Join us for a virtual road trip across the United States to explore unique and wholly original historic artist homes and studios. Traveling from Idaho to New York, we'll discover the environments, architecture, and private landscapes of six different artists, as well as the spaces that supported their art-making practices. This six-part, monthly series ventures deep into the museums and preserved spaces that nurtured the creation of thousands of American artworks. Fueled by the James Castle House and the Historic Artists' Homes and Studios (HAHS) program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Events are offered virtually and free of charge upon registration.
Join us for an unforgettable journey in Spring and Summer 2021.
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Historic Artists' Homes & Studios Virtual Road Trip: James Castle House
Boise, Idaho
March 17, 2021 (3 pm PST/6pm ET)
Kicking off this six-part virtual road trip from Boise, Idaho, we'll explore the self-taught artist James Castle and his house. Adventuring into Castle's private spaces, we'll explore the landscapes and places that both informed and made possible more than five decades of his artmaking practice. We'll go inside the site as it stands today, revealing its historic fabric, art and artifact collections, resident artists, and much more.
ABOUT
The James Castle House serves as a testimony to the life and work of American artist James Castle (1899-1977). Rooted in Castle's sense of wonder and discovery, the house today is a museum for contemporary and historical exhibits, tours, performances, talks, residency programs, and community partnerships. Both the historic buildings and the new wing invite you to explore James Castle's unique creative spaces.
More at jamescastlehouse.org
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Historic Artists' Homes & Studios Virtual Road Trip: The David Ireland House at 500 Capp Street
San Francisco, California
April 15, 2021 (3pm PST/6pm ET)
Traveling from Boise, Idaho to San Francisco, California, the second stop of this six-part virtual road trip, we'll explore the late, pioneering conceptual artist, David Ireland. Adventuring into Ireland's house, we'll explore the nearly 34-year-long project that both inspired and later became known as Ireland's most significant work of art: 500 Capp Street. We'll tour the present-day site, revealing Ireland's artistic philosophy, and discover the exhibitions and programs that celebrate David Ireland's legacy today.
ABOUT
The David Ireland House at 500 Capp Street in San Francisco is the historic home turned work of art created by the late, pioneering conceptual artist David Ireland (1930-2009). The House presents exhibitions and educational programs celebrating Ireland’s artistic legacy, and hosts collaborative events to strengthen San Francisco’s cultural community—bringing together artists, scholars, teachers, students, and the public—as Ireland’s home did during his lifetime
More at 500cappstreet.org
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Historic Artists' Homes & Studios Virtual Road Trip: Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art
Denver, Colorado
May 20, 2021 (11am PST/2pm ET)
Traveling from San Francisco, California to Denver, Colorado, the third stop of this six-part virtual road trip, we'll investigate the artist Vance Kirkland. We’ll explore Kirkland's Studio & Art School, located in Denver's oldest commercial art building (built 1910–1911), a space that functioned both as an art school and his private studio, collectively for almost 70 years. Even today the space remains saturated with Kirkland's imagination, innovation, and frenetic energy that allowed him to push the boundaries of his art-making practice.
ABOUT
Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art in Denver has three principal collections, all shown together in salon style, allowing visitors to time travel through about 150 years of art. The Museum features a retrospective of Colorado's distinguished painter, Vance Kirkland (1904–1981), with examples of his five painting periods and over 30 series spanning from realism to surrealism to abstraction. Kirkland Museum also has one of the most extensive public displays of international decorative art in North America, from about 1870 to the present, with examples of every major design period from Arts & Crafts through Postmodern. The third collection is a major survey of Colorado & regional art. Kirkland's historic studio & art school building are preserved as part of the Museum.
