• Look

    Drawing from a sculpture during Summer Camp

    Looking at artwork closely is the first step toward exciting explorations in art! View artworks from the Bucks County region featured in the collections of the James A. Michener Art Museum and the Bucks County Intermediate Unit. Visit the timeline to see how artworks created in the Bucks County region connect to the arts and other subjects in the U.S. and beyond.

  • Discover

    Drawing from a sculpture during Summer Camp

    At the Michener, there is something for everyone! Learn something new about the arts, artists, and artworks in our exhibitions. Discover what it takes to put an exhibition together and how a museum works. Find out about our inspiring educational programs for all ages. Use educational materials provided on this site before, during and after your museum visit!

  • Discuss

    Drawing from a sculpture during Summer Camp

    Talk about art, respond to questions about art, and share your opinions about art. Engage in conversations with staff members about various art-related topics. Find out about the newest exhibit and upcoming events. Take time to reflect and think critically about works of art and see what other people are saying about them.

January’s Mystery Image Revealed: Phillip L. Powell’s Door and Surround

Phillip Lloyd Powell (1919-2008), Door and Surround, 1967, Stacked carved softwoods, polychromed, James A. Michener Art Museum, Museum Purchase with Funds provided by Sharon B. and Sydney F. Martin.

Phillip Lloyd Powell (1919-2008), Door and Surround, 1967, Stacked carved softwoods, polychromed, James A. Michener Art Museum, Museum Purchase with Funds provided by Sharon B. and Sydney F. Martin.

Walking through the galleries, you can’t miss Phil Powell’s brightly colored door, carved with various designs and painted in shades of yellow, orange and red. This month’s mystery image captured a small segment of this door, currently installed in the Putman-Smith Gallery at the Museum. This door was part of Powell’s earliest residence in New Hope, PA.

In looking closely at this work, it reminds me of various doors to buildings I have seen in my travels over the years. The door’s characteristics remind me of the carvings and decorative elements found in the architecture of Spain, such as in the Alhambra in Granada and the Alcázar in Seville.  It also reminds me of doors and grand entrances I encountered in India, such as the Taj Mahal in Agra and the Jama Masjid in Delhi. This work also echos the same feeling and presence found in the doors of Gothic cathedrals in France, such as in the Cathedral at Rouen, painted by the French Impressionist, Claude Monet in the late 1800s. So, it’s no surprise that the travels that Powell made to countries such as Spain, Portugal, England, Sicily, India, and Morocco, were a key part of the artist’s creative inspiration for his work. He took the carvings and decorative elements of these cultures and infused them to create his own personal style. He stated, ““travel influences my work the most – for the awareness of what’s been done.” Read More »

January’s Mystery Image!

P1120181 2Happy New Year everyone! Here is the first Mystery Image for 2012.

The first person to correctly name the title and the artist of this work in response to this blog posting will win a pair of general admission passes to the Museum.

Happy guessing!