CORNELL MUSEUM OF ART & HISTORY
Part Of Delray Beach’s Historic Old School Square,
The Museum Provides A Bit Of Nostalgia And A Lot Of Culture
TEXT Courtney Powers Curtiss
PHOTOGRAPHY Courtesy of Hollingsworth Fine Arts, Orlando, FL


ABOVE: Originally home to Delray Elementary, the Cornell Museum of Art & History features exhibitions of paintings, sculptures, graphics, mixed media and photography.


ABOVE: “Young Girl with Parasol” is part of Mary Lane McMillan’s exhibit, “Parasols and Palmettos,” on view from Jan. 15 to March 14, 2004.


ABOVE: McMillan completed “Italian Villa 2” in Florence, Italy, in 1910.


ABOVE: In the decade after McMillan moved to Florida, she drew on her surroundings for inspiration, as seen in “Florida Fishing Cabin.”

 

 Imagine yourself transported to the Victorian era. You’re an observer. A pretty young woman with hair upswept and wearing a white linen dress is painting in a garden. She’s an artist — a budding artist. You follow her through her life, from her birthplace to her many travels abroad. Gazing through her eyes, you watch her life unfold in soft pastels and luminous color. Finally, you’re brought back to the present and find yourself standing in the middle of “Parasols and Palmettos,” a retrospective exhibition of Mary Lane McMillan’s work on exhibit at the Cornell Museum of Art & History from Jan. 15 through March 14, 2004.
Such rare moments of solitude and nostalgia seem to be commonplace at the Cornell. Part of a 4-acre cultural arts center called Old School Square in downtown Delray Beach, Fla., the Cornell shares the site with the Crest Theatre, which provides a forum for professional theater, dance, music and lectures, and the Vintage Gymnasium, where community residents celebrate weddings, birthdays and more.
Once home to Delray Elementary, which was built in 1913, and Delray High School and Gymnasium, which were completed in 1925, the three original structures were saved from the wrecking ball in 1989 thanks to the efforts of local cultural patron Frances Bourque, numerous volunteers and a very supportive community. Soon after, the site was incorporated as Old School Square, Inc. and extensive renovations began on each building. By 1990, the elementary building had been transformed into the Cornell Museum of Art & History, and by 1998, other structures had been restored. Today, Old School Square is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Many attribute Delray Beach’s aesthetic and cultural renaissance to the rejuvenation of this historic property. “If you had seen what it looked like in the ’70s and early ’80s — it was truly a mess,” Museum Director Gloria Rejune Adams says. “But once the museum was completed, people started to buy adjacent properties. Little by little, the area around us started to bloom.”
The museum, which opened its doors in 1990, encompasses four gallery spaces, two atria and a tea room. “A phenomenal all-women’s photography show was our first exhibit, and we’ve been moving forward ever since,” Adams says. Today, the museum schedule includes six or seven exhibits per year, and though the focus is primarily regional, the shows often have national and international appeal.
Variety also seems to be the norm. Displaying everything from military miniatures to quilts and fine art, the Cornell opens its doors to almost any subject matter. Not long ago, the museum organized a well-received Barbie® exhibit, which chronicled the 40-year history of the doll, addressing everything from changing fashions to views on women. As diverse as this slate of exhibits might seem, there is a unifying thread. “We tie everything in some way to both art and history,” Adams says.
“A World of Puppets: Art & Imagination” is currently on exhibit until Jan. 11, 2004. “Parasols and Palmettos,” featuring 60 sketches and paintings ranging from the late 19th century to 1967, follows soon after.
“McMillan’s work is just wonderful. She was proficient in all the media that she chose to work in, which is a rarity, “Adams says. “I think she allows the viewer to step back in time to a simpler, quieter time and to fully experience the joy she must have felt creating these wonderful works of art.”
Though the Cornell does not have an official permanent collection to date, it is moving in that direction with a collection of original works from Florida Hall of Fame artist A. Bean Backus as well as several Rembrandt etchings. Art classes for adults and children are also available to the public throughout the year.
For those seeking refuge from the clamor of everyday life, the Cornell Museum of Art & History provides visitors with a slice of history, a bit of solitude and pieces of great art. For more information on upcoming exhibits at the museum, please call 561/243-7922, ext. 322. For general information on Old School Square, visit its web site at www.oldschool.org.