Opening Sunday, July 13, and on view through September 28 at the Dixon Gallery & Gardens, "Susan Watkins and Women Artists of the Progressive Era" is organized by the Chrysler Museum of Art and supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Darel Snodgrass speaks with Dixon's Martha R. Robinson Curator, Julie Pierotti, about how women at the turn of the twentieth century overcame societal barriers to succeed in the professional art world. Centered on the career of Susan Watkins (1875–1913), the exhibition explores the environment in which she and her contemporaries forged their artistic identities.

Listen here: Checking in on the Arts with Darel Snodgrass

FULL TRANSCRIPT:

Checking on the arts is made possible by the Orpheum Theater opening this Sunday and running through September 28th at the Dixon Gallery and Gardens. In the main galleries is Susan Watkins and women Artists of the Progressive Era, and this looks like a really interesting show. Julie Perotti is the, Chief Curator there at the Dixon, and she's joined me today.

Hi Julie. Good morning. You know, this is the kind of show that I really enjoy because I, I like those, those sort of, those sort of liminal spaces, you know? The, the spaces between mm-hmm. And, and Susan Watkins sort of falls into that era. She's, in the progressive era as we mentioned.

In sort of American political thought. And, and she sort of falls between the real traditional realism of the, of the late 1890s mm-hmm. And moving into impressionism. So, so tell us about Susan Watkins. Yeah. Again, not a really well-known artist. Right. And the way you described, um, her work is perfect.

It's sort of in this in-between stage and what we're, what we learned through the exhibition is that she was not alone. There's a lot of artists that were in what's called the juice milieu somewhere kind of in between where there work really, is built upon foundations of academic painting.

Really beautiful finished surfaces to the paintings. A very traditional approach to learning how to paint, so studying from live models. Um, but she's working at a time of change where the art world is changing, tastes are changing, um, and she's finding a balance in her own career. Um, and then, um, between, you know, sort of conservative subjects of.

Pretty women in pretty interiors. And, also painting outdoors. She's, you know, charting a path for her own career as a woman, um, first in the United States, and then, her, with her mother, she goes to Europe to learn how to paint really, um, in Paris too. So her journey as an artist is part of, is a big part of the story and, the evolution of her work as well is, part of the story.

The other women artists who are doing kind of the same thing alongside her. So we're in this moment of, of rediscovering a lot of artists who, like Susan Watkins. Really popular during her time, very successful. She showed at the Paris Salon, which was the still in, you know, after the, the turn of the century, still the place to show your work.

Sure. It was more conservative than the places where the impressionists were showing their work, but it was still sort of the. Symbol of, yes, I've made it if my paintings are on the walls of the Paris Salon. And she showed at the salon, she won medals at the salon. She sent those paintings back to the United States.

They were shown at exhibitions in Philadelphia and New York, Chicago, um, St. Louis. And they received, you know, accolades there too. Um, but she died young. Mm-hmm. And, um, she, but at the time of her death, she was living in Norfolk, Virginia with her husband. Um, and they had just gotten married like. A year before or something.

And, um, you know, her work was sort of concentrated in that one city, that one part of the country. And so her reputation just sort of. Fizzled mm-hmm. In a way. Mm-hmm. Um, and the Chrysler Museum in Norfolk, um, has the largest collection of her work, and they've done a lot over the years to, um, kinda keep her her name in public museum memory.

Um, and this exhibition is one that I think is really smart because it's, it is a lot about her, but it brings in other artists at the same time to put her work in context and to show what she was doing alongside. What they were doing and how all these women artists are taking advantage of, you know, talking about the progressive era, taking advantage of, um, the new opportunities that are there for them that weren't there a generation before.

Right. Going to art school, um, you know, studying from live models, that was something women couldn't do before entering their work in exhibitions. Um, so they're taking advantage of those opportunities and, um. You know, it's putting her in, in the place of, of some of these artists who likewise, aren't super well known, but, you know, maybe they deserve their own spinoff exhibition too.

So I, I, I'm proud of this show and what I, um, what I hope, and I say this with a lot of exhibitions that come up at the Dixon, is that I hope this is sort of just a, a starting point, a jumping off point for more exhibitions on artists like these who are really, you know, beautiful, very talented. Um, painters, they just deserve the, the kind of treatment that, um, Susan Watkins is getting in this exhibition.

And a beautiful catalog that goes along with it, with really interesting, um, essays and research and, um, to. You know, kind of tell her story as part of the bigger story of, uh, American art at the turn of the century. Yeah. You know, it's, and, and, and I, as I was researching this, I was thinking that this is something that we run into in, in my field in classical music mm-hmm.

Is that, you know, we have Mozart and we have Beethoven, we have Hayden, which are, you know, the giants. But that doesn't mean that there weren't. Also other wonderful composers working at the same time that were overshadowed. And I think that sort of happens here. Yes. Because in this same period we have Grant Wood and Mary Kasad Yeah.

