July Fourth Holiday

Please note that the Lauren Rogers Museum of Art will be closed on Saturday, July 4th, 2009.

At the Museum: Connecting to Collections

In mid-June, approximately three hundred library and museum professionals converged on Buffalo, New York, for a conference sponsored by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, a federal agency. I was one of the curators who met with and learned from conservators, collections managers, archivists, librarians, administrators, volunteers, and board members from across the nation. The goal of the conference was to raise awareness and develop strategies for conserving America’s material heritage, from great paintings and sculpture to Revolutionary War flags to the archives of community organizations.

The IMLS conferences on collections were inspired by the 2005 report, “A Public Trust at Risk: The Heritage Health Index Report on the State of America’s Collections (HHI),” a project of Heritage Preservation and IMLS, which revealed that our collections of objects, documents, digital material, and living collections are not only essential to America’s cultural health, but are also imperiled and in need of swift protective action. The study’s findings, announced in 2005, are sobering. HHI concluded that almost two hundred million objects held by archives, historical societies, libraries, museums, and scientific organizations in the United States are in need of conservation treatment; sixty-five percent of collecting institutions have experienced damage to collections due to improper storage; eighty percent of collecting institutions do not have an emergency plan that includes collections, with staff trained to carry it out; and forty percent of institutions have no funds allocated in their annual budgets for preservation or conservation.

Fortunately, although LRMA has some objects needing conservation, we do have safe storage, an emergency plan, and a modest budget for conservation and preservation. Here at the Museum, we hold artworks and local history archives in trust for the public, and we take very seriously our responsibility to ensure that they exist in good condition for future generations. To do that, we give priority to providing safe conditions for the collections we hold in trust; we have staff assigned specifically to the care of collections; and we take responsibility for providing the support that will allow these collections to survive. These general policies are in keeping with the recommendations of the Heritage Health Index.

The term “conservation” often brings to mind images of a laboratory with a conservator painstakingly testing paint chips, restoring lost paint, or re-weaving textiles. I learned at the conference that many young conservators credit the movie “Ghostbusters II” and Sigourney Weaver’s character’s job as a painting restorer for their first awareness of the profession. However, the term also more generally refers to the safe storage of artworks in museum-quality materials in a building with a controlled climate, good security, and art-safe lighting. Many of these elements are invisible to the general public, but they are a central concern for those of us responsible for the well-being of collections. They can also be rather expensive, which is why so many collections across the nation are at risk. Preserving our nation’s heritage is expensive and time-consuming, but all around you are library and museum professionals dedicated to doing just that.

For more information about the Heritage Health Index, visit the website http://heritagepreservation.org/hhi/. Information about the Institute of Museum and Library Services can be found at www.imls.gov.

The Lauren Rogers Museum of Art is open from 10:00 a.m. until 4:45 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and 1:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. Sunday. For more information about exhibitions, tours, and programming, call 601-649-6374 or visit www.LRMA.org.

Jill R. Chancey, PhD, is curator of the Lauren Rogers Museum of Art.

Guest Blogger: Mandy Buchanan

The Lauren Rogers Museum of Art Education staff is busy preparing for the many classes and art activities to be offered at LRMA this summer for children and adults.

We are offering a five-week oil painting workshop with artist David Wilkinson. This class is offered for middle school to college-aged students. This workshop begins Wednesday, July 1 from 9:oo am until noon and will continue every Wednesday morning in July.

Artist Sharon Howard will be teaching an introductory still life painting class for adults. These classes are offered Tuesday and Thursday mornings July 21,23,28 & 30 from 9 am until 11 am.

Summer Art Camp will be offered July 14 - 17 for children in grades Kindergarten- 6th grade. Grades K-3 will be meet from 10 a.m. until noon and grades 4- 6 will meet from 2 until 4 p.m. The theme for this year’s camp is “Under the Sea.” Participants will create colorful sea art including sea shell pottery, fish sculptures, mosaics and seascape paintings. For prices and additional information on these classes, please call the Museum at 601.649.6374.

