The Stark Museum of Art presents special changing exhibitions to explore themes in greater depth or with new approaches. Special exhibitions offer an opportunity to view an individual artist’s art in concentration or to delve into a topic. These rotating exhibitions have traditionally come from the Stark Museum’s permanent collections. Future exhibitions will continue to use the Museum’s resources, while also including loans from other museums and private collections.
Nicolai Fechin (1881 - 1955), "Lola (Mrs. Triana), Spanish Dancer," undated, oil on canvas, 30 1/8 × 20 1/8 inches, Bequest of H.J. Lutcher Stark, 1965, 31.28.37
The Color Orange
Wednesday, March 11, 2026 - Saturday, October 3, 2026
The Color Orange explored the history, uses and effects of one color - orange. Works from the Stark Museum of Art's collection that span from 1500s to the 2000s exemplify how artists use orange. Examples from European, American and American Indian artists reveal orange's role in exploring nature, creating vibrant imagery and evoking emotions.
Dr. Seuss (1904 – 1991), artist, The Cat in the Hat, c. 1970, crayon on paper, 20 × 16 inches (50.8 × 40.6 cm), from the Art Kandy Collection
Childhood Classics: 100 Years of Original Illustration From the Art Kandy Collection
Saturday, March 8, 2025 - Saturday, July 12, 2025
Children's books serve a dual purpose - to entertain and educate young readers, while also reflecting the historical context and values of their time. Childhood Classics showcased the illustrations and illustrators behind these timeless stories, from early 20th century pen and ink drawings by Sarah Noble Ives, to modern digital creations like those by Mo Willems.
(image) Tom Lea (1907 – 2001), engraving designer, Lloyd Atkins (1922 – 2002), glass designer, Steuben Glass (founded 1903), manufacturer, “Trail Driver,” 1959, engraved crystal, 11 3/4 × 10 × 10 inches, Stark Museum of Art, Orange, Texas, Bequest of H.J. Lutcher Stark, 1965, 41.8.4.A&B
Steuben Glass: Stories Engraved in Crystal
Wednesday, April 5, 2023 - Saturday, December 21, 2024
This exhibition features clear crystal Steuben Glass. Frederick Carter founded Steuben in 1903. Under Carter, the company produced glassware in a variety of colors. During the Great Depression, Steuben suffered from lack of sales for its glassware.
Sandra Noble, Annie Box Neal, 2021, ©Sandra E. Noble.
Black Pioneers: Legacy in the American West
Saturday, March 2, 2024 – Saturday, August 3, 2024
This exhibition, the first of its kind, explores the path of Black history in the West with a timeline of original pictorial quilts. The timeline begins in 1528, with Esteban’s dramatic story, which marks the arrival of Africans in the American West and continues through the Civil Rights Movement.
Dispelling the myth that Black people in the old West were mostly cowboys, Black Pioneers: Legacy in the American West, shows rich diversity in their occupations and achievements in society, religion, education, and the arts.
Choosing quilts as the visual medium for this exhibition accentuates the intersections of African Americans in the Western Frontier while informing others about the art form and its important role in African American history.
This exhibition is organized by The James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art and Dr. Carolyn Mazloomi, curator, historian and artist. The quilts have been created by the Women of Color Quilters Network especially for this exhibition.