And, and Winslow Homer and all these giants mm-hmm. Of American art. Mm-hmm. And I think that kind of happens here. Yeah. That's exactly, that's such a great, you know, analogy for, for this period in, in art hist history is you have Monet, Manet, duga, and then. 2 billion other really interesting artists that haven't gotten, that don't always get their due.

And I think, um, that's a big responsibility for museums. That's what we're supposed to be doing. I mean, it's great to to see paintings by artists you've. Heard of before that you've studied in school. That's super important. Um, but I think we're also here to, um, you know, reintroduce some artists into the mix and I think it all makes your understanding of a certain time period so much richer to, um, learn about.

Some, an artist you didn't know about previously who was connected with, and you know, in the case of Susan Watkins, connected with William Merri Chase, who's a a, just a giant figure in American artistry. Sure. Mm-hmm. Um, and in fact, at the very end of the show, chase painted a posthumous portrait of her.

Right, right. I saw that. Yes. That's giant. It's huge. It's really big. So I mean, she was respected by. Um, a lot of the artists that you and I would know, or anyone who's taken an art, American art history class would know. Um, so reintroducing her into their story, into our understanding of just the greater, you know, art world at the time.

It is really important and it's a, an honor to do it and it's fun. It's great to learn about another, an artist you didn't know about before and I'm, I love that the Dixon does that, that the Dixon is really committed to, um, the telling these stories. I mean, you know, just since I've been at, in the, what I call the Kevin Sharp era, um, we've done.

Helen Turner, Charles Courtney Curran, um, Elizabeth Oakey Paxton and William McGregor Paxton, um, just to name a few. So just kinda reintroducing a lot of artists to, um, you know, to what we consider the cannon of, of American art history. So, um, anyway, and on top of all that, it's a beautiful exhibition. Yeah, she was such a great painter.

Um, so I think there's, it's a visual feast really. Um. Big range of, of paintings a lot, mostly figure paintings. But, um, we have a whole section of, of landscapes mm-hmm. By her mm-hmm. That are really, you know, they're, they're intimate, they're painted, likely on location. They're small. Um, but they're really, really charming and really delightful.

It's a, it's a. Delightful exhibition. Yeah. You know, and I was noticing, I've only seen a few of these pieces 'cause you were nice enough to send me some, but in those, in those landscapes mm-hmm. Especially you can really see that sort of moving into impressionism. Yes, yes. And she's in Paris. She's there, yeah, she's at ground zero for impressionism.

And um, so yeah, there's paintings of the Luxembourg Gardens. There's a painting, uh, where you can see Notre Dame in the background. And, um, we have. Placed our painting by Henry Owa Tanner of, um, a view of the send looking toward Notre Dame next door to it. So, um, you know, on the wall. So it's, it's cool to see, uh, one of Susan Watkins paintings alongside another artist that was working at the same time as her, another American expatriate.

And, um, like, you know. Tanner is not a woman obviously, but he was a black man and sort of, um, faced some of the same barriers mm-hmm. That Susan Watkins would've faced. I mean, I think there's, um, it was logical, it was right to include his painting in this exhibition. Um, talking about the bigger picture of American artists leaving the United States that felt like they had to, um, maybe they hadn't really.

Declared themselves serious painters until they had gone to, to Paris to study. Right. Um, not so much like that anymore, but at the time that was, that was it. Sure. If you wanted to, you know, really make a go for it. You went to Paris to study, um, and Susan Watkins did, and HO Tanner did. And, uh, other painters like Elizabeth Norris, who we have in the exhibition is a painting from the Dixon's Collection.

Um, did the same thing. So it's, you know. Mary Cassatt gets all the, gets all the attention. Rightfully so. She's an amazing artist. Um, but there's, she's not alone. There's other artists that are, you know, doing the same thing as her. One of the things that I, that I love about the artists from this period, uh, is that many of them are, and you don't wanna say the last, but mm-hmm.

But in, in some ways, the last who were really from the academy mm-hmm. Who really had that sort of intense technical training mm-hmm. And that shows mm-hmm. Uh, in, in so many, so much of their work. Mm-hmm. And it, and it is something that. I don't wanna say we lose, but something that changes. Mm-hmm. In, in, mm-hmm.

Very quickly. It does in the decades, right after this. It does, in the early 20th century, that whole system starts to break down Right. A little bit. And by World War ii it's just sort of gone. Yeah. Um, and painting becomes something very different. Um, there's less of an emphasis on. Perfection. Right, right.

Than emotion and feeling. Sure. And I think Susan Watkins work sort of bridges that a little bit. You start to see, um, a little bit, you know, as her work progresses, a little bit less of an emphasis on perfection and more on dash and movement. Yes, yes. Um, and, and it's not to say one's better than the other.

I mean, I think her academic type paintings, there's one of a woman playing a guitars. Awesome. It's stunning. It's really such a great pic picture. Um, but then you see, you know, portraits that she has in the show where there's a little more brush work showing mm-hmm. Showing a little more movement and, um, more gesture in the work.

