Welcome to the inaugural issue of the Smithsonian Associates Art Collectors Program quarterly ARTeNEWSLETTER. We’re pleased to share information about the art world and art collecting with readers interested in the Smithsonian Art Collectors Program.

in this issue:

On May 17, nationally acclaimed modern landscape artist Wolf Kahn enchanted a full-house at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, as the Smithsonian Resident Associates honored him for generously donating his creative work, Aura* to the Art Collectors Program. Mr. Kahn’s work hangs in the permanent collections of many museums including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, the Smithsonian Museum of American Art and the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden.

An audience of over 300 was charmed by Mr. Kahn’s lighthearted insight into the creative use of color. He emphasized that one must "use colors that make your heart sing,” and that “each color must mean something.” The colors in his paintings come straight out of the tube; he doesn’t mix them. As Mr. Kahn states, “Light is everything!” It is this light, and the converging colors that evoke the ethereal world of nature. While juxtaposing magentas, greens, and muted pastels, he achieves a balance in Aura* that transports the viewer into a tranquil, serene world.

Mr. Kahn’s attitude towards colors was also reflected in his personal dress. As he laughingly indicated, orange should be used for underwear. He then showed off his yellow socks that coordinated with his pink shirt and green tie. In addition to discussing his use of color, Mr. Kahn chronicled working as Hans Hoffman’s studio assistant in New York during the late 1940s. He also spoke openly about the influence of his artist wife Emily Mason and daughter Cecily Kahn.

The evening concluded with a reception and book signing full of lively conversation, carrying on the deeply felt and lighthearted feeling of spring, which Mr. Kahn aptly conveys in his personality and work.

*Aura is a limited-edition screen print published by the Smithsonian Art Collectors Program.

A print with three bursting red flowers; an ethereal landscape in purples and greens; an abstract representation of the Foucault Pendulum in reds, yellows and oranges – these are just three of the artworks that line the wall of the Ripley Center Concourse located in the S. Dillon Ripley Center, 1100 Jefferson Drive, SW, Washington, DC.

In a departure from most Smithsonian exhibitions, staff and visitors can take home the artworks on display in the exhibition “Graphic Eloquence: Limited-Edition Prints from the Smithsonian Associates Art Collectors Program.” The works range in price from $200 to $2,500. Read more...

One can only thrill at their unerring poise, caught as they are midway between a soap bubble and a sculpture. – Henry Geldzahler, Curator, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

You’re in for a real treat! Be one of the first to view the Chihuly Glass 2005 Studio Edition at www.artcollectorsprogram.org. The new collection of Chihuly Glass art that is for sale includes 4 new seductive pieces titled Sunset Macchia, Seagreen Macchia Pair, Amethyst Persian and Bel Fiore.

Running until October 30, 2005, The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York is showing Sol LeWitt on the Roof: Splotches, Whirls and Twirls (www.met.org). Although a small exhibit, comprising both sculptural works and a wall painting, the resonances between form, color, and setting are quite spectacular. Standing in this charming rooftop garden, LeWitt’s creations seem to speak to the city beyond.

The undulating lines appear to mirror the famed New York skyline, while the lush green of Central Park emphasizes the brilliance of LeWitt’s palette. These are the same colors that the artist employed in 2004, when he created Isometric Figure with Bars of Color for the Smithsonian Art Collectors Program. For more information regarding this work, visit our website.

By Vivian L. Ebersman
Director, Fine Art Department AXA Art Insurance Corporation
Caring for Your Art, by AXA Art Insurance Corporation

You’ve assembled a collection. How do you look after it? First of all, this is an ongoing process extending from proper installation and the right insurance coverage to planning for subsequent stewardship. A conservator, appraiser, and attorney may all play a role.

Documenting each work
A good first step is documenting and tracking relevant information. Maintain a separate file for each work. Include the purchase invoice with date and seller. Ask the gallery or auction house for available photographs as well as exhibition and conservation histories. Take color photographs of the back and front of a painting, and several angles of a three-dimensional object. Record any information on the back of a photograph as it will be hidden once the work is framed. Train your eye to detect all nuances about the baseline condition of each object: Is there an anomalous patch of paint? Do striations appear in the patina of a bronze sculpture? Date all observations. Finish by completing the checklist at the end of this article.
Your records can be paper, electronic or a mixture. With a simple spreadsheet, Microsoft Access database or off-the-shelf collection management software, you can create reports with ease. Plan to store a copy of your data in a separate location.
Although you may prune works from your collection, keep the records. They are a valuable part of your collection’s history. Read more...

Organized by the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the following lectures present a forum for engaging the public in the creative experience and a discussion of what American art is today. Each year, the series offers new insights and perspectives by an artist, a critic, and a scholar.

All lectures begin at 7 p.m., in Lisner Auditorium, The George Washington University (730 21st St, NW, Washington, DC). Lectures are free, no reservations required, and will be followed by a reception. This annual series is made possible by the generosity of Clarice Smith. Read more...

Programs presented by the Smithsonian Resident Associates are conducted in Washington, D.C. and most are held in buildings on the National Mall. Visit www.ResidentAssociates.org for a full listing and information on registration.

• In this lecture, Hilary Spurling illuminates Matisse’s life and work.
• Thurs., Sept. 22, 6:30 p.m.

Glass at Corning New York

• Join glass expert Sheila Pinsker on this specially designed program visiting the home of Steuben Glass. Discover art and history as you time-travel through 35 centuries of glassmaking.
• TWO-NIGHT TOUR: Thurs., Oct. 6, to Sat., Oct. 8

Brooklyn Museum of Art

• The Brooklyn Museum of Art, recently renovated with a stunning glass entrance and a public plaza for its Beaux-Arts building, is New York City’s second largest museum.
• Sat., Oct. 8

Visual Experience: An Introduction to Art and Architecture

• This introductory course addresses art thematically by presenting the fundamental concepts necessary to understand works of art from different periods.
• Wed., Oct. 12 - Dec. 7, 12 noon

Monet’s London: Artists’ Reflections on the Thames, 1859-1914

• This seminar offers an exploration of Monet’s life and work, highlighting his time in London.
• Sat., Oct. 15, 9:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.

Impressionism, American-Style

• In the late 19th century, American artists traveling abroad discovered the delights of French Impressionism. In this illustrated lecture, art historian and painter Angela Puglisi discusses how these artists reinterpreted French Impressionism.
• Tues., Nov. 15, 6:30 to 9 p.m.

Edvard Munch, Norwegian Icon

• In this illustrated lecture, Gerd Woll, senior curator at the Munch Museum, Oslo, analyzes Munch’s work and describes how his originality continues to resonate with international audiences.
• Wed., Nov. 16, 6:30 p.m.

Winslow Homer: American Master

• In a lecture at the Smithsonian, NGA educator Julie Springer traces Homer's career and the National Gallery’s outstanding collection of his work.
• Tues., Nov. 29, 6:30 p.m.