Celebrating the Holidays with Ornaments Inspired by the Exhibition "Gifts and Prayers: The Romanovs and Their Subjects"

Season's greetings! For the holidays, the museum's education department (Carissa DiCindio, curator of education, Callan Steinmann, associate curator of education, and Sage Kincaid, assistant curator of education) hosted an ornament-decorating party for the staff. We used craft store supplies that reminded us of the sparkle of gems and jewels in the exhibition "Gifts and Prayers: The Romanovs and Their Subjects." The show, which runs through the end of the year, was featured recently by the University of Georgia in the video below.

For holiday shoppers headed to the Museum Shop, Romanov-themed and gift-ready items like crystal eggs and porcelain ornaments are available for sale, in addition to the catalogue of the exhibition.

Annual Book and Frame Sale and Membership Specials

Happy Thanksgiving! As the holidays approach, we've organized a few events to help you shop for your loved ones or for yourself. We'll be closed today and tomorrow to allow our hard-working front-line staff to spend time with their families, but will be back open regular hours over the weekend, including Saturday, when UGA hosts Georgia Tech for its final football game of the year. The game starts at noon, but we open at 10 a.m., so if there are exhibitions you've wanted to see and haven't made it over for yet, you have time to fit in both.

From Tuesday, November 29, through Friday, December 2, we'll have our annual holiday book and frame sale. The sale features new and used publications in all genres.

(And for anyone who would like to donate books or frames, give us a call on the main line at 706.542.4662. We'll even come pick them up!)

Then, on December 1, the Museum Shop will be offering special deals and discounts from 10 a.m. to 8:45 p.m., including beautifully packaged gift memberships:

- 20% discount on memberships at the Contributing level or above, either for yourself or as a gift

- 20% discount on non-sale items for museum members, including brand-new members*

- Free cookies and coffee to fuel your shopping, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

- Free parking for shoppers in the museum's gated lot under the building.

Contributing-level memberships include reciprocal membership discounts and privileges at more than 1,000 museums throughout the United States and Canada and can be a wonderful gift even for friends and family outside of Athens.

* Don’t forget to bring your membership card.

 

Holiday Gift Guide

Kickstart your holiday shopping with the Georgia Museum of Art's 2014 Holiday Gift Guide!

With items ranging from books, toys and stationary to jewelry, decorative items, picture frames and glassware, you can find something for everyone on your list in the Georgia Museum of Art Museum Shop. Beyond just the great gifts, purchasing your presents at the Museum Shop means supporting a local small business. So if you want to support the Athens-Clarke county community, keep us in mind on Small Business Saturday this November 29.

The Museum Shop manager, Amy Miller, personally selected some amazing gift options for your creative, art-loving friends and family, and we are excited to share them with you here.

Deluxe Spirograph Set: The classic way for aspiring artists to create millions of amazing designs is back! This Original Spirograph Deluxe Set features all the iconic wheels and rings of the original, plus a durable carrying case with a built-in drawing surface. $29.95 ($26.96, members of the Friends)

Plus Plus: An exciting building toy from Denmark, Plus Plus uses one basic shape to create endless possibilities. Kids three and up can assemble them flat to create a 2-D mosaic or work in 3-D to make more complicated structures. Even curves are possible thanks to the unique design of this deceptively simple shape. Available in sets of 100 for $10 or 300 for $20. ($9 or $18, members of the Friends)

Brief History of Art Mug: This mug is a crash-course in the world's greatest artwork since the beginning of time. The 24 images on the mug represent the evolution of art over the millenia—it begins with the Cave Paintings of Lascaux, travels through Da Vinci and Degas and Picasso, and goes all the way up to Jackson Pollock, Andy Warhol and Jeff Koons. Plus, you can drink out of it! $12.95 ($11.66, members of the Friends)

Extasia Jewelry: Hand crafted in Bavaria and California and featured in magazines such as Vogue, Elle and Glamour, Extasia jewelry is a true treasure. Each piece was made to order for the Georgia Museum of Art. Ranging from $58-$145 each ($52.20–130.50, members of the Friends)

Heller House Frames: Frank Lloyd Wright's art glass windows are the inspiration for these Art Deco picture frames. Designed in 1897 for the Isidore Heller House in Chicago, the windows have been translated into birch wood frames in two sizes. $20 and $30 ($18 and $27, members of the Friends)

This list is only a peek at the variety of wonderful items featured in the Museum Shop, so come on down and explore the store. We have free parking available for all Museum Shop customers. Pull in to the parking structure off of Carlton Street, then just hit the buzzer at the gate arm and tell us you're here to visit the museum.

