the establishment of a CONSERVATION ENDOWMENT FUND as we conclude our 2020-21 lecture season.
In recognition of the 50th Anniversary of the transformative gift of art by Walter P. Chrysler, Jr., The Norfolk Society of Arts is pleased to establish a permanent endowment fund of $50,000 to support the conservation of those works of art donated by Mr. Chrysler to the Chrysler Museum of Art.
A little history may explain our interest in the conservation of Mr. Chrysler’s collection.
In 1924, the Norfolk City Council adopted an “ordinance to accept the Proposal of the Norfolk Society of Arts to provide a building” to be used as a museum of art, and in 1933, the Norfolk Society of Arts opened the Norfolk Museum of Arts and Sciences.
In 1971, Walter Chrysler, Jr. offered the gift of his outstanding art collection to the Norfolk Museum of Arts and Sciences and in recognition of his magnificent gift, the Board of The Norfolk Society of Arts agreed to change the name of the museum to the Chrysler Museum at Norfolk, now known as the Chrysler Museum of Art.
IN addition to establishing this endowment fund, the Norfolk Society of Arts is issuing a “Challenge Match,” dollar for dollar, up to the first $5,000 dollars contributed to this endowment fund made by NSA members and non- members.
Checks should be made payable to The Norfolk Society of Arts Conservation Endowment Fund and may be sent to:
The Norfolk Society of Arts, Chrysler Museum of Art, One Memorial Place, Norfolk, VA. 23510
We thank you for your continued support to The Norfolk Society of Arts and hope you will consider a gift to our challenge match as we grow this newly established fund.
Our SPRING 2021 LUNCHEON…
MUST be cancelled due to Covid19 health concerns.
We are certain, however, that our speaker, author MARY GABRIEL, joining us VIRTUALLY from Ireland for her presentation on April 26th, will more than suffice to enthrall, and likely save us a few extra pounds from the Huber Court delicacies we traditionally enjoy.
Our fifth VIRTUAL Lecture
and a CHRYSLER MUSEUM of ART exhibit pair brilliantly, in spite of COVID19…
“ In the nineteenth century, Georges Bizet’s 1875 popular opera, Carmen, provided an almost universal touchstone for brazen female sexuality, just as Pierre Beaumarchais’s and Gioachino Rossini’s Sevillian barber Figaro offered a comedic male paradigm of intrepidness. By the end of the nineteenth century, even artists and illustrators used these popular operas as shorthand for descriptions of Spanish characters and types. This presentation explores the popularity of such images across the visual arts of the time, from John Singer Sargent’s Carmencita (1890) to Walter Gay’s Cigarette Girls, Seville (1895). “
These initial comments from our fifth VIRTUAL lecturer, Milwaukee Art Museum‘s Abert Family Curator of American Art, BRANDON RUUD, promise much interesting commentary to come!
OF NOTE: Mr. Ruud will speak to us online on February 24th, while a show, “Americans in Spain: Painting and Travel, 1820-1920,” which he co-curated with the Chrysler Museum of Art‘s Brock Curator of American Art, Corey Piper, is on exhibit in the Chrysler’s galleries.
Plan accordingly. Learn with us online, and then mask up and go see the masterpieces Mr. Ruud discusses in person!
NSA joins the VIRGINIA OPERA
On November 18th at 11am sharp, we’ll collaborate with Virginia Opera to feature Opera America‘s Director MARC SCORCA in our third VIRTUAL lecture!
He’ll discuss, “Opera’s Neglected Dimension: the Visual,” reminding us of how important all our senses are to the enjoyment of what’s primarily considered an auditory experience.
This lecture, with Virginia Opera and Norfolk Society of Arts audiences linking together, is sure to prove OPERATIC! Join us for this live VIRTUAL lecture, free and open to the public, thanks to Virginia Opera and the generous support of Norfolk Society of Arts members*.
*One membership perk is personal emails, sent on the evening prior to our VIRTUAL lectures, which contain links to join our lectures live. To become a member, simply contact us through this site’s “Join Today” tab.
