Check out all of the photos from last night’s big party on the Brooks Flickr page!

Memphis’ greatest food and wine party partners world-renowned winemakers with the Mid-South’s most incredible chefs (including the Brooks’ own Wally Joe and Andrew Adams), live entertainment on the museum terrace, and a silent auction in the Rotunda for a sure-to-be unforgettable evening of eating, drinking, dancing and bidding at the Brooks. Tickets are $110, $125 at the door. VIP tickets are $150 (limited availability). Click here to buy tickets or call Laura Beth Davis at 901.544.6209 or email her at laurabeth.davis@brooksmuseum.org.

Check out pics from last year!

Joining Chateau Montelena in 2013 is Russian River Valley wines Kosta Browne, Martinelli Winery and Williams Selyem. Kosta Browne’s 2008 Pinot Noir was named 2011 Wine of the Year by Wine Spectator magazine. Bob Cabral of Williams Selyem was named 2011 Winemaker of the Year by Wine Enthusiast magazine.

On April 13th, the Brooks will host Brooks Uncorked, one of the top fundraising events of the year for the museum. With over 50 wines, a great silent auction, local fare and a live DJ, Brooks Uncorked is also one of the city’s top-ranked parties. The second weekend of May brings in our Russian River Valley vintners starting with the Private Winemaker Dinners on May 10th, then on to Vin-A-Que on May 11th and ending with the Grand Auction on May 12th. These events will welcome Dan Kosta of Kosta Browne, Regina Martinelli of Martinelli Winery and Bob Cabral of Williams Selyem.

To buy tickets or for more information about any of these events, visit MemphisWineandFoodSeries.org/tickets or contact Laura Beth Davis at 901.544.6209 or email.

The museum had a great crowd this month due to the opening of the Mid-South Scholastic Art Awards Exhibition, a Decorative Arts Trust lecture and the British Arrow Awards film. Those are three distinctive events all occurring in front of the eyes of all of the artworks the museum shows such as our extensive permanent collection that focuses on art that spans time to our traveling and in-house shows that represent so many interests…

Looking into the future, I believe that museums will offer even more to their cities. There are already so many possibilities and ways to turn an institution into exactly what you need it to be for you personally. One could come cost free on a Wednesday, have an inexpensive date on Thursday night or a picnic date on the weekend while lazily strolling around the museum with a full stomach. Or you could catch up with friends and family to eat and shop. I had no clue that museums offered so much! I look forward to seeing you here soon.

Photographs and video from the Brooks Museum’s summer In Focus program are currently on view in the Education Gallery through Oct 23, 2011. Memphis artist Thomasin Durgin worked with 30 adolescents from Girls Incorporated, a non-profit organization with a mission to inspire all girls to be strong, smart, and bold. The focus of the program was portraiture through digital photography and included an introduction to stop-motion video.

Adolescents typically struggle with issues of identity and control over their own lives. Through portraiture girls are able to express who they are, and to show themselves as they want to be seen by the world. Many participants began the program with an eye for glamorous shots, yet photo assignments such as composing faceless portraits or choosing to depict specific emotions helped them begin viewing the camera as an artistic tool. Photographs were projected and reviewed at the end of most sessions, which encouraged dialogue and reflection. Composition, framing, lighting, and technical aspects of photography were introduced during these discussions s well.

An exceptional group of talented girls, the participants created work that is moving, creative, thoughtful, and fun.

Florals and drinking aside, it’s been all about France at the Brooks this summer. We even had a Bastille Day celebration with the opening of our new show, The Impressionist Revolution. Come to the Brooks for some French inspired fun, which will continue through early October. Here’s a sampling of what you’ll experience:

-Nicoise Salad, Quiche Lorraine, and more at the Brushmark Restaurant
-95 works of French and related Impressionism paintings
-French pop and hip-hop music by DJ Leroy Trenton during Brooks After Hours
-French films
-A “Kid’s Café” gallery featuring scent games, dress up, and more
-French wine tastings
-Screenings of French operas and ballets
-Sidewalk Impressionists Chalk Festival on September 24

That’s A LOT of French fun! And for a lot less than a plane ticket to Paris. So what are you waiting for? Take a trip to France without the annoying and invasive security checks. Join the Brooks now at http://www.brooksmuseum.org/join or call Andrea Carlisle at 544-6230.

