” a first-of-its kind collaboration featuring a bilingual fusion of visual art, poetry, and musical performance.

The public is invited to purchase tickets to the concert on May 21 at 6:30 p.m. at Mint Museum Uptown at Levine Center for the Arts, 500 South Tryon Street. Tickets are $15 and are available at mintmuseum.org/happenings or by calling 704.337.2000. A reception with participating artists and performers featuring light food and beverages is included in the purchase price.

The event is supported by the Foundation for the Carolinas, The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, and the Latino Initiative of The Mint Museum, which is supported by The Hearst Foundations and the Duke Energy Foundation.

The event follows two years of “Art Poetry Music” (APM) concerts held by Opera Carolina to bring together Asian, Russian, and Western cultures, and to build community through the power of art. For the first time, this event focuses on bilingual and Latin American influences. APM features regional Latin-American artists performing classical and Latin music, enhanced by the creative talents of regional painters and poets. Opera Carolina artists sing music from famous Zarzuela (Spanish folk-opera) with music by David Solis Olson, Aris Quiroga, Reinaldo Brahn, Rhythm Plus Group and many more.

“This event is a statement of the power of music to bring people from all walks of life together,” said James Meena, general director & principal conductor of Opera Carolina. “This concert will be another powerful way to introduce newcomers to two of our shining cultural institutions: The Mint Museum and Opera Carolina. APM is our way of saying ‘welcome, come join us in celebrating art and community.”

“This first-time collaboration with Opera Carolina and ArtSí Charlotte aligns perfectly with the Latino Initiative at the Mint by showcasing the talents of local Latino artists – musicians, poets and visual artists – and their culture, and at the same time bring a first-class concert for both the Latino community and the community at large to enjoy,” said Claudia Soria, Latino Community Education Liaison for the Mint, and ArtSí director.

“ArtSí is honored to work with Opera Carolina on the concert highlighting Latin American and Latino artistic production and local Latino talent. We appreciate the support and look forward to future collaborations,” said Dr. Michele Shaul, chair of the ArtSí board and Professor, Art Department of World Languages, as well as Director, Center for Latino Studies at Queens University of Charlotte.

For more information about the event, see mintmuseum.org or operacarolina.org.

ABOUT OPERA CAROLINA

Founded in 1948 by the Charlotte Music Club as a small group of volunteers, today Opera Carolina is the largest professional opera company in the Carolinas with an operating budget of more than $3 million for the fiscal year 2015. The mission of Opera Carolina is to inspire the region’s diverse community through the presentation of Opera, Operetta, and Education & Outreach programs that elevate the quality of life in the Carolinas. Opera Carolina is a community resource with a commitment to artistic excellence and community service.

ABOUT ARTSI:

ArtSí is a community initiative that advances the Latino arts and culture in the Charlotte region and that facilitates connections with the Charlotte arts community at large. ArtSí is run by volunteers, and it serves a membership base of over 200 individuals, from Latino artists to art supporters, and its work is backed by a group of well-known and respected local organizations that support its mission. Organizations supporting ArtSi include: the Mint Museum, Queens University of Charlotte, Levine Museum of the New South, McColl Center for Visual Art and Innovation, and the Latin American Contemporary Art Gallery (LaCa Projects).

Mint-organized show explores fashion, jewelry, nail art, and tattoos

Tattoos, nail art, jewelry, and fashion – the newest Mint Museum-organized exhibition, Body Embellishment, explores the most innovative artistic expression in the 21st-century international arenas of body extension, augmentation, and modification. The exhibition will be on view from April 11 through September 6, 2015 at Mint Museum Uptown at Levine Center for the Arts, 500 South Tryon Street in Charlotte.

The human impulse to ornament the body is an ancient desire that crosses cultures. Seeking to modify the natural skin and shape of the body, people have created imaginative ways to expand and distort, and add color, pattern, and narrative. Focused on twenty-first century innovators, this exhibition provides a glimpse at inventive designers from around the world who explore the role of the body and its embellishment.

“What makes Body Embellishment such a fascinating exhibition is its exploration of radical ways artists are redesigning our bodies to reflect 21st century life,” said Annie Carlano, the Mint’s senior curator of Craft, Design, & Fashion. “Through interventions with skin, nail extensions, wearable sculpture, and redefined body shapes, designers from throughout the globe are expressing emotional and intellectual responses to the everyday, individual and group identity, and ever-shifting concepts of beauty. Groundbreaking research introduces audiences to work by emerging artists that has never been seen in this country, alongside works by international superstars such as Filip Leu, Carlos Rolon (aka Dzine),  Lauren Kalman, and threeASFOUR.”

Tattoo is one of the trendiest methods of skin decoration today, yet is millennia old. Originally associated with indigenous groups, this radical method of body intervention has become an exalted art form. Nail art — the adornment and extension of fingertips — has evolved dramatically from its ancient origins, and today, nail art is a burgeoning means of aesthetic expression. Studio jewelry explores avant-garde wearable art which utilizes the body as an armature for creative expressions. The body embellished through fashion is examined in an installation by the international design collective threeASFOUR, who have created fashions for Bjork, Lady Gaga, and others. Incorporated into a virtual catwalk environment, their recent fashion creations distort parts of the human silhouette and extend humanitarian content.

The exhibition includes approximately 100 objects by artists and designers, also including Naomi Yasuda (whose work has appeared on the nails of Madonna , among others), Stephanie Tamez, Mi-Ah Rödiger, and Nora Fok. It is accompanied by a dynamic interactive digital exhibition catalogue authored by Mint curators, which will be available in the gallery and via mintmuseum.org.

The Mint Museum of Craft + Design Board of Directors is lead sponsor of Body Embellishment through their Adopt-A-Design program; major support has also been provided by Mint affiliate The Founders’ Circle Ltd. and US Bancorp. The exhibition media partner is WFAE 90.7fm.

Admission and programming

The exhibition will be accompanied by a full slate of educational programming, and several of its artists will visit during the exhibition’s run. Special exhibition admission requires additional fees on top of general museum admission. The cost is $24 for non-member adults; $18 for college students/seniors; $6 for children 5-17; and free for kids under 5. Discounted admission is available on Wednesday evenings and at select special programs. Unlimited admission is always FREE to Mint Museum members. Special programming details are available at mintmuseum.org/happenings (all events at Mint Museum UPTOWN unless otherwise noted). Events include:

• A VIP preview party which is open to the public on April 9 at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $75 apiece, or $50 for museum members ($25 for members of the museum’s leadership giving circle, the Crown Society).

• A CAD (Contemporary Architecture + Design) lecture by fashion design group threeASFOUR (Gabi Asfour, Angela Donhauser, and Adi Gil) at 3 p.m. on Sunday April 12. Admission is $12 or $5 for Mint members, free to teens and college students with ID.
• Taste of the Mint: Small plate and beverage pairings at Halcyon, Flavors from the Earth and E2 Emeril’s Eatery restaurants, followed by a guided gallery tour, at 4 p.m. on April 15. Tickets are $50 or $35 for Mint members.
• Body Embellishment, Body Adornment: Fashion Accessories and Trends: This FREE public talk features local fashion consultants and fashionistas discussing fashion trends. April 15 at 6:30 p.m.
• Art Fusion: Embellish: This FREE public event features hands-on activities and gallery tours and one-night-only FREE admission to both Body Embellishment and the Mint’s companion exhibition, Halston and Warhol: Silver and Suede. April 22 from 6-9 p.m.
• A CAD lecture by Carlos Rolon (aka Dzine), an installation artist and nail art historian, on May 6 at 6 p.m. Admission is $12 or $5 for Mint members, free to teens and college students with ID. (Please note: The previously scheduled CAD lecture by Mikyoung Kim, which was cancelled in February due to inclement weather, has been rescheduled for Thursday April 16 at 6 p.m. Kim is an architect and designer working on art to be installed at the UNC Charlotte station of the CATS Blue Line light rail extension).
• The exhibition will be featured at the unprecedented new event The Amazing Taste: A Progressive Dinner at Levine Center for the Arts on May 18 at 5:30 p.m. This fundraiser features appetizers and gallery tours at the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture, entrees and Body Embellishment gallery tours at Mint Museum Uptown, and dessert, coffee, and performance at Blumenthal Performing Arts’ Knight Theater. Tickets are $120, with discounts for members of the three participating institutions.
• A master artist workshop with jewelry designer Nora Fok, June 17 from 6-9 p.m. Cost is $100 or $75 for Mint members.
• Member-only preview hours in April, gallery spotlight tours on select dates in April-June (free after exhibition admission), and FREE design labs and roundtables for teens ages 14-18 with threeASFOUR, Dzine, and Nora Fok in April, May, and June. Teens must register for the Mint’s new NexGen Mint initiative at mintmuseum.org/visit/nexgenmint.

MEDIA PREVIEW 

Members of the media may preview the exhibition at 10 a.m. on April 9. Light refreshments will be served, and gallery tours and interviews with curators are available. Media photography is permitted and high-resolution images are available upon request. RSVP to leighdyer@mintmuseum.org or meredith.connelly@mintmuseum.org or call 704.337.2018.

Above image: Joji Kojima (American and Japanese, 1987-). Raspberry mask from Hotel Gluttony Collection, 2011, resin, brass, crystals, leather. Collection of the artist. © Joji Kojima.

NexGen Mint invites students to engage with art and design both online and in galleries

Calling the next generation of museum-goers: Teens are invited to engage with art and design at The Mint Museum in a wide range of new ways with the help of a recently launched initiative, NexGen Mint.

Teens’ lives are centered around home and school – and now, the NexGen Mint’s vision is to offer them a nurturing, creative “third place.” It’s a creative community to exchange ideas, have fun, interact, and learn from artist role models and peers.

Thanks to major grants from the Jimmie Johnson Foundation and Wells Fargo and additional support from IBM and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Arts & Science Council, the Mint is rolling out a series of new offerings for students ages 14-18, including:

–A free membership offering teens the opportunity to make unlimited visits to the museum with a guest;

–Exclusive opportunities for teens to interact and foster their creativity with internationally known artists and designers who visit the museum;

–New forms of online interaction via a new website with curated, teen-focused content and dialogue scheduled to launch this spring; and

–Scholarships for 30 teens to attend a free week-long summer art camp.

Following a series of teen focus groups during 2014, public events kicked off with a teen round table with contemporary artist Mel Chin at Mint Museum Uptown in February. Chin, a former Artist-in-Residence at McColl Center for Art + Innovation, introduced the participating teens to his installation SEA to SEE, which he created to analyze human environmental impact on the world’s oceans in conjunction with a recent Mint exhibition examining the centennial of the Panama Canal. And on March 21-22, teens met at Mint Museum Randolph with contemporary Pueblo artist Rose “Bean” Simpson of Santa Fe, New Mexico, for a hands-on roundtable and workshop. Future NexGen events include:

–An April design lab and talks with fashion designers threeASFOUR, whose body-altering creations are a major feature in the Mint’s upcoming Body Embellishment exhibition, which will be on view from April 11 through September 6 at Mint Museum Uptown.

–A May design lab and talks with Dzine (aka Carlos Rolon), an installation artist and painter and author of a photographic history of nail art. His visit is also in conjunction with the Body Embellishment exhibition.

–A June design lab and talks with modern jewelry designer Nora Fok, also featured in Body Embellishment.

Participants can register NOW to receive the free NexGen Mint museum membership and begin receiving invitations to upcoming events. More information is available at mintmuseum.org/visit/nexgenmint.

Art History Symposium is March 22 at Mint Museum Randolph

A longstanding Mint Museum event is celebrating twenty-five years of scholarship. The Mint Museum’s 25^th Annual Regional Collegiate Art History Symposium happens Sunday, March 22, from 1-4 p.m. at Mint Museum RANDOLPH, 2730 Randolph Road. Admission is free, and a light reception follows the event.

The mission of the symposium has been to showcase undergraduate research in art history while providing students a unique opportunity to present their research in a professional environment and gain valuable academic experience. “UNC Greensboro Mint Museum presenters have published their findings in Explorations, the Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities for the State of North Carolina and many of our representatives have gone on to pursue Masters Degrees and Ph.D.s in Art History,” says Dr. Elizabeth Perrill, a professor at UNC Greensboro.

In addition to providing a valuable platform for students studying art history, the symposium increases research and knowledge of the Mint’s permanent collections. The students’ research papers are archived in the J.A. Jones Reference Library at Mint Museum Randolph.

“Since 1990, the Mint Museum’s Regional Art History Symposium has provided a dynamic forum for young art historians to share their passion for art and their art history scholarship.  We salute the 100 college scholars who have presented their research to the community. We also would like to acknowledge the museum’s ongoing partnership with local art history departments and their faculty for their efforts to make the symposium a continued success,” said Cynthia Moreno, the Mint’s assistant director of lifelong learning.

This year, the museum celebrates the 25^th year of this innovative and integral part of the museum’s educational mission, we are thrilled and look forward to many more years of this enriching program.

Over the years the symposium has featured over ten different higher education institutions from the regional area and well over one-hundred students; this year’s presenters include:

Kristine Guhne | University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Junior

Grete Marks: Transcending Circumstances through Clay

Cathryn Smith | Winthrop University, Senior

Ritual Significance of the Human Body in Pre- and Post-Colonial Central American Art

Mills Brown | Wofford College, Senior

Elemental South: a TJC exhibition

Lauren Glazer | Queens University of Charlotte, Senior

Vik Muniz and the Found Object: The Path to Visual Literacy 

Exhibition unites the legendary fashion designer and Pop artist

Liza. Jackie. Liz. Between the 1960s and 1980s, these glamorous celebrities needed only one name to conjure images in the minds of those who heard them. Two of the men who helped make those women’s names so evocative are also one-word phenomena themselves: Warhol and Halston. They are the subjects of a new exhibition at The Mint Museum that will transport visitors back to the heady, freewheeling days of the New York art and fashion worlds of the 1980s.

Halston and Warhol: Silver and Suede, on view from March 7 through June 14 at Mint Museum Uptown, examines the interconnected lives and creative practices of these two American icons who had a profound impact on 20^th century art and fashion. The exhibition has been organized by The Andy Warhol Museum, one of the four Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, and was co-curated by Halston’s niece, Lesley Frowick. It is presented with the cooperation of Halston Heritage, one of the major lenders to the exhibition.

Locally, the exhibition is presented through the generous support of PNC Financial Services, Electrolux, Moore & Van Allen, the Mint Museum Auxiliary, and the Young Affiliates of the Mint. The exhibition media partner is The Charlotte Observer.

“We are so pleased that such a broad cross-section of our corporate and affiliate partners have brought their support to this exhibition so it can visit Charlotte audiences as part of its national tour,” said Dr. Kathleen V. Jameson, President & CEO of the Mint.

The exhibition integrates Halston’s garments, including dresses, hats, and other accessories, along with Warhol’s photography, videos, and paintings. It includes approximately 40 of Halston’s creations including an iconic pillbox hat designed for Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis in 1961, and his signature Ultrasuede shirtdress, juxtaposed with Warhol’s works. It also features archival material and ephemera from the archives of The Warhol and the personal collection of Lesley Frowick.

“Halston was by far and away one of Andy Warhol’s dearest friends. Is fashion sense was impeccable and his designs quite literally defined an age of American glamour,” said Eric Shiner, director of The Warhol.