Links will also post here and on our Facebook page, @nosoarts.norfolk, just prior to the lecture.
LIVE FROM VENICE!!
We will present our second VIRTUAL lecture on 14 October, with Save Venice, Inc.’s Melissa Conn. Prevented by world health concerns from giving her lecture in Norfolk last spring, SHE WILL BE WITH US ONLINE, discussing “The Art and Science of Saving Venice.” She has shared beautiful photos in advance of her lecture, including this one for all of us suffering the travel bug in this Covid 19 lock-down moment of history: the lapping waters of Venice’s Grand Canal. We are so glad to be able, finally, to present Ms. Conn’s lecture. Don’t miss it!
PREPARATIONS are UNDERWAY…
FOR our FIRST VIRTUAL LECTURE of the 2020-21 season.
11am sharp, Wednesday, 23rd September. Don’t miss it!!! “Treasures of Ancient Egypt: Sunken Cities.”
And have a look at the Virginia Museum of Fine Art’s current exhibit for a sneak preview of our topic- http://www.vmfa.museum. Many thanks to the VMFA for partnering with us to present this lecture, organized by the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and supported in part by the Paul Mellon endowment and the Jean Stafford Camp Memorial Fund.
Thanks to the generosity of our membership, all of our lectures are presented free and open to the public, usually at our beloved Chrysler Museum of Art. Covid19 has changed that temporarily. For membership information, please see our “Join Today” tab.
MEMBERSHIP INVITATIONS have ARRIVED!!
And the list of our speakers for the 2020-21 season is now officially public, including plans for our first three lectures to be presented online as virtual lectures with live Q&A.
We count on your support to help us continue our work of bringing arts and culture to our Hampton Roads Community, particularly in these challenging Covid-riddled times.
We welcome all members to renew membership by simply returning your Membership Form with payment, AND we encourage new members to join us by contacting our Membership Chairperson at sdkcomer@cox.net.
More membership information may be found on the “Join Today” page on this site.
Our first lecture is set for 23 September at 11am ONLINE.
A link to access online lectures will be available the day prior to each lecture in the “Virtual Lectures 2020-21” tab on this site AND on our facebook page, @nosoarts.norfolk.
COMING TO YOU “VIRTUALLY” this Fall
11 August 2020
Dear NSA Members and Guests,
We are very excited about our 2020-2021 upcoming NSA Lecture Series.
A complete list of lectures with speakers and dates will be available on this website and on our Facebook (nosoarts.norfolk) and Instagram (norfolksocietyofarts) posts in late August.
If you are interested in becoming a member of NSA, please go to “Join Today” in our drop-down menu for information.
While it will not be possible to offer in-person lectures beginning in September, we hope you will enjoy our VIRTUAL PRESENTATIONS with live question and answers.
If and when CDC and Virginia State guidelines change, we will reevaluate future events.
We thank you for your continued support of NSA.
Jan Bradley, President
27 April 2020
Dear NSA Members,
Today, April 27th, would have been our 103rd Annual Meeting. The Lecture and Benefit Luncheon have been planned for months in advance, but unfortunately the COVID-19 virus made our wonderful event impossible this year.
During the last few months the NSA Lecture Committee has been working diligently to present a wonderful list of speakers for our 104th year. Please look for your membership invitation later this summer.
While much uncertainty lies ahead, we will keep you updated as to our plans for our 2020-2021 season.
Thank you for your continued support.
We hope you remain safe and healthy,
Jan Bradley, President
REGARDLESS OF CORONOAVIRUS CANCELLATIONS!