This blog has been written by Diane Jalfon Director of Development at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art.

As we prepared for the beautiful new exhibition “The Impressionist Revolution”, we wanted to include a few French influenced items to the summer menu. If you haven’t dined in the Brushmark in awhile, now is the time to come sample the new menu. Spend the day at the Brooks enjoying the exhibition. Take a lunch break to enjoy delicious new items such as Chicken Provencal or a Vegetarian Salad “Nicoise”. A perfect way to spend the day out of the Memphis heat.

This post is written by Wally Joe Executive Chef at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art.

Things are starting to get a little crazy at the museum, particularly in the development department. We’re about to head into what we call “wine season.” Each spring we throw several wine-related fundraising events – The Fleming’s Wine Dinner, Brooks Uncorked, Patrons Dinner, and the Grand Auction. Starting in January we collect wine and other items from donors across the region to auction off at these events.

Lindsey Hedgepeth is the one who coordinates all of these events and life becomes very interesting for her about now. Her office starts to fill up with wine bottles, invitations, donation forms, and artwork. She’s the one who keeps track of the thousands of bottles of wine it takes to get through wine season at the Brooks.

We’ve been doing wine events here to raise money for 19 years. That’s a whole lot of wine coming and going through the museum. All in all we’ve raised nearly $3.5 million dollars since we started. Pretty impressive, huh?

So why wine? Why throw wine-centered events to raise money for the museum? Well, it all started 20 years ago with some very dedicated wine enthusiasts who wanted to share their passion for wine while also doing some good for the community. The Brooks was very fortunate to be the beneficiary of their knowledge and generosity. These talented individuals created the first significant wine auction in Memphis with all proceeds benefitting the Brooks. How lucky are we? Some of these guys are still involved, though not to the extent they once were. They have given so much of their time and talent over the years and we are incredibly grateful.

Over the years we have also cultivated new wine enthusiasts. Some of our events are targeted specifically to young people who are new to the world of wine. Brooks Uncorked in particular was created specifically as an introductory event. We have a host committee of young people, the ticket prices are as low as $90 for unlimited wine and food, and DJ Raiford closes out the night with a dance party on the terrace. Not bad for $90.

We also have “Warm Up to Wine” classes for small groups of 30 or so people. For as little as $25 per person, you can taste several different wines alongside cheese, bread, and fruit while hearing about the different wines in a fun, casual setting by a host who guides you through the tasting.

Wine is an interesting and multi-faceted pursuit. Whether you’re a newbie who’s not even sure if you like wine or a passionate collector who can discern berry, licorice, and tobacco just by smelling a glass of wine, there’s something for everyone to enjoy and explore. Like art, different wine appeals to different tastes. There are no right answers – you like what you like.

If you’re at all interested in wine you should check out the Brooks’ Memphis Wine + Food Series. There’s bound to be an event you would enjoy. Call a friend or two and get your tickets early. The Fleming’s Wine Dinner on February 27 is already sold out so don’t delay. Click here to learn more about all of the events in this year’s wine season http://www.theartofgoodtaste.org.

Cheers!

This blog is written by the hard-working and ever-inspiring Development Director Diane Jalfon.

An agency of the Tennessee state government, The Tennessee Arts Commission was created in 1967 “to stimulate and encourage the presentation of performing, visual and literary arts throughout the state and to encourage public interest in the cultural heritage of Tennessee.” To that end, the TAC awards dozens of grants to qualified arts organizations from Memphis to Knoxville, and everywhere in between.

