JSMA SUMMER FALL SPRING 25

UNIVERSITY OF OREGON

SUMMER/FALL 2025

JORDAN

SCHNITZER

MUSEUM OF ART

Fall Patron Circle Reception

Saturday, October 17, 2025 6 – 8:30 p.m. Fall Member Reception

Sunday, October 19, 2025 3 – 4:30 p.m.

https://jsma.uoregon.edu/patron-circle-rsvp

https://jsma.uoregon.edu/members-only-events

My first official day in this job was September 30, 2019. I am retiring at the end of this September and this will be my last report as the JSMA’s executive director. As I write these words, I’m flooded with memories and emotions. This has been the perfect place and position for me, and it came at a time in my life when moving back to Oregon was a dream come true. I felt like the luckiest guy in the world, and I still do. I’m profoundly grateful to JSMA members and our Patron Circle, to our Leadership Council members, committees, and Emeriti group, to my coworkers on the JSMA Staff, to the faculty who work with us, and to my esteemed colleagues in the UO administration and staff for supporting the museum. We have achieved a great deal together in the six years I’ve been here, despite the pandemic and everything else. Thank you, more than words can express, for making this time so special to me, and so good for the museum.

The list in the sidebar (page 6-7) includes a lot of the things I’m most proud of, but what it doesn’t convey is how much I have appreciated the colleagueship, creativity, resourcefulness, team spirit, and levity of my coworkers here. This is a great place to work, and it’s the people who make it so. Thank You, everyone, endlessly.

My wife and I do plan to remain in Eugene, so there won’t exactly be a “going away” party, but there will be a gathering in September to celebrate my time here. Stay tuned for details!

In the meantime, I’m looking forward excitedly to the exhibitions we have coming up. In July, we opened a stunning exhibition of photography from Christopher Rauschenberg’s immense collection. Titled Gathering and curated by JSMA photo curator Thom Sempere in consultation with Chris, it focuses on photos of people and encompasses a strikingly wide range of approaches to the medium. Alongside iconic works from the history of photography you’ll find amazing pictures by photographers you’ve never heard of until now. Speaking as a photographer myself—I did an MFA in photography back in the day and even have one work in the Portland Art Museum’s collection—the photos themselves are superb examples of the medium, just mind-blowingly fantastic. The show is a tribute to Chris’s acute eye for the medium and his long history as a founder and mainstay at Portland’s Blue Sky Gallery, the nation’s second-oldest non-profit photography space. Congratulations and many thanks to Chris and Thom for this mouthwatering show of photographic art.

I’m also looking forward with anticipation to our full-on retrospective of the painting and printmaking of Oregon artist James Lavadour, curated by Danielle Knapp, the JSMA’s McCosh Curator. His show opens in early August and will survey the full span of his career, both through the gallery exhibition and in an accompanying catalogue. I have been a huge fan of Jim’s painting since first encountering it, and then meeting him, in Portland in the late 1980s. Over the years his work has evolved considerably, and in some respects dramatically. Early in his career, his paintings encompassed figurative subjects, and his early landscape paintings and grids often include skeletal imagery, while remaining fundamentally about the land. Today his work evokes the land powerfully without depicting it pictorially. In some ways, today he’s more of an Abstract Expressionist than anything else, but in a way never seen before, and utterly original. The work is visceral, almost wrenching at times, deeply satisfying as painting, both raw and visually luscious. You can read more about the show elsewhere in this magazine. This will be an exhibition to savor many times.

We have had several staff retire or move on to other jobs since our last issue of the magazine. I want to thank Alexis Garcia, Chris Blake, Sherri Jones, Miranda Callander, and Alexis Kielb for their work here, and welcome Scott Fellman, Gabrielle Miller, Rosemarie Oakman, Javi Martinez to our staff. Please see the staff section of this issue for details. I also want offer a huge shout out to Yan Geng, Anne Rose Kitagawa, and Danielle Knapp for the incredible opening we had in February with Qiu Zhijie and Michael Brophy. Both shows were superb, and it is always a treat to have the artists on hand. Qiu Zhijie’s talks at the Patron Circle event and our Members Day were both excellent, and his energy, intellect, and great sense of humor were infectious. The incredible gathering of scholars and curators we had for Qiu’s opening and public talk was another dream come true, including a long session with them on Monday to discuss future shows from the Wadsworth Collection of Contemporary Chinese Photography. Our thanks go out (again!!) to Jack and Susy Wadsworth for so generously supporting the three-day event, the scholars’ visit, and Qiu Zhijie’s presence at the UO.

Mike Brophy’s public talk in March was another highlight program. I encourage anyone who missed it to check out our video channel to hear him discuss the Hanford Reach paintings in our show and his work more broadly. You should also check out the thoughtful reviews of his work by The Oregonian and Oregon ArtsWatch.

Before signing off, I want to offer a special Thank You to the JSMA Leadership Council and the LC Presidents and Vice-Presidents I worked with: Randy Stender, Ellen Tykeson, Patti Barkin, Sarah Finlay, Paul Peppis, and Doug Blandy. Your support and wise counsel made such a difference to me. A special thanks also to long-time LC member Doug Park, the UO’s Deputy General Counsel, who has been a steadfast and insightful JSMA supporter and quietly done so much to help.

It’s been great!

John

P.S. Late Breaking Good News: Shortly before we went to press, the University of Oregon and the JSMA were thrilled to announce that Olivia Miller will be the museum’s next executive director. As the letter that follows from the Provost’s Office says, she brings excellent credentials and experience to the director’s office, including a Masters Degree in art history from the UO, and a stint at the JSMA as a graduate intern! Welcome back, Olivia!

Please welcome Olivia Miller

We are pleased to announce that Olivia Miller has been named the new executive director of the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art after a national search.

Olivia joins us from Tucson, where she serves as director of the University of Arizona Museum of Art. She brings a wealth of experience to Oregon, having served in leadership positions at the Arizona museum since 2014, including curator of exhibitions and curator of education.

As museum director, she managed a $1.2 million budget and a staff of 11, two buildings and a permanent collection of more than 7,000 works. She cultivated relationships with private collectors and foundations to enhance the museum’s permanent collection, securing donations, promised gifts, and funds to support collection care. She helped secure $5 million in university funding to replace the museum’s outdated HVAC system.

She curated more than 35 exhibitions in Arizona and oversaw the return and restoration of a stolen painting by Willem de Kooning called “Woman-Ochre”— a remarkable story recounted here.

Olivia also has a history of working with Jordan Schnitzer and his

family foundation. The UA museum hosted two exhibitions featuring art from the collections of the foundation: one showed the work of Hank Willis Thomas, a conceptual artist and activist, and the other was called “The Art of Food,” which garnered the highest attendance of any exhibition at the museum in the past decade. And while she has roots in Arizona—she received her bachelor’s degree at UA—Olivia is also a Duck. She earned her master’s degree in Art History here and worked as a collections intern at the JSMA.

Miller will succeed John Weber, who has served as executive director of the museum since 2019 and is retiring at the end of September. She will begin her duties on September 15.

We would like to thank members of the search committee, including search chair Laura Vandenburgh, director of the School of Art + Design, for their diligent and thoughtful efforts.

Please join us in welcoming Olivia to her new role at the University of Oregon.

Sincerely,

Christopher P. Long, Provost and Senior Vice President

Kate Morris, Executive Vice Provost for Academic Affairs

Raising the two largest endowment grants in the museum’s history, adding over $7,000,000 to our endowment. They provide permanent funding for our Curator of Academic Engagement and Latin American and Caribbean Art and establish a new Student Access Fund that supports a wide range of student engagement activities.

Presenting an incredible series of significant and beautiful, thoughtprovoking exhibitions of national and international caliber, featuring artists who are as diverse as they are renowned. I tried to list some favorites, but I simply have too many!

Exhibiting works of art in our Shared Visions program that would be the envy of any museum in the world.

Launching a long-needed curatorial position focused on Chinese art.

Relaunching the JSMA’s website to ensure that the world outside of Eugene and Oregon can see how good this museum is, even if they haven’t visited yet!

Opening the Collections Lab, adding crucial art storage space and serving as a vital teaching space that provides access to objects in our collection that are not on view.

