Lectures and Demos

During the Great Depression of the 1930s, the New Deal stimulus programs put artists to work on the federal payroll. Beginning in December 1933 and lasting until early 1943, the government hired thousands of them to create paintings, sculpture, murals and prints. The Treasury Department ran a program to decorate federal courthouses and post offices, while the Works Progress Administration paid artists a weekly wage, on the same basis as other skilled workers. Many of their works can still be found in locations nationwide. Helen will illustrate some examples and discuss the history and legacy of New Deal art.

It shouldn’t be surprising that art has both a mental and physical effect on the human being. Do you recall the craze for adult coloring books? Research has shown that making art, even just coloring or drawing, can reduce blood pressure, boost the immune system, and reduce stress. It also improves our concentration and memory. Even just looking at beautiful works of art and being around it appears to have a positive effect on the brain and a person’s health. How do you feel after looking at Fred’s painting of a local farmstand? Fred Mendelsohn is a modern-day Renaissance man — neurologist, philanthropist, author, musician and artist. In this lecture, Fred will discuss how art affects the brain starting from early development.

Originally recorded 03/21/24

Love books? Love art? Then join Diana O’Brien for a step-by-step tutorial on the children's book illustration and design process! She'll walk you through what it looks like to illustrate and design a children' book. She’ll discuss various formats for picture books, how to decide on format, begin thumbnail sketches and create a paper mockup of the actual book. She will also present a brief overview of the various work she’s done, including graphic design for corporations, murals in children's hospitals across the nation, and her experience as a freelancer. 

Originally recorded 08/24/23

Join artist and historian Randall DiGiuseppe as we explore the fascinating history, evolution and future of classical art's most essential and revealing practice: drawing from the live nude figure. We will examine figure drawings as far back as 17,000 BCE to the modern masters of the genre.

Presented by Carlos Morales, this talk will focus on the Mexican muralist and political activist David Alfaro Siqueiros' days in the United States, with particular attention to his time in New York City, where his 1936 Experimental Workshop participants included Harold Lehman and Jackson Pollock.

This continuation of Randall's previous lecture, Linear Perspective: A Renaissance Revolution in Art & Science, dives into three of the best known Renaissance artists: Leonardo da Vinci (The Last Supper), Michelangelo (The Sistine Chapel), and Raphael (The School of Athens).