Art House will have the incredible honor of hearing from Dr. Monique Wells at Bistro by the Tracks on Friday, May 5th.  The topic of conversation?  The life and art of Knoxville-born, Beauford Delaney.   Delaney is considered by many as one of the greatest American abstract painters of the twentieth century. Despite battling poverty, prejudice, and mental illness, Delaney achieved an international reputation for his portraits, scenes of city life, and free-form abstractions marked by intense colors, bold contours, and expressive surfaces.  This is very timely, as the art exhibition featuring his work opens on Thursday, May 4th.

A 24-year resident of Paris, Dr. Monique Wells co-founded the travel planning service Discover Paris! and created the company’s Entrée to Black Paris tours and activities that bring the African-American experience in Paris to life.  Dr. Wells has shared stories about the African Diaspora’s rich history, culture, and contemporary life in Paris in newspapers, magazines, and e-publications, including the International Herald Tribune, Los Angeles Times, and New York Times. She is co-author of Paris Reflections: Walks through African-American Paris and author of Black Paris Profiles, which features the stories of 24 contemporary African-American and Afro-Caribbean expatriates.

Her first book, Food for the Soul, was named Best Nonfiction Book of 2001 by The Sistah Circle Book Club and was featured on Al Roker’s Food Network television show Recipe for Success.  With a preface by Michelin-star chef Alain Ducasse, the French edition of Food for the Soul has helped introduce African-American culinary art, history, and culture to France.

Dr. Well’s freelance writing led her to uncover the story of Beauford Delaney’s unmarked Paris burial place.  She subsequently founded Les Amis de Beauford Delaney (Friends of Beauford Delaney) as a French non-profit association. In her endeavor to raise funds to place a tombstone at Beauford’s previously unmarked grave, she became increasingly passionate about this artist’s story and about his art.  She recently organized the first-ever exhibition of Beauford’s paintings from Paris private collections, which may come to Knoxville in the fall of 2018.

Here is a link to her blog about Beauford Delaney: http://lesamisdebeauforddelaney.blogspot.com/

For more information about the KMA’s upcoming exhibition Gathering Light: Works by Beauford Delaney: http://knoxart.org/exhibitions/gathering-light-works-by-beauford-delaney-from-the-kma-collection/

Lastly, the New York Times recently did a piece about why the revival of Delaney’s work is so important:  https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/08/arts/international/beauford-delaney-returns-to-the-scene.html

Please email Carla Pare, cpare@knoxart.org if you are able to attend, as there is limited seating.  You will be able to order dinner from the full menu at Bistro by the Tracks.

Each May, the Knoxville Museum of Art lets its hair down to kick off summer!  This includes a truly spectacular party, complete with a live band!  And The Atlanta Showstoppers are just that!!!  Show.stopping.  Mark your calendars for May 12th!

Our own Art House committee member, Annie Colquitt is co-chairing the event.  Tickets are $125, but a special rate of $100 is available for Art House Members until April 30.

Here are the details of the fundraising event:

Kick-Off to Summer at the KMA

Friday, May 12
7pm to midnight
Dressy casual

Dance to the music of party band the Atlanta Showstoppers
Cocktail buffet
$125 per person

To receive the exclusive Art House discount of $25 off, tickets must be purchased before April 30.  Click here:  https://arthouse_kickofftosummer.eventbrite.com

It’s going to be an awesome party!  And as members of Art House, there’s no better way to celebrate all that is the KMA than the Kick-off to Summer party!

Nearly 40 Art House members gathered at the stunning West Knoxville home of Todd Richesin and Bobby Brown to partake in a special evening that combined delicious food, fabulous French wine, Italian art, and fantastic conversation.

The owners of Bobby Todd Antiques in Sweetwater, as well as UPSTAIRS and Todd Richesin Interiors in Knoxville, opened their home, also known to friends as Casa Real, to share their tremendous collection of art.  While Bobby and Todd purposefully collect art on their travels abroad, the pair inspired Art House members to look locally too.

“What you’ll find with our collection,” said Todd during one of the tours, “Bobby and I are attracted to light and that’s what you’ll see is a common denominator in most of the oil paintings.”  With subjects ranging from pastoral Italian scenes to 18th century religious art, the vast collection was not limited to paintings.  “We have collected sculptures and furniture that speak to us as well,” continued Todd.  One incredible example was a secret painting on the edges of a book.  (See photo above.)

Art House members were free to ask questions and learn more about starting collections of their own, or moving art from room to room in their own homes.  Bobby and Todd agreed that one of the mistakes people make is limiting a piece to a particular room or place above a mantel or sofa.  “We move art around constantly, especially when there is a new piece that we bring in from auction, or wherever,” said Bobby.

No tour of Casa Real would be complete without a stop in the couple’s closet, featuring the preppiest plaid wall to wall carpeting!  What a fun, fantastic night – a complete feast for the eyes!  Huge thanks to our gracious hosts, Bobby and Todd!