Sam Francis Foundation Launches Campaign for Creativity in Learning

For Immediate Release

November 2014: Sam Francis Foundation launches signature community program, Creativity Matters, with four roundtables across America.

In collaboration with researchers from the Harvard School of Education’s, Project Zero, the Los Angeles based artist foundation will tackle the subject of, “Creativity in Learning” at the following four locations: The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston on October 29th, The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City on October 31st, The Los Angeles County Museum of Art on November 7th and finally, The Exploratorium in San Francisco on November 17th. 

After months of intensive research exploring work being done by organizations and individuals on this topic, we are bringing together a robust network of researchers, thinkers and practitioners, to discuss the complex issues related to learning in the 21st century. 

The roundtable conversations will focus on 3 questions: 

    - What does creativity look like, today and tomorrow? 

    - Under what conditions does creativity thrive?
    - How do we nurture and support it? 

From this series of discussions, the Sam Francis Foundation hopes to come away with a shared point of view about the challenges and opportunities inherent in the notion of bringing, “Creativity in Learning” to the forefront of our educational practice. Our goal is to understand where we can help and how we can make a difference. 

Join the conversation by following along on Twitter (@crtvtymttrs), Facebook (@Creativity Matters) and Instagram (@Creativitymatters14). The roundtables will be live-tweeted and followers are encouraged to participate by posting with the following hashtags: #SFF4Creativity 

As President Obama stated in his September, 2014 Presidential Proclamation, “To meet the challenges ahead, we must harness the skills and ingenuity of our children and grandchildren and instill in them the same passion and persistence that has driven centuries of progress and innovation. The arts and humanities provide important opportunities for our young people to unleash their creativity and reach for new heights.” 

Media Contact:

Carter Goffigon

carter@samfrancisfoundation.org

626.460.8551

Sam Francis Foundation 26 E. Colorado Blvd., Suite 7 Pasadena, CA 91105

T: 626.460.8551    F: 818.246.6690
www.samfrancisfoundation.org    info@samfrancisfoundation.org

Thanks to UNIQLO, FreeArts NYC and MoMA, 40 NY Kids Made Sam Francis Inspired T-Shirts

On Saturday October 18, over 50 UNIQLO staff members joined FreeArts NYC to welcome 40 children from homeless shelters in Brooklyn and Queens, for a special event. The children made t-shirts based on the work of American abstract artist Sam Francis whose merchandise was launched in stores earlier this month. After going on a tour of the 5th Ave UNIQLO Store, the children learned about Sam Francis from Leah Wolff, a program educator from MoMA. The children were also encouraged to talk about their feelings about art in general.

The children, who were recommended by the NY Department of Homeless Services, were from 6 to 12 years old, and came from the Boulevard Family Center in Queens and Urban Transitional Center in Brooklyn. These children don’t have the opportunity or means in their everyday settings to be able to express themselves through art. Giving them the opportunity to do so, was extremely meaningful for the children, as many of the children described the event as, “the best day…” and told us that their dream was to be a fashion designer or artist. FreeArts NYC, made the event possible by providing all of the supplies and additional support for the event. 

Images courtesy of UNIQLO

 

 

Before the children made their t shirts, they drew and painted their ideas on sheets of paper that they were able to take home. In addition, Sam Francis postcards and journals were graciously donated from the Sam Francis Foundation and given to the children as a souvenir.

Leah Wolff, from the MoMA uses Sam Francis SPRZ shirts as examples 

of how to make their t-shirts and to discuss the use of color and shapes.