Moving the Ford Lecture Hall to the former restaurant seating area, coupling it with the Faculty Lounge to create a handsome and highly effective event suite designed by Kurt Neugebauer for lectures, receptions, parties, and special events.

Keeping all JSMA staff employed during Covid, including our student workers.

Adding over 3,000 works to our permanent collection, including two amazing treasure troves of Japanese prints donated by Lee and Mary Jean Michels, and Irwin Lavenberg, with more promised in years to come.

1. Weber and Laura Vandenburgh, Director, School of Art, high five at the opening of Feminist Futures, a collaborative exhibition with art faculty, the Center for the Study of Women in Society and the JSMA.

2. Jordan Schnitzer, Alison Saar, and Weber in My Body, My Choice?, the JSMA’s annual Common Seeing exhibition.

3. Weber presented the Gertrude Bass Warner Award to former LC president Ellen Tykeson.

4. Weber welcomes the crowd to our annual Día de los Muertos celebration.

5. Once a Duck, Always a Duck.

6. Curator of Contemporary and Traditional Chinese Art Yan Geng and Weber tour the Soreng Gallery of Chinese Art.

7. Chanin Santiago, City of Eugene Cultural Services, Debbie Williamson, JSMA Communications Manager, and Weber scout for locations for Carrie Mae Weems’s public art project RESIST COVID | TAKE 6.

8. Weber and former LC President Patti Barkin.

9. Our collection grew substantially during Weber’s tenure, including these photographs by by Lonnie Graham, viewed by Weber and Thom Sempere, JSMA Associate Curator of Photography.

Comments by Weber on exhibitions from his time here

10. Isaac Julien:

“Bringing Isaac Julien’s Lessons of the Hour: Frederick Douglass to the JSMA, the UO, and the community here was absolutely one of the highlights of my career. I loved the piece, and Douglass’s legacy is more important than ever.”

11. Strange Weather:

“Curated by two dear colleagues from UC Santa Cruz, Rachel Nelson and Jennifer Gonzalez, this beautiful show from Jordan Schnitzer’s collection was a joy to live with for seven months, and a testimony to the breadth and depth of his collection. The talks here by Leonardo Drew and Alison Saar were terrific, too!”

12. The First Metal:

“Doing a show devoted solely to Arts and Crafts copper metalwork was Margo Grant Walsh’s idea, and it was a brilliant one! I worked closely with Margo, a distinguished UO alumna and legendary architect, and our guest curator Marilyn Archer on it, and both the show and the catalogue were gorgeous.”

13. Belkis Ayon:

“This was a show planned by Jill Hartz and Cheryl Hartup before I came, and the work by this Cuban artist was a revelation to everyone who saw it, including me.”

James Lavadour: Land of Origin

Barker Gallery | August 9, 2025 – January 11, 2026

This August, JSMA opens James Lavadour: Land of Origin, a major retrospective of celebrated, self-trained Oregon artist James Lavadour (Walla Walla) and the most comprehensive survey of his works to date. The checklist spans nearly fifty years, drawing from his Pendleton studio, private lenders, and public collections, including the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, the Denver Art Museum, and several museums in our region. The

exhibition and its accompanying catalog celebrate Lavadour’s status as one of the Pacific Northwest’s most original and powerful painters, highlighting his deep connection to the Umatilla Indian Reservation and surrounding Blue Mountains region, where he has spent most of his life. After its debut at JSMA, the traveling exhibition will be shared throughout the western United States at five additional museums, thanks to a partnership with the Art Bridges Foundation.

Lavadour’s artmaking expresses the vitality of the land and sky observed on his daily sunrise drives and walks on the eastern Oregon landscape—a practice he continues to this day before going into the studio to work every morning. Land of Origin is Lavadour’s first solo exhibition at JSMA since 1984 and includes nearly thirty of the artist’s magnificent signature grid paintings, works on individual panels, and prints, most of which have never previously been seen together. Mirroring the dynamic forces at play, his painting practice makes visible the extraordinary events and elemental power of the natural world without seeking to be a literal representation of it. Through brushing, pouring, scraping, and dripping oil paints, Lavadour enacts a physical transformation akin to natural phenomena and shifting geological forces: a transfiguration of energy from one state into another.

James Lavadour: Land of Origin presents an opportunity to study Lavadour’s development of this highly original approach to painting, beginning in the 1980s, through the impact of printmaking on his work in the 1990s, and into the highly productive 2000s and 2010s as he developed his understanding of how to organize the visual information in his works. Etchings, woodblocks, and lithographs included in James Lavadour: Land of Origin range from early works produced at printmaking residencies to his most recent editions published by Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts. In anticipation of this exhibition, JSMA acquired three of these: Summer (2018-19), Winter (2023), and Spring (2023), thanks to the museum’s William A. Haseltine Endowment Fund. Lavadour’s most recent paintings are spectacularly bold and luminous, physical manifestations of the artist’s statement “the land and I are one.” Two magnificent new grids Lucky Star and Bold as Love (both 2024) will be debuted in the exhibition.

Over the last twenty years, as his artistic vision and command of color matured, Lavadour’s national and international profile expanded; notably, Lavadour was included in the group exhibition Personal Structures during the 55th Venice Biennale (2013) and was awarded a Hallie Ford Fellowship in the Visual Arts (2019), among other honors. Lavadour has also made a tremendous impact by supporting other artists. In 1992, he co-founded the Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts on the Umatilla Indian Reservation near Pendleton, and served on its Board for over thirty years. This nonprofit center provides world-class printmaking facilities for visiting artists and provides training in traditional Indigenous artforms, offering a pipeline to national recognition and sales of participating artists’ works.

The organization of this exhibition builds on this museum’s longstanding appreciation of Lavadour’s works, especially when used to support teaching. His paintings have been included in a number of group shows at JSMA over the last several years, including Strange Weather: From the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation (2024); Many Wests: Artists Shape an American Idea (2023), our collaboration with the Smithsonian American Art Museum and three western region partner museums; and the 2017-18 “Common Seeing” exhibition, Conversations in the Round House: Roots, Roads, and Remembrances. The exhibition catalog includes essays by Danielle Knapp and guest writers Meagan Atiyeh, Rebecca Dobkins, and Marie Watt; a selection of interviews with Lavadour annotated by JSMA Executive Director John Weber; a fully illustrated checklist with additional images of representative works; and a comprehensive artist’s CV.

Gathering:

A Photographer’s Collection

Gathering: A Photographer’s Collection presents a wide-ranging selection of photographs from the personal collection of Portland, Oregon based artist Christopher Rauschenberg. Over five decades, Rauschenberg has compiled a truly distinctive trove of more than 5,000 photographs encompassing a broad array of themes, styles, range of subjects and uses of the medium. This important resource represents a diverse mix of international and nationally emerging and established photographers.

The exhibition’s presentation in modified ‘salon style’ with minimal text will allow viewers a visual experience that forefronts seeing before knowing. Seventy-three works were selected based around a common element of their being pictures of people. This broad theme provides an opportunity to compare a spectrum of insights that ranges from self-identity to global citizenry, and touches on the complexity of layered entanglements we manage daily, concerning individuality, family, community, social, political, religious or spiritual questions.

An accompanying gallery guide with comments and links for each of the photographers provides background information to aid those seeking further interpretive resources.

Rauschenberg never set out to make such a significant collection. In a way, it grew by itself, the result of having access directly to a vein of creative artists and their works for nearly a lifetime.  We are grateful now for both his enthusiasm and insight.

In a recent conversation he reflected:

“At the core of what I’m doing is acquiring prints directly from photographers. That’s where I get my real satisfaction in collecting. With photography, one literally sees the world through someone else’s eyes, and we each have a different way of looking at the world around us. Having seen the work of thousands of photographers, I’ve had a great many opportunities to discover new ways of seeing. That has really been the primary enrichment of my life, and I am excited to share that with you through this exhibition.”

—Christopher Rauschenberg

This exhibition was curated by Thom Sempere, JSMA Associate Curator of Photography.