The store is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 10 a.m.–4:45 p.m.; Thursday 10 a.m.–8:45 p.m.; and Sunday 1–4:45 p.m.

Minna Citron at GMOA

It’s the week after Thanksgiving and I’m sure we’re all either still full of turkey and sweet potato soufflé or getting geared up for the big winter break. But before we kick back and relax on the couch with movie marathons, the Georgia Museum of Art has one more exhibition starting before the holidays. “Minna Citron: The Uncharted Course from Realism to Abstraction” will open on Dec. 8 and run until March 3, 2013.

      The exhibition will showcase roughly 50 of Citron’s award-winning social realist and abstract paintings and sculptures, picked from her 60 years as an artist. The art is on loan from her granddaughter, Christiane H. Citron, and has traveled from museums in Texas, Pennsylvania and Minnesota.

      Minna Citron attended the Art Students League of New York in 1928, and it was during her time there that she created her iconic genre scenes of Union Square and became a member of the 14th Street School. Citron associated with artists such as Isabel Bishop, a renowned graphic artist, and Reginald Marsh, most notable for his paintings of New York City, Coney Island and vaudeville in the 1920s and 1930s.

     Citron’s work initially started out as realist, depicting fine details in the clothes and faces of her subjects. These early works focused more on the roles of women in her satirical style, and during World War II she traveled across the country for the Works Progress Administration’s Federal Art Program, producing some of her iconic prints based on the women who joined the U.S. Navy. After the war, she moved onto the abstract, strongly emphasizing dynamic shapes that stood out from their backgrounds. During this time she traveled to France to learn new techniques in color printing, which she brought back to the United States. From the 1950s to the 1970s, Citron experimented with collages and other aspects of three-dimensional art, even developing methods for 3D printmaking and assembly. 

Minna Citron
Cold Comfort

Minna Citron
Untitled

      Many of Citron's works hang in prestigious museums, including the Teller Gallery in New York, and GMOA owns a small abstract oil by her that hangs in its permanent collection galleries. The exhibition was organized by Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pa., along with Christiane Citron, and is sponsored locally by the W. Newton Morris Charitable Foundation and the Friends of the Georgia Museum of Art. Paul Manoguerra, our chief curator and curator of American art, will serve as the in-house curator for the exhibition and will lead a tour of it Wednesday, Dec. 12, at 2 p.m. We would be thrilled to see you before and during the holidays when the exhibition opens.

Art Around Athens (and Beyond)

This weekend is another busy one for the art world in Athens!

Thursday, December 10, at the UGA Visual Arts Building, the Georgia Museum of Art will host a Holiday Shop and Book Sale in the lobby. The sale is sponsored by the Friends of the Georgia Museum of Art, the museum’s gift shop and the GMOA department of communications. The sale is from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., December 10 and 11. Call 706.542.4662 for more information.

Friday, December 11, ATHICA will host the “Not So Silent Night” silent auction, with bidding on art, jewelry, weekend getaways, computer services and more. This is the second annual fundraiser for Clarke Central High School’s student publications, “Odyssey Newsmagazine” and “Iliad Literary Magazine,” so come out and support the students. The auction opens at 7 p.m. and will close at 9 p.m. and there is a suggested donation of $10. Visit www.athica.org for more information.

Also this weekend, Blue Tin Art Studio is hosting an art sale featuring affordable art by local artists Erin McIntosh, Sarah Seabolt, Denton Crawford, Craig Hawkins, Marie Porterfield and David Savino. The sale is Friday, December 10, from noon to 10 p.m.; Saturday, December 11, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Sunday, December 12, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Friday, December 11, through Sunday, December 13, Good Dirt is hosting its Annual Holiday Pottery Sale. This is the 12th annual sale featuring functional pottery and ceramic sculpture from a wide selection of Athens-area studio potters. The sale will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Also, every Friday Good Dirt hosts a weekly “Try Clay” class from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and a “Family Try Clay” class on Sunday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. for $20 per person. These are great ways to experiment with different types of art, so why not try something new? Call 706.355.3161 or visit www.gooddirt.net for more information.

