UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — As the days heat up and summer starts, the Palmer Museum of Art at Penn State has announced a full slate of programs for June, July and August that are sure to appeal to both University and community audiences. The schedule will include exhibition openings, Friday gallery talks, and Sunday afternoon docent tours, as well as several exciting family and youth programs, including Family Day, a teen photo workshop, and new drop-in workshop sessions for art lovers of all ages.
“The Palmer’s summer programs offer a little something extra to a regular museum visit,” said Brandi Breslin, Museum educator. “Whether it’s the opportunity to learn more about a work of art or a chance to try out an art-making process, art is for everyone, and I hope there is something to appeal to everyone in our program line-up, too.”
A list of the Palmer’s summer programming is detailed below.
Exhibitions on view
"Under the Mexican Sky: A Revolution in Modern Photography" — June 1-July 28
"Myth Meets Modernism: The Manuel Álvarez Bravo Portfolio" — June 11-Aug. 4
"George Miller and American Lithography" — June 18-Sept. 15
"The Web of Life: John Biggers and the Power of Pedagogy" — Aug. 20-Dec. 15
"Augusta Savage: Renaissance Woman" — Aug. 24-Dec. 8
Gallery Talks
Join us on Friday afternoons at 12:10 p.m. for interesting, enlightening gallery talks on current exhibitions and selected works from the permanent collection.
June 7 — "Under the Mexican Sky: A Revolution in Modern Photography" — Adam Thomas, curator of American art
June 21 — "George Miller and American Lithography" — Patrick McGrady, Charles V. Hallman, senior curator
June 28 — "Myth Meets Modernism: The Manuel Álvarez Bravo Portfolio" — Keri Mongelluzzo, graduate assistant and doctoral candidate in art history
July 12 — "A Life in Motion: George Rickey’s 'Breaking Column III'" — Erin M. Coe, director
Aug. 2 — "Ceremony and Purpose: The Pottery of Ancient Peru" — Amara Solari, associate professor of art history and anthropology
Aug. 30 — "The Web of Life: John Biggers and the Power of Pedagogy" — Joyce Robinson, assistant director
Family Programs
"Drop in for Art" — Tuesdays, July 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30 — 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Every Tuesday in July, guests are invited to drop in and make some art in addition to enjoying a stroll through the galleries. Different art projects will be offered every week, so plan to visit often and explore a variety of art processes and materials that relate to works on view.
"Teen Photo Workshop and Volunteer Opportunity" (for teens age 14-17) — Friday, July 19, and Saturday, July 27 — Noon-4 p.m.
Teens interested in photography will enjoy a half-day workshop on July 19, then have the opportunity to earn some volunteer hours on July 27 by sharing their new knowledge and experience with Family Day program participants. Workshop activities will include making cyanotype prints and photo transfers as well as learning composition tips for taking better photos. Participants need to be willing to assist children and families with art activities during Family Day. Space is limited. E-mail Brandi Breslin at bgb56@psu.edu to request a registration packet.
Family Day: "Fun with Photos!" — Saturday, July 27 — Noon-3 p.m.
Enjoy a brief, family-friendly guided tour of "Under the Mexican Sky: A Revolution in Modern Photography," then explore a variety of photographic processes including cyanotypes, photo transfers, and digital green-screen magic. Family Day at the Palmer is ideal for families with children ages 5 to 11, but all ages are welcome.
Special Events
Members-Only Brunch and Purchase Party — Saturday, June 8 — 11 a.m.1 p.m.
Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts Children and Youth Day: Explore Printmaking — Wednesday, July 10 — 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., on the Old Main lawn
The Palmer Museum is open special hours for the Arts Festival — 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Sunday, June 9.
Docent Choice Tours
Stop by the Palmer Museum of Art on Sunday afternoons for a unique, themed tour led by one of our knowledgeable docents. Tours begin at 2 p.m. in the Christoffers Lobby and last approximately 45 minutes.
- June 2 — "Seeing Through the Lens" — Alice Clark
- June 9 — "Three Easy Pieces: Art and Identity" — Cathy Zangrilli
- June 16 — "Going for Baroque" — Susan Evans
- June 30 — "Image as Social Practice: Art and Politics" — Nancy Weinreb
- July 7 — "Exploring Images of Mexico" — Susan Hirth
- July 14 — "Artists’ Choices and Why They Matter" — Susan McCartney
- July 28 — "George Miller and His Peers" — Alice Clark
- Aug. 11 — "Women in Art" — Dotty Ford
- Aug. 18 — "Elements of Art & Principles of Composition" — Vinnie Scanlon
- Aug. 25 — "Through the Looking Glass" — Dotty Ford
ABOUT THE PALMER
The Palmer Museum of Art on the Penn State University Park campus is a free-admission arts resource for the University and surrounding communities in central Pennsylvania. With a collection of 9,400 objects representing a variety of cultures and spanning centuries of art, the Palmer is the largest art museum between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. Areas of strength include the museum’s collection of American art from the late 18th century to the present, Old Master paintings, prints and photography, ceramics and studio glass, and a growing collection of modern and contemporary art. The museum presents ten exhibitions each year and, with eleven galleries, a print-study room, a 150-seat auditorium, and an outdoor sculpture garden, the Palmer Museum of Art is the leading cultural resource for the region.
Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; 6 to 9 p.m for Third Thursday events; and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. The museum is closed Mondays and some holidays.
The Palmer receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. For more information on the Palmer Museum of Art or for the calendar of upcoming events, visit palmermuseum.psu.edu.