Eclectic Abstraction: From Matta and Miró to Rick Bartow

Eclectic Abstraction: From Matta and Miró to Rick Bartow presents artworks from the JSMA’s collection. It features non-representational artworks as well as figurative work that diverges from naturalism, reflecting not only a tension between forms, but an artistic freedom and independence from style, subject matter, and context. The exhibition offers an intergenerational and transnational perspective, and more than seventy percent of the works have never been exhibited before at the museum. Many of the selected artists lived through turbulent times and experienced World War I, World War II, civil war, wars with foreign countries, and dictatorships, including Joan Miró, Rufino Tamayo, Roberto Matta, Betty Feves, George Johanson, and Rick Bartow. Other artists in the exhibition, such as Ka’ila FarrellSmith and Emma Kohlmann, have similarly witnessed drastic changes in the global world order.

Oscillating between art and politics, figuration and abstraction, artists in the exhibition subtly champion freedom amidst social turmoil. As Joan Miró declared, “After the Nazi invasion of France and

[Francisco] Franco’s victory [in the Spanish Civil War], I was sure they wouldn’t let me go on painting, that I would only be able to go to the beach and draw in the sand or draw figures with the smoke from my cigarette…I gave the paintings very poetic titles because that was the line I had chosen to take and because the only thing left for me in the world then was poetry.”

Denouncing wars, authoritarianism, repression, and social injustice, these artists embraced distinct activist roles both within and outside their fields. As they confronted hopelessness, fear, and anxiety, they joined and supported resistance through artistic means, public speeches, and writings. Their work demonstrates a commitment to free expression and artistic experimentation in the face of uncertainty and repression, whether through whimsical and joyous bodily displays, or in more frightening representations of fragmented bodies that invite reflection on their times, and ours today.

The exhibition is curated by Dr. Adriana Miramontes Olivas, Curator of Academic Programs and Latin American and Caribbean Art.

Dark Laughter Revisited: The Life and Times of Ollie Harrington

APS Gallery | November 22, 2025 – March 1, 2026

Throughout his career, Oliver “Ollie” Harrington (1912–1995) used his voice and artistic talents as a cartoonist to attack racial, economic, and social injustice with razorsharp wit and insight. Speaking from the perspective of a cartoonist of color, his commentary chronicled many of the events and issues that defined the 20th century, from racism and segregation to war and poverty. Harrington’s life and career intersected with the Harlem Renaissance, World War II, the Civil Rights movement, the post-war Black émigré community in Paris, and communist East Germany during the Cold War. Many of Harrington’s cartoons remain relevant and speak to problems still unresolved.

Starting in the 1930s, Harrington’s work was widely published in the Black Press, including the New York Amsterdam News, the Pittsburgh Courier, the Chicago Defender, and the People’s Voice. His long-running series Dark Laughter (later known as Bootsie) cast a satirical, yet affectionate, gaze on Black America through the adventures of an observant African-American “everyman.” Harrington was an unapologetic activist and critic of racism and capitalism. During World War II, he served as a war correspondent and later worked briefly as the NAACP public relations director. He emigrated from the United States to Paris in 1952 and ultimately to Berlin in 1961 in response to concerns about FBI surveillance due to his outspoken condemnation of the U.S. government. Later in his career, he also published incisive editorial cartoons in the U.S. Communist Party newspaper, the Daily World, and the German satirical publication Eulenspiegel.

This traveling exhibition is a retrospective of work by cartoonist Oliver “Ollie” W. Harrington. It was organized by the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum in collaboration with Dr. and Mrs. Walter O. Evans. Curated by Dr. Kay Clopton and Jenny Robb.

Ollie Harrington, “Practice Makes Perfect.” Eulenspiegel, 1980. Collection of Dr. and Mrs. Walter O. Evans. © Estate of Oliver W. Harrington

Ollie Harrington, Ollie Harrington. “Here, Brother Bootsie, take this extra hammer I got here in case the gentlemens of the law decides that this demonstration is too peaceful!” Bootsie, June 29, 1963. Collection of Dr. and Mrs. Walter O. Evans. © Estate of Oliver W. Harrington

Ed Drew: Self Portrait in Arkansas

Morris Graves Gallery | May 3 – August 17, 2025

Ed Drew grew up in Brooklyn, New York and joined the military after completion of high school. He spent the next six years in the activeduty Air Force and in 2009 joined the California Air National Guard as a Combat Search and Rescue helicopter gunner.

Deploying to Afghanistan in the spring of 2013, Drew created his first major body of work there: tintype portraits of his fellow Combat Rescue airmen photographed in between missions.  Notably, they were the first tintypes of Americans in a combat zone made since the American Civil War. Those original plates are now part of the collection of the Smithsonian American History Museum.

Drew’s Self Portrait in Arkansas series was made as a reflection piece responding to his time in service and the challenges of reinserting himself back into civilian life. Both this, and another series, The People of Klamath, were recently acquired for the JSMA permanent collection. Additional comments about these acquisitions may be found on page 20.

Ed Drew: Self Portrait in Arkansas was curated by Thom Sempere, JSMA Associate Curator of Photography.

Abstract Realms: Landscapes from the Permanent Collection

Morris Graves Gallery | December 20, 2025 – April 5, 2026

Abstract Realms presents five works from the permanent collection that embody abstract or expressive approaches to landscape painting. Ranging from 1959 to 2010, the paintings on view emphasize each artist’s unique approach to line, color, and form. The exhibition features five artists, four of which spent significant time in the Pacific Northwest: Pierre Daura, Lucinda Parker, Emanuel Piladakis, David McCosh, and Charles Bryan Ryan. Abstract Realms is intended to be in conversation with James Lavadour: Land of Origin, on view in the Barker Gallery from August 9, 2025 to January 11, 2026. This exhibition was curated by Alexis Garcia, 2023-2025 Post-Graduate Museum Fellow in European and American Art.

Fluid Continuity: Rethinking Korean Art in the Contemporary Age

Wan Koo & Young Ja Huh Gallery | On view through April 5, 2026

Fluid Continuity highlights the narrative of pre-modern to presentday Korean art by interrelating six prominent traditional art practices and mediums: celadon ceramics of the Goryeo dynasty (918-1392), buncheong ceramics and white porcelains of the Joseon dynasty (1392-1910), and works created using Korean paper, silk, and wood. The aim of the exhibition is to reenvision Korean art history since the turn of the 20 th century (which is often addressed in a linear fashion with a series of divided timeframes) as a continuous multifaceted story comprised of rich cultural heritages and influences and their modern interpretations.

The Wan Koo & Young Ja Huh Gallery presents a comprehensive exploration of Korean ceramics created in various forms by traditional craftsmen and modern ceramists. Beginning as utilitarian vessels, Korean ceramics evolved over time from the ethereal blue-green glaze of Goryeo-dynasty celadon to the distinctive character of buncheong ware and the refined elegance of white porcelain of the Joseon dynasty. Contemporary artists continue to engage with these materials as mediums for their own artistic investigations. The continuous use of clay in Korea reflects its versatility and endless possibilities for artistic expression.

The Korean paper, silk, and wood sections of the exhibition in the Jin Joo Gallery feature a diverse constellation of objects such as Joseon-dynasty folding screens, costumes, and furniture, as well as contemporary paintings, calligraphy, and multimedia works. Each section presents the artistic and cultural use of a given material, ranging from its production, distribution, craft art, and use during the late Joseon dynasty to its aesthetic adaptation and transformation in the contemporary age. As the late 19th-early 20th century marked a significant transition between tradition and modernization in Korea, the earlier objects offer a rigorous survey of historical and cultural context, whereas the contemporary works provide insight into each artist’s individual practice and philosophy inspired by both Korean and modern cultures.

Fluid Continuity reinterprets Korean art with fresh perspective, creating an aesthetic and conceptual dialogue between premodern and contemporary art within the continuous lineage of materials and culture. The exhibition was co-curated by Soojin Jeong, 2023-2025 Post-Graduate Curatorial Fellow in East Asian Art, and Suhyun Hwang, 2024-2025 JSMA/Korea Foundation Global Challengers Museum Intern.