Saturday, December 12, Crocker Pottery in Lula, Ga. (6345 W. County Line Rd.), is hosting its Christmas Kiln sale. This sale features over 150 pieces for freshly made pottery by Michael and other Crocker family members. There will be face jugs, "pigs," snake jugs, grape pots, ring jugs, Rebekah pitchers, miniatures and more with Meaders and other North Georgia pottery for sale! Contact 770.869.3160 for more information.

Also Saturday, White Tiger Gourmet is hosting a holiday art market from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. There will be a variety of handmade jewelry from local artists and vintage items to choose from, along with some tasty treats from White Tiger. Visit their Facebook event page for more details.

Soup Studios (2140 S. Lumpkin Street) is hosting its annual holiday studio this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Come and warm up with some hot apple cider and enjoy Soup Studios’ newest pieces. You can expect fun hats, clay and sterling jewelry, and an entire line of functional pottery. Call 706.340.1973 or visit www.soupstudios.com for more information.

Saturday as well, the Old Clarke County Jail (380 B Meigs Street) is hosting a free holiday open house. Charles Pinckney is opening up his studio to the public. You can find hand-crafted wearable sculpture, including earrings, pendants and bracelets, as well as unique furniture and decor. The open house is from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Call 706.614.6115 or visit www.charlespinckney.com for more information.

Saturday, December 12, and Sunday, December 13, Carter Gillies Pottery (572 Nantahala Ave.) is hosting the Absolute Crockery! pottery sale. The sale features work by local potters including Geoff and Lisa Pickett, Jeff Bishoff, Jim Peckham, Julie Greene and Juana Gnecco. The sale is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 706.546.7235 or visit www.carterthepotter.etsy.com for more information.

Also Saturday and Sunday in Elberton, at 3558 Ruckersville Road, is the 24^th Annual Jeanne Mack Studio Open House, offering food, new friends, and plenty of great new art! Each year, Jeanne designs a new snowman print for everyone who attends as a gift of appreciation. When you buy art you’ll receive a gift, as well as if you bring cat food in support of Jeanne and Glenn’s cat rescue. The open house is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday. Call 706.283.5959 for directions and more information.

Sunday, December 13, Brick House Studio is hosting another Holiday Market from noon to 5 p.m. You can expect jewelry and various other handmade goods from local artists. Visit www.lamarwood.com for more information.

Celebrate the holidays with GMOA

The Georgia Museum of Art has two great holiday events coming up that you won’t want to miss! This Saturday, December 5, from 10 a.m. to noon there will be a Family Day at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia to get in the holiday spirit. Use natural objects and clay to make your own ornaments and sing carols with Meridian Women’s Choir. Holiday cookies and snacks will be provided.

Next Thursday and Friday, December 10 and 11, is the Holiday Shop and Book Sale. Come to the Visual Arts Building on Jackson Street from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. to buy Museum Shop gifts, new and used books and new museum publications. Get your holiday shopping done with us!

Marketplace this weekend

Marketplace, hosted by the Junior League of Athens will take place this weekend, October 23–25, at the Classic Center in downtown Athens. The event features local and area vendors, including the Georgia Museum of Art Shop. This will be the fifth year of Marketplace. Make sure to stop by some time over the weekend—it will be a great chance to get started on your holiday shopping!

The first event of Marketplace is preview shopping, which is free to the public and is from 4 to 6 p.m. this Friday. A kick-off party begins at 7 p.m. Tickets for the kick-off party are $15 and include a catered dinner, wine tasting, entertainment and a silent auction. Admission is free on Saturday and Sunday! Feel free to support another Junior League of Athens project by bring pop-top cans of ravioli for the Food2Kids program in partnership with the Northeast Georgia Food Bank .

On Saturday, shopping hours will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Activities will include pictures with Santa, Santa Secret Shop and free registration for the Georgia Child Identification Program, or GACHIP. Shopping hours on Sunday will be from 12 to 5 p.m. Santa Secret Shop will also take place on Sunday. Click here for the schedule.

In addition to GMOA, some of the vendors will include Fire & Flavor, the UGA Alumni Association, Entourage Clothing & Gifts, Homemade Gourmet and many others. Go to the Marketplace blog to check out all of the vendors.

Email jlamarket@gmail.com or call 706.549.8688 with any questions.

Happy Holidays!

Happy holidays, everyone. The staff of the Georgia Museum of Art will be out of the office for the Fourth of July holiday until Monday.