Online Presentations Celebrate Arts and Crafts Aesthetics and California Printmaker Frances Gearhart
DESIGN & HISTORY: THE PAST IS ALWAYS PRESENT
6 Sessions | $25/session | Location: Zoom Online Classroom
Saturdays at 1:00 PM Eastern Time | January 23 – February 27, 2021
The Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms
https://www.stickleymuseum.org/design-history-the-past-is-always-present/
Diptych with the Coronation of the Virgin and the Last Judgment (French), ca. 1260-70. Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Week 1: Reimagining the Gothic: Roots of a Revolution
There is no period more appropriate to begin the historical precedents of the Arts and Crafts movement than the Gothic, a new expression of religious sentiment that flourished in Europe during the 12th to 15th centuries. It provided – for the Pre-Raphaelites, English reformers, and American exponents – a perfect metaphor for their renewed commitment to craft and came to stand as the last moment of pure sincerity in a world that became increasingly illusionistic and insincere since the Renaissance. From the rise of the movement’s broader acceptance in the 12th century to its height in the 14th century, we explore the meaning of the Gothic, review the forms and terms you’re likely to encounter, and discuss its impact in the late 19th century.
According to instructor Jonathan Clancy, this first class will help viewers understand the aesthetics in the other courses. “Everyone interested in the Arts and Crafts has some exposure to the Gothic period, but I think that this would be the place to start. In terms of visual strategies, the Gothic really sets the stage for so much of what we see and influences design in ways that many are not fully versed in, making this is a useful session for understanding so many aspects of the period’s aesthetics, both the obvious ones and the more subtle ways it was manifest.”
The first session is part of a six-session course and while the first session this Saturday will help viewers understand aesthetics outlined in the course, each of the sessions can be enjoyed as standalone courses. If viewers are interested in purchasing additional or previously recorded sessions from the Stickley Museum, that option is available. “I always believe that in a series like this people should take what they find interesting…. These sessions do work as stand-alone sessions, so if the first couple do not fit your schedule, you should not feel like you will be lost in the remaining ones.”
Pasadena Printmaker Frances Gearhart Celebrates California
Monday, January 25th
5:00 PM – 6:15PM
From the Book Club of California website
As a Pasadena artist, Frances Gearhart (1869-1959) was embedded in the time, place and ideals of the Arts and Crafts movement. Her color block prints of the California landscape personifies a handcrafted aesthetic. She was bold in her use of color and powerful in the lines of keyblock. Seasons and times of the day captivated her. She celebrated the wintry day, the morning sun on the hills, the splendor of fall. Hence the title, “Behold the Day.”
A live online talk by Susan Futterman, author – January 25th, 2021. 5:00 – 6:15pm PACIFIC TIME
To register, please see www.bccbooks.org/programs