Friends of the Art Museum take a guided tour of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West, which was the famed architect’s winter home, studio and laboratory.
In March, Friends of the Art Museum of WVU traveled with several museum staff to Phoenix, Arizona, for several days of guided art tours, exclusive studio visits and musical performances.
Over three days, Friends of the Art Museum received guided tours of Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin West, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, ASU Art Museum, the Heard Museum and the “Art is History” exhibition at the Lisa Sette Gallery. They also had a private tour of the Phoenix Art Museum.
“We were able to visit organizations that I admire and look to for inspiration for our programs and goals as a young and growing museum. We spent time together as a group and had inspiring conversations about the future of the museum,” said Aaron Levi Garvey, director of the Art Museum of WVU.
“We also reconnected with my predecessor Todd Tubutis, who is now the director of the Center for Creative Photography at the University of Arizona, and one of WVU’s most notable alumni, Jeremy Mikolajczak, the Sybil Harrington Director and CEO of the Phoenix Art Museum, who generously guided our group on a private tour through the museum and discussed the exciting future ahead for the PAM under his leadership,” Garvey continued.
Friends and Art Museum staff are treated to a private tour of José Cárdenas’ art collection.
In addition to the museum tours, Friends and Art Museum staff visited the studios of artists Jennifer Ling Datchuk and Rotraut Klein-Moquay. They also visited José Cárdenas’ private art collection, which showcases many Day of the Dead-related art pieces and several Frida Kahlo portraits.
WVU College of Creative Arts and Media Dean Keith Jackson joined the Friends for part of the trip and took the stage alongside the Phoenix College Little Big Band and Jazz Combo for a special performance at The Nash.
Irene Keeley, who has been a Friend of the Art Museum for several years, said she enjoyed the artists’ studio visits and the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, but their tour of the Heard Museum, which specializes in American Indian art, was her top highlight.
“I wasn’t very familiar with Native American art or artists, and the Heard has such a stellar collection,” said Keeley. “I would love to go back and spend more time there. It was truly a jewel of a museum.”
A docent leads Friends and Art Museum staff on a tour of the Heard Museum.
Friends of the Art Museum make annual contributions to support the museum's efforts to bring internationally renowned artists to campus and provide community engagement opportunities for all ages at no cost to the public. In exchange, the Friends get to meet artists, curators and collectors; have inside access to private collections and artists’ studios; and enjoy exclusive events and travel opportunities like the trip to Phoenix.
“Joining Friends of the Art Museum of WVU provides not only support to a very important part of the College of Creative Arts and Media, but also the opportunity to travel with friends of the University, old and new, and experience great art in museums and private collections across America—and perhaps abroad at some point in the future,” said Keeley. “You will not only learn a lot, but you’ll have a lot of fun and enjoy great food, too.”
Friends of the Art Museum is the largest donor network for the Art Museum of WVU. There are multiple tiers to fit sponsors’ desired level of support, with yearly memberships as low as $100 for individuals. To see the membership tiers, visit https://give.wvu.edu/campaign/friends-of-the-art-museum/c473919.
To learn more about the Art Museum of WVU, visit artmuseum.wvu.edu. For information on how to become a Friend or be more involved, contact Heather Harris at heather.harris@mail.wvu.edu.