NEWS

WHAT’S NEW AT THE BUTLER

Photograph taken outside The Butler, there are three visible arches, in the center arch is a sculpture of a Native American wearing a tribal headdress, his hand rests on his forehead to block the sun from his eyes.

Butler Institute of American Art Expands Collection Storage Space

The Butler Institute of American Art is completing construction on a new 13,000-square-foot storage space designed to house over 22,000 works of art. The facility, called the Blue Vault, features state-of-the-art hanging storage, which is important in preserving the art. The space located on the basement floor was once a classroom, prior to being shut down around the time of the pandemic. There are 40 mobile racks in the vault, each rack can hold more than 600 square feet of hanging, and more than 300lbs. Works will be protected by industry grade lighting and a water-leak detection system.

This project was overseen by Chief Curator and Collection Manager Liz Hicks, along with the museum’s Collections Stewardship Committee.

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Butler Museum’s $104,000 State Grant Is Most in Valley

The Butler Institute of American Art has received a $104,000 grant from the Ohio Arts Council. It’s the single largest grant to a Mahoning Valley entity in the state agency’s latest round of funding.

In total, the OAC has approved $23.3 million in grants to support artists, nonprofits, arts and cultural organizations, students and educators, and public arts programming.

A sepia toned portrait showing a young girl with a bow in her hair. In her hands is a grenade with a red rose on the top of it. Above her head are four airplanes.

Butler to Exhibit Works by Urban Art Originator Shepard Fairey

An exhibition of large silkscreen and mixed collage works by Shepard Fairey will open Sunday, June 8, and run through August 31, 2025.

“Facing the Giant – Three Decades of Dissent: Shepard Fairey” features 30 key works by Fairey with messages of empowerment. The selected works are 30×41″ hand-painted multiples – prints on unique collaged backgrounds with additional stenciling and embellishments – done in 2019.

Abstract oil painting on four panels forming a rectangle.

Inside the Gallery: Alfred Leslie

Watch WFMJ’s gallery tour while Dr. Lou Zona talks about Alfred Leslie’s High Tea, which was recently acquired for the permanent collection as “one of the Butler’s treasures.” Leslie’s style of painting changed multiple ways over the span of his career. He was most notably known as an abstract expressionist.

Zona says, “This is the type of abstraction that was happening in the 1940s and 50s . . . It’s an emotionally based abstraction. When you look at High Tea you can see that there are paint splashes and drippings. That’s all part of the history of that work.” Zona goes on to explain why this painting is divided into 4 different panels.

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Alferd Leslie faces a composition of figures on a raised platform. One holds a cane, another sits in a wheelchair. Extreme shadows stretch on the wall beyond the figures.

Rare Glimpse Behind the Scenes of Artist’s ‘Youngstown’ Masterpiece

The Butler Institute of American Art is offering a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the creation of Alfred Leslie’s iconic “Americans: Youngstown, Ohio” painting, following its recent acquisition into the museum’s permanent collection.

A previously unseen photograph depicts Leslie meticulously arranging models, providing a unique insight into the artistic process behind the monumental work.

A foggy river showing an obscured city skyline in the background, several sailboats on the water in the center, and a man standing on a bridge drawing in the foreground.

Inside the Gallery: Landscapes by Frederic Church and James Whistler

Watch WFMJ’s gallery tour while Dr. Lou Zona talks about these 19th century artists and how luminism inspired each piece. Zona focuses on the details in both landscapes, highlighting their differing climates and color palettes. Zona says, “Though these are small works, they’re by major, major artists.”

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A portrait photograph of Joy Mistovich, a young white female. She is shown from chest up, and is smiling broadly at the viewer. She has curly hair, and is wearing glasses, a wine-colored shirt, flower earrings, and a pearl necklace.

Joy Mistovich Joins Ohio Museums Association Board of Trustees

Joy Mistovich, our Accessibility Specialist and Assistant Education Director, has been appointed to the Ohio Museums Association Board of Trustees. The board represents 1,300 museums statewide.

“I was so pleased to learn of Joy’s special recognition. She is intelligent and highly competent. She is a dedicated and hardworking employee. I couldn’t be prouder of Joy and all of her accomplishments.” -Dr. Louis Zona, Executive Director

Painting of a little boy wearing a greyish blue coat with a blue pointed hat with a red star. He is standing on an ice cliff with a large iceberg in the background surrounded by dark blue ocean water.

