Laurie Lambrecht, 𝘐𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘈𝘭𝘭. Photo: Gary Mamay
In conjunction with the exhibition, A Creative Retreat: Portraits of Artists, Guild Hall collection artist Laurie Lambrecht joins Director of Visual Arts Melanie Crader in conversation about Laurie’s career and her ongoing project included in the exhibition entitled Inspirations All.
In anticipation of the reopening of the John Drew Theater, the final stage of Guild Hall’s facility-wide renovation, A Creative Retreat: Portraits of Artists celebrates artists who were and are the fabric of the East End artist community and integral to Guild Hall.
The East End has a history of providing an environment for artists to gather and a place of respite and contemplation where many artists work quietly and diligently seasonally and year-round, forming a vibrant creative community. This exhibition of photographic portraits of visual, literary, and performing artists is drawn largely from Guild Hall’s permanent collection, supplemented by projects by Linda K. Alpern, Laurie Lambrecht, and Mark Mann.
Guild Hall was established in 1931 as a gathering place for the community where an appreciation for the arts would “promote a finer type of citizenship.” The institution was the first arts town hall of its kind, encompassing a museum, theater, education center, and meeting space under one roof. Guild Hall’s history parallels that of the American theater and art worlds, with many landmark performances and exhibitions documented in the publication Guild Hall for All (2021).
This exhibition is organized by director of visual arts Melanie Crader.
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Laurie Lambrecht
Laurie Lambrecht is a native of Bridgehampton, is a visual artist working in photography and fiber. Her work is an observation of the natural world, merging eye and hand in her lens and fiber-based work. Her first career as a sweater designer heightened her awareness of the tactile qualities and nuances of pattern and color found in nature. Her work especially celebrates trees: their form, subtlety, and enduring presence. Laurie has taught bookmaking and weaving workshops at numerous art museums and art centers.
In 2019, she presented her first outdoor site-specific installation of weavings and photographs at the Madoo Garden Conservancy as a Road Show artist with the Parrish Art Museum. Since then, she has created installations at the Watermill Center, Sylvester Manor, and the Leiber Collection Garden, among others. Her installation Into the Woods at the Nassau County Museum of Art was funded by a 2023 Project Grant from NYSCA.
Lambrecht’s photographs are in the collection of museums including the National Gallery of Art, The Center for Creative Photography, Guild Hall, and the Parrish Art Museum. She has had numerous solo exhibitions in the US and abroad. Lambrecht has been a participant at artist residencies including The American Academy in Rome; The Watermill Center; the Rauschenberg Residency; and KH Messen in Norway.
https://www.laurielambrecht.com/
@laurielambrechtstudioPhoto: Margaret Fox
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Melanie Crader
Melanie Crader joined Guild Hall in Summer of 2023 as the inaugural director of visual arts as Guild Hall opened its newly renovated galleries. Recently, she served as deputy director at the Parrish Art Museum, Water Mill, NY, where she also served as interim director. For 8 years prior, Melanie held the role of Director of Exhibitions and Publication Management at the Hammer Museum, UCLA, Los Angeles, where she was responsible for financial and administrative oversight of all curatorial initiatives, exhibitions, and publications. Managing the institution’s renowned exhibition program, she collaborated with local, national, and international institutional partners including The Met, Museum of Modern Art, Whitney Museum of American Art, Brooklyn Museum, MCA Chicago; Walker Art Center, Stedelijk Museum, and Pinacoteca de São Paulo.
During six years at the Menil Collection in Houston, she managed the operating budget and exhibition program, led a variety of special projects including institutional publications, oversaw major digital infrastructure initiatives, and implemented long-term budget planning for building projects and a capital campaign. Before entering the non-profit sector, Melanie worked in the marketing and communications department of an international investment company.
Originally from Louisiana, Melanie Crader, an artist and educator who taught at the university level, holds MFA from Ohio University, Athens; BA from McNeese State University, Lake Charles, LA; and attended the Banco Santander W30 Program, UCLA Anderson School of Management. She is a member of the American Exhibition Organizers and served on the Steering Committee from 2017 to 2021. For several years, she served on the Board of Directors and was an Artist Board Member of DiverseWorks Art Space, Houston.
Photo: Lori Hawkins
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MUSEUM PROGRAMS ARE SUPPORTED BY CROZIER FINE ARTS AND FUNDING FROM THE MICHAEL LYNNE MUSEUM ENDOWMENT AND THE MELVILLE STRAUS FAMILY ENDOWMENT.
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