Neighbor News
On Feb. 20th, Art Historian Shares How to 'Talk Intelligently About Art' at River Forest Public Library
Program by Jeff Mishur is part of a series sponsored by library and River Forest Township called "Let's Celebrate Seniors All Year Long"
An art historian and guide who believes that art can, and should, be accessible to everyone will bring that knowledge and passion to River Forest Public Library on Saturday, February 20th.
Jeff Mishur, vice president and co-owner of Art Excursions, delivers his free slide lecture, “Talk Intelligently about Art,” at 2 p.m. at the library, 735 Lathrop Ave.
The program is part of a series sponsored by the library and River Forest Township called “Let’s Celebrate Seniors All Year Long.”
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“This will be accessible to anyone who is a fan of art, including those who don’t quite know the terminology that so often surrounds discussion of art,” Mishur said. “Brief descriptions that appear next to paintings are valuable, but there is much more that can be understood about paintings or sculptures, and this program helps build on that foundation.”
Mishur and his wife, Michelle, are both art historians and university professors who for nearly 20 years have designed and led customized tours in the United States, Canada and Europe. A Chicago-area native who resides in Riverside, Mishur has traveled to study art, architecture, culture and natural wonders in Europe, Africa, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the Middle East.
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In the library program, he offers an introduction to the appreciation of art while covering basic design principles. He will focus on how to analyze how colors, lines and similar design components come together to form a piece of art.
Mishur’s lecture deals with analysis, he said, “so I think anyone who enjoys visual games of analysis like puzzles or sudoko will be intrigued by this sort of approach to art.”
“Some people think of the art world as elitist, but it doesn’t have to be,” he continued. “It’s true that the experience of works of art can be enhanced by learning about history, religion, politics and other relevant issues. But approaching a work of art on the purely visual level requires no knowledge of any such things.”
On Feb. 20th, Mishur will include a wide variety of visual material such as paintings, sculptures, and works on paper. He draws mostly from western art from the Renaissance through the 20th century.
One aspect of art that comes as a surprise to many, said Mishur: “Artists think as much as or even more about design than subject matter.”
“From clothing, photography and film to billboards, architecture and industrial design, we live in a world that is in a continual state of design and re-design,” Mishur added. “I have found people are attracted to the idea of being more in touch with this, and the analytical tools applied to art can be applied to everything around us.”
Other upcoming talks co-sponsored by River Forest Township and River Forest Public Library are:
*Sunday, March 6, 2 p.m. - Edu-tainer Martina Mathison, founder of Living History, re-enacts the life of Marie Antoinette in honor of Women’s History Month.
*Sunday, April 3, 2 p.m. - Tour the gardens of Holland with landscape photographer Linda Oyama Bryan.
*Sunday, April 17, 2 p.m. - As a preview to the Wright Plus Housewalk in May, enjoy actress Ellie Presents’ costumed interpretation of “Regretting Mr. Wright: Mamah Cheney Tells Her Story”.
Although the programs are especially tailored to seniors, they are free and open to people of all ages, as well as those from outside River Forest and Oak Park.
The series name is inspired by—but not directly associated with— Celebrating Seniors Week, a not-for-profit initiative that culminates in a weeklong series of events every May throughout River Forest, Oak Park and Forest Park. River Forest Township is a strong supporter of Celebrating Seniors.
Art Excursions is online at www.artexcursions.com.
To learn more about these programs, or any of the other programs or services provided by River Forest Township, please call 708-366-2029 or visit www.RiverForestTownship.org. On Facebook: www.facebook.com/RiverForestTownship; on Twitter: www.twitter.com/RFTownship.
The River Forest Public Library is online at www.rflib.org, and can be reached at 708-366-5205. On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RiverForestPublicLibrary
