Sheldon Museum of Art launches its fall programming Aug. 26 with a 5:30 p.m. CollectionTalk, an online discussion that takes participants inside the new “Framing a Legacy: Gifts from Ann and James Rawley” exhibition.
Melissa Yuen, Sheldon’s associate curator of exhibitions, will be joined by Will Thomas, professor of history and John and Catherine Angle Chair in the Humanities, and Rawley friends Carol and Art Thompson. To attend, RSVP to Laurel Ybarra at laurel.ybarra@unl.edu or 402-472-1454.
Ann and James Rawley shared a penchant for collecting works on paper, paintings and sculpture. “Framing a Legacy” highlights some of the 47 works given to the museum by the Rawleys over the course of three decades.
Ann Rawley (1923-2019), who served on the Sheldon Art Association Board of Trustees, was an avid theater-goer, needle pointer, painter, knitter and philanthropist. She is best remembered by many for her meticulous framing practice, which she honed in an apprenticeship at the encouragement of former Sheldon director Norman Geske. Some of the works in “Framing a Legacy” are presented in frames built by Ann.
James Rawley (1916-2005) was the Carl Adolph Happold Professor Emeritus of History at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. He taught courses and published books in his fields of specialization: the American Civil War, Abraham Lincoln, and the Atlantic slave trade. His significant contributions to the study of American history are recognized by the James A. Rawley Prize, which is given in his memory by the Organization of American Historians for the best book on race relations, and the James A. Rawley Prize, given by the American Historical Association for the best book in Atlantic history.