We extend heartfelt thanks to dedicated community sponsors who’d committed to ad space for our SPRING LUNCHEON brochure:
Anderson-Wright Rooms and Gardens Commune Mary Barnett’s Irene Leache Memorial Foundation Texture Leone’s Restaurant Saunders, Matthews & Phitzner, PLLC Kaufman & Canoles MOCA The Design Collaborative, Architects Way Back Yonder Antiques Carter Godbout & Associates Changes City Spa/Jakes Place UBS Ellen Upton Etcetera Hendricks Family Dentistry Phillips DMC Hermitage Museum & Gardens Spertner Jewelers/Ghent Antiques Lauren Conner, Realtor Stacy Goode, Realtor; Chandler Realty, Inc. TowneBank Wilbanks, Smith & Thomas 456 Fish Restaurant Byrd & Baldwin Restaurant The 219 Restaurant Virginia Opera Virginia Arts Festival Rutter Family Art Foundation Harbor’s Edge Anne Phillips Couture The Big Easy Restaurant Hitch Family Discover Coastal VA
(There’s always next year…)
Our Annual Spring Meeting, Lecture and Benefit Luncheon
Dear NSA Members,
Based on the Center for Disease Control’s most recent guideline (3/15/2020) to limit public gatherings to no more than 50 people for the next 8 weeks, we regretfully will not be able to host our Annual Meeting, Lecture and Benefit Luncheon on April 27, 2020.
We will miss Thomas Collins, Neubauer Family Executive Director and President of the Barnes Foundation, and his lecture on “The Enduring Influences of Albert C. Barnes.” We will do our best to host him in the future.
While this is not the way we would have liked to end our 2019-2020 season, these are extraordinary times and we only hope all our members stay healthy and safe.
Respectfully,
The Norfolk Society of Arts
Board of Directors
OUR 25 MARCH LECTURE HAS BEEN
The Norfolk Society of Arts March 25, 2020 Lecture Has Been Canceled
Because of concerns about the corona virus and the Center for Disease Control guidelines, we feel it is prudent to cancel our March 25, 2020 lecture, with the health and safety of our valued membership in mind.
As many of you know, this past weekend the province of Venice, Italy was deemed a restricted area because of the corona virus outbreak. Due to subsequent travel restrictions imposed by the Italian government, Melissa Conn has had to cancel her NSA lecture. She thanked us for her invitation and expressed her desire to reschedule her visit. We will do our best to invite her back.
We want to thank Lloyd DeWitt, Chrysler Museum’s Chief Curator and Irene Leache Curator of European Art, who had graciously agreed to speak to our group prior to our decision to cancel the event.
As circumstances evolve we will keep you informed regarding future events. No other upcoming lectures have been cancelled.
Please check back here for updated information or follow our instagram posts at norfolksocietyofarts, our facebook page at nosoarts.norfolk and the Chrysler Website.
Jan Bradley, President NSA
FINAL SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES for 2019-2020!!!
-CONTINUE TO HELP US SUPPORT THE CHRYSLER MUSEUM OF ART- Join other dedicated Businesses and Patrons across Hampton Roads who yearly take advantage of ad space in our (April 27th, 2020) Annual Meeting and Benefit Luncheon program.
Ad space starting at $100. Please contact our Luncheon Committee at (757) 237-7727 for more information.
VENUE CHANGE:
The Norfolk Society of Art’s NOVEMBER lecture featuring Clay S. Jenkinson as “Thomas Jefferson- Architect and Palladian Scholar,” will be held in collaboration with the VIRGINIA OPERA at the HARRISON OPERA HOUSE on Wednesday, November 20th at 11am.
Please also note that this event will run longer than our usual hour’s lecture, at one hour and fifteen minutes. Thank you for planning accordingly.
PLEASE REMEMBER!!! Our 11am lectures are all FREE and OPEN to the PUBLIC,
with coffee served at 10:30 prior to each lecture EXCEPT before the final lecture of our season, in April.
Coffee IS NOT SERVED in April, as that free and open lecture is followed by our annual Spring Luncheon. Tickets are required only for the luncheon, and the funds raised through ticket sales combine with Membership cost to help us continue our support of community arts and culture.
Invitations are in the Mail!! And our 2019-20 season’s just around the corner…
Current members, be sure to renew in time for the first lecture, 25 September. Mail in those invites right away!
And new members? We welcome you. Please join us in supporting the arts in Hampton Roads. Our membership chairperson may be contacted at sdkcomer@cox.net.