October 2014 Newsletter

The Latest As the first installment of Creativity Matters, the Foundation is gearing up to host 4 roundtables exploring the topic of Creativity in Learning, in collaboration with Project Zero, the research arm of the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Held at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, the Exploratorium in San Francisco and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in Los Angeles, the events will convene thought leaders in the field of creativity, coming from a wide range of personal and professional backgrounds. Stay tuned for highlights of the conversations by following us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram! The fast-growing Japanese retailer Uniqlo recently set up a partnership with MoMA, featuring works by key artists in their apparel collection. Amidst the ranks of Warhol, Basquiat, Holzer, Pollock and more, comes the limited edition Sam Francis Collection! The t-shirts are available online and in stores worldwide.   THIS FRIDAY, OCT. 17TH, is Family Art Night at the Norton Simon Museum: Find new ways to look at and explore the Museum’s monumental Sam Francis painting. Discuss Basel Mural I with an educator, taking time to look and describe before forming your own creative interpretation of this inspiring piece. On top of a fresh new look, our new website will also feature an online store. Clothing, journals, postcards, limited edition posters, catalogs and out-of-print books from Lapis Press, Sam's former publishing house, will all be available. Unique and personal gifts to share with your loved ones for the holidays and proceeds will support the Foundation's signature program, Creativity Matters. On View In a recently opened show, Leslie Sacks Fine Art (Brentwood, CA) is showing key pieces from abstract artists of the past century. Sam Francis is featured alongside peers and friends such as Diebenkorn & Johns. On view until mid-November.   Opening on November 4th, Bernard Jacobson's New York gallery will be showing "Impressions: The Fine Art of Original Prints," featuring works by Sam Francis, Sol LeWitt, Robert Motherwell and Ed Ruscha. On display until December 20th.   COMING SOON! Galerie Jörg Schuhmacher will be hosting a tribute solo show of Sam's works in the Galerie Schwind space in historic Frankfurt, Germany. The exhibition opens on November 15th, 2014, and will feature a catalogue published specifically for the occasion.   Sam Francis' work was recently featured in "International Exchanges: Modern Art & St. Ives 1915-1965," held at Tate St. Ives from May 17 - September 28, 2014. Now, the show is heading to Middlesborough Institute of Modern Art (MIMA). Catch Grey Space(1950-51), Lovely Blueness No.2 (1955-1956) and Around the Blues(1957/1962) amongst the works of Barbara Hepworth, Wassily Kandinsky & Mark Rothko from October 24, 2014 - January 25, 2015. Until February 2016, In Lovely Blueness No.1 (1955-1957) will be on view at the Centre Pompidou Metz, 3 hours east of Paris. Visitors can re-discover it amongst other astounding works in the exhibition entitled "Phares," featuring monumental works from the Pompidou and French National Museum of Modern Art collections. The Huntington recently published their latest catalog, titled "American Made," and features Sam's Free Floating Clouds (1980), which is also up on display at the venue. Sam's Red in Red (1955) and The Beaubourg (1977) are on display at the newly inaugurated Anderson Collection at Stanford University. Get a glimpse of the expansive set-up here. News & Press

Around Us Day and Night (1989) was recently featured in the exhibition held at the Princeton University Art Museum, displaying work from the collection of Preston H. Haskell, from the class of 1960. Catalogue coming soon. Are you subscribed to ArtNews? Keep an eye out for news about the Sam Francis Foundation in the November issue. Coming up in the next edition of "Philadelphia Museum of Art: Handbook of Collections," art aficionados will have a chance to see Sam's Red(1955-56). From Disappearance (1957) and Untitled (1965) were recently shown in Sotheby's S|2 show "Born in a Minute: Color Field Painting from the 50s-70s," in New York City. View the full digital catalog here.

Uniqlo images copyright © Uniqlo, Japan. Norton Simon painting copyright © 2014 Norton Simon Museum Leslie Sacks Fine Art image copyright © Leslie Sacks Fine Art Galleries. Bernard Jacobson image copyright © Bernard Jacobson Galleries. Galerie Jörg Schuhmacher image copyright © Galerie Jörg Schuhmacher. Huntington image copyright © Tim Street Porter. Images for Pompidou Metz and Princeton from Google Images. All Sam Francis images copyright © 2014 Sam Francis Foundation, California / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.