OPEN TODAY 10-5pm
OPEN

Going Back to School: The College of Charleston at the Gibbes

This Fall, the Gibbes Museum was the host site for the College of Charleston class for Art History/Studio Art (340/335), on Wednesdays from 1:15 to 4:00. Gibbes Fellows and Museum Educators were offered the opportunity to audit the class alongside the college students. I was excited to take advantage of the access to professors Marion Mazzone and John Hull, but knew that “going back to school” would present me with multiple challenges. I felt prepared for the art history content, however the in-gallery drawing assignments were very intimidating. Having never participated in a studio art class, I found the sketching of art works in the museum difficult at first. However, I persevered, and with the help of Professor Hull, I discovered I could actually draw. Through this experience, I developed a new appreciation for composition and all the elements that contribute to a finished work of art.

The Source, 1914, by Edward Middleton Manigault

As a class, we were able to view many art objects from the museums archives, as well as those on display in the galleries. The art-historical insight that Professor Mazzone shared about often unseen works of art in the museum’s collection was extremely enlightening and useful to me as a museum educator. I began to relate to works of art that I had previously passed by in my tours. Of particular interest was The Source, by Edward Middleton Manigault, located in the main hallway on the first floor. I had previously avoided the dark and foreboding scene, but with Professor Mazzone’s help I came to appreciate the artist’s use of color—specifically, the blending of various shade of blues and greens throughout the painting. Manigault’s choice of subject matter reflects back to the classical period of art and the influences of Greek mythology. I realized how lucky we are to have this artist’s work at the Gibbes, because his works are relatively few and highly esteemed.

I am already looking forward to auditing another College of Charleston art class in the future, perhaps to test some of my new found skills.

Annette Wanick, Gibbes museum educator and guest blogger

Learn about other continuing education classes at the Gibbes Museum on our website calendar.

Published December 21, 2011

Related Content

Digitally Mapping the Charleston Renaissance: Recent Grad Inspired by the Gibbes Collection

Naomi Edmondson, a former Gibbes intern and employee, recently received her master’s in art history and museum studies from Virginia Commonwealth University. A research project on digital mapping was inspired…

READ MORE

The Gibbes Museum of Art’s Distinguished Lecture Series Presents Martin Z. Margulies

CHARLESTON, S.C., September 16, 2020 – The Gibbes Museum of Art is pleased to announce that renowned art collector Martin Z. Margulies will be the keynote speaker at the museum’s…

READ MORE

Celebrating the Traditions of Juneteenth

Family picnics, bar-b-ques, church gatherings, and community festivals have been held for 155 years to commemorate the abolition of slavery. Most people associate the end of American slavery with The…

READ MORE

In Memoriam: David Driskell (1931–2020) Pioneering Artist, Scholar, and Curator

This week the Gibbes and the rest of the art world are mourning the loss of groundbreaking artist and scholar David C. Driskell. Born in Eatonton, Georgia, and raised in…

READ MORE
 
\