Inside the Gallery: The Wyeths

Watch WFMJ’s gallery tour while Dr. Lou Zona talks about the talented Wyeth family, best known for their detailed realism and watercolors. Their work is in the Butler’s permanent collection, and is an ongoing exhibition on the first floor of the museum.

Andrew Wyeth is “the only artist to have a one-person exhibition in the White House.” -Dr. Lou Zona

A photograph of a man and woman standing on the steps of a stone building. Behind them are two columns and a gold and glass door, above which the words "PRO BONO PVBLICO" are carved into the building.

Café at the Butler to Reopen with Fresh Outlook

Looma café is slated to open in early April and will be operated by Zac Conkle and his fiancé Taylor Stillerman.

The café will be open Tuesday through Saturday from 8am-2pm. It will offer breakfast sandwiches and lunch items, with three scratch-made soups every day, and vegan options.

A photograph of a museum exhibit. A sculpture on the left wall, a large painting of groups of people hanging on the back wall, a smaller painting of an abstract design hanging on the right wall, and a 3d piece in the center of the room

Butler Museum Acquires 2 Alfred Leslie Paintings

The Butler Institute of American Art acquired two major paintings by Alfred Leslie for its permanent collection. One is the massive and popular “Americans: Youngstown, Ohio” piece that has long graced a gallery near the museum’s main entrance.

The larger-than-life paintings depicts 14 people, including Dr. Zona, and has become a beloved part of the Butler’s collection.

A photograph of a gallery. On one wall hangs two paintings, similar in style but one half the size of the other. On the other wall in a doorway with the text "CHUCK OLSON Paintings from 2010-2024" written above. A framed picture hangs next to the door, and a bench sits in the center of the image

Abstract Painting Exhibition by Artist Chuck Olson Opens at the Butler

The Butler has opened an exhibition of abstract paintings by Chuck Olson, “Paintings from 2010-2024.” The exhibition runs through May 18, 2025, featuring large-scale works from the past 14 years.

Dr. Zona, the Butler’s Executive Director, said Olson’s work “presents abstraction in an entirely new light,” blending elements of European expressionism and the New York School.

A hardcover book of Olson’s work is available for purchase in the museum store.

A large circular structure suspended upon large sloping, slightly curved pieces that go through and above the circular middle. There are some blue glass sections within the circular portion.

Butler Institute of American Art Relocates Sculpture

A new sculpture titled Primary Compass by Don Gummer is installed in the courtyard between the Butler Institute of American Art and Maag Library on Youngstown State University campus. The piece, part of the Butler’s collection, was previously displayed at the Trumbull branch.

A dedication ceremony is scheduled for June 7.

“It worked, I think, on its own out in Warren, but I think it kind of works better here!” – Don Gummer, artist.

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Painting of the close up side profiles of a man and a woman. The woman has light greyish or blonde hair and her eyes are open staring straight ahead at the man whos face is millimeters away. The man has brown short hair and a short beard and his eyes are closed. the background is a deep, solid forest green.

Butler Art Museum Receives a Major Acquisition

A painting by the renowned and influential artist Alex Katz has been gifted to the Butler Institute of American Art from his own personal collection. This large painting titled “Amanda and Kyle,” is now on display in the Waldman Gallery on the museum’s second floor.

This piece is a major acquisition and fills what was a glaring vacancy in the museum’s collection, according to Dr. Zona.

The decision by the 97-year old Katz, of New York, to donate the painting to the Butler started with an exhibition of his works at the museum last fall. Upon hearing about the success of the event, Katz decided to donate the painting. “Alex Katz was moved by the professionalism and care shown for the presentation and installation of the ‘Collaborations with Poets’ exhibition.” – Valerie Carberry, Richard Gray Gallery partner.

Black and white photo of 7 individuals around a long rectangular table. 2 women are seated at each head of the table and the five remaining women are standing behind the table decorated with food, tea sets and candles. There are several portraits hanging on the wall behind.

Polish Arts Club of Youngstown Marks 90th Year

As classical music filled the air, members of the Polish Arts Club of Youngstown gathered Sunday for their annual arts and tea reception to kick off the group’s 90th year of promoting Polish culture in the Mahoning Valley.

Sunday’s program at Butler North featured a poetry reading, an overview of the club’s history, a presentation of scholarships and a musical performance by area harpist Kirk Kupensky, whose selections included a piece by Polish composer Fryderyk Chopin.

In line with the organization’s longtime support for the mission of the museum, the club presented a check to the museum’s director, Dr. Lou Zona, who thanked them for their generosity.

