The acquisition of 230 paintings from one man’s personal collection created the foundation for the Morris Museum of Art, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.
Located at one 10th Street, the museum houses an extensive collection of art with a tie to the South. Not only does it offer programs and art at the location, but the program has outreaches that take art into area hospitals and schools.
“I first came to Augusta to consult with Mr. (William S.) Morris about the Coggins’ collection in 1989,” said Kevin Grogan, who is celebrating his 20th anniversary as the museum’s curator and director.
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Dr. Robert Powell Coggins was a collector extraordinaire. He lived in a four-bedroom home and artwork was in every room plus the garage. Only a slice of his collection wound up in Morris’s hands, but it was enough to build upon.
The museum’s permanent collection has swelled to about 6,400 pieces with only the tiniest of items on display at a given time.
“About 96% is in storage,” Grogan said.
Items are rotated through to allow the public to see different pieces.
A recent acquisition is a large pottery vessel by David Drake, an enslaved man from Edgefield, S.C. sometimes simply known by the name of Dave the Potter. The piece is dated 1857.
Also part of the museum’s permanent collection is an exhibition of art glass from the Eugene Fleischer Collection.
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The museum also has temporary exhibitions at various times during the year.
Current exhibitions are Savannah’s Women Artists 1915-1945 which, according to the Morris Museum of Art website, had an “unusually vibrant artistic community” beginning in the 1920s. It features the works of such artists as Emma Cheves Wilkins, Hattie Saussy, Myrtle Jones, Margaret A. Murphy, Mary Hope Cabaniss, Andrée Ruellan and Augusta Oelschig.
Savannah’s Women Artists will be on display through Dec. 11.
Also on display is The Art of William Golding: Hard Knocks, Hardships and Lots of Experience.
“William O. Golding (1874–1943), an African American seaman and late-life artist who recorded a half-century of maritime experience in vibrant, imaginative drawings,” the website said. “After a lifetime spent traveling the world as a merchant seaman, Golding, his health failing, was confined to the United States Marine Hospital in Savannah, where he was encouraged to record his unique experiences and adventures in the colorful and expressive pencil and crayon drawings.”
His works will be on display through Jan. 22, 2023.
Another temporary exhibition it “The Spirit of Collage Paintings: Works by Arless Day,” which ends Nov. 6.
While the focal points of the museum are its works of art, the Morris has a variety of programs to enhance its Southern art specific mission.
Events are critical to the museum as it serves as a hub for a variety of unique happenings. COVID derailed programs for many months but they are back in full swing.
Children’s programming takes on various shapes.
The annual Boo Bash is scheduled for 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday. Face painting, decorating mini pumpkins, coloring a treat bag and trick or treating in the galleries is part of the event.
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Grogan said the annual happening draws upwards of 500 people and is one of the most popular activities at the museum.
It’s part of the monthly Artrageous! program which teaches children about an exhibition or a specific piece of artwork then ties it to a creative activity. Admission is free to the museum on Sunday.
There are other craft events during the month such as the Create With Me! program.
From 4 to 5 p.m. Nov. 3, see the fall paintings then make a painted leaf mobile. The program is free for museum members and $5 for non-members. Advance registration is required.
Each month, there’s a movie with a Southern tie shown in the museum’s auditorium.
Artist talks and musical events are scheduled at various times of the year. The Southern Soul and Song series brings bluegrass music to the Imperial Theatre. The next concert features the Annie Moses Band and will be Nov. 11.
Other programs are specifically designed for those with special needs.
Morris Discovery is “an art experience for people with special needs and their caregivers.” It’s a free program that includes an art project and a gallery conversation, according to the Morris website. A similar program is available for those with Alzheimer’s and dementia called Connections with Art.
Not all programs are held on site. The Morris Museum of Art staff takes programs to those who need them.
The pandemic altered the way the outreaches were presented. In-person visits to hospitals such as the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center and Children’s Hospital of Georgia were placed on hold, and while some facets are back in person, there’s one holdover – the “outreach to go kits.”
“Each kit includes an art project inspired by a work in our collection or current exhibition and all of the required supplies,” according to the website.
To learn more about the museum and its offerings, visit its website or call (706) 724-7501.
Charmain Z. Brackett is the managing editor of The Augusta Press. Reach her at charmain@theaugustapress.com