“This exhibition is an endearing insider’s homage to friendship, Pop art, and fashion. My uncle left an indelible mark on fashion history and gave me the best seat in the house to watch the show,” added Lesley Frowick.

The exhibition is accompanied by a fully illustrated catalogue, available in the Mint Museum Shops for $50. Additionally it will be accompanied by a full slate of educational programming. Special exhibition admission requires additional fees on top of general museum admission. The cost is $24 for non-member adults; $18 for college students/seniors; $6 for children 5-17; and free for kids under 5. Discounted admission is available on Wednesday evenings and at select special programs. Unlimited admission is always FREE to Mint Museum members. Special programming includes:

• Lecture: A Personal Journey – Lesley Frowick. Halston’s niece and the co-curator of the exhibition will share recollections and sign copies of her book. 3 p.m. March 8; event included with exhibition admission.
• Taste of the Mint: Halston and Warhol. Small plate and beverage pairings at Halcyon, Flavors from the Earth and E2 emeril’s eatery followed by an exhibition tour. 4 p.m. March 11 OR May 20; $50 or $35 for museum members.
• Sunday Fun Day: Halston and Warhol. Family-friendly activities and special exhibition admission $6 for adults and FREE for kids under 18. 1-4 p.m. March 15.
• Taste of the Knights: Small plate and beverage pairings at the Charlotte Knights’ BB&T Ballpark, followed by a short walk to the museum for a Halston and Warhol exhibition tour. $55 or $45 for museum members. March 18, 5:30 p.m.
• Educator Open House: Exhibition tour included, free for K-12 educators. March 18, 6-8 p.m.
• Art Fusion: Fab Fashion: FREE special exhibition admission included in this special program, March 18, 6-9 p.m.

More information and registration for these and other programs is available at mintmuseum.org/happenings or by calling 704.337.2000.

MEDIA INVITATION: Members of the media are invited to preview the exhibition at 10 a.m. on Thursday March 5. Light refreshments will be served. Lesley Frowick and museum staff will be available for interviews. Limited gallery photography will be permitted; due to copyright and conservation restrictions, some pieces will be unavailable for photography. High-resolution images are also available upon request. RSVP to leigh.dyer@mintmuseum.org.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS: The Mint Museum will preview its next exhibition, Body Embellishment, for members of the media at 10 a.m. on Thursday April 9 at Mint Museum Uptown. Organized by The Mint Museum, this exhibition explores 21^st century forms of body embellishment including fashion, jewelry, tattoos, and nail art. More information and images from this innovative show are available upon request to leigh.dyer@mintmuseum.org.

ABOUT PNC

This exhibition is supported by PNC and The PNC Foundation, which receives its principal funding from The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (www.pnc.com). PNC is one of the nation’s largest diversified financial services organizations providing retail and business banking; residential mortgage banking; specialized services for corporations and government entities, including corporate banking, real estate finance and asset-based lending; wealth management; and asset management. Follow @PNCNews on Twitter for breaking news, updates and announcements from PNC.

Speakers headline museum’s Contemporary Architecture + Design (CAD) Series

The Mint Museum is announcing an exciting lineup of speakers for its 2015 CAD (Contemporary Architecture + Design) lecture series, now entering its fourth year.

The series, aimed at exploring innovative perspectives and insightful stories on architecture and design, brings four speaker events to the community this winter and spring: Wendell Castle, known as the Picasso of the studio furniture design movement; Mikyoung Kim, who is currently designing a work of art for the Charlotte Area Transit System’s (CATS) Blue Line Extension; avant-garde fashion design team threeASFOUR; and installation artist, painter, and nail designer Dzine (aka Carlos Rolon).

Except where noted, event admission is $12; $5 for Mint Museum members (with included admission to select special museum exhibitions); or free to teens and college students with student ID. The events occur at Mint Museum Uptown at Levine Center for the Arts, 500 South Tryon Street. Tickets and more details are available at mintmuseum.org/happenings.

Wendell Castle, Furniture Designer

Thursday, January 15, 6 – 8 p.m.

$5 Mint members, $12 non-members*

FREE to teens and college students with ID

Light reception provided

Wendell Castle helped establish the art furniture movement in the 1960s and remains one of its most creative and iconic designers. Castle has influenced generations of furniture makers. He is renowned for his innovative techniques creating sculptural, biomorphic furniture.

wendellcastle.com

* Includes pre-program admission to the Beyond Craft exhibition

Mikyoung Kim, Architect and Public Artist

NOTE: Due to inclement weather, this event was rescheduled to April 16 at 6 p.m.

FREE event, co-sponsored by Charlotte Area Transit System

Light reception provided

Mikyoung Kim is an internationally renowned landscape architect and artist whose work focuses on merging sculptural vision with the urban landscape. Mikyoung Kim Design is currently designing art to be integrated at the UNC Charlotte station of the new CATS Blue Line Extension, scheduled to open in 2017. She has received awards from the American Society of Landscape Architects and the American Institute of Architects. Her work is also featured in Architectural Record, the New York Times, and Dwell Magazine.

myk-d.com

threeASFOUR, Fashion Designers

Sunday, April 12, 3 – 5 p.m.

$5 Mint members, $12 non-members*

FREE to teens and college students with ID

Light reception with cash bar

threeASFOUR is an avant garde group of three designers: Gabi Asfour, Angela Donhauser, and Adi Gil. Major museums acquiring designs for their collections include the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, Costume Institute, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Additionally, their works have been featured in the Cooper-Hewitt Museum and Musee de la Mode et du Costume Galliera in Paris.

threeasfour.com

* Includes pre-program admission to the exhibition Body Embellishment

Dzine (aka Carlos Rolon), Installation Artist and Painter

Wednesday, May 6, 6 – 8 p.m.

$5 Mint Members, $12 non-members*

FREE to teens and college students with ID

Light reception with cash bar

Carlos Rolon, known as Dzine, creates ornate works of art and installations that combine contemporary art strategies with the “Kustom Kulture” and exuberant visuality of his Puerto Rican upbringing in Chicago. Formally trained as a painter, Rolon is the author of “Nailed,” a photographic history of nail art from the ancient Egyptians to contemporary fashion. Rolon’s work has been exhibited in prominent venues as diverse as Miami’s Bass Museum of Art and the 2007 Venice Biennale.

dzinestudio.com

* Includes pre-program admission to the exhibition Body Embellishment

Mint prepares to launch expansion of its digitization project

The Mint Museum is preparing to launch an expansion of a project to digitize its art collection, thanks to a $100,000 grant from The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

The Mint was among 13 Charlotte arts organizations receiving $1 million in grants announced at a celebration Friday evening at Mint Museum Uptown at Levine Center for the Arts, site of the Knight-supported work of art SEA to SEE. The interactive installation was created by North Carolina artist Mel Chin, a former Artist-in-Residence at McColl Center for Art + Innovation. The work, which suggests the experience of walking between two oceans with two large glass hemispheres and video and sound components, is part of the Mint-organized exhibition Connecting the World: The Panama Canal at 100. The exhibition, commemorating the centennial of the Canal’s completion in 1914, will remain on view through February 1.

The new phase of the Knight grant will launch at the Mint following the closing of Panama Canal at 100. Building on previous grants received from the Knight and from the National Endowment for the Arts, the museum’s expanded digitization project will create virtual tours of the museum and its collections and special exhibitions, plus interviews with curators and artists. The project will enable local and global residents to virtually visit the museum through tools including Google Photosphere Imaging, which enables viewers to see detailed 3-D panoramas, and RTI Imaging, a photographic method allowing the interactive re-lighting of an object from any direction. The digitization work will focus in particular on 100 key works of art in the museum’s collection, including the signature works Threshold by Danny Lane and Mega Footprint Near the Hutch (May I Have this Dance?) by Sheila Hicks.

“The Mint is grateful to the Knight Foundation for its significant support of our efforts to continue to bring art to as many members of our global community as possible, both virtually and inside the museum’s walls,” said Dr. Kathleen V. Jameson, president & CEO of the Mint.

“Arts organizations are increasingly meeting their audiences where they are and often that’s online,” added Dennis Scholl, vice president of arts for Knight Foundation. “The Mint’s efforts have already engaged visitors with the high-quality programmatic video they have created. We look forward to more as they work to not just bring more eyes to the collection but enhance visitors’ experiences by providing engaging content.”

Above image from Mint Museum Uptown: Nancy Pierce Photo

Mint prepares to launch expansion of its digitization project

Mint will offer free admission to hotel guests as part of UNLOCK ART™ program

The Mint Museum has partnered with uptown Charlotte’s newest hotel, Le Méridien Charlotte, to offer free general admission to its guests as part of the company’s UNLOCK ART™ program.

Le Méridien Charlotte, which celebrated its opening at a ribbon cutting event Thursday morning, announced the partnership at a gathering that included representatives from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Arts & Science Council and Visit Charlotte, the tourism arm of the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority. The partnership is in recognition of the Mint’s growing importance as a tourism amenity for the Charlotte market. Hotel guests may gain free general admission at Mint Museum Uptown at Levine Center for the Arts by presenting their artist-designed key card, a card that opens the door to more than just the guest room.  The hotel is just a few blocks’ walk from the recently renovated hotel property at the corner of McDowell and Stonewall Streets.

“Internationally, Le Méridien has a focus on the arts and attracts a clientele who enjoy visiting art museums. For us, the partnership made sense as a way of luring more travelers looking for something to do in their spare time and introducing them to some of what Charlotte has to offer,” said Leigh Dyer, Director of Public Relations and Publications for the Mint.

For more information about the partnership, visit lemeridiencharlotte.com/mint-museum-uptown.

About Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts

Le Méridien, the Paris-born hotel brand currently represented by nearly 100 properties in more than 35 countries, was acquired by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) in November 2005.  With more than 80 of its properties located in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Le Méridien provided a strong international complement to Starwood’s then primarily North American holdings at the time of purchase. Since then, Le Méridien has gone through a brand re-launch, which included a large scale hotels product consolidation and redefined brand strategy. Through creation of the LM100 artist community, Le Méridien has transformed numerous guest touch points, thus bringing unique, interactive and curated experiences to its guests. Plans call for dynamic expansion of Le Méridien Hotels and Resorts within the next five years, concentrating on markets in Asia-Pacific and the Americas. Le Méridien recently opened new hotels in Charlotte (North Carolina, USA), Tampa (Florida, USA), Chicago, Cairo, Bali, Atlanta, Dallas, Istanbul, Oran (Algeria), Zhengzhou (China), Arlington (Virginia, USA) and Santa Monica, (California, USA), and will open in the next 12 months in Bangkok, New Orleans, Mahabaleshwar (India), Gandhinagar (India), Dhaka (Bangladesh), and Indianapolis (Indiana, USA). For more information, please visit leMéridien.com or facebook.com/leMéridien. Follow @LeMéridien Hotels on Instagram and Twitter.

Slate of programs for the internationally acclaimed exhibition continues during its final month on view

The Mint Museum is convening a round table discussion of political and economic leaders to explore Charlotte’s growing role as an inland port as a complement to its internationally acclaimed exhibition Connecting the World: The Panama Canal at 100.

The FREE public event at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, January 14 is one of several in the coming weeks as the Mint-organized exhibition nears the end of its run. Between now and the close of the exhibition on February 1, Mint Museum Uptown will also host musical performances, a film screening, gallery talks, and a public appearance by contemporary artist Mel Chin, who created an original commissioned installation in conjunction with the exhibition.

The round table discussion, entitled “Connecting Charlotte to the World,” will explore the ongoing importance of the Panama Canal and how its current expansion will impact the economy of the Charlotte region, especially considering the implementation of an intermodal facility at the Charlotte/Douglas International Airport. A reception begins at 6 p.m. on Jan. 14 and the discussion begins at 7 p.m. Panelists include:

•           Astrid Chirinos, Chief Development Executive at the Latin American Economic Development Corporation

•           Jack Christine, Deputy Aviation Director at Charlotte/Douglas International Airport

•           Wayne Cooper, Honorary Consul of Mexico and Chairman of the N.C. District Export Council

•           Paul J. Cozza, CEO of the North Carolina State Ports Authority

•           John Paul Galles, Publisher of Greater Charlotte Biz

•           Michael Gallis, Michael Gallis & Associates

•           Jennifer Roberts, former commissioner and former Chair of the Mecklenburg County Commission

•           Dan Roselli, Co-founder of Packard Place (Moderator)

•           Chase Saunders, Special Counsel McNair Attorneys

•           Dr. Jonathan Stuhlman, the Mint’s Senior Curator of American, Modern, and Contemporary Art

“This is a great opportunity to hear about the economic development future of our community,” said panel moderator Dan Roselli, co-founder of Packard Place.

A gallery tour will follow the discussion. “One of the most fascinating aspects of this exhibition has been the way in which its broad and timely subject of global interconnectivity has enabled the museum to interact with many new segments of Charlotte’s business community.  Projects like Panama Canal at 100 demonstrate that art can be a central part of discussions about the region’s position in an increasingly interconnected world,” said Stuhlman.

The exhibition, organized to celebrate the centennial of the Canal’s opening in 1914, brings together for the first time the work of three American artists who traveled to Panama to paint and draw the Canal’s construction. It also contains a variety of historical materials exploring the broader public perception of the Canal and its impact, along with two new original works commissioned by the Mint. Contemporary artist Mel Chin, a North Carolina resident and former Artist-in-Residence at McColl Center for Art + Innovation, created the installation SEA to SEE which explores the environmental impacts of the Canal. Its commission was supported by a generous grant from The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. And the Mint commissioned New York Times best-selling author Anthony Doerr, recently a National Book Award finalist for his novel “All the Light We Cannot See,” to craft an original short story for the catalogue accompanying the exhibition. The bilingual exhibition, with gallery texts in both English and Spanish, has been visited by both the U.S. Ambassador to Panama and the Panamanian Ambassador to the United States, and has been covered widely by both English and Spanish-language media, including the major daily newspapers in Panama.

Additional upcoming public programs scheduled at Mint Museum Uptown at Levine Center for the Arts, 500 South Tryon Street, include:

“Travels through Latin America with Music,” January 18, 3-4 p.m. Inspired by the exhibition, local musician Ana Lucia Divins embarks on a journey through classic and contemporary Latin American music. Free for museum members or after museum admission.

“Movie and a Mint – The Roosevelts: An Intimate History,” January 28, 6:30-8:30 p.m. A gallery tour at 6:30 p.m. will include Edward Laning’s painting “T.R. in Panama,” depicting President Teddy Roosevelt’s historic visit to the Canal, followed by a screening of excerpts of the acclaimed Ken Burns PBS documentary on the Roosevelts. Free museum admission; special exhibition admission fee required for gallery tour.

“A Conversation with Artist Mel Chin,” February 1 at 3 p.m. As part of a last look on the exhibition’s final day, Chin leads a conversation on his vision behind his installation SEA to SEE.

More information on these and other events is available at mintmuseum.org/happenings.

