Nancy Cohen Israel
Summary:
•Art Historian with over 30 years of teaching experience through the Meadows Museum, Southern Methodist University’s Continuing Adult and Professional Education program and Dallas College
•Art Educator and lecturer to private groups as well as in public forums such as the Meadows Museum, Dallas Museum of Art, Crow Museum of Asian Art, Nasher Sculpture Center, Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth and McKinney Avenue Contemporary. Currently serving as the Manager of Docent Programs at the Meadows Museum.
•Arts Writer as a regular contributor to Patron magazine. Other local publications include Glasstire, Dallas Arts District Guide, VisitDallas, Arts + Culture, FD Luxe, and FYI+ 50 magazines. National publications include art ltd.
•Curator with over 25 years of experience serving as a curator and/or juror for exhibitions throughout North Texas
•Art Tour Organizer and Leader with over 20 years of experience of organizing and leading tours to artists’ studios private collections and unique art spaces locally, regionally and internationally
Professional Experience:
Owner, Art à la Carte, Dallas, Texas (April, 1997-present)
Art à la Carte is an art-education focused organization. For 15 years, Nancy organized, marketed, budgeted and led the successful program, Second Saturdays, which introduced participants to artists in theirs studios, collectors and their collections and exhibition venues throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Using an extensive network of contacts throughout Texas, she also planned and took groups on out-of-town arts tours. In addition, Nancy has organized and led art tours for museum groups visiting North Texas. She has also served as a tour leader for the Contemporary Art Dealers of Dallas (CADD) bus tour series.
As an art historian, Nancy has given numerous public lectures in a variety of formats, including docent training, gallery talks and lecture series. A partial list includes the following:
Siren’s Song: The Allure of Spanish Painters and their American Collectors, Luis Martín Lecture Series in the Humanities, Meadows Museum, Fall, 2023
Threads that Endure: Tapestries Share Our Stories, Women Who Weave Series, Temple Emanu-El, April, 2023
Dalí/Vermeer: A Dialogue, Gallery Talk, Meadows Museum, December, 2022
Sinners, Saints, Lovers and Fools: 300 Years of Flemish Masterworks, Docent Training, Dallas Museum of Art, February 2023
Dressing to Impress: The Promotion of Flemish Industry in the Portraits of the Archdukes Albert and Isabella Clara Eugenia, Virtual Gallery Talk, Meadows Museum, December, 2020
Reviving Nature Morte: Reimagining 17th Century Still Lives, Virtual Gallery Talk, Meadows Museum, November, 2020
Dalí Loves Campari, Virtual Presentation sponsored by Patron magazine and Campari, October, 2020
The 17th Century Teleconference: What the Backgrouns in Portraits of Religious and Secular Leaders Say about the Sitters, Virtual Gallery Talk, Meadows Museum, October, 2020
Painting a Pandemic: How the Plague Changed Art in 17th Century Spain, Virtual Gallery Talk, Meadows Museum, September, 2020
The Flemish Muse: Artistic Connections across Spain and the Low Countries during the 15th & 16th Centuries, Lecture Series, Meadows Museum, Summer, 2019
Aliyah: Dalí’s Visual Celebration of Homecoming, Gallery Talk and Docent Training, Meadows Museum, Winter, 2019
Lights, Camera, Landscape: The Rise of Impressionism, Lecture Series, Meadows Museum, Summer, 2018
Zurbarán: Jacob and his Twelve Sons Paintings from Auckland Castle, Gallery Talk, Meadows Museum, Fall, 2017
Museum Madness, Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas program, Winter, 2017
In the Footsteps of the Camino Santiago de Compostela, Lecture Series, Meadows Museum, Summer, 2016
Making Light of Art, Public Program, Nasher Sculpture Center, Pecha Kucha event hosted by Texas Sculpture Association, Fall, 2015
Netherlandish Highlights of the Alba Collection, Gallery Talk and Docent Training, Meadows Museum, Fall, 2015
The Greatness of Goy, Part I: Works on Paper, Lecture Series Meadows Museum, Fall, 2014
The Crossroads of Art and Tea, gallery talk which included highlights of the Dallas Museum of Art and Crow Museum of Asian Art collections, presented to the Specialty Tea Institute, Summer, 2014