The LRMA Education staff is still offering Free Family Art on Wednesday afternoons through July 1 from 1 until 4 p.m. in the Museum Annex. No reservations are required for this activity. Don’t miss out on this fun make-and-take art program!

Mandy Buchanan is the Curator of Education at the Lauren Rogers Museum of Art.

Southern Miss Chidren's Center Playground Mural

Angie King and Mandy Buchanan recently completed a mural in Hattiesburg. Click for pics and more info!

Guest Blogger: George Bassi

Next Saturday, the cultural eyes of Mississippi will be focused on Laurel and the Lauren Rogers Museum of Art as we host the 30th anniversary celebration of the Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters. The celebration not only includes an awards dinner but also an exhibition featuring MIAL award winners in Visual Art and Photography over the past 30 years.

Drawn from both public and private collections, this exhibit will be on view June 13 – August 2, 2009, at LRMA and will be a virtual “Who’s Who” of Mississippi artists, including works by William Dunlap, Sam Gilliam, Birney Imes, Mildred Wolfe, Maude S. Clay, Eudora Welty, Wyatt Waters, and Charles Carraway. The list of award recipients is a strong reflection of the talents of Mississippians and the artistic heritage of our state.

The Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters was founded in 1978 by a few discerning individuals, including former Governor William Winter and Dr. Cora Norman, both of Jackson; Dr. Aubrey Lucas and Dr. Noel Polk, both of Hattiesburg; and Mrs. Keith McLean of Cleveland. They knew that among Mississippi's greatest riches are our artists, writers, and musicians, who must be supported, nurtured, and recognized.

The prestigious awards, first made in 1980, are presented in seven categories: Fiction, Non-fiction, Visual Art, Musical Composition (Concert), Musical Composition (Popular), Photography, and Poetry.

The Institute's juried competition is one of a kind in the state. Carefully selected judges, chosen from out of state, are prominent in their fields. Supported by Mississippi Institutes of Higher Learning, MIAL is privately funded, self-perpetuating, and non-profit.

Those being recognized this year include two Lifetime Achievement winners: painter Marshall Bouldin and writer Elizabeth Spencer. Other 2009 MIAL winners include Howard Bahr (Fiction), Steve Rouse (Music Composition – Classical/Concert), 3 Doors Down (Music Composition – Contemporary/Popular), Douglas A. Blackmon (Nonfiction), Jane Rule Burdine (Photography), Brooks Haxton (Poetry), and H. C. Porter (Visual Arts).

A highlight of the events on Saturday will be readings and book-signings at 4:00 p.m. by this year’s winners in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, photography, and visual art, as well as the two lifetime achievement honorees. The readings and signings will be held in the Museum lobby and are open to the public.

The MIAL Awards Dinner will be held at LRMA this Saturday, June 13, beginning with a reception at 5:30 p.m. in the Lower Level Galleries followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m. in the American Gallery. Tickets for the Awards Dinner are $50 per person; call the museum at 601-649-6374 for more information.

George Bassi is Director of the Lauren Rogers Museum of Art

Adult Education Summer Classes

Parents have been busy signing their children up for our summer art classes at the museum, but don't forget to sign yourself up for something fun, too! Starting on June 2, local teacher and artist Sharon Howard will offer a four-day adult oil painting class. Participants will learn how to paint a landscape in oil. She will teach another four-day class the last two weeks in July in which participants will again work in oils, this time creating a still-life. We are also offering an adult ceramic class in June, taught by Byron Myrick, JCJC instructor and member of the Mississippi Craftman's Guild. The class begins on June 9 and will meet on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6-8:30 for three weeks. Mr. Myrick will teach participants how to create hand-built vessels with interesting textures. Don't miss your chance to work with this acclaimed Mississippi artist. Come on by the museum and spend your summer with us!

