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

Exhibition Gallery Notes (PDF)

Press Room

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

Exhibition Gallery Notes (PDF)

Press Room

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

The Estate of Karen Johnson Boyd
David Charak
Judith and David Flegel Fund
Institute of Museum and Library Services
Ron and Judith Isaacs
Nicholas and Nancy Kurten
Rcf Logo 2021
Windgate Foundation

Diamond Sponsors

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

Gold Sponsors

Anonymous
Tom and Irene Creecy
Richard and Patricia Ehlert
Herzfeld Foundation
Reliance Controls
Ruth Foundation for the Arts
Trio Foundation of St. Louis
W.T. Walker Group, Inc.
Wisconsin Arts Board

Silver Sponsors

Anonymous
Art Bridges
Baird
A.C. Buhler Family
Lucy G. Feller
Ben and Dawn Flegel
Jim Harris
Sharon and Tom Harty
Lise Iwon
J. Jeffers & Co.
Johnson Financial Group
Dorothy MacVicar
Jan Serr and John Shannon

Bronze Sponsors

Ellen and Joseph Albrecht
Andis Foundation
Susan Boland
Virginia Buhler
Butcher & Barrel/Amos Los Tacos
Educators Credit Union
Express Employment Professionals
Tony and Andrea Hauser
Bill and Debbie Keland
Susan Manalli
Jean and Alex Mandli, Jr.
The Prairie School
Cathy Stanghellin
Georgiana Treivush
Twin Disc, Inc.

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