Verdant Islands: Nature and the Supernatural in Japanese Prints and the Art of Aoshima Chiho

This exhibition juxtaposes contemporary works by Aoshima Chiho with a variety of Japanese prints from the 19th-21st centuries to reveal common threads in imagery and design. Aoshima’s fertile imagination spawns disturbing and yet cute, brightly colored visions that she designs using computer software and produces at monumental scale. Informed by traditional Buddhist hell scrolls, ghost pictures, ukiyo-e prints, manga, and anime, she populates her creations with frightening apparitions and winsome female sprites, conveying tensions between humans and

Left to right: KAWANABE Kyōsai 河鍋 暁 斎 (1831-1889). Japanese; Edo period, 1864. Comic One Million Turns of the Rosary, from the series One Hundred Crazies by Kyōsai Ukiyo-e woodblock-printed vertical ōban triptych; ink and color on paper. 14 x 28 ½ inches. Gift of the Lee & Mary Jean Michels Collection

SEKINO Jun’ichirō 関野準一郎 (1914-1988). Japanese; Shōwa period, 1971. Kanagawa, Foreigners Cemetery, No. 4 from the series Fifty-Three Stations of the Tōkaidō Sōsaku hanga woodblock print in horizontal dai ōban  format; ink and color on paper, 12 ¹³ ₁₆ x 18 1/8 inches. Gift of Yoko McClain in memory of Robert McClain

UTAGAWA Kunisada  歌川国貞 (17861864). Japanese; Edo period, 1852. Actor Segawa Kikunojō V as the Nun Myōchin, from the series The Book of the Eight Dog Heroes Ukiyo-e woodblock print in vertical  ōban format; ink and color on paper, 14 ¾ x 10 1/8 inches. Loan from the Lee & Mary Jean Michels Collection

the natural world. Many of her motifs echo earlier subject matter such as landscapes, tsunami, and flames, and also Japan’s rich trove of eerie stories. The two featured works by Aoshima are generous loans from John L. Bloch, and many of the Japanese prints are recent gifts or loans from the distinguished collections of Lee & Mary Jean Michels, Irwin Lavenberg, and Peter DeFazio. This exhibition also includes examples of painting, sculpture, textiles, and decorative art from the museum’s permanent collection, along with recent works by Murakami Takashi and other modern and contemporary artists, playful examples of privately printed votive slips (senjafuda or nōsatsu) depicting Japanese

monsters ( yōkai ), and a selection of exquisite katagami textile stencils and tools from an important collection recently donated by Susanna Campbell Kuo.

Verdant Islands was organized by chief curator Anne Rose Kitagawa in collaboration with professors Akiko Walley and Glynne Walley to support their 2025-2026 courses in Art History and East Asian Languages and Literatures.

Recent Acquisitions

Recent Acquisitions to the JSMA Collections Ed Drew

Ed Drew’s art practice is centered on community. He often refers to the individuals he photographs as family, not by blood, but through a lens of connection via portraiture. Whether the camera is turned on himself, as seen in his Self Portrait in Arkansas series or his striking contemporary tintypes of The People of Klamath, he invites an intimacy with others based on sharing of experiences.

Both projects are recent acquisitions from this mid-career artist, and through the addition of these 24 works the JSMA’s growing collection of photography expands in depth and dimension.

The People of Klamath series features portraits of descendants from the Klamath and Pit River Paiute tribes of southern Oregon and the Modoc Indians of northern California. Drew was commissioned by Klamath Tribal Health & Family Services to make 19 th century style tintype portraits of tribal members as a participant in a series of community healing circles.

Drew comments: I wanted to somehow capture the different generations of tribal members and their perspectives on surviving trauma and hardships, as well as capture their spirit in these still photos.

Requiring a tripod mounted camera, chemically coated hand-cut metal plates are placed in a non-digital camera. Exposures are long and each developed plate is unique. Drew encouraged his subjects to wear their own clothes and bring their own props, which places the portraits not in a nostalgic or symbolic position, but firmly in the present tense.

Also, for Drew, the collaborative nature of their making is more important than the result. Tintypes make you slow down…we are constantly moving in time, so we are never the same. But in the photograph, once you’ve recorded a moment, now you have time to work with it – to really look at it. You can’t change the image. Photographs are very much about acceptance of a given situation.

In an earlier project, Self Portrait in Arkansas, undertaken after being discharged from a tour of duty in Afghanistan as a California Air National Guard Combat Search and Rescue helicopter gunner, Drew discovered much from turning the camera on himself. The ten works in the series are all variations on a theme garnered from wrestling with his own sense of self. (see also page 16)

“Initially I created this body of work to address my longing to return to uniform, to regain my identity, after ending my military contract to be a stay-at-home parent. Having relocated to Arkansas, a heavily forested southern state, I found myself hiking in the woods often, introspectively reflecting on my past and America’s past.

For the series I employed a field view-camera, reminiscent of older style cameras, using a pneumatic bulb to trip the shutter, the visible wire alluding to it being done by my own hand. While alone in the woods I often carried a gun in my belt. My identity as a veteran, and living in the South, often made me consider the historical relevance of my actions.

Barefoot in each photograph, I am aware that my feet stand possibly in the very same place where my racial ancestors may have

hidden, trying to escape to freedom. I do this to connect to them, as most slaves were barefoot. I imagine running barefoot through these woods, away from the overseers in charge of keeping the slaves in line and capturing the runaways. I want to feel the pain and the contrast of soft earth, the leaves, rocks, and dirt. I want that connection to the ground where my ancestors were worked, murdered, and buried. I am reconciling the history of the South and what being in the forests as a black person means historically.

As well as an emblem of strength, my uniform offered me safety. It renders me invisible, camouflaged within the sanctuary of the forest. Why do I fear? This fear has historical precedence. There are many contradictions in fighting for a country’s freedoms when that country still, to a point, contends my own race’s liberties.”

—Ed Drew

Development News

Member Spotlight: David Tam

How did you first get involved at the JSMA?

The Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art (JSMA) has always been a treasure to me, even beyond my time at the University of Oregon. My first meaningful involvement after graduation came through my work with the Oregon Asian Celebration. Years ago, when the Celebration was still held at the Lane County Fairgrounds, I was constantly thinking of ways to bring the community together and create greater exposure to incredible cultural resources like the JSMA. That vision led to a partner event at the museum, highlighting a meaningful collaboration between our two organizations. We also welcomed the JSMA as a featured participant in the Asian Celebration’s exhibit and heritage area, allowing even more people to experience the richness of what the museum has to offer.

What does being a JSMA member mean to you?

As the Director of the Asian Celebration, becoming a member of the JSMA means a great deal to me personally and professionally. It represents an opportunity to deepen my connection to the arts and further my commitment to celebrating and elevating Asian American heritage within our community. A JSMA membership allows me to engage directly with diverse cultural exhibitions, educational programs, and special events, which are essential resources for enhancing the work we do at the Asian Celebration. Through this partnership, I can strengthen collaborations, promote cultural awareness, and ensure that art continues to play a meaningful role in fostering an inclusive community that values diversity and cultural expression.

What has been your favorite JSMA exhibition?

This is a tough question because I’m not sure I can choose just one favorite exhibition at the JSMA. What stands out most to me isn’t a single exhibit, but rather the museum’s ongoing commitment to diversity, community engagement, and meaningful communication through art. For me, the most powerful “exhibit” is actually seeing the community come together—people of all backgrounds connecting, learning, and celebrating culture in one shared space. That collective experience is what makes the JSMA so special.

What do you wish others knew about the JSMA?

I wish more people knew just how accessible, inclusive, and community-centered the JSMA truly is. It’s not just a museum—it’s a vibrant cultural hub that celebrates diversity, sparks important conversations, and creates space for everyone to feel seen and inspired. Whether you’re a lifelong art lover or just starting to explore, the JSMA offers something meaningful for everyone. I also wish more people would realize how committed the museum is to showcasing voices and stories from across cultures, especially those that have historically been underrepresented. It’s a place where art and community come together in a truly impactful way.

How has art impacted your life?

Art has impacted my life by deepening my appreciation for the human experience—how we think, feel, and respond to the world around us. It has taught me to value perspective, to see how expression reflects the time, situation, or event someone is living through. Art gives us a powerful window into someone else’s story, allowing us to connect with their emotions, struggles, and hopes in ways that words sometimes can’t. For me, it’s beautiful and humbling to be able to touch another person’s mind and spirit through their creative expression—it’s a reminder of our shared humanity and the richness of diverse voices.

