Safer Drop Off and Pick-Up when Visiting the Museum of Art

A view of the driveway, scheduled to be complete in late April or early May.

 

As the weather warms and the campus comes to life after a long winter, the David Owsley Museum of Art is also undergoing more revitalization in preparation for the reopening and installation of the new galleries. Much of our textual materials, such as labels and educational resources, are nearing completion and we are now sending them off for production, just in time for installation.

Final selections are being made to ensure that the works of art within the galleries weave a cohesive narrative that represents a specific culture or region with the collection we have.  Our construction contractors have been working hard to build a balanced physical space that is inviting and as spacious as possible. The changes that have occurred over the semester are quite impressive and are indicative of the efforts put forth by all who work and volunteer at the museum.

While many of these changes are internal and can only be seen when viewing the construction space, a recent development in the renovations can be seen from the outside of the museum as you walk or drive down Riverside Ave. A new circle driveway is currently being installed near the museum’s street entrance and is scheduled to be completed within the next month. A component of the museum’s interpretive plan, the new driveway allows for greater access to our visitors with convenient drop off and pick-up.

In a recent interview with Jim Lowe, Director of Engineering and Construction Operations, I discovered that a circle driveway used to exist before the sidewalk was installed. Until 1955, the museum had access to a driveway, but it was replaced soon after. According to Mr. Lowe, the new drive will alleviate the potential traffic jams that occur when cars pull to the side of Riverside to drop off individuals at the museum. The new driveway is particularly important to our school groups and other large groups that visit, as they now have a safe drop-off location for buses and vans.

Stay tuned for more photos and updates on the renovation project.

Renovation Update

As Nicole and I are continuing our work on labels for the new galleries, we have been checking in on construction progress and would like to share some information with you. Many changes have been made since our last update and the new galleries are really taking shape.

One step closer to finishing, light tracks and walls are being installed.

In the construction zone, walls are going up, the elevator is being installed, and the areas with built-in cases are shaping up. Over the past few weeks, DOMA staff, exhibition design consultant Charles Froom, Nicole, and I have had various meetings to test locations and sizes for thematic labels that will appear in each gallery space. We are all excited to move forward in with the plans, continuing the process of finalizing decisions.

Here is the area where the new elevator will be installed, improving safety and security for moving large works of art.

One part of the construction process that takes particular finesse is the installation of plaster moldings throughout the new galleries. Not often utilized in construction anymore, finding skilled plasterers who are able to construct the moldings is no easy task. In fact, there are only a few people in the state who have been trained in plaster work and are expert enough for working in historic buildings like the Fine Arts Building.

Here you can see part of the process of transforming plaster into crown moldings. The plasters first mix up the plaster. Then they apply the wet material to the top of the walls and drag their tool along the corner where the wall and ceiling meet to form the beautiful detail work of the crown molding.

Here is a detail of the moldings, and as you can see they leave the corners until the end. The plasterers told us corners are the most difficult part and can take all day just to complete a few corners and do them properly.

As progress continues, we look forward to sharing more stories and photographs of the new galleries with you.

Mount Making at the Museum

The museum is rapidly expanding, and we have enlisted the assistance of many designers and specialists to ensure that the new galleries entice our visitors.  As labels and educational materials are being drafted, the designers are also hard at work.  One particular design aspect in museums involves mounts that physically support objects so that they can be seen from their best angle. Although such support mounts are rarely ever seen when looking at an object, they are incredibly important and require time and immense precision to produce. 

 Here at the David Owsley Museum of Art, we have two visiting mountmakers who are taking on the task of making over 500 mounts for our collection.  Sculptors Aaron Nicholson and Brose Partington are both graduates of the Herron School of Art and Design in Indianapolis with extensive experience in making mounts.  Aaron previously worked with the Indianapolis Museum of Art (IMA), and earned his MFA from the University of Minnesota.  Aside from his sculpting work, Aaron also pursues other art forms such as photography, drawing, and painting. He is currently teaching an iron casting workshop at Ball State University.

 Brose began his career at the IMA as a preparator, and has opened up his own workshop. He also currently works for the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art in Indianapolis.  Aside from his work as a mountmaker, Brose is also a kinetic sculptor whose work has been exhibited internationally.

Aaron (left) and Brose (right) in their studio

I spent a morning with Aaron and Brose to understand their process of producing mounts, some of which take hours to complete.  While learning about mounts, I found out that our museum is using metal mounts, as Aaron and Brose agreed that metal is easier to paint and can be made to conform to smaller sizes. Acrylic mounts are also common in museums.  Because each mount must conform exactly to the object it is supporting, precision is critical.  Aaron and Brose view each mount as a puzzle.  While much time and effort is put into the mounts, their intended result is not meant to be seen by visitors. According to Aaron, “If we’re doing a good job, you don’t see what we are doing.” 

