Will Barnet as a Teacher
by Diana Greenwold, Curator of American Art, with contributions from Will Porta and Brett Bigbee
Museum audiences across the country know Will Barnet for his graphic print work and his haunting canvases. His experimentation with flat planes and sharp delineations have made him a fixture in surveys of modern American art. Indeed, his work is pivotal in helping to understand how artists navigate the space between figuration and abstraction. For generations of artists, however, Barnet is better known as a dedicated instructor and loyal mentor. He taught throughout his career at several institutions, including Cooper Union, the Arts Students League, the New School for Social Research, and Yale University. He also conducted summer sessions at Penn State as well as in Spokane, Duluth, Des Moines, and Richmond, and was well known for engaging lectures on far-reaching topics and individualized instruction and support.
Jacob Burckhardt. Will Barnet and students printing at the Art Students League., 193-. Will Barnet papers, 1897. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Teaching was second only to painting in Barnet’s professional life. In addition to teaching well into his 80s, he continued to make time for his students throughout the rest of his life. From offering in-depth critiques long after his formal teaching days to ensuring that he attended every opening they had, Barnet devoted much of his time outside of the studio to former students. Luminaries such as Brett Bigbee, Lois Dodd, Audrey Flack, Emily Mason, and Jim Rosenquist all studied with Barnet early in their careers. The following is a remembrance from Bigbee:
“One of the treasures in setting foot on this wondrous world is to come in contact with a kindred spirit. Will Barnet, my teacher and friend came into my life when I was just a young man, studying art at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. When I first started seeing Will for "crits" as a young art student, I was particularly drawn to his paintings of family, with their carefully planned compositions, which, though highly formal, also managed to capture his love for Elena, his wife, and his children and grandchildren. These beautiful paintings resonated with me and gave me a path to produce my own portraits. I strove to emulate Will's ability to design the abstract elements of a painting while creating figurative work. In our encounters, I was struck by Will's talent of course, but also his seemingly endless knowledge about art (and the world) and his gravity. I realized we were both on a quest to make poetry with this visual legacy we inherited. (It was later that I discovered his wonderful sketches with their beautiful line and his purely abstract paintings. Will could do it all.)
We started out where we ended up. He was always there with his keen eye and his generosity, fully engaged in this world, this greater world as well as the grand world of image making. I feel very lucky to have shared time with Will and his family over the years and almost don't know where to stop when describing my times with Will. I could write more about what a great eye he had or how he charmed my sons. I could go on and on, but will stop simply to express my gratitude for having had such a wise and loving friend.”
Alan Fisher. Art Student League Cafeteria, ca. 1939. Will Barnet papers, 1897. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
It is perfectly fitting then, that the Will Barnet Foundation generously funds the Barnet Scholar’s Weekend at the Portland Museum of Art in his honor. Over two days, established scholars in the field of American art history speak to various museum audiences on topics related to 20th-century American art. Speakers lead a gallery talk, a scholar’s luncheon, and a member’s lecture over the course of the program. In doing so, they present their research on far reaching topics and scholarly debates along with in-depth analysis of works in the PMA collection.
Past speakers have included Randall Griffey of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Glenn Adamson of the Yale Center for British Art, Jacqueline Francis of the San Francisco Art Institute, and Renée Ater of the University of Maryland. Most recently, Judith Walsh, retired professor of Art Conservation at Buffalo State College, spoke on Winslow Homer’s watercolors. We encourage to view the talk HERE (LINK).
The PMA staff and its audiences have benefitted tremendously from this series inspired by Barnet, the consummate teacher and selfless promoter for generations of students.