The Academy Art Museum is pleased to announce the upcoming exhibition, Blanche Lazzell: Becoming an American Modernist. An opening reception will be held on Thursday, August 1, from 5 – 7 pm. A short documentary produced in conjunction with the exhibition will be shown on a large screen throughout the opening.
“We are thrilled to bring this comprehensive exploration of Lazzell’s career to the Academy, and to showcase a woman from West Virginia who upends stereotypical views about who was making avant-garde art in the United States in the early part of the twentieth century,” notes AAM Senior Curator Lee Glazer.
Blanche Lazzell: Becoming an American Modernist explores the pioneering artist’s lifelong pursuit of translating Modernism into an American art form and celebrates her largely unsung achievements in championing abstraction in the United States through painting and printmaking. This exhibition surveys the full career of American modernist Blanche Lazzell (1878–1956). Celebrated for her masterful white-line woodblock prints, Lazzell considered herself a painter first and foremost—from her early days studying in West Virginia, New York, and Paris through Depression-era Federal Art Projects and as a longtime resident of Provincetown’s vibrant art colony.
Born and raised in the small community of Maidsville, West Virginia, Lazzell graduated from West Virginia University with a degree in fine arts in 1905. Seeking further instruction, she first enrolled in the Art Students League in New York City and then went on two extensive trips to Europe. There she immersed herself in the studios of avant-garde artists who explored abstraction through the new movements of Fauvism and Cubism. Lazzell embraced these influences in her own work, creating some of the first non-objective prints and paintings seen in this country. She eventually settled in the artist colony of Provincetown, Massachusetts, where she worked with Hans Hofmann, co-founded the Provincetown Printers, and became a leading figure in white-line color woodblock printmaking.
Including more than 60 works drawn primarily from the Art Museum of West Virginia’s permanent collection, the exhibition explores the artist’s lifelong dedication to her craft and celebrates her achievements as a champion of modernist abstraction in the United States. All of the interpretive materials in the galleries will be available in English and Spanish. The exhibition also includes a short documentary video, produced by the Academy, with bilingual English and Spanish captions.
“Blanche Lazzell: Becoming an American Modernist marks a milestone as we unveil our first bilingual exhibition, opening new doors of access and inclusion to our entire community. We hope that Lazzell’s story will resonate widely, breaking down barriers and inspiring a deeper appreciation for modernist abstraction in all its forms,” adds Interim Director Jennifer Chrzanowski.
Throughout the run of the exhibition, a mobile art cart will be activated every Thursday for drop-in artmaking with a Teaching Artist, who will show visitors how to create collages inspired by Lazzell’s artwork. This program will be offered in Spanish on August 22, September 19, and October 17. Visitors with disabilities may request a session adapted to their accessibility needs.
cdxThe museum also offers a two-day workshop on floral design and printmaking, which is organized with the exhibition. On Day One, participants will learn about Lazzell’s interest in flowers and their place in her work. Lydia Woolever, owner of Easton’s own Little Fields Floral, will demonstrate the artistic process of floral design and help students make their arrangements. On Day Two, Museum Teaching Artist Sheryl Southwick will discuss Lazzell’s white-line printmaking process and show participants how to make their own print. The dates for this workshop will be announced soon. Please visit academyartmuseum.org for more information.
Blanche Lazzell: Becoming an American Modernist is organized by the Art Museum of West Virginia University and generously supported by Art Bridges.
Blanche Lazzell (American, 1878 – 1956), Hollyhock, 1917, Oil on canvas, Art Museum of West Virginia University Collection, Gift of Nancy Watkins in memory of James F. McKinley and Nancy W. McKinley
About the Academy Art Museum
As the premier art museum on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, the Academy Art Museum presents high-quality exhibitions and a full range of art classes for visitors of all ages. Past exhibitions have featured artists such as James Turrell, Robert Rauschenberg, Mark Rothko, Pat Steir and Richard Diebenkorn. The permanent collection focuses on works on paper by American and European artists from four centuries including recent acquisitions by Graciela Iturbide and Zanele Muholi. Arts educational programs range from life drawing lessons to digital art instruction, and include lunchtime and cocktail hour concerts, lectures and special art events, as well as a free block-party style Juneteenth Celebration and a Fall Craft Show celebrating 27 years. AAM also provides arts education to school children from the region and is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. To continue the institutional movement of offering free public programming and to give barrier-free access to art, AAM eliminated admission fees in 2023.
Location: 106 South Street, Easton, Maryland
Hours: Tuesday & Wednesday 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, Thursday 10:00 am to 7:00 pm, Friday, Saturday & Sunday 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Closed Mondays and Federal holidays.
Admission: Free
Currently on view at the Academy Art Museum: Darlene R. Taylor: HEIRLOOMS, Albrecht Dürer: Master Prints, Light: Paintings by Philip Koch, Nancy Tankersley: Reflections and Marty Two Bulls, Jr: Dominion.
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