Art Works Blog

text that reads Celebrate Black History Month with NEA Jazz Masters

Celebrate Black History Month with NEA Jazz Masters!

February 15, 2019
Jazz musicians and advocates receive the NEA Jazz Master Fellowship—the highest honor the nation bestows on jazz artists—because of the indelible mark they have made on the history of jazz, and on our country. From the moment they receive the honor they become a part of our nation's living history...
red heart on blue background with text that says The Art of the Valentine

The Art of the Valentine

February 14, 2019
Valentine’s Day is a time when love and admiration are at the forefront of our minds, much like when we see a truly inspiring work of art. Below are a series of valentines, or love-themed pieces drawn from the collections of several museum and library collections. As you look at these images and...
quote by Barbara Jordan

#WednesdayWisdom: Barbara Jordan on the Power of the Arts

February 13, 2019
"The arts are not a frill. The arts are a response to our individuality and our nature, and help to shape our identity. What is there that can transcend deep difference and stubborn divisions? The arts. They have a wonderful universality. Art has the potential to unify. It can speak in many...
Man standing next to a fire for blacksmithing.

#FlashbackFriday: A Celebration of the Work and Legacy of NEA National Heritage Fellow Philip Simmons

February 8, 2019
Can one man be responsible for a city’s character? If you’re 1982 NEA National Heritage Fellow Philip Simmons , that answer is yes. If you’ve been to Charleston, or even just seen pictures of the South Carolina city, chances are you’ve seen Simmons’ work. Thanks to “the poet of ironwork,” as he’s...
Graphs and coffee

Taking Note: Among Artists, Multidisciplinary Practice May Be the Norm—Not the Exception

February 7, 2019
The National Endowment for the Arts is on the verge of releasing an omnibus research report on artists and other cultural workers, based on statistics from various federal data sources. Readers familiar with U.S. stats on artists will appreciate that, whether from choice or need, these workers are...
Man in blue shirt sitting on steps and looking at camera

Spotlight on the National Disability Theatre

February 6, 2019
As an actor with autism, Mickey Rowe knows that performers with disabilities have to work harder because they have more to prove. “You are used to going above and beyond, overcompensating, and doing ten times more work just to show people that you are professional and capable,” he said. Which is...
quote by Oprah Winfrey

Notable Quotable: Oprah Winfrey

February 5, 2019
"Step out of the history that is holding you back. Step into the new story you are willing to create." — Oprah Winfrey What new story are you art-fully creating this year? Let us know on the National Endowment for the Arts Facebook page .
painting of a well-dressed woman of color working at a sewing machine

Flashback Friday: Five Questions We Have About Visiting Art Museums

February 1, 2019
While art museums can be wonderful places for sparking our imaginations, they can also be, well, a little intimidating. For one thing, it’s sometimes hard to see them as places of fun when you think you’re going to spend most of the time telling your kids, “No, don’t touch that!” And then, of...
close-up photo of open book

How to Read and Talk About Poetry

January 31, 2019
“Don't worry about what a poem means,” says poet Joy Harjo. “Do you ask what a song means before you listen? Just listen.” Harjo’s book of selected poems, How We Became Human , is one of the recent additions to the NEA Big Read library , along with two other books of poetry: Citizen by Claudia...
quote by David Bowie

#WisdomWednesday: David Bowie

January 30, 2019
“If you feel safe in the area you’re working in, you’re not working in the right area. Always go a little further into the water than you feel you’re capable of being in. Go a little bit out of your depth. And when you don’t feel that your feet are quite touching the bottom, you’re just about in...

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