Happenings
The Museum is temporarily closed for on-site programming and happenings as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Upcoming online happenings are listed below.
Upcoming Fall 2021
Opening Celebration
Thursday, September 16 | 4–7 p.m.
Save the Date! Join the Saint Mary's College Museum of Art to celebrate the opening of our Fall Exhibitions Keith + Kari and Collective Memories. More information to come. Explore the upcoming exhibitions here >>
Study Salon
Sunday, October 16 –Tuesday, October 18 | 4–9 p.m.
For Saint Mary's students, join the Museum of Art (MoA) for a late-night study session on Sunday, Monday, and/or Tuesday of midterms. View some art, study on gallery tables, and enjoy quiet time with a few laughs. Free snacks, beverages, and WiFi.
Third Thursday | Late Night in the Museum
Thursday, October 21 | TBA
The Museum of Art extends operational open hours on the third Thursday of the month. Whether it be a maker space or yoga session, each late-night offers a free unique experience to engage with our current exhibitions. More information on October's Third Thursday to come.
Are you a member of an SMC department, club, or the Contra Costa community interested in collaborating? Reach out to us at museum@stmarys-ca.edu
Third Thursday | Artist Dialogue + Art-Making
Thursday, November 18 | TBA
As part of the Museum of Art's Third Thursday, join us for an evening of art-making and dialogue featuring Fall exhibition artist, Kari Marboe. More information to come. Learn more about Keith + Kari >>
Healing the Earth: Environmental Art
Thursday, December 6 | 6–7:30 p.m.
Environmental Art is a critical expression of our time and the future. In partnership with the SMC Sustainability Committee, join the Museum of Art for a panel discussion that explores art as a medium to respond to environmental changes and impacts. This panel discussion is moderated by Lauren MacDonald, the Dean of the Library and Academic Resources and Director of the Museum.
More information forthcoming.
Spring 2021
Instituting Women Representation at SMC
Friday, March 5 at 4 p.m.
In 2018 a study revealed only 11 percent of works in the nation’s major museum collections are works by women artists. Acknowledging this gender inequity, join the Saint Mary’s College Museum of Art (SMCMoA) in a discussion that addresses how museums can shift and reframe their operational and professional practices to enhance the voice and representation of women in the arts. With an emphasis on women as art collectors, artists in art history, writers and archivists, and contemporary artmakers, this discussion looks at how a small college art museum has examined its institutional history, collection practices, and exhibition curations to generate a richer, more inclusive history.
Sponsored by the CWGE, MoA, CCIE
Representations | Featuring the Art History Babes
Saturday, March 20 at 1:30 p.m.
Join the Center for Women & Gender Equity, the Museum of Art, the Campus Committee for Inclusive Excellence and South Asian Student Association for a day of exploring representations of ourselves, of each other and of art.
At 1:30 p.m. tune into a fun session with special guests + podcast hosts The Art History Babes, as they discuss and recontextualize women artists and their representations in museums. Co-founded by Saint Mary's College of California alumna Natalie De La Torre, the Art History Babes is a women-owned art platform that discusses and generates dialogue centered around all things visual culture. Learn more about their podcast here>>
This event is free and open to the public.
Aesthetic Forces: Behind-the-Scenes Exploration
Thursday, February 11 at 3 p.m.
Watch the behind-the-scenes scope on the spring 2021 exhibition. Art historian Britt Royer facilitated a live hour discussion sharing the process, artwork selection, and themes guiding the Aesthetic Forces exhibition.
Wow Lecture Series: Instituting Women Representation
Wednesday, January 14 at 1 p.m.
In 2018, a study revealed that only 11 percent of works in the nation’s major museum collections are works by women artists. Acknowledging this gender inequity, Saint Mary’s College Museum of Art (SMCMoA) in Moraga, CA shifted and reframed their operational and professional practices to enhance the voice and representation of women in the arts. Spanning 2020 to future exhibitions, this webinar informs viewers of the underlining practices to build gender inclusion in museums. With an emphasis on women as art collectors, artists in art history, writers and archivists, and contemporary art makers, this webinar shares how a small college art museum has examined its institutional history, collection practices, and exhibition curation to generate a richer, more inclusive history.
This program is presented by the Friends of the Lafayette Library & Learning Center
MoA Virtual Exploration
Wednesday, January 20 at 1 p.m.
Join the Saint Mary's College Museum of Art (MoA) for a guided look at selected artworks from the permanent collection. This tour provides insights, discussions, and activities exploring artists, artmaking processes, and artists' representations in museum collections.