Wide set image of the front of the Butler Art Institute entryway. 3 arched openings held up by tall circular columns frame the doorway in the middle and 2 tall paned windows on the left and right of the door. Beyond to the right and left are statutes sitting within arched alcoves with intricate carved designs above.

Butler Institute Building Storage Vault

The Butler is building a large vault facility to store some of its collection as part of an effort to regain accreditation it lost last year from the American Alliance of Museums. The vault room will be able to accomodate 13,000-square feet of hanging storage space for paintings and should be finished in the fall.

Image of an art gallery with art on the walls on either side, and at the other side of the room. The art on the right is one very large canvas with bold hues of blue, red, yellow, green, and white. On the left are several smaller canvases aligned neatly beside and above each other. The far wall has a combination of large and small art pieces with bold vibrant colors and shapes.

Inside the Gallery: Color into Form Abstractions

Watch WFMJ’s gallery tour while Dr. Lou Zona talks about this exhibition of abstract art from the permanent collection currently on view in the new Bacon Wing Grand Gallery. Colors, shapes, textures, and scale are the elements that make up abstraction. “It’s like music without words” – Dr. Zona

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Inside the Butler Art Institute an overhead picture of an art exhibition packed with people. The bottom level and the mezzanine level are both shown.

Butler Institute Recognizing Young Artists in the Valley

The Valley’s next generation of artists are showing their work at the Butler Institute of American Art. Drawings, paintings, collages, sculptures, photography, and digital art were on view, making it a total of 261 pieces of art created by students in kindergarten through sixth grade from 44 schools across the Mahoning valley.

Picture of the outside facade of the front of the Butler museum. The Native American statue is seen on the right-hand side surrounded by foliage.

Creativity Trail Highlights Ohioans’ Amazing Contributions to American Arts and Culture: Editorial

In commemoration of the 250th anniversary of The United States, America 250-Ohio created the Ohio Creativity Trail which showcases 108 sites across Ohio, highlighting places associated with artists, musicians, writers, and other gifted Buckeyes who’ve enriched the state, and the nation, with their endeavors: literature; music; visual arts; glass and pottery; folk and traditional art; and carousels.

The Butler Institute of American Art is honored to be included in the Ohio Creativity Trail.

Multiple prints from Atmos Paul Kennedy, Jr. including "Coffee tastes best with a friend," "Be Nice or Leave!"

Black History Month Programs at the Butler

Exhibition: Amos Paul Kennedy, Jr. “The Art is on the Wall, Not on the Posters” on view Feb. 2 – Mar. 30.

Dr. Dee Banks Lecture: 10 Contemporary Artists on Feb. 2 at 2pm.

Meet-the-Artist: Amos Paul Kennedy, Jr. on Feb. 15 from 1-3pm.

A photograph of a white-haired man in a pink shirt and dark blue overalls. He stands at a table of art pieces, holding one. Behind him is a wall of framed signs

Black Artists in the Spotlight at the Butler Museum

The contributions of Black artists will be recognized in February at the Butler Institute of American Art as part of the museum’s Black History Month programming.

Works by important Black artists that are part of the museum’s permanent collection will be displayed throughout the month, and docent-led tours will be offered for area students and adults.

On Feb. 2, Dr. Dee Banks will give a talk, “10 Contemporary Artists,” at 2pm in Zona Auditorium.

On that same day, an exhibition of works by Amos Paul Kennedy, Jr. will open to the public and be on display through March 30, 2025. Meet-the-Artist event will be February 15, 1-3pm.

A photograph of a grey-haired man in a blue suit with a red tie as he stands in front of framed paintings

Inside the Gallery: “The Baby” by Milton Avery

Watch WFMJ’s gallery tour while Dr. Lou Zona talks about a special painting in the Butler’s collection. “The Baby” by Milton Avery is one of the most unusual and important pieces in the collection. Avery is known as a “colorist,” and sometimes referred to as “America’s Matisse” with his flattened, abstracted shapes. You can find “The Baby” on display in the 20th century gallery on the first level of the museum.

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A patch of trees that appears to have been beaten by the weather, standing as they are in a foggy atmosphere.

Butler Museum to Display Pastel Society’s Finest Works

A selection of award winners from the Pastel Society of America’s annual exhibition will go on display Sunday, Jan. 12, at the Butler and run through March 9.

The works will be disaplyed in Giffuni Gallery.

