by Franck Mercurio, Publications Editor

6/27/2024

frank benson, early evening, American Impressionism, summer, summer vacation, beach towns, north haven, maine, escape the heat

Cincinnati’s summertime temps and high humidity make me long for the beach resorts of the Northeast—towns like Fire Island and Provincetown where generations of urban (and suburban) folk have flocked to escape the heat of summer.

by Cincinnati Art Museum

6/27/2024

The Culture: Hip Hop and Contemporary Art in the 21st Century

Get to know Jason Rawls, EdD Guest Curator and Assistant Professor, The Ohio State University.

by C. Obie Linn, Conservator of Textiles

6/20/2024

textile conservation, CAMConservation, historic upholstery, colonial dames, colonial furniture

It was time for the ladderback chairs in Gallery 218 to get a refresh! The chairs’ silk upholstery wasn’t original and over the years, while on display, the fabric had grown dingy and stained. Curator of Decorative Arts & Design Amy Dehan selected some appropriate, modern fabric in consultation with me, and I recovered the seats!

by Sai Ashish Bommasani, Visitor Services

6/20/2024

public tours, docents

In addition to exhibitions, CAM also offers free public tours of the collection open to everyone from all walks of life.

by Rose Milnes, Curatorial Assistant for South Asian Art, Islamic Art, and Antiquities

6/17/2024

South Asian Art, Islamic Art, antiquities, Gulistan, Sa'di

There’s always that time at the Cincinnati Art Museum when magic happens—when departments like curatorial, conservation, and design and installation come together twice a year to rotate light-sensitive works in our galleries, including works on paper and textiles, to preserve the artwork for future generations.

by Kelly Rectenwald, Conservator of Objects

6/13/2024

Jaume Plensa, Isabella, museum grounds

Last week, outdoor sculpture conservators from McKay Lodge Conservation Laboratory (based in Oberlin, Ohio) paid a visit to the museum.

by e.m.i., Digital Content Manager

6/6/2024

East Asian Art, Cincinnati

In 2023 the City of Cincinnati proclaimed June 8 to be Dr. Hou-mei Sung Day, in honor of the museum’s curator of East Asian Art.

by Cole Rodgers, Marketing Project Manager

6/6/2024

Dance, Egyptian Art, Japanese Art, African Art, American Art

See some unexpected ways that dance is woven into the CAM collection.

by Kiara Galloway, Web Content Management Intern

5/31/2024

Jaume Plensa, Isabella, outdoor art, outdoor sculpture, museum grounds

Located outside the museum’s Longworth wing, Isabella by artist Jaume Plensa (Spanish, b. 1955) stands peacefully in an open bed of grass unto herself. Her eyes are closed, and her expression is peaceful as though she is in a deep restful slumber.

by Cecile Mear, Conservator of Works on Paper

5/30/2024

paper conservation, lithograph, Anne Bellows, George Bellows

To help this artwork look her best for CAM’s fall exhibition, George Bellows: American Life in Print, she stopped by the Paper Lab for conservation treatment.

by Obie Linn, Textile Conservator

5/23/2024

CAMConservation, textile conservation, 1910s fashion

Remember the blue dress from a few weeks ago? This week she’s back—with a secret.

by Cole Rodgers, Marketing Project Manager

5/23/2024

art history, museum history

Let’s explore some of the clues CAM has left for us that paint a picture of the museum 100 years ago.

by Alex Otte Callon, REC Manager

5/17/2024

Rosenthal Education Center, REC Artist in Residence, Hunt Slonem, Joan Miró

Get to know REC Artist in Residence John Lanzador!

by Serena Urry, Chief Conservator

5/9/2024

CAMConservation, paintings conservation, Sir Joshua Reynolds, British catalog project, John Steuart Curry

Boy with Grapes, by Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723–1792), is the 45th painting examined in the paintings conservation lab over the last eighteen months, for the British catalog project.

by Samuel Foulkes, Director of Braille Production and Accessible Innovation, Clovernook Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired

5/8/2024

accessibility, Accessible Expressions Ohio, 3D printing, Clovernook Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired, tactiles

The Clovernook Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired created 3D-printed replicas of sculptures featured in the Cincinnati Art Museum’s Accessible Expressions Ohio exhibition.