Some of that money helps organizations like the Brooks with general operating costs—staff salaries, utilities, maintenance, and other fairly unexciting day-to-day expenses. (Sponsors rarely like to fund general operating costs, but it’s some of the most crucial funding we receive.) Other TAC funding goes toward specific programs that fit into categories like Arts Education, Professional Development Support, and Student Ticket Subsidies.

Naturally, TAC funds aren’t just handed out to anyone who wants them. Each year, organizations undergo a competitive (and rigorous) application process. We at the Brooks are proud to be the recipients of one of the TAC’s larger grants. We’ve received this funding for years—and yet every year we have to re-apply for it, in addition to appearing in Nashville every other year to undergo a panel review. These guys aren’t kidding around.

So where does the TAC get the funds it distributes? Well, the state contributes $2.8 million, and the National Endowment for the Arts and the Department of Education pitches in another $1.3 million. But the majority of the TAC’s funding—about $5.4 million annually—comes from our state’s innovative Specialty License Plate program. Any time you see a Tennessee license plate that promotes an organization or cause (including colleges, sports teams, clubs, etc.), the TAC has benefited from its purchase. If a plate is personalized, the TAC benefits even more.

So, thanks mostly to the license plate program, the TAC disburses more than $7.5 million in grants. (The remainder of their budget goes toward operating costs, like rent, salaries, and travel.) The TAC’s income numbers place Tennessee 12th in the nation—and 1st in the South—in per capita legislative appropriations for the arts.

You can support the TAC by joining its support group, Tennesseans for the Arts, or by upgrading your boring old license plate to a spiffy new one (and emblazoning it with your nickname). You can also help them out by keeping tabs on your legislators. Are your Senator and Representative voting their support for the arts? In addition to providing enrichment and enjoyment, the arts create thousands of jobs and generate millions in revenues, so supporting them is kind of a no-brainer.

The Brooks depends on a whole network of supporters that enable us to do what we do. So, a big thanks to the Tennessee Arts Commission as well as to our other foundation, corporate, and individual donors for keeping the doors open, the lights on, and the art accessible to everyone who wants to enjoy it.

This post is authored by our Grants Manager Bob Arnold.

Teeny Tiny Bike Racks

After seeing this article in the Flyer Emily and I made an appointment with the Urban Art Commission to view Gadsby Creson’s 40 Bike Rack Maquettes. For those of us who slept through Art School Vocabulary 101 a maquette (even my spellcheck doesn’t recognize the word!) is “a small model or study in three dimensions for either a sculptural or an architectural project.”

Now that you’ve learned something today, let’s look at a couple of the racks. Gadsby, who rides a bike only occasionally admits that she approached these racks from an artistic perspective. In some cases the art outweighs the functionality; there is no way to actually secure your bike to a rack like this:

The small portion of Memphians (even Americans) who use our bikes for more than recreation need to know our bike is secure. Bike racks can do this and be artistic at the same time. The best bike rack in Memphis is at the Brooks Museum because it incorporates the environment and is very secure. Gadsby does this in her work as well:

An anchor in front of The Cove: kinda kitschy but it works. It worked for David Byrne on Wall Street and New York’s fashion district. But you’re still limited with the number of bicycles you can attach without going full on bike-pile. Granted, getting people out on bikes is good but two people? Why not ten or twenty? We’ve seen the amount of people riding the Greenline. They’re out there. But in addition to giving them a place to ride we also need to give them a place to park. Gadsby nails it with this one:

Depending on the space between the bars you could potentially fit twelve bikes on that rack. It doesn’t imitate its environment but its got form, color, and functionality going for it. It looks pretty rad but maybe that’s just my affinity for orange.

To view the rest of the maquettes make an appointment via urbanartcommission.org. The exhibit runs through January 28th. But don’t wait until then: on November 19th and 20th as part of the “New Face for an Old Broad” event the UAC will be projecting the maquettes in their gallery space.