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NMAA | RENWICK | NOVEMBER
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Among the 47 works in the NMAA exhibition, "A Life in Art: Alma Thomas, 1891-1978," are "Light Blue Nursery," a 1968 acrylic on canvas; "Grandfather's House," a 1952 oil on canvas; and "The Eclipse," a 1970 acrylic on canvas.

APPALACHIAN MUSIC AND POETRY
In conjunction with the exhibition, "More than Land or Sky: Art from Appalachia," these concerts--co-sponsored by the Smithsonian's Division of Performing Arts and preceded by a 12:45 p.m. tour of the exhibition--will reflect the blend of the age-old tradition and innovation characteristic of the Appalachian region. The informal poetry readings--co-sponsored by the Folger Shakespeare Library and the Martin Luther King Memorial Library--will convey the love of oral history and poetry so prevalent in Appalachia.

November 4 Gurney Norman and James Still of Kentucky will read from their own works. Free. At 7:30 p.m., Martin Luther King Library, 901 G Street N.W. November 9 Hollis Summers of Ohio, and George Ella Lyon and Jim Wayne Miller of Kentucky will read from their own works. Free. at 8 p.m., Folger Shakespeare Library, 201 East Capitol Street S.E. November 14 The 30-piece U.S. Marine Band, specializing in 19th century music, will present works by composers from the Appalachian states. Free. At 2 p.m. NMAA. November 18 Fred Chappell of North Carolina and James Goose of Kentucky will read from their own books. Free. At 7:30 p.m., Martin Luther King Memorial Library, 901 G Street, N.W. November 21 Trapezoid, a West Virginia string band whose members also are instrument-makers, will present music ranging from the ballads of the British Isles to fiddle tunes of Appalachia and swing. Free. At 2 p.m., NMAA. November 28 Jean Ritchie, a well-known Kentucky ballad singer now living in New York, will present Appalachian ballads and Christmas carols. Free. At 2p.m., NMAA.

THU 5 CREATIVE SCREEN 
The Dinner Party: Right Out of History (75 minutes) This unique color film by Johanna Demetrakas documents feminist artist Judy Chicago's five years' work with 400 artists and craftsman to create the "Dinner Party," a symbolic history of women's achievements. On a huge triangular table, there are 39 ceramic place settings on runners of varied needlework techniques with each setting commemorating women from prehistoric to present times--from Georgia O'Keefe to Elizabeth Blackwell, Vita Sackville-West and Virginia Woolf. Free. At 11:30 and 1 p.m., Renwick.

FRI 6 POETRY READINGS 
Karen Sagstetter and James MeEuen will read from their own works in this continuing series co-sponsored by the Renwick and the Folger Shakespeare Library. Free. At 12:15 p.m., Renwick. 

SAT 7 PUPPETEER
In conjunction with the exhibition, "More than Land or Sky: Art from Appalachia," Terry Shupbach of Gambier, Ohio will present stories and songs representative of the oral traditions of Appalachia. For tickets and information, call the Smithsonian Resident Associates at 357-3030. At 11 a.m., NMAA.

SUN 8 HISTORICAL FASHION SHOW
Depicting the changing styles from the mid-18th to the mid-19th century, the George Washington Bicentennial Center of Northern Virginia will present "Alexandria Promenade." Actors and actresses in period costumes will discuss the clothing they are modeling, and explain the fashions and social customs of each era. Free, At 3 p.m., Renwick. 

MON 9 ILLUSTRATED LECTURE
Janet A. Flint, NMAA Curator of Prints and Drawings, will discuss the exhibition, "The Print in the United Sates from the Eighteenth Century to the Present." For tickets and information, call the Smithsonian Resident Associates at 357-3030.

THU 12 ILLUSTRATED LECTURE
Tom McGlauchlin, an instructor in glassblowing at the Toledo Museum of Art whose work was included in the "New Glass" exhibition at the Renwick, will review the history of 20th century studio glass and also discuss his own work in sculptural glass design. Free. At 8 p.m., Renwick. 

SUN 15 CONCERT
Violinist Hyun woo Kim and pianist Hugh Wolff will present works by Bach, Beethoven and Prokofiev in a program co-sponsored by the Renwick and the Smithsonian Division of Performing Arts, Free. At 3 p.m., Renwick.

WED 18 ILLUSTRATED LECTURE
Wednesdays at the National Museum of American Art: Pictures at an Exhibition Barbara Shissler Nosanow, Curator of "More than Land or Sky: Art from Appalachia," will discuss this exhibition--highlighting the artists and their lifestyles. Free. At 2 p.m., NMAA. 

THU 19 CREATIVE SCREEN
Repeat of November 5 program.

SAT 21 STORYTELLER
In conjunction with the exhibition, "More than Land or Sky: Art from Appalachia," Cratis Williams of Boone, North Carolina, will recount folk tales affirming the strong oral traditions of the region. Free. At 11 a.m., NMAA.