SPRING LUNCHEON TICKETS !!!
On sale TODAY for May 6th, 2019 following our 11am lecture…
Luncheon proceeds and membership dues are our way of helping fund the arts at the Chrysler Museum and in our Hampton Roads Community. Through the generous support of our members, we maintain our lectures free and open to the public and our community’s arts-friendly reputation rock-solid.
Purchase an individual seat ($75) or gather ten friends for a table and join us for delicious luncheon in the glorious spring sunlight of the Chrysler’s Huber Court.
Our guest speaker, author Didier Ghez, will be signing books after his talk, and then luncheon begins at approximately 12:30.
Please contact: sdkcomer@cox.net
Special Opportunity for Membership to Bid on a Curator-Led Tour!
Because the Chrysler Museum’s Curators have generously offered their time,
we’re able to offer a silent auction during our MAY 6TH Spring Luncheon fundraiser following Didier Ghez’s talk on “The Hidden Art of Disney.”
The winner of the auction chooses topic…
and curator…..
Options include the Chrysler’s extensive Glass collection with Carrie Needel, a world-class Photography collection with Seth Feeman, the stunning Modern and Contemporary galleries with Kimberli Gant, treasures of the American collection with Corey Piper, or an erudite lark through masterworks with the museum’s chief curator and European Art expert, Lloyd Dewitt.
For more information, please contact sdcomer@cox.net.
EXCITED over our upcoming LECTURE and annual LUNCHEON!!!
Wonderful Coverage ahead of our January 23rd lecture on Leonardo’s SALVATOR MUNDI
in the VIRGINIAN-PILOT!
https://pilotonline.com › Entertainment › Arts & Theater
UPDATE on screening of “Kusama: Infinity”… 7:15pm
Heather Lenz will intro her documentary at 7:15pm this Wednesday night, 28 November, at the Naro Expanded Cinema, Norfolk, prior to the start of the film. Not at 7:30 as previously reported.
A lecture AND a film showing from our November Speaker
In a special, and unexpected “add on” to our speaker’s series presentation,
Heather Lenz, our November speaker, has agreed to let us premiere her new and award-winning documentary,
“Kusama: Infinity“
AND to take Q&A after the film, on the evening of her NSA lecture.
The 28 November lecture begins at 11am sharp. Chrysler Museum of Art. Free.
The film will be shown at Norfolk’s own Naro Expanded Cinema, 7:30pm, 1507 Colley Ave. Regular admission.
Thank you, thank you, Ms. Lenz, Yayoi Kusama for your compelling story, and the folks at the Naro for this tremendous cultural opportunity!
OUR CENTENNIAL GIFT
TO THE CHRYSLER MUSEUM OF ART
Jacob Caleb Ward’s, “View of Natural Bridge, Virginia,” oil on canvas, ca. 1835
Throughout its one hundred years, NSA has supported the Chrysler with lectures, concerts, recitals and monetary contributions. In recent years, the NSA has contributed to the renovation of the conservation library; a new sound system in Huber Court and the Kaufman theater; a Digital Asset Management system, and the publishing of a new glass catalogue which is available in 2018.
For graciously hosting us during the most recent Chrysler Museum renovations, we thank the Virginia Opera.
As its 100th anniversary approached, the NSA established the Second Century Fund to commemorate its Centennial and to promote its mission into a second century.
Thanks to the overwhelming generosity of our members and the Chrysler Museum, we proudly presented a special gift of art to the museum.
The piece, a prize addition to the museum’s extensive American collection, was selected from a group of artworks proposed by the Chrysler Museum curators and voted on by our membership.
IN THE NEWS: “BEING SOCIAL”
A wonderful article in the August/September 2018 issue of DISTINCTION magazine- from Pilot online media, “a full-color lifestyle publication that takes its readers on a journey through the Commonwealth.”
https://pilotonline.com/distinction/
Huge thanks to NSA members Kim Wadsworth (kimwadsworth.com) and Eleise Theuer (eleisetheuerphotography.com)!