Above image: Alson Skinner Clark (American, 1876-1949). In the Lock, Miraflores, 1913, oil on canvas. Private Collection, Princeton, New Jersey. L2010.40

Work by artist Barbara Pennington depicts key events of the Civil Rights Movement

Mint has also recently opened two other spotlight exhibitions with Charlotte connections

At 35 years on staff, Palmer is an industry leader and the Mint’s longest-serving employee

Famed author and designer headlines Fall EnrichMINT Forum

2nd annual Fall Ball, Inaugural flag football game, and Oyster Roast at Mint Museum Randolph

Public is invited to register for free event, “The Arts in Global Africa”

Annual party raises funds for highly anticipated Halston and Warhol exhibition

Claudia Soria joins staff as new Latino Community Education Liaison

Short story by Anthony Doerr and original commission by renowned artist Mel Chin to be part of exhibition, opening November 1 at Mint Museum Uptown

Book signing scheduled for September 17 at Mint Museum Randolph

Works of art completed by healed hand patients of OrthoCarolina

Chandra Johnson’s SOCO Gallery organizes pop-up photography show in museum’s Level 5 expansion space

Leatrice S. and Melvin B. Eagle, leading collectors of decorative arts and founding members of the Mint’s The Founders’ Circle, assembled renowned collection over 53 years

Mint Museum’s Senior Curator of Craft + Design and Fashion will be participating as one of three judges in this year’s Smithsonian Craft Show

Jens Praet’s “Shredded Side Table” premiered at Design Days Dubai

NBA team also privately unveiled the uniforms to three star players inside the Mint this week

Museums offer half-price adult admission, free admission for kids under 18, and Mint waives special exhibition fees

10th annual Mint Museum Potters Market Invitational set for Saturday, September 6

Events scheduled for April 23 and 26

Mint teams with LaCa Projects, McColl Center

Delhom Gallery at Mint Museum Randolph to remain closed until May 2 for curatorial research

Popular event will feature free food and beverage, live entertainment, lawn games, a silent auction, and a viewing of “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports” at Mint Museum Randolph

Hoss Haley’s “White Ripple” was created in the North Carolina mountains

Charlotte is the first stop on the national tour presented by PNC Financial Services

Allure of Flowers: Botanical Motifs in Craft, Design, & Fashion

Jonathan Stuhlman, Amber Smith to assume new titles, following recent hire of new Chief Designer Steven Plaxco

Bank of America executive helped launch museum’s Collections Initiative

Tourism agency names the Mint Charlotte’s best attraction

Celebrating the 15th Anniversary of the opening of the Mint Museum of Craft + Design

2014 marks a new beginning for The Mint Museum as we continue to address the growing needs of the community we serve.

Bearing Witness: The New York Photo League and Sonia Handelman Meyer to open November 23 at Mint Museum Randolph

The New York Photo League was established in 1936, and centered on the exploration of the power of photography to effect social change and capture the lives of ordinary people as they had never before been depicted. And now, the work of this era – focusing in particular on the remarkable photography of Sonia Handelman Meyer of Charlotte – will soon go on view in a special exhibition at Mint Museum Randolph. Bearing Witness: The New York Photo League and Sonia Handelman Meyer, comprising approximately 100 photographs from Photo League members, will be on view November 23, 2013 through June 29, 2014.

“Although Sonia’s work and the work of others at the Photo League were created in response to the struggles of this very specific time period, these photographers were dealing with many of the same issues that we still grapple with—poverty, social inequalities, crime, unemployment—and so this work remains incredibly relevant to our lives today,” said Amber Smith, who curated the exhibition for the Mint and is writing a catalogue to accompany the exhibition which will be published this spring.

The idea for the exhibition began last year when the Mint received a gift of three vintage 1947 prints by Meyer. The Mint’s collection includes nearly 100 other photographs by Photo League members, so building an exhibition around this trove, with a particular spotlight on Meyer’s work, strategically leveraged a core strength of the museum. Hodges Taylor Art Consultancy devoted a solo show to Meyer’s work in 2007, but this is the first major museum exhibition to focus on Meyer.

Born in Lakewood, New Jersey in 1920, Meyer spent most of her life in New York City. She was introduced to the Photo League in 1943 and remained a member until its closure in 1951. The photographs presented in this exhibition underscore Meyer’s concern with social justice and her humanist approach to documenting her subjects, including her work with the Sydenham Hospital, the first integrated hospital in the country; the Hebrew Immigration Aid Society; her extensive documentation of life in Harlem and Spanish Harlem; and her moving, dignified portraits of children.

“I was discovering New York City and its people in a way that was new, and wonderful, with my camera. I began to see what the [Great] Depression meant in the lives of people in the city. I began to appreciate and love the people and places I was photographing. I realized that understanding them might also bring about changes for the better,” said Meyer. “I’m very grateful for this opportunity to show Photo League work along with my own photographs to Charlotte.”

Other photographers from the Photo League featured in the exhibition include Berenice Abbott, Margaret Bourke-White, Vivian Cherry, Morris Engel, Lewis Hine, Sid Grossman, Rosalie Gwathmey, N. Jay Jaffee, Arthur Leipzig, Rebecca Lepkoff, Barbara Morgan, Arnold Newman, Ruth Orkin, Walter Rosenblum, W. Eugene Smith, Lou Stoumen, Todd Webb, and Ida Wyman, among others.

The Photo League came under FBI suspicion during the McCarthy era and was accused of being a Communist front. Membership declined and the League was ultimately forced to disband. After the painful dissolution, some former League members chose to move away from photography. “Sonia was one of those photographers who faded from the public eye to a large degree. It has only been in the last decade that her work has been ‘rediscovered,’ so to speak,” said Smith. “Sonia is a kind and generous person, not only a true humanist, but an immensely talented photographer. It has been the greatest pleasure working so closely with her on this project.”

Bearing Witness: The New York Photo League and Sonia Handelman Meyer is made possible through generous support from MetLife Foundation, the charitable arm of MetLife, which recently relocated its U.S. Retail division in Charlotte. Additional support is provided by Young Affiliates of the Mint.

Members of the media are invited to a special media-only preview of the exhibition at 11 a.m. on Thursday, November 21 at Mint Museum Randolph, 2730 Randolph Road. Sonia Handelman Meyer will be present and available for interviews, and Amber Smith will lead a gallery tour. RSVP to leigh.dyer@mintmuseum.org.

Above photo credit:

Jerry Siegel. American, 1958–

Sonia Handelman Meyer  2009

© Jerry Siegel

Charlotte Studio to Present on “Timeless Modernism;” Archivist to Discuss “Tiffany at the World’s Fairs”

Two world-class experts will visit Mint Museum Uptown next week to illuminate the excitement behind World’s Fairs – events that debuted new items ranging from hot dogs and ice cream to premier decorative arts in the days before the Internet and electronic media allowed the sharing of new ideas.

The public is invited to register for exciting presentations from the Design Within Reach studio – whose staffers are experts on the “timeless modernism” of furniture designs which premiered as early as the World’s Fairs of the 1930s and remain popular today ­– and the national archivist from Tiffany & Co., who will be visiting from New York to present about the jeweler’s rich history of bringing its designs to World’s Fairs. Registration is available at mintmuseum.org/happenings, by visiting the front desks of either of The Mint Museum’s two locations, or by calling 704.337.2107.

The gallery talk on “Timeless Modernism” will occur on Wednesday, November 6 at 7 p.m. within the galleries where the groundbreaking exhibition Inventing the Modern World: Decorative Arts at the World’s Fairs, 1851-1939 remains on display through January 19. The presentation is limited to 30 participants and spots are still available. The event is free for Mint members and for college students with valid ID, but non-members must pay $10 adult exhibition admission to Inventing the Modern World in order to enter the gallery.

Leading the discussion is Kari Woldum, Vice President of Merchandising at Design Within Reach, where she manages the merchandising and product development departments. Leveraging her passion for design and modernism, her role at DWR has spanned the entire assortment, from sofas and beds to floor coverings and dining chairs. Woldum is responsible for developing and curating the full product line. She holds a B.A. in journalism from the University of Colorado Boulder and spent some years in magazine publishing before discovering her true passion: seeking out the best in authentic modern design.

Next Sunday, November 10, Tiffany & Co. Archivist Annamarie V. Sandecki will speak in the Duke Auditorium at 3 p.m. on “Tiffany at the World’s Fairs.” The lecture is free to Mint members and college students with valid ID, but requires general museum admission for non-members ($10 general adult admission, plus an optional additional $10 to visit the Inventing the Modern World exhibition before or after the talk). The Tiffany & Co. Archives preserve, maintain, and make available materials relating to the history of Tiffany as a jeweler and silversmith. Sandecki also administers a collection of hundreds of Tiffany objects spanning the company’s history, and is responsible for the acquisition of additional Tiffany designs through auctions and estate sales.

Sandecki received her bachelor’s degree in art history from the University of Delaware, and continued her education in the museum administration masters program at New York University. She is a member of American Association of Museums, the Society of Jewelry Historians and the New York Silver Society.

The Inventing the Modern World exhibition contains several Tiffany & Co. designs, including a priceless corsage ornament from 1900 made from Montana sapphires, diamonds, and platinum. The exhibition was organized by the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh and The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, and traveled to the New Orleans Museum of Art before making its final stop at the Mint. So, the Mint is the final place anywhere in the world for the public to see the approximately 200 objects shown during the major World’s Fairs from 1851 to 1939, many of which had never before left their home countries, all under one roof. Major support for this exhibition was provided by Wells Fargo, the Windgate Charitable Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts. The exhibition is brought to Charlotte through generous support from Duke Energy, Novant Health, Rodgers Builders, and the Southern Christmas Show.

Both events will occur at Mint Museum Uptown at Levine Center for the Arts, 500 South Tryon Street in Charlotte.

Above image: Tiffany & Co., Unites States (New York), 1837-present. Corsage Ornament, 1900. Montana sapphires, diamonds, demantoid garnets, topaz, blued steel, gold alloys, and platinum. The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, Acquired by Henry Walters, 1900, 57.939

Charlotte Studio to Present on “Timeless Modernism;” Archivist to Discuss “Tiffany at the World’s Fairs”

Two world-class experts will visit Mint Museum Uptown next week to illuminate the excitement behind World’s Fairs – events that debuted new items ranging from hot dogs and ice cream to premier decorative arts in the days before the Internet and electronic media allowed the sharing of new ideas.

The public is invited to register for exciting presentations from the Design Within Reach studio – whose staffers are experts on the “timeless modernism” of furniture designs which premiered as early as the World’s Fairs of the 1930s and remain popular today ­– and the national archivist from Tiffany & Co., who will be visiting from New York to present about the jeweler’s rich history of bringing its designs to World’s Fairs. Registration is available at mintmuseum.org/happenings, by visiting the front desks of either of The Mint Museum’s two locations, or by calling 704.337.2107.

The gallery talk on “Timeless Modernism” will occur on Wednesday, November 6 at 7 p.m. within the galleries where the groundbreaking exhibition Inventing the Modern World: Decorative Arts at the World’s Fairs, 1851-1939 remains on display through January 19. The presentation is limited to 30 participants and spots are still available. The event is free for Mint members and for college students with valid ID, but non-members must pay $10 adult exhibition admission to Inventing the Modern World in order to enter the gallery.

Leading the discussion is Kari Woldum, Vice President of Merchandising at Design Within Reach, where she manages the merchandising and product development departments. Leveraging her passion for design and modernism, her role at DWR has spanned the entire assortment, from sofas and beds to floor coverings and dining chairs. Woldum is responsible for developing and curating the full product line. She holds a B.A. in journalism from the University of Colorado Boulder and spent some years in magazine publishing before discovering her true passion: seeking out the best in authentic modern design.

Next Sunday, November 10, Tiffany & Co. Archivist Annamarie V. Sandecki will speak in the Duke Auditorium at 3 p.m. on “Tiffany at the World’s Fairs.” The lecture is free to Mint members and college students with valid ID, but requires general museum admission for non-members ($10 general adult admission, plus an optional additional $10 to visit the Inventing the Modern World exhibition before or after the talk). The Tiffany & Co. Archives preserve, maintain, and make available materials relating to the history of Tiffany as a jeweler and silversmith. Sandecki also administers a collection of hundreds of Tiffany objects spanning the company’s history, and is responsible for the acquisition of additional Tiffany designs through auctions and estate sales.

Sandecki received her bachelor’s degree in art history from the University of Delaware, and continued her education in the museum administration masters program at New York University. She is a member of American Association of Museums, the Society of Jewelry Historians and the New York Silver Society.

The Inventing the Modern World exhibition contains several Tiffany & Co. designs, including a priceless corsage ornament from 1900 made from Montana sapphires, diamonds, and platinum. The exhibition was organized by the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh and The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, and traveled to the New Orleans Museum of Art before making its final stop at the Mint. So, the Mint is the final place anywhere in the world for the public to see the approximately 200 objects shown during the major World’s Fairs from 1851 to 1939, many of which had never before left their home countries, all under one roof. Major support for this exhibition was provided by Wells Fargo, the Windgate Charitable Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts. The exhibition is brought to Charlotte through generous support from Duke Energy, Novant Health, Rodgers Builders, and the Southern Christmas Show.

Both events will occur at Mint Museum Uptown at Levine Center for the Arts, 500 South Tryon Street in Charlotte.

Above image: Tiffany & Co., Unites States (New York), 1837-present. Corsage Ornament, 1900. Montana sapphires, diamonds, demantoid garnets, topaz, blued steel, gold alloys, and platinum. The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, Acquired by Henry Walters, 1900, 57.939

Sam Francis painting is one of the most significant acquisitions donated to the museum

With a generous gift from Bank of America, The Mint Museum is launching a new Collections Initiative to strengthen the breadth and scope of art that the museum makes available to the global community.

The Mint Museum announced today that the bank is gifting to the museum a seminal painting by California artist Sam Francis, Untitled (Seafirst) 1979, from the Bank of America Collection. The painting is one of the largest by size – at approximately 19 feet tall by 38 feet wide – and one of the most significant works to enter the museum’s collection.

“The Mint is deeply grateful to Bank of America not only for this specific painting, which is an incredible gift on its own, but also for the opportunity to highlight to the community our new initiative to target and acquire works of art that will continue to elevate the Mint’s stature in the national and international arena,” said Dr. Kathleen V. Jameson, President & CEO of the Mint. “This historic occasion serves as the catalyst to spur dynamic growth of the Mint’s exceptional collection of international art and design.”

The painting has been hanging in the Robert Haywood Morrison Atrium of Mint Museum Uptown on long-term loan since the building first opened to the public in October 2010, and is one of the first works of art viewed by visitors entering the museum.

“We’re honored to partner with The Mint Museum to launch their new collection drive by donating the Sam Francis painting from the Bank of America Collection, as it adds another world-renowned piece of art to a permanent collection here in Charlotte,” said Charles Bowman, North Carolina and Charlotte president, Bank of America. “The arts play a vital role in Charlotte’s cultural identity and economy and we’re hopeful that our gift encourages other businesses and individuals to donate to the museum’s collection.”

This is not the first time that the bank has donated art to the Mint Museum. In 1978 the bank donated Il Grande Disco by Arnaldo Pomodoro, which remains on view at the intersection of Trade and Tryon Streets in uptown Charlotte as part of the Mint’s public art program, and in 2002 it donated six paintings by renowned Charlotte-born artist Romare Bearden.

The Mint’s Collections Initiative seeks to empower the museum’s invested donors, affiliate groups, committees, boards, trustees, and new patrons to give and seek out major examples of art, craft, and design for the museum’s collection. The initiative will remain a key institutional focus through fall 2016, culminating in the publication of  a major publication on the museum’s exceptional permanent collection celebrating the landmark 80^th anniversary of North Carolina’s first art museum. The Mint will celebrate new acquisitions with a local, national, and international public relations and marketing campaign.

