
Jeffrey Lloyd Dever
Love Bottle, 1998
Polymer
9 1/8 x 5 1/2 x 3 5/8 inches
Racine Art Museum, Gift of the Artist
Photography: Penina Meisels
Spectrum: Contemporary Artists in Color
January 13 – July 10, 2016
at Racine Art Museum
Color is both a simple and complex concept—associated with emotions, symbols, and thoughts. Human beings learn about color at a young age and it becomes familiar. Still, the use of it as an artistic or design choice is layered and sometimes subjective.
Studies involving color “officially” began in the 1700s. Sir Isaac Newton is credited as inventing the first color wheel, which showed sunlight divided into a spectrum. In 1810, Johann Wolfgang Goethe drew on Newton’s investigations as he explored the psychological effects of various hues. The color wheel most often used today—based on the primary shades of red, yellow, and blue—was formulated by Swiss color and art theorist, Johannes Itten, an instructor at the Bauhaus School of Applied Arts in Weimar, Germany. Modern artists, such as Josef Albers (1888-1976) and Wassily Kandinsky (1866-1944), identified color as a primary element of their compositions, underscoring its use to convey ideas and expression.
While many contemporary artists use color as a principal element, Spectrum focuses on it—sometimes combined in patterns or through multiple objects—as a defining principle in form and design for work that is not figurative. This exhibition primarily features glass, ceramic, and polymer works by artists from RAM’s collection.
More About the Exhibition
Artists in the Exhibition
Sonja Blomdhal, Stuart Braunstein, Sandra Byers, Rose Cabat, Dale Chihuly, Dan Cormier, Jeffrey Lloyd Dever, Benjamin Edols and Kathy Elliot, Bean Finneran, Laritza Garcia, Lindly Haunani, Mary Heilman, Jun Kaneko, Cliff Lee, Robert Levin, James Lovera, James Makins, Dante Marioni, Choonsun Moon, Jay Musler, Gertrud and Otto Natzler, Jeffrey Oestreich, Polia Pillin, Sigrid Thach, Marlene True, Stephanie Voegele, Pier Voulkos, and Toots Zynsky
Spectrum: Contemporary Artists in Color
January 13 – July 10, 2016
at Racine Art Museum

Jeffrey Lloyd Dever
Love Bottle, 1998
Polymer
9 1/8 x 5 1/2 x 3 5/8 inches
Racine Art Museum, Gift of the Artist
Photography: Penina Meisels
Color is both a simple and complex concept—associated with emotions, symbols, and thoughts. Human beings learn about color at a young age and it becomes familiar. Still, the use of it as an artistic or design choice is layered and sometimes subjective.
Studies involving color “officially” began in the 1700s. Sir Isaac Newton is credited as inventing the first color wheel, which showed sunlight divided into a spectrum. In 1810, Johann Wolfgang Goethe drew on Newton’s investigations as he explored the psychological effects of various hues. The color wheel most often used today—based on the primary shades of red, yellow, and blue—was formulated by Swiss color and art theorist, Johannes Itten, an instructor at the Bauhaus School of Applied Arts in Weimar, Germany. Modern artists, such as Josef Albers (1888-1976) and Wassily Kandinsky (1866-1944), identified color as a primary element of their compositions, underscoring its use to convey ideas and expression.
While many contemporary artists use color as a principal element, Spectrum focuses on it—sometimes combined in patterns or through multiple objects—as a defining principle in form and design for work that is not figurative. This exhibition primarily features glass, ceramic, and polymer works by artists from RAM’s collection.
More About the Exhibition
Artists in the Exhibition
Sonja Blomdhal, Stuart Braunstein, Sandra Byers, Rose Cabat, Dale Chihuly, Dan Cormier, Jeffrey Lloyd Dever, Benjamin Edols and Kathy Elliot, Bean Finneran, Laritza Garcia, Lindly Haunani, Mary Heilman, Jun Kaneko, Cliff Lee, Robert Levin, James Lovera, James Makins, Dante Marioni, Choonsun Moon, Jay Musler, Gertrud and Otto Natzler, Jeffrey Oestreich, Polia Pillin, Sigrid Thach, Marlene True, Stephanie Voegele, Pier Voulkos, and Toots Zynsky
Sample of Work in the Exhibition
Exhibitions at RAM are made possible by:
Platinum Sponsors
Judith and David Flegel Fund
Institute of Museum and Library Services
Ron and Judith Isaacs
Nicholas and Nancy Kurten
Windgate Foundation
Diamond Sponsors
Osborne and Scekic Family Foundation
Ruffo Family Foundation
Gold Sponsors
David Charak
Silver Sponsors
A.C. Buhler Family
Baird
Lucy G. Feller
Ben and Dawn Flegel
Annette Hirsh Family
J. Jeffers & Co.
Dorothy MacVicar
Bronze Sponsors
Anonymous
Susan Boland
Virginia Buhler
Butcher & Barrel/Amos Los Tacos
Educators Credit Union
Express Employment Professionals
Get Behind the Arts Studio Tour
William A. Guenther
Tom and Sharon Harty
Tony and Andrea Hauser
David and Judy Hecker
Bradley Lynch
Carlotta Miller
Larry and Barbara Newman
The Norbell Foundation
The Prairie School
Georgiana Treivush
Twin Disc, Inc.
Deb and Will Walker