Art News. Vasari Codex

article culture schedule May 11, 2026 visibility 7 link 15 artists, 1 gallery

How Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys Built a Best-in-Class Art Collection With a “Collect What You Feel” Philosophy

Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys, the musician power couple, have built a major art collection known as the Dean Collection, now touring as the exhibition "Giants" at the San Diego Museum of Contemporary Art. The show, which debuted at the Brooklyn Museum in 2024, features works by Gordon Parks, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Malick Sidibé, and a new multimedia installation by Mickalene Thomas. In an interview with GQ's Frazier Tharpe, the couple discusses their philosophy of collecting art based on emotional connection rather than investment or social status, and how their passion for art has deepened over their 15-year marriage.

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candle obituary schedule May 11, 2026 visibility 4 link 4 artists, 2 galleries

Acclaimed Wilkes Artist Ward Nichols dies

Ward Hampton Nichols, a celebrated artist from North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, died on May 5 at the age of 95 at the Kate B. Reynolds Hospice Home, surrounded by his children. A few weeks before his passing, a celebration of his life, legacy, and art was held at the Wilkes Art Gallery. Nichols, born in 1930 in Welch, West Virginia, taught himself to draw as a child and later served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean conflict, where he designed a NATO shoulder patch and co-founded a shipboard newspaper. After his service, he pursued a lifelong passion for art, painting until January of this year, and was also an avid aviator and sports car enthusiast.

newspaper The Wilkes Record open_in_new Read original

trending_up market schedule May 14, 2025 visibility 6 link 2 artists

frank lloyd wright lamp sothebys auction 2634454

A rare Frank Lloyd Wright lamp, the Double-Pedestal lamp, sold at Sotheby’s Modern Evening Auction on May 13 for $7.5 million, far exceeding its $3–5 million estimate after an 11-minute bidding war. Designed in 1902 for the Susan Lawrence Dana House in Springfield, Illinois, the lamp is one of only two surviving examples; the other remains in the house’s collection. The sale set a new auction record for a Wright work, surpassing the previous high of $2.9 million for a 1902 ceiling light sold in 2023.

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trending_up market schedule May 17, 2025 visibility 14 link 21 artists, 4 galleries

11 New Artist Auction Records Set in May 2025

During New York's spring auction week starting May 12, 2025, major houses Sotheby's, Christie's, Phillips, and Bonhams collectively brought in $1.27 billion, slightly above the estimated $1.25 billion but down 17% from the previous year. The top lot was Piet Mondrian's *Composition with Large Red Plane, Bluish Gray, Yellow, Black and Blue* (1922) at $47.56 million, but the mood was tense as trophy works like Andy Warhol's *Big Electric Chair* (1967–68) were withdrawn and several top lots, including Alberto Giacometti's *Grande tête mince* (1955), failed to sell. Amid this volatility, 11 new artist auction records were set, five of which were for women artists, notably Marlene Dumas's *Miss January* (1999) selling for $13.65 million—the most expensive work by a living woman artist at auction.

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museum exhibitions schedule Apr 17, 2025 visibility 4 link 5 artists, 1 gallery

Studio Art MFAs Present Thesis Exhibition “TRANSIT”

American University's 2025 Master of Fine Arts Thesis Exhibition, titled “TRANSIT,” is on view at the AU Art Museum from April 19 to May 18. The show features the culminating works of six graduating Studio Art MFA students: Phaedra Askarinam, Pooja Campbell, Patricia Edwine Poku, Connor Gagne, Andrés Izquierdo, and Julia Cheng Zhang. Their diverse practices span painting, ceramics, installation, and performance, unified by the theme of transit—interpreted as acts of passage, transformation, and self-discovery. Curated around this shared concept, the exhibition explores life transitions such as grief and parenthood, as described by Professorial Lecturer Molly Springfield.