 Since most of these mounts are not typically seen by the public, I wanted to share some photos from my morning with them so that you can also gain an appreciation for all that goes into this process.

Each metal mount must be painted to closely match and blend with the object. This particular mount required the use of multiple colors and even matches the texture of the object itself.

Some objects require additional support through the use of a spring that can attach to the back.

A collection of small mounts before they have been painted. According to Aaron and Brose, mounts can take anywhere from twenty minutes to thirty hours to complete.

Larger mounts such as these must be sturdy enough to support the object.

So far, Aaron and Brose have made about 225 mounts, and are expected to make about 200 more before the new galleries open. 

 To learn more about the work of Aaron and Brose, visit their websites and portfolios.

http://www.brosepartington.com/sculpture.cfm

http://www.aaronleifnicholson.com/HOME.html

 

 

 

Museum Spotlight: DOMA’s Guards

Here at the David Owsley Museum of Art, we see an array of visitors on a daily basis. In the past, we have interviewed some of our visitors as they walked the galleries to hear their thoughts on what they enjoy about visiting the museum. The visitors who pass through our doors are diverse in terms of age and prior knowledge about art.  For many, the David Owsley Museum of Art is the first art museum they have experienced.  For others, visiting museums is a regular activity.  Regardless of their familiarity with art, everyone comes to the museum and finds works of art that they connect to and find meaning.

Similarly, our museum guards come from a variety of backgrounds, but they have spent a large amount of time walking the galleries, assisting visitors, and ensuring the safety of the building. If you have visited DOMA before, you have probably seen the guards in their red shirts when you enter the building. Because the guards spend so much time walking through the galleries and looking at objects within our collection, I thought it might be interesting to chat with several of them about their favorite works of art in the museum.

Josh Harshman

Josh Harshman, Graduate student of History

Under the Trees I (Sous-Bois I), 1906

Andre Lhote

oil on canvas

 Josh discovered this particular painting on his first day of work last May and it has since become a favorite of his.  Josh appreciates “the aesthetic of the bright, bold, and vibrant colors.”

Jake

Jacob (Jake) Giorgio, Sophomore Criminal Justice student

Swan Engraving IV, 1982

Frank Stella

intaglio and relief printing on handmade paper

 This work, which was just recently installed, attracted Jacob because of the use of black and white. He was intrigued by the “50 different materials on plywood that is printed.” “There seems to be no rhyme or reason,” observes Jacob.

Sulaiman

Sulaiman Nooristani, Sophomore Accounting and Information Systems student

Amida Buddha, 1680

bronze

 Sulaiman appreciates this sculpture for its rich history, as well as the tradition of putting money in front of the sculpture for good luck. The inscriptions on the back also interest Sulaiman.

Nick

Nick Wilsey, Sophomore Computer Technology student

A Young Woman from Thebes Tending Her Wounded Father, 1809

Befort

oil on canvas

 Nick calls this work of art “a masterpiece” because he enjoys the use of lighting, both in the landscape and in the young woman’s eyes.

Courtney

Courtney Pienta, Senior Apparel Design student

Portia Receiving the Prince of Aragon, late 1800s to early 1900s

Georges Jules Victor Clairin

 Courtney’s major and prior studies led her to appreciate this painting. “As a fashion major, I’m drawn to the details of the garments and the fashion (shown).”

After interviewing the guards about what they enjoyed, it was evident that their differing experiences and education led them to choose works that felt relevant to them. What will you connect with when you visit us?

Upcoming Events at DOMA

As students and faculty are settling into their new routines for the semester, we would like to update our visitors about new and exciting upcoming events. Docents and staff at DOMA are committed to providing programs geared not only towards students, but community members and others as well. One new event Nicole and I are particularly excited about this semester is the introduction of a yoga class in the Sculpture Court. The class will be held by instructor Sarah Lyttle on the first Friday of every month at 8 a.m. The cost is $10 for BSU affiliates and $13 for BSU non-affiliates, and the link to register and pay is: http://bsu.edu/recreation/instructional-classes.html.

View our Museum Events tab for a list of events being offered at DOMA this semester and be sure to mark your calendars.

The peaceful Scupture Court- a perfect space for practing yoga.

Hurry and register for Yoga in the Sculpture court soon before the spaces fill up. Nicole and I hope to see you there!