Michener Extends 'Parting Gifts'

The appropriately named exhibit, Parting Gifts, will be sticking around the James A. Michener Art Museum for a few more weeks.

The Michener has extended the exhibit's run until Jan. 31, 2013.

That gives everyone an extra chance to see the exhibit that museum officials say "is a combined farewell and thank you to former Director/CEO Bruce Katsiff."

Katsiff stepped down earlier this year after 23 years of shepherding the museum in Doylestown through periods of major growth. In September, Katsiff received the 2012 Pennsylvania Governor's Award for Arts and Leadership Service. 

The exhibit in his honor displays 46 works donated by 36 artists. On view in the museum's Commonwealth Gallery, Parting Gifts features a broad range of regional styles and varied mediums.

The pieces range "from Diane Burko's sweeping views in pencil and Emmet Gowin's evocative gelatin silver prints, to Alan Magee's pensive woven cotton tapestry and Elizabeth Osborne's saturated color canvases," museum officials said.

"Parting Gifts represents some of the best contemporary artists in the region," new Director-CEO Lisa Tremper Hanover said in a statement.

"These works, in a wide range of media and methods, will remain in the Michener's permanent collection in perpetuity, a lasting tribute to Bruce's passionate dedication to the arts."

The artists who have donated work to this exhibit are Michael Becotte, Selma Bortner, Diane Burko, Randl Bye, Paula Chamlee, Ed Colker, Robert Dodge, David Ellsworth, Rob Evans, Susan Fenton, Larry Fink, Elaine Galen, Alan Goldstein, Don Gonzalez, Emmet Gowin, Nancy Hellebrand, Catherine Jansen, Paul F. Keene, Jr. (1920-2009), Gwen Kerber, Joan Lindley, Alan Magee, Marlene Miller, Helen Mirkil, Mira Nakashima, Elizabeth Osborne, Stephen Perloff, Alan Powell/ Connie Coleman (1947-2011), Charlotte A. Schatz, Mark Sfirri, Thomas Shillea, Mavis Smith, Michael A. Smith, Charles Sorrels, Robert Whitley and Stephen Guion Williams.

The James A. Michener Art Museum is located at 138 South Pine St., Doylestown.

Museum hours: Tuesday through Friday, 10 am to 4:30 pm; Saturday 10 am to 5 pm; Sunday noon to 5 pm.

Admission: Members and children under 6, free; adults $15; seniors $13; college student with valid ID $11; ages 6-18 $7.50; under 6 free.

For more information, visit www.michenerartmuseum.org or call 215-340-9800.

Annual support for the Michener Art Museum is provided by The Pew Charitable Trusts, the Bucks County Commissioners and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Council on the Arts.