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article local schedule Apr 10, 2026 visibility 10 link 2 artists

Ward Nichols Opening at Wilkes Art Gallery is April 17

The Wilkes Art Gallery in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, is hosting a career-spanning exhibition titled “From Reality to Realism, A Lifetime Perspective,” featuring the works of veteran artist Ward Nichols. The opening reception on April 17 will include a jazz performance and an indoor/outdoor celebration that involves the closure of Ward Nichols Way, a street recently renamed in the artist's honor.

newspaper The Wilkes Record open_in_new Read original

museum exhibitions schedule Aug 20, 2025 visibility 8 link 3 artists

LUMA’s Richard Hunt exhibition offers an inspiring message for young artists

Loyola University Museum of Art (LUMA) opened "Freedom in Form: Richard Hunt" on July 11, 2025, running through November 15, 2025. Originally planned as a celebration of the renowned Chicago sculptor's career while he was still alive, the exhibition became a posthumous tribute after Hunt died on December 16, 2023, at age 88. The show originated at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum (ALPLM) in Springfield, suggested by Illinois First Lady MK Pritzker, and was later brought to LUMA in Hunt's hometown. It features sculptures, maquettes, tools, his personal workbench, and over 250 books from his library of 5,000 volumes, highlighting his seven-decade career and his role as an adjunct faculty member at Loyola University Chicago.

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museum exhibitions schedule Jul 29, 2025 visibility 12 link 5 artists

Column: New Richard Hunt exhibit takes the measure of the artist and the man

A new exhibition titled "Freedom in Form: Richard Hunt" is on view at the Loyola University Museum of Art (LUMA) in Chicago through November 15. The show features over 160 works, including intimate sculptures and maquettes, offering a personal look at the late sculptor Richard Hunt, who died in December 2023. It originated at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library in Springfield, inspired by Illinois first lady MK Pritzker. The exhibition highlights Hunt's early life, his self-taught welding skills, and his pivotal experience attending Emmett Till's funeral in 1955, which shaped his commitment to civil rights and social justice through art.

newspaper Chicago Tribune open_in_new Read original

museum exhibitions schedule Jul 11, 2025 visibility 10 link 2 artists

New Exhibition on Richard Hunt, Chicago Sculptor Who Made Monuments for the Nation, Provides an Intimate Look

The Loyola University Museum of Art (LUMA) has opened "Freedom in Form: Richard Hunt," an exhibition showcasing the work of the late Chicago sculptor who created over 160 public monuments across the U.S. The show, which runs through Nov. 15, 2025, features sculptures, maquettes, tools, and selections from Hunt's personal library, offering an intimate view of his career. It premiered in 2024 at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library in Springfield, where it was organized after First Lady of Illinois M.K. Pritzker recommended Hunt. The exhibition includes early works like "Hero's Head" (1956), inspired by Emmett Till, and later pieces such as "Hero Ascending," planned for installation at the Emmett Till/Mamie Till-Mobley historic landmark home.

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museum exhibitions schedule Jul 10, 2025 visibility 8 link 4 artists

Richard Hunt’s life is on exhibit in Chicago — and it’s a walk through Civil Rights history

A new exhibition titled “Freedom in Form: Richard Hunt” opens at the Loyola University Museum of Art in Chicago, exploring the 70-year career of the late sculptor Richard Hunt, who died in 2023 at age 88. The show includes his tools, workbench, personal books and photos, alongside key works such as “Hero’s Head” (1956), a welded bust created in response to the murder of Emmett Till, who was Hunt’s neighbor. The exhibition originated at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Museum in Springfield and was conceived in 2019, with curator Ross Stanton Jordan and director Lance Tawzer aiming to present Hunt as a young artist deeply engaged with Civil Rights history.