The Sam Francis gift sets an appropriate stage for the types of works of art that the museum is targeting for future acquisitions. “Sam Francis’s monumental painting is a tremendously important addition to the museum’s collection of modern and contemporary art; one that animates the atrium in an utterly dynamic fashion,” said Jonathan Stuhlman, the Mint’s Senior Curator of American, Modern, and Contemporary Art. “Untitled (Seafirst) 1979 demonstrates the artist’s commitment to new forms of abstraction and allows the museum to share with its visitors the impact of two key artistic movements of the 20th century – Abstract Expressionism and Minimalism – something that was not previously possible.”

California-born abstract expressionist Sam Francis (1923–1994) was one of the 20th century’s leading interpreters of light and color. Francis maintained studios in Bern, New York, Los Angeles, Paris, and Tokyo, making him the first post-World War II American painter whose reach was truly international. Throughout a long and prolific career, Francis created thousands of paintings as well as works on paper, prints, and monotypes. His work holds references to New York abstract expressionism, color field painting, Chinese and Japanese art, French impressionism, and his own Bay Area roots.

As Mint curators and other staff have been developing the initiative in recent months, one local foundation has responded by providing another generous major acquisition to the museum, which will be announced soon.

“This initiative will serve to build the cultural assets of this community, better enabling us to drive and support education, audience engagement, tourism, and economic development for the region,” Jameson said. “We welcome the entire community to join us in enhancing our collections and preserving them for generations to come.”

Members of the media are invited to the atrium of Mint Museum Uptown, 500 South Tryon Street, today between 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. to interview Jameson, Bowman, and other officials from the museum and Bank of America, as well as to photograph the Francis painting. High-resolution images and video of the painting are available upon request. RSVP to leigh.dyer@mintmuseum.org.

Above image credit: Sam Francis (American, 1923-1994). Untitled (Seafirst) 1979. Acrylic on canvas. Generously donated by Bank of America Corporation. Photo courtesy of The Mint Museum. © 2013 Sam Francis Foundation, California / Artists Rights
Society (ARS), NY.

About Bank of America

Bank of America’s commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a strategic part of doing business globally. Our CSR efforts guide how we operate in a socially, economically, financially and environmentally responsible way around the world, to deliver for shareholders, customers, clients and employees. Our goal is to help create economically vibrant regions and communities through lending, investing and giving. By partnering with our stakeholders, we create value that empowers individuals and communities to thrive and contributes to the long-term success of our business. We have several core areas of focus for our CSR, including responsible business practices; environmental sustainability; strengthening local communities with a focus on housing, hunger and jobs; investing in global leadership development; and engaging through arts and culture. As part of these efforts, employee volunteers across the company contribute their time, passion and expertise to address issues in communities where they live and work. Learn more at www.bankofamerica.com/about and follow us on Twitter at @BofA_Community.

Sandi Thorman Wins ‘Women to Watch’ Award from Accounting Association

Sandi Thorman, the partner-in-charge of the tax department at Charlotte accounting firm GreerWalker LLP and Finance Committee Chair for the Mint’s Board of Trustees, has won a 2013 “Women to Watch” award from the N.C. Association of Certified Public Accountants.

The NCACPA award recognizes experienced individuals who make “notable contributions to the accounting profession, their organizations, and the development of women as leaders.” Thorman received the award at the Oct. 22 Professional Women’s Conference in Raleigh.

“This award validates what we at GreerWalker have known for some time: that Sandi is an outstanding leader who works tirelessly on behalf of her clients, our firm and the Charlotte community,” said GreerWalker partner Michael A. McNamara. “She has an amazing work ethic and is known for her integrity, knowledge and professionalism delivered with a sincere and caring approach.”

In addition to her work at GreerWalker and the Mint, Thorman is heavily involved in the community. She has served as treasurer of other local non-profit organizations including the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Dress for Success Charlotte, Charlotte Chamber Music, and InReach.

Sandi O. Thorman

About GreerWalker

Founded in Charlotte in 1984, GreerWalker provides assurance, accounting, tax and business advisory services to a diversified client base of privately held middle-market companies doing business throughout the Carolinas and around the world. Affiliates include GreerWalker Wealth Management and GreerWalker Corporate Finance. For more information about the firm, call 704-377-0239 or visit the GreerWalker greerwalker.com.

Jazz Era-inspired party kicks off the holiday event season, raises money for planned photography exhibition

The Young Affiliates of the Mint have opened ticket sales for their inaugural Fall Ball to be held at Mint Museum Uptown on Friday, November 8, 2013.

Inspired by select artifacts in the groundbreaking World’s Fairs exhibition now on display at Mint Museum Uptown, the 2013 Fall Ball will transform the museum atrium into a Jazz Era club for the evening. Guests will enjoy 1920’s-inspired fare and Prohibition-era cocktails designed by sponsor Rémy Martin V and Cointreau. Live music will be provided by Charlotte-based performing band Cookie.

Guests will also have a chance to peruse and bid on a wide range of items in a luxury silent auction.  Event tickets include admission to the acclaimed exhibition Inventing the Modern World : Decorative Arts at the World’s Fairs 1851-1939, as well as heavy hors d’oeuvres, wine, beer, and signature event cocktails.

After 11 p.m., the party will continue at Bubble Charlotte, this year’s official Fall Ball After-Party sponsor.

Proceeds from the 2013 Fall Ball will go to support Bearing Witness: The New York Photo League and Sonia Handelman Meyer, a photography exhibition scheduled to open at Mint Museum Randolph on November 24.  Meyer, currently a Charlotte resident, first picked up the camera 70 years ago, but this will be the first time her work is the focus of a major museum exhibition.

Find more information and buy tickets at FallBallCharlotte.com. Tickets are $75 for members and $95 for non-members.

ABOUT THE YOUNG AFFILIATES OF THE MINT

The Young Affiliates of the Mint is a group of diverse young professionals who promote and support The Mint Museum through social, educational, leadership, and fundraising activities and events. Established in 1990, the Young Affiliates are the premier social arts organization for young professionals in the Charlotte area.

Our mission is designed to introduce members to the resources available at the Mint, and develop their own appreciation of the arts. The Young Affiliates offer a wide variety of programs including gallery openings, receptions, annual fund-raising parties, membership meetings, and after-work educational seminars.

The Young Affiliates make substantial donations of tangible and intangible goods to The Mint Museum each year. To date, the Young Affiliates have made eight acquisitions, including a photograph by Annie Leibovitz and outstanding pieces of contemporary craft purchased at the American Craft Council Craft Fair. These artworks are held in the permanent collection of the Mint with credit to the Young Affiliates.

Women of Vision: National Geographic Photographers on Assignment to travel to Charlotte following its debut in Washington, D.C.

Mint Museum Uptown will host National Geographic’s Women of Vision: National Geographic Photographers on Assignment exhibition, both museums announced today.

The traveling exhibition, presented nationally by The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC), opens today at the National Geographic Museum in Washington and will be on view there until March 9, 2014. In Charlotte, it opens at the Mint on March 29, 2014 and will be on view through July 20, 2014.

“This is the latest example of the Mint’s mission to bring to Charlotte works of art and exhibitions of both national and international importance,” said Dr. Kathleen V. Jameson, President & CEO of the Mint. “We could not be more pleased to bring such beautiful and inspiring work to this city, and we are grateful that the generous sponsorship of PNC makes it possible to host this show at the Mint.”

“Women of Vision” features nearly 100 photographs highlighting the influential work of 11 award-winning female photojournalists, including moving depictions of far-flung cultures, compelling illustrations of conceptual topics such as memory and teenage brain chemistry, and arresting images of social issues like child marriage and 21st-century slavery. In addition to the photographs, visitors will have an opportunity to learn how National Geographic magazine picture editors work closely with the photographers to select images and tell a story. Video vignettes will present first-person accounts that reveal the photographers’ individual styles, passions, and approaches to their craft.

All the photographers featured in the exhibition are scheduled to be at National Geographic headquarters in Washington, D.C. for grand opening festivities today, joining journalist Ann Curry for a panel discussion on the power of photography and the many people and places represented in their assignment work. The event will be live-streamed on http://wovexhibition.org/live-stream. Curry also wrote the foreword to the exhibition’s companion book, “Women of Vision: National Geographic Photographers on Assignment,” along with National Geographic magazine Editor in Chief Chris Johns. Several of the photographers are also expected to visit Charlotte for a panel discussion during the exhibition’s run here.

“The 11 photographers featured in this exhibition are inspirational trailblazers and storytellers,” said Jonathan Stuhlman, the Mint’s Senior Curator of American, Modern, and Contemporary Art. “Their photographs tell compelling stories of our planet and its people, from the savannahs of Botswana to the war-torn streets of Libya and Afghanistan; the beaches of the Jersey Shore to the rainforests of New Guinea.”

The exhibition will be presented concurrently with another extraordinary photography exhibition organized by The Mint Museum. Bearing Witness: The New York Photo League and Sonia Handelman Meyer opens November 23, 2013 at Mint Museum Randolph and will remain on view through June 29, 2014. It includes approximately 90 photographs by Photo League members, many from the Mint’s permanent collection, and contains a particular focus on the work of Meyer, currently a Charlotte resident. The exhibition is made possible through generous support from the MetLife Foundation, with additional support from the Young Affiliates of the Mint.

Women of Vision follows another blockbuster exhibition at Mint Museum Uptown, Inventing the Modern World: Decorative Arts at the World’s Fairs, 1851-1939, which opened last month and remains on view through January 19, 2014. The Mint is the fourth and final venue on the national tour of the show, which was co-organized by Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh and The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City – illustrating the Mint’s ongoing priority of partnering with leading museums from around the world to bring significant exhibitions to Charlotte.

“The photos are a powerful reminder of the human spirit and a testament to the passion and remarkable work of these photographers,” said Weston Andress, Western Carolina regional president of PNC Bank and a member of the Mint’s Board of Trustees. “We know art enriches our lives, strengthens communities, and brings joy to many, and that’s why PNC is pleased to help bring this exhibition to Charlotte.”

Women of Vision was curated by National Geographic Senior Photo Editor Elizabeth Krist and includes these 11 extraordinary photographers:

●          MacArthur Fellow Lynsey Addario is widely admired for her conflict coverage in Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, Darfur, and the Congo. Featured assignment work includes images that document human rights issues, particularly the plight of women and families in conflict zones.

●          Kitra Cahana explores important social, anthropological, and spiritual themes. Born in Miami but raised in Canada and Sweden, Cahana earned her B.A. in philosophy from McGill University and her M.A. in visual and media anthropology from the Freie Universitat in Berlin.  She has won a first prize from World Press Photo, a TED Fellowship and the ICP Infinity Award. Her work includes images taken on assignment for NGM’s feature on the teenage brain and culture in the United States.

●          Jodi Cobb has worked in over 65 countries and produced 30 National Geographic magazine stories, including the acclaimed “21st-Century Slaves.” Cobb was the only photographer to penetrate the geisha world, which resulted in her Pulitzer Prize-nominated book, “Geisha: The Life, the Voices, the Art.” She was also the first photographer to document the hidden lives of the women of Saudi Arabia and among the first to travel across China when it reopened to the West. She has received numerous accolades, including repeated honors from the National Press Photographers Association, Pictures of the Year and World Press Photo as well as the 2012 Missouri Honor Medal for Distinguished Service in Journalism. Cobb was the first woman to be named White House Photographer of the Year.

●          Diane Cook is a leading landscape photographer whose work is in numerous collections, including the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; the Museum of Photographic Arts in San Diego; and the L.A. County Museum in Los Angeles. Cook often works collaboratively with her husband, Len Jenshel. Their National Geographic magazine stories have covered New York’s elevated park, the High Line; Mount St. Helens; Green Roofs; the Na’Pali Coast of Hawaii; the U.S.-Mexico border; and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.

●          Carolyn Drake is the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Fulbright Fellowship, the Lange Taylor Documentary Prize, and a World Press Photo award, and she was a finalist for the Santa Fe Prize. She has spent years documenting the cultures of Central Asia and life in western China’s Uygur region.

●          A Knight Fellow and passionate advocate for visual arts education, Lynn Johnson has covered a wide range of assignments for the magazine, producing images for 21 stories on subjects including vanishing languages and challenges facing human populations in Africa and Asia. Johnson has also participated in photo camps in Chad, Botswana and the Pine Ridge reservation. She has received several awards, including the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award for Coverage of the Disadvantaged.

●          Beverly Joubert is a National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence, filmmaker, photographer, and co-founder of the Big Cats Initiative. Together with her husband, Dereck, she has been documenting the plight of African wildlife for more than 30 years. Her images have appeared in more than 100 magazines worldwide, and the Jouberts have co-authored several books and scientific papers. They have produced more than 25 television documentaries, and their 2011 feature film “The Last Lions” reached more than 350 million people worldwide. Their films have garnered seven Emmys, a Peabody, Panda Awards, and the World Ecology Award. The Jouberts were inducted into the American Academy of Achievement, and for their conservation work in Botswana they received the Presidential Order of Merit.

●          Erika Larsen studies cultures with strong ties to nature. She published a 2009 story in the magazine on the Sami reindeer herders of Scandinavia, an assignment which grew out of her own documentary work for which she lived and worked within the culture for over four years.  Larsen received a B.F.A. and an M.F.A. from Rochester Institute of Technology and is the recipient of a Fulbright Fellowship and a New Jersey State Arts Council Fellowship. Larsen’s photography has been exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery and the Sami Ájtte Museum in Sweden.

●          Stephanie Sinclair’s decade-long project on child marriage has earned global recognition, including three World Press Photo awards and prestigious exhibitions on Capitol Hill, at the United Nations and at the Whitney Biennial in New York. Her images also include scenes from Yemen and from polygamist families in the Fundamentalist Church of the Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

●          A celebrated figure in the photographic community, Maggie Steber has worked in more than 62 countries and her images have earned several prestigious honors, including the Leica Medal of Excellence and World Press Photo awards. National Geographic magazine has published her essays on Miami, the African slave trade, the Cherokee Nation, sleep, soldiers’ letters, Dubai, and a story on the science of memory that featured a touching sidebar on Steber’s mother, Madje, and her struggle with dementia. Steber has worked in Haiti for over 25 years and has a monograph published by Aperture Foundation Inc. entitled “Dancing on Fire.” She is a member of Facing Change Documenting America, a group of civic-minded photographers covering important American issues.

●          Amy Toensing began her prolific career covering the White House and Congress for The New York Times. She has created portraits of unforgettable people around the world while shooting magazine stories in Papua New Guinea, Puerto Rico, the Jersey Shore, and Tonga. For the past three years, she documented Aboriginal Australia for a story that was published in the June 2013 issue of the magazine. Toensing is also committed to teaching photography to kids in underserved communities. She has worked with Somali and Sudanese refugees in Maine and Burmese refugees in Baltimore, and she recently traveled to Islamabad to teach young Pakistanis.

Women of Vision is organized and traveled by the National Geographic Society. PNC Financial Services is the Presenting National Tour Sponsor for Women of Vision. Additional generous sponsorship supoprt in Charlotte is provided by Dickens Mitchener Residential Real Estate, the Mint Museum Auxiliary, UTC Aerospace Systems, and Moore & Van Allen.