Free Family Art and Homeschool Friday

This Friday will be the last Home School Friday until August. We're winding down the school year and getting ready to gear up for the summer here at LRMA. For those who are looking for something to entertain the kids this summer, don't forget about our Free Family Art Wednesdays in the museum Annex. You can stop by any time between 1 PM and 4 PM, beginning on June 3 to create a free make and take art activity. The last Free Family Art will be on July 1. Hope to see you there!

Guest Blogger: Angie King

Looking Forward to the Summer at LRMA


With just two weeks of school left, children and parents around Jones County are looking forward to summer and the opportunities it brings. At the Lauren Rogers Museum of Art, we have plenty of activities for adults and children to enjoy this summer. The official LRMA kickoff to summer will take place on Friday, June 5, when we will host Blues Bash on the front lawn. A ticket to this evening event includes a barbeque dinner from the Smokehouse of Laurel, free soda, and hours of great music and dancing on the front lawn. This year’s entertainment will be Don McMinn and Nighttrain. Tickets are $20 for museum members and $25 for non-members. Call the museum at (601) 649-6374 to reserve your ticket, and be sure to pick up a t-shirt as well.

In June, we have a full schedule of classes for all ages. Every Wednesday in June, and continuing through July 1, the education staff will offer a Free Family Art activity for children in the museum Annex from 1-4 P.M. This is a great opportunity to just walk in and make a free art activity to take home with you. For children who are entering kindergarten through sixth grade, we offer a four-day pottery camp where kids can learn how to create ceramic art pieces and throw on the pottery wheel. Adults can also explore clay with notable local artist and JCJC instructor Byron Myrick in a course that runs for six evenings throughout the month. Also for adults, we are offering a four-day landscape oil painting course taught by local artist and South Jones High School art teacher, Sharon Howard.

The month of July has more in store for art lovers. Students from middle school to college can sign up for a fun five week oil painting class with artist and Southern Miss professor David Wilkinson. Participants will learn basic oil painting and mixed media techniques. Younger children, from kindergarten to sixth grade, will love this year’s “Under the Sea” Art Camp. This four-day camp will feature numerous projects, including painting and collage. At the end of the month, Sharon Howard will offer another adult oil painting class, this time to learn how to paint a still life. This class is designed for the beginner, or to expand a student’s knowledge learned during the first oil painting course.

All summer long the Lauren Rogers Museum of Art has something to offer for people of all ages. If you are staying in town this summer, we have a class for you, or you can stop by just to enjoy the art. To find out times and costs for art classes, please call the museum at (601) 649-6374 or look on our website at www.lrma.org.


Angie King is Education Outreach Coordinator at the Lauren Rogers Museum of Art.

Guest Blogger: Allyn Boone

An outstanding permanent collection, nationally significant exhibitions, and an award-winning education program have made the Lauren Rogers Museum of Art one of the best mid-sized museums in America. And, unlike many museums in the country, LRMA provides broad access to its artwork and programs through a generous policy of open admission and free activities.

The Museum’s founders felt that LRMA should be a gift to the community, and they wanted to ensure that no one would be turned away because of cost. Since opening in 1923, LRMA has never charged an admission fee, and most of its programs and activities are open to the public at no charge.

This practice is possible in part because of the generosity of LRMA members. Membership levels range from $15 for a Student membership to $2,500 for Laureate members. Each category offers specific benefits, and there is a membership category to fit every budget.

LRMA members receive personal invitations to exhibition openings, studio classes, trips, lectures, concerts, and other activities offered by LRMA. Some membership categories receive discounts on trips, education classes, and Museum Shop purchases, while others receive complimentary tickets to the annual LRMA Gala.

All members receive a subscription to the LRMA newsletter, which is an excellent source of information about the Museum and its collection, exhibitions, and programs. Additionally, members have the satisfaction of knowing that their contributions enable LRMA to introduce thousands of children each year to the transformative power of the visual arts.