What hopes do you have for the JSMA and its collaboration on the Asian Celebration?

My hope for the JSMA and its collaboration with the Asian Celebration is that we continue building a strong, lasting partnership that uplifts and honors the diverse stories within our Asian and Asian American communities. I’d love to see even more opportunities for cultural exchange, educational programming, and communitycurated exhibits that reflect the richness of our heritage. Together, we can create meaningful experiences that inspire connection, celebrate identity, and foster greater understanding across generations and cultures. I truly believe that by working together, the JSMA and the Asian Celebration can be a powerful force in shaping a more inclusive and vibrant cultural landscape in our region.

What advice do you have for the next generation of community organizers?

My advice for the next generation of community organizers is to lead with purpose, listen with humility, and never underestimate the power of relationships. Real change happens when you take the time to understand the people you’re serving—what they value, what they struggle with, and what dreams they hold. Stay grounded in your community’s voice and let that guide your work. Also, be patient. Progress takes time, and the most meaningful impact often comes from consistent, behind-the-scenes effort. Most importantly, don’t be afraid to collaborate—bringing people together across cultures, generations, and perspectives is where the magic happens.

What book are you reading? Or What book do you recommend?

I’m currently reading Renewing Indigenous Economies by Terry H. Anderson and Kathy Ratté—a book I highly recommend. It directly relates to my work supporting tribal economies across the country and offers powerful insights into the historical foundations and future possibilities of Indigenous economic systems. The authors do a great job of blending research with real-world examples, showing how tribal communities can reclaim and strengthen their economies in ways that honor sovereignty, tradition, and innovation. It’s a thoughtful, inspiring read for anyone interested in economic justice and sustainable development in Indian Country.

If it is not work related, then it is like books about AI and Star Wars since I am a Star Wars nerd.

What plans do you and your family have for the summer?

This summer will be a meaningful one for my family as we prepare for a big transition—my son, Liam, is heading off to college. So our plans are centered around spending quality time together before he starts this new chapter. We’re hoping to squeeze in a few fishing trips, visit family, and just enjoy being together. I’m also working on developing a riverfront property on the coast, so we’ll be taking several trips out there—and if the weather cooperates, hopefully I’ll get a little time in for surfing. Of course, summer is also a busy season for work, which means a fair amount of travel. But through it all, the focus is really on making the most of the time with my wife, Sing, and our son before he begins this exciting next stage in life.

Thank You!

Ducks Give thank you

Thank you to all our JSMA members, donors, and friends who participated in Ducks Give on May 15, 2025. Because of your generosity, we raised $14,000 with 69 gifts in support of the Anne Cooling Student Impact Fund.

The Anne Cooling Student Impact Fund plays a vital role in supporting student employment, internships, externships, and professional development opportunities at the museum. Through these experiences, student workers at the JSMA gain valuable skills in areas like art research, volunteer management, donor relations, and more!

Your support directly helps us invest in the next generation of museum professionals. Thank you for making a difference!

Leadership Council Updates

The JSMA celebrates the contributions and service of Leadership Council members: Ina Asim, Sarah Finlay, Karis Frazier, and Doug Park, whose terms on the Council concluded in June 2025.

Dr. Ina Asim is an Associate Professor of Chinese History at the University of Oregon. She served as a member of the Council and on the museum’s Collection Committee.

Sarah Finlay is a local community member and art consultant. Sarah was the founding chair of the Communications & Engagement Committee, she served on the Collections Committee, and as Vice President of the Leadership Council. Sarah is honored to have served two terms as Vice President, and is especially proud of the community building she helped establish with Debbie Williamson Smith in the inaugural Communications & Engagement committee.

Karis Frazier is graduated from the University of Oregon in June 2025 with a B.A in Public Relations with a minor in sustainable business. Karis served on the Communications & Engagement Committee and as the student representative for the academic year 2024-2025. Thanks to her time on the Council, Karis was connected with a local nonprofit to develop a PR campaign for her senior capstone project.

Doug Park serves as Deputy General Counsel for the University of Oregon, and has served as the Chair of the Development Committee. Doug is proud of many accomplishments while serving on the council, such as assisting with the nomination, vetting, and election of numerous Council members, and is thankful to have worked with the JSMA staff to strengthen the UO’s mission.

The JSMA is deeply grateful to Ina, Sarah, Karis, and Doug for their service to the Leadership Council and museum. Thank you!

The JSMA receives grant funding for James Lavadour Exhibition

The JSMA is pleased to announce that we have secured strong philanthropic support for James Lavadour: Land of Origin, including a generous grant from the Ford Family Foundation. In December 2024 the museum was provisionally awarded a prestigious National Endowment for the Arts award supporting the show; however, all new NEA grants were canceled in May and the JSMA’s grant is currently under appeal. The Art Bridges Foundation has also provided major funding and administrative collaboration to launch a traveling exhibition of the Lavadour show. Exhibition curator Danielle Knapp is thrilled to see such significant support for the exhibition and catalog honoring Lavadour’s fifty years as an exhibiting artist. “Lavadour is already nationally recognized, but he is especially beloved and well-represented in Oregon. This major funding makes it possible for us to share his work more widely—through traveling the exhibition out of state, expanding the teaching potential of Lavadour’s works via educational resources and digital and print materials, and publishing a comprehensive catalog to document the project and share insights from writers Rebecca Dobkins, Meagan Atiyeh, and Marie Watt.”

Patron Circle and Members Opening of “24 Seasons” a Resounding Success!

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Jack and Susy Wadsworth for their generous gifts to underwrite the 24 Seasons: Critical Temporality and Qiu Zhijie’s Light Writing exhibition and events on the opening weekend, which was the second major exhibition from the Jack and Susy Wadsworth Collection of Contemporary Chinese Photographs, donated to the museum in 2018. The event was a tremendous success, drawing hundreds of visitors and including insightful presentations by the artist, Qiu Zhijie, himself. Jack and Susy Wadsworth, alongside Vinie Zhang, also provided funding to acquire the scroll also named 24 Seasons, which Qiu Zhijie graciously shared during the event.

Hung Liu/Trillium Award 2025

This year’s Hung Liu/Trillium Award to a graduating UO MFA student goes to Xinyu Liu for his series of photographs depicting human interactions in public, corporate, and institutional spaces. The award was established by painter Hung Liu and Trillium Graphics to recognize exceptional creative work in the completion of the Master of Fine Arts degree. Chosen by a committee of UO art faculty and JSMA staff, it provides $4,000 for a recent graduate to use however they wish to help launch their post-graduate life as a practicing artist. In the words of Professor Ron Jude, “Xinyu Liu has been a tremendous student in our MFA program for the past three years. His work is informed by diligent and thorough research into both the history of architecture and photography in the context of contemporary art. Once one tunes into the nuanced cues of the spaces Xinyu is exploring, a whole new world of social and spatial dynamics opens up. His work is visually engaging through the understated and precise way that he describes his subject, while quietly and subversively interrogating the politics and hierarchies of our built environment. Xinyu has been an infectiously enthusiastic member of our community, and he will be sorely missed.”

As an artist who completed an MFA in the United States, Hung Liu understood well the precipice that graduation represents. The award was her way to help other young artists on their journey. The JSMA looks forward to following Xinyu Liu on his, and wishes to clarify that they have no family relationship despite sharing a last name!

44° Día Anual de Muertos | 44th Annual Day of the Dead

Save the Date

Celebrate the Day of the Dead at the JSMA and enjoy an evening of arts and crafts, music, and dance featuring performances from the Mexican musical group Hermanos Herrera.

¡Reserva la fecha!

Celebra el día de los muertos en el JSMA y disfruta de una noche de arte, manualidades, danza y música con la presentación especial del grupo mexicano Hermanos Herrera.

Staff Updates

Security Staff News

Scott Fellman

Scott Fellman is the new Museum Facilities and Security Administrator. He has an Executive Master of Public Administration from PSU and a Bachelor of Arts in Telecommunications and Film with a Sociology Minor from the UO. His breadth of experience includes being a background investigator for Lane County Sheriff and numerous roles in a career with the Eugene Police Department, which highlight his expertise with community engagement, professional standards, staff team building, policy development and training.