newspaper WBEZ Chicago open_in_new Read original

article local schedule Aug 21, 2025 visibility 5 link 4 artists

Upcoming art shows and festivals

The article highlights a series of upcoming art exhibitions and festivals in Springfield, Illinois, running from late August through September 2025. Key events include the Springfield Art Association's 37th Annual Edwards Place Fine Art Fair, the solo watercolor exhibition “Perceptions of Nature” by Donald Landry at the Hoogland Center for the Arts, and the “NOIR V: Resilience” exhibition at the Illinois State Museum. Other featured shows include “Confluence” and “PLEIADES” at the SAA Collective, and the “Statewide: Illinois Artist Showcase” at the M. G. Nelson Gallery. The Fae Folk Art Collective also presents its fourth festival, Mythical Creatures, at Union Square Park.

newspaper Illinois Times open_in_new Read original

article local schedule Apr 5, 2026 source 2 sources visibility 19 link 1 gallery

Looking for art, culture? See the latest Central Illinois exhibits

Central Illinois is hosting a diverse array of art and cultural exhibitions across several key institutions and galleries this spring. Highlights include the "Art on the Offense" group show at the Contemporary Art Center of Peoria, the "Lights, Camera, Fashion!" exhibition featuring the Lois Jett Historical Fashion Collection, and multiple annual student showcases at University Galleries and Merwin & Wakeley Galleries. Local spaces like the McLean County Arts Center and Eaton Studio Gallery are also actively engaging the community through regional artist spotlights and educational outreach for local students.

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article local schedule May 23, 2025 visibility 7 link 1 artist

Annual Juried Show at Gallery A3: Open Call for Artists

Gallery A3 in Amherst, Massachusetts, has issued an open call for its 10th Annual Juried Show, scheduled for August 7–30, 2025. Submissions will be accepted online from May 19 to June 21, with a theme of "United We Stand: Art for Divisive Times." The juror is Billy Myers, Artistic Director and Curator of the Art for the Soul Gallery in Springfield. Accepted artists will exhibit in the downtown Amherst gallery, with an opening reception on August 7 and a free public Art Forum on August 21.

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article local schedule Apr 17, 2026 visibility 9 link 2 artists, 1 gallery

Jordan Creek renewal project isolates downtown Springfield gallery

The Renew Jordan Creek revitalization project in downtown Springfield has severely impacted Fresh Gallery, an award-winning local art space. Extensive road closures on Boonville Avenue and ongoing construction noise have cut off the gallery from its usual pedestrian and tourist traffic, leading to a drastic decline in sales and foot traffic. To combat these challenges, the gallery has launched a GoFundMe campaign and is attempting to reinvent its business model to survive until construction concludes in mid-2024.

newspaper Springfield News-Leader open_in_new Read original

article local schedule Mar 3, 2026 visibility 12 link 3 galleries

First Friday Art Walk brings new exhibits to downtown Springfield

Downtown Springfield is set to host its First Friday Art Walk on March 6, featuring extended gallery hours and a wide array of new exhibitions across multiple venues. Highlights include the 2026 All School Exhibition at Brick City Gallery, student showcases at the Carolla Arts Exhibition Center, and solo presentations by artists such as Rick Atwell, Brandy Harris, and Tom Beale.

newspaper Springfield News-Leader open_in_new Read original

museum exhibitions schedule May 8, 2026 visibility 2 link 1 artist

Chicago artist shows recycled book art at Springfield Museum

Chicago artist [Artist Name] is showcasing recycled book art at the Springfield Museum, as reported by WWLP. The exhibition features works created from repurposed books, transforming discarded materials into visual art pieces.

