December 3, 2016 — February 26, 2017
Suffused with cherries, ribbons, flowers, fluting, and frills in vibrant colors ranging from iridescent and opaque to transparent and glittering with silver and gold, art glass baskets are a feast for the eyes. Blown-glass baskets were produced in the United States between 1880 and 1905 encompassing the Victorian era. During this dawn of the Industrial Revolution, an economic boom increased the demand for decorative tableware, and the flamboyant, fanciful designs of art glass suited the eclectic decor of late-Victorian-era homes. This exhibition features a selection of glass baskets collected by Alice Richardson Yawkey, the mother of the Museum’s namesake, Leigh Yawkey Woodson.
Past Exhibitions
Victorian Art Glass Baskets
Recent Acquisitions
On view through February 19, 2017
Art museums by nature are acquisitive. Growing the Woodson Art Museum’s collection remains a core value and ongoing goal. This selection of recently acquired artworks demonstrates the strength of the Woodson’s collection as it strives to set the standard for avian-inspired art.
Making Marks
On view through February 19, 2017
This selection of avian-themed drawings ranges from quick sketches to intricately detailed illustrations, highlighting artists’ varied approaches and the importance of field observation.
Birds in Art
September 10 – November 27, 2016
Long venerated for embodying freedom, grace, and beauty in flight, birds continually provide creative inspiration to exceed limits of earthbound human existence. As we aspire to sing, soar, and preen like them adorned in brilliant attire, avian art inspires in endless ways. When talented artists from throughout the world strive to be among those chosen for the internationally renowned Birds in Art exhibition, the resulting depictions are breathtaking. The 41st annual exhibition celebrates avian marvels through fresh interpretations in original paintings, sculptures, and graphics created within the last three years by 112 artists from throughout the world.
Out of the Vault
On view through November 20, 2016
Focused on only six bird species – mallards, bluebirds, ravens, chickadees, downy woodpeckers, and wood ducks – see a sampling of mediums that yields distinctly different artistic interpretations.
The Art of Seating: Two Hundred Years of American Design
June 4 – August 28, 2016
This survey of exceptional chair design explores chairs as art – both functional and sculptural. An array of nineteenth-century to contemporary examples highlights the beauty and historical context of the ubiquitous chair.
Capturing Nature: The Art of Owen J. Gromme
On view through August 14, 2016
Oil paintings, watercolors, and sketches reveal Gromme’s lifelong passion for nature and wildlife.
Walter Wick: Games, Gizmos, and Toys in the Attic
February 27 – May 29, 2016
This retrospective of the photographic illustrator of the I SPY books published by Scholastic Inc. includes large-scale photographs and Wick’s elaborate sets and models offering challenging visual riddles, puzzles, and optical illusions that challenge children and adults alike.
Photographic illustrator Walter Wick – known for his I SPY search-and-find images teeming with toys, machines, and illusions – leads programs February 27-28 at the Woodson Art Museum in Wausau during the opening weekend of an exhibition featuring his whimsical images that engage curious minds of all ages. During opening-weekend programs, Wick will offer insights into his mesmerizing images, creative process, and playful concepts.
Wick’s challenging search-and-find photographs, visual riddles, and playful scenes are cherished by legions of readers of these Scholastic books, with over forty-five million copies in print worldwide.