Scott is also a Pro Tem Instructor for the UO. He designed coursework for an upper division sociology course on policing’s history, role, and its impact in American society.

Tyler Johnson

Also joining our security team is Tyler Johnson. Originally from Wisconsin, Tyler did several tours with the Air Force before moving to Oregon, where his wife is from. In addition to his military service, he has worked in security in armored car transport. In his free time Tyler loves being outside hunting, off-roading, and spending time mastering the BBQ.

Collections Staff News

Thank you, Chris and Adeline!

Our security team said good-bye to Chris Blake and Adeline Norris this spring. Chris is returning to school and Adeline has joined the staff of the Planned Parenthood of Southwestern Oregon. Thanks for your years of service!

Miranda Callander

We bid a fond farewell to our friend and longtime Head Registrar and Shared Visions Manager, Miranda Callander, who joined the museum in June 2012 and dedicated 12-1/2 years of service to the University of Oregon. Miranda’s keen curatorial eye kept the Shared Visions galleries looking terrific, and her deep expertise, commitment to the museum’s mission and vision, and tireless dedication left a lasting impact on our collections and our team. Thank you, Miranda!

Alexander Ellis

We’re pleased to share that Alexander Ellis, previously Associate Registrar, has been promoted to Head Registrar and Shared Visions Manager. He stepped in after Miranda’s departure and has seamlessly kept the Shared Visions program on track, continuing to offer fascinating juxtapositions of artworks from across time and tradition, guaranteeing that the JSMA always has something unexpected and amazing on view.

Elizabeth Larew

We also celebrate Elizabeth Larew’s transition from Collections Assistant to Assistant Collections Manager, recognizing her expanding role and continued contributions to the institution. Elizabeth’s work as part of the Academic Programs team helps open the museum’s Collection's Lab up for faculty and student use, allowing UO classes to have direct access to works in the JSMA collection that are not currently on view in the museum’s galleries.

Thank you, Curatorial Fellows!

Alexis Garcia

Alexis Garcia served as the 2023-2025 Post-Graduate Museum Fellow in European and American Art. In her time here, she curated six exhibitions, including Adapting Antiquity: Classical Receptions in American Art and My Heart May Be Satisfied. Her final exhibition, Abstract Realms: Landscapes from the Permanent Collection, will open in December.

In her support of academic outreach, Alexis pulled over 300 objects for art viewings, and personally led 154 class visits for 4,317 students, faculty, and staff. Building on her former experience as a preparator intern at the JSMA, she also assisted the collections department with a number of projects, including refiling European, American, and Japanese prints; condition reporting the East Asian weaponry collection; and building new housing for various objects.

Upon the conclusion of her fellowship this July, Alexis will be joining the staff of the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art at Portland State University as their Program and Outreach Coordinator.

Reflections from Soojin Jeong

I will have completed two curatorial projects respectively with Gayun Lee and Suhyun Hwang, Global Challengers Museum Interns, for Korean art galleries (Wan Koo & Young Ja Huh Wing, Jin Joo Gallery) by the end of my fellowship (September 2025). The first exhibition is Landscape, Mindscape: Portrayals of Nature and the World from Korea and Beyond, 1700-2020 (2024-2025), which features a broad scope of artworks that visually and conceptually depict nature and the world, incorporating methods, aesthetics, and ideas derived from Korea and beyond from the eighteenth century through the present.

The second exhibition is Fluid Continuity: Rethinking Korean Art in the Contemporary Age (2025-2026), which will reenvision Korean art history since the turn of the 20 th century as a continuous multifaceted story consisting of rich cultural heritages and influences and their modern interpretations. It will present the narrative by interrelating six prominent traditional art practices/ mediums used through the premodern and modern history in Korea: celadon ceramics of the Goryeo dynasty (918-1392), buncheong wares and white porcelains of the Joseon dynasty (1392-1910), and Korean paper, silk, and wood.

Working as a Curatorial Fellow at JSMA has been a great learning and thriving experience, as I had opportunities to collaborate with and be supported by colleagues, mentors, artists, students and professors in/beyond the UO community, as well as to develop my skills and capacities in preparing myself for an academic/museum career. In addition to conducting rigorous research and curatorial work, my role of leading gallery tours and class visits significantly improved myself for engaging/interacting more professionally and closely with the academic community.

Art as Medicine JSMA’s Art Heals Program Gains National and International Acclaim

From the gallery walls in the museum to the clinical halls of New York, and from the historic museums of Rome, the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art’s Art Heals program is quietly revolutionizing how museums contribute to human well-being. What began as a locally grounded initiative to address stress and disconnection has flourished into an internationally respected model at the intersection of art, healthcare, and emotional resilience.

Rooted in the belief that museums can be more than places of passive viewing, the JSMA Art Heals program invites healthcare workers, patients, educators, and students into an experience of creative reflection, healing dialogue, and shared humanity.

Art Heals reached new international heights in November

2024, when Lisa Abia-Smith represented the JSMA at the Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma. There, she presented at the global forum The Art of Observation: How Art Improves the Skills of Healthcare Personnel, alongside other museum education colleagues from academic art museums in the U.S., including Yale and Harvard as well as education curators and medical staff from Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and the UK.

Lisa was invited to facilitate a hands-on Art Heals workshop at the Capitoline Museum, guiding participants through mindfulness, reflection, and artmaking while surrounded by ancient Roman sculpture. The session illuminated a powerful truth: art can transcend language and culture to create healing across borders.

In June, members from the International Forum of VTS, Arts, and Healthcare Working Group explored a research study investigating how the JSMA at UO Art Heals framework can be implemented at other art museums and medical schools across the globe, and measure the impact on museum visitors, medical care providers, and patients.

From Oregon to NYC: A Residency in Reflection

In February 2025, the JSMA Art Heals team of Lisa Abia-Smith, Dr. Elizabeth Lahti (OHSU), and Rosemarie Oakman led a transformative series of workshops in New York City at NYU Langone Health, Montefiore Medical Center at Albert Einstein College of Medicine Center, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Over two days, more than 70 participants, including faculty, chief residents, palliative care specialists, and medical educators, engaged in reflective art experiences combining close looking, poetry, narrative writing, and expressive artmaking. The workshops cultivated connection, emotional release, and creative self-awareness using the Art Heals framework. Participants explored themes of care, shelter, and belonging through guided, creative prompts, and collaborative art activities in both clinical and museum settings.

Quantitative and qualitative feedback revealed powerful outcomes. Participants reported increased empathy, stress reduction, and renewed emotional connection to their peers and professions. One NYU resident remarked, “I didn’t realize how much I needed to create something until I did.” From art from NYU’s collection exhibited in the hospital’s hallway to Matisse at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, each site became a space of renewal and reflection. Many expressed surprise at the depth of engagement, the emotional resonance of the poetry, and the healing power of collaborative art. These sessions affirmed the value of integrating arts-based wellness programming into healthcare education and marked a milestone in the national recognition of Art Heals as a replicable model for medical humanities and museum-based care.

More than 70 medical professionals, including residents, palliative care teams, and clinical educators, gathered to engage in Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS), guided slow-looking, poetry, and expressive mixedmedia artmaking. These workshops provided participants with a rare gift: a moment to breathe, reflect, and connect with themselves, their colleagues, and the works of art they often pass without pause.

“I didn’t know how much I needed to create something until I did.” — NYU Workshop Participant

The outcomes were striking:

• Over 90% of participants “strongly agreed” the sessions reduced stress.

• Many shared they felt “more hopeful,” “reconnected,” and “emotionally restored."

• Some described seeing the art and their workplace in a completely new light and source for decompression.

“We walk past these artworks every day. I’ll never see them the same way again.”

— NYU Clinical Faculty Member

Centering the Caregivers: OHSU Bioethics Workshop

In April, Art Heals was invited to present at the OHSU Center for Bioethics’ conference, “Caregivers in Crisis: Moral Distress and Building Resilience in the Workforce.” Co-led by Lisa, Dr. Lahti, and Holly Almond, FNP, MSN, the workshop provided a creative sanctuary for clinicians grappling with grief, moral injury, and burnout.