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museum exhibitions schedule Apr 24, 2026 visibility 8 link 4 artists

'Two Voices, One Road' show opens at C-Art Gallery

Springfield artists and married couple Randy Bacon and Heidi Herrman are opening a new collaborative exhibition titled "Two Voices, One Road" at their C-Art Gallery on Historic Commercial Street, running from April 29 to July 4. The show was inspired by a restorative road trip along Route 66 they took in 2021 after Herrman's mother died and as the world emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic. Bacon contributes landscape photographs taken as far back as 1992, while Herrman presents new mixed-media works combining her own photographs with vintage handkerchiefs inherited from her mother, printed on mulberry paper and fused with encaustic materials.

newspaper Springfield Daily Citizen open_in_new Read original

museum exhibitions schedule Apr 22, 2026 visibility 5 link 2 artists

THE SIMPSONS to Star in Their Own Art Exhibition This Fall

The Hilbert Museum of California Art at Chapman University will host "The Art of the Simpsons," the first-ever art exhibition dedicated to the iconic animated family. The exhibition, opening November 18, 2026, will feature original illustrations and production cels of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and other Springfield characters, celebrating the show's 39-year history and the museum's 10th anniversary.

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museum exhibitions schedule Apr 13, 2026 visibility 11 link 1 artist

Springfield couple sharing Route 66 artwork for centennial kickoff

Photographers Randy Bacon and Heidi Herrman-Bacon have launched their first collaborative exhibition, "Two Voices, One Road," at the C-Art Gallery in Springfield. The show features 37 black-and-white photographs and 18 mixed-media works that document the architecture and human history of Route 66. While Randy Bacon focuses on the soulful portraiture of desolate structures and signs, Heidi Herrman-Bacon utilizes vintage handkerchiefs and photography to highlight the often-overlooked contributions of women who maintained the diners and motels along the historic highway.

newspaper Springfield News-Leader open_in_new Read original

article local schedule Apr 9, 2026 visibility 8 link 3 artists

Slow Art Day at The Pharmacy Gallery and Art Space April 11 Noon to 6pm

The Pharmacy Gallery and Art Space in Springfield, Illinois, is set to participate in the international Slow Art Day on April 11. This grassroots event encourages visitors to move away from the typical museum-going experience of rushing through exhibits, instead focusing deeply on a small selection of works. The Springfield location will feature concurrent exhibitions by Bob Waldmire and photographer David Schwartz, whose work will be featured on upcoming Route 66 Centennial stamps.

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museum exhibitions schedule Apr 2, 2026 visibility 8 link 1 artist

Museum of Art’s Juried Members’ Exhibition draws record numbers

The Springfield Museum of Art (SMoA) has launched its 78th Annual Juried Members’ Exhibition, marking a record-breaking year for the institution. The show features 153 selected works from a pool of 250 submissions, representing 150 artist members across nine states—a significant increase from the 110 participants recorded in 2023. Curated by Sienna Brown of the Cleveland Clinic Art Collection, the exhibition highlights a shift toward exuberant colors, abstract forms, and experimental mixed media.

newspaper Springfield News-Sun open_in_new Read original

article local schedule Feb 1, 2026 visibility 6 link 16 artists

Emerging Young Artists and Designers 2026 Juried Exhibition

The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth's College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) is hosting the Emerging Young Artists and Designers 2026 Juried Exhibition. The virtual opening and awards ceremony will be held on February 6, featuring 100 works selected from over 550 submissions by high school students across New England. Award winners will have their work displayed in the CVPA Campus Gallery from February 14 to 22.

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article local schedule Oct 24, 2025 visibility 5 link 6 artists

Exhibition featuring local artists now on display at Springfield Town Center

A new art installation has opened at Springfield Town Center in Fairfax County, Virginia, featuring seven works by three local artists—Tumôhq Abney, Jován Bethel, and Isabella Merlos. The exhibition, titled “ArtsFairfax Presents at Springfield Town Center,” is a collaboration between the mall and ArtsFairfax, the county's official arts agency, and was unveiled on October 16, 2025, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The show is part of ArtsFairfax’s month-long artoberVA celebration, organized in partnership with CultureWorks, and will remain on display through March 31, 2026, with all works available for purchase.

