Abby Smith

Explore the ideas in Transgressions and Amplifications: Mixed Media Photography of the 1960s and 1970s!

Artists are influenced by the work of other artists and the world in which they live and explore. While certain artworks may exemplify a particular movement in art, the boundaries can often be a little blurry, showing the multiple influences an artist experiences. When considering artistic movements such as abstract expressionism or surrealism, it’s common...

Guided Looking Activity Use these prompts to guide your experience in the exhibition.

Few names are as closely associated with the medium of photography than Ansel Adams. His black and white photography is known for its ability to take a world of color and create an image in tones of grey that reflect how the scene felt, not just how it looked. Here you can find two activities...

Subject, form, and content comprise the three basic components of a work of art. In general, subject may be thought of as the “what” in a piece of art: the topic, focus, or image. The most common subjects of art include people (portraiture), arrangements of objects (still-life), the natural world (landscape), and abstractions (non-objective). The Subjects of Art activity series introduces you to...

Photograms, shadowgraphs, or sunprints are a fun way to make images without a camera! Using materials you probably have around the house, you can record a shadowy image of things like leaves or grass – but this won’t be an instant image. Ultraviolet light from the sun will help us form these images over several hours or...

Subject, form, and content comprise the three basic components of a photograph. In general, subject may be thought of as the “what” in a photograph: the topic, focus, or image. The most common subjects of photography include people, arrangements of objects, the natural world, and abstractions. The Subjects of Photography activity series introduces you to each of these subjects and instructs you in...

Frederick Hammersley was one of the Four Abstract Classicists, a group of groundbreaking young painters working in Southern California after World War II. Hammersley’s work is emblematic of their hard-edge painting style. Much like the artist himself, his artwork he created is measured, clever, intelligent, and cool.  Hammersley kept comprehensive notebooks and sketchbooks that capture his thought process,...

Patrick Nagatani (1945-2017) was an artist and teacher from Albuquerque, New Mexico. He is known for his use of color and the “directorial style” of photography. In this style of photography, the artist creates, or alters, the scene in front of their camera. In his images, Nagatani creates imagined stories about real truths. ACTIVITY WORKBOOK In...

This activity explores creative writing and drawing using art from the collection as inspiration. We offer guidance on writing creative short stories, while sharpening observation skills and steps to make a gesture drawing. Gesture Drawing Telling Stories