Exhibition media partners: The Charlotte Observer and WFAE 90.7fm. Additional promotional support provided by WTVI.

ABOUT NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
Founded in 1888, the National Geographic Society is one of the world’s largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. With a mission to inspire people to care about the planet, the member-supported Society offers a community for members to get closer to explorers, connect with other members, and help make a difference. The Society reaches more than 450 million people worldwide each month through National Geographic and other magazines; National Geographic Channel; television documentaries; music; radio; films; books; DVDs; maps; exhibitions; live events; school publishing programs; interactive media; and merchandise. National Geographic has funded more than 10,000 scientific research, conservation, and exploration projects and supports an education program promoting geographic literacy. For more information, visit www.nationalgeographic.com.

ABOUT PNC
This exhibition is supported by PNC and The PNC Foundation, which receives its principal funding from The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (www.pnc.com). PNC is one of the nation’s largest diversified financial services organizations providing retail and business banking; residential mortgage banking; specialized services for corporations and government entities, including corporate banking, real estate finance and asset-based lending; wealth management; and asset management. Follow @PNCNews on Twitter for breaking news, updates and announcements from PNC.

Image credit:

KITRA CAHANA

After working himself into a trance, a man leaps through a flaming pyre, one of the images from the “Women of Vision” exhibition.

Dr. Kathleen V. Jameson is among 50 arts leaders selected by National Arts Strategies for its second annual Chief Executive Program

Dr. Kathleen V. Jameson, President & CEO of The Mint Museum, was selected from among more than 250 candidates from around the world to participate in the second class of The Chief Executive Program by National Arts Strategies. The program will explore new ways to tackle the most complex and critical challenges facing the field. By the end of the program, the 50 leaders selected for this prestigious honor will have the ideas, tools and connections to effect change in their own organizations and to work collectively to strengthen the cultural field.

Together with cultural leaders from cities as diverse as Boston; Seattle; Dublin, Ireland; Uppsala, Sweden; and Guadalajara, Mexico, Jameson embarks on a series of learning cycles beginning this month and continuing through 2014. The experience includes three in-person educational events at Harvard Business School, at University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, and at Sundance Resort. The events and activities, which include a variety of “at-work” assignments throughout the year, are designed to give participants a deeper understanding of the strategic challenges they face, a firm grasp of change leadership, and the ability to translate their visions for the future into reality. The Mint will not incur any expenses related to Jameson’s participation in the program.

“We at the Mint are extremely pleased to announce Dr. Jameson’s selection to participate in this important cohort of national arts leaders,” said Jay Everette, chair of the Mint’s Board of Trustees. “This high-profile honor is a key win for the Mint and Charlotte, and extends the Mint’s brand across many channels that will remain important to this museum and community.”

National Arts Strategies will not only provide these executives with opportunities for learning, innovation, and collaboration, but will also publicly highlight their work in an effort to raise the level of discussion on the critical issues facing the cultural sector. Ideas generated during the program will be shared via the NAS blog, Field Notes, through video interviews and case stories, in NAS newsletters, and at industry conferences and events.

“This program is focused on effecting organizational change and strengthening the field. It is designed to allow fellows to create real change in organizations and communities, so rather than just focusing on the individual and his or her organization, the program also addresses the larger macro issues facing our community,” said Jameson. “The museum and community conversations currently underway here in Charlotte regarding the cultural sector will benefit from exceptional thought leadership from not only my fellow participants, but also the National Arts Strategies team and leading experts in the field.”

Participants in The Chief Executive Program were selected following a highly competitive recruitment process to identify 50 of the top executive cultural leaders from around the world with an aptitude to tackle the intractable issues presented by the curriculum. The leaders chosen to participate in The Chief Executive Program were selected from a wide range of cultural forms, locations, perspectives, and experience levels. These executives have proven themselves to be effective, innovative, collaborative and open-minded, and were chosen from a pool of over 250 open applications and nominations from industry stakeholders.

The Chief Executive Program Participants

David Baile, International Society for the Performing Arts (New York, NY)

Sara Bon-Harper, Ash Lawn-Highland (Charlottesville, VA)

Rowan Brown, National Mining Museum (Midlothian, Scotland)

Katy Clark, Orchestra of St. Luke’s (New York, NY)

Juan Antonio Cuéllar Sáenz, Fundación Nacional Batuta (Bogotá, Colombia)

David Dower, ArtsEmerson: The World on Stage (Boston, MA)

Kristy Edmunds, Center for the Art of Performance at UCLA (Los Angeles, CA)

David Flatley, Center for Community Arts Partnerships at Columbia College Chicago (Chicago, IL)

Daniel Gallant, Nuyorican Poets Cafe (New York, NY)

Vallejo Gantner, Performance Space 122 (New York, NY)

Sarah George, Natural History Museum of Utah (Salt Lake City, UT)

Michael John Gorman, Science Gallery International/Science Gallery Dublin (Dublin, Ireland)

Maria Hane, Museum of Science & History (Jacksonville, FL)

Wier Harman, Town Hall Seattle (Seattle, WA)

Corinne Hill, Chattanooga Public Library (Chattanooga, TN)

Linda Jackson, The Glimmerglass Festival (Cooperstown, NY)

Kathleen Jameson, The Mint Museum (Charlotte, NC)

James Kass, Youth Speaks (San Francisco, CA)

David Koren, Figment Project (New York, NY)

Monique le Conge Ziesenhenne, Palo Alto City Library (Palo Alto, CA)

Veronique Le Melle, Boston Center for the Arts (Boston, MA)

Helen Legg, Spike Island (Bristol, England)

Jeffrey Lependorf, Council of Literary Magazines and Presses (New York, NY)

Christina Littlejohn, Arkansas Symphony Orchestra (Little Rock, AR)

Angel Igor Lozada Rivera Melo, Universidad de Guadalajara (Guadalajara, Mexico)

Ann Meier Baker, Chorus America (Washington, DC)

Kevin Mills, South Carolina Aquarium (Charleston, SC)

Stephen Mills, Ballet Austin (Austin, TX)

Jonathan Moscone, California Shakespeare Theater (Berkeley, CA)

Stewart Moss, The Writer’s Center (Bethesda, MD)

Justine Nagan, Kartemquin Films (Chicago, IL)

Christina Olsen, Williams College Museum of Art (Williamstown, MA)

Elaina Richardson, The Corporation of Yaddo (Saratoga Springs, NY)

Jessica Robinson Love, CounterPULSE (San Francisco, CA)

Ane Rodriguez Armendariz, Tabakalera – International Centre for Contemporary Culture

(Donostia/San Sebastian, Spain)

Art Rotch, Perseverance Theatre (Douglas, AK)

Kirsten Schaffer, Outfest (Los Angeles, CA)

Diomar Silveira, The Philharmonic Cultural Institute (Belo Horizonte, Brazil)

Jill Snyder, Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland (Cleveland, OH)

janera solomon, Kelly Strayhorn Theater (Pittsburgh, PA)

Linus Tunström, Uppsala Stadsteater (Uppsala, Sweden)

Kelly Tweeddale, Seattle Opera (Seattle, WA)

Kristina Van Dyke, The Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts (St. Louis, MO)

Tony Vecchio, Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens (Jacksonville, FL)

Joana Vicente, The Independent Filmmaker Project (New York, NY)

Mark Wender, Soulsville Foundation (Memphis, TN)

Kim Whitener, HERE Arts Center (New York, NY)

C. Brian Williams, Step Afrika! (Washington, DC)

Simon Woods, Seattle Symphony (Seattle, WA)

Mike Yankovich, Children’s Museum of Denver (Denver, CO)

Development of The Chief Executive Program was made possible by the support of The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Fidelity Foundation and The Kresge Foundation. Additional information about The Chief Executive Program is available at www.artstrategies.org.

ABOUT NATIONAL ARTS STRATEGIES

National Arts Strategies works with faculty from leading universities in the country to develop leadership programs for organizations from across the arts and culture sector. This investment in leadership capacity has produced the sector’s most diverse leadership community of alumni and faculty. It has also generated changes in the language and core management frameworks used by grantee organizations, partnerships to advance the full range of educational services available to the field and policy discussions with leading grantmakers to enhance field capacity building. artstrategies.org

Mint and partner PNC prepare to welcome the public for free activities

The Mint Museum has joined with PNC for its second community day, coming up Saturday, September 28 with a roster of free activities and free general admission to both Mint Museum Randolph and Mint Museum Uptown. (Non-members still must pay admission fees if they wish to visit Inventing the Modern World at Mint Museum Uptown).

Family-friendly hands-on activities will occur from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at Mint Museum Randolph, 2730 Randolph Road. They include zumba, a bilingual musical performance and storytime, West African music and movement, and art activities. Click here for a full schedule of activities.

“The Mint is grateful to PNC and our other corporate sponsors and partners for their leadership and their recognition of the important role that cultural institutions such as the Mint play in this community,” said Dr. Kathleen V. Jameson, President & CEO of the Mint. “These events further the Mint’s ongoing commitment to being an accessible and relevant resource.”

PNC’s sponsorship is part of the financial company’s “Grow Up Great” initiative. Founded by The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc., PNC Grow Up Great, and PNC Crezca con Éxito form a bilingual, $350 million, multi-year initiative that began in 2004 to help prepare children – particularly underserved children – from birth to age five for success in school and life.

“PNC has a long history of supporting organizations that strengthen and enrich the lives of our communities,” said Weston Andress, PNC Regional President, Western Carolina. “We understand that a rich arts community and a focus on healthy living is an important part of making the region attractive for businesses, residents and visitors.”

The day coincides with a national free museum admission day established by Smithsonian Magazine, called Museum Day Live! Each year on Museum Day Live!, visitors to participating museums may receive two free adult admissions if they print out a voucher from the Smithsonian website. However, thanks to the support of PNC, the Mint will not require visitors to present vouchers and will automatically grant free admission at both locations.

The Mint’s first community day, sponsored by Novant Health with additional support from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, was held in June.

ABOUT PNC

The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (www.pnc.com) is one of the nation’s largest diversified financial services organizations providing retail and business banking; residential mortgage banking; specialized services for corporations and government entities, including corporate banking, real estate finance and asset-based lending; wealth management and asset management. Follow @PNCNews on Twitter for breaking news, updates and announcements from PNC.

Gang, of Studio Gang Architects, kicks off new CAD (Contemporary Architecture + Design) series

MacArthur Fellow Jeanne Gang, recently named one of the Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum’s 2013 National Design Award Winners, will visit the Mint this Thursday, September 12, to launch the new season of the museum’s CAD (Contemporary Architecture + Design) speaker series. Gang is founder and principal of Studio Gang Architects, a Chicago-based collective of architects, designers, and thinkers practicing internationally.

Gang uses the medium of architecture to respond to pressing contemporary issues and their impact on human experience. Each of her projects resonates with its specific site and culture while addressing larger global themes such as urbanization, climate, and sustainability.

Recently realized projects by the firm include “The Garden in the Machine,” a proposal reimagining the suburb of Cicero, Illinois, for The Museum of Modern Art’s  Foreclosed:  Rehousing the American Dream exhibition; Aqua Tower, an Emporis Skyscraper of the Year; and the Nature Boardwalk at Lincoln Park Zoo. Gang will receive her National Design Award for Architecture Design at a gala dinner on October 17.

The Mint Museum’s Contemporary Architecture + Design series, which first launched in January 2012, explores innovative perspectives and insightful stories on architecture + design. Cash bar at 6:30 p.m. and talks begin at 7 p.m. at Mint Museum Uptown at Levine Center for the Arts, 500 South Tryon Street in Charlotte.  The CAD talks are free to students with valid ID, $5 for museum members and $15 for non-members. Register online at mintmuseum.org/happenings or call 704.337.2107 to register by phone.

Future speakers in the series are:

OCTOBER 24, 2013 | STEPHEN CASSELL & ADAM YARINSKY – ARO

Stephen Cassell and Adam Yarinsky are principals of Architecture Research Office (ARO), a New York-based firm practicing modern architecture and visionary urbanism, and known for their recent work exploring the effect of rising sea levels on the financial district of lower Manhattan. The firm has completed projects for Princeton University, Prada, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. ARO was the winner of the 2011 Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt National Design Award for Architecture. Current work by the firm includes Zimple House at Tulane University’s Newcomb Lawn College and a restoration of American sculptor Donald Judd’s Home and Studio.

JANUARY 30, 2014 | BEN FRY – FATHOM

Ben Fry is principal of Fathom, an acclaimed Boston-based design consultancy that helps clients understand and express complex data visually through information graphics, interactive tools, software for installations, the web, and mobile devices.

MARCH 6, 2014 | KULAPAT YANTRASAST – why.how ARCHITECTURE

Kulapat Yantrasast, a native of Thailand, is the co-founder and principal of why.how Architecture, which he founded with fellow architect Yo-ichiro Hakomori. why.how completed the Grand Rapids Art Museum, the first new art museum in the world to receive the LEED certification for environmental design.

Show will feature decorative arts and design innovations from the world’s great cultural capitals

A groundbreaking international exhibition is set to arrive at Mint Museum Uptown this fall. Inventing the Modern World: Decorative Arts at the World’s Fairs, 1851—1939presents outstanding examples of glass, furniture, jewelry, ceramics, precious metalwork, and textiles displayed at the world’s fairs between London’s Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations in London in 1851 and New York’s World’s Fair in 1939.

“The Mint is pleased to offer Charlotte audiences and the region a blockbuster exhibition celebrating art that is beautiful, inspiring, and historically significant,” said Dr. Kathleen V. Jameson, President & CEO of the Mint. “This nationally touring exhibition will be accompanied by one of the most exciting slates of in-depth and innovative programming we’ve ever hosted.”

Inventing the Modern World comprises approximately 200 objects shown during the major world’s fairs from 1851 to 1939 – a journey through the major cultural capitals of the world. Large and small in scale, these seminal objects are culled from private and public collections, primarily in America and Europe. Many of these objects have never before left their respective institutions or countries. Among the many lenders are The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, Designmuseum Danmark, and the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. The exhibition was co-organized by the Carnegie Museum of Art and The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, and traveled to the New Orleans Museum of Art before making its final stop at the Mint, where it will be on view from September 22 through January 19, 2014.

“We wanted to bring this exhibition to Charlotte because it truly does present the best examples of decorative arts from the second half of the 19th century through the first half of the 20th,” says Brian Gallagher, Curator of Decorative Arts at the Mint. “The exhibition also complements two of our museum’s greatest strengths: historical decorative arts and contemporary craft and design, and so we knew that our members and supporters would especially enjoy it.”

World’s fairs were important places for debuting advancements in modern living. “In the decades before television commercials, much less the Internet, these fairs were one of the primary vehicles through which people could learn about other cultures and other countries,” says Gallagher. “They were a place for people to see the latest works of art and design created in other countries as well as their own.”

Some fairs were broad in scope, displaying decorative arts alongside paintings, sculpture, industrial design and agricultural products; others concentrated on exhibiting decorative arts alone. Both types of expositions functioned as showcases and marketplaces for design. Above all, they democratized design, exposing countless visitors and others to the latest artistic and technological achievements of their time.

Exhibition highlights include an extraordinary Fabergé tiara fashioned from thousands of tiny rose-cut diamonds set on knife-edge mounts, which gives the tiara the appearance of woven lace. Acclaimed firms such as Tiffany & Co., Lalique, Cartier, and Boucheron are also represented at the exhibition through superlative examples of their works.

