Premiere Party: Saturday, March 3, 2018, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Admission to the premiere is $10.00 for members and $15.00 for non-members. The exhibition will be on view March 3, 2018 through July 8, 2018.
Untitled by Jessie Arms Botke, oil and gold leaf on canvas. Collection of Santa Paula Art Museum. Courtesy image.
SANTA PAULA — The late Santa Paula artist Jessie Arms Botke (1883 – 1971) remains one of the most treasured decorative painters of the 20th century. Botke’s richly colored and detailed paintings of birds and flora are particularly prized among art collectors. An upcoming exhibition at the Santa Paula Art Museum, entitled “Botke Birds and Blossoms,” will provide a new perspective on Botke’s historic artworks as the show explores how her early career as an interior decorator influenced the style and subject matter for which her paintings became most famous.
The exhibition’s fresh take on Jessie Arms Botke’s work will be revealed in over 30 large-scale oil and watercolor paintings that have never been exhibited before. Also unprecedented will be the exhibit’s consideration of Botke’s early career as an interior decorator at the turn of the 20th century. Botke’s talent for illustrating birds and blossoms originated during her time as a wall decorator and tapestry “cartoonist” (designer) at Herter Looms in New York. It was there that she was exposed to a great variety of artistic mediums including medieval and Renaissance tapestries, Flemish still life painting, Japanese panels, and gold leaf. In comparing Botke’s later paintings with images of some of her earliest projects and inspirations, “Botke Birds and Blossoms” will offer a better understanding of and appreciation for Botke’s art.
Museum visitors will also be offered a glimpse into the artist’s creative process through her sketches and studies of flowers and birds, as well as Botke’s personal paintbox, color diagram, and handwritten letters. A full-size reproduction of one of Botke’s murals will also be on view and guests of the premiere party will be invited to have their photo taken with Botke’s stunning birds and blossoms in the background. “Botke Birds and Blossoms” will be on view through July 8, 2018.
The Santa Paula Art Museum, Jeanette Cole Art Center is located at 117 North 10th Street in historic downtown Santa Paula. The Museum features rotating exhibitions of vintage and contemporary art, educational programming for children and adults, artist talks and demonstrations, a gift shop and more. Regular admission is $4.00 for adults, $3.00 for seniors, and is free for students and museum members. For more information, please contact the Museum at (805) 525-5554 or visit the Museum’s website at www.santapaulaartmuseum.org.