The Spanish Gesture: Drawings from Murillo to Goya in the Hamburger Collection, Lecture Series, Meadows Museum, Summer, 2014
Art and Soul: Art Treasures of Temple Emanu-El, Public Lecture, Temple Emanu-El, Dallas, October 2013; February, 2014
For the Public Good: Private Collections that Shaped American Museums, Lecture Series, Meadows Museum, Fall, 2013
Impressions of Europe: 19th Century Vistas by Martín Rico, Docent Training, Meadows Museum, Spring, 2013
A Guide to Jews and the Arts, Public Lecture, Dallas Jewish Historical Society, Spring, 2013
Martín Rico and his place in the the 19th century landscape tradition, Lecture Series, Meadows Museum, Spring, 2013
The Noblest Man: The Art of Diego Velázquez, Lecture Series, Meadows Museum, Fall, 2012
West Meets East: Reconciling Cross Cultural Influences, Lecture Series, Crow Collection of Asian Art, Fall, 2009
Diego Rivera and the Circle of Montparnasse, Docent Training, Meadows Museum, Winter, 2009
On the Cutting Edge: How Caravaggio taught the world to embrace contemporary art, Public Lecture, McKinney Avenue Contemporary, Summer, 2008
Spanish 17th Century Painting through the lens of European Art, Lecture Series, Meadows Museum, Winter, 2008
Hapsburg Reign in Spain as seen through the Meadows Museum Collection, Public Lecture, Meadows Museum, Winter, 2002
Cynthia Lin: The Extraordinary Ordinary, Gallery Talk, Meadows Museum, Winter, 2000
A Rendezvous in Paris: 20th Century Jewish Artists work in Montparnasse, Public Lecture, American Jewish Congress, Summer, 1994
Art and Politics, Gallery Talk, Dallas Museum of Art, Fall, 1992
Bacchus: A Pagan Figure Turns Christian, Gallery Talk, Dallas Museum of Art, Winter, 1992
Selected exhibition catalogue essays include:
Inspired Friendship: James Surls and George Tobolowsky Share 50 Years of History in side by side: James Surls/George Tobolowsky, National Center for Jewish Art, Dallas, Texas, April, 2022
The Kramer Collection: Art of Arie van Selm, with Belanger Fine Arts, August, 2021
Luminous Translucence: The Art of Orna Feinstein and McKay Otto, MADI Museum, Dallas, October, 2019
Hope for the Future, Embellished with the Past: Ellen Francis Tuchman’s Reveries, koelsch haus gallery, Houston, September, 2018
Golden Jubilee: Celebrating 50 Years of Excellence, University of Dallas, Irving, Spring, 2017
Deborah Ballard: The Voice Within, Valley House Gallery and Sculpture Garden, Dallas, 2016
Susan Perkins: Luminous Impressions, Cohn-Drennan Contemporary, Dallas Winter, 2013
Connie Connally, Craighead-Green Gallery, Dallas, January, 2009
José Navarro-Vives: Venetian Atmospheres, Craighead-Green Gallery, Dallas, October, 2005
Select magazine publications include (click here to visit links to many of these stories):
Urban Pioneers, Patron magazine, March/April, 2022
Full Steam Ahead, Patron magazine, October/November, 2021
Natural Habitat, Patron magazine, June/July, 2021
Treasures in Our Midst, Patron magazine, April/May, 2021
Rarified Company, Patron magazine, August/September, 2019
Diversity in the District, Dallas Arts District Guide, Spring, 2019
Chaouki Choukini at the Green Gallery, Patron magazine, Dallas Art Fair issue, April, 2019
Zoë Buckman at Albertz Benda, Patron magazine, Dallas Art Fair issue, April, 2019
Dreaming with Dalí, Patron magazine, August/September, 2018
Basque Memories, Patron magazine, April/May, 2018
Private View, Patron magazine, February/March, 2018
The Enlightener, Patron magazine, December, 2017/January, 2018
All My Sons, Patron magazine, October/November, 2017
The Next Wave, Patron magazine, June/July, 2017
Glowing Gold, Patron magazine, April/May, 2017
Art@the Academy, Patron magazine, December, 2016/January, 2017
Spain’s Modern Masters, Patron magazine, October/November, 2016
Come Together, Patron magazine, February/March, 2016
High Lights, Patron magazine, December, 2015/January, 2016
Spanish Acquisition, Patron magazine, October/November, 2015
Modern Times, Patron magazine, June/July, 2015
Spotlight: Dallas/Fort Worth, art ltd. magazine, March/April, 2015
Universal Appeal, Patron magazine, February/March, 2015
Hidden in Plain Sight, Patron magazine, December, 2014/January, 2015
