Margaret Ponce Israel
Sketchbook, 1983
Found Strathmore sketch book and watercolor
14 x 17 x 1/2 inches
Racine Art Museum, Gift of Sally and Larry Israel in Memory of the Artist
Photography: Jon Bolton

Sketchbooks from RAM’s Collection: Exploring Process

October 12, 2022 – February 11, 2023
at Racine Art Museum

For some, an artist’s working process could be as interesting to see as the so-called “final work.” Where does inspiration come from? How is something constructed? How does an idea go from being an intangible thing to being an object or image that exists in the real world? Sometimes artists use sketchbooks or preliminary drawings to help them sort out ideas or technical matters. Other times, sketches are exercises or thought generators and not a means to a specific end. Regardless of how employed, sketches offer insight into creative practices and, sometimes, into an artist’s daily life.

As an institution that collects works on paper as well as craft, RAM has various sketchbooks and sketches in its holdings. To date, these works are being acquired in tandem with, or in relation to, other work by the same artists. In some instances, the museum has sketchbooks and sketches that directly correlate to works in the collection—showing them side by side offers opportunities to compare and contrast a fully resolved work with the ideas leading up to it. In other instances, RAM has sketches and sketchbooks as part of an artist’s archive – there may or may not be direct examples on hand, but their presence still offers a window into how an artist pulls ideas together.

If institutions have materials like this on hand, they do not always exhibit them in the galleries—RAM is doing so because they are valuable resources and significant objects and images independent of their connection to any other work of art.

More About the Exhibition

Exhibition Notes (PDF)

Press Room

Artists in the Exhibition

Renie Breskin Adams, John N. Colt, Margaret Ponce Israel, Cherry Barr Jerry, Tom Rauschke, and Red Weldon Sandlin

Sketchbooks from RAM’s Collection: Exploring Process

October 12, 2022 – February 11, 2023
at Racine Art Museum
Margaret Ponce Israel
Sketchbook, 1983
Found Strathmore sketch book and watercolor
14 x 17 x 1/2 inches
Racine Art Museum, Gift of Sally and Larry Israel in Memory of the Artist
Photography: Jon Bolton

For some, an artist’s working process could be as interesting to see as the so-called “final work.” Where does inspiration come from? How is something constructed? How does an idea go from being an intangible thing to being an object or image that exists in the real world? Sometimes artists use sketchbooks or preliminary drawings to help them sort out ideas or technical matters. Other times, sketches are exercises or thought generators and not a means to a specific end. Regardless of how employed, sketches offer insight into creative practices and, sometimes, into an artist’s daily life.

As an institution that collects works on paper as well as craft, RAM has various sketchbooks and sketches in its holdings. To date, these works are being acquired in tandem with, or in relation to, other work by the same artists. In some instances, the museum has sketchbooks and sketches that directly correlate to works in the collection—showing them side by side offers opportunities to compare and contrast a fully resolved work with the ideas leading up to it. In other instances, RAM has sketches and sketchbooks as part of an artist’s archive – there may or may not be direct examples on hand, but their presence still offers a window into how an artist pulls ideas together.

If institutions have materials like this on hand, they do not always exhibit them in the galleries—RAM is doing so because they are valuable resources and significant objects and images independent of their connection to any other work of art.

More About the Exhibition

Exhibition Notes (PDF)

Press Room

Artists in the Exhibition

Renie Breskin Adams, John N. Colt, Margaret Ponce Israel, Cherry Barr Jerry, Tom Rauschke, and Red Weldon Sandlin

Sample of Work in the Exhibition

Click/tap an image for more information

Installation View

Exhibitions at RAM are made possible by:

Platinum Sponsors

The Estate of Karen Johnson Boyd
David Charak
Judith and David Flegel Fund
Ron and Judith Isaacs
Nicholas and Nancy Kurten
Racine Community Foundation logo
Barbara Waldman
Windgate Foundation

Diamond Sponsors

City of Racine’s Grow Racine Grant
Ruffo Family Foundation
Ruth Arts Foundation

Gold Sponsors

Anonymous
Tom and Irene Creecy
Richard and Patricia Ehlert
Osborne and Scekic Family Foundation
Reliance Controls Community Fund
Trio Foundation of St. Louis
W.T. Walker Group, Inc.

Wisconsin Arts Board 50th Anniversary Logo

Silver Sponsors

Anonymous
Baird
Beta Diagnostic Labs
A.C. Buhler Family
Lucy G. Feller
Ben and Dawn Flegel
Jim Harris
Sharon and Tom Harty
Horizon Retail Construction, Inc.
Johnson Financial Group
Dorothy MacVicar
Jan Serr and John Shannon

Bronze Sponsors

Ellen and Joseph Albrecht
Susan Boland
Dave’s Wine Garage
Educators Credit Union
Express Employment Professionals
Bill and Debbie Keland
Susan Manalli
Jean and Alex Mandli, Jr.
Norbell Foundation
Cathy Stanghellini
Twin Disc

Media Sponsor

Radio Milwaukee logo

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