Participants in the Pastel Society’s 52nd annual exhibition “Enduring Brilliance!” are some of the best pastel artists working in the world.

Close-up view of a mechanical structure in a wooden frame composed of evenly spaced brass balls hanging from dark metallic rods, hovering in front of tubular structures.

Area Artist Annual Exhibition to Open at the Butler

The Area Artist Annual, a juried exhibition of works by local artists, will open Sunday, Jan. 5 from 1-3pm at the Butler Institute of American Art.

The exhibition, now in its 85th year, features original works in all media created by artists living in Trumbull, Mahoning, and Columbiana counties in Ohio; Mercer and Lawrence counties in Pennsylvania.

Works include paintings in oil, watercolor, and acrylic, pastels, drawings, prints, ceramics, and sculpture.

A total of 120 pieces by 102 artists were selected for the show.

A girl in a pink dress stands on the ground looking in the direction of the viewer. To her right on the ground is a crown. Beside the crown is a large rock with a throne at the top. Sitting on the throne is a green frog.

Photo Exhibit at the Butler Has Elements of Surrealsim

“The Audacity of the Mundane,” an exhibition of works by Charlee Brodsky of Pittsburgh, will open Sunday, Dec. 22, at the Butler Institute of American Art and run through March 2.

Brodsky is a fine art/documentary photographer and emertius professor of photography at Carnegie Mellon University.

She created the playful but meaningful works in the exhibit by arranging scenes on a table top out of small toys, miniatures, and other objects that she found, purchased or collected. Brodsky then photographs the scene.

Image of lights that are spinning and seem to leave a trail of glowing light as they spin. The background is very dark, making the lights look as though they are hovering.

Art Installation at the Butler: Entangled Attraction

“Entangled Attraction,” an art installation by Sally Weber and Craig Newswanger, with soundscape composed and produced by Jonathan Crawford, will open Sunday, Oct. 27, at the Butler Institute of American Art run through Feb. 16.

Edit: the exhibition has been extended to May 4, 2025.

An artists’ reception will take place Sunday from 1-3 p.m.

Like galaxies spinning through space or the chaotic interactions of particles in the core of stars, “Entangled Attraction” was inspired by nature’s patterns and complexities, and their effects on the entire system.

Black and white photo of an old UHAUL Factory. The bushes around the building have overtaken the fences and brick wall that surround it.

Hahn’s ‘Facades’ on Display at the Butler

Photographs by Valley resident Richard Hahn are displayed in a one-person exhibition at the Butler Institute of American Art. It features photographs of exteriors of buildings and structures throughout the tri-county area. The exhibition runs through November 24, 2024.

Image of artist, Mateo Blanco, standing in front a green wall of shrubbery. He is wearing a navy blue suit, and is holding one of his art pieces, which is an American flag, made of what appears to be strips of paper, and held together in a white frame. The artist has a wide grin on his face, almost as though he is laughing.

Colombian American Artist to Exhibit Works at the Butler

Blanco is Colombian American and a resident of Orlando, Fla., who studied at Florida Atlantic University. Two of his works are now in the permanent collection of the Boca Raton Museum of Art.

Blanco is known for using unusual materials to create his works of art. He has always been fascinated with glamorous Hollywood stars and the heroic or funny characters in comics. For the Butler exhibition, Blanco painted several versions of the flag of the United States.

An exhibition of works by Mateo Blanco will run through Dec. 1, 2024 in the new Segall Print Gallery in the adjacent Butler North building. The gallery is named in honor of Robert Segall.

Group of blind and low-vision individuals enjoying sculptures made by artist Michael Naranjo, who is also blind. Two of the guests have their hands on the statue in this unique display of hands-on art.

Youngstown Radio Readers Celebrate ‘Hands on Day’ at the Butler Institute of American Art

Members of Goodwill’s Youngstown Radio Reading Service enjoyed a special exhibit Wedneday, Sept. 11 at the Butler. The exhibit, titled “Hands On! The Sculpture of Michael Naranjo” allows those who are visually impaired the opportunity to feel the art on display.

The sculptures are on display through Sept. 22, 2024.

Allied Artists of America Exhibition to Open at the Butler

Allied Artists of America’s 111th annual exhibition will open Sept. 8 at The Butler Institute of American Art and run through Nov. 20 on the second floor in MacIntosh and Finnegan/Hynes galleries.

The exhibition features 100 works by artists from around the world.

