Each Spring the American Art Awards board selects the 25 Best Galleries And Museums In America.
HighlightHollywood.com reported in 2016: "The impressive AAA board chooses only one museum or gallery per state per year. Their selections are based on years established, industry reputation, online buzz, location, size, socially relevant exhibits, motivational and educational programs, represented artists as well as artist, client and visitor references."
American Art Awards: "We consider thousands of the most established art venues from Maine to Hawaii. This year we awarded several museums with historical significance of 100+ years, some with over 100,000 annual visitors, some specializing in American acquisitions and others foreign antiquities. We've also selected some of the most reputable art galleries which specialize in contemporary works. In addition, we chose a few art facilities and centers dedicated to exhibiting the struggle and triumph of minorities and making an impact on their communities with inspiring educational programs."
Why did the American Art Awards select Michener Art Museum as Best Gallery Or Museum In Pennsylvania For 2017?
American Art Awards: “The Michener excels in every department. The structures, adapted from a former prison, are handsome architectural majesties. 40,000 sq. ft. of public space displays one of the world's most beautiful permanent collections of paintings - and countless other treasures. This accredited world-class facility is not only beautiful inside and out - it possesses a gifted brain - offering a diverse program of educational activities - and an intense soul - warming and delighting 135,000 annual visitors."
HISTORY: In 1988, with the support of many citizens from across the region, the James A. Michener Art Museum opened as an independent, nonprofit cultural institution dedicated to preserving, interpreting, and exhibiting the art and cultural heritage of Bucks County. Named for the Pulitzer Prize-winning author and supporter of the arts, the Museum is housed in the repurposed 1884 Bucks County Jail. The Museum has evolved from a modest facility with a locally derived mission to an accredited world-class facility with a broad vision. Changing exhibitions, ranging from international touring shows to regionally focused exhibitions, attract annually thousands of visitors from around the world.
MISSION: The James A. Michener Art Museum collects, preserves, interprets and exhibits American art, and promotes the work of nationally and internationally known Delaware Valley artists of all eras and creative disciplines. The museum presents exhibitions that explore a variety of artistic expressions and offers diverse educational programs that develop a lifelong involvement in the arts.
PERMANENT COLLECTION: The Michener has built a permanent collection of more than 2,800 objects that reveals the rich artistic and cultural heritage of Bucks County and beyond. As the center for the study of Pennsylvania Impressionism, the Michener Art Museum is home to a world-class group of paintings created in the early 20th century by artistic luminaries such as Daniel Garber, Edward W. Redfield, and William Langston Lathrop, all of whom settled in Bucks County and depicted the grandeur and rustic beauty of the local landscape.The growing collections include American paintings, sculpture, works on paper, decorative arts, and Arts and Crafts and Modern Studio furniture.
THE FACILITY: Surrounded by historic prison walls, the Patricia D. Pfundt Sculpture Garden and terraces, and a landscaped courtyard, the Michener encompasses extensive public space that includes educational classrooms, a Museum shop and café, an art research library, and gallery space. The dynamic glass-walled Edgar N. Putman Event Pavilion provides a dramatic space for events, weddings, and Museum programs.
Permanent exhibition areas include the Nakashima Reading Room, a traditional Japanese-style room filled with classic Nakashima furniture; James A. Michener: A Living Legacy, which celebrates Michener’s prolific career as a writer, public servant, art collector, and philanthropist; the Garber Mural, a spectacular 22-foot painting A Wooded Watershed by Daniel Garber; and the Lenfest Exhibition of Pennsylvania Impressionism.
PROGRAMS AND EVENTS: Throughout the year, the Michener hosts a wide range of art-based programs open to the public, including lectures, artist conversations, gallery talks, artist studio tours, dance performances, jazz performances, Ladies Nights Out, family-themed activities, and other events. For a complete list of upcoming events, visit MichenerArtMuseum.org.
EDUCATION: The Michener offers art classes for children (starting in pre-kindergarten) and adults. Classes include instruction in drawing, painting, sculpting, and printmaking as well as programs designed to enhance artistic awareness and inclination in children and adults alike. Additionally, the Museum welcomes thousands of school students each year through the School Visit Program which, through generous support of The Rose Group, includes free admission for pre-booked school groups (prekindergarten through 12th grade).
James A. Michener Art Museum / 138 S. Pine St. / Doylestown, PA 18901 / 215.340.9800
HOURS: Tuesday - Friday: 10 am to 4:30 pm, Saturday: 10 am to 5 pm, Sunday: 12 pm to 5
The Patricia D. Pfundt Sculpture Garden and Terrace close a half hour before galleries.
The Patricia D. Pfundt Sculpture Garden and Terrace may be closed for special events; please call ahead for up-to-date information.
