Current & Upcoming Special Exhibitions
Celebrating Creative Genius
The Art, Life, and Legacy of Eatonton, GA Native David Driskell
February 11 – April 22, 2021
Celebrating Creative Genius features original artworks and prints by David Driskell on loan from galleries, private collections and institutions plus photographs and artifacts from the artist’s early life.
The Exhibition will include a special component for students of all grade levels from surrounding counties. Selected works by the students will be on display in the West Gallery of the Museum along with an impressive array of original Driskell collages, prints and paintings.
David Driskell (1931-2020) was a prolific artist, scholar, curator and Putnam County native. He is revered for his role in uplifting artists of color and developing African-American Art as a distinct field of study.
We invite all to join us in celebrating the life of David Driskell, whose impact extended across the world but whose beginnings were here in Middle Georgia.
Image: David Driskell, The Hibiscus, 2015, hand-colored print (25/35), 7″ x 5″
Healing Our Humanity: Finding Hope, Love and Unity
May 5 – July 10, 2021
Healing Our Humanity compiles a broad range of perspectives that tell the dynamic story of our current social climate and the path forward.
“The most important aspect of art is communication. I use universal themes and I try to communicate with all persons. Art is unique in that a translation is not necessary, and a genuine work of art can be more powerful than a dozen ambassadors. If we can exchange our ideas and our feelings through art, I think it will be a little more difficult for us to go shooting and dropping bombs on each other. Perhaps I am an idealist, but this is what I believe and this is the purpose of my work.”
– Steffen Thomas in November 1965 from “The Turbulent World of Steffen Thomas” by Richard Ainsworth as published in ‘ATLANTA’, the Official Publication of the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce
A Day at STMA
A Day at STMA is a field trip program that serves K-12 students in public schools, private schools, homeschools, and extracurricular clubs across Georgia. These programs are provided at little to no cost to the schools or students.
It begins with a guided tour of the museum and the current special exhibition, which includes the history of Steffen Thomas’s life and group discussions about the themes.
After the tour, they are led in an art activity that changes every year and teaches them about a specific artistic technique used by Steffen Thomas, such as sculpture, mosaics, painting, and more.
Distance Learning
Distance Learning launched in 2020 as an alternative to A Day at STMA while we all weathered the COVID-19 pandemic. This program gives individual art kits to a class for a fun, educational experience in the classroom or at home – including all the necessary materials and instructions, and a voucher for a families to visit the museum safely on their own.
The art kits give a similar experience to the A Day at STMA field trips. Information and full color images of Steffen Thomas art simulate the guided tour of the museum. Age appropriate materials in the Beginner (3rd-5th grade) or Advanced (6th grade and up) kits recreate the “Make-and-Take” art activity.
College Connections
College Connections serves fine arts and humanities majors by offering individual internships, class projects, programs, and exhibition opportunities.
The program has collaborated with students from Augusta University (formerly Georgia Regents University), University of North Georgia, Georgia College and State University, and the University of Georgia.