Through self-portraiture and facilitated discussion, participants explored their caregiving journeys with vulnerability and strength. The session reaffirmed the museum’s role in supporting those on the front lines of care.

“Museums cannot remain neutral in times of moral crisis. If we don’t support those who care for others, we risk the collapse of the system meant to care for us all." — Lisa Abia-Smith

Big Ten Recognition & What’s Next

In May 2025, Art Heals was featured at the Big Ten Museum Educators Consortium, where Lisa and Dr. Lahti shared their collaborative model, emphasizing how academic art museums like JSMA at UO can be leaders in integrating wellness into medical and educational institutions.

Looking ahead, the team will travel to Missoula, Montana in June and October, to deliver professional development for teachers and healthcare professionals through workshops hosted by Providence St. Patrick’s Health. This expansion marks the first step in a national rollout of the Art Heals framework.

May also provided visibility for Art Heals at the Society for General and Internal Medicine (SGIM) annual conference, held this year in

Hollywood, Florida. Lisa Abia-Smith and Dr. Elizabeth Lahti were invited to lead a workshop with Dr. Jennifer Adams, director of empathy in Medicine at NYU Langone, Grossman School of Medicine, called Empathy through Museums Bootcamp. The workshop and lecture demonstrated the Art Heals framework and measured impact the program had on medical professionals and medical residents from NYU during the team’s February workshop series.

The Museum as a Site of

Healing

In a world increasingly fractured by stress, isolation, and burnout, Art Heals offers something quietly radical: a way back to each other. Whether in a hospital hallway, a contemporary art gallery, or a centuries-old museum, the Art Heals framework proves that museums are not just places of looking, but places of belonging, reflection, and care. Over the last decade, Art Heals has grown from a local initiative into a nationally recognized model for how museums can promote health and well-being through meaningful engagement with art. Thanks to the Tykeson Family Foundation’s support the last three years, the program has flourished, reaching thousands of participants across Oregon and beyond, including patients, caregivers, healthcare providers, and students.

This initiative doesn’t just touch lives, it transforms them. And it reminds us of a timeless truth: Art is not just for seeing. It is for healing. To learn more or support this work:

jsma.uoregon.edu/artheals

The JSMA as Training Ground from Classroom to Professional Practice

Both Rosemarie Oakman and Gabrielle Miller began their journey with JSMA as graduate students enrolled in Museum Studies courses taught by Director of Education, Lisa AbiaSmith. Their path from the UO classroom to professional roles at the museum speaks to the important pipeline that exists between academic study and applied museum practice at JSMA.

This kind of career development underscores the unique strengths of a university art museum where teaching and mentorship are embedded in daily operations, and students are given real-world opportunities to contribute meaningfully to the field. It reflects a deep commitment to the JSMA’s educational mission, fostering a learning environment where future museum professionals can emerge, grow, and thrive.

We Welcome Our Newest Education Team Members!

Gabrielle Miller, JSMA Museum Educator

Gabrielle Miller is a recent graduate of the University of Oregon, where she earned a Master’s degree in Folklore and Public Culture and a Graduate Certificate in Museum Studies. During her time as a student enrolled in Planning, Public Policy and Management (PPPM) 510 Museum Education course in Spring 2023, Gabrielle distinguished herself through her commitment to museum equity, cultural research, and educational outreach grounded in decolonizing practices.

Gabrielle collaborated closely with Dr. Deana Dartt, serving as a Research Assistant Intern for Reclaiming El Camino, a major exhibition at the Autry Museum. She also co-led a “Decolonization 101” workshop with Dartt and Heron Greenesmith at the 2023 American Folklore Society Conference, facilitating dynamic conversations on Indigenous perspectives and decolonizing methodologies in the Humanities.

Her hands-on experience at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art began with an internship under Collections Manager Chris White. More recently, Gabrielle contributed to the Art Heals program, where she developed culturally specific healing workshops inspired by the work of artists such as Rick Bartow.

In addition to her museum work, Gabrielle served as a Composition Instructor at the University of Oregon, where she brought Culturally Responsive Teaching methods into the classroom—emphasizing inquiry, language, and power as tools for student exploration and empowerment.

Rosemarie Oakman, Program Manager for Well-being and Community Engagement

Rosemarie Oakman brings a deep and diverse background in cultural programming, creative aging, and nonprofit leadership to the JSMA. She has over a decade of experience designing, facilitating, and evaluating arts and cultural programs for diverse audiences and healthcare populations.

She holds a BFA from Alfred University (New York), a Master's in Nonprofit Management with a concentration in Arts Management from the University of Oregon, and a Master's in Gerontological Studies from Miami University’s Scripps Gerontology Center (Ohio). During her time at UO, Rosemarie was also a student in Lisa Abia-Smith’s Museum Studies courses, where her interest in arts and health integration first aligned with JSMA’s community-focused mission.

From 2017 to 2020, she served as the Graduate Fellow for the Strategic Alliance on Arts in Health, a collaborative initiative between JSMA and the School of Planning, Public Policy, and Management. In this role, she worked closely with Dr. Doug Blandy and Dr. Patricia Lambert, contributing to their co-authored book Arts in Healthy Aging: Exploring Research, Policy, and Professional Practice. Rosemarie also helped design and launch the museum’s Reflections and Connections program, which provides meaningful arts access for individuals with memory loss and their care partners. She has co-authored articles in the Journal of Arts Education and the Journal of Intergenerational Relationships

Her return to JSMA marks a continuation of her dedication to arts-based wellness. In her new role, she will lead programs that center community engagement, creative expression, and personal healing hallmarks of her professional philosophy and practice.

The Art of Connection Creative Aging Programs at the Museum

“Most people who have dementia are isolated, and we no longer have meaningful social interaction,” says Susan Bliven, a longtime participant in the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art’s creative aging program. “Well, it’s wonderful that we get that chance to make new friends and do new things, and I guess the bottom line is it’s a normalcy. We get to be adults again, not patients.”

Her words speak to a more profound truth about living with memory loss. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, nearly seven million people in the U.S. are living with Alzheimer’s disease, the most common cause of dementia. Alongside cognitive decline, many individuals and their care partners may face loneliness and disconnection. However, at the University of Oregon’s Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art (JSMA), a groundbreaking program offers something different: connection, creativity, and community.

Since 2018, the JSMA has offered Reflections and Connections, a unique arts access program designed specifically for people with memory loss and their care partners. Through a collaboration with the Oregon and SW Washington Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association and AGE+, this five-week series offers more than just a class—it provides an opportunity to engage with others through artistic exploration and reflective inquiry. Each two-hour session incorporates thoughtful dialogue around selected artworks in the museum’s galleries with hands-on studio artmaking, encouraging expression, conversation,

and a sense of belonging.

The JSMA’s creative aging programs are intentionally designed to be intergenerational. University students working within the museum’s education department participate alongside community members, helping to build a vibrant, welcoming community of care, creativity, and learning.

For Jessie, a care partner who attends alongside her husband Charles, the experience has been transformative. “It has affected my relationship with Charles because I’ve gotten to know him from a whole new angle,” she shares. “We were able to attend these sessions as a couple… We had very limited opportunities to engage in the community as a couple. It gave me a whole new lease on our marriage.”

Through art, Jessie rediscovered her husband and their similar dynamic. “He’s bright and bold with his colors, and I’m quite minimalist. I think I saw him in a new light and felt that compatibility with him that we really balanced each other out.”

Beyond deepening personal relationships, the program fosters friendships and a shared sense of community. “The community has blossomed into friendships and feeling very connected,” Jessie says. “So much so that even outside of the classes at the museum, I’ve made a friend in the program, and we get together for tea.”

Bob, another care partner enrolled in the program, echoed the importance of community. “The principal value to the program was gathering together with people of like interest with similar issues and sharing together the excitement and wonder that art can bring to add to their lives and my life too.”

He remembers being struck by the warmth and openness of the program. “It just blew me away to hear people talk about art in this kind of very personal and friendly environment,” he recalls. “What it provided us as a family was a kind of respite from the drudgery of taking care of someone and then doing something that was really fun… trying to recharge your batteries so that we can go back to doing the day-to-day menial things that we have to do.”

“The museum was such a welcoming and positive place,” he adds.