WEB SITE: http://www.michenerartmuseum.org/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- STORY PHOTOS by James Quinlan, Paul Boger and Dara N. King.
* CURRENT EXHIBITS :
Charles Sheeler: Fashion, Photography, and Sculptural Form (through July 9, 2017)
Light & Matter: The Photographic Object (through June 25, 2017)
Highlights from the New Hope-Solebury School Collection (through October 8, 2017)
* UPCOMING EXHIBITS:
Myths & Nature: Early Prints by Sam Maitin (May 6 – August 27, 2017)
George Sotter: Light and Shadow (July 29 – December 31, 2017)
Dedicated, Displayed, Discovered: Celebrating the Region's School Art Collections (July 7, 2017 – January 8, 2018)
Magical & Real: Henriette Wyeth and Peter Hurd, a Retrospective (January 20 – May 6, 2018)
www.AmericanArtAwards.com annually awards 25 museums and galleries in Spring, and with their critique in Autumn, awards 300 artists (painters, photographers, sculptors and digital artists.).
ALL 25 BEST GALLERIES AND MUSEUMS, AND INFO ON ENTERING AMERICAN ART AWARDS, HERE: http://www.americanartawards.com/25-best-state-galleries-2017/
BEST IN PENNSYLVANIA -- JAMES A. MICHENER ART MUSEUM. "... 40,000 sq. ft.... world-class group of paintings... permanent collection of more than 2,800 objects... accredited world-class facility... diverse program of educational activities... more than 135,000 annual visitors..." http://www.michenerartmuseum.org/
BEST IN LOUISIANA -- NEWCOMB ART MUSEUM. "... legacy of education, social enterprise, and artistic experience. Presenting inspirin exhibitions and programs that engage communities... founded in 1886... recognizes the contributions of women to the fields of art and design...." http://newcombartmuseum.tulane.edu/
BEST IN ILLINOIS -- HILLIGOSS GALLERIES. "Chicago’s Premier Art Gallery for 20+ years. The two-story 8,500 sq. ft. gallery is the epitome of a well-oiled machine... perfect marriage of artist, collector and setting... original paintings by the world's finest living artists, as well as fine prints by historic and 20th century masters." http://www.hilligossgalleriesil.com/
BEST IN NEVADA -- THE METROPOLITAN GALLERY OF LAS VEGAS ART MUSEUM. "... over 20,000 sq. ft.... intellectual excellence and leadership... dedicated to raising awareness... promotes an understanding and appreciation of art by making accessible to the public fine art exhibitions, educational programs, and cultural events... local, regional and international artists... " http://mglv.org/
BEST IN KENTUCKY -- E&S GALLERY. "... professionalism, reputation, gallery space, exhibitions, artist roster and clientele... 11,000 sq. ft. gallery, custom framing and art publishing... African American art with an unmatched selection of artists, medium, subject matter, and genres. ... " http://www.eandsgallery.com/
BEST IN MISSISSIPPI -- OHR-O'KEEFE ART MUSEUM. "...just as Ohr (1857-1918) rose from devastating personal and professional loss to create an extraordinary body of work, so too the Ohr-O’Keefe has risen from Hurricane Katrina’s destruction... diverse cultural heritage of the Mississippi Gulf Coast... compelling exhibitions and educational experiences......" http://georgeohr.org/
BEST IN NEBRASKA -- KIECHEL FINE ART. "...few have the roster and esteem as Keichel... discerning eye... three story four gallery showplace... many of the top Midwestern Contemporary artists... " http://www.kiechelart.com/
BEST IN COLORADO -- COLORADO SPRINGS FINE ARTS CENTER. "132,000 sq. ft... one of the only multi-discipline arts institutions... For nearly 100 years, the top cultural attraction of the Pikes Peak region... world’s finest art... extraordinary visceral experiences..." http://www.csfineartscenter.org/
BEST IN SOUTH DAKOTA -- SOUTH DAKOTA ART MUSEUM. "Since 1970... artistic legacy of South Dakota in all its diversity. Harvey Dunn, Native American art, Marghab Linens... 7,000 objects in its collection..." http://www.sdstate.edu/south-dakota-art-museum/
BEST IN SOUTH CAROLINA -- MARY MARTIN GALLERY OF FINE ART. "... excellence and steady expansion... museum quality art including bronze and stone sculptures, original oil and acrylic paintings, extraordinary watercolors... number one tourist destination in America... on par with Beverly Hill’s Rodeo Drive and NY’s Fifth Avenue..." http://www.marymartinart.com/
BEST IN UTAH -- MEYER GALLERY. "... over 50 years, a contemporary art icon in Utah. The building (former First National Bank of Utah) is listed with the National Register of Historic Places and on the Park City Museum's Historic district tour. Featuring both representational and abstract works... " ttps://www.meyergallery.com/