“Allied is unique from many other art organizations,” Dellosso said. “We pride ourselves on presenting a variety of styles, ranging from realist to abstract. We allow traditional media, like oil, acrylic, watercolor, graphics and sculpture. We also allow mixed media, which includes nontraditional like collage.” -Gabriela G. Dellosso, president of Allied Artists of America

Painting of a man and woman from the waist up wearing business attire in front of a blue square. A full-length image of the man is in the center of the painting between the two figures.

Press Release: Alex Katz: Collaborations with Poets

The first exhibition to bring together the full range of materials that display Katz’s extensive collaborations with poets of the New York School. First exhibited at the Poetry Foundation in Chicago in 2023, Alex Katz: Collaborations with Poets opens at the Butler Institute on September 15, 2024, with an expanded presentation that includes paintings and cutouts new to this venue. This exhibition traveled from the Poetry Foundation in Chicago and was organized with guidance from Alex Katz, Vincent Katz, and GRAY.

Collaborations with Poets offers an intimate look at Alex Katz’s longtime
collaborative engagement with poets, and spans work created over
the past 60 years, including prints, portfolios, special-edition books,
paintings, and unique cutouts, all which center on Katz’s communion
and intersection with poets throughout his career.

Butler Institute Awarded Sustainability Grant from OAC

Twenty-five arts organizations in the Mahoning Valley will receive grants from the Ohio Arts Council under its latest round of funding.

The largest grant, $107,551, was awarded to The Butler Institute of American Art in Youngstown to support its ongoing work.

The Butler Institute of American Art’s operations is made possible in part by an investment of public funds from the Ohio Arts Council (OAC). The OAC is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically.

Picture of three small sculptures of Native American figures in a row on a pedestal. They are black in color and standing on wooden bases. The figures appear to be dancing in a ritual.

Sculptures by Blind Artist on Display at the Butler

Native American artist Michael Naranjo was blinded by a grenade while serving in Vietnam. He has been sculpting for over 40 years with only three fingers on one hand! His exhibition is on view until September 22nd on both levels of Beecher Court.

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Painting of a slightly abstract dog centered around colorful marks that create movement. A woman's face is on the left side of the canvas with her legs mimicking mountains that the dog is standing on. Her hand reaches outward toward the bottom of the canvas, as if to cradle the image. Black birds fly in the distance above the woman and dog. The painting contains a rainbow of colors and textures.

Kim Novak to Return to Butler Art Institute with New Exhibit

The new exhibit will feature Novak’s most recent paintings. A number of which were painted during the isolation period of the COVID-19 pandemic and some are even more recent.

People will have the opportunity to come and meet Novak between 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. June 2. Immediately after this in the Zona Auditorium, there will be a screening of a 30-minute documentary Novak made with French company Tangerine.

Self-portrait etching of Rembrandt wearing a hat with a feather.

Rembrandt, Goya, and Dürer: The Butler to display three Old Masters

An exhibition coming to The Butler Institute of American Art will give area residents the rare opportunity to see works by Rembrandt, Goya and Dürer – and in the same room.

“The Marvel of Old Masters,” an assemblage of 62 prints by the three European master artists, will be on display in the lower-level Mesaros Galleries.

A picture of Joy Mistovich standing in her office in front of a wall with art and a board with a collage of different items on the wall. She is wearing a blue sweater, glasses, and white earbuds with a black lanyard hanging around her neck.

Joy Mistovich Receives OMA’s 2023 Emerging Museum Professional of the Year Award

Mistovich is the Education Assistant and Accessibility Specialist at the Butler, and has made a huge impact on the museum, providing a more inclusive and accessible experience for everyone. She created the “Sensory Sunday” program, implemented Aira in 2022, and currently creates braille brochures for exhibitions.

A close up of the buildings that are smashed together.

Butler Institute of American Art Awards CAN Triennial Exhibition Prize

Amy Casey is the Butler’s choice for the CAN Triennial Exhibition Prize. She is a painter and a printmaker. Using images of buildings as stand-ins for human action and endeavor, Casey has made a large series of paintings that explores and exposes various mechanisms of catastrophe and re-growth.

Hands touching a 3-dimensional tactile image of George Washington

First-of-its-kind Exhibition Debuts at the Butler

President’s Day may have passed but the celebration of the Commander in Chief continues with the newest exhibit at The Butler Institute of American Art in Youngstown. Click “read more” to see WKBN’s coverage of this unique exhibition.