THU 26 EXHIBITION
A Life in Art: Alma Thomas, 1891-1978 These 47 paintings, sculptures, and works on paper survey the career of this noted black artist who, following many years as a teacher in the Washington public schools, began to paint when she was in her sixties. She became nationally known for her abstractions and, in 1972, was given a one-woman exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art and a retrospective at the Corcoran Gallery of Art. Her sense of color was extraordinary and her mosaic-like patterns reflect a joyful and optimistic view of life. "Her vision of the world was tied to her career of teaching art to children and to her appreciation of her flower garden, as well as to the production of grand and joyous paintings of abstract color--an indication of the breadth of her artistry," Merry Foresta, Assistant Curator of 20th Century Painting and Sculpture, writes in the exhibition publication. "Each of her paintings shares the quality of having been inspired by the tenor of her experience and shaped by the challenges she encountered. If the paintings have a greatness of spirit, and if their delightful and exuberant color and pattern convey a sparkling vitality and joie de vivre, they also testify to the integrity of the artist's commitment to the vision of art that sustained her all of her life." With the recent gift of paintings from the Alma Thomas Estate added to those already in the museum, the NMAA has the major collection of her art. An illustrated catalogue will be available. Through February 28. At NMAA.

Continuing Exhibitions

New Accessions Among these 29 paintings, sculptures and drawings are two works by Joseph Cornell and Fritz Scholder's "Indian in the Snow." Through Novemver 1. At NMAA. 

The Grand Beehive Exhibition The beehive was adopted by Mormon pioneers who believed that beehive-like industry would turn the state's wasteland into a garden. Today, this icon continues to pervade the state and these works include neon signs, quilts and sculpture. An illustrated publication is available ($9.50). Through November 8. At Renwick. 

Cast and Recast: The Sculpture of Frederic Remington One section of this important exhibition includes twenty casts of Remington's best-known works--"The Bronco Buster," "The Scalp," "The Cheyenne," and "The Mountain Man." These are early sand and lost-wax casts, posthumous casts, recasts from original bronzes, and "replicas" modeled by different artists after Remington originals. Placed side-by-side, they provide a clear view of Remington's accomplishments and demonstrate the diminished quality of the later casts. Remington was one of the first important American sculptors to adopt the lost-wax method which allowed him to compose with greater freedom and fidelity in the details, surface textures and action of his bronzes. In a second section of this exhibition, both sand and lost-wax casting methods are shown. A free booklet on sand and lost-wax casting techniques is available and an illustrated catalogue will be published late this month. Through January 3. At NMAA.

More than Land or Sky: Art from Appalachia Despite the common belief that only crafts are created in Appalachia, this major exhibition presents the fine arts of the region. These 105 paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints and mixed media works--by 69 artists in the 13 Appalachian states--range from the sophisticated works of well-schooled painters to the folk visions of native artists. They demonstrate both diversity and strength of character. Many of the artists studied at prestigious art schools but have chosen to remain in, or return to, Appalachia; others have adopted this unique area as their home. This exhibition--aided by a grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission--assesses the art of this geographic area, examining the ways in which it reflects local roots, traditions, and a specific sense of place. An illustrated catalogue is available ($7.00). Through January 3. At NMAA. 

The Print in the United States from the Eighteenth Century to the Present These 90 prints from various Smithsonian museums and collections trace the development of American printmaking from the small engraved works of the 18th century to the large complex prints of the last 25 years. In this overview of major print traditions, popular works in woodcut and lithography from the 19th century are included--as well as examples from the print revival of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Among the artists are Milton Avery, George Bellows, Jim Dine, Winslow Homer, William Morris Hunt, Louis Mauer, Peter Pelham, Edward Savage, John Sloan, Frank Stella, and Andy Warhol. A free illustrated checklist is available. Through January 17. At NMAA. 

Perkins Harnly: From the Index of American Design These 29 watercolors of domestic, industrial and commercial Victorian and early 20th century interiors across the country were executed during the 1930s and 1940s, most created for the WPA Federal Art Project's Index of American Design (now in the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art). The majority are more imaginative than specific, with the designs based on those in mail order catalogues, photographs and books, and on Harnly's recollections of interiors seen during his youth in Nebraska. A free illustrated checklist will be available. Through February 15. At NMAA. 

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Monument display room, 1888

Venini Glass These 154 objects--each an example of extraordinary craftsmanship, sophisticated taste and a noted sense of style--were created by the Venetian firm founded by Paolo Venini in 1921. Because its emphasis is on innovation and quality, the manufactory always has attracted the finest designers, artists and architects who are allowed almost complete freedom of expression. These historic and contemporary objects illustrate the continuity of new techniques, colors and forms; the cultural connections with glass design in other countries and the influence of the personalities of a dozen of the firm's designers. This exhibition was organized by SITES (Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service) and Venini International. An illustrated publication is available ($9.00). Through March 21. At Renwick. 

FOR ADDITIONAL PUBLIC PROGRAMS, SEE OTHER SIDE