The Akron Art Museum is hoping to find ways to meet the new needs of our patrons. With so much free time, many people are looking for new ways to be engaged and active. We’ll be posting regular features to keep you living creatively.
Many of us are facing weeks of working from home, a new endeavor for the masses. Spartan spaces can be pretty depressing, particularly for those used to being surrounded by colleagues and outside stimulation.
We’re here to help you dress up that blah desk into a colorful, creative space with a little inspiration from the collection in a series of posts from our new #MuseumatHome #TryThis series. Over the next few days, we’ll take your office from boring to exhilarating.
First up, let’s help you keep that desk free of coffee rings. Coasters are an easy, useful project for any part of the home. In this dreary time, color can transform your attitude. Color was integral to Josef Albers’ work.
Albers was a 20th century educator and artist who was incredibly influential on modern art. He taught notable artists from the AAM collection like Robert Rauchenberg, Richard Anuszkiewicz and Julian Stanczak. In his Homage to the Square series, Albers systematically investigates the ways that the appearance of a color is influenced by adjacent hues. Alber’s rigorous exercise in color theory is the jumping off point for these coasters.
SUPPLY LIST:
- Scissors
- Glue
- Cardboard box
- Fabric/Felt/Colored Paper
PROCEDURES:
- Find an old cardboard box.
2. Cut it down into 3–4 inch squares.
3. Find colored paper or fabric. Felt works great. Use the cardboard as a guide, and cut the color to size.
4. Cut squares of fabric or cloth from a similar color family to the base color.
5. Glue each of your squares down, small to large, and then onto the cardboard base.
Our collection is a wonderful place to explore the influence of Albers on modern art. For more about Albers, the Josef and Anni Albers Foundation is worth a look. Check out the works by Robert Rauchenberg, Richard Anuszkiewicz, Julian Stanczak, Yellow Filtration is seen below (credit line), all students of Josef Albers in our collection.
#TryThis is made possible with support from PNC, the Mary S. and David C. Corbin Foundation, the Alan and Janice Woll Family Fund, OMNOVA Solutions Foundation, Peg’s Foundation, Robert O. and Annamae Orr Family Foundation, Kathy Moses Salem Philanthropic Fund of the Akron Community Foundation, Charles E. and Mabel M. Richie Foundation and Mr. and Mrs. William H. Considine.
