The Cummer Museum of Art
& Gardens is excited to announce the acquisition of “Magnetic Fields,”
a new work of art by abstract artist Mildred Thompson (1936-2003), born in
Jacksonville, Florida. The acquisition
was made possible through the generous support the Rushton William Hays
Revocable Trust and the Morton R. Hirschberg Bequest.
“Magnetic Fields” (1991), part of a series by the same name, shows a rich
yellow ground with arcs and lines drawn in kinetic expression with vibrant
reds, oranges and blues in thick impasto. The upper portion of the painting shows
concentric arcs of red around an implied midpoint, with darts of blue and
orange shooting off in many directions, suggesting centripetal and centrifugal
forces. Inspired by the scientific
principles governing magnetism, “Magnetic Fields” connects the scientific with
the metaphysical. Thompson’s interests
were broad and included the study of quantum physics, cosmology, and theosophy.
The piece emanates a pulsing, frenetic
energy that is unique to her painting style, a visual language she developed to
interpret phenomena one experiences, but cannot see.
Mildred Thompson was born in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1936. She graduated from Howard University in 1957
with a Bachelor of Art degree. While at
Howard, she studied under James Porter, a pioneering African-American art
historian. She attended the Skowhegan
School of Painting and Sculpture in 1956, earned a Max Beckmann Scholarship to
study at the Brooklyn Museum School from 1957 to 1958, attended the Art Academy
of Hamburg from 1958 to 1961, participated in a residency at Castle
Roccassinibaldi, Italy in 1959, and in 1961 and 1962 was selected for the
prestigious MacDowell Colony residency in New Hampshire. Though the Museum of Modern Art and the
Brooklyn Museum each purchased works from Thompson in the early 1960s, she
spent the majority of the 1960s and ‘70s in Germany, in response to racial and
gender discrimination in the United States. During this time abroad, she
taught, traveled, and exhibited her art across Europe, creating a vast body of
work in printmaking, painting, and sculpture.
In the early 1970s, Thompson, influenced by the abstract paintings of the early
modernists such as Wassily Kandinsky, consciously turned away from the creation
of representational imagery to fully focus her craft on the abstract. She was
among the second generation of Abstract Expressionists, and one of the few
women of color in that group. In lieu of falling into the societal trap of
ever-changing art trends and politically-driven content, Thompson artistically
interpreted varied scientific and musical theories that are not visible to the
naked eye.
Cummer Museum of Art &
Gardens
829 Riverside Avenue
Jacksonville, Florida 32204
(904) 356-6857
Hours of Operation & Admission
Camp Broadway®, presented by the
FSCJ Artist Series, returns to Jacksonville for its 19th year from Monday, June
10 – Friday, June 14, 2019 from 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. at the FSCJ Nathan H. Wilson
Center for the Arts on Florida State College at Jacksonville’s South Campus. Bring
Broadway to your kids direct from New York!
Camp Broadway® introduces young people to the world of life
on-stage and behind the scenes. Campers
work with Broadway directors, choreographers, and musical directors to receive
training in acting, scene study, improvisation, music theory, solo and ensemble
singing, movement, and dance. This
five-day performing arts program offers each camper the opportunity to
expand his or her creative talents, build self-esteem, learn the art of
collaboration, and gain a fuller respect and understanding of musical theatre.
Camp Broadway® has been proclaimed the “Camp of Dreams” for starry-eyed
kids who are just beginning to dream of being on Broadway. It is a self-contained summer workshop that
travels around the country bringing Broadway to kids. The 40 hours of camp include singing, dancing
and master classes for kids ages 10 to 17. No singing, dancing or acting experience
necessary - just a willingness to have fun and a curiosity about what
happens on stage and behind the curtain.
Applications will be accepted digitally for Camp Broadway® this year,
and tuition is $575 per camper and includes daily lunch, snacks and two
t-shirts. Spaces are limited and Camp
Broadway® fills up quickly, so be sure to register your camper soon! Register HERE. Contact Amanda
Scott with any questions or for additional details at (904) 357-8934 or email.
With authentic Broadway instructors teaching dance routines and musical numbers
at the same break-neck speed as a real Broadway show, Camp Broadway® is
a fun-filled week of activities designed to teach kids about the serious
business of live theater. One activity
is our annual Salute to Singin' and Dancin' Kids™ (a special luncheon
where campers meet and hear about the various theater jobs from real theater
professionals).
About Camp Broadway®: The
National Tour is offered once a year in Jacksonville. Founded in 1995, Camp Broadway® is
Broadway's Original Summer Program for theatre-loving kids. Since then, Camp Broadway LLC has worked at
the intersection of entertainment and education to become the industry leader
in theatre arts youth programming, special events and educational publishing. The
company serves the Broadway industry by being an authorized channel for
families, schools and social organizations who believe in the essential value
of the arts as a means of life-long learning. Proclaimed “The Camp of Dreams” by Live
Magazine, Camp Broadway has hosted nearly 20,000 children from all 50 states
and dozens of countries at its annual summer programs leading with its flagship
programming New York City, as well as cities such as Atlanta, Buffalo,
Jacksonville, Providence, Tempe, and elsewhere in America. Camp Broadway has also been featured regularly
on the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade® telecast; performed with the New York
Pops at Carnegie Hall; and appeared in Broadway on Broadway®, an annual free
concert in Times Square.
The FSCJ Artist Series has been recognized by the State of Florida as a Major
Cultural Institution and receives funding from the State of Florida, through
the Florida Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida
Arts Council.