A new program called Adopt-a-Bus allows LRMA members to help school groups visit the Museum. In conjunction with their membership donation, members can make an additional contribution which is used to provide transportation stipends for schools bringing students to the Museum for tours and activities. The LRMA Adopt-a-Bus fund ensures that school children are able to visit LRMA despite rising transportation costs.

Membership is the cornerstone of LRMA support. From caring for the collections to presenting masterworks by legendary artists to creating learning opportunities for children and families, membership allows LRMA to achieve the level of excellence for which the Museum is known throughout the country. We consider our members to be our partners, and we invite you to join with us for an exciting year of top-quality collections, exhibitions, and education programs.

For more information about LRMA membership, please call 601-649-6374 or visit the LRMA website at www.LRMA.org.


Allyn Boone is Director of Development at the Lauren Rogers Museum of Art.

At the Museum: Thomas Sully, Portrait Painter

One of the leading portraitists in 19th century America was Thomas Sully (1783-1872), whose Ideal Head (c.1850) hangs in the American Gallery at the Lauren Rogers Museum of Art. Sully was born in England but emigrated to the United States at age nine. He studied miniature painting with his elder brother after a failed apprenticeship in accounting, and went on to study briefly in England, but was primarily self-taught. There were no art academies in the U.S. in his youth, so he learned by copying the works of others. In fact, an early work was a copy of one of Gilbert Stuart’s famed portraits of George Washington. Like Stuart, he became a painter of presidents, including Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, and John Quincy Adams. He also, famously, painted a young Queen Victoria shortly after her ascendency to the throne of England in 1837. Perhaps even more famously, it is his portrait of Jackson that we see on the U.S. twenty-dollar bill today.

Sully was a hard-working and level-headed businessman, and very prolific both personally and professionally. The over 2,500 paintings he produced supported a family of nine (three step-children and six more). Although Sully never attended formal art training, both Gilbert Stuart and Benjamin West served as mentors. West, an American expatriate living in England, took the young Sully under his wing, wrote letters of introduction, and promoted his career wherever he could. West’s two portraits in the Museum collection, Mr. J. Fall and Mrs. Magdalen Whyte Fall, date to rather earlier than West’s interaction with Sully, but are typical of West’s work. West’s decision to paint his subjects in the dress of the day rather than imaginary Greco-Roman attire was revolutionary at the time. Sully followed this trend in most of his portraits, but the young woman portrayed in Ideal Head wears a dark green velvet drape that treads the borderline between classical and contemporary. Sully, like Stuart and West, was attentive to the individual features of his sitter. However, he did write that, “...I know that resemblance in a portrait is essential; but no fault will be found with the artist (at least by the sitter) if he improve the appearance.” Always the businessman, Sully knew that pleasing his sitters - and perhaps their vanity - was essential to building up his clientele. The Museum’s sensitive image of a young rosy-cheeked woman, draped in velvet and seated before an idealized landscape, may have been a commissioned portrait, but if it was, her name has been lost to history. On the other hand, this may be one of a number of works Sully produced depicting “ideal” physical types. Unless and until we know the sitter’s name, this work is titled to reflect that possibility.

Thomas Sully lived and worked in Philadelphia, then the largest city in the United States. He was influential in the development of his younger Philadelphia contemporary, John F. Francis, whose Still Life With Strawberries and Cream (c.1850) also hangs in the Museum’s American Gallery. Francis began his career as an itinerant portrait painter but decided to specialize in still life. He was also friendly and collegial with the Peale family. Charles Willson Peale assisted him by introducing him to Gilbert Stuart and other important American painters. His younger brother, James Peale, painted the Portrait of Nicholas Brewer II in the Museum collection. These interconnections may seem like strange coincidence, but in fact America was a much smaller place, and the art world even smaller.

Jill R. Chancey, PhD, is curator of the Lauren Rogers Museum of Art.