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"Hamilton Collects American Art" celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Emerson Gallery.  But it also offers the Hamilton and surrounding communities with an extraordinary opportunity to see American art by well-known artists that has rarely, if ever, been viewed publicly.   To provide a "behind the scenes" look at some of the preparatory work undertaken for this exhibition, we interviewed Emerson Acting Director Bill Salzillo.  We followed his interview with a cross section of campus responses to the question, "What is your favorite painting in the show?"  For those of you who haven't been asked but would like to respond, simply go the Emerson page at www.hamilton.edu/gallery and click on "comments" under "Hamilton Collects."  We would love to hear from you, too.

Bill Salzillo, acting director, Emerson Gallery The planning for "Hamilton Collects" began in 1996 when the Committee on the Visual Arts contemplated how to best celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Emerson Gallery.  In considering how to develop support for a long-term plan and to increase the base of alumni support for the gallery, we were led to the most ambitious exhibition program in the gallery's history.  

This is a real blockbuster of a show with high educational value.  It traces 200 years of history of American painting through the emergence of the country as an art power.  It chronicles the establishment of an American identity and the growth of American consciousness in art.  It's a historical survey of outstanding quality offering many opportunities to compare and contrast styles and perspectives.  

It took us two-and-a-half years to bring this show to life, and in the process, we had no idea of what we would find.  We never anticipated the wealth of discoveries in terms of alumni collections.  A whole new generation of collecting alumni has emerged in the last 20 years, and there has been a significant increase in alumni collecting trends and styles.  

Ultimately we realized that there were so many new collectors with outstanding collections that we couldn't include all the works we uncovered.  We had to be more defined rather than all-inclusive.  This show of American art will be followed in the next few years by alumni shows of works on paper, Native American art, photography and European art.   In the process we have made many new friends and, through their collections, have learned so much.  

Some of our collectors have specialized in specific schools.  Ed Deci has over 300 paintings of Monhegan Island including paintings by Henri and Chatterton.  Serendipitously, another collector, Keith Wellin, had a Monhegan painting by George Bellows, an artist missing from Ed's collection.   All three paintings are  included in this exhibition and are reflections in similarities in alumni collecting tastes and interests.  In another pairing of collections, John Root lent a Burchfield painting, given to his father by the artist.  Kevin Kennedy loaned his Burchfield, one of several from his collection, along with two Homer paintings, a Childe Hassam, and a Thomas Hart Benton.  

In pulling the exhibition together, we realized we had no work representative of the abstract expressionist movement, and in fact, our survey of American art only extended to the 1950s.   It was at that point that we discovered Jack Levy's collection of post World War II art.  The 50's marked America's emergence as a major player in the art world.  Jack's collection includes all the principle painters of the time.  We selected three paintings for the show.  

This exhibition is but the tip of the iceberg in terms of alumni collecting.  It has allowed us to touch base with many old friends and develop many new relationships, uncovering all kinds of overlapping interests and connections along the way.

Tom Mazzullo, registrar and preparator, Emerson Gallery

I selected the Franz Kline Untitled, (Study for Elizabeth), 1957, collage because of its intimacy and its power. As an artist, and a draughtsman especially, I appreciate this tiny study created for a much larger oil painting because it communicates most directly the artist's complex thought process during the creation of his more well-known large works. Kline was a masterful abstract artist, though his work has much to do with the human figure. Unlike an artist who paints the visible anatomy of the human figure, it is instead the record of human action and emotion that are shown in Kline's distinctive calligraphic marks. This little collage shows not only that action and emotion, but in its construction from multiple pieces of paper, also shows the thought and consideration involved in creating the finished work. This study is a wonderful piece that shows Kline's struggle to communicate a rarely seen side of the human experience.  

Stephen Wu, assistant professor of economics
In viewing this exhibition, I can't really pick just one painting as my favorite – there are many that I like.  I enjoy fine arts but it is not something I understand.  I have studied music far more extensively than painting, and when I look at paintings I hear music.   I enjoy landscapes and more realistic works.  That is why I am drawn to the paintings  by Richards and Mignot.  I enjoy color, especially the autumn colors in the Mignot.  Perhaps I am drawn to more realistic works because I enjoy photography.  Photos of Upstate New York and Maine along with Chinese artwork and calligraphy are the primary images I have up on my walls at home.  

This exhibit is also interesting in that I don't really have an clear idea in my mind of what American art is – it isn't a single style or image, and this show bears out that fact.  It is an eclectic and diverse show.  

Nitsa Weld, academic office assistant, Critical, Romance and East Asian Languages
I like the Winslow Homer painting, "How Many Eggs?."  I like its light and color.  I love beach scenes having grown up near the beach in North Carolina, Virginia, and Morocco.  It's a relaxing painting, the image of the boys playing on the beach.  And finally, I like the title!

My favorite artists are the Impressionists, particularly Renoir and Van Gogh.  Most recently I visited the Women's Museum in Washington D.C. which is quite interesting but my favorite is the Quai d'Orsay in Paris.  On my walls at home my favorite image is a reproduction of a Sargent, ironically a beach scene not dissimilar in light and color from the Homer in this show.  

This exhibition is one of the best at Emerson.  It is truly wonderful and has people outside of the Hamilton community talking.  

Holly Foster, assistant director of media relations
I was drawn to the Burchfield painting, "Dandelion Seed Heads and the Moon," first because of its size and power.  When I looked at it more closely I became fascinated by the dragonflies.  I like the patterning of the painting, the fact that it wasn't totally literal.  It has a lot of energy and makes me want to grab one of those dandelion heads and puff on it.

Lori Dennison, director of major gifts
It's hard to pick just one favorite.  I am drawn to both "Segovia Girl" and "Red Trail" although I also could easily chose the Glackens portrait or Sully's "The Misses Coleman."  I don't know anything about art except what I like and I don't like.  I enjoy portraits.  

I am entranced by the eyes in "Segovia Girl."  They are eyes that look as if they have already seen a lot.  The color is also appealing.  I wonder what she was thinking as she posed for the painting.  Maybe, "When will this (sitting) be over?"

Blumner's "Red Trail" is small but it captures a sense of the time.  I enjoy the brilliant color.   The Luks is special as well.  John Root's eyes have the same intensity now as they did then at six months when Luks painted his portrait.  

When this exhibition was in the planning stages, I heard many lenders comment  that they had never consciously thought about starting a collection.  Their passion for a look or style led them to collecting over time.  It gives me hope that I can become a collector some day.  

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