George Washington on horseback looking to the left, wearing black military coat, horse facing same direction, Washing points hand outward and down

Founding Father: George Washington Tactile Images

Explore the life and times of the first President of the United States of America, George Washington, with 10 tactile images each with a cooresponding print. Tactile Images delivers accessible and inclusive images to the blind, disabled, and sighted communities.

George Washington among a crowd of other colonial era individuals, american flags in background, military carraige drawn by horses on left, man in green with cane greeting Washington who is in black. A man in red greets ladies wearing flower printed clothes

George Washington: The Myths & the Man Exhibition

This exhibition presents thirteen original paintings by Philadelphia artist Jean Leon Gerome Ferris (1863-1930), along with 17 historical documents that reveal facts about George Washington’s actual life, and help viewers better understand the man behind the myths.

The beautiful, triumphant IRL end to that harrowing pool scene in Ava DuVernay’s “Origin”

Epicenter NYC interviews Dr. Zona as he discusses Al Bright’s life, artwork, and the recognition he received as an accomplished professor and artist in our community.

An African American woman stands in front of the painting "A Love Letter to My Darling Dee". The painting is an abstract with large blue and white streaks on a gray and black neutral background.

Black History Month Exhibition Opens at the Butler: Greatness Revealed

“Often, our African American artists haven’t been mainstreamed into American art. So, I saw this as an opportunity to pull out some of the works from the Butler’s permanent collection for Black History Month,” says Dr. Dee Banks, curator of the exhibition.

The exhibiton will be on view until March 17, 2024.

The painting is an abstract with large blue and white streaks on a gray and black neutral background.

Greatness Revealed: The Art of African Americans from the Butler Collection

In celebration of Black History Month, the Butler is showcasing a unique exhibition from its permanent collection in Mesaros Gallery. This collection showcases Jacob Lawrence, Sam Gilliam, Horace Pippin, Al Bright, as well as other lesser-known African American artists which help make this exhibition special.

a bright blue and orange bird sitting on an antique camera next to books, the books are titles 'Birds of America' and 'The Art of Bird Illustration'

Pastel Society of America’s 51st Exhibition

We present a selection of award winners from the Society’s most recent exhibition. The participants are some of the best pastel artists working in this country.

John Greenmail standing in front of a wall of some his art.

John Greenman photographs, 1992-2018 An evolving approach to color

This exhibition represents 26 years of work in color photography, with a focus on images that depend more on color than “composition,” from the interpretation of work by London street artists to a series of urban and rural landscapes.

A man stands in front of an abstract painting. The painting is a mix of brown and black shapes.

Zona Among Local Winners of Arts Advocacy Awards

The CreativeOhio Champion Advocacy
Awards recognize Dr. Zona, executive director of The Butler Institute of American Art for his extensive contribution to the arts.

A man being interviewed by a news crew in front of a painting.

Color and Emotion: The Butler to Display Art of Rocker Paul Stanley

Stanley always had a great passion for painting and channels it by creating portraits and abstracts that are emotionally charged compositions. His tremendous success with his artwork has led to an entirely new fan and media presence for the accomplished musician, actor, and artist. He maximizes the direct and powerful impact of his paintings through scale, texture, color, and simplicity of imagery.

Butler Institute Director, Fans Reflect on Bennett’s Legacy

Tony Bennett famously sang about leaving his heart in San Francisco. But he also had a place in his heart for the local museum where he frequently exhibited his paintings. Lou Zona, director of The Butler Institute of American Art, reflected on his relationship with Bennett, whose career as a singer spanned generations.

Three abstract tactile pieces of art. The left is solid silver color, the one in the middle is a dark blue, and the one to the right is a soft yellow.

National Midyear Exhibition Opens at the Butler

More than 300 artists from across the U.S. submitted 810 works for the Butler’s 87th National Midyear Exhibition— only 80 of which got into the show from 15 different states! “It presents both traditional works as well as the highly inventive abstractions that are always crowd pleasers,” says Dr. Zona.

Abstract piece with large black and blue streaks on a faux marble background.

Art on a Grand Scale: Butler Museum to Unveil Wing, Mural

For a little over a year, the brand new addition was under construction at the Butler Institute of American Art — Architect C. Robert Buchanan designed the Bacon Wing, as well as other additions at the museum. The Vince & Phyllis Bacon Grand Gallery houses a monumental mural by Pierre Soulages, which was salvaged by Dr. Zona in 2009, and is now displayed behind striking glass windows and can be seen from Wick Avenue.