Lloyd Ney: Local Color

Lloyd Ney: Local Color was an exhibit held June 4, 2016 through September 11, 2016 at the James A. Michener Art Museum.

News release information for the exhibit:

Lloyd Ney Brings Bucks County to Life in Local Color

MAY 11, 2016

New Exhibition to Feature Abstract Works of New Hope-Based Modernist

DOYLESTOWN, PA A new exhibition featuring works by Modernist Lloyd Ney will open to the public at the James A. Michener Art Museum on Saturday, June 4, 2016. On view through September 11, 2016, Lloyd Ney: Local Color showcases life in New Hope, Pennsylvania, from the 1930s through the 1960s as experienced and rendered by a lively artistic force.

Lloyd Raymond "Bill" Ney (1893-1965) was an American painter, sculptor, writer, and artistic innovator known for pushing boundaries, embracing Modernism, and stirring up controversy. His career took him to places throughout the country and the world, where he participated in a variety of artistic scenes, but he always came home to New Hope, PA. Local Color will feature his paintings documenting life along the Delaware River, New Hope's inhabitants, and ambitious, detailed plans for his never-realized legacy: a museum devoted to Ney's own art in his own community.

"Lloyd Ney's work gives a unique viewpoint on the history of New Hope and the neighborhoods we know well," said Lisa Tremper Hanover, director and CEO of the Michener Art Museum. "The black and white study for his largest commission New London Facets hangs prominently in our lobby a striking welcome for any visitor who walks through our doors. His hometown pieces displayed in Local Color will make this same kind of impactful impression."

Ney called New Hope "home" for 40 years, changing the face of the town and transforming the neighborhood into a vibrant artists' community dubbed "the Latin Quarter." Unlike the Pennsylvania Impressionists who dominated the New Hope art scene, Ney was an outspoken Modernist. He became famous for having a painting rejected from the annual Phillips' Mill exhibition in 1930, after which he and other artists organized a rival display of Modernist works in protest. Ironically, one of Ney's own paintings won an award at the Phillips Mill Exhibition in 1960.

The exhibition is curated by Louise Feder, the Museum's Assistant Curator. Programming includes a Curator's Conversation and Gallery Talk on Wednesday, August 24 at 1 pm, and a Curator's Lecture on Wednesday, September 7 at 1 pm.

Lloyd Ney: Local Color is presented by Maureen and Gregory Church. Additional support is provided by Silverman Family Partnerships and Malmark-Bellcraftsmen. For more details about the exhibition and its programs, visit MichenerArtMuseum.org.

About The James A. Michener Art Museum

The James A. Michener Art Museum collects, preserves, interprets and exhibits American art, and promotes the work of nationally and internationally known Delaware Valley artists of all eras and creative disciplines. The museum presents exhibitions that explore a variety of artistic expressions and offers diverse educational programs that develop a lifelong involvement in the arts. The James A. Michener Art Museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums.

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

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