'Place to Place': New Exhibition of American Drawings and Watercolors at Palmer Museum Explores Global Journeys
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – For those yearning to travel after a year and a half of staying put, the Palmer Museum of Art offers a perfect remedy for wanderlust: the special exhibition Place to Place: Recent Gifts of American Drawings and Watercolors, 1900–1950. Featuring works on paper by American artists, this display showcases diverse geographical locales through varied mediums and styles, taking viewers on a visual journey across the United States and beyond during the early 20th century. The exhibition was on view at the Palmer through December 12, 2021.
Organized by the Palmer Museum and curated by Adam Thomas, curator of American art, Place to Place highlights 23 recent additions to the museum’s collection—nearly all donated since 2017 and exhibited for the first time.
Developed in 2020 amid global travel restrictions, the exhibition’s theme of movement contrasts sharply with its origins. From New York to New Mexico to New Orleans, these watercolors and drawings capture familiar and lesser-known American sites. International works transport viewers to Belgium, England, France, Germany, and Morocco, prompting reflections on travel and rootedness in artists’ lives. Featured artists include Colin Campbell Cooper, Marsden Hartley, Charles Webster Hawthorne, Robert Henri, Irene Rice Pereira, and Alice Schille—many renowned for their wanderings.
Experience the journey through Place to Place. Free timed tickets were available at palmermuseum.psu.edu.
Related Programming
Thursday, October 7, 2:30 p.m., on Zoom: Museum Conversation: Place to Place. Join a virtual tour of Place to Place: Recent Gifts of American Drawings and Watercolors, 1900–1950, guided by Adam Thomas, curator of American art, with moderation by graduate assistant Alicia Skeath. Explore recent acquisitions depicting American and international scenes from the early 20th century.
Registration link: https://psu.zoom.us/webinar/re...
ABOUT THE PALMER
The Palmer Museum of Art on the Penn State University Park campus is a free-admission arts hub serving the University and central Pennsylvania communities. Its collection of over 10,300 objects spans cultures and centuries, making it the largest art museum between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. Strengths include American art from the late 18th century to today, Old Master paintings, prints, photography, ceramics, studio glass, and growing modern and contemporary holdings. The museum hosts 9 exhibitions annually across 11 galleries, a print-study room, a 150-seat auditorium, and an outdoor sculpture garden.
Museum hours: Tuesday–Friday, 11 a.m.–5 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.; Sunday, noon–5 p.m. (last timed ticket at 4:30 p.m.). Closed Mondays and select holidays.
The Palmer receives state arts funding from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania) and the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau.
For more on the Palmer Museum of Art and upcoming events, visit www.palmermuseum.psu.edu.
ABOUT THE NEW UNIVERSITY ART MUSEUM AT PENN STATE
Penn State and the Palmer Museum of Art are developing a new University Art Museum in The Arboretum at Penn State. Nearly twice the size of the current facility, it will feature expanded exhibition space, classrooms, a teaching gallery, flexible event areas, and on-site parking—enhancing educational opportunities for all ages. Integrated with the Arboretum, it will blend art, architecture, and nature. Like the Palmer, it relies on philanthropic support from the Penn State community. Learn more at artmuseum.psu.edu.