The Missing Link, Patron magazine, June/July, 2014
Devil in the Details, Patron magazine, April/May, 2014
Freedom of Expression, Patron magazine, February/March, 2014
Viva Sorolla!, Patron magazine, December, 2013/January, 2014
High Note, Patron magazine, Summer, 2013
Leading Lady, Patorn magazine, Spring, 2013
In Good Company, Patron magazine, Winter, 2012
Art as a Life Line to Healing, Arts + Culture magazine, October, 2012
Texas Got Talent, Arts + Culture magazine, Summer, 2012
Vision Accomplished, Patron magazine, Summer, 2012
X Marks the Spot for KAWS at the Modern, Arts + Culture magazine, December, 2011/January, 2012
Brave New Art at the Dallas Contemporary, Patron magazine, November, 2011 (debut issue)
Pamela Nelson: TEXTiles, Arts + Culture magazine, October, 2011
Southwest Spirit, Where Dallas, Vol. 1, No. 1, March, 1996
Curatorial/Juror experience includes:
125 Show, Plano Art Association, Juror, Summer, 2019
DADA Edith Baker Scholarship Fund, Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, Juror, Spring, 2019. 2020
Braniff 50th Anniversary Exhibition, University of Dallas, Curator, Spring, 2017
Yitzhak, Texas Jewish Art Association, Juror & Curator, Fall, 2016
Art on Henderson, Juror, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
2020 Under 20, Allen Arts Alliance, Juror, Spring 2015, 2016
In the Beginning, Texas Jewish Art Association, Juror & Curator, Fall, 2014
Art in the City, Creative Arts Center, Juror, Fall, 2010
Illuminating Traditions: The Art of David Moss, Temple Emanu-El, Dallas, Curator, February, 2009
Evolution: New Work by Denise Brown, Norman Kary and Ellen Francis Tuchman, University of Dallas, Curator, October, 2006
Found Elements, University of of Texas at Arlington Juror, October, 2005
New Texas Talent XII, Craighead-Green Gallery, Dallas, Juror, Summer, 2005
Artscape, Dallas Arboretum, Juror, Spring, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011
Palette ’99, Henderson County Arts Council, Athens, Texas, Guest Curator, Fall, 1999
Cynthia Lin and Jun Cheng Liu, Richland College, Dallas, February, 1999
Bare Essentials, ArtCentre of Plano, Texas Sculpture Association, Juror, January, 1999
Mela at Pushkar: Photography of Stewart Charles Cohen, Bath House Cultural Center, Dallas, Curator, Summer, 1996
Eastfield College Spring Juried Exhibition, Bath House Cultural Center, Juror, Spring 1995, 1996
Selected Media:
Daniel, Mike. “‘New Texas Talent’ at Craighead-Green”, Guide, The Dallas Morning News, July 22, 2005.
Mathews, Quin. “Art Matters”, WRR radio, July, 2005.
Mitchell, Glenn. “The Glenn Mitchell Show”, KERA radio, April, 2000.
“Second Saturdays”, Editor’s Picks, Out on the Town, D magazine, October, 2000.
Sime, Tom. Arts Out There, The Dallas Morning News, March 5, 1999.
“Art a la Carte presents Second Saturdays”, The Turtle Creek News, December 6, 1998.
Sime, Tom. “Art lovers’ bus tour almost ready to roll”, Arts Out There, The Dallas Morning News, September 4, 1998.
“Nancy Cohen to Lead Second Saturdays Program,” Neighborhood News, The Turtle Creek News, February 8, 1998.
Matthews, Quin. “Art Matters”, WRR radio, December, 1997.
Past Experience:
Adjunct Instructor, Art History, Brookhaven College, Dallas County Community College District Academic Years 1998-2000
Director, Edith Baker Gallery, Dallas, Texas April, 1993-April, 1997
Assistant, Docent Programs & Teaching Resources, Dallas Museum of Art, June, 1992-April, 1993
Curatorial Assistant, Dallas Museum of Art Fall, 1992
Adjunct Instructor, Art History, Eastfield College, Dallas County Community College District, Academic Year, 1992-1997
Adjunct Instructor, Collin County Community College, Plano, Texas, Fall, 1992
Eugene McDermott Intern in Education, Dallas Museum of Art, September, 1991-May, 1992
Exhibitions Coordination, The Trust for Museum Exhibitions, Washington, D.C., June, 1990-July, 1991
Gallery Curator, Fine Arts Committee, The University of Texas at Austin, January, 1985-May, 1986
Education:
M.A., Art History, The George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
B.A., Humanities Honors Program, program with concentration in late medieval art and literature in Northern Europe. Graduated with honors.
Dutch Studies Program, Rijksuniversiteit Leiden, Leiden, The Netherlands