Graphic Arts Council Launches Summer Soirees 2006
Graphic Arts Council Launches Summer Soirees 2006
The Graphic Arts Council offers varied educational and social programs that support interest in prints, drawings, and photographs, with special emphasis placed on promoting activities at the DIA and building the museum's collection. The group also loves to travel and visits artists' workshops, other collections, and institutions on a regular basis, both locally and on an annual trip farther afield. In the spirit of "getting out and seeing what's going on," the auxiliary hosted its first round of Summer Soirees exactly a decade ago with no inkling that it was the beginning of what has become a beautiful tradition. Summer Soirees has generated over $135,000 to purchase works of art on paper for the DIA collection. The program's great success is sparked by the generosity of local collectors and artists who open their homes and studios to a series of parties ranging from brunches, teas, and afternoon cocktails, to all types of suppers and dinners. Summer Soirees is always a great time to meet and mingle with lovers of art and fans of tasty food and engaging company. Providing a great art experience is always the goal. Guests can count on being enthralled by the variety of offerings, both in the format of the events and in their focus. All forms of art - not just the graphic arts - from the collections of paintings, sculpture, the decorative arts, and design to great gardens and inspiring architecture are presented every year.
This is a fundraiser in the truest sense of the word - 100 percent of the proceeds are given to acquisitions for the DIA. Over the decade, these purchases have included a monumental color woodcut self-portrait by the German expressionist Erich Heckel; prints by African American artists, including Vincent Smith's monoprint Baptism #1; Arthur Wesley Dow's woodcut Rain in May and the blocks from which it was printed; and Jasper Johns's Green Angel II. This year's target acquisition is no less ambitious: the stunning Portrait of an Actor, a drypoint by the French artist Jacques Villon. It was made in 1913 and represents printmaking at its technical best during the Cubist era. Many paintings were created in this style, but few prints were made. Portrait of an Actor is a rare, bold statement in rich black ink on creamy white paper that will be a major addition to the DIA collection.
Soirees take place from July through September. The invitation booklet describing them is mailed to members of all DIA auxiliaries and museum members at the Associate level and higher in late spring. For more information, contact the Department of Graphic Arts at 313.833.9830, or e-mail ewheeler@dia.org.
|
