The Academy Art Museum is opening two new exhibitions on January 29, 2021. From Cassatt to Chicago: A Celebration of Women Artists in the Permanent Collection and Academy Art Museum’s Instructors’ Exhibition will be on view through March 20. Following the centennial of the 19th Amendment, celebrated in 2020, From Cassatt to Chicago: A Celebration of Women Artists in the Permanent Collection presents selected highlights of works of the nearly 100 female artists in the Museum’s Permanent Collection, including Mary Cassatt, Judy Chicago, Terry Haass, Terry Parmelee, Grace Hartigan, Kiki Smith, Anne Truitt, Renee Stout, and Lorna Simpson. “The Museum is proud that works by female artists make up nearly a quarter of its Permanent Collection, which is twice the national average for U.S. museums. The exhibition demonstrates the diverse accomplishments of female artists in our collection and raises important questions about gender equality and representation in the art world. One thing these works have in common is the professional challenges these women have overcome to create their art,” comments Museum Curator Mehves Lelic. The works in the exhibition cover a wide range of movements and interests from the mid-20th century to our present moment, including minimalism, abstraction, and contemporary art. The Academy Art Museum’s Instructors’ Exhibition presents recent works by its exceptional team of instructors. As practicing local artists working in multiple mediums, the instructors of our adult and children’s classes engage with what is in and around our community and beyond in intriguing ways. Their experience guiding budding and experienced student artists informs their work, as their technical proficiency and artistic curiosity intertwine, delivering a colorful and dynamic exhibition. “We haven’t done an Instructors’ Exhibition in about six years. We have an incredibly talented cadre of teachers – some with a national presence. Many have been prolific since the pandemic so there is new material to be viewed in the show,” comments Katie Cassidy, artist, instructor, and Education Consultant at the Museum. Lelic adds, “Because our instructors are working artists, creating new art is a part of their practice as teachers. They incorporate many things in their work so their students will get to enjoy seeing another side of them as makers of art.” Exhibiting artists in the Instructor’s Exhibition include Paul Aspell, Steve Bleinberger, Katie Cassidy, Rosemary Cooley, Bernie Dellario, Constance Del Nero, Georgia June Goldberg, Matthew Hillier, Susan Horsey, Maire McArdle, Diane DuBois Mullaly, Julia Rogers, Brad Ross, Maggii Sarfaty, Theresa Schram, Sahm Doherty Sefton, Sheryl Southwick, Cid Collins Walker, Steve Walker, and Meg Walsh. The Academy Art Museum exhibitions are sponsored by the Talbot County Arts Council, the Maryland State Arts Council, and the Star Democrat. Open daily, Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Sunday, 12 noon to 4 p.m. This winter and spring the Museum is offering a scaled-back list of class offerings, both in-person in small groups and online to adhere to safety standards during the pandemic. For additional information or to register for a class, visit academyartmuseum.org or call the Museum at 410-822-2787.