BEST IN NEW MEXICO -- BLUE RAIN GALLERY. "...Santa Fe's exceptional exhibitor of all factions of art... pieces from noted glass artisans to bronze sculptures and wood sculptures to two-dimensional works, artisans contribute elegant to elemental, neo-traditional to transcendental, neo-tribal to contemporary Native American... " http://blueraingallery.com/
BEST IN MISSOURI -- UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI MUSEUM OF ART AND ARCHAEOLOGY. "...Stunning collections across a wide range of cultures... Greek, Roman, Near Eastern art works, ancient Egypt, Byzantium, Asian, African, Ancient Americas, and Oceanic cultures... important collections in European and American art from the fifteenth century to the present... " https://maa.missouri.edu/
BEST IN CALIFORNIA -- CODA GALLERY. "A Palm Dessert landmark for thirty years, this contemporary El Paseo gallery has a vast collection of paintings, photography, sculpture, glass, and ceramic works by a wide range of established, mid-career, and emerging artists..." http://www.codagallery.com/
BEST IN OREGON -- ROGER YOST GALLERY. "Located in a 1927 art deco tower in the heart of Downtown Salem, Oregon’s capital city... more than 7500 sq. ft.. of exhibit space featuring paintings and sculpture from Lithuania, The Czech Republic, Vietnam, France, Germany, Argentina, Russia, Spain, UK, Budapest and Hollywood. A second location coastal version in Newport..." http://www.rogeryostgallery.com/
BEST IN ARIZONA -- BENTLEY GALLERY. "For 30+ years, Bentley Gallery in Phoenix has been synonymous with contemporary painting and sculpture in the Southwestern U.S.... mid-career and museum-collected artists from the states and Europe, as well as ancient art and artifacts... Chinese bi and cong from the Neolithic period co-exist seamlessly with contemporary works..." http://www.bentleygallery.com/
BEST IN MAINE -- PORTLAND MUSEUM OF ART. "Cultural heart of Portland... significant holdings of American, European, and contemporary art, as well as iconic works from Maine... a steadfast commitment to their community and region... their high level of attention to the complexity of art and history exemplifies respect for artwork and art makers..." http://www.portlandmuseum.org/
BEST IN CONNECTICUT -- BRUCE MUSEUM. "113 years... high on a hill overlooking Greenwich Harbor... nearly 15,000 objects: paintings, sculpture, drawings, prints, photographs, multimedia compositions... accreditation from the American Association of Museums, an honor granted to fewer than 5% of all museums. Voted the best museum in Fairfield County... " https://brucemuseum.org/
BEST IN FLORIDA -- ART FUSION GALLERIES. "8,000 sq. ft.... in the heart of Miami’s Wynwood Art District... preeminent gallery in Miami for integrating the best of Emerging to Mid-Career Contemporary artists... represents over 1,000... " http://www.artfusiongalleries.com/
BEST IN INDIANA -- HAAN MANSION MUSEUM OF INDIANA ART. "Holds the most extensive Indiana art collection in the US, including paintings from the Hoosier Group and Brown County Art Colony. Specializing in major oils, over 100 artists are represented. Haan is a true find; a rare hospitable time-capsule cradling a precious past." http://haanmuseum.org/
BEST IN VIRGINIA -- WILLIAMSBURG ART GALLERY. "Located on Merchants Square along Duke of Gloucester Street in beautiful downtown Williamsburg, Virginia... Historic Triangle... a natural and inspiring home for art, dedicated to showcasing the beauty of the region as depicted by local as well as international artists, including exceptional work of Russian modern masters... a crossroads for art." http://www.wmbgartgallery.com/
BEST IN GEORGIA -- HATHAWAY CONTEMPORARY GALLERY. "A premier contemporary art gallery located on the Westside of Atlanta. They give space to the cutting-edge artists of today to express creative voice and explore societal issues... committed to building a supportive, sustaining community for the arts." http://www.hathawaygallery.com/
BEST IN MONTANA -- DANA GALLERY. "4000 sq. ft. of space, making it the largest contemporary art gallery in Montana. Excellent 20+ year reputation. They represent Montana and regional painters many of whom are internationally recognized..." http://danagallery.com/
BEST IN NEW JERSEY -- EVALYN DUNN GALLERY. "It is very rare to find a gallery so successful that it is approaching it’s 60th year... also features the finest 20th Century American and European art..." http://www.evalyndunnsgallery.com/
BEST IN HAWAII -- LIK LAHAINA, LIK WAIKIKI. "Peter Lik has 12 exceptional gallery locations and is the most successful photographer in the world... sold upwards of $500 million of artwork... The 2014 sale of his B&W photo titled “Phantom” for $6,500,000.00 is the highest sum ever paid in its genre. Lik’s works make up four of the top 20 most expensive photographs ever sold." http://www.lik.com/