America250: Looking Back, Dreaming Forward

A Builder of Boats, John George Brown, gallery 207

“I have worked at the museum for about 40 years, and my background is in fine art. Working here and going to school at the Cleveland Institute of Art and Cleveland State University also gave me a love for art history.  

When I really examine this painting, I realize its subtleties. Shapes and a symphony of muted greens and reds keep your eye moving and tell a story about this man. He is relaxed, but he looks like he just looked up. The artist gave him a sense of presence. He is an American craftsman practicing his livelihood. Maybe the boat he’s making is for commerce and will support the American way of life. Innovations in industry of folks from the past led us to where we are today, in Cleveland, Ohio, and America.”  

“I’ve worked in at CMA for three years. I enjoy music, videography, and experimenting with different instruments. I studied art history and book local punk and metal bands. My mom is from Cleveland, and my dad is an immigrant from Trinidad. 

I love this painting’s layered pastel color palette. There is a sense of depth and motion with the main figure almost enshrouded in a haze. I appreciate that the roots of this painting were originally in literature and that the artist interpreted and presented the story in a visual context. Aaron Douglas is a Harlem Renaissance artist. I believe that if we treat the American spirit seriously, and hold freedom as a virtue, we should analyze and appreciate the ways that different communities in America perceive themselves and tell their own stories."

“I graduated from the Cleveland Institute of Art with a BFA in animation and began working at the museum shortly after. Being here has influenced my own artwork and how I approach visual storytelling.

What caught my eye in this painting is the contrast of golden wheat fields pitted against the dark, ominous clouds overhead. When light hits the fields, it seems to sparkle and bring the scene to life. The clouds show the looming presence of war, while the wheat fields symbolize peace. Growing up in Indiana, I’ve driven along country roads, and I’m proud to have my home represented. It reflects an America shaped by farmers, the backbone of our country, whose work has always mattered. This painting is a reminder that America’s identity is rooted in both the land and the people who work it."

“I’m a multidisciplinary artist who works with mostly natural materials. I went to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and returned to Cleveland, where I started making natural dyes. I’ve been an educator at the CMA for eight and a half years.

Joy Jacobs is from Cleveland. I was drawn to that as someone born and raised here. The subtle color in this artwork is captivating. It’s like a building with many doors, contrasted with textures evocative of nature. It’s like how, in Cleveland, we have a Rust Belt vibe mixed with prairie landscapes. It’s powerful to remember that there are people in our city making artworks in museums and receiving acknowledgement in their lifetimes. That’s a hopeful aspect of community that could ripple from Cleveland outward to our larger American community."...

“I’m a Mexican Argentinian immigrant, but I’ve lived in Cleveland most of my life and have worked at the Community Arts Center for a year and a half. I am a multidisciplinary artist and designer. My work reflects my passion for environmental sustainability and social justice. 

Created during the HIV/AIDS epidemic, Holzer’s work speaks to a moment when the death of queer folks was widespread but met with silence and neglect at the state level. Through this piece, mourning becomes a political act. It invites us to reckon with the gap between American ideals—liberty, equality—and the lived realities of marginalized Americans. America is lucky to be graced with so many different voices and perspectives; it’s a shame when what I believe makes this country so special is also attacked.” 

Twilight in the Wilderness, Frederic Edwin Church, gallery 206

“The American dream means having the freedom and opportunity to pursue whatever dream I have and knowing the right path to follow to obtain it. I spent ten years in the army, and I think it prepared me for where I am today. It gave me the discipline to know what I want and the motivation to achieve it.

The first thing I noticed in this painting is the red, white, and blue clouds. It’s a very patriotic sky. The clouds are like a blanket that provides you with the freedom to pursue your dream. The vastness of the landscape with a river running through it shows me a path that I can follow to get to that distant land of riches, freedom, and opportunity.”

Fifth Avenue, Childe Hassam, gallery 208

“The American dream is the ideal visualization of success in America. I’m a fourth-generation American. My great-grandpa lived in New York. He was basically a New Yorker even though he came from Europe. Many people entered through Ellis Island, and it was their first impression of America. New York represents everything American—it’s chaotic and busy, but everyone still wants to be there.

I was drawn to this painting because there are a lot of people, but you can’t see each one individually. It represents that in America, the ideal is to be part of the bigger whole. I love how everyone is gathering, how chaotic it is in New York, but how beautiful it is because everyone is part of a community.”

A Woman’s Work, John Sloan, gallery 208

“The American dream is an ideal, not a promise. It gives you opportunities and pathways, but you must put in effort; nothing’s guaranteed. I think many of John Sloan’s paintings show working people, alluding to an American caste system, which, in a way, persists. The mega-wealthy are unrestrained while the poor are still condemned.

This woman is working hard, using her own hands and gumption. She might have family or be solitary, but she is self-motivated. She could be a recent American immigrant who may not speak English well and/or is having to start over. Either way, she’s excelling and pressing forward. We don’t know her backstory but can see she’s building the best life with the resources available to her.”

Fulton and Nostrand, Jacob Lawrence, gallery 226B

“When I was younger, my idea of the American dream was a big house, two cars, a garage, and a good living. As the climate of the world changed, so did my dream. Now my American dream is for everyone to unite, love each other, and abolish all hate and racism. Unity and a sense of community are the American dream for me.

This painting makes me think about a time in the Hough neighborhood in Cleveland when everything was good. Black people owned businesses, and everybody was working together. We all knew each other. In the painting, people are enjoying themselves and working together. It looks like a real neighborhood where people take care of each other. You don’t find that much anymore around here.”