Art students tour museums, commercial art sites in Colorado

The students are Troi Arnold of Cozad, Neb., Serena Brooks of Glenrock, Wyo., Heather Clark of Spearfish, S.D., Matthew Ellis of Alliance, Neb., Tara Medigovich of San Luis Obispo, Calif., Sarrah Meyer of Kimball, Neb., and Emily Still of Scottsbluff, Neb.

The students were accompanied by Mary Donohue, professor in the visual and performing arts department, and Sarah Polak, director of the Mari Sandoz High Plains Heritage Center, who also instructs museum studies courses.

“We found some delightful surprises in places like the Kirkland Museum of Fine and Decorative Art where we had a personal docent tour from a CSC alumna, Karen Kelley. She told us the story of Colorado artist, Vance Kirkland, whose paintings fill the museum,” Donohue said.

Also at the Kirkland, Kelley pointed out furniture, glass, and other pieces from famous designers.

The group’s visit to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science was especially memorable because of the behind-the-scenes look at the institution’s exhibition and wayfinding plans from two of the museum's exhibit graphic designers, Salle Tulchin and Lisa McGuire.

Donohue said Tulchin and McGuire walked the CSC students through their design research, rough ideas and composite drawings, before leading a tour of the finished, life-sized products, such as the European chocolate shop designed by McGuire for “Chocolate: The Exhibition.”

Another stop on the group’s itinerary was the Leanin' Tree Museum in Boulder. The museum features a collection of important western artists such as sculptor Allan Houser and colorful western landscape and cowboy paintings by Conrad Schwiering, James E. Reynolds, John Clymer, Gerard Curtis Delano and painter of trains, Howard Fogg.

While in Boulder, the group also toured the Celestial Seasonings plant and saw how tea is made and packaged. The group also learned about the illustrators, such as Leland Klanderman, who created colorful paintings for the tea boxes.

The trip was memorable for many reasons. But Still is eager to practice what she saw she said the Denver Art Museum included work from artists she and her counterparts study in art history.

“Seeing their work up close in a museum setting really brought it to life. We were able to see different styles being put to use, which is something we will be able to bring into our own art,” Still said.