More at kirklandmuseum.org
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Historic Artists' Homes & Studios Virtual Road Trip: Melrose Plantation
Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana
June 16, 2021 (12pm PST/3pm ET)
Traveling from Deventer, Colorado to Natchitoches Parish,, Louisiana, the fourth stop of this six-part virtual road trip, we'll encounter the self-taught African American folk artist Clementine Hunter. Adventuring along the Cane River and into the African House where Hunter's murals depict the story of everyday life on the plantation and the nearby small cabin space where Hunter lived and painted for many years, we'll go inside the site today, revealing Hunter's incredible legacy through cooking, object-making, and painting.
ABOUT
Historic Melrose Plantation preserves and shares the founding legacy of the Cane River Creoles, free people of color in Antebellum, Louisiana, whose descendants still live along the Cane River today. Rich in historical and artistic traditions, this site also explores the wonders of the early 20th-century Melrose artists' retreat founded by Cammie Henry and showcases the life and work of Clementine Hunter (1887-1988), Melrose cook, as she emerged to become Louisiana's most celebrated folk memory artist. A collection of nine historic buildings and a selection of Hunter's work is available for public viewing, including Hunter's popular African House Murals.
More at www.melroseplantation.org
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Historic Artists' Homes & Studios Virtual Road Trip: Roger Brown Study Collection
Chicago, Illinois
July 21, 2021 (2pm PST/5pm ET)
Traveling from Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana to Chicago, Illinois, the fifth stop of this six-part virtual road trip, we'll explore artist and voracious art and object collector, Roger Brown. Adventuring into Brown's integrated home, studio, garden, and collection environment, a former storefront building where Brown lived and worked for over twenty years, we’ll encounter what Brown often referred to as his "museum of inspiration." This whimsical space holds Brown's original works, along with works from other Chicago Imagists and nonmainstream artists, as well as his collection of folk and tribal art, material and popular culture ephemera, costumes, furniture, and things found wandering here and there, not to mention Brown's Ford Mustang still parked in the garage.
ABOUT
The Roger Brown Study Collection is a special collection of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago that exists as an artists' study collection and archive, preserved intact in a historic house museum setting in the former home of the artist Roger Brown (1941-1997). The RBSC is an intimate collection with an astonishing range of objects, including works by Chicago Imagists and other contemporary artists, self-taught artists, folk art from many cultures, objects from material and popular culture, costumes, textiles, furniture, travel souvenirs, and other things Brown surrounded himself with for artistic inspiration.
More at www.saic.edu/rogerbrown
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Historic Artists' Homes & Studios Virtual Road Trip: The Dorothy Riester House and Studio
Cazenovia, New York
August 9, 2021 (12pm PST/3pm ET)
Traveling from Chicago, Illinois, to Cazenovia, New York, the last stop of this six-part virtual road trip, we'll explore the artist Dorothy Riester and her hand-made home and studio sitting atop a 23-acre wooded landscape. Adventuring onto her upstate property, we'll experience Dorothy's sculpture and design practice and discover her love for historic preservation and land conservation that led to creation of the Stone Quarry Hill Art Park. Noted as Riester's most remarkable accomplishment, Stone Quarry Hill Art Park today is a public sculpture garden, exhibition space, and artist residency program.
ABOUT
The Dorothy Riester House and Studio (Hilltop House and Studio) at Stone Quarry Hill Art Park is the hand-crafted, artist-built home and studio of multidisciplinary artist, author, and preservationist Dorothy Winner Riester (1916 - 2017). The House and Studio are a testament to Riester's immersive creative life, in which she continuously explored the interplay between art and nature in her professional and domestic life. The interpretation of Riester's life and craft are examined on-site through tours, programming, and special events designed to foster curiosity and conversations in the fields of art, architecture, preservation, design, and landscape.
More at sqhap.org/hilltophouse
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We encourage persons with disabilities and those who require language assistance to participate in this program. Live American Sign Language (ASL) Interpretation will be offered during this event series. If you anticipate needing additional accommodation, please contact Makenzi Dunstan at mdunstan@cityofboise.org, as soon as possible, but no later than 72 hours before the event. To request assistance, you may also dial TTY 1-800-377-3529.
