Mel Leipzig
Painter; Professor of Art, Mercer County Community College
Expressionism: Anxiety on Canvas
The expressionist movement, in which artists render their inner turmoils of feelings about the human experience on canvas, has its roots deep in the human psyche. This presentation explores expressionism from Hellenistic art to mannerism to romanticism and abstract expressionism, all from a philosophical, psychological and aesthetic viewpoint.
Mel Leipzig
Painter; Professor of Art, Mercer County Community College
The Changing Face of Reality: Realism in Art
We are all familiar with art that depicts the world as we see it. But we may not be aware of the philosophical and sociological implications of the world portrayed in a work of art and the aesthetic vision of the artist. From ancient Greek and Renaissance artists to modern American artists, realism is never easy to categorize from the surface quality alone. In this presentation, our eyes are opened to the world behind the artwork.
Gary Saretzky
Archivist, Monmouth County Archives
Elias Goldensky: The Wizard of Photography
This slide presentation explores the mystery of why one of the leading Pictorialist photographers in America during the early 20th century, renowned in his own time, is almost forgotten today. Goldensky, a Russian-Jewish emigré based in Philadelphia, practiced portrait photography as a fine art. Among the sitters he immortalized with his camera were Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Leopold Stokowski.
Gary Saretzky
Archivist, Monmouth County Archives
Margaret Bourke-White: “The Eyes on Russia” Photographs
In 1930, Bourke-White, the famous photojournalist who grew up in Bound Brook, NJ, became the first foreign photographer after the Russian Revolution to photograph with permission of the Soviet government. This slide lecture traces her transformation from an industrial photographer to an artist with a social conscience, whose left-wing associations in the 1930s came back to haunt her during the McCarthy era.
David Sperling, M.D.
Clock Historian and Collector
A Clock for Everyman: Introduction of Shelf Clocks
Prior to 1800 American clocks were not affordable for most people. Ely Terry in Connecticut introduced the concept of early mass production of shelf clocks, known today as “mantel clocks.” This slide lecture will discuss the first quarter of the 19th century and the introduction of the Pillar and Scroll shelf clock, one of America’s most important clocks.
David Sperling, M.D.
Clock Historian and Collector
America’s Most Beautiful Clock
Simon Willard of Boston is considered the greatest of all American clockmakers. His most beautiful creation, the banjo timepiece, was patented in 1802. This clock was America’s first wall clock and has never been improved upon. The style remained popular well into the 20th century. This slide lecture will discuss many of these beautiful examples of American decorative art.
David Sperling, M.D.
Clock Historian and Collector
The American Grandfather Clock as Architecture, Sculpture and Painting
William Drost, in his book on New Jersey clockmakers writes, “The stately grandfather clock may be the greatest single evidence of fineness in the history of arts and crafts in our nation. Few things are handsomer, better proportioned and more faithful in years of service and beauty.” This slide lecture will demonstrate Mr. Drost’s proposition by taking a birdseye view of colonial clockmaking throughout the American northeast.
Anne Swartz
Art Historian
A History of Women Artists: From the Medieval to the Modern Eras
Women artists have been actively involved in making art since the Middle Ages. This talk provides a broad overview of the main figures of the Medieval, Renaissance, and Modern Eras, including Hildegard of Bingen, Artemisia Gentileschi, Rosa Bonheur, and Georgia O’Keeffe. The reasons why women did not have a major role in art until the modern period are also considered.
Anne Swartz
Art Historian
Andy Warhol and Pop Art
Andy Warhol’s art and persona have become extremely celebrated. But what makes Warhol so important as an artist? This talk will focus on the themes of Pop Art and show how Warhol related to that movement. Other artists discussed here include Claes Oldenburg and Tom Wesselman.
Anne Swartz
Art Historian
Earth Art
The Earth Art movement began in the 1960s when artists wanted to get away from making art in the traditional gallery setting and get out into nature. This presentation will examine the beginnings of these large-scale works. Specific projects considered include Alan Sonfist’s Time Landscape in Greenwich Village, Walter DeMaria’s Earth Room in Soho, and Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s recent The Gates in Central Park.
Lori Verderame, Ph.D.
President, Masterpiece Technologies, Inc., Doylestown
20th Century American Sculpture
From carvings of Picasso and Zorach to the post-modern sculptures of the late 20th century, this illustrated multi-media program will focus on the history of American sculpture since 1900. Artists discussed include Calder, Smith, Oldenburg, Hanson and Serra. (White wall or a screen is required for the speaker’s projector).
Lori Verderame, Ph.D.
President, Masterpiece Technologies, Inc., Doylestown
American Art Since 1950
From Jackson Pollock and Abstract Expressionism to Frank Lind and Post Modernism, this lecture will survey the events, styles, and impact of the visual arts using images, audio, and video clips from the mid-20th century to the present. The impact of World War II, the Civil Rights and Women's movements, and the end of the Cold War will be discussed. Works by DeKooning, Warhol, Shapiro, and Haring among others will be featured in their historical context.
Lori Verderame, Ph.D.
President, Masterpiece Technologies, Inc., Doylestown
Jackson Pollock and Abstract Expressionism
While Pollock's life was a true American saga, his art and the Abstract Expressionist movement reflected post-war American society. This art history and American culture presentation features images, audio, and video clips of the period and will focus on the themes, ideas, events, and art that made Jackson Pollock a major force on the international art scene.
Lori Verderame, Ph.D.
President, Masterpiece Technologies, Inc., Doylestown
Pennsylvania Impressionists
This lecture discusses the Pennsylvania School of Impressionism, featuring Edward Redfield, Daniel Garber, Walter Emerson Baum, and others. The impact of the New Hope artists' colony, one of the major artists' colonies in the United States, and the art history of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts will be highlighted. Learn why Impressionism continues to captivate us.
Margaret Westfield, R.A.
Historic Architect
Dating Historic Buildings
This slide presentation illustrates the clues to deciphering a building’s past. Both documentary research and physical evidence of change will be presented. The museum of the Gloucester County Historical Society, a 1765 Georgian building significantly altered in 1888, serves as a case study to further explain the architect’s work in dating historic buildings.
Margaret Westfield, R.A.
Historic Architect
Landmark Lucy
Meet New Jersey’s famous seashore landmark, Lucy the Margate Elephant. This slide presentation covers Lucy’s initial construction and rich history. Illustrations of the progressive decay that threatened her with demolition are followed by the details of the thirty-year restoration campaign that ultimately secured Lucy’s place as one of New Jersey’s premiere tourist destinations.