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article news schedule Apr 30, 2026 visibility 12 link 1 gallery

First Friday Art Walk showcases student exhibitions

The May First Friday Art Walk in downtown Springfield features student exhibitions from Drury University, Missouri State University, and Ozarks Technical Community College, alongside Route 66-themed shows. Seventeen venues participate in the self-guided tour, with college artists displaying work at four locations, including the Robert & Margaret Carolla Arts Exhibition Center, Brick City Gallery, the Pool Arts Center, and Ozarks Technical Community College's Art and Design Department. The Route 66 Centennial Traveling Exhibit, created by documentary filmmaker Katrina Parks, is on display at the Historic Gillioz Theatre, and photographers Vance Clark and Andrew Mann present their 'Unique Lens' exhibit at the Park Central Branch Library.

newspaper Springfield Daily Citizen open_in_new Read original

article local schedule Feb 26, 2026 visibility 11 link 2 galleries

Springfield Art Museum opens annual All-School Exhibition

The Springfield Art Museum has launched its annual All-School Exhibition, a long-standing tradition that showcases artwork from public, private, parochial, and homeschool students across the Springfield area. Due to ongoing renovations at the museum’s main facility, the 2026 edition is being hosted at Missouri State University’s Brick City Gallery. The exhibition coincides with Youth Art Month and Women’s History Month, featuring a diverse range of student work selected to highlight educational depth rather than just technical skill.

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article local schedule Feb 26, 2026 visibility 11 link 2 galleries

Springfield Art Museum celebrates young artists at 2026 All School Exhibition

The Springfield Art Museum has launched its 2026 All School Exhibition, a historic community tradition that has showcased student artwork since 1932. This year's iteration, hosted at Missouri State University’s Brick City Gallery due to museum renovations, features selected works from elementary, middle, and high school students across 57 local public, private, and parochial schools. The exhibition is a collaborative effort, installed by a team of local educators and students alongside professional curatorial staff.

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article local schedule Feb 2, 2026 visibility 12 link 2 galleries

What’s new at Springfield’s First Friday Art Walk this February

Springfield's February First Friday Art Walk is set to feature a diverse lineup of exhibitions and events across multiple downtown venues. Highlights include the Annual Foundations Exhibition at Brick City Gallery showcasing Missouri State University student work, a photography exhibition on English medieval architecture by Tom Russo at Drury Pool Arts Gallery, and a fifth-anniversary celebration for the artist collective Formed. Other participating locations include Hotel Vandivort, Obelisk Home, The Creamery Arts Center, and the Carolla Arts Exhibition Center, which will host a 40-year ceramic art retrospective by Keith Ekstam.

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article local schedule Apr 24, 2026 visibility 9

Want a sneak peek at Springfield Art Museum's progress? Take a tour

The Springfield Art Museum, closed for over a year for renovations and expansion, is offering guided hard hat tours starting April 25, 2026. Led by Museum Director Nick Nelson and Foundation Executive Director Kate Francis, the free tours require advance registration and safety gear, and will run on select Saturdays through August and Tuesdays through September. The project includes a new special exhibition gallery, collection study room, and a naturalized creek and trail, with a second phase pending city funding.

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article local schedule Apr 22, 2026 visibility 8

Gallery at the Vault Open Wall reception

Gallery at the Vault in Springfield, Vermont, is hosting a reception for its "Open Wall" exhibition titled "A World of Color, A World of Wonder" on Friday, April 24. The event offers the public a chance to meet participating artists and learn about their work.

newspaper The Vermont Journal & The Shopper - open_in_new Read original

article local schedule Apr 20, 2026 visibility 6

From the Darkroom recalls Springfield's Civil War centennial exhibit

The Springfield News-Leader, in partnership with the Springfield-Greene County Library District, is publishing a historical photograph from its archives. The 1961 image shows Kenneth M. Shuck, director of the Springfield Art Museum, examining Civil War artifacts—including a saber, a drum, and a painting of Union General Nathaniel Lyon—in preparation for a centennial exhibition.

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