by Madelyn McArthur, School-Based Learning Intern

5/7/2024

sustainability, artmaking

There are many ways to be conscious of the environment while creating art!

by Cole Rodgers, Project Manager

5/1/2024

Mental Health Awareness, Art on the Rise, Meditate with Art, Mind/Body/Art, events

Throughout the year—including May—the Cincinnati Art Museum is committed to providing visitors access to programs that strive to reduce stress, support healthy habits, and improve overall mental well-being. Check out four such activities available here at the museum—all for free.

by Kiara Galloway, Web Content Management Intern

5/1/2024

accessibility, Rosenthal Education Center

Providing accessibility resources to help people of all abilities connect with the arts is part of our mission to contribute to a more vibrant Cincinnati.

by Emily Hartig, Junior Exhibition Designer

4/30/2024

accessibility, Accessible Expressions Ohio, CAM+

The CAM+ Accessibility Cart is a self-serve welcoming point with tools to enhance any and everyone’s experience.

by Obie Linn, Conservator of Textiles

4/25/2024

textile conservation, CAMConservation, 1910s fashion

This week in the textile conservation lab, I am working on a day dress dating to the 1910s. It has a very delicate silk net stand-up collar edged with a metal ribbon and stiffened with wire stays.

by Cincinnati Art Museum in partnership with Queen City Pollinator Project

4/19/2024

Bees, Queen City Pollinator Project, Osmia Bee Co., sustainability

It’s spring, the weather is warming, flowers are blooming, and this April, we are buzzing with excitement because, just last week, we welcomed native mason bees to our grounds with the help of our partner, Queen City Pollinator Project!

by Kelly Rectenwald, Conservator of Objects

4/18/2024

Miss Mariko Okinawa, objects conservation, CAMConservation, teapot, Japanese Art, tea set

In our last post about the Miss Mariko Okinawa doll’s tea set, we discussed re-joining all of the tiny ceramic fragments.

by Eric Hughett, Curatorial Assistant of East Asian Art

4/16/2024

Year of the Dragon, Zodiac, East Asian Art

2024 is the Year of the Dragon, according to the 12-year cycle of the Chinese zodiac, which presents a perfect opportunity to look at Chinese dragons as a theme in East Asian art.

by Serena Urry, Chief Conservator

4/11/2024

British catalog project, Hoppner, paintings conservation, bituminous paint

This charming portrait of the Honorable Augusta Herbert, by British artist John Hoppner (1758–1810), is long overdue for cleaning.

by Sara Birkofer, Assistant Director of Gallery and Accessibility Programs

4/4/2024

accessibility, Accessible Expressions Ohio, Art Possible Ohio, Accessibility Award

The Cincinnati Art Museum strives for inclusivity by increasing accessibility to its collection, programming, and resources. The museum seeks to eliminate barriers by accommodating the individual needs of all visitors.

by Serena Urry, Chief Conservator

3/14/2024

CAMConservation, British portraiture, paintings conservation, Henry Raeburn, British catalog project, CAM British Painting catalog, CAM British Paintings

As paintings conservators, we may use chemicals, but we certainly don’t give facials.

by Adelie Wartman, Programs Intern

3/13/2024

10x10 Teen Art Expo, youth & families, teens, volunteers, behind the scenes

On February 1, 2024, the 10x10 Teen Volunteer Team reviewed submissions for the 6th Annual 10x10 Teen Art Expo. Their evaluation criteria focused on the interpretation of this year’s theme, “Behind the Scenes.”

by Kristin Spangenberg, Curator of Prints

3/11/2024

New Acquisition, recent acquisitions, prints, Sojourner Truth, Shakers, Mother Ann Lee, Lesley Dill

Two works by Lesley Dill (American, b. 1950)

by Cecile Mear, Conservator of Works on Paper

3/7/2024

CAMConservation, William E. Hentschel, paper conservation, air brush, printmaking, brayer painting

Two prints by Willim Hentschel came through the paper lab with old hinges and pressure sensitive tapes. The artist’s work is unlike any other in the collection.

by Obie Linn, Conservator of Textiles

2/29/2024

CAMConservation, textile conservation, museum pests, silverfish, historic Cincinnati

These elegant pale blue kid leather shoes came to the lab for a new storage tray and interior padding, but they are interesting because they bear tell-tale damage from a specific collection pest: silverfish.