Inventing the Modern World is the grandest exhibition ever hosted by the Mint; it is the largest exhibition since the opening of Mint Museum Uptown, and the first to take up both the third and fourth special exhibition levels. It is also the Mint’s first ticketed exhibition in over a decade. Exhibition admission is $10 for adult visitors on top of regular museum admission. Exhibition admission is free for Mint members and children under 18 when they accompany a paying adult. (Exhibition tickets are available at mintmuseum.org).

The Mint will offer a lineup of can’t-miss special events during the opening weekend of Inventing the Modern World, and Charlotteans will have the opportunity to ride a Ferris wheel beside Mint Museum Uptown throughout the weekend. Guests can preview the exhibition with an exclusive cocktail reception at the Preview Celebration on Saturday, September 21 at 6:30 p.m. (Tickets are available for $200 for non-members, $100 for members, and $50 for Corporate Leadership Circle and Crown Society patrons; call 704.337.2011 to register.) Mint Museum Uptown will open early and offer special members-only hours on Sunday, September 22 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Coffee and light brunch fare will be offered. A private tour led by Brian Gallagher will also be offered on Sunday from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Space is limited and reserved for the Mint’s Benefactor and Sustainer members. Sunday Fun Day will also be held from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and will include family-friendly crafts and activities celebrating the exhibition (FREE for children and Mint members, $5 general admission /$15 general + special exhibition admission for adults). On Sunday, guests can also attend a special lecture by Inventing the Modern World co-curators Jason T. Busch, Chief Curator and the Alan G. and Jane A. Lehman Curator of Decorative Arts and Design at the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh, and Catherine L. Futter, Helen Jane and R. Hugh “Pat” Uhlmann Senior Curator of Architecture, Design, and Decorative Arts at The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City. The lecture is at 2 p.m. and is FREE for members and non-members after museum admission. For more information on these and other events or to register for programs, visit mintmuseum.org/happenings or call 704.337.2011.

Other programming during the exhibition’s run include a lecture on “Tiffany at the World’s Fairs” by the archivist at Tiffany & Co., New York, Annamarie V. Sandecki, scheduled for November 10, and a panel discussion by contemporary experts on concepts that may change our lives in the future, “What’s Next? Inventions that will change Contemporary Living,” scheduled for December 4 and sponsored by UTC Aerospace Systems. A full listing is available at mintmuseum.org/happenings.

Major support for this exhibition was provided by Wells Fargo, the Windgate Charitable Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts. The exhibition is brought to Charlotte through generous support from Duke Energy, Novant Health, Rodgers Builders, and the Southern Christmas Show. In-kind support was generously provided by Adams Outdoor Advertising.

A fully-illustrated catalogue is available in the Mint Museum Shops in hardcover ($75 for non-members, $67.50 for members) and paperback ($45 for non-members, $40.50 for members).

NOTE TO MEDIA: Members of the media are invited to preview the exhibition at 10 a.m. on Thursday, September 19 at Mint Museum Uptown. Interviews with Curator Brian Gallagher and other museum officials will be available. RSVP to leigh.dyer@mintmuseum.org.

Free Bearden-themed tours of Mint Museum Uptown to be offered as part of grand opening of Romare Bearden Park

As Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation is gearing up to open its newest facility this weekend, the Mint is doing its part to highlight connections between world-renowned artist Romare Bearden and the city where he was born.

Mint Museum Uptown will offer three free Bearden-themed tours during grand opening festivities this Saturday, August 31, as the Mint encourages the public to visit both the park and the museum with the largest public holding of Bearden’s works.

Tour groups are invited to depart the new Romare Bearden Park from the corner of Martin Luther King and Church Streets at 10:45 a.m., 11:45 a.m., or 12:45 p.m. this Saturday, or meet at the Guest Services Desk of Mint Museum Uptown at Levine Center for the Arts, 500 South Tryon Street, at 11 a.m., noon, or 1 p.m. The museum is one block south of the park via South Church Street. Tour group participants will be granted free admission to the museum; all other museum visitors pay $10 for general adult admission (free for museum members). Children ages 5-17 pay $5 general admission and children 4 and under are free. Groups will experience the Bearden-inspired house inside the kid-friendly Lewis Family Gallery, as well as the permanent Romare Bearden Gallery which displays a rotating selection of works from throughout the artist’s career. Trained museum docents will lead the tours.

The park’s grand opening includes a wide range of art-related activities, including hands-on children’s art projects, an art show, and free tours of the Kinsey Collection at the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American Arts + Culture. Free music and other performances will be offered at the park throughout the weekend.

For more information about grand opening weekend activities or Romare Bearden’s connections to the Mint, visit mintmuseum.org. Or, see a full schedule of the weekend’s events at parkandrec.com.

Ninth Annual Potters Market Invitational to Take Place September 7

Established and emerging potters from across the state will be setting up their displays on the grounds of Mint Museum Randolph for the 9^thAnnual Potters Market Invitational on Saturday, September 7. More than 50 outstanding North Carolina potters are participating in this year’s event, presented by the Delhom Service League, the ceramics affiliate of The Mint Museum.

The event attracts close to 1,300 collectors and enthusiasts, many of whom line up hours in advance of the opening to purchase their favorite pieces. Works range from traditional functional wares to contemporary sculptural works. The day also includes pottery-making demonstrations, live music, food, and more.

“We are very excited about the mix of North Carolina potters that will be at this year’s event,” said Lee Rocamora, co-chair of this year’s Potters Market Invitational. “Through their work, we will be able to showcase the breadth and depth of traditional as well as contemporary ceramics, and to stimulate a passion for ceramics, including the Mint’s excellent and growing collection, among those attending.”

The honorary chair of this year’s market is Jane Peiser, a well-known and widely collected Penland potter, and one of the participants in the first-ever Potters Market. One of Peiser’s works from her personal collection is to be auctioned at the Potter’s Party the night before the event. The Friday night auction is a brand new feature of Potters Market Invitational.

A $10 admission fee includes access to the event, running from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., as well as admission to both locations of The Mint Museum. Admission is free for children 12 and under when they accompany a paying adult. Individual sponsorships are also available. For $100, individuals are invited to the sponsors’ coffee that morning at 8:15 a.m. and receive early admission at 9:15 a.m. for a greater selection of works, as well as preferred parking. For $150, individuals are also invited to a special Potters Party being held Friday, September 6 from 7-9 p.m. at Mint Museum Randolph, where they will have the opportunity to mingle with the potters during an evening of food, music, and fun.

Since 2004, PMI has raised more than $200,000. These funds have been used to add many works to the Mint’s well-known ceramics collections, and to the Delhom-Gambrell Research Library. The reputation of PMI continues to grow each year, attracting local, regional, and national collectors. Next year, 2014, will be its tenth anniversary.

PMI tickets are on sale now at mintmuseum.org/delhom-service-league.html, or are available at the door. For more information, visit The Mint Museum’s website or call 704.337.2010. A video with further information is available at facebook.com/pottersmarketinvitational.

Currently on view at Mint Museum Randolph is North Carolina Pottery: Then and Now. The exhibition includes selections from the Mint’s recent exhibition A Thriving Tradition: 75 Years of Collecting North Carolina Pottery, and additional highlights from the museum’s permanent collection, which features the widest array of North Carolina pottery of any collection in the world. On September 22, Inventing the Modern World: Decorative Arts at the World’s Fairs 1851-1939 will open at Mint Museum Uptown. This groundbreaking international exhibition will present exceptional examples of ceramics displayed at the world’s fairs between The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations in London in 1851 and the New York World’s Fair in 1939, as well as examples of glass, furniture, jewelry, precious metalwork, and textiles. Many of these objects have never before left their respective institutions or countries.

Corporate sponsors for this year’s Potters Market Invitational include Our State Magazine, Subaru South Boulevard, Delectables by Holly, Ballantyne Hotel & Lodge, Leland Little Auction & Estate Sales, Ltd., Peppermint Forest Christmas Shop, and Rodgers Builders, Inc.

*Note: Visitors must purchase their PMI ticket first in order to gain free museum admission on the event date.

Director of Fine Arts and Curator of the Mint’s internationally-renowned Fashion Collection to retire

The Mint Museum is preparing to bid farewell to its beloved and longest-serving curator as Charles L. Mo, Director of Fine Arts and Curator of the Mint’s internationally-renowned Fashion Collection, announces his retirement effective September 30, 2013.

Hired in 1984, Mo was the first professional art historian and curator in the Mint’s history. Over the years he has overseen the museum’s American, European, and Asian art collections, and was responsible for building the Spanish Colonial collection from four items to several hundred works of art. For the last 15 years, he has also served as curator of the Fashion Collection, which has received attention from sources as diverse as Marie Claire magazine, Project Runway judge Nina Garcia’s Pinterest account, and MTV’s fashion blog under his watch. Today, the collection is the museum’s second-largest, and comprises over 10,000 objects that span three centuries.

“These many years at The Mint Museum have blessed me with so many positive and rewarding experiences,” said Mo. “These range from the growth of the collections to the numerous, important exhibitions that have been presented to this great community, and beyond.  I also acknowledge the countless number of museum members, donors, patrons, trustees, board of directors and the incredible staff that bring their talents and experiences to enrich this institution. I am most fortunate and, yet, I shall miss so much of the daily wonders of this great museum. As a most gratifying chapter closes for me, I look forward to a new chapter, its challenges and its rewards!”

During his career, Mo has served as Project Curator for such internationally important exhibitions as Treasures of Tutankhamun, Treasures of Chatsworth, Peru’s Golden Treasures, and Ramesses the Great, among others. He also organized Splendors of the New World, Allure of East Asia, Dressed to Impress, Art of Affluence,Andy Warhol Portfolios: Life & Legend, CHANEL: Designs for the Modern Woman, Fashionable Silhouettes, and Dior, Balmain, Saint Laurent: Elegance & Ease(currently on view at Mint Museum Randolph through January12, 2014), among many others at the Mint. He holds memberships in the American Association of Museum Curators and the Costume Society of America. Mo holds a B.F.A. and an M.A. in Art History from Louisiana State University.

“Charles’ tremendous influence and impact span significant eras in The Mint Museum’s history,” said Cheryl Palmer, the Mint’s director of Learning & Engagement, who has worked with Mo during his entire tenure at the Mint. “He joined the staff when the Dalton wing was under construction in the early 1980s, and the museum was more than doubling in size and literally turning its front entrance “face” to Randolph Road and the community at large. A few years later, Charles served as the museum’s curator in charge for the Ramesses the Great: The Pharaoh and His Time exhibition – a mammoth international undertaking, and a landmark event for the museum and for the city. Over the decades, he supervised major exhibitions of European and American masterpiece paintings, and he curated several important shows of works by Romare Bearden. Charles’ interests are truly global and encyclopedic.”

Annie Carlano, formerly Director of Craft + Design soon to be Senior Curator of Craft, Design, & Fashion, will assume responsibility for the Fashion Collection upon Charles’ departure.  The collections of Native American, Mexican, and Mayan art will also be under her care.  Carlano is uniquely qualified to oversee these specific areas, having been Curator of Costume and Textiles at the Wasdsworth Athenuem, Hartford, CT, and The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, as well as Senior Curator at the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

“Charles has done a remarkable job in building a world class collection of fashion, based on his broad knowledge of costume history, and vast network of contacts,” said Annie Carlano, Senior Curator of Craft, Design, and Fashion.   “The exhibitions he has curated demonstrate his great expertise in all the details that comprise an historic fashion ensemble, from the dress, to the shoes, fan, jewelry, and millinery.  He studies period hairstyles and interprets them so beautifully with white paper.  Something I particularly admire about Charles is his artistry in creating the perfect silhouette for an 18^th century robe a l’anglasie or an 1880s ballgown with bustle.”

Jonathan Stuhlman, the Mint’s Curator of American Art since 2006, will assume responsibility for the Ancient Americas, Spanish Colonial, and African Art collections currently under Charles’ purview in his expanded role as Senior Curator of Modern, Contemporary and American Art.

“The Mint Museum has been so fortunate to have Charles as one of its greatest treasures. His influence, wisdom, kindness, and passion will be acknowledged and admired for years to come. The Mint would not be the institution it is today without his leadership, grace, infinite style and profound impact.,” said Dr. Kathleen V. Jameson, President & CEO of the Mint.. “We will also look forward to celebrating Charles in the months ahead, both privately and publicly, and his invaluable contributions during his remarkable 30 year tenure with the museum.”

Site, an interactive digital exhibition “kid-alogue,” follows recent launch of North Carolina pottery microsite

Following the success of its recently launched microsite devoted to North Carolina pottery, The Mint Museum has launched a new site devoted to the Surrealist artist Charles Seliger, at Seliger.mintmuseum.org. The site serves as an interactive digital exhibition catalogue, following the museum’s highly-regarded 2012 exhibition devoted to the artist, which traveled internationally. Because it is especially useful for reaching younger audiences, the Mint has named the site a “kid-alogue” and hopes to make it a model for similar future projects.

The Mint received international attention for its groundbreaking exhibition “Seeing the World Within:  Charles Seliger in the 1940s,” which was on view at the Mint from February through May 2012. It was one of three simultaneous exhibitions making up Surrealism and Beyond, which was the largest and most significant examination of Surrealism ever presented in the Southeast. After its presentation at the Mint, the Seliger show traveled to museums in Venice, Italy and Utica, New York. The show, which was the first to examine the vibrant, intricate canvases created by Seliger during the first decade of his career, was seen by more than 150,000 visitors. The exhibition was accompanied by a beautifully-designed printed catalogue containing new insights on Seliger’s work, colorful reproductions of the paintings in the show, and striking details of these canvases.

“This microsite will continue to engage local, national, and international audiences long beyond the conclusion of our exhibition,” said Jonathan Stuhlman, the Mint’s Curator of American Art and organizer of the Surrealism shows. “We are proud to once again offer our global community a new way to learn about and engage with the work of an important artist.”

The site’s features include a broad, illustrated overview of Seliger’s artistic development and the context in which it took place, accompanied by high resolution, zoomable images; a digital gallery of Seliger’s work from the 1940s; rare video clips of interviews with the artist; and a series of thought-provoking questions and suggested activities linked to Seliger and his work. Designed in conjunction with the Eastco Group of Orchard Park, New York and with key input from the museum’s department of Learning and Engagement, this project is calculated to appeal to a broad audience, ranging from middle- and high school students to art lovers to educators.

Major funding was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art; The Dedalus Foundation; and The Mint Museum Auxiliary. Additional support for this project was generously provided by Charlie Murray and Welborn and Patty Alexander. The museum is also grateful to Lenore Seliger, Michael Rosenfeld, and halley k harrisburg for their assistance and commitment to the artist.

In November 2012, the Mint launched its first microsite, devoted to its North Carolina pottery collection, the most comprehensive in the country, at NCpottery.mintmuseum.org. Funded by a generous Technology Integration Project grant from the Knight Foundation, that site also contains interactive components that invite visitors to learn more about the creation of art and its relevance to our state’s history and culture. Visitors can search the Mint’s collection by potter, region, or type of object, as well as find full-text versions of Mint exhibition catalogues devoted to North Carolina pottery and curriculum connections that should be of particular interest to educators. Both microsites are available as links from the Mint’s award-winning main site, mintmuseum.org, under “Resources.”

