tempera @ crystal bridges

In February I receive an email from Assistant Curator Jen Padgett at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.

I’m curating a small focus show about tempera painting and was drawn toward your Male Torso – Anterior View and Female Torso – Anterior View, which were in our State of the Art exhibition.

I wondered if you might have any comments about your use of casein in the work, or any of the other materials. We’re planning to install the paintings in a section that looks at the variations of tempera including casein, and how that is used with other materials such as gouache, etc. The overall goal of the exhibition is to engage our visitors with the complexity of materials and techniques and I think your works do that beautifully.

Before a planned phone call at the end of the week, I send Jen process shots ↓ of both of the works. I list all the material including casein and egg tempera.

Male Torso in process. Mixed media includes Casein, Egg Tempera, Gesso, Gouache, Ink, Micaceous Iron Oxide on Canvas
Size: 45 x 35½ inches

Jen tells me about the exhibit. I enjoy our conversation about materials and also share with her some history about both casein and egg tempera.

Today she sent installation ↓ shots!

Tempera, one of several exhibitions on view now at Crystal Bridges Museum, runs to October 14, 2019.

Jen, thank you for the photos. The space looks beautiful!

Installation photos courtesy of Crystal Bridges Museum

more about → Crystal Bridges

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© All Rights Reserved by Monica Aissa Martinez

state of the art – discovering american art now

I am excited to let you know my work will be a part of the State of the Art exhibition at the Crystal Bridges Museum of America.

This is certain to be a one-of-a-kind exhibition experience – for artists and visitors both – as curators travelled 10,000 miles across the United Sates to visit with nearly 1000 artists. My studio was in that mix of visits as were a handful of AZ artists. I recall the initial phone call and email I received – I really couldn’t believe it ( for the record – I do believe it now ).

Photo by Ruth Fremson/The New York Times

About the exhibit:
State of the Art features 102 artists from across the country selected for inclusion as a result of Crystal Bridges president Don Bacigalupi and assistant curator Chad Alligood’s travels and visits (mostly in person, some via Skype) with artists from every region of the U.S.

About the art works:
· Works in the exhibition include photography, video, ceramics, action/interaction, glass, fiber, installation, paper, painting, and sculpture.

· There are more than 200 total works in the exhibition

· The exhibition will reach beyond the boundaries of the Museum’s temporary exhibition spaces, extending into the permanent collection galleries and activating public and community areas indoors and out. Gallery spaces will total 19,000 square feet.

There is no charge to view the exhibition.

WHO: Crystal Bridges, Museum of American Art
WHAT: STATE OF THE ART – DISCOVERING AMERICAN ART NOW
WHERE: Bentonville, AK
WHEN: September 13, 2014 – January 19, 2015

 For more details click ↓

Visit the press page here on my blog and see the YouTube studio visit and/or read about the show and my work.

There is more to share but this is a good start.
Did I say I am excited? Yes I did. I am.

I could have titled this post No Woman is an Island.