During the Great Depression, following the stock market crash of 1929, the nation's greatest financial crisis, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's administration created the Public Works of Art Project. It was the first federal government program designed to support the arts by putting artists back to work. The program's purpose was to alleviate…

A new traveling exhibition and catalogue produced by the Smithsonian's American Art Museum features works by 31 artists from the United States who came to maturity in the mid-20th century. These artists have become the most significant and influential artists over the past 50 years as their works adorn the modern galleries of hundreds of museums.…

Norman Rockwell was the quintessential painter of American life. His images reflect the history of America as told through the eyes of this idealistic and patriotic artist who sought to show America at its best, and to present the lives, hopes and dreams of the average American in the middle-20th century. Few artists have produced so many images…

Provides background information on the life and career of Gerald Brockhurst, an artist known for his etchings. Includes information on his etchings. Describes the travelling exhibition of Brockhurst's etchings "Gerald Leslie Brockhurst: Etchings from the William P. Brumfield Memorial Collection." (CMK)

Explores the life and work of the artist, Winslow Homer, a 19th century painter and illustrator. Focuses on the exhibition, "Winslow Homer the Illustrator: His Wood Engravings, 1857-1888." Includes the itinerary for the exhibition and examples of his illustrations. (CMK)

Provides background information on the life and career of Charles Rogers Grooms, better known as Red Grooms. Describes the art exhibit, "Red Grooms: Selections from the Graphic Work," presented by the Tennessee State Museum (Nashville, Tennessee). (CMK)

Focuses on the life and career of Fairfield Porter who was a painter working in the style of Intimist inspired Realist. Provides background information on Porter and examples of his artwork. Describes the exhibit "Fairfield Porter: A Life in Art, 1907 1975." (CMK)

Focuses on the exhibit, "The Artful Teapot: Twentieth Century Expressions from the Kamm Collection," that features artwork of teapots from the collection of Gloria and Sonny Kamm. Includes examples of the artwork and an itinerary for the exhibit. (CMK)

Provides background information on the life and career of Frederick Carl Frieseke, an artist who painted in the style of impressionism. Explains that this artist is the focus of a retrospective exhibition entitled, "Frederick Carl Frieseke: The Evolution of an American Impressionist" at the Telfair Museum of Art (Savannah, Georgia). (CMK)

Provides information on the life and career of Norman Rockwell and focuses on the exhibition "Norman Rockwell: Pictures for the American People." Discusses the four thematic groupings of the exhibition: (1) "Drawing from the Past"; (2) "Inventing America"; (3) "Celebrating the Commonplace"; and (4)…

Features the artist David Bierk, who uses three subject areas in his paintings: (1) landscapes; (2) still lifes; and (3) "history paintings." Explains that Bierk abstracts and adapts these subjects to create personal tributes to artworks by famous artists. (CMK)

Presents information about the duo exhibit, "CHICANO," and provides background information about Chicano culture. Offers a discussion on artists in the exhibition, such as Carmen Lomas Garza, Leo Limon, Cesar Martinez, and Patssi Valdez. Includes reproductions of art works in the exhibit. (CMK)

Focuses on an exhibition called, "A Brush with History: Paintings from the National Portrait Gallery," that provides a history of art and the United States. Offers background information on the National Portrait Gallery (Washington, DC) and discusses the purpose of portraits. Includes examples of the portraits. (CMK)

Provides background information on the life and career of Grandma Moses who was born as Anna Mary Robertson and painted in the style of folk or naive art. Addresses the art exhibition entitled "Grandma Moses in the 21st Century" that explores the recurring themes in her artwork. (CMK)

Focuses on the traveling exhibition from the Musee de Picardie in Amiens, France, called "From the Sun King to the Royal Twilight: Painting in Eighteenth Century France," that provides an overview of French paintings from the reign of Louis IV to the fall of the monarchy. (CMK)