“These microsite projects advance the Mint’s ongoing goal of finding new, innovative ways to make its art accessible to the widest possible audience,” said Dr. Kathleen V. Jameson, President & CEO of the Mint. “We hope our visitors, both in person and online, will leave feeling inspired and transformed by their interactions.”

Museum to be closed Tuesdays, move free hours to Wednesdays beginning July 16, 2013

Following careful study of attendance patterns, The Mint Museum will now open to the public at 11 a.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sundays, effective July 16, 2013, in order to maximize its highest-attended times and carefully steward its resources. Both locations of the museum will now be closed on Tuesdays in addition to Mondays. The museum will continue to offer free hours of community access each week, moving free evenings to Wednesdays from 5 to 9 p.m. instead of Tuesdays. Sunday hours remain unchanged. The new hours of operation are:

Closed Monday, Tuesday, and major holidays
Wednesday 11 a.m.-9 p.m. (FREE admission 5-9 p.m.)
Thursday-Saturday 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
Sunday 1-5 p.m.

“We researched our attendance patterns in an effort to optimize our public operating schedule and operate more efficiently, which allows us to more effectively respond to the community’s increased demand for meaningful and accessible arts and educational programming,” said Dr. Kathleen V. Jameson, President & CEO of the Mint. “We are very proud of our commitment to free community access, and we expect Wednesdays will be even more popular with the public than Tuesdays have been.”

Members of the media are asked to update all event calendars with the Mint’s new hours of operation. Please contact leigh.dyer@mintmuseum.org with any follow-up questions.

“New Eyes on America: The Genius of Richard Caton Woodville” to remain on view through November 3

An exhibition with richly-painted depictions of daily life created during the transformative years prior to the American Civil War will open at Mint Museum Randolph June 29, accompanied by special community events.

The exhibition, New Eyes on America: The Genius of Richard Caton Woodville, will premiere locally at a First Look Friday at 6:30 p.m. on June 28, which is free to Mint members and $15 for non-members and features gallery tours, complimentary hors d’oeuvres, cash bar, and more. On Saturday June 29, the community is invited to a FREE Community Wellness Day, sponsored by Novant Health with additional support from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina. Wellness-themed activities including dancing, lawn games, children’s hand-washing demonstrations, and healthy picnicking will take place from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. on the lawn in front of Mint Museum Randolph, 2730 Randolph Road, and museum admission is free to both Mint locations for the day.

During a tragically short career, the Baltimore-born and European-trained Richard Caton Woodville (1825–55) engaged with issues that dominated American society, including war, intergenerational communication, and new technologies such as the telegraph and penny press. Woodville was born of a prominent Baltimore family and trained in Düsseldorf, Germany. He conducted much of his professional career in Germany, France, and Great Britain. This is the first monographic Woodville exhibition since 1967. It premiered at The Walters Art Museum, which organized the exhibition, earlier this year.

The exhibition includes 15 of Woodville’s 16 known paintings, several of which have never been on view, as well as prints, illustrated books, and other related works of art to place his career in historical context. Woodville left behind no written archives; however, his work was highly acclaimed and widely disseminated through premium prints sent to thousands of subscribers to the American Art-Union, a national art membership organization. His beautifully painted, highly detailed canvases examining popular subjects played an important role in the extraordinary increase in visual imagery available to a broad American audience during his lifetime.

“This is the first special exhibition of paintings at Mint Museum Randolph since 2010,” said Jonathan Stuhlman, the museum’s Curator of American Art. “It is an honor to be able to share these iconic paintings with our visitors and for the Mint to have been chosen as the only venue in the country for this engaging show after the organizing institution.”

The scenes Woodville depicts are subtle yet revealing of human foibles, rendered on a small scale but addressing the larger events unfolding outside the scenes of daily life, including the politics of manifest destiny, the power shift from the Revolutionary to the Jacksonian generation, and the issues of slavery, war, and class difference. Although prevalent at this time, Woodville avoids the stereotyping and caricature of African American figures who are often observers to the central narratives. The installation also features a unique interactive “parlor” area, in which visitors can participate in activities popular during Woodville’s era, including making shadow puppets, playing with puzzle cubes and other handheld games, and looking at stereoscopic views.

The exhibition was organized by The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, with generous grant support from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services.

A 144-page publication, comprising five essays, a catalogue of the paintings, and an illustrated checklist of works on paper as well as engravings and lithographs after paintings by Woodville, accompanies the exhibition. Published by the Walters Art Museum and distributed by Yale University Press, the soft-cover book retails for $24.95.

Mint to host culminating celebration June 20

ArtSí, Charlotte’s arts community initiative that supports and connects Latino and Latina artists in Mecklenburg County, is readying for its 10-year anniversary celebration, Con A de Arte (A is for Art). Three events will be held in uptown Charlotte:

• Con A de Arte Kickoff Party – Saturday, June 15 at 9 p.m., Cosmos Café, 300 N. College Street, uptown Charlotte
• Con A de Arte Literary Night at the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, Tuesday, June 18 from 6 to 8 p.m., West Boulevard Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, 2157 West Boulevard Charlotte, NC 28208.
• MAIN EVENT: Con A de Arte Closing Reception & Awards Ceremony – Thursday, June 20 from 6-9 p.m., Mint Museum Uptown at Levine Center for the Arts, 500 South Tryon Street.

The celebration will culminate with the Closing Reception & Awards Ceremony, at which featured artists will present an artistic response to the exhibition Sociales: Débora Arango Arrives Today, which is on view at Mint Museum Uptown through Sunday, June 16. Colombian-born painter Débora Arango, who died in 2005 at the age of 98, was one of the pioneers of modern Colombian art. She is considered one of the most important and controversial modern artists of her time.

Featured artists were chosen by a group of art professionals that include: Cynthia Moreno (Assistant Learning & Engagement Director, The Mint Museum), Claudia González-Griffin (Residency & Exhibitions Manager, McColl Center for Visual Art), Melina Monita-Pacheco (Latino New South Project Coordinator, Levine Museum of the New South), Siu Challons-Lipton  (Chair, Art Department, Queens University of Charlotte), and Michele Shaul (Director, Center for Latino Studies, Queens University of Charlotte).

Award recipients will also be honored at the ceremony for their contributions to the arts community in Charlotte and the surrounding areas. Recipients have gone above and beyond in promoting and uplifting Latino artists.

FEATURED ARTISTS:
Visual Artists: Ivan Peña, Claudia Pureco, Oscar Ortiz, Angela Lubinecky, and Nico Amortegui; Latino Themed by Non-Latino Artists: Bill Temples – Fine Arts, Kevin Shank – Photographer, and Jan Notzon – Writer; Sculpture: Victor Gómez and Adrián Barrionuevo; Dance: Daniel Arredondo, El Alma de la Luna and Movimentos de Samba Brazilian Dance Co.; Music Singers: Aris Quiroga and Jessica Alberto de Gutierrez; Theatre: Mónica Román – Actress; Performing Multidiscipline: Genesis Soto – Poet, Actress; Food/Art: Clara Delgado Tapiero – Gelatin Artist; Photography: Armando Bellmas and Jonathan Reynas; Fashion Design: Jennifer Cardenas

AWARD WINNERS:
• Sara Wolf Lifetime Achievement Award presented to Edwin Gil
• Community Partner Award presented to Queens University of Charlotte
• Leading Latino/a Artist Award presented to Rosie Molinary
• Individual Community Supporter Award presented to Lucilla Ruvalcaba

The Con A de Arte presenting sponsors are the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library and The Mint Museum. In-kind sponsors are Cosmos Café, Jennifer Cardenas, Edwin Gil, Latin American Contemporary Art Projects, and Rooster Communications. For a full list of donors and key supporters, please visit the ArtSi website at www.artsicharlotte.org.

ABOUT ARTSÍ

ArtSí Charlotte is a community initiative developed to support Latinos/as in the arts in Mecklenburg County. ArtSí Charlotte connects Latino/a artists to available resources, creates opportunities, empowers Latino/a initiatives and bridges the cultural, communication and financial barriers that Latinos/as in the arts may face. Further, it aims to connect the community as a whole with an amazing pool of talented and diverse artists in the Latino culture. Strategic direction, administrative support and programming is provided by the following organizations, members of the steering committee: Latin American Women Association, Levine Museum of the New South, McColl Center for Visual Art, Mint Museum and Queens University. For more information about ArtSí Charlotte, visit ArtSiCharlotte.org or find us on Twitter at @ArtSiCharlotte and Facebook at facebook.com/ArtSiCharlotte.

For more information, contact:

Leigh Dyer
Public Relations Manager, The Mint Museum
704.337.2009
Leigh.Dyer@mintmuseum.org

Ana Lucia Divins
Latino Community Education Liaison, The Mint Museum
AnaLucia.Divins@mintmuseum.org
704.337.2123

Brian Cockman
President, Rooster Communications
brian@roostercomm.biz
877.210.3737, ext. 11

International urban artist-in-residence program to build upon success of widely recognized curator of contemporary art beginning July 1, 2013.

McColl Center for Visual Art today announced Brad Thomas will assume the role of Director of Residencies
& Exhibitions effective July 1.

In his new role Thomas will work with the leadership team in shaping the artistic and programming strategies while creating inspiring opportunities for artists to create and share their work with the community and beyond.

The Center has more than a decade of experience as a cultural leader in the community showcasing the work of more than
260 artists-in-residence since its opening in 1999. Thomas will look to both carry forward the tradition of conversation
around contemporary art and the role that residency programs can play in advancing artists, art, and society and break new
ground in expanding the boundaries of outreach programs and collaboration with cultural community partners.

Thomas most recently served as Curator of Modern & Contemporary Art for Charlotte’s Mint Museum where he led
significant advances in the Museum’s collection and worked on innovative projects such as the Vote for Art project that
surrounded Charlotte’s recent role as host for the 2012 Democratic National Convention. In addition, he organized the
popular residencies of Japanese installation artist Motoi Yamamoto, whose massive Saltwork covered the atrium floor of
Mint Museum Uptown, and FECUND, the multi-disciplinary work of former McColl Center resident John W. Love, Jr.

Prior to his work with the Mint, Thomas was the director and curator of the Van Every/Smith Galleries at Davidson College.
There he organized dozens of exhibitions and collaborative projects, including the international artists-in-residency project
Force of Nature, which centered on site-specific installations by ten Japanese artists at seven American institutions. Thomas
has also led initiatives to integrate visual art into the learning experience, most notably through the establishment of
Davidson’s Campus Sculpture Program, which features major outdoor installations by Magdalena Abakanowicz, Antony
Gormley, Joel Shapiro, and William Tucker. He also produced publications on Magdalena Abakanowicz, Ewan Gibbs, Herb
Jackson, Robert Lazzarini, Reverend McKendree Robbins Long, and Joel Shapiro. His partnership with the College Writing
Program in 2012 led to the release of Davidson Collects: 100 Writers Respond to Art, the first interdisciplinary book on
Davidson College’s permanent art collection, which features 100 essays on selected works by undergraduate students from
a wide variety of majors.

“My relationship with The Mint Museum spans almost 25 years. In fact, the Mint was the first museum I visited while an
undergraduate art student at UNC Charlotte,” said Thomas. “The impact the institution, as well as many of the people who
have served here, has had on me as an artist, curator, and resident of Charlotte is immeasurable. I look forward to
developing future collaborative opportunities with the Mint with artists and programs featured at McColl Center.” Thomas
holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of North Carolina Charlotte and is widely recognized for his
contributions as both an artist and curator.

Added Dr. Kathleen V. Jameson, President & CEO of the Mint: “The opportunities afforded by this new position are well
suited to the skills developed through Brad’s interdisciplinary work with professors and students at Davidson College,
international artist-in-residency programs, and his long-standing service with the Public Art Commission. I am very excited
for Brad and proud of his tenure here at the Mint. We also now have the opportunity to strengthen even further our
partnership with the McColl.”

“We are simply thrilled to have the breadth and depth of talent that Brad brings to the Center,” said McColl Center for
Visual Art President and CEO Suzanne Festcher. “He is well respected by artists and administrators and has a keen sense for
piquing interest amongst the public by expanding the reach of art into the community. Brad’s extensive relationships are a
huge asset for us. In terms of his work with the Mint, we look forward to investigating and establishing deeper
opportunities for programming between our organizations.”

ABOUT MCCOLL CENTER FOR VISUAL ART

Located in uptown Charlotte, North Carolina, McColl Center for Visual Art is a nationally respected urban artist-in-residence
program that engages artists from the U.S. and around the world in its programs. Center’s goal is to present art and artists
in a way that engages and enriches the public while revealing the creative process through open studios, outreaches,
community projects, educational programs, and the Innovation Institute. The gallery is free and open to the public, Thursday
and Friday from 3 to 9 PM and Saturday from 11 AM to 6 PM.

Since its opening in 1999, the Center has become a cultural leader and the leading organization presenting contemporary
art in Charlotte. It provides the unique opportunity for the public to engage with artists in their studios. The Center has
hosted over 260 artists-in-residence including Nick Cave, Mel Chin, Sonya Clark, Elizabeth Turk, Rashaad Newsome, Franco
Mondini-Ruiz, and Brian Knep.

The Center resides in a beautiful 30,000 square foot Gothic Revival church and boasts one of the best residency facilities in
the U.S. with specialized studios that include sculpture, wood, printmaking, darkroom, ceramics, and media and private
fully-furnished condos for each artist. The Center has been recognized by the Warhol Foundation as one of the top three
residency programs in the U.S. based on the generous financial support to its artists-in-residents.
McColl Center for Visual Art is supported, in part, with a Basic Operating Grant from the Arts and Science Council as
well as the North Carolina Arts Council with funding from the state of North Carolina and the National Endowment for
the Arts, which believes that a great nation deserves great art and the generosity of corporate and individual donors.

Mint is one of more than 1,800 Blue Star Museums nationwide

The Mint Museum and several of its uptown neighbors are once again joining Blue Star Museums, a collaboration among the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense, and more than 1,800 museums across America to offer free admission to all active duty military personnel, including active Reserve and National Guard, and their families from Memorial Day through Labor Day 2013. Leadership support has been provided by MetLife
Foundation through Blue Star Families. The complete list of participating museums is available at
www.arts.gov/bluestarmuseums.

All Blue Star Museums, including the Mint, Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, Discovery Place, Johnson C. Smith University (which is hosting the exhibition COURAGE: The Carolina Story that Changed America in its James B. Duke Memorial Library) and Levine Museum of the New South, are offering free admission to all military ID holders and up to five family members. In addition, the Mint is offering free admission to any veteran with a Veterans Identification Card and up to five of their family members for the summer. The initiative applies to both Mint locations, Mint Museum Uptown at Levine Center for the Arts, 500 South Tryon Street, and Mint Museum Randolph at 2730 Randolph Road.

“We are thrilled to offer our support to military families and veterans this summer,” said Hillary Cooper, director of communications and media relations at The Mint Museum. “This initiative enables us to deepen our community connections and serve as a family-friendly center for learning and inspiration.”

“Blue Star Museums is something that service members and their families look forward to every year and we are thrilled with the continued growth of the program,” said Blue Star Families CEO Kathy Roth-Douquet. “Through this distinctive collaboration between Blue Star Families, the National Endowment for the Arts and more than 1,800 museums across the United States, service members and their families can connect with our national treasures with this unparalleled opportunity to visit some of the country’s finest museums for free.”