Exactly. And, um. You know, that's where you can see the art world changing by, just by walking through the exhibition. And you know, like I said, she dies early in the teens, 19 teens. Um, and just, you know, 10 years later, art, I mean, really at that time art was really changing. But 10 years later, art starts to become something really different and there's less of an emphasis on going to school, taking all the drawing classes, then moving to.

You know, live models. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Doing this, then doing that, then submitting to the s Um, so she, the, the artists in the exhibition are sort of like the end of an era in a way. Um, and that's, you know, it's not a, you know, cut down of them or their work, it's just they were, you know, their work is definitely from a moment and that moment.

Kind of came to an end, I think at a certain point, certainly with World War I, I think. Um, and then by World War ii, it's. Yeah. Art's kinda something different and yeah. It, uh, art of course, ideally is never divorced from the world. Yeah. And, and this era in American life and in American politics especially, was such a period of intense change.

Mm-hmm. It was the reaction to the Gilded Age. Mm-hmm. It was a reformers. Mm-hmm. Uh, it was, it was really an upending of mm-hmm. Of American political life and, and American social life. Mm-hmm. And, and, and certainly as you go through her life mm-hmm. You start to see this? Mm-hmm. Yeah, definitely. Just with the, um, you know, the fact that she was able to become an artist at all.

Yes. And to say, I want to be an artist and I'm gonna go for it. And, um, I think that's a sign of the time, sign of a changing time. Um, and, you know, she went to Paris, she showed at the salon. Only at this. Point in time, I think it's like 20% of art artists who had their work on the walls of the salon were women.

Mm-hmm. Sure. So 80% are men. Yeah. So it's really, the odds are stacked against you as a woman. But, um, you know, I think having the guts to, to go for it, um, was. Something, you know, that we can all admire really. And, and I think we don't necessarily, in today's world, we can't really understand what it was like.

I mean, I. Do whatever I want basically now. Right, right. And in and Susan Watkins time, it wasn't necessarily like that. Um, but for her to, to be an artist, to take herself seriously and to have other artists take her seriously too, was a, it was a big deal. Uh, do you have events going on with this? Do you have a gallery talk?

Uh, we do, yes. With Saturday evening, we have a reception from six to eight for members of the Dixon. Okay. Mm-hmm. So if you are not a member, it's a great time to, to join. Um, this week, or you can join at the door really, if you like, um, and get a sneak peek of the exhibition. And then Sunday at two o'clock, Cory Piper is the, uh, curator of American Art at the Chrysler Oh, okay.

Museum in Norfolk. And he's coming in town and is gonna give a lecture. So that's Sunday at two. And that will be, he's a, a nice guy, a great curator, and I know, um, he'll give a really interesting talk and, and really, um, sort of illuminate her work and her life story. But like I've. And saying what the exhibition does is put her work in, um, context of, uh, broader American art being produced in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

And of course, the Dixon, as always, is free. We're free. So you can come as often as you like. Y'all know it's hot outside. It's Oh, it's very nice in the Dixon. It's really nice. In the Dixon. Yes. And actually you go inside, it's 70 degrees no matter what day of the year it is. And then you go outside and you can almost enjoy the gardens a little bit more coming out of the chill of the ac and our gardens just look spectacular right now.

So it's a, it's a great time to come if you can handle the heat. Uh, uh, is, is this the first show since you have done the, the renovation in the main galleries? Oh, yes, that's right. Yeah. Good call. Yeah. So we have now completed a, a long-term goal of the Dixon Yeah. Which is to convert all the lighting in our art viewing spaces to LED lighting.

Mm-hmm. So we were closed, the galleries were closed, exhibition galleries were closed for th close to three months, um, while we installed LED lighting in those spaces. So now. Every, everywhere you can look at art has LED lighting. Um, and that lighting is not only obviously it's, you know, more, um.

Environmentally friendly. Sure, yeah. Um, but for viewing art, it is more consistent. It's absolutely consistent. Um, it's cooler, it's safer for the works of art. And, um, if you ever came to the Dixon and just saw a light out on a painting, that's not happen anymore. These light bulbs last for 50. 15 years each.

There you go. So we're just so grateful. This is such a huge step forward for the Dixon. Um, and grateful to, um, Kevin, our director and um, our board for letting us do this. It's a big project and it's been a two year. Phased approach, um, to, to putting in LED lighting. So we're just very proud and so happy to have to have this completed.

So you all should come see the exhibition. I promise you. The art, you're, you're gonna notice the difference and how great the art looks, um, with. The right lighting on it finally. That's very exciting. Yes, Susan Watkins and women Artists of the Progressive Era. It opens this Sunday and runs through September 28th, and there are events going on this weekend.

Go to dixon.org. You get all the information there. Julie Perotti from the Dixon. Thanks so much for coming in. Thanks, Daryl. Checking on the Arts is made possible by contributing listeners and by the Orum 20 25, 20 26 Broadway season. The eight show series features timeless, timely, and time traveling stories.

Including a Beautiful Noise. The Neil Diamond Musical, the Notebook, and Juliet and the outsiders information is at orpheum memphis.com/season.