This environment is cultivated in part by University of Oregon students like Olivia Black (Class of 2025), who brings a lifelong commitment to working with older adults. “One of the women with a dementia diagnosis lights up every time she comes to the program,” Olivia says. “Her progress from being silent in the beginning to always smiling, chatting, and engaging with the art was inspiring to see.”

Olivia emphasizes the importance of lifelong learning—something that is often overlooked in conversations about education. “This program has taught me how beneficial programs like these can be for people with medical issues like dementia and memory loss,” she says. The experience has influenced her academic journey; she plans to pursue a certificate in gerontology during her Master’s program at the University of Washington.

“There is so much joy in the program for both the people living with memory loss and their care partners,” Olivia notes. “But I also get so much joy out of working with the program participants.”

For Seberiana Lopez (Class of 2025), that joy is grounded in the participants’ pride in their artistic creations. “They’re really proud and surprised by the work that they create. We try to make all of our art activities accessible… and when they create a piece that they’re proud of, it is a moment that I appreciate a lot.”

“Art should always be accessible,” she continues, “it doesn’t matter your background, your age group or where you come from. The

museum in general should be accessible to all and it should be welcoming and inviting, and I think programs like these, especially at the JSMA, have really shown that.”

The museum’s creative aging initiative includes two programs: Reflections and Connections, a five-week series offered throughout the year for the memory loss community, and Community and Connections, a dementia-friendly, drop-in program offered once a month on a Saturday afternoon during the academic year. Both programs foster intergenerational dialogue, creative expression, and moments of joy.

Reflections and Connections was designed by Rosemarie Oakman during her graduate studies at the University of Oregon in 2018. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, she successfully transitioned the program at the JSMA to a virtual format, ensuring continued access and engagement. In her current role as Museum Program Manager for Well-Being & Community Engagement, Rosemarie has brought the program back to an in-person format at the museum. She has worked at the intersection of art and Alzheimer’s disease for over a decade, driven by a deep belief in the transformative power of creative expression. Her passion stems from the proven benefits art offers both to individuals living with memory loss and to their care partners. These benefits can include reduced anxiety and agitation, improved communication, strengthened emotional connections, and moments of joy and self-expression that foster dignity and presence in the moment.

For more details or to register, please visit the museum’s website.

Free five-week class

Thursdays, September 4, September 11, September 18, September 25, October 2 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Art Seen

Winter Exhibition Openings

Winter brought us the Patron Circle and Member Receptions for the second major exhibition drawn from the Jack and Susy Wadsworth Collection of Contemporary Chinese Photographs, which was donated to the JSMA in 2018. Twenty-Four Seasons: Critical Temporality and Qiu Zhijie’s Light Writing presented a series of twenty-four large-scale digital prints created by the artist Qiu Zhijie that explored critical questions about temporality from multiple perspectives, as well as the effects of times on individuals, politics, and social change. We also welcomed artist Michael Brophy for the inaugural installation of his exhibition Reach: The Hanford Series The JSMA also presented the JSMA’s highest honor, the Gertrude Bass Warner Award, to Jack and Susy Wadsworth for their incredible contributions to the museum. There was a full house for an artist talk with Qiu Zhijie and Yan Geng, JSMA Curator of Contemporary and Chinese Art, along with distinguished China- and U.S.-based contemporary Chinese art specialists Jane DeBevoise, Johnson Chang, Nancy Lin, and Mia Yinxing Liu in a conversation moderated by Anne Rose Kitagawa.

Latinx Studies Night

In collaboration with the Latinx Studies Program at the UO, the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art hosted the third annual Latinx Studies Night at the Museum. University of Oregon students and faculty explored the galleries with student led tours while they built community with students, alumni, faculty, staff, and allies. Watch a video recap of the event: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8SvKy44Kj8

Arts and Healthy Aging

Authors Patricia Dewey Lambert, Professor, School of Planning, Public Policy and Management, University of Oregon; Doug Blandy, Professor Emeritus, School of Planning, Public Policy and Management, University of Oregon; and appearing over Zoom, Margaret Wyszomirski, Professor Emerita, Department of Art Administration, Education and Policy, Ohio State University, discuss their new book Arts in Healthy Aging. The book is a comprehensive study of why and how purposefully-designed programs that engage the visual, performing, and literary arts can support the health and well-being of older adults. In this presentation, the co-authors offered main findings from the research, ideas for activating America’s arts in healthy aging ecosystem at the national level, and recommendations for activating the 8Ps Framework for the Arts in Healthy Aging.

Blackout Day

In April, we held the 2nd Annual BlackOut Day at the JSMA in collaboration with the Black Cultural Initiative. This celebration of community, creativity, and collaboration highlighted the work of visiting artist Steve Prince and the exhibition Kitchen Table Talk. The JSMA’s Art Studio was open for guests to consider who they would invite to their kitchen table all while enjoying treats from Noisette. Special thanks to Talicia Brown-Crowell, BCI Founder & Executive Director, for her work organizing this community celebration.

Communal Kitchen Table

For the final weekend of Kitchen Table Talk, visiting artist Steve Prince and visiting choreographer Leah Glenn, along with dancers and musicians from the University of Oregon School of Music and Dance, created a community gathering around a space we all share, the kitchen table. Over 150 artists contributed to a collaborative art table that served as the centerpiece of the performance. Following the performance, we broke bread together dining on delicious breads baked by Noisette and Yardy. Thank you to our collaborators, the UO School of Music and Dance and Art Department for their contributions to this year-long residency.

MFA Opening

The opening reception of the University of Oregon MFA Art Exhibition united campus and community in a celebration of the 2025 cohort. The exhibition featured Adam DeSorbo, Xinyu Liu, Kate Montgomery, Jens Pettersen, and Gracie Rothering, five artists whose various practices engage a broad range of inquiry. The artists represented a diverse range of media and practices, spanning ecology and personal/ cultural memory, to the bridge between death and the living world, symbolic institutional gateways, and ideas about abstraction through the materiality of painting.

Michael Brophy Events

In March, painter Michael Brophy discussed the interconnectedness of human, natural, and cultural histories in his work and how his visit to Washington State’s decommissioned nuclear site inspired Reach: The Hanford Series. In April, Brophy returned to the JSMA for a roundtable discussion with visiting scholar Zoe Weldon-Yochim (Ph.D. Candidate, UC Santa Cruz) and Dr. Emily Eliza Scott (Assistant Professor of History of Art and Architecture and Environmental Studies) about how contemporary artists respond to and represent issues of nuclearity, contaminated landscapes, and environmental justice, and how their work shapes public understanding.

2025 Lijin Collection Distinguished Lecture on Asian Art

The 2025 Lijin Collection Distinguished Lecture on Asian Art featured Claire Roberts, Professor of Art History from the School of Culture and Communication at The University of Melbourne.  Her talk “Seeing and Being Seen: Some Thoughts on Women and Chinese Art” used artworks from the JSMA collection as a starting point to consider ways of seeing in Chinese art as well as the important roles that women play as artists, co-practitioners, collectors, and curators.  Visitors were also treated to a private viewing of two works by Xiao Lu, Dialogue-Shooting and Tides, including a visit to the Barker Gallery to see the recently acquired Twenty-Four Seasons scroll by Qiu Zhijie. The Lijin Collection Distinguished Lecture Series presents artists and scholars who share their knowledge of Asian art with the students, faculty, staff, and the JSMA community.

Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art

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$59.00

Whether you're heading to a gallery opening or caught in a sudden downpour, this waterproof poncho blends art, history, and utility, turning every gloomy day into an opportunity for creative expression.

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Mailing address:

Street address: 1223 University of Oregon 1430 Johnson Lane Eugene, OR 97403–1223 Eugene, OR 97403

In the heart of the University of Oregon campus

Phone: 541-346-3027

Fax: 541-346-0976

Website: http://jsma.uoregon.edu

Hours

Wednesday: 11 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Thursday - Sunday: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Closed: November 11, November 28, December 17 - January 6 Academic visits by appointment

Cover Image: James Lavadour (American, Walla Walla, b. 1951).  The New Ghosts of Ceded Boundaries ,  2021. Oil on panel, 90 x 102 x 2 inches. Courtesy of the artist and PDX CONTEMPORARY ART