This year, more than 1,800 (and counting) museums in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and American Samoa are taking part in the initiative, including more than 450 new museums this year. Museums are welcome to join Blue Star Museums throughout the summer. The effort to recruit museums has involved partnerships with the American Association of Museums, the Association of Art Museum Directors, the Association of Children’s Museums, the American Association of State and Local History, and the Association of Science-Technology Centers. This year’s Blue Star Museums represent not just fine arts museums, but also science museums, history museums, nature centers, and 75 children’s museums. Among this year’s new participants are the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, California, Grand Traverse Lighthouse Museum in Northport, Michigan, the Totem Heritage Center in Ketchikan, Alaska, and the World Museum of Mining in Butte, Montana.

ABOUT BLUE STAR MUSEUMS

Blue Star Museums is a collaboration among the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense, and more than 1,800 museums across America. The program runs from Memorial Day, May 27, 2013 through Labor Day, September 2, 2013.

Some special or limited-time museum exhibits may not be included in this free admission program. For questions on particular exhibits or museums, please contact the museum directly. To find out which museums are participating, visit www.arts.gov/bluestarmuseums. The site includes a list of participating museums and a map to help with visit planning.

This is the latest NEA program to bring quality arts programs to the military, veterans, and their families. Other NEA programs for the military have included the NEA/Walter Reed Healing Arts Partnership; Great American Voices Military Base Tour; and Shakespeare in American Communities Military Base Tour.

ABOUT BLUE STAR FAMILIES

Blue Star Families is a national, nonprofit network of military families from all ranks and services, including guard and reserve, dedicated to supporting, connecting and empowering military families. With our partners, Blue Star Families hosts a robust array of morale and empowerment programs, including Books on Bases, Blue Star Museums, Operation Honor Corp, Blue Star Careers and Operation Appreciation. Blue Star Families also works directly with the Department of Defense and senior members of local, State and Federal government to bring the most important military family issues to light.

Working in concert with fellow nonprofits, community advocates, and public officials, Blue Star Families raises awareness of the challenges and strengths of military family life and works to make military life more sustainable. Our worldwide membership includes military spouses, children, parents, and friends, as well as service members, veterans and civilians. To learn more about Blue Star Families, visit http://www.bluestarfam.org.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS

The National Endowment for the Arts was established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. To date, the NEA has awarded more than $4 billion to support artistic excellence, creativity, and innovation for the benefit of individuals and communities. The NEA extends its work through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector. To join the discussion on how art works, visit the NEA at arts.gov.

Special days in June and September offer free museum admission and free healthy living activities

The Mint Museum is joining with leading members of the business community to present a new concept to the public: Mint Museum Community Wellness Days. These special events will combine free health-focused activities and free museum admission in recognition of the significant role that arts and culture play in healthy living and a community’s well-being.

Novant Health and PNC have each signed on as lead sponsors for an upcoming event, both of which will be based at Mint Museum Randolph, 2730 Randolph Road. The Novant Health Community Wellness Day, with additional support from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, is June 29, and the PNC Community Wellness Day is scheduled for September 28. Both events will offer activities from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

“The Mint is grateful to Novant Health, PNC, and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina for their leadership in supporting community wellness, and for their recognition of the important role that cultural institutions such as the Mint can play in fostering it,” said Dr. Kathleen V. Jameson, President & CEO of the Mint. “These events further the Mint’s ongoing commitment to being a resource for health and wellness and to being an accessible and relevant resource for the community.”

Recent research demonstrates the significant power of many art forms as a healing therapy for many conditions and diseases. Engagement with creative activities has been shown to contribute to reducing stress, combating depression, and serving as a vehicle for alleviating chronic diseases, according to “The Connection Between Art, Healing and Public Health: A Review of Current Literature,” published in The American Journal of Public Health in 2010. The Mint has recognized this connection for many years, and previous efforts have included joining the First Lady’s Let’s Move! museum initiative in 2011 and offering numerous previous free-admission community days, each of which have drawn thousands of people. But this year is the first time that sponsors have enabled the museum to present a full array of wellness-themed activities along with free museum admission.

Activities to be offered at both wellness days include croquet, kickball, yoga, and Frisbee in the sprawling park at Mint Museum Randolph; docent-led tours about the Mint’s permanent collections and traveling exhibitions; opportunities for quiet reflection in the Mint’s stunning gardens; artist demonstrations; picnics with healthy snacks and representatives from local farms; and do-it-yourself art activities. The Mint will also offer free admission to visitors at Mint Museum Uptown. (Normal adult general admission, which is valid for both museum locations, is $10).

“Community partnerships are vital to the mission, vision, and values of Novant Health,” said Karen Bentley, Director of Community Relations for Novant Health. “While much of the remarkable care we provide takes place within our facilities, our mission to improve the health of our communities extends far beyond our hospitals and physician practices.”

Novant Health plans to bring the Novant Health Breast Center mobile unit and the Novant Health Pediatric Critical Care Transport to its Wellness Day on June 29, along with hand washing demonstrations for children.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is a supporting sponsor of the June 29 Wellness Day and will provide their Wellness Unit and offer additional health-related information at the event.

“Studies show that physically active people can save $500 per year on their health care costs. That’s certainly a goal worth pursuing,” said Ellison Clary, director of Charlotte community relations for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina. “By collaborating with organizations like The Mint Museum to support wellness and physical fitness, we’re giving North Carolinians the opportunity to be active and stay healthy, which can make a real difference in their health care spending.”

The Novant Health Community Wellness Day will serve as a launch of the newest traveling exhibition to open at Mint Museum Randolph:  New Eyes on America: The Genius of Richard Caton Woodville. The first exhibition of the artist’s work in 45 years, New Eyes on America will feature approximately four dozen paintings and other works by the American artist. It is the first exhibition of American paintings at Mint Museum Randolph in nearly five years. Woodville’s career produced a small number of pieces which depicted the major issues in American society leading up to the Civil War, including politics and emerging technology.  These detailed and life-like canvases offer snapshots of America’s past that will appeal to art and history buffs alike.

PNC’s commitment broadened

In addition to sponsoring the fall Community Wellness Day, PNC has signed on as the lead sponsor for the Mint’s groundbreaking exhibition F.O.O.D. (Food, Objects, Objectives, Design). Visitors to the exhibition, which is on view at Mint Museum Uptown through July 7, are submitting family recipes to the museum, and a selection of them  will be published in the Mint’s first-ever community cookbook with the help of PNC. And the financial service company has also become lead sponsor through February 2014 of the Mint’s Sunday Fun Days, held every third Sunday at Mint Museum Uptown. Each Sunday Fun Day is a drop-in family program offering hands-on art activities, healthy movement activities, and connections to the Mint’s exhibitions and permanent collection. Admission to Sunday Fun Days is free for children under 18 and half-price for adults.

The sponsorship is part of PNC’s “Grow Up Great” initiative. Founded by The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc., PNC Grow Up Great, and PNC Crezca con Éxito form a bilingual, $350 million, multi-year initiative that began in 2004 to help prepare children – particularly underserved children – from birth to age five for success in school and life.

“PNC has a long history of supporting organizations that strengthen and enrich the lives of our communities,” said Weston Andress, PNC Regional President, Western Carolina. “We understand that a rich arts community and a focus on healthy living is an important part of making the region attractive for businesses, residents and visitors.”

The fall Community Wellness Day on September 28 coincides with a national free museum admission day established by Smithsonian Magazine, called Museum Day Live! Each year on Museum Day Live!, visitors to participating museums may receive two free adult admissions if they print out a voucher from the Smithsonian website. However, thanks to the support of PNC, the Mint will not require visitors to present vouchers and will automatically grant free admission at both locations.

ABOUT PNC

The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (www.pnc.com) is one of the nation’s largest diversified financial services organizations providing retail and business banking; residential mortgage banking; specialized services for corporations and government entities, including corporate banking, real estate finance and asset-based lending; wealth management and asset management. Follow @PNCNews on Twitter for breaking news, updates and announcements from PNC.

ABOUT NOVANT HEALTH

Novant Health is a four-state integrated network of physician practices, outpatient centers and hospitals that deliver a seamless and convenient healthcare experience to our communities. The Novant Health network consists of more than 1,100 physicians and 24,000 employees who make healthcare remarkable at more than 450 locations. Headquartered in Winston-Salem, N.C., Novant Health is committed to making healthcare remarkable for our patients and our communities serving over four million patients annually. In 2012, Novant Health provided more than $500 million in community benefit including charity care and services. Novant Health is one of the top 25 integrated health systems in the United States. For more information, please visit our website at NovantHealth.org. You can also follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

ABOUT BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD OF NORTH CAROLINA

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is a leader in delivering innovative health care products, services, and information to more than 3.74 million members, including approximately 1 million served on behalf of other Blue Plans. For generations, the company has served its customers by offering health insurance at a competitive price and has served the people of North Carolina through support of community organizations, programs, and events that promote good health. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina was recognized as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere Institute in 2012 and 2013. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Visit BCBSNC online at bcbsnc.com.

Three museums to offer ‘pay what you wish’ admission in conjunction with international event.

Charlotte’s premier cultural destination, Levine Center for the Arts, is celebrating the Association of Art Museum Directors’ (AAMD) Art Museum Day 2013 by offering “pay what you wish” admission to museum visitors on Saturday, May 18.

Three of the cultural institutions at the South Tryon Street campus, the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture, and Mint Museum Uptown, are joining forces to offer visitors an unparalleled arts experience. The Mint Museum is also offering “pay what you wish” admission at its other location, Mint Museum Randolph. (Normal admission is $8 each to the Bechtler and Gantt Center and $10 to the Mint, or a Levine Center for the Arts joint admission pass is available for $20 on CarolinaTix.org.)

Since 2010, the AAMD has encouraged art museums across the nation to participate in conjunction with the International Council of Museums’ (ICOM) International Museum Day, dedicated to promoting the value of museums in society. Over 100 AAMD member museums have participated each year. This year’s theme is “museums (memory + creativity) = social change.”

At the Mint, other special promotions and opportunities are surrounding the Art Museum Day 2013 effort. Beginning Monday May 13, anyone who “shares” the Mint’s Facebook posts at facebook.com/mintmuseum or “retweets” any #ArtMuseumDay tweet at @TheMintMuseum will automatically win one free Mint guest pass to be used during the coming year, along with being entered into a drawing for two free tickets to the museum’s May 30 “Party in the Park” event (a $40 value for non-members, $20 for Mint members). Promotion ends at 5 p.m. Friday May 17. On Saturday May 18, the Mint will offer a one-day-only special 50 percent off price for annual memberships, which bring unlimited free admissions to both museums and a host of other valuable benefits. And Mint Museum Uptown will be hosting two special events: a gathering for grandmothers, mothers, and daughters benefiting Second Harvest Food Bank called F.O.O.D. and Fellowship (registration required at mintmuseum.org/happenings) and a residency by local performance artist John W. Love, Jr. entitled FECUND. Special exhibitions on view at Mint Museum Uptown include F.O.O.D. (Food, Objects, Objectives, Design); Sociales: Debora Arango Arrives Today; and Return to the Sea: Saltworks by Motoi Yamamoto. At Mint Museum Randolph, new exhibitions on view include American Glass; Arts of Africa; and the fashion exhibition Dior, Balmain, Saint Laurent: Elegance & Ease.

Visitors who are familiar with one or two of the institutions are encouraged to use the day to experience one they may not know as well.

All donations by museum visitors support making the priceless artistic treasures of these facilities more accessible to the larger community, as well as enabling museums to mount unforgettable educational programming. More information about supporting each museum can be found at bechtler.org (click on “Support”); ganttcenter.org (click on “Join & Support), and mintmuseum.org (click on “Support”).

For more information, contact:

Pam Davis, Director of Communications and Marketing, Bechtler Museum of Modern Art: 704.353.9204; pam.davis@bechtler.org

Sharon Holm, Marketing Specialist, Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture:
704.547.3767; sharon@ganttcenter.org

Leigh Dyer, Public Relations and Publications Manager, The Mint Museum:
704.337.2009; leigh.dyer@mintmuseum.org

ABOUT THE BECHTLER MUSEUM OF MODERN ART

The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art is dedicated to the exhibition of mid-20th-century modern art. It is named after the family of Andreas Bechtler, who assembled and inherited a collection created by seminal figures in modernism. The museum is located at Levine Center for the Arts, 420 South Tryon Street, Charlotte. Operating hours are Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Sunday 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.; closed Tuesdays. Admission is $8 for adults; $6 for seniors, college students and educators; $4 for youth (11 to 14) and free for children (up to 10). For museum details visit www.bechtler.org.

ABOUT THE HARVEY B. GANTT CENTER FOR AFRICAN-AMERICAN ARTS + CULTURE

Founded in 1974, Charlotte’s Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture (formerly the Afro-American Cultural Center) exists to present, preserve and celebrate the art, history and culture of African-Americans and those of African descent through dance, music, visual and literary arts, film, educational programs, theatre productions, and community outreach. Named for Harvey B. Gantt, the prominent Charlotte architect and community leader and former Mayor of Charlotte, the Center is housed in an inspired and distinguished award-winning structure and is home to the nationally celebrated John and Vivian Hewitt Collection of African-American art.  Please visit www.ganttcenter.org.

ABOUT THE MINT MUSEUM

As the oldest art museum in North Carolina, and the art museum with one of the largest collections in the Southeast, The Mint Museum offers its visitors inspiring and transformative experiences through art from around the world via innovative collections, groundbreaking exhibitions, riveting educational programs, and profound scholarship. The Mint Museum is a non-profit, visual arts institution comprised of two dynamic facilities: Mint Museum Uptown and Mint Museum Randolph.
Located in what was the original branch of the United States Mint, Mint Museum Randolph opened in 1936 in Charlotte’s Eastover neighborhood as the state’s first art museum. Today, in a beautiful park setting, intimate galleries invite visitors to engage with the art of the ancient Americas, ceramics and decorative arts, fashion, European and African art, among other collections. Resources include a reference library with over 18,000 volumes, a theater featuring lectures and performances, and a museum shop offering merchandise that complements both the permanent collection and special exhibitions.
Mint Museum Uptown houses the internationally renowned Craft + Design collection, as well as outstanding collections of American, contemporary, and European art. Designed by Machado and Silvetti Associates of Boston, the five-story, 145,000-square-foot facility combines inspiring architecture with cutting-edge exhibitions to provide visitors with unparalleled educational and cultural experiences. Located in the heart of Charlotte’s burgeoning center city, Mint Museum Uptown is an integral part of the Levine Center for the Arts, and features a wide range of visitor amenities, including the 240-seat James B. Duke Auditorium, the Lewis Family Gallery, art studios, a restaurant, and a museum shop.  For more information, visit mintmuseum.org.

ABOUT LEVINE CENTER FOR THE ARTS

Levine Center for the Arts is one of Charlotte’s key cultural destinations, comprised of Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture, John S. and James L. Knight Theater, Mint Museum Uptown, and Duke Energy Center. The Levine Center was made possible through the Campaign for Cultural Facilities, the support of the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, and the generosity of the Leon Levine Foundation, one of the country’s largest and most impactful philanthropic organizations.