| Message from Mary –
I often consider February a month of transition, when winter shows a mighty beauty, but we long to see what spring will bring. Now is an ideal time to enjoy the warmth of the museum and explore Selling the Southwest. MNA’s newest exhibit unveils idyllic portrayals of unspoiled landscapes – artworks commissioned to lure visitors to enchanting, unfamiliar lands. It tells a story of transition, one that would bolster early tourism, impact southwestern culture and art for generations, and influence the lives of Indigenous peoples. The exhibit showcases works by Thomas Moran, William Robinson Leigh, Louis Akin, Arthur W. Best, and Gunnar Widforss, as well as pottery, jewelry, and textiles by Native artisans from that period.
In other news, I’m delighted to announce that beginning in March, MNA will be open 7 days a week, and so you will be able to visit the museum on Tuesdays, as well as all the other days of the week. Our tours of the Easton Collection Center are starting for the spring, and I encourage you to book your place on a tour to explore the wonderful extent of MNA’s collections.
I hope to see you here very soon.
Mary Kershaw
Executive Director & CEO
Museum of Northern Arizona |
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Curator Talk on Selling the Southwest
The January talk by MNA Fine Arts Curator Alan Petersen drew such interest that we’ve put a video of it online. Hear how the exhibit Selling the Southwest came together and how art and culture were impacted by marketing that drew early visitors to these enchanting lands. The railroad and hotelier of the day were looking to sell train tickets, rooms, and meals, but they were also selling “mystery, and beautiful landscapes, and exotic cultures that were unfamiliar to most people,” says Petersen. |
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Bugs, Bones, Stones & Poems
March 11-16, from 1:00-2:30 pm
Bring the kids to the MNA each afternoon during Spring Break for activities covering a range of topics, including bugs, bones, poetry, and fossils. Young students will delight in hands-on fun with new activities each day. No registration is required. It all takes place from 1:00-2:30 pm March 11-16. There will be more details to come on the MNA website and in the March enews. |
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Namingha Institute accepting applications
Applications due February 18
Early career artists can apply now for the 2024 Namingha Institute, which will be held April 28 to May 11. Throughout the two-week residency, students will participate in classes with Master Artists Dan & Arlo Namingha on the Museum of Northern Arizona campus. Residents will stay in rustic cabins near the studio and be provided with a $1,500 stipend. The Namingha Institute is open to all artists 18 years of age or older. More details here. |
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Archaeologists protecting sites
MNA archaeologists finished a busy field season in November working near Hite in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. They were recording archaeological sites that may be endangered by increased off-road vehicle activity after the NPS expanded access in some parts of the park. MNA archaeologists have a long history working in Glen Canyon, including extensive surveys recently to understand how sites are impacted by recreation. Read more about it in the recent Plateau Magazine Glen Canyon Then and Now. |
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| Landscape Painting
Tuesdays from 9am-12pm
Landscape painter Deborah Mechigian teaches fundamentals of composition, perspective, and color mixing in the Guernsey Building. Email Deborah at rockhunterdeb@gmail.com for details, prices, and to sign up.
Beginner’s Drawing and Watercolor
Drawing: March 7-May 9
Watercolor: March 8-May 10
Students learn and practice the fundamental skills and techniques to create and enjoy painting in watercolor. Led by professional artist Lisa Lee Pearce, the eight-week course includes drawing basics, color theory, composition, elements of art, and principals of design. Email Lisa at lleearrist@gmail.com for details, prices, and to register.
Wood-fired Ceramics
Beginner: March 18-May 7
Intermediate/Advanced: March 21-May 9
Pottery classes with potter Chas Frisco take place at different days and times. The class fee includes instruction all tools, glaze materials and one 25lb bag of clay. Email Chas at chasarts101@gmail.com for details, prices, and to sign up. |
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Selling the Southwest
In the early 20th century, entrepreneurs employed artists to create a sense of wonder and mystery about the American Southwest that attracted tourists and established a romanticized vision that has remained to this day. Many of the artists are now prominent names in the canon of classic Southwest art, including Thomas Moran, Louis Akin, and Gunnar Widforss. |
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Seeing People Through Trees
From stone axes to crosscut saws, this exhibition looks at the forest and our relationship to it through MNA collections and historic photos. At the center of the exhibition is a slice from a 290-year-old ponderosa pine from the west side of the San Francisco Peaks. |
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Designed to Move
See Southwest seeds in a new way through macro-photography by Taylor James, before this intriguing exhibition closes in March. This up-close look reveals the beauty and functional diversity of desert seeds that use different methods for dispersal and propagation. They can float in the air and water, fly far from their mother plant, and hitchhike on the fur of animals. The exhibition was organized by the Biomimicry Center at Arizona State University in collaboration with Desert Botanical Garden, ASU’s Herbarium and ASU’s Design School. At MNA the exhibit also features items from the museum collection highlighting the ethnobotanical uses and cultural importance of these plants. |
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Show those you love how precious they are with a handblown glass heart by Flagstaff artist George Averbeck. Averbeck has been making blown glass art in Flagstaff for more than 40 years. He’s well-known for both his colorful art and his colorful personality. Check out all the art, jewelry, and more at the Museum Gift Shop, where every purchase supports MNA and the artists. |
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