Exhibitions
June 23, 2018 through December 29, 2019
Museum founder Bartlett Arkell was a noted art lover with a keen interest in the Mohawk Valley. In 1925, he presented a Library to the people of Canajoharie and lent twelve paintings from his private collection to adorn the walls. This first cultural gift to the Village was built from the stone of an 1840 Erie Canal grain store and now serves as our reading room. Arkell opened an attached Art Gallery in 1927 with a permanent collection “replete with beautiful notes for landscapists and suggestive and vital themes for historical painters.” For Arkell, this region’s past and present were equally important. He continued to acquire artwork with a focus on American art, history, and artists representing New York and its early Dutch heritage. This exhibition celebrates his vision of the Mohawk Valley, a place where landscape, history, and people are forever entwined.
Spring 2018
Bartlett Arkell, first president of the Beech-Nut Packing Company, used the appeal of animals in Beech-Nut advertising and on Beech-Nut labels and packages. This special installation features advertisements, photos, and products showcasing Beech-Nut's use of animals in their marketing.
This display was designed and installed by Amanda Berman, Arkell Museum Intern and Cooperstown (Museum) Graduate Program, Class of 2018.
March 10, 2018 through June 10, 2018
From luminous watercolors to stunning prints, the work of Mark Adams and Beth Van Hoesen captures the essence of everyday objects and animals in a realistic manner. Van Hoesen and Adams met at the California School of Fine Arts in San Francisco in 1952. She was from Boise, Idaho; he was born and raised locally in Fort Plain, New York. Adams relates in a 1984 interview that he “came to California to see what it was like, met Beth and got married.”
Both studied painting, Van Hoesen at Stanford University and Adams at Syracuse University, and both later embraced diverse media. Van Hoesen distinguished herself as a major figure in 20th century printmaking. Adams created monumental tapestry and stained glass before turning to watercolor as his primary medium. During their early careers, Abstract Expressionism dominated American painting yet Van Hoesen and Adams focused on capturing the art found in everyday life with extraordinary images of objects, animals, and people they knew.
