STOCKTON – A new exhibition at the Haggin Museum titled Full Sun: American Women Artists Illuminate the Haggin Museum opens Aug. 2 and continues through Sept. 16. This juried show features paintings and sculptures by members of American Women Artists (AWA) influenced by 13 paintings from the Haggin Museum’s core art collection.
As the Haggin began the redesign of its core art galleries, Robin Knowlton, AWA’s Executive Director and Kathy Lemke Waste, immediate past President of the AWA Board, approached the Museum with an idea to host an exhibition as a part of their 25 in 25 initiative. 25 in 25, started in 2017 by AWA, was inspired by the dismal statistics showing that work by women artists makes up only 3 - 5% of the permanent holdings of art museums in America. AWA’s plan is to secure twenty-five museum exhibitions in as many years. Haggin is honored to be hosting the third scheduled show of the 25 in 25 initiative.
Full Sun: American Women Artists Illuminate the Haggin Museum celebrates a re-examination of the Haggin Collection. For this exhibition, members of AWA were asked to create artwork that was inspired by a selection of 13 paintings from the Haggin Museum’s 19th – 20th century art including works by William Merritt Chase, Albert Bierstadt, Rosa Bonheur, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and other notable artists. AWA artists could take their inspiration from the artwork, the artist’s greater body of work, or the theme of the painting.
New York artist and Master AWA member Ellen Buselli chose William Merritt Chase’s 1884 painting “The Artist’s Wife” as creative influence for her artwork. Buselli explains, “In both works of art, the sitter glances away in an oddly engaging partial far silhouette. Both works are painted in light pastel tones and soft color harmonies with compressed values.” She adds, “Although the paintings were painted about 134 years apart, each one shows the loveliness of the sitter. The wonderful difference is that ‘Coffee & Cream’ is a 21st century contemporary version of Chase’s turn-of-the century female pose.”
Haggin Museum is a nonprofit art and history museum accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. It is located at 1201 N. Pershing Ave., Stockton. It is open to the public Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays from 1:30 to 5 p.m. and the first and thurd Thursdays from 1:30 to 9 p.m.
Admission is $8 for adults, $7 for seniors (ages 65 and older), $5 for students and youth (ages 10-17), and free for children under 10, museum members, and on the first Saturday of each month. For more information call 209.940.6300 or visit www.hagginmuseum.org.
